Posts Tagged ‘Philadelphia Flyers’

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Reducing the number of games decided by shootouts

June 4th, 2010

Umm, apparently not everyone is in love with shootouts in the NHL. Take a moment to gather your thoughts. I’m as shocked as you.

According to Puck Daddy and other reports, a few NHL Executives are brainstorming ways to reduce the number of games decided by shootouts. And although respected hockey minds like Red Wings GM Ken Holland are heading this charge, I figure I’ll throw a few suggestions into the pot. You can thank me later NHL…

  • Don’t let the group in charge of deciding how to deal with headshots in on this debate. I have it on good authority that they’ll never arrive at a solution.
  • Get Chris Pronger to steal all the pu — Nevermind. No one will understand this joke… too obscure.
  • Do not under any circumstance allow Gary Bettman and NBC to brainstorm resolutions together!
  • Have the guys who control the Philadelphia Flyers goal siren review anything that resembles an overtime scoring opportunity. Then make sure the only person who could overrule their blatant error is Bud Selig.
  • Ask Tomas Kaberle for a list of shootout alternatives he’d be willing to accept. Please note such a list might be a few years old despite claims from “informed” sources.
  • Bare with me here, this one is kind of ‘out there’. Make overtime longer or eliminate shootouts altogether. Be gentle with me…
  • Assemble a crack team of brilliant minds lead by Jim Joyce and Kerry Fraser. I’m not sure what solution they’d come up with but I’m pretty sure it would stick. Perfectly.

Stay classy, NHL Shootouts.

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Since today’s post was shorter (and crappier) than usual, I’d like to offer several links to some recent blogs that I think you’ll enjoy. Happy Friday.

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Boston’s Buckner – Take 2

May 16th, 2010

Have you ever seen a collapse like that? Ever? I’m still scraping myself off the floor. Another crazy week at work left me almost comatose by the time I turned on the television to try to catch the rest of the Bruins-Flyers Game 7 final on Friday night. Second intermission. Tie game. OK, looks like I’ll at least get to watch the third period.

Zzz.

Next thing I know, I wake up, and TSN is showing some baseball highlights. I flip around only to find out that:

(a) I’ve missed one of the best Game 7 finals in this year’s Playoff run (so far) and

(b) my neck is stiff and sore from sleeping in a funny position.

As I finally find a channel to watch the highlights with my head stuck at a 86 degree tilt, the enormity of what the Flyers have accomplished slowly sinks in. Note to Bruin fans: quit complaining about the too-many-men on the ice call — The Bruins are the collective equivalent of Bill Buckner on skates.

I think I heard someone say that this is the first time a seventh-seeded team has home ice advantage for the conference final. It’s almost like the hockey gods decided to have fun with this edition of the Playoffs and screw up everyone’s pool picks in the Eastern Conference.

So we have the seventh and eighth seeds in the East ready to battle either the first or second seed from the West. What is even more bizarre is of the various sites I have visited (OK, I know it is not very scientific), the East is picked as the winner in every case.

Montreal is looking very much like a team of destiny, and the same can be said of Philly. It’s not the first time I’ve been called a “bandwagon” fan, for jumping teams (I was cheering for Pittsburgh), but I’ll have to now root for the Canadiens. They’re a likeable bunch and you have to like the underdog, if being an eighth seed instead of a seventh seed entitles you to the underdog label. I think Chicago has a really good chance too.

But back to the implosion of the Bruins. It’s easy to question the penalty call, or whether it was Marc Savard or Milan Lucic who was at fault, but that would be missing the point. A team simply does not lose a series when they are up 3-0 on the basis of one play.

And just like Buckner, it was not one play, that cost Boston the series. It really does take an entire team to collapse the way they did.

Stay classy, Bill Buckner and the Boston Bruins.

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Saturday Chat Roulette Sessions (May 15 edition)

May 15th, 2010

Since last week’s Chat Roulette debut was an awesome success (kidding… more like nonsense…),  I’ve decided to keep my word and continue with this feature. But before getting to the new Chat images, a huge congratulations to the Philadelphia Flyers who staged a truly amazing come back against the Boston Bruins. For the Bruins, it’s going to be a painful summer… *PING* Sorry, but the Bruins hit so many posts/crossbar’s in game 7. It was ridiculous. I can just see this becoming the newest “History will be made” NHL commercial, “What if Philadelphia didn’t fly?”. I even predicted it last night around 8pm EST.

Anyways, we have Chat Roulette escapades of Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Zdeno Chara, Alex Ovechkin and the Boston Bruins this week. Enjoy.

Stayclassy.net's Chat Roulette feature with the Sedin twins.

Stayclassy.net's Chat Roulette feature with Zdeno Chara and the Bruins bear

Stayclassy.net's Chat Roulette feature with Alex Ovechkin and Lebron James

Stayclassy.net's Chat Roulette feature with the Boston Bruins

Stay classy, NHL Chat Rouletters.

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A few tips for your Stanley Cup Riot

May 13th, 2010

I suppose I can only get away with a blog like this if I first congratulate the Montreal Canadiens on their series clinching win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Congrats, Montreal). How hilarious would it be if the Philadelphia Flyers win tomorrow night, seeing the 7th and 8th seeds playing in the Eastern Conference Finals? Actually, I really want to see that happen now.

Anyways, in celebration of Montreal’s big win and the town riots that ensued after, I figured it would be somewhat appropriate to post a few tips for the next “celebration.” A celebration that will probably happen in less than two weeks when the Canadiens defeat the Flyers (or Bruins, but who knows??) in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Here are a few tips for your Stanley Cup Riot:

  • Only riot in cities that legitimately care about hockey. So cities like Montreal or Philadelphia… or Tampa Bay.
  • Wearing a Canadiens jersey when rioting is encouraged, however, crowds may turn on you if Bonk, Latendresse or Gainey nameplates are etched on said jersey.
  • Try to assemble the craziest group of people possible for optimum destruction. A few suggestions include John Muckler and Glen Sather (two crazy bastards), Mike Milbury (proficient in obscure violence with non-traditional weapons) and James Duthie (mostly because he was the only person crazy enough to bet on Montreal in the 2nd round of the Playoffs after they were down 3-1 in the series. And partly because he’s been known to talk/hang out with monkeys macaques).
  • If you are going to destroy local business property, make sure it’s a really bad business like that “Fleury’s School of Clutch Goaltending” on Expired Street.
  • If ever you are concerned with the quality of your rioting now or in the last 15 years, just refer to rioting successes from 30+ years ago.
  • You want to have a strong destruction percentage when rioting. Be selective and look for objects that can smash in one attempt or less to increase destruction percentage. By doing this, you’ll be feared for your lethal accuracy, just like Mike Cammalleri.
  • The city of Montreal might try to reduce rioting by inviting fans into the Bell Centre to watch the Canadiens road games. But it’s really an opportunity to strategize and get drunk for 3 hours before the party really starts.
  • If I’ve learned anything from Montreal, 2-1 odds are a good thing, so don’t worry if there are twice as many police as there are rioters. Just wear a Habs jersey and things will work out fine!
  • When picking a team leader for your riot squad, try to pick someone that won’t quit half way through the task. Chances are s/he will wipe their hands clean should failure occur. That or s/he’ll reappear months later to take credit if you succeed.
  • Finally, do your best to avoid damaging the sports stores that sell those Habs jerseys that when turned inside out are actually Leaf jerseys…

Stay classy, Montreal Canadiens.

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Burgundy’s 2nd round NHL playoff predictions

April 29th, 2010

Stayclassy.net's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

With no real break between rounds, tonight marks the beginning of the Stanley Cup Conference Semi-Finals! The 1st round was a blast and featured the elimination of the top 3 seeded teams in the Eastern Conference. The way the Washington Capitals were eliminated was surprising to many, while the defeats of the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils was predicted by a number of people. The Western Conference saw some interesting developments – the Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings gave the Red Wings and Canucks a few scares but ultimately couldn’t hold on. And oh yeah, the San Jose Sharks are through to the next round, no thanks to Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

For those of you wondering, I went 5 for 8 in my 1st round predictions. Here are my 2nd round predictions:

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Montreal Canadiens (8)
The Montreal Canadiens shocked the entire hockey world with their amazing series come-back against the Washington Capitals. I don’t care what the truest of Habs fans say: no one saw them coming back after going down 3-1. Having said that, and as well as Jaroslav Halak has played, there’s no way the Pittsburgh Penguins will fall victim to the Canadiens the way the Capitals did. The Penguins are proven winners and have Russian stars that actually know how to show up in the post-season. Sidney Crosby is on another level in this year’s Playoffs and I don’t think the Hal Gill-Josh Gorges tandem will be able to contain him, despite their tremendous play so far. Pittsburgh will figure out within minutes of the first game how to not shoot directly at the two or three Habs defencemen who are trying to block shots…
Verdict: Pittsburgh in 6 games.

Boston Bruins (6) vs Philadelphia Flyers (7)
I’m not sure how many of us figured we’d see the Boston Bruins playing the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2nd round of the Playoffs, but this should be an interesting series. I really liked how Tuukka Rask played in the 1st round and I felt like the Bruins got stronger as their series with Buffalo went on. Milan Lucic seemed to wake up towards the end of the series and key players like Michael Ryder, Miroslav Satan and Mark Recchi stepped up in the big moments of each game. The highly anticipated return of Marc Savard should provide the Bruins with a nice emotional boost and perhaps a bit of additional scoring. Looking at the Flyers, although they are rested, they will be without the services of three very valuable players: Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter and Ian Laperriere. I’m not convinced Brian Boucher is for real, nor do I believe he can outplay Rask. It’s a shame we can’t see each game of this series played at Fenway Park… or can we? No, nevermind. We can’t.
Verdict: Boston in 6 games.

San Jose Sharks (1) vs Detroit Red Wings (5)
The San Jose Sharks are now at the critical point of their season. Let’s be honest: the 1st round was a formality. While the Colorado Avalanche gave them a quick scare, it was a foregone conclusion the Sharks would/should easily win that round. For the most part, the Avalanche were badly outplayed. Evgeni Nabokov played very well too – something we can’t say has always been the case in the post-season for the Sharks. Devin Setoguchi and Joe Pavelski really elevated their play in the 1st round, and yet again, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau continue to fight the Playoff pressure. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings enjoyed a scare of their own from the Phoenix Coyotes. Detroit’s leaders got stronger as the series wore on and stepped it up when it mattered most. I really liked Jimmy Howard’s play and attitude (for the most part) against the Coyotes too. My gut feeling lies with the experience of the Wings and I’m still not sold San Jose are the real deal. Still.
Verdict: Detroit in 6 games.

Chicago Blackhawks (2) vs Vancouver Canucks (3)
This is easily the best series of the 2nd round. A rematch from last year’s Conference Semi-Finals, with a slight reversal. Last year, I’d say the Chicago Blackhawks were the stronger team. This year, I’d have to say the Vancouver Canucks are the stronger team. I believe the Canucks may have the most complete forward roster of any team in the Playoffs. All the lines are firing well and appear to be healthy. While the Blackhawks offense is more lethal and battle-tested than the young Los Angeles Kings, I still give the advantage to the Canucks. Both team’s have some injuries on defence, but I think this is a series that will see Roberto Luongo will steal a game or two for Vancouver. And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I’m looking forward to Byfuglien & Luongo’s battle royale rematch. I can’t wait for this series to start!
Verdict: Vancouver in 7 games.

There you have it. These are my 2nd round predictions. What are your predictions?

Stay classy, NHL Conference Semi-Finals.

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Burgundy’s 1st round NHL playoff predictions

April 14th, 2010

Stayclassy.net's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

Tonight marks the beginning of the NHL’s 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Like everyone else, I’d like to make my predictions for the 1st round. Before breaking down each series, I have two things to say. Firstly, I don’t hate any of the Canadian teams, however, I don’t like Vancouver, Montreal, or Ottawa’s chances. Secondly, I’m far more interested in the Western Conference series than the Eastern Conference series. This means two things. 1- I won’t be getting much sleep for the next few weeks. 2- I’ll be on Twitter a lot and look forward to talking Playoffs with all of you!

Washington Capitals (1) vs Montreal Canadiens (8)
I read about Tomas Plekanec’s quotes from the other day. I don’t understand why he’s playing these silly games, but whatever. He better bury a few goals on Washington or egg will be on his face, goatee and turtleneck. Sure, Montreal probably has the edge in goaltending, but Theordore’s play this year has been pretty good. Honestly, I don’t think Montreal has any chance in this series. Even if Jaroslav Halak plays like he did at the Olympics, Washington will be too much for Montreal’s slow defence. Alex Ovechkin has something to prove and Nickolas Backstrom is fresh off his best season in his young NHL career.
Verdict: Washington in 5 games.

New Jersey Devils (2) vs Philadelphia Flyers (7)
This series could go either way. On one hand, you have a legendary goalie in Marty Brodeur versus 3rd-stringer Brian Boucher (advantage Devils). On the other hand, you have Ilya Kovalchuk/Zach Parise versus Danny Briere/Jeff Carter/Mike Richards/Simon Gagne and more (advantage Flyers). I like Philadelphia’s defence a little more than New Jersey’s, too. And because Chris Pronger has a strong reputation for helping teams over the hump in Playoffs, I have to side with the Flyers as my upset team in the East.
Verdict: Philadelphia in 7 games.

Buffalo Sabres (3) vs Boston Bruins (6)
Boston’s well documented  scoring troubles and Buffalo’s all-star goalie Ryan Miller combine for a tough challenge for the Bruins. In addition, the Bruins announced the possibility of Marc Savard’s return to the team no earlier than in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Given the challenges Boston has faced this year (off years for certain players and injuries), making the Playoffs is a considerable feat. I don’t think they have any chance against the well oiled machine that is the Buffalo Sabres. On a slightly different note, it should be interesting to see which rookie proves most valuable to their respective teams between Tyler Myers and Tuukka Rask.
Verdict: Buffalo in 5 games.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Ottawa Senators (5)
This is a tough match-up for the Ottawa Senators when you consider a 6th place finish would have put them up against the Sabres, a team they’ve dominated for years. The obvious storyline for this series is goaltending: Brian Elliott versus Marc-Andre Fleury. As a fan of the Senators, I’m under no illusions, Pittsburgh will win this series, the question is how many games will it take. SensChirp (a blog I respect) believes Ottawa stacks up pretty closely with Pittsburgh. Some of the points are valid, but I’m not sure Ottawa’s defence is that much better than Pittsburgh’s, nor do I believe Ottawa can out-coach the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
Verdict: Pittsburgh in 6 games.

San Jose Sharks (1) vs Colorado Avalanche (8)
I really like the Colorado Avalanche and no, I didn’t think they’d come remotely close to making the playoffs prior to the 09-10 season starting. Having said that, I see the Sharks experience and grit over-powering the young Avalanche. The Avalanche strike me as a team very satisfied with their season whereas the Sharks have known all year that their Playoff results is what really matters. I like some of the role players San Jose has acquired between last season and now (guys like Jed Ortmeyer, Scott Nichol, Niclas Wallin, etc…). I believe these guys, along with Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle and Rob Blake will be difference makers in this series. Also, I’m concerned for Colorado that star goalie Craig Anderson might be a bit burned out from his first regular season as a starting goalie.
Verdict: San Jose in 6 games.

Chicago Blackhawks (2) vs Nashville Predators (7)
Most of us could make a living from underestimating the Nashville Predators. And although the Predators are a team built so well for the Playoffs, I simply cannot bet against the Chicago Blackhawks. People will question the Hawk’s goaltending and while it’s been suspect at times this season, I don’t think it’s as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It’s easily the weakest part of the Hawks roster, but that’s easy to say when you look at their forwards and defence depth. Chicago’s hurting with injuries to their defence, but I believe their talent up front will carry the load in this series. I look for Patrick Kane to lead the way in points and clutch plays.
Verdict: Chicago in 6 games.

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs Los Angeles Kings (6)
Alright Canucks fans, don’t hate me for saying this, but I think the Kings are going to beat the Canucks. Don’t get me wrong, this is the best team (by far) the Canucks have put together in years. But with all the pressure on them, their injuries at defence and Roberto Luongo’s inconsistencies, I don’t have a good feeling for the Canucks. I know the Canucks beat the Kings three times this year, but I think the Kings move pucks better and faster than Vancouver and have a quick transition game that will burn the slower Canucks defence. I know Jonathan Quick’s play recently hasn’t been good, but I don’t see that as a factor in this series. Simply put, the Kings are loose and Vancouver know they need a solid post-season run this year.
Verdict: Los Angeles in 7 games.

Phoenix Coyotes (4) vs Detroit Red Wings (5)
This might be the most intriguing 1st round match-up this year. Like I said with the Avalanche, I believe the Coyotes are satisfied with their season and won’t have the same drive the Red Wings will. Ilya Bryzgalov shed his reputation of burning out down the regular season stretch from previous years, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s at all fatigued from this season. He’s finally gotten used to playing 60-70 regular season games per year, but that’s without playoffs. I think Detroit are too strong and too experienced for the young up-tempo Coyotes. And with Jimmy Howard’s play over the second half of the season, he looks poised to have a great Playoff performance. I don’t like betting against this Phoenix team, but dislike betting against Detroit even more.
Verdict: Detroit in 6 games.

There you have it. These are my 1st round predictions. What are your predictions?

Stay classy, NHL Playoffs.

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Thoughts leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline

March 2nd, 2010

Haven’t checked in since the epic Canada-USA Gold Medal game. As per my general policy, I won’t be reviewing the game. For the two or three people who didn’t watch it, you’ve probably seen enough highlights by now. And many other great outlets have covered the game with great depth. But a few quick points about this game: I really felt this was Ryan Miller’s worst game of the Olympics. I’m not saying his effort was Kipprusoff-esque, but he was so much better in every other game. That’s a tough break for him. I really felt Jonathan Toews was Canada’s best forward. The kid wasn’t on the ice for a single goal against – incredible. I’m not sure who I have a larger man-crush for: Toews, Drew Doughty or Shea Weber. Feel free to chime in!

So instead of discussing the Olympics, I want to touch on a few thoughts leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline (which is tomorrow, if you weren’t aware). We’ll be back to recap and evaluate trades on the 4th in our own Classy way.

  • With Nic Wallin (Sharks), Andy Sutton (Senators), Jordan Leopold (Penguins) and Denis Grebeshkov(Predators) all recently traded, it seems the market price has been set for experienced NHL defensemen – a 2nd round draft pick. Wow Calgary got ripped off in the Dion Phaneuf trade!
  • Of all the talk on pending UFA’s that could be traded, I haven’t heard Colby Armstrong’s name bounced around very much. I think he could really help out a contending team in the playoffs. The same goes for Colorado Avalanche forward Marek Svatos.
  • On a similar note and on the right team, Maxim Afinogenov could be of value too. I’m thinking of a team like the Washington Capitals. I was impressed with Afinogenov’s play at the Olympics – particularly the Canada-Russia game. He seemed like the only Russian with some fight in him. And we saw him backchecking/penalty killing. Who knew?
  • Following the “we’re going to dismantle the team” letter the Florida Panthers sent their season ticket holders, I’m yet to see any real changes. Trading Dominic Moore and Jordon Leopold isn’t really worth writing a letter about, you know?
  • I can’t remember an NHL Trade Deadline that had as many good goalies available (or assumed to be available). This year is certainly a rare one with goalies like Carey Price/Jaroslav Halak (one of them, potentially), Marty Turco, Tomas Vokoun, Marty Biron and others that could be moved by tomorrow afternoon.
  • It’s no secret the Edmonton Oilers would like to free themselves of a few bad contracts between now and tomorrow’s 3pm deadline. Did you know between Shawn Horcoff, Sheldon Souray, Ethan Moreau, Fernando Piscani and Steve Staios, they make up an annual cap hit of $18.1 Million?
  • Staying on the Oilers, I really believe they will be trading Andrew Cogliano at some point. Following the Dany Heatley trade that never happened with Ottawa in the summer, Cogliano hasn’t looked comfortable playing in Edmonton this season. Call me crazy, but I could see Cogliano traded to the Rangers for Brandon Dubinsky. It’s just a matter of time until New York trades Dubinsky, after taking him to arbitration last summer (a slap in the face to any player). Can you imagine being Dubinsky and having Glen Sather tell you “I don’t feel you are worth more than $1.85 Million”? After seeing some of the contracts he’s handed out in recent years, I’d flip out. Anyways, I could see this deal happening in the summer, rather than tomorrow. This isn’t a rumour as much it is me thinking out loud and making a bold prediction.
  • Where do you tink Dan Hamhuis will end up? I’m guessing not Philadelphia. According to TSN, the Flyers have already offered Ryan Parent. I can’t see the Flyers adding to that offer. Ryan Parent will be a great defenseman. If this is what Nashville wanted for Hamhuis, they would have taken it. I’m going to guess Washington. Where do you think Hamhuis ends up?

Stay classy, NHL Trade Deadline.

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Thoughts on this afternoon’s Flyers-Senators game

January 3rd, 2010

Ottawa Senators- 7, Philadelphia Flyers- 4

Before getting going on this game recap, the score should probably read Alex Kovalev defeats the Flyers or something to that extent.

For everyone who didn’t watch the Flyers-Senators game, this wasn’t a dominant Senators blowout win. Far from it, sort of. After jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead (on Pascal Leclaire’s first of three weak goals against), the Flyers played terribly and allowed the Senators to score four more before the end of the first period. In the second period, the Senators and Flyers reversed roles. The Senators didn’t show up for the second period and let the Flyers back into the game, ending the period tied at four. In the third period, the Senators woke up and capitalized on more bad Flyers defensive play. Both starting goalies (Leclaire and Michael Leighton) were pulled before the half-way mark of the game, too. This game was one of the strangest Senators games I’ve watched in awhile. The way each team played, it felt like I was watching a junior game and not an NHL game. There were too many simple mistakes made, turnovers handed out like gifts, and momentum tossed back and forth like it was Tiger Woods call girl.

At any rate, here’s the Classy, Non-Classy, and Could-Have-Been-Classier moments from the Flyers-Senators game.

The Classy

For the first time in awhile, Alex Kovalev showed up for the Ottawa Senators. And he did so in a very big way. Kovalev was the game’s first star, scoring four goals and adding an assist in the win. Kovalev has stepped up for the Senators over the last few games dating back to shootout win over the Buffalo Sabres after Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza went down with long term injuries. This afternoon’s game against the Flyers was Kovalev’s “coming out party”, of sorts (sorry – that’s a terrible nod to TSN’s Bob McKenzie whom I greatly respect). For all the goals Kovalev scored in last night’s game, I was equally impressed with his skating and desire to get to open area’s of the offensive zone. And given how well Kovalev skated in this game, I’ll temporarily relinquish the “Koastalev” nickname. This was the second game this year Kovalev has scored three or more goals in a game for the Senators (he has 11 goals this season).

Honourable mentions to go both Chris Kelly and Ryan Shannon. Like Kovalev, Shannon and Kelly have elevated their play as of late and have helped make a difference for the Senators in a key time. The team are 3-1 4-1 since Alfredsson’s injury and many (myself included) questioned if the key players like Kelly and Shannon could step up for the team. It’s nice to see players like this rise to the challenge.

Non-Classy

In a game like this one, it’s easy to pick out Non-Classy moments or players. Don’t worry, I have a few. The easy one is Pascal Leclaire who allowed three goals on 10 shots and generally looked out of it during his limited action. There isn’t much else to say on Leclaire’s performance from this game. Needless to say, he’ll look to be better in his next outing.

In a game where the Senators scored seven goals and nine players got points, it’s surprising Milan Michalek wasn’t one of them. In fact, Michalek hasn’t scored a point in his last seven games. Since scoring two goals and playing a strong game against his former team – the San Jose Sharks – on December 1st, Michalek has just one goal and one assist in his last 17 games. Non-Classy.

Could-Have-Been-Classier

While Ottawa’s powerplay continues to struggle, this game’s Could-Have-Been Classier goes to Nick Foligno and his head down tendencies. He never makes the right play because his head is always down looking at the puck. He frequently drives nets with speed (which is good), but never realizes how little space he has to shoot/make a move/pass the puck. It drives me up the wall because Foligno has all the things you want in a checking forward; skill, size, heart, etc…

Most players are taught to skate with their head up at the Peewee level (approx. 12 or 13 years old), yet Foligno continues to do his thing. I know it’s another nit-picky point of mine, however, I strongly feel if Foligno played with his head up, he could score 20-25 goals per year and perhaps be the top 6 forward the Senators so desperately want him to be.

- -

Up next for the Senators is the final game of a five-game homestand against the Boston Bruins. The Senators have been very strong on home ice this season with a record of 16-6-3 at Scotiabank Place. It’s another critical game between these two Northeast opponents as the Bruins currently sit one point above the Senators for second place in the division. It’s possible Milan Lucic could return from his injury for this contest.

Stay classy, Ottawa Senators.

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NHL Winter Classic thoughts and suggestions

January 1st, 2010

The NHL’s third Winter Classic game has come and gone. Although the rink will remain in tact for a bit longer (there are some college games to be played over the next week or so), the main event is the one of most significance. With the Boston Bruins defeating the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park (2-1, in overtime), it marks the first time the home team has won a Winter Classic game.

This year’s Winter Classic didn’t have the “sexy” billing the previous two games had (Sidney Crosby outdoors and the two top Western Conference teams duking it out), but was probably the best executed event yet. Kudos to the NHL for putting on such a great event and for establishing a truly unique annual day for hockey in North America.

I don’t want to talk about the game itself . Honestly, it was a bit of a let down in comparison to previous Winter Classics. Instead, I have a few suggestions for future Winter Classic games. And to many of our readers, these are actually serious suggestions. Perhaps I’ll put a few jokes in the comments below. At any rate, here are my suggestions. Would love to know what you think!

  • Additional Seating – Why can’t the NHL  put in 8-10 rows of folding chairs on the field between the rink and the stands like boxing events do? It could easily be done and be a great source for additional revenue, more fans, etc…
  • Outdoor Complaints Solution – Despite how good the NHL (and largely Dan Craig) have gotten at staging outdoor hockey games, some still complain about potential points lost due to weather, ice, etc… for a novelty game. Why not stage NHL Allstar games outdoors? It would allow the NHL to put on a show with star players and help revamp a game that’s really losing interest amongst fans.
  • Video Games – Add in the outdoor venues as rinks available in the EA Sports/2K Sports hockey video games. OK – not so much an NHL thing, but it’s something most hockey gamers would appreciate.
  • Venues - Stop staging outdoor games in baseball stadiums and move future Winter Classic events back to football stadiums. Better sight lines and extra seating make more sense.
  • Ovechkin - Get Alex Ovechkin playing outdoors ASAP. He’s (arguably) the most popular player in the NHL and a spectacle to watch.
  • Social Media - Have a select number of fans staggered around the rink at ice level taking pictures/videos and uploading to social networks like Twitter and Facebook to engage fans watching at home. Hold a contest to pick the lucky winners and kick up even more press about the event.
  • Rivalries – All Winter Classic match-ups should feature good rivalries, whether they are long standing (Toronto vs Montreal) or modern rivalries (Washington vs Pittsburgh). It will help add to the allure of the game, the promotion of the event and help spice up intensity in the actual game.

Don’t get me wrong. I love what the NHL has done with the Winter Classic. The suggestions above are additional thoughts/comments I have about an event I’ve come to plan my New Years day around. I’m sure the classiest readers on the internet have ideas too. I’d love to hear ‘em! Happy New Years, everyone.

Stay classy, NHL Winter Classic games.

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What’s the real value of Jaroslav Halak?

December 28th, 2009

On a day the Montreal Canadiens play the Ottawa Senators, I figured it’d be topical to discuss Jaroslav Halak’s trade value. Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I’m merely putting two and two together.

Jaroslav Halak makes a save on Jeff Carter... classy

Jaroslav Halak makes a save on Jeff Carter... classy

It’s clear something has to give with the Montreal Canadiens having two NHL caliber starting goalies in Halak and Carey Price. Things thicken quickly as neither goalie has a contract beyond this season. Both are set to become RFAs on July 1, 2010 thanks in large part to Habs GM Bob Gainey and his no mid-season negotiations policy (nice one, Bob).

We all know the story with Halak. But here’s a quick timeline in case you forgot:

  • November: Halak’s agent – Alan Walsh – blasted Price on Twitter, suggesting Halak deserved more starts than the struggling Price. It should be noted there were some rumours suggesting Walsh was pushing Gainey to resign or trade Halak. Nice to see Walsh playing the subtle card…
  • December: Gainey confirms he’s looked into trading Halak to the Flyers. Gainey indicated he’s looking for a top 6 forward in return for Halak, but might not be able to get it. Gainey later commented that the Huet trade to Washington a few years ago got him a 2nd round draft pick and is comparable to the Halak situation.
  • Mid December: In an interview, Halak says he’s a team player, likes Montreal, but wants to be a starting goalie – in Montreal or elsewhere.
  • Late December: Halak goes from playing well to flat out nuts. In his last 4 starts, Halak is 4-0 with a goals against average of 1.50 and an incredible save percentage of .970.

Halak’s Real Value

So what’s Halak’s real value? It’s not the 2nd round pick mentioned back in October and it’s probably not a top flight star the stats above might get you at this very moment. Let’s be real, no goalie finishes a season with a save percentage of .970. Having said that, Halak’s stats do merit top 6 forward consideration. Add in the pressure of playing for Canada’s hockey team (had to throw that in there, Leafs fans) and Halak’s future potential (the kid is 24 years old). Halak could easily be one of the more sought after commodities this winter. Simply put, he’s a rising star and probably the best available goalie in the NHL right now.

While it seems no NHL team is willing to let go of a top 6 forward (now or at any point in the season), the oft mentioned Flyers have the depth to do it. Again, me speculating here, but a Jeff Carter for Jaroslav Halak trade seems pretty reasonable. I think that’s the level of Halak’s real value. Now before Flyers or Habs fans jump all over me, hear me out.

Flyers fans: Halak is a solid starting NHL goalie. He’s a better goalie than anyone the Flyers have had in the last 5+ years (that includes Ray Emery, despite pretty good play prior to injury). The Flyers have talented young forwards like Claude Giroux and James vanRiemsdyk that could absorb the loss of Carter. The trade would also free up significant cap space as Carter makes $5 Million this year and $5.5 Million next year. I’m guessing Halak could be signed to a 3-5 year deal with a cap hit of $3-$4 Million per season. (Purely speculation from me, but I think it’s reasonable).

Habs fans: I don’t expect much arguing from Habs fans; this would be a huge acquisition for the Canadiens. A 6’3 Center with proven goalscoring abilities… actually, I’d like to hear any arguments from Habs fans on this.

–

As I said at the top of this article, this is all my speculation. Maybe they keep Halak and trade Price, but I doubt that. The Habs certainly have a high quality asset to move between now and the March 3rd trade deadline (or between the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and July 1st) and it’s probably going to cost a top 6 forward (or a seriously high draft pick/top prospect). Whether or not this includes Jeff Carter, my sense is Gainey will get his asking price. The question is when.

Stay classy, Jaroslav Halak.

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