Top 10 NHL Stories of 2012

For the majority of 2012 there hasn't been any actual NHL hockey and as the final seconds ticked off the clock into 2013 there was still no sign of hockey. With the deadline for the season just 2 weeks away no one knows whether we will actually see NHL hockey or not. Hockey fans and frankly the hockey world in general is in a fragile place as fans are slowly losing hope for hockey. But since there's no present NHL stories, beside the lockout, to talk about let's take a look back at the most memorable moments from 2012. While the lockout has certainly been dominating the news as of late, there is more to remember from 2012, so here are the top 10 NHL stories of 2012.

Top 10 NHL Stories of 2012

10. Shane Doan's Future

There has been a lot of drama surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes over the last couple of seasons. But this off season the pot thickened when long time Coyotes captain and franchise player Shane Doan announced he would test the free agency markets once July 1st hit. Immediately this news sent the hockey world into a buzz and sent Coyotes fans into a tail spin. If it wasn't bad enough that their star player was considering leaving the desert, he held the league and the organization hostage by not making up his decision until he knew the certainty of where the Coyotes would be next season. He forced the NHL to make up their mind about the Coyotes being in Arizona, he made it clear he wanted to stay but only if he knew what was happening.

It appears Doan found the answer he was looking for and signed a 4 year $21.2 million deal to stay with the Coyotes, wherever that may be, on September 14th 2012. Both the Coyotes organization and their fans were able to breath a sigh of relief as their captain decided to stay with the team. Did he ever really plan on leaving the dessert, we'll likely never know but he did turn down a 4 year $30 million offer from another team earlier in the summer.

9. Tim Thomas Says No to Obama

When news of this story hit the media it got completely blown up and there was so much drama surrounding the Boston Bruins they got lost in the middle of it all and ended up going 5-7-1 afterward the incident and it ultimately drove a riff between Tim Thomas and his teammates. As is tradition the championship team gets an invite to the White House to visit with the President of the United States, it's a great day for the team, the players and the president get's some more air time, everyone wins. Only problem was one key member of the Bruins was not in attendance during the visit to the White House.

Thomas, who won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, Vezina Trophy and was the biggest key in the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup in 39 years decided he would not accompany his teammates to the White House to celebrate their victory. The goaltender stated political beliefs as the reason for him not

[caption id="attachment_1774" align="alignright" width="300"] Tim Thomas taunted by Obama Signs[/caption]

attending the event as he wasn't in favour of the presidents policies. The event shamed both the Bruins and the NHL but also opened up the media and the fans to the political side of the goaltender.

Thomas skipping the event had major consequences and virtually put an end to his career in Boston as he declared he would be taking the 2012-2013 season off from hockey to "re-evaluate" and "find himself". But it appears Thomas can see into the future as all NHL players are taking a break from playing.

8. Sam Gagner goes Gretzky-esque

Imagine a feat so rare that only 11 players have managed to accomplish it, a feat that neither Sidney Crosby nor Alexander Ovechkin have been able to claim and a milestone that hadn't been reached since Mario Lemieux in 1989. On February 2nd 2012, Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner recorded 8 points (4 goals and 4 assists) to add himself to an exclusive list of players. Gagner became just the 12th player to record 8 points in a single game, a feat Wayne Gretzky himself accomplished twice.

Gagner was 22 at the time and tied the Oilers franchise record shared by Gretzky and Paul Coffey, not bad for a guy whose name was being tossed around in rumour after rumour leading up to the trade deadline!

7. Detroit Red Wings Defend Home Turf

Home ice advantage has become a thing of the past, in today's game great teams can go into any arena and grind out the win. But the Detroit Red Wings made a case that the Joe was a scary place for the opposition to play. The Red Wings put together a streak that lasted 4 months and saw them win 23 consecutive home games at Joe Louis. It was an awesome story for the Wings, who have been one of the NHL's elite for the last decade but still play the game "the right way" so it was awesome that they were able to break the record for consecutive wins at home.

Just how dominate were the Wings during their win streak? During those 23 games, they won 19 of them in regulation, outscored their opponents 89-34 and the last 6 games of the win streak came with the help of their back-up goaltender! Sure anyone can get lucky while playing at home but away from the Joe the Wings were a loess than stellar 13-11-1 during that same time.

6. Penguins/ Flyers rivalry

For any hockey fan who likes old time hockey the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers rivalry is for you. If you remember the days of the Broad Street Bullies you know the Flyers have always played a style of hockey where they like to intimidate or beat up opponents. The 2011-2012 Flyers went back to their roots and once again became the Broad Street Bullies during their playoff series against the Penguins. The Penguins are a team of

[caption id="attachment_1775" align="alignright" width="300"] Crosby and Giroux go toe-to-toe in the 2012 Playoffs[/caption]

finesse, they don't get involved in the rough stuff as they focus on pretty scoring plays and beating opponents on the scoreboard. During their first round playoff match, the Flyers drew the Penguins into playing the Flyers rough style of hockey, a style completely out of the Penguins element.

The most memorable game in the series was game 3 in which tempers finally boiled over and the Penguins fully lost it. The Flyers won the game 8-4 and both goalies have had better games but that wasn't the main storyline. The two teams racked up 158 penalty minutes including 4 10 minute misconducts! Even Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux mixed things up during the game which proved the Flyers had officially got under the Penguins skin. To follow up the 158 PIM game, the Penguins returned the favour and won game 4 by a score of 10-3, that game featured 100 PIM. The Flyers would take the series 4-2 but would fall in the 2nd round as all their emotion was thrust into the Penguins series.

It was some great old time hockey, that featured fights and players who really didn't like each other. One of the most memorable moments, Giroux hit Crosby into the boards and while Crosby was still getting up, Giroux had scored a goal for the Flyers. When the NHL eventually gets back it will be interesting to see these two teams square off again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tit_fbYnmLc

5. Phoenix Coyotes Best Season

The Coyotes are kind of like the orphans of the NHL, they don't really have an owner and there's always talk about moving them from their current home to a new home with a new owner. With so much un-certainty following the team it can be hard to focus on the hockey, but the Coyotes players put aside all the distractions and made the 2011-2012 season their best!

Throughout the regular season the Coyotes earned 97 points which ranked them 3rd in the Western Conference poised for a playoff birth. Going into the playoffs the Coyotes franchise had never won a playoff series, but the Coyotes managed to win not just 1 but 2 against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators. From phenomenal goaltending by Mike Smith to the veteran leadership of Shane Doan something clicked and the Coyotes worked their way to the Western Conference Finals where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions the Los Angeles Kings. With their best season ever the Coyotes managed to win over the support of the fans and played in front of sold out crowds in the dessert during the playoffs.

4. Steven Stamkos Scoring Sensation

Other than maybe Evgeni Malkin there is not a more natural, consistent goal scorer in the NHL than Steven Stamkos. He is already on his way to have a career for the record books and he's only 22, but seems to improve every season. In his 4 years in the NHL he has scored 179 goals including the 60 he scored in 2011-2012. Yes Stamkos reached the mark of 60 goals in a single season becoming just the second player to reach the feat since 1996. With the average first liner

[caption id="attachment_1780" align="alignright" width="300"] Stamkos Celebrates His 60th Goal[/caption]

scoring between 25-35 goals, Stamkos being able to reach the coveted 60 is a tremendous achievement and with his team being out of the playoff race he managed to keep things interesting. Of his 60 goals, 48 of them came while playing at even strength, showing he can still dominate at 5 on 5.

Stamkos became just the 19th player in history to score 60 goals in a single season and he accomplished it in game 82 on the road in Winnipeg. His 60 goals were enough to earn him his 2nd Rocket Richard Trophy. If Stamkos can stay healthy over the next 10 years he may become one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history. With his surging popularity and improvement each season, the NHL will look to him to help dig themselves out of the lockout hole with the fans.

When talking about Stamkos you also have to give a little stick tap to his new off-season trainer Gary Roberts, who Stamkos credits for taking his game to the next level. With Roberts help who knows where his development would be.

3. Nicklas Lidstrom Calls it Quits

May 31st, 2012 one of the saddest days for Red Wings fans and hockey fans, the day legendary Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement from the NHL. It came as a surprise to many as he was still one of the best defenceman in the league and had talked about retiring for a few years but always came back. But after 20 seasons Lidstrom decided enough was enough and he had accomplished enough in his career to call it quits. 

Just like that one of the games all-time great deafenceman and all-around class acts was gone from the game, but he remained in the hearts of Red Wings fans after playing his entire career with the wings. When the dust cleared on Lidstrom's career he had racked up 1,142 points, 4 Stanley Cups, 1 Conn Smythe and 7 Norris Trophies. He will no doubt one day be a first-ballet Hall of Fame Inductee and is arguably one of the best defenceman to ever play the game. He will be missed by everyone but will never be forgotten.

2. Wild Offseason

The two biggest names during free agency were Zach Parise and Ryan Suter who had both made it clear they would be leaving their teams and testing the free agency market. At first teams were sending offers to each player depending on which they could afford and what they needed. But the longer free agency lasted some teams started to offer a deal to both players, which started the rumour that Parise and Suter would like to play on the same team if at all possible.



That of course would come with a major price tag which in turn knocked out a lot of the smaller market teams. Near the end of the saga it was rumoured Parise was headed to Pittsburgh to join forces with Crosby and Suter was headed to Detroit, but the two players had other ideas. They signed identical 13 year $98 million contracts with the Minnesota Wild.

Looking at their singings and the immediate turmoil of the NHL CBA, it's wouldn't be a a far stretch to say this deal was what jump-kicked the NHL lockout. As owners felt they were paying too much for their big stars and as a result losing money.

1. Kings Get Their Crowns

I refuse to let the lockout be the biggest hockey story of 2012, for the true fans of the game the biggest story needs to be the Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup victory, that's hockey not all this silly CBA talk. The Kings were able to make history with their Cup win, entering the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference they not only knocked off the 1st seed Vancouver Canucks but also the 2nd St. Louis Blues and 3 Phoenix Coyotes, to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Kings jumped out to a early 3-0 series lead over the New Jersey Devils and once the Devils had brought it back to a 3-2 series the Kings closed the deal with a dominating 6-1 victory in game 6. Throughout the playoffs the Kings went a remarkable 16-4 including a 10-1 record on the road on their way to turning Los Angeles into a hockey city. The victory meant a lot of things for different players: for Jeff Carter and Mike Richards it meant redemption after being traded away from the Flyers after they were deemed as not being the "right guys" to make a cup run, for Trevor Lewis it meant celebrating with family.

There you have it folks my list of the most memorable and best moments from the NHL in 2012. Right now the NHL is in limbo but you can still look back on what was one of the best NHL seasons in the history of the game.

Top 10 NHL Saves of 2012

The only thing better than highlight reel goals, is highlight real saves. A NHL goalie has litterly just seconds to react to a shot from elite players and when they
do manage to get a piece of leather on the puck it makes for some draw dropping highlights. So here are the top 10 NHL saves of 2012:

10. Jimmy Howard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPF_8fEUgk

One of the worst things to happen to a goaltender is when they misplay a easy dump-in resulting in a easy and often embarrassing goal. Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard gets introduced to just how lively the end boards can be when a routine dump-in takes a lively bounce and lands right in front of the net. Howard relies on his insticts and reflexes to somehow recover and keep the puck out.

9. Marty Turco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMx9SHvk4ck

Talk about a fantastic highlight reel save in your first game back in the NHL! After being recently signed by the Boston Bruins the veteran Turco proves his worth to his new team. But chances are this move isn't in any goaltenders playbook.

8. Ondrej Pavelec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syYaNJuBnCs

Unless you're a goaltender or have played goal it's really hard to truly appreciate the difficulty of this save by Ondrej Pavelec. Not only is he out of position he also has to pick his entire body weight up in order to dive over to the other side of the net. On top of all that he gets up on the wrong leg making the sliding save even more difficult. After watching Pavelec play last season it's not unreasonable to say he's one of the most under-rated goalies in the league.

7. Devan Dubnyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpCEJP6SNNk

This is the perfect example on why a goalie should never give up. Here Chris Higgins has a wide open net but Dubnyk dives across to rob him with the paddle and on top of that he's able to cover up the puck.

6. Ryan Miller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTt-Cex63go

Miller and the Buffalo Sabres had a rough season but it's saves like this that solidify Miller's place in the elite goaltenders of the league. This save shows how much hockey sense Miller possess and how quick his reflexas are as he is able to stop the puck right on the goal-line. After the puck hits a skate and heads directly for the back of the net, Miller not only needs to find the puck but he also has to react in time to keep it out. This is they type of save that just leaves you scratching your head.

5. Martin Brodeur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPT4oSwjYU

Brodeur may just be one of the greatest goalies to ever play in the NHL and perhaps the most remarkable thing about him is his unique style of play, it's completely out of the box and almost un-adaptable for goaltenders today. After just turning 40 during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Brodeur shows that he is still just as good as when he was young. After missing on the poke-check Brodeur sticks with the play, showing he's still flexable by getting a toe on the puck.

4. Carey Price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTh9l6wOIl0

Now when a goaltender makes 1 great save it's one thing, but when a goalie is called upon to make several in a row one has to question where the defence is. Here Carey Price is forced to make 2 great saves and then cover up the rebound. The unique thing about this save is the evolution of Price's maturity and career, earlier on he would have panicked and sulked about the lack of help. But here he stays with the play and battles hard to make not one but two huge saves.

3. Keri Lehtonen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9LJAgQTL2c

Making a big time game saving stop is nothing easy for a goaltender and when that save comes in over time it's even more drastic. Here Keri Lehtonen is able to get across the cress and kick out his leg and deflect the puck into the air and out of harms way. This is the type of save that makes you wonder if goaltenders train by breakdancing in the off-season.

2. Henrik Lundqvist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jw2ryqsQ30

How in the world did King Henrik manage to keep this one out of his net? Whether it was pure luck or more brialliance from the elite goaltender but somehow he managed to stone Drew Stafford on a 2 on 1. Make sure you watch this save 2 or 3 times to fully appreciate the value of this save.

1. Mike Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMT7sx1cq4

You can't not include a penalty shot/ breakaway save in a list of top 10 NHL saves. The hardest thing for a goaltender to do is make a save 1 on 1, player vs. goaltender. When it's a penalty shot during overtime against New York Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik the odds are even tougher. Smith is able to read Gaborik and sprawl out to make the save.

There you have it, my top 10 NHL saves of 2012 and there were some fantastic ones eh? Did I miss any phenominal game saving saves from the men between the pipes? If so let me know!

 

 

Top 10 NHL Goals of 2012

Anyone else missing the jaw dropping goals from the NHL? yeah me too! But with 2012 down to the final days and a hockey-less 2013 on the way it's time we look back at some of the best goals from the NHL during the 2011 and 2012 season. Some of these goals will leave you scratching your head and wondering how they made it happen. Here are my top 10 NHL goals of 2012.

*Warning The Following Videos May Cause Hockey Withdrawals*

 

10. Benoit Pouliot 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg_-grgXhD8

Pouliot goes end to end on butter toast, between the legs and then falls to his knees before tucking the puck in far side! The benefit of 4 on 4 hockey is the extra space for these guys to work their magic and in this highlight reel goal Pouliot takes full advantage of the extra space.

9. Corey Perry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ8CTsV8ruI

Now although this goal was done in the All-Star skills competition, an event made just to hype up goals and wouldn't have counted in a real game, for fans who grew up watching hockey this one hits home. In this amazing goal Perry goes old school by pulling out the mini-stick and going back to the mini-stick days, using the decoy to deke out the goalie. As far as goals go, this one is a classic.

8. Tyler Ennis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKCfYSCZ88

Ennis is a guy who plays the game all out and seeing his emotion coming out after a jaw-dropping goal is amazing. Ennis makes Markov look like a simple pylon during practice with this dandy, check out his celebration after the goal!

7. Bobby Ryan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN_s2FjJ0ak

One of the most under-rated advantages/skills in hockey is size. At 6 foot 2 Ryan uses all of his extra length to rend the defenceman helpless. After getting past 2 defencemen, Nabokov misses the poke check giving Ryan a wide open net.

6. Claude Giroux

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEVdL2Ej_AA

If you followed the Pittsburgh Penguins and and Philadelphia Flyers rivalry throughout the season, you can understand why this goal is included. The two team simply can't stand each other, and arguably the two best players from each team collide in an open ice hit. While Crosby is busy wondering why someone actually hit him, Giroux jumps up, joins the rush and snipes a short side goal on Marc Andre-Fluery.

5. Jeff Skinner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqPOjGIVn-I&feature=player_embedded

If there's one thing young hockey players know how to do it's score exciting goals. Here Skinner mixes in a little toe-drag and then kicks the puck from his back skate between his legs and back on the blade of his stick then goes far side. Skinner actually loses the puck on this rush manages to compose himself and get back, fantastic composure from such a young player.

4. Alexander Ovechkin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-PCeU2o9B0

You could probably have a top 10 dedicated specifically to highlight reel goals from Ovechkin, it seems all the guy does is score jaw dropping goals. Here Ovechkin goes between the legs to lose the defenceman and the proceeds to go bar down, the goalie didn't stand a chance.

3. Matt Duchene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHQb4NjOk5M

Now this is an incredible goal, not only does Duchene score this beauty he also reaches behind him, to the opposite side of his stick, to redirect the puck back to his forehand. It's the type of goal you have to watch 2 or 3 times to fully believe your eyes.

2. Jason Spezza

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggKY-kMCHko

Now I know Spezza himself didn't score this goal, but after an effort like this they should have just given the goal to him. Here Kyle Turris is in the right place at the right time and benefits from a fantastic individual effort from Spezza. If you didn't know better you would have thought he had a the puck on a string, the way he's able to weave his way through the opposition and keep control shows the skill he truly possess.

1. Evgeni Malkin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piXBKJHNkH0

One thing that can't be disputed is that Malkin had a breakout year last season while Crosby was on the sidelines. He put the team on his back and never disappointed. Here he goes coast to coast on butter toast and honestly I don't think there's a player in white who he didn't deke out of their uniform. Malkin dances through the entire Tampa Bay Lightning team and slips the puck 5-hole. People were so impressed by this dandy that it drew comparison to a goal scored by Penguins great Mario Lemieux.

I hope you enjoyed the top 10 NHL goals from 2012, it was truly a remarkable season with many highlights. Did I miss any spectacular goals, from 2012? Let me know!

 

10 Players to Watch During the World Juniors

The World Juniors are upon us once again. This tournament is one of the highlights for every hockey fan and this year it may be the biggest highlight due to the lack of NHL hockey. This years tournament will feature some extra talented players many of whom are NHL-Calibre, but in addition to players well on their way to their NHL career there are also several prospects playing to help improve their stock for the 2013 draft. So while the following list may not be the biggest names, they are players who have a lot to play for and don't always get the recognition they deserve.

10. Joel Armia- Finland

I'm not just saying this because he's a Buffalo Sabres prospect, but Armia does not get the recognition and respect he should for his talent. Finland is flying
high after defeating both Canada and the US in the pre-competition games and one major reason for their surging play is Joel Armia. He is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons for Finland and is extremely dangerous on the powerplay. Since he has not made the jump over to North America yet he has the added benefit of knowing the international style of play.

9. J.C Lipon- Canada

J.C Lipon is the underdog that you fall in love with. After not being selected in either of the last 2 NHL drafts, Lipon is hoping the 3rd time is the charm and now that he's made team Canada, he may just fulfill his dream and hear his name on draft day. After being dubbed a "late bloomer" Lipon is finally starting to turn heads and garner some interest. While he wont play a huge role with team canada (3rd or 4th line) he will be a key player while killing penalties and is one of those players that are crucial to every winning team.

8. Aleksander Barkov- Finland

Although Finland is sometimes considered a 2nd tier team at this tournament they have a serious chance of bringing home a medal from this years World Junior tournament. They have some high flying offensive players one of which is Aleksander Barkov who many are saying could be the highest scoring European in the tournament. He is also ranked as the highest European for the upcoming draft, with a big tournament he could challenge Nathan MacKinnon and Seth Jones for the first overall pick. This will be Barkov's second crack at the World Junior tournament and he'll look to provide more of a leadership role and lead the talented Finish squad to a gold medal.

7. Jonathan Drouin- Canada

Before the tournament almost nobody expected the young 17 year-old to even crack the Team Canada squad, but team Canada saw something special and made him a member of the team. But he's now slated in on the 2nd line and ranked ahead of teammate MacKinnon. If you've read my last articles about team Canada you'll know how excited I am to see Drouin play in the tournament, strong play will significantly help his draft stock. Drouin may be one of the underdogs on the Canadian squad and could play a big role in the end.

6. Olli Maatta- Finland

I said Finland had a solid team this year and the addition of first round pick Olli Maatta doesn't exactly hurt their cause. He played in just 1 game for the Finish team at last years World Junior Championship but will undoubtedly have a much bigger role this time around. He will be relied on to be the top shutdown defenceman and help calm down a offensive focused squad.



5. Jake McCabe- United States

Now if you're not familiar with the NCAA and the Wisconsin Badgers chances are the name Jake McCabe means nothing to you. But that should be changing within the next week. The US junior team named McCabe captain for this years World Junior tournament ahead of fan favourite J.T Miller. It's a smart move by the Americans naming their captain as a defenceman since their team is focusing on a strong defence this year. McCabe along with Jones will both be key leaders on the backend and the captain should help with Jones' game.

4. Elias Lindholm- Sweden

Elias Lindholm is another top notch European player looking to up his draft stock for the upcoming draft. He's playing against older and stronger men in the swedish elite league but has still managed 21 points in 32 games and currently sits 4th in the draft rankings. He'll be responsible for replacing the offence of Mika Zibanejad who will not be suiting up for team Sweden. Leading the team will be no easy task for the un-drafted prospect but considering he's already drawing comparison's to Peter Forsberg he should have a big tournament.

3. J.T. Miller- United States

Despite being drafted in the first round in 2011 and playing in the AHL. J.T. Miller is one of the most unknown players for the United States. Despite not being given the captaincy of the US national team, he was given the role of alternate captain. Miller will be called upon to lead the offence for the Americans and help score goals for the defensive minded squad.

2. Mikhail Grigorenko- Russia

The Russians have some fantastic offensive talent and having Buffalo Sabres first round pick Mikhail Grigorenko at their disposal wont hurt their chances of making it to the finals. Grigorenko is a big, tough natural goal scorer, he's 2nd in QMJHL scoring with 29 goals and 21 assists for 50 points. While he may have to sit in the passenger seat while Nail Yakupov leads the team it doesn't mean he won't be a productive scoring leader for the Russians. After last years 5 points and a silver medal, Grigorenko is hungry to add a gold medal.

1. Andrey Vasilevskiy- Russia

Vasilevskiy was the first goaltender selected in the 2012 draft ahead of team Canada's starter Malcolm Subban. He helped lead Russia to a silver medal in last years tournament and finished the tournament with the highest save percentage (95.31). He was also the netminder who surrended 5 goals against Canada in the nail bitting 6-5 Russia win. Because of his poor play against Canada he was benched during the finals but this year he's looking to avenge last years benching and help lead Russia to a gold Medal. Vasilevskiy will need to shut things down in net and keep opponents goals total to a minimum or face losing his job to Sabres prospect Andrey Makorav who took over in the finals for Vasilevskiy and played exceptionally well.

 







 

 

Why Jordan Binnington Should Start Over Malcolm Subban

After finishing the selection camp and heading over to Finland, almost all the positions for team Canada were spoken for. For the most part we knew who the top defence pairing would be and who the top forward line would be. But the one position still with question marks is the most important one, the goalie. Heading into the pre-competition games it was rumoured Malcolm Subban had been pencilled in as the starter and Jordan Binnington would be the back-up, but coming out of those games I hope head coach Steve Spott has an eraser handy.

While Subban may be the higher touted goaltender of the two, being drafted in the first round by the Boston Bruins and playing in the summer series against Russia, he has looked shaky at best during his time battling during selection camp and in his first pre-competition game. Coming out of the selection camp Subban was arguably the worst goaltender but because of his strong play this summer and phenomenal stats with the Belleville Bulls he was given the benefit of the doubt. Binnington on the other hand was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 draft by the St. Louis Blues and wasn't even invited this summer to compete against Russia. He used his snub this summer as added motivation and earned an invite to selection camp based on his exceptional start of the season with the Owen Sound Attack.

Both netminders have similar records this season in the OHL; Subban going 15-7-3 with a save percentage of .932 while Binnington has gone 17-6-3 with a .930 Save percentage. After not having a clear cut number 1 goalie since 2005 (Carey Price) team Canada needs to pick the goalie who will give them the best shot at winning the gold medal not the "politically correct" goalie and based on pre-competition play that is Jordan Binnington.

Now I know there is still lots of time for Subban to find his game during the round robin games and will likely be given every opportunity to win back his starters job, but in a tournament this short you have to play the hot goalie. Subban has looked shaky and nervous during his turns between the pipes, something is just off he isn't the same goaltender who suits up for the Bulls and is lacking confidence. Giving the starting job to Subban while he's not playing well will prove both detrimental for Subban and team Canada. If Canada comes home with anything less than gold they will likely be met with criticism, something Subban may not react well to considering he's never played in a tournament of this magnitude before. Binnington has proven he's confident and ready to suit up for team Canada and his 30 save shootout win in which he looked composed and confident only further proved the point he is the real deal.

Right now Binnington is the hot goaltender, he has the confidence, the swagger and has flat out out-played Subban. He deserves, based on play, to be the starting netminder for team Canada. Heck he's even won over the support of the players;

"There was one flurry in the 2nd where he was unbelievable. He lost his stick and we were on the bench saying wow!" ~Team Canada forward Ryan Strome

Having the confidence from the team goes a long way, especially in a short tournament like this. Last year the players lost trust in Mark Visentin and became more focused on the back check then scoring goals. They quickly found themselves trailing Russia and ended up losing 6-5 forcing them out of the gold medal game, mainly because of weak goaltending. When a team is able to score 5 goals they should be winning the hockey game, but to see your netminder let in 6 is a real tough pill to swallow. It is crucial this year that the Canadian players have faith in their goaltender, based on pre-competition games they don't seem to be a high scoring team so they will rely even more on the goalie to keep the games close until they can capitalize.

With teenage athletes, especially goalies, poor play is often magnified with pressure. Both goalies are still young and have some maturing to do but the pressure of being the number one goaltender for team Canada is no easy burden. Right now all the pressure is on Subban, he was expected to be the starter, played against Russia in the summer and was a first round pick. Where as Binnington came out of no where, out-played Subban and has been flying under the radar this season. There's less pressure on Binnington, he wasn't the rumoured starter and had to work hard just to make the team after the snub in the summer. If he's named the starter people will be impressed by his performance no matter how things turn out as they weren't expecting him to lead the team.

While fans may get to see a little bit of both goaltenders throughout the round robin games, the brunt of the load should be given to Binnington. He's proven he's ready with his strong play and right now is more stable than Subban. Right now the best bet for Canada to win gold is if Binnington is the starter, but I've seen Spott make worse decisions. Whoever he decides to name starter, he should announce it soon. Subban is already doubting his play and if given the starting job will have a hard time getting the naysayers out of his head. We saw last year how well not declaring a starter went for team Canada, they don't want to head down that path again.

Team USA UnderDogs in WJC

Considering the US junior team failed to advance from the round robin play in the 2012 World Junior Championship, they have a lot of work to do in order to get themselves back into the "elite" division in World Junior hockey. But one American defenceman believes that won't be an issue at all;

"I think we're the best team! We have a lot of speed up front, we're great defensively and we have good goaltending so I think we have all the pieces to win the gold medal." ~ Projected first overall pick and defenceman Seth Jones

[caption id="attachment_1547" align="alignright" width="300"] Seth Jones[/caption]

A bold prediction from the young defenceman suiting up in his first World Junior tournament. It will be no easy task for the boys in blue and white to reclaim the gold medal with only 3 players on the roster with World Junior experience and only 2 players who would likely be up in the NHL if not for the lockout. Jones who many are saying will be taken first overall in the 2013 draft, is by far the biggest name on the roster and may end up as the top shutdown defenceman for the Americans.

Outside of the rookie Jones, J.T Miller, Jacob Trouba and John Gibson are the 3 returning players from last years disappointing 7th place finish. These 3 will have to lead the team and help the younger rookies adapt to the pressures of the playing in the World Juniors.

“J.T. is key for us on and off the ice and we really listen to what he has to say." ~Jones

If the Americans have any shot of challenging for the gold medal they will need Miller to step up and lead this team in scoring. Miller is the only member of the team playing in the AHL and well on his way to a NHL career. Despite his slow start with the Connecticut Whale the New York Rangers junior team he's racked up 14 points in 26 games and will need to further elevate his game to lead the Americans to victory. He still has a bitter taste from last years tournament and will be looking to win big this year to erase last years pitiful performance.

In addition to the scoring threat of Miller, Sarnia Sting forward Alex Galchenyuk will be another dangerous offencive weapon. The third overall pick in the 2012 draft, he's the highest drafted player in the Americans line up and is virtually ready for his shot in the NHL. He's been lighting up the OHL in recent weeks racking up 19 goals and 40 points in his last 18 games and is 2nd in OHL scoring behind team Canada's Ryan Strome. If Miller goes quit look for Galchenyuk to pick up the slack and perhaps lead the team in scoring.

[caption id="attachment_1549" align="alignright" width="300"] Jacob Trouba[/caption]

On the back end the focus will fall on Jacob Trouba and Jones to shut down the opposition. Jones has lofty expectations for his team on the backend stating he wants the team to "Give up the least amount of goals in the tournament". A lofty goal which puts added pressure on the defence and goalies. While Jones has something to prove for the upcoming draft and facing off against fellow top ranked prospects Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon, Trouba has already been drafted and is one of 3 returning players. Trouba's job will be to lead the defence and set the tone of play. Trouba was taken in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets and has had previous success with the U17 and U18 American team. After the dismal showing last year look for Trouba to be motivated to bring home a medal.

Between the pipes the US will turn to John Gibson who was the back-up netminder during last years tournament. Gibson got a first hand look of what it takes to win games from last years tournament and has the added benefit of a second chance to fix mistakes. Playing in 20 games this season with the Kitchener Rangers he's won 13 games and has a solid .929 Save Percentage. After playing second fiddle last year, Gibson is ready to take on the starting role and hopefully propel the Americans back into medal contention. He will have the benefit of playing behind a team that is focusing mainly on defence but will still need to stay sharp and come up big during the penalty kill.

While games against their rivals Canada and Russia will be big games, the Americans will have to stay sharp and get the "easy" wins against teams like Slovakia and Germany to insure their inclusion in the medal round. In addition to some of the big names up front the Americans will be relying on some of their smaller players to help give them a boost. Rocco Grimaldi is the smallest player on the roster at 5 foot 6 and wont add much in terms of physical play but if he's given the time and space, the big ice surface will give him room to do his thing and could add another offencive weapon. Speed kills in the World Junior tournament and Grimaldi has tons of that.

This years American team has an added focus on defence and is looking to play close games like their overtime win over Sweden in the pre-competition.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] Team USA will need to band together and stay out of the box[/caption]

Much like team Canada they will need to adapt to the way international refs call the game, the ruff, tough, hard hitting hockey played over in North America isn't

usually welcomed in Europe and the Americans have already found themselves in penalty trouble. The key for the Americans is to stay out of the box and play sound defensive hockey. While most people aren't expecting team USA to make it to the finals, they have the potential to be a surprise team. Coming in as the underdogs there is no room to slack off.