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A Shake-Up From Shanahan

rocknrollnobody — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:02:55 +0000

Explaining the sport you love, to friends and family who are unfamiliar to it, can sometimes be a difficult task. Many the hour I have tried to break down the rules of ‘the code’, despite there never actually being any written confirmation of them.

“So Bertuzzi was wrong for punching Steve Moore in the back of the head, but most of the damage to Moore was done when Bertuzzi fell on top of him, followed by Moore’s teammate Andrei Nikolishin and Bertuzzi’s teammate Sean Pronger” I explain. My companion nods slowly. At this point I do wonder if maybe I should have explained the whole ‘bounty on Moore’s head’ situation.

“But surely it was retaliation for Moore’s dirty hit on Marcus Naslund? And that’s allowed in ‘The Code’ right?” I’m slightly impressed. There was I, thinking she had glazed over, and had lost interest, when really, she’d taken it all in and was just paying attention with a gormless look on her face. My ‘concentration’ face isn’t much better, and it has been known to involve me sticking my tongue out before now.

“Retaliation is indeed allowed, however, this had already taken place. Moore had fought Matt Cooke earlier in the game. He’d stood up and accepted a fight that was expected of him. That was him taking his punishment. The fact Moore fared quite well and gave a good account of himself didn’t matter. He’d accepted a fight, and that should have been that. The issue was that people wanted to see Moore get destroyed, and that didn’t happen, so Bertuzzi took it upon himself.” At this point, we are interrupted by ‘life’ and have to continue the conversation at another time, but the recent changes in discipline have brought up this kind of subject once again.

Cheap play and dirty hits were never part of the game 30 years or so ago. The issue has come along since players have got bigger, faster, and more protected by armour. I certainly know then when I dress in my hockey armour and take to the ice, padded up to the max, I feel like Robocop, and use my 6’3”, 220lb build to its max. I know I can hit the boards at pace if I need to, or skate hard to crash the net, since even if I collide with someone, or something, chances are I’ll be fine to the protection. I wouldn’t like to skate hard to the net with sticks and elbows flying around if I WASN’T wearing such protection. The players protection means that huge hits are going to be commonplace, because the pain of throwing a big hit has been removed.

The problem is that despite the physical exterior of your head being protected, having someone elbow it causes such a trauma to the interior part of your head (the soft, squishy, and rather important bits) that whiplash and concussions are more common than ever.

The biggest factor, however, is the removal of the instigator penalty. Back before this penalty was introduced, if a player was agitating, and playing cheap (are you listening Trevor Gillies?), then the other team would send out the enforcer, who would sort it out. Either the cheap player cut it out, or he’d have to stand up and fight. It was an accepted way of policing the game, and the players respected that. It cut out the dangerous plays, because nobody really fancied having to fight enforcers like Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Rob Ray, or Kelly Chase, unless they really, really had to.

Now though, an enforcer has to get the cheap player to agree to drop the gloves, which of course, they rarely do. When the NHL introduced the instigator rule, then they took on the burden of policing the games themselves. The officials were expected to see all the dirty plays, and the authorities were expected to dish out suitable punishments to those involved. Unfortunately, the officials can’t be expected to see every single move that every player makes on the ice, and as such, the officials miss things. When the enforcer enters the ice to make the cheap player pay for his actions, the enforcer gets an extra 2 minute penalty, rewarding the cheap player’s team with a powerplay. The punishments ended up being a metaphorical lucky dip. The lack of consistency meant that similar offences were being dealt with completely differently, and there was often a wild guess as to the punishment.

When there’s a chance that a cheap player can get away with playing dirty, then they’ll take it. And even if they do get caught, depending on what day it is, depends on how severe the suspension is. Last season we saw some sicken examples of dirty play, that some players took part in without any concern as to their subsequent punishments. The Islanders and Penguins spent nearly two games knocking the living daylights out of eachother, including goalies fighting players, concussions, and other dangerous plays. Obviously the precedent for suspensions was so hit-and-miss, the player felt they could take their chances. Star NHL player Sidney Crosby missed a huge part of last season due to a hard hit to the head, and was out with concussion, only resuming skating intensively during pre-season. Multiple top players have been out with severe concussions for some considerable time, with Marc Savard being the best example. Many believe Savard’s career is over, due to the severe head trauma he suffered.

Would these events have happened if instead of a randomly-generated suspension, a really good beat-down was administered to the offending player? Who knows? However, one thing is for sure. If a player is lining up another player for a head-hit, a check to the head, or a slash up high, then if punishment is instant, and brutal, then it’s a better deterrent than a few games on the sidelines. If your play takes out the opposition’s star player for a couple of months, then your 4-game suspension was probably worth it. If, however, you know that dirty play near a team’s star player will result in a weighty punch to the face, then it’s harder to justify it to yourself. Everyone knows that punishment. Being repeatedly smashed in the face by someone bigger than you is the kind of deterrent we all understand.

This pre-season saw some of the usual plays being made. Dangerous hits, cheap play, and agitators making the most of the flexibility in the system. This time though, something else happened. New NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan slapped big suspensions on players for what, last year, would have been deemed as ‘part of the game’. Wisniewski, Staubitz, and Boyes have all been handed big, fat suspensions, that carry into the regular season, and recently Jean-Francois Jacques was suspended by the NHL, for whichever games he makes the roster for, so basically, there’s no point in NHL team taking him on, since he wouldn’t be able to dress for 5 games. It’s also being considered by the AHL to make his suspension take affect there too. That’s some serious ramifications for what was a nasty and unnecessary play, and so it should be.

Maybe now, the punishments being dished out by the NHL will be both consistent, and appropriate? Certainly, Shanahan’s suspensions have been suitable, and the follow-up videos explaining why the action was deemed illegal are most welcome. There’s a real “That was illegal, this is the punishment and here’s why we think it’s a suitable one”. Surely this is how it was meant to me?

If the NHL is steadfastly refusing to remove the instigator penalty, then this, I hope, is the next best thing. Maybe then we’ll have less serious concussions and injuries. Sadly however, Marc Savard won’t feel any benefit.

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2011-2012 Season Preview Part 2

rocknrollnobody — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:09:05 +0000

So now we look to the West, and to the second half of the NHL. Last season’s Western Conference champions, the Vancouver Canucks, went all the way to the final, and narrowly missed out on the triple of Eastern Conference Champions, Eastern Conference Playoff final Winners, and Stanley Cup winners.

Since it seems that there are many changes afoot in the East, and we’ll now take a look at the alterations to the Western Conference since last season:

Chicago Blackhawks

No fewer than 7 players have been collected by the Hawks in the off-season. Notably, Dan Carcillo (Flyers) Sean O’Donnell (Flyers), and Andrew Brunette (Wild). Carcillo is a player everyone loves to hate, and his antics on the ice are more talked about than his scoring records. However, at 26, the Hawks have collected a winger at the right age to be a quality acquisition, and with plenty of time to build his ability. O’Donnell has missed just 8 games since the 2005-06 season, which not only shows how reliable he is, but how much his previous teams, the Ducks, Kings and Flyers, appreciated his ability. Being fit is one thing, but being good enough to solidify your spot on the roster is another. O’Donnell looks again, to be a solid signing, despite his 39 years.

KEY PLAYER: Duncan Keith – The 28yr-old D-man is the backbone of the Blackhawks defence. His toughness and shutdown play were really tested last year as the Hawks found themselves decimated by salary cap alterations. However, thanks to the solid defensive play of skaters like Keith, the Hawks still made the playoffs.

Columbus Blue Jackets

As part of the Philadelphia Flyers clearout, the Jackets received in return for Voracek and a couple of top-end draft picks, Jeff Carter. The much discussed trade took many views. Was it a high price to pay for Carter? Probably, but when you look at the numbers it’s hard to argue. Carter has 343pts in 461 games, and that’s really not to be sniffed at. However, the Jackets have since come under critisicm for the contract if signed with D-man James Wisniewski. At 6yrs and $33million, many believe that it’s too expensive. Equally, the only other signings of the close-season were 35yr-old Martinek from the Islanders, and 36yr-old Prospal from the Rangers. Are the Jackets banking on a couple of players pulling the rest through?

KEY PLAYER: Jeff Carter – Without doubt, Carter is a class player. He showed when playing for the Flyers that he can be a frightening prospect when in full flight, especially when he has a winger that feeds him the puck correctly. I think Carter’s linemates will make a huge difference to his points tally.

Detroit Red Wings

A quiet summer for the Wings, and the only signings they made were to replace retirees. Rafalski retired due to knee issues, and was replaced by San Jose defenceman Ian White, but questions still persist as to if he will slot in next to Nick Lidstrom on the first pairing. Probably not. Chris Osgood finally hung up his glove this year, meaning a welcome return of perpetual backup goalie, Ty Conklin. And finally Mike Commodore joins the Wings from Columbus, and it is expected he’ll be a 3rd pair player, as he replaces the sadly deceased Ruslan Salei.

KEY PLAYER: Henrik Zetterberg – The 30yr-old Swede has two huge parts to his game. He can play as a neutraliser for other team’s star players, most notably against Crosby and Ovechkin, who often struggle to play under Zetterberg’s stranglehold, as well as being able to switch to a strong offensive threat when required. He managed to carry much of the Detroit offense last season when the team was struggling with injuries.

Nashville Predators

The Predators finished last season in the playoffs and were disposed of by the Canucks. They obviously aren’t doing too much wrong to be in the post-season for four out of the last five seasons. Goalie Pekka Rinne put up his best stats since entering the NHL last season, and the Predators certainly seem to have a good mix of a few veteran players, and a large number of younger, faster skaters. 17 of their roster are 26yrs old, or younger.

KEY PLAYER: Jack Hillen – The former Islanders Defenceman is often overlooked, but his ability to intercept passes and block passing/shooting lanes is what made him force his way into the New York lineup earlier than many people really give him credit for. This signing in itself indicates that Nashville have no intention of giving up their youthful style of play.

St Louis Blues

Despite some pretty intense chopping and changing in the last 9 months, the Blues look like a pretty competitive outfit. Their acquisitions, despite being a little older, are all pure class. Jamie Langenbrunner (Stars), Scott Nichol, Kent Huskins (both Sharks), Jason Arnott (Capitals) are all veterans, but all have decent ability to go with their experience. All but Scott Nichol have won a Stanley Cup. The only area I think the Blues need to worry is in goal, where Halak seems to be their only hope, since summer signing Brian Elliott is backup, and his record is very poor.

KEY PLAYER: David Backes – The 27yr old newly-appointed captain had his most successful season last year, posting 62pts off 82 games (31 goals and 31 assists). Backes’ hard-hitting play will definitely work well with Langenbrunner and Arnott, so hopefully the Blues forward will continue to flourish.

Calgary Flames

Most Calgary fans will be pleased to see the disappointing 10/11 season over, as it was the second on the bounce that the Flames missed the Playoffs. However, a car-crash summer saw Calgary dumping salary in huge trades for very little return. Only Lee Stempniak and Scott Hannan are quality additions, but with the loss of so many other decent players, I can’t see it evening up. I think this will have to be a rebuild year for Calgary, and Flames fans will likely spend another summer wondering if Jarome Iginla will get to shine in the post-season again.

KEY PLAYER: Jarome Iginla – Iggy has played 1106 games, and scored 1006pts. The way to look at it, is that he only fails to score a point in 1 out of 10 games. Iginla has struggled to keep the Flames competitive on his own, and many criticisms of his linemates have meant an almost constant shuffling. However, Iginla showed during the Winter Olympics how deadly he can be when he has teammates that play at the same level as he does.

Colorado Avalanche

A monster 55-man NHL roster gives the Avs the 2nd largest selection in the league (Edmonton carry 64 contracted players). The double goalie signings of Giguere and Varlamov give them a new look at the back, but it is yet to be decided who will be the started and who will be backup. The Defence has been given a bit of an overhaul too, with O’Brien (Predators), Kobasew (Wild), and Hejda (Blue Jackets) all joining Colorado’s revolution. It seems the franchise has actually seem the same failings in the Avs that the fans did last season, and in a move rare with NHL GMs, Greg Sherman has acquired the kind of players to fill the needs of the team. I still think they’re a little way off the Playoffs though.

KEY PLAYER: Paul Stastny – When hitting nearly a point-per-game at just 25, and with 5 years NHL play under Stastny’s belt, it’s clear that the abilities of his father Peter have come through strong in Paul. If his previous form is anything to go by, he will definitely be a much-relied upon player for the Avalanche this year.

Edmonton Oilers

As mentioned above, the Oilers carry a 64-man roster, many are prospects and there are a couple of recognisable names, but nothing to frighten the rest of the Western Conference. Long time Oiler Ryan Smyth returns to Edmonton. His previous stint of 11-years was ended in 07 when he was traded to the Islanders. Veteran Defenceman Andy Sutton signed during the summer, along with Hordichuk (Panthers), Green (Ducks), Eager (Sharks), Bélanger (Coyotes), and younger players Cam Barker (Wild), and goalie prospect Danis (Devils). Despite the selection, they’re not a lot of strength in depth here, and although the first line might be pretty solid, it doesn’t look like there’s much else to back it up with.

KEY PLAYER: Nikolai Khabibulin – Although long-past his heyday as the Stanley Cup winning goalie for Tampa Bay, Khabibulin is still considered an strong netminder. At 38, it’s looking like his best days are behind him, but don’t let that fool you too much. Kabby can pull out a 37-save shutout with the best of them, when in the zone.

Minnesota Wild

A pretty solid summer for the Wild. They picked up some quality players, trading for Danny Heatley and Devin Setoguchi from the Sharks, as well as younger players Mike Lundin (Tampa Bay) and the impressive Darroll Powe from Philadelphia. Part of the off-season moves involved the trading away of the more offensive threat in the Wild’s arsenal. Havlat was swapped to the San Jose Sharks, so Heatley certainly has some pressure on him to deliver similar, if not better numbers.

KEY PLAYER: Danny Heatley – As the replacement for the main attacking threat, Heatley definitely needs to start putting up the goals. He’ll be slightly buoyed knowing he has Setoguchi with him, but no matter who is on the line with him, Heatley must start fast, and start scoring.

Vancouver Canucks

Not too much to shout about in Western Canada, but it must be said, that if your team gets you to the Stanley Cup Finals, then there’s not much that really needs tweaking. Incoming players are Marco Sturm (Capitals), Alex Sulzer (Panthers), Mancari (Sabres), Ebbett (Coyotes) and the wonderfully named Byron Bitz (Bruins). The resilience of the Canucks last season was exceptional, as they overcame a catalogue of defensive injuries to win the Western Conference. More will be expected of Vancouver this year, as fans will hope they can go just one step further.

KEY PLAYER: Ryan Kesler – Kesler’s Selke trophy win was no fluke. In recent years his play has altered drastically from being a pest and agitator, to becoming a quality two-way forward. The Canucks have benefitted greatly from this change, giving the out-and-out goalscorers better positioning, as Kesler is often found digging the puck off the boards and covering responsible defence.

Anaheim Ducks

Despite Edmonton finishing bottom of the Western Conference, the Ducks saw fit to sign up 4 of their players from last season. Only Andrew Cogliano seems to be a good deal, as Deslauriers, Jacques, and Foster just don’t seem to have been able to cope with the NHL at Edmonton. Small numbers from Jacques and Foster won’t help the Anaheim cause, whilst goalie Deslauriers didn’t play in the NHL last year. The Lightning’s Matt Smaby was the final signing, and so there won’t be a huge deal of difference in the Ducks lineups this year.

KEY PLAYER: Teemu Selänne – The 41-year old just doesn’t stop. With a scoring record slightly better than a goal every other game, and a points total far in advance of his games played, it’s say to say that Anaheim would like to keep playing Selänne, as long as he can hold a stick. Many Ducks fans would like to see Teemu make the playoffs one last time.

Dallas Stars

Since most of the attention on the Stars revolves around off-the-ice changes, they could be forgiven for saying that distractions have meant a rather quiet summer except the UFA status of Brad Richards. However, in Jake Dowell, Dallas have signed one of the most promising forwards in his age range. A full season with the Blackhawks last year will have done him no harm, and the Stars can sit comfortably in the glow of a good move. Radek Dvořák joins from Atlanta as a veteran head, as do Fiddler (Coyotes) and Souray (Oilers). Other acquisitions look to be fair value, with Calgary defenceman Adam Pardy, Pittsburgh winger Eric Godard, and Bruins forward Michael Ryder all joining Dallas, despite their ownership turmoil.

KEY PLAYER: Jamie Benn – His first season in the NHL consisted of a full 81 games, and 41 points. Last season, Benn played 69 games, but racked up 56 points. Dallas really do have a impressive younger player in their lines, and the more ice-time they can give this young forward, the better.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have brought in a stack of prospect this year, including the fantastically names C.J. Stretch, and none other than Michael Schumacher. They’ve also brought in some pretty decent names. Mike Richards joined from the Flyers, having put up around 70pts for the last 4 seasons, whilst long-time Oiler Ethan Moreau joins the West coast, alongside Islanders winger Trent Hunter. Young centre Colin Fraser joins from Edmonton, but perhaps the most intriguing signing in LA, is that of Simon Gagne. He and Kopitar would make a frightening combo on a line together.

KEY PLAYER: Simon Gagne - At $7million over 2 years, the Kings are banking a fair amount on Gagne refinding his 70-80pt seasons of 05-07. However, it’s clear that Gagne is a hard-working and team-orientated player, making him worth taking a risk on. He’s certainly still much-loved in Philadelphia due to his efforts there.

Phoenix Coyotes

Despite rumblings of a franchise move, the Coyotes are still with us for the 11-12 season. However, their saving grace for much of the last two seasons has now departed. Bryzgalov’s move to Philadelphia has left Phoenix with a gaping hole to fill. Unfortunately, their replacements just don’t seem good enough. McElhinney and Mike Smith have come in, and joined LaBarbera as a three-way goalie setup. I just don’t see them being as strong as Bryzgalov was. Bolduc has joined from the Canucks, but to me will always be the guy who had his head nearly taken off by John Scott. Kyle Chipchura (Ducks), Boyd Gordon (Capitals), Langkow (Flames), O’Sullivan (Wild), Oystrick (Blues), Pouliot (Lightning) and Torres (Canucks) all seem to be either on their way out, or struggled to make the grade at other teams. I can’t see the Coyotes being a playoff team this year.

KEY PLAYER: Keith Yandle - Yandle has been a superb offensive player in his five seasons with Phoenix, scoring 32 goals with 112 assists in 283 games. At just 25, the blue-liner has managed to be rewarded with a massive 5-year contract extension, worth around $26million. Phoenix must see the potential franchise player here, as Shane Doan starts to wind down his career.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks obviously decided they needed some experience., as they signed 6 players this summer, 5 of which were over 30 years old. Some decent names are amongst them though, with Michal Handzuš joining from LA, Martin Havlát from Minnesota, and Colin White from New Jersey. Jim Vandermeer makes San Jose his 4th team in 4 seasons, and James Sheppard is hoping to fulfill a lot of the potential is touted to have, moving out West. San Jose should be there or thereabouts for the playoffs again this season.

KEY PLAYER: Patrick Marleau – Having played his entire career in San Jose, Marleau is part of the furniture. However, he has been able to rack up nearly a point-per-game for the last three seasons. With numbers like those, then he’s going to be an influential part of the Sharks season. However, with new linemate Havlat, Marleau will have to change his style to a little to adjust.

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2011-2012 Season Preview Part 1

rocknrollnobody — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:10:40 +0000

We’re a month away from the opening games of the season, and so apart from the odd rookie playing out of his skin in training camp, the rosters are pretty much solidified for the NHL teams.

Obviously the movement of the Atlanta Thrashers franchise transforming into the reborn Winnipeg Jets makes a fair bit of difference, as next year could see a reshuffle of teams in the East/West Conferences, let alone a fair amount of movement between divisions.

So, with some big moves, and some real surprises, let’s take a look at the teams for the upcoming season:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

New Jersey Devils

The Devils have brought in a couple of players but nobody that is going to make other teams sit up and take notice. For a start, their acquisitions of Eric Boulton, known in many arenas as simply ‘that dirty, elbowing guy’, and Cam Janssen are not going to make the rest of the Atlantic scared. This season, we’re likely to see Steckel get a bit more ice time, which I think would be wise, as I reckon he’s itching to get his feet under the table on maybe the 2nd line, and be a decent backup player for Kovalchuk, Parise and Elias.

KEY PLAYER – Ilya Kovalchuk: Kovi can make or break the Devils season, as proved in the 2nd half of last year. If Kovi plays well, then the Devils play well.

New York Islanders

Known last season for their bust-ups and aggressive play, the Islanders decided to keep their main antagonist and resident nutcase, Trevor Gillies on their NHL roster. Along with Michael Haley, the Islanders parade two guys who are known for cheap play and throwing dangerous hits. On the plus side, their acquisitions of Brian Rolston and Marty Reasoner look to be wise moves, but the key element in the Islanders season will be the status or Evgeni Nabokov. The Russian was claimed off waivers by New York last year and refused to play. If GM Garth Snow as made friends with Nabokov, he might be able to back-stop them to a decent season.

KEY PLAYER – Evgeni Nabokov: A strong and reliable goalie, who can single-handedly turn games on their head. The question will be if he decides to show up for the Islanders.

New York Rangers

Snagging probably the top free-agent of the summer will do the New York Rangers no harm at all. They’re set for goaltending with Lundqvist again in top form last season. The Swedish netminder is a wall in the Rangers’ goal and along with understated signings of Michael Rupp and Brian McCabe, the Rangers look like a team that can only do better than last season. They certainly should have no trouble reaching the playoffs again this year.

KEY PLAYER – Brad Richards: Signed a 9-year $60-million contract, turning down Calgary, LA, Toronto and even snubbing a return to his Stanley Cup team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. A big name, however, must make a big impact, and put up big numbers.

Philadelphia Flyers

Philly look to have finally sorted out their constant issues with goaltending. Having let go of Brian Boucher, they replaced him with Ilya Bryzgalov. Despite Vokoun being available, the Flyers GM Paul Holmgren chose the former Phoenix goaltender. Along with backup Sergei Bobrovsky, the Flyers might finally have a pair of goalies that they can rely on. Along with the surprise signing of Jaromir Jagr (after negotiations broke down with the Red Wings, Penguins, and apparently nailed-on Canadiens), the Flyers have added young Czech winger Jakub Voracek as a powerful offensive threat.

KEY PLAYER – Ilya Bryzgalov: The goaltender was Phoenix most treasured player for the last few seasons, and his move to Philadelphia will certainly put to bed many of the doubts about the Flyers weak spot in goal.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Quite a quiet off-season for Pittsburgh in terms of new signings, but there’s been lots of attention and column inches devoted to the physical status of captain, Sidney Crosby. The concussion he suffered last season limited him to just 41 games, and he’s not a dead-cert for the beginning of this season either. The Penguins have signed up Picard, Sullivan and Williams from the Canadiens, Predators, and Stars respectively, which isn’t exactly headline news.

KEY PLAYER – Evgeni Malkin: If Crosby doesn’t return for a while, all eyes will be on the young Russian to make up the numbers, so long as his own injury issues are sorted come the opening games.

Boston Bruins

Last season’s Stanley Cup winners have done very little this summer, apart from celebrate, obviously. They’ve made hardly any changes to the victorious team, and so must believe that they have the winning formula for next season as well as last. Only Carolina’s Corvo, and Montreal’s Pouliot have been brought in to the TD Garden, but even in hard times, having Tim Thomas inbetween the pipes is never a bad thing.

KEY PLAYER – Tyler Seguin: Last season’s rookie had a solid first year, and won the cup for good measure. Next season could see Seguin turn in more confident performances, and perhaps become a real contributor to the Bruins forward lines.

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have made a few signings, and none of them exactly poor. The almost ever-present defensive pair of Christian Ehrhoff, and Robyn Regehr have both signed in Buffalo, as well as forwards Ales Kotalik and Ville Leino. Some smart moves from the Sabres should see them in the playoffs once again.

KEY PLAYER – Ryan Miller: The Sabres goaltender has proven time and time again that he’s one of the best netminders of his generation. I can’t see him faltering too much this season either. A strong goalie can often make up for a poor defence.

Montreal Canadiens

A couple of strange moves in Montreal this off-season. The acquisition of backup netminder Peter Budaj isn’t going to whip Habs fans into a frenzy, but the signing of forward Erik Cole from Carolina is an excellent deal. Fans favourite P.K Subban will again be in the limelight, along with captain, Brian Gionta and Mike Cammalleri. Fans in Montreal are expectant of success, as it’s been thin on the ground in recent years.

KEY PLAYER – Carey Price: Last season, Price and Bruins goalie, Tim Thomas regularly duelled for the top goaltender stats. With a goalie that’s regularly up there with the best save percentage, as well as one of the best goals against averages, then it’s hard to argue against him being one of their top players.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators have an absolutely enormous roster to choose from. A massive 41 players have NHL contracts, but none of them really stand out. Only Spezza, and recent signing Konopka really look like being able to put up any good numbers. The goalie tandem of Auld and Anderson just doesn’t appear strong enough, and I think Ottawa are really going to struggle this year.

KEY PLAYER – Sergei Gonchar: The 37-year old defenceman will play his second season in Ottawa this year. If he plays as well as we have seen he can, then Gonchar can neutralise the most successful forwards in the NHL. However, age is catching him up, and it may be a year too far for Sergei.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs have made a few changes this summer, most of look on paper, to be smart deals.Incoming, there’s a young, quick defenceman in Franson, and a young, quick forward in Dupuis. Sounds like the Leafs have a game plan.To add a bit more experience and work rate in the dirty areas, they’ve also added Colorado defenceman Liles, and Sabres forward Connolly. That’s four players that have justification in maybe feeling their effort or skill was perhaps a grade above the rest of their old teams.

KEY PLAYER – Dion Phaneuf: The rock-solid main D for Toronto is the main deterrent for most opposition team’s 1st line of forwards. Phaneuf has the skill, the poise, and the experience to control a team that’s successful, or that’s struggling. Players like those, need to be kept hold of.

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina enter the pre-season with a little change here and there, but nothing that’s going to shake the foundations of the franchise. Former Flyer, Brian Boucher has a new home backing up Cam Ward, whilst ex-Toronto forward Tim Brent is hoping he can put in another solid season of 70+ games for the Hurricanes. Tomas Kaberle may have won the Cup in Boston, but never really settled, nor did they with him, and so he signed in Carolina for three years. Ponikarovsky is a solid winger, and Anthony Stewart from what was Atlanta, is a promising young forward.

KEY PLAYER – Jeff Skinner: Last season’s Calder trophy winner (Top Rookie) is going to be under a lot of scrutiny this year, to see if his first NHL season of 82 games and 63 points was fluke, or the makings of a truly gifted player.

Florida Panthers

The amount of trades that seem to involve the Panthers is incredible. This summer, Florida brought in Bergenheim (Lightning), Campbell (Blackhawks), Goc (Predators), Jovanovski (Coyotes), Kopecky (Blackhawks), Upshall (Blue Jackets), and Versteeg (Flyers). Add to this the acquisition of goalie Jose Theodore, and the Panthers might actually be there or thereabouts this season. Theodore signed from the Wild, despite having his lowest GAA for 3 years and his best save percentage for 7 years in Minnesota. He seems a perfectly capable replacement for Vokoun.

KEY PLAYER – Stephen Weiss: A member of the Panthers since 2001, Weiss is the longest serving player, and when the management chop and change the roster so frequently, they must see something in him worth keeping. 49 points last season was surprisingly low, as he’d hit 60 or more for the previous two.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The dark horses of last year’s playoffs return with a couple of aces up their sleeves. Goalie Mathieu Garon signs for his 5th NHL team in 7 years, whilst Bruno Gervais joins in defence from the Islanders, where he put up modest 3rd pairing numbers, along with young D-man Matt Gilroy, who heads south from the New York Rangers. A pair of forwards also sign for the Lightning with Pyatt joining from Montreal and Shannon from Ottawa.

KEY PLAYER – Martin St. Louis: Although the second oldest player on the roster, St. Louis is definitely one of the most dangerous. An incredible post-season saw him collect 20 points in 18 games. St. Louis has missed just 2 NHL games in the last 8 years.

Washington Capitals

Michal Neuvirth’s summer was probably great for about 2 days. When Varlamov was signing for the Avalanche, Neuvirth would be forgiven for assuming he’d be given the starting role in net for the Capitals. Unfortunately, just a day later, Tomas Vokoun shows up and suggests a contract to the Capitals, which they accept, and it’s back to backup duties for Michal. 37-year old Roman Hamrlik joins his 6th NHL team, and he is joined by former Blackhawk Tory Brouwer, and journeyman Jeff Halpern. Maybe the most interesting signing, is of Joel Ward, the Predators winger who stormed the playoffs, and finished with over a point-per-game in the post-season.

KEY PLAYER – Alex Ovechkin: Although he had a self-confessed ‘tough season’, Ovi still managed 85pts off 79 games. When his last three seasons were all 100pts or more, you can understand the comment, but there are few teams out there who wouldn’t be happy with a 1st line forward who can rack up 85pts a year, tough season or otherwise!

Winnipeg Jets

The old new boys (some of us can remember the Jets the last time round!) take to the ice in Winnipeg this season, looking to make a bit of a splash with some of the old Atlanta team mixed with a few new faces from Free Agency. Former Red Wings defenceman Derek Meech looks to finally break into the roster an be part of a top 6 pairing, whilst ex-Vancouver winger Tanner Glass looks to get his spot solidified. Former Thrashers Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd will certainly be able to compete, but will the rest of the roster?

KEY PLAYER – Dustin Byfuglien: Buff never fails to give everything he has, every shift he takes. Although his scoring is never going to be up there with the Crosby’s, Ovechkin’s and Datsyuk’s, his ability to read the game makes him an excellent two-way player. His skills will be a great example to the younger guys given a chance in Winnipeg.

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Penaltykill.net Free Agency Thread

sharksfan — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:17:29 +0000

We have opened this thread as a place to start sharing or venting your free agency news, comments and rants. Have at it…

Antero Nittymaki - the newest San Jose Shark

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NHL 2010 Draft Selections - How Many Picks Does Your Team Have?

canucklehead — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:54:54 +0000

Here are your team’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Picks (as of last week). The Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders lead with double-digit picks, and the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars bring up the rear with only 4 picks each. Choose wisely!

Club	# of Picks	Rounds of Picks	Overall Pick #s
Anaheim	7	1,1,2,5,6,6,7	12,29,42,132,161,177,192
Atlanta	9	1,1,2,3,4,5,5,6,7	8,24,54,87,101,128,150,158,188
Boston	8	1,1,2,2,4,5,6,7	2,15,32,45,97,135,165,195
Buffalo	9	1,3,3,3,4,5,6,7,7	23,68,75,83,98,143,173,203,208
Calgary	7	3,3,4,4,5,6,7	64,73,103,108,133,163,193
Carolina	11	1,2,2,2,3,3,4,6,6,7,7	7,37,46,53,67,85,105,157,167,187,206
Chicago	8	1,2,2,3,4,6,7,7	30,43,60,90,120,180,191,210
Colorado	7	1,2,3,4,5,5,7	17,47,77,107,137,139,197
Columbus	8	1,2,2,4,4,5,6,7	4,34,55,94,102,124,154,184
Dallas	4	1,2,3,5	11,41,71,131
Detroit	7	1,2,3,4,5,6,7	21,51,81,111,141,171,201
Edmonton	10	1,2,2,3,4,5,6,6,6,7	1,31,48,61,91,121,151,162,166,181
Florida	9	1,2,2,2,4,4,5,6,7	3,33,36,50,92,93,123,153,183
Los Angeles	9	1,2,2,3,3,4,5,6,7	19,49,59,70,79,109,148,169,199
Minnesota	8	1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7	9,39,56,69,99,129,159,189
Montreal	5	1,2,4,5,7	27,57,117,147,207
Nashville	6	1,3,5,6,7,7	18,78,126,168,194,198
New Jersey	5	2,3,4,6,7	38,84,114,174,204
NY Islanders	10	1,2,2,3,3,4,5,6,6,7	5,35,58,65,82,95,125,155,160,185
NY Rangers	5	1,2,4,5,7	10,40,100,130,190
Ottawa	5	1,3,4,6,7	16,76,106,178,196
Philadelphia	5	3,4,5,6,7	89,119,149,179,209
Phoenix	5	1,1,2,4,5	13,22,52,113,138
Pittsburgh	7	1,3,4,5,6,6,7	20,80,110,140,152,170,200
San Jose	4	1,3,5,5	28,88,127,136
St. Louis	6	1,2,3,4,5,6	14,44,74,104,134,164
Tampa Bay	8	1,3,3,3,4,4,6,7	6,63,66,72,96,118,156,186
Toronto	6	3,4,5,5,7,7	62,112,122,144,182,202
Vancouver	6	1,4,5,6,6,7	25,115,145,172,175,205
Washington	6	1,3,4,5,5,6	26,86,116,142,146,176

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Non-Playoff Hockey Is Still Hockey

zambonidiaries — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:32:09 +0000

At this point in the season we all look at the schedule and see who’s battling for that final playoff spot or the important playoff seed that could determine home ice advantage for your favorite team. That is what makes this time of year as a hockey fan so great. One thing we sometimes underestimate are the teams that are not in the playoffs.
There isn’t much build up or fan fare, and no major implications to these games, but when you have a team that underachieved all season, there are jobs at stake. It is also a time when coaches will give young guys a chance to throw the jersey on. Maybe these guys aren’t vying for the Stanley Cup, but they are vying for a job next season or a contract extension. It is there chance to prove themselves. This includes young players, but maybe more importantly some veteran’s that underachieved and may find themselves on the outside of franchise plans for the future. These players and teams throw it all on line, for a chance at a job or better salary at contract time. They have nothing to lose and sometimes put forth a better effort than they have all season.

So when you look at the match-ups for the next few nights, don’t just discard the teams out of the playoffs, you may miss an exciting hockey game, and maybe a couple of playoff spoilers.

ZamboniDiaries
http://zambonidiaries.blogspot.com
Twitter: @zambonidiaries

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United States Vs Canada & The 3-Point System

sharksfan — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:14:41 +0000

I love the 3-point system used by Olympic hockey (3-points for a regulation win, 2-points for an overtime/SO win, 1-point overtime loss). There has been lots of talk about changing the NHL point system and most of them are all theory, but actually seeing one system in action really shows it’s value. With this three point system we find that Team USA is actually ahead of Team Canada going into today’s showdown. Since I’m a firm believer that a Team Canada loss helps the San Jose Sharks, a win by Team USA looks far more significant that it did when the tournament started. With a win it is possible that Team USA will advance directly to the playoff round and be able to skip the next round of tournament play - essentially win a ‘bye’, meanwhile Team Canada may have to play another round to advance onto the final playoffs. This of course assumes that time off helps, not hinders, a team - even if they could probably use more practice playing together.

In my opinion, the fascinating statistic of the tournament so far:
Men’s Hockey Score (combined USA & Canada): 20-4
Women’s Hockey Score (combined USA & Canada): 72-3

USA! USA! USA!

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The Points System

b.chandler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:43:23 +0000

For a while now, something bothers me in the way the NHL are attributing points after each game. It all started in 2005-06 when the NHL felt that it would be better to eliminate the tied games and replace it with a shootout round after the OT. No arguments there, going to a hockey game only to return home with a 2-2 score left a sour taste in the mouths of players and fans. So what’s the problem you ask??? The point given to the losing team…

The Problem

Well first of all, while in the first season I don’t recall it changing the way the game was played, it’s unfair that some games are worth 3 points and some are worth 2. Then the coach and players, as they were adjusting started to realize that it was way better to go home with one point than none at all. That’s exactly where the games started to go dry with 5 mins to go in the game. Teams stop playing and wait for the OT where they can get that point; with an attitude of we’ll win it in ot.

But where it really started to affect the game is this year. According to ESPN “Through 381 games so far this season, there were 70 games (18 percent) decided by a shootout, up from 56 through the same number of games last season and 36 during the first season after the lockout.”

Another thing, hockey is the only sport where you have a .500 with a 13-13-7 which really is 13-20 (the Anaheim Ducks as I write this)

As I’m looking at the standing right now, The Caps are first with a 21-7-6 for 48 points and 34 games played. . For this example I’ll go with the Pens as they also have 34 games played. The pens are 23-10-1 for a total of 47 points. They have two more wins but still are behind.

The Solution

I have three ways that this could be fixed. First, there is going back to the old system of a tied game equals 1 point for each teams, which you reestablished the two points given each game. But we return to those cold nights watching a 1-1 game…

The second solution would be to do a 5 on 5 ot of 5 min, then a shootout, without giving points to teams. A Win becomes a W and a Lost become a L. With this system we go to an NBA-MLB standing style with games back (GB) to establish the rankings of the teams. What I don’t like of this is that it changes everything the NHL as always did and I don’t like a shootout win or lost becoming the same as a regulation W or L.

My Favorite solution would be for giving 3 points for a win in ot and regulation. But 2 points and 1 point to the losing team in a shootout after a 10 min 5on5 regulation. The reason for this is, let’s face it, the shootout is a exciting way of finishing a game but it’s not totally fair, as the game is a team effort. So if after 70mins of 5 on 5 the team gets you to the shootout you have a consolation price of 1 point for the lost. Now, let’s say the Flames are playing the Oilers; the flames have 68 pts and the Oilers 66pts. The players wouldn’t want to get to the shootout, the flames want to distance the oilers by 3pts and Edmonton wants to take the lead of the division with 69pts. The regulation and 5 on 5 ot takes all is importance and the shootout is just a What-if for the Networks that don’t want game going for hours but wants an exciting product.

The Conclusion

I know it’s hard to think of a system where everybody is happy. I did a little poll around friends and find out that the results came to be 33% for each solution. I just thought I’d throw it in the air, and see what you guys thought about it. Maybe you even have a better solution, please feel free to comments at the bottom. Good night of hockey tonight, I hope your team wins, except if they’re playing the Flames.

www.twitter.com/cedric34

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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

theref — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:40:11 +0000

There were many reasons why I started this blog, one if which is my personal battle with Ray Ratto. I’ve written about Ratto on more than a few occasions and really, I need to stop writing about him. Like they say, bad publicity is better than no publicity - but then again I don’t think my writing has any affect on public opinion. Ray writes for the San Francisco Chronicle. The SF Chronicle doesn’t report much on hockey, usually it’s an AP piece at best. Recently I read a great article written by Susan Slusser on the San Jose Sharks and Dany Heatley. I emailed Ms. Slusser thanking her for writing such a nice piece, that I was so happy to finally see some form of informative jounalism regarding the Sharks. I also mentioned that her piece was such a “breath of fresh air” and a welcomed alternative to the otherwise disgruntled, pessimistic articles written by another writer on her staff. Well she emailed me back.

After thanking me for my email, she said she’d write about the Sharks all the time if they let her. Then she followed up with this nugget:

“Since Ratto is a columnist and I’m not, it’s a little unfair to compare us….he’s supposed to have an opionion and I’m supposed to be more objective. For what it’s worth, he is always fighting to get more hockey in the paper and he’s very well liked by all the Sharks people; he and Doug Wilson are friends, and Ratto isn’t friends with any other GM in in the Bay Area. I know Doug respects Ray’s hockey knowledge. I like the fact he’s out there all the time and trying to get at least some hockey presence into the Chron. And he’s paid to have opinions, and I’d imagine it’s impossible to have everyone agree with you when you do that.”

I then emailed her back and said I was impressed that she knew I was talking about Ray and she responded since there’s only the two of them, it wasn’t hard to figure out.

So there you have it, the voice that seems to have nothing positive about the Sharks is one of the driving forces to get more hockey in my local paper. I guess Ray has a lot more negative things to say about the Sharks than they’ll let him write!

Okay Ray, I apologize for calling you an idoit. I appreciate your attempts to get more hockey in The Cron, but I still don’t agree with your slant on things. If you read this Ray, let me know what I have to do to help!

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The .Net On The Hockey Guys Blogtalkradio And Hitting In The NHL

theref — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:40:03 +0000

I had the good fortune of being on The Hockey Guys CrashTheCrease blogtalk radio broadcast yesterday. The first topic of discussion was the evolution of hitting in the NHL as it relates to the instigator rule and cheap shots. The general feeling, as I understand it, is that as the rules changed to discourage fighting the level of cheap shots has gone up. Without the ability to “freely” defend their teammates, player injuries - especially to previously off-limits skilled players - could continue to rise.

Keep in mind that the discussion was between the show’s hosts - long-time hockey fans, some with actual hockey experience, and myself, the “new generation” hockey fan. In addition to the on-air discussion (below), I had a few additional thoughts on the subject.

First thing I want to make clear is that I completely understand that the game I’m watching today is not the same game played less than a generation ago. I fully respect the ‘old guard’ and their desire to preserve the game as they’ve known it. Although I think some aspects of the current game are natural progressions necessary for the survival of the sport, I don’t claim that “it’s all about the new school”.

Part of the discussion blames Gary Bettman for allowing rule changes that discourage fighting. I would like to put it out there that the reason Mr. Bettman and his rules committee may have had to put those rules into place is because other rules, one’s designed to make the game faster and higher scoring, resulted in more ‘unnecessary’ fighting. I would also like to put out there that the problem with ‘unnecessary’ fighting is partly the fault the players. Let me pontificate…

Rule changes were put into place to make the game faster, no more grabbing and hooking and holding. The addition of the trapezoid also means guys go flying into the corners resulting in more collisions. Mix in that today’s modern athlete is physically more fined tuned and you can see why the speed, and the literal impact, of game has accelerated. All this speed means two things. First it means that clean hits are harder and more violent. Second it means that more infractions (boarding, tripping, etc.) are going to happen because reaction time is significantly reduced.

They say there are no accidents in hockey. If that’s true, then players should be able to change they way they play to avoid thing like boarding or kneeing - things that can end a guy’s career. Officials need to really stay on top of those kinds of calls and be more consistent, and players have to respect each other enough to know that championships and contracts are not worth another man’s health.

What it boils down to is that all the anti-fighting rules are probably in place because players all to often fight to retailiate against clean hits or just to try and fire up a bench.

The expansion of the NHL was designed to broaden it’s fan base. I’m sure one of their tactics was to expose existing fans of other sports to the merits of hockey, people like me. People like me watch football. I may not like Chad Ochocinco, but I know that on any given Sunday he and many like him take numerous violent hits like it’s just another day in the office. When a hockey player takes a clean hit it’s no worse than a football hit. But when someone gets hit and a team mate has to retaliate it makes hockey players look like lesser athletes compared to football players. Shouldn’t a hockey player be able to take a hit like a football player? This is where I think the onus is on the players - stop retaliating for clean hits.

Listen below, our segment starts approximately 30 minutes into the broadcast.

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Penaltykill.net Crashes The Crease Sunday Dec 6 @ 2:30est, 11:30pst

theref — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:12:49 +0000

The Hockey Guys from CrashtheCrease will have The .Net on Blog Talk Radio tomorrow, Sunday December 6 at 2:30 est/11:30 pst. Topics of discussion will include the San Jose Sharks, the origins and purpose of The .Net, our bloggers and hockey in general. Tune in!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/crashthecrease

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Debate Time: Mike Richards’ Hit On David Booth

pittpen — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:37:17 +0000

It’s time for a penaltykill.net debate! So, let’s get it started.

In last night’s game pitting the Florida Panthers verses the Philadelphia Flyers, Flyer captain Mike Richards laid a nasty hit on David Booth of the Panthers. The NHL decided not to fine or suspend Richards for the hit. Do you agree? Should there have been a penalty of some kind for this hit? Is this just another example of the NHL favoring star players? Even if you have already seen it, take a look again and then respond.

I will provide my thoughts in a comment below.

Technorati Tags: hockey, nhl

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Welcome Team Penaltykill - 2009-2010

theref — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:56:29 +0000

I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome everyone who has joined The .Net for the 2009-2010 NHL season. I appreciate everyone’s contributions and hope you find penaltykill.net an easy forum for you to express your opinions. I also wanted to pass along a little history about the site and the lessons learned about blogging discovered after completing our rookie season last year.

As a newer hockey fan I found myself frustrated with the lack of passionate, fanatical reporting abundant with all the other major sports. I considered starting this blog after a local sports writer demonstrated an inability to understand what it means to be a sports fan, and more so when I found myself with absolutely no forum for rebuttal. I launched the site with one mission - “Promote hockey through independent reporting in an environment free of defamatory remarks. By hockey fans, for hockey fans.” As a longtime NFL fan, I find myself growing tired of the bravado and ego taking over the sport (Michael Crabtree wants WHAT?!?!). I always appreciated the relative level of humilty and team focus present in hockey, and wanted to launch a blog reflecting the same.

Since I am employed by a technology company working with hundreds of bloggers every day, I wanted to do some research before I started this project. The number one thing I read was to be prepared and moderate my expectations. It’s not that easy to write something meaningful on a regular basis - no matter how passionate you are about an given topic. Turns out that piece of information is Truth #1 - of all the bloggers who contributed to the site last year, only 3 made it to the end - myself, duxrox and pittpen. Duxrox is an absolute fan when it comes to the Ducks, and pittpen never ran out of things to write since his team never lost. If it’s this hard to write about my team on a regular basis, can you imagine how hard it is to actually PLAY the game on a regular basis? This project has given me a better sense of appreciation for the effort both on and off the ice by all those associated with the sport.

My original concept for the site was to open it up to self regisration and let anyone start blogging about any team they wanted. The problem was that, in order to maintain the look and feel of the site, there were some technical issues I needed to work out. I also learned, from my experience at work, that it was best to put as few roadblocks between a person and their ideas as possible. Hence everyone who blogs here simply emails me their thoughts and I post it for them. The last thing you want to have happen is you lose your train of thought not because you’re out of ideas but because you can’t get a paragraph to format correctly.

I also have absolutely no expectation of making any money from this site. Even though we have ads, since the beginning of the 2008-2009 season we have yet to make enough money to pay for one month’s hosting. If anything, I use the ad impression reports as a tool to find out what pages people are reading more than a revenue source.

Going to any lengths to keep The .Net running, I bought a laptop last year that I could take with me when I traveled. For those of you who remember, last season I used to update the day’s hockey schedule followed but the scores on a daily basis. It took me over 6 hours to manually pre-enter the entire sesason’s schedule, then spend some time each night updating the scores at the end of the day. Everywhere I traveled I had to make sure there was internet access, and for the places where there wasn’t, I jailbroke my iPhone specifically so I could tether to the internet and update the site. I stopped that for this season - people can get scores anywhere…

Keeping with my mission, everyone has a voice on The .Net as long as that voice remains positive and constructive. My experience has been that sometimes I find inspiration in the writing of others, and I think this year we have quite the diversity that I hope will help spawn great commentary. We’ve added more women bloggers this year and in addition to our Canandian contributors, we’ve expanded our reach across The Pond to the UK (thanks to the efforts of canucklehead).

I hope all of you have a great time writing this season, please know that I appreciate the time everyone takes to contribute and know that I’m doing everything I can to keep The .Net as active a community as possible.

The Ref

Technorati Tags: hockey, nhl

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