Monday, January 31, 2011
Leafs
When Brian Burke took over the job in Toronto, his past success had Leafs fans optimistic about a quick turnaround. Unfortunately for fans in Toronto, all Burke has done thus far is halt the progress of a rebuilding team. He pulled the trigger on the Phil Kessel deal way too fast in my opinion, without having the opportunity to seriously assess his team. For the second year in a row the Leafs find themselves at the bottom of the standings, without a 1st round pick to look forward to. For a young team who lacks offense, these draft picks are extremely valuable. Not to mention that the Boston Bruins, a division rival, are loading up for their future with Toronto's picks while currently having a very strong team. They don't miss Kessel one bit, as Nathan Horton has filled in nicely. Kessel had a few good seasons in Boston, but let's not forget he was centered by Marc Savard who in my mind is one of the best pure passers in the game. There are very few guys in the league who are worth two high first round picks, and Kessel certainly is not one of them. With limited draft picks and few prospects, the Leafs need to make a splash in free agency this summer. Look for them to actively pursue Brad Richards, who is a UFA in the offseason. Despite their struggles Toronto is still a desired place to play for many players in the league, but the question is whether Richards would want to be a part of a rebuilding team or wants to win another cup now. Burke was quoted a week ago saying that they want to be buyers at the deadline. My advice to you Brian, put the ego aside for a second, cut your losses and properly rebuild this team through the draft and acquisitions. Toronto fans have waited far too long to have a winner on the ice, and they may have to wait a little while longer at this rate.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
duds
Here are the top 3 disappointments from the first half...
1) Ilya Kovalchuk- Big shock here. The Kovalchuk situation in Jersey has been a complete mess from the very beginning. The team was so tied up with his big contract they could only dress 3 lines for some games at the start of the season, and Kovy isn't even coming close to earning that pay. He has only 29 points in 48 games played this season, one less than the incompetent Olli Jokinen. His +/- is the worst in the league at -29. But what makes this guy a huge dud to me is how he has brought his team down to the very bottom of the NHL standings. Jersey was a division winner last year, and have made the playoffs for the past 13 seasons. He has clearly shaken up the chemistry of this team, and I am not sure as to how well liked he is in the locker room. I think Kovalchuk is driven more by cash and individual stats rather than winning. If not, why would he turn down a 10 year $83 million deal with the LA Kings, who apart from being an up and coming young team, have a solid fan base. Kovy is just as content playing in Newark where the seats are as empty as Atlanta, on yet another team destined to miss the playoffs. The Atlanta Thrashers this season look much more promising than they ever did with Kovalchuk, because they replaced him with character guys and are now more of a team. Dont be surprised if Ilya attempts to bolt to the KHL in the next couple of seasons.
2) Joe Thornton- For the past 5 seasons, it was almost a given that the Sharks would be in the top 3 of the west and Jumbo Joe would be top 10 in scoring. This year Thornton's play has declined, and consequently the Sharks are now battling for their playoff lives. His 44 points in 48 games is average for his standards, and his -14 will have to improve if this team wants to be playing in April. It seems the Stanley Cup window is closing fast for this team, who have always proven to be a dominant team in the regular season but could never get it done in the playoffs. I am big fan of Thornton and I have always thought his criticism was a bit undeserved, but at the age of 31 it seems he is slowing down ever so slightly. San Jose is at their best when Joe is at the top of his game. Joe missed out on the all-star game this year, despite being the captain of the western conference team 2009 in montreal. He made a 50 goal scorer out of current zamboni driver Jonathon Cheechoo, and Dany Heatley relies on Thornton heavily to get him the puck. San Jose will only go as far as Joe will take them, and his play will have to elevate in the second half for this team to get into the playoffs.
3) Drew Doughty- A preseason Norris favourite, Doughty's play has taken a step back this season. The Kings are currently struggling sitting at 11th in the Western Conference. It's not like Doughty has terrible this season, but his coming out party at the olympics followed by a strong second half and playoff performance set the bar very high for him this year. But let's keep this in perspective. Drew is only 21 years old, and seemingly has a hall of fame career ahead of him. Part of me feels like he is playing a bit injured, but he is way too valuable for the Kings to shut down for a good portion of the season. Look for Doughty's play to pick up in the second half and for the Kings to make a strong push for the playoffs.
1) Ilya Kovalchuk- Big shock here. The Kovalchuk situation in Jersey has been a complete mess from the very beginning. The team was so tied up with his big contract they could only dress 3 lines for some games at the start of the season, and Kovy isn't even coming close to earning that pay. He has only 29 points in 48 games played this season, one less than the incompetent Olli Jokinen. His +/- is the worst in the league at -29. But what makes this guy a huge dud to me is how he has brought his team down to the very bottom of the NHL standings. Jersey was a division winner last year, and have made the playoffs for the past 13 seasons. He has clearly shaken up the chemistry of this team, and I am not sure as to how well liked he is in the locker room. I think Kovalchuk is driven more by cash and individual stats rather than winning. If not, why would he turn down a 10 year $83 million deal with the LA Kings, who apart from being an up and coming young team, have a solid fan base. Kovy is just as content playing in Newark where the seats are as empty as Atlanta, on yet another team destined to miss the playoffs. The Atlanta Thrashers this season look much more promising than they ever did with Kovalchuk, because they replaced him with character guys and are now more of a team. Dont be surprised if Ilya attempts to bolt to the KHL in the next couple of seasons.
2) Joe Thornton- For the past 5 seasons, it was almost a given that the Sharks would be in the top 3 of the west and Jumbo Joe would be top 10 in scoring. This year Thornton's play has declined, and consequently the Sharks are now battling for their playoff lives. His 44 points in 48 games is average for his standards, and his -14 will have to improve if this team wants to be playing in April. It seems the Stanley Cup window is closing fast for this team, who have always proven to be a dominant team in the regular season but could never get it done in the playoffs. I am big fan of Thornton and I have always thought his criticism was a bit undeserved, but at the age of 31 it seems he is slowing down ever so slightly. San Jose is at their best when Joe is at the top of his game. Joe missed out on the all-star game this year, despite being the captain of the western conference team 2009 in montreal. He made a 50 goal scorer out of current zamboni driver Jonathon Cheechoo, and Dany Heatley relies on Thornton heavily to get him the puck. San Jose will only go as far as Joe will take them, and his play will have to elevate in the second half for this team to get into the playoffs.
3) Drew Doughty- A preseason Norris favourite, Doughty's play has taken a step back this season. The Kings are currently struggling sitting at 11th in the Western Conference. It's not like Doughty has terrible this season, but his coming out party at the olympics followed by a strong second half and playoff performance set the bar very high for him this year. But let's keep this in perspective. Drew is only 21 years old, and seemingly has a hall of fame career ahead of him. Part of me feels like he is playing a bit injured, but he is way too valuable for the Kings to shut down for a good portion of the season. Look for Doughty's play to pick up in the second half and for the Kings to make a strong push for the playoffs.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
surprises
So now that we have reached the all-star break of the 2011 season, it's time to look back at the league's most surprising, and most disappointing players thus far.
Studs
1) Tim Thomas- Coming off a dismal 09/10 season, Tim Thomas looks to be back in his Vezina form from 2 years ago. At the moment he leads the league in Save %, GAA, and shutouts, while being 2nd in wins. But more importantly, he has made Boston a legit contender in the east, and you can bet not many teams will be looking forward to facing this guy in the playoffs.
2) Ryan Kesler- Though Kesler didnt get the C in Vancouver, he has emerged as the true leader of the Canucks. He has limited his on ice chirping and now lets his play do the talking. He sits tied for third (with teammate D. Sedin) in the NHL in goals with 27, while playing on a second line in which both his linemates are having disappointing seasons. At the same time, Kes is just as valuable to the Canucks for his defensive play. He is the real difference maker for this team, and is a big reason why they are sitting atop the western conference.
3) Dustin Byfuglien- Big Buff has been huge for the Thrashers in the first half of the season, and it seems he is more suited to patrolling the blue line rather than terrorizing opposing goalies in front of the net with his 6'5'' 265lb frame. His 41 points are good for 4th in defensive scoring, and his 6 game winning goals are tops in the league. He has certainly benefited from Atlanta's system, as they have given him much more freedom than he saw in Chicago. He is encouraged to jump up in the rush and let his big shot go from the blue line, as he has 217 shots on goal thus far good for 2nd in the league. More importantly, Byfuglien has given this Atlanta team a bit of swagger, and they should be a playoff team come April.
Check tomorrow for the top 3 disappointments...
Studs
1) Tim Thomas- Coming off a dismal 09/10 season, Tim Thomas looks to be back in his Vezina form from 2 years ago. At the moment he leads the league in Save %, GAA, and shutouts, while being 2nd in wins. But more importantly, he has made Boston a legit contender in the east, and you can bet not many teams will be looking forward to facing this guy in the playoffs.
2) Ryan Kesler- Though Kesler didnt get the C in Vancouver, he has emerged as the true leader of the Canucks. He has limited his on ice chirping and now lets his play do the talking. He sits tied for third (with teammate D. Sedin) in the NHL in goals with 27, while playing on a second line in which both his linemates are having disappointing seasons. At the same time, Kes is just as valuable to the Canucks for his defensive play. He is the real difference maker for this team, and is a big reason why they are sitting atop the western conference.
3) Dustin Byfuglien- Big Buff has been huge for the Thrashers in the first half of the season, and it seems he is more suited to patrolling the blue line rather than terrorizing opposing goalies in front of the net with his 6'5'' 265lb frame. His 41 points are good for 4th in defensive scoring, and his 6 game winning goals are tops in the league. He has certainly benefited from Atlanta's system, as they have given him much more freedom than he saw in Chicago. He is encouraged to jump up in the rush and let his big shot go from the blue line, as he has 217 shots on goal thus far good for 2nd in the league. More importantly, Byfuglien has given this Atlanta team a bit of swagger, and they should be a playoff team come April.
Check tomorrow for the top 3 disappointments...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Yandle
Who is the best kept secret in the NHL? Without a question, it's Keith Yandle. Playing in the desert, and on the west coast in front of 10,000 fans per night certainly helps this cause. If he played for the Leafs he would be considered a Norris candidate, which I think could be in the future for this young star. I've been big on this guy since last year and at 24 years of age he is starting to show his real potential. Yandle didnt even make the US olympic team last year, but right now he is arguably playing better than any other D-man who was on that squad. This just shows how far this guy has progressed in such little time. With 42 points he leads the Coyotes in scoring, and is a big reason for the team's surprising yet continued success. You can bet Yandle will recieve a big pay raise and lots of attention from the big name markets once his contract is up in Phoenix.
Monday, December 13, 2010
stuck on long island
How bad are the New York Islanders? After tonight's game, they will have lost 20 of their last 21 games. Their record of 5-18-5 is the worst in the league, and the club has another high draft pick to look forward to next spring. Losing top D-man Mark Streit for the season certainly didn't help, but even with him they would be in tough. Rick DiPietro's 15 year contract at this point is laughable. What concerns me the most about this team is the lack of veteran leadership for the young players, particulary John Tavares. If you look at some of the more successful young players over the past couple years, each has had a veteran to ease them through the tough times. Much of Steven Stamkos' success can be attributed to Gary Roberts, who helped him through a tough rookie season and turned him into one of the hardest working players in the offseason. Crosby had Lemieux, and Shawn Horcoff's leadership in Edmonton seems to be paying off for their young stars. If Tavares is to be the franchise player on Long Island, the team needs to build up it's veteran leadership before this bright young star loses all his confidence.
spin-omark-a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5powwre3H8I
Here is the link to Linus Omark's flashy yet controversial first shootout attempt in the NHL. Following the game, Martin St. Louis told the media he thought it was disrespectul. Steve Yzerman didn't like it, neither did Doug Wilson. Give me a break. The only reason the shootout is part of the game is for the entertainment value. If you really think about it, a miniature skills competition isn't the most logical way to end a hockey game after 65 minutes of hard fought action. Don Cherry said it right on Coaches Corner, "it's a gimmick within a gimmick." Look at the crowd's reaction, they absolutely loved it. After the game, TSN put up a poll asking "Do players have to earn the right to be flashy?" Absolutely not. Omark is a young kid with all the confidence in the world, and if he has the stones to pull off a move like that then good for him. To all those Tampa players who cried foul after the game, stop whining. This new crop of young players have a level of creativity the NHL has never seen before. It's exciting, and the league needs to see more of it.
Here is the link to Linus Omark's flashy yet controversial first shootout attempt in the NHL. Following the game, Martin St. Louis told the media he thought it was disrespectul. Steve Yzerman didn't like it, neither did Doug Wilson. Give me a break. The only reason the shootout is part of the game is for the entertainment value. If you really think about it, a miniature skills competition isn't the most logical way to end a hockey game after 65 minutes of hard fought action. Don Cherry said it right on Coaches Corner, "it's a gimmick within a gimmick." Look at the crowd's reaction, they absolutely loved it. After the game, TSN put up a poll asking "Do players have to earn the right to be flashy?" Absolutely not. Omark is a young kid with all the confidence in the world, and if he has the stones to pull off a move like that then good for him. To all those Tampa players who cried foul after the game, stop whining. This new crop of young players have a level of creativity the NHL has never seen before. It's exciting, and the league needs to see more of it.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Flames' woes
Could things get any worse for the Calgary Flames? After losing another close game last night to the LA Kings, the team finds itself in the basement of the Western Conference right next to the rebuilding Edmonton Oilers. Unfortunately for the Flames, they are far from a rebuilding team. They have the second oldest team in the league, with little help on the way in the form of prospects. Although it may be a little early to call it quits on the season in the tightly knit Western Conference, I give this team a deadline of 10 games before they make a move. If they can't pull it together before then and this trend of play keeps up, it would be the only logical decision.
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