love the puck

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

This was supposed to be Marty Turco's year.

This was supposed to be an easy match-up for the Dallas Stars, who don't seem to be amazing at any one particular thing, but seem to have the least weaknesses of any team.

That is, providing that Turco stops pucks. Which he isn't.

In Carolina, Martin Gerber is falling apart, one soft goal at a time.

After allowing 9 goals on 31 playoff shots, Gerber has been relegated to the bench-- which allowed Cam Ward to give the 'Canes a chance at winning game 2.

Speaking of game 2, that was the best hockey game I've seen in a while. It was fast, there was drama, it was physical and there was a lot of skill on the ice. Alexei Kovalev is continuing to show that he is a playoff performer, and is showing more poise than ever.

At the start of this series if you had told me that a) Gerber would be outplayed by Huet, or that b) Montreal would take the first two games on the road-- I would have written you off as a human being. But here we are.

The New York Rangers are in trouble against New Jersey, and at this point, I won't be suprised to see the Devils take this series in 4 or 5 games. I feel bad for Tom Renney, who gave Jagr everything he wanted all season, only to have his best player lay on egg in game one, and then sissy out with a shoulder injury that can't be worse than what Chris Phillips is playing through.

Renney called Jagr out when asked about it, saying "All you can do is listen to the athlete, he knows his body best, and hope that he's being honest with you."

I believe that the NHL had to maintain some sort of consistency with their penalty calling but this is ridiculous. 4 penalties in the Buffalo vs. Philly game. 4 in OT last night in Carolina. Nashville gives up 3 PP goals in the first to San Jose, and nobody scores the rest of the way.

Luckily, the playoff warrior mentality has not been lost. Martin St. Louis reminded us what it means to show up for the post season by playing a monstrous game against Ottawa Sunday night, capping his two goal performance off with a big hit in the corner on none other than Zdeno Chara.

St. Louis showed heart bigger than the entire ice surface, and even though it was his goal that eliminated the beloved Leafs, you can't help but respect the little man. Tampa knows what it takes to win, and their awareness of that sacrifice could lead them past Ottawa. Somebody needs to wake up Daniel Alfreddsson. It's like he doesn't know it's the playoffs.

Next post: Pronger and Niedermayer, Brian Campbell, and the physical playoffs.

Posted by Jon at 11:10 AM | | e-mail me

Saturday, March 11, 2006

SORTING THROUGH THE STORM

Deadline day breakdown

The NHL trade deadline set a new record for transactions on the final day of activity with 25 transactions being completed. Here are the winners and losers from NHL's d-day.

WINNERS:

Edmonton Oilers- Kevin Lowe is proving himself to be a man of action. In the off-season he signed Pronger and Peca-- the two men he targetted-- and on deadline day he adressed two major team needs. Dwayne Roloson is going to get his chance to prove that he can be a number one goalie. Not only does he have to prove himself on a team desperate for better goal tending, but he'll have to do it for a team that is hungry to go deep into the NHL playoffs this spring. Roloson gets his wish, and all the pressure that comes along with it.

By adding Sergei Samsonov the Oilers adressed their offense and add skill. The Oilers play a blood-and-guts style of hockey, and Samsonov will give them someone to complement Hemsky with puck skills and scoring touch.

Vancouver Canucks- In perhaps what was the best move of the day, Dave Nonis managed to get goalie Mika Noranen from Buffalo for a 2nd round draft pick. I say this could be the best move of the day because Noranen will likely be the number one goalie for the Canucks in the future. Alex Auld will feel the heat and either elevate his game, or once again man the role of backup.

Nonis also adressed his teams lack of depth on defense, and although he gave up prospects Steve McCarthy and Tomas Mozjis, he received much needed experience and grit on the blueline. Weinrich and Carney are older, but they have seen all there is to see in the league, and that will prove valuable in the playoffs. Many of these Canucks felt they could have made a run similiar to that of the Flames had they gotten out of the first round. This year they may get their chance, and the leadership and veteran calm of their newly acquired defenseman will help.

Nashville Predators- There were rumblings that the Preds paid too high a price for Brendan Witt. However when a team adresses a need, in this case a lack of toughness, and they go out and spend a little to get what they needed, then I consider it a success.

Witt is a tough customer and it is no secret that the Predators need that element to their team to make a deep post-season run. Witt is not going to be a top two or three defenseman for Nashville and they don't need him to be. His job description will be simple. Make people fear the Predators. Nashville is a Stanley Cup contender if they can get some of that physical intimidation into their opponents.

Montreal Canadiens and Jose Theodore- Both sides win in this case. Theodore gets a chance to start over, much like Dany Heatley, and the Canadiens get a solid goalie in David Aebischer. Huet has played well for the Habs of late, but he's not going to be a Stanley Cup winning goalie. Aebischer played well in the last NHL post-season, falling victim to the San Jose Sharks in the second round.

For Theodore, it's a mental advantage to be moved. He was obviously feeling the pressure in Montreal, and was unable to keep his level of play at the level we have been used to seeing from him. In Colorado he'll get a fresh look, and hopefully that sparks something in him. A gamble for the Avalanche, but it could pay great dividends.

LOSERS:

Toronto Maple Leafs- Luke Richardson will add grit and toughness on the blue-line, but the Leafs needed more. Whether it was help up front, or on the back end, the Leafs probably needed to get better and didn't. I don't think John Ferguson needed to have a firesale with the talent they have, and I commend him for not making a deal just to make a splash, but I feel the Leafs will have a difficult time making the playoffs with the squad they have.

Mike Keenan- Always famous for being difficult to deal with, Keenan shopped Jokinen hard and then resigned him at the last minute. Keenan was waiting to drive the price higher and higher, and then kept Jokinen himself. I don't know what Keenan's plans are in Florida, but I don't think he'll last much longer. He's playing games with the teams stars and the fans.

Posted by Jon at 11:08 AM | | e-mail me

Friday, December 23, 2005

Whether you want to admit it or not, Wayne Gretzky saw you coming. He knew that when he announced the members of Team Canada circa 2006, there would be people who would say he's wrong. People who would say the greatest hockey player of all time, the orchestrator of the last gold medal winning team, is wrong this time around.

But Wayne Gretzky knows a thing or two about hockey. He knows how to get the most out of elite players. He has an amazing sense for who he can trust, and who he can't. And here's the defense of Gretzky's decisions.

Todd Bertuzzi is an Olympian because it is an event for the best athletes in the World, and Bertuzzi is simply one of those athletes. He has skill and size in abundance and is capable of dominating any opponent. He is averaging a hair under a point-per-game in the best hockey league in the world after having more than a year and a half away from the game. No teammate has ever questioned his character, and he has handled his adversities in the best possible way.

Bertuzzi has already gleamed with enthusiasm upon hearing he has been entrusted with this honour. Does anyone really think Todd Bertuzzi will be a detriment to Team Canada? I think he'll be ready to play his heart out, for Wayne who trusted him, and for the country he loves. He deserves to be on Team Canada.

Kris Draper hasn't been scoring. Kris Draper plays on a team that doesn't ask him to score. His job on Team Canada will not be to put pucks in the net. Last I checked, there are three lines of elite scorers that will do that. Draper will kill penalties, win faceoffs, and play crucial minutes in close games against the best forwards on opposing teams. Draper is a proven winner, and no can take away his performance in the World Cup of Hockey in 2004.

Some made the argument for John Madden. Some say Eric Staal can play both ways. Both arguments are good ones. However, Wayne has played against Draper, and knows his capabilities. And last time there was a major international tournament, Kris got the job done.

Rick Nash went to the 2005 Men's World Hockey Championships in Innsbruck, Austria and put to rest any qualms about his game. Left off the World Cup team, Nash showed offensive skills so vast there is no way to leave him off any Team Canada in the near future. Has he been injured? Yes. No one is denying that. But already a Rocket Richard trophy winner, and with three goals in his first three games back, Nash is a proven scorer who loves the big ice. You may not like the pick now, but come February, when it counts, you'll love number 61 in red.

Now the taxi squad that was named were the right names. Bryan McCabe, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal would be counted on to log huge minutes for any other team but Canada.

Staal is the most deserving player. He is a dynamic, two way threat, with amazing speed and more importantly, he currently is leading the NHL with 24 goals.

Spezza doesn't make the big club simply because of a lack of versatility. Canada is too deep at center and Spezza doesn't kill penalties, doesn't play the wing, and isn't a premier defensive center. If he was to play, he'd be a scorer, and Canada is too deep at those center positions.

McCabe likely won't see much ice in Turin, because even if one injury was suffered to the Canada defense, they'd likely roll six defense anyway. McCabe is playing well, but Canada has the best defense in the world.

Wayne Gretzky might not be sleeping like a baby at night, but he sure doesn't hear you criticizing him. He knows you can't please everybody, and it's like he said at the start of this process; the only right answer, is a gold medal.

Posted by Jon at 12:44 PM | | e-mail me

Monday, December 12, 2005

ODDS AND ENDS

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hit a slump, and they are having some difficulties on the power play. Other teams have caught on to Bryan McCabe's hot start, and now opposing coaches cover his point on the penalty kill at all costs. Toronto really doesn't move the puck that well down low, and most teams are content to let them cycle, while leaving the big shooting to Tomas Kaberle. Last Saturday against Dallas, this strategy worked well, as McCabe was unable to shoot his big one-timer ever once, in seven power-play chances.

Patrick Lalime has been placed on waivers, marking one of the fastest plummets from grace in recent history. St. Louis was hoping he'd show consistency for them, naming him the saviour to their goaltending problems in recent years. Instead, Lalime has been horrible, playing poorly on a poor team. Lalime was an all-star in 2002-2003.
I can't think of too many teams fighting for his rights, especially since paying him anything more than a million dollars would be ridiculous.

The San Jose Sharks have started a frenzy of trade rumours, as big names are getting tossed around all over the league. The latest has Todd Bertuzzi supposedly sick of playing in Vancouver and demanding a trade, though he vehemently denies it.
Roberto Luongo is another colossal name that is being wafted into the trade winds, as he looks tired of Florida's lack of achievement. If he thinks he's frustrated, he should talk to Martin Gelinas, Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk-- they all came from playoff calibre teams. Luongo has only known life in the basement of the Southeast division.

The deadline for Wayne Gretzky to name his Olympic roster is fast approaching, and the buzz around this years squad is taking some attention from the World Junior camp that is taking place this week in Vancouver. Canada is not favoured to win the Gold medal, but they will contend, as they do every year. Some notable players not in camp: First round draft picks Wojtek Wolski and Alex Bourret. Some notable players that are: 16-year-old Angelo Esposito, 17-year-old Jonathan Toews and Montreal second round pick Guillame Latendresse. Defenseman Cam Barker is the only returning player from last years Gold medal winning team.

Posted by Jon at 1:59 PM | | e-mail me

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

The writing was on the wall. The Boston media had decided Joe Thornton was more of a scapegoat than a super-hero. After the playoffs two years ago, when Joe played through a torn rib muscle, but registered no points, the Boston media found their man.

Joe was not to blame. But Boston needed something, anything, to explain why they dropped the opening round series to eighth seeded Montreal.

And so it started. Management squabbles, Thornton continuously putting up world-class numbers, despite Boston's refusal to spend money to put great players around him.

This season, now that the Bruins front office had actually spent some dollars to try and put talent around Joe, they needed an excuse for their start. Instead of looking at the truth--injuries, a sub-par start for Andrew Raycroft, and a strong Northeast division-- the Bruins decided to pin it on Joe and ship him out of town.

Boston's loss equals San Jose's gain.

In his first three games with the underacheiving Sharks, Thornton has registered a goal and five assists, leading San Jose to three straight victories.

It's senseless to attempt to determine who's 'right' and 'wrong' in this instance, it seems obvious that the Sharks made the right move. What needs to be discussed is the mismanaging of a superstar.

Can you imagine Jarome Iginla being treated like this? The rookie phenoms Sidney and Alex? So why Joe Thornton? He's a world class player, who inked a deal that is similar to the figures given to Rick Nash and Ilya Kovalchuk, both exciting young players--both not yet as good as Joe Thornton.

Thornton made Glen Murray and Mike Knuble very rich men. Both signed deals that made them extremely wealthy. Neither have negative things to say about Joe. In fact, no one in the Boston locker room was critical of Joe Thornton.

So when does the finger get pointed at Harry Sinden? Have people given up trying to understand him, because he unabashedly does these things? Refusing to build a legitimate team around Cam Neely and Ray Bourque. Calling Joe Thornton's character into question, saying it was a mistake to make Joe the captain when they did.

Thornton has a new start, and is looking rejuvenated. Could a new start be on the way for Roberto Luongo?

Luongo is known as one of the best goalies in the world. He falls in the top three on almost everybody's lists. Yet he looks deflated in Florida. Tired of not being helped out.

So will Mike Keenan pull the trigger? He should, if he wants to get anything of value for Luongo. Face the facts, Luongo will be the most courted player this off-season, as he gets calls from almost everyone regarding his services. He won't be in Florida next season.

If Keenan wants to get something for him, rather than just allowing him to sign elsewhere--we all remember what happened to the Raptors with Tracy McGrady-- then he'd better pull the trigger on a deal soon.

It's important to get full market value for a goalie of Luongo's calibre, and if Keenan strikes now, it'll shake up the roster, and he'll be able to get some great players for him.

If Keenan waits too long, he could end up being the next Mike O'Connel.

Posted by Jon at 8:55 PM | | e-mail me

Saturday, November 19, 2005

The lockout year meant the 2005-2006 season would see a double cohort of rookies. On top of that, the 2003 draft class, featuring Dion Phaneuf, Brent Seabrook, Eric Staal and first-overall selection Marc-Andre Fleury, was a deep and talented one.

With all the hype surrounding Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, other rookies have stepped up, making this seasons rookie class one for the ages. Here's a look at the leagues top rookies.

Sidney Crosby-Pittsburgh Penguins- This is not a slight to Alexander Ovechkin, but Crosby does it all. Only 18 years old and already Mario Lemieux hails Sid as the best player on the Pens, night in and night out. The vision, hustle and suprising grit are things you can't teach a player that talented. He used to factor in on the scoring of all of Rimouski's goals, now, as he showed in Philly last week, he's going to get used to factoring in on all of Pittsburgh's.

Alexander Ovechkin-Washington Capitals- I was a skeptic. His performance at the World Junior's was impressive, but it seemed he lacked character. Since arriving in the NHL, Ovechkin has done nothing but display an all around game that is seldom seen in any teenager, not just young Russian players. His offensive game is as adept as Ilya Kovalchuk, and he even goes hard to the net. Ask Colin White if Ovechkin plays physical; he met number eight first hand and wound up on his back. Alexander has a penchant for scoring big goals, and he is one of the most dynamic players in the league already.

Dion Phaneuf-Calgary Flames- If it weren't for the two young men above him, Phaneuf would win this years Calder trophy. Just a week or so into the season Darryl Sutter proclaimed Phaneuf the teams best defenseman, on what was already the best defense core in the league. Dion is a fantastic skater, a pin point passer, and a physical demon. He's shown he can set up, score goals and will drop the gloves with anyone.

Mike Richards-Philadelphia Flyers- Richards is already logging important minutes in key situations for Ken Hitchcock. What's not to like about his leadership, toughness, and heads up play. Richards will be a fixture in the NHL, and on the Hockey Canada scene, for a long time.

Jeff Carter- Philadelphia Flyers- Carter is a big centre who got off to a slow start this season, but has scored 7 goals in his last 8 games since Hitchcock gave him some more ice time. Carter has great hands, great instincts and goes to the net which makes things happen.

Alexander Steen-Toronto Maple Leafs- Steen began the year on the fourth line, killing penalities. Then he was bumped up to form the kid line with Kyle Wellwood and Matt Stajan. From there Steen found his play had been good enough for Pat Quinn to put him on the top unit with Mats Sundin and Jeff O'Neill. Steen has registered 13 points for the Blue and White this year.

Marek Svatos- Colorado Avalanche- Svatos has a slick set of offensive skills, and he's put that on display so far this year, notching 17 points to place third in rookie scoring. He already has five GWGs.

Brent Seabrook- Chicago Blackhawks- Seabrook already has two game winning goals and has put up 11 points in his rookie campaign to date. The always steady rearguard has a +7 rating and is averaging almost 20 minutes of ice time a game.

Posted by Jon at 1:10 PM | | e-mail me

Friday, November 04, 2005

Think back a few months. Go back in time to the day the new CBA was reached, and then re-live the next few months.

Teams began landing free agents they never could have signed, and the buzz word was PARITY.

Edmonton, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Columbus come to mind. These teams began getting excited and making post-season plans almost immediately after landing some big name free-agents, or making a block buster trade.

Then the puck dropped and changed everything.

Edmonton found out that adding a name as big as Chris Pronger doesn't make B list goalies stop pucks. Ty Conklin and Jussi Maarkenen have struggled, and the saving grace for the Oilers has been young players stepping up, mainly Shawn Horcoff and Raffi Torres. Edmonton has a great top four on their defence, Pronger, Smith, Staios and Bergeron, but after those guys there is a drop off to Corey Cross and Igor Ulanov. This team will be one of the streakiest to watch all year. With enough skill to compete with anyone, and enough uncertainity to lose to anyone, each night has been a roll of the dice for the Oil.

Chicago paid a lot of money for Nikolai Khabibulin and Adrian Aucoin. Aucoin has been solid, but Khabibulin is a mystery. Last week against Detroit he consistently made amazing saves, on to allow a soft goal shortly thereafter. He remains the biggest 7 million dollar mystery in the league. With Tuomo Ruutu out with back problems, things do not look good for the Blackhawks. Parity seems like a distant memory.

The Penguins. Their overtime woes finally came to an end thanks to Segei Gonchar, but the fact remains- reality hurts. Sports Illustrated projected the Pens to be 12th in the league this season. I believe I ranked them out of the playoffs, saying it doesn't help to score a lot of goals if you can't keep them out of your net. Not to say I told you so- but I did.
On the plus side in Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby has been everything he was expected to be, leading rookies in scoring, and just generally impressing everyone who watches him play. Pittsburgh will get better as the year goes along, and will contend soon.

Columbus really misses Rick Nash. And who wouldn't? This kid is dynamic, explosive, and he puts pucks in the net- which Columbus doesn't do, as they've scored a league low 25 goals this yeaer. Remember when Adam Foote and Bryan Berard signed and people whispered playoffs? Well that is a distant memory. Columbus can't seem to find a rhythm and everything will pick up just a little when Rick Nash returns from his mildly sprained knee. Still no post season for the Jackets though.

Parity is a funny thing. We might as well call it equality on paper. But many a good team on paper have gone out and lacked chemistry, or limped through a season. The truly good teams hold an element that these paper teams seem to lack. Detroit never ceases to put good teams on the ice. What changed the Rangers all of the sudden? These are the intangibles we'll never know, never understand, and if we did, every team would be a contender. These are the intangibles that every coach and GM are looking for. Forget Parity, find the chemistry.

Posted by Jon at 12:49 PM | | e-mail me