Hello and good Saturday evening. Is there anything better than getting a glimpse into our favorite NHL star’s Chat Roulette happenings on a Stanley Cup Final off-day? I think not.
This week’s Chat Roulette escapades feature Kerry Fraser-Jim Joyce, the always mature Jason Spezza and Taylor Hall with an MTV darling (sort of). Enjoy.
Stay classy, NHL Chat Rouletters.
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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…
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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Good Saturday morning or afternoon! Today is a beautiful day – the weather is great and game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals begins in a few short hours! Before getting to the game, I urge you to treat yourself to a few laughs (at me or from someone actually funny!).
This week’s Chat Roulette escapades feature Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin, Chris Pronger-Dustin Byfuglien and Steve Yzerman-Montreal Canadiens. Enjoy.
Stay classy, NHL Chat Rouletters.
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Tonight the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings square off for the Stanley Cup. The regular season is irrelevant and the future doesn’t matter. It’s about making less mistakes than the opponent for the last 60 minutes of the 2008-2009 season. That actually sounds pretty easy. Pretty sure every professional hockey player would shake their heads if they thought I was serious. Well, I am, sorta, but you know how these things are…
Who has the advantage going into game 7 tonight? It depends who you ask, but I’d like to objectively point out two area’s I think Pittsburgh benefits from.
Game 7 Experience
So much has been said about the Detroit Red Wings and their Stanley Cup experience from their recent Cup victories, however, most players on the Wings have never done so in a game 7. So how is that an advantage for Pittsburgh? Simple – the Penguins just don’t know any better. This game is exactly like game 6: lose the game and you lose the Cup. The simple fact the Wings haven’t been in game 7 territory might be enough to get them overthinking the situation. Yes – these are pro’s of the highest level, but they are still human beings. Every situation Detroit has faced in recent years, they’ve faced before. Nothing is new for them… until now. Pittsburgh’s youth could certainly provide an odd advantage here.
Improvements & Answers
Despite losing Ryan Malone in the off-season (note: next time you want to sign Malone; sign his dad first), Marian Hossa to some other team (can’t remember who…) and trading Ryan Whitney (maybe the Pens just don’t like Ryans, hence why they drafted Sidney Crosby over Anaheim Duck pick Bobby Ryan… alright. Bad joke…), the Penguins are a deeper team than last year. Every game they play (with exceptions to game 5…), shows they’ve learned from previous experiences. They didn’t get shutout in games 1 or 2 at the Joe Louis Arena, like last year and they won game 6 in Pittsburgh, unlike last year. They didn’t panick against Washington and completely dominated game 7 of that series. The remarkable thing about the Penguins playoff run this year is that they seem to have an answer for everything. When they look down and out, they play better. They turn up the heat. When Evgeni Malkin’s play is questioned, he gets better. Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled in game 5, yet rebounds in game 6 for a huge performance. You get my drift. The Penguins Cup run hasn’t been a fairy tale, but when the clutch performances are needed most, the Penguins have come through every time.
I’m still thinking Crosby’s raising Lord Stanley tonight. For the sake of this blog (We did say we might turn Stayclassy.net into a fishing blog if we’re not right on the Penguins winning…), I hope I’m right.
*Gulp*
Stay classy, young Penguins
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I have to admit, it’s hard not to get caught up in the hype for this one. Stanley Cup Final rematch, Game 7, back at the Joe, a chance to build on a dynasty for one team, a chance for redemption for another team. The storylines are endless and the excitement has built to an all-time high. This is what the NHL wanted. Let’s hope they get it.
Why the cynicism?
I have no doubt that this game has the potential to be great; a game we will talk about for years to come. But, like Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 1 last year, it also has the potential to fall flat on its face.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQQaQGOSquo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b]
This morning, the TSN Top Ten was the Top Ten Stanley Cup Final Game 7 moments. Not to give too much away, but there were only ten moments they listed. Yesterday, Ian Mendes at Rogers Sportsnet posted some of the best Game 7s in sports. Again, it was a short list. I’m sure in both cases there were many more. But there have also been plenty of duds. So here’s hoping tonight’s game doesn’t turn out like these travesties:
2009 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals
In what had been arguably the best series of the playoffs, there was no other option than a Game 7. Two of the best young teams in the East were going the distance, and we were promised fireworks. Well, except for a breakaway save by Fleury against Alexander Ovechkin, this game had about the same enthusiasm as Joaquin Phoenix’s recent appearance on Letterman. Pittsburgh skated away with this one, and I felt like I was watching pre-season in Switzerland. Not the Conference Semi-Finals.
2004 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals- Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Maybe this one stings a bit more because of my allegiance to the Ottawa Senators, but talk about another Game 7 letdown. In what was supposed to be Ottawa’s chance at finally beating the Leafs in the playoffs, a struggling offense, and stellar, if not incredibly lucky goaltending from Ed Belfour (remember when that Hossa shot hit the butt-end of his stick? Really Eddie? You meant to do that?), pushed this series to a Game 7. Well, we all remember how this one went. Current Stars GM Joe Niewendyk put two softies past Patrick Lalime and the game was out of hand and out of reach. The Sens bench, which used to turn defense into offense, was absolutely startled. They had no game plan after those goals, and we had to watch in utter dismay as Alfredsson led the charge to shake hands with the dreaded Leafs. In a series that had so much potential for Sens fans and the Battle of Ontario, this Game 7 was a dud.
2003 Stanley Cup Finals- New Jersey Devils vs. Anaheim Mighty Ducks
This one is being talked about as Dan Bylsma’s missed opportunity, but Game 7 was a complete bore. After coming back from a 3-1 deficit, most of the hockey world was cheering on Giguere and the Ducks as the cinderella story of 2003. But a shutout performance from Martin Brodeur and two goals from Mike Rupp made this less exciting than a John and Kate Plus 8 marathon on TLC.
1999 Western Conference Finals- Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche
Colorado took an impressive 3-2 lead over the future Stanley Cup Champions with a 7-5 victory in Game 5. After Dallas tied the series in Game 6, we all figured for some fireworks in Game 7. Well, 6 minutes into the third period and Dallas was already up 4-0. Only 7 minutes later did Colorado score its first goal, but Dallas had already wrapped this one up. They were on their way to the Finals. With a Colorado team that featured the likes of Sakic, Forsberg, Drury, and Fleury, we all figured we’d get a bit more out of this Game 7.
1996 Conference Semi-Finals- Detroit Red Wings vs. St. Louis Blues
I don’t know if you can call this a bad game, so much as a brutal way to end a series. We all know the goal. It’s replayed over and over and over. But Steve Yzerman grabs a loose puck that was coughed up by Wayne Gretzky, skates into the St. Louis zone, and fires a shot from the blueline that somehow handcuffs Jon Casey. It cements Yzerman as a great leader, player and playoff performer, sends Casey to who-knows-where, and ends the series. Good series, good hockey. Awful goal.
My age is beginning to show here, cause I’m sure I’m missing some other brutal Game 7s. Here’s hoping that tonight’s billing lives up to the hype, and doesn’t make my list next year.
Stay classy, Stanley Cup Finals Game 7. The NHL needs you.
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This has been an incredible series to watch. Great hockey from both the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ups, downs, and lots of what-ifs. Really, this series has boiled down to the intangibles. Leading into Game 7, a lot of these questions are going to be talked about. And this series will undoubtedly come down to a few more. But I present to you, the best what-if moments of the Stanley Cup Finals.
What if:
- Malkin had scored on that breakway in Game 1, when the score was still notched at 2-1?
- Abdelkader wasn’t slotted into the lineup, and scored two clutch goals to put it out of reach?
- Abdelkader hadn’t been scratched for Games 3, 4, 5 and 6?
- Hossa hadn’t been silent for most of the series?
- Fleury hadn’t stopped Cleary on that breakaway?
- The Wings hadn’t embarassed the Penguins in Game 5?
- Scuderi hadn’t made 3 impressive saves at the end of Game 6?
- Staal and Kennedy hadn’t stepped up and provided that secondary scoring?
So, leading into Game 7 on Friday night, here’s a few more, which could essentially win the Stanley Cup.
What if:
- Crosby steps up and breaks the jinx at the Joe?
- Malkin provides another dominating performance to finish these playoffs?
- Zetterberg and Datsyuk put on a ‘defense turning into offense’ clinic?
- Hossa breaks out of his funk?
- Fleury makes another game-changing save early in Game 7 (see game-changing save in Game 7 against the Capitals)?
All of these factors, and many more, are huge for tomorrow’s game. I refuse to make a call or prediction in this forum. I’ve done it in the past, but it never works out. Just know that we are lucky enough to have a Game 7, and to keep an eye out for these intangibles. Man I love sports.
Stay classy, NHL fans
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If there is one thing about the Stanley Cup and the NHL, you can find connections in the weirdest of places. Take for instance, Dan Bylsma and Mike Babcock. Bylsma, as many people know, was playing for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (back when they were still mighty) when Babcock was coaching. They both went to Game 7 together, and they both lost to the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Final.
Both coaches probably learned a lot in that situation, but that doesn’t mean Bylsma isn’t trying to get a little more information from Babcock. The following is a completely untrue recorded telephone conversation from last night.
Mike Babcock: Hello?
Dan Bylsma: Um, hey Mike. It’s Yzerman.
M.B: Yzerman? Which one?
D.B: Um, the good one.
M.B: Is that you Dan, you sorry S.O.B?
D.B: Yeah. Sorry coach.
M.B: What did I tell you Dan. You can’t keep calling me coach. You’re part of this club now. Just call me Mike. So what can I do for you?
D.B: I’m pretty nervous coa…er….Mike. I mean, it’s game 7. The only other Stanley Cup Final Game 7 I’ve been in didn’t work out so well.
M.B: Yeah, we really screwed the pooch on that one. But there was a lot more clutching and grabbing back then.
D.B: Seriously eh. Remember that time Adam Oates was holding onto my sweater for protection after Paul Kariya got drilled by Scott Stevens?
M.B: Not that kind of clutching and grabbing Dan. But anyways. There’s nothing to be nervous about. You got a heck of a team over there.
D.B: You think so? I’ve always thought they were pretty cool dudes. Did you know that Jordan Staal can’t even drink yet?
M.B: Yeah, I heard that. Some of my guys can’t drink either….but it’s for their blood pressure. Doctor’s orders. Anyways Dan, just go out there and give them the same speech I gave you guys in 2003.
D.B: Which one.
M.B: Oh come on. You remember. I said: “Don’t screw this up, or you might end up coaching against me some day in the Stanley Cup Finals and I swear to you I will punish your entire team for not letting me win the Stanley Cup this year!”
D.B: Oh….right. Do you think that’ll work?
M.B: Well, it didn’t back then, and now look at where we are.
D.B: Ohhhhh. Well on the plus side, maybe Sid the Kid will end up coaching against me.
M.B: Sure Dan. Anyways, good luck tomorrow. And stop calling.
D.B: Okay coach.
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Finding Marian Hossa in the 2009 Stanley Cup finals is almost as hard as those Where’s Waldo books from grade school – especially the one where Waldo’s at the zoo. Or the one just below where it seem’s he’s at a KFC football game.
Can you find Waldo? More importantly, can you find Marian Hossa?
Hossa’s playoff performance in 2008 with the Pittsburgh Penguins did wonders to shed the reputation of being a non-playoff performer. Hossa scored 26 points in 20 games in the Penguins 2008 run. So that was last year and everyone knows what happened next…
… One year later: Marian Hossa finds himself back in the Stanley Cup finals, against the very team he left. You couldn’t write a better story than this if you tried. Hossa turned down long term offers from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens (among others) for the chance to win a Stanley Cup in Detroit. Doing that probably means you really want to win a Stanley Cup, right?
Maybe not, if you are Marian Hossa. Hossa has had a fairly “meh” playoffs so far, registering only 15 points in 22 games. That’d be pretty good, if you weren’t playing with the likes of Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, Jiri Hudler, Nick Lidstrom and others. In the Finals, against his old team, Hossa has 3 assists in 6 games. Hmmm… two of those games were played with Pavel Datsyuk, too.
Marian Hossa - 2009 Stanley Cup finals version
It’s not just the numbers – it’s his play too. Hossa is a dominant player in the NHL because of his size, strength and hockey smarts. I haven’t really seen much of that. Sure, he’s been dominant along the boards with the puck, but the longer he holds the puck, the less likely he is to do anything with it. So while it’s impressive, where are the results to say “wow, you made something happen” ?
TSN’s Ray Ferraro made some great points following Pittsburgh’s clutch game 6 victory saying Hossa looks like he’s scared to touch the puck or do anything with it.
I agree with that.
Hossa’s not throwing the body much either; not making impact hits, not forechecking or owning the neutral zone as well as he can or as well as coach Mike Babcock probably wants. If anything, it should of be him stepping up to shadow Evgeni Malkin during Datsyuk’s absence. Had he done so, would we still be talking about who will win this series?
I just don’t get it – this is Hossa’s chance to win the big one and he’s not showing up. Not even close. If you can’t show up on the score board, you can sure as hell contribute with strong, aggressive play. And I still don’t get why Waldo is at a KFC football game, either.
Stay classy, Marian Hossa
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Not since 2003 has a player on the losing team in the Stanley Cup finals won the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player. We all remember J.S. Giguere’s performance that year, and that thick beard that probably had Scott Niedermayer jealous in both length and color (grey beards don’t look cool, Scott).
And as the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs wind down either Tuesday or Friday night, we’ll be left figuring out this year’s Conn Smythe winner. Well, we won’t, the NHL will, but you get what I mean. It’s with no surprise that this year’s Conn Smythe winner is a 2 horse race between Evgeni Malkin and Henrik Zetterberg.
You can make pretty good arguments for Sidney Crosby, Chris Osgood and maybe even Johan Franzen, but ultimately, Zetterberg and Malkin are the front runners. Their impact – although slightly different – are the big reason why both Detroit and Pittsburgh are in the finals, again.
The winner of the Conn Smythe usually goes to the winning team. Duh. Unless a performance nearly overshaddows the winning team, like Giguere in 2003. So the question really becomes:
If the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup, has Evgeni Malkin done enough to win the Conn Smythe?
Conversely, if the Penguins win the Stanely Cup, has Henrik Zetterberg done enough?
Malkin has truly stepped up, leading the Penguins (and all other players) with 35 points in 22 games. Zetterberg is 3rd in playoff scoring (24 points in 21 games), but his biggest contributions lie in his defensive play, shutting down Rick Nash, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrick Kane and now Sidney Crosby. Oh yeah, and his offensive contributions aren’t anything to frown on either.
It’s a tough call. Ultimately, the team that wins the Stanley Cup will probably host the Conn Smythe as that player will likely outplay everyone else, propelling their team to victory. But that’s based on how the NHL has typically awarded the trophy.
Who do I think should win the trophy, regardless of who wins the Cup? Henrik Zetterberg, by a mile. He’s shut down some of the game’s best and brightest stars as noted above. He’s been relied on even more in the Stanley Cup finals with Pavel Datsyuk injured and out of action. He’s average more than a point per game in the playoffs (averaged slightly less in the regular season), despite increased attention and time spent in the defensive zone.
Hank should win this trophy. I believe he’s meant more to the Detroit Red Wings than Evgeni Malkin has to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Don’t get me wrong – Malkin is no slouch. I believe Zetterberg has been a hair or two more dominant to the Red Wing’s pursuit of Lord Stanley than Malkin to the Penguins. Do you agree?
Stay classy, Zetterberg
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Cannot support Stan
June 11th, 2010Think back to a time in your life when someone or something offended you. Perhaps a time involving family or a particular incident. Or that time when Darryl Sutter said he knew what he was doing. Or maybe someone insinuating Stan Bowman was the primary architect of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup win a few days ago.
Moments after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup (which was moments after we all figured Kane’s goal was actually a goal), a certain Canadian Broadcast Company (shall remain nameless) introduced Stan Bowman as the man who built the Chicago Blackhawks and credited him as the mastermind behind their prominent rise to glory in an interview lead in.
Virtually everyone on Earth knows Dale Tallon did the lionshare of work to build the newly crowned Stanley Cup Champions. But I don’t need to tell you what you already know. The only thing Stan Bowman did to alter Tallon’s 2010 blueprint was trade Cam Barker to Minnesota for Kim Johnsson and prospect Nick Leddy. If anything this salary cap related trade probably weakened the Hawks. Johnsson played only eight games with Chicago before suffering a concussion back in March.
My brother said it best after I calmed down from my tantrum on Wednesday, “Stan Bowman stick handled around some minor salary cap issues this year.” True but nothing will compare to this summer as Bowman tries to rebuild another Cup-caliber team for next season and beyond. The Blackhawks have at least nine key players to resign with less than $4 Million of cap space (approximately). [Figures based on info from CapGeek.com and NHLNumbers.com].
Not with me? How about an analogy to clear things up… Stan Bowman basically stick handled around a Philadelphia Flyers goalie. In dealing with the major cap issues this summer, it’s the equivalent to stick handling around … well, any other NHL goalie. Good luck! I’ll eat my words if Stan Bowman can get his team back to the Stanley Cup Finals next year. Making it back to the Finals next season would earn him that engraving he’ll get from this season’s win. Until then the Stanley Cup’s spelling of Tallon — “B-O-W-M-A-N” — isn’t quite right.
Stay classy, Stan Bowman. You still get your name on the Stanley Cup.
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Posted in Hockey Rants, NHL Commentary
Tags: Cam Barker Chicago Blackhawks Dale Tallon Darryl Sutter Hockey NHL Patrick Kane Philadelphia Flyers Stan Bowman Stanley Cup Stanley Cup Finals StayClassy.net