Random Thought:

This is Crosby’s fifth year……..sorry I just can’t believe it’s already been five whole years!

10/03/09-Penguins vs. Islaners: W 4-3 SO

I missed all but the tail end of the game because I was in line with my dad getting my picture taken with the Cup! Pics forthcoming.

10/02/09-Rangers vs. Penguins: W 3-2

The Penguins opened up with a good start to the season, posting a 3-2 win against a Ranger team that seemed to still be a little rough around the edges.  

It’s kind of hard to say a lot about the first game of the year since the last one the Penguins played meant everything, and these days the standings don’t start to take shape until January or February.  At any rate Alex Goligoski had 2 assists despite looking pretty jittery for the first half of the game.  Fleury had an amazing save to keep a win within reach, Jay McKee wasn’t noticeable in a good way, and the Penguins big guns picked up right where they left off last year with all of them contributing.  

Despite having an iffy groin Crosby looked like he was in midseason form.  He was difficult to knock off the puck and pursued loose pucks with blazing speed, causing a lot of chances.  Malkin looked fine, although he had some uneventful shifts, which to me is a biproduct of his lackluster linemates.  I don’t have a problem with Fedotenko but when Dupuis is his complement on the other side there’s just not much there to work with.  We’ll see how they do until Talbot comes back but hopefully that’s sooner rather than later no matter what happens.  

The good thing about this game was everything was pretty much status quo.  A handful of guys were pretty silent but you’ll have that in any game of the season.  Two points to start the season and the Penguins look like they’re on their way to a solid year so far (for what it’s worth).

Eastern Conference Predictions

Check out below to see the Western Conference predictions as well.  I did the East last because I’m sure I’ll suffer some backlash for it:

1.  Boston Bruins  I realize Phil Kessel is gone, but I’m putting the Bruins here anyways.  Top to bottom they still might have the best roster in the league.  They should have never let Kessel go, but he’ll be replaced by one of Michael Ryder, Chuck Kobasew, or Blake Wheeler……all 20+ goal scorers last year.  If Wheeler continues to develop, he could switch from his ever-shuffling role from last year and possibly even replace about 80% of Kessel’s goal total.  Again, they still should’ve found a way to keep him, but they can still fill out their roster and score enough goals.  The defense is stellar, and Tim Thomas doesn’t look pretty but the stats are there.

2.  Philadelphia Flyers  I almost couldn’t bring myself to do this, but I did.  I don’t think Ray Emery is good enough to make the Flyers Cup contenders, but I also don’t think he’s as bad as everyone assumes.  Remember, he was jettisoned from the NHL more because of attitude and antics than poor play.  He had his share of that too but he also played very well when Ottawa had a competitive roster.  As for their skaters, the forwards are excellent top to bottom, and Chris Pronger bumps up their defensive lineup into that category as well.  The only question mark is goaltending, but Marty Biron was a question mark, and he didn’t have Chris Pronger in front of him.

3.  Washington Capitals  Their defense still stinks in my opinion, but the Caps are overloaded with offensive firepower just by the simple fact that they have Ovechkin.  How their goaltending will shake down is the X factor:  they insist Theodore will be the starter with Varlamov getting worked in gradually.  It would seem he’d have to be the starter at some point though.  Goaltending questions combined with being below average in their own zone will probably end their season when the going gets tough in the playoffs, but for the regular season they’re ability to score and a little luck keeping some pucks out of the net will allow them to rack up wins.  Oh, and their division STILL stinks.

4.  Pittsburgh Penguins  Fourth place seems right for the Penguins.  For as much top end talent as they have, it comes at the expense of depth in other areas.  For every Crosby or Malkin, they settle for a Fedotenko or Guerin instead of a Knuble or Havlat.  That’s obviously not a bad thing, but over the course of 82 games it’d be surprising if lack of support didn’t bite them at least a few times.  It will probably be something as little as the odd rough patch throughout the season, but it’ll result in them not winning the division.  For as many points their elite players put up, there will be games where mistakes are made or streaks run cold.  These patches may not last long enough to notice much, but it’ll be enough for the Flyers to edge them out in the win/loss column.

5.  Carolina Hurricanes  It’s strange, but Erik Cole seems to pick up his game when playing in Carolina.  That acquisition, along with unexpected contributions from the likes of Tuomo Ruutu and Sergei Samsonov helped the Hurricanes get back on track and bolster a playoff spot last year.  Cam Ward is as solid as you can ask for in a goaltender and in general I think that although they fizzled out against Pittsburgh, Carolina realized last year that they might have something here.  It’s a solid, if unspectacular roster but everyone plays their game and fill their role nicely.

6.  New Jersey Devils  File this one under the “Somehow They Always Get It Done” category.  Myself and many others thought the Devils were on a slow decline as of the last few years, but there they are comfortably in the middle of the playoff pack every season.  Their defense has gone from hard-hitting to nothing special, but the forwards are good enough to score their share and while I really do think Martin Brodeur is on a slow decline himself, the Devils have done it all in the past and nothing surprises them.

7.  Montreal Canadiens  I went from not liking this team, to thinking I underestimated them, then back again.  Despite all the free agent noise they’ve made, there’s just not enough here to make them a legit Cup contender.  I like Cammalleri, but taking on Gomez’s salary probably wasn’t very smart and relying on him to mesh well with Gionta again is a major gamble.  The rest of the forwards are pretty pedestrian, with a little potential in spots.  The defense will rely a lot on Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik, and Habs fans will be praying they can keep it together in their own zone or it’ll be another rough year for Carey Price in the media.

8.  Buffalo Sabres  The Sabres should thank their lucky stars because the Rangers have screwed their team up probably more than it already was and that leaves Buffalo as really the only complete team I haven’t listed yet, and therefore the eight best.  Thomas Vanek will lead them in scoring, Derek Roy is a valuable asset…….Ryan Miller is good, but probably not as great as the hype he was getting a couple years back……..the team is just so very average.

9.  Toronto Maple Leafs  I’m still in shock, but it looks like Brian Burke made some really nice moves to improve this team and in only one summer.  In the blink of an eye their defense is tough, battle tested, and skilled from top to bottom.  The acquisition of Phil Kessel gives them a real go to forward, although the rest leave a lot to be desired.  If Blake, Stempniak, Ponikarovsky and Stajan can all supply 60-point seasons the playoff race could get interesting.  This would all be contingent upon Toskala staying healthy in goal however, and I’m not sold on “The Monster,” a 25 year old undrafted netminder from Europe.  

10.  New York Rangers  I’ve seen them as low as 13th, but I’d be surprised if that happened.  Sure, they took one horrible contract (Gomez) and replaced it with one that may be worse in Gaborik’s, but he’ll be playing a good many games for them too and he’s a great weapon when healthy.  Lundqvist will do his thing and provide sure-handed goaltending, and the defense is good enough to get by, but the forwards overall are fairly dreadful.  Sean Avery, Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Drury, and Ales Kotalik are not names you can rely on to provide the bulk of your scoring, nor should they be.  

11.  Ottawa Senators  When Ottawa was forced to trade Dany Heatley, they lost their biggest and most consistent scoring threat.  Personnel-wise the only mentionable they got in return was Milan Michalek, who will fill a top six spot at least.  They also signed Alexei Kovalev during the summer (was the writing on the wall with Heatley?), so he’ll provide goals as well.  The problem is there’s just not enough of anything in any part of their roster.  I’m in the minority who thinks Pascal Leclaire is a starter in this league, but even then he still has to keep from getting hurt.  The defense has a good blend of 2/3 experience and 1/3 youth and potential, but Mike Fisher as a second line center is a stretch that defines their entire forward roster.

12.  Florida Panthers  I don’t blame them for keeping Bouwmeester past the trade deadline.  At the time everything was aligning correctly and the Panthers looked like if they just stayed the course a playoff berth would become a reality.  Unfortunately for them the gamble just didn’t pay off.  With Bouwmeester gone, they’re left with a team that’s more of a nuisance than anything else.  Vokoun is a very good goaltender, but the void left on defense will mean serviceable players like Ballard and McCabe will be taken out of their comfort zones, and there’s no guarantee everyone can pitch in to fill the gaps.  David Booth and possibly Michael Frolik and Rostislav Olesz represent the future on offense, but Stephen Weiss has probably topped out at 61 points, Nathan Horton can’t do it by himself and Cory Stillman’s career is winding down.

13.  Tampa Bay Lightning  The Lightning made all the wrong moves last year when they could’ve righted the ship.  There’s still some great pieces here though, and acquiring Mattias Ohlund and Kurtiss Foster will do a lot to stabilize an incredibly young defensive corps who last year collectively were infants by NHL standards.  Alex Tanguay brings his under-achieving self into town as well, but he’ll help nonetheless.  It looks okay on paper, but the defense is still raw and Mike Smith isn’t quite good enough to nullify that.  Also, despite some spectacular players up front the Lightning can’t seem to score.  Maybe getting rid of all the distractions will rectify that problem, and if so I’ll regret not putting them a little higher.

14.  Atlanta Thrashers  They deserve to be the lowest, but they’re not.  ’09-10 will be another season of Kovalchuk skating around like mad desperately trying to pop off shots because well, who else is going to help?  Actually Bryan Little could.  He had 31 goals last year out of nowhere and it seems like he’s on track to be a regular contributor.  Enstrom and Hainsey are serviceable on defense and Bogosian and Valabik should be good in the years to come, but that’s about it.  The rest of the roster is a mish-mash of  “oh, I remember him” names and for how many years they’ve been around this just doesn’t cut it.  I’d say they should explore other goalie options outside of the injury-riddled Kari Lehtonen, but this team has enough problems.

15.  New York Islanders  Getting the right (I won’t say “earning the right”) to draft John Tavares will help the Islanders on the ice and at the gate.  I’m not convinced it’s the start on the road to success because it is the Islanders after all, but building around Tavares at least gives them a visible starting point.  For now they’re wallowing in the basement as usual, but if they play their cards right the fans COULD have something to look forward to.  Mark Streit is incredibly underrated on defense (56 points and a plus 6) and hopefully forwards Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo can pan out so supporting scorers can be acquired.  Aside from Streit though, the defense is a black hole and in general the Islanders will have to stick their necks out and find some gems as opposed to having AHL/NHL ‘tweeners like Sean Bergenheim and Trent Hunter simply standing in as warm bodies.

Western Conference Predictions

It’s that time of the year for speculation and intrigue so let’s check out who I think will end up where in the Western Conference:

1.  San Jose Sharks  I really do think they’ll end up here, the question is will it matter?  The Sharks love to tear it up in the regular season, but like captain Joe Thornton they wilt come playoff time.  To be honest not much has changed, but the acquisition of Dany Heatley will ensure the Sharks will light the lamp even more so than usual this year.  They also have the defense and goaltending to keep a level playing field.

2.  Chicago Blackhawks  They’re not as flashy as they’re hyped to be, but with Marian Hossa on board (albeit after he recovers from surgery) the Hawks have talent young and old and that should secure them the #2 playoff spot.  I’m not a huge fan of Christobal Huet in net, but with Hossa and a long list of piquing young players (Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Barker), Chicago should have plenty of strengths elsewhere to overcome any shaky goaltending.

3.  Calgary Flames  Many are picking Vancouver for this spot, and it’s certainly a more stable pick.  I’m going to spice it up a bit and pick Calgary, but not just for the sake of controversy.  The acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester automatically elevates their defense corps to borderline elite status.  He plays in all situations and plays well in all of them.  Everyone dismisses the deal for Olli Jokinen, but with a full year to get comfortable and with his nemesis Mike Keenan out of the picture, he and Iginla could be explosive.  Kiprusoff’s constant regression is my only worry.

4.  Detroit Red Wings  With Hossa departing to a division rival on the rise combined with the aging of some key Red Wings, I can’t put Detroit any higher than this.  They have a way of being one of those “I told you so” teams but I’ll chance it.  Nik Lidstrom looked good, not great probably for the first time in his career in last year’s playoffs.  Brian Rafalski looked the same.  All of a sudden the Wings have an above average team, nothing more.  Not that that spells doom or anything.  They’ll still be competitive, but I think they’re past being able to work miracles.

5.  Vancouver Canucks  Without a division crown the ‘Nucks are relegated here.  There’s a lot of things I like about their team though.  Their goaltending and defense are impeccable, however the catch is that with Mats Sundin gone all of a sudden there is a huge hole in their forward roster.  The first line is special, especially with Burroes who I love, skating with the Sedin twins.  After that there isn’t much though.

6.  Anaheim Ducks  The Ducks are slotted nicely here, but it’s probably by default.  There are some decent teams below them, but not of the same caliber.  Some top end talent (Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan) vaults the Ducks over some other respectable opponents, but they’ll again have to rely on their horses if they expect to get anywhere.  For now the Pronger deal drastically downgraded their talent level, and I’m not one who shares the opinion that Scott Niedermayer hasn’t lost anything.  They’re very much like the Canucks, but their defense is a little ho-hum for them to make a lot of noise.

7.  Dallas Stars  I almost forgot about them.  The Stars, like the Ducks, will end up here pretty much by default.  They have good talent with Turco, Richards, the improving young D corps and young talent at wing in Neal and Eriksson.  They were decimated by injuries this year but they’re certainly good enough to land here.

8.  Columbus Blue Jackets  It’s been a slow, arduous process, but the Blue Jackets seem to be moving in the right direction.  There wasn’t much to write home about until last year, but Columbus has finally sprinkled in some other talent to make it all work cohesively.  They have a tough, underrated defense and the forwards are a solid group (again, finally) which all together should mark another spectacular season for Steve Mason, and another playoff birth.

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9.  St. Louis Blues  I think Nashville makes the most sense here, but something about the high-flying youth of the Blues tells me otherwise.  There was something refreshing about so many young players pinning their ears back and going for broke.  Chris Mason had a very good season as well, and as long as he can have a similar campaign I think the Blues will narrowly miss the playoffs led by Oshie, Backes, Boyes, Berglund, and Erik Johnson (remember   him?).

10.  Nashville Predators  On paper this team looks fairly good to me every year but they never deliver much, just flashes.  Now they’re just average.  Their defense is good enough, if not a little lacking at the bottom.  Forwards are just okay as well, and giving Steve Sullivan too much money doesn’t help.  Pekka Rinne looks like a starting-caliber goaltender, but it’s just never been the same since Tomas Vokoun left.

11.  Edmonton Oilers  I don’t really think any team at this point deserves to be even this high, but the Oilers just might.  They have enough legitimate players, they’re just not all that great.  Horcoff, Penner, Sam Gagne, Robert Nilsson, Grebeschkov, the list goes on.  All these players would be fine in supporting roles on other teams, but Nikolai Khabibulin won’t be enough for them to contend for anything this year.

12.  Minnesota Wild  Overhauling the front office and coaching staff was a good move, because they tried things Jacques Lemaire’s way and were too slow to change after, costing them a few years.  Unfortunately they don’t have the personnel to play a Penguins-influenced style.  Havlat takes Gaborik’s place as best player most likely to get injured, I like Sheppard and Burns as good, young players, and the goaltending is very good, but that’s all.  Cliff Fletcher has some work to do before anyone can take them seriously.

13. Los Angeles Kings  I’ve been a huge fan of what the Kings have done in the last few years.  Think of them like the Penguins or Caps with slower developing talent, but more of it all around.  This summer they added Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi who will really help teach these young players.  In total the Kings have 9-10 players you need to familiarize yourself with.  Don’t take your eye off them; in 3-4 years they’ll be contending.

14.  Colorado Avalanche  Joe Sakic’s gone, handing over the reigns of the team to Paul Stastny.  That’s not a bad thing but the rest of the roster is.  Hejduk is done, Wolski looks like he won’t pan out, and the defense is filled with has-beens.  3rd overall pick Matt Duchene could be playing second line center if he impresses early.

15.  Phoenix Coyotes  At first I thought their financial woes were the reason everyone had them in the basement, then I saw their roster.  Aside from Shane Doan, your go to guys include Matthew Lombardi, Scottie Upshall, and Petr Prucha.  They have some young talent on defense (Z. Michalek, Yandle) and goaltending is okay, but look at their prospect pool and wonder, as I am, what the hell they’ve been doing for the past 5-7 years.   

 

 

2010 Olympic Roster: Canada

Canada is probably the hardest Olympic roster to figure out.  Sure, some countries have holes at certain positions (try to figure out Russia’s defense) but Canada’s tryout camp was loaded with firepower and talent.  Even the goaltenders are tricky to figure out.  Most elusive is what kind of compilation of forwards Steve Yzerman will select.  Do you try to overpower other countries with scoring?  Sounds good on the surface but that didn’t end well for Canada in 2006.  On the flip side, assembling a forward corps similar to a contemporary NHL team might not yield enough offense which would be equally embarrassing given the fact that Canada has more goals at their disposal than anyone else.  Let’s run down who was invited to the camp and their chances of making the team.  I will be highlighting who I think should make the team in red, followed by an attempt at how the forward lines and defensive pairings will be assembled.  Below each position I’ll also reflect on who probably WILL make the team despite what I think.

GOALTENDERS

Martin Brodeur:  You know he’s going to make the team.  Yeah he’s stumbled in the last couple years especially in the playoffs, but Brodeur is possibly the most heralded goaltender in recent Canadian history.  He’s won pretty much everything you can win playing the positions, often multiple times.  This is a combination of reputation and skill.  Brodeur is still a top end starter in the NHL but he’s not elite any more.  That being said his resume and what he has left in the tank will earn him a spot on Team Canada.  To me, he is their #3 goaltender but you won’t hear that from the mainstream media for fear of backlash.

Marc-Andre Fleury:  He deserves a spot in my opinion.  With the exception of the occasional lapse of concentration Fleury is as good as any goaltender in the league, and the times he’s kept the Penguins in games or simply won them outright are overshadowed by a miscue every once in awhile.  I would say one of the more interesting position battles will be between Fleury and Cam Ward.  They’re both very accomplished but Ward is more consistent while Fleury has a bit more risk/reward to his game.  I think the “what have you done for me lately” factor will come into play here and Fleury’s Stanley Cup victory will give him the edge to make the team in comparison to Ward’s meltdown in the Conference Finals opposite him.  #2 Canadian goaltender.

Robert Luongo:  Canada’s starting goaltender in my opinion.  All Luongo does is stop pucks.  In Florida he faced a shooting gallery every night and it was never surprising when he finished the night with 45+ saves.  He is the cornerstone of Vancouver’s system and their chances at winning any hardware in a given year.  What he doesn’t have going for him is that he’s never won anything.  That may make some people nervous but if you want the most talented goaltender in net, Luongo is the answer.

Steve Mason:  Statistically speaking Mason is a shoe-in for Team Canada’s roster.  As a rookie he produced double digit shutouts and battled Tim Thomas all year in every major goaltending category except for wins.  Unfortunately there’s isn’t a big enough body of work to warrant a roster spot for him, especially in Canada where talent is often overlooked in favor of experience and past history (for better or worse).  If he keeps this up it will be hard to keep him off of the 2014 team though.

Cam Ward:  As mentioned in the Fleury piece, if it wasn’t for how the 2009 playoffs ended Ward would probably edge out Fleury.  They’re about equal talent-wise.  In my opinion the Cup will resonate enough in everyone’s minds for Fleury to get the nod over Ward.

What will probably happen:  I honestly think I filled the roster spots accurately, the question is will Brodeur be named the starter even though he’s clearly not the best goaltender listed here?  I have a feeling it will happen.  He knows how to win so it’s hard to argue against it, but if you’re Canadian just pray he has enough left to not let you down.

DEFENSEMAN

Francois Beauchemin:  Beauchemin was a throw in when the Blue Jackets acquired Sergei Fedorov from the Ducks.  It’s unclear whether Columbus knew what they had at the time.  Beauchemin plays a physical game and will also net around 30 points in a season.  Unfortunately there’s too much talent here to justify a roster spot for him (get used to hearing that a lot).  A very good player that’s just not quite good enough and doesn’t have the pedigree.

Jay Bouwmeester:  He might be the prototypical all-around defenseman in the world, especially under 30 years of age.  Solid defensively with little to no errors in his game and a rock on the power play, Bouwmeester is one of the handful of locks to make Team Canada’s defensive squad.  There’s really no flaws to his game which puts him ahead of over half the camp invitees.

Dan Boyle:  Boyle will make the team for a couple of reasons.  He has a nice amount of experience and more importantly he skates like the wind and can rush the puck up ice and sneak in deep in the offensive zone and act like a forward which is an advantage with the wealth of talent Canada has on offense.  His game is very similar to Scott Niedermayer in his prime, however being in markets like Tampa Bay and San Jose he sometimes gets lost in the shuffle when talking about effective NHL defenseman.  He’s not very big but I think he fills a need for Canada.

Brent Burns:  Burns is Minnesota’s go-to guy on their defense.  He plays meaninful minutes and quarterbacks the power play.  He skates and distributes the puck very well.  He’s another guy that could make a solid contribution, however there’s simply too many other studs on this list and players that do certain things just a little bit better than Burns to put him on the roster.

Drew Doughty:  Doughty played for the Kings last year as an 18 year old and played relatively well.  Why he was invited to the camp however is a mystery to me.  He was highly touted at the draft and went #2 overall and deservedly so, but there is too much riding on Canada’s Olympic showing for him to even wear the jersey.  Also, he’s just not good enough…..yet.

Mike Green:  This is an interesting case.  Would you leave Paul Coffey off of Canada’s roster when he was just entering his prime?  Okay Green isn’t THAT good, but he’s only the eight NHL defenseman in league history to score over 30 goals.  That says a lot.  What also says a lot is that he’s a defensive liability at times.  Not really the picture of an Olympic caliber hockey player.  I have him just missing the team given that there are more well-rounded options.  It’s very tempting to put him in though.

Dan Hamhuis:  After being the 12th overall pick of the Nashville Predators in 2001, Hamhuis has turned into a reliable NHL defenseman.  You won’t look for him to lead your defense but he will make a solid contribution year in, year out.  His career path is very similar to that of Brooks Orpik, a mid-range first round pick who has developed into someone that can play regular minutes and be effective if unspectacular overall.  He’s a reputable player but not someone Canada will look to.

Duncan Keith:  I have Keith making the team, but it was a close call.  He’s probably on par with Shea Weber and Mike Green when you consider all areas but I think he’s the more well-rounded of the three.  Weber is well-rounded also but more offensively-oriented.  He may be the better choice here but I’ll go with Keith, who is effective in all zones and like Dan Boyle can step into the play offensively.

Scott Niedermayer:  I have to be honest, I think Niedermayer is a shadow of his former self.  In the ’09 playoffs he rarely jumped into the play and didn’t typify that rover style of play he personified in his hey-day.  He’s just about at the end of his career but his skating ability and experience help him remain a suitable defenseman that can play well in any situation.  Like Martin Brodeur, his skill still makes him a viable option but his making the team will have just as much to do with his reputation.  I have him as Canada’s 7th defenseman, giving way to more talented players but still keeping Scott in the loop to provide leadership, but I’m open to the opinion that he brings stability in a top 6 role.

Dion Phaneuf:  Phaneuf hits people hard and is usually a good bet to chip in around 35 points, but the hype surrounding him is more influential than his game.  He’s prone to lapses defensively and while his offensive numbers are above average, they’re not enough to elevate him over other players.  Canada will already have more than serviceable power play quarterbacks so all you’re really left with is the thunderous hits that punctuate Phaneuf’s career thus far.  The Olympics aren’t known as much for physical play as they are skill and speed which makes Phaneuf a hard sell to make the team in my opinion.

Chris Pronger:  The cornerstone of Canada’s defense.  He’ll be 36 in October but he’s as effective as he’s ever been.  He possesses a booming shot from the point, can handle pretty much any forward in the world and punishes opposing players down low and in front of the net.  Given his size and mean streak he’s Canada’s most well-rounded defenseman and will play in all situations.

Robyn Regehr:  I’m putting Regehr on the team in lieu of some other talented players.  Why?  He’s a defensive stalwart, and while Canada has pretty much everything on defense they don’t have a player that fits this mold if Regehr is absent from their roster.  Regehr will allow gifted offensive forwards and sometimes his defensive partner to pinch and take risks while he holds the fort.  He commands respect down low and in front of the net as well much like Pronger.  A risky pick but I think it makes sense.

Stephane Robidas:  Robidas is a nice little player, but doesn’t shine much at all in comparison to the dynamite blueliners Canada has competing with him for a roster spot.  He can do a little of everything but shouldn’t be considered for this team.

Brent Seabrook:  The Chicago defenseman can play a gritty game and chip in his share offensively, but he’s probably somewhat of a lesser version of his teammate, Duncan Keith.  With less speed, puck distribution and offense to contribute than Keith, you can’t really justify Seabrook making Team Canada.

Marc Staal:  I’ve been impressed with Staal ever since the Rangers brought him on full time.  He plays in his own zone like a seasoned veteran, looking like he’s done this a million times befores.  He even jump up in the play every so often.  He’s still very young and will continue to grow, so in 2014 with some current elite defensemen having retired by then he has a great chance of becoming an Olympian at that point.

Shea Weber:  Weber has blossomed into an offensive phenom at the NHL level.  He’s as good as anyone quarterbacking the power play these days and has size that serves him well in his own zone.  He’ll only get better, and his stats (23 goals last year) as well as his overall game should earn him a spot on this team.

What will probably happen:  Niedermayer will play a full time role, Phaneuf will somehow make the team, and Regehr more likely than not won’t.

FORWARDS

Just wanted to preface this section by say this was extremely hard.  🙂

Jeff Carter:  He has a wicked wrist shot and might be the best 2nd line center in the league.  You’d love to find a place for him on Team Canada but sadly I don’t think it’s to be.  He would have to be moved to wing which he doesn’t seem built to play and if you do that his shot is really all he’ll be contributing in my opinion.  Canada has many centers like Carter who will probably be lost in the shuffle.

Dan Cleary:  He provides grit and has a penchant for scoring big goals in the playoffs, so there are some intangibles here that argue he deserves a roster spot.  I’m not buying however.  Cleary is a nice player to have, but what if he doesn’t score those goals?  Then he’s just a checking line winger.  That isn’t a bad thing, but Canada can do better.

Sidney Crosby:  He’ll be Canada’s most explosive offensive player and first line center.  He may even vie for an “A” on his sweater but that remains to be seen.  Crosby epitomizes what I think Canada needs to have success in the Olympics.  He’s incredibly gifted and has some grit thrown in so he also contributes to Canada not being so one-dimensional up front.  Not much more needs to be said.  He’s the most dynamic Canadian player alive today.

Shane Doan:  Has there been a more underrated player than Doan in recent memory?  A regular 30-goal scorer that will dig in the corners and mesh well with good players, being relegated to the Phoenix market has Doan off a lot of people’s radars.  He needs to be on this team simply because he can do everything expected from a power forward and if any altercations do occur with someone like Crosby, Doan can step up if necessary.

Simon Gagne:  Here is an interesting player.  He has Olympic experience and given that he’s healthy, will put up good numbers.  He’s also a winger and while it’s very tempting to shoehorn a center in a winger spot because Canada has so many, a guy like Gagne can avoid such a situation and still make you rest easy he can contribute.  I still have him not making the team though simply because he’s cooled off in recent years and has had notable injury problems.  You can make a case, but I don’t think there’s enough here to put Gagne on this team given all the firepower elsewhere.

Ryan Getzlaf:  At this point in time I think Getzlaf is the only Canadian center besides Crosby that has a realistic chance at 100 points in an NHL regular season.  He’s just coming into his own and he is an absolute force.  He’s tall, rangy, and physical with hands of silk to match.  He’s also relentless, as he showed against the Red Wings in the ’09 Conference Finals when he was asked to play 28-30 minutes a game and showed no signs of fatigue.  He’s currently piquing and a no-brainer for Canada’s second center position in my book.

Dany Heatley:  Despite people souring on Heatley due to his wanting out of Ottawa, he remains the premier sniper in the NHL.  He can score from anywhere in the offensive zone and can also pass the puck very well.  When he’s on his game and focused he’s as deadly as anyone in the league, and sometimes you won’t notice him until the puck is in the net.  He has had recent problems playing big in big games, but he’ll easily be one of Canada’s best wingers.

Jarome Iginla:  There’s not many players who really can do everything and at a high level.  Iginla is one of those players.  He’s a power forward who is a threat to score 50 goals consistently every year.  He has an Art Ross trophy to prove he can also play a well-rounded offensive game.  Similar to Crosby in that he makes Canada tougher up front.  Speaking of Crosby, pairing these two up is a match made in heaven and I can’t see it not happening.

Vincent Lecavalier:  Now we’re entering the glut of centers Canada has.  There’s probably still many names floating around in your head and I already have 3 on the roster.  You can’t ignore Lecavalier though.  He’s usually good for about 90 points a season and his goals are often as high as his assists.  He also addresses an interesting area of debate for Team Canada:  penalty killing.  His skill set is enough to put him on this team, but his extensive experience on the PK but him over the top.

Milan Lucic:  This is one of those players that you want to somehow find a way onto the team.  Right away at the age of 18 Lucic proved he could do his part offensively (15-20 goals) and more importantly, go to the net and make life hell for opposing players with punishing checks and an in-your-face style of play.  He’s still very young at age 20 though and while he would be an interesting ingredient to throw into the mix Canada probably has just enough toughness to avoid injecting Lucic into the lineup.

Patrick Marleau:  Just because you can’t hold up to the talent of Crosby, Getzlaf, etc. doesn’t mean you’re a bad player.  That’s the case with Marleau, who despite a dreadful ’07-08 campaign rebounded last year to let everyone know they can rest easy and that he is the heart and soul of the San Jose Sharks.  Unfortunately unless you put him on wing and diminish his skill set you won’t get the most out of him, and just like Jeff Carter that’s why Marleau won’t make Team Canada.

Andy McDonald:  Thanks for coming out.  No offense to McDonald, who had some nice season with Teemu Selanne in Anaheim and is still reliable in St. Louis, but a solid if unspectacular center simply can’t compete with the likes of those already mentioned.  

Brendan Morrow:  Are you convinced Shane Doan belongs on this team?  If you are you shouldn’t have any qualms about Morrow either.  He’s every bit as good as Doan, plays a similar game, and might be a better leader as well.  This gives Canada another winger to fill a spot and (just like Doan) some grit to round out the forward lineup.

Rick Nash:  Despite being one of the worst offenders in the 2006 Olympic debacle, Nash should have an automatic bid for a spot this time around.  Essentially Dany Heatley with speed, Nash may not pass the puck as well as some would like but alongside centers like those Team Canada will boast, special things could happen.  He was also very young in 2006 but now he’s refined his game and will be ready to lead by example.

Corey Perry:  Another one of my risky picks.  You could put Gagne here, or old favorite Ryan Smyth, or even move someone like Toews or Roy to wing, but I’ll take Perry.  He has superior hands, good size, and works the boards very well.  He’s still finding his game at the NHL level, but he’s almost there.  He has a mix of skills that I think will again make Canada more well-rounded.  Matching him with Anaheim linemate Getzlaf is a possiblity.

Mike Richards:  We all hate him in Pittsburgh but the fact is the Richards is a great checking line center that puts up first line numbers.  He is the epitome of Flyers hockey and Canada needs a bit of that.  He’ll be their fourth line center so there’s still plenty of room for all the big guns, however he could make nice contributions offensively and will kill penalties effectively.

Derek Roy:  Roy is a good player and one of Buffalo’s go to guys.  He won’t be playing for Canada this year however.  He puts up solid offensive numbers but not solid enough, and size is an issue if you’re looking for a tie breaker for some reason.

Patrick Sharp:  After exploding onto the scene in Chicago a couple years back there’s some validity to Sharp making this team.  He scores goals from the wing position which is valuable.  Unfortunately being relatively unknown until recently will probably hurt his chances, although he’s probably not suited well for a spot anyways.

Ryan Smyth:  Why do I already know he’ll make the team?  He’s past his prime and was never flashy, but Canada loves this guy.  He’s a heart and soul type of player that puts up surprisingly good numbers given that his skills are rough around the edges.  After turning his back on the Oilers and their beloved fans he’s been relegated to Colorado where he hasn’t accomplished much of anything.  I’d scratch his name off the list almost immediately but we’ll see.  Canada isn’t the most logical country when it comes to these kinds of things.

Jason Spezza:  What a strange player.  Spezza can put up impressive numbers and display great hands and offensive insticts, and sometimes not.  He seems to get disinterested at times and has also had his share of injuries.  He just misses the cut in some ways, others not.  Probably Canada’s 6th best center.

Martin St. Louis:  I don’t care for St. Louis too much to be honest.  He has an Art Ross trophy which I can’t deny but he just seems to look better some years than others.  Often he looks like a franchise player, other times a pedestrian.  I’m putting him on the team however simply because his upside is very good and he fills a wing position.  He could also complete another teammate combo with Lecavalier.

Eric Staal:  This is a player I would love to squeeze into a winger, but Canada would be wise to not go too crazy making centers into wings.  He’ll be on the fourth line, where I would try to put him somewhere with Richards and Perry.  I would leave Richards at center and give Staal more offensive responsibilities at wing.

Jordan Staal:  There’s a theory a small minority of people have that Canada should employ a full-blown checking line this time around.  It’s unlikely but if  Yzerman for some reason agrees with this, Staal would be worth looking at.  However where do you put him?  A line of Richards/Staal/Lucic would be nice but Richards is the better center.  Don’t be fooled by Staal’s rookie year, which was a mirage.  He was tried out at wing later and simply couldn’t produce.  That first year was all adrenaline.  Best to just scrap the idea and keep Jordan off the team.

Joe Thornton:  I’ll be honest, I don’t want Thornton on Team Canada.  This may be baffling to some but he’s been surpassed by other Canadian centers such as Getzlaf and Lecavalier recently (not to mention Crosby).  He’s probably the fourth best center listed here but you can’t have a player like Thornton in that spot.  He’s essentially become Adam Oates on steroids, which is a shame when you consider he shoots the puck very well but for some reason rarely does.  All this and the fact that I’ve given him more chances than most and you can’t get around what we all know to be true:  Thornton completely caves in important games.

Jonathan Toews:  Very tempting to turn him into a winger here.  I think he would do well.  Unfortunately there’s no reason to take the chance and no one not named Crosby is going to get a chance at such a young age.  Definitely a factor at the 2014 camp.

What will probably happen:  Gagne will probably replace Perry, Smyth may very well find his way onto the team, and so will Joe Thornton.  Lecavalier will probably flip flop with Getzlaf as far as which lines they’re on.

FORWARD LINES:

Doan-Crosby-Iginla

Morrow-Getzlaf-Heatley

Nash-Lecavalier-St. Louis

E. Staal-Richards-Perry

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS

Pronger-Boyle

Bouwmeester-Weber

Keith-Regeher

Neidermayer

GOALTENDERS

Roberto Luongo

Marc-Andre Fleury

Martin Brodeur

And there you have it.  Please leave all questions, comments, and insults in the comments section!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the new digs!

Hey everyone this is my new blog spot for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Apple has provided all Mac users with powerful tools to create really special blogs and websites, however my main goal is to simply churn out some great written material for you to read and maybe splice in a couple pictures as opposed to creating an “experience,” so that’s essentially where the change originated from.  

As you may have noticed by the title I’m going to also be commenting on any happenings around the NHL that catch my eye and deserve to be talked about.  Check back as early as tomorrow to see a breakdown of who I think should be on Team Canada this year.  Don’t worry, by the time the season starts the content will be 90% Penguins-related but obviously other topics will arise.  I’m also a sucker for lists of any kind and I thought those would be fun for everyone to peruse as well.  Off the top of my head I think I’ll be doing a list of my favorite non-Penguin players ever very soon, with other to follow.  Just something different to spice things up.

Two other things:  First, on the right hand side you will find my Twitter feed devoted totally to the NHL.  For those not familiar this is something that will let me write a sentence or two if I have a simple statement about something or news that doesn’t require a full article.  You’ll also be able to easily comment on my stuff without having to reply to an e-mail I sent you.  Below the title of each article simply click “Leave Comment” and you can post something right here on the site!

As for the Penguins-specific content I’ll probably be starting with a breakdown of the offseason this week followed by some reports from training camp (I’ll probably have some free time on my hands since I work for the government right now, i.e. unemployed).  That should start us off with some real info to talk about and I’m sure I’ll whip up something about season expectations as well.  I’m going to again try to write something after every game (famous last words) but it will probably be brief, maybe 2-3 paragraphs.  Trying to write 2,000 words about every game was daunting to me before and that led to me not doing it at all.  Anyways, enjoy and remember to bookmark this site!