Holiday Thoughts

Christmas and hockey go so well together, so I guess it's time to talk hockey.
 First off, I recently heard that Mark Rycroft, an analyst for the Avalanche called Jason Spezza a "wimp" and he only looks for easy points. Really, well unlike Rycroft ever did, at least Spezza gets points.
Another thing, is that for some reason, none of the Ottawa 67's stars were invited to any World Junior Training camps. Shane Prince, a top 5 scorer in the OHL was not invited to the US camp. Also their goalie, Peter Mrazek did not make the Czech team because of "politics". Oh well, it looks like the 67's should tear up the OHL with all their stars together for the holiday season.

That's all I got.
 Merry Christmas

Christmas Time Means..........

   The best part about the holidays is not the gifts, the cheer, or the food , it's the opportunity to watch Canada deck the halls out of every other country and win gold at the World Junior Championship. But that changed last year, when Canada had to settle for silver. Well, because it's December, it's time to look forward to this years tournament in Buffalo. Canada has no Bona fide superstar. But that doesn't mean they don't have talent. Barring the HUGE mistake Canada made last year in cutting their best player, Sean Couturier and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins should be together on the first line. Other key players are #3 overall draft pick in 2010, and Ottawa native Erik Gudbranson, Sens prospect Jared Cowen, and my personal favourite defenceman Ryan Ellis, who could be the captain. Another interesting story line comes with the three-headed goalie monster of JP Anderson, Calvin Pickard and Olivier Roy. Getting a chance to watch Anderson in the OHL playoffs last year, I noticed he can be a real game-saver.Well, the tournament starts in 26 days, so let the speculation begin.
Anyways, here's a trailer for the tournament, found on my YouTube channel:

A Good 'Ole Fashion Raking

No matter how badly Ottawa is doing, Toronto always seems to be doing worse. It's been a while since the Sens shut out Toronto, so this just makes their third straight win on Hockey Night in Canada even sweeter. Hopefully this win will get the Sens back in the top eight, and hopefully shut certain commentators up about their streaky record.  But a win against the dreaded Leafs is always nice, especially on National TV. The best part of the whole night was when Sens fans started singing "Na Na Na Na, Hey, hey, hey........ GOODBYE". A recognizable Senators cheer in their home rink? Sometimes the little things should be enjoyed. Hopefully Elliott got his confidence back, and it looks like Karlsson is showing some emotion.                                                    
                                                     




About this time of year, it's also expected Eugene Melnyk will give his take on Ottawa's future. Euge touched on the management situation on Saturday, in a typically vague Elliotte Friedman interview.

And now the Oilers. Last in the West, and what should be an easy win. It will be nice to see Jordan Eberle back in town after his heroic performance in the 2009 WJC. It should be a good game, but Ottawa can't overlook these guys, even though they are the Oilers.

Spezza Goal and YouTube Channel

There is now a YouTube channel for his blog, so there are going to be more video posts!
http://www.youtube.com/user/jakePH15

I'm sad to say that after his long and painful battle with cancer, Pat Burns has passed away at the age of 58. The Stanley Cup winning coach was rumored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, but it did not happen. It has been a very sad week, with the passing of  Burns and Daron Richardson. After dealing with that, I am not at all upset with the outcome of the Sens-Canes game. Our thoughts are with both the Burns' and Richardson's.

Explanation of the NHL Blindside Rule: Video

A video version to go with the previous post on Blindside hits.

Bubble Burst

After a four game winning streak, the Senators got brought back down to earth by the Canuckleheads. And now a four game road trip, starting off against the Bruins. This is going to be a big test. Not to mention the fact the road trip includes games against St. Louis and Philly. Considering how poorly the Sens started out, and that they are currently two wins back of the Habs for the division lead, things aren't so bad. Unless you look at it the "glass is half empty" way, and you can tell they're tied with teams out of the playoffs, and four points ahead of the dreaded Leafs. Hopefully this game against the Bruins will turn out better than the last. Hopefully the Sens can slay the Tim Thomas dragon.

In other news

Brian Burke

The Leafs have called up their apparent future star Nazem Kadri and Keith Aulie to play against the Canucks.
Seems kind of desperate, but I'm sure Leafs fans are used to that.

It's about time!

The Sens just sent Leafs Nation into a spiral of death. Not only do they beat them, exploiting their undisciplined and sloppy play with two power-play goals and one penalty shot goal, they injured their captain for six weeks. That should quiet the whole southern region of Ontario for a while. Ottawa played a great game. Karlsson and Gonchar controlled the PP perfectly. For the first time this year Ottawa's power play looked like it had a real, functional strategy. Not to mention Elliott played a very good game. The 3-2 score doesn't show how well the Sens really played, but a win is a win. One thing that really bothers me is how pathetic video review is. I really want the job of being the guy in Toronto who judges goals (except the fact I'd have to live in Toronto). Although the "goal" Kovalev scored did not count, how could that puck not have been in the net? Just because Giguere's barely legal Michelin Man pads were in the way of the camera, doesn't mean the puck wasn't in the net.

Any way, tonight the Sens are playing the Islanders, so break out the fish stick jokes. If they get a win, it'll be 5 wins out of the last 7.  It'll be nice to see John Tavares play live. On behalf of all Ottawans, I'm still thanking JT for what he did in the 2009 WJC. Ells gets the start again, ang look for a big game from Spezza, just because I picked him in my pool and am starting to regret it. Time to fry some fish sticks!

Just a Thought

Recently I've been hearing alot of really annoying things. Stuff like: "Alfredsson is overpaid", "Ottawa is waiting to long to rebuild" or "Veterans like Alfredsson should be traded to make the team younger". I am beginning to wonder what they put the water in Toronto.
It seems like almost every sports pundit thinks every team needs a massive rebuild every time they play poorly for a couple years (i.e. Leafs), but seriously, look at how well it's working out there. Although they are not doing too poorly in the standings,Ken Holland once said that a team doesn't show it's true winning percentage until American Thanksgiving, so that should give many fans some comfort. But something really surprising is even the thought that Alfredsson should be traded. Anyone who thinks that doesn't know what he means to Ottawa, his leadership and his work ethic. Not to mention that he thinks of the community first, and would probably make as good of a mayor as half the candidates that ran in the recent election.
  Also, since when are teams obliged to tear their team down and build them back up every few years. Just because the Leafs do it, doesn't mean it's a law. Seriously, if you stack up Ottawa's top prospects with a certain rebuilding team's, you can tell the difference.

Sens Prospects:

1. Jared Cowen

2. Robin Lehner

3. Patrick Wiercioch

4. David Rundblad

5. Bobby Butler

6. Roman Wick

7. Louie Caporusso

8. Jim O'Brien

Leafs Prospects

1. Nazem Kadri

2. Luca Caputi

3. Jussi Rynnas

4. Jerry D'Amigo

5. Keith Aulie

6. Brad Ross

7. Marcel Mueller

8. Greg McKegg

If anyone is reading this, you should look up some of those prospects. Bryan Murray is much better at drafting than Fletcher/Ferguson/Burke. Rebuilding on the fly seems to be working.

On a side note, former Sens goon Brian McGrattan recently made some comments about Chris Neil, saying that he had to protect him, and that his fight late in a blowout against Boston was typical of Neil, and that he doesn't fight his own battles. Neil responded with nothing offensive. Really Brian? I know it sucks to be a Bruin, especially a Providence Bruin who hasn't had a real NHL job since being traded for a bag of pucks from Ottawa. For a guy who just got sent to the minors, those are some stiff words. I say this as a huge Neil fan, but i still do have fond memories of Grats.
And on a final note, this game against Toronto is huge. I'm throwing in the towel if they lose tonight.

Making Progress

Two striaght wins for the Sens. Sounds good, but it was agianst the Panthers and Coyotes. But still, a win is a win. And to make things interesting, the developing Senators play the scary in every way Boston Bruins. Sure, their second string goalie is better than any goalie Ottawa's ever had, (Dom Hasek does not count) and their centres include Marc Savard, David Krejci, Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron, who are all better or will be better than any centre Ottawa has dressed. Not to mention Zdeno Chara. Despite this, the B's have been pretty inconsistent this year, so Ottawa has a chance to win this one. Division games like this are pretty important, so here's hoping Ottawa can take this one. For the last two games, they have scored ten goals. Five against Thomas Vokoun and 5 goals against Labarbera and Bryzgalov during the game against Pheonix. Even though Tim Thomas has a reputation of shutting down Ottawa, the Sens are still really hot offensively. I'm still surprised Robin Lehner has not got a start yet, but he did get the chance to play a couple minutes in Montreal, and over a period in Pittsburgh. So it looks like Elliot's playing again.  Good luck Brian.

1000

The greatest Ottawa Senator in history has reached an other milestone. 1000 points against the Sabres, on the same night of getting a hat trick and a must needed win.
Thanks Alfie.

Waiting for Change

The Senators season hasn't gone so great so far. So, something should be done. Recently I heard about something that probably won't happen but is still something to get somewhat excited about. Murray's been talking to Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher, and possibly about Martin Havlat. Remember him?

Yes, the guy who looks like Aragorn. Well if Havlat does come back to Ottawa, Who would the Sens give up? The way I figure it, the Wild are desperate for some scoring, and Ottawa wants to unload an overpaid player who is supposed to score. Alex Kovalev is apparently a good leader and a great guy in the community, so maybe he can go and help out the city of St. Paul. Also, former Minnesota Mr. Hockey Brian Lee could be useful in his home state. Also Lee is most likely the player the Sens would like to unload the most.

 A trade could look like this:

To the Wild:
Alex Kovalev, Brian Lee

To the Sens
Martin Havlat, Clayton Stoner

If you know nothing about Stoner, he is a physical defenseman who drops the gloves occasionally and plays a decent defensive game.

I'd take it. I'd also take Kovy and Lee for Havlat and a new Scoreboard.

A Quick Analysys of Blindside Hits

Recently, Nick Foligno was fined $2,500 for his "blindside" hit on Patrick Dwyer. I was surprised he wasn't suspended, but glad he wasn't. Foligno came straight at him, and Dwyer was looking to the side. So if Foligno was coming from a side Dwyer should be able to see him from, why is this considered a Blindside? Unlike some other examples of what is now considered to be a blindside hit to the head. The most famous is this
Matt Cooke on Marc Savard hit.

As you can tell from that picture, Cooke is coming from a different angle than Savard. Savard was facing straight at the net and Cooke came from Savard's right. What is technically called his blindside. 

And this one still makes me sick. After all the times we see an example of a blindside hit to the head, this one is never mentioned. Mark Bell, the player delivering the hit, also got his elbow up. No penalty was given on this play. The fact Bell was wearing a cage makes this incredibly cowardly. One thing is, Daniel Alfredsson is still playing and is one of the best there are, and Mark Bell is playing with the Kloten Flyers in Switzerland.

As you can tell from this moving picture, Mike Richards is coming from David Booth's right side, on a really sharp angle. This is another simple example of a blindside hit to the head, where the head is targeted.

By now, you can see my point. And looking at Foligno's hit, there aren't many similarities.
If the victim can see the hitter, how is it a blindside???

An Obscene Gesture

                                                               
Well that wasn't necessary was it? Wishniewski was suspended two games for that and was fined. Wow. That wasn't appropriate but I've seen worse in Midget Level games. They couldn't show this on National TV, but thanks to good ole YouTube, here it is. I don't think it's too inappropriate to show on TV though considering other things networks get away with. Maybe players should have more respect, but that lack of respect gets higher ratings. What a world we live in.

Things I learned from the first Senators games

1. Hedley is not the band you want to kick-off the NHL season
2. Scotia Bank Place actually pays people to tell fans to cheer
3. Ottawa collapses too deep on the power-play
4. Clarke MacArthur fails at goal celebrations
5. Lindy Ruff is really balding
6. JS Giguere has really big pads
7. Leclaire has really small pads
8. Brian Lee could have been Anze Kopitar or Marc Staal (Ok I already knew that, but it's sad)
9. Milan Michalek looks thinner this year
10. Leclaire got new pads
11. I shouldn't be so optimistic

Puck Drop: Opening Night

                                    Sens vs Buffaslugs

Opening night, finally. Spezza is still a game time decision, and Clouston says he doesn't want to rush him back into the lineup. So i'm not expecting him to be in the lineup. The Sabres are a vulnerable team if Vanek is shut down and Miller lets in a few. Anyways, This game should be good. I'm hopeful Spezza will be cleared to play because of all the hype I'm being fed, and also that I watch too much pre-season hockey.
Last night, the NHL took note of what the NFL does on opening night, having an outdoor concert before the game. It would have been better if it was in Chicago instead of Toronto, because rewarding the Champion's city is always better than rewarding Hogtown. On another note it will be nice to see if Chris Campoli can continue his surprising play into the regular season, proving he is worth a first round pick. Also, the Sarge will be controlling the Sens powerplay tonight, so that will be nice.

Season Preview: Western Conference

It's time for the west. Last night's Oilers game against Calgary gave me something to think about before I made these predictions, but I still didn't pick them to make the playoffs.

1. Sharks: Niemi should back-stop San Jose's offense

2. Nucks: Why not?

3. Wings: Old, but still good

4. Kings: This year's Hawks

5. Hawks: Because they're the Champs

6. Blues: HALAK!!

7. Yotes: No pressure, No fans, No problem

8. Avs: Good coaching and young core

9. Flames: I'm starting to feel embarrassed
10. Ducks: Just look at their D
11. Preds: Need offense
12. Oil: Not quite yet
13. Jackets: They're missing something
14. Wild: Work in progress
15. Stars: New era starts flat

Really, every team in the west has playoff potential, but some just don't compete.

Stanley Cup Prediction:

                                               Capitals over Canucks in 7* 

By then, the Canucks would have fought their way through the tough West, facing the Yotes, Kings and Sharks. The Caps would have won an easy series against Buffalo, and a harder 6 games against the Sens, and a 7 game showdown against the Penguins.

  *This prediction should happen if the Caps add a Defensive D-man who can patrol the Caps zone (no, not Chris Phillips). Solid goaltending from Neuvirth if not Varlamov should backstop the Caps to a title. 

Now let's watch some hockey!

Season Preview : Eastern Conference

 Well this is it. The season is upon us, and many of us are starving for some decent puck. Sadly, we'll have to wait until after the first game of the "Face-Off 2010-2011 is between the Wild and Hurricanes.
Wow. Remember when exciting teams played in the first game of the year. But who am I kidding, I'm still going to watch it.
  Ok, anyways, it's time for some predictions. here is how I think everything is going to play out in the east:

1.Caps:Back with a vengeance

2.Pens: Crosby will carry the load and Fleury won't suck

3. Bruins: Extreme depth and Rask comes in handy

4. Sens: Hot, then cold, then really hot. In Murray we trust

5. Devils: John Maclean will make Jersey more exciting

6. Flyers: More depth

7. Tampa: Two words: Steve Yzerman

8. Buffaslugs: Miller barely carries his team into April

9. Habs: Too many questions
10. Canes: Ward and Staal not enough
11. Leafs: Six straight years of no playoffs, sad
12. Rangers: Why is Glen Sather still employed?
13. Thrashers: Thrashers on right track, but not there yet
14. Isles: They need a new rink
15. Cats: And you thought Toronto sucked

The fact that Ottawa is that high up is not only because I'm a homer, it's also because I think the East will be pretty close, and that teams like the Sens will get hot at the right time. The Habs will miss the playoffs because they think they are much better than they really are and poor Carey will crack under the pressure. I won't be surprised if they crack the playoffs though. I still want to see them play Ottawa in the first round.

Post Pre-Season Home Opener Thoughts

Wow, for a pre-season game that was pretty fun. It started just as any Sens-Habs game would, with about a   60:40 ratio of Sens fans to Habs fans, but with the Habs fans twice as loud. As usual I was sitting in the Habs fan section, feeling as awkward as Don Cherry at a pride parade when Montreal opened the scoring. Entering the second period I had high expectations for the Senators, and they disappointed me, playing undisciplined and not getting a good shot until Spezza scored his flukey goal. (Thank you, Carey Price.) After Elliot robbed Maxwell on a penalty shot, things drastically changed for Ottawa. Nick Foligno scored a total beauty, and than it was Ottawa's turn for a penalty shot. And Bobby Butler made no mistake. They sure made up for their play at the beginning of the second.  Ottawa made a statement going into the third period up 4-2, and eventually winning 6-2 (Yay! Pizza!) and shutting up the Habs fans. As we started to sing Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé!, I realized how much of a difference Sergei Gonchar makes on this team. Him, Foligno , Butler and as always, Smith played great, and gave Sens fans a reason to celebrate. Until we got in the parking lot.
But it doesn't matter right, it's only pre-season. Right?
Opening night: 11 days
Sens opening night: 12 days

Preason-Faceoff

At the moment I am writing this, I am listening to the Senators - Leafs pre-season match.  Yes, I'm listening to it. While Rogers Sportsnet claimed the game would be on Sportsnet Ontario, I apparently don't live in Ontario because instead, Sportsnet is showing a Yankees game.
I should be used to Sportsnet screwing Ottawa, but I'm not. The silver lining on this otherwise cloudy day is that Ottawa is wining 5-0, without Alfredsson, Gonchar, Phillips, Fisher, Spezza, etc. 
It's too bad this isn't the game that's being broadcasted on national TV. Oh well.
Regular Season starts in: 16 days

Drumroll........................

The 2012 NHL All-Star game will be coming to Ottawa. Press Conferene is on Wednesday at 11:00 am.
I can't wait until the leagues best experiences the beauty of suburban Kanata.

Le Question de l'Expansion

 When you think about all the unserved markets in Canada, and all the markets in the US where people don't care about hockey, it really makes me wonder. Why again are there teams two teams in Florida, and only one team in the huge province of Quebec. There are even teams in Atlanta and Phoenix, so why would there not be more in Canada. I understand why there are so many teams in the US, because that's where money is, and I'm not going to say Winnipeg is a sexier market than Los Angeles, but there can still be more teams in Canada.
  Recently, I came back from a trip to Quebec City, one of the most beautiful cities in North America. Besides all the character the Old City has, it also has some of the most passionate fans I've seen. There are Nordiques fans as crazy as they get, and the Nordiques have been dead for fifteen years. I had the privilege to talk to some fans, and they all got incredibly passionate when the subject of hockey was brought up. Some fans seemed quite optimistic, while some were really pessimistic. But deep down all of them were hoping for a new team, and a new Coliseum. One fan must have reminded me five times in ten minutes the the Quebec Bulldogs won the Stanley Cup two years in a row back in 1911-1913. The most interesting person I got to talk to was Marian Stastny, the first of the famous Stastny brothers to come to Canada, and play for the Nordiques. Stastny happens to own a hotel and golf resort outside of Quebec, where I was staying. Stastny was very fond of his memories, and still had the winning attitude. When I asked him if he was approached to co-own a new Nordiques team, he didn't confirm it. But he didn't deny it either.
 The economy in Quebec is on the rise, being one of Canada's favourite touristy cities. Also the annual Winter Carnival would have a perfect marriage with the NHL. But, as we all know, not many taxpayers like to pay for places for millionaires to skate around in. Or at least that's how my dad puts it. But that's what the Quebec government is proposing.
 Although Quebec is a nice city, it isn't the most appealing place for alot of anglophone players who don't want to practice their francais. 

  Well, considering there are tons of French-Canadians who have to learn English, I guess they can adjust.
For some reason, Bettman seems keen on bringing a team to Quebec, and if Bettman likes it, well...
I don't think a team is coming to Quebec any time soon, but if the government funds it, who knows. If the Nordiques are coming back, I look forward to seeing them beat Montreal.

The Best Memory: Olympics

 

What else can I say.
I really hope the NHL will be in Sochi, but if they aren't, what a way for the NHL to go.

Good Memories 2 : Niemi

 Remember when I said he'd be great with San Jose, well he's officially a Shark.

The Curious Case of the Capital Crease

Since the Summit has gotten boring, it's time to think about the actual game. Out of the teams in the league, Ottawa always has an interesting story in net. Maybe it's because the last beloved Sens goalie was Ray Emery, and, well, that says it all.
Last year, when Ottawa acquired Pascal Leclaire from the Blue Jackets, I figured this problem would be done. I was wrong. When Leclaire left Columbus, his stupid injuries followed him. Leclaire started off the season well, but inconsistency followed.  Next thing you know, he gets hit with a puck in the mouth, while he was on the bench. During the time he was injured, Brian Elliot took his place. Overall Elliot played great, with some bad games here and there, but he did manage to get alot of wins, and some shutouts. But the best thing he accomplished was the "save of  the year" against Chicago (featured in the "Good Memories" post below).
Even when third string Mike Brodeur came in, he was 3-0, with a shutout. Although the teams he played against were not exactly offensive juggernauts, (Montreal, Minnesota, New York Rangers) that's a very impressive record. When Leclaire came back from injury, he continued with mediocre play. When the March-April stretch run came, and the Sens secured a playoff a playoff spot, Clouston decided to go with Elliott as his number one goalie. That made sense, mainly because Elliott was Clouston's goalie back in Bingo (Editors Note: that's O-town slang for Binghamton) so he has more confidence in his old minor league goalie. Fast forward four games into Ottawa's first round series against the Pittsburgh Crybabies, and four sub-par performances by Elliott,( two of which were just crap) and Coach Clou is back at square one with his goalies. He decides to go with Snoopy for game five, where many Ottawa fans were expected to be put out of their misery. Leclaire played very well in regulation time, and was amazing in the three overtimes, making over 50 saves. After five and a half periods, Carkner wins it for the Sens. At game six, Leclaire plays well again, but after a Crosby onslaught and more or less questionable refereeing, Ottawa loses in overtime. Leclaire may not have had the season he should have, but he made up for it in the playoffs.
 So where are we now? I don't really know. Both goalies can play like all stars, but both can play like Toskalas. To make things more interesting is Ottawa's top goalie prospect, and arguably their top overall prospect, Robin Lehner, is making the leap to Bingo this year. Lehner's gargantuan size, sharp reflexes and fierce competitive edge make him possibly Ottawa's new hope in net. But this guy is nineteen. Not many goalies his age make the jump to the bigs this early. So barring a disaster, Leclaire and Elliot will be in net for Ottawa. It's possible they could split the duty, but the key fact is that Leclaire is making $4.8 M this year, way too much for a back up, so he should be the starter.
Money aside, here's how the two stack-up.

Brian Elliott: 25 years old, born: Newmarket Ont.

                      Catches: Left,  Drafted: 291st, 2003

                       H: 6 ft 2''  W: 198 lb

                       Butterfly

Pascal Leclaire: 27 years old, born: Repentigny Que.

                           Catches: Left, Drafted: 8th 2001

                           H: 6ft 2''  W: 202lb

                           Butterfly

Some say Leclaire's best is behind him, but if he continues his flashes of genius, and avoids pucks in the face, he is Ottawa's immediate answer in net. As you saw in the past Cup finals, you don't need an all-star in net to make it far, and Leclaire is very capable of holding the fort, and putting up a 50 plus save performance when he needs to. And with that, I leave you with hope.     

      

Good Memories

Because it's been a while since we've seen real hockey, I give you highlights of this past year.

And it rages on......

Well, although it seems obvious that NHL players should compete in the Sochi 2014 Olympics, many angry NHL personalities disagree. Take Brian Burke for example, who isn't exactly the Jolly Green Giant anyway, but obviously the debate about NHL participation in the Olympics isn't helping. Nobody really expects the Olympics to not move on if the NHL doesn't come to Sochi. They will move on, and have some amateurs play instead.
That isn't very exciting. I know how great the "Miracle on Ice" was, but that was a miracle. Nowadays, an American amateur team wouldn't beat a Russian team with Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and other Russian superstars who would ditch the NHL.I guess if nothing gets resolved, we'll just sit around waiting for a miracle. I think Burke said it best, and that it has become an emotional issue for hockey. That sucks. When people are emotional, nothing is easy, and the entire situation is screwed up enough. So, I have nothing else to say, but I will when there's a miracle. 

Meeting of the Minds

This week, the first World Hockey Summit will be held in Toronto. Many hockey personalities like Daniel Alfredsson, Brian Burke, Steve Yzerman and Haley Wickenheiser will be in attendance to discuss the future of the game. One of the interesting topics being discussed is the fact alot of kids are dropping out of hockey. A member of the USA hockey, Bob Mancini thinks that this is because players are not having fun, and are having too much pressure put on them. This kind of hits close to home for myself. Back when I was in Timbits Initiation Hockey, there were some parents bent on turning their kid into the Next One. Thankfully, my dad was never that bad. Hockey at that level should be fun, and parents shouldn't have to get their eight-year-old to do dry-land training in the off-season.
Another interesting issue being discussed is the size of NHL ice, and if it should be enlarged to match the International ice size. International ice size is the main factor in creating "soccer on ice", meaning a slower pace, less physical and really less entertaining game. Some think the International ice size should be reduced, but alot of fans in Europe like "soccer on ice", probably because they like soccer.
But the most important issue being discussed is the future of NHL players in the Olympics. I know what alot of die-hard NHL fans think, but after the wonderful memories that Vancouver 2010 gave to Canada, we want more. Let's look back at those memories:

 
Those are just legendary, especially the last one.

The best thing for the Winter Olympics is for the NHL to reach an agreement to let the best players in the world to play for their country. And it really is great for the NHL too. What better way to show the world their players and the talent they have, than to have their players play in a tournament for the whole world to see. And since the next winter games are in Sochi, Canada can take down Russia on their own turf, just like in '72.                             

Old News Report

With every good player that Toronto has had in recent history, a plethora of trade rumors have surrounded him. Well, Tomas Kaberle's no-trade clause has kicked in, so the thousands of trade rumors involving Kaberle have been buried six feet under. He won't be going anywhere. Tampa Bay fell through, apparently Ryan Malone was the key in that trade and it didn't happen.  Really. That's it. Now we should all move on.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          A look into the crystal ball....

In other news, The Hockey News released their 2011 Yearbook, which includes their predictions for the regular season standings and their winner for Lord Stanley's Cup.

The winner they predicted : the Vancouver Canucks.

Makes sense. Vancouver has all the right pieces, but desperately needs to put it all together. Reminds me of a certain team in the Northeast. The Hockey News picked the Flyers to win it all last year, but pulled the plug on that prediction just before the start of the playoffs, and picked Washington. Well, we all know how that turned out. After the comeback of the decade against Boston, (or in the Bruins case, the collapse of the decade) the Cinderella Flyers came within two wins of glory. Washington turned out to be about as sharp as Nick Kypreos, and lost to the Montreal Halaks in the first round.
My point is, predictions honestly mean nothing, that and go with your first instinct. Something that didn't surprise me is, once again, the Senators have been overlooked, and not included in the top eight in the East.
It didn't stop them last year. Instead, Tampa Bay was penciled in at number 7, and once again, the Habs were predicted to be an eighth placed team. Boston was predicted to win the Northeast, and that reminds me of how mediocre that division is.  Washington and Vancouver were predicted to win their respected Conferences, with Florida and Edmonton finishing last. Washington, who is turning into the Sharks of the East, are looking really no different than last year, besides blockbuster additions of Dany Sabourin and Kyle Greentree. I don't know why George McPhee didn't make a bigger move, except for cap reasons, but unless they think of another strategy, besides Backsrtom waiting, and passing it to an open Ovechkin on the low point, they're going nowhere.
Considering the Oilers last place finish this year, It wouldn't shock me if they repeated as champions of the basement. Although, looking at the lines they could have, (Hall- Gagner- Eberle) they could surprise. I expect more from them this year. Maybe thirteenth place?
Getting back to Vancouver, the one position they should be worried about is Goaltending. Weird, isn't it. Luongo wasn't playing like an all-star when the Blackhawks ousted them in the second round. But with Vancouver's talent, he may not have to. As long as he plays solid and steals games when he has to, the Canuckleheads will be fine. Speaking of Luongo, does Vancouver deserve all the criticism they get for naming him the Captain. It doesn't really matter, Vancouver has their leaders, and if Luongo is one of them, who cares? He doesn't take ceremonial face-offs for them, and the biggest thing about being a captain, is getting to hoist Stanley first, and Luongo could be doing just that this spring.

Around the League

 Ducked Up

Just when you think Teemu Selanne's career is over, he resigns. Back in 2007, after the Ducks won the cup, (I'm still heartbroken by the way) Teemu "retired", because he accomplished what every hockey player wants to do. The Ducks were still hungover from the cup party, and played very poorly for half the season, until Selanne and Scott Niedermayer both returned to Anaheim. After that season was over, he considered retirement again, but signed for two years with the Ducks. Now, after a disappointing season with Anaheim, I was almost certain that was going to be it. After "ending" his career on top, I thought he'd end it on the bottom. On Monday he signed a one year, $3.25M contract with Disneyland. Joining him could be Paul Kariya, another former Duck who, Selanne passed for the all-time lead in points in Ducks history. Kariya is still a decent player, but has injury problems and is way past his prime. Although the Ducks have had a well managed off-season (stealing Cam Fowler and Emerson Etem in the draft, adding Andy Sutton and Toni Lydman via free agency) one major issue remains unsolved. Bobby Ryan is still a RFA. Number 2 in the Sidney Crosby draft, Ryan broke out in 2008, and won a silver medal at the Olympics with Team USA. Ryan wants 3 years, but the Ducks want longer, so it's possible he could be traded.

 Trade Watch

This brings us to trade talk. I hate saying this, but this whole Ryan situation is reminding me of the Phil Kessel situation last year. A young American RFA sniper is unhappy with what his team is offering, and trade rumors surround him. The weird thing is like Kessel, Ryan could end up being a Leaf. Could Kaberle be in return? I don't know. But there is still a big chance the Ducks will meet Ryan's request.
Another name that is being mentioned is Willie Mitchell. Mitchell would fit in well with the Senators, considering their need for a big physical defenceman. Although I'd love to see Mitchell in red and black next year, Bryan Murray may want to spend his remaining money elsewhere.
Lee Stempniak, who I thought would be a great under the radar signing for some team, is unemployed, but I think would fit in well with Buffalo, who could use some goals. Another good option is if he stayed in Phoenix.
The best goalie available is Antti Niemi, who, ignoring cap issues, is the perfect goalie for the San Jose Sharks. The solid goalie is spectacular when he has to be, but can hold the fort for a team with an arsenal like San Jose. Other options are Philadelphia and Edmonton. Philadelphia because I don't see them winning a cup with Michael  Leighton, and Edmonton because having a young goalie on a team as young as the Oilers would work.

And this is just weird.                                                              
                                                           
After those legendary seasons with Dallas, Mike Modano is a Red Wing. Modano is happy to spend his final year of his career in his home-town, but seeing the highest scoring American of all-time in different colours will be strange. But I guess Modano fits in with all the other elderly players in Detroit's elite retirement residence. The amazing thing is, these guys can still play.
And sticking with the Red Wings and old people, Chris Chelios has retired, at 48 years old. He's joining the Red Wings front office somewhere, but the point is, he's not the oldest player in the NHL anymore. Enjoy your retirement Chris, we all enjoyed your accomplished and incredibly long career.

Antti- Climactic

Well that's it. It seems like just yesterday that the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in one of the most %@#&ed up endings in playoff history. With amazing scoring, all-star defence, heroic goal-tending and a young core, the Hawks were looked at as one of the most complete championship teams ever. This was just a couple of months ago.

Now, they still have one of the best players in the game (Jonathan Toews) and still most of their core (Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook) intact, but besides them, this is a very different team. Dustin Byfuglien, a top end power forward and all-around beast, is in hockey purgitory with the Thrashers. Kris Versteeg, an incredible third liner, is trapped under the media microscope, and the unrealistic and just plain stupid expectations in Toronto.And Antti Niemi is now a UFA, and will have many teams interested. Adam Burish, Andrew Ladd, John Madden, Ben Eager etc;, all are also gone. Seeing "Dynasty Death" because of the salary cap is sad, but in a strange way makes everything kind of fair.

Arriving in Chicago is Marty Turco, the veteran who expects a cup with Chicago, and who can blame him? Even without all these guys, would anyone be surprised if Chicago still repeated as champs? I wouldn't.

The situation with Niemi is unnecessary,  but it is really common. Players get so caught up in their own success, they ask for ridiculous amounts of cash. This has not only happened with Niemi, but with Afinogenov and Kovalchuk too. The biggest difference between them and Niemi, is the team success. The worst part of this is Afinogenov went to the KHL and Kovalchuk considered it. If Niemi hops on the boat to Russia, the NHL would lose another very good player, and people would say that the KHL is a legitimate threat to the NHL. The only reason it is, is because KHL teams offer the ridiculous amounts of cash that many  players desire. 

Denied!

Now that something has been made from the Ilya Kovalchuk hearing concerning his seventeen year contract with New Jersey, we learn two things:

1. Ridiculously long and expensive contracts don't work in the NHL (with the exception of Luongo, Dipietro, Hossa, Ovechkin, Crosby, shall I go on?).

2. Kovalchuk will remain a free-agent.

Concerning the ladder statement, is he really going to sign with another team? It would confirm Kovalchuk's reputation as a selfish player unfit to be a captain if he left New Jersey. Even though the $100M is not being offered, I would be shocked if he went somewhere else.


Which brings us to L A.

The fans of the suddenly trendy Los Angeles Kings were ready for one of the sexiest summers in NHL history. With Sergei Gonchar, Ilya Kovalchuk, Anton Volchenkov, Dan Hamuis, and even Paul Martin on the market, Dean Lombardi was expected to create the "happy to be in the playoffs" Kings into big time contenders.

So far the Kings have signed.....................................................................................

Alexei Ponikarovsky

I'm not saying  Ponikarovsky is not a good addition, but he isn't exactly the LA caliber superstar Kings fans hoped for. Who is? A man who is a free agent, AGAIN.
While it isn't likely Kovalchuk's headed for Hollywood, the second dip in the free-agent pool may change his mind and the lure of LA may be too great to resist. Some other teams may join the hunt again, teams like the Islanders, who could use a superstar as much as any team. But only time will tell.

When this is all over, there will apparently be more talks about a Tomas Kaberle trade, but honestly, there have been Kaberle trade rumors since he's been drafted.  

Welcome!

This blog was designed to give a real, not that bias opinion on the NHL and the world of hockey. The content of this blog will avoid that boring filler about money ,bankruptcy, and the Coyotes, and just focus n the greatest game on Earth. Hopefully you'll like it, if anyone is actually reading this.