Posts Tagged ‘Opinion’

NHL’s Northeast Division Is Up for Grabs

28, Jul 2010

Predictions for the upcoming NHL season are already being posted around the web, and many teams are not done making moves. At this point, are the Sabres good enough to win the division again?

Mike Corcoran, a Tampa Bay radio host, posted his Eastern Conference predictions with Buffalo finishing in fifth place. Corcoran stated this about the Sabres:

“Some will make the claim that a winning team starts from the net out, and the Buffalo Sabres have one of the best in the Eastern Conference in Ryan Miller. He can and will single handily steal games. The Sabres signed Jordan Leopold to help fill the void left by the departures of Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman. They also added center Rob Niedermayer to solidify the forward lines. As long as Miller stays healthy, the Sabres are one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.”

Boston was predicted to win the Northeast Division by Corcoran, but Ottawa and Buffalo are not far behind. Ryan Miller had the whole nation on his side after his performance in the Olympics last February. He went on to win the Vezina Trophy after winning 41 games and finishing with a .929 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against.

The Buffalo Sabres defensive core helped to support Miller’s numbers. The Sabres were in the top five in goals against, but how will the defense be this year with the loss of Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman?

Many will argue that there is no difference. Even though we lost two solid defensemen, the acquisition of Jordan Leopold and the call up of Mike Weber will fill in the gaps on defense.

Not only do the Sabres still need help on the power play, but what about Craig Rivet? His shoulder surgery will cause him to be out for some time and he may not make it back in time for the opener. The Sabres may be without him as well, forcing the Sabres to call someone else up.

Tyler Myers finished with 48 points last season, and will try to improve on that this year. In addition, Myers was one of just three Sabres to play all 82 games last season.

Maybe the Sabres should think about hiring a power play coach, who they used to have. When the Sabres went to the Finals in 1999, its power play ranked first in the league.

Without a power play coach and a power play quarterback, the Sabres defense will likely be a downgrade from last season. It will be difficult to duplicate last year’s performance if the team struggles on the defensive end.

If that does happen, is the offense going to be able to save them? No. Buffalo does not have enough fire power on offense to win high scoring games. A few years ago, that would not have been a problem. Even down the road, prospects from the Portland Pirates may be able to solve that problem. There are no players on the team now that can spark the offense with clutch goals.

Buffalo is in need of just a couple of players this offseason, and that is certainly not out of reach considering how much cap space Regier has to spend. At this point in the offseason, are the Sabres able to compete with the rest of the Northeast Division? Where will they finish in the Eastern Conference?

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Max Talbot Calls Alex Ovechkin a Douche

28, Jul 2010

With the ensuing Winter Classic between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals gobbling up headlines, the plot got a little thicker yesterday when Penguins forward Max Talbot called Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin a “douche.”

Talbot, who was being interviewed on a local Pittsburgh radio station, was referring to an incident when he was introduced to Ovechkin by teammate Evgeni Malkin.

While Talbot did not give a specific reason or detail the incident, he did say, “I hate the guy (Ovechkin).” Talbot went on to say, “I was actually at the NHL Awards last summer with (Evgeni) Malkin, and we brought the Stanley Cup over there after the season,” Talbot told The X. Malkin knew Ovechkin, and introduced me to him, and the first impression wasn’t great. I’m not really gonna say what happened, but I’m like, ‘Okay, this guy is a real douche.’”

Talbot’s comments will surely fuel what is already one of the best rivalries in hockey, and it will be interesting to watch for a rebuttal from Ovechkin.

Until next time,

Peace!

 

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Maxime Talbot Calls Alex Ovechkin “A Real Douche”

28, Jul 2010

Maxime “I have fewer goals in my NHL career than you have in one season” Talbot called Alex Ovechkin “a real douche” during an interview with a Pittsburgh radio station.

Talbot then stated: “I just hate the guy.” 

Talbot, who has split time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL, seems to have forgotten about not giving the other team “bulletin board fodder.” 

I understand Talbot is trying to promote 2011’s Winter Classic, which will be a game featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals, but he could have come across a little more mature.  

Calling the two-time NHL MVP “a real douche” is fairly childish and not a very smart way to promote the NHL’s second most heavily hyped event.

Hopefully someone from the NHL office gets in touch with Mr. Talbot and lets him know that this is the NHL, not the WWE, and the “morning zoo” radio comments do not help the game in the least.

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One Trade the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Look Into With Dallas

28, Jul 2010

Why?

It’s simple.

The Dallas Stars are in need of boosting their defense. Dallas’ top D-man is Stephane Robidas with 41 points, which is not bad. Second is Trevor Daley with 22 points, four points less then Francois Beauchemin at 26 points, and with the rest of Dallas’ defense having less than Luke Schenn (17), Dallas should be questioning what they have on the back end.

This is where Brian Burke can discuss a possible trade with his old student, Joe Nieuwendyk, another Leafs connection. The players hopefully involved are as follows:

 

To The Dallas Stars

Tomas Kaberle

Mikhail Grabovski

Jeff Finger                                                          

To The Toronto Maple Leafs

Brad Richards

James Neal

Future Considerations

This trade will satisfy both team’s needs where the Leafs are are looking for a top Center and Forward, where as Dallas can strengthen their defense crop.

 

Here is the breakdown of the trade for both teams

Kaberle is Kaberle. There is no need to beat a dead horse regarding Kaberle’s situation with the Leafs. Enough said.

Dallas needs to fill the void on the blueline, as the team is without an experienced puck-moving defenseman to quarterback the powerplay. Cap hit of $4.5 million for this coming season.

Mikhail Grabovski this past season has been in the dog house and needs to move to a small market, i.e. Sergei Kostitsyn to Nashville. Last year Grabovski had 20 goals 28 assist for 48 points in 78 games. With Dallas losing two forwards in Brad Richards and James Neal, Grabovski can help fill the hole at center along with Jamie Benn at left wing, a Dallas prospect, with a cap hit of $2.9 million for two years.

Jeff Finger is not as bad a defenseman as Leaf nation portrays him. In 39 games last season, Finger collected 10 points. This ties him with Mark Fistric, who played 67 games or five points behind Matt Niskanen with 74 games played.

Last year Finger had 23 point in 66 games and his last year in Colorado, 19 points in 74 games. Remember, Finger was not signed for his offense abilities. Finger was signed for his toughness, hitting and clearing the man in front of the net, with a cap hit of $3.5 million for two years.

Bead Richards, 30, is a top center that the Leafs are looking for and can be a mentor for the younger centers as well. Richards is a playmaking center that exhibits leadership abilities, has a Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup ring under his belt. Last season Richards had 24 goals, 67 assists for 91 points in 80 games. Richards is entering the last year of his contract at a cap hit of $7.8 million, and if the Leafs so choose, Richards can sign an extension at a lesser amount.

James Neal can fill the Leaf’s needs of a top-six forward and compliment Phil Kessel on the first line. Neal is 22, scored 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points in 78 games last season. He is 6′2″ and 210 pounds, so he has the size and skill that Brian Burke likes. Neal has the potential of being a 30+ goal player where the Leafs can offer a four-year contract worth $4.5 million per season. Dallas cannot match the same offer, due to their internal budget. Neal is a RFA this year, who could earn in the area of $4.5 million for four to five years.

 

Salaries going each way

To Leafs: 7.8 + 4.5 = 12.3 million

To Dallas: 4.5 + 3.5 + 2.9 = 10.9 million

Dallas Stars Owner Tom Hicks has the team in bankruptcy. While ownership is attempting to sell the team, this puts GM Joe Nieuwendyk in uncertain financial circumstances. This trade can save Dallas $1.4 million. Also, by adding Finger to the trade it helps Dallas meet the Cap Floor requirement.

 

Projected Leafs Roster

Phil Kessel – Bead Richards – James Neal

Nikolai Kulemin – Tyler Bozak – Kris Versteeg

Colby Armstrong – Nazem Kadri – Fredrik Sjostrom

Colton Orr – Christian Hanson (signs for 1 million) – Mike Brown

  Dion Phaneuf – Carl Gunnarsson

Mike Komisarek – Brett Lebda

Luke Schenn – Francois Beauchemin       

 

Avg Age

25

Roster Size

21

Salary Cap

59.4

Darcy Tucker (Buyout)

1.0

Team Total Payroll

62.24

Bonuses

-5.94

Cap Space

2.10

 

Hopefully this trade can be a possibility where the Leafs have Richards and Neal as their next targets. Brian Burke wants to fast track his way to the playoffs and this can be an option for him without giving up any young prospects or signing old veterans past their prime like other Leafs GMs did in the past.

Hope you enjoyed the read. This is my first article posted and I’m looking forward to your comments.

 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

One Trade the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Look Into With Dallas

28, Jul 2010

Why?

It’s simple.

Dallas Stars are in need of boosting their defense. Dallas’ top D-man is Stephane Robidas with 41 points, which is not bad. Second is Trevor Daley with 22 points, four points less then Francois Beauchemin at 26 points, and with the rest of Dallas’ defense having less then Luke Schenn, which Schenn has 17 points, Dallas should be questioning what they have in the back end.

This is where Brian Burke can discuss a possible trade with his old student, Joe Nieuwendyk, another Leafs connection. The players hopefully involved are as follows:

To The Dallas Stars

Tomas Kaberle

Mikhail Grabovski

Jeff Finger                                                          

To The Toronto Maple Leafs

Brad Richards

James Neal

Future Consecration

This trade will satisfy both team needs where the Leafs are are looking for a top Center and Forward, where as Dallas can strengthen their defense crop.

Here is the breakdown of the trade for both teams:

Kaberle is Kaberle. There is no need to beat a dead horse regarding Kaberle’s situation with the Leafs. Enough said.

Dallas needs to fill the void on the blueline, as the team is without an experienced puck-moving defenseman to quarterback the powerplay. Cap hit of 4.5 million for this coming season.

Mikhail Grabovski this past season has been in the dog house and needs to move to a small market, i.e. Sergei Kostitsyn to Nashville. Last year Grabovski had 20 goals 28 assist for 48 points in 78 games. With Dallas losing two forwards in Brad Richards and James Neal, Grabovski can help fill the hole at center along with Jamie Benn at left wing, a Dallas prospect. Cap hit of 2.9 million for two years.

Jeff Finger is not a bad defenseman as Leaf nation portrays him. In 39 games last season, Finger collected 10 points. This ties him with Mark Fistric, who played 67 games or five points behind Matt Niskanen with 74 games played.

Last year Finger had 23 point in 66 games and his last year in Colorado, 19 points in 74 games. Remember, Finger was not signed for his offense abilities. Finger was signed for his toughness, hitting and clearing the man in front of the net. Cap hit of 3.5 million for 2 years.

Bead Richards, 30, is a top center that the Leafs are looking for and can be a mentor for the younger centers as well. Richards is a playmaking center that exhibits leadership abilities, has a Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup ring under his belt. Last season Richards had 24 goals, 67 assists for 91 points in 80 games. Richards is entering the last year of his contract at a Cap hit of 7.8 million and if the Leafs so choose, Richards can sign an extension at a lesser amount.

James Neal can fill the Leaf’s needs of a top-six forward and compliment Phil Kessel on the first line. Neal is 22, scored 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points in 78 games last season. He is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, so he has the size and skill that Brian Burke likes. Neal has the potential of being a 30+ goal player where the Leafs can offer a four-year contract worth $4.5 million per season. Dallas cannot match the same offer, due to their internal budget. RFA this year projected at 4.5 million for four to five years.

Salaries going each way:

To Leafs: 7.8 + 4.5 = 12.3 million

To Dallas: 4.5 + 3.5 + 2.9 = 10.9 million

Dallas Stars Owner Tom Hicks has the team in bankruptcy. While ownership is attempting to sell the team, this puts GM Joe Nieuwendyk in uncertain financial circumstances. This trade can save Dallas 1.4 million. Also, by adding Finger to the trade it helps Dallas meet the Cap Floor requirement.

Projected Leafs Roster

Phil Kessel – Bead Richards – James Neal

Nikolai Kulemin – Tyler Bozak – Kris Versteeg

Colby Armstrong – Nazem Kadri – Fredrik Sjostrom

Colton Orr – Christian Hanson (signs for 1 million) – Mike Brown

  Dion Phaneuf – Carl Gunnarsson

Mike Komisarek – Brett Lebda

Luke Schenn – Francois Beauchemin       

 

Avg Age

25

Roster Size

21

Salary Cap

59.4

Darcy Tucker (Buyout)

1.0

Team Total Payroll

62.24

Bonuses

-5.94

Cap Space

2.10

 

Hopefully this trade can be a possibility where the Leafs have Richards and Neal as their next targets. Brian Burke wants to fast track his way to the playoffs and this can be an option for him without giving up any young prospects or signing old veterans past their prime like other Leafs GMs did in the past.

Hope you enjoyed the read. This is my first article posted and I’m looking forward to your comments.

 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Bleeding Blue and White: Signing Blake Wheeler and Keeping Tomas Kaberle

27, Jul 2010

As you may already know, the Boston Bruins had a salary arbitration meeting with Blake Wheeler on Tuesday. Wheeler’s agent said that the meeting was professional, essentially stating that it wasn’t very contentious.

What is a matter of contention is how the Boston Bruins are going to respond to Wheeler’s award.

According to capgeek.com, the Boston Bruins have just over $12,000 left for two to three players to fill out their roster. Recognizing that Marco Sturm is going to miss the first month and a half of the season due to ACL rehabilitation, the Bruins are still in deep cap trouble.

Sturm has a cap hit of $3.5 million. Assuming he is put on LTIR and misses the first two months of the season, Sturm will still take up $2.5 million.

Add the signing of Tyler Seguin, which will have a cap hit of about $3.75 million (see Taylor Hall), and the Bruins are in trouble.

With recent arbitration dealings such as Clarke MacArthur receiving $2.4 million and the signing of Mason Raymond for $2.5 million a year, it stands to reason that Wheeler will get anywhere from $2.4-2.7 million a year.

That is $2.7 million the Boston Bruins do not have. Enter Brian Burke.

After the Bruins are forced to walk away from Wheeler’s arbitration deal, Brian Burke has the opportunity that many GMs don’t have. He has the roster space, the cap space (waiving Finger), and the bait to bring in a top six forward like Wheeler.

The bait is playing alongside former college and Bruins line mate Phil Kessel. Once Wheeler is signed, the Leafs would have a top six forward who is only 23 with 25 goal potential and a big-body power game.

In other Leafs news, looking at recent reports, it’s very clear that the biggest stone of the UFA season needs to fall before any Tomas Kaberle trade can occur. Luckily, the NHL and NHLPA are looking for an arbiter, and hopefully, this will all be settled by the end of the week.

But at this point, do we really want to trade Kaberle?

I realize that we have eight defenceman and some younger guys waiting in the wings, but with Wheeler possibly signing with the Leafs, the need for a top six forward will be satisfied. Once Finger is waived, we can trade another defenceman.

Defenceman of Kaberle’s ilk aren’t exactly a dime a dozen. For the right price, the best deal may be the deal that rights a wrong from the past, and locks in a player who has always been loyal to the Blue and White.

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Toronto Maple Leafs Rookies Ready To Shine in September

27, Jul 2010

The Toronto Maple Leafs recently announced that the 2010 Rookie Tournament will take place at the John Labatt Centre beginning on September 11th. This should be a great opportunity to see how the Leafs’ young prospects have progressed over the summer, and give them a chance to showcase their talent in hopes of earning a spot on the big club in October.

This year’s rookie roster should be filled with players varying in talent level and playing style. It should be interesting to watch the mix of prospects ranging from the pre-Burke era to the players drafted only a month ago by the current management and scouting team.

Not only has Brian Burke brought in tough, gritty, and hardworking players to play on the current Leafs’ roster, he has also purposely drafted this style of player on many occasions within the last two years. This is in hopes that the culture change within the newly formed Leafs will stay with the Maple Leafs as long as he is General Manager, and far beyond.

Examples of such prototypical Burke draftees include Brad Ross, Kenny Ryan, Sam Carrick, Jamie Devane, and Jesse Blacker. These players bring the proper levels of truculence that Burke so desires. Add in prospects such as Marcel Mueller and Simon Gysbers, both of whom Burke signed as free agents, and you have a pretty big and tough roster to ice in September.

This is just an example of the potential Leafs’ Rookie Tournament roster:

 

D’Amigo – Kadri – Stefanovich

Mueller - McKegg – Ryan

Ross - Irwin – Mitchell

Devane – Carrick – Greenop

Nicholls

 

Aulie – Blacker

Mikus – Holzer

Granberg – Gysbers

Knodel

 

Reimer – Rynnas – Scrivens

 

That’s a pretty intimidating lineup if you ask me. Burke has definitely put his fingerprint on the Toronto Maple Leafs system over the past year and a half.

The Leafs’ rookies will be going up against the rookie rosters of the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Ottawa Senators. All of these teams have fairly deep prospect pools, especially Chicago after cleaning house this year and getting some very good draft picks and prospects in return. 

Young players to be on the lookout for on each of these rosters are as follows:

 

Chicago

Forwards: Kyle Beach, Jack Skille, Jimmy Hayes, Kevin Hayes, Brandon Pirri, Jeremy Morin, Marcus Kruger, Chris Didomenico, Philippe Paradis

Defense: Dylan Olsen, Shawn Lalonde, Nick Leddy

 

Pittsburgh

Forwards: Eric Tangradi, Beau Bennett, Dustin Jeffrey, Nick Johnson, Nick Petersen

Defense: Simon Despres, Alex Velischek

 

Ottawa

Forwards: Jakob Silfverberg, Andre Petersson, Ilya Zubov, Zack Smith, Jakub Culek

Defense: Jared Cowen, Patrick Wiercioch, David Rundblad

 

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie roster is actually downright scary, at least talent wise, and is most likely the favourite to win the tournament. The Leafs’ team will most likely use their intimidation and shutdown abilities to their advantage, but will have a very tough time with the Blackhawks’ highly skilled  prospects. Ottawa seems to lack in both the skill and grit departments, so they may have a tough time against the other well-rounded teams.

Should be a great opportunity to see the future stars of the NHL playing their hearts out, albeit just for bragging rights. Personally, I can’t wait to get a head start on seeing what the Toronto Maple Leafs’ future will look like.

Please let me know what your Toronto Maple Leafs rookie roster would look like.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

New York Rangers: Be Happy With Alexander Frolov in New York

27, Jul 2010

Listen, Ranger fans, be happy with today’s signing of left winger Alexander Frolov.

He brings secondary scoring to a team that literally had none. After Marian Gaborik’s 40-plus goals, Vinny Prospal and Brandon Dubinsky were tied for second with 20.

If nothing more, be happy that this should shore up Wade Redden’s demotion to Hartford, along with making the final defenseman spot Ryan McDonagh’s to lose. This is, in a way, addition by subtraction, while still adding a pretty solid piece.

Frolov’s contract is no-risk, high-reward. Many people have drawn comparisons to the Nik Zherdev trade two seasons ago, but here the team is losing nothing but money, and not much of it. $3 million for a former two-time 30-goal scorer is a steal.

Expect his goal production to increase dramatically while playing with Gaborik and Erik Christensen, who is a very talented playmaker. There is no reason Frolov shouldn’t net at least 30 if he stays healthy.

Also, unlike Zherdev, he wants to play here. There were times where Nik Zherdev just disappeared, and seemed like a high school senior going through the motions waiting for the season to end to head back home to Russia and the open arms of the KHL.

It has been reported that Frolov turned down a four-year, $20 million contract with SKA St. Petersberg, for the chance to play here in New York for the Rangers.

Many fans are complaining that there are no spots open for the younger prospects to break through the ceiling to the NHL. Let’s remember, though, that just because someone is expected to make the team, doesn’t secure a spot on the roster.

I still believe Evgeny Grachev will make team out of camp, along with McDonagh. On top of that, Brian Boyle’s spot is not guaranteed, opening the door for Derek Stepan to make the jump out of camp.

Let’s say, for arguments sake, Frolov doesn’t have the season I am expecting him to, only putting up 15 goals and 20 assists. He is signed to a one-year deal, and can be shipped out for picks at the deadline.

In the end, there was no one better out there or in the system that has the potential to change the team like Frolov does. For $3 million, Frolov is a steal for a season.

If he scores 30 goals and 25 assists, Sather will look like a genius. If he flops, he’s gone in April.

 

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Question to Vancouver Canucks GM: Where’s the Depth at Forward?

27, Jul 2010

Now that Mason Raymond is signed, where is the depth at forward that was recognized as being a priority after the Chicago Blackhawks knocked off the Canucks for the second year in a row?

Due to injuries that were later disclosed after the playoffs, the Canucks once again ended up being a one line team.

This year, with Alex Burrows’ shoulder surgery expected to keep him from starting the season, where is the supporting cast?

If Mikael Samuelsson plays with the Twins (first line), Kesler and Raymond make up part of the second line and Malhotra plays on the third line.

Who fills in the rest of the spots?

Never mind the fourth line as it has the scoring and grit factor needed from the third line in order to get past the second round of the playoffs.

The only significant factor that was added to the third line was Manny Malhotra as the rest of the names are prospects, AHL players, or fourth line players signed from other teams.

There are a few unrestricted free agents still available that could help the third line, but there is no cap space without moving a D-man.

The pickings are really slim at this time. The only players left are at the end of their careers or fourth liners.

There are, however, a few that are still available that could be acquired once the salary cap space is cleared.

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An Interview with New York Islanders Beat Writer Anthony Curatolo

27, Jul 2010

I would like to thank Anthony for doing this. His work can be found at thehockeyguys.net and thefourthperiod.com .

Q: What are your thoughts on the Islanders offseason moves so far?

A: Well, when you hear the same constant complaining about the ice at the NVMC (Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum), as well as the NVMC itself being too old and out of date, I personally feel the Islanders offseason has been on par. It is difficult to bring in the big name free agents to a team that is still in the development window. 
Garth Snow, when brought on board as GM, called it the five-year plan and it seems that, to date, he is sticking to it.  Acquiring players like Milan Jurcina, Zenon Konopka, P.A. Parenteau, and Mark Eaton shows the fans that Garth knows there are holes that need to be filled and he is filling them with the best possible options.

The attempts for the bigger named free agents were made, and more money was offered, but many elected to sign elsewhere for whatever reason.  So, as a whole, they are doing a decent job, but when you look at it from a whole picture perspective, it is not an easy task to be the GM of the Isles when there is turmoil outside of the makeup of the team that needs to be answered and fixed first.

Q: What is the Islanders biggest remaining need heading into the regular season?
A: A pure top six winger, possibly even two.  With the way they have drafted the past few seasons, and the depth of youth within the organization, there is a lot of promise for the future of this Islanders team.  Trent Hunter is better slated to be a third line winger, and Kyle Okposo has plenty of ability to be a top six winger and has showed glimpses of that, but he really needs to start this season with the focus that he is a top six player.  Matt Moulson surprised the masses with his year; needs to be repeated. 
However, there really is a lack on the wings right now.  If they plan on Kirill Petrov and Nino Niederreiter making the team, well then that is what we will see happen and hope that will fill the voids on the top six winger positions.

It’s anyone’s guess at this point.  Are the Islanders attempting Stempniak?  Possibly, which would be a huge addition, but there are some kids that can fill that role, I just personally would not want to rush them. But if every attempt fails in UFA, I would not expect the Islanders to make a move and look internally to fill the voids.

Q: What is Rick DiPietro’s status heading into the season?
A: Garth Snow, in a recent interview with a personal friend of mine, Dee Karl from Hockeybuzz.com, stated that DiPietro is on course with his rehab and should be good to go to start the season.  I think this is going to be do or die for Ricky.  If he can finally get a clean bill of health, and find that groove again, the Isles have a very big positive in moving forward.  DiPi is all about getting back to the No. 1 role, and as long as his health can hold up, he will get there.
Q: Do you think Nino Niederreiter will make the team this season?
A: If Nino can make the team, the answer is yes. If the Isles choose to let him, it would be the wrong choice.  There is no need to rush a player like Niederreiter into the NHL when one year, again ONE year, of development could mean the world to making him a pure NHL regular.  He has the size, the hockey IQ, the hands and the mental side a player needs to make the club; absolutely. However, he shouldn’t. Not right away, not directly out of camp.
Q: What can we expect from the Islanders this season?
A: Further development.  If they decide to let the kids fill the voids, it’s another year of developing for the future.  Regardless, skaters like Andrew MacDonald, Jack Hillen, Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo, Robbie Schremp, etc., they all have a lot to give and some still have a lot to prove. For the Islanders, it is ALL about the future and the growth of the organization from within.
Q: Last but not least, can the Islanders make the playoffs this season?
A: Well, that depends on how the kids play.  It depends on if the Islanders will have a healthy DiPietro and a similar Dwayne Roloson from last season.  I don’t think it’s impossible, but when teams like the Devils, Penguins, and Flyers have all improved from last season, it becomes a division that is very tough to play in, even tougher as compared to last season. 
It’s not an impossible scenario but it’s a long shot.  You have to view things here under a microscope. The division and the conference are better, all around, so if they get hot and Moulson, Okposo, Tavares, Roloson, and DiPietro can perform to the potential surrounding them, sure it’s possible.  I would not take it to Vegas though.  I think one more year.

This concludes my interview with Anthony Curatolo, enjoy.

This article and more can be found at MTRMedia.com

For the latest news and rumors follow me on twitter @ToddNHL

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL Template of Success Part One: History Always Repeats Itself

27, Jul 2010

What do successful teams (judged by their ability to contend for multiple Stanley Cups) such as the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers all have in common? A philosophy that has proven successful; the knowledge that history repeats itself.

No, this is not a History 101 lecture class, but I will utilize the old cliche’ that we all heard from our history teachers, “This class is important because history repeats itself and we must learn from our mistakes!” Hopefully I won’t have to slam a textbook on a desk to wake you guys up from your afternoon siesta as my teacher had to do many times for me, but I digress.

The point I’m trying to make here is that utilizing our knowledge of historical successes, and failures, can prove beneficial in various aspects of life; in this case the National Hockey League.

How can history play a role in a sport where actions/decisions are made in split-second fashion on the ice in the present?

Structure. Every team is built upon a different foundation decided mostly by the general manager and the playing style of players. It’s what makes each team different and can prove to be the equation that results in success or failure. Each team brings its own philosophy of how the game should be played and they execute their personnel decisions upon this premise. Its what makes the Flyers the “Broad Street Bullies” or the Devils the “Neutral Zone Trap Specialists.” To take it a step further lets look to see how history plays such an important role on a teams formula.

First, let’s take a successful franchise whose enjoyed the fruits of success over the past decade; the Detroit Red Wings. In 94-95 the Detroit Red Wings had a very successful season that ended abruptly in the Stanley Cup finals against the New Jersey Devils. Though they lost to New Jersey in four games, they recognized their success in building a unique and championship contending team. The team’s structure was built on a very strong foundation that understood the importance of strength down the middle (the center position), a good mix of both offensive minded defensemen and defensemen who were more concerned with protecting their own zone. The Red Wings also paid close attention to the importance of role players who could add ’sandpaper’ play to the line up and help add some scoring.

Steve Yzerman, Sergei Federov, and Keith Primeau played the role of strong two-way centers who could light the lamp at any time and back check well enough to stop a dangerous odd-man rush. Detroit showed their philosophy that their centermen need not only score for the team to be successful, but to also have full defensive responsibility in effort to lower goals against. Yzerman and Federov fit the mold exactly with their offensive prowess and defensive responsibility. This elite talent was most necessary for the entire formula to work. Strength down the middle, check!

Paul Coffey and a young Niklas Lidstrom were the offensive minded defensemen that improved Detroit’s power play goal output at the point while also playing solid defense when necessary. Each a generational talent that exceeded the expectations that a defenseman was held to. This dynamic was very pertinent in Detroit’s desired formula. Offensive defensemen, check!

Defensemen such as Viacheslav Fetisov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Bob Rouse, and Mike Ramsey rounded out the defense with strong defensive minded play to protect their own zone. Interestingly enough these six defensemen were all relatively slight in stature. The most physically gifted being Bob Rouse who stood at 6′2″ and 215 lbs while the other five were less imposing in size and aggression. This displayed Detroit’s belief that good skating and puck handling/moving skill were more important to their blue line than physicality and an intimidating edge. Defensive defensemen, check!

Darren McCarty, Kris Draper, Dino Cicarelli, Doug Brown, and Shawn Burr represented the role player aspect that Detroit continues to address and hold as a vital part to a successful team. McCarty, Draper, and Burr were the gritty bottom six forwards who agitated the opponents, added hustle/energy, and chipped in the occasional goal from time to time. Dino Cicarelli was the aging star who could still contribute enough on the scoreboard to make the offense more dangerous. He had a mercenary like-role, but was still very important. Doug Brown was claimed off waivers by Detroit and turned out to be an important depth player who could score the occasional clutch goal. Interestingly enough, this waiver-wire pick up wound up being an integral part of Detroit’s Core for years to come. Gritty depth players with a scoring touch, check!

The 1994-1995 Detroit Red Wings became the blue print for the franchise in building a cup contending team. The three main ingredients: Exceptional two-way strength at center (Yzerman, Federov, Primeau), elite offensive-defensemen (Lidstrom, Coffey), strong skating puck handling/moving defensive-defensemen (Fetisov, Konstantinov, Ramsey), and careful attention to picking the right depth players for their grit and decent scoring touch (Draper, McCarty, Brown). The formula was not particularly concerned with goaltending as evidenced by mediocre Mike Vernon claiming the starting goalie spot. Their top six wingers were not very important to the formula either as they were more on the periphery of the design.

“Okay, they had a strong team in 94-95, but how does that prove anything about their future success?”

Simply compare the 07-08 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings to those that lost in the finals of 94-95 and the parallels are staggering. Only four of Detroit’s players from 94-95 were remaining on the 07-08 team (Lidstrom, Osgood, Draper, and McCarty), but every important piece of the team’s winning formula remained intact. Taking the place of Steve Yzerman and Sergei Federov at center were Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. These two players fit the mold that Detroit desired sculpt: elite offensive ability with equally outstanding defensive awareness. They were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly with Detroit’s blueprint. Strength down the middle, check!

Lidstrom, though 37 years old, was still a premier offensive-defenseman in the NHL and continued to play the same role he did in 1994-1995. Brian Rafalski was signed as a free agent to fill the skates of Paul Coffey and stand as the second/equally important offensive threat at the point. These two defensemen were vital for Detroit’s powerplay which was important to the Red Wings winning philosophy. Once again, Detroit was sticking to its formula that was developed in the past. Offensive defensemen, check!

Niklas Kronwall, Brad Stuart, Brett Lebda, Andreas Lilja, and Chris Chelios were the defensemen infused with Lidstrom and Rafalski. These players were all well-rounded defensive-defensemen who were again selected for their skating ability (with the exception of the aging Chelios) and puck handling ability rather than their physicality. This paralells well with the average sized defensemen who dressed in red and white during the 94-95 season. Three of the five mentioned above were listed at 6′0″ or shorter while Stuart and Lilja stood at 6′2″ and 6′3″ respectively. Lilja was the only one with intimidating size at 220 lbs. These players fit the requirement of the Detroit blue print being well-rounded defensemen with more skill than scare. Defensive-defensemen, check!

The last dynamic of the blueprint was the presence of carefully chosen depth players who could add grit and the occasional goal. Kris Draper and Darren McCarty resumed their 94-95 roles adding the same sand-paper element to Detroit’s game. Addtional components to this dimension were players like Mikael Samuelsson, Thomas Holmstrom, Daniel Cleary, and Jiri Hudler (among others). Each added depth to the overall Detroit team in the bottom six and filled similar roles that Draper, McCarthy, and Brown did in 1994-1995. Another important dynamic filled by Detroit using the past as a template for success. Gritty depth with a scoring touch, check!

Additionally, Detroit remained consistent with their belief that goaltending was not a main issue of concern. Chris Osgood, platooned with the very aged Dominick Hasek, manned the pipes for Detroit and represented very mediocre goaltending for the Original Six team. This is similar to the average goaltending that Mike Vernon contributed to the 94-95 Detroit Red Wings. Also the top six wingmen were predominately ‘no-names’ such as left winger, Johan Franzen, who was very unproven before the 2007-2008 season with only a career high of 30 points in his NHL tenure. Yet again, the importance of top six wingers were peripherary to Detroit’s winning formula.

Detroit created their template in 1994-1995 and has followed it ever since. As a result, Detroit continues to be one of the most  successful NHL Franchises of the past 15 years. In that same span of years Detroit has appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals, won four Stanley Cups, won six President Trophies (best regular season record), and have qualified for all 14 Stanley Cup Playoff tournaments in the past 15 years.

 In short, general managers should look at successful teams of the past, figure out the detailed architecture  within the structure, and replicate that formula. In doing so the general manager can build his team a foundation that has proven successful in the past and that will likely continue the same trend in the future.

The second part of this NHL Template of Success series will explore the above mentioned premise (building a foundation based on past successes) in the salary capped NHL Era. I will look to show how this concept benefits general managers during a time where salary flexibility is limited and “All Star Teams” (such as the 2010-2011 Miami Heat) are impossible to create in the NHL.

Also,  I will explain why the New York Rangers have had limited success in the past 12 years and demonstrate how my “Template of Success” was used in a counter intuitive fashion. Then I will explain how the Rangers are utilizing my template more correctly in the present and how it will shape their bright future. _X_

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NHL Buzz: Tuesday, July 27th

27, Jul 2010

A lot is going on in the NHL right now, here I will start with the news followed by the rumors.

 

NEWS

The New York Rangers have signed forward Alex Frolov to a one-year deal worth $3 million. Personally, I think this is a good signing by the Rangers. Frolov is one of the most talented players in the league but sometimes he has trouble getting going. Playing on a wing with Marion Gaborik and having John Tortorella as head coach should help out with that.

The New York Islanders avoided arbitration with Matt Moulson as he signed a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million. The money is perfect in my opinion as he is getting the same amount of money as Mayson Raymond, who had only a few less goals.

According to Washington Capitals beat writer Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals GM George McPhee has said that the Capitals are likely heading to arbitration tomorrow with Tomas Fleischmann.

 

RUMORS

As we all know, the Kings went into the offseason looking for a big-name forward.

They tried to sign Ilya Kovalchuk and that didn’t work. After that, they tried to trade for Simon Gagne and that also didn’t work. Finally, they turned their attention back to trying to re-sign Alex Frolov and that didn’t work either.

The Kings’ No. 1 priority right now is to acquire a top-six forward. Rumor has it Marc Savard is still a possibility.

With the Rangers announcing the signing of Alex Frolov to a one-year deal worth $3 million, they find themselves still trying to re-sign RFA Marc Staal. The problem is they only have $1.5 million in cap space. Look for the Rangers to try and clear a bit of cap space fast as they do not want to lose Marc Staal to an offer sheet.

According to multiple media outlets, the Minnesota Wild are looking at defenseman Willie Mitchell.

Several sources have told me that Andy Sutton has narrowed his possible destinations to two or three teams. Multiple sources have informed me that the Anaheim Ducks are among them.

All signs point towards Teemu Selanne returning to the Ducks next season, and rumor has it, his old friend Paul Kariya would be interested in joining him.

According to Brian Burke, the offers are not good enough for Tomas Kaberle yet. He has stated to up the offers for Kaberle because he has no problem keeping him.

This concludes today’s edition of NHL Buzz, enjoy.

 

This article and more can be found at MTRMedia.com

For the latest news and rumors follow me on twitter @ToddNHL

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NHL Quick Hits: Carey Price Left Out As Canadiens Sign Scouts To Group

27, Jul 2010

The Montreal Canadiens announced today that they have made six key signings behind the scenes.

While everyone is waiting for Carey Price to agree to terms with the team, Gauthier went to work today by adding Serge Boisvert and Ryan Jankowski to the Canadiens’ amateur scouting group.

In addition, Gauthier has hired Vaughn Karpan as a professional scout, while Christer Rockstrom scout for the European leagues as of September 1, 2010.

On an administrative level, the team also announced the appointment of Ken Morin as hockey information coordinator. They also officially announced that Pierre Allard is the new strength and conditioning coach

So another day passes and Carey Price still remains unsigned.

How long will it take and will this start to spill over into August?

And if so, as Mike Boone from the Montreal Gazette pointed out, we might start hearing the dreaded title of “holdout.”

Gulp.

Can you imagine if this actually drags out into late August?

Can you imagine the insanity that will ensue if Price actually becomes a hold out?

While I think it is highly unlikely that things will go in that direction, the longer things take, the more explosive this situation becomes since the Canadiens have clearly put all of their eggs into the Carey Price basket.

But, with the dog days of summer truly upon us, at least it will give us something to talk about!

So what do you think? Will the Canadiens sign Price soon or will he become a holdout?

—
Follow Kamal on Facebook , Twitter , and HabsAddict.com

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New York Rangers Looking for North American Approach to Building Future

27, Jul 2010

After 21 years as a member of the Rangers European Scouting team, Director of player personnel for Europe, Christopher Rockstrom has been let go by the organization. The man who scouted star goalie Henrik Lundqvist is gone. Could this be signaling a trend in the organization against picking European players?

In this year’s draft in Los Angeles, the Rangers selected one European player. With their sixth round pick, the Rangers selected Jesper Fasth, of Sweden.

In 2009, the Rangers selected two European players—Czech forward Roman Horak in the fifth round, and Russian forward Mikhail Pashnin in the seventh round. Horak spent this past season in the CHL, and Pashnin remained in Russia.

In 2008, the Rangers had two picks in the third round. Both were used on European players. Forward Evgeny Grachev and defenseman Tomas Kundratek both joined the Rangers organization with relatively early picks. However, both players would come to play in the CHL the following season.

We all remember the Rangers first round pick in 2007, the late Alexei Cherepanov. A player who nobody expected to fall to the Rangers at pick No. 17. In the end, the career of what could possibly have been a great player was cut short.

The Rangers would go on in that draft to take Carl Hagelin of Sweden in the sixth round and David Skokan of Slovakia in the seventh. Hagelin then came to America to play NCAA hockey for the University of Michigan Wolverines. Skokan had already been playing in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Oceanic.

It was in 2006, that the Rangers selected four European players, the most in the post-lockout era. These picks are headlined by second round pick, Artem Anisimov from Russia, who showed flashes during a solid rookie campaign this past season. However, the rest of the draft would prove to not be so successful.

After Anisimov, the Rangers selected David Kveton on the fourth round. Kveton came over and played half a season in North America with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL before returning to the Czech Republic, where it looks like he will stay.

In the fifth round, the Rangers selected Tomas Zaborsky of Slovakia. Zaborsky would come to play in North America after his draft year, playing with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. He would even earn a pro contract, getting time with the Rangers top affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack after his last junior season.

However, the following year would prove to be a difficult one for Zaborsky. Having trouble sticking with the players in the AHL, he would inevitably be sent to the ECHL. His time as a pro in North America was done. He spent this season playing in the Finnish league.

The Rangers used their final pick, in the seventh round on Lukas Zeliska, a little known prospect, who like the previous two in this draft, came to North America, only to return back home, ending their chances of becoming members of the New York Rangers. The playmaking center had a solid rookie campaign in the more defensive WHL, with the Prince Albert Raiders. But Zeliska would return to the Czech Republic.

So of four European players taken in that year, only one, Artem Anisimov, seems to be in the Rangers plans for the future. Glen Sather and the rest of the Rangers brass must have been giddy when they saw that three of their four European picks were coming to North America to play.

However, it is the one player that stayed there for the season after his draft, Artem Anisimov, that has so far proven to be a success.

So after a draft which three picks would end up back in European leagues, are the Rangers being more careful with European draft picks? If one looks at their top prospects, Evgeny Grachev appears to be the only European who is seriously competing for a spot on the Rangers roster next season.

The pipeline is headlined by such names as Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagn, Chris Kreider, Ethan Werek, Ryan Bourque, Michael Sauer, Chad Johnson, Dany Byers, Brodie Dupont, and Dale Weise.

A lot of European Rangers prospects have been picked in the later rounds of the draft. As they search for the diamond in the rough, the Rangers have yet to prove that they can use a late pick that has an impact, the way Henrik Lundqvist did in the seventh round of the 2000 draft.

So, could the Rangers be less excited about the European prospects? Or are they putting less pressure on them to have an immediate impact in North America? Either way, it is clear that the team has steadily cut back on drafting in Europe. It appears the future of the New York Rangers is in the hands of some very talented, North American prospects.

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NHL Rumors: Marc Savard, 10 Reasons the Bostons Bruins Need To Keep Him

26, Jul 2010

Since the start of the free agent period, Marc Savard has been stuck at the center of the rumor mill. He has been linked to teams such as Toronto, Columbus, and Calgary; all of them are rumored to be interested in his services.

However, his current team—the Boston Bruins—who just signed him this past season to a seven-year deal, including a no-trade clause, may be in need of his services more than anyone in the NHL.

So how come they don’t realize it?

Despite signing a new contract just last season, Marc Savard remains trade bait. But much to the delight of B’s fans, the market for Savvy has dried up as of late, which means he’ll most likely be wearing the Black and Gold come opening night in Prague.

Even if management doesn’t realize what he does for the team, and how important a piece he is to the organization, us fans certainly do. So without further delay, here are 10 reasons the Bruins should do everything they can to keep Marc Savard.

Please also check out my Bruins Blog, All-Access Bruins at www.mtrmedia.com/bostonbruins!

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Mike Modano and Five Other Players the Red Wings Need to Pursue

26, Jul 2010

In a situation that’s so frustratingly ambiguous, one becomes almost starved for anything resembling clarity.

No one really knows what Mike Modano will decide to do this summer.

He may retire, he may play on. If the latter, he may play for Detroit, or he may not. He may play for San Jose or Minnesota, or, another team may persuade him to sign on with them (Los Angeles hasn’t been mentioned, but, they may be the best option when all is said and done).

Though Modano’s future is a mystery, even to himself, one thing is absolutely certain: the Detroit Red Wings want him, and are willing to wait for him.

Modano says he’ll begin skating sometime around August 5 and, sometime after that (just how long after is, of course, unknown) he’ll make a decision regarding his future.

This time frame, nebulous as it is, is just fine for the Red Wings. They’ve said they’re willing to give the 40-year-old legend the time he needs to decide on his future, even if that means it doesn’t include playing in a red and white jersey.

This is a risky move as it could (negatively) impact the team’s efforts to either land another free-agent player or re-sign their two remaining restricted free-agents, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader.

Still, the Wings feel Modano is worth the risk.

Whether he is or not doesn’t change the fact that the Red Wings still have some holes to fill in their roster and should be looking at a few options that could be used to fill them.

Ironically, the one place the Wings are stacked is down the middle. So, their insistence on waiting for Modano, a center, to decide on his future is a bit odd, but understandable given Modano’s status and the Wings’ history of winning with “over-the-hill” veterans.

Modano could definitely help Detroit, but, he’s not the only player that can.

What follows is a list of five other free-agents that, in different ways, could contribute effectively as Detroit Red Wings.

Given Detroit’s stated offer to Modano of a one-year deal worth $1.25-1.5 million, the players selected here should also be able to be had at the same price.

As always, please feel free to vent your derision or add your applause, just make sure to post it!

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The Time Is Now: Van Riemsdyk Must Take Step Forward in 2010

26, Jul 2010

In the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers selected promising Middletown, N.J. product James van Riemsdyk with the second overall pick.

The Flyers finished the season as the worst team in the National Hockey League, as they collected only 56 points—the lowest amount of points in franchise history.

With a 22-48-12 record, the Flyers were in prime position to acquire a franchise player with the top draft choice, if they were to win the lottery.

Unlike other professional sport draft lotteries, the NHL works a little differently to assure that the worst team gets the top pick, or, at worst, the second pick.

The 30th team in the standings gets a 25% chance of obtaining the No. 1 pick; the Flyers finished 30th in the 2006-07 season.

However, winning an embarrassing 22 games wasn’t enough to secure the top pick for the Flyers, as the Chicago Blackhawks had good luck on their side, and won the lottery to get the No. 1 overall selection, despite finishing the season in 26th place.

The Blackhawks gathered 71 points during the 2006-07 campaign, more points than the second-worst Phoenix Coyotes (67), the 28th-ranked Los Angeles Kings (68), and the 27th-ranked Washington Capitals (70).

According to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings, the best three players in the draft (in order of rank) were: Kyle Turris, Patrick Kane, and van Riemsdyk.

Then Chicago general manager, Dale Tallon, had the difficult decision of who was the best player available after listening to scouts for weeks, and getting to know what each playerwould bring to the team.

Tallon, who selected center Jonathan Toews with the third overall pick in the previous draft, chose right winger Patrick Kane with the top pick.

Kane’s scouting report described the Buffalo, N.Y. native as “a skilled playmaking forward with great hockey sense, high-end passing skill, not afraid to take the puck into traffic can be very elusive, very good at anticipating the play and has a good wrist shot.”

With the Blackhawks taking Kane with the first pick, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren had the pressure to choose between a playmaking center who was compared to Steve Yzerman in Kyle Turris; or a young, up-and-coming power forward in James van Riemsdyk.

Holmgren selected the 6′3″, 200-pound left winger, van Riemsdyk, who many believed that the Flyers would have chosen even if they had the top pick. It didn’t take long for Turris to come off the board, as Phoenix took him with the third pick.

After being drafted, van Riemsdyk took his game to the University of New Hampshire for two seasons rather than playing for a Major Junior team or in the American Hockey League. JVR played a total of 67 games while registering 28 goals.

Kane jumped immediately to the NHL with the Blackhawks in his rookie season after totaling 145 points in 58 games while playing for the London Knights. In comparison, JVR never played Juniors, instead he was played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Team Program (USNTDP), which Kane played for in 2005-06.

Van Riemsdyk played 113 games in the various levels of the USNTDP, recording 64 goals and 59 assists. In comparison, Kane scored 102 points in 58 games in his last season with the program.

Three years later, Kane has played in 244 games at the NHL level compared to van Riemsdyk’s 78 career games.

Because Reemer needed two years at college, it’s unfair to cast any kind of judgment on how the Flyers did or how big they missed out on Kane. Not yet, at least.

Nonetheless, it’s time for van Riemsdyk to take a big step forward in terms of progress, now that he has one full season playing at the professional level—he only played seven games in the AHL.

Coming into last year’s training camp, JVR was not a shoo-in to make the squad.

The Flyers were fully prepared to have him at least start the season playing for the Adirondack Phantoms, their AHL affiliate, but he beat out the likes of Andreas Nodl, Jon Kalinski, Jared Ross, Pat Maroon, and Jason Ward.

It has been three years since van Riemsdyk has been drafted, and the Flyers have gotten back to where they want to be: a Stanley Cup contender, but they still need Reemer to pan out as they hoped, and it has to be this coming year.

The 21-year-old van Riemsdyk gained a lot of experience in his first year, as the Flyers made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, giving Reemer 99 career games in the NHL.

An interesting sidenote is that van Riemsdyk had only 47 games—including NCAA and NHL—before jumping to the best hockey league on the planet.

In 78 regular season games, van Riemsdyk scored 15 goals and 20 assists. During the playoffs, JVR scored six points (three goals, three assists) in 21 games.

The experience was crucial for a power forward drafted in the top-10 that had only played in the Developmental League before getting drafted, but it also puts him in a situation where he has to take a major step forward in his development this year.

I don’t think anyone would question that Holmgren is expecting big things out of van Riemsdyk, and he wants him to show consistency in his second year.

By trading away Simon Gagne and significantly upgrading the defense, it’s clear that the Flyers want JVR to be a contributor on the score sheet in 2010-11.

With Nikolai Zherdev likely replacing Gagne on the top line and the Flyers finding their second line in the playoffs, van Riemsdyk will be skating with Claude Giroux on the third line with a combination of Dan Carcillo, Darroll Powe, and Jody Shelly.

The time is now for van Riemsdyk to either break out or bust. Three years ago, the Flyers were the worst team in the league. The Flyers achieved as close as you can to a quick fix.

Holmgren turned the team around right away, getting the Orange ‘n’ Black to the Eastern Conference Finals after finishing dead last the season before.

What did he do? Homer signed Danny Briere to a long-term deal, acquired Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul, Jason Smith, and Kimmo Timonen.

And three years later, the Flyers are a of couple bounces and a good goalie away from winning the Stanley Cup against you know who, Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Anyhow, Philadelphia cannot afford to strike out on van Riemsdyk despite how young the Flyers core is.

The Flyers have an average age of 27 among forwards, with a core of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Giroux, all of whom are 25 or younger.

Then you have 26-year-old Ville Leino and the 25-year-old Zherdev. The Flyers have a good group of young players.

However, the Flyers will run into a problem next year with the cap. In 2011-12, Holmgren has $46,813,096 committed to 15 players, leaving Philly with a projected $13,436,904 in cap space.

Carter and Giroux will become restricted free agents after the season, and both will receive raises.

Carter will make $5 million in his final year while Giroux will make $821,667 at the end of his rookie contract.

I’m expecting Carter to ask for at least $6 million per year while Giroux could command at least $3 million.

The Flyers have limited resources in the farm system in regards to quality forward prospects, and that puts even more pressure on van Riemsdyk to succeed.

The ball is now in his court, and there’s one question he’ll answer this season:

Is James van Riemsdyk a hit or a miss?

Visit the Broad Street Scoop for more Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Follow Tom on Twitter: Tom_Dougherty.

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Sidney Crosby: Five Things We’ve Learned Five Years Later

26, Jul 2010

In honor of the fifth anniversary of the Pittsburgh Penguins drafting Sidney Crosby, I have decided to write a series of articles about Crosby’s first five seasons in the NHL.

Crosby is one of the most talented players in the NHL and also one of the most controversial. He is constantly compared to NHL legends such as Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux and current stars such as Alexander Ovechkin.

No matter how much you compare him to other stars, Crosby is in a class of his own. But in this case, that is a good thing.

Here are five things we have learned about Crosby since he came into the league.

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Toronto Maple Leafs’ Defense: How Do They Stack Up?

26, Jul 2010

The Maple Leafs have acquired a new defenseman…again.

It’s becoming a trend, doesn’t it seem? The Leafs will sign or trade for another defenseman rather than focus on another forward.    

This time it was 28-year-old Brett Lebda and 25-year-old Danny Richmond.

Lebda, who has spent his entire five season, 326-game NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract on July 7th.  He’s a smooth skating, stay-at-home defenseman,  but he can score too. Lebda has a career total of 18 goals scored in addition to 50 assists and a +/- rating of 31.    

Danny Richmond, the another free agent acquisition, has no goals in 49 NHL games, and three assists to along with a -12 rating.

After spending the majority of his career in the minors and a split last season between Peoria and Rockford, Richmond won’t likely achieve a roster spot with the Maple Leafs at the start of the 2010-2011 season. Especially considering the amount of defencemen the Maple Leafs already have set to play in the NHL.

The signing of Brett Lebda gives the Maple Leafs eight NHL-ready defenseman to fill seven spots at the very most; Mike Komisarek, Jeff Finger, Carl Gunnarson, Tomas Kaberle, Dion Phaneuf, Francois Beauchemin and Luke Schenn are the other seven.

But just because those eight are on the roster right now doesn’t mean that they’ll still be there by the start of game one of 82.    

Of those eight defensemen, Jeff Finger is the most likely to be eliminated from the Leafs’ roster once the season begins. Finger is set to make $3.5 million next season, which is much more than he appears to be worth. Most hockey fans will tell you that Brian Burke is going to send Jeff Finger to the minors; a move that could ruin his career.    

Those hockey fans are wrong.    

Based on what he’s done in the past, they will either trade him or place him on waivers.    

When Ilya Bryzgalov was stuck behind Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Anaheim, Burke looked hard for a trade for Bryzgalov. And he didn’t give up even when he couldn’t. Ultimately, Burke placing him on waivers where he was claimed by the Phoenix Coyotes. He went on to lead his new team to the playoffs for the first time since the post-lockout era began.    

When Burke came to Toronto, troubled Mark Bell was stuck in the minor leagues. Burke saw potential in Bell and immediately placed him on waivers. Bell was claimed by the Rangers, and though he didn’t succeed with his new team, it was still a class-act by Brian Burke.     

Needless to say, the American Hockey League is not an option for Brian Burke when it comes to Jeff Finger—unless he can’t find a team that wants to take him.    

Of course, Jeff Finger is not the only Maple Leaf defenseman that is heavily involved in trade talks right now.    

32-year-old Tomas Kaberle has been mentioned in trade rumours league-wide for the last two years and has been attracting a lot of attention from as many as six teams. None of that attention, however, has been worth the Maple Leafs’ time…so far. 

Do not expect him to be traded before the 2010-2011 season begins, as his trade value will only increase as time wears on.    

Moving on to the projected starting defence, you will realize that one of the biggest problems the Maple Leafs have is their amount of left-handed shooting defencemen. Tomas Kaberle, Dion Phaneuf, Carl Gunnarsson, Francois Beauchemin and even newly acquired Brett Lebda all shoot left-handed. Mike Komisarek and Luke Schenn are the only two players who are right-handed of the projected starting six.    

Left-handed shot, Tomas Kaberle, will be playing in his regular spot to begin the season; top line, left side.    

Dion Phaneuf is the most likely one to accompany him on the top line. As the captain, Phaneuf will be starting the season atop the defence corps and if he plays anything like he did last season, he will be staying there. Even though he shoots left-handed, he should fit in well on the right side, being an offensive defenceman.   

The second pairing will take on more of a shut-down role, consisting of Luke Schenn and Mike Komisarek. Both right-handed shots, Schenn and Komisarek are both stay-at-home defencemen.    

Luke Schenn has a great first pass and jumps in on the offence when he deems necessary. This makes him the better of the two to stick on the left hand side.    

Mike Komisarek has scored just 12 times in 395 career games. The 28-year old should be playing on the right hand side due to his lack of offensive skill.    

Carl Gunnarsson posted three goals and 12 assists in 43 games in 2009-2010, nearly putting him on pace for a 30-point season. Even with those impressive numbers, Gunnarsson still has a lot to learn, such as how to improve his own end and how to earn his ice time. He has the stuff to make it to the NHL, and most likely will. That said, Gunnarsson will need to start next season at nearly the bottom of the lineup and work his way up.    

With so much to learn, the 23-year-old is best suited to play on the left side of the third, paired with a veteran like Francois Beauchemin.    

Beauchemin first struggled to make it to the National Hockey League, but when he did, he flourished. In fact, he even won a Stanley Cup in 2007 as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. His great work ethic and leadership would be great for Carl Gunnarsson, especially if they can build some chemistry.    

Brett Lebda is likely to be used as a seventh defenceman/healthy scratch on most nights,though he could manage to sneak into the top four if he can impress when given the chance. Lebda is widely regarded as one of the smoothest skating defenceman in the entire league, and could prove to be a very useful player down the road.    

So to recap, here are my predictions on the Maple Leafs’ defence for the 2010-2011 season:    

Line 1    

Kaberle, Phaneuf    

Line 2    

Schenn, Komisarek    

Line 3    

Gunnarsson, Beauchemin

Be sure to check out Buds In Blue by going to www.budsinblue.wordpress.com for  more in depth analysis and opinion. You can also follow Buds in Blue on Twitter @lukas_bib for even more up-to-date information on your Toronto Maple Leafs!

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Why A Tomas Kaberle Deal Is Taking So Long

26, Jul 2010

According to TSN, the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to turn on the Tomas Kaberle pressure cooker on August 1. That is the day Brian Burke is expected to make calls to the teams that have made offers to acquire Tomas Kaberle and see if they will up the ante. It begs the question though, why is he waiting so long?

Last week he was on his annual fishing trip and, because he does not like it to be interrupted the delay made sense. However, now that the trip is over why is he still waiting. Perhaps he thinks people will start offering him more when he only has 2 weeks left to deal. As such he can get a bidding war going.

The next issue would be the strange free agency we have had so far. Teams may sign a stud forward (ie. Kovalchuk) and then they would be free to deal their forwards for a defenceman. Since there are so many stud forwards left, okay only one, Brian Burke expects the offers to get better once he is signed.

Another reason might be that he has a trade to beat, but by not contacting the team that made the offer that team might be tricked into offering something better. This is a negotiating ploy that has been used many times. It normally works, and in this case it will work even better as there clearly is a deadline.

Another reason is that the best offer right now may come from the Sharks or maybe another Western Conference team. As such you do not expect Kaberle to sign an extension with them, so they should be offering less than Eastern Conference teams. So Burke may just be waiting for an offer from an eastern team, possibly Boston.

Another thing that can occur is the Blake Wheeler arbitration. If the Bruins decide to give him the arbitration money and then deal him it could work out in Burke’s favour. Also if they let him go as a UFA then Burke can just sign him outright cheaply while dealing Kaberle for a cheaper forward. Maybe he will just bury Finger in the minors and sign Kaberle to an extension.

Wheeler and Kovalchuk are the two main things stopping a deal now. Personally I think Burke will get a good shot at Wheeler. If he can deal Grabovski as well, the cap space really gets freed up, unfortunately Grabovski is a solid goal scorer, hence dealing him to create the cap space needed to get Wheeler and maybe Clowe seems like adding by subtraction.

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