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TSB prepares the annual NHL playoff preview. Calamity ensues.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
First Four Series Playoff Predictions
This will be quick, as I want to get these in before 7:00.
(2) Washington Capitals v. (7) New York Rangers
The Capitals had a great season, and truly look to be on the same path as the Penguins, but a year behind (as Rob has said several times on the show). Offensively, it is hard to compete with the likes of Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and even Green on the back-end, especially when you put the Rangers meager offensive corps up against those players.
The Rangers have the edge in goal with Henrik Lundqvist, but it won't be enough in this series.
The Capitals in 5 games.
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(4) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (5) Philadelphia Flyers
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Penguins in 7 games.
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(3) New Jersey Devils v. (6) Carolina Hurricanes
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Hurricanes in 6 games.
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(3) Vancouver Canucks v. (6) St. Louis Blues
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Blues in 6 games.
---------------------------------------
Edits to come, wanted to get the predictions in before the playoffs officially started.
(2) Washington Capitals v. (7) New York Rangers
The Capitals had a great season, and truly look to be on the same path as the Penguins, but a year behind (as Rob has said several times on the show). Offensively, it is hard to compete with the likes of Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and even Green on the back-end, especially when you put the Rangers meager offensive corps up against those players.
The Rangers have the edge in goal with Henrik Lundqvist, but it won't be enough in this series.
The Capitals in 5 games.
---------------------------------------
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (5) Philadelphia Flyers
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Penguins in 7 games.
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(3) New Jersey Devils v. (6) Carolina Hurricanes
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Hurricanes in 6 games.
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(3) Vancouver Canucks v. (6) St. Louis Blues
(I will edit in the matchup info later on.)
The Blues in 6 games.
---------------------------------------
Edits to come, wanted to get the predictions in before the playoffs officially started.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Richards and Crosby: A Rivalry That Is Just Beginning
When the NHL lost its entire 2004-2005 season due to lockout between the owners and the players union, it was the darkest year in the sports history. However, as Commissioner Gary Bettman and then Executive Director of the NHLPA Bob Goodenow finally reached an agreement, they had a “savior” making his way to the ice.
When the 2005 NHL Draft was held on July 30 in Ottawa, it was no secret who Penguins owner Mario Lemieux was going to select with his first overall pick.
Sidney Crosby, since the lockout, has been the most popular player in the NHL as it was thought to be when he entered the league as an 18 year old rookie.
The hype of Crosby was held up by his incredible ability to score and still holds true to this day.
In what could be arguably the greatest junior career in hockey history, Crosby recorded 86 goals and 96 assists for an amazing 182 points with the Cole Harbour Red Wings in 2000-2001 as a 14 year old.
The next season as he played midget AAA with the Dartmouth Subways, Crosby didn’t even think about cooling off, pounding home 95 goals along with 98 assists for 193 points. He also added 24 playoff points for a grand total of 217.
He entered the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2003-04 already internationally known as “the next best thing.”
He won two MVP awards in addition to two Offensive Player of the Year awards as a member of the Rimouski Oceanic in 2004 and 2005. He recorded a whopping 120 goals and 183 assists in only 121 career games.
With the NHL taking a nose dive in popularity in 2005, Sid “the Kid” was on his way to Pittsburgh being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins first round, first overall.
While Crosby was shining with Romouski in 2003, his soon to be arch rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, drafted another Canadian center by the name of Mike Richards.
If Sidney Crosby was “The Dark Knight” this summer, Mike Richards was “Mamma Mia.”
When Richards was drafted 24th overall by the Flyers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he wasn’t even the Flyers top selection. In addition to Richards, the Flyers selected Jeff Carter with the 11th overall pick.
The hype for Crosby in Pittsburgh could have partly been due to the fact the Penguins were in the midst of a five-year basement dwelling in the NHL Standings.
When the NHL draft occurs in June, the Flyers fans are usually still heart broken from a playoff exit and not many people pay as much attention to the draft.
When Richards was selected however, a lot of people felt he had the potential to be “the next Bobby Clarke” in Philadelphia.
After winning a Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers in 2003, Richards was showing the Flyers brass he could be the leader of the organization when he captained Canada to a Gold Medal at the 2005 World Junior Championships with Crosby on his side
Although they were drafted two years apart, Crosby and Richards both made their NHL debuts in 2005-2006, the first post-lockout season.
Richards made an immediate impact in his first game in the orange and black netting his first career goal, but Crosby was the show stopper.
Even though Richards’ Flyers made the post-season in 05-06 and Crosby’s Penguins were in the cellar, if you look at the numbers, it was all Crosby.
Crosby notched 39 goals and 63 assists in his first year in the NHL, placing 2nd in the Calder Trophy voting as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year to Russian sensation Alex Ovechkin.
Across Interstate 76 in Philadelphia, names like Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne were in the spotlight, while rookie Mike Richards was more of a checking center notching just 11 goals and 23 assists.
The 06-07 season was the resurgence of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise and one both Richards and the Flyers never want to think about again.
Starting the season 1-6-1, the Flyers decided to fire head coach Ken Hitchcock while long time General Manager Bob Clarke resigned.
As for Richards, it took him to December to score his first goal and he ended the season with not much progression, recording 10 goals and 22 assists.
In Pittsburgh, the tandem of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin started to light up arenas bringing the Penguins back to the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Although they were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, Crosby was proving his critic’s wrong winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player as well as the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. Crosby finished the season with 36 goals and 84 assists. In winning all these awards at the age of 20, Crosby became the youngest player in NHL history to accomplish these feats.
Entering the 2007-2008 season, the Flyers were a question mark and the Penguins were a forced to be reckoned with.
However, 07-08 was the season that officially started the Richards-Crosby rivalry and one that will take us through the next decade.
After re-tooling their roster with the additions of Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul and the gritty Jason Smith, the Flyers, who according to Chairman Ed Snider, “do not re-build”, once again had high expectations.
However, no one saw what was coming next; the emergence of Mike Richards.
Richards led the Flyers in points in 2007-08 with 75 despite missing about three weeks of action late in the season. His play rewarded him with a 12-year, $69 million dollar contract and a trip to Atlanta for the all-star game.
Besides scoring points, Richards provided plenty more for a Flyers team that would eventually reach the NHL’s Final Four, before being ousted by the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby is the more prolific scorer, but him and Richards are both very talented hockey players and Richards intangibles sometimes outweigh Crosby’s scoring.
Richards is a much more physical and defensive player then Crosby as well, which doesn’t show up in the box score, but is a tremendously important aspect when guiding a team through the rigid NHL season.
When the teams met in last year’s conference finals, with the Penguins prevailing in five games, this team and individual rivalry really started to heat up.
When the 2008-09 season began, Richards was named the Flyers captain and many people wondered if Richards would continue his excellent play from the year before.
He currently leads the Flyers with 74 points and 46 assists in addition to having a commanding league lead in shorthanded goals with seven.
Once again Crosby leads Richards in points and assists but they are both tied in goals.
Any hockey fan knows that points aren’t everything. Richards is the backbone of the both the Flyers power play and penalty kill which are both ranked in the top six in the league. Richards also isn’t at all shy to drop the gloves or lay someone out, just ask Nikolai Zherdev of the New York Rangers.
Richards could very well be a finalist for this year’s Selke Award which is given to the league’s top defensive forward.
"There's no question in my mind he's in that category (as best defensive forward) because we have him playing against the top players every night and he continues to kill penalties and produce offensively while playing big minutes," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "He's as important to our team as a (Pavel) Datsyuk is to Detroit."
"He has a great understanding of the game at both ends of the ice and he works like a dog all the time; you have to in order to be considered a great defensive forward," said Bob Clarke. "The one other thing that makes him a complete player is the fact he's not a very easy guy to play against."
A perfect example of what Richards does on the ice that everyone may not see is the fact he and the Flyers held both Malkin and Crosby without a shot in Sunday’s 3-1 victory in Pittsburgh.
On the offensive side, the Flyers power play, led by Richards and Kimmo Timonen has scored at least two goals in the Flyers current three game win streak
It’s very possible that Richards and Crosby could meet again in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
As of right now, the Flyers are 4th and the Penguins are 6th, just one point behind Carolina who is 5th.
Rest assured, if these two teams meet, it will only add a few bruises and memories to a rivalry that is just an infant.
Quotes: NHL.com
When the 2005 NHL Draft was held on July 30 in Ottawa, it was no secret who Penguins owner Mario Lemieux was going to select with his first overall pick.
Sidney Crosby, since the lockout, has been the most popular player in the NHL as it was thought to be when he entered the league as an 18 year old rookie.
The hype of Crosby was held up by his incredible ability to score and still holds true to this day.
In what could be arguably the greatest junior career in hockey history, Crosby recorded 86 goals and 96 assists for an amazing 182 points with the Cole Harbour Red Wings in 2000-2001 as a 14 year old.
The next season as he played midget AAA with the Dartmouth Subways, Crosby didn’t even think about cooling off, pounding home 95 goals along with 98 assists for 193 points. He also added 24 playoff points for a grand total of 217.
He entered the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2003-04 already internationally known as “the next best thing.”
He won two MVP awards in addition to two Offensive Player of the Year awards as a member of the Rimouski Oceanic in 2004 and 2005. He recorded a whopping 120 goals and 183 assists in only 121 career games.
With the NHL taking a nose dive in popularity in 2005, Sid “the Kid” was on his way to Pittsburgh being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins first round, first overall.
While Crosby was shining with Romouski in 2003, his soon to be arch rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, drafted another Canadian center by the name of Mike Richards.
If Sidney Crosby was “The Dark Knight” this summer, Mike Richards was “Mamma Mia.”
When Richards was drafted 24th overall by the Flyers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he wasn’t even the Flyers top selection. In addition to Richards, the Flyers selected Jeff Carter with the 11th overall pick.
The hype for Crosby in Pittsburgh could have partly been due to the fact the Penguins were in the midst of a five-year basement dwelling in the NHL Standings.
When the NHL draft occurs in June, the Flyers fans are usually still heart broken from a playoff exit and not many people pay as much attention to the draft.
When Richards was selected however, a lot of people felt he had the potential to be “the next Bobby Clarke” in Philadelphia.
After winning a Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers in 2003, Richards was showing the Flyers brass he could be the leader of the organization when he captained Canada to a Gold Medal at the 2005 World Junior Championships with Crosby on his side
Although they were drafted two years apart, Crosby and Richards both made their NHL debuts in 2005-2006, the first post-lockout season.
Richards made an immediate impact in his first game in the orange and black netting his first career goal, but Crosby was the show stopper.
Even though Richards’ Flyers made the post-season in 05-06 and Crosby’s Penguins were in the cellar, if you look at the numbers, it was all Crosby.
Crosby notched 39 goals and 63 assists in his first year in the NHL, placing 2nd in the Calder Trophy voting as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year to Russian sensation Alex Ovechkin.
Across Interstate 76 in Philadelphia, names like Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne were in the spotlight, while rookie Mike Richards was more of a checking center notching just 11 goals and 23 assists.
The 06-07 season was the resurgence of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise and one both Richards and the Flyers never want to think about again.
Starting the season 1-6-1, the Flyers decided to fire head coach Ken Hitchcock while long time General Manager Bob Clarke resigned.
As for Richards, it took him to December to score his first goal and he ended the season with not much progression, recording 10 goals and 22 assists.
In Pittsburgh, the tandem of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin started to light up arenas bringing the Penguins back to the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Although they were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, Crosby was proving his critic’s wrong winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player as well as the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. Crosby finished the season with 36 goals and 84 assists. In winning all these awards at the age of 20, Crosby became the youngest player in NHL history to accomplish these feats.
Entering the 2007-2008 season, the Flyers were a question mark and the Penguins were a forced to be reckoned with.
However, 07-08 was the season that officially started the Richards-Crosby rivalry and one that will take us through the next decade.
After re-tooling their roster with the additions of Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul and the gritty Jason Smith, the Flyers, who according to Chairman Ed Snider, “do not re-build”, once again had high expectations.
However, no one saw what was coming next; the emergence of Mike Richards.
Richards led the Flyers in points in 2007-08 with 75 despite missing about three weeks of action late in the season. His play rewarded him with a 12-year, $69 million dollar contract and a trip to Atlanta for the all-star game.
Besides scoring points, Richards provided plenty more for a Flyers team that would eventually reach the NHL’s Final Four, before being ousted by the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby is the more prolific scorer, but him and Richards are both very talented hockey players and Richards intangibles sometimes outweigh Crosby’s scoring.
Richards is a much more physical and defensive player then Crosby as well, which doesn’t show up in the box score, but is a tremendously important aspect when guiding a team through the rigid NHL season.
When the teams met in last year’s conference finals, with the Penguins prevailing in five games, this team and individual rivalry really started to heat up.
When the 2008-09 season began, Richards was named the Flyers captain and many people wondered if Richards would continue his excellent play from the year before.
He currently leads the Flyers with 74 points and 46 assists in addition to having a commanding league lead in shorthanded goals with seven.
Once again Crosby leads Richards in points and assists but they are both tied in goals.
Any hockey fan knows that points aren’t everything. Richards is the backbone of the both the Flyers power play and penalty kill which are both ranked in the top six in the league. Richards also isn’t at all shy to drop the gloves or lay someone out, just ask Nikolai Zherdev of the New York Rangers.
Richards could very well be a finalist for this year’s Selke Award which is given to the league’s top defensive forward.
"There's no question in my mind he's in that category (as best defensive forward) because we have him playing against the top players every night and he continues to kill penalties and produce offensively while playing big minutes," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "He's as important to our team as a (Pavel) Datsyuk is to Detroit."
"He has a great understanding of the game at both ends of the ice and he works like a dog all the time; you have to in order to be considered a great defensive forward," said Bob Clarke. "The one other thing that makes him a complete player is the fact he's not a very easy guy to play against."
A perfect example of what Richards does on the ice that everyone may not see is the fact he and the Flyers held both Malkin and Crosby without a shot in Sunday’s 3-1 victory in Pittsburgh.
On the offensive side, the Flyers power play, led by Richards and Kimmo Timonen has scored at least two goals in the Flyers current three game win streak
It’s very possible that Richards and Crosby could meet again in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
As of right now, the Flyers are 4th and the Penguins are 6th, just one point behind Carolina who is 5th.
Rest assured, if these two teams meet, it will only add a few bruises and memories to a rivalry that is just an infant.
Quotes: NHL.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Biron? Niittymaki?...........Lehtonen?
As the NHL trade deadline vastly approaches, the hottest rumor coming out of Philadelphia is the possibility of moving top prospect James van Riemsdyk to Atlanta in exchange for Finnish netminder Kari Lehtonen.
When first hearing this rumor, like many Flyers fans, my mouth dropped.
Lehtonen for van Riemsdyk?
However, after thinking about this possibility, it wouldn’t be a bad deal for the Flyers. The Flyers are already stacked down the middle with Richards, Carter, Briere and hopefully Giroux for years to come which makes van Riemsdyk very big trade bait.
If Flyers GM Paul Holmgren decides to deal van Riemsdyk for a current NHL player, he would have to free up some of the Flyers very fragile cap space. Moving either Martin Biron or Antero
Niittymaki would be inevitable if Holmgren wants Lehtonen.
The Flyers have 21 games left before the playoffs. They aren’t a lock for one of the top eight spots, but if they keep playing at their current pace (6-3-1 in their last 10), they should have no problem locking up, at worst, the No. 4 seed in the East which would guarantee home ice in the first round.
Looking at the season in general, there has been a large debate on who the Flyers No. 1 goalie should be come April. Flyers head coach John Stevens was recently quoted saying both goalies will get plenty of starts down the stretch.
Does this mean Stevens will ultimately pick a No. 1?
Can you have two goalies both playing in the playoffs?
Many NHL fans and purists of the game would say “No” to the latter, saying you need one go to guy in the postseason.
History would agree with that statement as well, as many NHL goalies have emerged courtesy of a long playoff run (see Giguere, C.Ward or Broduer if you want to go back a decade or so).
However, last year was a perfect example of possibly going with two goalies.
After losing games three and four in the Western Conference Quarterfinals last season, Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock told Dominik Hasek to take a seat and inserted Chris Osgood. The Red Wings won their next nine games overall en route to yet another Stanley Cup in Hockeytown.
After a very strong outing in his first playoff run last spring, Biron started this season in a rut losing his first four starts while giving up some very bad goals (see Sjostrom on Oct. 11 or Marleau on Oct. 22).
As the season has been more of a success than a failure up to this point for the Flyers (33-18-10; fourth in the East), both Biron and Niittymaki have had their highs and lows.
The numbers don’t separate the two either. Biron has posted a 19-13-5 mark with a 2.86 GAA and a .910 SV percent. Niittymaki has posted a 14-5-5 record with a 2.61 GAA and a .916 SV percent.
Right now, the Flyers goaltending job is a toss-up.
If I had to guess, I would favor Biron due to the fact that he has a proven playoff track record.
However, should the Flyers ultimately trade Biron or Niittymaki for a brand new face in net this late in the season?
If history has anything to say, the answer is yes.
It seems like any Flyers' goaltender that gets hot is out of a job within a year or two (see Boucher, Cechmanek, Esche).
Now we have Biron who a year after a 30-win season and a tremendous playoff performance in his first full season with the Flyers is on the trading block.
Will this year be any different?
Will Holmgren pull a Bobby Clarke and trade away a top prospect in exchange for a rental?(Maxime Ouellet + picks and cash for Adam Oates, who ended up playing 11 games with the Flyers.)
I don’t like to predict things, especially who's going where at the NHL trade deadline. However, if I had to guess, I wouldn’t be at all shocked if Biron is moved at the deadline and the Finnish tag team that is Lehtonen and Niittymaki are stopping the pucks in Philly.
When first hearing this rumor, like many Flyers fans, my mouth dropped.
Lehtonen for van Riemsdyk?
However, after thinking about this possibility, it wouldn’t be a bad deal for the Flyers. The Flyers are already stacked down the middle with Richards, Carter, Briere and hopefully Giroux for years to come which makes van Riemsdyk very big trade bait.
If Flyers GM Paul Holmgren decides to deal van Riemsdyk for a current NHL player, he would have to free up some of the Flyers very fragile cap space. Moving either Martin Biron or Antero
Niittymaki would be inevitable if Holmgren wants Lehtonen.
The Flyers have 21 games left before the playoffs. They aren’t a lock for one of the top eight spots, but if they keep playing at their current pace (6-3-1 in their last 10), they should have no problem locking up, at worst, the No. 4 seed in the East which would guarantee home ice in the first round.
Looking at the season in general, there has been a large debate on who the Flyers No. 1 goalie should be come April. Flyers head coach John Stevens was recently quoted saying both goalies will get plenty of starts down the stretch.
Does this mean Stevens will ultimately pick a No. 1?
Can you have two goalies both playing in the playoffs?
Many NHL fans and purists of the game would say “No” to the latter, saying you need one go to guy in the postseason.
History would agree with that statement as well, as many NHL goalies have emerged courtesy of a long playoff run (see Giguere, C.Ward or Broduer if you want to go back a decade or so).
However, last year was a perfect example of possibly going with two goalies.
After losing games three and four in the Western Conference Quarterfinals last season, Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock told Dominik Hasek to take a seat and inserted Chris Osgood. The Red Wings won their next nine games overall en route to yet another Stanley Cup in Hockeytown.
After a very strong outing in his first playoff run last spring, Biron started this season in a rut losing his first four starts while giving up some very bad goals (see Sjostrom on Oct. 11 or Marleau on Oct. 22).
As the season has been more of a success than a failure up to this point for the Flyers (33-18-10; fourth in the East), both Biron and Niittymaki have had their highs and lows.
The numbers don’t separate the two either. Biron has posted a 19-13-5 mark with a 2.86 GAA and a .910 SV percent. Niittymaki has posted a 14-5-5 record with a 2.61 GAA and a .916 SV percent.
Right now, the Flyers goaltending job is a toss-up.
If I had to guess, I would favor Biron due to the fact that he has a proven playoff track record.
However, should the Flyers ultimately trade Biron or Niittymaki for a brand new face in net this late in the season?
If history has anything to say, the answer is yes.
It seems like any Flyers' goaltender that gets hot is out of a job within a year or two (see Boucher, Cechmanek, Esche).
Now we have Biron who a year after a 30-win season and a tremendous playoff performance in his first full season with the Flyers is on the trading block.
Will this year be any different?
Will Holmgren pull a Bobby Clarke and trade away a top prospect in exchange for a rental?(Maxime Ouellet + picks and cash for Adam Oates, who ended up playing 11 games with the Flyers.)
I don’t like to predict things, especially who's going where at the NHL trade deadline. However, if I had to guess, I wouldn’t be at all shocked if Biron is moved at the deadline and the Finnish tag team that is Lehtonen and Niittymaki are stopping the pucks in Philly.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Why The Rangers Suck, And How To Fix It
Holy shitty hockey, Batman.
I HATE this team.
I stop devoting my full attention to the team for a couple of games in a feeble attempt to be a real college student and look what happens. I miss a few games for some exams and some hockey of my own and the Rangers are a laughing stock again.
What did I miss?
To recap: With today's 5-2 debacle against Philth-adelphia, the Rangers have gone just 1-5-2 in their last 8, their lone win, naturally, coming in a shootout. I'm not going to consider that a win right now because I have some dignity. Make that 0-5-3.
Ew.
Instead of game notes today, lets instead move to some season-to-date, or why-we-suck notes instead!
WHY-WE-SUCK NOTES
Lets begin with some alarming statistics, eh? (With help from the NYR HF Boards)
- Todd White (45 points) and Ryane Clowe (47 points) are among the 53 players who have more points than any Ranger (Nik Zherdev leads the team with 44) this season. Ryane HECHTING Clowe. Look how the guy spells his freakin' name. Embarassing.
- Mike Green of Washington has the same amount of goals as THE ENTIRE RANGERS DEFENSE COMBINED. Seriously.
- Mike Knuble, Rene Bourque, Bryan Little and David Backes all have more goals than any Ranger (a list which includes Naslund, Drury, Zherdev and Gomez).
Now that we got those out of the way, lets move to what the hell is wrong with this team.
Personnel Problems.
- Two summers ago, we were told that the Rangers had signed two first-line centers. LOL. They have combined for merely 69 points, a disgusting -21, and ZERO heart.
- Wade Redden. Is there a worse waste of money in this league? No. But relax Ranger fans, we only have another 5 years of him. Unless we can get him to retire sooner.
- Michal Rozsival sucks at hockey. He is so bad. I refuse to spend any more time on him. I don't have enough column space.
- Markus Naslund is going to pull a Shanahan on us. Start off hot, then get tired and decide to be an old man for the rest of the season. The worst part? He LEADS this team with 17 goals. Only two teams in this league have a leading goal scorer with less than 17 rippings of the mesh.
- Brandon Dubinsky's identity crisis. He showed with Jagr, and even with Zherdev early this season, that he can put up points and be an offensive force. Yet, for some reason, he is being told that his role is as a defensive, faceoff-winning center, rather than a goal scorer. Duby's game is supposed to be a mix of all that. Why the coaching staff is limiting him I do not know.
- Petr Prucha sits. When he plays he scores goals and gets chances. The first game back in which he does NOT score, he is benched afterward. Meanwhile, Aaron Voros, Nigel Dawes, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury all get free passes despite not having half the heart and desire of Prucha.
... Now I'm going to use this idea of the "free rides" that the Rangers' big money players are getting to help segue into the strategic issues with this team. And since the Rangers aren't using their power play, I'll use it for my example.
The Power Play sucks, and the team should seriously start requesting to to decline any penalties that are taken against them.
The man advantage has been NO advantage. In fact, its KILLING this team- and this goes far beyond their inability to score. When the Blueshirts fail to capatilize on 5-on-4, and more notably 5-on-3 situations, it throws any momentum they may have built out the window.
***When you GIVE UP goals on your "power play", it effectively takes that thrown momentum, propels it into oncoming traffic, under a bus, and splatters it on the unsuspecting face of some 6 year old riding a bike- who then falls off and fractures his leg. He then requires a blood transfusion for internal injuries, during which something goes wrong and he contracts Hepatitis.
Something like that, yeah.
The fact that Perry Pearn, the person who ADMITS to running New York's "Weakness Play", still has a Flichin' job flat out flabbergasts me. And apparently makes me want to use a lot of alliteration.
However, A LOT of the blame must also be put on Tom Renney, who throws out the same 5 guys so matter how inept they are a man up on the ice. Gomez, Naslund, Drury, Redden, Rozsival. They're out there every time. They stink up the joint EVERY time. MIX IT UP TOM! Show me Duby, Ryan Callahan, and Nik Zherdev with Dan Girardi and Marc Staal. You have to do SOMETHING to fix the part of this team that is the biggest cancer. You can't drive a car without a gas peddle. You just can't. Not effectively at least.
More Strategic Issues.
- The Power Play
- You cannot expect a team to gel when each player has 2 new linemates EVERY GAME. Ranger skaters have not been afforded a reasonable amount of time to develop any sense of chemistry with each other. Every time a line goes a shift without scoring, Renney throws the grenade into the lineup.
Naslund- Gomez - Prucha/Dawes
Dawes/Prucha- Drury- Callahan
Zherdev - Dubinsky - Korpikoski
Sjostrom- Betts- Orr
Keep these lines together. Then come back and thank me.
- The 4th line plays WWAAYY to much. I've talked about this before.
- You want to know the difference between the Rangers and the Sharks, or the Red Wings, or the Bruins? (other than the fact that those teams are good at hockey). These teams play to WIN, rather than playing to NOT LOSE. They attack defenses, they pass crisp and hard, they shoot to score. New York does none of that. Renney has publicly stated that he's looking for his team to win 2-1 and 1-0 games. It's not going to happen with this group. They're just not solid enough. Time to change the system.
- One such play that you rarely see a good squad use is the dump and chase. Why not just pick up the puck and hand it to the other team??? NY skaters are so content with gaining the redline and throwing the puck deep, then going to the bench for a change, or setting up in the neutral zone. You will never see the Sharks do this. Instead, Thornton, or Setoguchi will carry the puck into the zone, maintain possession, and wait for teammates to join them in the O-zone. Go change after you pass the puck to a fresh teammate.
Rif's Rangers Solutions
1) This is the first time I've said it publicly. But It is time...ugh... Fire Tom Renney. His system doesn't fit the team he coaches, and he fails to adapt. He's slow and ineffective in adjusting his team during games, and it has hurt the Rangers on numerous occasions. Worst of all, I'm afraid he has lost the locker room. The players look uninterested, and lack any confidence what-so-ever. I think they understand that they need new leadership behind the bench. (AND IN THE LOCKER ROOM). Renney did a good job bringing this team back to respectability, but he is not the one to bring this team to glory. (Not that THIS team, the way it is constructed right now, can get there with anybody).
With him go assistants Pearn and Mike Pelino. Both of whom are awful interviews and lousy coaches.
2) Fire Glen Sather. This is harder for me to say than fire Renney. I don't know why I'm partial to Glen. Yes, he has crippled this team cap-wise, and has had some players sign head-scratchingly outrageous contracts, but I just feel like he knows how to fix it. The problem with that last statement is that I have been saying it for the last 10 years. It's time for a new philosophy for building a team. His personnel decisions over the years have really hurt the direction and future of this team. Its time for Change. (where have I heard that before?)
2a) Do not bring in Mark Messier as the team's new GM. I just have a bad feeling about it.
3) Hire John Tortorella. Here's a guy who isn't afraid to call out his players and demand the most out of a team. He has worked with NYR brass before as an assistant coach, and he won the cup with the Hechting Tampa Bay Lightning for crying out loud. (If not Torts, give me Pat Quinn. Another outspoken, respected hockey coach).
4) Release and/or Lose and/or Trade and/or abandon: Adam Voros, Dimitri Kalinin.
5) Trade/Release AT LEAST one of: Gomez, Drury, Redden, Rozsival. We need these contracts gone ASAP. And they aren't going to disappear any time soon.
6) Call Up: Artem Anisimov, SEAN AVERY. Avery still has to be acquired from Dallas, but that's a formality at this point. I'll elaborate more on Sean in a bit.
7) Target Via Trade: Keith Tkuchuk (STL), Jay Bouwmeester (FLA), Nik Antropov (TOR), Olli Jokinen (PHX)
8) Do Not Trade: Marc Staal, Henrik Lundqvist, Nik Zherdev, Ryan Callahan.
Reasons-Not-To-Lose-All-Hope Notes
- Despite how badly they suck at this game, the Rangers are 9 games over .500. They sit in 6th place in the Eastern Conference (albiet 2 points from 8th, 7 points from 9th). If they can turn things around any time soon, their fast start put them in very good position to make the post season. Once you're there, ANYTHING can happen, especially when you have a great goaltender (which they happen to have).
- Speaking of that goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, despite the losses and some sketchy numbers, is still playing well. Granted, he can play much, much better, but he is not playing so poorly. He still has the ability to carry this team above and beyond. HE wants to win more than anybody else on this roster.
- SEAN AVERY. I fully expect him to join the Rangers within the next month. He'll surely provide this team with a shot in the arm, and the Ranger fans with somebody who is fun to watch on the ice. New York is a very boring team to watch. Sean Avery will not allow that to happen, don't worry. That man was born to play on Broadway, and the fans will cherish every second of it.
- There isn't a team in the East who scares me. Sure, Boston is really good, and the Devils are looking.. well... Devilish, but the Rangers, when they have played well, have shown that they can compete with and DEFEAT these teams.
-Henrik Lundqvist is our goalie.
For this team to win, things are going to have to change quick, fast, and in a hurry. Is there a one quick-fix to the Rangers problems that can make them a "great team"? "Honestly? No. But with a few moves- the RIGHT moves, this team CAN become dangerous.
But I'm sure they'll never make it easy. It will never be painless.
UGH. It's hard loving this team.
-Rif
Monday, February 9, 2009
The A-Rod Effect
Nothing more than something to think about...
So far, baseball has gotten repeatedly hammered by players getting popped for steroids. Alex Rodriguez became the highest profile active player to be swept up in the witch hunt that has already claimed Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and countless others.
To date, only Sean Hill and Bryan Berard, the latter of which wasn't busted under the NHL's drug policy, have been proven as users--and most fans don't care much, because both have been bottom-3 defensemen and far from a true asset to their teams.
That shouldn't fool us into thinking that others aren't out there.
Sure, hockey has the well-deserved reputation of being a clean game, especially when put side by side with football and baseball. But to think just two guys out of the thousands who have dressed in the last two decades are dirty, that's just naive and fans need to be cognizant of that for when the next player--and there will be a next player--gets popped. In any and all sports, this should no longer be a shock to the system.
So far, baseball has gotten repeatedly hammered by players getting popped for steroids. Alex Rodriguez became the highest profile active player to be swept up in the witch hunt that has already claimed Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and countless others.
To date, only Sean Hill and Bryan Berard, the latter of which wasn't busted under the NHL's drug policy, have been proven as users--and most fans don't care much, because both have been bottom-3 defensemen and far from a true asset to their teams.
That shouldn't fool us into thinking that others aren't out there.
Sure, hockey has the well-deserved reputation of being a clean game, especially when put side by side with football and baseball. But to think just two guys out of the thousands who have dressed in the last two decades are dirty, that's just naive and fans need to be cognizant of that for when the next player--and there will be a next player--gets popped. In any and all sports, this should no longer be a shock to the system.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
For the Morbidly Curious...A Penguins Shots on Goal Number Crunch
So, I was bored, and upset at how the team with the two top scorers in the game is consistently on the wrong end of the total shots category.
Thus, I decided to see for myself how often the Penguins are out-shot because of the system.
Here's what I discovered.
Out of 54 games:
The Pens had more shots in 19 games.
They were outshot in 31 games.
The shot totals were even in 4 games.
In those 19 games where the Pens had more shots, their record is 12-6-1.
In those 31 games where they were outshot, their record is 13-15-3.
And in the 4 where the shot totals were even, their record is 1-2-1.
When the Pens DO NOT shoot more than the other team, they have lost 21 of those 35 games.
When the Pens DO outshoot the other team, they have won 12 of those 19 games.
In the last 13 games, they have only outshot 3 teams.
The teams they have outshot:
Ottawa
Carolina
St. Louis
Edmonton
N.Y.I X3
Buffalo X2
Atlanta X2
New Jersey
N.Y.R. X2
Montreal
Boston
Florida
Anaheim
T.B.
In 9 of those 19 instances, the team they outshot would not be in the playoffs if they started today.
In only 4 of those 19 instances did they play a team who is in the top 5 playoff spots in their conference.
In those 19 games, they outshot the opposition by an average of 6 shots per game.
The most they have outshot a team is by 15 shots (against Montreal 12/27/2008 in a 3-2 losing effort)
Against the teams they outshot who are currently in the playoffs, the average was by 4.7 shots per game.
Against the teams they outshot who would not be in the playoffs, the average was by 7.4 shots per game.
The least amount of shots the Penguins have been held to is 11 (10/28/2008 by the San Jose Sharks).
In the 31 games in which the Pens have been outshot, they have been outshot by an average of 9.9 shots per game.
The most they have been outshot is by 34 (10/11/2008 against the New Jersey Devils).
That's all for now as I have to mentally prepare, along with the Penguins, for the 12:30 matchup against Hockeytown in 10 hours.
Thus, I decided to see for myself how often the Penguins are out-shot because of the system.
Here's what I discovered.
Out of 54 games:
The Pens had more shots in 19 games.
They were outshot in 31 games.
The shot totals were even in 4 games.
In those 19 games where the Pens had more shots, their record is 12-6-1.
In those 31 games where they were outshot, their record is 13-15-3.
And in the 4 where the shot totals were even, their record is 1-2-1.
When the Pens DO NOT shoot more than the other team, they have lost 21 of those 35 games.
When the Pens DO outshoot the other team, they have won 12 of those 19 games.
In the last 13 games, they have only outshot 3 teams.
The teams they have outshot:
Ottawa
Carolina
St. Louis
Edmonton
N.Y.I X3
Buffalo X2
Atlanta X2
New Jersey
N.Y.R. X2
Montreal
Boston
Florida
Anaheim
T.B.
In 9 of those 19 instances, the team they outshot would not be in the playoffs if they started today.
In only 4 of those 19 instances did they play a team who is in the top 5 playoff spots in their conference.
In those 19 games, they outshot the opposition by an average of 6 shots per game.
The most they have outshot a team is by 15 shots (against Montreal 12/27/2008 in a 3-2 losing effort)
Against the teams they outshot who are currently in the playoffs, the average was by 4.7 shots per game.
Against the teams they outshot who would not be in the playoffs, the average was by 7.4 shots per game.
The least amount of shots the Penguins have been held to is 11 (10/28/2008 by the San Jose Sharks).
In the 31 games in which the Pens have been outshot, they have been outshot by an average of 9.9 shots per game.
The most they have been outshot is by 34 (10/11/2008 against the New Jersey Devils).
That's all for now as I have to mentally prepare, along with the Penguins, for the 12:30 matchup against Hockeytown in 10 hours.
Penguins Get Second Straight Win ; Red Wings Re-Match Up Next
It hasn't been easy, but the Penguins look to be on the verge of some kind of a turnaround.
Down 3-0 in the third period to the ailing Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night, something suddenly seemed to click for Pittsburgh. Goals by Evgeni Malkin, Mark Eaton, and Petr Sykora pulled the Pens even with the Bolts while Marc-Andre Fleury shut down the opposition for the rest of the period.
A late OT goal created by some dogged determination from Jordan Staal and a nice finish from Malkin gave the Penguins their first overtime victory since late December.
If last night was any indicator, that come-from behind nailbiter over Tampa seems to have flipped a switch.
Despite being outshot (34-25) yet again, the Penguins rallied behind a stellar performance from Marc-Andre Fleury (including a 15-save first period) to win 4-1.
It may have been a Godsend that recent acquisition Wade Dubielewicz got the start over rookie phenom Steve Mason, but nonetheless, a 3 point night from Sidney Crosby, 2 goals from second-year defenseman Kris Letang and Petr Sykora's 21st goal on the year were the difference.
Now as the Pens sit tied for 9th in the conference with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team that defeated them in the Stanley Cup Finals will return to Mellon Arena for the NBC Game of the Week at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Winners of their last two, the 2nd place team in the West however has lost 5 of its last 7. Detroit will also have to travel to Pittsburgh in a rush, as they play this afternoon against the Oilers in Joe Louis Arena.
Nonetheless, as long as the Pens don't get blown out in this game, it could be very exciting. The other time the two clubs met this season (11/11/08), Jordan Staal (#11) decided to make it, fittingly, his day. Detroit had a 5-2 lead which was eventually diminished to a 6-6 deadlock on a 3rd period hat trick for Staal.
Later with 1:11 remaining in overtime, Staal recorded the primary assist on the game winner for Pittsburgh.
If tomorrow's game is half as exciting, it could be the biggest game of the season for either team.
For the Red Wings, a 3rd straight win coming on the second day of a back-to-back would erase the stench of their still-fresh 5 game losing streak and reassert their dominance near the top of the West.
For the Penguins, a 3rd straight win would get them closer to a playoff spot and would make their record 2-0 agains the team that ended their Stanley Cup Dreams less than a year ago.
Down 3-0 in the third period to the ailing Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night, something suddenly seemed to click for Pittsburgh. Goals by Evgeni Malkin, Mark Eaton, and Petr Sykora pulled the Pens even with the Bolts while Marc-Andre Fleury shut down the opposition for the rest of the period.
A late OT goal created by some dogged determination from Jordan Staal and a nice finish from Malkin gave the Penguins their first overtime victory since late December.
If last night was any indicator, that come-from behind nailbiter over Tampa seems to have flipped a switch.
Despite being outshot (34-25) yet again, the Penguins rallied behind a stellar performance from Marc-Andre Fleury (including a 15-save first period) to win 4-1.
It may have been a Godsend that recent acquisition Wade Dubielewicz got the start over rookie phenom Steve Mason, but nonetheless, a 3 point night from Sidney Crosby, 2 goals from second-year defenseman Kris Letang and Petr Sykora's 21st goal on the year were the difference.
Now as the Pens sit tied for 9th in the conference with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team that defeated them in the Stanley Cup Finals will return to Mellon Arena for the NBC Game of the Week at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Winners of their last two, the 2nd place team in the West however has lost 5 of its last 7. Detroit will also have to travel to Pittsburgh in a rush, as they play this afternoon against the Oilers in Joe Louis Arena.
Nonetheless, as long as the Pens don't get blown out in this game, it could be very exciting. The other time the two clubs met this season (11/11/08), Jordan Staal (#11) decided to make it, fittingly, his day. Detroit had a 5-2 lead which was eventually diminished to a 6-6 deadlock on a 3rd period hat trick for Staal.
Later with 1:11 remaining in overtime, Staal recorded the primary assist on the game winner for Pittsburgh.
If tomorrow's game is half as exciting, it could be the biggest game of the season for either team.
For the Red Wings, a 3rd straight win coming on the second day of a back-to-back would erase the stench of their still-fresh 5 game losing streak and reassert their dominance near the top of the West.
For the Penguins, a 3rd straight win would get them closer to a playoff spot and would make their record 2-0 agains the team that ended their Stanley Cup Dreams less than a year ago.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Will We Have a Show Tonight?
The weather outside is simply cold for now, although snow (and lots of it) is forecasted for this evening? Will The Sin Bin survive? An update will follow.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Ice Cold
It's a streak that would make their namesake proud.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost five straight, eight of 11, and 11 of 15. They've scored four goals or more just four times since Dec. 1. They haven't scored three goals or more since before Christmas.
And they lost last night to the New York Rangers 4-0.
Yes, the Igloo is extra cold these days. Everywhere except in Michel Therrien's office.
The head coach, now beleaguered, must take responsibility for much of his team's slide, but let's not forget individual performances, either.
Sidney Crosby (16 points in 17 games since Dec. 1) started December in typical Crosby fashion before sliding. His last nine games have produced four points, as opponents have made the sledding very tough for Sid the Kid. Add to that an apparent snipe at his leadership capabilities from Coach Therrien (a charge the coach denies), and it's been a rough few weeks for the Pens' captain.
It doesn't all fall on No. 87, though. Jordan Staal (10 points since Dec. 1) hasn't registered a point in seven games. Petr Sykora (2 points in his last 8 games) hasn't been much better, although his overall output has kept pace with the captain (16 points since Dec. 1)
Pass the disappointment for Miro Satan as well (8 points since Dec. 1; see also Dupuis, Pascal, also with 8 points in the same span). Hell, Satan has been outscored by Ruslan Fedotenko (12 points, including three in his last four games). When Ruslan Fedotenko is a more reliable forward than Miro Satan, it's a clear sign that the offense is falling on hard times.
And while Evgeni Malkin (21 points since Dec. 1) kept putting up big numbers in losing efforts early in the month, two points (both assists) in his last seven games suggest that the league's leading scorer is part of the problem as well.
Ah, but one can't forget the goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed 18 goals in his last four starts, which is a problem because he's started all but one game since Dec. 18,when he made his first start since returning from injury. He has allowed 33 goals in nine games in that span for a 3.67 GAA. Of course, that's not to exonerate Dany Sabourin, whose 25 goals in eight games (3.57 GAA) helped to kick off the current slide.
And if the goaltending is to blame, the defense must deserve a beating as well. Fleury is by no means a bad goalie, but when the defense is allowing 30 shots a game (which they are, since Dec. 1), surely the backstops are doing more than their fair share to keep the game close. That, and a PK firing at a 77.3 percent success rate, spells a lengthy slump.
The Pens get a break tonight in the Atlanta Thrashers, just the team Pittsburgh needs to play to get some confidence back. In any case, Therrien's shot at the team's leadership (like it or not, Michel, that means Crosby whether you admit it or not) likely marks the beginning of the end of his tenure at the helm. Whether Therrien is fired now or later depends on whether the team can turn it around, but one has to think that Mario Lemieux can't be pleased with having his judgment questioned in a private meeting that leaked to the media. Remember, it was Super Mario that named Crosby captain in the first place. And if Therrien can't get the Pens back to the conference finals minimum, Lemieux will have all the reason he needs to send the current coach packing
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost five straight, eight of 11, and 11 of 15. They've scored four goals or more just four times since Dec. 1. They haven't scored three goals or more since before Christmas.
And they lost last night to the New York Rangers 4-0.
Yes, the Igloo is extra cold these days. Everywhere except in Michel Therrien's office.
The head coach, now beleaguered, must take responsibility for much of his team's slide, but let's not forget individual performances, either.
Sidney Crosby (16 points in 17 games since Dec. 1) started December in typical Crosby fashion before sliding. His last nine games have produced four points, as opponents have made the sledding very tough for Sid the Kid. Add to that an apparent snipe at his leadership capabilities from Coach Therrien (a charge the coach denies), and it's been a rough few weeks for the Pens' captain.
It doesn't all fall on No. 87, though. Jordan Staal (10 points since Dec. 1) hasn't registered a point in seven games. Petr Sykora (2 points in his last 8 games) hasn't been much better, although his overall output has kept pace with the captain (16 points since Dec. 1)
Pass the disappointment for Miro Satan as well (8 points since Dec. 1; see also Dupuis, Pascal, also with 8 points in the same span). Hell, Satan has been outscored by Ruslan Fedotenko (12 points, including three in his last four games). When Ruslan Fedotenko is a more reliable forward than Miro Satan, it's a clear sign that the offense is falling on hard times.
And while Evgeni Malkin (21 points since Dec. 1) kept putting up big numbers in losing efforts early in the month, two points (both assists) in his last seven games suggest that the league's leading scorer is part of the problem as well.
Ah, but one can't forget the goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed 18 goals in his last four starts, which is a problem because he's started all but one game since Dec. 18,when he made his first start since returning from injury. He has allowed 33 goals in nine games in that span for a 3.67 GAA. Of course, that's not to exonerate Dany Sabourin, whose 25 goals in eight games (3.57 GAA) helped to kick off the current slide.
And if the goaltending is to blame, the defense must deserve a beating as well. Fleury is by no means a bad goalie, but when the defense is allowing 30 shots a game (which they are, since Dec. 1), surely the backstops are doing more than their fair share to keep the game close. That, and a PK firing at a 77.3 percent success rate, spells a lengthy slump.
The Pens get a break tonight in the Atlanta Thrashers, just the team Pittsburgh needs to play to get some confidence back. In any case, Therrien's shot at the team's leadership (like it or not, Michel, that means Crosby whether you admit it or not) likely marks the beginning of the end of his tenure at the helm. Whether Therrien is fired now or later depends on whether the team can turn it around, but one has to think that Mario Lemieux can't be pleased with having his judgment questioned in a private meeting that leaked to the media. Remember, it was Super Mario that named Crosby captain in the first place. And if Therrien can't get the Pens back to the conference finals minimum, Lemieux will have all the reason he needs to send the current coach packing
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Bruce Boudreau Has A Point
As an admitted Alex Ovechkin fanatic, I was appalled by his omission from the All-Star Game's starting lineup as the second leading scorer in the league. Not because Evgeni Malkin (NHL's leading scorer) and Sidney Crosby (3rd in scoring) were not deserving, but because Alexei Kovalev (T-69th in scoring) is not.
Washington Capitals' head coach Bruce Boudreau said as much, saying that "if it went on merit," Ovechkin would be a starter. It's also true that if it went on merit, Kovalev would be a starter as well--albeit last year, perhaps. Or maybe eight years ago.
The All-Star voting is a sham. Four Montreal Canadiens cracked the starting lineup thanks largely to what must be chalked up to voter fraud, and only two--goaltender Carey Price and defenseman Andrei Markov--have a case to be there.
But even that case is weak. Where was Mark Streit from the Island, the NHL's leading scorer among defensemen? Or maybe Boston's Dennis Wideman, league leader in plus/minus (and perhaps the most telling mark of a defenseman)? Or maybe Mike Green from Washington, with just one point less than Markov and a higher plus/minus?
In Price's case, a 2.30 GAA and a .921 save percentage are nothing to sneeze at, by all accounts a tremendous, All-Star season. But several other goaltenders have had better seasons in a similar amount of games. Tim Thomas, above all, deserves to be starting this game after the year he's had in Beantown. But the Devils' Scott Clemmenson (er, Martin Brodeur Jr.) and Florida's Craig Anderson each have better numbers in a comparable number of games. Price's numbers are outstanding, but in this, the apparent Year of the Goaltender, without the starting nod he might not have made the game at all.
The All-Star Game is hardly relevant and the fan vote doesn't make people care any more or less. It's time that the NHL takes the fans out of it and focuses on naming the 12 most deserving players to the starting lineup, and the 42 best players to the game. Alexei Kovalev playing in this game does nothing but rob one deserving player from the honor he deserves. All-Star seasons, for many, do not happen every year.
Let's hope that the All-Star reserves manage to make up for the travesty that was this year's fan voting.
Washington Capitals' head coach Bruce Boudreau said as much, saying that "if it went on merit," Ovechkin would be a starter. It's also true that if it went on merit, Kovalev would be a starter as well--albeit last year, perhaps. Or maybe eight years ago.
The All-Star voting is a sham. Four Montreal Canadiens cracked the starting lineup thanks largely to what must be chalked up to voter fraud, and only two--goaltender Carey Price and defenseman Andrei Markov--have a case to be there.
But even that case is weak. Where was Mark Streit from the Island, the NHL's leading scorer among defensemen? Or maybe Boston's Dennis Wideman, league leader in plus/minus (and perhaps the most telling mark of a defenseman)? Or maybe Mike Green from Washington, with just one point less than Markov and a higher plus/minus?
In Price's case, a 2.30 GAA and a .921 save percentage are nothing to sneeze at, by all accounts a tremendous, All-Star season. But several other goaltenders have had better seasons in a similar amount of games. Tim Thomas, above all, deserves to be starting this game after the year he's had in Beantown. But the Devils' Scott Clemmenson (er, Martin Brodeur Jr.) and Florida's Craig Anderson each have better numbers in a comparable number of games. Price's numbers are outstanding, but in this, the apparent Year of the Goaltender, without the starting nod he might not have made the game at all.
The All-Star Game is hardly relevant and the fan vote doesn't make people care any more or less. It's time that the NHL takes the fans out of it and focuses on naming the 12 most deserving players to the starting lineup, and the 42 best players to the game. Alexei Kovalev playing in this game does nothing but rob one deserving player from the honor he deserves. All-Star seasons, for many, do not happen every year.
Let's hope that the All-Star reserves manage to make up for the travesty that was this year's fan voting.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Slovak'd!
A heavily favored U.S. team ran into a hot goaltender at the World Junior Hockey Championships, and now they are coming home after losing 5-3 to Slovakia.
Yeah. Slovakia. No, the Hossas were not playing. Neither was Gaborik (injured.. again.).
Unfortunately for the Americans, Jaroslav Janus was playing, and he made 44 saves in goal for the Slavs in a stunning upset. Janus stoned U.S. snipers over and over again in this game, including a penalty shot save early in the tilt that bailed his team out and gave them an opportunity to take the lead soon after. Janus flat-out stood on his head, making SEVERAL other top notch stops to get his team a victory and push them into the semi-final round.
The Americans outshot their opponents 47-19 in the tilt, but will come home empty handed- a very disappointing end for a team that had looked very promising with several NHL draftees on board, including the #2 overall pick in 2007, James van Riemsdyk (Flyers).
Janus, who plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, went undrafted.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Flyers-Penguins: Beaver Stadium Perfect Fit for 2010 Winter Classic
All 71,217 fans watching at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York witnessed a historic event when Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby capped the NHL’s Winter Classic last January. Crosby shoveled a puck past Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller for a dramatic overtime game-winner.
Crosby didn’t just win the game for his Penguins, his shootout goal was also a big win for the National Hockey League. The league scored big with its first outdoor game on American ice by netting its biggest television ratings in nearly 11 years with a 2.6 overnight rating (about two million US households). Even Wayne Gretzky’s final game in 1999 failed to draw this many viewers.
The “outdoor pond” hockey game was virtually tied in TV ratings with the 2008 Gator Bowl (2007-2008 Season), college football matchup between the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Virginia Cavaliers.
Following the Winter Classic, hockey fans new and old alike suggested that the league should repeat the outdoor game.
And why not?
Each time the league has decided to play an outdoor game in the past, it has worked out. One example was on Nov. 22, 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with the Heritage Classic. Over 57,000 fans packed into Commonwealth Stadium for a showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens.
The climate from indoors to outdoors is a dynamic change in hockey that doesn’t happen too often, but sports fans in general seem to enjoy it.
An intra-state showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers at Beaver Stadium has great potential.
The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees baseball rivalry is arguably the greatest in professional sports, but Pittsburgh and Philadelphia come close, if not right up there with the Sox and Yanks.
The idea of having an outdoor hockey game between these two cities isn’t as far-fetched as some might think.
Hockey has the potential to take place at Penn State. Days after the NHL’s Winter Classic, hockey was briefly popular again in the United States. Questions about where the next outdoor game should occur and what teams should square off were debated on television and radio shows throughout the country.
Some of the venues in the mix were Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, and Beaver Stadium before Wrigley Field finally won the rights to the game on Jan. 1, 2009.
“I would think that (Penguins/Flyers) might be a better draw than the New York Rangers and New York Islanders because hockey is pretty far down the sports totem pole in New York,” said Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.
Not to mention, if the Penguins/Flyers rivalry wasn’t already heated enough, the two teams squared off in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, with the Penguins prevailing in five games.
But if the NHL pitched the idea to Penn State, would they accept it?
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” added Cook.
“I’m sure a hockey game at Beaver Stadium between the Flyers and Penguins would be a huge moneymaker.”
“I think Penn State certainly would have been interested and entertained it,” said Penn State Icers head coach Scott Balboni while sitting in his office surrounded by team pictures, jerseys, and trophies.
“I think it was something they were relatively excited about looking at and having some people come to town.”
Balboni also admitted talking to Penn State athletic director Tim Curley about the idea, and Curley confirmed that the idea has not been pitched by the NHL.
In every major sporting event, there is an economic factor. When a team hosts an event at their home stadium, they generate an enormous amount of revenue.
“I don't see this as a problem. We're not talking about losing a crowd of 80,000, as an NFL team does when it plays in Canada or in Europe," said Cook.
“You're talking about 20,000 tops. If you could sell 100,000 tickets at Beaver Stadium, which I think the teams could, everybody would make money.”
“I can't see either the Flyers or Penguins taking the revenue such a game would produce away from their home city," said Bob Smizik, also of the Post-Gazette.
“I'm not talking about just gate receipts; I'm talking about restaurants and hotels.”
There is no doubt that the city of State College would benefit greatly from this event. It would be similar to the commencement ceremonies at the university, where hotels are booked a year in advance.
You would have to think both of these franchises would also benefit from this event. According to the Versus television network, when the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the New York Rangers last season on April 27, 2008, it was their 60th straight sellout at Mellon Arena.
Looking at last year’s playoffs and the beginning of this season, the Flyers and Penguins are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. According to ESPN.com, they were both in the top 10 in home attendance in 2008, the Penguins placing eighth and the Flyers ninth. The Penguins sold 100.7 percent of their tickets and the Flyers sold 100.3 percent.
Looking at these statistics, I feel many Pennsylvanians, Penn State alumni, and hockey fans throughout the world would travel to see this unique brand of hockey. The teams, fans, and university would all benefit from this idea.
“If you put 75,000 people in here to watch a hockey game, like they did in Buffalo, the ticket revenue generated from that is obviously substantially greater then if you put 17,000 in the Igloo,” (Mellon Arena) said Balboni.
And ticket revenue is a very big portion of player salaries in the NHL. The NHL isn’t like the NFL or MLB, where a substantial amount of money comes from television network deals as well as ticket revenue.
“Because of the newness of the event and the uniqueness of the event, I think an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium would be hitting on those football fans that come to every game, anybody who has anything to do with Penn State as well as hockey fans all around,” added Balboni.
“You would definitely see that 80,000-90,000 number hit.”
Jan. 1, 2010: Will there be a third straight outdoor game?
If so, I have to put Beaver Stadium at Penn State at the top of the list!
Crosby didn’t just win the game for his Penguins, his shootout goal was also a big win for the National Hockey League. The league scored big with its first outdoor game on American ice by netting its biggest television ratings in nearly 11 years with a 2.6 overnight rating (about two million US households). Even Wayne Gretzky’s final game in 1999 failed to draw this many viewers.
The “outdoor pond” hockey game was virtually tied in TV ratings with the 2008 Gator Bowl (2007-2008 Season), college football matchup between the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Virginia Cavaliers.
Following the Winter Classic, hockey fans new and old alike suggested that the league should repeat the outdoor game.
And why not?
Each time the league has decided to play an outdoor game in the past, it has worked out. One example was on Nov. 22, 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with the Heritage Classic. Over 57,000 fans packed into Commonwealth Stadium for a showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens.
The climate from indoors to outdoors is a dynamic change in hockey that doesn’t happen too often, but sports fans in general seem to enjoy it.
An intra-state showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers at Beaver Stadium has great potential.
The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees baseball rivalry is arguably the greatest in professional sports, but Pittsburgh and Philadelphia come close, if not right up there with the Sox and Yanks.
The idea of having an outdoor hockey game between these two cities isn’t as far-fetched as some might think.
Hockey has the potential to take place at Penn State. Days after the NHL’s Winter Classic, hockey was briefly popular again in the United States. Questions about where the next outdoor game should occur and what teams should square off were debated on television and radio shows throughout the country.
Some of the venues in the mix were Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, and Beaver Stadium before Wrigley Field finally won the rights to the game on Jan. 1, 2009.
“I would think that (Penguins/Flyers) might be a better draw than the New York Rangers and New York Islanders because hockey is pretty far down the sports totem pole in New York,” said Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.
Not to mention, if the Penguins/Flyers rivalry wasn’t already heated enough, the two teams squared off in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, with the Penguins prevailing in five games.
But if the NHL pitched the idea to Penn State, would they accept it?
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” added Cook.
“I’m sure a hockey game at Beaver Stadium between the Flyers and Penguins would be a huge moneymaker.”
“I think Penn State certainly would have been interested and entertained it,” said Penn State Icers head coach Scott Balboni while sitting in his office surrounded by team pictures, jerseys, and trophies.
“I think it was something they were relatively excited about looking at and having some people come to town.”
Balboni also admitted talking to Penn State athletic director Tim Curley about the idea, and Curley confirmed that the idea has not been pitched by the NHL.
In every major sporting event, there is an economic factor. When a team hosts an event at their home stadium, they generate an enormous amount of revenue.
“I don't see this as a problem. We're not talking about losing a crowd of 80,000, as an NFL team does when it plays in Canada or in Europe," said Cook.
“You're talking about 20,000 tops. If you could sell 100,000 tickets at Beaver Stadium, which I think the teams could, everybody would make money.”
“I can't see either the Flyers or Penguins taking the revenue such a game would produce away from their home city," said Bob Smizik, also of the Post-Gazette.
“I'm not talking about just gate receipts; I'm talking about restaurants and hotels.”
There is no doubt that the city of State College would benefit greatly from this event. It would be similar to the commencement ceremonies at the university, where hotels are booked a year in advance.
You would have to think both of these franchises would also benefit from this event. According to the Versus television network, when the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the New York Rangers last season on April 27, 2008, it was their 60th straight sellout at Mellon Arena.
Looking at last year’s playoffs and the beginning of this season, the Flyers and Penguins are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. According to ESPN.com, they were both in the top 10 in home attendance in 2008, the Penguins placing eighth and the Flyers ninth. The Penguins sold 100.7 percent of their tickets and the Flyers sold 100.3 percent.
Looking at these statistics, I feel many Pennsylvanians, Penn State alumni, and hockey fans throughout the world would travel to see this unique brand of hockey. The teams, fans, and university would all benefit from this idea.
“If you put 75,000 people in here to watch a hockey game, like they did in Buffalo, the ticket revenue generated from that is obviously substantially greater then if you put 17,000 in the Igloo,” (Mellon Arena) said Balboni.
And ticket revenue is a very big portion of player salaries in the NHL. The NHL isn’t like the NFL or MLB, where a substantial amount of money comes from television network deals as well as ticket revenue.
“Because of the newness of the event and the uniqueness of the event, I think an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium would be hitting on those football fans that come to every game, anybody who has anything to do with Penn State as well as hockey fans all around,” added Balboni.
“You would definitely see that 80,000-90,000 number hit.”
Jan. 1, 2010: Will there be a third straight outdoor game?
If so, I have to put Beaver Stadium at Penn State at the top of the list!
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