29 Oct 2008 by Craig in National Hockey League
This is a current list of the top 10 teams in the National Hockey League. I made this list based on performance, talent, past success and predictions about the future, Throughout the year this list will change it will be up dated as we start to see who the true favorites are.
10 – Buffalo Sabres - I didn’t see this happening before the season started, but the Sabres are off to a great start. They have a very deep set of forwards with guys like Roy, Vanek, Kotalik, and Pominville off to good starts. Right now Thomas Vanek looks like a true all star and has become the leader up front for this team. Great goaltending by Ryan Miller has gotten this team off to a 6 – 1 – 2 and leading there division. Buffalo is a great team to watch they have a great mix of speed and aggressiveness and seem to beat there opponents in many different ways.
9 – Minnesota Wild - Well I really don’t understand this one and I would have to say I am not sold yet. There isn’t a whole lot of talent on this team especially with Gaborik being hurt, but you cannot over look the fact that they are winning hockey games. They win by playing a great defensive system, they are allowing a league low 2 goals a game. To this point they still haven’t lost a game in regulation and are the leaders in the Northwest division.
8 – Anaheim Ducks – The Ducks got off to a horrible start, but seem to be getting it together. The reason for there bad start was that the team just wasn’t gelling, there seemed to be no unity on the ice. Top forwards Perry, Getzlaf and Selanne seem to be breaking out of there funk and will start to lead this team to more consistent victories. This team has great goaltending and a solid defense, if they get some goals they will win more then there share of games in the Western Conference. Keep your eye on this team, I think they will start playing as they should.
7 – Calgary Flames – Another team that didn’t get off to a great start, but seem to be putting it all together. Before the season I thought Calgary was truly a cup contender and I am not ready to take them off this list yet. Iginla, Bertuzzi and Cammalleri are starting to get some chemistry and will lead this team throughout the season. For this team to stay on this list Miikka Kiprusoff is going to have to play like the all star he should be. To me the Flames look like a building team that will only get better as the year goes on.
6 – New Jersey Devils - The Devils are still good, because they still have Martin Brodeur. Brodeur is still the best goalie in the world and as long as New Jersey has him they will be a top 10 team. The goaltending is great, but they still need to find away to score more goals, they are only scoring 2.5 goals a game. If they manage to get some more goals and get healthy this team will be near the top of the Eastern Conference all season long. The Devils have some injury problems in the forward lines, but still need to take the pressure off the goaltending and defense by manufacturing some goals.
5 – Pittsburgh Penguins – You can’t over look the talent on this team, they are off to a bit of a slow start, but they will only get better as the year goes on. Recently they have been playing all world forwards Malkin and Crosby together and they have been scoring at a high pace. The injuries to there puck moving defense has really made it hard for this team in the early going. Fleury is also playing some great goal for the Penguins and gives them a shot to win every night. To win consistently the Pens will need secondary scoring from Staal, Satan and Fedotenko. In my opinion this team has no where to go, but up on this list.
4 – Montreal Canadiens – Still Stanley Cup favorites, and off to a great start. Not a lot of weaknesses on this squad, they are fast, balanced and get great goaltending every night. If they keep it up, they will be at the top of this list all season long.
3 – San Jose Sharks - The Sharks are proving they are still a great regular season team and will be near the top of the Western Conference all year. Highlighted by great goaltending and a solid group of forwards, there is no doubt the Sharks are one of the most talented teams in the league. If they continue to get secondary scoring they will have no problem being in the top three all year long.
2 – New York Rangers - They have slowed a bit from there great start, but still are right at the top of the NHL. Secondary scoring has really led this team with Dubinsky, Zherdev and Voros all off to great starts. They have gotten the great goaltending and defense that they expected, and if that continues I see them near the top of this list all season long. The Rangers are a great team in a great market and it is good for the league to have them playing this well.
1 – Detroit Red Wings – Defending Stanley Cup champions, and still the most talented team in the league. After a loss on opening night, they have played some great hockey and will only get better. A team full of stars like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa and Lidstrom, this franchise continues to be the best in the league. They are perfect on the road, and if they play any where near this good all year they will fight for the Presidents trophy. Detroit will be at the top of this list until another team proves they can play as consistently great as they do.
17 Oct 2008 by Craig in NHL 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.
09 Oct 2008 by Craig in NHL 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.
06 Oct 2008 by Craig in NHL 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.