Evaluating Minnesota Wild Rookie Wingers Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle

The Minnesota Wild are currently outside of the Western conference playoff spots with an 8-7-2 record through 17 games. This is not the position that many fans expected to find their Wild in after the big summer free agent signings of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, though it should be noted that Minnesota are only a single point adrift of sixth place in the West.

Still, a stumbling up and down start has largely been due to an offense that just cannot seem to find any rhythm. Mike Yeo’s team ranks 29th in the NHL scoring just 2.06 goals per game. Yeo has tried just about every combination among his forward group to try and generate some semblance of consistent offensive output, but no player on this roster has been able to achieve that. It feels like most of this team’s better offensive players have yet to make an appearance in the shortened 2013 NHL season.

To his credit General Manager Chuck Fletcher hasn’t stood pat during Minnesota’s dry spell. He has turned to the Wild’s AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, calling up some of the organization’s brightest young offensive talent in an attempt to bring more balance, depth or just some sort of spark to the line-up. The results have been mixed so far in terms of immediate impact. However, short stints from Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle have confirmed that this is a franchise with a deep and exciting talent pool worthy of its top ranking position in Hockey Future’s latest team rankings.

Jason Zucker

(Steven Christy/OKC Barons)

Zucker enjoyed a sparkling NCAA career with the University of Denver where he established himself as one of the better scorers in college, a strong two-way player and a leader. He got a chance to skate in six NHL games at the end of the 2011-12 season after the college hockey season ended where he registered two assists [See also: Jason Zucker: From WCHA to the State of Hockey].

Still, the 21-year old was often overlooked during the offseason as he joined the professional ranks at the same time as some of the most exciting offensive prospects in the history of the Minnesota Wild franchise including: Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle and Zack Phillips.

He had to be patient and earn his next NHL call-up leading the Houston Aeros with 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games. He finally got the call ahead of a home game against Detroit on February 17. Jason Zucker would not disappoint. Midway through the second period he battled a puck loose in the defensive end and then showed off his fantastic skating speed out-skating the Red Wings’ defense in an end to end rush, which he capped off with his first career NHL goal.

Zucker has played in the two games since that memorable season debut registering a shot in each, but failing to make his mark on the scoreboard. There’s little doubt that he has added to his skating speed and he looks capable of competing physically in the NHL at this point. His defensive game in terms of smarts and positioning is probably the best of all the young Minnesota forwards.

There’s little doubt that Jason Zucker is NHL ready and could easily spend most of the rest of the season skating on any of the team’s four lines for Yeo. However, he isn’t likely to contribute consistent offense. He still doesn’t use his shot or drive to the net in quite the same fashion as he has done at other standards, and might not quite have the skill set to be a top end scorer in the NHL even when he hits his prime.

Charlie Coyle

Charlie Coyle. (Photo: saintjohnseadogs.com/David Connell Photography)

Coyle is now in his second stint with Minnesota this season. He played in a stretch of five games for the Wild between Feb 4 – Feb 12. During that spell he spent some time playing alongside Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise on the team’s top line. He was returned to the AHL, but made his way back into Mike Yeo’s starting line-up for Saturday night’s game against Calgary where he scored his first goal.

Charlie Coyle was the first of the franchise’s promising young offensive players to sign an entry level contract last Spring [See also: Charlie Coyle Inks Entry Level Deal, Are Granlund and Zucker Next?]. He was perhaps the slowest to adapt to professional hockey though scoring just 14 goals and 25 points in 47 games with Houston.

However, Coyle is a player with a tantalizingly promising combination of size, skating ability and raw offensive talent. He has been impressive in his short spells with the NHL club so far. He uses his size to his advantage offensively and hasn’t looked afraid to play in the dirty areas.

The experiment to spark some offense with the insertion of Charlie Coyle into the line-up has arguably failed. After all he has just one goal in six games. It’s pretty clear that the 20-year old will need to spend a little more time in the AHL. He still needs to add a little aggression and edge to his game and he hasn’t used his shot anywhere near enough. Coyle is a player who will be most effective when he has confidence to rip his wrist shot off when he is in the prime scoring areas. He still isn’t doing that at NHL level yet.

Zucker and Coyle are not the saviors of Minnesota’s offense, though attempting to use them as sparks isn’t a bad idea, but they have shown that they are players who could figure strongly in a Wild offensive that is much better in the quite near future.

Author information

Sebastian Egerton-ReadSeb has been writing about the NHL and ice hockey for nearly five years. He has written for a number of different sites and is currently lead writer of The5Hole.com and Hockeyschedule.me. He covers the Minnesota Wild for The Hockey Writers. Follow him on twitter @seberead

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Home Cooking: Calgary Flames Sweep Key Weekend Series

Joey MacDonald made 53 saves over the weekend in a pair of Calgary wins. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

Two games under the .500 mark and with the sand in the hourglass gradually diminishing, the Calgary Flames hoped to gain some clarity on their season with two weekend games at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The worst-case outcome would drop the Flames to the NHL’s basement. The best-case outcome would bump them closer to the playoff pack. In this case, clarity came in the form of a weekend sweep and a pair of wins in very close, competitive games.

SATURDAY: CALGARY 3, MINNESOTA 1

It was Retro Night in the Saddledome as the Flames and Wild clashed on Saturday evening. While the music and theatrics surrounding the game were definitely a throw-back, the on-ice product was precisely what fans were expecting heading in – tight-checking and low-scoring.

In a continuation of his strong play this season, Matt Stajan was the star of the night. The center potted two goals – the game-winner and the empty-net insurance marker – as the Flames skated to a 3-1 win. The game-winner was by no means a pretty one, but rather a product of three or four whacks at a rebound from Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom.

“That’s a scramble goal and there’s so many goals in this league like that. The majority of goals are rebounds and plays like that,” said Stajan following Saturday’s win over the Wild.

Flames head coach Bob Hartley described the pace of the game as a “ping pong match,” but praised his team for taking over the game in the third period. Calgary were out-shot 11-9 in the final frame but scored twice and generally carried the play.

“I felt towards the end of the second period our team had good legs, at least from the bench,” said Hartley. “We just told them to keep applying good pressure and to put pucks at the net, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Newly arrived netminder Joey MacDonald continued his strong efforts, making 30 saves for his second win as a Flame. For the second straight game, an opposition forward crashed into MacDonald – against Los Angeles it was Trevor Lewis, on Saturday it was Jason Zucker. For the second straight game, there was no physical retribution from the Flames for that transgression despite the Flames recalling the physical Akim Aliu from the AHL.

“That’s something I hope that the league is going to be looking at,” said Hartley. “Not from the standpoint of Joey MacDonald, but the blue paint is almost a toll booth right now. Players, they cut in, they just drive those nets. There’s already been a few goalies getting injured because of contact. Kipper is one of them. I think that has to stop. Maybe a two-minute penalty is just not enough.”

Returning to the Flames line-up was rookie Sven Baertschi, who had missed 11 games with a hip flexor injury. The Swiss native had 2 shots on goal but was held off the score-sheet in 13:20 of ice-time.

SUNDAY: CALGARY 5, PHOENIX 4

In terms of tone and pace of play, the Flames and Coyotes took a page out of the previous evening’s playbook. In most every way, Sunday’s affair was another ping-pong match. The lead changed hands five times, but Calgary clawed their way back to .500 with two goals in the final 93 seconds to capture a 5-4 win over Phoenix.

Flames captain Jarome Iginla – with just one goal on 59 shots heading into the game – scored twice, including the tying goal. Curtis Glencross scored 33 seconds later to give the Flames the victory. The goals put Iginla two points behind former Flames captain Theoren Fleury on the NHL’s all-time leaderboard.

Jarome Iginla erupted for two goals in Calgary’s win over Phoenix. (Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE)

“It went off the top of my stick,” said Iginla of his game-tying goal. “And I went from ‘oh my God’…and then it hit me in the belly or something and went in. It was definitely a good break. It was a great pass, but it feels good to get those breaks and more importantly just to get the tying goal and even better feeling to see that winner in regulation.”

The Flames out-shot the Coyotes by a 31-27 margin overall, but the game was punctuated by a one-sided second period featuring four Phoenix power-plays – including a one-minute, 43-second two-man advantage. The team’s penalty-kill entered the game ranked 28th in the NHL, but held the Coyotes to a single goal on an odd-bounce off of a draw.

“I was pretty sad that they scored that quick goal on the face-off because I felt five-on three, they have some great shooters, they move the puck well, and our guys did a great job of taking shooting lanes away. Our commitment to blocking shots certainly took lots of passing lanes and lots of shots to the net. I think that we’re showing improvement in our penalty killing,” said Hartley after Sunday’s game.

Tim Jackman and Mike Cammalleri also scored for Calgary. Raffi Torres scored twice for Phoenix, who also had goals from Michael Stone and Nick Johnson.

Flames forward Roman Cervenka returned to the line-up after being scratched from Saturday’s game, playing in place of a banged-up Akim Aliu. Cervenka had an assist on Tim Jackman’s first period goal, but only played 2:57 on the night, in part due to the penalty-filled second period throwing lines out of whack and the coaches shortening the bench in the third period.

Joey MacDonald made 23 saves for his third win with the Flames – and second in just over 24 hours – giving him the lead among Calgary net-minders in victories this season.

A LEAP FORWARD?

Had the Flames lost both weekend games – and let’s face it, with their home record that wouldn’t have been entirely unexpected – they would enter Monday morning just a single point ahead of Columbus for last place in the NHL. With a pair of regulation wins in roughly 28 hours, the Flames crept to within two points of the Western Conference’s last playoff spot.

Heading into the late stages of Sunday’s game, with Phoenix holding a one-goal lead and the Flames being out-shot 14-3 in the period, a lot of observers may have written the game off. Heck, a fair amount of fans were headed towards the exits and hoping to get home in time to catch some last-minute dramatics on the Oscar telecast. But the Flames dug in and out-shot the Coyotes when the chips were down, and came from behind for a much-needed win.

Have the Flames turned a corner? Not necessarily. But the four points they earned have given them some breathing room and some much-needed momentum heading into the last few days of February.

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Ryan PikeRyan Pike is a writer based in scenic Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He's presently a Contributing Editor and Calgary Flames Correspondent for The Hockey Writers, a contributing writer at Flames Nation, a columnist at Tough Talk MMA and a below-average golfer.TwitterGoogle+

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Leafs Thoughts for February 24th, 2013

HEARTBREAKING LOSS

Saturday night's loss against the rival Ottawa Senators was a heartbreaker for the Toronto Maple Leafs and fans alike. The team fell victim to a goal late in the third period with thirty seconds left which gave Ottawa the 3-2 victory.

In retrospect, the Leafs had it in for them that game. They were sloppy throughout, squandering many plays that lead to faltered face-offs in their own zone. It was only fitting that it came back to bite them the wrong way, and it sure did.

(Tom Szczerbowski/USA TODAY Sports)

 

LEAFS FANS IN OTTAWA 

Maple Leafs fans in Ottawa were out in full force cheering on their team and booing captain Daniel Alfredsson of the Senators. After the Senators issued out a letter to their season ticket holders to stop selling tickets to rival teams, Leafs fans saw it as a way to keep them out of Ottawa.

It didn't work, and the loudest showcase of Leafs fans were probably the ones sitting, or standing, in the Scotiabank Place.

Some Leafs fans talked about organizing a 'Melnyk sucks' chant. Not sure if it surfaced…

 

FRASER

Mark Fraser is second in the league for plus/minus stat with a +13 rating. Why is this? Fraser keeps things simple on the ice.

Good things happen when you simplify your game. Fraser's safe and sound play has much to do with the Maple Leafs early season success. He plays the game with a physical edge, makes smart passes out of the defensive zone and smart passes into the offensive zone.

Fraser can also be partially credited with the strong offensive production coming from Cody Franson. Franson leads all Leafs defenseman with 11 points this season. He can get away with thinking offense first as a defenseman thanks to Fraser's sound defense.

 

SPORTSNET PANEL

Thursday night the Maple Leafs defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. The second period featured Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel, and James van Riemdsyk chiming in offensively. After a great period across the board from the Leafs star players, the Sportsnet panel thought it best to begin the second intermission by talking about Mike Kostka.

Kostka had one assist, while the three mentioned above combined for four points.

Doug MacLean was making the point to sign Kostka to a contract extension, citing smart and surprising play from the 27 year old rookie as the top reasons. While all of that is true, should that really be the priority right now? The Leafs have a log jam on defense and a haste extension to a 4-6 defenseman is the last thing the team needs right now.

Brian Huddle had the best tweet in response to the Kostka talk: “MIKE KOSTKA. 5 MILLION DOLLARS. PLEASE SIGN.” – Doug MacLean if he were a GM right now.

 

OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS

The pairing of Korbinian Holzer and Dion Phaneuf isn't really working out. They look slow and have a tough time clearing the puck. Might want to reunite Phaneuf with Carl Gunnarsson. We saw a little bit of that last game.

Mikhail Grabovski is looking awfully expensive as a shutdown centreman at 5.5 million for the next four years. That's the role head coach Randy Carlyle has him in.

Former Maple Leafs goalie John-Sebastien Giguere took a short leave from the Colorado Avalanche last week at the expense of his terminally ill mother in Montreal. She is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and is believed to be in her final stages. All the best to him and his family.

 

Be sure to follow me on Twitter: @RaihanSays 

And give my personal Facebook page a like.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email me at: Raihanh95@gmail.com. All inquiries are welcome!

 

 

Author information

Raihan HussainRaihan Hussain is a young writer making a name out of himself. He has covered the Toronto Maple Leafs for various websites including Sportshaze.com. He possesses extensive knowledge about the Toronto Maple Leafs from the top of the organization to the bottom.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Where Does Dustin Jeffrey Fit With The Pittsburgh Penguins?

Dustin Jeffrey is capable of playing center or wing (Icon SMI)

Question: Where does Dustin Jeffrey fit with the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Answer: Everywhere…and nowhere at all.

Healthy scratch to active lineup and back to the press box again.  Fourth line checking role to top line wing alongside Evgeni Malkin to third line center.

That’s just a taste of Jeffrey’s life in the NHL over the past month.

The month before he was playing hockey with pink skate laces in Croatia.

Jeffrey, 24, hasn’t taken the easy route to the NHL.  Very few sixth round picks do.  He’s seen his share of ups and downs in over half a decade with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

After his junior career ended in 2008, Jeffrey quickly joined the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre Scranton for the playoff run and fit right into the lineup.  The following season he scored with enough regularity at the minor league level that he earned himself a 14-game NHL stint.

Jeffrey led Wilkes-Barre in scoring in 2010 and earned a prime opportunity at center for the Penguins in the 2011 season when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were out of the lineup with injuries.

Jeffrey’s game was just rounding into form when Philadelphia’s Jeff Carter fell on his knee resulting in a torn ACL and the end of his season.  The injury was a devastating blow to Jeffrey’s development and it impacted his spot on the 2011-12 roster as well.

He rushed back from rehab only to find himself on injured reserve again a few weeks later with knee swelling and complications.  Jeffrey’s inconsistent play when he did get an opportunity left him to spend his spring as a healthy scratch in the press box as the Penguins went on a winning streak with a healthy roster.

“Last year when I came back, those first eight or ten games I wasn’t 100 percent,” said Jeffrey. “Right before I started getting scratched I had a couple bad games in a row and that’s kind of how the cards fall. The guys got hot and we made a charge toward the playoffs.”

Jeffrey skated over the summer with a handful of players from a local junior team in Sarnia but knew he had to get into game action if the lockout was going to linger for more than a few weeks.  He located a team called Medvescak in the Croatian capital of Zagreb that already featured a number of North American players.  The level of hockey in the Austrian League wasn’t NHL caliber, but Jeffrey was just looking for an chance to play in actual games.

“Obviously the league’s [skill level] is not what it is in the NHL, but to play in games and get in competition I think was huge for me,” Jeffrey said.  “Last year I was a healthy scratch for 25 or 30 games in a row. So to sit out for six months and then the lockout happened, I just wanted to play. You can skate as much as you want, but it’s important to just get into game action somewhere to get your timing and confidence.”

The knee wasn’t an issue for Jeffrey in Croatia and he came back ready for a fresh opportunity this season with the Penguins.  But despite being discussed internally as a candidate for the hole on Evgeni Malkin’s right wing, Jeffrey never got a more than a few shifts to prove himself.

Heading into the season, the Pensblog openly wondered why Eric Tangradi was even getting first crack over Jeffrey as Malkin’s winger in the first place:

By now, after all the Rookie camps, Wilkes-Barre experience, and multiple cups of coffee at the NHL level, Tangradi has shown no signs of being a top-six forward.

Ultimately, after Tangradi floundered his opportunity with Malkin and was dealt to Winnipeg for a seventh-round pick, their assessment proved accurate.

So why has Jeffrey still been a healthy scratch for all but five games this season?

Zach Boychuk was claimed off waivers from Carolina and given a long leash to prove he could click with Malkin and James Neal.  Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy, and even Tanner Glass have been given periods or entire games with the line.  2010 first round pick Beau Bennett was even recalled from the minor leagues before he was ready to see if he might work.

Dustin Jeffrey shoots on Tomas Vokoun during an intrasquad game (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

Not Dustin Jeffrey.

It’s not that Jeffrey isn’t valuable to the Penguins, or that management and coaches are concerned he can’t play on a scoring line.

The problem is that Dustin Jeffrey’s greatest strength is also Dustin Jeffrey’s greatest weakness: versatility.

He fits everywhere on the roster, and therefore nowhere at all.

Many years ago, Penguins Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald would travel to watch Jeffrey put up 100 point seasons for Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League and monitor his development.  Jeffrey would score five points in a game but Fitzgerald would contact him to critique his commitment to defense, penalty killing, and other minor aspects of his game.

This wasn’t a case of managing the ego of a talented young star.  It was because Fitzgerald knew that someday goals might be tough to come by and a player needs to bring more to the table to have longevity at the NHL level.

Powerplay and penalty killing.  Center and wing.  Offense and defense.

If anyone understands the importance of versatility on NHL longevity, it’s Fitzgerald.

He didn’t play over 1000 games for seven NHL teams because he had overwhelming size or one-dimensional offensive abilities.  Fitzgerald succeeded because despite being a winger, he also played center.  He was a leader (Nashville’s first team captain) and contributed in a number of ways on and off the ice.  Now he preaches the importance of versatility to young players coming up through the Penguins system.

Good luck being just a center with scoring line potential on the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The perfect storm that saw Crosby and Malkin out of the lineup at the same time in 2011 hopefully — for hockey’s sake — won’t happen very often.

Jeffrey knows that, and he has for years.

“I’m probably most comfortable at center because that’s where I’ve played most of my career, but I understand the situation here,” he said. “I’ve been shuffled around between center and wing, and I’m comfortable with that as well. The [coaching staff] has worked with me a lot with video and stuff after practice in helping and developing my game as a winger.”

Jeffrey still needs to improve his play along the boards on breakouts and in the offensive zone, but he’s proven he can be the ultimate ‘Swiss Army knife’ that can be used in any situation when called upon.

The coaching staffs knows that about Jeffrey.   They didn’t know what they had in Tangradi, Boychuk, or Bennett.  It’s easy to see how a situation like this might send mixed signals to a young player who feels like he’s playing well and do everything asked of him, yet finds himself in the press box.

On Friday night against Florida, after two weeks as a healthy scratch, Jeffrey got the call to serve as fourth line center.

“As a fourth line we want to puck possess and also keep teams hemmed in their own zone,” he said before the game.  “We [should be] wearing the other team down.  Some of it’s physical, but you have to be able to hold onto the puck, get pucks into their zone, and create [offense] when you’re in there as well.”

Jeffrey only received 9:23 of ice time against the Panthers, but this shift in the third period showed he understood his job description for the night:

Evgeni Malkin won’t be in the lineup on Sunday against Tampa Bay which should mean Jeffrey finally gets a chance to build some momentum off his impressive, albeit limited performance two nights ago.

Jeffrey will likely start the evening as third line center, but Penguins coach Dan Bylsma hinted that he might see time between Neal and Bennett as well.

Dustin Jeffrey doesn’t care who he plays with. He doesn’t care if he has to wear pink skate laces in Croatia.

He just wants to play in games.

He wants an opportunity.

___________________________________________

Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.com

Twitter: @MikeColligan

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Mike ColliganManaging EditorMike Colligan is an NHL analyst at Forbes SportsMoney and the Pittsburgh Penguins correspondent at The Hockey Writers. Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.comTwitterFacebookGoogle+LinkedIn

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

The Calgary Flames: Optimism and Pessimism

In whichever way the Flames season continues, there has never been so much evidence to support the two-fold identities of Flames fans- the optimists and the pessimists.  For those not local to the Calgary area, the media and the fans are seemingly split on their opinions of the direction of the franchise. This is always evident on talk radio and internet forums, as debate continually rages.

 

The optimist faction has several defining characteristics: the Flames' 'win and make the playoffs' approach despite an aging roster is acceptable; a belief that captain Jarome Iginla should retire a Calgary Flame; are quick to point out how well Jay Bouwmeester is playing in head coach Bob Hartley's system; the Flames have barely missed the playoffs the last 3 years; and that the Flames truly are a few pieces away from being a surprise playoff team.  After all, Los Angeles was 8^th last year and they won the cup, right?

The pessimists (but I imagine they prefer the term realists) are almost the perfect foil in every way, and are defined by these views: Jarome Iginla needs to be traded to gather pieces for the future; Miikka Kiprusoff also needs to be traded; the Flames are too inconsistent to be considered a playoff contender; Jay Bouwmeester is over compensated for what he brings; the Flames have missed the playoffs the last 3 years; and that the Flames have virtually entered a period akin to the late 1990s and early 2000s. Sure, Los Angeles was an 8^th seed last year but that team had a consistent all-star goaltender and two legitimate top-line centres.

 

At this point in the Flames season, a convincing case can be made for either side.

 

The Optimists

The Flames are certainly not the team they were 7 or 8 years ago, but look at where they are in the standings.  They are not only four points out of a playoff spot, they are four points out of sixth in the conference and also have one or two games in hand on some of the teams ahead of them.

Matt Stajan is one of the players playing well under Bob Hartley.(Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)

Bob Hartley certainly has implemented some exciting hockey, and this has manifested itself in the form of Jiri Hudler and a defence willing to jump into the play.  There are certainly some creative liberties being taken with the puck, something that has not been seen in practically a decade.  Jarome Iginla may not be the biggest factor on offence anymore, but he still has 9 assists and is on pace for 33 points- not bad for a 48-game season.

Additionally, and perhaps a little too quietly, Calgary has the 7^th-best power play in the league as it is clicking 23.2% of the time.  This is a higher rank than some teams that are defined by their offensive prowess such as Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Philadelphia, and Chicago.  Calgary is also 9^th in shots per game with 29.9 and 11^th in shots against per game allowing 28.1.  These numbers range from decent to above average and are certainly part of a qualified resume for a sixth-eighth seed in the playoffs.

If the goaltending of Danny Taylor and Joey MacDonald can hold out until Miikka Kiprusoff is back from his MCL injury and established players like Iginla and Michael Cammalleri can contribute on a more consistent basis, this team could actually be a tough first round matchup.

 

The Pessimists (err' Realists)

The Flames  may be four points out of the final playoff spot, but they sit 14^th in the conference.  This is otherwise known as second last.  Not only does that mean that the Flames have to leap frog six teams just to finish eighth overall, that would likely mean a first round matchup with the 14-0-3 Chicago Blackhawks who have habitually feasted on Calgary since their resurgence.  This is further complicated that due to the shortened 48-game season allowing for only intra-conference play, 3-point games will make significant jumps in the standings incredibly difficult and highly unlikely.  Not only do the Flames need to win, they need to finish out the season 18-10-4 to have a 94% at making the playoffs IF other teams between them and the final playoff spot have to lose as much as possible IN regulation.  Stranger things have happened, but that is unlikely.

Flames fans all love Jarome Iginla.  They really, really do.  He is Calgary's most recognized face and is virtually universally adored.  His charitable contributions are innumerable, his on-ice performance well documented, and criticism of Iginla throughout his career has been virtually isolated to frustration with his infamous slow starts.  That is, until recently.  Jarome Iginla, to date, has one goal on the season.  Sure, he is on pace for 33 points but that pace also means that only three of those points will be goals.  He showed some spunk when former teammate Rhett Warrener publicly criticized his lackadaisical showing so far this season, but it is unfortunately becoming clear that Jarome Iginla is not a de-facto top-line player anymore.

Because of this, Jarome Iginla needs to be traded if for no other reason than to have a shot at winning a championship.  No one vilifies

Miikka Kiprusoff has been uncharacteristically poor this season. (Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE)

Ray Bourque when he asked Boston to trade him in 2000, and Ray Bourque is still revered in Boston.  Jarome Iginla needs to be traded to a team that can put him with an undisputed #1 centre (and, with all respect to Craig Conroy and Daymond Langkow) for the first time in his career.  His trade value this season has already taken a hit, and it's time to say goodbye before his skill set rather than his contract make him untradeable.

Yeah, the Flames have some decent power play, shots for, and shots against numbers.  However, upon further inspection, there are some troubling numbers.  The penalty kill is 27^th (74.5%), they possess the 4^th-highest goals against per game (3.25), and also are 5^th worst in the league in the faceoff circle.  While their power play surely is clicking, its impact on the overall fortunes of the team will be minimized if the penalty kill and team defence can't keep up.

Finally, the crease situation has never been bleaker for Calgary while Miikka Kiprusoff is on the roster.  In 7 appearances before his injury, Kiprusoff is just 2-3-2 with an ugly .870 save percentage and 3.24 goals against average.  Leland Irving played two decent games but was shelled against Vancouver while Danny Taylor and waiver-claim Joey MacDonald are certainly not to be considered a winning tandem.  When Kiprusoff comes back, there is no guarantee that his porous play this season will cease.

 

There's clearly reason for optimism and pessimism, and the drama provided by it is almost as intriguing as the hockey itself.

Author information

Thomas StrangwardCurrently studying Canadian History at the University of Calgary, Thomas Strangward incorporates hockey into his academics and life. His outside interests include military history, sports, film, traveling, and reading. Upon completion of his B.A., Thomas wishes to pursue a career in sports journalism and broadcasting as well as further education opportunities.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Video: Ryane Clowe Facing Possible 10-Game Suspension

(Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE)

The NHL season has not gone the Sharks way. After starting a perfect 7-0-0, San Jose has gone 1-6-3 since then and have fallen to seventh in the Western Conference.

Now, things may go from bad to worse, as they will could be without one of their top forwards for 10 games.

Ryane Clowe will have a disciplinary hearing on Monday with the NHL regarding a play where he jumped off the bench to engage in an altercation with the Blackhawks Andrew Shaw on Friday.

Shaw had checked Joe Pavelski into the boards near the Sharks bench moments before, and Clow allegedly slid off the bench and made a beeline for Shaw.

Here’s the video of the Clowe incident:

According to NHL Rule 70.1:

No player or goalkeeper may leave the players' or penalty bench at any time during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation. Substitutions made prior to the altercation shall be permitted provided the players so substituting do not enter the altercation.

Although the replay shows Clowe coming over to grab Shaw, there is no conclusive evidence that shows him jumping off the bench. Neither CSN California (the Sharks feed) nor CSN Chicago (the Blackhawks feed) had cameras capture Clowe departing from the bench. Thus, unless the NHL can find the evidence, it will be hard to slap Clowe with a suspension.

Clowe has already paid the price for the incident, as he is suspended until the hearing on Monday. He did not play in the Sharks 2-1 loss to Dallas on Saturday night.

The gritty forward has struggled this season after scoring 17 goals last season. He has been held scoreless through 16 games with six assists.

 

Author information

Eric HeAfter covering the San Jose Sharks as a Featured Columnist on Bleacher Report for three years, Eric took his talents to The Hockey Writers in the summer of 2012. He is also the editor of Golden Gate Sports, a Bay Area sports blog on the Fansided network. To contact Eric, please send an email to eriche3383@gmail.com

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Time For Sidney Crosby to Return the Favor

Sidney Crosby needs to return the favor he owes Evgeni Malkin. When Crosby was out for the majority of last season, Malkin carried the Pittsburgh Penguins on his back. The time has come for Crosby to show he is capable of living up to the expectations set by Malkin.

Malkin, more than likely, will be out for a considerable amount of time. Yesterday Dan Bylsma refused to speculate on the severity of Malkin’s injury or how long he expects Malkin to be absent from the Pens’ line-up. He would only say that Malkin was out against the Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday night.

Sidney Crosby will be the main focus of all the Pittsburgh Penguins’ opponents. (Icon SMI)

“He is ruled out for tomorrow’s game,” said Bylsma. “He is still getting evaluated as far as the extent of the hit and going into the boards hard. That’s an ongoing process at this point in time. When we have more information we will certainly give it to you.”

“There really isn’t any sort of timeline to what’s going on. It’s hard to know what to expect in any situations of this nature. We followed NHL protocol in terms of evaluating and testing him and we will continue to do so,” said Bylsma.

Malkin was knocked out of Friday night’s game against the Florida Panthers after a gruesome crash into the end boards. Malkin suffered a concussion and whiplash on the play. With Malkin out of the Pens’ line-up against the Lightning on Sunday, Crosby will be shouldering superstar duties by himself. Crosby must prove he is up to the task.

Everyone saw what Malkin was able to do when Crosby was out of the Pens’ line-up. Teams had the luxury of focusing solely on Malkin when game-planning for the Pens. When the Pens’ duo of Malkin and Crosby are both in the line-up, teams have to choose between whom their top pair of defenseman are going to defend. There won’t be any debate going forward for the Pens’ opponents. Crosby will receive all of the attention.

Evgeni Malkin won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy last season. (Tom Turk/THW)

Malkin led the NHL in scoring last season with everyone focused on stopping him. He was able to overcome every challenge and awarded league MVP. Given Crosby’s talent and work ethic, nothing different should be expected from him. Winning the Hart Trophy is out of Crosby’s hands, but leading the league in scoring is something he can control. Crosby expects to lead the league in scoring every season, but can he accomplish this feat without Malkin by his side?

Crosby will have to lead the Pens’ charge without the help of Malkin. It has been years since Crosby has played without the aid of Malkin. The only season Crosby had to lead the Pens without Malkin by his side was in 2005-06, Crosby’s rookie season.

Opponents will be taking every shot they can at Crosby in Malkin’s absence. Teams will be targeting Crosby during the play and after the whistle. Crosby must stay disciplined and let the Pens’ enforcers do their job when the time calls.

Despite statistics, Crosby started a bit slow to begin this season. He has steadily improved as the year has progressed. Crosby’s slow start was not a surprise considering what he’d experienced over the past few seasons. He is starting to polish into the unstoppable force we’ve come to expect from the Pens’ captain.

As of Friday night, Crosby was currently tied for the NHL scoring lead with Buffalo Sabres sniper Thomas Vanek. Crosby has consistently earned his points, but he is starting to dominate games by doing things that don’t appear on a score-sheet. Crosby’s game must continue to improve if he wants to stay atop the scoring race and keep the Pens near the top of the Eastern Conference. Maintaining this level of play is going to get increasingly difficult. Every teams’ game plan will be focused on stopping Crosby.The Pens’ captain must play some of the best hockey he has ever played with Malkin out.

Sidney Crosby will need to step up in Evgeni Malkin’s absence. (Icon SMI)

Last season, when Crosby returned to the Pens’ line-up for the second time from injury on March 15, 2012, the Pens’ were on a roll. They were in the midst of a nine game winning-streak. People were questioning whether Bylsma should even insert Crosby into the Pens’ power play unit which was on fire before Crosby’s second return. Malkin was the biggest reason why this had taken place.

Pens’ fans can only hope Crosby performs the same way as Malkin did when Crosby was hurt. If Crosby and the Pens perform well in Malkin’s absence, there will be plenty of speculating about line combinations and power play units upon Malkin’s return. If this is the case, this will be a positive result for Crosby and the Pens.

 

 

Author information

Justin GlockJustin Glock has covered the Pittsburgh Penguins for The Hockey Writers since 2011. He has followed the Penguins for over two decades. Justin can also be heard on THW Live! Sunday nights at 8 p.m. EST. For any requests, please feel free to contact Justin via email: JGlock10@gmail.com.TwitterFacebookGoogle+

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.