Posted by Craig on October 24, 2008
On Saturday October 25th, there will 15 games in 15 cities in 1 night. Everyone is involved and there will be some great match ups. The 15 games will match rivalries, struggling teams and teams off to fast starts. For all you fantasy hockey players out there, this night will go along way to showing who has the best teams in your league. I love it when the National Hockey League has this many games in one night, there is something for every fan to watch. This will be a night to watch, the hockey will exciting and entertaining. I am going to tee up a few games you should watch this night.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators
The first battle of an Ontario of this season, and both teams will be looking to have a good showing. The Maple Leafs have started off better then some expected and they would like nothing more then to beat the Sens on Hockey Night in Canada. Ottawa on the other hand is off to a tough start, and already seem to have a goalie controversy. Martin Gerber is off to a bad start and the Senators coaching staff is searching for ways to win. They have split up there big three, Heatley, Alfredsson and Spezza, trying to find the mix that will work. The Maple Leafs lineup has been different every night and you never know who will be in there. The Leafs don’t have near the talent of the Sens, but they work hard and play a good defensive system. These teams are kind of opposites Ottawa has no problems scoring while that is the Leafs biggest problem. Toskala is Toronto’s advantage in net, while Gerber just can’t figure it out in Ottawa. There might some new players and the teams might not be as good as they once were, but that doesn’t change the fact these franchises don’t like each other. If Ottawa gets decent goaltending and defense they should win, but you can’t count on that.
New Jersey Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers
Philly still hasn’t won a game this year and if they want to get that win on Saturday they will have to beat future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. Brodeur is off to an amazing start and has proved that he is still the best goalie in the National Hockey League. Philadelphia is deep up front, but struggle playing defense and haven’t gotten very good goaltending thus far. The Flyers have to win eventually, they are to good to be playing this bad. They will be hard pressed to beat the Devils trap. These two franchises are in the same division and that usually makes for a high energy game. Every time the Devils play you have to expect a low scoring game, they will trap from the drop of the puck to the last buzzer. It’s the only afternoon game and probably won’t be the most exciting game you have ever seen. If the Flyers want to win there defense is going to have to play way better then they have and they will have to take advantage of any opportunity the Devils give them. The Flyers can score, but the question is can they score on the Devils.
Detroit Red Wings vs Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are young and this game will be a measuring stick for them. In the past couple of years Chicago has played Detroit well and have had more success against them then any other franchise. Detroit is off to a fine start, but haven’t been as dominate to start the year as some predicted. Detroit is still the better team then Chicago, but the Hawks have some good young talent. The Blackhawks will be up for this game and look to continue there dominance of the Wings. Since Quenneville took over as the coach in Chicago, the team has played well and look like they might just be a playoff team this year. Both teams can score at will sometimes and to win this game the goalies will have to play well. If you like to watch stars this will be the game for you, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa and Lidstrom vs. Kane, Toews, Havlat and Campbell. This should be a high energy, fast game that might be the most entertaining of the evening.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers
Two of the best teams in the East will do battle on Saturday night. Since Pittsburgh have started playing there super stars Malkin and Crosby together they have been on fire. New York has slowed a little bit, but still boast two very good scoring lines. The story early on has been the Rangers second line of Zherdev, Voros and Dubinsky who have played great hockey and produced for the blue shirts. Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is off to a great start and the Penguins have a good goalie of there own in Marc Andre Fleury. This will be a premiere match up and I don’t think it will disappoint. Any time you get a chance to see great players and great teams go head to head it makes for great entertainment. There might even be some fights in this game, and I look for a tough physical affair. You can’t go wrong if this is the game you choose to watch, big stars, big game and on a big stage.
Other big games on this night will be Canucks vs Oilers, San Jose vs Tampa Bay and Anaheim vs Montreal. This should be a whole night of great National Hockey League action, and will make all hockey fans extremely happy. Whether you like offense, defense or physical play you will be able to find a game for you on Saturday October 25th. Enjoy the action and for all you fantasy players I hope you have a big night.
Posted by Craig on October 17, 2008
The NHL season has just started, but we have a full schedule of games this weekend. Certain teams are off to bad starts and others are playing un-characteristically great. We will see a lot of rivalry games this weekend and it should be extremely fun to watch.
Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames Home and Home
These teams historically don’t like each other and they will play a home and home series this weekend. If you watch these games you can expect a high emotion level, as if were a playoff game. The crowds will be into the games, and cheering as if the games were life or death. Both these teams are good and expect to make the playoffs this season, and both are fun to watch. Edmonton is young, fast and creative on offense and might be the most entertaining team in the league. Players like Hemsky, Horcoff, Cole, Gagner and Cogliano will lead the Oilers attack . Calgary plays a tough physical and solid all around hockey game. The pressure will be on there defense to stop the high flying Oilers. If Calgary wants to win these games Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Reghir will have to play like the all stars they are. Up front Calgary have some talent of there own, Jerome Iginla is one of the best players in the league and Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Cammalleri will help out. The problem for Calgary to this point of the season has been goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, who has looked horrible. Kiprusoff will have to play like he used to because Calgary doesn’t really have a useable back up. If Edmonton wants to win these games they will need to match the physical intensity of Calgary and get some secondary scoring. I am going to watch these games, they should be highly entertaining. Calgary vs Edmonton is the best rivalry in hockey and I would expect these two games to be filled with emotion. Look for two close games that are fast and physical. I don’t like to pick hockey games, but I would expect these games to be split.
San Jose Sharks vs Anaheim Ducks
Friday night, we will be treated to a match up of favorites in Western conference. These two teams are off to completely different starts, San Jose has looked great and Anaheim has looked brutal. The Ducks have looked bad everywhere goaltending, goal scoring, defense and special teams. The Ducks need to stay out of the penalty box, if they don’t they will continue to lose hockey games. Anaheim desperately needs there stars to show up, guys like Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne need to be productive. San Jose is off to a 4 -0 start and have looked like the best in the West. Goalie Nabokov has been excellent and the team has been producing in front of him. Patrik Marleau looks like the coaching change has allowed him to play like the player of old and Joe Thornton is still a star. These two teams are very familiar with one another and would expect a good game on Friday night. San Jose is playing a lot better then Anaheim right now, but playing an old rival in San Jose might be the boost that the Ducks need. Ducks win, I just think they will be up for this game. Close game it might even come down to a shootout.
New York Rangers vs Detroit Red Wings
An all original six match up, that should be fun to watch. Both teams are highly talented and have huge expectations for this season. The Rangers are coming off there first loss of the season and the Red Wings are yet to get it going. The Rangers have leaned a lot on there second line for production, but will need there stars like Drury, Gomez and Naslund to play well to beat the Wings. The Red Wings are full of Stars like Hossa, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom, and it is hard to find any weaknesses. These teams don’t get a chance to play that often and the fans of the two franchises should be excited to see what happens. This could be a measuring stick game for both team and I expect a close battle. Two of the best teams in the league, you can’t go wrong if you choose to watch this game.
Boston Bruins vs Ottawa Senators
Northeast battle, both teams are off to a 1-1-1 start. I think these teams will fight it out all year and battle for playoff spots. Senators captain Alfredsson may miss this game and leave the Sens looking for some help. Boston is a deep team with guys like Bergeron, Ryder, Savard and Chara. Both teams have the same question marks, goaltending is the key to both teams. Neither team is overly comfortable with starting goalies and which ever goalie plays the best will lead there team to victory this weekend. In the Sens want to win Spezza and Heatley will have to play great games and put some points up on the power play. Look for a fast physical game between these two, before the years out the Senators and Bruins will hate each other. I will pick the Bruins to win, because I really don’t like Gerber as the goalie in Ottawa.
Should be a great weekend of hockey and there are even more games to check out. Toronto vs New York and Vancouver vs Buffalo on Friday. Saturday has some great match ups Colorado vs Dallas, Phoenix vs Montreal and Philadelphia vs San Jose. With a full schedule, this seems like the official start of the National Hockey League season. Original six match ups, home and home series and divisional rivalries rule this weekend. Watch as many games as you can, enjoy the action and cheer on your team.
Posted by Craig on October 15, 2008
The National Hockey League season is barely underway, but there are a few story lines developing. Yes, the season has just started, but we all know that every point counts. Some stories have been great, teams and players off to great starts and others tragic and bigger then hockey. The NHL season is a grind and its not easy to try and assess things when a team has played 3 or 4 games. Getting off to good start is important for confidence and can set a tone for the entire year.
Alexei Cherepanov – The news that young hockey star Alexei Cherepanov has passed away at the age of 19 was tragic and devastating to the hockey community. Cherepanov was a highly touted 1st round pick of the Rangers and was playing in Russia when the tragedy happened. I don’t want to get into the circumstances about his death because its not worth it, all I know is a young man passed away long before his time. It makes you realize that hockey is just a game and there are so many more important things in this world. I am sure Alexei will be missed and our hearts go out to his family.
Ryan Hollweg - I don’t really know what to say about this guy, he is a high energy player, but he keeps putting himself in bad spots. Hollweg got suspended for the 2nd time already this year for boarding or hitting from behind. He received his 4th game misconduct in 41 games and was suspended for a mandatory 3 games. This last hit wasn’t the worst I have ever seen, but obviously the referees and the league have a close eye on him. It has been said for years that Hollweg is a dangerous player, but I don’t know about that. It is obvious that he needs to get himself under control on the ice before he gets in a Chris Simon like situation or worse he hurts somebody. One thing is for certain, if he gets another boarding misconduct the league will punish him for a lot more then 3 games.
Anze Kopitar - The LA Kings have been struggling for a lot of years now, but they have a young star in Kopitar. The kings locked him up, signing him to a seven year contract extension. Its yet to be determined whether Kopitar is a franchise player, but its nice for the Kings fan base to know that they will have there most exciting player around for a long time. Judging extensions for young players is a difficult thing, but I like Anze as a player and the Kings couldn’t risk losing him in the future. I think he will become a star and hopefully lead the Kings back to respectability.
New York Rangers - A lot of hockey people thought the Rangers would be a good team this year, but this far they have been great. They are off to a 5 – 0 and have looked like they are unstoppable. Henrik Lundqvist is off to a perfect start and if he keeps this pace up the Rangers will be great all year. Lundqvist has posted a 1.25 goals against average and close to .950 save percentage. Possibly the biggest surprise is the players who are leading the team up front, the Rangers second line has been great. Aaron Voros, Nikolai Zherdev and Brandon Dubinsky have led the team offensively. The three players have combined for 19 points in five games and have been a more then a pleasant surprise for the club. With great goaltending, secondary scoring and solid defense the Rangers are the best team in the league right now. Rangers fans caution yourself, there is no such thing as a perfect NHL season and there will be rough times ahead, but 5 games in they look amazing.
Bad Starts – Yes, it is just a few games in, but they are a few teams still without a win. Bigger then that there are a few teams that a expected to do big things that haven’t got a win in the column yet. Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks are all winless to this point. All these teams have one thing in common, they have had trouble scoring goals in there first few games. Don’t read to much into this 3 or 4 bad games doesn’t mean its time to panic in these cities.
Jose Theodore – The Capitals went out and got Theodore to be there number one goalie this year and he is off to a bad start. Theodore has a GAA of 4.00 and a save % if .842, those are horrible numbers. Jose has been inconsistent in recent years, but one thing is for certain if the Caps want to make the playoffs Theodore will have to play a lot better then he is now. I like the Caps, and I hope Jose can pull it together, but you just never know with this guy.
Marian Gaborik - Rumors are flying around about Minnesota Wild all star Gaborik, the reports that he wants to be traded. Reportedly he turned down a 10 year big money contract to stay in Minnesota and if he’s not traded will leave at the end of the year to test free agency. The Rumored destinations are Vancouver and Montreal. My thoughts is that Gaborik will get traded soon and to Vancouver so he can play with is former teammate Pavel Demitra. Any team that wants Marian will have to give up a lot, but if you get him early in the year he can have a big impact on a franchise. We don’t usually see stars traded early in NHL season, but this might be an exception.
The season just started and there is know reason to be to high or to low about your teams start. If we have learned anything early on in this season, it is that every day is a gift and we should live life to the fullest. Hockey is just a game, but we all love it.
Posted by Craig on October 10, 2008
When the salary cap was instituted a few years back, it was meant to equalize the franchises. Since then the cap has soared and once again there seems to be a gap between the best and the worst. It seems like this year a lot of teams have spent right to the cap and not left themselves a lot of room under the cap. The cap has made a lot of teams make tough decisions on veteran players and have a lot of young guys on there NHL rosters. With teams being close to the cap, that might create a lot of player movement early in the season. Currently there are 10 teams within a million of the cap and 11 teams with more then $5 million in space. As people get healthy there will be teams looking to find space and other teams looking to take advantage.
Detroit Red Wings
The Wings have about $450 000 in cap space currently, but have a couple of players on injury reserve. Chris Chelios and Darren McCarty are hurt and if they are going to be on the roster, Detroit’s management will have to make a move. Detroit also likes to add veteran pieces at the deadline and that will tough with there current cap situation. Detroit was forced to put a couple of good young players in the minors and I think they will want them to be with the big club sooner rather then later. The Red Wings have a few moveable pieces, they could make a trade and get some room. Kyle Quincey is the 8th defenseman on the team and is out of options and might be traded for a pick when Chelios is ready to come back. Detroit is also deep in the forward lines and could trade pending free agents like Mikael Samuelsson or Thomas Kopecky to create room for younger players. The Wings are the best team on paper this year, but they aren’t immune to cap problems. If they stay healthy look for them to make a move relatively early in the year.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are a great team, but they are flirting with the cap. They have less then $200 000 in room and have a lot of money committed to forwards. They have almost $30 million committed to there top six forwards and have some good young talent almost ready to come up. Top prospects like Claude Giroux could come up and contribute with the team. I think they will look to move one of there top six forwards and the easiest one to move will be Mike Knuble. Knuble is a free agent at years end and makes $2.8 million this season. The Flyers are also currently carrying three goaltenders and might look to move either Nittymaki or Aubin to a team that needs a solid NHL goalie.
New York Rangers
The Rangers might be in the worst shape overall, with 6 contracts that are more then $4 million annually. The thing about the Rangers is that they have a lot of players locked up long term and there is no obvious player they could trade to get some space. The Rangers have been rumored to want Mats Sundin and Brendan Shanahan and they won’t be able to get them without moving one of there big contracts. Beyond the big names this team isn’t overly deep and might find it hard to move money. They do have guys like Petr Prucha who is a restricted free agent next year and other teams would want him. The bottom end of there roster is filled with guys who will be restricted or unrestricted at years end. In the long run I think they will eventually have to trade some of there high price talent, but that will probably happen in the off season. For now they could move Paul Mara ($1.95 million) or Aaron Voros ($1 million). New York’s real problem will be next year when a lot of there players are free agents.
Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix is in great shape, with more then $9 million in room. Phoenix has a great young team and are looking to make the playoffs this season. In my opinion the Coyotes management will be ready to take advantage of some teams who will be looking for cap relief. Phoenix might be able to make some one sided deals to improve there team and help them make the playoffs and sell some tickets. They might be able to add some expiring contracts of good veterans to improve there team and help the young players progress in there careers. If great players like Sundin, Shanahan and Forsberg want to return, Phoenix might be able to take a real shot at them if they truly want to make a run this year.
Vancouver Canucks
Much like the Coyotes, the Canucks are in great shape cap wise and ready to take advantage. The Canucks have been looking for offense all off season and you can be guaranteed that if solid offensive players become available they will be involved. They have some guys who will be free agents at years end, so they won’t be looking to take on long term contracts. They have already made a pitch for Sundin and if they can get a guy like Prucha from the Rangers or Samuelsson for the Wings I am sure they will jump at the chance.
We have already seen some movement early this year, with the Schneider trade and players like McLaren, Schaefer and Khabibulin being put on waivers. If Forsberg, Sundin and Shanahan return some teams will be forced to scramble to find the cap room. I think we will see a lot of moment early this year and teams with cap room will be able to make excellent trades to improve there teams. Good teams like Vancouver, Phoenix, Columbus and Dallas could make moves and take the next steps with there franchises. It should be interesting to watch and I look forward to see which teams will be the most creative and improve there teams.
Posted by Craig on October 9, 2008
Well, its finally here, the NHL season officially gets under way tonight. Yes, there was a couple games in Europe, but this feels like the real thing. I already went over the Red Wing vs Maple Leaf game for you, but there’s a few more tonight. At this point there is a hope for all teams, everyone feels they have a chance to win. An NHL season is long and grueling and in many ways on opening night most teams will have the healthiest roster they will have all year on the ice. It’s time for the rookies to prove they belong and for the veterans to prove they are still at the top of there game. There’s excitement in eight cities tonight, because hockey is back and there teams will be starting there chase for the Stanley Cup.
Boston Bruins vs Colorado Avalanche
I think these are to fringe teams in the NHL this season, both of which will be looking to get off to good starts. For Boston it is all about health, they do have there best player back in Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron missed most of last year with concussion problems, but he seems healthy now and is ready to lead the Bruins. Patrice will join an already deep front line with newly acquired Michael Ryder, Marc Savard and Phil Kessel. The biggest question the Avalanche have to answer early this season is whether or not Peter Budaj is a number one goalie. There whole season might hinge on whether or not he can take that next step and become a consistent all around NHL net minder. The same old characters will have to score some goals for Colorado this year, guys like Sakic, Hejduk, Svatos and Wolski. The Avalanche will play a gritty style game led by former Maple Leaf Darcy Tucker and a healthy Ryan Smyth. Both these teams have decent veteran defense cores Boston with Chara and Ward. Colorado will counter with Foote and Liles on defense. In my opinion this might be the most crucial game of the night, both teams need to get off to good starts this year. On paper these teams look very similar, and it looks as if they will play a close game. Colorado is at home and I think they will come out with a win 3 – 2 in a shootout.
Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks
An all western Canada match up should be a treat to watch on opening night. Both teams have made some changes in the off season and have some big expectations for this season. Great goaltending for both teams will make it a low scoring game, Kiprusoff for Calgary and Luongo for Vancouver. Calgary and Vancouver are both defense first teams that boast solid units from the blueline. Phaneuf and Reghir lead Calgary from the back end while Ohlund and Salo are healthy and ready for the season in Vancouver. The biggest difference between these two teams is the depth in the forward lines. Calgary has great front end talent with Iginla and Cammalleri, with other guys like Bertuzzi, Langkow and Lombardi as solid offensive players. The Canucks went out and got Pavel Demitra to go along with the Sedins, but they will need contributions from guys like Bernier, Pyatt ane Wellwood. I look for this game to be fast and for both teams to play aggressive physical games. There should be some fights and remember these teams don’t like each other very much. The game is in Canada and the fans will be ready, loud and excited to get the season going. The atmosphere will be as if the game is truly important and players will all feed off that. This should be the best game of the night and I think Calgary will win 3 -1 with an empty net goal.
Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks
Two perennial power houses in the Western Conference will do battle on opening night. Both franchises have been competitive for a lot of years and will be looking to do much of the same this year. The Sharks will be playing a new system under a new coaching staff. New system same old players Joe Thornton will lead the way and need help from Marleau, Cheechoo and Mihalek. I am interested to see if the new puck possession style will work in San Jose or if they will be the same old team. Anaheim looks like the team that won a Stanley Cup a couple years back and Scott Niedermayer is the Captain again. They still have Pronger and Selanne, but the team is truly led now by young stars Getzlaf and Perry. Both teams have great goaltending, Nabokov in San Jose and Giguere in Anaheim. The Sharks went out and got the puck moving d – man they have always looked for in Dan Boyle and they hope that is enough to put them over the top. These are two of the top five teams in the West and this should be a good battle. I am torn, but I will pick San Jose wins 4 -3 in an exciting game worth watching.
Yes, it is just the first game of the season, but it is worth getting excited for. We haven’t seen good hockey in months and now it is time to see who is truly the best teams this season. Things to watch in these games are can Bertuzzi and Iginla play together in Calgary, can Peter Budaj be the number one goalie in Colorado and is San Jose playing a more Red Wing style game under the new coaching staff. It is the first night and these questions can’t be answered in one night, but the talk is over lets drop the puck. Enjoy the action and I hope your team gets off to the start they hope for.
Posted by Craig on October 8, 2008
Thursday October 9th, the NHL season gets under way in North America. Hockey fans will be treated to an original six match up between Toronto and Detroit. There will be lots of festivities before the game including concerts and the Stanley Cup banner being raised at Joe Louis Arena. This is an old rivalry that we haven’t seen a lot recently with the two teams being in different conferences, and I am sure fans of both franchises are excited. This year on paper it looks like a major mis match with both teams moving in different directions. The Red Wings looking for another run at the Cup and the Maple Leafs well who knows what they are doing. Detroit beat Toronto in two pre season games, but we all know pre season doesn’t matter. Lets go over the key parts of the game and see who has the edge.
Top Six Forwards – This is where the mismatch is most prevalent. The Wings top six is among the best in the league with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, Holmstrom, Franzen and Hudler. The Leafs top two lines are hard to define, but it looks like Antropov, Ponikarovski, Grabovski, Blake, Stajan and Steen. Both offensively and defensively Detroit has a big advantage here, and will look to exploit the lack of talent in Toronto’s top six. Whatever the line combinations are the Wings will have more flexibility and will be able to mix and match to find combinations that will work. Toronto’s top two lines are going to have to work extremely hard and hope Detroit isn’t on top of there game. The advantage goes to Detroit on the basis that they obviously have way more talent up front then the Leafs.
Defense - The Leafs D will be led by Kaberle and Kubina, with other defenseman like Schenn, Van Ryn, Colaiacovo and Stralman filling the roster out. This might be Toronto’s strength, but on this night they will have to be at the top of there game to slow down the Wings offense. Detroit has the best top four D in Hockey with Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall and Stuart. They will put out a talented offensive pair and a physical pair to give Toronto different looks. The third pair in Detroit will be Lebda and Lilja, who both played during last springs Stanley Cup final. Detroit’s defense is definitely deeper then Toronto’s and has more skill. Schenn is a rookie and I wouldn’t look for him to play to much, Toronto will look to protect him against the talented Wings. I don’t mind the Leafs D, Kaberle is a good number one guy and Kubina and Van Ryn are solid NHL defenseman. The facts are that Detroit’s defense is better and they will have little or no trouble with Toronto’s forwards. Once again you have to give the advantage to the Red Wings because of talent and experience.
Goalies – The Maple Leafs best player is there starting goalie Vesa Toskala. Toskala is an excellent net minder, and he will have to play great to give Toronto an opportunity to win. There is no questioning Toskala’s talent, but he will see a lot of shots from great NHL goal scorers. Detroit will counter with NHL veteran Chris Osgood. Osgood isn’t the most talented guy in the world, but he is an experienced winner. The Wings allow the fewest shots in the league and all Chris has to do is make a few key stops throughout the game. Talent wise Toskala is better, but Osgood is more experienced. Basically Osgood will have an easier night playing for the Wings, but if Toskala could stand on his head and frustrate the Wings. The goalies are hard to compare, I call it a scratch, this game might just come down to which goalie makes the saves in key spots in the game.
Depth – The experience edge goes Detroit with vets like Draper, Maltby, Cleary and Filppula, but Toronto does have some solid depth guys. Mayers, Mitchell, Tlusty and Moore will fill out Toronto’s forward lines. The depth guys in Toronto are in a fight for there careers and will be looking to play hard and keep there roster spots. The Wings have a ton of experience with guys like Draper and Maltby having four Stanley Cup rings each. Maple Leafs forwards will be hard to play against, they might not be the most talented, but they will work hard. Depth wins hockey games, and both teams think they are ready for the challenge. The Detroit guys are already proven, while a lot of the Toronto guys will be looking to prove they are NHL players. As a depth player you need to solid defensive players and be tough to play against on a nightly basis. Red Wings depth guys are proven and have some offensive up side, that make them better then Toronto’s.
Obviously on paper this is major mis match, Detroit has more talent and experience. The games are played on the ice and not on paper. The Maple Leaf players will show up and work hard, the last thing they want is to be embarrassed in a national game on the opening game of the season. To win Vesa Toskala will have to be on top of his game for the leafs and they will need to find a line that can put pressure on the Wings D. The Wings players will have a lot going on Thursday night, they will receive there rings, there will be banner raising ceremony and lots of media. If the Wings players can stay focused through all the distractions they should win this hockey game and get off to the start they are looking for. Unlike most I don’t think this game will be a blow out, the Maple Leaf players will play hard and Vesa Toskala will have a great game. My prediction Detroit wins 4 – 2 having a great third period to come out with the win.
Posted by Craig on October 7, 2008
I don’t know, but this year it seems like there are a lot of great players who haven’t made the choice to retire or play this season. Guys who are future Hall of Famers, and there careers seem to be in limbo. This could be a result of the finances of the league and the collective bargaining agreement. It could also be because a precedent was set last year by players like Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer and Peter Forsberg playing half season last year. It has become a big risk for teams to take on big contracts of players who are nearing the end of there careers because of the salary cap. I hope this is trend that doesn’t continue, we need to respect the great players of our game. I hope all these players get an opportunity and get to retire on there own terms.
Mats Sundin - Mats has been the story all off season, no one knows what he is thinking. Mats got plenty of offers to play this year, but hasn’t been able to decide whether or not he wants to play. He got contract offers from a lot of teams, including a massive 2 year $20 million offer from Vancouver. My thoughts are that Sundin is torn he wants to play in Toronto, but he also wants to play for a contender which Toronto is not. Mats is a 17 year NHL veteran, playing in 1305 games and recording 1321 points. He played the last 13 years in Toronto, he was there team captain and became possibly the best player to ever wear the blue and white. The question with Sundin is not whether he can play, its whether he wants to play. Last season Mats recorded 32 goals and 78 points in Toronto, and would be a welcomed addition to most teams in the league. The thought is that if Sundin comes back he will want to play for a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Early in the off season there were rumors of him going to Montreal, New York or Detroit. All those teams now don’t have cap space and would have to make a move to be able to afford the big center. I honestly don’t have a feeling about what Mats might do, all I know is that he will take his time and make a decision that will best fit him. Mats is a great player and if he wants to play he will get his chance, but I think he might retire.
Brendan Shanahan - Shanahan is a future Hall of Fame player and he has no where to play right now. All off season it was thought that he would return to the Rangers, but when they only offered him a tryout he moved on. Brendan is a 21 year NHL vet and has played in more then 1400 career games. He has 650 career goals and has scored more then 50 in a season twice. Brendan was a pure sniper throughout his career, he may not score 50 anymore, but he could easily put up 25 goals in today’s game. He has been a playoff performer over the years with 131 playoff points and three Stanley Cups in Detroit. I think Shanahan would be perfect for a young team that is on the cusp of winning. He could provide great leadership and add some offensive depth to most teams. If Brendan is willing to take less money I am sure he will play this year. No doubt he wanted to play in New York, but I think he would be better suited for Phoenix, Washington or Chicago. He can still play and I hope we all get the chance to see him play again.
Peter Forsberg - This seems to be a topic of conversation every year, but Forsberg still hasn’t retired. Injuries have always been his problem, but when he is healthy he can still be one of the best players in the league. He hasn’t played more then 70 games in a year since 2002-2003 and know one really knows how healthy he is now. He came back late last year and played 16 games (regular and playoffs) with Colorado and recorded 19 points. Signing Forsberg would be a big risk for any team, but he has proven when healthy he can still be a point a game player or better in this league. I don’t really see Forsberg coming back any time soon, if he comes back I think it will be in the new year and for the Avalanche. This will be a risk reward signing if some takes a chance on him and a franchise will have to see if he is worth the cap hit. Forsberg is a future Hall of Famer and if he comes back I hope he is healthy and back to the Forsberg of old.
Forsberg, Shanahan and Sundin might all be in the Hall of Fame some day and they are free agents. They will get more and more pressure to sign as the year goes on and teams will look for veterans to help lead a team on a Cup run. Other big names vets like Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka have chosen to sign in Russia and play for more money then they would get in the NHL. A veteran player can be the difference in a run for the Stanley Cup, a vet who has been there can have a calming influence on teams. Some of the older guys have found jobs, but usually for small contracts. Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Gary Roberts and Rob Blake all found good fits and hope they will be able to retire in there own terms. As you get toward your 40’s NHL players have new choices to make. For these guys its not about money, its about being in a spot where they are comfortable and have a chance to win.
Posted by Craig on October 6, 2008
Philadelphia Flyers – The Flyers had a big bounce back year last season, coming from last to making it to the conference finals. The Flyers are deep up front with Briere, Carter, Richards and the return of Gagne. Gagne missed most of last season with concussion problems and could be a major boost to there offense. Philly has a young, but solid defense that should only get better as the year goes on players like Ryan Parent and Brandon Coburn will be looking to prove they belong in the NHL. The key to the Flyers success will be whether or not there goalie Biron plays at the top of his game. If he plays like he did in the playoffs last year, the Flyers will be a good team. If Biron in consistent and they avoid injuries the Flyers will be a playoff team.
Phoenix Coyotes – The Coyotes have been struggling for years, but they went out and improved there young team in the off season. They finally picked up a first line center in all star Olli Jokinen to play along side Shane Doan. That’s not enough in the West they will need contributions from young guys like Kyle Turris and Peter Mueller. They have an excellent goalie with Ilya Bryzgalov and a solid defense led by Ed Jovanovski. This team isn’t very deep yet, but have the talent to make the playoffs. They will play tough hockey and if they avoid the injury bug will battle for one of the final spots in the Western Conference.
Pittsburgh Penguins – Coming off a finals appearance last year, expectations are high on the Pens. They still have two of the best centers in the world with Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby, but the cast around them has changed. They lost some key forwards in the off season and hope guys like Satan, Fedotenko and Cooke can have good years. The injury bug already hit this team losing top defenseman Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney, they will be out for extended periods of time. The Penguins are still very good, but not as good as they were at the end of last season. With the injuries on defense it looks like that will be there weakness and will put a lot of pressure on Fleury in net. Pittsburgh is a playoff team, but I don’t think they will have a run at the Cup like they did last year.
San Jose Sharks – Perennial favorites in the West, they look like a good team again. They have a new coach and a new system that they hope will take them from contenders to champions. They have great goaltending in Nabokov and talented forwards like Thornton and Marleau. They got the puck moving defenseman they needed in Dan Boyle and they rest of the D looks pretty good. We will have to wait and see with the Sharks, definitely a playoff team, but there year will be evaluated after the playoffs. I think if they don’t at least make the conference finals, there season will be a failure.
St Louis Blues – Looks like the Blues are going to struggle yet again and try to build towards future years. They have some solid vets with Kariya, Tkachuk, Brewer and goalie Legace. This year will be about bringing along there young talented players like T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Alex Pietrangelo if he makes the team. The Blues are moving in the right direction and with a couple more good drafts they should be set up well for the future. For the fans out there be patient with this team, they probably aren’t going to be very good this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning - This is not the last place Lightning, they have completely retooled there line up. It started when they drafted Steven Stamkos and then signed free agents Ryan Malone, Radim Vrbata, Vaclav Prospal and Gary Roberts. That gives them a solid four lines up front, the question marks will come from defense and goalie. The defense is unproven and the goalie tandem of Smith and Kolzig isn’t great. This team is going to score goals, the question will be whether or not they can stop them. Look for a lot of high scoring games when you watch the Lightning this year. In the East I think they are good enough, there division isn’t very good and I think they will fight it out for the division title.
Toronto Maple Leafs - The Leafs have some of the most die hard fans in all of sports, and this year will test there patience. The Leafs are not good, but at least they some changes. The big problem is goal scoring, they have no true goal scorers or top line players on the team. They still have Toskala in net and he should get them some wins. The defense isn’t to bad with Kaberle and Kubina, but they will have to be excellent for them to make the playoffs. The Leafs aren’t a playoff team and they might not say it, but they hope to get the 1st overall pick in next years draft and grab Tavares.
Vancouver Canucks - They had a great pre season and will look to continue that trend. Luongo there goalie has been named team captain and will lead this team all year. They have a great defense, but are a little thin in the goal scoring department. To make the playoffs they need great years from the Sedin Twins and Pavel Demitra. Luongo is great and will keep them in the hunt for a playoff spot, but they will have to fight it out with a few teams for the final couple spots.
Washington Capitols – Alex Ovechkin is the best goal scorer in the NHL and will lead this team. The Caps will be looking to build on last years success with a good mix of veterans and young guys. The problem might be in net with Jose Theodore, if he is good the Caps will be good. I like this team and I think they will make the playoffs, but there not quite ready for a big run at the Stanley Cup.
Posted by Craig on October 3, 2008
Columbus Blue Jackets - This organization feels that it is time they earn themselves a playoff spot. They went out and got some help for Rick Nash by adding R.J. Umberger and Kristian Huselius to play with him. There defense core is unproven, but they have a great goalie in Pascal Leclaire. I am not sure they are good enough to make the playoffs in the Western Conference this year, but for the first time they may have a chance to fight for a spot. The fans in Columbus deserve to have a good team for the first time.
Dallas Stars - This is an interesting team and I think they may be one of the best in the league. Dallas is very deep up front with players like Mike Modano, Brendan Morrow, Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro. They added super pest Sean Avery and highly touted Swedish forward Fabian Brunnstrom. With great goaltending by Marty Turco and a solid defense led by Sergei Zubov, the Stars look prepared to take a run in the West. Dallas will be disappointed if they don’t win there division and at least make in to the conference final.
Detroit Red Wings – Defending champs and perennial favorites, the Red Wings seemed poised to have another great season. They added Marian Hossa to play on the top two lines and will team up with Datsyuk and Zetterberg to score a lot of goals. They have a great defense headlined by Nik Lidstrom and solid goaltending from Osgood. If this team stays healthy, its hard to say that aren’t the Cup favorites this year, anything less then the Stanley Cup will be a disappointment.
Edmonton Oilers - Goals, goals and more goals, Edmonton is an offensive power house this year. They are deep and young up front with players like Ales Hemsky, Eric Cole, Shawn Horcoff and Sam Gagner. They also have a solid defense, and goaltending. The key is Mathieu Garon in net, if he is good the Oilers should be a playoff team.
Florida Panthers – This team has been selling potential for years and soon they will have to live up to that potential. They lost there best player in Jokinen in the off season, but made a trade for Brian McCabe who should fit in nicely with Boumeester. They have solid goaltending and some good young forwards, but I still don’t see them as a playoff team.
Los Angeles Kings – Sorry Kings fans, but they are horrible again. They have some good pieces up front with Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Frolov. Still have a lack a defense and no goaltending, the Kings look like they will finish last in the West.
Minnesota Wild - Hard team to explain this year, they have been close a few times, but didn’t do much to improve there team. They are solid and play a good defensive game, but may not score enough goals. They still have dynamic forward Marian Gaborik for at least this year, but they might trade him if they are not fighting for a playoff spot. I don’t think they are a playoff team this year.
Montreal Canadiens - The Canadiens are good and I think East favorites this year, Strong forward lines with players like Kovalev, Tanguay, Lang and Higgins. The key to there success will be whether or not young goalie Carey Price can be as good as they think he is. If Price is good and the defense holds up, look for Montreal to have a great year. Anything less then an appearance in the East final will be a failure.
Nashville Predators – The Preds are having a lot of financial problems, and continue to have low player salaries. They are not as good as they were last year, but still have some good players in Arnott, Erat, Dumont and Hamhuis. They might be a surprise team this year and fight for a playoff spot.
New Jersey Devils - One of the most consistent franchises in the NHL, the Devils will be much of the same this year. As long as Brodeur is with this team, they will be contenders. They are not great, but they are good enough to compete in the East with players like Elias, Gionta and Rolston. Solid defense will be the way they win, the same old boring Devils team.
New York Islanders – Well not much to say here, they are not good. Not much to talk about they have very little talent and won’t compete in the Eastern Conference. They have a good goalie in Dipietro, but ultimately that won’t be enough.
New York Rangers – The Rangers expect to compete in the East this year. Led by great goaltending by Henrik Lundqvist and a solid group of forwards with Drury, Gomez and Naslund. Defense is the way they are going to win hockey games, they will play a solid team game. They need good years out of guys like Prucha and Zherdev to add secondary scoring and balance to the line up. Look for the Rangers to be near the top of the Eastern Conference and compete for the East title.
Ottawa Senators – The Sens are looking for a bounce back season. Last year they started off looking like one of the best teams in the league, but faded and lost out in the first round of the playoffs. They still have great forwards in Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson and they will score enough goals. The defense is a question mark, but the real problem is in net with Martin Gerber. Ottawa needs Gerber to play better then he has in his entire career and the defense may not be good enough to cover up mistakes. The dynamic forwards will help the Sens compete, but they will have to battle for one of the final spots in the Eastern Conference.
Posted by Craig on October 1, 2008
Anaheim Ducks - The Ducks ran into some cap issues this off season and had to make some tough decisions about there club. They bought out Todd Bertuzzi and traded Mathieu Schneider, so they could get under the cap. Anaheim is still very talented and will be looking to have a good season. Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger will lead the team from the back end and they still have all world goalie J.S. Giguere. Defense will not be the problem with the Ducks, they are going to need to manufacture ways to score goals. Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne will have to have good years for Anaheim up front. The Ducks aren’t as good as they were when they won the Cup a couple years ago, but they are still contenders in the West. Look for them to play great defense and fight for there division title.
Atlanta Thrashers - There’s not much to say about this team, there is a better chance they finish in dead last place then make the playoffs. They still have Ilya Kovalchuk as by far there best player and only true goal scorer. They made a trade for Mathieu Schneider and have a couple decent players in Colby Armstrong. Slava Kozlov and Jason Williams. Well this team straight up, isn’t good at all, in fact they might be the worst team in the league. If you are a Thrashers fan, get ready for a long season and a good draft pick next year.
Boston Bruins – The Bruins look good, they look like a playoff team. Bruins fans should get excited, the team is heading in the right direction and making the right decisions. Every night the Bruins will put out a solid top 6 forwards that will include Marc Savard, Michael Ryder, Patrice Bergeron and youngster Phil Kessel. Zdeno Chara is the captain and one of the best defenseman in the NHL. Its yet to be seen who the starting goalie is, but a healthy Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas will make a good one two punch in net. I see Boston as a playoff team, but they need to stay healthy. They are heading in the right direction, but I don’t think they are deep enough yet to withstand major injuries.
Buffalo Sabres – This team is a confusing one I can’t figure out if they are going to be very good, or miss the playoffs. They are fast up front with Maxim Afinogenov, Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek and should score some goals. They finally managed to keep a player by signing under rated forward Jason Pominville to a multi year deal. They have one of the best goalies in the NHL with Ryan Miller and a veteran defense core. The Sabres should fight for a playoff spot this year and be tough to play on a nightly basis. Miller is going to have to have a good season in the net, and Thomas Vanek will have to earn his money.
Calgary Flames – The Flames look good, they look like Western Conference favorites this season. Once again they will be led by super star Jerome Iginla, but Flames management went out and got him some help with Mike Cammalleri and Todd Bertuzzi. Secondary scoring will be key to Calgary having a great season. The defense is big and tough with Robyn Reghir and Dion Phaneuf. Miikka Kiprusoff will need to be back to his Vezina self because they don’t have much of a back up. The Calgary Flames will be an extremely tough team to play as they always are. They are big and physical and may intimidate some teams. Iginla is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL and if they get contributions by other players the flames will win. This team will hit, hard, fight and claw there way to a division title this year.
Carolina Hurricanes – I’m not to sure what to say about Carolina, they aren’t the worst team in the East, but they are far the best. They may be a team in limbo, they have some good pieces, but not a whole team yet. Eric Staal is the leader on the ice and they also have streaky forwards Tuomo Ruutu and Sergei Samsonov. Cam Ward is a good goalie and a healthy Frank Kaberle will lead the defense. The Hurricanes don’t look like a playoff team this year, but if they play hard they should have an alright record.
Chicago Blackhawks – This is the best young team in hockey, and I think this is the year they finally make the playoffs. Young super star forwards Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp will lead the offensive charge. The three of them will combine to be one of the best top lines in the NHL. In free agency the Hawks went out and got all star defenseman Brian Campbell and steady goalie Christabel Huet to improve there club. Campbell will lead the team on the power play and be the puck moving d – man they desperately needed last season. This team is offensively talented and I think they have a good chance of leading the league in power play goals. They are young and they will be the best team to watch in the league this season, like last years Washington. All offensive, all the time. Check out this team this year, if they stay healthy they will make the playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche – Goaltending is the big question mark with this team, Petr Budaj isn’t a proven starter and they don’t have a suitable back up. There are lots of good veterans on this team including team captain Joe Sakic, Adam Foote, Darcy Tucker and Ryan Smyth. This team will have to play tough games every night to make the playoffs. Budaj will have to surprise everyone and become a true number one goalie, and the young forwards will have to provide a lot of offense.
