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Jason Chen

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  1. Jason Chen

    Get Smart

    By Jason Chen,

    There is no doubt that the post-lockout NHL is a much more exciting game to watch on TV. Players are faster and stronger and the rules have catered to a more offensive game to open up the ice. There's more room and leeway for players to fly across the ice at top speed. The only problem is that it has resulted in more bad decisions, more concussions, more bad hits, and more suspensions. Gary Bettman clearly doesn't get it - the fail proof way to successfully market the game is to make sure the world's top talents are on the ice. It's not about scoring goals. The amount of goals scored is not directly correlated to the quality of hockey. It's a huge misconception that the league has repeatedly failed to understand.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/45/fullj.77c88536990f67b0597a57a7e1c933b1/77c88536990f67b0597a57a7e1c933b1-getty-102826783dv007_sanjose.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">For example, suspending
    was the dumbest thing the league could do. It makes absolutely no sense. No wonder Sharks GM Doug Wilson is so ticked off and has thus refused to comment on the matter. In a Thursday night game against the Blues, just as Perron had received a pass and was starting up the middle of the ice, Thornton stepped out of the penalty box after serving a boarding penalty and knocked him out with a shoulder hit to the head. Thornton was assessed a five minute major and a game misconduct and was given a two-game suspension by Gary Bettman which Thornton plans to appeal. There are so many problems with this I don't know where to begin.
    First, that was a good, clean check. The only problem is that Perron is 5'11" and Thornton is 6'4", making Perron's head shoulder height to Thornton. It was NOT a blindside check because Thornton was IN FRONT of Perron when he made the hit. If referees Dan O'Rourke and Brian Pochmara were to call a penalty, it would've been just a hit to the head two-minute minor. But there's no such penalty. A hit to the head can only penalized if it's "a lateral or blindside hit" as per Rule 48 of the rule book. I've said this so many times before - eliminate that lateral/blindside clause and just penalize hits to the head, regardless of the angle. It would've been unfair to Thornton, who really did nothing wrong, but like an errant high stick you assume these NHL-calibre players have full control of their bodies.

    But okay, let's assume that O'Rourke and Pochmara interpreted it as a blindside hit. That's fine, referees make mistakes, especially two relatively green ones. Toss Thornton from the game. But Bettman felt the need to step in and hand him an extra two-game suspension, a duty which usually falls to Colin Campbell, the league disciplinarian. Isn't that enough? Thornton is not a repeat offender. He really has no prior history.

    Third, what's the first rule of hockey? Keep your head up. Eric Lindros' career ended because of it and so will Perron's if he continues to play this way. He was looking at the puck and once he touched it, it was too late to react to Thornton's shoulder. But much more importantly, that was just a plain dumb hockey play by Alex Pietrangelo, the passer. That was a complete SUICIDE PASS. Pietrangelo obviously was not aware that Thornton had just stepped onto the ice and fed Perron a lead pass that put him on the train tracks towards Thornton. If you want to blame anybody, blame Pietrangelo, who has just 27 games of NHL experience.

    Faster players. Stronger players. Harder hits. More concussions. More suspensions. No Thornton for the Sharks and the NHL should be thankful this is only the second month of the season and not game 80, when a potential division crown or playoff spot is on the line. You know what the solution is? Bring back the clutch and grab. Allow defenseman and players to slow these guys down a little. It could go a long way. (Among other solutions: get rid of those ridiculously huge shoulder pads, put in glass and boards that are more forgiving, change that red lining at the top of the boards into something softer, etc.) Besides, anyone else sick of phantom calls as much as me? I was a hockey fan in the clutch and grab era so I don't understand why we had to change anything. Was opening up the game really that much effective as a marketing ploy? Or was it just simply the overflowing talent the league is currently experiencing, with Steven Stamkos, Matt Duchene, Claude Giroux, and others? If the NHL wants to put a better product on the ice, think about protecting the players, not worrying about how many times the red light will turn on. Keep talent off the ice and you're destroying your own product.

    Give your head a shake, NHL.
  2. Jason Chen
    In celebrating the Vancouver Canucks' 40th anniversary, this season the club has introduced the Ring of Honour, an exclusive club of four members whose contributions to the franchise will be recognized. Since the club's inception in 1970, the franchise has seen its fair share of up and downs but through the good times and the bad, the Canucks have had its fair share of hockey heroes. On October 26, 2010, when the Canucks played host to the visiting Avalanche, Orland Kurtenbach, the franchise's first-ever captain was named as the Ring of Honour's first member. In continuing this celebration, the second member of the Ring of Honour will be revealed one month today on November 24 when the Canucks again play host to Colorado.

    For a franchise that has produced four different players named to First All-Star teams (Pavel Bure, Todd Bertuzzi, Markus Naslund, Henrik Sedin), three named to Second All-Star teams (Kirk McLean, Daniel Sedin, Roberto Luongo), and two different Jack Adams winners (Pat Quinn, Alain Vigneault) as the league's best coach, and numerous other players and public figures that have made innumerable contributions to the franchise, the Canucks have no shortage of candidates for the Ring of Honour. Here are my top five candidates.

    <img src="http://www.farmteam.de/AUDIO/linden_mclean1994.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Drafted second overall in the 1988 draft, Medicine Hat Tigers alum Trevor Linden came with high expectations and did not disappoint, becoming arguably the Canucks' first-ever franchise player. Linden cracked the NHL lineup at just the tender age of 18 and scored 30 goals that same year, becoming the first Canucks rookie to do so. A hard-working player and mature beyond his years, Linden won the Cyclone Taylor Award as the Canucks' most valuable player in his rookie year. His efforts were recognized league-wide and he garnered a Calder nomination as the league's top rookie. At age 21, he was made captain of the franchise, one of the youngest captains in league history and led the team to two consecutive Smythe Division titles to go with four consecutive 30+ goal seasons. The obvious highlight in the franchise's history under Linden's leadership was a riveting Stanley Cup run in the summer of 1994 and a
    against the Mark Messier-led Rangers. While the end result was hard to swallow, it was one of the best finals the NHL had ever seen and while and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hEPzALqeS4, it was Linden's drive and never-say-die attitude that got them there. Despite being traded to Long Island in 1998 after feuding with "Iron Mike" Keenan and brief stints in Montreal and Washington, Linden's heart always belonged in Vancouver. Immediately after Brian Burke was named general manager, one of his first moves was to bring back number 16. While his 30-goal days were behind him, Linden's work ethic remained unquestioned and when called upon he always Linden would suit up for the Canucks for six more season before retiring at the conclusion of the 2008 season. Linden was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership on and off the ice in 1997 and continues to be active in the Vancouver community. In total, Linden suited up in 1140 games for Vancouver and is second on the Canucks all-time scoring list with 733 points.
    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/06/Smyl_full.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Before there was Linden, there was Stan Smyl. Drafted 40th overall in 1978, Smyl was another relentless forward known for his blue-collar style of play, earning him the nickname "Steamer." Despite standing only 5'8", Smyl never let his lack of size stop him and in his rookie season, playing on a line with rookies Thomas Gradin and Curt Fraser, Smyl scored 38 points in 62 games. After captain Kevin McCarthy went down with an injury in the 1982 season, then general manager Harry Neale named Smyl as captain and he didn't disappoint, leading the Canucks to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance despite having a losing record during the regular season. While the Canucks were swept in 4 games by the Islanders, Smyl captained the team for a total of eight season before retiring in 1991 with 673 career points, all with Vancouver. Smyl's contributions to the Canucks were not limited to the ice. After retiring he was named as an assistant coach to Pat Quinn and later a head coach for the Canucks' AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch in 1999 and the Manitoba Moose in 2001. In 2004, Smyl joined the Canucks front office as Director of Player Development before becoming Senior Advisor to Mike Gillis in 2008, a position he still holds today. For over 30 years Smyl has been associated with the Vancouver Canucks, the longest of any former player or personnel. If the Ring of Honour was picked on years alone, Smyl would be a lock.

    <img src="http://www.canuckscentral.com/images/hneilson.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">While Roger Neilson's stint as head coach of the Canucks lasted only two seasons, the impact he had on Vancouver fans and hockey in general remains profound. After taking over then bench after head coach Harry Neale was suspended after an altercation with a fan, the Canucks went undefeated for 7 games. Despite finishing the season with a mediocre record, Nielson nevertheless managed to guide the team to a finals appearance against the vaunted New York Islanders which became the league's first ever coast-to-coast finals match-up. But Neilson's most memorable moment during his tenure as the Canucks' bench boss was against the Chicago Blackhawks in 1982. Disgusted by the refereeing in the third period,
    and began to wave it as a sign of surrender. Many of the Canucks players on the bench followed suit and all were ejected from the game. At the next home game, Vancouver fans began to wave white towels in support of their team. "Towel Power" remains a Vancouver tradition that has been emulated numerous times in other hockey rinks.
    <img src="http://vancouverisawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/quin.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">As synonymous as the 1994 playoff run was to Linden, McLean, Bure, Adams, and Courtnall, so was Pat Quinn. A hard-hitting defenseman who famously drew the ire of Don Cherry and Bruins fans for his hit on Bobby Orr that left the Hall of Famer unconscious, Quinn was acquired by the Canucks in the 1970 Expansion Draft and played for two years. After retiring in 1977 from an ankle injury, Quinn joined the Flyers coaching staff where he won his first Jack Adams Award before moving to Los Angeles and then Vancouver as their general manager in 1987. As a builder, Quinn had a vision and brought in Kirk McLean and Greg Adams in a trade in 1987, drafted Linden in 1988, and then Bure in 1989, all four who would play vital roles in the summer of 1994. Despite having a falling out with a new ownership group and fired in 1997, Quinn's impact in Vancouver remains profound.

    <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EiMRSOg2PkM/R98-bxCeYZI/AAAAAAAABlY/6LoxWRiFlY4/s400/robson_j2.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">While the Canucks have certainly had a number of players, coaches, and general managers that have been a part of its rich history, Jim Robson has played as big a role as anyone else. After Vancouver was awarded a franchise in 1970, Robson became the Canucks' first public voice, broadcasting for 29 years along with Tom Larscheid. It was Robson who broadcasted the first ever Canucks game in 1970. To many he remains the voice of the Canucks, covering the franchise's best moments. For the Canucks and Robson, they will forever be linked by four words:

    The second inductee into the Ring of Honour will be revealed on November 24. Who do you think will be inducted?
  3. Jason Chen

    Anaheim Post-Game

    By Jason Chen,

    In a game that featured two teams struggling to score, it was Anaheim's trio of Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, and Corey Perry that emerged victorious with a combined 7 points in a 4-3 win over Vancouver. The Ducks entered their home opener 0-3, heavily outshot and outscored. After a lambasting by coach Randy Carlyle in this morning's practise, the Ducks responded appropriately, taking advantage of odd-man rushes and scoring chances while the Canucks failed to capitalize on theirs. While the highlight reel goals may suggest otherwise, this was actually a game in which both teams went through stretches of poor play and silly mistakes.

    Just 36 seconds into the first period Peter Schaefer put the Canucks on their heels with a hooking call despite a flurry of shots by the Canucks to start the game. Alain Vigneault clearly wanted the Canucks to keep firing at the net but Schaefer's penalty gave the Ducks a good opportunity to get their offense going. Another bad penalty, this time by Ryan Kesler, put the Ducks on a 5-on-3 advantage and while the Canucks managed to kill off Schaefer's penalty they couldn't complete the job and the Ducks capitalized first with a powerplay goal by Getzlaf assisted by Ryan and rookie Cam Fowler, who looks like he'll be staying the entire season. The Ducks are talented but struggling and if you give them opportunities they will capitalize. Getzlaf and Ryan needed to get on the scoresheet and Randy Carlyle needed a good start.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/5c/fullj.d55ad3c38bce204c0c1f5881e883fa63/d55ad3c38bce204c0c1f5881e883fa63-getty-102832475rr028_vancouver_ca.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Daniel Sedin tied it moments later on a beautiful cross-ice feed from Henrik and just 17 seconds later Raffi Torres netted his first as a Canuck on a deflection. With 16 shots in the first period it seemed like the Ducks were well on their way to another shellacking and the Canucks' secondary scoring finally putting it together but it was just a tease. While many were commending Torres on his goal and his fight against Sheldon Brookbank in response to a open-ice hit from behind on Schaefer, I thought it was an absolutely terrible time to pick a fight. I appreciate the fact that Torres was protecting his teammate but it was a relatively harmless hit and it certainly didn't warrant an instigator that put the Canucks on the penalty kill again. Putting your team on the PK when you've just gotten the lead is a sure-fire way to kill any sort of momentum you've just built. Torres was barely visible for the rest of the game.

    The Ducks pulled even on a Teemu Selanne powerplay snipe after Kevin Bieksa was called for slashing when he broke Perry's stick in half. Bieksa's decision-making has drawn the ire of many but I don't think he's really at fault for this one. He didn't touch a single hair on Perry's body and today's sticks snap like twigs anyway. I think it was a unlucky call and to pin this mistake on Bieksa is unfair. But it is what it is and Bieksa allowed the Ducks to tie it up at 2. That's fine because there's still plenty of hockey left to play but I imagine what irks people more is that Bieksa didn't do anything to redeem himself. I thought it was interesting that he was the assistant captain on the road and not at home where I imagine Vancouver's critical fans wouldn't hesitate to lambaste him.

    Christian Ehrhoff's powerplay marker on a phantom hooking call on Ryan early in the third seemed to have iced the game but then the Canucks started to sit back a little. There was little urgency in their play and the second line duo of Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond has yet to generate any significant offensive opportunities. Each player finished with 3 shots but none of them were particularly dangerous. A strange ricochet off the glass and the top of Jonas Hiller's net left the Canucks stunned for a moment which led to an odd-man rush in which Perry scored his first of the season. Bieksa was left to defend three Ducks players but instead of remaining in position he decided to chase the puck instead which left Perry wide-open on the right side of the net for an easy tap-in.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/5b/fullj.9cc043dd69cf4516e2237a78e7b3e4d5/9cc043dd69cf4516e2237a78e7b3e4d5-getty-102832475rr030_vancouver_ca.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">The most controversial call, or non-call, in this case, came from Ryan's game-winner. Leading the breakout and carrying the puck through the neutral zone, Ryan poked the puck away from Henrik towards Getzlaf who skated down towards the net on a 3-on-1 and passed it back to Ryan for an easy goal. The problem with that play was that there was supposed to be a penalty on the Ducks. When Ryan jumped over the boards and touched the puck, Matt Beleskey, the player coming off for Ryan, still had his two skates on the ice. It was a too many men call that was completely missed by veteran referee Stephen Walkom and Justin St. Pierre. Still, the truth is the Canucks' offense just didn't look very dangerous and failed to capitalize on a few key chances. The offense the Canucks boasted last year still hasn't shown up.

    This is the first game that I've kept a close eye on Keith Ballard (playing his 400th NHL game) and I really like what I saw. I have always been a fan since his Florida Panther days but I got a good look at him tonight and the guy plays with an edge. He's not afraid to hit and not afraid to jump up on the play which is why some people have prompted comparisons to Ed Jovanovski. Ballard doesn't quite have the same offensive talents but when and if Bieksa gets traded he may be the only defenseman on our roster that has a mean streak. Early on in the game Roberto Luongo was run over by Perry and then given a snow shower by Dan Sexton but nobody responded. It's the same story as last year. Opposing teams take liberties and take runs at Luongo while the Canucks' defensemen just sort of stand around and look at Walkom for a call. It can't work that way. The Canucks need to play with an edge and protect the goalie when necessary. Ballard certainly does that.

    Each year, Mike Gillis brings in a new crop of bottom six forwards and every time the Canucks fail to go deep into the playoffs a new bottom six is brought in. This year's group includes free agent veterans Manny Malhotra and Schaefer and rookie Guillaume Desbiens. Given the performance of the bottom six tonight (and the team in general) the Canucks have no shot at going deep. Torres started off great but did his disappearing act. The usually physical Tanner Glass was invisible. Rick Rypien is not a NHL-level face-off guy. Schaefer can be easily replaced with a faster, grittier option. Desbiens, try as he might, and God knows he's worked hard to get here, unfortunately just doesn't bring enough to the table to last in this league.

    While it is still early in the season, Kesler and Raymond have yet to register a single point. They had a good outing against Florida but were stymied by Tomas Vokoun. Kesler has a team-high 8 missed shots. I have a feeling he's trying to do too much on offense. I have yet to see him create turnovers with his speed and puck pursuit like he did so many times last year in his Selke-nominated season. He needs to do what he does best. Kesler has just two takeaways thus far this season while his biggest Selke rival, Pavel Datsyuk, already has six.

    The Canucks face the Kings next in LA Friday night. Luongo wasn't particularly sharp tonight but he wasn't bad either and he will obviously start against the Kings in a key match-up. Alain Vigneault has said that he will go to Luongo as long as he has the hot hand, but with a quick one-game homestand (Carolina, 17th) and then two big back-to-back games on the 19th (Minnesota) and 20th (Chicago) on the road, I am curious as to what Vigneault will do. Of the next four games the Carolina game may be the easiest and more insignificant than the rest since the other three are against conference rivals so I imagine that's the game we will be seeing Cory Schneider for the first time this season.
  4. Jason Chen

    Suspension Worthy?

    By Jason Chen,

    It's a rare time when I fully agree with Bob McKenzie, and apologies to former NHLers Matt Barnaby and Mike Johnson, but I do agree that the NHL was right to suspend Niklas Hjalmarsson his hit on Jason Pominville who is out indefinitely with a concussion. The other suspension this week was handed to Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski, who made an obscene gesture towards the Rangers' Sean Avery and was likewise suspended for two games. There are two problems here that have my scratching my head. First, people who say Hjalmarsson should not be suspended boggles my mind, especially after all the ambiguity that was (supposed to be) erased surrounding blindside hits over the summer. Second, that Wisniewski was suspended for a relatively harmless gesture.

    Barnaby and Johnson contend that Hjalmarsson's hit is not suspension-worthy for different reasons. Barnaby believes Hjalmarsson shouldn't be suspended because he didn't have the intention of hurting Pominville. Johnson says it's a good hockey hit and that it happens more than once in every hockey game and it was the boards, not Hjalmarsson, that gave Pominville the concussion. Both former NHLers make fair points, but they're missing the big picture. Over the summer the NHL added a new rule to its book on the heels of Marc Savard and David Booth's concussions, giving the referees to penalize players for blindside hits to the head. Was Pominville's head the target of Hjalmarsson's hit? I don't think so, but nonetheless it was a blindside hit that caused a concussion. If you're to follow the rulebook word for word, then Hjalmarsson's hit is not worthy of a suspension. But if the NHL wants to limit these concussions, they have to make all blindside hits illegal, regardless of how, when, and with which part of the body contact was made. Blindside hits aren't just dangerous when the head is targeted, they're just dangerous in general. It's quite clear in the replay that Hjalmarsson hit Pominville from behind his right shoulder so the league was right to suspend Hjalmarsson, although I do think the penalty was a little too light. This was a great opportunity by the NHL to show a no tolerance policy for blindside hits and as usual they completely dropped the ball.

    Compared to Hjalmarsson's hit, Wisniewski's gesture was relatively harmless. Was Wisniewski's gesture funny? I think it was, especially when considering the victim was Sean Avery, although it must've been a little awkward, from one guy to another. Was it inappropriate and immature? Definitely. Was there potential for anyone to be physically hurt from that incident? No. For that reason alone, that Wisniewski's gesture did not physically harm anyone, I don't think he deserves a suspension. It's definitely worth a hefty fine because it makes the NHL and the Islanders look bad and players need to be reminded that they are playing in front of children and they are considered professionals representing more than just themselves. If anything, it should be an internal issue for the Islanders. They are the biggest losers. If Wisniewski is to be suspended, it shouldn't be by the NHL, it should be from the organization for a blatant lack of professionalism. My verdict? Hjalmarsson gets three games and Wisniewski gets fined for $40,000, a little more than one game's worth of salary before taxes.

    But you know what? I'm kind of glad Wisniewski did that. It's entertaining. Look how many headlines and discussions it has sparked. Hockey players are often criticized for being too boring and now when their personalities shine through, the league suspends them. See, if it wasn't for Avery's big mouth (he also provided a gem of a quote when asked about Wisniewski's gesture) he'd be a decent hockey player but he gets it. He understands that for the league to generate interest and become an ultimately more marketable product their needs to be personalities. It's what sells. As much as the NBA hates to admit it, Ron Artest does help sell tickets. Chad Ochocinco too. Avery knows he's not the poster boy for the NHL so he's happy to play the villain. Unfortunately for Avery, and to a certain extent the league, no one's taking the bait. Hockey players know when to shut up and play. When everyone refuses to play along just for the sake of drama, the end result is that Avery just looks like a dumb jerk mouthing off to no one in particular.

    The NHL needs to protect its image and its product which is why I understand their decision to suspend Wisniewski, even though I disagree with it. But more importantly, the NHL needs to protect their players because the best measure of their success is tied to its on-ice product. When talented players like Jason Pominville, John Tavares, and Marc Savard are sidelined, the quality of hockey becomes worse.

    On a Canucks-related note, they face off against the hapless Ducks tonight. After just averaging 1.5 goals in their first two games the Canucks have a great opportunity to open the offensive floodgates. So far this season the Canucks' supposed potent offense hasn't looked very dangerous.
  5. Jason Chen

    The Long Road Ahead

    By Jason Chen,

    "It's the repetition of affirmation that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen." - Muhammad Ali.

    For the Vancouver Canucks, in their 40th year in the league, there are only four words: "We. Want. The. Cup."

    <img src="http://vancouverite.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/kesler.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Some wins will come easier than others, but make no mistake, the Canucks are the team to beat in the West. For Cup contenders facing the Canucks, it is a chance to familiarize themselves with a potential enemy in June. For teams looking to re-build, it provides a golden opportunity for young players to play against the league's best. Unlike Colorado or Phoenix last year, the Canucks aren't going to surprise anyone. Henrik Sedin is the reigning league MVP and twin brother Daniel is just as good. Ryan Kesler will see plenty of Selke Trophies on his shelf before his career is over and Roberto Luongo can always show off his Olympic gold when people question his ability to win big games. But let's not get carried away - there are 82 grueling regular season games to be played and three Western Conference teams that the Canucks must show they can beat before they become the last team standing.

    The San Jose Sharks have been the West's best team for the past two years but like the Canucks during the West Coast Express' heyday, they still can't win the big game. In the five years since the lockout, all the Sharks have done is win the Pacific Division three times, eclipsed the 100-point mark four times, and claimed the President's Trophy once. But the Sharks always seem to lose their bite when the games start to really count, bowing out from the semis in three straight years and an even more abysmal showing two years ago after being ousted in the opening round by the Ducks. It was only last year did the Sharks manage to parlay their regular season success into the playoffs and reached the Conference Finals, even if only to be swept by the eventual Cup-winning Blackhawks. While becoming one of the four teams remaining is certainly quite the accomplishment, to say the Sharks were satisfied would be an understatement. The Sharks' first ever Conference Final appearance may be short, but now this team knows how to get there. Even with losing captain Rob Blake to retirement and swapping Evgeni Nabokov for a cheaper tandem in Antero Niittymaki and Antti Niemi, this is a team that has finally learned how to win and that's a dangerous thought.

    What's more dangerous than a team that knows it can win is a team that has already won and for the Detroit Red Wings they have something that no other Cup contender has: a wealth of experience. Since the lockout, the Wings have averaged 113 points a year, dipped below 50 wins just once (last year with a depleted roster), and been to the Finals twice. Nicklas Lidstrom has 247 games of playoff experience under his belt, over 100 more than Daniel and Henrik combined. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are no strangers either, Datsyuk having two Cup rings and Zetterberg a former Conn Smythe winner. Even the Red Wings' newest addition, Mike Modano, brings plenty of experience with a Cup ring of his own and over 150 games of playoff experience. Detroit is my pick to win the Cup (but I'd love to be proven wrong) and any road to the Finals will have to go through them. And the last time the Canucks met the Wings in the playoffs? 2002, when the Canucks were eliminated in the opening round after blowing a 2-0 lead in a series that is now only remembered by this goal.

    As the saying goes, "three time's the charm," but as the Canucks strive for their third straight division title you can bet that a third consecutive 4-2 semi-finals loss to Chicago won't be happening again. The Canucks simply won't allow it and a weaker Blackhawks squad would be hard-pressed to deal out the same punishment a third time. Make no mistake, the Canucks would love to see the Blackhawks in the semis again, if only just to show that the two previous playoff meetings were merely flukes. Still, the Blackhawks do have the Canucks' number and are the defending Cup champions. Even with less depth don't be surprised if Jonathan Toews wills this team deep into the playoffs. No other team in the West can deal as much psychological damage to the Canucks as the Blackhawks and as any NHL player will tell you, the playoffs are mentally taxing as they are physically.

    <img src="http://www.showtimetickets.com/hockey-tickets/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Roberto-Luongo-photos.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">All three teams are tough opponents but nothing the Canucks cannot handle. The truth is, the Canucks' toughest opponent is themselves. Since the 2000-2001 season, the Canucks have made the playoffs seven times but have lost in the semis four times and the quarters three times. During that same span the Canucks have been division champions four times but were upset in opening round by Calgary in 2004 and lost 4-1 to the Ducks in 2007 in the semis after escaping Anaheim with a 1-1 record. Then it was losses to Chicago in consecutive years in the semis in which the Canucks allowed an uncharacteristic 12 goals combined in elimination games. Despite his 112-point regular season performance Henrik Sedin was not a major force in the playoffs and neither was twin brother Daniel and both disappeared for stretches. Kesler had just one goal while Mason Raymond capped off what would've been a great season with just 4 points in 12 playoff games. Roberto Luongo had the worst playoff run of his career and his save percentage dropped from .913 to .895 which led to a subsequent ballooning of his GAA from 2.57 to 3.22. Cup-winning teams should not and do not self-destruct.

    If the Canucks want to win they just simply have to stop shooting themselves in the foot.
  6. Jason Chen

    Face-Off

    By Jason Chen,

    Hockey pundits and fans talk all they want and make bold predictions but once the puck drops the NHL really reminds us of how futile our efforts really are. Carolina, Toronto, and Dallas are all unbeaten. Pittsburgh is winless. Someone once said that sports is the most successful and best reality show in the world. I'd have to agree. Here are some storylines to keep watching for the rest of the year (or just to save myself some embarrassment, the next week).

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/af/fullj.babfaa6716e9bc1feb693b2ab5619ce4/babfaa6716e9bc1feb693b2ab5619ce4-getty-103114207_abe015_leafs_wings.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The Leafs are 2-0 but don't get used to that 1.000 winning percentage too soon because they face off against the winless Penguins next and you know Sidney Crosby won't be letting the former Cup champs slide to 0-3. To the Leafs' credit they've looked incredible so far. Their fans needed this hot start and so did Ron Wilson, who is temporarily off the hot seat but if the Leafs hit the links soon again this year then he won't be back coming back. The looked good in their season opener but remember that the Habs were without two of their top four with Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik both sidelined with injuries. With a healthy Phil Kessel and the addition of the shifty Kris Versteeg the Leafs are noticeably faster this year and caused all kinds of havoc on a disorganized Senators team. But if the Pens' breakouts continue to look like this then the Leafs may go 3-0.

    I noted Brent Burns as the player to watch in Minnesota and even though they're still having a little trouble putting the puck in the net (only 4 goals in 2 games) in Burns' second game he played 30:57, over 23 minutes on even strength alone. That's Scott Niedermayer/Chris Pronger territory right there. Burns is averaging 28:25 per game, fourth in the league and also has 9 shots, good enough for 8th in the league. While his defensive play is still probably something to be desired if you haven't picked up Burns yet in your fantasy league now's a pretty good time to do so. At least for now all the stars are pointing in the right direction for Burns.

    Speaking of good starts how about those Oilers? Taylor Hall didn't bulge the twine but he didn't have to. He was probably Edmonton's best player even though Jordan Eberle did steal the show which prompted some good ol' Canadian tongue in cheek humour from the rest of the dressing room. It's a small sample but judging from the Oiler's dressing room atmosphere but it really looks like they've got a team. One of the reasons the Blackhawks were so successful was partly because a lot of their young players matured together. The Oilers could be next with their Big Three (Eberle, Hall, Magnus Paajarvi). It's too early to speak of playoffs but this team is playing with confidence and sometimes the most dangerous teams in the NHL are the ones that no one ever takes seriously, like Colorado and Phoenix last year. Nikolai Khabibulin is no Ilya Bryzgalov but he does have a Cup ring (2004 with Tampa). Consistency may be the Oilers' biggest enemy this year, however. At least Oiler games won't be boring to watch anymore with one of the Big Three expected to score each game.

    If the Flames keep playing like that, which I suspect they will, they're finishing last in the Northwest. They're slow and old and generally ineffective. That Dion Phaneuf trade looks terrible right now and I do agree with Mike Peca in that Jay Bouwmeester is really easy to play against. He wasn't in the spotlight in Florida because it was mostly on Olli Jokinen (who coincidentally is on the Flames. Again). He didn't want to play for a non-hockey market team but didn't step his game any when he was shipped to hockey-mad Calgary. Bouwmeester is a complimentary player who's earning franchise player money. That just won't work under the cap. Mark my words, Bouwmeester is going to be the next Wade Redden. Last night Eric Francis from the Calgary Sun was on CBC and noted the friction between Darryl and Brent Sutter. My guess is that by the end of the year Brent stays while Darryl gets the boot. It's not exactly Brent's fault he was little to work. Next in line for Calgary's GM position is probably going to be the architect of Tampa's Cup win over Calgary in 2004, Jay Feaster. You get the feeling Calgary's going to be swimming circles all season long.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/e7/fullj.6ee4ff05d92c7d383433a7a4b7863c4a/4964e77c61e840e5a3dc94153a1c0003.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Joe Thornton was named San Jose's captain after training camp ended and I have to say he's the most logical choice. Dan Boyle is relatively new to San Jose and doesn't come with Rob Blake's pedigree and Patrick Marleau had his chance. Joe Pavelski will be wearing an 'A' soon enough but he's a couple seasons away from captain material. Don't make any mistake though, this isn't the same Joe Thornton that briefly captained the Bruins. But like Shea Weber with Nashville and previously Roberto Luongo with Vancouver, I wonder if handing Thornton the captaincy is a goodwill gesture ultimately geared towards coming to a long-term extension. The whole situation blew up in Atlanta's face with Ilya Kovalchuk (more on him later) when they made him captain but San Jose is a contender with plenty of options for Thornton to pass to.

    Henrik Sedin was also the logical choice to be captain although I have to admit I had Ryan Kesler pegged as wearing the 'C'. Hank was management's choice all along because they felt Kesler's not quite ready yet. At least this time the logic behind this one seems sound, unlike when they made Luongo captain (not that he was a bad one but there's a reason why goalies can't/don't wear the 'C'). The assistants were hand-picked by Henrik himself and unsurprisingly includes brother Daniel, Kesler, and newcomer Manny Malhotra. It may have surprised some that Kevin Bieksa was named the fourth assistant over the steady Dan Hamhuis or high-scoring Christian Ehrhoff or Alex Edler, but I think this is Henrik's first leadership move. By giving Bieksa the 'A' Henrik's publicly (but quietly) challenging Bieksa to assume a leadership role and play better. There's still a chance that Bieksa will remain a Canuck beyond the trade deadline and this season but of course that will depend on how well Bieksa plays and so far it's only been so-so.

    The NHL opened their season with games abroad, the fourth consecutive year they've done so. Minnesota and Carolina opened in Helsinki, Phoenix and Boston in Prague, and Columbus and San Jose in Stockholm. I think it's absolutely great that the NHL is playing meaningful games overseas, especially in Europe (forget anywhere else), although the selection of teams does leave my head scratching. If anyone had been watching those early games you might have noticed that most of the games, especially Columbus-San Jose, played to quiet and mostly empty arenas. If Gary Bettman wants to maximize these opportunities, which he should, his selection of the teams has to be better. San Jose and Columbus don't have any significant Swedes to speak of and that means less vested interest for Swedish fans. Instead, pick teams with enough significant local flavour to play games. Could you imagine how crazy a Detroit-Vancouver match-up would be in Stockholm? Why aren't national heroes Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne playing in Helsinki when this may be their last swan song together? Why aren't Ales Hemsky or Patrik Elias in Prague? Why not bring Marian Hossa and Zdeno Chara to Bratislava? And KHL willing, why not have the Pens and Capitals face-off in Moscow? (My guess is that a Pens-Caps 2-game series in Moscow will just about trounce anything the KHL has to offer and president Alexander Medvedev doesn't want that). Europe's a hockey market. Let's showcase the best of the best.

    Unlike Bob McKenzie, I didn't have a problem with the
    that left Ivanans concussed. I agree that the fight really didn't solve anything but the Oilers were completely dominating and it doesn't take much to tick off hockey players sometimes and God knows what it could've escalated to. I bet you that McKenzie would change his tune had Ivanans made a run at Eberle or Hall because MacIntyre refused to fight. Could Ivanans have saved himself from a concussion? Maybe. The truth is, once you lace up those skates you play knowing that there's the possibility of getting hurt. If you drop the gloves you expect to be punched. Ivanans' an enforcer who's job is to hit, fight, and spark his team. MacIntyre didn't want to fight but he knew he had to. Fights happen. Concussions happen. Live with it. McKenzie says there was no point. I say it's just two guys trying to keep their NHL careers afloat and it's just unfortunate one had to leave the game. I think fighting does belong in the game but heavyweights are a dying breed. There's no use keeping a player on the roster for his fists if he can't skate.
    Speaking of heavyweights as a dying breed, one of the reasons is because stars (some, at least) aren't afraid to drop the gloves anymore.
    while Henrik Zetterberg tussled with Ryan Getzlaf behind the play. The Ducks were taking runs at the Wings' skill players all game and when you don't have a heavyweight (and given Detroit's success, another reason why you don't necessarily need one) these players have to fend for themselves. This is the way hockey should be. Stand up for yourself and fight. Big props to David Booth for dropping the gloves with Mike Richards upon his return instead of having a plug like Andrew Peters (now a Canuck) doing it for him. And who says you need a good fight to spark a team? Kovalchuk's tilt against Mike Green wasn't spectacular but for a guy who earns $10 million a season and scores 40+ goals to willingly drop the gloves like that and try and generate something speaks a lot about his character. And let's face it, an ugly Kovalchuk-Green tilt is more interesting than some unknown fourth liners in a fight.
    I'm not sure if anyone's kept track but I thought it was interesting that
    while
  7. Jason Chen

    30 Players to Watch

    By Jason Chen,

    It won't be long before Ducks fans forget that there was another number 9 before Bobby Ryan. Ryan ranked third among Ducks forwards in hits and had almost half the giveaways Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry had while posting more takeaways. Ryan, a natural right winger, has had to shift to the left to play on a line with Perry and Getzlaf but it hasn't diminished his production at all, posting a team-high 35 goals last year while also putting up 81 PIMs. Ryan's not a sniper but he's got great hands for a big kid (6'2", 208) and 40 goals is possible.

    <img  src=" "class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Zach Bogosian is not the Thrashers' best player yet but he certainly will be by a significant margin. Bogosian had a team worst -18 among all Atlanta defenseman but he also potted a team-high 10 goals while playing over 21 minutes a game. With the departure of Pavel Kubina to Tampa Bay, Bogosian will have an even bigger workload ahead of him. 40 points from Bogosian isn't unrealistic, given he will undoubtedly be Craig Ramsay's top powerplay quarterback. He is the future Thrashers captain.  

    After posting 31 goals in his third season in the NHL, the Panthers thought they finally had a marquee player but injuries and inconsistency have plagued Nathan Horton since. With more quality players surrounding him and a chance to compete in the playoffs, Horton may finally blossom into consistent goal-scorer worthy of a third overall pick title. If Horton can stay healthy, he could potentially pot 35 goals for the Bruins after putting up 20 in 65 games last year with little help. At age 25 he's just entering his prime and may be the answer Boston needs to correct their scoring woes.

    There's not much to get excited over in Buffalo other than Tyler Myers, the league's top rookie last year. The Big Easy played in all 82 games last year and was just as valuable to coach Lindy Ruff as Ryan Miller and both will have to continue their strong play from last year after a humdrum offseason in which the Sabres didn't make any major moves. It remains to be seen whether or not Myers will escape the sophomore jinx but the Sabres are certainly hoping he does given their depth on the blueline.

    If there's any Flame right now that's confident in his ability it's Mark Giordano. After posting 15 points in 48 games in his rookie season Giordano spent a year in the KHL after he could not come to terms with the Flames. Giordano came back and appeared in 58 games the following season and notched 19 points but slowly became one of the Flames' most dependable defenders. Last season he led all Flames defenseman in goals (11), points (30), +/- (+17), PIM (81), but still had less ice-time than Robyn Regehr and Jay Bouwmeester, who looks more and more like the next Wade Redden. This season he will be the Flames' best defenseman and he earns about $6 million less than Bouwmeester.

    <img  src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/326345/mcbain1.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">The one to watch in Carolina is obviously Jamie McBain. An early Calder favourite, the former 2nd round pick in 2006 may turn out to be the second-best defenseman taken in that draft after Erik Johnson. A late season call-up, the offensive-minded McBain posted 40 points in 68 games for Albany in the AHL and continued his strong play at the NHL level with 10 points in 14 games and averaged over 25 minutes a game. A former Hobey Baker candidate, the NCAA's award for the top collegiate player, McBain comes from a winning program at Wisconsin which has already produced Gary Suter, Chris Chelios, and Brian Rafalski.

    While the world's eyes are on Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Niklas Hjalmarsson is the Hawks' most intriguing player. San Jose GM Doug Wilson made an offer sheet to Hjalmarsson over the summer which the Hawks quickly matched and promptly lost Antti Niemi. That Stan Bowman was willing to let their Cup-winning goaltender walk for a second pairing defenseman should tell you how highly everyone thinks of Hjalmarsson. A quick glance at Hjalmarsson won't wow anyone, but watch him closely and you'll notice that while he doesn't excel at any one particular area (yet) he's a very dependable, all-rounded defenseman in the Mattias Ohlund mould but with better mobility.

    As much as Craig Anderson was vital to the Avs' success, so was Kyle Quincey. While Chris Stewart and Matt Duchene no doubt helped on the offensive end, no one was more vital to his position than Quincey. The major piece going the other way in the Ryan Smyth deal that sent Captain Canada to Hollywood, Quincey has become the Avs' best defenseman and a favourite of Joe Sacco's, leading the Avs' defensemen in ice-time with 23:36 per game. Quincey led all Avs defensemen in hits (115), shots (139), and becomes the team's best shot blocker after Brett Clark signed with Tampa Bay.

    When Kris Russell first broke into the league, he was 5'10" and 160 lbs. soaking wet. Since then, Russell now has 3 full seasons under his belt and bulked up to 185 lbs. While most defenders spent their first few years as a pro in the AHL, Russell stepped into the Blue Jackets' lineup right away and while he wasn't impressive, he certainly wasn't overwhelmed either. It's been baby steps for the puck-moving defenseman and this season may be his breakout year. Russell led Columbus defenseman in goals (7) last year and finished tied for 2nd best on the team in plus-minus.

    While Russell's NHL career has been slow and steady, Matt Niskanen's has been the opposite. The former 28th overall pick notched 26 points and an impressive +22 in his rookie campaign and followed that up with a 35-point sophomore effort under Dave Tippett. But Niskanen took a giant leap backwards after notching only just 15 points and posting and even uglier -15 under Mrac Crawford while Stephane Robidas posted the highest total of his career. For now Niskanen seems to be buried in Crawford's depth chart but it won't be long before he emerges again.

    <img  src="http://www.nightmareonhelmstreet.com/images/stories/filppula6.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Last year was supposed to be Valteri Filppula's breakout year but he was sidelined by injuries and appeared in just 55 games although he did post a respectable 35 points in that span. With the return of Jiri Hudler and Johan Franzen healthy again, Filppula may finally blossom into a 25-goal scorer everyone knows he can be. This is the player, after all, who had 9 points in 12 playoff games last year and 16 in 23 games the year before that. If Filppula can find his game and stay healthy the Wings are going to be one of the West's toughest teams.

    Everyone knows to watch Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Magnus Paajarvi, but the Oilers' best player is still Ales Hemsky. After scoring 22 points in 22 games, Hemsky's season ended following a shoulder injury as a result of a check from Michal Handzus. Over the past five years Hemsky has actually been one of the league's more consistent players, posting 289 points in 313 games. Given the goal scoring talents of Eberle and Hall, Oiler fans should be excited about what sort of numbers Hemsky can post this year.

    It'll be another trying season in Florida as Dale Tallon tries to right the ship. Up front the Panthers feature a mish-mash of has been's, never were's, and never-will-be's, but the blueline has a diamond in Dmitry Kulikov. The sophomore defenseman enters the season as the team's number two quarterback behind Bryan McCabe after a solid rookie season with 16 points. With 3 of the Panthers' top 4 defenseman from last year not returning, the former Voltigeur standout will be counted on to fill the void.

    <img  src="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/2009/10/02/schenn_brayden_kings_381.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">He hasn't quite made the team yet but he's not going back to Brandon, that's for sure. With 99 points in 59 games for the Wheat Kings Brayden Schenn has already proven that he's head and shoulders above everyone else in the CHL. Schenn is ineligible to play in the AHL because he's 19 and has less than 4 years of junior hockey experience under his belt. It remains to be seen what GM Dean Lombardi wants to do with Schenn but sending him back to junior hockey might stall his development. At this point Schenn needs to play against better competition to get better and for now the only option is the NHL.

    The Wild are the cautionary tale of a team rushing its prospects with former first round picks Colton Gillies (16th overall, 2007) and James Sheppard (9th overall, 2006) yet to make a significant impact at the NHL level. While GM Chuck Fletcher has a nice pair of young defensemen in Tyler Cuma and Marco Scandella, both are better off in the AHL for the moment. The key player to watch is Brent Burns, whose injuries have derailed a promising career after posting 43 points and +12 in 82 games in 2008. Since then, Burns has amassed just 57 points and -22 in 106 games over two seasons.

    Asides from Jaroslav Halak, the only player to excite Habs fans is Pernell Karl Subban. The OHL All-Star didn't miss a beat in his first full season in the AHL, collecting 53 points in 77 games with Hamilton and made a slick transition to the NHL with 8 points in 14 spectacular playoff games. Oozing just the right amount of confidence and poise, the playoffs were as much as a coming out party for Subban as it was for Halak. With Andrei Markov sidelined for at least the beginning of the season, Subban is the Habs' powerplay quarterback and he won't disappoint. It would be silly to suggest that Subban's NHL career would be without hiccups but he is a special player.

    The Preds are top-notch at bringing in prospects at the right time and with Colin Wilson becoming the team's potential number one center, the time was ripe to trade Jason Arnott and usher in Shea Weber as the team's new captain. The former Boston University standout had 34 points in 40 games with Milwaukee before David Poile decided Wilson was ready for the prime time. Wilson certainly has the talent and work ethic (father Carey owns a hockey school and grandfather Jerry was a NHLer-turned-doctor) to be the marquee forward Nashville has been looking for since the franchise's inception.

    If you're wondering about how the Devils are going to move the puck up the ice without Paul Martin, look no further than Andy Greene. After four years with Miami-Ohio University, the Devils signed Greene as an undrafted free agent and he has done nothing but get better every year. Lost in all the hype around Ilya Kovalchuk was Greene's production last year: 37 points in 78 games, more than the likes of Jack Johnson, Ed Jovanovski, and Rob Blake, and for less than $800,000 a season.

    In midst of the talks of John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, and even Rob Schremp, Josh Bailey is often forgotten. While many on Long Island have moaned and groaned about Bailey's slow development, the truth is he's gotten better with every game and is poised to break out in his third full NHL season. A ten point improvement from last year was a good sign, especially going from 7 goals to 16 and Bailey will be only 22 years old when the season starts.

    <img  src="http://cdn.nhl.com/rangers/images/upload/2010/05/ZuccarelloAasen_0526_Ins3.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Blink and you'll miss #36, the diminutive 5'7" Norwegian winger Mats Zuccarello-Aasen. In just his second season with Modo of the Swedish Elite League, Zuccarello-Aasen notched 64 points (41 assists) in 55 games and won the Guldhjälmen, the Elitserien's MVP award. He turned heads during the Olympics and emerged as one of the tournament's best players against stiff competition and sparked a bidding war in which the deep-pocketed Rangers won. However, Zuccarello-Aasen still has to win a roster spot and only 2 of the past 10 Guldhjälmen winners (Henrik Lundqvist, Kristian Huselius) have gone on to have NHL careers.

    Forget about Brian Lee, the future of Ottawa's blueline rests on the shoulders of Erik Karlsson. After making the roster with a great training camp, Karlsson was sent down after just nine games, only to be called right back up after posting 11 assists in 12 games with Binghamton. Since then, Karlsson has not looked back and the hard-shooting right-hander notched 26 points in 60 games, including 6 in as many playoff games. While the acquisition of Sergei Gonchar somewhat diminishes Karlsson's impact on the Ottawa powerplay, it'd be hard for coach Cory Clouston to not play him.

    With the Flyers, what you see is what you get. They're tough, mean, and nasty to play against. But lost in all the fists and bruises is Claude Giroux, the winger turned centre who received rave reviews for his play last year despite putting up just 47 points. It was in the playoffs where Giroux shined, putting up 10 goals in 23 games to lead the Flyers into the finals. GM Paul Holmgren expects Giroux to continue what he started and may become the Flyers' best playmaking center, which could allow Peter Laviolette to move Jeff Carter to the wing alongside Mike Richards.

    The Coyotes realized they rushed Kyle Turris when struggled in his rookie season. But after one full season with San Antonio, Turris is poised to make the jump yet again. The third overall pick in a star-studded 2007 draft, Turris is perhaps the best goalscorer of the top three picks (Patrick Kane, James van Riemsdyk) and the Coyotes may need plenty of that if there collection of mid-level scorers can't produce. With Dave Tippett Turris is certainly in the right hands.

    There is no winger to speak of this year in Pittsburgh because Sidney Crosby has proven he doesn't really need one. Replacing Gonchar, however, was a different story and in his place steps Paul Martin. The former Devil had a frustrating year, limited to just 22 games with a broken arm that also cost him a spot on the US Olympic team. Martin has never posted more than 5 goals or 37 points in any given season but with Pittsburgh's star power that might change.

    There's Jamie McBain, Dmitry Kulikov, Zach Bogosian, PK Subban, and Erik Karlsson. Then there's Jason Demers. The least heralded of the six, Demers is expected to fill the void left by Rob Blake on the San Jose powerplay along with Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The 186th overall pick in 2008, Demers made a successful transition from the QMJHL to Worcester where he put up 48 points in 103 games. GM Doug Wilson has already signed him to a two-year extension worth $2.5 million that kicks in the 2011-2012 season. Not only is Wilson that eager to retain Demers' rights, he's willing to bet he's worth that money too and given Demers' production he might be one of the best bargains.

    Patrik Berglund's sophomore production fell 21 points amidst a season of friction between him and former coach Andy Murray. With Davis Payne behind the bench, more emphasis on an attacking style may better suit the Swedish playmaker. The entire team, other than TJ Oshie and Erik Johnson, took a step backwards last year and Berglund, who is a RFA at the end of the season, will be motivated to perform.

    Brian Lawton left some usable pieces for Steve Yzerman, the most significant being Victor Hedman. A much-hyped rookie season fell flat on its face as Hedman was never in the running for the Calder. However, 20 points is a decent total for a rookie blueliner but much more will be expected from him. Bringing back Pavel Kubina lessens the load on Hedman's shoulders but he is still the Lightning's defenseman of the future.

    Tyler Seguin is forever going to be linked to Phil Kessel, for better or for worse, but the player to watch in Toronto is Dion Phaneuf. Brian Burke's big acquisition last year was a good one but now the Leafs captain will have the world's biggest microscope on him. Phaneuf was on his way to superstardom after a 60-point, 182-PIM campaign but has since failed to re-capture that magic and notched only 2 goals in 26 games for the Leafs despite firing more shots than he ever has.  

    <img  src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3276791653_6041358afd.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">When Mason Raymond first broke into the league, the blistering speedster didn't quite have the hands or smarts to catch up to his feet. But everything came together last year and Raymond made a 30-point improvement and more than doubled his previous goal total to 25. With an established chemistry with Ryan Kesler, the duo is arguably the fastest in the league and 30-goals each isn't out of the question.

    The race for the Calder is the race to watch this season and add John Carlson to that list. The hero in the US' win over Canada at the World Junior Championships, Carlson finished with 39 points in 48 games with Hershey and 4 points in 7 playoff games with the Capitals. Of all the young defensemen mentioned here, Carlson and Bogosian have the most upside by far and with him the Caps may not only boast the league's most dangerous forwards but also the league's most dangerous defensemen with Mike Green.
  8. Jason Chen
    With Ryan Getzlaf healthy and Corey Perry's emergence as the West's best power forward, the Ducks boast one of the league's best duos. What should be concerning is their defense. The Ducks are expecting Brett Festerling, Brendan Mikkelson, Stu Bickell, Luca Sbisa, and perhaps Cam Fowler, if he makes the team, to log consistent NHL-calibre minutes, but if they can't then the Ducks' atrocious 251 GA (fourth-worst in West) could look even uglier. Offense: B, Defense: C+, Goaltending: B-

    Other than Jarome Iginla, the Flames are chock-full of underachievers (Matt Stajan, Olli Jokinen, Alex Tanguay, Jay Bouwmeester) and good depth players (Rene Bourque, Nik Hagman, Ian White). Given the strength of the Western Conference and the lack of consistent weapons the Flames boast making the playoffs will be a challenge. Miikka Kiprusoff is once again expected to play at least 75 games given the relative inexperience of his potential backups (Henrik Karlsson, Leland Irving). Offense: B-, Defense: B, Goaltending: B

    Oh, how the mighty have shot themselves in the foot. Dale Tallon's mismanagement of the cap has given Stan Bowman headaches with no outs. It's a good thing Tallon has a good eye for talent with a whole new slew of youngsters ready to make their mark for the defending champs having lost a bunch of good depth. The Hawks are finally under the cap but have a questionable duo of Marty Turco and Corey Crawford manning the pipes. If the goaltending can't hold then forget about a second consecutive Cup title. Offense: A-, Defense: A, Goaltending: C+

    <img src="http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/thumbnailfull/craig-anderson-2009-10-15-23-10-58.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Like Phoenix and Buffalo, a big reason for the Avs' success was the play of Craig Anderson. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't come with either Ryan Miller or Ilya Bryzgalov's pedigree. The Avs won't catch anyone off-guard this year because there most likely won't be any breakout performances (Chris Stewart) or surprising rookies (Ryan O'Reilly). Kyle Quincey has become the Avs' best blueliner but he's going to have a big workload in front of him and Anderson needs bailing out. Offense: B, Defense: B, Goaltending: B-

    Columbus was just on the cusp of breaking out before Steve Mason hit the sophomore wall and the whole team imploded. The team has the pieces in place, although they may be one top pair defenseman away, to be a playoff team. All that has to happen is for everybody, especially Derick Brassard, to perform. Rick Nash is slowly growing into his leadership role and Antoine Vermette still has untapped potential. The Jackets are a young team led by rookie coach in Scott Arniel but GM Scott Howson's acquisition of seasoned veteran Chris Clark will help smooth the bumpy ride. Offense: B+, Defense: B, Goaltending: B-

    One thing about Marc Crawford's squads is that they can really score. That's all great but it's worth nothing if you can't defend and win some games. The six highest paid players on the Stars' payroll have no-trade clauses and none of them, save Loui Eriksson, are entering their prime. With the uncertainty behind the ownership of the Stars, the club has been forced to cut costs. The team has a good group of talented individuals but it's a club that's in limbo. They're not exactly contending for the playoffs and not exactly re-building (which they should) either. Joe Nieuwendyk has provided more stability than the failed Les Jackson-Brett Hull experiment but it hasn't gotten off to a good start. Offense: B, Defense: B-, Goaltending: C+

    <img src="http://nbcsportsmedia.msnbc.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080515/080515-Nicklas%20Lidstrom-vmed-234p.widec.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Never count out the Red Wings, especially when Nicklas Lidstrom is back to give one last kick at the can. Given the cap troubles of the Hawks and their cost-cutting measures, the Red Wings are in a position to re-take the Central Division crown. It's a golden opportunity for the Wings this season with Jiri Hudler back and GM Ken Holland added some great depth in Mike Modano and Ruslan Salei. Johan Franzen is healthy. If Valtteri Filppula can play like we all know he can, watch out. Offense: A-, Defense: A, Goaltending: A-

    It's hard to get excited about the Oilers' upcoming season but they will feature a bevy of potential superstars: Taylor Hall, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, Jordan Eberle, and Linus Omark. If you're going to watch the Oilers don't expect a win but do expect some razzle-dazzle from its youngsters. The franchise is clearly in re-building mode but I'm not sure if they've found the right coach in Tom Renney. With Sheldon Souray most likely gone 27-year old Ales Hemsky is considered a veteran and will have to help these players grow.. Offense: B-, Defense: C+, Goaltending: C

    The Kings have been inching towards the top ever so slightly since drafting Anze Kopitar. There's a good collection of young talent, veterans (Ryan Smyth, Michal Handzus, Rob Scuderi), and prospects (Brayden Schenn, Thomas Hickey, Colten Teubert, Jonathan Bernier) for the Kings to forge ahead. They will be big players at the deadline, looking for that extra piece. While they have no game-breaking winger yet, which was why GM Dean Lombardi went after Ilya Kovalchuk, the Kings still have a very solid group that can compete. Willie Mitchell stabilizes the blueline and Drew Doughty has become of the true elite blueliners in this league. Offense: A-, Defense: A, Goaltending: A-

    After committing some big dollars to Martin Havlat (with a few parting shots at Chicago) and a promise from rookie coach Todd Richards to implement a more attacking system, the Wild responded by finishing 13th in the conference. The Wild were relatively quiet this summer save for Mikko Koivu's overpriced extension and the signing of Matt Cullen, but the general belief in Minnesota is that this team can play much better. There's toughness up front with this group but a little short on skill. Brent Burns is still the major X factor and if he plays well he's a great spark for the Wild attack. Offense: B-, Defense: B-, Goaltending: B+

    Anyone who appreciates hockey has to appreciate the Predators. Led by GM David Poile and Barry Trotz, one of the league's best coaches, the Preds play a blue-collar game and win on a consistent basis. Never mind that they've never won a single playoff series – that they've managed to even make the playoffs consistently with such a strict payroll budget is astounding. Expect more of the same this year. Some things just don't change. Offense: B, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B+

    If the Phoenix Coyotes can win 50 games again this year Dave Tippett may be the best coach in the league. The roster isn't anything to smirk at but it's not exactly intimidating either. The Desert Dogs' fate will be solely based on the play of Ilya Bryzgalov. Picking up Ray Whitney was a shrewd move for a young team and if they can get Kyle Turris and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to make significant contributions they are a dangerous team. But count me in as one of those doubters, especially after losing shot-blocking machine Zbynek Michalek. Offense: B+, Defense: B, Goaltending: A-

    Some people don't think the Sharks can win without Evgeni Nabokov, but with an offense that features at least two 40-goal scorers (Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau) and one of the league's best playmakers in Joe Thornton, there's no shortage of weapons up front for Todd McLellan although the bottom six isn't great. Dan Boyle is best powerplay quarterback in the West and Marc-Edouard Vlasic's production can't dip any further. Whether or not this team can succeed in the post-season is yet another question. Offense: A, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B+

    Things were looking so good in St. Louis when they took a giant step back. There's enough talent up front even but David Backes and Brad Boyes need to regain their scoring touches. Jaroslav Halak is more than an adequate replacement for Chris Mason. Erik Johnson is a stud defenseman but they still need Eric Brewer and Barrett Jackman to stay healthy. Easier said than done, of course. Offense: B, Defense: B-, Goaltending: B+

    <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3276791653_6041358afd.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Bar none, the Canucks are the best team in the West. This isn't just some hometown bias working here, it's the truth. No other team can match the Canucks' depth, up front or on the blueline, and there shouldn't be any questions in net... unless Keith Ballard knocks out Roberto Luongo. We may see Mason Raymond score 30 this year and while many didn't like the Raffi Torres signing, I definitely did. After losing out on Arron Asham you can't go wrong with a former 27-goal scorer with some sandpaper for only $1 million bucks. Offense: A+, Defense: A, Goaltending: A

    STANDINGS


    1. Vancouver 2. San Jose 3. Detroit 4. Chicago 5. Los Angeles 6. Phoenix 7. Nashville 8. Calgary 9. St. Louis 10. Colorado 11. Columbus 12. Minnesota 13. Anaheim 14. Dallas 15. Edmonton
  9. Jason Chen

    Grumblings

    By Jason Chen,

    September is always the toughest to swallow when you're a hockey fan because it's the only month where Opening Night feels so close yet so far away as well. At least the NFL has kicked off. But September may very well be the most important month as well because this is really where teams start to take shape. A great camp from a rookie may change the entire depth chart for certain teams like Florida and Atlanta, who are desperately hoping for a gem to emerge from their ranks to being their re-build. Even Cup contenders like Vancouver, are waiting to see if Cody Hodgson or Jordan Schroeder can make the big club and make an impact. Pittsburgh is waiting to see which of Eric Tangradi, Ryan Craig, Dustin Jeffrey, or whoever they may unearth can step into a top six role. To help you bide the time while waiting for the puck to drop, here are some grumblings...

    <img src="http://tomferda.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dustin-byfuglien.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Craig Ramsay has announced that he will start Dustin Byfuglien on defense. I guess if you're going to spend the majority of the season treading water and trying to keep pucks out of the night it's more logical to use your biggest player to clear the crease rather than cause havoc in the offensive zone. People think because Byfuglien can play defense he's versatile, but he really isn't. Anyone who watched him play this year knows that he's an atrocious skater and given the emergence of young defensemen with extraordinary skating ability, like Drew Doughty, Erik Johnson, and John Carlson, you'd have to think if this is a good move. Byfuglien won't help with the transition game - instead, he's more like an Andy Sutton-type with better hands. If you look at the players who can play both defense and offense, they're mostly guys who really don't do either very well. Ian White aside, the list includes the likes of Christoph Schubert, Matt Carkner, and Wade Belak - a pretty mediocre group. Given the right environment, like lining up besides two potential Hall of Famers like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, Byfuglien will succeed, but not in Atlanta.

    So long as Ron Wilson is behind the bench at the Air Canada Centre, Tomas Kaberle won't play... according to his father. It was a non-headline at the beginning and I'm going to sound like a broken record, but the Leafs desperately need him on the blueline. I don't think Brian Burke was ever really dangling him but I do believe at least 10 teams have called and if they have a good offer, you listen. He's a great puck-moving defenseman with a very affordable salary, which in the CBA world pretty much counts as a first round pick. Without him the Leafs won't have anyone to spring Phil Kessel on a breakaway. Kaberle is still the Leafs' best player.

    Jersey numbers have a way of sticking in hockey fans' heads. 99 is synonymous with Wayne Gretzky, 66 with Mario Lemieux, and 4 with Bobby Orr. In Edmonton, 4 evokes memories of Kevin Lowe, the Oilers' great blueliner during their 'City of Champions' years. When I heard that Taylor Hall was going to wear that number, my stomach did a little flip. Lowe's number is not retired by the Oilers so it's fair game, but it's a number that hasn't been used since 1992, Lowe's final season in Edmonton in which he was also captain. I'm obviously making too big of a deal out of it but I wish Hall picked a different number and blazed a path of his own. But then again, it's Lowe's number to give and no one is really going to watch the Oilers this year anyway (which makes them dangerous, actually, like Colorado and Phoenix last year).

    The Blues weren't very involved during free agency (they didn't have to) but did get an upgrade in goal with Jaroslav Halak. Habs fans still are still swooning over their playoff hero during a recent visit to Montreal. But let's put things into perspective: Ville Leino will not be a force in the regular season, at best a second line player, and Dustin Byfuglien won't score 41 goals in the regular season. Playoff heroics has a funny way of driving up a player's stock and more often than not those players become way overrated. The Blues should be excited because they've finally found a legitimate no. 1 goalie but Habs fans shouldn't forget that Carey Price also managed to post a respectable .912 SV%. If you're expecting Halak to be all-star material I wouldn't bank on it. Count me as a skeptic.

    Speaking of skepticism, Mike Modano evokes none from me. Wearing the unfamiliar number 90 and even more unfamiliar red and white, Modano has an opportunity to finish his career a winner, at home, no less. The Michigan native signed a one-year contract for one last kick at the can and the stars have lined up for him. Chicago lost quality players and the Wings have Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler, and Niklas Lidstrom back. The Wings are poised to re-take the Central Division title and a little bit of luck and staying healthy could mean the Wings could be back in the finals for a third time in four years. Modano won't have the pressure of having to score and his defensive game has improved by leaps and bounds the past 5 years. The Wings' puck-possession game suits him well with his deft hands and great skating.

    One of the more intriguing training camp stories this year (there's always a few - who's going to be our Sergei Shirokov this year?) has been the Stars' invite to Jonathan Cheechoo. Cheechoo's fall from grace has been well documented but if anyone can find your offensive mojo it's Marc Crawford. The Stars can score goals in bunches if they can keep the puck out of their own zone long enough with Brad Richards dishing out passes while James Neal, Jamie Benn, and Loui Eriksson finish them off. My prediction is that Cheechoo does land himself a contract from GM Joe Nieuwendyk but there's no returning to form here. I think it's case-closed that Cheechoo's 56-goal season was a major fluke and more Joe Thornton than him. I also would've rather kept Modano rather than invite Cheechoo.

    There's been reports (sorry, no link) that Bobby Ryan is close to inking an extension with the Ducks but it'll be on the Ducks' terms, not his. Reportedly the main holdup between the two sides is length, with Ryan wishing to become a UFA as early as possible while the Ducks hope to have him signed beyond that, ensuring that Ryan, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf won't all bolt at the same time. Thanks for the paranoia, Miami Heat. LeBron James' summer fiasco has changed free agency forever. That's his legacy. Forget about the championships, he's all smoke and dollar signs.

    <img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0810/nhl.rookies.to.watch/images/cody-hodgson.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">If you're banking on either Schroeder or Hodgson to make this squad, the safe bet is Schroeder. It wouldn't hurt for both to return to the AHL for more seasoning and the Canucks have zero need to rush them but at this point Schroeder has at least proven he's capable of producing at the AHL level. The Canucks recently announced that Hodgson won't be attending the rookie tournament in Penticton after doctors couldn't declare him fit to play. Alain Vigneault, never one to shy away from challenging a player's mental toughness publicly, has refused to elaborate but it doesn't take a genius to know that he's not particularly happy with this whole fiasco. But neither is Hodgson - I'm sure he's frustrated too. It's been two years since his misdiagnosed back but it's been disappointment after disappointment, some of them undeserved. He got cut because he wasn't 100%. He lost out the MVP award at the World Juniors to John Tavares even though he was more deserving. Tavares will now have at least 2 NHL seasons under his belt before Hodgson. Underclassman Schroeder is leapfrogging him on the depth charts. However, let's not panic - Hodgson still has a bright future and to give up on him now would be a mistake. Hodgson is once again a big fixture in the training camp news wire and he'll really need to impress if he wants to make it. For now, the odds are stacked against him and it'll be another long test of his character.

    Oh, and Sidney Crosby hits home runs.
  10. Jason Chen
    When Ilya Kovalchuk scores, Atlanta was six games over .500. When he doesn't, they were five games under. Even Nicklas Bergfors, who averaged a point per game with more quality in ice-time since his departure from New Jersey, is re-signed, expecting 40 goals out of him is like hoping Sami Salo's body can stay intact for an entire season. The rest of the roster is filled with former Chicago depth players and a bunch of inconsistent youngsters like Bryan Little and Angelo Esposito. Nik Antropov can't carry a team. Rick Dudley has a long road ahead of him to turn this franchise around but he already has a great building block with Zach Bogosian, who I think will end up being better than either Erik or Jack Johnson. Offense: C+, Defense: B, Goaltending: B-

    <img src="http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2010/06/29/Bruins.jpg"class="imageFloatCenterFramed">
    The Bruins won't have any scoring problems this year with Nathan Horton, who I think just needed a change of scenery. There's been talk that the Bruins offense could be potent enough that they can afford to send Tyler Seguin back to Plymouth, given their cap troubles. David Krejci is poised to have a bounce back season and Milan Lucic is healthy. I think Dennis Seidenberg is an upgrade over Dennis Wideman and Tuukka Rask could give Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur a good run for their money as the best goalie in the East. Offense: B+, Defense: B+, Goaltending: A

    If you expect Ryan Miller to repeat what he did last season, history is working against him. Miller's .929 SV% last year is 15 points higher than his career SV%. Even when Martin Brodeur posted his best SV% in 1997 with a .927 mark, he regressed 10 points the following season to .917, which is closer to his career average of .914. The same goes for Roberto Luongo, with a .931 mark in 2004 then .914 the following season. Brodeur has only managed to post back-to-pack seasons of .920 SV% or greater only once. Looking at that defense, and given the trends that work against Miller, I have a hard time believing the Sabres' defense will hold. Offense: B+, Defense: B-, Goaltending: A

    Heading into his first full NHL season as team captain, Staal doesn't have a heck of a lot to work with. Only Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen could be considered scoring threats but neither are top line players. Erik Cole is a lost cause and Sergei Samsonov lives in his own little world. Joni Pitkanen is great offensively but can only count on Tim Gleason to save his butt. Cam Ward has yet to replicate his Conn Smythe performance. However, GM Jim Rutherford has collected a good group of young talent that should make a significant impact this season, including Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk, and early Calder candidate Jamie McBain. Offense: B, Defense: B-, Goaltending: B

    This is a transitional year for the Panthers who are preparing to give their entire organization an overhaul. Over half the roster are impending free agents and unless they impress Dale Tallon the majority of them will be gone, possibly by the trade deadline. David Booth is a potential franchise cornerstone but has yet to play a full season. There isn't much in the pipeline to speak of although there are three players (Dmitri Kulikov, Jacob Markstrom, and Evgeni Dadonov) that look to be keepers. The only constant for this team will be Tomas Vokoun's play and Bryan McCabe's giveaways. Offense: B-, Defense: C+, Goaltending: B+

    <img src="http://committedindians.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sharks_canadiens22b.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">I'm probably one of the few people out there that believe the Habs' decision to go with Carey Price is the right one. Out of all their young players I think him and PK Subban have the most upside. If anyone thinks the Habs can repeat what they did last year is delusional. What this team lacks in size they make up for in feistiness and toughness but the season is an 82-game grind and the little guys will wear down. Mike Cammalleri and Andrei Markov are probably the only two players on this roster that are paid what they're actually worth. Offense: B, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B

    Ilya Kovalchuk or not, the Devils always manage to make the playoffs when everyone writes them off. No one's making that mistake this time after GM Lou Lamoriello made a big splash signing Anton Volchenkov, who combined with Colin White may give the Devils the biggest intimidation factor since Scott Stevens. For once they are also to afford to give Martin Brodeur some rest with the more-than-capable Johan Hedberg. The only problem I see with this squad is the transition game from their blueline which features mediocre puck-moving ability when Paul Martin wasn't adequately replaced. Offense: B+, Defense: A-, Goaltending: A+

    Like the Panthers, the Islanders have a slew of players set to become free agents in 2011, which means many of them are going to be motivated. Matt Moulson has to prove he's no one-hit wonder, Kyle Okposo really wants to be the East's premier power forward, and Josh Bailey and Rob Schremp both have something to prove. But this team is still too green to make the playoffs. And you can forget about Rick DiPietro – it's about time Snow looks in a different direction. Offense: B, Defense: C+, Goaltending: C+

    Asides from that ridiculous contract to Derek Boogaard, I like what GM Glen Sather has done. Adding Alex Frolov takes some pressure off Marian Gaborik's shoulders and Todd White adds some defensive presence. There isn't anything too spectacular about the Rangers' offense other than Gaborik but if Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, the 5'7" Swedish Elite League MVP can deliver the Rangers might have a legitimate second scoring threat. Wade Redden will dress on Opening Night and Marc Staal is still un-signed but Michael Del Zotto, Dan Girardi, and Matt Gilroy could improve by leaps and bounds this year. Offense: B+, Defense: B-, Goaltending: A+

    For a guy who loves playing in Ottawa, the media sure want to run Jason Spezza out of town. A lot of the blame rests on his shoulders, sometimes rightfully so, but he's a talent that can't be easily replaced. If Alex Kovalev can learn to play hockey again things would go much smoother for Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. The blueline has plenty of talent, highlighted by the emerging Erik Karlsson, but asides from Chris Phillips, whether or not this group can defend their own zone consistently enough to help out Pascal Leclaire and Brian Elliott is questionable. Offense: B+, Defense: B, Goaltending: B-

    If I had to put money on either Chicago or Philadelphia to make the finals again, it'd be the Flyers. They didn't lose much over the summer, save Chris Pronger's injury and the oft-injured Simon Gagne, and realized they have a potential superstar in Claude Giroux and salvaged a talent in Ville Leino. The blueline could use some work and we'll have to see if coach Peter Laviolette can work some magic on Andrej Meszaros. I expected the Flyers to go with a Michael Leighton-Brian Boucher tandem and they did, so there's no way I'm giving them a thumbs down for not going after Jaroslav Halak or whoever. Offense: A-, Defense: A-, Goaltending: B+

    The Penguins didn't have any trouble scoring goals after Sidney Crosby decided to do it all himself rather than wait for Ray Shero to find the right wingers. Defense, however, was another story as the Pens allowed 237 goals, second-most out of the eight playoff teams. That was quickly fixed by signing Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek, two of the best signings this summer. Coupled with Brooks Orpik, Kris Letang, and Alex Goligoski, the Pens have the most well-rounded and capable six-man group in the East. Marc-Andre Fleury, never a fantastic regular season goalie, will get all the help he needs to notch a 40-win season, his first since his sophomore year. Offense: A-, Defense: A, Goaltending: A-

    <img src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8912889/tampa-bay-lightning-vice/tampa-bay-lightning-vice.jpg?size=380&imageId=8912889"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">A testament to how much Steve Yzerman is respected in Tampa Bay shows in the names he's managed to haul in: Pavel Kubina, Simon Gagne, and the underrated Brett Clark. Guy Boucher is a big step up over former head coach Rick Tocchet and he'll most certainly build his offense around Steve Stamkos, arguably the East's second-best centre. But let's be realistic here – the Bolts aren't making the playoffs with that roster. They are, however, going in the right direction. Offense: A, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B-

    The Leafs severely underperformed last year and this team isn't as bad as many people think. J-S Giguere is no Vesa Toskala so at least there's some solace in that. The blueline isn't bad either if you exclude Jeff Finger. (I met a guy once who tried to rationalize that signing when it was announced – I'd love to see him do it now). There are some question marks up front but you have to give Phil Kessel some credit – he did score 30 goals with zero help. If the Leafs make the playoffs they'll sneak in as the eighth seed. It's plausible because after the top six spots the field is wide open. Offense: B-, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B+

    Whatever question marks the Capitals had heading into last season were erased when Semyon Varlamov emerged as a capable number one goalie. Now with Michal Neuvirth pushing him he'll have to stay focused. Alex Ovechkin must be motivated as ever, losing both the Art Ross to Henrik Sedin and Rocket Richard to arch rival Sidney Crosby so watch out, he's shooting for 60 goals. The team's ability to play defense will determine how far they will get in the playoffs but for now pencil them in as the President's Trophy winner. Offense: A+, Defense: B+, Goaltending: B+

    EAST STANDINGS


    1. Washington 2. Pittsburgh 3. Boston 4. New Jersey 5. Philadelphia 6. Ottawa 7. Buffalo 8. Montréal 9. NY Rangers 10. Carolina 11. Toronto 12. Tampa Bay 13. NY Islanders 14. Florida 15. Atlanta
  11. Jason Chen

    Settling The Score

    By Jason Chen,

    More often than not, I agree with Brian Burke - the World Hockey Summit in Toronto that is coming to its conclusion was a fantastic idea... if you could fork over the $450 ticket price and believe that the NHL is willing to implement changes. To me, the Summit is a re-hash of ideas, some great, some not so much, but certainly by no means having a direct impact on hockey in general because of its lack of execution. Increased scoring, financial viability of certain teams, expansion, and the CBA were again the major topics of conversation, some of which are worth discussing.

    <img src="http://www.tsr.ch/xobix_media/images/tsr/2008/swisstxt20080512_9077705_0.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Even though the NHL is struggling to keep some of its franchises afloat, there has always been talk of expansion, but not necessarily the kind that adds more teams, but rather the geographical kind. In my mind, there's no doubt the Coyotes are going to move, but the question remains when and where. Winnipeg and Quebec City are the oft-discussed destinations in Canada while south of the border the usual culprit, Kansas City, remains the most intriguing option. But what of overseas expansion? It's no secret that hockey is big in Europe and if the NHL is interested in generating revenue, Europe already has an established fan base, unlike the majority of the southern teams in the US. However, International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel is steadfastly against the idea. The underlying motivation behind Fasel's position isn't holding a grudge against Gary Bettman for refusing to commit NHL players to the 2014 Sochi Games, but more for protecting the interests of the European hockey leagues and indirectly, the NHL.

    The NHL boasts the world's best hockey players in the world but also the biggest revenue streams. As much as Alexander Medvedev thinks the KHL is more lucrative and more talented, that's just not the case. Ray Emery, who spent a season with Atlant Mytishchi, says the competition isn't even close and I'm inclined to agree. If the KHL, who often boasts about its player salaries exemplified by its offer to Ilya Kovalchuk (reportedly close to US $20 million a season, tax free), can't compete against the NHL, then neither can any of the European leagues. By establishing an European division, the NHL can essentially wipe out those leagues. Obviously there will be some fan loyalty to consider, but if the best players play in the NHL's European division, that's where the fans will go. Fan support is clearly dictated by the success of a team's on-ice product. Earlier this summer, Russia's most storied hockey franchise, Moscow Dynamo, whose alumni include Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Ovechkin, folded. If a team of that stature can fold, and while the KHL's financial instability isn't mirrored in the Swedish Elite League or the Finnish National League, it's not inconceivable that other storied franchises like MoDo or Jokerit Helsinki could fold as well.

    Even if the NHL is willing to pump millions of money into an European division, the logistics would be a major headache. Flight costs, scheduling, and game times are just some of the major problems it will encounter. If the Canucks were to play in Stockholm, they'd have to travel over 7500 km (airplane fuel is slightly more expensive than the already ridiculous prices they charge you at your local gas station) and a 7:00 PM game time in Stockholm translates to 10:00 AM Vancouver time. This severely decreases TV viewership and even if the games are played on weekends some die-hard Canucks fans would find it hard to get up that early. If the Canucks play at home at 7:00 PM, it's 4:00 AM in Stockholm and at that hour there's almost no point in broadcasting the games, especially if the NHL wishes to charge Swedish TV networks a premium for showcasing NHL talent. It's an idea that just won't work on any level and should be laid to rest.

    The second issue worth discussing is again, the salary cap. Even though Kovalchuk's original deal with the Devils was voided by Richard Bloch, it looks like he's going to be a Devil anyway. While other teams have knocked Kovalchuk's door, I think it's his intention to remain a Devil. You have to wonder if the Kings would've made a second pitch to Kovalchuk had they not signed Alexei Ponikarovsky upon hearing Kovalchuk's 17-year pact with New Jersey. The Kings still have ample cap room but having an extra $3.2 million in the bank could've changed things. If the NHL was so intent on preventing these "cheat" contracts from happening, why not dole out a real punishment, like preventing the Devils from re-negotiating with Kovalchuk? At the end of the day, when Kovalchuk is once again in the red and black, the Devils and Kovalchuk will merely shrug their shoulders. The Devils still got the player they wanted with (most likely) another ~$10 million per season salary contract, albeit shorter. Preventing re-negotiations between the two sides may be crossing the line for the NHL but it's a league that clearly doesn't believe in reason or logic.

    <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_S-6RkogBLCs/SZQTkclNhaI/AAAAAAAAArk/rmYHVhfx7hk/s400/DSC_0497.JPG"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The Hawks have also been whining about how inflexible the cap is and may have to loan Cristobal Huet to the Swiss National League A. The victim here is clearly Huet, not the Hawks, and frankly I'm a little disappointed the Frenchman hasn't sounded off. Since day one the Hawks have little confidence in their $5.625 million goalie and have come up with oh-so-original idea to either banish him to the AHL or loan him to European teams. Whether or not you agree Huet is starting material is debatable, but he is a NHL-calibre goalie. Teams that have clearly made mistakes, like Washington with Michael Nylander and the Rangers with Wade Redden, should be punished by having those salaries count against the cap regardless of where they're banished to. The Rangers, and more recently the Caps, now have deep pockets and aren't afraid of paying players to just simply go away. Unlike Phoenix, those organizations don't have problems paying their players but do have problems understanding how the cap works. By this time, entering the sixth year of the current CBA, there should be no excuse. The CBA is far too flexible and makes it far too easy for teams to make their mistakes go away.
  12. Jason Chen

    Olympic Status

    By Jason Chen,

    Tucked away on the second page of NHL.com's 'Summit Speak' videos is a short clip of Pierre McGuire questioning Gary Bettman's stance on the NHL's participation in the Sochi Olympics. Unsurprisingly, Bettman remained reluctant to clarify his position and refused to take a stance for either side. This isn't news but there are some things that we can take from Bettman's comments.

    <img src="http://www.chriscreamer.com/images/logos/64/1784/full/7059.gif"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Bettman doesn't think the fact that the NHL hasn't made a decision isn't that big of a deal. It really isn't but it just shows you that the NHL is a reactionary league. Their decision-making speed is akin to that of an Ent. The NHL will wait until the International Olympic Committee announces the broadcasting rights and the NHLPA to officially name a new president. I'm all for doing the necessary research before making an informed decision but the NHL needs to make a decision. It does not need to take a hard-line but it needs to make its intentions known. The NHL is the world's premier hockey league and it needs to act as such. I don't see a negative if the NHL declared right now that they intend to send their players to Sochi. With the enormous success of the Vancouver Games it gives hockey a boost and the NHL wouldn't have to worry about Alexander Ovechkin skipping out on the Capitals' games just to play for his country. For politicians like Bettman and Bill Daly, I'm surprised they haven't thought of this yet. If the NHL has to reverse its position it would be because the owners and GMs are unwilling to risk their players in a high-pressure, high-intensity tournament that could result in injury or fatigue and lost games. As Ken Holland notes these NHL players are paid to play in the NHL, not in the Olympics. If Bettman says he wants the NHL to go but gets vetoed by the owners and the Board of Governors, well, for once the crowd may be a little nicer to Bettman.

    But what Bettman really cares about is money. He is, after all, waiting to see what sort of broadcasting package the IOC can give him. To Bettman, the Olympics are a "mixed-bag," both negative and positive for the NHL, but even as Bettman admits, mostly positive... provided that the Games are played on North American soil. This again ties back to broadcasting rights in which time zones will be a topic of discussing. Should the gold medal game be played at 7:00 PM Sochi time, that's 11:00 AM eastern time, a relatively manageable time since it will most likely be played on a Sunday. If, like the Vancouver Games, Sochi wants their gold-medal game to be played at noon local time and have the closing ceremonies that night, the game would be played at 3 AM eastern time. Neither scenario puts the game in a position to draw big numbers.

    Another reason Bettman may be reluctant to send NHLers overseas is the poor showing North American players have had abroad. North American viewership numbers depend directly on the on-ice performance of Canada and USA and both fell flat on their faces at the Nagano and Turin Games. The other two times, both played on North American soil, drew in record numbers and surprise, surprise, both Canada and USA played in the two gold medal games. Bettman has a very small sample size, but from the previous four games he has concluded that Canada and US seem to fare poorly when on home ice. There are various reasons why both North American squads flopped in 1998 and 2006 but Bettman, and he does have a case, seems to think that the travel and lack of home crowd support (especially for the US when compared to Canadians abroad) may lead to poor performances and ultimately poor TV numbers.

    What was most confusing to me, however, was that Bettman seems to think that whether or not someone has been to Sochi is a factor that determines the participation of NHLers. I say it doesn't really matter. I bet you more than three-quarters of Canadians have never been to Salt Lake City prior to the Games. Who cares if anyone knows where Nagano or Sochi are? Do you think the average European knows where Salt Lake City is right off the top of his head? It's a clever trick to divert the crowd's attention and cast doubt over their heads.

    The NHL needs to stop being a reactionary league and take a stand. Bettman has often said that the goal of creating the southern belt teams was to generate hockey interest in the US. I feel that one of the best ways to promote the game is through the Olympics. Look what Vancouver did for USA Hockey. None of the other three major sports, baseball, basketball, and American football, share as much popularity as hockey at the Olympic level. Baseball is no longer an Olympic sport (a shame, really) and American football was never one. Most Canadians aren't too interested in international basketball unless Steve Nash is playing and the NBA features just one Canadian team anyway. The Olympics are a golden opportunity for the NHL to showcase the world's talent. The World Juniors is dominated by Canada and the US, the World Championships don't feature as much talent, and the Canadian Spengler Cup squad is made up of mostly NHL cast-offs playing for European clubs.

    Angela Ruggiero commented that Wayne Gretzky gave hockey a major boost in California. Since Atlanta, Florida, and a host of other American teams seem to be mired in mediocrity and don't feature any Gretzkys or Sidney Crosbys, the Olympics could be Bettman's greatest promotional tool. It's ironic how Bruce McNall, the former Kings president who engineered the Gretzky trade and convicted felon ended up having more of an impact on USA Hockey than Gary Bettman.
  13. Jason Chen

    A(void)ed

    By Jason Chen,

    This summer wasn't supposed to feature big name free agents. Marian Hossa. Marc Savard. Chris Pronger. Roberto Luongo.

    Most people aren't shocked this deal was struck down. I wasn't either. When it was announced Kovalchuk's contract was going to be investigated you knew this wasn't headed anywhere good. I was, and still am, surprised an investigation was conducted in the first place.

    <img src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/07/20/alg_resize_ilya-kovalchuk.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Now that arbiter Richard Bloch has nixed Ilya Kovalchuk's deal with New Jersey, it has set off a chain of events that the NHL may never recover from. It's a PR disaster - a league that identified its mistakes too late and now is set to potentially undo a number of transactions that would affect all 30 teams, directly or indirectly. I said in my previous blog post that the NHL's decision to investigate Kovalchuk's contract was a poor one because precedent had been set and it was no secret that all the very, very long-term contracts signed before Kovalchuk's were designed to circumvent the cap. The NHLPA agrees with me - from TSN: "The NHL Players' Association argued that those four deals were approved and that Kovalchuk's deal should be approved as well." It's a simple and logical argument. Remember when Luongo's contract (among others) was signed the NHL had already investigated and deemed it acceptable? Now they're saying it might not. Which is it?

    This entire fiasco stinks of a small, small man determined to make some sort of history and make everyone play by his rules, not the CBA's or NHLPA's.

    The issue that should strike a little fear in Canucks fans' hearts is that if Bloch rules Luongo's contract in violation of the CBA he immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent. Scary thought, huh? Rest assured that even if Luongo's contract is voided he will re-sign in Vancouver because this is where he has the biggest chance to win but since these "cheat" contracts aren't allowed it means Mike Gillis will have to retain him at a higher cap hit. A higher cap hit means more cap casualties and the Canucks are still around $2.5 million over the cap. Most players whose contracts may be voided will choose to remain with their respective teams for both monetary and non-monetary reasons. But there are teams who stand to gain from having such long-term contracts voided, like the Bruins, who have been trying to get rid of Marc Savard's contract for awhile (more on that later).

    <img src="http://tenderslounge.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/roberto-luongo-c-on-mask.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">I get why the NHL doesn't like the deal and I agree it's preposterous, but it's not just Kovalchuk's. What's done is done. The CBA wasn't perfect and it seems like Bettman is taking these "cheat" contracts as a personal slap to the face. Lou Lamoriello is a bold GM who isn't afraid to make some controversial moves but this one was just too bold for Bettman's taste. (There are conspiracy theorists out there that claim this Kovalchuk contract was a sham in the first place and was designed to give Bettman impetus to investigate other "cheat" contracts further but I say that's a pile of poo - Lamoriello wouldn't stoop that low.)

    The more interesting contract is actually Hossa's. Since Luongo's $64 million, 12-year extension doesn't kick in until this year, there's relatively little penalty. It will require Gillis to get creative once more but no harm, no foul because technically speaking Luongo's contract hasn't kicked in yet. But not Hossa's. Signed in 2009, Hossa's already played out one year of his 12-year, $63.3 million contract. Voiding Luongo's contract also means Bloch has to void Hossa's. In a side-by-side comparison, the two extensions are similar in term, dollars, and structure. So what happens then? If Hossa's contract is to be deemed void then it is void retroactive to July 1, 2009, before Dale Tallon/Stan Bowman built a Cup-winning team. It would mean that the Blackhawks won the Cup with an illegal player and given the impact Hossa had on that team, you could argue that perhaps that Cup shouldn't belong in Chicago.

    Here's my guess: Luongo, Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen (funny how Gillis, Chiarelli, and Tallon/Bowman have been mentioned but not the NHL's golden boy GM, Ken Holland), Vinny Lecavalier, and Duncan Keith's contracts won't be voided because their salaries in the final years of their contract won't dip below $1 million, which seems to have been the cut-off point Bloch has arbitrarily decided on. Savard's will because he is 1) set to earn just $525,000 per year for the last two years of his contract, and 2) be 40 when it expires, and as Bloch is quick to point out there aren't too many NHLers who play past their 40th birthday. But it's a contract that doesn't kick in until this upcoming season so it's no harm, no foul. Savard will sign with the Leafs and Peter Chiarelli saves himself from a headache even though he loses Savard for nothing. Voiding not one, but two, might even make the NHL look better.

    The strange one will be Chris Pronger's, whose contract, like Savard's, sees him earn $525,000 over the last two years of his contract. But the Flyers are on the hook for the entire length of that contract so it may be possible that Bloch decides that's enough punishment for Paul Holmgren. If Pronger's contract is deemed not in violation of circumventing the cap then it'll have to be on different grounds than Kovalchuk's. There's no way Bloch can declare Kovalchuk's contract void and Pronger's valid if the criteria is 1) "playable" length and 2) the sub-$1 million pay in the final years of the contract.

    There's been a lot of talk about signing contracts in good faith. Gary Bettman breeds none.

    <img src="http://www.vancouversun.com/business/3084395.bin?size=620x400"class="imageFloatMiddleFramed">
  14. Jason Chen
    <img src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/devils%20kovalchuk%20hockey--810173562_v2.rp350x350.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Ilya Kovalchuk was all smiles and cracking jokes when he signed a record-breaking 17 year pact with the Devils for $102 million. Even with a declining Martin Brodeur and the future in net uncertain, by signing the Russian sniper the Devils look to remain playoff staples for the next decade.

    That all came to a crashing halt today.

    Kovalchuk is now stuck in limbo as the NHL rejected his new contract today citing that both sides are trying to circumvent the cap. The NHL believes that neither Kovalchuk nor the Devils believe that he will play out his contract in its entirety, at which point Kovalchuk will be 44 years old. It's quite obvious that the NHL is making a judgment call on Kovalchuk. The NHL is essentially saying that 1) Kovalchuk can't possibly want to play in the NHL at 44 years old, or 2) that he can't play at the NHL level at 44 years old due to declining skill. It seems as though Gary Bettman has forgotten that up until this year Chris Chelios, at 48 years old, was a NHLer. For comparison's sake, when Chelios was 44 years old in 2006, he suited up in 81 games for the Red Wings, posting 11 points with 102 penalty minutes and a healthy +22 rating.

    <img src="http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/blackhawks-confidential/gary-bettman1.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">It also bothers me that Bettman is stepping in now. It's absolutely absurd. Where was he for the Marian Hossa contract? When Dale Tallon signed Hossa last summer, he was 30 years old and awarded with a 12-year contract, making him 42 years old when he retires. Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg will be 41 when their contracts expire in 2021. You don't even have to look to far beyond our backyard for another example: Roberto Luongo's new contract, which kicks in this upcoming season, will take him to 2022, at which point he will be 43 years old. Luongo's combined salary for the last three years of his contract? $3.618 million. Kovalchuk's contract isn't the first of his kind. Lou Lamoriello didn't set any precedents. All of these contracts were designed to circumvent the cap by lowering each players' cap hit. If Bettman is calling Lamoriello a cheat then he is also calling out Tallon, Ken Holland, and Mike Gillis, some of the brightest minds in hockey today. All of these contracts were designed to circumvent the cap to a certain degree.

    I would be very, very surprised if the NHLPA doesn't file a grievance. I would understand Bettman's actions better had this been part of the new CBA, but this is still the one that was agreed on since the lockout. This CBA has proven to be a failure: traditional non-hockey market teams are still struggling, contracts are longer and more lucrative than ever, and there still hasn't been the parity Bettman has been talking about.

    And what of Kovalchuk? Is he still a free agent? Do the Kings wait for the league investigation to be over or do they move ahead to Plan B? What about the Devils? Does Kovalchuk, one of the league's premier players, head to the KHL for greener pastures now? What's Bettman's plan? Where is this going to go? Kovalchuk's contract may have sent ripples across the league but Bettman's actions and decisions will make waves.

    This is going to be interesting.
  15. Jason Chen

    Lame Duck Bieksa

    By Jason Chen,

    All things considered, Kevin Bieksa seems to be on the outside looking in. With the acquisitions of Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard the Canucks don't have enough room to keep everyone. Alex Edler and Christian Ehrhoff aren't going anywhere, so at $3.75 million Bieksa is a very expensive third pair defenseman. Salo, Hamhuis, and Ballard all have no-trade clauses. I imagine none of the three will be asked to waive those clauses and if asked would be unwilling. Ben Kuzma of The Province lists Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles, Columbus, and Dallas as potential suitors, but to me none of those teams make sense, especially when Mike Gillis wants to make "a hockey deal."

    <img src="http://canucksarmy.com/uploads/old/2009/04/kevin-bieksa_1.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Now in mid-July, training camp is about two months away. It gives Gillis ample time to find a trade he likes, but as the saying goes, it takes two to tango. Considering how long this Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes has been going on, Gillis may end up having to jettison Bieksa in a hurry. It would be a little awkward for Bieksa to show up at camp when he knows he's going to be gone.

    If Gillis wants to make a hockey deal, I can't see him trading Bieksa to a Western Conference team, although it may end up having to happen. As many as ten teams reportedly asked about Bieksa at the trade deadline and perhaps around the same at the draft but obviously nobody offered anything concrete that Gillis liked. Here's a look at some ideal trading partners.

    Anaheim - The Ducks are swimming in shallow water with their current blueline. Ha. Ha. Ha. Even with the addition of Toni Lydman, the retirement of Scott Niedermayer automatically makes their blueline go from above average to mediocre. Bieksa would be a good fit in SoCal and had Brian Burke still been their boss it would've happened already. But Anaheim is a conference opponent and has bigger things to worry about (re-signing Bobby Ryan) before making any other decisions.

    Buffalo - It's close to Ontario so maybe Bieksa can find some solace in being traded to one of the most boring cities. Looking at the Sabres defense, I'm going to take a gander and guess that Lindy Ruff and Darcy Regier are planning on Ryan Miller to steal at least 10-15 games. The Sabres do have some young players - Philip Gogulla, Paul Byron - worth taking a second look at.

    Carolina - Quick, name the 'Canes top four. If you guessed Joni Pitkanen, Joe Corvo, Anton Babchuk, and Tim Gleason, give yourself a pat on the back. It may not seem like much, but this group is underrated, starting from the puck-moving ability of Pitkanen to the consistent play of Gleason. Adding Bieksa gives them some toughness and it seems like 'Canes fans wouldn't mind seeing Bieksa there either (although I'd have to pop Wage's bubble and speak for Gillis: "No, thanks."). Digression: Guy to watch for last year was Brandon Sutter. This year it's not Zach Boychuk or Drayson Bowman. It's Jamie McBain. Bonus points for a cool name.

    Columbus - Of Kuzma's suggestions, this makes the most sense. If Bieksa heads to Ohio, he automatically becomes one of their go-to guys, although I don't think GM Scott Howson and the money-conscious Jackets would like a $1 million seventh guy (Marc Methot). I also believe that Howson would be reluctant to give up any picks or prospects, considering the somewhat promising future of the organization. Although rumours did indicate that Howson was dangling Nikita Filatov I can't see the Russian winger fitting into Gillis' smart hockey, team-first locker room culture.

    Dallas - Kuzma has already reported that the Stars are on a restricted payroll. That counts them out already even with the Marc Crawford connection. I can't see them adding more salary after re-signing their RFAs.

    <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/441393950_df854bd0e5.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Florida - Trading with the Cats has always served us well so why not do it again? Bieksa slots in easily as a top four defenseman and that puts less pressure on Russian sensation Dmitri Kulikov and Keaton Ellerby to perform. It seems unlikely, however, that Dale Tallon would part with any picks or prospects as he begins to put his stamp on the team. A name of interest, since Gillis loves his BC boys, is Michal Repik, a Czech native who honed his hockey skills under Don Hay and the Giants. A key player to watch out for on the Panthers is Evgeni Dadonov. I got the chance to see him last year at the Panthers training camp in Port Hawkesbury in an exhibition game against my alma mater, St. Francis Xavier. The kid can fly. And snipe.

    Los Angeles - If the Kings land Kovalchuk, forget about it. The Kings have $16 million in cap space as of right now, and if Kovalchuk gets what he wants at least half of that will count towards the cap. Tack on Bieksa's salary and it looks workable, but even with Michal Handzus ($4 million) and Justin Williams' ($3 million) contracts expiring next year Lombardi needs to leave enough room to re-sign RFAs Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, and Drew Doughty. In the long run it just doesn't make sense, especially if you consider the fact that the Kings and Canucks are developing a rivalry of sorts.

    NY Islanders - The Isles need to reach the cap floor. Adding Bieksa won't solve the problem but it helps in the number books and on the ice. With their years of futility it won't be hard to pry a decent prospect from GM Garth Snow although the former Canuck 'tender is quickly developing a reputation around the league as a tough negotiator.

    San Jose - The Sharks do have enough room to accommodate Bieksa and could use another body on defense but the best package Gillis may get offered by Doug Wilson is a late 1st rounder and a mid-level prospect. Not a bad haul, but again, the Sharks are a Western Conference team that will be playoff staples and their pipeline isn't exactly overflowing with quality prospects.

    EDIT: Tampa Bay - The Bolts have a good group of forwards and maybe now Vincent Lecavalier can stop whining about not having Vaclav Prospal as his winger with Simon Gagne in the fold. The defense needs work and with arguably their toughest defenseman gone they could use some grit on the back end. Philly fans are going to love Matt Walker. It seems as though Steve Yzerman has been given the green light so the normally cost-conscious Bolts won't be adverse to adding salary.

    Washington - I honestly thought the Caps would land Anton Volchenkov on July 1. It didn't happen so the Caps defense remains the same: offensively gifted but defensively clueless. Adding Bieksa puts some much needed sandpaper on their back end and as of right now Jeff Schultz is their shut-down man. Yikes. John Carlson and Karl Alzner are all but guaranteed spots for next year's lineup but the Caps' pipeline features plenty of intriguing players like Anton Gustafsson (the son of Team Sweden coach Bengt Gustafsson), Patrick McNeill, Francois Bouchard, Andrew Gordon, and Mathieu Perreault.
  16. Jason Chen
    This year's free agent class is probably one of the weakest ones in recent memory but that hasn't stopped teams from throwing their money around. The majority of the signings have been great but others not so much (I'm looking at you, Darryl Sutter). Last year I made a note that Craig Anderson was a great signing by the Avs, although I have to say I didn't see such MVP calibre performances coming from him. He was dirt cheap and more than capable - you can't get any better than that. As usual the first day featured a flurry of signings but after a week the signings are now slowly rolling in. The big fish that remains is Ilya Kovalchuk who has reportedly agreed to a 7 year, $60 million deal with the Devils. He is the one remaining domino that has to fall to set off another chain reaction of events. Expect another flurry of moves as Lou Lamoriello attempts to clear cap space but until then, let's break down what have been great and not so great signings.

    Buffalo - Jordan Leopold, 3 years, $3 million
    I've never quite understood teams' fascination with Leopold. A former standout at the University of Minnesota, injuries have really derailed his career after posting 33 points in 2004. Since then, Leopold has either been injured or a healthy scratch and made little impact with the Pens this year. $3 million is a lot to pay a guy who you might get 60 games from. The Buffalo blueline lacks sandpaper already and Leopold doesn't particularly help in that regard. Losing Lydman and Tallinder will really hurt the Sabres this year even if Tyler Myers does manage to build on his rookie campaign.

    Calgary - Olli Jokinen, 2 years, $3 million and Alex Tanguay, 1 year, $1.7 million
    Perhaps the most bizarre signings of the day. The argument against these two players is that it's been proven that Jokinen is clearly not the complimentary centre for Iginla while Tanguay's two-year stint in the red and yellow was riddled with more lows than highs despite putting up good numbers. The only part that works in the Flames' favour is that both contracts are short and for relatively little money. For two guys who can put up 70-80 points a season a $4.7 million investment per year is an absolute bargain. However, these moves reek of desperation. It tells us that there's nobody in the Calgary pipeline ready to make significant contributions and that the highly touted Mikael Backlund is not quite ready for full-time duty yet with Jokinen, Stajan, and Langkow down the middle.

    Colorado - Kyle Quincey, 2 years, $3.125 million
    The challenge for the Avs going into the future isn't icing a competitive team - with Joe Sacco behind the bench and Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene leading the offense the real challenge is keeping them together. The first step to that is signing their best defenseman last year, and that's Quincey. The Wings may be kicking themselves with this one for years to come (he was waived after failing to make the team) and Quincey was the key piece in the Ryan Smyth deal that sent Captain Canada to Hollywood. Not only did Quincey make significant contributions at both ends of the ice, I thought he really took some pressure off John-Michael Liles, whose -2 rating was 17 points better than what he posted the year before.

    Edmonton - Alexandre Giroux, 1 year, $500 000
    Much like the recently signed Jeff Tambellini, Giroux has always excelled at the AHL level but never managed to translate his success to the NHL. With Washington's deep offense Giroux has had trouble cracking the lineup but he will definitely get his opportunity here. Giroux has put up 200 points in just 138 games in the AHL the past two years but just 5 in 21 NHL games. On a one-way contract Giroux will be motivated and will have a chance to star alongside Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall on the Oilers' offense.

    <img src="http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Phoenix+Coyotes+v+Boston+Bruins+VB3csng__aGl.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Nashville - Matt Lombardi, 3 years, $3.5 million
    Despite seemingly found his niche in Phoenix after posting career highs in assists (34) and points (53), Don Maloney elected to let him walk and what a pick up by the Predators. The underachieving Lombardi will flourish under Barry Trotz, who has always found a way to make something out of nothing (we will have to see what he can do with Sergei Kostitsyn, however). Lombardi's speed will really compliment a blue-collar team like the Preds. Perhaps Lombardi will flourish once again in a non-hockey market as their number one center ahead of Legwand and the emerging Colin Wilson.

    New Jersey - Henrik Tallinder, 4 years, $3.375 million and Anton Volchenkov, 6 years, $4.25 million
    The Devils certainly got better defensively, which is a must now that Martin Brodeur is no longer one of the league's best. After losing Paul Martin to the Pens, Lamoriello shored up his blueline with two capable defenders including Volchenkov, one of this summer's most coveted. Neither comes with a hefty price tag and with Colin White the Devils defense seems impenetrable. It's a shame though that this defense will have trouble moving the puck up the ice to Zajac, Parise, and possibly Kovalchuk.

    Ottawa - Sergei Gonchar, 3 years, $5.5 million
    Reportedly talks between Gonchar and the Pens broke down because Ray Shero was not willing to commit three years to the 36-year old rearguard. Because Gonchar is over the 35 age limit, all three years will count against the Sens' cap whether he plays it out or not. There's obviously a risk to that because $5.5 million is a big chunk of the cap, but it seems as though Bryan Murray is willing to wait just a little while longer for Brian Lee, the surprising ninth overall pick in 2005 (one ahead of the late Luc Bourdon) who has yet to make a significant impact at the NHL level, to develop. Gonchar provides a big boost to the Sens' 21st ranked powerplay and will be a worthy mentor to emerging star Erik Karlsson. The real downside to this is that Murray now has 3 players over the age of 35 under contract that he will have to fulfill to the end - Gonchar, Alfredsson, and Kovalev - for a combined total of $15.375 million. A good signing, nonetheless.

    Pittsburgh - Zbynek Michalek, 5 years, $4 million and Paul Martin, 5 years, $5 million
    Being able to come to terms with one of the league's best shot blockers and most underrated puck movers is certainly quite the catch for the Pens and more than offsets the loss of Gonchar. While the search for scoring wingers continue, Shero has solidified the back end and with Kris Letang and Brooks Orpik the Pens may now boast one of the best top four in the East.

    <img src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/91385903.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0818BF4C11B4AFFF0BA841DF76159BCC24592D19F824F1964E30A760B0D811297"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Tampa Bay - Martin St. Louis, 4 years, $5.625 million, Pavel Kubina, 2 years, $3.85 million, and Brett Clark, 2 years, $1.5 million
    Somehow, between drafting Brett Connolly and signing Pavel Kubina, St. Louis' four-year extension has been overlooked. The Bolts will be on the hook for all four years but it was an astute signing because asides from Steven Stamkos, St. Louis is Tampa's most valuable player. Stamkos, after all, does need someone to play with. Interesting to me that St. Louis signed a four-year pact, giving him ample opportunities to make another case for the Canadian squad in 2014 after being snubbed this year. No doubt Steve Yzerman will be playing a big role in putting that team together. When asked about Brett Clark, most people would probably say, "Brett who?" It's hard to pinpoint exactly what Clark excels at but watch closely next time and you'll notice that he's one of the best positional defenseman out there. At that price Clark may be one of the best signings this summer.

    <img src="http://www.kuklaskorner.com/images/uploads/hammer.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Vancouver - Dan Hamhuis, 6 years, $4.5 million and Manny Malhotra, 3 years, $2.5 million
    The Canucks have never quite been big players on July 1 but I think it was a foregone conclusion that the BC native would return home. At $4.5 million, Hamhuis comes relatively cheap and while he doesn't excel at any particular aspect of the game, he will remind Canuck fans of another solid all-round defenseman who also wore #2. Overshadowed in Nashville by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, Hamhuis will have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do. Don't be surprised if he sets career highs in assists and points with more quality ice-time, specifically on the powerplay. If there's anything I've ever noticed about Malhotra, it's that he's wicked fast. While the price may be a bit cheap for a guy who averages only around 30 points a season, Malhotra's a great third-line centre who will provide some needed footspeed into the Canucks lineup and pressure the opposing defense into making mistakes.
  17. Jason Chen

    That Sour Taste

    By Jason Chen,

    For the second straight year, on the same exact day, in the same exact scenario, the Canucks fell flat on their faces. I think if you could point to one determining factor in the series, it was that the Canucks just couldn't match the Blackhawks' drive and talent. Despite Shane O'Brien and Kevin Bieksa stepping up their games, they still couldn't quite match the impact Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and even former Canuck Brent Sopel had for their teams. Jonathan Toews' drive to win was unmatched, Patrick Kane couldn't be contained, and Antti Niemi was just good enough to beat the Canucks.

    In my previous post I said the number one to watch was Game 6. I kind of regret writing that now. I finished the game in its entirety, from the national anthem to the post-game interviews (more on that later) and I can't help but feel dissatisfied about the Canucks' effort. Asides from Kyle Wellwood, I don't think anybody brought their A-game. You could point out that several key players, including Sami Salo and Ryan Kesler, were playing with a considerable amount of pain, but both of them even said it's not an excuse. You play hurt in the playoffs. Yet, somehow, we dealt less mental and physical damage to the Hawks - if not, they certainly didn't show any weakness. Had we peppered Niemi with 50 shots I would've been a little more satisfied, but in an elimination game the Canucks only managed 30 and lacked the same intensity the Hawks showed all game. I don't like how the Canucks responded after a convincing win to force another game at GM Place. And that brings me to the post-game interviews.

    I was never one of those that particularly liked Mike Gillis and Alain Vigneault's decision to make Roberto Luongo captain. I certainly was skeptical and noted how it was perhaps a sign that no one in the dressing room was fit to wear the 'C'. A little concerning, to say the least. After Luongo backstopped Canada to a gold medal and Henrik Sedin elevated his game to set a new franchise record in points in a season, a lot of questions about the Canucks were erased. But after last night's performance, the same questions are raised again. Is Luongo a big-game player? Are the Sedins too soft? Is our team deep enough? Is Luongo the right choice as captain? For me, at least, I know the answer to the last question is a resounding "no."

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100512/capt.d97d09ba4ee34ce2be0fddfb75f3c7e9-d97d09ba4ee34ce2be0fddfb75f3c7e9-0.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Why do I say that? Asides from a logistical perspective, having a goalie as a captain really limits the role of a captain. Because goalies cannot cross the red line, communicating with referees and other players can be quite difficult. For the most part, ceremonial face-offs and communication with the referees have been assigned to a committee of leaders rather than one singular individual. But I think the most telling part of the Canucks' playoff run were the post-game interviews. When bombarded with a plethora of questions regarding the Canucks' play, Luongo's most common answer was, "I don't know." Kelly Hrudey on CBC was highly critical of Luongo at his (apparent) refusal to comment on how poor his game was but that's not the reason I'm more than a little annoyed. As a captain and face of the franchise, an "I don't know" answer tells me that this team obviously lacks any clues as to why and how they lost. I realize that it takes days, even months, to digest a loss as devastating as this one, but certainly "I don't know" is not an answer. 94% of voters on The Province website said Luongo will not be captain next year.

    The most interesting interview, I thought, was the guy who had the least to say, and that was Ryan Kesler. "Words can't describe how I feel right now." Playing with a nagging shoulder injury, Kesler sounded like he was the Canuck that took the loss the hardest (although I'm sure everyone took the loss hard). Kesler's passion shows on the ice and he certainly didn't make any excuses. To him, the Canucks just came up short. Really short.

    Vancouver fans are no stranger to disappointments. After 40 years of futility we've seen just about everything. But never have I ever seen any Canucks team fail to salute the fans after the end of the season. That perhaps was the most frustrating part of the game. Sure, most fans booed and with the way the Canucks showed up to this game I wouldn't want to stick around the rink any longer than I should, but there are fans who still cheer for them through the tough times and who still genuinely care. Vancouver's a passionate hockey town and for the team to ultimately disrespect their fans like that is discomforting. The majority of the fans left the rink with a sour taste in their mouths but that's no excuse to not acknowledge the support Vancouver fans have given the team all year.

    I want an apology. Not so much for the poor performance in Game 6 but rather how the Canucks showed their appreciation to their fans.

    I guess there's always next year.
  18. Jason Chen
    30. That was Canucks hockey at its finest. Even at the Madhouse, the Blackhawks lacked that extra step all night. But that's what's most frustrating about the Canucks - they can't play their game on a more consistent basis.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/03/mar1909_ob3_b.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">29. I was never a fan of Shane O'Brien, especially in game four when he took two bone-headed cross-checking penalties. No one has ever questioned his toughness but you can't help but notice that his game has improved drastically. His skating and his hockey smarts are two things that have really jumped out at me this season.

    28. Will the real Ryan Kesler please stand up? Much like Alex Burrows, Kesler has struggled to find his game in the second round after a fantastic regular season and an even better performance at the Olympics. It's not like Kesler's invisible - that's more Pavol Demitra than anyone - but he hasn't made a big impact in games like we all know he can.

    27. Roberto Luongo was better, but not fantastic. He didn't exactly steal the game, although there were more Hawks chances than I'd like to see. It's not exactly like the Hawks are an easy team to play against either.

    26. Special teams is vital, especially if it's not the regular season. The Hawks powerplay didn't look nearly as dangerous and Dustin Byfuglien wasn't as noticeable as he was in Game Four. The Canucks didn't allow a single PPG in four penalty kills. A rarity these days.

    25. If there was a goat for the entire series, I'm not picking the less than spectacular Luongo. It's Daniel Sedin. Having accumulated only 28 PIM all season, the twin without the 'A' has 12 PIM in 11 games and just one powerplay goal. Daniel was clearly rattled by David Bolland in Game Four and a lot of the penalties he's been taken have just been plain dumb. There was a collective sigh of relief for Canucks Nation when the Canucks came out strong again in the second period after a late hooking call on Daniel. Perhaps this is the reason why Alain Vigneault gave Henrik rather than Daniel the 'A'.

    24. Kyle Wellwood can be a blast to watch. He's perhaps one of the best stickhandlers in the league in close quarters, but ask him to do it while skating at full speed and, well, it's probably not going to happen. But either way, I think he was one of the best players out there last night (along with Kevin Bieksa and O'Brien), and I think most will agree. He may be only one of the few returning UFAs and he won't come much more expensive than his current salary ($1.2 million).

    23. It's a foregone conclusion that Pavol Demitra is gone after this season. I didn't expect him to be back next year but his overall lack of effort just solidified my case even more.

    22. Never mind Patrick Kane - he's a slick puckhandler with great vision and soft hands, but it doesn't seem like he'll be anything more than that. Perhaps it's because his development into a NHL star has paled in comparison to Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews', but even after a couple of seasons in the league I don't think he's improved his defensive game any, if at all. I don't expect Kane to win the Selke, Kesler's going to do that this year, but I know some Hawks fans that cringe when they see 88 loitering around the defensive zone.

    21. Kris Versteeg is one of those sneaky fast players that plays hard. If anything, his spirited tilt against Patrick Eaves was a testament to his heart and grit. 29 other teams would love to have him. Asides from Toews, for obvious patriotic reasons, he may be one of my favourite Hawks. Don't shoot me.

    20. If the Canucks advance to the finals it won't be because Henrik, Luongo, Alex Edler, or even Christian Ehrhoff elevated their play. It's because of the return of Ryan Johnson, who returns to his regular fourth line spot. The underappreciated centre won 8 of 9 draws (he single-handedly raised the Canucks' FO% by 5%), blocked 2 shots, and dished out 1 hit in 11 minutes of ice-time. One thing that you can depend on Johnson for is quality minutes. Against San Jose defense will be huge, now with Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton (finally) hitting their stride.

    <img src="http://habsinsideout.com/files/hio/imagecache/littleimage/images/0subban_0.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">19. How about that PK Subban? The kid oozes poise and confidence on the blueline and with Hal Gill questionable for an elimination game and Jaroslav Spacek's expected to return (although not necessarily at 100%), expect Subban to log 20 minutes. He's already averaging 18:41 and don't be surprised if Jacques Martin assigns Subban to Sidney Crosby.

    18. It's funny how much ink Jaroslav Halak is getting, but once the playoffs are over expect the Halak vs. Carey Price debates to continue. Habs fans have fallen head over heels with Halak but I caution against jumping on the bandwagon too soon. One good season does not make for a good goalie. I'm not doubting Halak's ability, but I am a little appalled how fast people throw Price under the bus. But, I guess that's just Montreal for you.

    17. The Flyers have always wanted that elite netminder, but ask any Philly fan and they'll say that Ron Hextall was the last good goaltender they had. But what's Hextall's career save percentage? A rather pedestrian .895. What Flyers fans miss is the toughness and pugnacity Hextall brought to the table but those goalies don't grow on trees. In fact, I think a case can be made to jettison Ray Emery (in all likelihood won't be re-signed, anyone else think he has a career in MMA?) and enter the 2010-11 season with Brian Boucher as the number one and Michael Leighton as the backup. Neither come with starting goalie pedigree (Boucher was a former 22nd overall pick), but the Flyers are a team built for the playoffs and all they need to do is to make it. They got lucky and drew the declining Martin Brodeur in the first round, but Boucher has always traditionally played better when it counts. His regular season numbers aren't exactly stellar (.900, 2.72 GAA career) but his playoff numbers are significantly better (.915, 2.17 GAA career). A Boucher/Leighton tandem will save them money and allow them to keep Simon Gagne. If anything, this would be a one season experiment. I've always felt some backups never get the chance to show what they can really do.

    16. Everyone's been saying how easy it was to shut down Alex Ovechkin but how about Crosby? He's almost been a non-factor in the series but like Mike Babcock, Dan Bylsma will live or die with his best players on the ice. Evgeni Malkin, last year's Conn Smythe winner, has been invisible for stretches of the game. I actually think the best Penguin in this playoffs has been Kris Letang. So much for finding the right wingers - Ruslan Fedotenko has zero points and Alexei Ponikarovsky was a healthy scratch recently.

    15. The new Bobby Orr statue that commemorates the 40th anniversary of his goal against St. Louis will be unveiled tonight. The Bruins are looking to eliminate the Flyers at home (they will) and advance to the Conference Finals where in all likelihood they will face Pittsburgh, which will no doubt be a spirited bout. After facing the 6'7" Gill, Crosby will yet again face another giant, this time the 6'9" Zdeno Chara. Expect more frustration and shattered sticks. Marc-Andre Fleury needs to outplay Tuukka Rask if the Pens want to advance.

    14. If there were any doubts over Doug Wilson's job security in San Jose, the Sharks' first appearance in the Conference Finals in six years certainly wiped it all away. Joe Thornton, surprisingly, came up huge and he's been playing really well. But the big coming out party is for "Little Joe" Pavelski, who I thought along with Ryan Kesler, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rafalski was one of the best players for USA.

    13. Just a little story on Pavelski. After playing two years at the University of Wisconsin, Pavelski signed an entry-level contract at $850,000 in the summer of 2006. Despite his spectacular college numbers (101 points in 84 games, James van Riemsdyk only collected 74 in comparison), Pavelski initially didn't expect to make the team. He was absolutely shocked when he walked into the locker room one day and saw his familiar #8 (his college number) waiting for him at his stall. He knew then that he had made it. Even his mother has often commented about how the entire family was surprised at how good he was at the game. It's this kind of modesty that really makes great players. The kind of modesty that makes you work hard at your game day-in and day-out.

    12. That San Jose made the Conference Finals must be great news for Gary Bettman. After interest in hockey in California began to fade after the Ducks' struggles, the Sharks have finally found that playoff success and the Kings are becoming relevant again. If you were to argue for Bettman's side that hockey will work in non-traditional markets, California is a great example. Former Vancouver Giants standout Jon Blum is from California and a big reason he got into hockey was because of Wayne Gretzky. We could see a big boom in hockey interest in California very, very soon.

    <img src="http://media.scout.com/media/image/63/634544.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">11. Back to college hockey - if anyone gets a chance, watch the NCAA Frozen Four. I personally dislike watching basketball in general, especially the NBA, but March Madness is a different animal altogether. Just imagine the hype, the skill, the determination, and the hard work, but just on ice. It's a spectacular tournament that unfortunately really doesn't garner enough attention. The player that I've been watching all year and think could have a great NHL career? Former Wisconsin captain Blake Geoffrion (whose squad finished second this year to Boston College), the grandson of Hab legend Boom-Boom Geoffrion and wears #5 in his honour. If there was any family that knows how to shoot the puck, it's the Geoffrions.

    10. It's about time the NHL made an award for executive of the year, although I wish they would name it. There is no question that this year's winner is Don Maloney, much like this year's Jack Adams should go to Dave Tippett. What they've done together in Phoenix has been incredible. Should the Coyotes move to Winnipeg, they will already have a solid management group in place, a key ingredient to a successful hockey franchise and ensure that the "new" Jets won't be stuck in expansion mediocrity in its infancy.

    9. Next award to introduce? How about an award for most assists? There's a minor award for one of the useless stats in hockey with the +/- award, so why not one for helpers? This isn't some sort of ploy to get Henrik another trophy (he will win both the Hart and Pearson) but playmaking is an art form but is somehow less glamorous than goal-scoring. Let's change that.

    8. There's little doubt in my mind that the new hardware being handed out this year is somehow tied to the fact that for the foreseeable future the NHL Awards will be held in glitzy Las Vegas.

    7. I'm going to refrain from making any predictions about who will come out of the west for fear of jinxing our dearly beloved, but I am going to say that the East won't be winning the Cup this year. Although I'm sure Bettman is just absolutely jonesing for a Chicago-Pittsburgh tilt. Ratings would be through the roof.

    6. My avid golfer dad and I enjoyed the brief absence of Tiger Woods from the PGA Tour. It's not that we don't like the way he golfs - his aggressiveness and competitiveness is second to none - but it's the way he carries himself on and off the course (no more needs to be said here). If you remember, it wasn't too long ago when Woods made a little comment about how "no one watches hockey," which prompted "Mad Mike" Milbury to dub him "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f9hfH_zGKE," I can't help but think how ignorant that comment is. USA Hockey is providing a new surge of talent and if the Olympics were any indication at all, it's going to become really relevant again. That Tiger Woods, the world's most marketable athlete behind LeBron James (the scandal actually did The Masters a favour), is turning a blind eye towards his own country's feats and accomplishments is downright ignorant and frustrating.

    This has gone on long enough. Now for a short top five things to watch for.

    5. Steven Stamkos at the World Championships in Cologne, Germany. He will be Canada's #2 pivot for years to come behind Sidney Crosby. Stamkos is already better than Eric Staal, Vinny Lecavalier, or Ryan Getzlaf when they were his age. No surprises here, but Matt Duchene is also another player to watch and will end up having a more brilliant career than John Tavares. Which is why the Oilers should go with potential and smarts rather than raw skill by selecting Tyler Seguin over Taylor Hall. In fact, maybe Steve Tambellini can dupe Peter Chiarelli into thinking that the Oilers are going to take Hall and somehow swindle a low pick from them to guarantee them that they'll take Seguin first overall.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/aa/fullj.d76d2121d550e807b3205e740e4a4921/d76d2121d550e807b3205e740e4a4921-getty-98570716jj019_detroit_red_w.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">4. Nicklas Lidstrom may have played his last game as a Red Wing and it's a shame that it has to end on a low note, especially after falling to Crosby and the Pens last year. Had the Wings won the Cup Lidstrom's decision to retire would be much easier, but like most veteran players who are on the fence (Mike Modano included), there's always that question of "what could've been." Either way, congratulations are in order for both Modano and Lidstrom.

    3. Mark Messier selected the squad for Canada at Cologne and no doubt the Canadians will achieve some form of success due to the abundance of talent. But managing a NHL team is a different. There's salary caps, trades, negotiations, and PR disasters (the Rangers still have Sean Avery). I certainly hope Messier's success at the international level doesn't somehow get translated into a lengthy NHL managing career. On second thought, that might not be a bad idea.

    2. The Canucks somehow played better with 4.5 defensemen (sorry, Andrew Alberts). With Sami Salo expected to out with a potentially ruptured testicle (ouch... but follow it on twitter @salostesticle) this will be a test to how the Canucks respond. The home team has the losing record in this series but look for GM Place to be rowdy as ever.

    1. The number one thing to watch? Game Six. Duh.
  19. Jason Chen
    I was lucky enough to attend last night's game and after Shane O'Brien's weak holding penalty a fan sitting in front of me stood up and yelled, "where's Gary Bettman?" If that didn't sum up the game, I don't know what did. A disappointing 5-2 loss puts the Canucks behind 2-1 in the series, but perhaps more concerning was the way the Canucks handled themselves.

    Some believe the loss can be attributed to the Canucks' more physical play, but I don't think that was it. I don't think it was the Hawks that got under the Sedins' skin either. I think, quite simply, the Canucks just didn't have an answer to big Dustin Byfuglien (with a name like that it still baffles me how it's pronounced "BUFF-lin"). Credit to Byfuglien though, Vancouver's new public enemy number one, especially after he pretty much flipped off the crowd after scoring a goal, for realizing how hated he is in Vancouver and totally embracing the role. No player on Vancouver's roster could match Byfuglien's physicality and the fact that he played with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews certainly created some room for him. While he definitely was a huge factor for the Hawks' win, the referees certainly were THE factor.

    I have never ever seen or been to a game where officiating has been this bad. Let's call a spade a spade - had the game been called more fairly the game would've been closer, or even produced a different outcome. Alain Vigneault side-stepped questions about the officiating, and on one hand I understand that 1) he doesn't want to get fined, and 2) he's not going to make any excuses for his team. But it's times like these where I wish players and coaches were given more free reign to sound off. By fining and reprimanding players there's zero accountability with the league and its officials (the Stephane Auger incident was sort of swept under the rug) and I don't need to remind everyone that the discipline office is anything but. The league, refs, and Bettman sit nice and smug on their little high chair and when someone speaks up against them they're quick to punish them.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/c5/fullj.0d17be1458e00e6d3c1de2fd186c3cb2/0d17be1458e00e6d3c1de2fd186c3cb2-getty-98501666rl20_kings_canucks.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The only player that I thought could have the same effect Byfuglien had on Roberto Luongo (who had a so-so night - he fought to control the rebounds all night and cost him the second goal) was Steve Bernier. After logging close to five minutes in the opening period with a couple of strong shifts with Kyle Wellwood, I thought he was going to score a goal for sure, after all, I was wearing his jersey that night. But alas, Big Steve found himself in Vigneault's dog house again, and had just one shift in the second and just another 2:18 in the final period for a grand total of 7:36 of ice-time that night. I am a little baffled, and I do know better than to question one of the league's best bench bosses and a former Jack Adams winner, but physicality and size was obviously something that was missing in the game and I felt Bernier could've really at least made the night a little harder to bear for Antti Niemi. Bernier's not known to be a good skater or good puck-handler and did have some trouble getting the puck out of his own zone, but I don't think he was alone that night in that department.

    Alex Burrows finally lit the lamp and a lot of people criticized him for his unnecessary penalties, especially the one on Brian Campbell. Burrows has been playing well and he's finally getting the bounces. Unfortunately, even though his goal could've provided a big momentum shift, it clearly wasn't the case as the Canucks came out flat in the third and Marian Hossa made them pay. Speaking of coming out flat, whatever happened to Pavol Demitra, the Slovakian Superman? Ask him to play for his country and he's suddenly one of the world's top players, but ask him to play in a pressure-packed situation at home against a rival and he decides not to show up. He was barely visible on the ice last night except for a lazy penalty in the first.

    It's a little concerning to watch the team squander a 2-0 lead and then take a 5-2 loss, and some wonder if the mental fortitude that escaped the Canucks last year is escaping them again this year. Daniel Sedin in particular was rattled by the mouthy Dave Bolland. Kudos for O'Brien and Burrows stepping in and I forgive them for the misconducts, because let's face it, the game was long lost at that point and those two seemed to be the only players that were doing something about the harassment the Sedins were getting.

    Game Four is at GM Place and expect the Canucks to come out flying. How the Canucks handle themselves in that game will really tell us what sort of team we have.
  20. Jason Chen
    What a wild playoffs. I've been so caught up with everything that I had neglected to add new entries. Apologies. As a gift, here's everything that's been on my mind for the past 2 weeks.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/89/fullj.7a91908a184526bbb821a5fc3389d855/7a91908a184526bbb821a5fc3389d855-getty-98063257.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed"> - Colorado just simply ran out of steam. Craig Anderson looked exhausted at times and the game time Peter Budaj saw I'm sure gave Anderson some much needed rest, however brief. Matt Duchene hit a wall and had an obvious difficulty adjusting to the more physical playoff hockey after an outstanding rookie season. Chris Stewart really had a coming out party and could become a legitimate 30-goal power forward. The Sharks almost became another punch line to a choking joke again and even though San Jose can breath a sigh of relief, they still won't make it past the second round. Even Dan Boyle was reluctant to talk about his Game 3 gaffe. If they do, it'd be totally on the shoulders of Boyle, Joe Pavelski, and Devin Setoguchi. The Sharks' vaunted Big Three have once again pulled their disappearing act. Joe Thornton has 3 assists in 6 games and is -4. Patrick Marleau has 3 points and is -2. Dany Heatley has 0 goals in 5 games. You really have to wonder how long Doug Wilson is willing to hold on to this core. And you also have to really wonder if Thornton can really be considered a franchise cornerstone anymore.

    - There's no secret that there's a double standard in the NHL and their failure to remain objective in all their disciplinary actions just makes the joke even worse. Zdeno Chara should've been suspended as per league rules but he wasn't, and you can expect the same with Marian Hossa for his hit on Dan Hamhuis. To make matters worse, Hossa was the Game 5 hero, giving the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead against a Nashville squad. I didn't think Chicago would have this much trouble against a team that pales in comparison in talent, but it just goes to show how far blue-collar hockey can get you. The Hawks will have no problem closing this out on the road or at the United Center.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/capress/d8/fullj.1ee1ab3e17070f7eef2792201806597f/capress-hkn_kings_canucks-232609823.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed"> - The Kings skated with such confidence that it totally disrupted with the Canucks' play and if not for Mikael Samuelsson's (he's been fantastic since the "Sweden Snub") shooting the Canucks wouldn't be in this position. Roberto Luongo still really hasn't found his game while the defense can be criticized, his .882 SV% and 3.11 GAA just won't cut it. The penalty kill has been awful, and for those who wonder how Ryan Johnson and his one-goal season can justify more than a million dollars per year, well, there's your answer. Meanwhile, the usual suspects continue to march on. Henrik and Daniel and Ryan Kesler have continued their great regular seasons. The return of Steve Bernier was big, and the always under-appreciated big forward has caused some havoc in front of the Kings net. I think the last 7-2 thrashing totally shot down whatever confidence the Kings had. Give credit to the Kings - they're a young squad that really exceeded expectations this year, and they're going to be Pacific Division heavyweights for a long time with Anze Kopitar up front and Norris-nominee Drew Doughty on the blueline. If the Canucks can't defend the Kings, they'll have headaches with the Blackhawks. Again.

    - I think in the Detroit-Phoenix series, experience has really tilt the scales in the Wings' favour. Admittedly I haven't been following this series as closely as the other, but each Red Wing win looks more and more convincing. After an ugly 7-4 win, the Wings have absolutely clamped down on Phoenix's offense, with two goals allowed in their last two games. Pavel Datsyuk's simply a magician on ice and he's led the Wings' attack. Nicklas Lidstrom has remained relatively quiet (as usual) but I somehow expected a little more out of him considering that this may be his last NHL playoffs amidst rumours of retiring or returning to Sweden. Usually, half the teams that make the playoffs one year don't make the playoffs the following year (Edmonton and Carolina being the most extreme examples, no Rangers, Blues, Flames, Ducks this year). I have a feeling Phoenix and Colorado will both fall victim to this because the biggest reason for their success has been their goaltending. Ilya Bryzgalov and Craig Anderson have had outstanding seasons but they'd have to do it again to prove to me they're not one-trick ponies.

    - There's no way the Habs can limit the Caps to one goal again. That simply won't happen. Bruce Boudreau was noticeably flustered with his team's lack of offense in Game 5, but they'll find their game soon. You can shut down Alex Ovechkin for one game, but not an entire series. I really think the wild card here isn't goaltending, but rather Mike Green. Green has just 2 assists and is the Caps' fourth highest scoring defenseman behind USA World Jr. hero John Carlson, Tom Poti, and deadline pick-up Joe Corvo. Alex Semin only has one assist and is driving everyone crazy - he earns $6 million next year on a one-year contract and if he doesn't perform then he will be trade bait. Much like LA's Alex Frolov, Semin's desire to compete has been questioned. I've been impressed with the Habs' effort despite being a much less skilled and smaller team, but I think for the most part they've responded well. Size wasn't an issue here but look for the Habs to address that need at this year's draft where there's plenty of big-bodied centres.

    - I called the upset, and it was Philadelphia. They were simply built for the playoffs and the Devils just couldn't overcome their aggressive play. The Scott Hartnells, Mike Richards, and even Dan Carcillos of the Flyers simply outworked the Devils. Ian Laperriere required 60-70 stitches to fix his face after taking a shot and it's the little instances like that that can tell you about what sort of personality the team has. They'll face Washington next round (if they win) and that's a tough match-up. All you need in the playoffs to go far is a hot goalie and the Flyers have just that with Brian Boucher. At the heels of the Devils' elimination, it should be no surprise that the rumour mill has started to turn again. With a third straight first round exit, I think it's a definite sign that Martin Brodeur can no longer be the man. His .881 SV% and 3.01 GAA was awful for his standards and it has sparked rumours that Lou Lamoriello may be going after Carey Price.

    - The Boston-Buffalo series was certainly one that caught me by surprise. I knew that neither team would score much, and I thought Buffalo could hold off Boston's physical attack before the fatigue would set in the second round, but I guess I was wrong. Both goalies have been incredible and I still can't really pick which team is going to win, but I'll have to stick with Buffalo and hope they can win two straight. If the Sabres do win, it'd make me 8 for 8 in my predictions. The winner of this series won't last past the second. After Lindy Ruff told the media that whether or not Thomas Vanek would play would depend solely on him, it's going to be very difficult for Vanek to say no, no matter how far away from being 100% he is.

    - The Sens played great despite missing some several key pieces and going against two of the most offensively talented players in the league and Selke nominee Jordan Staal. It's tough enough beating all three of them, but with a strong supporting cast (although not as strong as the Pens would like) they prevailed. The series does put the Sens in a bit of a curious position, as moving forward they'll have to decide if either Pascal Leclaire or Brian Elliott is their number one guy going forward, or if they're just going to split everything 50-50.

    - Very quickly, that sets up San Jose and Detroit, Vancouver and Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia, and then Pittsburgh-Buffalo/Boston. It's going to be a dandy, because I see Detroit and Chicago in the Conference Finals and another Pittsburgh-Washington showdown before Chicago claims the Cup. Bold? Maybe.

    - The obsession with getting the right match-ups has set a new record for too many men on the ice penalties. It's going to cost a team mightily in the Finals and it'll have to be pinned on the coach. Poor bench management leads to poor communication and it won't necessarily be the players' fault.

    - John Tavares didn't make the list of Calder nominees that includes Detroit's Jimmy Howard, Colorado's Matt Duchene, and Buffalo's Tyler Myers. It's not that Tavares didn't have a good season - he did, with 24 goals to tie for the lead with Duchene but it was Tavares' -15 that didn't do him any favours. If it were my pick it'd be Howard. Duchene was one of Colorado's top scorers and Myers was Buffalo's top defenseman, but both I think were real beneficiaries of having Anderson and Ryan Miller in net. In hockey the most important position (arguably) is in net and without Howard the Red Wings wouldn't have made the top 8. He's much older but he's the most worthy of the league's top rookie award.

    - The race for the Selke essentially comes down to two players: Pavel Datsyuk and Ryan Kesler. There's no contest for the third candidate, Jordan Staal. I was a little perplexed by Staal's nomination, but in part because Datsyuk and Kesler are in a class of their own. You could replace Staal with Jonathan Toews, who I felt should've gotten a vote, and it still wouldn't have been a contest. Kesler will be hard-pressed to beat Datsyuk for the award but I think considering Kesler's showing at the Olympics and his offensive breakout it's his time to claim the award.

    - The Lady Byng Trophy is usually the least respected major award and it's not totally fair to give it that label and but indeed it is less glamorous. Datsyuk gets his second nomination this year while Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis both enjoyed great seasons. However, I think Datsyuk will go empty-handed once again and St. Louis, who was snubbed by Canada, will take the award.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/blackhawks/images/upload/2009/01/chi_129_6.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed"> - The most interesting race will be for the Norris Trophy. This year's list of candidates features three first-timers with Duncan Keith, Mike Green, and Drew Doughty. I'm still a little uneasy over Green's nomination because his defensive game is nowhere near Keith's (glug glug) or Doughty's. Someone please make a Bobby Orr Award or something for best offensive defenseman. Anyway, back on topic, has anyone else noticed that none of those 3 players are feared for their hitting? It's clearly a changing of the guard not so much in terms of age, but definitely style of play. All three are incredible skaters. Chris Pronger was never an incredible skater. If it weren't for Green's nomination I think it would've went to Shea Weber. My pick is without a doubt Duncan Keith, no question.

    - Nashville can't even sell out their playoff games against a division rival. Once again, the futility of hockey in non-traditional American markets should give Gary Bettman an idea of what exactly is going on down there but of course he believes they are still viable markets. Bettman got absolutely lucky with the Coyotes' success this season. It also shows, however, how a successful team, no matter the location, can be with the proper management. It sounds like Tampa Bay is headed in that direction but apparently Martin St. Louis wants no part of it and has reportedly requested a trade.

    - The draft lottery didn't unveil any surprises, but the Oilers are still shrouded in mystery as to who they're going to pick. They've recently re-vamped their front office by firing assistant GM Kevin Prendergast and a number of trainers, but you have to wonder when Steve Tambellini's going to start touching that roster. If I were the Oilers, I'd draft Tyler Seguin and blow up that entire roster. If Tambellini had to pick one player to not trade regardless of the offer, it'd be Sam Gagner. The kid's a wizard with the puck and competes hard.

    - It's playoff hockey time and we've already seen our fair share of blood, bruises, and shattered teeth courtesy of Eric Belanger. The winner of this year's playoffs will be the team that has lost the most teeth and pints of blood combined. It's always been like that though.

    Here's to the Canucks and Kyle Wellwood losing all his teeth.

    Go Canucks Go!
  21. Jason Chen
    It's that time of year again... the best time of the year! And of course, like every year, I make my predictions. Usually I'm pretty good, but this year I think the West is completely wide open. I think there's a potential for upset in every single series. I'm cheating a little bit here because the first games have been played, but (swear to God!) I made these picks before the games.

    EAST

    Washington over Montreal in 6.
    - Really, there's no contest, no matter what Tomas Plekanec might think. Sure, the Habs have the advantage in goal, but it's marginal at best, because despite Jaroslav Halak's save percentage the Habs are still allowing more than two and half goals per game.

    Buffalo over Boston in 7.
    - Both Tuukka Rask and Ryan Miller can stop the biscuit as well as anyone in the league, but the difference maker here is that the Sabres can put the puck in the net. The Bruins are starved on offense and Peter Chiarelli's announcement that Marc Savard will be ready for round two will be all for naught because I can't see the Bruins making it out of this one, but they will put up a fight. The Bruins have a noticeable physical advantage over the Sabres but that fatigue probably won't show until the second round.

    <img src="http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Philadelphia+Flyers+v+New+Jersey+Devils+EjNLLT7kBoIl.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Philadelphia over New Jersey in 6.
    - The Flyers did take game one, but my decision to take the Broad Street Bullies wasn't based on that. It's based on this telling fact: since the lockout, the Devils have been eliminated from the semifinals two years in a row and then from the quarterfinals two years in a row. See a trend? It doesn't matter if Martin Brodeur stops enough pucks (he boasted a .929 SV% last year), the Devils just can't seem to find the timely scoring. Also, let's not forget that Chris Pronger has made the finals in the first year of every new city he's played for. It'll be a close series but I see the Flyers taking it, even with Ilya Kovalchuk on the Devils and Brian Boucher in net.

    Pittsburgh over Ottawa in 6.
    - Ottawa took game one in a shocker, but the Pens will pull it together. There's no way Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will allow their team to get ousted in the opening round. The Sens are playing with less pressure, since most people are already counting them out, especially with the loss of Alexei Kovalev.

    WEST

    San Jose over Colorado in 6.
    - Like the Senators, the Avs have very little pressure on them. All eyes are on the Sharks, who are looking to at least reach the Conference Finals. Anything less would be a failure, despite yet another fantastic regular season. I think the Avs are still too green, although it would give the Denver hockey market a huge boost if they advance. Not since the days of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg have I see so much optimism in the Mile High City.

    Chicago over Nashville in 5.
    - I've noted in previous blog posts that Barry Trotz has really gotten the short end of the stick with Nashville's constantly depleted roster. Trotz's squads have never won a playoff round and that's not necessarily his fault, and it won't be again this year. Against perhaps the most talented team in the league, even the blue-collar Preds won't be able to fend off Joel Quenneville's multi-faceted attack. Even if Pekka Rinne completely stands on his hand, the Preds don't have enough top-end talent to win.

    <img src="http://tapiaphoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/269091029002_canucks_at_kings_blog.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Vancouver over Los Angeles in 6.
    - The Kings crushed the Canucks in a 8-3 win in their last regular season meeting, but the playoffs are a completely different animal and the Kings haven't tasted the postseason since 2002. Both Jonathan Quick and Roberto Luongo, the two key players in this series, have struggled down the stretch and it remains to be seen which man can find his game quicker. However, the Canucks are just too deep up front and with a vaunted powerplay LA's mediocre PK unit should be quivering. Vancouver's defense remains the team's Achilles' heel, but if Henrik and Daniel Sedin can pin the Kings in their own zone it won't be a problem at all. Henrik has especially embraced his new role with the Canucks as their primary go-to man and who knows what he and Daniel have in store for the playoffs. Could you imagine if they elevated their game even more?

    Detroit over Phoenix in 6.
    - Phoenix took game one and looked pretty good doing it. But I would never count out any team coached by Mike Babcock and captained by the steady Nicklas Lidstrom. The Coyotes, like the Avs and Sens, have zero pressure on them to perform - by all accounts they have had successful seasons considering the expectations that had been placed upon them, but like any young team the Coyotes are hungry. The Wings are ranked lower, but they're definitely not the underdog. Dave Tippett's teams have generally performed well in the playoffs but have had some terrible luck.
  22. Jason Chen
    Hopefully everyone had a good Easter weekend. I know I did. It's also been awhile since my last post, and my sincerest apologies to my readers... however few of you there are (ha!). Anyway, if any of you ever get a chance to visit Atlantic Canada (not exactly the most exotic place, I know) be sure to visit Baddeck and Cape Breton. It's beautiful.

    But back to hockey. There's only a handful of games to go in the season and things are really starting to shape up. The East has been dominated by Washington all season long, but their lacklustre showing in an elimination game against Pittsburgh last year (6-2 loss) questioned the overall mental toughness of the group. RJ Umberger wasn't afraid to express his opinion on the matter but despite Caps owner Ted Leonsis' great comeback, Umberger has a point. In the West, with the Sharks, Hawks, and Canucks (all 5-4-1 in past 10) stumbling to the finish line, the West might be as open as ever. Here are 30 storylines to watch/think/talk about (in no particular order):

    30. Nikita Filatov and Kirill Kabanov's departures to Russia have been well-documented and once again it may really hurt the stock of other Russian hopefuls. Remember that because no one was quite sure of Alexei Cherepanov's status his stock fell dramatically. Just in case anyone hasn't noticed, the Olympic tournament showed that the era of European hockey dominance is over. Less and less Europeans are being taken and making the NHL. The best players in the league, asides from Alex Ovechkin, are either Canadian or American. There's an ebb and flow when it comes to young talent (just ask USA Hockey) and right now it's right in North America's backyard. The NHL has to capitalize on this and the playoffs are the best marketing opportunity. For more on European hockey, check out Elliotte Friedeman's blog. It's fantastic.

    29. Central Scouting's final rankings for 2010 eligible players will be released tomorrow. There's talk that the Oilers will take Taylor Hall, due to his goal-scoring ability and has played with Jordan Eberle in the past. I agree that Hall is the sexy pick, but my belief is that Tyler Seguin may be a better fit. He's a smart hockey player that I think will be better than Hall in the long run. Hall didn't impress me much during the World Juniors, despite his statistics. He holds on to the puck for too long and isn't strong enough on the puck to do that (yet).

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/stars/images/upload//2008/06/modano_draft250.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">28. One of my favourite players growing up was Mike Modano, and now in his 19th NHL season and with diminishing ice-time, this may be his swan song. It seems as though retirement is likely - Modano, along with Brett Hull and Wayne Gretzky, have shown interest in buying the Stars from current owner Tom Hicks. #9 will be hanging from the rafters by October, guaranteed. Chris Chelios, of course, will still manage to find a place to play next year.

    27. There are only five teams that are fighting for a playoff spot. The Bruins, Rangers, and Flyers in the East and the Avs and Flames in the West. The Habs haven't clinched but they will soon. For the Flames' sake I hope they miss it - and not because I'm a Vancouver fan, but because if they make the playoffs it gives less reason to overhaul that organization from the top down. The Avs have played over their heads all season long and deserve it. In the East, I hope the Rangers make it ahead of the Bruins, but only because I know at some point a John Tortorella outburst is coming. The guy is a sound bite gold mine.

    26. The Caps bring a lot of offensive firepower, but once again their 224 GA is second-worst among playoff-bound teams (the worst is Ottawa, with 227). Jose Theodore is having a great season - he has 29 wins to just 7 losses all year, with a respectable 2.83 GAA and .910 SV%. He's the shoo-in for the Bill Masterton Trophy in my books. The annual award is given to the player who has shown the most perseverance and dedication to hockey, and no player may be more qualified than Theodore, who seemed to be on the verge of losing his job to Semyon Varlamov and also lost his 2-month old son over the summer. He's also qualified for the King Clancy Trophy for humanitarian contributions with his Saves for Kids campaign.

    25. The Caps also lack a shut-down defenseman that so many of the past Cup-winning teams have featured. The breakout candidate here is Jeff Schultz, whose +39 leads all NHL defensemen. Of course, it really helps when Mike Green is your defensive partner. The Caps need Theodore to continue to play well. Should Theodore have a meltdown, the Caps will make a very early exit. Teams just don't allow you to score 5 goals in the playoffs.

    24. The Devils have only won 4 of their last 10 games and Martin Brodeur, arguably the key to the Devils' success, hasn't been playing well. The addition of Ilya Kovalchuk helps things up front and Lou Lamoriello and Jacques Lemaire pull rabbits out of their hat on defense, but goaltending is something they don't have any control over. Despite finishing with 3 division titles in the last 4 seasons, the Devils have been eliminated in the semis twice and the quarters the past two years. The Devils aren't the favourites to advance, but you have to wonder if Brodeur's time really is up.

    23. Ryan Miller is the Sabres' backbone and everyone knows it, so they'll go only as far as Miller takes them. Lindy Ruff will have a tough challenge in front of him. The Sabres' offense has been buoyed by Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, and the surprisingly healthy Tim Connolly. None of them, however, will finish the season with over 75 points. Tyler Myers has been excellent all season but let's face it, the puck's been bouncing for him all year long. When playoff hockey starts and the tempo is ratcheted up, we'll see how he responds.

    22. The Penguins just can't seem to turn it on some nights. Even with Sidney Crosby's goal-scoring campaign, the Pens have seemed anemic on offense some nights. The Pens need Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to hit their stride as the playoffs hit. Dan Bylsma isn't worried and believes that the Pens will crank it up when the playoffs start, but I don't necessarily share his optimism. Sergei Gonchar has to stay healthy.

    21. Jason Spezza has the ability to single-handedly take over a game and would be a top five centre in the league, but for some reason he just refuses to do it. Alex Kovalev has been an absolute waste of money and it's actually a wonder how Cory Clouston has coached this squad to fifth place. If the competition against him this year wasn't so tough, he'd be a Jack Adams favourite. They'll face the Pens or Devils in the first round and they won't make it past that. The Sens are still missing too many pieces, but what a player they have in Erik Karlsson.

    20. Much like the Sabres, the Habs' playoff hopes hinge on Jaroslav Halak. He will no doubt by Jacques Martin's starter in the first round, but he has an excellent backup plan in Carey Price. Price has taken a lot of heat this year for his play, but take a look at his numbers - 2.77 GAA, .912 SV%. They're not bad at all, but Halak has been simply outstanding this year. I've been saying it all year though - Price should be the Habs' long-term option, not Halak.

    19. Defense wins championships, but you can't win if you can't score. The Bruins' defense is among the league's best despite a subpar season from Tim Thomas, but they must miss Phil Kessel. With only 195 goals, the Bruins' offense is the league's worst, and they will be without Marc Savard. You'll be seeing a lot of one goal games here that could go either way but don't expect them in the Conference Finals.

    18. There have been persistent rumours that the Flyers' locker room is a mess. First, there was Mike Richards' refusal to speak to the media after accusations of partying too hard. Now there's rumblings that Chris Pronger is not the most popular guy in the locker room (what else is new?) but if the Flyers aren't on the same page they have no chance. The big "but" here is that Pronger's been able to reach the finals in his first year in a new city every time. That trend will be snapped this year. Did I mention they're the Enron of cap management?

    17. The Rangers are on the outside looking in, for now, and like the Bruins and Habs they don't have an easy time scoring goals. What they do have, however, is a healthy Marian Gaborik, one of the best goalscorers in the league (40 markers with minimal help), Henrik Lundqvist in net, and the fiery John Tortorella. Besides, more Rangers hockey = more rounds of Tortorella and Larry Brooks. Who would say "no" to that? Sorry, Atlanta, but I don't think you guys will cut it.

    16. The Sharks are stumbling and are in danger of losing the West title to Chicago. Todd McLellan, like his predecessor Ron Wilson, continues to find regular season success in San Jose, but the playoffs are a completely different story. I don't envision a lot of first round upsets this year, but anything shy of a Conference Finals appearance is a disappointment. Joe Thornton needs to play big in big games but the Sharks need Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau to fire on all cylinders for them to advance. Joe Pavelski and Dan Boyle are two very important players as well.

    15. The Blackhawks are my favourite to reach the finals. I don't think their goaltending is as bad as everyone portrays. Cristobal Huet isn't synonymous with more accomplished West goalies like Evgeni Nabokov or Roberto Luongo, but he's starting material in the NHL and Antti Niemi isn't a bad Plan B. Marian Hossa has reached the finals two years in a row and there's no reason why it can't be three. But maybe this time the third time's the charm. Expect big postseason performances from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp. Just a gut feeling.

    14. Dave Tippett is one of the most underrated coaches in the NHL (along with Barry Trotz) and Phoenix is the team of the year. Riding on the coattails of Ilya Bryzgalov, the Coyotes are a great dark horse pick. They're young, fast, talented, and hard-working, a formula for success at the NHL level. It's rather unfortunate that the Coyotes may end up facing Detroit in the first round, and if that's the case Phoenix won't advance. We'll have to see if Wojtek Wolski and Lee Stempniak can keep the wheels turning.

    <img src="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2008/04/22/trotz-barry080422.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">13. You can't not like the Preds. They're the Hoosiers of hockey... except they've never won a playoff round. The Preds scored by committee but have only scored 2 more goals than they have allowed. The Preds can't afford to lose any of their offensive firepower because despite having Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Dan Hamhuis on the blueline, Pekka Rinne will have to stand on his head to keep them afloat. Another early exit is likely for Trotz and co.

    12. No team is heading into the playoffs with more momentum than Detroit. 7-1-2 in their past ten games, the Wings are finally healthy and Jimmy Howard has emerged as a capable NHL goaltender. Both Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk's production declined this year but you never count out the Wings, especially with Mike Babcock behind the bench and Nicklas Lidstrom on the blueline. Detroit's everyone's favourite dark horse pick and it's not unjustified. Could you imagine how giddy Gary Bettman would be with a Detroit-Chicago Conference Finals match-up?

    11. Ideally, the Kings want to face the Canucks in the first round and avoid the Hawks, especially the 8-3 drubbing they put on last week. The Kings seem to have flown under the radar this year with most storylines focusing on Phoenix, but the Kings do have a nice mix of veteran and young talent. It'll be the first time the Kings have made the playoffs since 2002, and it's a bit of a shame that they have generated relatively little buzz. For a man so worries about American ratings and fans, Bettman seems to have dropped the ball with this one. There's also the east coast bias here.

    10. I'm personally rooting for the Avs to make the playoffs, but that's like choosing the lesser of two evils. You have to respect what Joe Sacco and his staff have done, especially many, including myself, wrote them off as the league's worst team. Matt Duchene has had an incredible rookie season and will be a Calder finalist and even with a first round exit, the Avs' future looks pretty bright.

    9. Add Calgary to the list of dysfunctional teams that includes Edmonton, Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia. While the Flames are really making a push for the final spot, made easier by Colorado's recent play, I can't help but think that in the long run the Flames are better off not making the playoffs. By missing the postseason the management will really have to make some changes from the top, starting by relieving Darryl Sutter of his GM duties. Olli Jokinen was a mistake and it doesn't seem like he's learned his lesson with Jay Bouwmeester. The Flames have terribly mishandled the cap which resulted in Dion Phaneuf being shipped out. If the Flames make the playoffs, the Sutters will have an excuse for "one more year." Actually... forget what I'm saying. I hope the Flames waddle in mediocrity for the foreseeable future. Let's seem them get erased 4-0 in the first round.

    8. Alright, enough league talk, let's focus on the Canucks. The first question that's been buzzing has been Luongo's recent play. Subpar would be a nice way of putting it, but no matter how much Luongo's struggling, he'll be Alain Vigneault's pick for game one. There's no way around it - Luongo has to play. The Canucks looked like real Cup contenders a couple of months ago but now seem like smoke and mirrors. In a recent poll done by NHLers for ESPN, Luongo was voted as one of the most overrated players in the league.

    7. Will Henrik Sedin win the Art Ross? At this point it seems very likely but even if Sedin wins the scoring race don't be surprised if he's not in talks for the Hart Trophy as league MVP. He'll be running against the usual culprits like Crosby and Ovechkin. The goals race is tight as well, with Crosby (47) having a one goal edge over Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos (46 each).

    6. That's how many 25+ goal scorers the Canucks will have. Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler, and Mason Raymond all sit at 24 at the moment, so I'm jumping the gun a little here, but it's very possible. The Canucks may boast one of the league's best offenses after Chicago and Washington. Scoring depth will be vital in the playoffs and the Canucks have that in bunches. Michael Grabner and Pavol Demitra have both been putting the puck in as of late.

    5. Will the defense hold? If there's any question marks with the Canucks' chances with their current roster, it's on the blueline. Vigneault and the coaching staff will have to work on the defense, which hasn't been as effective as it was earlier this year.

    4. Who's Eddie Lack? Asides from knowing that he's a Swedish netminder, I didn't know a heck of a lot about him either. But obviously Mike Gillis felt comfortable enough to sign the guy, who might start for Brynas next year when the Panthers bring Jacob Markstrom overseas. Either way, it's another goaltending prospect in the system that may eventually takeover for Luongo or just be some attractive trade bait.

    3. It seems unlikely that the Canucks will move away from this position so they'll be hoping that it's not Detroit at 6. Whatever the case, it seems as though this year's playoffs won't feature many upsets in the first round. The top tier teams are just too good. It's the second division title in three years for Vancouver and perhaps many to become, considering the woes of Minnesota, Edmonton, and Calgary. Colorado is still a couple of years away.

    <img src="http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/gallery/000049/000305048.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">2. The Canucks' single season record for points is 110 (Pavel Bure, 60 goals, 50 assists), and Henrik is only 4 away with 3 games to go. Just one goal away from hitting 30, Hank has only fired 159 shots on goal this year. That's 50 less shots than 30-goal scorers Mikael Samuelsson and Alex Burrows. The Sedins have been efficient all year and are finally getting the recognition they deserve. It's unfortunate that Daniel went down with an injury early this season, otherwise the Canucks would have the league's highest-scoring duo, topping Washington's Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

    1. That's Kesler's +/- this season. Surprising, I know, considering the type of season he's had. He's having another Selke-worthy campaign but once again it'll probably be Datsyuk who takes the award. It just goes to show how misleading that stat can be. Kesler's 80 takeaways are only second to Datsyuk's 125, and also wins 55.5% of his face-offs.
  23. Jason Chen
    Those chants were sweet to backup Andrew Raycroft as they were to me. The premium in the playoffs is goaltending because every game counts and a game stolen by Roberto Luongo could mean the difference between winning and losing a series. Since coming back from the Olympic break Luongo has been faltering, including an absolutely abysmal performance in Edmonton two nights ago, so it's nice to see that the Canucks have at least found confidence in their backup goaltending, ending a goaltending carousel that's featured Curtis Sanford, Johan Hedberg, Bob Essensa, Peter Skudra... the list goes on and on. Not that it should ever happen, but if Luongo falters in the playoffs at least Alain Vigneault will have some confidence in Raycroft to put him in net.

    A lot of people wondered why Vigneault didn't start Raycroft in Edmonton and then Luongo against a tougher Anaheim squad, but quite simply, I think it was because Vigneault planned to start Luongo every night until the end of the season, maybe save for the last game of the season if it was meaningless. I disagree with D13G0 DA SNIPUR here because I think the worst thing to do to a struggling goalie is staple him to the bench. Get Luongo more games, see more pucks, swallow the bitter pills, and hopes he finds his grove come playoff time. There's no point in giving Raycroft more ice-time if he's not going to start in the playoffs - at most he's an insurance policy the coaching staff can trust.

    All things considered the Canucks probably have the division title and home-ice advantage locked up in the first round. The Avalanche are five points away with nine games to play and aren't exactly on a roll, going just 5-4-1 in their last ten. The only difference the last game of the season may make is deciding which team the Canucks will have to play in the first round, and that could mean LA, Colorado, Nashville, or Detroit. Sorry Calgary fans, I don't think so. Just a side note, if the Flames miss the playoffs this year the Sutters will really have to look at themselves in the mirror. The Flames have been taken sideways steps at the most since their Cup run against the Lightning. That Olli Jokinen trade was a do-over (I didn't think he would mesh well with Jarome Iginla in the first place - they're too similar) and that Dion Phaneuf trade may end up hurting them too.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100325/capt.10b40c62d7e3432a89a8f77c2c25b681-10b40c62d7e3432a89a8f77c2c25b681-0.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Raycroft, who earns $500,000, is set to be a UFA at the end of the season and don't be surprised if Mike Gillis ends the goaltending carousel now and gives Raycroft a brand-new multi-year deal worth roughly the same money next year. I think it's a foregone conclusion that Cory Schneider won't be sticking around because 1) he's a valuable trade chip and 2) he won't be starting here anytime soon. Several teams will still be in the market for a goalie and if anything Gillis will make his presence felt at the draft, where the Canucks don't have a second or third round pick. By signing Raycroft to a multi-year contract, Gillis and Vigneault will save themselves from the backup goaltender headache and really provide Luongo and the team with some stability. Goalies are developing such different styles and having Raycroft stick around for a little longer provides more familiarity between him and the five other guys on the ice.

    Congrats to Henrik Sedin hitting 71 assists, tying a career high, but also moving him to 99 points and the league lead. Given Henrik's current pace, he'll be finishing the year with 109.7 points, which rounded up to 110 will tie him with Pavel Bure (perhaps the best ever Russian scorer) for the franchise record. The Sedins do face an incredible array of goaltending talent in their upcoming games, with Evgeni Nabokov, Ilya Bryzgalov, Miikka Kiprusoff, Niklas Backstrom, and then Craig Anderson and Jonathan Quick. However, if they can pull off anything like Henrik's spin-o-rama backhand pass to Alex Burrows again (they will), the points will come. Props also to George Parros and Darcy Hordichuk for mixing it up on more than one occasion including a very spirited first bout. Michael Grabner was equally impressive with his speed, but as Chris Cuthbert pointed out he's been unwilling to go to the net. He reminds me a lot of a younger Mason Raymond - his wheels just turn too fast for him to think and react at the right time. Kyle Wellwood has really picked up his game lately and when Steve Bernier comes back this team will be really deep up front.

    (And I'm terribly sorry Daniel, but I don't believe you were just "throwing the puck at the net." That was a set play and Burrows was the fly-by screen. If Daniel was truly throwing it there for Burrows to fetch the puck should've been shot five feet lower. That puck went top corner blocker side. Take a look at Burrows' route and where his stick was. He wasn't even going to bother tipping it. All he wanted to do was tie up Niedermayer. Video here.)

    The Canucks weren't stellar last night even though the score does suggest we dominated. The Canucks had six giveaways last night and four of them came from our defensemen. As much as the Canucks were successful in pinning the Ducks in their own zone, the opposite was true as well and had it not been for Raycroft the score would've been much closer. On more than one occasion Raycroft stood on his head. The Ducks are an interesting story this year, as their offensive production has absolutely gone downhill. After scoring 245 goals last year the Ducks sit only at 205 this year. Everyone except for Jonas Hiller, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan (what a fantastic set of hands he has) seems to have taken a step backwards. The bad news is that Scott Niedermayer may retire at the end of the year, which would end his distinguished career on a low note. If the Ducks finish out of the playoffs it'd be the first time since 1996 Niedermayer has failed to reach the post-season and he's two points shy of 100 career playoff points. The good news is that should Niedermayer retire, the Ducks will have lots of money to play with and their young core is already in place.

    The Canucks visit the reeling Sharks Saturday night on CBC.

    EDIT: I didn't realize this until I saw this just now, but a fight broke up between a Ducks fan and a Canucks fan last night. I only saw the TSN feed and they didn't say anything about it. Anyway, Mozy did a bang-up job writing it up and I wholeheartedly agree with him.
  24. Jason Chen

    The Hockey Code

    By Jason Chen,

    When I tell people I live and breathe hockey, one of the most common answers I get is: "You like hockey? Really!? It's so barbaric! They fight all the time!"

    In a way, it is true. Grown men on skates in post-whistle scrums hacking, pushing, shoving, punching, trash-talking, fighting. What most people don't understand, and most often than not it's because they've had very little exposure to the sport either by watching or playing, is that there is a "hockey code" involved. I once tried to explain this to a friend of mine to justify all the "barbaric" things that happen on the ice but there were times where I really stumbled on my words to convey my message. It's not something easily understood. There's a certain honour when it comes to dropping the gloves and hitting someone, something that has clearly been lost as evidenced by this week's crazy sequence of events.

    It's hard to pinpoint exactly when hockey players lost respect for one another. Hits to the head, elbows, kneeing, slew foots have been just a few of the instances this year in which hockey players lost their ability to make good decisions. Mike Richards' hit was a poor decision. As was Matt Cooke's hit on Marc Savard, Patrice Cormier's elbow on Mikael Tam, and most recently James Wisniewski's hit on Brent Seabrook. It certainly doesn't help hockey's image when papers like the Boston Herald are actively calling for a punishment on Matt Cooke. This is head-hunting at its best.

    This all gives hockey a bad image. I'm a little shocked that Gary Bettman hasn't publicly said anything about the matter or the Herald's front page (... on second thought, I'm actually not). The last time an (alleged) head hunt was called ended in a nasty situation that involved a season-long suspension and fractured vertebrae. The NHL took huge five steps forward with the success of the Olympics with an all North American final but its image has once again suffered because the league has proved incapable and inefficient once again to really address the issues. In fact, I think the Pittsburgh-Boston game Thursday night was a great example of why the league really needs to get rid of the instigator rule.

    <img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20100319/i/r3602461247.jpg"class="imageFloatRightFramed">First, I thought the Bruins responded in a great way to the incredible amount of pressure on them to exact revenge on Matt Cooke. Cooke knew what was coming too and obliged when he was challenged by Shawn Thornton in a spirited tilt (kudos to both). Thornton was tossed from the game for throwing punches when Cooke was vulnerable on the ice, but I'm glad that it didn't get worse, because really, it could've. Never mind the Bruins lost, that was asides from the point. Had Cooke declined the offer to drop the gloves (and he does have a history of doing that) the pent up rage of the entire Bruins squad and Boston crowd could've escalated into something much worse.

    In regards to Wisniewski's hit on Seabrook, had there been no instigator rule, I don't think the hit would've happened. Instead, Wisniewski would've dropped the gloves whether Seabrook was willing or not. In some ways, a spirited tilt in which the play is dead and the referees and linesmen's focus is on the fight, and in which Seabrook doesn't necessarily have to be as aware of the surroundings around him, makes it a much safer option than skating 20 feet and slamming Seabrook into the boards when he isn't looking. At least in a fight Seabrook has a chance to defend himself. It was clear Wisniewski wanted to send a message. I find it hard to believe that retaliation wasn't something he had in mind when he skated from his own bench and flew into Seabrook like a RPG.

    Fighting needs to stay in the NHL. Blindside hits and the instigator rule have to go. Respect, for the players and sport alike, needs to be earned again.
  25. Jason Chen

    Making the Moves

    By Jason Chen,

    So much for breaking off contract talks until the end of the season. Just two hours ago, the Canucks announced that they have re-signed RFA Ryan Kesler to a six-year contract worth $30 million. Mike Gillis has been awfully busy of late, first calling up Michael Grabner in light of Mikael Samuelsson's injury then signing Jordan Schroeder to an entry level contract after a finishing a disappointing sophomore year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

    Schroeder is likely to suit up Sunday for the Moose to make his highly anticipated professional debut after winning gold with the US at this year's World Junior Championships and becoming the US' highest scorer in world junior history along the way. Players coming from the CHL must be at least 20 years of age by December 31 of the season or play four years of junior to be eligible to play in the AHL, but because Schroeder is coming from the NCAA, he can start playing anytime after he turns 18 (he's 19 now, and 20 by September 2010). Cody Hodgson was allowed to play in the Moose's playoff run last year because the Brampton Battalion's season ended early, making him exempt from the rule. Contract numbers have not been released for Schroeder, but my guess is that's around the rookie maximum of $900,000 plus bonuses, which could be roughly $1-2 million, making his salary cap roughly in the $2-3 million range, much like the Kings' recently signed Brayden Schenn.

    For Kesler, a question of simple math means that his cap hit will be $5 million per year (surely, the NHLPA won't reprimand him this time) and will remain a Canuck until the 2015-16 season, making him and Roberto Luongo the only players signed for that season. This is a fantastic signing by Gillis, locking up the Canucks' most versatile pivot for the next six years at a very reasonable price. With 64 points and counting, Kesler has emerged as one of the league's best centres. What he lacks in offensive output he makes up for in defense and energy as he will be considered for the Selke year-in and year-out along with perennial favourite Pavel Datsyuk ($6.7 million) and Philadelphia's Mike Richards ($5.75 million).

    The Ohio State product has come a long way in the NHL and has indeed been a great find by the Canucks. Not since Trevor Linden have the Canucks drafted (1st round, 2003) and cultivated a player that has won the hearts of many by playing blue-collar hockey. Kesler didn't enter the organization with as much as pizazz and hype as Linden and took a few years before establishing himself as a two-way player but what an incredible journey that has been. Kesler's point totals (23, 16 in 48 games, 37, and 59) has increased in each of the past season's and when everyone thought he had hit his offensive ceiling last year, he (along with Alex Burrows) proved everyone wrong.

    With Kesler signed, the Canucks have six other RFAs to deal with (Mason Raymond, Jannik Hansen, Alex Bolduc, Tanner Glass, Shane O'Brien, Aaron Rome) and that's not including prized goaltender Cory Schneider. Kesler was the big fish that all teams had been keeping an eye on but now he's off the market. I think it's safe to say that Raymond, Hansen, Glass, and possibly Bolduc will be re-signed while the futures for O'Brien, Rome, and Schneider aren't as clear. In light of these recent movements, here's what the Canucks cap structure will look like for next year (numbers courtesy of CapGeek):

    <img src="http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h164/jchockey/cap.jpg"class="imageFloatCenterFramed">
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