Jumat, 30 November 2012

2013 World Juniors: Will Ryan Murphy Finally Crack Canada's Roster?

Ryan Murphy (Aaron Bell/CHL Images)

Getting cut from any competitive team is disappointing. Hearing the same disappointing words of rejection in back-to-back years flat-out sucks.

Ryan Murphy has felt that pain before. With the 2013 World Junior Championships approaching, he’s hoping he won’t have to listen to those words again.

A first-round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011, Murphy was a somewhat unexpected cut off last year’s Canadian team. Most members of the media felt his smooth-skating, offensive style would land him a spot on the final roster.

'Life goes on; it's not the end of the world. I still have another year to crack the team,” said Murphy after being cut last year.

That time is now, and Murphy is well aware of the pressure he’s facing to not only make the final roster, but to perform well in the tournament.

'I think the first word that comes to mind is disappointed,' Kitchener Rangers head coach and general manager Steve Spott told the Waterloo Region Record after learning Murphy wasn’t going to make it last season.

Fortunately for Murphy, he has a familiar face on his side this time around: Spott will be Canada’s head coach for the upcoming tournament in Ufa, Russia.

Nepotism screams aloud at Murphy. While it’s inevitable that Spott will have a hard time sending him back to Kitchener, are all the cries of favoritism justified?

There’s no clear answer to the question; it all comes to down to the pros and cons of Murphy’s game.

Ryan Murphy (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Skating and mobility are his obvious strengths. Running powerplays and breaking out of his own zone are others.

Concerns arise when discussing his defensive effectiveness and responsibility. It’s not as though they’re horrible; from a grand perspective, there has to be a reason Spott gives Murphy as much as time as he gets. It can’t all be because of offensive talent.

“We need guys who can carry the puck out of trouble, move the puck, guys that are very strong defensively in their own end,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout, on what the team is looking for.

Murphy knows his role on Canada’s final team won’t be to go out and score goals. The NHL lockout will be providing Canada with plenty of offensive talent up front.

Most often, defencemen who make Canada’s final 22-man roster for the World Juniors are the best of the best. There normally aren’t too many who don’t have a decent shot at making the National Hockey League.

These blueliners don’t usually put on the Canadian sweater because they’re expected to lead the team in points. Responsibility in their own end comes first, and Murphy’s well aware of that. But he also knows he’s certainly capable of playing that role of defensive stability.

Murphy hasn’t had a great season so far with the Rangers. Expectations were high, and he hasn’t been able to meet them as of yet. He’s Kitchener’s captain this season, too, and that has placed even more weight upon his shoulders.

Coming into his third selection camp, Murphy intends to stick to his strengths and hope for the best.

Truth be told, his chances of making the team are pretty good.

“I’m just going to go out there and show them what I’m trying to show them in the league and my own style of game, and hopefully things work out for me.”

_____________________________________________

Follow @DavidOConnor95

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Isles Around The World: Josh Bailey In Germany

Josh Bailey Islanders

(Icon SMI)

 

As the Lockout rages one, we all wonder what it will take to save the NHL season.  Until then, Islander fans have to look over to Europe to see how their favorite players are doing.   It's time to check in on individual Islanders who have fled over seas to keep skills sharp.

Today we check in with Islanders' winger and center Josh Bailey.  So grab your passport, your #12 Isles jersey, and book a flight to Germany!

Josh Bailey has had a critical target on his back since making the team after being drafted 9th overall in the 2008 draft.  His 98 points in the OHL during his draft year suggested he would be one of the offensive dynamo's the Isles have thirsted after for years.   After not immidietely putting up the expected playmaker numbers, many speculated if the Isles had rushed him into the NHL.   However, what doesn't always make the stats sheets is the all around dependable role Mr. Bailey has developed, particularly on the penalty kill.   General Manager Garth Snow has built this current team around a core of young players, each one developing his role and expectations within the system.  Josh Bailey is proving to be one of those integral parts of the core with his defensive dependability and now his scoring touch.

Two seasons ago, Mr. Bailey was sent to Bridgeport for a stint, which many agreed was needed for a confidence boost.   Late last season, albeit with the pressure off, Bailey started showing flashes of the offensive excitement he can create.  He finished the 2011-2012 season with 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points on the season.  Part of this offensive improvement was the switch from center to wing.  With P.A. Parenteau's departure to Colorado via free agency, one has to wonder (if and when this season begins) if we may catch a glimpse at what kind of magic and numbers Bailey could put up when paired on a wing with center John Tavares.  P.A.'s big pay day from the Avalanche was thanks to the numbers he put up with the help of the budding superstar John Tavares' play down the middle.  Starting the season on wing and playing with Mr. Tavares, or down the line with prospect center Ryan Strome, Josh Bailey may finally fulfill his offensive potential.

After waiting to see what would come of the league and player's lockout negotiations, Bailey finally chose to sign with the Bietigheim Steelers in Germany at the beginning of November.  In four games so far, he already has 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points.   A strong start, for sure, and there's no doubt Mr. Bailey will have a lovely time playing and hanging out in Germany, but let's hope he has to book a return flight to the Island real soon.

Mr. Bailey doesn’t currently have a twitter handle, but hopefully his teammates Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo and Michael Grabner can convince him to join the party. Until then, enjoy this welcome video Mr. Bailey made to his new fans of Bietigheim.

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Buffalo Sabres Off-Season Grade: B

After a disappointing 2011-12 season, the Buffalo Sabres went into the off-season with some pressing needs. General Manager Darcy Regier addressed those needs through the draft, free agency, and trading.

The Draft - One of the biggest needs Buffalo had going into the draft was size in the forward corps, especially up the middle. They managed to fill that need in the first round of the draft by selecting two big centers in Mikhail Grigorenko at No. 12 and Zemgus Girgensons at No. 14.

Mikhail Grigorenko (Aaron Bell/CHL Images)

  • Mikhail Grigorenko – He’s one of those rare mixes of size and skill. The 6’3″ 200 lb native of Russia is not only big, he’s also fast, dazzling with his hands, and has the vision of an elite playmaker. These qualities earned him a top-5 prospect ranking for most of the season. However, a month before the draft he slipped outside of the top-10 due to a poor performance in the QMJHL playoffs, allowing the Sabres to grab him at No.12. It was later discovered that Grigorenko had mono throughout the postseason and was not playing at 100% during that time. So the Sabres essentially were able to get a top-5 quality prospect outside of the top-10. With Grigorenko’s elite abilities, it is very possible that he will earn a spot on the Buffalo lineup as early as this season, if the season ever begins.
Zemgus Girgensons Dubuque Fighting Saints

Zemgus Girgensons, Jim Naprstek / Dubuque Fighting Saints

  • Zemgus Girgensons – Zemgus may not be the elite talent that Mikhail Girgorenko is, but he is still a force to be reckoned with on the ice. He plays a well-rounded game, and has superb two-way skill. Yet, what is most noticeable about Girgensons is his toughness, tenacity, and physical style of play. He’s that warrior that always has his nose in the dirty areas and will also punish opponents with his checks. Girgensons playing style has often been compared to Dustin Brown and Ryan Callahan. If the first Latvian born player ever to be taken in the first round turns out to be at all like Callahan or Brown, the Sabres should be thrilled. Big physical players are exactly what they need.

Draft Grade: A

Free Agency – Despite a disappointing season and missing the playoffs, Darcy Regier did not make a huge splash in free agency. In fact  he hardly made a ripple, signing just John Scott, Kevin Porter, and Mike Mancari, while losing Brad Boyes and Jochen Hecht. Yet, this lack of activity may have been a good thing for Buffalo. The Sabres will have seven restricted free agents next off-season, which include Cody Hodgson, Jhonas Enroth, Luke Adam, T.J. Brennan, Brian Flynn, Mike Weber, and Drew Schiestel. A good number of those players will be looking for raises next year, and by saving money in free agency this year, the Sabres will be able to pay for those raises and keep their young players next year. Many free agents were also overpaid this off-season. If the still-to-come new CBA lowers the salary cap, the teams who overpaid and are closer to the cap will be in dire straits, while Buffalo will be right as rain. Plus the Sabres already have enough overpaid players, i.e. Ville Leino. Regier couldn’t afford to make that mistake again, and obviously made sure not to this year. In the end though, despite how small the signings, he did address the teams needs, and without overpaying.

Additions

  • John Scott – Scott brings the size and toughness the Sabres so desperately need. At 6’8″ 270 lbs, even hard-nosed Milan Lucic will have a difficult time running Ryan Miller with Scott lurking around the corner. He can play forward and defense and will likely be the teams new enforcer in the bottom-6, next to Patrick Kaleta and Cody McCormick. With a $600,000 contract he was not overpaid for either. A quality addition for the Sabres.
Not even tough-customers like Derek Dorsett stand a chance against the monster heavy-weight.

  • Mark Mancari – Originally drafted by the Sabres back in 2004, Mancari drifted around the AHL after leaving Buffalo. He has now returned on a two-way contract. Mancari is a depth defensman and career minor leaguer, and with Buffalo’s depth at defense he will likely not see anytime with the big club this season.
  • Kevin Porter – After a few unimpressive seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, Porter signed a two-way contract with Buffalo. He will likely serve as a 13th forward, splitting time between the NHL and AHL.
Jochen Hecht Sabres

Jochen Hecht (Micheline/SynergyMax)

Departures

  • Brad Boyes – The veteran scorer had one of his worst seasons ever last year, scoring just 23 points in 65 games. He also made it clear that he disagreed with longest-tenured coach Lindy Ruff’s coaching style. With his inability to work in Ruff’s system and last years lack luster performance, Boye’s departure should not be a huge hit to the teams scoring. His leave will also allow younger players like Mikhail Girgorenko, Marcus Foligno, and Luke Adam, to get more much needed time in Buffalo’s top-6. Boyes will play with the New York Islanders this season.
  • Jochen Hecht – The 35 year old forward missed 60 games last season and may be one big hit away from calling it a career. Instead of re-signing Hecht, the Sabres chose to round out their bottom-6 with bigger and younger players, which was probably the smart decision.

Free Agency Grade: C

Trades – Buffalo had only one trade this off-season, but it was an important one. Buffalo departed with slumping veteran center Derek Roy in exchange for forward Steve Ott and defenseman Adam Pardy of Dallas.

  • Steve Ott – Perhaps the most important addition to Sabres lineup this off-season, Ott is the type of player the team has been desperately searching for. As a grinder and one of the leagues best agitators,  Ott will make the team much harder to play against. He’s also an elite face off man and has enough scoring touch to play in the top-6 if needed.
Ott is already “blood-brothers” with Sabre defenseman Mike Weber, and will likely build chemistry with the rest of the team quickly.

  • Adam Pardy – Pardy is a clear-cut depth defenseman. With his addition the Sabres now have more than enough NHL ready defenseman and are one of the deeper teams in the league on the blue line.
Derek Roy Sabres

Derek Roy ships off to Dallas (Jerome Davis/Icon SMI)

  • Derek Roy – Losing top-6 forward Derek Roy won’t be a huge hit to the team. Roy had one of the worst seasons of his career last year and was also clashing with head coach Lindy Ruff. Roy’s role on the team was also already filled before his departure. Young Cody Hodgson, acquired from Vancouver at the trade deadline last season, was likely brought in to serve as Roy’s replacement at center.

Trade Grade: B

Looking Forward – Almost every Sabre had an uncharacteristic down year last season. Top-sixers Derek Roy and Brad Boyes were shells of their former selves and young stars Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers missed a combined 61 games. With Ennis and Myers healthy, and guys like Hodgson, Grigorenko, Foligno, and Adam ready to step up and fill Roy’s and Boyes void, this season – if it ever starts – should be a different story. The addition of multiple centers will allow Ville Leino to play the wing – where he is more suited – and the additions of Ott and Scott should make the team harder to play against, perhaps reducing the number of shots on Ryan Miller (last year the Sabres tied for 4th in the league in most shots against). The Sabres still lack right handed shooters, especially on defense, as well top line power forwards who will go to the dirty areas of the ice. These problems could be solved with Buffalo’s abundance of defensemen, as they could be valuable trading assets with teams that lack defense, as many do.

The Sabres are a younger team than last year, and have seemingly no where to go but up.

Off-season grade: B

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Is NHL 13 The Cure For NHL Withdrawal Syndrome?

Flyers Forward Claude Giroux takes a faceoff against Eisbaren Berlin Forward Claude Giroux in NHL 13. (EA Sports)

NHL 13 is the latest entry of the continual evolution of the EA Sports hockey series, with each edition getting more realistic than the last.

While simply playing the game as is helps ease the dismay and apathy felt by NHL hockey fans during the NHL lockout, I have embarked on a quest to unveil features that would go even further to help ease or even potentially cure NHL Withdrawal Syndrome.

Features Wishlist For NHL 13

  • Gary Bettman ' Donald Fehr Fight Mode: featuring a variety of slapstick maneuver options (visualize Alexander Semin fisticuffs skills).
  •  Play the part of NHL CBA mediator with ability to choose a celebrity mediator from the following:
    • JR (Jeremy Roenick): in which case no one else gets a chance to talk.
    • BizNasty: use your imagination.
    • Chuck Norris: just cause.
    • Jonathon Toews: 'Captain Serious' stare-down; first to blink gives up most concessions.
    • Clint Eastwood: #Eastwooding
    • Down Goes Brown: Bettman and Fehr make it too easy for one-liners from the most hilarious hockey personality on the planet
    • Robert De Niro: 'Are you talking to me?'
    • Jack Nicholson: 'You can't handle the truth.'
    • David Letterman: I'm sure Dave can come up with a Top 10 highlighting how dim-witted it is that there is no agreement to thispoint.
    • Charlie Sheen: A Sheen-esque party might loosen up all parties involved. #Winning
  • Play the part of an Insurance Agent during NHL Lockout laughing all the way to the bank, especially when Sidney Crosby signs across the pond. Cha-ching on a hefty $400,000-per-month premium.
  • Play the part of filthy rich Russian oil tycoon KHL franchise owner, control his actions during his monumental post-Sid signing party bash.
  • Play the part of the commissioner starting up an alternate rival pro league and enticing players to join – the Planet Hockey League (PHL).
  •  Instead of clicking 'Quit' to exit game, you select 'Gary Bettman Mode' and your PS3 shuts down and refuses to come back on for random periods of time.
  •  Be a Pro – Roman Hamrlik Mode:  where you have to keep dodging hits from your own teammates
  • Enhanced “Be A Player” Mode: create yourself in the game and watch as your virtual player sits on his couch playing NHL 13 until the lockout is over.
  • When you start the game Ricky DiPietro is already on the injured reserve list and you have to play a full season before he is eligible to be used.
  • Enhanced GM Mode: sign your star player to a 9-10 million dollar a year deal in July and try to get 10-20% back in September.
  • When you launch the game it does not actually start; rather, a screen appears with Morgan Freeman stating you have to pay 15% more, but Visa is gladly accepted. Then and only then, the game will start.
  • Every five seasons in Be A GM Mode, a season gets cancelled.
  • Ryan Kesler dive mode
  • Mini-game where you play as Shea Weber and you slam different players' heads into the boards.
  • David Booth hunting mini game, with extra points for biggest buck you bag.
  • Be a Pro Goalie Mode: start out as a rookie goalie; when you become too good, the games changes the rules to offset your skills ' for instance,  equipment shrinks during the game and nets get bigger and bigger.
  • Phoenix Coyotes Owner Mode: additional owner features include getting to attend city council meetings and discuss/threaten relocating to Seattle, Kansas City or Quebec City. You also get to hear pitches from the cities involved on why you should move the team there and start a bidding/bribery war if possibly. Also known as Grand Theft Franchise Mode.
  • CHL Franchise Beat The System Mode: see Portland Winterhawks and Windsor Spitfires for more details.
What additional feature on NHL 13 would you like to see to ease the pain of NWD (NHL Withdrawal Syndrome)?

***

The actual NHL 13 game itself is actually brilliant. Here's some information from EA Sports.

'It's in the game.'

 

From EA Sports, their launch trailer:

 

Some of the great feature EA Sports has granted us in NHL 13:

NHL Players Make the Move to Europe in EA SPORTS NHL 13 – Online Roster Updated 

'An online roster update was released today for NHL 13. The update adds a duplicate version of NHL® players who are playing in the following European leagues to their current team:

This means that a player like Claude Giroux will remain on the Philadelphia Flyers roster, but will also be available on the Eisbaren Berlin (DEL) roster for online play.

Hockey is a global game and within NHL 13 there are five European leagues, 66 European teams and over 2100 players representing 26 countries across Europe. By adding NHL players who have joined those leagues to their respective team rosters, we are able to create an authentic experience for fans of those leagues and the NHL, worldwide. For fans of a specific NHL team, those players will still be available on their NHL rosters, which could make for some interesting matchups online.

For a complete list of player transactions, click here.'

 

Relive history as you score Steven Stamkos’ 60th goal of the 2011-2012 season

 

E. A. Sports. It's in the game.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Could Petr Mrazek be Another Late Round Steal for the Wings?

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It’s indisputable, the Detroit Red Wings are one of the best teams in the NHL when it comes to drafting in the late rounds. There's a saying that people often say 'save the best for last' and the Wings brass seem to have taken this idea to heart when picking their future stars. They often pick players in the later rounds who turn out to be premier players and contribute to the team's success. Case and point Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg who were drafted 171st overall in 1998 and 210th overall in 1999 respectively. Albeit the Wings did admit that they had some luck in drafting Datsyuk.

Petr Mrazek Grand Rapids

(Ross Bonander/THW)

From the Detroit Free Press

 

As for luck: Yeah, that plays a role. One time Andersson was flying to Russia to see a prospect for the third time, and his flight was delayed. After five hours on the runway in the snow, Andersson heard “this unbelievable roar.

“And I look at the window and there’s this big ring of fire — flames in the middle, and in the back of it there’s a fan. It was a fan blowing wind through this ring of fire so the hot air would de-ice the plane. It was old-style Russian de-icing.

“So I was scared looking out. And at about 4:30 in the afternoon they said, ‘OK, no flight. Get off the plane. Try again tomorrow if you want.’ But then the game was going to be over, of course.”

Thankfully, Andersson had already seen the prospect. Another scout on the plane, from St. Louis, had not.

And that’s how the Wings got Pavel Datsyuk.

Then again, luck is whatever we believe it to be. Sure, Andersson was lucky the flight was canceled and the scout from St. Louis did not see Datsyuk.

Could Petr Mrazek be the next premier Wing? While only time can tell there certainly is a lot of buzz in the hockey world about this 20 year old who was drafted by the Wings 141st overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

 

Mrazek, a 2010 fifth round 141st overall draft pick started the season with the Toledo Walleyes in the East Coast Hockey League, playing three games with a 2-1 record not to mention a 2.02 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. While Mrazek was impressing people in the ECHL, the Grand Rapid Griffins were struggling (to say the least) in the AHL.  However, all that changed when Mrazek was called up. With Mrazek added to the roster, the Griffins turned their season around, going 6-0 setting a new team record. The Griffins went from dead last in their division pre-Mrazek to being first in the Midwest Division and third overall in the conference.

Petr Mrazek Griffins

(Ross Bonander/THW)

Mrazek's impressive start with the Griffins will no doubt turn a few heads within the Wings organization. This guy is definitely someone Wingnuts can get excited about. Although the Detroit Red Wings have a history of slowly developing prospects and not rushing them in to the NHL, Mrazek's performance could put some pressure on the Wings brass to give him a shot in the big leagues sooner rather than later. As excited as I am to see him don the Winged Wheel, my preference would be for him to remain in the AHL to continue his development.

 

If we take a look at the likes of Datsyuk and Zetterberg; they did not enter the league with much fanfare or expectations thus allowing them to quietly develop into elite talents and become adored by all Red Wing fans and most hockey fans for that matter. Let's face it Datsyuk is probably the best overall player in the game. The Red Wings organization and its fans should make sure they do not put too much pressure on Mrazek though for the time being they should just enjoy his stellar play in the AHL and be happy that the Wings could potentially have another late round gem in the system.

 

 

 

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NCAA Women's Hockey: Week 10 Preview

Current Rankings (Week 10):

  1. Minnesota
  2. Cornell
  3. Boston College
  4. North Dakota
  5. Boston University
  6. Clarkson
  7. Harvard
  8. Wisconsin
  9. Mercyhurst
  10. Minnesota-Duluth

Match-up of the Week: #8 Wisconsin @ #1 Minnesota, Sat. 12/1 @ 3:05 PM E.T. & Sun. 12/2 @ 3:05 PM E.T.

Could this be the weekend Minnesota finally falls? There are many storylines at play heading into this series. It’s one of the biggest rivalries in the game. It’s the first two of (at least) four rematches of last year’s national championship game, which the Gophers won buy a score of 4-2. And just to make things even more interesting: Minnesota is currently on a record winning streak that has stretched so far to 24 games; last year, Wisconsin was on a record-tying 32-game unbeaten streak, but it was snapped by the Gophers.

This is sure to be a heated series, with Wisconsin playing the pretty unfamiliar role of the underdog. They will rely on their defense, and their top players coming through in the clutch, to have a chance at winning. Goaltender Alex Rigsby in particular will need to be on her game; there will be stretches of play where the Gophers pepper the net with shots, and the Badgers will need her to be up to the challenge. Minnesota will look to pour it on early, and get a multi-goal lead, because Wisconsin has shown so far this year that those are almost insurmountable for them.

Top-10 Teams in Action

#2 Cornell @ #6 Clarkson, Fri. 11/30 @ 7 PM E.T.: This ECAC match-up is huge for both teams. Clarkson has earned high praise from all around so far this year, and they’ve proven to be not only a worthy opponent for all teams but a favorite in most match-ups. I don’t see them as the favorite here against the Big Red, but they’ll certainly put up a good fight and there’s more than just a slim chance that they’ll come out the victors. Cornell, on the other hand, looks to get back on track here against the Golden Knights after suffering a loss to Harvard and only scoring three goals in two games last weekend.

#2 Cornell @ St. Lawrence, Sat. 12/1 @ 4:00 PM E.T.

Maine @ #3 Boston College, Fri. 11/30 @ 7:00 PM E.T. & Sat. 12/1 @ 2:00 PM E.T.; #3 Boston College @ New Hampshire, Wed. 12/5 @ 7:00 PM E.T.: The Eagles face a couple of the weaker teams in Hockey East, but all three of these games are still very important as they are in-conference match-ups. Boston College is definitely the favorite in all three of these games but they don’t want to get too ahead of themselves; Maine has a few players capable of changing a game and New Hampshire has proven to be a tough out on a few occasions this season.

Rochester Institute of Technology @ #4 North Dakota, Fri. 11/30 @ 8:05 PM E.T. & Sat. 12/1 @ 8:05 PM E.T.: On their current hot streak consisting of five straight wins, we’ve seen North Dakota’s offense come alive. But it may finally explode against Division I’s newest team. Although UND is a heavy favorite in this series, the last thing they want to do is overlook the Tigers, who have a 5-1-2 road record and are above .500 on the season as a whole.

#5 Boston University @ Providence, Fri. 11/30 @ 7:00 PM E.T.; Providence @ #5 Boston University, Sat. 12/1 @ 3:00 PM E.T.: The Terriers face a Providence team that, surprisingly enough, currently sits first in the Hockey East standings with a 5-2-2 record. The last time these teams played, however, the Friars were blown out in a 7-1 loss. The play of freshmen Molly Illikainen and Lexi Slattery has certainly helped Providence, but the offensive firepower that the Terriers possess might prove to be too much once again.

Colgate @ #6 Clarkson, Sat. 12/1 @ 3:00 PM E.T.

Dartmouth @ #7 Harvard, Fri. 11/30 @ 7:00 PM E.T.: This should be a good test for Harvard, as Dartmouth has shown recently that they can skate with some of the nation’s best teams. The Big Green pushed Cornell to overtime last week and earned a 3-3 tie against Boston College the week before. The Crimson’s defense still hasn’t been breached yet, and it’s unlikely that Dartmouth has the firepower to do just that. Harvard will want to take the time in this game to work on their offensive abilities against a gritty opponent.

Penn State @ #9 Mercyhurst, Fri. 11/30 @ 7:00 PM E.T. & Sat. 12/1 @ 2:00 PM E.T.: The Lakers come into this series with a 12-1-1 record, although they’ve had a fairly easy schedule. Forward Christine Bestland has led the charge offensively with 34 points in 14 games. Rookie Emily Janiga has played like anything but that so far; she is tied with Bestland for the team lead in goals with 11 and is second on the Lakers in points with 22. With five other players on the roster scoring at at least a point-per-game clip and a goaltender in Stephanie Ciampa holding a .951 save percentage, it doesn’t look like the Nittany Lions will have much of an answer against Mercyhurst this weekend.

#10 Minnesota-Duluth @ Bemidji State, Sat. 12/1 @ 8:05 PM E.T. & Sun. 12/2 @ 5:05 PM E.T.: The Bulldogs were hoping to at least get one win out of last weekend’s series against North Dakota, but instead they were swept, and it’s crucial for them to bounce back here against the Beavers. Not only is it a must for them to get two wins over Bemidji State this weekend, but they need to have a very strong showing in the process. Minnesota-Duluth needs to build up towards having a very good second half, because otherwise their remaining postseason hopes will quickly be dashed.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Kamis, 29 November 2012

Hockey Hall of Fame 2013: Chris Chelios

written by Marc Lapierre (@MarcLapi)

Chris Chelios headlines the list of 2013 first-year eligible candidates for enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame. It goes without saying that he's a lock to be inducted next November. The U.S.-born blueliner is not only one of the best defenseman of his era but one could even make a case for him as the best non-Canadian defenseman of all-time over Nicklas Lidstrom and Slava Fetisov.

Chris Chelios

The Complete Package

In an NHL career that spanned an unbelievable 26 seasons, Chelios did absolutely everything on and off the ice in every possible way. For the first half of his illustrious career, the 11-time All-Star was an almost unmatched force of offensive abilities, defensive brilliance, toughness, leadership, and durability. He was also one of the dirtiest players to ever lace up a pair of skates in the NHL. Quite simply, the three-time Norris Trophy winner was the complete package.

Physical Specimen

During his peak from 1989 to 1996, Chelios was an absolute force to be reckoned with on the ice. He did it all. In the second half of his 26-year NHL career, the three-time Stanley Cup champion made the successful transition from being one of the best overall defenseman on the planet in Chicago to being a reliable physical rock in his own zone with the Red Wings.

A fitness guru, Chelios raised the bar with an unmatched work ethic to become an ageless wonder in the NHL, even playing in his mid-forties. In fact, he used to ride a stationary bike in the sauna for 45 minutes or so during the season.

The Hall of Fame

Chelios has to be considered one of the best defenseman of all-time after Bobby Orr, Doug Harvey, Nicklas Lidstrom, Raymond Bourque, Eddie Shore, Denis Potvin, Red Kelly, Larry Robinson and Slava Fetisov. Because of everything he accomplished on the ice, I would rank him over legends such as Paul Coffey, Brad Park, Pierre Pilote, Tim Horton, Al MacInnis, King Clancy, Brian Leetch and Scott Stevens on the all-time defensemen list.

However, if there is one thing that hurts his Hall of Fame case, it’s his personality. Chelios is clearly not the most likable person. He’s far from it. Besides the fact that he was one of the dirtiest players to ever play the game, he can also be a jerk off the ice. Nevertheless, Chelios is a mortal lock for enshrinement in 2013.


 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Jamison and Coyotes Get A New Lease on Life, For Now

Coyotes and fans hope to celebrate many more goals over the next 20 years. (Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE)

While the lockout continues, hockey fans in the desert and northern Providences are occupied with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Taking the stand at Tuesday’s Glendale city council meeting, prospective Coyotes owner Greg Jamison, Coyotes supporters and opposers had the chance to speak on the major item on the meeting’s agenda, the arena lease agreement with Greg Jamison.

After much talk between opposers and supporters, the council turned to it’s members to weigh-in on the topic. Council member Norma Alverez would make full use of her chance to speak, often times losing traction on the topic at hand. But the most important words of the night aside from Jamison’s were spoken by Yvonne Knaack.

Knaack, who was undeclared at the previous Glendale workshop spoke of the importance of having an anchor tenant for the city owned Jobbing.com Arena. “I don’t think this is a sports issue, it’s an anchor tenant issue'I will vote in favor of this deal,” Knaack said.

Reserved Optimism

Put on hold were the celebrations as Coyotes fans are well aware that the team is not yet in the clear. Jamison still needs to ink a deal with the National Hockey League and be okayed by the Board of Governors before the January 31, 2013. A deadline set by Jamison and interim city manager Horatio Skeete in the newest lease agreement.

A major day for both the team and their fans, Coyotes’ front office personnel were in attendance; COO Mike Neely, GM Don Maloney, Assistant GM Brad Treliving as well as Jamison’s partner, Anthony LaBlanc (formerly of Ice Edge).

Unreserved Opposing

The night was highlighted by the few characters that chose to speak in front of the council. After being presented a projection of what the city would be without the team compared to with the team, Glendale stood to make money with the team staying at Jobbing.com, opposers took the stand first. Among them featured a Glendale residence who began to quack at the council and those in attendance, while another gentleman called the Coyotes, Hockey Partners, LLC, and the audience ‘freeloaders,’ and at one point comparing the seating arrangement, particularly his, to segregation, in reference to having to sit behind Jamison.

What Lies Ahead

Now with an arena lease agreement in place, Jamison will turn his attention to the NHL to complete the deal. Much like the last lease agreed on, a chance of a referendum popping up is very much possible. Ken Jones who was responsible for the last attempted referendum noted he would again be looking at his options at Tuesday’s meeting. Jones who was guided by the Goldwater Institute previously but then abandoned after the realization of failure, is assumed to go a different route this next time.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Houston Aeros: Good and Bad News For Minnesota Wild Prospects

The AHL’s Houston Aeros were expected to be one of the league’s most exciting teams while the 2012 NHL Lockout remained in effect as a plethora of top Minnesota Wild prospects joined the club including the likes of Mikael Granlund, Jonas Brodin and Charlie Coyle. While a lockout is always frustrating, it has given the franchise’s top prospects some time to adjust to the professional North American game and for the club to get arguably a better look at them than they would have done with just training camp. It would probably be fair to say that the results have ranged from good to unlucky to poor for these prospects with the Houston Aeros so far in the 2012-13 season. The Hockey Writers provides a breakdown.

Granlund and Brodin Suffer Unfortunate Injuries

Few players encapsulate the word ‘unlucky’ better than Mikael Granlund in terms of the 2012-13 AHL season so far. The Finnish forward was the player of the month in October scoring 12 points in his first eight games in professional North American hockey. He registered three multi-point games, while failing to get a point only once during those eight games. He seemed on his way to stardom and looked a level above players around him, but suffered an unfortunate right ankle sprain in Houston’s first game in November. The injury has already kept Granlund out a few weeks with the length of time still a little unclear.

Top defensive prospect Jonas Brodin’s transition to the professional game wasn’t quite as dramatic, but four points and a +2 rating in eight games wasn’t a bad start. Brodin’s injury is more serious, he suffered a broken right clavicle after a hard hit from Oklahoma City’s Taylor Hall. It’s unlikely that Brodin will return to action before the new year.

The Wild are likely to be especially frustrated by Brodin’s injury as playing time is especially invaluable for a blue-liner adapting to the professional North American game. In the short-term, the Houston Aeros have had to significantly re-configure their line-up with these two major prospects sidelined.

Positive Signs For Young Wingers: Zucker, Coyle and Larsson

Jason Zucker wasn’t as highly-touted as some of the other prospects joining the Houston Aeros this season, but he has made his mark, especially since Granlund has gone down with an injury. Zucker scored five points in just four games played in October, but he has been assertive in November scoring seven goals and 10 points in 10 games.

Charlie Coyle was arguably the biggest asset in the trade that sent Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks and while his recent form has quietened down a little, the big winger has still shown positive signs that he belongs. Coyle has seven goals and 11 points in 18 games so far, though his last goal only came on November 18.

Johan Larsson wasn’t necessarily talked about as frequently as the likes of Coyle, Granlund and even the likes of Zack Phillips and Jason Zucker. However, the young Swede has provided valuable depth scoring tallying five goals and 11 points.

Phillps and Bulmer Struggle With Slow Stars

Brett Bulmer has looked a long way removed from the young player who almost broke onto the NHL roster last season and enjoyed such a strong year in the WHL. He doesn’t even look like the player who suited up for the Houston Aeros at the end of last season. Bulmer is a -8 and has managed just one goal and one assist in 17 AHL games so far this season. These are especially disappointing totals for a player expected to potentially challenge for an NHL spot again this season.

Meanwhile, Phillips may be the one young prospect who has taken some time to adjust to the AHL game. He has just one goal and eight points in 16 games so far in 2012-13. November has been a better month than October with five assists in 10 games. He looks like a young player gradually finding his feet, and should develop into a consistent contributor as the season continues to progress.

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

KHL Players of the Week ' November 26

Each week, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) salutes their Players of the Week.  The top forward, defenseman, goaltender, and rookie are selected based on their statistics and performance, as determined by the KHL Statistics and Information Bureau.  This week, the league recognizes:

Forward of the Week

Nicklas Backstrom of Dynamo Moscow

In two games, the Washington Capitals center put up six points – three goals and three assists – including a game-winning marker and a +3 rating.  On the season, the speedy Swede has seven goals and ten assists for 17 points in just 11 games.  His amazing 1.54 points per games is the highest among all players in the league.

Here’s his four-point birthday night against Severstal, which just happened to be on his 25th birthday.  What a way to celebrate!

Defenseman of the Week

Vitaly Proshkin of Salavat Yulaev Ufa

Proshkin scored four points in three games – one goal and three assists – along with a +3.  The 36-year-old veteran, in his sixth season with Salavat, has three goals and 11 helpers for 14 points in 30 games played this year.

Goaltender of the Week

Edgars Masalskis of Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk

Masalskis went 2-0 last week, allowing an average of 0.95 goals per game with a 97.2% save percentage.  This is a huge turnaround for the Latvian netminder, who is 8-8 on the season with a 3.06 goals against average.  More play like this will help Yugra get back in to playoff position.

Here’s a spectacular save from last week’s game against the KHL’s current leading scorer, Sergei Mozyakin of Manitogorsk:

Rookie of the Week

Andrei Mironov of Dynamo Moscow

The rookie defenseman had one assist and a +5 rating while averaging 18:11 of ice time in two game.  The 18-year-old Russian has two points on the season.  He also made his mark earlier this season with one of the KHL’s top ten hits of the week —  he was number one with a dangerously-low hip check:

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Stars Prospects Fighting For World Juniors Roster Spots

Even though the NHL lockout is nearing it’s fourth month with no end in sight, hockey fans all over the world have one upcoming annual tournament to look forward to: the World Junior Hockey Championship.

Radek Faksa is one of Dallas’ top prospects that could represent his home country in this year’s World Juniors (Aaron Bell/CHL Images)

Every late December and early January the best hockey players under the age of 20 from the strongest hockey nations get together to partake in a tournament that provides some of the most entertaining action that the sport has to offer. Many of the NHL’s biggest stars have played in the World Juniors, and many future stars will compete against each other again in this year’s competition.

The WJCs also provide a great and rare opportunity for fans of most NHL teams to watch their team’s top prospects in action.

The Dallas Stars are no exception, and have a handful of promising youngsters that have very good chances of representing their respective countries beginning in December.

 

RW Brett Ritchie – Team Canada

Brett Ritchie (2nd round, 44th overall, 2011) of the Niagara IceDogs has not only been one of the biggest breakout players in the OHL this year, but in all of Canadian major junior hockey. The huge 6’4,” 215-pound power forward has 22 goals, 21 assists and a +25 rating in just 28 games, and his 43 points currently rank him third in the OHL behind only IceDogs teammate Ryan Strome and Seth Griffith of the London Knights.

Strome had nine points in six games for Team Canada at last year’s WJCs, and is a lock to make the squad again this year. Considering Strome and Ritchie, both 19, have become the OHL’s most dominant one-two offensive punch this season by a wide margin, not only is it very likely that both make the team and continue to play together, but there’s a good chance that the duo could even get the opportunity to unleash their chemistry on their opponents as two-thirds of Canada’s top line.

 

C Radek Faksa – Team Czech Republic

As the highest drafted Czech player since Jakub Voracek went 7th overall in 2007, it’s safe to say that Radek Faksa (1st round, 13th overall, 2012) will be a lock for the Czech WJC team this year.

The big, cerebral, two-way center hasn’t put up the strongest numbers so far this season for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL (22 points in 24 games), but has excellent shooting, passing and puck control skills. It will be his elite-level defensive play, however, that could make Faksa, 18, the anchor on his nation’s first line. He’s been tasked with shutting down top opposing lines this season in the OHL, so he will be an ideal candidate to do the same against other countries’ best firepower on the international level.

 

D Ludvig Bystrom – Team Sweden

A smooth-skating, puck-moving defender that holds his own at both ends of the ice, the 18 year-old Ludvig Bystrom (2nd round, 43rd overall, 2012) has been plying his trade against older competition in the Swedish Elite League the last two seasons and hasn’t looked out of place. He has two goals, two assists and a +4 in 21 games so far this season with Modo and has been getting increasing playing minutes as the season goes on.

As one of the highest-selected Swedish defencemen in the last two drafts, Bystrom is an obvious choice to make the defending-champion Swedes, but with injuries to other national defencemen Jonas Brodin and Oscar Klefbom that will likely prevent them from playing in this year’s tournament, Bystrom’s chances of making the team and playing an integral role are quite high.

 

RW Matej Stranky – Team Czech Republic

Despite being a late draft choice (6th round, 165th overall, 2011), winger Matej Stransky, 19, has been an incredibly pleasant surprise for the Dallas Stars. Possessing good size and puck control, Stransky scored an impressive 81 points in 70 games last season for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, and is continuing at a healthy pace this season with 24 points in 25 games.

Though the Czechs normally prefer selecting individuals that play in the Czech Republic leagues, Stransky’s combination of size, age and experience playing against North Americans could make him a valuable commodity for their roster.

 

D Esa Lindell – Team Finland

Going on numbers alone, Esa Lindell’s (3rd round, 74th overall, 2012) zero points and -9 rating in 19 SM-liiga games for Jokerit Helsinki might seem like he isn’t a high-level player. But 18 year-old defencemen playing in Finland’s top league are a rarity, and Lindell possesses great size at 6’3″ and was an elite point-producer playing in the Jr. A SM-liiga thanks to a heavy slapshot.

Though a long shot to make the team due to this season’s stats, Lindell has experience against tough competition and possesses enough raw skills to make a solid case for himself.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Fantasy Hockey ONE: Henrique: It's Over?

Adam Henrique

The long strange trip for Adam Henrique continues…. (Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE)

 

One of the more intriguing fantasy hockey players going into the season was Adam Henrique of the New Jersey Devils. All that changed with the lockout and now the potential exists for a lost season. While that did not sound like a bad thing on the surface for Henrique, his stay with the Albany Devils has been a huge disappointment for fans and player alike. Now comes word that the Calder Trophy nominee suffered a broken thumb (with torn ligament) in Sunday’s loss to the Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins. The talented pivot definitely has not had the season he was expecting from minute one. When one goes from nearly winning the Stanley Cup to being misused on a middling AHL team, that is quite the drop.

The problem is exacerbated when a team values development over success. While that has worked for Albany in the past in sending players up to New Jersey, Henrique is already developed and his role looks pretty clear in any video one sees. Apparently that memo has not been passed to Rick Kowalsky, Albany coach. Whether it is the expectations or the pressure, Kowalski has not used several of his NHL players to anywhere near close to their maximum effectiveness but Henrique is the one that hurts most. The hockey player is most effective when he is allowed to move and not play dump and chase. Yet, there goes #14 chasing down pucks against guys far bigger. Honestly, the guy looks lost in a system that does not suit him. His linemates, who are mostly Joe Whitney and Bobby Butler are relatively diminutive in nature. Frankly, it is a humbling process but one that may cause Henrique to take a step back whenever the NHL resumes.

Hopefully that is not the case but Kowalsky, who is in his third year, has come under fire for his team’s uneven start. Albany has a mere four wins in sixteen games played and part of that involves the fact that this team just does not score. Their leading goal scorer does have seven goals in the name of Jacob Josefson but 37 goals in 16 games on a team that has some talent is alarming. The loss of Henrique really hurts now because of the timing. He will likely be out till the first week of January. If cooler heads in the NHL prevail, that may cause New Jersey some headaches. That is four to six weeks lost for a player who needed to get back on track but did play a lot of hockey last season.

Here are Henrique’s stats and why we say maybe this injury is not necessarily a bad thing at a closer look.

So what you have is a player who played 98 games last year (technically 101) on an NHL level. Nothing prepares you for that kind of strain, especially for a rookie. Yet Adam Henrique excelled despite hitting a few bumps. His clutch play in the playoffs on top of his 51 point rookie campaign gave many fantasy owners optimism for the 2012-13 season. The series clinching goals against the Florida Panthers then the New York Rangers were quite the highs for a player who is a stocky six foot, 197 pound player with agility and above average speed. He was expected to be paired with Ilya Kovalchuk, whom he clicked quite well during parts of last season.

Now while the philosophy change in Albany may be helpful development wise in the long run for Henrique, it may be harmful in the short term fantasy wise. Injuries with the hand are tougher on guys who rely on their hands and that deft touch is the last thing that comes back. Hopefully, the resiliency of Adam Henrique radiates because here is a player whose talent is underestimated by some as well as his potential fantasy impact / career progression. It would have not been shocking to see Henrique top 60 points for New Jersey if there had been a full NHL season.

The question for readers would be this. Does this season err lost season for Henrique translate into fantasy hockey gold or a fantasy morass for the young player? Time will tell but we want your opinion.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Rabu, 28 November 2012

Minnesota Wild Prospects Eligible for the 2013 WJHC

Drafted 7th overall by Minnesota in June, Mathew Dumba stands a good chance of representing Team Canada next month in Russia. (Darren Aucoin/Flickr)

Ah, the holidays; a time for relaxing and cherishing the time you spend with friends, family and loved ones in general. It's also time to sit back and watch some great junior, collegiate and'if not for the lockout'NHL hockey. As disappointing as it is to not have NHL hockey on TV, there is still another form of hockey that should get any serious fan excited'the Under-20 World Junior Championships!

The WJC's are a great chance to see many top prospects, both drafted and undrafted, play at the international level. In fact, many times the way an undrafted player performs at the international level can determine whether that player rises or falls in the final rankings of the International Scouting Service. The tournament also gives fans, scouts and coaches an idea of what their country's Winter Olympic hockey teams may look like in the not-too-distant future.

Last season, the Minnesota Wild had several prospects play in the international competition. While Canadians Brett Bulmer and Zack Phillips were among the final roster cuts from Team Canada, Mikael Granlund (FIN), Jonas Brodin (SWE), Johan Larsson (SWE), Johan Gustafsson (SWE), Jason Zucker (USA) and Charlie Coyle (USA) all played an important role for their teams. In fact, Granlund, Larsson and Zucker all wore the 'C' as captains of their respective countries. Larsson would lead Sweden to a 1-0 shutout win'posted by Gustafsson'over Russia for the gold medal.

This year, there are fewer Wild prospects eligible to play at the tournament being held in Ufa, Russia. However, it could be an intriguing tournament for fans of the team to watch. As such, I've made a list of a few prospects that could possibly be playing for their country over the Christmas/New Year break. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to break this into two parts, but that makes it more fun anyway and allows me to explain in more detail.

Team Canada

Mathew Dumba, the Wild's top selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at 7th overall, has an excellent chance of making the Team Canada roster for the 2013 U-20 WJC. This past spring he captained Canada's U-18 WJC team to the bronze medal as the tournament's leading scorer with five goals and seven assists for 12 points and a plus-2 rating in seven games. Oh, that's right; he did all that as a defenseman, too.

At 18 years of age, Dumba has developed into one of the most dangerously skilled and talented players in the major junior game today and you can bet that the Minnesota Wild brass are hoping that translates to the pro level. The young Red Deer Rebel blue-liner stands at 6' 183lbs and still has room for growth. Add an inch or two and about 10-15lbs of muscle to his frame and he'll have all the tools in his belt to succeed.

Drafted 4th of five Western Hockey League defensemen in the top-8 picks of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Dumba stands a great chance of patrolling Team Canada's blue line and could very well be named team captain. Matt is an elite-caliber offensive defenseman that isn't afraid to make an explosive open-ice hit. He can play both sides of the puck well and wields an absolute cannon of a slap shot from the point. He does need to work on his defensive game a bit'mainly not going too far out of position to finish a check or make a big play'but his willingness to learn and drive to succeed will help him grow and develop into that #1 defenseman that Minnesota needs him to be.

WJC Prediction: Dumba will be in Team Canada's roster and, with 2012 NHL 2nd overall pick Ryan Murray out with an injury, will see his role become increased as the race for the gold medal heats up.

Raphael Bussieres, drafted 46th overall in the 2nd round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, is a rugged young power forward who also stands a chance of representing his country on the international stage with Team Canada. At 19 years old, the 6'1' 195lb left wing has exploded in the QMJHL this season, potting 16 goals and chipping in 20 helpers for 36 points, 14 PMs and a plus-14 rating in just 27 games so far. Bussieres is tied for 15th place in league scoring with Acadie-Bathurst Titan forward Zach O'Brien and Saint John Sea Dog forward and 2011 NHL 3rd overall draft pick Jonathan Huberdeau. He is just eight points behind P.E.I. Rocket forward Ben Duffy, who leads the league with 44 points in 24 games. Bussieres was twice named to the QMJHL TELUS Three Stars of the Week and was also named the CHL Player of the Week once so far this season.

The most impressive thing about Bussieres is that he's been a quite consistent factor the past few seasons on a very inconsistent Baie-Comeau Drakkar team. He's a gritty young man with silky smooth hands who isn't afraid to stand up for his teammates as evidenced in a bout with fellow Wild 2012 draft pick Dumba, in a CHL top prospects game last season. Raphael fits the mold that best suits the new-look Wild of the Chuck Fletcher drafting era: big, tough, talented prospects that are a pain in the butt to play against. He is a guy that can be inserted at any point in the roster and succeed and he's shown great chemistry in prospect camp with like-minded guys in Johan Larsson and Charlie Coyle.

WJC Prediction: While not many players from the 'Q' make an appearance for Team Canada, don't be surprised to see Bussieres make the team in a bottom-six grinding/depth role. Who knows, he may surprise everyone and far exceed what everyone expects of him.

The pick of Tyler Graovac by Minnesota at 191st overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft may not have seemed that big of a deal, but it very well could have been the steal of Day Two. At 6'4 and over 200lbs, the 19-year old Ottawa 67's forward is a hulking pivot that the Wild just doesn't have down the middle. What's more is that he has exploded onto the CHL scene in a big way during his last season of U-20 WJC eligibility, scoring 18 goals and nine assists for 27 points in just 21 games. Graovac also had the privilege of representing his team on Team OHL in the 2012 Subway Super Series and even chipped in a shorthanded goal in a 2-1 loss to Team Russia on November 8th. The significant improvement in his play between last season and this season has definitely been enough to turn the heads of scouts and he could very well have a legitimate chance of skating in the red and white on Russian ice next month.

WJC Prediction: If he stays healthy, Graovac stands a serious chance of centering Canada's third or fourth line and could possibly even find himself playing alongside Bussieres.

Team Canada Wrap-up: As great as Minnesota's Canadian prospects are, the lion's share of NHL draft picks and prospects come from Canada and the majority of those that tryout for the team are turned away. The reason Canada is always so good is because they pick the very best and nothing less. Wild fans need to be rational and realize that the selection process is rigorous and the likelihood of one'let alone all three'getting in is slim. However, I think it is safe to say that Dumba has the best shot of the three and will likely be patrolling Canada's blue line along with Dougie Hamilton (Boston), Ryan Murphy (Carolina), Morgan Reilly (Toronto), Griffin Reinhart (NY Islanders) and probably either Derek Pouliot (Pittsburgh) or Cody Ceci (Ottawa).

That's all for this article, but be sure to look for Part II to follow shortly.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Is Discrimination Hurting the Habs?

This Spring's Habs GM candidates

Candidates for the Habs’ vacant GM position all had one thing in common. Source: Allhabs.net

When the call went out last spring that the Montreal Canadiens were in the market for a new GM and head coach there was a clear disclaimer, those who could not speak French need not apply. In fact, if French wasn't your mother tongue, you would probably be wasting your time as well. Not that someone who couldn't speak the language would necessarily want the job, Randy Cunneyworth was put through the ringer in his four months behind the bench, and he was just the interim coach.

Next June will mark 20 years since Les Glorieux last brought home a Stanley Cup. Current Canadian senator Jacques Demers was at the helm that year and Serge 'The Senator' Savard was GM. A lot has changed in the NHL in the last 20 years, so is it time for the Canadiens to consider changing their hiring policy as well?

The Glory Years

The early 90's may very well have been the high point for Quebec hockey. Mario Lemieux was the dominant player winning the Art Ross trophy in '88, '89, '92 and '93 and the Conn Smythe in '91 and '92. Patrick Roy was the dominant goalie with Vezina trophy wins in '89, '90 and '92. From 1991 to 1993 Lemieux's Penguins and Roy's Habs owned the Stanley Cup in convincing fashion. The two teams combined for a 48-17 playoff record during their three Cup runs. Mario Lemieux had 96 points in 49 playoff games during that span while Roy had a 27-16 record.

In '93, the Canadiens' roster was bursting with Quebec-born talent. Montreal native Vincent Damphousse was the team's leading scorer, Sept-Iles' Guy Carbonneau was captain, and of course Quebec City's Patrick Roy led the way in nets winning a record 10-straight overtime games on the way to the Cup win. Rouyn-Noranda's Eric Desjardins scored a hat-trick in game 2 of the finals against L.A., including the overtime winner, which (along with Marty McSorley's infamous stick infraction late in the game) is considered to be the turning point of the series. Desjardins remains the only defenceman to score a hat-trick in a Stanley Cup Final Series game.

Of the 27 players who had their names engraved on the Cup that year, 13 were Quebec-born.

But the times they were a changin'.

Even in '93 the influx of European players was well underway. Much of Pittsburgh's success in the early '90s was thanks to a young Czech named Jaromir Jagr. Pavel Bure won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in '92. In '93, with 76 goals and 132 points, Finnish sensation Teemu Selanne won the Calder putting up numbers that are tough to match by most players from any region, let alone rookies.

After North American born players won all but five Calder Trophies between 1933 and 1989, Europeans won the award 6 times in the '90s.

1993 also marked the year Saku Koivu was drafted. Before the turn of the century, Koivu would become the first European-born captain of Les Glorieux.

The Canadiens Today

Flash-forward to the would-be Habs of the 2012-2013 season. Laurier-Station native David Desharnais is the only Quebec born player on the Habs' roster. Francis Boullion has Quebecois roots as well, his mother is Quebecoise and although he was born in New York City he was raised in La Belle Province. That's where the home-grown talent ends for Montreal.

The graph below from www.quanthockey.com shows how Canadian dominance in the NHL has been steadily chipped away. While Canadian born players made up two thirds of the NHL in 92-93, they now make up just over half the league. The share of US players has risen dramatically, and while the influx of European talent has actually slowed since its peak at the start of the millennium it is still higher than any point before 1990.

NHL Players by Nationality

Canadian dominance in the NHL is steadily declining. Source: quanthockey.com

In Quebec, the change has been even more drastic. In '93 over 100 Quebec-born players played at least one NHL game, 74 played 20 or more. Last season, there were only 71 players from Quebec that played at least one game and 51 that played more than 20.

The Canadiens current roster is pretty typical for the new NHL. Players from the US and Ontario are having more and more of an impact while players from Quebec are falling by the wayside. Last year, Max Pacioretty became the first American to score 30 goals in a Habs uniform, Erik Cole became the second shortly after. Another American, Brian Gionta, is the team's captain. P.K. Subban is a fan favorite in Montreal despite hailing from Toronto, while Russia's Andrei Markov and the Czech Republic's Tomas Plekanec are two of the longest serving Habs.

In fact, before Geoff Molson purchased the team in December '09, the Canadiens were even owned by an American. In 2001, George Gillett became the team’s first American owner since Léo Dandurand sold the Habs in 1935.

So why is it that the Habs are able to pluck people from all backgrounds to fill their roster and even their owner's box, but not their coaching staff or front office?

Randy Cunneyworth

Randy Cunneyworth had a rough ride in Montreal (Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE)

The reality of Quebec politics applies strongly to one of the province's most cherished institutions. The backlash against Randy Cunneyworth is just the most recent example. Cunneyworth's appointment resulted in everything from staged protests, to calls to boycott Molson beer products, to condemnation from Quebec's culture minister. At the same time Canadiens Legend and much loved icon, Guy Lafleur, did come to Cunneyworth's defence, 'It doesn’t matter if you speak German, Russian, or whatever, the bottom line is: Win the games and then make the playoffs and try to win the Stanley Cup.'

Does the Flower's blessing mean it's finally ok for the Sainte Flanelle to hire an English coach or GM? Yes and no. Simply put, the ability to communicate with the team's fans and Quebec media is part of the job description. Call it discrimination or pragmatism, hiring an English coach, or even a bilingual coach whose mother tongue is English would inevitably lead to off-ice distractions that could keep the team from achieving their potential.

Perhaps one day a full-time, unilingual English coach could be a reality in Quebec, but that person would need to be a much better candidate than any of the French coaches available. And even then, the odds wouldn't be that high.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Colorado Avalanche: Their Best Draft Picks Ever

Since moving to Denver in 1995, the Colorado Avalanche have made gigantic waves in the NHL. They won a Stanley Cup the year after relocating from Quebec, they won two President’s Trophies, won their division nine straight years and appeared in the Western Conference Finals a total of six times.

Still, the Avalanche are best remembered for their unbelievable trades. The Avalanche have made big deals to acquire the likes of Patrick Roy, Ray Bourque, Theo Fleury and Rob Blake to help make deep runs into the playoffs. While these bold trades are definitely something that have defined the franchise and their dedication to doing whatever it takes to winning, it also overshadows one other rarely talked about part of the franchise, the draft.

The draft has been a much greater focus for the Avalanche in recent years as they have been going through a rebuilding process, but Colorado has had a strong history of drafting players.

 

Recent Years

 

Matt Duchene: The Colorado Avalanche took Matt Duchene third overall in the 2009 Entry Draft and immediately made the team. Duchene had a strong rookie year, scoring 24 goals and 31 assists which was good enough to lead all rookies in scoring. Unfortunately, though he was a finalist, it wasn’t enough to win Matt Duchene the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. In Duchene’s second year, he led the Avalanche in scoring with 67 points.

Duchene had a rough third year this past season which saw him deal with injuries for the first time in his career. The result was a step backwards in his scoring, but it also seems to have resulted in a drive to improve himself and his durability. Duchene spent this past summer working out in L.A. with Sidney Crosby, but more importantly Crosby’s strength and conditioning coach. If a season does start, Duchene is driven to take the next step in his career.

Ryan O’Reilly: O’Reilly was a pleasant surprise of a draft pick. The Avalanche were hoping that he would be a strong player for the future of the franchise when they took him in the second round of the 2009 Entry Draft, but nobody really expected him to come in and make the team. Well he did, but he wasn’t finished surprising the team and the Avalanche fans. After two years of playing a primarily defensive roll for the Avalanche, O’Reilly jumped out and led the team in scoring during the past season. This success, combined with O’Reilly’s strong leadership qualities, made him a fan favorite to be the next Avalanche captain. Even though O’Reilly didn’t end up with the captaincy, O’Reilly will continue to be a leader going forward.

Gabriel Landeskog:

Gabriel Landeskog (Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE)

Gabriel Landeskog was the best pick of the 2011 Entry Draft, and he proved that when he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie this past season. Simply put, Landeskog has done absolutely everything for the Avalanche since being drafted with the second-overall draft pick. He plays on the power play, kills penalties, lays the body, fore-checks like a crazy person, scores big goals, plays strong defense and just never looked like a rookie. Landeskog’s poise and presence off the ice was equally impressive, which led to the Avalanche naming Landeskog the youngest captain in NHL history. Gabriel Landeskog is easily the best of the recent draft picks by the Colorado Avalanche and might end up being the best pick since the team moved to Denver.

 

The Jury Is Still Out

 

Duncan Siemens: The drafting of Duncan Siemens seems like it will be a fantastic pick. Siemens was frequently described as a “junk yard dog” during the lead up to the 2011 Entry Draft and was also compared to the likes of Chris Pronger by the NHL Scouting people. We haven’t had the chance to see Duncan Siemens on the big squad yet, so we have yet to figure out if this particular pick is going to pan out, but I’m confident we will find out soon.

Stefan Elliott: Stefan Elliott was taken in the same draft as Matt Duchene and Avalanche fans got their first glimpse of him last season and he provided some early fireworks. Later in the season, however, Elliott exhibited some struggles that earned him a lot of time in the press box as a healthy scratch. Elliott still has a high ceiling, but his ability to play strong defense will be the thing that ultimately determines whether he will be successful or not.

Tyson Barrie: Barrie has almost the exact same story as Stefan Elliott. Taken in the same draft and is exactly the same type of player. Barrie, however, didn’t see as much success during his time with the Avalanche that Elliott did. Both are burdened with being undersized players that need to figure out how to not be liabilities in their own zone.

Calvin Pickard and Sami Aittokallio: Both goalies were taken in the 2010 Entry Draft and both players must overcome the biggest organizational weakness of the Colorado Avalanche, goaltender development. Without a full-time goaltending coach in the system, these strong young goalies have a big struggle to turn into a franchise NHL goalie.

 

The Best Picks:

 

Paul Stastny: Stastny has been a member of the Avalanche his whole career and has done absolutely nothing but produce and be one of the team’s leading scorers ever since his arrival. Yet, any time the Avalanche begin to struggle, the first thing you hear from Avalanche fans is that the team needs to trade Stastny. Few players have been as consistent for the Avalanche as Stastny has and more people need to appreciate that.

David Jones: David Jones was drafted in the ninth round by the Avalanche back in 2003 and has overcome a lot on his way towards being one of the top forwards on the Avalanche. Not a lot of Avalanche fans are aware of Jones’ origins in this league, but I think it’s fair to say that there aren’t very many players that are active in the NHL that were drafted that deep in the draft.

Dan Hinote: Dan Hinote was drafted by the Avalanche way back in 1996. Hinote was taken in the seventh round of the draft but ended up with a very successful NHL career, which included a Stanley Cup Championship in 2001. Hinote was a very important part of that championship team as a player that provided his team with a spark of energy whenever they needed it. He played six seasons with the Avalanche before moving on to the St. Louis Blues. If ever there was an underrated player, it was Dan Hinote.

John-Michael Liles: Liles is the type of player that both Stefan Elliott and Tyson Barrie should use as inspiration. Liles is a small player who is offensively gifted, but Liles never let his small stature stop him from playing solid defense. He could be over matched on occasion but, for the most part, Liles was always reliable in his own end.

Alex Tanguay: Alex Tanguay was a fantastic draft pick by the Avalanche who played a major part in bringing the Stanley Cup back to Colorado. Many people remember Ray Bourque lifting the cup after Game 7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals, even Joe Sakic’s amazing power play goal that essentially iced the game. Not too many people will remember that Alex Tanguay scored the first two goals of that game. Tanguay now plays for division rival, Calgary, and still plays at a high level.

 

The Avalanche did a great job of remaining one of the top teams in the NHL for a long time and, while their many high-profile trades were a large part of that, it also meant the Avalanche had to be very smart with their draft picks. These are some of the best picks the Colorado Avalanche organization has ever made.

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NHL Amnesty Game: Who Would Each Eastern Conference Team Buy Out?

Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part miniseries. The Western Conference will be profiled tomorrow evening right here at The Hockey Writers.

Thomas Vanek Sabres

Thomas Vanek’s $7.124 million cap hit is more than you might have expected (Jerome Davis/Icon SMI)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your favourite NHL team was given the chance to cut the most overpaid player on its roster loose without any penalty against the salary cap whatsoever?

That’s what happened following the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-2005 NHL season, after which a hard salary cap was introduced. Now with hockey games having been cancelled all across the league once again, there are rumours floating around that this, legally called an amnesty clause, is a very real possibility once again.

One might wonder what the benefits of an amnesty clause would be. Simple: teams get a chance to let go of some serious salary as the cap is expected to go down. This would be extremely beneficial to general managers such as Montreal’s Marc Bergevin, who is tied up in a very lucrative contract with forward Scott Gomez.

Gomez is just one of many possible amnesty victims once the lockout wraps up.

Note: The years remaining on each player’s current contract includes the 2012-2013 season but all choices are made on the assumption that the entire season will be lost.

Boston Bruins - Marc Savard – $4.007 million, five years remaining

Savard certainly hasn’t underperformed during his time in Boston, but a nasty concussion has thrown his entire career into jeopardy.

Buffalo Sabres - Thomas Vanek – $7.124 million, two years remaining

Ask yourself this: would you be willing to pay a 60-70 point scorer almost as much as the likes of Steven Stamkos and Jerome Iginla?

Carolina Hurricanes - None

Joni Pitkanen and Jiri Tlusty are both possibilities, but neither have played poorly enough to suffer from a buyout. The same can be said for Eric Staal, who had one poor season but has been united with his brother Jordan in Carolina and is the face of the franchise.

Florida Panthers - Scottie Upshall – $3.5 million, three years remaining

Scott Gomez Canadiens

An amnesty clause would give Habs fans an early shot at what they’ve long been waiting for: the departure of Scott Gomez (Icon SMI)

Upshall simply had a rough go of things last season when he played in just 26 games, managing only five points. The small sample of games makes it difficult to cut him, but it may put the Panthers in a better position cap-wise a year or two from now.

Montreal Canadiens - Scott Gomez – $7.357 million, two years remaining

Gomez’s time in New York was mediocre; his time in Montreal has been embarrassing to his career. There’s simply no way a team would want to pay a man who has just 49 points over the last two seasons anywhere close to seven million dollars.

New Jersey Devils - Henrik Tallinder – $3.375 million, two years remaining

The chances of the Devils actually electing to buy out Tallinder’s contract are slim-to-none, but they’re still the greatest of all other players on the team.

New York Islanders - Rick DiPietro – $4.5 million, nine years remaining

Just like Gomez, this one truly goes without saying. Waste $4.5 million per season on a player who isn’t able to remain healthy for a day? No thank you.

New York Rangers - None

Rangers general manager Glen Sather has done a relatively nice job of managing the Rangers’ salary cap situation lately. Rick Nash, Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards all come with lucrative contracts but make up the team’s top line.

Ottawa Senators - None

Prior to his 35-goal performance last season we all would have said Milan Michalek. There was also a time when we all would have chosen Craig Anderson. Now who? Brian Murray has done a nice job with a Senators team that was a cellar dweller not too long ago.

Philadelphia Flyers - Ilya Bryzgalov – $5.666 million, eight years remaining

Even after moving Sergei Bobrovsky to the Blue Jackets in June, it might not be such a bad idea for the Flyers to cut Bryzgalov loose. He may have finished the season with positive numbers, but on this large of a contract, a .909 save percentage just isn’t going to cut it.

Paul Martin

$5 million is a good chunk of money in the NHL, and that just so happens to be Paul Martin’s average annual salary (Icon SMI)

Pittsburgh Penguins - Paul Martin – $5 million, three years remaining

The Penguins took a risk when they handed Martin a five-year, $25 million contract. While he hasn’t underperformed, five million remains a lot of money to spend when someone else, in this case it’s Kris Letang, is arguably your top defender.

Tampa Bay Lightning - Vincent Lecavalier – $7.727 million, eight years remaining

Why don’t you try trading a 60-70 point scorer on a front-loaded contract that comes with a cap hit of almost eight million dollars? Let’s just say the money would be better spent somewhere else.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Mike Komisarek – $4.5 million, two years remaining

There was a time when Komisarek was supposed to be the Leafs’ anchor on the back-end. Now he’s an afterthought among Leaf fans, except when they discuss his departure.

Washington Capitals - Joel Ward – $3 million, three years remaining

A strong playoff performance in 2011 is what earned Ward a nice contract with the Capitals, but he followed up his new deal by notching just six goals and 18 points.

Winnipeg Jets - None

The Jets are a team with potential that will improve only through additions. Even if that wasn’t the case, many of the Jets’ current players have contracts that are set to expire after 2012-2013 anyway. The summer of 2013 will be a busy one for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and company.

All contract information courtesy of Cap Geek.

Twitter: @LukasHardonk | Email: lukas.hardonk@gmail.com | Lukas' archive

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NCAA Women's Hockey: Week 9 Recap

Current Rankings (Week 10):

  1. Minnesota
  2. Cornell
  3. Boston College
  4. North Dakota
  5. Boston University
  6. Clarkson
  7. Harvard
  8. Wisconsin
  9. Mercyhurst
  10. Minnesota-Duluth

Week 9 Notes

Minnesota remained perfect with a two-game sweep of New Hampshire. The Gophers throttled the Wildcats this weekend, winning 10-2 and 4-0. They out-shot UNH 37-9 in the first game, and 43-16 in the second. The fact that Minnesota has been able to keep up this fantastic play all season is remarkable. They are now perfect through 16 games and they have shown no signs of slowing down.

Cornell suffered a drop in their offensive production this weekend. They squeaked past Dartmouth on Friday with a 2-1 win in overtime, then fell to Harvard on Saturday by a score of 3-1. It was a little unexpected, as it looked like their offense was starting to take off, but these were two gritty in-conference match-ups and the lack of production can be forgiven. The Big Red will want to get back on track as soon as possible, however, to avoid getting into any bad habits.

The Crimson, on the other hand, put on a defensive show against Cornell. They limited the Big Red’s explosive offense to just one goal on 22 shots, and they even managed to put up 33 shots themselves, showing improved offensive capabilities. Prior to that, Harvard also defeated Colgate by a score of 4-1 in one of their best total team efforts of the year. They then defeated Northeastern 3-1 on Tuesday. Freshman goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer stuck out this weekend; she’s played well for the Crimson between the pipes and it’s very possible that she’ll take over the starting job for the long-term.

Boston College had a great showing at this weekend’s Nutmeg Classic. They defeated Quinnipiac 3-0 on Friday and then beat Yale 5-0 on Saturday. Corinne Boyles was in net for both shutouts. The Eagles’ played well against the Bobcats, but they throttled the Bulldogs, out-shooting them 55-17. Their top-six is firing on all cylinders right now and finally proving a) what their potential is and b) that they can play to their potential pretty consistently.

North Dakota’s play is officially tracking upwards as of late. After sweeping Minnesota-Duluth with a 4-3 overtime win and a 5-2 win, they are 5-0 in their last five games. The return of Michelle Karvinen to the line-up, and the switching of Monique Lamoureux from forward to defense has done wonders for the offense. Scoring nine goals in one weekend against a very solid Bulldogs defense is a big plus, but UND had some downs this weekend as well. In Friday night’s game, they allowed Minnesota-Duluth to score two goals in the final 13.7 seconds to tie the game. Those kinds of defensive breakdowns simply can’t happen if North Dakota is to stay in the NCAA Tournament picture.

Wisconsin put in two solid performances against St. Cloud State this weekend. They defeated the Huskies 6-0 and 6-3. Although Brianna Decker was at the forefront of their offense, the Badgers are showing a much more balanced attack than they were at the beginning of the year, and it has paid off. In Saturday’s 6-3 win, St. Cloud scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead. Wisconsin responded with five unanswered goals of their own to defeat the Huskies, showing very good composure.

Three Stars of the Week

1. Brianna Decker, Senior, Forward, Wisconsin: Notched four goals and three assists to power the Badgers’ offense and lead Wisconsin to a sweep over St. Cloud State.

2. Monique Lamoureux, Senior, Defense, North Dakota: Scored five goals this weekend for UND, all from the blue line. Her offensive play has really picked up on North Dakota’s run.

3. Michelle Picard, Sophomore, Defense, Harvard: Had four assists for the Crimson this week while also asserting herself defensively and providing positive play from that perspective.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Rock Out for the Lockout: The Draft Class of 2012

Rock Out for the LockoutWith the NHL lockout firmly in place and both sides entrenched for what may be a long, drawn out battle, we’re taking this opportunity to explore the musical side of the National Hockey League. Each week, we’ll see what happens when hockey and music collide.

Join us as we Rock Out for the Lockout.


The Draft Class of 2012

While we’ve featured the musical stylings of Hall of Famers and current players, you might be wondering if future players will be able to carry the musical torch.  Fear not, as TSN’s Alyonka Larionov interviewed the 2012 NHL Prospects during the 2012 NHL Combine in Toronto.   She uncovered a few gems drafted this past year that have yet to make their NHL debuts.

Mathew Dumba – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

Selected seventh overall by the Minnesota Wild, the Calgary native plays with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.  Much like his play out on the ice, once you get him going, get out of his way:

 

Malcolm Subban and Alex Galchenyuk – “Chicken Fried”

Subban, the younger brother of Habs defenseman P.K., was selected 24th overall by the Boston Bruins.  Galchenyuk went third overall to the Montreal Canadiens.   The two are competing this season in the OHL, for Belleville and Sarnia, respectively.  The two have met only once this season, with Belleville earning a 3-1 win; Galchenyuk assisted on the Sting’s only goal.  While both are very talented on the ice, one can only hope they’ll reprise their duet at their February 2 rematch in Sarnia:

 

Filip Forsberg – “Dancing Queen”

Forsberg went to the Washington Capitals with the eleventh overall pick in the draft.   A native of Sweden, it’s no surprise that he’s well versed in the vocal stylings of Abba:

Obviously, there’s some talented kids in this draft — on the ice and at the karaoke bar.  Who only knows what we’ll eventually find with some of the players selected in the later rounds.  There could really be a vocal sleeper out there, but for right now, it’s safe to say the NHL Draft Class of 2012 is already in good musical hands with these four first-rounders.


For the rest of the entries in this ongoing series,
don’t miss Now That’s What I Call Lockout!

Now That's What I Call Lockout!

Now That’s What I Call Lockout!

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.