Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

Jason Chen

Members
  • Posts

    188
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Jason Chen

  1. Malkin is a complete enigma. You never know when he'll show up for games, but when he does, watch out. He does, after all, have that very much deserved Conn Smythe in his trophy case. What he did in that playoffs was just outstanding.
  2. We're a quarter way through the regular season and like any other NHL season, there's been plenty of surprises, both good and bad. Let's recap. If you had told me the Flyers would finally unearth a top 15 netminder in Sergei Bobrovsky, they would've been my pick to win the Atlantic. Michael Leighton is skating again but both him and Brian Boucher would find an uphill battle to unseat the Russian netminder with a 12-3-2 record and sixth-ranked .926 SV% for goalies with at least 10 games played. I noted that Claude Giroux was a star in the making but what he's done this far has exceeded my expectations. So how about that Carey Price!? No longer am I somewhat hesitant to voice my support for the BC native who was picked by the Habs to be their franchise goalie and he couldn't have chosen to break out at a better time. Not having to look over his shoulder for Jaroslav Halak has helped him tremendously, but all he needed was just some time, to mature and soak in everything. And you know when Price turned the corner? When he showed his unwavering support for Halak in the playoffs last year. That type of off-ice maturity bleeds on to the ice. Forget about Marc-Andre Fleury, who's an overrated regular season goalie, Price is the future netminder for Canada. He beats out Cam Ward and Steve Mason for that spot. <img src="http://www.nhlsnipers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/277-Stamkos-Game-Photo-3.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Even as unreasonable a Steven Stamkos fan I am, what he's done this year boggles my mind. He's not going to score 82, or 76 to tie Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny, but my bet is that he scores 60. He's the best sniper I've seen since Brett Hull (even looks like him too) and even though he prefers that left face-off spot he can score in a variety of ways, unlike one-trick pony Dany Heatley. But everyone should've seen this coming. The World Championships are often overlooked because of the playoffs, but Stamkos really stood out with 7 goals in 9 games in the 2009 tournament. While both Stamkos and Alex Ovechkin are both adept at scoring goals, they're really fun to watch and compare because they're so different. Ovechkin's a bull - he'll do everything at high speed with raw talent, skill, and strength, but he'll also do the same thing 20 times even if he's failed the previous 19 times. Hal Gill really showed us how they could shut down Ovechkin by taking away just one of his moves. Stamkos is a different. He's a much more finesse sniper. One of the few teams that has really surprised me is Atlanta. I thought the biggest piece Chicago would miss would be Dustin Byfuglien, but it's actually Andrew Ladd that has been the key cog in Blueland. You'd think that losing your most talented player in Ilya Kovalchuk would hurt, and they were better last year with him in the lineup than without, so that Rick Dudley and Craig Ramsay have turned this franchise around in such a hurry is really encouraging news. Dudley, who was with Chicago last year, clearly knew which players he wanted to target. And finally the franchise is putting some confidence in Ondrej Pavelec. Don't let Boston's eighth rank fool you - they've played less games than everyone else and are currently in a slide, but this team is much better than its record suggests. Nathan Horton, with 8 goals in 22 games, is on pace for 30, the most since 2007. A healthy Milan Lucic gives this team an even more physical dimension and he's proving that he's a legitimate top six winger. Tuukka Rask has only one win (no fault of his own - Boston has scored just 12 in his 7 starts) but Tim Thomas has come back more determined than ever. If you need any proof that a good backup is key, just look at what Boston's been able to do, and to a lesser extent, the Jackets' Mathieu Garon, the Rangers' Martin Biron and Vancouver's own Cory Schneider. Are we finally seeing the Cam Ward that we saw (quite unfairly, actually) win the 2006 Conn Smythe? Ward's been posting the best numbers in recent memory. His goals against is trending down and his save percentage is trending up. Ward turns 27 in February, the prime of his career but it may be all for naught if the Hurricanes can't find more breakout players like Jeff Skinner. Drayson Bowman, Jamie McBain, and Zach Boychuk, all highly lauded prospects, haven't had the same impact. It's hard to see Ward's numbers get even better than they already are now because Carolina's just not a very good team. Ryan Miller isn't the best goalie this year and that shouldn't surprise anyone. It's so hard to predict which goalie is going to the best in the league ever year. There was a time when Martin Brodeur dominated every category but he's on the downside of his career so it's wide-open. Case in point. League leaders in SV%: Thomas, Garon, Ondrej Pavelec, Price, and Brent Johnson. Wins: Price, Jimmy Howard, Bobrovsky, Michal Neuvirth, and Thomas. I guarantee you no one had those goalies at the top of their lists in their fantasy draft (except maybe Howard). If Darcy Regier can turn this team around he and Lindy Ruff will stay, but owner Tom Golisano is under some pressure. <img src="http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20101111/600_maple_leafs_lose_101111_430241.jpg?2"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Florida's been another nice surprise this season. Tomas Vokoun has been spectacular as usual (9-8, 2.44 GAA, .923 SV%) on a team that can't score. Their highest scorer, Michael Frolik, has 13 points and Stephen Weiss still hasn't stepped up his game, which I thought he would with Horton's departure. It's nice to see that the Panthers, like the Canucks with Jeff Tambellini, has given proven AHLer scorer Mike Santorelli, formerly of the Predators organization, a chance to stick with the big club. I used to hate having to watch the Leafs every Saturday night, but now I quite like it. Despite what people may seem to think about their lack of effort, I really think it's just a lack of talent. Sometimes it's visible, but most other times they're just plain bad plays and bad giveaways. Phil Kessel may be taking lots of flak for not scoring but it's not hard to see that he plays hard every shift and it's not really his fault he gets knocked on his butt every other time. All teams need to do to shut down the Leafs offense is to contain Kessel. The Leafs don't have a centre to dish him the puck or a strong winger to create some room for him. Most nights it looks like he's carrying the offense all by himself because Kris Versteeg clearly isn't comfortable being to a go-to guy after playing second fiddle in Chicago. The Leafs have improved, despite that awful Kessel deal, since Brian Burke came in. End of story. As long as Kovalchuk is in a Devils uniform, that franchise is going nowhere. It's not so much that he's a bad player, he's really talented, but it's that contract. If that deal costs the Devils Zach Parise, it'd go down as the worst gamble in NHL history. While Lou Lamoriello still has some pieces in the organization, the Devils are certainly trending down. Martin Brodeur isn't what he's used to be and there's no heir apparent. Jeff Frazee isn't ready yet. Even when his team's struggling, Kovalchuk hasn't changed his game to suit the Devils' system. This inability to adapt or change isn't something that's applied to Kovalchuk, but to a lot of Russians. Ovechkin's gotten better at what he does but he hasn't added to his repertoire like Sidney Crosby or Stamkos has. It's also why I'd take Crosby over Ovechkin any day - because I know Crosby will always strive to be a more complete player (and also because he's a centre). St. Louis will only go as far as Halak takes them. When Halak's head is in the game he's great, but once in awhile he'll just implode and let in 7 goals. With TJ Oshie out for the long-term, there hasn't been anybody who's stepped up their game. Patrik Berglund has responded nicely after clashing with Andy Murray last season but Brad Boyes has just 5 goals, David Backes has 13 points, and Andy McDonald, a good centre but miscast as a number one guy, is the team's leading scorer. The team needs to find the consistency that has to be present to win in the West - the Blues go 3 wins to start November, then allow 29 goals in 5 games, then win 3 straight after that. If there's any team that will challenge Vancouver for the division title in years to come it's Colorado. Does anyone see a little Joe Sakic in Matt Duchene? That draft couldn't have worked out any better for the Avs and Duchene and in three years they may be the scariest team in the West along with the Kings. They need that franchise goaltender but the pieces are all there - Kevin Shattenkirk, Paul Stastny, Chris Stewart, Ryan O'Reilly, and Duchene. Five years down the road, should Dean Lombardi not put his team in some sort of cap headlock, the Kings are going to be the team to beat in the West. A franchise player in Anze Kopitar, a future fab four with Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Colten Teubert, and Thomas Hickey, and a franchise goalie in Jon Quick. They've got a good mix of veterans right now and would be a dark horse to win the Cup despite their inexperience. Dallas may have the division lead right now but the Kings will be so far ahead by the end of the season they won't be able to the Stars in the rear view mirror. Is there any other team that is as misinformed as the Sharks? I feel stupid for picking the Sharks to win the Pacific (albeit barely). The Sharks are a non-Cup contender posing as one. Their defense was porous to start the season and since Marc-Edouard Vlasic can't move the puck to save his life it's now just Dan Boyle, Doug Murray, and four other guys. The Sharks, even with Joe Pavelski, are a one-line team. As much as Todd McLellan wants to mix up the Big Three, he's continued to have to force the trio back together because they can't get anything going without one another. The goaltending is suspect and even though you don't need an elite goalie to win the Cup, you can certainly lose a season with two underperforming goalies. There's just no depth on this team. <img src="http://therattrick.com/files/2009/08/48154_Flames_Bouwmeester_Hockey.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">I've also never seen a player with a worse brain to talent ratio than Jay Bouwmeester. This guy can skate like a wind but thinks like a brick. Really, sometimes the stuff he does just makes you question your own sanity. He's paid franchise player money when he clearly can't play like one. As long as he is the anchor of the Calgary defense, and he has to because he's paid the most, they will never win a Cup. My guess is that by the end of the year the Flames will dump Darryl Sutter and ironically name Jay Feaster, the former Lightning GM who defeated the Flames in 2004, as GM. I'm guessing Brent gets another year because a lack of good personnel isn't exactly his fault. I think this is one of the few times i've praised East teams more than West teams and what we're witnessing is a shift in power. it's probably more apparent this year than ever. All the years of the East being inferior to the West is no more. The East has stockpiled so much talent over the years and slowly their patience is being rewarded. All of the league's young stars - Crosby, Malkin, Backstrom, Stamkos, the Staals, Price - are in the East. While the West may have more parity, more and more the good teams are separating themselves from the teams that still haven't adjusted to life in the cap era. Trophy Tracker: Hart: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Vezina: Tim Thomas, Boston Calder: Jeff Skinner, Carolina Art Ross: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Norris: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Lindsay: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Adams: Guy Boucher, Tampa Bay Selke: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Richard: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay But, wait! Where's Vancouver, you say? Well, they get a blog post all of their own and I think it's going to be a dandy, one that (hopefully) gets some good discussion going. Stay tuned!
  3. Lidstrom's ageless... but I find it interesting you brought up the Sedins... because it made me think and I can honestly say that despite their awards and accolades neither Sedin would be on my top 5 import list. First is Lidstrom, and then Ovechkin obviously. That's followed by Pavel Datsyuk, who is arguably the best two-way player in the game. That leaves two spots and one would creep on to my list on a good day. But the fourth is the underappreciated Henrik Zetterberg, who is one of the best all-round players in the game. (No wonder the Wings are so great - their best players play both ends of the ice extremely well and can up their game whenever they want to a next level.) The fifth has to go to a guy with some major talent and that's Malkin. Sorry, Hank, Dan. (And honestly, after I wrote that I was thinking, other than Ovechkin, who has enough personal awards already, all have won a Cup. If Hank leads us to a title there could be a serious shift of power in the West.) Prove me wrong.
  4. Mark Streit is the only Islander worthy of All-Star status. I can't believe the Habs let him go although now they have Subban. The best European player is still NIcklas Lidstrom, no question.
  5. I don't like that idea for the MLB, although even if the Rangers did have home-field advantage this year I don't think they would've won. If the goal is to gain home advantage, it would have to be in the East-West format and the captains and coaches will pick their own players. Maybe I'm just being traditionalist but I just don't like that idea. I don't think there's any real way to make the All-Star Game meaningful but it's a corporate necessity. Let's just make sure the right players get recognized first.
  6. Yes, Callahan has been the best Ranger this season. Gaborik has only played 9 games this season. He becomes an automatic All-Star when he is healthy. Karlsson has been better than Gonchar. Karlsson's breakouts and wrist shot set him apart. Giroux and Bobrovsky have carried the Flyers this year. Richards is a great player, one of my favourites, but he's been inconsistent at times. Carter's not doing anything spectacular. As of today, there are 5 more East forwards who have scored more than him. The entire lineup of the Flyers, Kings, and Habs have played so well it's hard to pick up one single player. All, or most, are playing the best hockey. I could've easily picked Justin Williams. I could've easily added Richards. Since I already said I'd stick with the representation rule, it's hard to find everyone. But Giroux, Price, and Quick have been the real reasons they've been so good so far. Neuvirth gets a lot of help and he does lead the league in wins, but also because he posts pretty darn good numbers. Theodore never qualified as an All-Star, in my mind, is because he doesn't play over 60 games. Neuvirth has started almost every single one of his. Had Theodore played 65 games the year in he went 30-7-7 in 47 games, he would've been on pace for 40+ wins, an All-Star season if I've ever seen one. And that's why it's such a joke hockey game. They're not rewarding players who are playing the best. With the way Iginla is playing he's not even close to being an All-Star. Even more than just putting better talent on the ice we're introducing the world to our younger all-stars, guys like Loui Eriksson, who actually is going to be much better than overpaid Thomas Vanek.
  7. This lineup won't be the one on the ice in Carolina. The NHL is too dumb to pick the right players. They can't even get the ballot right. Even if this is the lineup featured at the game these players aren't playing for anything. A lot of effortless hockey that doesn't do anything. What makes hockey so exciting to watch is the competition and the ASG just isn't very competitive, save for perhaps the last 5 minutes of every game. Perhaps I should clarify - the talent featured at the ASG doesn't translate to a good game. It's meaningless so it's about as riveting as a charity hockey game.
  8. Enstrom is an incredible puck mover. A great offensive defenseman. But in a key situation I'd put Byfuglien and Ladd out before him. Enstrom's a liability in his own zone and he hasn't quite had the impact on the team like Byfuglien and rumoured soon-to-be named captain Ladd.
  9. I wouldn't normally include Kovalchuk but with Parise injured he's the only Devil really worthy of consideration. It's not saying much really but Brodeur isn't having a good season and there's too much depth at C for Travis Zajac.
  10. See? Didn't I say Glass and Brown would scrap? Inevitable. Rypien's tired from two scraps vs. Senators and no one in Vancouver's lineup can take Orr. Two PPG by Canucks midway through second period.
  11. <img src="http://www.fan590.com/images/teams/NHL/All-Star-Logo_NHL-2011.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The NHL just released it's 100-player All-Star Game ballot. And it's an absolute joke. I wonder why the NHL comes up with these lists anyway. It's chock full of players with big salaries but little talent. It's full of players whose best days are clearly behind them. There are so many snubs I don't even know where to begin. No one really cares that the captains get to pick their teams this time and there's little intrigue, other than wondering who the NHL fat kid a.k.a. the last pick will be. As long as the All-Star Game counts for nothing the game will always be a shallow display of the talent the NHL has. As always, I will be abstaining from the voting process and doze off midway through the skills competition. I'm going to make the NHL's job easier and just hand them the roster right here. Keeping in line with the minimum one representative per team rule, here are my All-Stars... 15 games into the season... in the classic East-West format. EASTERN CONFERENCE Centres Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes Derek Roy, Buffalo Sabres Right Wings Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers Left Wings Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils Andrew Ladd, Atlanta Thrashers Defense Mike Green, Washington Capitals Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins Dustin Byfuglien, Atlanta Thrashers Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators Bryan McCabe, Florida Pathers James Wisniewski, New York Islanders Goaltenders Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins Michal Neuvirth, Washington Capitals Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens WESTERN CONFERENCE Centres Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks Brad Richards, Dallas Stars Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks Right Wings Chris Stewart, Colorado Avalanche Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks Dany Heatley, San Jose Sharks Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets Left Wings Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings Loui Eriksson, Dallas Stars Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks Defense Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks Shea Weber, Nashville Predators Ed Jovanovski, Phoenix Coyotes Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames Ryan Whitney, Edmonton Oilers Goaltenders Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis Blues Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild The All-Rookie team: LW Tyler Ennis, Buffalo Sabres C Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes RW Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers D PK Subban, Montreal Canadiens D Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks G Michal Neuvirth, Washington Capitals Apologies to: Nicklas Backstrom - Sid and Stamkos are locks and Staal and Roy are the only players playing decent hockey on their respective teams. Lubomir Visnovsky - Blame the minimum representation rule. Had it not been for Giordano and Whitney this guy should be in there. He's single-handedly holding down the blueline in Anaheim Jarome Iginla - He's on the downside of his career. Pavel Datsyuk - Not enough spaces and should have a spot but you can't notice that he hasn't been as effective this year. Still early though. Dan Boyle - See Visnovsky. Daniel Alfredsson - Blame Kessel and Callahan Justin Williams - He's been good but averages just 15 minutes a game and isn't the best player on his team. Jimmy Howard - It's either him or Backstrom and Minnesota lacked a representative This roster is more about performance rather than talent. The minimum representation rule handcuffed me a little and some deserving players didn't make the cut. Mark Giordano and Ryan Whitney aren't all-stars but they are the best players on their respective teams right now although Giordano hasn't been as good as he was last year. Shea Weber and the Preds flew out of the gates but have been pedestrian since and he's -6 but he's got the pedigree. It's easy to pick Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, or even Brandon Dubinsky as the Rangers' all-star but Ryan Callahan is their most important player. James Wisniewski leads the Islanders in points, continuing the trend set by Mark Streit, who is incidentally on the ballot. Erik Karlsson is a future stud and has been their best blueliner to date. See? Quick and painless. Cowabunga. My picks. Agree? Disagree?
  12. After a 6-2 trouncing of Ottawa, the Canucks continue their eastern swing and face the struggling Leafs in a prime-time match-up Saturday nigth. A convincing win over Pascal Leclaire and the Sens improved the Canucks' road record to 3-4-1, just one game below .500 but compared to the Canucks' home record of 6-0-1, it's like Jekyll and Hyde all over again. Last year, the Canucks had the league's best home record (30 wins, tied first with Washington) but was among the worst on the road among playoff teams (19 wins, third worst among the 16 playoff-bound teams). The Leafs are struggling offensively, with just 32 goals scored, second worst in the league and only ahead of New Jersey. In an effort to jumpstart the offense the Leafs have called up top prospect Nazem Kadri but a saviour he is not (yet) and it is very, very likely that the Canucks will earn their fourth road victory. Here are some things to keep in mind: <img src="http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Nazem+Kadri+NHL+Rookie+Tournament+Toronto+pnZkhYfgvVml.jpg"class="imageFloatLeftFramed">I'm not as optimistic as others when they say that the Leafs are one centre away from being offensively competent. While "Magic Hands" Kadri is indeed a top prospect, the Leafs don't have anyone in their system at any level that will develop into an elite NHL forward. Phil Kessel is a spectacular goalscorer, but he is not a player you build your team around. Kris Versteeg seems to lack the jump he had in Chicago, and I reckon it's because he's not used to being the focus of opposition defenses, given that in Chicago the top pair was always assigned to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but also to Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa. It doesn't help either when Versteeg is such a perimeter player. The lack of offensive presence led to Brian Burke calling up Christian Hanson over Kadri in late October and it's hard to fault his logic. The Leafs were getting shots on net but lacked the physical presence up the middle to create space and time for their wingers and Hanson, at 6'4" and 228 lbs., is much bigger than the 6'0", 188 lbs. Kadri. The reason why the Leafs' fourth line of Mike Brown, Colton Orr, and Mike Zigomanis/Hanson is so successful is because they put so much pressure on the opposition defense with their physical forecheck and aren't afraid to go into the dirty areas. Offense will probably be the most discussed topic for Toronto but lost in the shuffle is Keith Aulie, a prospect received from Calgary (the piece that really tilted the deal in favour of Toronto) in the Dion Phaneuf trade who was called up along with Kadri. If you don't know who Aulie is yet, you should. The WHL is known for producing great defensemen and Aulie spent his entire major junior career with Brandon. Drafted 116th overall in 2007, Aulie didn't turn many heads... that was until he was paired with Tyler Myers for the 2009 World Junior Championships (the year Canada won its fifth straight gold and Cody Hodgson led the tournament in scoring, only to lose the MVP award to John Tavares) and became the tournament's best shut-down pair. At 6'6", the lanky blueliner has a pterodactyl-like wingspan but once he's filled out his frame, along with Luke Schenn they could form the league's best shut-down 1-2 punch. Even if you include Ryan Kesler's two-goal effort in Ottawa, the Canucks' secondary scoring has been absolutely atrocious on the road. Granted, Kesler's outburst may have finally opened the floodgates but both Mikael Samuelsson and Mason Raymond have yet to score on the road and have only combined for 4 assists and -9, atrocious stats that you won't find unless you look on the last page of the road +/- category. With no Dion Phaneuf, who remains sidelined with a leg injury, look for Alain Vigneault to try and get his second line going. The Sedins, as always, have been consistent both at home and on the road, and with Alex Burrows finally 100% that line will once again rank in the league's top 5. <img src="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/3797222.bin?size=620x400"class="imageFloatRightFramed">Vigneault elected to not make any lineup changes following a shutout loss to Montreal in which the entire team played poorly, thereby declaring that it wasn't just one player's fault for their performance. Coming off a convincing win makes lineup changes even harder to justify but since Keith Ballard's exile to the pressbox, giving the Canucks their first $4 million healthy scratch and the first of Ballard's career, Andrew Alberts' play has regressed. He's taken bad penalties at bad times and failed to clear the puck in key situations. Aaron Rome has been unspectacular but much more steady, giving Vigneault at least a dependable third pairing player. But as hard as it is to justify lineup changes after a win, like Sidney Crosby I prefer to give my struggling players the opportunity to play rather than stapling them to the bench or exiling them to the press box. Let's not forget that Ballard has led the Panthers in hits in five consecutive seasons and along with Zbynek Michalek and Mike Weaver, one of the most underrated shot blockers in the game. He's had a rough start to the season but he is still top four material. Despite Alberts' struggles he is, by far, the most improved Canuck this year (thanks to plyometrics) and he has proven that he can be change the momentum of the game, like in the 6-4 win over Detroit when he absolutely wallpapered Pavel Datsyuk. Aaron Rome doesn't have that game-changing ability. For that reason, Rome would be my odd man out. On a team that is as talented and skilled as this I can afford to make the risky play knowing that Roberto Luongo and rest of the team can bail Alberts out if he makes a mistake. I'm not saying Alberts' upside is like Ed Jovanovski's, who similarly made a name for himself by taking risks, but like Mario Bliznak last night it's particularly uplifting for a team when a depth player can make such a significant impact in the game. Speaking of Bliznak, another former WHL product like Aulie who played with the Giants, if he continues his strong play forget about the search for a fourth line centre (move aside, Peter Schaefer. Thank goodness that ill-conceived experiment has ended). Drafted 205th overall in 2005 by Dave Nonis, Bliznak was virtually unknown, save for the fact that he was playing in the Slovak men's league as a 17-year old and appeared in 19 games but registered zero points. Bliznak moved to the WHL to further develop as a hockey player but was never known to be a prolific goal scorer. However, his work ethic has always been his selling point and even when he graduated from the WHL, Moose GM Craig Heisinger was taken back at how ready this kid was for professional hockey. There's no lack of confidence in the kid by Vigneault either, with Bliznak taking 10 face-offs last night and winning half of them. Since centre ice is arguably the most valuable property on the ice, if Bliznak can develop into a serviceable fourth line centre, the Canucks will be locked in at that position for years to come. Just like how the Leafs hesitated to call up Kadri, Mike Gillis has elected to keep Jordan Schroeder and Cody Hodgson, who leads the Moose in scoring, in the AHL for further development. There's no hurry - both players are entering their first full professional season. For those wondering when wunderkind Cory Schneider will get his next start, it is most likely in Buffalo against the struggling Sabres, but if Luongo plays well he will start all of the games on the trip. With four teams struggling, especially the Penguins suffering from new-home-rink-itis, the Canucks may go 4-1 on this trip. Prediction: The Canucks absolutely blister the Leafs on special teams. The Canucks are clicking at 26% on the powerplay and the Leafs can barely kill of 3/4 of their penalties. Kadri makes one nice play but disappears for the rest of the game. Mike Komisarek takes at least one dumb penalty and Tanner Glass scraps with former Canuck Mike Brown. Canucks win, 5-1.
  13. I can't believe that suspension stayed. According to some sources when Thornton asked the league what he could've done differently to avoid the suspension/hit the league couldn't answer him.
  14. 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.
  15. I don't think we'll ever see Bure's 10 in the rafters. If they had plans to retire it next year Tambellini would not be wearing that number. But I do agree, Wayne Maki's #11 should belong up there. When Messier took #11 it just showed how willing the organization was going to bend its back to please one player.
  16. Hard to tell what sort of qualifications are to be met exactly. Like i said before if not Smyl or Linden then Gradin, Snepsts, King Richard... any of the old heroes. Hammer79, glad you brought up Pavel Bure. He was, by far, the best goalscorer in franchise history. It's hard to compare players in different eras but it is my opinion that Bure is better than Ovechkin. It was a shame that he left, and honestly I have no bitter feelings, but despite his talents I don't think Bure's tenure as a Canuck really warrants a spot. He did put fans in the stands and was Vancouver's first legitimate superstar and he was integral to the '94 run but I don't think his contributions exceeded those of Snepsts, Gradin, and many others.
  17. Definitely who and what the Canucks are extend to beyond the on-ice product but if there any other players to induct alongside Kurtenbach it's Smyl or Linden. McLean, Gradin, Snepsts, and a whole host of others are also worthy but none are quite as synonymous with the Canucks as either 12 or 16. Just for the record, my vote went to Pat Quinn. Player, coach, manager, builder.
  18. 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?
  19. I don't think 30 goals is out of the question for Raymond. He probably won't ever be a point per game player but certainly a top six forward. He doesn't have the greatest hands but neither did Geoff Sanderson and he was a bona fide goal scorer for awhile.
  20. Schaefer and Desbiens are temporary solutions for sure. Schaefer will be gone after this season unless he somehow scores 15 goals and provides some great special teams play. Desbiens is a guy who tries hard but I would be surprised if he gets more than 100 NHL games under his belt. I think it's pretty obvious management is just plugging holes with cheap solutions until Schroeder and Hodgson are ready. Burrows' presence is missed but Raymond/Kesler need to start executing. They've been getting chances but it just hasn't gone in. Neither Hansen nor Torres are the solutions. They need a player with more sandpaper and size to create some room for them. I think it's just a matter of time before they have a game like the Ducks' big three. If by game 10 they're still pointless then I'd be a little worried.
  21. I think Pominville deserves some blame for turning his back but that hit was very borderline. I don't think Pominville had a chance to protect himself. Hjalmarsson was coming from an angle where Pominville couldn't see him and Hjalmarsson skated at least halfway across the ice to nail him. I definitely agree that the extent of the injury shouldn't be a factor when handing out suspensions. Even had Pominville got up I would've still suspended Hjalmarsson. I think there has to be a zero tolerance policy especially with how strong and fast players are these days.
  22. 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.
  23. Maybe not Nashville because history works against them and in the playoffs you do need talent, no matter how hard you work. St. Louis is an interesting one because Davis Payne is a relatively unknown coach. They've certainly got the pieces but they won't advance past the second round, if they ever get that far. If Halak can repeat what he did in Montreal they do have the potential. I like the Blues' roster much more than the Habs'.
  24. 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.
  25. 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
×
×
  • Create New...