Hockey Canada announced the five finalist for the World Junior Championships in 2009. You have four big markets and Saskatoon in the running, while Quebec City and London were interested, but never committed. There are plenty in London who think that because of so many big markets, that it's unfair to display them over the "true" junior territories. I hate to day this, but all those cities still in the running have or will have junior teams in cities by 2009. Granted, Montreal doesn't have one anymore, but there are plenty in the vicinitiy.
Now, just looking at this-- there are many way for Saskatoon to get screwed in this whole ordeal. I mean, all of the other cities have big building with auxiliary building that are big enough to hold junior games. Plus, they'll have the big money accomodations to back up the supply/demand issue for people coming in. However, before jumping to conclusion, here's a little look at how I see it:
Toronto: It's the self-proclaimed hockey haven with all the major media outlets around the area and with some of the most interesting attractions for hockey fans to see it. It's a very interesting location and could be the best move for business in the whole scheme of things. Sadly, their OHL club gets lost in the fold of the Leafs.
Montreal: In 2009, the Habs will be celebrating their 100th season as a franchise. The Habs brass has stated they would want to have the NHL Draft, All Star Game, and WJC in the city to help along the celebration.
Saskatoon: It's not a big city, but they have a big heart for junior hockey. The Blades do great business in the city and are the talk of the town in the hockey months. It would be the best fit for a World Junior Tournament, but because of lack of big building, may get lost in the fold.
Ottawa: The Nation's Capital and has a great legacy of junior hockey with the greatest coach in junior hockey history, Brian Kilrea. With the emergence of the successful Senators, Ottawa would be a pretty decent choice, so long as the red tape doesn't block the way.
Calgary/Edmonton: Alberta is rich. Let's face it-- the oil is booming. That aside, Calgary is the home to Hockey Canada, which would cut down on travel time for those practicing at the facilities. Edmonton will be getting a WHL team in '07 and has a rich hockey history with the Oilers.
It'll be a very interesting decision to make for Hockey Canada. Personally, I would like it to be in Calgary/Edmonton-- mainly because the boys can come up and we can party all two weeks long in the Casa de Wazz. However, whatever the decision is, each city will put on a great show and will do Hockey Canada proud.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Experience Not Needed
It was brought to my attention on the FOHS Message Board that this years playoffs, and the goalies who play in them, could be a very interesting one at that. Apparently, Sportsnet's west coast jobber Don Taylor brought up the fact that there's not much experiences when it comes to the playoffs. Credit to Tim Arnold for bringing this up.
Once, you look at it, you can see that it's going to be about which new kid can take it all the way. But, if you remember past history, you'll know that in the past two finals, both Miikka Kiprusoff and J-S Giguere came out of utter obscurity to carry their team throughout the rough terrian of the playoff landscape.
This year, it could be different with the about of young goalies that have been coming through the ranks and making a name for themselves, but you can never count out a veteran like Martin Broduer or even the seasoned goalies like Kiprusoff or even Marty Turco. One thing is for sure, whoever it is, they will be focused on throughout the playoffs to see who cracks first.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE...that's what she said....)
Once, you look at it, you can see that it's going to be about which new kid can take it all the way. But, if you remember past history, you'll know that in the past two finals, both Miikka Kiprusoff and J-S Giguere came out of utter obscurity to carry their team throughout the rough terrian of the playoff landscape.
This year, it could be different with the about of young goalies that have been coming through the ranks and making a name for themselves, but you can never count out a veteran like Martin Broduer or even the seasoned goalies like Kiprusoff or even Marty Turco. One thing is for sure, whoever it is, they will be focused on throughout the playoffs to see who cracks first.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
The Canucks TRUE Top Line
Through all the struggles that the Canucks are having, the big plus side that the managment can look at is the emergence of the line of Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Anson Carter. Each player compliments the other perfectly. The amazing thing is that those three are all in the top-5 in team scoring and all having career years.
For Carter, it is his break out year. Already, he has 30 goals (most in his career) and has almost eclipsed his career year in 2001-02 in Edmonton. Though there were many different forwards to play alongside the Sedin twins, Carter has been the cog that the Canucks needed to actually spark the twins to their full potential. The skill both Sedin twins possess make Carter virtually invisible to the defense, which has allowed him to get those 30 goals.
The Sedins have been nothing short of spectacular. It's a season like this which shows the Canucks that they made the right choice in picking the twins 2nd (Daniel) and 3rd (Henrik) Overall in the 1999 Entry Draft. Up to this point in their careers, they have been duds. Daniel's best point output was 54 pts (18g, 36a), while Henrik was 42pts (11g, 31a) both in '03-'04. Luckily for the Sedins, they knew that they were going to be with Carter, which allowed them to develop a chemistry they hadn't had before.
The Canucks are reaping the benefits, however, if they want to stay in the playoff picture, they need to help of not only the Sedins/Carter line, but also their "top" trio of Todd Bertuzzi, Brendan Morrison, and Markus Naslund. Though those three have been playing fairly well, the inconsistency that surrounds the line is what needs to be fixed in order to have any shot at a deep Stanley Cup run, if they make it.
In any case, there's really no debate in the Canuckland that the Sedins and Carter line is the top one right now in VanCity. If they are to be dethroned, it will take a strong effort from the other lines and even then, it still could be open for debate.
For Carter, it is his break out year. Already, he has 30 goals (most in his career) and has almost eclipsed his career year in 2001-02 in Edmonton. Though there were many different forwards to play alongside the Sedin twins, Carter has been the cog that the Canucks needed to actually spark the twins to their full potential. The skill both Sedin twins possess make Carter virtually invisible to the defense, which has allowed him to get those 30 goals.
The Sedins have been nothing short of spectacular. It's a season like this which shows the Canucks that they made the right choice in picking the twins 2nd (Daniel) and 3rd (Henrik) Overall in the 1999 Entry Draft. Up to this point in their careers, they have been duds. Daniel's best point output was 54 pts (18g, 36a), while Henrik was 42pts (11g, 31a) both in '03-'04. Luckily for the Sedins, they knew that they were going to be with Carter, which allowed them to develop a chemistry they hadn't had before.
The Canucks are reaping the benefits, however, if they want to stay in the playoff picture, they need to help of not only the Sedins/Carter line, but also their "top" trio of Todd Bertuzzi, Brendan Morrison, and Markus Naslund. Though those three have been playing fairly well, the inconsistency that surrounds the line is what needs to be fixed in order to have any shot at a deep Stanley Cup run, if they make it.
In any case, there's really no debate in the Canuckland that the Sedins and Carter line is the top one right now in VanCity. If they are to be dethroned, it will take a strong effort from the other lines and even then, it still could be open for debate.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Looking Ahead
For years, the main import of new talent in the NHL has been the Canadian Hockey League. That still holds true today, but not by much. Right now, the NHL teams seem to be going after more and more NCAA players than they have in the past. After talking to Mike Eidlebes from Inside College Hockey last Wednesday, he seems to think that the development of NCAA players are getting to the level of those in major juniors.
You also have to look at this year's Draft as proof of this NCAA revival coming up. The top three ranked in the Central Scouting Bureau are players who are either playing in college now or intend to play in college next season. Erik Johnson (letter of intent to Minnesota), Phil Kessel (Minnesota), and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) were ranked in the top three this year, in a Draft which doesn't have many big name players coming out of it like it has in the past couple of years.
Let's not fool ourselves though, the workload carried in the CHL is something that NHL teams respect and know that if they were able to throw someone into the everyday NHL line-up, they could handle. Both Wojtek Wolski and Gilbert Brule proved that this season, but were victims of attrition this season, being sent back down to their junior clubs.
Yet, for some reason, more and more NHL teams seem to be seeing the NCAA as a viable option for players nowadays. Though they don't play as many games, NCAA teams have some of the top conditioned atheltes in sports. With all the time in the weight room when not playing or practicing, it helped out the development much more.
Plus it comes with an added bonus for the teams.
You see, if the draftees goes to college, they don't have to (and can't for that matter) sign a pro contract until they are done with college. The NHL club still owes their rights, but it will give more time to mature. The same luxury doesn't come with the CHL, where there is a 2-year signing period that has to be done, or else the player will go back into the Draft pool.
Right now, the CHL will continue to be the dominant place to select talent for the time being. Since 1998, on average, 16 players have been drafted from the CHL, five players were drafted from the NCAA ranks, while about nine players were drafted from Europe in the First Round. I do expect that number to be taken from the Europeans and put into the NCAA, as it seems the Europeans have hit a lull in developing truly stellar talent. In 2005's Draft, only five players were selected from Europe, it's lowest since 2003 and 1998, both of which had five as well.
What does this mean to you?? Not much until I present the Draft Board (coming in May) and we'll see how the numbers go from there. However, it seems that the NCAA is really gaining some speed in terms of being an alternate route to developing not only the player, but also the person as well.
You also have to look at this year's Draft as proof of this NCAA revival coming up. The top three ranked in the Central Scouting Bureau are players who are either playing in college now or intend to play in college next season. Erik Johnson (letter of intent to Minnesota), Phil Kessel (Minnesota), and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) were ranked in the top three this year, in a Draft which doesn't have many big name players coming out of it like it has in the past couple of years.
Let's not fool ourselves though, the workload carried in the CHL is something that NHL teams respect and know that if they were able to throw someone into the everyday NHL line-up, they could handle. Both Wojtek Wolski and Gilbert Brule proved that this season, but were victims of attrition this season, being sent back down to their junior clubs.
Yet, for some reason, more and more NHL teams seem to be seeing the NCAA as a viable option for players nowadays. Though they don't play as many games, NCAA teams have some of the top conditioned atheltes in sports. With all the time in the weight room when not playing or practicing, it helped out the development much more.
Plus it comes with an added bonus for the teams.
You see, if the draftees goes to college, they don't have to (and can't for that matter) sign a pro contract until they are done with college. The NHL club still owes their rights, but it will give more time to mature. The same luxury doesn't come with the CHL, where there is a 2-year signing period that has to be done, or else the player will go back into the Draft pool.
Right now, the CHL will continue to be the dominant place to select talent for the time being. Since 1998, on average, 16 players have been drafted from the CHL, five players were drafted from the NCAA ranks, while about nine players were drafted from Europe in the First Round. I do expect that number to be taken from the Europeans and put into the NCAA, as it seems the Europeans have hit a lull in developing truly stellar talent. In 2005's Draft, only five players were selected from Europe, it's lowest since 2003 and 1998, both of which had five as well.
What does this mean to you?? Not much until I present the Draft Board (coming in May) and we'll see how the numbers go from there. However, it seems that the NCAA is really gaining some speed in terms of being an alternate route to developing not only the player, but also the person as well.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Beyond The Beard
It's playoff time in the Major Junior ranks. I will be taking in Games 3-5 of the Calgary Hitmen/Lethbridge Hurricanes series at the Saddledome tonight, Thursday, and Saturday. The thing about Major Junior playoffs is that they go beyond the playoff beard. That's not to say the beard is not important....because if I said that, then Cap'n Bosh's Blog would cry.
That said-- it seems that hockey hair has taken a new meaning altogether. For example, the Barrie Colts (OHL) have dyed their hair blue and the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) have dyed their hair blonde. However, it seems that the Hitmen have gone above and beyond the call of duty for this fest.
The Hitmen have not only brought back the CH Army (apparel that you too can purchase), but they have been connected as one by mohawking their hair. This was inspired by defenseman Dylan Yeo who stated "Win together now, stay together forever," which he has also stitched on the back of his CH Army Shirt.
You've gotta love the younger players though. They aren't afraid to be noticed. They want to have great team unity and this is the way to do it. Many of these guys may not even see the NHL for a while, if at all, so this to them is their Stanley Cup and their time to shine. Let this be a lesson to the pros that you can go out and have some fun with the whole playoff deal. Of course, I'm sure that there are some players who would look quite out of place with the dyed hair or what-have-you, so I guess we'll leave it up to the Junior players to lead the way.
I'm hoping I'll have the chance to take some shots of the boys with their hair and all to put on display. If you have any picture of the different things your team does in the playoffs, please feel free to send them to us by emailing them to comments@faceoffhockeyshow.com and we'll post them up on our Message Board, once we get enough-- that is.
That said-- it seems that hockey hair has taken a new meaning altogether. For example, the Barrie Colts (OHL) have dyed their hair blue and the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) have dyed their hair blonde. However, it seems that the Hitmen have gone above and beyond the call of duty for this fest.
The Hitmen have not only brought back the CH Army (apparel that you too can purchase), but they have been connected as one by mohawking their hair. This was inspired by defenseman Dylan Yeo who stated "Win together now, stay together forever," which he has also stitched on the back of his CH Army Shirt.
You've gotta love the younger players though. They aren't afraid to be noticed. They want to have great team unity and this is the way to do it. Many of these guys may not even see the NHL for a while, if at all, so this to them is their Stanley Cup and their time to shine. Let this be a lesson to the pros that you can go out and have some fun with the whole playoff deal. Of course, I'm sure that there are some players who would look quite out of place with the dyed hair or what-have-you, so I guess we'll leave it up to the Junior players to lead the way.
I'm hoping I'll have the chance to take some shots of the boys with their hair and all to put on display. If you have any picture of the different things your team does in the playoffs, please feel free to send them to us by emailing them to comments@faceoffhockeyshow.com and we'll post them up on our Message Board, once we get enough-- that is.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Sharpening the Ax
With the recent dismisal of Andy Murray from LA, and previous with Steve Stirling (NYI) and Ed Olczyk (PGH), it's time to think about who will be staying and who will be going from the coaching ranks coming up in the summer time. There could be a lot of action, there could be very little action-- that's where the whole speculation thing comes into play.
-Mike Sullivan: With the exiting of Mike O'Connell as GM for the Bruins, there could be a decent chance that Sullivan is on his way out. After coming off a dismal playoff performance in '03-'04, coupled with the play this year of his team, some can only imagine that Sullivan could be axed by season's end. Of course, the firing of O'Connell didn't help his cause to stay on with the B's after this forgettable season is done.
-Mike Kitchen: With the arrival of new ownership, one can only assume that they will blow up the team and start fresh. Kitchen didn't have the best team out there, infact, he's had one of the worst. To his credit, Kitchen has gotten some motivated efforts from his squad, but not consistantly enough to warrant a streak. However, Dave Checketts and company could keep him around to see what Kitchen could do with a good team....but we'll have to see what comes from the new look Blues.
-Marc Crawford: Call me crazy, but I don't think many Canucks fans are fond of the Crow. There's a good team out there on the ice, but there are many believe that he has lost the room. Now, if the Canucks miss the playoffs or have an early round exit, then that could be the smoking gun to get him fired. Yet, if the Canucks can actually pull off a good run, the team would be hard-pressed to get rid of Crawford.
-Gerard Gallant: This decision was suspect at the start, but with the downfall that the organization has taken, there's a chance for a major shake-up. Gallant could be a fall guy for saving Doug MacLean's job, but MacLean probably won't be out of the woods if he can't get the team going. Granted, injuries and goaltending have taken it's toll, but if they can't get a sturdy farm-squad to do the job, then something needs to give.
-Pat Quinn: If the Leafs want to actually get somewhere, they need to get Quinn off the bench. He's a loyal guy, but sometimes you have to check the loyalty at the door. Should the Leafs not make the playoffs, then there needs to be new blood behind the bench at the ACC. It seems the Leafs are starting on a tailspin, to correct it, they'll need to turn out of it as fast as possible.
Now, that's just a little top-5 for me. There's plenty of coaches out there are on the hot seat, but it's not as prevalent. All of these guys could be gone or it could be none of them. No one really knows but the guys who are really in charge of the clubs. It should be an interesting off-season, but we have playoffs to deal with first before anything else.
-Mike Sullivan: With the exiting of Mike O'Connell as GM for the Bruins, there could be a decent chance that Sullivan is on his way out. After coming off a dismal playoff performance in '03-'04, coupled with the play this year of his team, some can only imagine that Sullivan could be axed by season's end. Of course, the firing of O'Connell didn't help his cause to stay on with the B's after this forgettable season is done.
-Mike Kitchen: With the arrival of new ownership, one can only assume that they will blow up the team and start fresh. Kitchen didn't have the best team out there, infact, he's had one of the worst. To his credit, Kitchen has gotten some motivated efforts from his squad, but not consistantly enough to warrant a streak. However, Dave Checketts and company could keep him around to see what Kitchen could do with a good team....but we'll have to see what comes from the new look Blues.
-Marc Crawford: Call me crazy, but I don't think many Canucks fans are fond of the Crow. There's a good team out there on the ice, but there are many believe that he has lost the room. Now, if the Canucks miss the playoffs or have an early round exit, then that could be the smoking gun to get him fired. Yet, if the Canucks can actually pull off a good run, the team would be hard-pressed to get rid of Crawford.
-Gerard Gallant: This decision was suspect at the start, but with the downfall that the organization has taken, there's a chance for a major shake-up. Gallant could be a fall guy for saving Doug MacLean's job, but MacLean probably won't be out of the woods if he can't get the team going. Granted, injuries and goaltending have taken it's toll, but if they can't get a sturdy farm-squad to do the job, then something needs to give.
-Pat Quinn: If the Leafs want to actually get somewhere, they need to get Quinn off the bench. He's a loyal guy, but sometimes you have to check the loyalty at the door. Should the Leafs not make the playoffs, then there needs to be new blood behind the bench at the ACC. It seems the Leafs are starting on a tailspin, to correct it, they'll need to turn out of it as fast as possible.
Now, that's just a little top-5 for me. There's plenty of coaches out there are on the hot seat, but it's not as prevalent. All of these guys could be gone or it could be none of them. No one really knows but the guys who are really in charge of the clubs. It should be an interesting off-season, but we have playoffs to deal with first before anything else.
Weekend Wrap....age
If you have been out and about this weekend and haven't heard the news or what not, here's what you may have missed:
-Bruins fire Mike O'Connell: It was a long time coming, for sure, but the Bruins finally axed O'Connell. Now, this season and the trades that came along with it had good and bad implications. Bad, of course, is giving up main cogs like Sergei Samsonov and Joe Thornton for deals that even EA Sports would reject. Good, however, is one of the players made in the trade, Marco Sturm, sparking a fire under players like Brad Boyes and Patrice Bergeron. Lest not forget the fact, also, that the Bruins only had 4 players signed after the lockout, which means they didn't get the luxury of the 24% rollback on a majority of their squad. Fresh starts are good and in the long run, it will be better for B's fans to start a-new, next season.
-Back-to-back (-to-back): The schedule czars have done it again. With the exception of the three-game series with the Hurricanes and Capitals, the games between the Leafs/Habs and Canucks/Oilers have had a nice little playoff mentality to it. Of course, the Leafs/Habs went into a nice little brawl mode towards the end of the game, but somehow-- I think a lot of people thought that would happen regardless of if they played back-to-back games. The Canucks/Oilers series just had the feel of the playoffs as both teams were fighting for their lives in sense of a playoff setting. Yet, as these two punch each other out-- the Sharks are looming in the background just slinking into the playoff spot.
-The Slumping Sabres: After a hot season up to this point, you had to figure that the Sabres would hit the wall of reality sooner or later. That's not to say they are done, but the lack of help that Ryan Miller and Martin Biron have been getting really shows that the Sabres could have done more at the trade deadline. Though the Sabres can play in any atmosphere (ie: high scoring, low scoring), they just can't seem to close the door. Even with their big time players like Danny Briere and JP Dumont back, they have slacked off as of late. It could be a good thing for them to get the losing out of the way early, my hope for the Sabres fans that they can turn it around for the playoffs. Granted, that won't help my Fantasy team now, since I have both Miller and Biron-- but oh well.
-College Madness: In the NCAA, the Frozen Four is set with only one #1 Seed, Wisconsin Badgers, heading there after a 1-0 triple OT game against the Cornell Big Red. The Battle Of Beantown ended in a 5-0 Boston College Golden Eagles trouncing over the Boston University Terriers. The Maine Blackbears took out the Michigan State Spartans 5-4, while the North Dakota Fighting Sioux beat the Holy Cross Crusaders, after Holy Cross beat 2nd ranked team in the nation, the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Above the 49th, the Alberta Golden Bears beat the Lakehead T'Wolves to capture their second straight CIS title and 12th title in the teams history. Though some of the rules are different from the NCAA, the pride of school and alma mater is still there and still exciting.
(EDIT: I know it's Lakehead, not Lakewood-- that's the last time I mix Nyquil and DayQuil)
-Ken Daneyko Honored: The original Devil, Kenny Daneyko had his #3 raised to the rafters in the Swamp this past weekend. A gritty player who wasn't the flashiest or most offensive player, but he got the job done and has three-Cup rings to his credit. It couldn't have happened to a better man.
That's it for now, but check back later today and throughout the week for more....whenever we can think of something up to talk about. Sound good, eh??
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
-Bruins fire Mike O'Connell: It was a long time coming, for sure, but the Bruins finally axed O'Connell. Now, this season and the trades that came along with it had good and bad implications. Bad, of course, is giving up main cogs like Sergei Samsonov and Joe Thornton for deals that even EA Sports would reject. Good, however, is one of the players made in the trade, Marco Sturm, sparking a fire under players like Brad Boyes and Patrice Bergeron. Lest not forget the fact, also, that the Bruins only had 4 players signed after the lockout, which means they didn't get the luxury of the 24% rollback on a majority of their squad. Fresh starts are good and in the long run, it will be better for B's fans to start a-new, next season.
-Back-to-back (-to-back): The schedule czars have done it again. With the exception of the three-game series with the Hurricanes and Capitals, the games between the Leafs/Habs and Canucks/Oilers have had a nice little playoff mentality to it. Of course, the Leafs/Habs went into a nice little brawl mode towards the end of the game, but somehow-- I think a lot of people thought that would happen regardless of if they played back-to-back games. The Canucks/Oilers series just had the feel of the playoffs as both teams were fighting for their lives in sense of a playoff setting. Yet, as these two punch each other out-- the Sharks are looming in the background just slinking into the playoff spot.
-The Slumping Sabres: After a hot season up to this point, you had to figure that the Sabres would hit the wall of reality sooner or later. That's not to say they are done, but the lack of help that Ryan Miller and Martin Biron have been getting really shows that the Sabres could have done more at the trade deadline. Though the Sabres can play in any atmosphere (ie: high scoring, low scoring), they just can't seem to close the door. Even with their big time players like Danny Briere and JP Dumont back, they have slacked off as of late. It could be a good thing for them to get the losing out of the way early, my hope for the Sabres fans that they can turn it around for the playoffs. Granted, that won't help my Fantasy team now, since I have both Miller and Biron-- but oh well.
-College Madness: In the NCAA, the Frozen Four is set with only one #1 Seed, Wisconsin Badgers, heading there after a 1-0 triple OT game against the Cornell Big Red. The Battle Of Beantown ended in a 5-0 Boston College Golden Eagles trouncing over the Boston University Terriers. The Maine Blackbears took out the Michigan State Spartans 5-4, while the North Dakota Fighting Sioux beat the Holy Cross Crusaders, after Holy Cross beat 2nd ranked team in the nation, the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Above the 49th, the Alberta Golden Bears beat the Lakehead T'Wolves to capture their second straight CIS title and 12th title in the teams history. Though some of the rules are different from the NCAA, the pride of school and alma mater is still there and still exciting.
(EDIT: I know it's Lakehead, not Lakewood-- that's the last time I mix Nyquil and DayQuil)
-Ken Daneyko Honored: The original Devil, Kenny Daneyko had his #3 raised to the rafters in the Swamp this past weekend. A gritty player who wasn't the flashiest or most offensive player, but he got the job done and has three-Cup rings to his credit. It couldn't have happened to a better man.
That's it for now, but check back later today and throughout the week for more....whenever we can think of something up to talk about. Sound good, eh??
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
Friday, March 24, 2006
Who's Spot Is It Anyway??
First, before we start-- hopefully this blog will be updated daily from Monday until the end of the Stanley Cup. It may not be pretty, but it will get done.
We're in a dog-fight now with the playoffs. In the East, the top five (Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres) are all but locked down, but the 6th through 8th spots are still heavily contested. In the West, there's still a fight for supremecy in the Northwest Division as well as for the 8th and final spot in that Conference. Who said that the NHL wasn't exciting. It's why fans deal with the first five-and-a-half months of the season. So, why not let's break down who's in, who's out, and who could just bomb and lose it all.
The Eastern Conference is much easier right now, so we'll start there. As it stands, there are four teams vying for three spots. You could say five teams with the inclusion of the Toronto Maple Leafs (70 pts), but those who say that usually have a 416 area code and live right off the QEW. Anyway, as it stands, the Tampa Lightning (79 pts) are in 6th, New Jersey Devils (77 pts) are in 7th, and the Atlanta Thrashers (76 pts) are in 8th. The Montreal Canadiens (75 pts) are in 9th, but have slid a bit in the past couple of weeks.
Right now, it's all about not slipping up too much. Any bad game could ruin a season. The Canadiens know that first hand as they were in 7th about a week ago, and now are in the outside looking in. The Devils could be the most likely team that will falter. Their inconsistent play this season has put them in this situation, but since the deadline, the Devils have played better and better. The two Southeastern teams, Atlanta and Tampa, have hit their stride at the right time. How far they will go is still undecided, but if they keep up their pace, they should be just fine.
The Western Conference is a little more tricky. There's a good chance that the Detroit Red Wings (102 pts, 1st in conference), Dallas Stars (95 pts, 2nd), and Nashville Predators (92 pts, 4th) are all in. The Calgary Flames (86 pts, 3rd) is in a tight race with the Colorado Avalanche (83 pts, 5th) for first in the Northwest with the Vancouver Canucks (82 pts, 7th) and Edmonton Oilers (80 pts, 8th) not far behind. Then you have the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (82 pts, 6th) who is battling off the Canucks, Oilers, Los Angeles Kings (79 pts, 9th) and San Jose Sharks (78 pts, 10th).
Needless to say, there's much more risk if there is a bad game in the Western ranks than there is in the East. The bad thing for some of those in the race is that Sharks and Mighty Ducks have 14 games remaining on their schedule, the most in the NHL with several other teams. The Canucks has only 11 games remaining, which is the least in the NHL-- less chance of losing. One win can go a long way as the Sharks could pole vault the Kings and Oilers if they win when those teams are idle. Conversely, the Flames could be in the lower rank mix if they lose or go to OT and the Avalanche, Canucks, and Oilers start to roll on. Of course, this is all just the beginning of the craziness. Even when the playoffs start, the fact of a first-round upset is very believable in the West.
However, we're about 24 days away from the playoffs, so it should come as no surprise that there will be shuffling to and fro in the standings. Every game finally matters and you can see that the teams are much more determined to not eff up completely, because that could make or break a season in an instant.
Even with those craptastic "Gladiator....ON ICE" commercials, I still love this game
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
We're in a dog-fight now with the playoffs. In the East, the top five (Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres) are all but locked down, but the 6th through 8th spots are still heavily contested. In the West, there's still a fight for supremecy in the Northwest Division as well as for the 8th and final spot in that Conference. Who said that the NHL wasn't exciting. It's why fans deal with the first five-and-a-half months of the season. So, why not let's break down who's in, who's out, and who could just bomb and lose it all.
The Eastern Conference is much easier right now, so we'll start there. As it stands, there are four teams vying for three spots. You could say five teams with the inclusion of the Toronto Maple Leafs (70 pts), but those who say that usually have a 416 area code and live right off the QEW. Anyway, as it stands, the Tampa Lightning (79 pts) are in 6th, New Jersey Devils (77 pts) are in 7th, and the Atlanta Thrashers (76 pts) are in 8th. The Montreal Canadiens (75 pts) are in 9th, but have slid a bit in the past couple of weeks.
Right now, it's all about not slipping up too much. Any bad game could ruin a season. The Canadiens know that first hand as they were in 7th about a week ago, and now are in the outside looking in. The Devils could be the most likely team that will falter. Their inconsistent play this season has put them in this situation, but since the deadline, the Devils have played better and better. The two Southeastern teams, Atlanta and Tampa, have hit their stride at the right time. How far they will go is still undecided, but if they keep up their pace, they should be just fine.
The Western Conference is a little more tricky. There's a good chance that the Detroit Red Wings (102 pts, 1st in conference), Dallas Stars (95 pts, 2nd), and Nashville Predators (92 pts, 4th) are all in. The Calgary Flames (86 pts, 3rd) is in a tight race with the Colorado Avalanche (83 pts, 5th) for first in the Northwest with the Vancouver Canucks (82 pts, 7th) and Edmonton Oilers (80 pts, 8th) not far behind. Then you have the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (82 pts, 6th) who is battling off the Canucks, Oilers, Los Angeles Kings (79 pts, 9th) and San Jose Sharks (78 pts, 10th).
Needless to say, there's much more risk if there is a bad game in the Western ranks than there is in the East. The bad thing for some of those in the race is that Sharks and Mighty Ducks have 14 games remaining on their schedule, the most in the NHL with several other teams. The Canucks has only 11 games remaining, which is the least in the NHL-- less chance of losing. One win can go a long way as the Sharks could pole vault the Kings and Oilers if they win when those teams are idle. Conversely, the Flames could be in the lower rank mix if they lose or go to OT and the Avalanche, Canucks, and Oilers start to roll on. Of course, this is all just the beginning of the craziness. Even when the playoffs start, the fact of a first-round upset is very believable in the West.
However, we're about 24 days away from the playoffs, so it should come as no surprise that there will be shuffling to and fro in the standings. Every game finally matters and you can see that the teams are much more determined to not eff up completely, because that could make or break a season in an instant.
Even with those craptastic "Gladiator....ON ICE" commercials, I still love this game
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Deal or No Deal
Though the title may be misleading, we won't have Howie Mandel here. He was doublebooked with Carrot Top. In any case, the NHL's trade deadline has come and gone. There were 25 trades for 40 players, which is in no way connected to The Nails cult hit "88 Lines About 44 Women." This year with the new Capped NHL, we didn't see a really big blockbusters like the days of yore, but we did see a lot of players making moves that they actually needed to make in order to look ahead to the playoffs. Many of them were rent-a-players, but it's better to see if you can get someone in order to help out rather than not trying at all.
What I'm going to do here is just cut to the quik and give you those who won, those who lost, and those who "pushed"....because there are no winners there.
WINNERS
1. Vancouver Canucks: Not only did they get three very sturdy defensemen in Eric Weinrich, Keith Carney, and Sean Brown, but they also got a experienced back-up in Mika Noronen. Some will think that GM Dave Nonis was under the gun from the fans and submitted to the pressure, but these moves were much needed for a team that has been very banged up, especially on the blue line.
2. Edmonton Oilers: First, they solved their goaltending dilemna by getting Dwayne Roloson out of Minnesota, then they went out and got another scorer in Sergei Samsonov to compliment the rest of the offense in Alberta's capital. Now, is Roloson the answer for the Oilers?? It will have to be since Mike Morrison was picked up by the Senators off the waiver wire and Ty Conklin sent to the AHL-- it's Rolo's show now in Edmonton.
3. Montreal Canadiens: The Habs won for those who they gave away. Dropping Jose Theodore from their roster for David Aebischer relieved the Habs of $3M in Cap room. Plus, with Cristobal Huet doing as well as he has been doing and Aebischer going on a hot streak, the Habs are looking pretty good as they hang onto the 8th spot in the East.
4. Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes only made one move, but it's was an impressive one. Mark Recchi was dealt to the Canes after waiving his no trade clause. The presense of Recchi will fill the void left by Erik Cole's injury. Though he doesn't have the most desireable plus/minus rating, his experience and hot hand will come in handy for the Canes.
5. New Jersey Devils: Though they only got Ken Klee, Brad Lukowich, and Jason Wiemer; the Devils sured up their defense ten-fold in this instance. Not only will this help out Marty Brodeur with some more stay-at-home defensemen, but it'll give workhorses like Brian Rafalski and Paul Martin some time to rest themselves.
LOSERS
1. Colorado Avalanche: Not only did they take the albatross that is Jose Theodore, but because they didn't have much cap room, the Avs could only acquire Jim Dowd as a depth move at the deadline. However, you need to give it up to GM Pierre Lacroix, he somehow finds a way to get a big name player onto the team at the deadline; whether it's a popular decision or not.
2. Phoenix Coyotes: The Coyotes dumped a lot of salary in this deadline. The Yotes mostly got rid of their blue line, like Denis Gauthier and Sean O'Donnell, while getting only Oleg Kvasha and Jamie Rivers in return for their efforts. It'll be interesting to see how the Coyotes rebuild this time around with Wayne Gretzky at the helm.
3. Anaheim Mighty Ducks: The Ducks are a team in contention and though they did get Sean O'Donnell and Jeff Friesen, they got rid of Keith Carney and Sandis Ozolinsh, two pretty big cogs in the Ducks defensive scheme. It's a good thing they have a lot of great future prospects, because the Ducks coming up on their own identity change both in logo and jersey combination, as well as roster combination.
PUSH
1. Ottawa Sentaors: They didn't make a lot of noise like many thought, but the Sens got Mike Morrison off waivers, as well as Tyler Arnason from Chicago. Of course, they had to give up Brandon Bochenski in the process, so it almost seems like an even deal for the Sens.
2. Florida Panthers: The Panthers were rumored to be big players in this deadline day, but the Beach Cats were relatively silence, with the exception of re-signing Olli Jokinen; which broke many GM's hearts who had their eyes set on someone like Jokinen to bolster their team. Now, if they could get Roberto Luongo signed long-term, they should be good to go.
3. Calgary Flames: GM Darryl Sutter said he wasn't going to make any big trades and he was right. He made a deal to get Jamie Lundmark to Calgary from Phoenix, plus he dealt Jason Wiemer to New Jersey. However, the main concern was with a center to help Jarome Iginla get on track-- but Sutter thought otherwise. It's either the best decision he made or the worst he made-- we'll find out.
Even though it was a record day for trades, it wasn't interesting until the last 30 minutes and then it got off some pretty good trades. In the end, we can expect something like this for the years to come when it comes to the new capped NHL. Is it a drag?? Yes. Does it handcuff some teams that could have made bigger moves?? Sure, but what it also does is give every team a chance to be competitive and play the role of the spoiler if need be. In the end, this will be good for the game financially and personnel-wise as well. However, if you can set a record every year, more power to ya.
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
What I'm going to do here is just cut to the quik and give you those who won, those who lost, and those who "pushed"....because there are no winners there.
WINNERS
1. Vancouver Canucks: Not only did they get three very sturdy defensemen in Eric Weinrich, Keith Carney, and Sean Brown, but they also got a experienced back-up in Mika Noronen. Some will think that GM Dave Nonis was under the gun from the fans and submitted to the pressure, but these moves were much needed for a team that has been very banged up, especially on the blue line.
2. Edmonton Oilers: First, they solved their goaltending dilemna by getting Dwayne Roloson out of Minnesota, then they went out and got another scorer in Sergei Samsonov to compliment the rest of the offense in Alberta's capital. Now, is Roloson the answer for the Oilers?? It will have to be since Mike Morrison was picked up by the Senators off the waiver wire and Ty Conklin sent to the AHL-- it's Rolo's show now in Edmonton.
3. Montreal Canadiens: The Habs won for those who they gave away. Dropping Jose Theodore from their roster for David Aebischer relieved the Habs of $3M in Cap room. Plus, with Cristobal Huet doing as well as he has been doing and Aebischer going on a hot streak, the Habs are looking pretty good as they hang onto the 8th spot in the East.
4. Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes only made one move, but it's was an impressive one. Mark Recchi was dealt to the Canes after waiving his no trade clause. The presense of Recchi will fill the void left by Erik Cole's injury. Though he doesn't have the most desireable plus/minus rating, his experience and hot hand will come in handy for the Canes.
5. New Jersey Devils: Though they only got Ken Klee, Brad Lukowich, and Jason Wiemer; the Devils sured up their defense ten-fold in this instance. Not only will this help out Marty Brodeur with some more stay-at-home defensemen, but it'll give workhorses like Brian Rafalski and Paul Martin some time to rest themselves.
LOSERS
1. Colorado Avalanche: Not only did they take the albatross that is Jose Theodore, but because they didn't have much cap room, the Avs could only acquire Jim Dowd as a depth move at the deadline. However, you need to give it up to GM Pierre Lacroix, he somehow finds a way to get a big name player onto the team at the deadline; whether it's a popular decision or not.
2. Phoenix Coyotes: The Coyotes dumped a lot of salary in this deadline. The Yotes mostly got rid of their blue line, like Denis Gauthier and Sean O'Donnell, while getting only Oleg Kvasha and Jamie Rivers in return for their efforts. It'll be interesting to see how the Coyotes rebuild this time around with Wayne Gretzky at the helm.
3. Anaheim Mighty Ducks: The Ducks are a team in contention and though they did get Sean O'Donnell and Jeff Friesen, they got rid of Keith Carney and Sandis Ozolinsh, two pretty big cogs in the Ducks defensive scheme. It's a good thing they have a lot of great future prospects, because the Ducks coming up on their own identity change both in logo and jersey combination, as well as roster combination.
PUSH
1. Ottawa Sentaors: They didn't make a lot of noise like many thought, but the Sens got Mike Morrison off waivers, as well as Tyler Arnason from Chicago. Of course, they had to give up Brandon Bochenski in the process, so it almost seems like an even deal for the Sens.
2. Florida Panthers: The Panthers were rumored to be big players in this deadline day, but the Beach Cats were relatively silence, with the exception of re-signing Olli Jokinen; which broke many GM's hearts who had their eyes set on someone like Jokinen to bolster their team. Now, if they could get Roberto Luongo signed long-term, they should be good to go.
3. Calgary Flames: GM Darryl Sutter said he wasn't going to make any big trades and he was right. He made a deal to get Jamie Lundmark to Calgary from Phoenix, plus he dealt Jason Wiemer to New Jersey. However, the main concern was with a center to help Jarome Iginla get on track-- but Sutter thought otherwise. It's either the best decision he made or the worst he made-- we'll find out.
Even though it was a record day for trades, it wasn't interesting until the last 30 minutes and then it got off some pretty good trades. In the end, we can expect something like this for the years to come when it comes to the new capped NHL. Is it a drag?? Yes. Does it handcuff some teams that could have made bigger moves?? Sure, but what it also does is give every team a chance to be competitive and play the role of the spoiler if need be. In the end, this will be good for the game financially and personnel-wise as well. However, if you can set a record every year, more power to ya.
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Riot on Bay Street
As I was looking at James Mirtle's Magic Number-esque chart, and looking at it-- not only did my head almost explode because I hate numbers and math, but also just how close teams are to either winning their way into the playoffs, or losing and heading to the tee time early. Of course, you have your races for the 8th spot and all that other stuff, but one thing was really intriguing to me; the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are quite a way away from making it into the second season.
Obviously, Leafs Nation is in a panic and the call for the head of every executive is the status quo. The thought must be that once they topple the statues of Pat Quinn and John Ferguson Jr., the fans will be liberated and have a new regime that will bring back the glory and honor back into the team and get them their first Stanley Cup since 1967. It's not usually the case, but there's always hope and well wishing that comes with it.
The injury bug hit the Leafs hard. Losing players like Bryan McCabe, Mats Sundin, and Eric Lindros for an extended amount of time could have been the damning of the Leafs season. In that time, especially with the loss of McCabe, the Leafs went on an eight-game losing streak which is probably why the Leafs went into the dire situation that they are in today. With the mix-up in chemistry, that could derail even the best of teams, especially when it is the bigger names of the team.
Then, of course, you have the debate on whether age is a factor or not. Some believe that the Leafs should have kept some of their younger players and put more responsibility onto their shoulders, rather than relying on their old horses to carry the load. The average age of the team is right around 30-years-old, with 11 of the 24 rostered players being at or above the age of 30. In comparison, the Leafs only have six of their 24 rostered players at or under the age of 25. The amount of older vets could be good in some instances, but when they start to be almost half the team, it could get a little overkill.
Then you have the play as a whole. With the new NHL being basis on plenty of divisional play, the Leafs have been horrible in their division. Going 7-12-3 in their own division isn't the best way to get into the playoffs, especially when you go 0-5-2 against the rival Ottawa Senators. However, the Leafs have 10 of their last 22 games against division rivals, two (the Canadiens and Bruins) of which that are vying for the same 8th spot in the playoff race in order to get into the playoffs. Having only won three games in their last 18, the Leafs would need a miracle right now in order to make the playoffs.
Of course, then you have the Coach Pat Quinn and GM JFJ. Many have said that Quinn is past his time and should step down. Quinn could have worn out his welcome in Toronto, but only the players and executive board knows that for sure. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if Quinn was not back for the next season, but you never know what tomorrow will bring. Ferguson, however, has been under scrutiny for a while. There could be a chance that Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment could make a move to replace both Quinn and Feguson, but the former is probably more likely than the latter or both.
I'm sure the suicide watch is in effect for most of the hardcore Leafs fans should the Leafs not make the playoffs, which seems to be the case right now. With the trade deadline only a couple days away, you can bet if the Leafs were to lose on Tuesday night, the fans will all be yelling to sell off some of the veterans and hope for the best. Plus, can you imagine the Toronto based sports networks who are all over the Leafs' jock and what they would do?? They may have to go into a month of mourning or wait until the playoffs end to talk hockey again...sad, sad state of affairs for them.
You know, as a Senators fan, this should make me laugh and all that fun stuff-- and a part of me is. However, with all the die-hard, hardcore fans in Toronto, it's almost a shame for the Leafs to not get into the playoffs.......and I'm over it. The NHL is all about parity and the Leafs are just a victim to parity in the NHL. The East has had plenty of surprise teams like the Sabres and Canes, plus some late season surging teams like the Bruins, Thrashers, and Habs. It's a shame about the Leafs, but that's the breaks and you have play with the cards you are dealt.
That's the excitement of the NHL, you never know who could get the top-8 playoff spots.
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
Obviously, Leafs Nation is in a panic and the call for the head of every executive is the status quo. The thought must be that once they topple the statues of Pat Quinn and John Ferguson Jr., the fans will be liberated and have a new regime that will bring back the glory and honor back into the team and get them their first Stanley Cup since 1967. It's not usually the case, but there's always hope and well wishing that comes with it.
The injury bug hit the Leafs hard. Losing players like Bryan McCabe, Mats Sundin, and Eric Lindros for an extended amount of time could have been the damning of the Leafs season. In that time, especially with the loss of McCabe, the Leafs went on an eight-game losing streak which is probably why the Leafs went into the dire situation that they are in today. With the mix-up in chemistry, that could derail even the best of teams, especially when it is the bigger names of the team.
Then, of course, you have the debate on whether age is a factor or not. Some believe that the Leafs should have kept some of their younger players and put more responsibility onto their shoulders, rather than relying on their old horses to carry the load. The average age of the team is right around 30-years-old, with 11 of the 24 rostered players being at or above the age of 30. In comparison, the Leafs only have six of their 24 rostered players at or under the age of 25. The amount of older vets could be good in some instances, but when they start to be almost half the team, it could get a little overkill.
Then you have the play as a whole. With the new NHL being basis on plenty of divisional play, the Leafs have been horrible in their division. Going 7-12-3 in their own division isn't the best way to get into the playoffs, especially when you go 0-5-2 against the rival Ottawa Senators. However, the Leafs have 10 of their last 22 games against division rivals, two (the Canadiens and Bruins) of which that are vying for the same 8th spot in the playoff race in order to get into the playoffs. Having only won three games in their last 18, the Leafs would need a miracle right now in order to make the playoffs.
Of course, then you have the Coach Pat Quinn and GM JFJ. Many have said that Quinn is past his time and should step down. Quinn could have worn out his welcome in Toronto, but only the players and executive board knows that for sure. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if Quinn was not back for the next season, but you never know what tomorrow will bring. Ferguson, however, has been under scrutiny for a while. There could be a chance that Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment could make a move to replace both Quinn and Feguson, but the former is probably more likely than the latter or both.
I'm sure the suicide watch is in effect for most of the hardcore Leafs fans should the Leafs not make the playoffs, which seems to be the case right now. With the trade deadline only a couple days away, you can bet if the Leafs were to lose on Tuesday night, the fans will all be yelling to sell off some of the veterans and hope for the best. Plus, can you imagine the Toronto based sports networks who are all over the Leafs' jock and what they would do?? They may have to go into a month of mourning or wait until the playoffs end to talk hockey again...sad, sad state of affairs for them.
You know, as a Senators fan, this should make me laugh and all that fun stuff-- and a part of me is. However, with all the die-hard, hardcore fans in Toronto, it's almost a shame for the Leafs to not get into the playoffs.......and I'm over it. The NHL is all about parity and the Leafs are just a victim to parity in the NHL. The East has had plenty of surprise teams like the Sabres and Canes, plus some late season surging teams like the Bruins, Thrashers, and Habs. It's a shame about the Leafs, but that's the breaks and you have play with the cards you are dealt.
That's the excitement of the NHL, you never know who could get the top-8 playoff spots.
This has been ScottyWazz. Take care of yourself and someone else. PEACE!!
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