Early Season Summary

After a year-long accidental hiatus, I'm back. I was never exactly an esteemed member of the hockey world, but I sure missed writing about hockey. So let's dive in and examine the first month of competition in the NHL.

Despite the Western Conference looking incredibly daunting after last season, the Atlantic Division in the East is so far the most commanding this season. Or, rather, Montreal and Tampa Bay are. It's still early, but I stand by my prediction of seeing the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals this year. The West is bound to pull together and overall become a powerhouse again, but for now the top teams in the East are looking like a force and it could just stay that way. Look forward to a good season.

Looking past competition, a lot has happened in the NHL for just the first month or so of hockey. The arguments for/against fighting have been revived (especially with prodigy Connor McDavid's injury), the Kings' defense has been marred by a domestic abuse case, and we now have Chris Pronger making decisions on player safety. 

Fighting belongs in the game. Enough said. Countless players have spoken out for it, saying that without fighting those guys who take the cheap shots we all hate would have no one to answer for. It seems like the only people calling for it to be taken out of the game are the people who don't play. Now, I understand the uproar about it after top draft prospect McDavid broke his hand during a fight in the OHL (he missed a punch and instead hit the boards). McDavid has 51 points in 18 games and is expected to be out up to 6 weeks, obviously dealing a heavy blow to his team the Erie Otters. But this in no way is a good argument about eliminating fighting; it's an incident that will remind players to make sure they land their punches.

I believe violence has its place in hockey, but only in the game, so I was very disappointed when the news broke about Slava Voynov's suspected domestic abuse case. Unfortunately not a lot of information has been available over this ordeal, just that his wife won't be pressing charges and that they both say it was an accident. We can all only hope that's the truth. The NHL made the right call in suspending Voynov indefinitely right away. The attitude towards domestic abuse tolerance has changed drastically in sports since the mishandling of the Ray Rice case by the NFL. With this new sensitivity, the NHL couldn't risk any controversy. 

And to wrap it up... Chris Pronger is working for NHL Player Safety. But hey, who else is better qualified to call out dirty plays than a guy who spent his entire career perfecting them

Stay tuned for actual relevant posts now that I've gotten this out of the way.

Detroit Red Wings: An Off Season Overview

     Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is recognized as one of the best in the league. His eye for the draft and his skills with managing what he's given are hard to match. Not everyone is perfect though, and we're going to take a look at what the Red Wings did with the salary cap lowering this off season.

     Hockey fans everywhere were shocked when they heard the news just days after the free agency period had begun; the Detroit Red Wings had signed Senator's captain Daniel Alfredsson to a one-year, $5.5mil deal. No one knew the two camps were even talking, experts assumed Alfie would retire or just sign back for one more year with the Senators. 

     

     Alfredsson brings a definite locker room presence to the Wings, with his years of experience as a captain. Despite his age, Alfie still maintains to be a noticeable presence on the ice with 26 points last season. He will most likely play on the Wings' second line alongside Stephen Weiss and Johan Franzen. 

     Weiss was also acquired by the Red Wings relatively early in free agency. He is signed to a 5-year contract with an average cap hit of $4.9mil a year. Weiss has shown decent stats the past few years as a Panther, but was injured and played in only 17 games last season. 

     While both of these players are two strong performers on the ice, the Red Wings did not necessarily need to sign them. Weiss' contract is lengthy for someone who is attempting to recover from an injury, and they are both taking up roster spots that the Wings' young talent could fill just as easily. Signing Weiss and Alfredsson was a gamble and it will be interesting to see if it comes out in favor for the Wings.

     One of the biggest off season dramas, though, featured Daniel (Dan? Danny?) Cleary. By signing those two aforementioned veterans, the Red Wings were not left with a lot of cap space (which meant not being able to re-sign Swiss player Damien Brunner). Cleary expressed multiple times his interest in coming back to the team, and Ken Holland and coach Mike Babcock both wanted him back as well. Almost two months went by with no news on contract negotiations, Alfredsson took Cleary's #11. All signs pointed to Cleary not coming back, especially when he signed a PTO with the Philadelphia Flyers and then was rumored to have signed a contract with them. But then, the next day, he was a Red Wing again. Something had happened that allowed Holland to offer Cleary a one-year, $1.75mil contract. 

    Many fans where upset with this development (this put the Red Wings over $2mil over the cap ceiling and three over the roster limit), but it was reported that Cleary's teammates were ecstatic over his return. Cleary is an average forward who does perform well in the playoffs, but apparently his value truly shows in the locker room. Alfredsson was prepared to give Cleary #11 back, but because of marketing purposes, Alfredsson will keep that number and Cleary will wear #71.

   With Cleary's return and the signing of Weiss and Alfredsson, this again leaves the Red Wings about $2.3mil over the cap limit, and three players over roster limit. The roster limit problem could be solved as Darren Helm may start the season on the injured reserve, along with possibly Jonas Gustavsson and Patrick Eaves. The latter two got injured during preseason games. But that unfortunately does nothing for the Red Wings' cap problem, as player on the IR still count towards the salary cap.

    Expect GM Holland to make a few roster moves to trim salary in the next week, as teams must have their final rosters submitted to the league on the 30th. This may include sending some waiver-exempt players (Nyquist, DeKeyser) temporarily to the AHL, and trading others for draft picks or players with lighter contracts. The Red Wings also have a compliance buyout that they can use, but Holland has seemed wary of using it. Don't get your hopes up that you'll get to see someone like Samuelsson bought out. 

Detroit Red Wings Draft Overview

The 2013 NHL Draft took place on Sunday, June 30th. It was relatively exciting, with the Canucks trading goalie Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils for the 9th overall pick, and towards the end of the evening getting to see Devils' franchise goalie, Martin Brodeur, get the opportunity to draft his very own son into their franchise.
Now that the excitement has settled down and free agency is beginning, I took the time to research all eight of Detroit's 2013 picks.

Anthony Mantha (W)

Drafted 20th overall, Anthony Mantha is an 18 year-old Canadian wing, coming out of the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). Last season he led his league in goals, racking up 50 in the regular season. He also had 39 assists for a total of 89 points in 67 games. He acquired 71 PIM, but had a +21 rating. Scouts report that he's a sniper, and obviously can produce goals. He's a relatively big guy at 6'4 and 210lb. His consistency is off, though, and he can be a non-factor in some games. Mantha is most likely going to stay in the Juniors for one more season, though he did express determination to be on the Red Wings roster in the 2013-2014 season. 

Zach Nastasiuk (RW)

Nastasiuk is also an 18 year-old Canadian wing. He was drafted 48th overall, playing this season in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League). Nastasiuk is a solid two-way player, but could use some improvement in his skating if he wants to compete with the rest of the NHL. He had 20 goals and 20 assists last season in 62 games, along with 32 PIM and a +21 rating.

Tyler Bertuzzi (LW)

Tyler Bertuzzi is Red Wing's veteran Todd Bertuzzi's 18 year-old nephew. Drafted 58th overall, he is (you guessed it) Canadian. He played in the OHL, and finished the season with 43 games played, totaling 13 goals and 9 assists, with a -2 rating. In that same amount of games he had 68 PIM, which proves the scouting reports of him being a physical presence in the game despite his size (6', 176lb). 

Mattias Janmark-Nylen (C/LW)

Janmark-Nylen is a 20 year-old from Sweden, drafted 79th overall. He played in a Swedish league for this last season, playing 55 games. His regular season totals were 14 goals, 17 assists, 32 PIM, and a -4 rating.

David Pope (LW)

Pope is yet another 18 year-old Canadian. He was drafted 109th overall. Playing for the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League), he put up decent numbers with 17 goals, 22 assists, 20 PIM, and a +20 rating in  42 games. Pope plans to play at the college level for Nebraska-Omaha next season.

Mitch Wheaton (D)

Mitch Wheaton, drafted 139th overall, was the Red Wing's first defenseman drafted this year. Another 18 year-old Canadian, Wheaton played for the WHL, and in 39 games played tallied 1 goal, 7 assists, 27 PIM, and a +20 rating. He's built for his role as a defenseman at 6'5 and 231lb. Scouting reports say he has a good presence on the blue line and is rarely challenged. He was out for part of the season with a serious shoulder injury but was able to return for the playoffs.

Marc McNulty (D)

The Red Wings certainly liked their Canadians this year, because here's another one. McNulty was the 6th 18 year-old Canadian drafted by the Wings this year. He was drafted 169th overall. Smaller for a defenseman at 6' and 185lb, his season in the WHL was average. In 52 games played he had 8 goals, 7 assists, 70 PIM, and a -18 rating. What this tells me is that he's more of an agitator or enforcer, who might draw some unnecessary penalties.

Hampus Melen (C/W)

Melen was the Red Wings final pick of the draft, at 199th overall. He's an 18 year-old Swede, tall build at 6'2, but slim at only 165lb. He'll need to bulk up, unless he wants to get run over by someone like Shawn Thornton or Niklas Kronwall. Melen played for a Swedish league, and his season totals were 18 goals, 22 assists, 59 PIM, and a +1 rating. 

All these young men show potential, some more than others. It will be an interesting next few years for the Red Wings, and hopefully we'll see a few of these guys become important members of the team.

NHL Awards, Part 2

The NHL announced the final player awards on Saturday, June 15th. This is an overview of the awards presented on that day (in no particular order), and an occasional personal (non-professional) opinion on them.

Hart Memorial Trophy

One of the most coveted player awards, the Hart Trophy (MVP) goes to the player deemed most valuable to his team. The finalists this year were Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and John Tavares of the New York Islanders. Ovechkin was the winner of this award, not missing a single game this season for the Capitals and leading the league goals. He also finished first in power play goals and shots, and came in third for overall points. Both Crosby and Tavares put up a good fight for the Hart, but Ovechkin was the clear choice for this award, showing both leadership and skill while guiding the Capitals to clinch the Southeast Division. 

Vezina Trophy

The Vezina is awarded to the league's best goaltender, as decided by the league's general managers. This year's finalists were Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers, Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks, and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky was the winner, carrying his Blue Jackets the closest they have come to the playoffs in a very long time. He tied for 5th for GAA (Goals Allowed Average) with Bruin's goaltender Tuuka Rask, and came in 2nd for Save % (after Craig Andersson of the Senators, who only played 24 games to Bobrovsky's 38). Lundqvist, as usual, makes a strong argument for this award, putting up solid numbers all season long and playing 43 out of 48 games this regular season. Niemi, too, put up a good season, though ended up below the former players in GAA and SV%.
If I were Columbus' GM, Jarmo Kekäläinen, I would be excited for this award because it may entice Bobrovsky to stay in the NHL despite quality offers from many KHL teams. 

James Norris Memorial Trophy

The Norris Trophy is given to the best defensemen in the league. The finalists this year were Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins, P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens, and Ryan Suter of the Minnesota Wild. Subban won the award, finishing 1st in points for defensemen with 38. Letang also got 38 points, but Subban played less games because of a contract dispute at the beginning of the season. Suter finished third in points for defensmen. Subban helped Montreal beat out Boston for the Northeast division title. 

Calder Memorial Trophy

The Calder Trophy goes to the league's best rookie. The finalists were Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens, Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers, and Brandon Saad of the Chicago Blackhawks. Huberdeau won the award, tallying 31 points (14 G, 17 A) and acquiring only 18 penalty minutes. There were many outstanding rookies this year in the league, but Huberdeau managed to excel even while playing on the worst team in the league (statistically).

Ted Lindsay Award

The Ted Lindsay Award is presented to the league's most outstanding player as decided by the NHLPA (the NHL Players Association). It comes with a sense of pride to know that your fellow teammates and rivals alike have come to some sort of conclusion that you are, indeed, the best. This year's finalists were Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sidney Crosby won the award, ending his regular season with 56 points and a +/- of +26, in only 36 games because of a broken jaw. Say what you will about Crosby, he is an outstanding player, and I'm not about to argue with the hockey players that voted for him. 

NHL Awards, Part 1

This year, the NHL Awards show is a little different. Usually, it's a red carpet event, with players all converging in one place, reminiscent of the Oscars or the Emmys, except with with more missing teeth. But because of the lockout, the NHL Awards this year has been shortened to a couple of commentators announcing each award, and going to phone interviews with the winners. Not nearly as exciting. But, at least the NHL didn't take away awards all together. So without further ado, here are the awards that were announced on 6/14/13, and my view on them.

Frank J. Selke Trophy

The Selke Trophy is awarded to the best defensive forward in the league. The nominees were Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Boston's Patrice Bergeron, and Chicago's Jonathan Toews. Toews won the award, Bergeron placing 2nd, Datsyuk in 3rd. This would be a tough category for anyone to judge, all three of these players playing exceptionally. Bergeron finished with less points (32) than both Datsyuk (49) and Toews (48), but he also played less games in the regular season (42). Datsyuk and Toews both played 47. All three players finished the season with their +/- stat in the 20's. You can't argue against any of these guys, they're all deserving of this award. You could point at stats like faceoff percentages (in which Bergeron led the NHL) and such, but all in all, any of these three would be a good choice. Congratulations are due to Toews for winning this year's Selke Trophy. 

Jack Adams Award

The Jack Adams award is presented to the NHL coach who it is deemed contributed most to his organization's success. The nominees were Bruce Boudreau of the Anaheim Ducks, Paul Maclean of the Ottawa Senators, and Joel Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks. The winner of the award is Paul MacLean. He definitely deserves it most out of these three men. MacLean led his teams to the playoffs despite numerous injuries to key players like Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek, and Erik Karlsson. Boudreau did bring the Ducks to the playoffs, but they did not face as much adversary as the Senators. Quenneville is of course a strong argument, leading his Blackhawks to the President's Trophy and now the Stanley Cup finals. But is it that impressive when you have a team like the Hawks? Right now, they could make it to the Finals without a coach. 

General Manager of the Year

This one is self explanatory, it's awarded to the best NHL GM of the year. What's interesting about this one is that unlike the other awards that are voted on solely by NHL executives, this award also allows the 30 GM's to put their vote in. This year's nominees were Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks, and Ray Shero of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Shero won the award, probably because of his wheeling and dealing around the trade deadline. I personally do not think he is deserving of the award. Despite his marvelous acquisitions, the Pens got swept in the 2nd round against the Bruins. This alone would not disregard him as best GM. But Shero made a mistake somewhere, and now half his team are free agents, and he only has $8mil to spare in cap space to sign players like Brenden Morrow, Jarome Iginla, and Matt Cooke. If it were me making the decision, this award should have gone to Marc Bergevin, who brought the Canadiens to their first Northeast Division title since 2008 in his first "full" season of management. 

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

The Lady Byng is awarded to the player who is judged to have been the most sportsmanlike and displays gentlemanly conduct at all times, along with maintaining a high standard of play. Or, as we hockey fans like to say, the classiest player. The nominees this year were Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks, Matt Moulson of the Islanders, and Martin St. Louis of the Lightning. St. Louis won the award. He had only 14 PIM (still more than the other two finalists), but led the league in points (60). St. Louis is the 9th player to win the Lady Byng at least three times.

Bill Masterton Trophy

This trophy is awarded by the Professional Hockey Writer's Association to the player who best exemplifies perseverance and dedication to hockey. The nominees where Sidney Crosby of the Penguins, Josh Harding of the Wild, and Adam McQuaid of the Bruins. Harding won the award, after being diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) which can cause balance problems, blurry vision, and fatigue. Harding worked hard despite his condition, and posted a shutout in his first start of the season. He only played 5 regular season games, and 5 playoff games. But his dedication to always be there for his team made him a worthy winner. As for the other finalists, Crosby was sidelined for a good amount of this season with a broken jaw. He finished tied third for overall points with rival Alex Ovechkin. Our other finalist, Adam McQuaid, battled Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which caused him to have surgery to get a blood clot in his arm removed, along with a rib and some muscle in his neck. He was supposed to be out for the season, but was able to join the Bruins in their season opener. He played only 32 games, getting 1 goal but 60 PIM.

Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award

This one's a mouthful. Actually dubbed the Mark Messier Leadership Award presented by Bridgestone, this award is given "to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season." Though recommendations come from NHL executives and fans alike, Mark Messier himself chooses the winner of this award. Messier is a Hall of Fame NHL player, known for nicknames such as "The Messiah" and "The Moose." His finalists were Daniel Alfredsson of the Senators, Dustin Brown of the Kings, and Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks. All three men exemplify leadership on and off the ice, volunteering in their communities regularly and providing guidance in the locker room. Alfredsson is the longest active captain, and also the winner of this award. He works with many charities and supports the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa. Senator's goalie, Craig Anderson, says this about Alfredsson:
"He's a leader by example and when he does talk you listen."
Although Alfredsson won this award, here's a fun fact about nominee Dustin Brown: For the past 8 seasons, he has donated $50 for each hit to causes such as the Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.


Two other notable award winners are Red Wing's Henrik Zetterberg and Bruin's Patrice Bergeron. Zetterberg won the NHL Foundation Player Award for his work in the community. They provided him with a $20,000 donation to his foundation, which he plans to match to build three water wells in a needy town in Ethiopia.
Bergeron won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership qualities and noticeable effort to improve and help his community.

NHL Awards, Pt. 2 is coming tomorrow! Stay tuned for analysis of the winners of the Calder Memorial Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, the Vezina Trophy, and more.

NHL Playoffs - Round One

The NHL's shortened season has come to a close, and we all know what that means: Playoff predictions. There are brackets to be filled and bets to be made, so here's my insight into the first round matchups, along with my personal bracket.

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh Penguins (1) vs. NY Islanders (8)

It's a little odd to see the Islanders squeezing into the playoffs, but they did it, and now they have to face the second-best team in the league (points-wise). I certainly predict the Pens to come out on top of this matchup, but giving up one game to the Islanders, just as they have in their total games this season.

Montreal Canadiens (2) vs. Ottawa Senators (7)

The Canadiens were fighting the Bruins for that second seed until the Bruins very last game. Ironically, the Bruins fell to the Senators, giving up the division title to the Canadiens. The Senators are regaining Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, who's had a miracle recovery from having 70% of his Achilles tendon slashed into by a skate on February 13th. His comeback means a boost for the Senators defense. Montreal has been a solid team all season, finishing with 63 P. I see this series stretching to 7 games with the Canadiens finishing it off 4-3. 

Washington Capitals (3) vs. NY Rangers (6)

The Capitals fought hard for the Southeast division title against the Jets, and got it. Their two goalies, Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth, have both been playing excellently. The Rangers managed to avoid an 8th seed despite trading away offensive star Marian Gaborik. This will be a goalie's series, with Henrik Lundqvist remaining solid despite the Rangers apparent issues on defense. I see the Capitals coming out on top of this series 4-2. 

Boston Bruins (4) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (5)

With the Bruins falling to 4th with a loss on the last day of regular season, they are matched up against the 5th seed Leafs. This is the Leaf's first time in the playoffs since the '04-'05 lockout. Before this shortened season, the Leafs fired longtime GM, Brian Burke and replaced him with Dave Nonis. Despite fans being shocked, the change must have had an impact enough to bring them back into the playoffs. The Bruins are regaining players like Adam McQuaid just in time for the playoffs. Fans are hoping that Nathan Horton will return as well (he is DTD). I see this series going to the Bruins, 4-2.

Western Conference 

Chicago Blackhawks (1) vs. Minnesota Wild (8)

The Blackhawks ran away with the President's Trophy this season. They are a force to be reckoned with, but have a history of choking in the playoffs. Their goalies, Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, won them the William M. Jennings Trophy, allowing the least amount of goals for any one team this season. The Wild barely made 8th seed, despite having stars Ryan Suter and Zach Parise and recently acquired Jason Pominville. I'm predicting the Hawks sweeping the Wild.

Anaheim Ducks (2) vs. Detroit Red Wings (7)

The Ducks have been a tough team to beat this year, holding onto the 2nd seed for pretty much the entire season. Despite this, the Wings are 2-1-0 against the Ducks in this shortened season, sweeping them at home. Red Wings goalie, Jimmy Howard, has a career record of 9-3-1 against the Ducks. The Red Wings ended the season with a 4-game winning streak, seeming to finally find the chemistry they desperately needed. I see the Wings squeezing out this series 4-3.

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. San Jose Sharks (6)

Both teams have played well this season, ending with only a two-point difference. The Sharks have won all three meetings against the Canucks. The Canucks' goalie situation is, again, a problem, with Cory Schneider currently DTD with a "body" injury, according to coach Alain Vigneault. Roberto Luongo has been fighting with Schneider for the number one goalie spot on the roster, but has a history of choking in the playoffs. I predict the Sharks winning this series 4-2.

St. Louis Blues (4) vs. LA Kings (5)

This matchup features last season's Stanley Cup champions, the Kings. The Kings have won all three games against the Blues this season. This might be the case, but with the Blues acquisition of D-man Jay Bouwmeester, this playoff series might get interesting. Hard to call with this one, but I see the Kings coming out on top 4-3. 

And those are your first round matchups. If you're basing your bracket off of my predictions, don't blame me if you lose. I'm no expert, even if I sound like one.

Here's my playoff bracket from NHL.com, all the way to the Cup: 

Five More Winter Classics?

The NHL has recently announced that they will be adding 5 additional outdoor games to their schedule for the 2013-2014 season. The games are as follows:

Jan. 1: Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs.

Jan. 25: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Kings vs. Ducks.

Jan. 26: Yankee Stadium in New York, Rangers vs. Devils.

Jan. 29: Yankee Stadium in New York, Rangers vs. Islanders.

Mar. 1: Soldier Field in Chicago, Penguins vs. Blackhawks.

Mar. 2: BC Place in Vancouver, Senators vs. Canucks.

While this is exciting for many, especially those who might miss the chance to be at the Winter Classic itself, does it make sense for the NHL?

Short term, it would appear yes. People will flock to the cities these games are being held at, boosting the economy. The NHL will make money from extra merchandise sales. 

Plus, take note of the two dates at Yankee Stadium. Those appear to be strategically placed to lead up to the Super Bowl, which will be held on February 2nd at MetLife Stadium. Sports fans will all be staying in the area in and around NYC. What better time than to have the Rangers play two outdoor games at one of the most popular baseball team's stadiums? It's like a triple-threat, hockey, football, with a little bit of baseball.

Even the game at Dodger Stadium will make money, even though that bandwagon will have rolled away unless the Kings win another Cup.

But the long term effects could be unpleasant for the novelty of the outdoor game.

What makes the Winter Classic so special? It's the feeling of being at what is a SPECIAL game. It's outdoors. It has throwback jerseys. It features a rivalry. It's held at stadiums where thousands and thousands of fans come to experience this supposedly once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

But fans will become bored if these outdoor games start becoming common. It won't be as special. Fans won't feel the pressure to go because "there's always next time."

Alas, the NHL is a business, and if these outdoor games will bring them in the revenue they want, they will have them. Because the people will come. That's what we learned after the lockout, eh?