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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 27: Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina breaks aw…
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2010 NHL Playoffs: Five Surprise Performers Thus Far
20, Apr 2010Every year we wait patiently for the NHL Playoff season to commence. Some say the best part of the playoffs is watching a team get upset by a lower seed, some say it’s the heightened compete level from players and teams alike, me? I like watching unexpected hero’s emerge and players that were doubted by the “experts” come up huge.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five of the most surprising players thus far in the playoffs, for better, or for worse.
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The only time the names Pekka Rinne, Antti Niemi, and Tuukka Rask were mentioned before the playoffs was usually in regards to a goaltending “controversy”—but this ménage trois of magnificently miraculous masked men has carried their teams on their backs in the first round.
Rinne and Niemi are in a tough position because they are playing one another in the first round; therefore, only one youngster can advance. Through two games, Rinne and Niemi are both 1-1.
Rinne stifled the Chicago Blackhawks impressive offense in the first game, holding them to just one goal on 26 shots in a 4-1 win.
In the same game, Niemi was not spectacular, but he was consistent. He stopped 22 of 24 shots.
Game Two was a tough loss for Rinne, who played another stellar game. He stopped 31 shots of the 33 he faced, but received no goal support in a 2-0 loss.
Niemi bounced back in Game Two, stopping all 23 shots for his first career playoff shutout.
“Antti came off a game where we were all disappointed. It was a nice response by him,” Chicago Joel Quenneville told the Associated Press after Sunday’s win.
But perhaps the best overall goaltender in this year’s playoffs has been Rask.
Faced with the incredibly tough task of taking on Vezina Trophy-favorite Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres, Rask has stood on his head in the first round and currently has his Boston Bruins ahead 2-1 in the series.
Rask is just 23 years old with no playoff experience, but is playing like a seasoned veteran who has already won a couple of Stanley Cups. He has stopped 88 of the 94 shots he has faced in three games.
“He made some great saves to keep us in the game, particularly at the end of the game to keep us from going into overtime,” Bruins coach Claude Julien told the Associated Press of Rask after the Bruins’ win on Monday night.
The three netminders lead all playoff goalies in goals-against average and have three of the top four save percentages in the first postseason of their young careers.
The playoffs are usually won by experience and learning from mistakes, but so far this postseason, inexperience has the upper hand.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
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- Tags: Around the NHL, Best Slideshows - League, Boston Bruins, Hockey, nhl, Opinion, Partners NHL
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As the 2010 playoff season has commenced, one thing is evident: the NHL is loaded with a smorgasbord of talent.
Yes — I said smorgasbord.
In the constant debate over whether Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin is the league’s best player, we tend to overlook the rest of the NHL’s vast array of talent.
Although it may not seem like it, our league is full of other great players beyond Crosby and Ovechkin.
It’s time we start giving credit where credit is due.
With that being said, here are the ten best forwards in the NHL outside of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.
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Top 5 NHL Draft Prospects Not Named Taylor or Tyler
19, Apr 2010Everyone is raving about Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin for this year’s upcoming NHL Entry Draft, taking place in Los Angeles, California in June. But what people seem to forget is that there are over 200 more players that will be drafted in addition to Hall and Seguin.
Does anyone truly know the names of the other top prospects for this year’s draft?
Here is a list of the top five draft-eligible players for the 2010 entry draft that are NOT named Taylor or Tyler.
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With the playoff season just starting to heat up several series are beginning to emerge as much-watch TV. Ok, let’s face it, if you are an NHL fan all playoff games are must-watch TV, so I digress.
Heading into this week there are several key games we are looking forward to. Now, let’s be clear here, I do not own a crystal ball so I can’t see the future. The further these series go, the more important the games get—we all understand this.
That said, there are still plenty of important games that will go off this week so let’s take a look at this weeks five must watch games and where to catch them.
For more NHL news and notes check out my website at www.theslapshot.com
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This is not your typical top 20 list of the best NHL players. These are the players that do not always show up on the score sheet and maybe are not talked about on Sportscenter.
These players are the battered and the bruised bodies that can barely lift the Stanley Cup when they finally win that magical sixteenth game.
These players put their heart, soul and bodies on the line for the crest on the front of their jerseys night in and night out.
Simply put, these are the top 20 workman type players in the NHL from the 2009-10 season.
This list was decided based on the following statistics: hits, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways, and shots.
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Top 10 NHL Playoff Series of the Last 10 Years
16, Apr 2010Once a year the most exciting tournament in sports comes around, and that time is now. Every year 16 of the best teams in the league duel it out for one of the most coveted trophy in all of sports.
Every season their are double and triple overtime thrillers, their are upsets, their is bloodshed, and tears, but their is also the most exciting experience you could imagine.
Fans pull together to cheer on their team, sold out stadiums, seas of red, white, and every colour under the sun, towels, rats, octopi, whatever you can imagine are used to rev up the home team, and boy does it ever create an amazing atmosphere.
The experience is second to none, and nothing beats the thrill of winning the Cup.
The first Stanley Cup of the new decade will be awarded soon, and it seems only proper to look back, and take a look at the most memorable series of the last 10 years.
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The 2010 NHL playoffs get underway tonight and like always everyone is dreaming their team will lift the Cup. This year in the East it is the Washington Capitals that find themselves at the top while the Montreal Canadiens round out the top eight.
While it looks like a team like the Canadiens have no shot at winning the cup and the Capitals should be able to do win their first in franchise history I will take a look at eight reasons why each team from the Eastern Conference will win the Stanly Cup this year.
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2010 NHL Playoffs: The Top Five Veterans
14, Apr 2010Well, we’re here. The playoffs start today!
There are a lot of youngsters in this year’s crop of playoff talent; players looking to prove themselves for the first time.
Drew Doughty will have his hands full against the Vancouver Canucks and Tuukka Rask will be trying to out-duel Vezina-favorite Ryan Miller.
And then there are the normal attention-getters. It’s tough to not focus on players like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and Henrik Zetterberg when the playoffs are getting started.
But don’t forget about the proven veterans who would still like to prove a little more.
Here are the top veterans to watch in this year’s postseason.
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NHL Players To Watch Out For Next Season
14, Apr 2010With so many young players entering the NHL nowadays I have compiled a list of the players who I think will have a huge impact on the performance of their team entering next season.
Enjoy and keep in mind that this is just my opinion so don’t go have a cow if you don’t like the players I selected. I look forward to reading your comments and hearing your opinions about who should be watched next season
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- Tags: Around the NHL, Best Slideshows - League, Hockey, nhl, Opinion, Partners NHL
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On Tuesday evening the NHL held their annual draft lottery, which determines the top half of the 2010 entry draft. Similar to the NBA Draft Lottery, the worst teams in the NHL have the best chances to win the top pick.
This year, the lottery held to form; the Edmonton Oilers won the top pick.
Let’s take a look at the order of the first 14 picks of the 2010 NHL draft, and where some of these teams might look for help.
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The 2009-10 NHL regular season has come and gone. It’s been nothing short of very entertaining.
From the playoff races to the individual award races to the rivalries to the excitement of great teams (like the Capitals, Blackhawks, and Canucks) to the terrible disappointment of others (like the Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs, and Oilers), the NHL has never fallen short of greatness, and this past regular season was no different.
Here’s how I see the NHL 30 teams entering the playoffs.
1. Washington Capitals (54-15-13)
Alex Ovechkin fell short of the Art Ross Trophy and “Rocket” Richard Trophy, but his eyes are on a bigger trophy. Hint: It starts with “Stanley” and ends with “Cup.”
2. Chicago Blackhawks (52-22-8)
Even though the Blackhawks fell short of the West’s top seed, they still look ready for a strong run in the playoffs.
3. Vancouver Canucks (49-28-5)
They had a shaky end to the regular season. Now is not to time to continue the shakiness. The L.A. Kings are their first round opponents, and they are definitely not a team to look past. I can’t believe I just typed that down…
4. San Jose Sharks (51-20-11)
Because of the three teams ahead of them, I still don’t believe the Sharks are going to win the Stanley Cup this week, despite their strong end to the regular season.
5. New Jersey Devils (49-27-7)
Good news: They get past the Pens for the division championship and Buffalo for the No. 2 seed in the East. Bad news: They draw a division opponent for the playoffs. Yikes!
6. Buffalo Sabres (45-27-10)
It might’ve been a good thing to have the No. 3 seed in the East than the No. 2 seed after all. I’d rather play a team who can’t score at all like the Bruins than play a team with a great power-play unit like the Flyers.
7. Phoenix Coyotes (50-25-7)
If you would’ve told me in October that the Coyotes were going to make the playoffs this year and have a very good team, I would’ve slapped you and told you to keep dreaming. I now take my slap back and replace it with a big hug. This team is fo-rizzle!
8. Los Angeles Kings (46-27-9)
Like the Coyotes, the Kings are a Pacific Division team that I never would’ve thought could have a chance to make the playoffs this year. But Terry Murray’s club proved me wrong, and now the Canucks are going to have their hands full for the next two weeks.
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (46-28-7)
Can the Pens become the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs? If they can get past the Caps, Devils, and Sabres, then yes, absolutely!
10. Detroit Red Wings (44-24-14)
I’m interested to see how Jimmy Howard is going to handle his first playoff series. If he plays like he did in the regular season, you can just give the Red Wings the series win over the Coyotes right now.
11. Colorado Avalanche (43-30-9)
I seriously thought this team was going to stink this year. But the young guns in Denver have become one of the greatest stories in the league this year. Their chances of beating the mighty Sharks are very slim.
12. Philadelphia Flyers (41-35-6)
Big ups to Brian Boucher for getting the job done against the Rangers and getting the Flyers into the playoffs. Now, let’s see how he does in a playoff series.
13. Boston Bruins (39-30-13)
Playing against future Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller in the first round of the playoffs will not help the Bruins’ chances of getting past the first round. This team is going one-and-done because they can’t score their way out of a paper bag.
14. New York Rangers (38-33-11)
One of the most historic franchises in the NHL will officially go Stanley Cup-less for a 16th year in a row. So sad…
15. St. Louis Blues (40-32-10)
The Blues say goodbye to one of the greatest American-born hockey players of all time in Keith Tkachuk. But there are still reasons for optimism in St. Louis.
16. Nashville Predators (47-29-6)
The Preds win three of their last four to help them grab a playoff spot for the fifth time in six years. Now all they need to do is grab a first round win to boost the confidence of the team’s future. Their matchup against the Blackhawks will not help matters at all.
17. Calgary Flames (40-32-10)
The Flames were my pick to be one of the NHL’s final four teams left standing in late May. Now here they stand as the 2009-10 season’s biggest disappointment. Very embarrassing.
18. Montreal Canadiens (39-33-10)
The fact that the Habs have only won three of their past 11 games leads me to believe that the Habs have almost no shot against the Capitals in the playoffs.
19. Ottawa Senators (44-32-6)
After Ottawa traded away Dany Heatley, I thought this team had no shot at the playoffs this year. They are definitely ahead of the game, but a first round matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins doesn’t help their chances of getting past the first round and getting ahead of the game even more.
20. Dallas Stars (37-31-14)
Happy trails, Mike Modano, who is the greatest American-born hockey player of all time! And to Marty Turco, who has had his head up his rear end for two years.
21. Anaheim Ducks (38-33-11)
Have we seen the end of the incomparable Teemu Selanne? Don’t bet on it.
22. Atlanta Thrashers (35-34-13)
Another season, another disappointing ending. That and winning only three of their last 10 games lead me to believe that John Anderson won’t be behind the bench next season.
23. Carolina Hurricanes (35-37-10)
I have to give a little bit of credit to the ‘Canes for still managing to finish with 80 points while being bit by the injury bug multiple times during the season. I’m calling it right now: The Carolina Hurricanes will be very good next season and will make the playoffs as a top-five seed.
24. Minnesota Wild (38-36-8)
I wonder what Wild fans think about Martin Havlat right now.
25. Florida Panthers (32-37-13)
The Cats are out of the playoffs again. Not surprising. I feel so bad for Tomas Vokoun.
26. New York Islanders (34-37-11)
If the team can sort out its goaltending issues, it can become a playoff contender for once.
27. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-36-12)
Big ups to Steven Stamkos for racking up 51 goals this year. He’s not quite as good as a Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin, or Henrik Sedin, but he’s pretty close!
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (32-35-15)
After a sad ending to an even sadder entire season, I’d be shocked if Claude Noel remains behind the bench next season.
29. Toronto Maple Leafs (30-38-14)
What do the Maple Leafs need to improve on for next season? Answer: Absolutely everything!
30. Edmonton Oilers (27-47-8)
Their 7-2 loss is a great example of how the Oilers’ season went this year. If they want to be good at all, they have GOT to learn how to play defense!
Carter’s FINAL NHL Award Race Results
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player)
1. Henrik Sedin (VAN): 112 points, 83 assists, 29 goals
2. Sidney Crosby (PIT): 109 points, 58 assists, 51 goals
3. Alexander Ovechkin (WSH): 109 points, 59 assists, 50 goals
4. Ryan Miller (BUF): 41 wins, 2.22 GAA, 1,948 saves, .929 save pct.
5. Nicklas Backstrom (WSH): 101 points, 68 assists, 33 goals
6. Steven Stamkos (TB): 95 points, 51 goals, 44 assists
7. Martin St. Louis (TB): 94 points, 65 assists, 29 goals
8. Tuukka Rask (BOS): 22 wins, 1.97 GAA, 1,137 saves, .931 save pct.
9. Brad Richards (DAL): 91 points, 67 assists, 24 goals
10. Joe Thornton (SJ): 89 points, 69 assists, 20 goals
11. Patrick Kane (CHI): 88 points, 58 assists, 30 goals
12. Jimmy Howard (DET): 37 wins, 2.26 GAA, 1,849 saves, .924 save pct.
13. Marian Gaborik (NYR): 86 points, 44 assists, 42 goals
14. Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ): 85 points, 44 assists, 41 goals
15. Ilya Bryzgalov (PHX): 42 wins, 2.29 GAA, 1,805 saves, .920 save pct.
Vezina Trophy Winner (Top Goaltender)
1. Ryan Miller (BUF): 41 wins, 2.22 GAA, 1,948 saves, .929 saves pct.
2. Tuukka Rask (BOS): 22 wins, 1.97 GAA, 1,137 saves, .931 save pct.
3. Jimmy Howard (DET): 37 wins, 2.26 GAA, 1,849 saves, .924 save pct.
4. Ilya Bryzgalov (PHX): 42 wins, 2.29 GAA, 1,805 saves, .920 save pct.
5. Martin Brodeur (NJ): 45 wins, 2.24 GAA, 1,836 saves, .916 save pct.
Norris Trophy Winner (Top Defenseman)
1. Mike Green (WSH): 76 points, 57 assists, 19 goals
2. Duncan Keith (CHI): 69 points, 55 assists, 14 goals
3. Drew Doughty (LA): 59 points, 43 assists, 16 goals
4. Dan Boyle (SJ): 58 points, 43 assists, 15 goals
5. Chris Pronger (PHI): 55 points, 45 assists, 10 goals
Calder Trophy Winner (Top Rookie)
1. Matt Duchene (COL): 55 points, 31 assists, 24 goals
2. John Tavares (NYI): 54 points, 33 assists, 24 goals
3. Tyler Myers (BUF): 48 points, 37 assists, 11 goals
4. Niclas Bergfors (ATL): 44 points, 23 assists, 21 goals
5. Jamie Benn (DAL): 41 points, 22 goals, 19 assists
Jack Adams Award Winner (Coach of the Year)
1. Dave Tippett (PHX)
2. Terry Murray (LA)
3. Barry Trotz (NSH)
4. Lindy Ruff (BUF)
5. Joe Sacco (COL)
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
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As fans get ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs to begin, it’s time to look forward and consider some predictions.
It’s easy to predict that Sidney Crosby will have an awful mustache in a week, or that fans in every city will drink too much. It’s also easy to predict that Rangers fans will forever hate the shootout.
But what about some bold predictions? Let’s think outside of the box and make offer up some projections that are a little further from every day consideration.
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As we step closer to the most exciting two months of hockey, it’s time we look at the Power Rankings.
This time we’re not talking about the individual players or even the teams as a whole.
No, this time we’re giving the men behind the bench a nod for their hard work throughout the season, and of course, the treacherous road ahead.
The following is the Power Rankings for the 2010 NHL Playoffs, Coaches edition.
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Each NHL season we wait patiently for the first round playoff matches to reveal themselves. This season we watched as the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers took their playoff hopes down to the wire, with the Rangers succumbing to the Flyers in overtime.
It was an exciting finish to say the least, and now, with the regular season behind us, we focus on the playoffs and the intricacies that makes an NHL team into a Stanley Cup contender.
One of these little intricacies is a teams ability to perform on the power play. Special teams play a huge role in a teams success throughout the regular season— an important factor that is magnified come playoff time.
As is the case in the regular season, a teams power play success can, and often is, the difference between winning and losing. It’s no coincidence that four of the eight playoff teams from the Western Conference were ranked in the top ten NHL regular season power plays, including the the San Jose Sharks (fourth overall), Vancouver Canucks (sixth overall), the Los Angeles Kings (seventh overall) and the Detroit Red Wings (ninth overall).
Comparatively, the Eastern Conference boasts three teams within the NHL’s top ten regular season power plays, including the Washington Capitals (first overall), Montreal Canadiens (second overall) and Philadelphia Flyers who were ranked third overall, respectively.
Last season’s Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins came into last years playoffs with the 20th ranked power play. The team the Pens beat, the Detroit Red Wings, came into the playoffs with the NHL’s number one power play, so, you can see, this is not an exact science, there are exceptions to teams having success despite not having a great power play.
Last season’s playoffs saw the Chicago Blackhawks emerge with the best playoff power play at 27.9 percent. Here is a quick screen shot of the rest of the teams that qualified for the 2008-09 playoffs and how their power plays ranked:
Chicago Blackhawks—27.9 percent
Anaheim Ducks—26.0 percent
Vancouver Canucks—25.0 percent
Detroit Red Wings—23.7 percent
Columbus Blue Jackets—23.1 percent
Washington Capitals—21.2 percent
Pittsburgh Penguins—20.6 percent
San Jose Sharks—16.7 percent
Boston Bruins—14.0 percent
Philadelphia Flyers—13.3 percent
New York Rangers—12.9 percent
New Jersey Devils—11.1 percent
Calgary Flames—11.1 percent
Carolina Hurricanes—10.0 percent
St. Louis Blues—4.2 percent
Montreal Canadiens—0.0 percent
With all this in mind, let’s take a look at all 16 playoff teams and where their power plays rank coming into the 2009/’10 NHL playoffs…
(For more NHL playoff news and notes check out my Web site at www.theslapshot.com)
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Sunday afternoon, the NHL’s playoff picture finally achieved clarity. With two exciting overtime finishes and a winner-take-all shootout, the seeds are set and the matchups are known.
So who wins it all?
The numbers don’t lie: This could be an exhausting playoffs. Five playoff virgins will be between the pipes in the Western Conference, and a sixth hasn’t played in the second season in four years.
Meanwhile, the East will have some teams that have historically hated each other doing battle for the chance to raise the Cup. For Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, they don’t want to let go of it.
But to get to the Cup, these teams will first have to advance past the first round. Is there a Cinderella eight seed that could sneak up on a No. 1? Is there a darkhorse that might shock the world?
Let’s look at the matchups and make some predictions.
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2010 NHL Playoffs: Power Ranking the Playoff Coaches
12, Apr 2010While everyone is busy making series projections and breaking down each playoff match-up, we at Bleacher Report wanted to look beyond the rosters and rank the men behind the bench who make these teams go. The coach above (Bruce Boudreau) led his Washington Capitals to the President’s Trophy, but you might be surprised at where he’s ranked on this list. Where does your favorite team’s coach rank? Keep clicking to find out.
- In: Uncategorized
- Tags: Around the NHL, Best Slideshows - League, Hockey, nhl, Opinion, Partners NHL
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The Washington Capitals enjoyed remarkable regular season success in 2009-10, surprising many by capturing the Presidents’ Trophy with 121 points – the third highest total in over 30 years. Everyone knows all about Caps superstar Alex Ovechkin, who finished with 50 goals and 109 points while playing only 72 games
However, although Ovechkin had four remarkable seasons before this one, the Caps made the playoffs only twice and lost two of the three rounds they played in. As great an individual hockey player as he may be, by himself Ovechkin is not enough to bring a Stanley Cup to Washington.
Fortunately, the Capitals have improved each year since the lockout, and Ovechkin is now surrounded by a team with all the elements in place to make a run for the Stanley Cup.
Here are five reasons why they will go all the way.
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Power Ranking the NHL Playoff Center Position
11, Apr 2010With good reason, whenever anyone refers to, “the most important position in hockey,” they’re referring to the goalie.
However, if one had to choose a (very close) “second most important position in hockey,” the center position would be a hard one to argue against.
The center-man is the nucleus of hockey’s five-man unit. He takes face-offs, has defensive responsibilities in his own zone, offensive duties at the other end that can very well tip the scales of a game, and even a playoff series.
What follows is a ranking of the best centers heading into the playoffs. Each team is represented, however, this isn’t simply a list of each team’s highest scoring center. The selections and rankings are based on a few different factors.
First, each center’s season to date was taken into account.
Second, I looked at what each player meant to their individual team and their success this year.
Third, the talent of each player was thrown into the mix, as creativity and skill is something particularly important to a center.
Finally, and this may actually trump all of the proceeding, I took into account each guy’s “last minute factor”. That is, at the last minute of a playoff game, how important is it to have this player on the ice?
There may be a better way to select and rank players, and thus, you may not particularly agree with the selections. If not, great! Go ahead and post your own picks and make your case!
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