48 games in the books. Normally that would be a look at the halfway point in the season, but this year, the abbreviated season makes for an abbreviated prognostocation of the playoff race that is not.. abbreviated. I would do Western Conference picks up to the Conference Champs one day, and the Eastern picks the next. This year, why not put it under one roof. Also it's late and I am tired.
Western Conference Quarterfinals
#8 Minnesota Wild vs. #1 Chicago Blackhawks - Does anyone really think the Hawks are going to have the season they had to drop a playoff series to the Wild? As much as I like seeing the underdog take out the number one, the Wild haven't had enough consistency to get it done this season, even with big time summer signings. Sorry, but Hawks in 5.
Blackhawks defeat Wild in 5 games
#7 Detroit Red Wings vs. #2 Anaheim "Mighty" Ducks - New lease on life, the Ducks under the direction of Bruce Boudreau have proven to be a power house in the Western Conference. But, wait, where have we heard this tale before? The Red Wings are a sleeper team this year, and if they can finally put it together, you really can not count them out. Wings wake.
Red Wings defeat Ducks in 7 games
#6 San Jose Sharks vs. #3 Vancouver Canucks - The goaltender drama of the Canucks certainly caused an early stir for the Canucks, but the pair have put together a great backstopping tandem that added stability to Vancouver. This will be a great series, one for the record books. But the Sharks are playing well of late... so there.
Sharks defeat Canucks in 7 games
#5 Los Angeles Kings vs. #4 St. Louis Blues - A rematch of the Conference Semifinal a season ago, the Blues look to exact revenge against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. Should be a good match up full of twists and turns and some pretty good hitting. Underdogs again, the Kings looked poised to make another deep run, not much the Blues can do about that.
Kings defeat Blues in 6 games.
Western Conference Champs
Yada yada yada, so on and so forth, bottom line is the Blackhawks make this post season their personal coming out party. So yea, Chicago wins the West.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
#8 New York Islanders vs. #1 Pittsburgh Penguins - If any team sort of "over did" it to load its team with talent full of rentals to make the playoffs, then the Penguins are the mid-life crisis buyers of the NHL. Bringing in the big guns that included the stealing of Jarome Iginla from Boston, the Penguins are poised to push for the Cup even with out Sidney the first round or so. Islanders would be a fun underdog to watch though.
Penguins defeat Islanders in 6 games
#7 Ottawa Senators vs. #2 Montreal Canadiens - A team on the rise, the other stumbling into the playoffs. This was a hard one to dissect. Senators get Erik Karlsson back from injury and it should provide a short boost for the injury-riddled team. The Habs are a pretty fast talented team that could out talent the Senators.
Canadiens defeat Senators in 6 games
#6 New York Rangers vs. #3 Washington Capitals - I will break down this matchup in due time (we don't start until Thursday for Pete's sake). Caps playing stellar hockey down the stretch, Rangers sort of hanging around until a final push late in their season. Sorry Rags fans, no Ilander/Ranger series this year.
Capitals defeat Rangers in 7 games
#5 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #4 Boston Bruins - For a team that going into the third period was a lock for the win, the Bruins have fallen into "no lead is safe" territory. The Maple Leafs are just begging to make an example out of them. Couple of interesting story lines with Phil Kessel returning to face Boston in the playoffs.
Bruins defeat Leafs in 5 games
Eastern Conference Champions
Everything points to the Penguins making it out of the East. They have the most talent that could include the return of one Sidney Crosby. But the road they have to traverse is full of teams that don't have the pressure they have to make it to the Finals. I don't think this team can plug all the holes in time. The Habs or Bruins are also favorites, but unless something extreme happens, Pens should take the East crown.
Stanley Cup Champs
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Picking a winner between two teams that didn't face each other in the short season. But to quickly make a decision, Blackhawks are far to good of a oiled machine for the patch work Penguins.
Blackhawks first team to repeat Cup champions since the '05 lockout.
There you go Chicago, you are welcome. Breaking down the Rags and Caps up next.
Showing posts with label Sharks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sharks. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions: Eastern Conference
Whoa Nelly! Are you ready for the up for grabs Eastern Conference? No team has shown true dominance through out the dominance. In fact, it took to the last handful of games for each of the division champs to secure their crown. But even the pundits can't seem to agree if division champs Boston, Philadelphia or Washington is strong enough to take the Conference. Which makes the field wide open, much like it was last year where the bottom seeds shocked the millions of office pools through out Canada.
To pick a winner is like winning the lottery. Last year the two lowest seeds were battling in the Conference final. Can that repeat again?
Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers
Of course I am going into more detail about this particular series at a later date. The quick overview is Washington will have to learn from it's mistakes through the last three post seasons. All of them have gone to seven games. Even with the Capitals high powered offensive players, it struggled this year to score. But where the offense faltered the defense picked up. For the Rangers, there is little or no fear going into this series. They have taken 3 of the 4 games in the regular season series including a pair of blow out games were the Broadway Blueshirts beat the Caps 7-0 and 6-0. Ouch. If the Rangers can show the offensive spark they had against the Caps in the regular season, the Caps will be going home early with a plethora of questions.
Washington sneaks by New York Rangers in 6 games
#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #7 Buffalo Sabres
The Flyers have tripped up in the final stretch of the season and lost their first place in the Eastern Conference to a surging Capitals team. Even though they had to deal with some pretty big losses on the blue line in Chris Pronger and a inconsistent netminding conundrum they are still a scary team to face in the playoffs. They face a team that has turned it on as of late just to make the playoffs. Philly's hard nose play should wear the Sabres talent guys down. I just don't see how Ryan Miller can stop them all.
Philadelphia defeats Buffalo in 5 games
#3 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Montreal Canadiens
Who isn't going to watch this hard charged series. You have history, intrigue, and controversy. Every thing a classic series should have. Will the Habs get their day by putting Zdeno Chara on the golf course early? Can Tim Thomas stop a sneaky Canadien offense that seems to relish in big game goals? Can Carey Price live up to the hype that Jaro Halak left last post season? A lot of questions that are worthy of watching to see the answers. If Boston can lock down defensively and negate the Habs' speed, they will have a much better post season than the come from behind debacle against Philly a year ago.
Boston takes out Montreal in 7 games
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa reminds me a lot of the Caps two years ago. Great offensive talent but so-so defense and okay goaltending. The big question is how the Penguins are going to approach them with out their offensive keys in place with Sidney Crosby not likely to return until round two and no Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins have survived nicely with out either in the line up with others picking up the slack. If Tampa can survive the relentless forecheck of the Penguins and keep the play in Marc-Andre Fluery's end, then they should pull out the upset. But this is a team that needs more playoff experience before that can happen.
Penguins knock out Tampa in 5 games.
Eastern Champion: Boston Bruins
The Bruins have a chance to take it all and the way Tim Thomas is playing, it's plausible to see them conquering the Eastern Conference. They will have to survive an emotional first round against Montreal and battle Washington and Philly to take the Eastern crown. I do think the Capitals can make it to the Conference finals, but injuries will plague them through the post season. It will be Boston that takes honors here.
Stanley Cup Winner: San Jose Sharks
I picked them last year, and for much the same reasons I pick them to win it all last year. Shaking free of their demons, I just like the direction this team is taking themselves. But it will be no easy task for them. They have to keep their scoring up and their goaltending has to be top notch. Plus a series between Boston and San Jose would be pretty intriguing with the age old trade that sent Joe Thronton to the west coast.
Coming up... Series breakdown between the Caps and Rangers.
To pick a winner is like winning the lottery. Last year the two lowest seeds were battling in the Conference final. Can that repeat again?
Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers
Of course I am going into more detail about this particular series at a later date. The quick overview is Washington will have to learn from it's mistakes through the last three post seasons. All of them have gone to seven games. Even with the Capitals high powered offensive players, it struggled this year to score. But where the offense faltered the defense picked up. For the Rangers, there is little or no fear going into this series. They have taken 3 of the 4 games in the regular season series including a pair of blow out games were the Broadway Blueshirts beat the Caps 7-0 and 6-0. Ouch. If the Rangers can show the offensive spark they had against the Caps in the regular season, the Caps will be going home early with a plethora of questions.
Washington sneaks by New York Rangers in 6 games
#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #7 Buffalo Sabres
The Flyers have tripped up in the final stretch of the season and lost their first place in the Eastern Conference to a surging Capitals team. Even though they had to deal with some pretty big losses on the blue line in Chris Pronger and a inconsistent netminding conundrum they are still a scary team to face in the playoffs. They face a team that has turned it on as of late just to make the playoffs. Philly's hard nose play should wear the Sabres talent guys down. I just don't see how Ryan Miller can stop them all.
Philadelphia defeats Buffalo in 5 games
#3 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Montreal Canadiens
Who isn't going to watch this hard charged series. You have history, intrigue, and controversy. Every thing a classic series should have. Will the Habs get their day by putting Zdeno Chara on the golf course early? Can Tim Thomas stop a sneaky Canadien offense that seems to relish in big game goals? Can Carey Price live up to the hype that Jaro Halak left last post season? A lot of questions that are worthy of watching to see the answers. If Boston can lock down defensively and negate the Habs' speed, they will have a much better post season than the come from behind debacle against Philly a year ago.
Boston takes out Montreal in 7 games
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa reminds me a lot of the Caps two years ago. Great offensive talent but so-so defense and okay goaltending. The big question is how the Penguins are going to approach them with out their offensive keys in place with Sidney Crosby not likely to return until round two and no Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins have survived nicely with out either in the line up with others picking up the slack. If Tampa can survive the relentless forecheck of the Penguins and keep the play in Marc-Andre Fluery's end, then they should pull out the upset. But this is a team that needs more playoff experience before that can happen.
Penguins knock out Tampa in 5 games.
Eastern Champion: Boston Bruins
The Bruins have a chance to take it all and the way Tim Thomas is playing, it's plausible to see them conquering the Eastern Conference. They will have to survive an emotional first round against Montreal and battle Washington and Philly to take the Eastern crown. I do think the Capitals can make it to the Conference finals, but injuries will plague them through the post season. It will be Boston that takes honors here.
Stanley Cup Winner: San Jose Sharks
I picked them last year, and for much the same reasons I pick them to win it all last year. Shaking free of their demons, I just like the direction this team is taking themselves. But it will be no easy task for them. They have to keep their scoring up and their goaltending has to be top notch. Plus a series between Boston and San Jose would be pretty intriguing with the age old trade that sent Joe Thronton to the west coast.
Coming up... Series breakdown between the Caps and Rangers.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions: Western Conference
Before we go into the Caps/Rangers Series A, let's take a look at the big picture and go through what will be some dynamite series as we roll to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. Before I have done the Eastern Conference before the Western. This year I am flipping it. As always, you can leave your thoughts below in comments.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Back
So I took a few days off to enjoy time with my wife and the little one. I don't make any apologies for that, but I have been (for the most part) in Hockey limbo until this weekend. Boy, a lot has happened. From Nick Backstrom signing a monster contract and some speculation on what the Caps plan to do this off season to the remainder of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, there is a lot for us to catch up on.
Big Contract Player
It's old news, but Nick Backstrom was signed to a 10 year, $67 million dollar contract. Backstrom's new deal escalates from $6 million to $8 million and breaks down each year like this: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5 and 8 according to Tarik on his blog.
It gives the Caps the room they need early, but it's a tougher contract to trade later in his career (if the Capitals are inclined to do so). That pretty much means Backstrom is a main figure in DC for the next ten years. It's a great signing for the Caps, who made a similar 10 year deal with Alex Ovechkin although that was up in the $9 million range. Per Wash Post:
Stay At Home
TSN.ca is reporting that Anton Volchenkov will be changing the license plates on his beamer to Washington DC Plates (does he drive a beamer?). While the stay-at-home defenseman Volchenkov would be a great addition, the contract TSN.ca puts him in is a $5 million with bonuses. That would squeeze the Caps to the limit salary cap-wise.
The Caps (as of today) are sitting pretty tight to the $56.8 million ceiling (somewhere around the $55 million range including Backstrom's new deal). Of course things can and will change over the summer.
Who Knew?
Former Capitals' prospect Jakub Klepis scored on a pass from Jaromir Jagr as the Czech Republic stall Russia's bid for a second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Russia's roster featured a beefed up NHL line up that included Alex Oveckin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Sergei Gonchar, but were not able to solve Tomas Vokoun as the CR's win gold with a 2-1 win.
Klepis was released by the team to play in the KHL amid some trade rumors concerning him in '08.
Always A Bridesmaid...
Phrases like "Shaking loose the playoff monkey on their backs" have been suddenly recanted concerning the San Jose Sharks. The veteran squad of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle were swept away by youngsters Johnathan Towes, Patrick Kane and Anntii Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sharks playoff woes continue, apparently getting out of the second round is a bar raiser for them. Maybe their fans need to boo the Canadian Anthem again.
Always the Bride...
Hershey Bears advance to the Calder Cup finals for the fourth time in the past five years. Sigh.
That is all I got for now. I hope to come back with some original content, and a college radio station is begging for an interview with me (talk about desperate).
Until then, enjoy the playoffs.
Big Contract Player
It's old news, but Nick Backstrom was signed to a 10 year, $67 million dollar contract. Backstrom's new deal escalates from $6 million to $8 million and breaks down each year like this: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5 and 8 according to Tarik on his blog.
It gives the Caps the room they need early, but it's a tougher contract to trade later in his career (if the Capitals are inclined to do so). That pretty much means Backstrom is a main figure in DC for the next ten years. It's a great signing for the Caps, who made a similar 10 year deal with Alex Ovechkin although that was up in the $9 million range. Per Wash Post:
"I wanted 10 years, I wanted the long term and finally got it. I think it is good that we're together." -Nick BackstromThe Caps also had a minor signing of prospect and 2009 first round draft pick Marcus Johansson to a entry level contract.
"We went back and forth. Different trends were discussed. But players want different things sometimes. Nicky was ready to do 10 years, he was interested in doing 10 years. We discussed it and felt that that would work for us if we could get the right number." -GM George McPhee
Stay At Home
TSN.ca is reporting that Anton Volchenkov will be changing the license plates on his beamer to Washington DC Plates (does he drive a beamer?). While the stay-at-home defenseman Volchenkov would be a great addition, the contract TSN.ca puts him in is a $5 million with bonuses. That would squeeze the Caps to the limit salary cap-wise.
The Caps (as of today) are sitting pretty tight to the $56.8 million ceiling (somewhere around the $55 million range including Backstrom's new deal). Of course things can and will change over the summer.
Who Knew?
Former Capitals' prospect Jakub Klepis scored on a pass from Jaromir Jagr as the Czech Republic stall Russia's bid for a second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Russia's roster featured a beefed up NHL line up that included Alex Oveckin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Sergei Gonchar, but were not able to solve Tomas Vokoun as the CR's win gold with a 2-1 win.
Klepis was released by the team to play in the KHL amid some trade rumors concerning him in '08.
Always A Bridesmaid...
Phrases like "Shaking loose the playoff monkey on their backs" have been suddenly recanted concerning the San Jose Sharks. The veteran squad of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle were swept away by youngsters Johnathan Towes, Patrick Kane and Anntii Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sharks playoff woes continue, apparently getting out of the second round is a bar raiser for them. Maybe their fans need to boo the Canadian Anthem again.
Always the Bride...
Hershey Bears advance to the Calder Cup finals for the fourth time in the past five years. Sigh.
That is all I got for now. I hope to come back with some original content, and a college radio station is begging for an interview with me (talk about desperate).
Until then, enjoy the playoffs.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions - Western Conference
The Western Conference wasn't as much of a log jam as they use to be in seasons past. In fact the West was decided pretty early, with about 3 or 4 games left in the season. Not bad. From the previous year's conference winner that looked all but out of it pre-Olympic break to a team that surprised everyone owned by the league, the West is definitely wild.
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche
Everyone thought the Avalanche were going now where this season. They lost Joe Sakic to retirement and the team basically blew up their roster going with youth with a few vets sprinkled in. Bottom line, they really were not suppose to do much this year. But Craig Anderson and rookie Matt Duchene made this team competitive and the Avs are sitting pretty in the playoffs. The Sharks will have a pretty motivated, feisty team on their hands.
San Jose defeats Colorado in 6 games.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators
A Central Division showdown, the Preds made a run in what may be the toughest division to play in. Led by Patric Hornqvist, the Predators just fell two points shy in the standings of best Detroit for the first time in their franchise's history. They draw a tough opponent in Chicago, who are hungry for more after making it to the Western Conference Finals and fell to the Red Wings. If the Blackhawks get some consistent goaltending, Nashville shouldn't be a problem.
Chicago defeats Nashville in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings
The Canucks are riding a heck of a season led by Art Ross Trophy winner Henrik Sedin. With gold medal winner Roberto Luongo in net, they look to be on paper a shoe in against a younger, less experienced team. But don't count out the Kings. They have a 24-14-3 record just on the road, while the Canucks have only managed 19 wins away from home. If Ryan Kesler plays like he did during the Olympics and the Kings fall into a slump or have injuries, Vancouver shouldn't have a problem. But I think they have a problem.
Los Angeles upsets Vancouver in 7 games.
#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings
For a team that doesn't have an owner, the Coyotes are showing some gumption this season. They nearly made a successful run in their division by besting the Sharks, but they couldn't keep up with San Jose and instead settled on 4th in the Conference. Ilya Bryzgalov has been their savior in net for the 'Yotes and they made some important moves at the trade deadline to help with some injuries. They, however, drew a tough first round against Detroit. The Red Wings have been on a tear since the Olympic break. Two upsets in a row, wow.
Detroit upsets Phoenix in 6 games.
Western Conference Semi-Finals
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
I don't see the Sharks having much of a problem with the Kings. But stranger things have happened. Joe Thornton will be trying to shake the playoff monkey from his back and try to help the Sharks move along. Getting some good goaltending in Evgeni Nabokov doesn't hurt either. The Kings will have to rely on a lot of inexperienced players like goaltender Jonathan Quick to help them move to the next round. But the Sharks are just too talented for them.
San Jose defeats LA in 5 games
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Last year's Western Conference Final is this year's Semi-Final. The Hawks are a much more experienced team this time around and the Red Wings will have to lean pretty hard on rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. It should be a wide open, high scoring affair between the two. If the Blackhawks don't get the consistent goaltending they need, they will be ending the post season prematurely.
Chicago defeats Detroit in 7 games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Now this is a series to watch. The Sharks and Blackhawks will have to do with some pretty hefty travel in this series. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews against Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Danny Heatley. The names make it sound more like an All-Star game rather than a Western Final. The Blackhawks need to rely on their speed and scoring strengths, while the Sharks come in the bigger team and need to take up some space from the Hawks. Goaltending will be key again for both teams.
Chicago upsets San Jose in 6 games for the Western Conference crown.
Stanley Cup Final Fearless Prediction
Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Two young teams going head to head and there is already drama between the two. Alex Ovechkin's little push from behind that sent Brian Campbell into the boards should be enough motivation for these two teams to be on less than civil terms. And with the Stanley Cup on the line as well. If you want scoring, you got it. Both teams can play a wide open, shoot-0ut style game. So defense will be key. If Campbell returns to the line up by then, he will be the Hawks rally cry. For the Capitals, they will have to depend on Tom Poti and Mike Green on the back end to keep the high powered Hawk offense at bay. Their goaltending will have to be spectacular for them to down an original six team and their franchise's first Stanley Cup. It all comes down to home ice advantage.
Washington defeats Chicago in 7 games for the Stanley Cup.
Okay, I know what you are thinking, "He is a blogger for the Capitals, of course he is going to pick them all the way!" Well, your right in some respects. I think the two best teams should meet in the finals, and right now those two teams happen to be Chicago and Washington, in my opinion.
For the Capitals, a lot of things have to go their way. They need the best out of Jose Theodore to make it to the Finals and they need goal support for their top line. If they can get both, they shouldn't have a problem getting to the Finals (as long as they don't play down to their competition in the early going).
I really like the Hawks coming out of the west. They surprised everyone last year by getting to the finals, but I don't think that was a fluke. They post some size and grit in their line up and if Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi can get hot down the stretch, I don't see why they can't overcome the West.
If anything, I don't want to see another Pittsburgh/Detroit final. Nor really do other fans out side of Pittsburgh and Detroit. This predicted final would boost the NHL's image as the two have a history from the regular season and both are in good markets.
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche
Everyone thought the Avalanche were going now where this season. They lost Joe Sakic to retirement and the team basically blew up their roster going with youth with a few vets sprinkled in. Bottom line, they really were not suppose to do much this year. But Craig Anderson and rookie Matt Duchene made this team competitive and the Avs are sitting pretty in the playoffs. The Sharks will have a pretty motivated, feisty team on their hands.
San Jose defeats Colorado in 6 games.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators
A Central Division showdown, the Preds made a run in what may be the toughest division to play in. Led by Patric Hornqvist, the Predators just fell two points shy in the standings of best Detroit for the first time in their franchise's history. They draw a tough opponent in Chicago, who are hungry for more after making it to the Western Conference Finals and fell to the Red Wings. If the Blackhawks get some consistent goaltending, Nashville shouldn't be a problem.
Chicago defeats Nashville in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings
The Canucks are riding a heck of a season led by Art Ross Trophy winner Henrik Sedin. With gold medal winner Roberto Luongo in net, they look to be on paper a shoe in against a younger, less experienced team. But don't count out the Kings. They have a 24-14-3 record just on the road, while the Canucks have only managed 19 wins away from home. If Ryan Kesler plays like he did during the Olympics and the Kings fall into a slump or have injuries, Vancouver shouldn't have a problem. But I think they have a problem.
Los Angeles upsets Vancouver in 7 games.
#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings
For a team that doesn't have an owner, the Coyotes are showing some gumption this season. They nearly made a successful run in their division by besting the Sharks, but they couldn't keep up with San Jose and instead settled on 4th in the Conference. Ilya Bryzgalov has been their savior in net for the 'Yotes and they made some important moves at the trade deadline to help with some injuries. They, however, drew a tough first round against Detroit. The Red Wings have been on a tear since the Olympic break. Two upsets in a row, wow.
Detroit upsets Phoenix in 6 games.
Western Conference Semi-Finals
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
I don't see the Sharks having much of a problem with the Kings. But stranger things have happened. Joe Thornton will be trying to shake the playoff monkey from his back and try to help the Sharks move along. Getting some good goaltending in Evgeni Nabokov doesn't hurt either. The Kings will have to rely on a lot of inexperienced players like goaltender Jonathan Quick to help them move to the next round. But the Sharks are just too talented for them.
San Jose defeats LA in 5 games
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Last year's Western Conference Final is this year's Semi-Final. The Hawks are a much more experienced team this time around and the Red Wings will have to lean pretty hard on rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. It should be a wide open, high scoring affair between the two. If the Blackhawks don't get the consistent goaltending they need, they will be ending the post season prematurely.
Chicago defeats Detroit in 7 games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Now this is a series to watch. The Sharks and Blackhawks will have to do with some pretty hefty travel in this series. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews against Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Danny Heatley. The names make it sound more like an All-Star game rather than a Western Final. The Blackhawks need to rely on their speed and scoring strengths, while the Sharks come in the bigger team and need to take up some space from the Hawks. Goaltending will be key again for both teams.
Chicago upsets San Jose in 6 games for the Western Conference crown.
Stanley Cup Final Fearless Prediction
Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Two young teams going head to head and there is already drama between the two. Alex Ovechkin's little push from behind that sent Brian Campbell into the boards should be enough motivation for these two teams to be on less than civil terms. And with the Stanley Cup on the line as well. If you want scoring, you got it. Both teams can play a wide open, shoot-0ut style game. So defense will be key. If Campbell returns to the line up by then, he will be the Hawks rally cry. For the Capitals, they will have to depend on Tom Poti and Mike Green on the back end to keep the high powered Hawk offense at bay. Their goaltending will have to be spectacular for them to down an original six team and their franchise's first Stanley Cup. It all comes down to home ice advantage.
Washington defeats Chicago in 7 games for the Stanley Cup.
Okay, I know what you are thinking, "He is a blogger for the Capitals, of course he is going to pick them all the way!" Well, your right in some respects. I think the two best teams should meet in the finals, and right now those two teams happen to be Chicago and Washington, in my opinion.
For the Capitals, a lot of things have to go their way. They need the best out of Jose Theodore to make it to the Finals and they need goal support for their top line. If they can get both, they shouldn't have a problem getting to the Finals (as long as they don't play down to their competition in the early going).
I really like the Hawks coming out of the west. They surprised everyone last year by getting to the finals, but I don't think that was a fluke. They post some size and grit in their line up and if Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi can get hot down the stretch, I don't see why they can't overcome the West.
If anything, I don't want to see another Pittsburgh/Detroit final. Nor really do other fans out side of Pittsburgh and Detroit. This predicted final would boost the NHL's image as the two have a history from the regular season and both are in good markets.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
'09-'10 Presidents Trophy Winners
Congratulations to the Washington Capitals for being the best regular season team in the NHL and winning their franchise first President's Trophy.
The Caps clinch with 114 points and 4 games left on the schedule. The only team that was close to upsetting the Capitals were the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks lost in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche tonight.
The Capitals are guaranteed home ice advantage throughout the post season, even in the finals. The Caps were the first team to wrap up their division and Conference in the league.
The Caps clinch with 114 points and 4 games left on the schedule. The only team that was close to upsetting the Capitals were the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks lost in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche tonight.
The Capitals are guaranteed home ice advantage throughout the post season, even in the finals. The Caps were the first team to wrap up their division and Conference in the league.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Back On Track
Capitals 4, Sharks 1
Scoresheet - Times - Post
The Washington Capitals shook off some heavy woes in one game. They snapped a four game losing skid and stopped a San Jose Shark team at 11 straight wins by defeating them 4-1. In their first visit to Verizon Center since Feburary 21, 2007, the Sharks couldn't solve the Capitals.
Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of second period goals just :28 seconds apart. The fastest two goals of his career. Alex Semin scored a power play goal, much needed goal for a PP squad that has not been producing. Matt Bradley goal was icing on the cake as the Caps seemed to have put together a complete 60 minute game to put away a Western Conference foe.
The Caps got off to a quick start as the Sharks got into some penalty trouble early. Called for three straight minor penalties, San Jose gave the Caps nearly 5 straight minutes with a man or two man advantage. The Caps were able to take advantage on a 5 on 3 when Nick Backstrom fed a pass to a waiting Semin across ice. The Caps have struggled scoring with the extra man, scoring only 3 goals in the last 22 power play opportunities in their last three losses.
The Sharks were able to tie the game late in the period when Eric Fehr couldn't cover his man. Jose Theodore had a strong start, but an earlier play in when Ryan Clowe fell on him and injured the goaltender. Later when the Sharks were breaking down the ice, Theo did not step out to take the shot and the puck sailed over his shoulder and the period ended in a 1-1 tie. Semyon Varlamov took over in the second period as Theodore left the game with back spasms and did not return. He is listed day-to-day.
The Caps also took the lead in the second when Alex Ovechkin scored twice less than :30 seconds. Ovi was lined up with Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison for the first time in the season. The trio would connect for both goals with Ovechkin driving to the net. Bradley added the clincher in the third period as the Caps shut down the Sharks potent offense.
In only the seventh game of the season the Capitals have faced six teams that were in the playoffs last season, four of them division champions. Of the four division champs (Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks) the Capitals had a 2-1-1 record and earned 5 of 8 possible points. In the two losses, one a shoot out loss and the other a loss in regulation, the Capitals have only lost those games by one goal. The Caps also had the lead and/or scored the first goal in each of the four games.
There is certainly some relief for the Capitals coming out of this one with a win. Even if the Sharks looked a bit travel weary in this one, the Caps did hold the to 8 shots in the second period and 7 shots in the third. Varlamov would step in for the injured Theodore and come away with the win stopping all 15 shots he faced.
Caps Notes:
Scoresheet - Times - Post
The Washington Capitals shook off some heavy woes in one game. They snapped a four game losing skid and stopped a San Jose Shark team at 11 straight wins by defeating them 4-1. In their first visit to Verizon Center since Feburary 21, 2007, the Sharks couldn't solve the Capitals.
Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of second period goals just :28 seconds apart. The fastest two goals of his career. Alex Semin scored a power play goal, much needed goal for a PP squad that has not been producing. Matt Bradley goal was icing on the cake as the Caps seemed to have put together a complete 60 minute game to put away a Western Conference foe.
The Caps got off to a quick start as the Sharks got into some penalty trouble early. Called for three straight minor penalties, San Jose gave the Caps nearly 5 straight minutes with a man or two man advantage. The Caps were able to take advantage on a 5 on 3 when Nick Backstrom fed a pass to a waiting Semin across ice. The Caps have struggled scoring with the extra man, scoring only 3 goals in the last 22 power play opportunities in their last three losses.
The Sharks were able to tie the game late in the period when Eric Fehr couldn't cover his man. Jose Theodore had a strong start, but an earlier play in when Ryan Clowe fell on him and injured the goaltender. Later when the Sharks were breaking down the ice, Theo did not step out to take the shot and the puck sailed over his shoulder and the period ended in a 1-1 tie. Semyon Varlamov took over in the second period as Theodore left the game with back spasms and did not return. He is listed day-to-day.
The Caps also took the lead in the second when Alex Ovechkin scored twice less than :30 seconds. Ovi was lined up with Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison for the first time in the season. The trio would connect for both goals with Ovechkin driving to the net. Bradley added the clincher in the third period as the Caps shut down the Sharks potent offense.
In only the seventh game of the season the Capitals have faced six teams that were in the playoffs last season, four of them division champions. Of the four division champs (Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks) the Capitals had a 2-1-1 record and earned 5 of 8 possible points. In the two losses, one a shoot out loss and the other a loss in regulation, the Capitals have only lost those games by one goal. The Caps also had the lead and/or scored the first goal in each of the four games.
There is certainly some relief for the Capitals coming out of this one with a win. Even if the Sharks looked a bit travel weary in this one, the Caps did hold the to 8 shots in the second period and 7 shots in the third. Varlamov would step in for the injured Theodore and come away with the win stopping all 15 shots he faced.
Caps Notes:
- The Caps had to deal with injury issues. John Erskine (IR, upper body injury), Boyd Gordon (day-to-day, back spasms) and now Jose Theodore (day-to-day, back spasms). Keith Aucoin was recalled from Hershey to replace Gordon and played on the third line with Fehr and Chris Clark. Tom Poti took a stick up high on a follow through on a shot. He left the game shortly to get stitches and returned to the line up soon after.
- David Steckel was a monster in the face off circle. At one point he was a perfect 7 for 7 on draws, and would end up winning 75% of his face off battles (12-4). The Capitals as a whole were only 48% in face offs.
- Mike Green was 2:01 short of logging 30:00 of ice time (27:59). Green spent over ten minutes in the first period due to the Sharks' penalty woes. He finished the night with an assist and three shots on net.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Go West, Young Man, Go West
Players in the Western Conference can breath easy knowing that they have dominated the Stanley Cup Finals in over a decade. The West have beaten the east 8 of the last thirteen finals. Those odds are pretty good and are only getting better as many of those teams have youth maturing.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bring On The Cup '09 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1
Can you believe it? It's playoff time, which means it is time to make some predictions. This will be the fourth straight year for PHT's fearless predictions and it's the most exciting due to the Capitals ranked second in the East and they wrapped up a playoff position two weeks before the end of the season.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Defensive Debacle
Capitals 2, Sharks 7
Scoresheet - Wash Post - SJ Mercury
One would think that the tilt between the Washington Capitals and the San Jose Sharks would produce an exciting, high scoring game. Well it was high scoring for one team, the Sharks put the beat down on the Capitals who go on to lose their second straight, 7-2.
Tom Poti and Tomas Fleischmann were your goal scorers in a game that turned out to be a blow out for the other team. Alex Ovechkin keeps his point streak intact with a power play assist. Brent Johnson played better than the team played in front of him. That being said, there were seven goals.
It was very frustrating to watch the Capitals start strong and finish so poorly. They kept the Sharks pinned in their own zone but could not produce a goal. A heavy weight battle between Donald Brashear and Jody Shelley seemed to work out in the favor of the Caps, but they didn't feed off it. It seemed every shot the Caps threw at the net were extreme angle shots or they would lose the puck after one too many passes.
The Sharks scored on their first shot on net. After Shaone Morrisonn kindly gave San Jose goal number two by knocking it into his own net, the Caps unraveled and broke down defensively.
It is hard for any team to win on the road, but the idea is to at least try. The Caps were guilty of missing plays, telegraphing passes, losing the one on one battles and basically just stinking up the joint. Ovechkin, to me, does not look 100%, although that could just be San Jose's very good defense.
When the Capitals were able to get it out of the zone, they didn't get the puck in deep enough or passed it right to a waiting defender's stick and boom the play was right back in their zone. Perhaps it was too close for bed time for some of them.
Those who may have been up past their beauty sleep were the defensive squad. Morrisonn tapped in the puck behind Johnny to give the Sharks a then 2-0 lead. Even though Poti scored, this was not his best game. Watching him tee up a slapshot that just kept getting blocked was a bit hard to watch. I counted 3 times Poti wound up and shoot it right into a defender standing right in front of him. Jeff Schultz had a rough night too, he was a -4 on the night. The worst of any other Capital.
The Caps could ill afford to take dumb penalties against this very dangerous Shark power play. But that didn't stop them of course as they were called for 9 in fractions. 7 of which were stick infractions. The Caps needed to stay out of the penalty box, but just could not.
Sergei Fedorov made a brief return to the line up but left after logging less than 5 minutes of ice time after the first period. The Caps are already without the services of Mike Green and Alex Semin whose seemingly minor injuries apparently have kept them sidelined longer than anyone but the doctors want them to.
There is really no excuse for this loss. The Caps just didn't do the things they needed to do to win. I think the Caps need to get back to doing some leg work and crashing the net. This team seems to rather make one more pass than get the garbage goals. Instead of the shot heading on net, it was one too many passes that the Sharks jumped on, nullifying any offensive chance.
Asking the Caps to shake off the last too games and face another hot Western Confernece in the Minnesota Wild is a hard task for Bruce Boudreau and his coaching staff. But that is exactly what they need to do.
Video highlights courtesy of NHL.com:
Scoresheet - Wash Post - SJ Mercury
One would think that the tilt between the Washington Capitals and the San Jose Sharks would produce an exciting, high scoring game. Well it was high scoring for one team, the Sharks put the beat down on the Capitals who go on to lose their second straight, 7-2.
Tom Poti and Tomas Fleischmann were your goal scorers in a game that turned out to be a blow out for the other team. Alex Ovechkin keeps his point streak intact with a power play assist. Brent Johnson played better than the team played in front of him. That being said, there were seven goals.
It was very frustrating to watch the Capitals start strong and finish so poorly. They kept the Sharks pinned in their own zone but could not produce a goal. A heavy weight battle between Donald Brashear and Jody Shelley seemed to work out in the favor of the Caps, but they didn't feed off it. It seemed every shot the Caps threw at the net were extreme angle shots or they would lose the puck after one too many passes.
The Sharks scored on their first shot on net. After Shaone Morrisonn kindly gave San Jose goal number two by knocking it into his own net, the Caps unraveled and broke down defensively.
It is hard for any team to win on the road, but the idea is to at least try. The Caps were guilty of missing plays, telegraphing passes, losing the one on one battles and basically just stinking up the joint. Ovechkin, to me, does not look 100%, although that could just be San Jose's very good defense.
When the Capitals were able to get it out of the zone, they didn't get the puck in deep enough or passed it right to a waiting defender's stick and boom the play was right back in their zone. Perhaps it was too close for bed time for some of them.
Those who may have been up past their beauty sleep were the defensive squad. Morrisonn tapped in the puck behind Johnny to give the Sharks a then 2-0 lead. Even though Poti scored, this was not his best game. Watching him tee up a slapshot that just kept getting blocked was a bit hard to watch. I counted 3 times Poti wound up and shoot it right into a defender standing right in front of him. Jeff Schultz had a rough night too, he was a -4 on the night. The worst of any other Capital.
The Caps could ill afford to take dumb penalties against this very dangerous Shark power play. But that didn't stop them of course as they were called for 9 in fractions. 7 of which were stick infractions. The Caps needed to stay out of the penalty box, but just could not.
Sergei Fedorov made a brief return to the line up but left after logging less than 5 minutes of ice time after the first period. The Caps are already without the services of Mike Green and Alex Semin whose seemingly minor injuries apparently have kept them sidelined longer than anyone but the doctors want them to.
There is really no excuse for this loss. The Caps just didn't do the things they needed to do to win. I think the Caps need to get back to doing some leg work and crashing the net. This team seems to rather make one more pass than get the garbage goals. Instead of the shot heading on net, it was one too many passes that the Sharks jumped on, nullifying any offensive chance.
Asking the Caps to shake off the last too games and face another hot Western Confernece in the Minnesota Wild is a hard task for Bruce Boudreau and his coaching staff. But that is exactly what they need to do.
Video highlights courtesy of NHL.com:
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Third Jerseys, Nylander Trade Talk
In the NHL, the "in" thing to do is make a third jersey. Personally, I am kind of glad the Capitals are sticking with just the two. I really only see two reasons for teams to go the third jersey route, revenue and revenue. Other than that, the jersey is just a jersey.
Before the days of the flying eagle and the dome with crisscross hockey sticks, the Capitals only had two jerseys; home and away. Now every team wants to have a third jersey which never made sense to me as a fan. Third jerseys are like a fade, a crazy what if.
Hey, I used to place playing cards on the wheels of my bike with clothes line pins to improve my bike. After awhile I realized it didn't improve my bike. It turns out my bike was just a bike whether it had the playing cards on or not, it was just louder. A team is just a team no matter what they wear. A third jersey is not going to guarantee a playoff spot.
Clarification. If a team uses their third jersey as a retro jersey, then surprisingly I am okay with that. Buffalo, Edmonton and the Islanders have introduced third jerseys that are throwbacks from the day, all of which I liked. If you think about it, their current jerseys would be the third jersey.
I don't consider myself an traditionalist by any means, but there is just something about heritage in the logo you started out with that I am partial too. I still like the vintage Caps' jersey. The blue pants with the stars down the side. Now that the Caps are back in red, white and blue, I do like the modernization of the logo and love they are back in the colors they started with.
The San Jose Sharks will be sporting their third jersey tonight when they face off with the Capitals. The Caps will be in their same ol' white road jerseys.
Trade talks seem to continue about a possible exchange concerning the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals for Micheal Nylander. Since management is pretty mum here, most of these reports have been coming out of the Windy City.
The Blackhawks reportedly were considering putting newly acquired Cristobal Huet on waivers to make room for Nylander. While that might be fun to speculate, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense on the Blackhawks behalf. I am almost certain if Huet hits the waivers, he will be picked up by a team in need of a goaltender of his stature. Seems like a lose, lose for Chicago.
Nylander/Brent Johnson for developing player/Huet? Hmm.
NHL Notes:
The Boston Bruins are quickly becoming a very scary team to face. They have been climbing up the standings and now find themselves tied for first in the East with the Rangers (who have two more games played than Boston). The Bruins are first the Conference with goals for with 66, the Capitals second with 64.
The Southeast Division maybe a race between just two teams. It seems Carolina and Washington have pulled to a 3 and 3 and a half game lead respectively over the rest of the division. It's too early to rule out the remaining three, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 'Canes and Caps finish in the top two.
Contract talks have started with Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Are fans in Toronto sure they want an American running the team? I guess the resounding answer is yes.
It's not hockey, but it's played on ice and in full pads. Close enough. It's Red Bull Crashed Ice where you go down a rather steep ramp of ice that curves and banks, beating out four other competitors to win a Red Bull (there is a video of it on the site). It will be held in Quebec City January 24, '09. Since it doesn't look like it takes much skill, I took the liberty of signing up JP and DC Sports Chick for the competition. Good luck!
Before the days of the flying eagle and the dome with crisscross hockey sticks, the Capitals only had two jerseys; home and away. Now every team wants to have a third jersey which never made sense to me as a fan. Third jerseys are like a fade, a crazy what if.
Hey, I used to place playing cards on the wheels of my bike with clothes line pins to improve my bike. After awhile I realized it didn't improve my bike. It turns out my bike was just a bike whether it had the playing cards on or not, it was just louder. A team is just a team no matter what they wear. A third jersey is not going to guarantee a playoff spot.
Clarification. If a team uses their third jersey as a retro jersey, then surprisingly I am okay with that. Buffalo, Edmonton and the Islanders have introduced third jerseys that are throwbacks from the day, all of which I liked. If you think about it, their current jerseys would be the third jersey.
I don't consider myself an traditionalist by any means, but there is just something about heritage in the logo you started out with that I am partial too. I still like the vintage Caps' jersey. The blue pants with the stars down the side. Now that the Caps are back in red, white and blue, I do like the modernization of the logo and love they are back in the colors they started with.
The San Jose Sharks will be sporting their third jersey tonight when they face off with the Capitals. The Caps will be in their same ol' white road jerseys.
Trade talks seem to continue about a possible exchange concerning the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals for Micheal Nylander. Since management is pretty mum here, most of these reports have been coming out of the Windy City.
The Blackhawks reportedly were considering putting newly acquired Cristobal Huet on waivers to make room for Nylander. While that might be fun to speculate, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense on the Blackhawks behalf. I am almost certain if Huet hits the waivers, he will be picked up by a team in need of a goaltender of his stature. Seems like a lose, lose for Chicago.
Nylander/Brent Johnson for developing player/Huet? Hmm.
NHL Notes:
The Boston Bruins are quickly becoming a very scary team to face. They have been climbing up the standings and now find themselves tied for first in the East with the Rangers (who have two more games played than Boston). The Bruins are first the Conference with goals for with 66, the Capitals second with 64.
The Southeast Division maybe a race between just two teams. It seems Carolina and Washington have pulled to a 3 and 3 and a half game lead respectively over the rest of the division. It's too early to rule out the remaining three, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 'Canes and Caps finish in the top two.
Contract talks have started with Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Are fans in Toronto sure they want an American running the team? I guess the resounding answer is yes.
It's not hockey, but it's played on ice and in full pads. Close enough. It's Red Bull Crashed Ice where you go down a rather steep ramp of ice that curves and banks, beating out four other competitors to win a Red Bull (there is a video of it on the site). It will be held in Quebec City January 24, '09. Since it doesn't look like it takes much skill, I took the liberty of signing up JP and DC Sports Chick for the competition. Good luck!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Anniversary Of Hope
When the Washington Capitals roll into San Jose for their tilt with the Sharks tomorrow night, it is not only a game between two elite teams, but will also mark the anniversary of Bruce Boudreau's arrival to DC as the Capitals head coach.
The Caps had started the '07-'08 campaign with three straight wins, but that was the only bright spot of Glen Hanlon's reign that year. The Caps fell to last in their division and last in the conference. Fans were calling for heads to roll. George McPhee and Hanlon were both in the cross hairs as the Caps struggled to win games.
There was player dissent. Simply put, the players just sort of stopped listening to Hanlon's quiet approach. The coaching staff were preaching more defense and the Caps offensive talents were stifled. The team was going nowhere fast and a change was certain.
When Bruce Boudreau took over the Capitals after Hanlon was let go, the change was immediate. Even in the first practice, Boudreau yelled at Alex Ovechkin for making a mistake. Something Hanlon never did. And while McPhee and Ted Leonsis were defending the coaching change, the Capitals locker room changed.
The Caps went from a hard working defensive minded team to a high tempo, powerful offensive team. The quiet, reserved Hanlon was replaced by a talkative, open Boudreau. Slowly and surely the Caps began to buy into Boudreau's system and the Caps made the turn around.
From worst to first. Bruce Boudreau broke some records doing it. Boudreau was the fastest coach in club history to reach 20 wins (34 games) and 30 wins (53 games) and the first coach in NHL history to lead his team from 14th place at midseason to a playoff berth. He led his team to 17 come from behind wins. He won the Jack Adams award for NHL's top coach.
Boudreau took the reigns of the Washington Capitals November 22, 2007.
Caps Notes:
Trade talks concerning Micheal Nylander seem to be heating up. The pros to trading Nylander: Frees up cap space to pull up Karl Alzner, Quintin Laing and/or Chris Bourque. The cons: you are losing a dynamic playmaker that when properly motivated can add to the Caps powerful offense. If McPhee is interested in moving Nylander, he better get some value for it instead of just unloading his contract.
McPhee has a lot on his plate after the NHLPA filed a greivence with the Capitals for not letting player representatives in the locker room before and after games. This following the shooing of Joe Reekie from the locker room as he is employed by the players' union. The union contends it's a violation of league policy. McPhee has never permitted anyone outside media and family near the locker room areas.
Two words: Red Rockers. Alright!
The Caps had started the '07-'08 campaign with three straight wins, but that was the only bright spot of Glen Hanlon's reign that year. The Caps fell to last in their division and last in the conference. Fans were calling for heads to roll. George McPhee and Hanlon were both in the cross hairs as the Caps struggled to win games.
There was player dissent. Simply put, the players just sort of stopped listening to Hanlon's quiet approach. The coaching staff were preaching more defense and the Caps offensive talents were stifled. The team was going nowhere fast and a change was certain.
When Bruce Boudreau took over the Capitals after Hanlon was let go, the change was immediate. Even in the first practice, Boudreau yelled at Alex Ovechkin for making a mistake. Something Hanlon never did. And while McPhee and Ted Leonsis were defending the coaching change, the Capitals locker room changed.
The Caps went from a hard working defensive minded team to a high tempo, powerful offensive team. The quiet, reserved Hanlon was replaced by a talkative, open Boudreau. Slowly and surely the Caps began to buy into Boudreau's system and the Caps made the turn around.
From worst to first. Bruce Boudreau broke some records doing it. Boudreau was the fastest coach in club history to reach 20 wins (34 games) and 30 wins (53 games) and the first coach in NHL history to lead his team from 14th place at midseason to a playoff berth. He led his team to 17 come from behind wins. He won the Jack Adams award for NHL's top coach.
Boudreau took the reigns of the Washington Capitals November 22, 2007.
Caps Notes:
Trade talks concerning Micheal Nylander seem to be heating up. The pros to trading Nylander: Frees up cap space to pull up Karl Alzner, Quintin Laing and/or Chris Bourque. The cons: you are losing a dynamic playmaker that when properly motivated can add to the Caps powerful offense. If McPhee is interested in moving Nylander, he better get some value for it instead of just unloading his contract.
McPhee has a lot on his plate after the NHLPA filed a greivence with the Capitals for not letting player representatives in the locker room before and after games. This following the shooing of Joe Reekie from the locker room as he is employed by the players' union. The union contends it's a violation of league policy. McPhee has never permitted anyone outside media and family near the locker room areas.
Two words: Red Rockers. Alright!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Burning The Midnight Oil
Sometimes you need a stinker to fix the little things that slipped during a winning streak. For the Capitals, the little things would be their neutral zone play. Granted that the Caps played the best team in the league concerning neutral zone play (the dreaded Devil's trap), they still needed to shore up their possession play now that they are going to be playing the league's best over the next few games.
Anaheim, San Jose and Minnesota are in the top five teams in the Western Conference (interesting note: the next four competitors' team name are one syllable, cavemen ecstatic**). The Caps will have to be on top of their game on this road trip, which is probably why Bruce Boudreau had them working on neutral zone play and break out.
They will also be limping into this game with injured players Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn were set to return, but now both might be a game time decision. Sergei Fedorov, at the moment, will be out of the line up nursing his sores. He too may be a game time decision.
The good news? With Semin out the Caps haven't slowed their scoring. In the past six games the Caps have scored 3 goals or more. Where Semin was missing, it seems Alex Ovechkin has stepped in. Ovi is on a three goal game streak included putting up a deuce against the Devils including the dramatic tie with only a second left.
Plus the Caps are getting secondary scoring, a problem for them all of last season. Twelve players have 5 points or more so far this season. Considering the Caps had maybe 5 players with 5 points or more through 18 games last season. Players like Tomas Fleischmann (8 pts) is on pace for a 50 point season and the Caps defensemen are starting to warm up with a combined 31 points.
It's a late start for us here in DC, they will drop the puck at 10 pm eastern time. That means get the coffee pots stirring and cozy up next to the fire (for those that have fireplaces only, those who don't, please do not start a bonfire in the middle of your apartment, take it from someone who has been down that road).
** Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Wild. All one syllable. Geico caveman jokes can made here.
Anaheim, San Jose and Minnesota are in the top five teams in the Western Conference (interesting note: the next four competitors' team name are one syllable, cavemen ecstatic**). The Caps will have to be on top of their game on this road trip, which is probably why Bruce Boudreau had them working on neutral zone play and break out.
They will also be limping into this game with injured players Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn were set to return, but now both might be a game time decision. Sergei Fedorov, at the moment, will be out of the line up nursing his sores. He too may be a game time decision.
The good news? With Semin out the Caps haven't slowed their scoring. In the past six games the Caps have scored 3 goals or more. Where Semin was missing, it seems Alex Ovechkin has stepped in. Ovi is on a three goal game streak included putting up a deuce against the Devils including the dramatic tie with only a second left.
Plus the Caps are getting secondary scoring, a problem for them all of last season. Twelve players have 5 points or more so far this season. Considering the Caps had maybe 5 players with 5 points or more through 18 games last season. Players like Tomas Fleischmann (8 pts) is on pace for a 50 point season and the Caps defensemen are starting to warm up with a combined 31 points.
It's a late start for us here in DC, they will drop the puck at 10 pm eastern time. That means get the coffee pots stirring and cozy up next to the fire (for those that have fireplaces only, those who don't, please do not start a bonfire in the middle of your apartment, take it from someone who has been down that road).
** Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Wild. All one syllable. Geico caveman jokes can made here.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Bring On The Cup '08 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 2
This one is especially hard for me. I want to look at this in a fair way and not have too much bias. Since this is the first time the Caps have reached the post season on my fearless predictions posts, I suddenly feel a strong conflict of interest.
It's also that the East is wide open. There is a mix of struggling teams and hot ones coming into the post season, it's hard to really pick a favorite, unless you're a homer like me (Go Caps!). These are just my gut predictions for the wide open East.
Round 1
#8 Boston Bruins at #1 Montreal Canadiens - If you looked up the word domination in the dictionary, there would be the regular season record the Canadiens had on the Bruins this year. 8 games, 8 wins. But that was regular season. Goaltending might be the key and since neither Carey Price or Tim Thomas really have any playoff experience. This might be a shooters affair and may the best goaltender survive. While the Habs have had the Bruins' number this year, we are talking history here between these two clubs. Boston, Montreal, an original six series. It should be a hard fought, very long series. If it does come down to offense, Boston is just a step behind.
Montreal wins in 6 games.
#7 Ottawa Senators at #2 Pittsburgh Penguins - Two teams in opposite directions. The Senators started the season so strong that many were doubting that the Sens could be caught in the east. Not only were they caught, they darn near missed the whole post season. To add insult, they have injuries. Daniel Alfredsson, the heart of the Senators, most likely will be sidelined. On the flip side, the Penguins are looking at some goaltending issues. They still have two net minders that seem to run hot and cold and it looks like Marc-Andre Fleury will get the start. The Penguins had a choice in the last game of the season, play a physical series with cross state rivals the Flyers or play the already beat up Senators. Hmm, sit Crosby and sit on your hands for three periods boys, lets go in against the lesser of two evils. Afterall, first place is first place.
Pittsburgh wins in 5 games.
#6 Philadelphia Flyers at #3 Washington Capitals - Good vs. Evil. That is what some are calling this series. A physical hard nosed team versus the feel good story of the season. The Flyers have come a long way since their lowly finish dead last the year before. The Capitals weren't that far off. This should be a battle, very physical and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few fights per game. While the Caps have seemed to solve their goaltending problems, Philly's status is still in the air. Marty Biron has played spectacular at times, and poor for the rest. Offense is pretty even and if the Flyers start taking stupid penalties, lights out.
Washington wins in 6 games.
#5 New York Rangers at #4 New Jersey Devils - The metro series. Talk about an easy commute. The Rangers look to avenge their quick exit from 2 seasons ago when the Devils swept them in the first round. The Devils will once again ride the coat tails of one Mr. Marty Brodeur for as long as they can. Like two years ago, I expect this to be a hard fought series, meriting a seventh game to decide. Rather than what really happened when the Rangers tanked and were out in four. For any hope of the Rangers to move on is if Jaromir Jagr is playing to his potential. If Jagr isn't into it, then the Rangers will struggle at the Rock.
New Jersey wins in 7 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens - If the Hurricanes hadn't tanked the last game, this could have been a first round match up. Now that the Caps have tasted post season, just how far their winning momentum will take them is in question. They will be pretty beaten up surviving a series with the Flyers, and that could slow down any hopes for a Cinderella story here. It should be a goaltending duel between former teammates. How's that for drama. My heart says the Caps, but my rational side says the Habs.
Montreal wins in 6 games. (But I wouldn't mind being wrong, Go Caps!)
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins - An Atlantic Division battle. These two teams just couldn't win in their own buildings against one another during the regular season. Maybe home ice advantage doesn't mean a whole lot here. The Penguins got a first round pass playing a demoralized Senators team. The Devils are coming off an emotional 7 game metro series. If the Penguins can't shake the rust, Sid "the Kid" Crosby will be finding tee times a bit earlier than planned. Maybe they should have skated against the Flyers, toughen them up a bit.
New Jersey wins in 5 games.
Eastern Conference Championship
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens - If the Canadiens came this far beating an age old rival and an upstart talent, what makes you think that Broudeur will scare the breezers off of them. The Devils made a run, but their scoring is key. They can play defense with the best of them, but they are going up against a team that knows how to score. I am actually quite surprised that the Devils did get this far. But think of that red New Jersey sweater as the carpeting for the coronation of the Canadiens winning the Eastern Conference championship.
Montreal wins in 5 games.
The Devils are just a different team in the playoffs and I can see them making quick work of both the Rangers and Penguins. As for Montreal, this might be all or bust for them. They will be playing like it. When you have that kind of desperation, it's hard to beat a team that has committed like that.
Stanley Cup Final
Montreal Canadiens at San Jose Sharks - This should be fun to watch. Both teams will be on a mission, both will have been tested to this point. But how do you pick a winner?
Let's start with goaltending, Carey Price may have won in the minors but will that help him in the finals. Evgeni Nabokov has been down this road a time or two, you can bet he isn't intimidated. Advantage: Sharks.
The defense for the Canadiens continues to impress, even with the loss of Sheldon Souray. For the Sharks there is just Brian Campbell, a trade deadline pickup. While the Sharks defense may have some bite offensively, they still rely on Nabokov a bit too much. Advantage: Canadiens.
With names like Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheecho and Patrick Marleau, you would think that would be an All Star line. But the Candiens know how to put the puck in the back of the net too, even against the toughest of goaltenders. Advantage: Draw.
Special teams are important to any series, in the Finals they are essential. Penalty kills and power plays for both teams are important, and the Canadiens are masters of the extra man. Advantage: Canadiens.
Coaching is a position sometimes not discussed in predictions, but it is important to each team. Ron Wilson will have his troops ready, and he does have a bit more coaching experience in the post season than his counterpart Guy Carbonneau. Advantage: Sharks.
While both teams can play the tough role and the scoring role, it will be a battle of endurance. It will come down to who wants it more.
San Jose are Stanley Cup Champions in 6 games.
With Jeremy Roenick in the fold and some hot goaltending, I like the Sharks chances here. Plus they had a good record against Eastern Conference teams during the regular season. I think this whole notion of the west being a cut above the east is bull, but what ever keeps them happy. The Capitals always seem to have success against Western Conference teams when they go on their little road swings. But I do think that the Sharks have better personnel in this match up with the Habs. Canada is so close to bringing the Cup back, yet so far away.
It's also that the East is wide open. There is a mix of struggling teams and hot ones coming into the post season, it's hard to really pick a favorite, unless you're a homer like me (Go Caps!). These are just my gut predictions for the wide open East.
Round 1
#8 Boston Bruins at #1 Montreal Canadiens - If you looked up the word domination in the dictionary, there would be the regular season record the Canadiens had on the Bruins this year. 8 games, 8 wins. But that was regular season. Goaltending might be the key and since neither Carey Price or Tim Thomas really have any playoff experience. This might be a shooters affair and may the best goaltender survive. While the Habs have had the Bruins' number this year, we are talking history here between these two clubs. Boston, Montreal, an original six series. It should be a hard fought, very long series. If it does come down to offense, Boston is just a step behind.
Montreal wins in 6 games.
#7 Ottawa Senators at #2 Pittsburgh Penguins - Two teams in opposite directions. The Senators started the season so strong that many were doubting that the Sens could be caught in the east. Not only were they caught, they darn near missed the whole post season. To add insult, they have injuries. Daniel Alfredsson, the heart of the Senators, most likely will be sidelined. On the flip side, the Penguins are looking at some goaltending issues. They still have two net minders that seem to run hot and cold and it looks like Marc-Andre Fleury will get the start. The Penguins had a choice in the last game of the season, play a physical series with cross state rivals the Flyers or play the already beat up Senators. Hmm, sit Crosby and sit on your hands for three periods boys, lets go in against the lesser of two evils. Afterall, first place is first place.
Pittsburgh wins in 5 games.
#6 Philadelphia Flyers at #3 Washington Capitals - Good vs. Evil. That is what some are calling this series. A physical hard nosed team versus the feel good story of the season. The Flyers have come a long way since their lowly finish dead last the year before. The Capitals weren't that far off. This should be a battle, very physical and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few fights per game. While the Caps have seemed to solve their goaltending problems, Philly's status is still in the air. Marty Biron has played spectacular at times, and poor for the rest. Offense is pretty even and if the Flyers start taking stupid penalties, lights out.
Washington wins in 6 games.
#5 New York Rangers at #4 New Jersey Devils - The metro series. Talk about an easy commute. The Rangers look to avenge their quick exit from 2 seasons ago when the Devils swept them in the first round. The Devils will once again ride the coat tails of one Mr. Marty Brodeur for as long as they can. Like two years ago, I expect this to be a hard fought series, meriting a seventh game to decide. Rather than what really happened when the Rangers tanked and were out in four. For any hope of the Rangers to move on is if Jaromir Jagr is playing to his potential. If Jagr isn't into it, then the Rangers will struggle at the Rock.
New Jersey wins in 7 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens - If the Hurricanes hadn't tanked the last game, this could have been a first round match up. Now that the Caps have tasted post season, just how far their winning momentum will take them is in question. They will be pretty beaten up surviving a series with the Flyers, and that could slow down any hopes for a Cinderella story here. It should be a goaltending duel between former teammates. How's that for drama. My heart says the Caps, but my rational side says the Habs.
Montreal wins in 6 games. (But I wouldn't mind being wrong, Go Caps!)
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins - An Atlantic Division battle. These two teams just couldn't win in their own buildings against one another during the regular season. Maybe home ice advantage doesn't mean a whole lot here. The Penguins got a first round pass playing a demoralized Senators team. The Devils are coming off an emotional 7 game metro series. If the Penguins can't shake the rust, Sid "the Kid" Crosby will be finding tee times a bit earlier than planned. Maybe they should have skated against the Flyers, toughen them up a bit.
New Jersey wins in 5 games.
Eastern Conference Championship
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens - If the Canadiens came this far beating an age old rival and an upstart talent, what makes you think that Broudeur will scare the breezers off of them. The Devils made a run, but their scoring is key. They can play defense with the best of them, but they are going up against a team that knows how to score. I am actually quite surprised that the Devils did get this far. But think of that red New Jersey sweater as the carpeting for the coronation of the Canadiens winning the Eastern Conference championship.
Montreal wins in 5 games.
The Devils are just a different team in the playoffs and I can see them making quick work of both the Rangers and Penguins. As for Montreal, this might be all or bust for them. They will be playing like it. When you have that kind of desperation, it's hard to beat a team that has committed like that.
Stanley Cup Final
Montreal Canadiens at San Jose Sharks - This should be fun to watch. Both teams will be on a mission, both will have been tested to this point. But how do you pick a winner?
Let's start with goaltending, Carey Price may have won in the minors but will that help him in the finals. Evgeni Nabokov has been down this road a time or two, you can bet he isn't intimidated. Advantage: Sharks.
The defense for the Canadiens continues to impress, even with the loss of Sheldon Souray. For the Sharks there is just Brian Campbell, a trade deadline pickup. While the Sharks defense may have some bite offensively, they still rely on Nabokov a bit too much. Advantage: Canadiens.
With names like Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheecho and Patrick Marleau, you would think that would be an All Star line. But the Candiens know how to put the puck in the back of the net too, even against the toughest of goaltenders. Advantage: Draw.
Special teams are important to any series, in the Finals they are essential. Penalty kills and power plays for both teams are important, and the Canadiens are masters of the extra man. Advantage: Canadiens.
Coaching is a position sometimes not discussed in predictions, but it is important to each team. Ron Wilson will have his troops ready, and he does have a bit more coaching experience in the post season than his counterpart Guy Carbonneau. Advantage: Sharks.
While both teams can play the tough role and the scoring role, it will be a battle of endurance. It will come down to who wants it more.
San Jose are Stanley Cup Champions in 6 games.
With Jeremy Roenick in the fold and some hot goaltending, I like the Sharks chances here. Plus they had a good record against Eastern Conference teams during the regular season. I think this whole notion of the west being a cut above the east is bull, but what ever keeps them happy. The Capitals always seem to have success against Western Conference teams when they go on their little road swings. But I do think that the Sharks have better personnel in this match up with the Habs. Canada is so close to bringing the Cup back, yet so far away.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Bring On The Cup '08 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1
Welcome to the third annual Bring On The Cup predictions on P.H.T. I just have to say that I am more than excited to get this ball rolling with the Caps securing a playoff spot of their own. Unfortunately, Gary Bettman isn't just going to hand the Stanley Cup to the Capitals, there are 16 other teams in contention for this silver bowl (hard to believe, I know).
Just some administrative duties to attend to first. The Capitals playoff schedule is now in stone and can be found here on the right column >>> under the Pic of the Week. The Caps get Philly instead of Ottawa in the first round after the Flyers beat the Penguins on Sunday 2-0.
Okay, back to the predictions. There are some surprises and some new faces, especially in the Eastern Conference. But as always, I will start in the wild, wild West.
Round 1
#8 Nashville Predators at #1 Detroit Red Wings - I think it's easy to pick Detroit here, and I think that's also a mistake. Nashville definitely didn't look like a team that was going to make it, especially after a loss to the Capitals a few weeks ago. But with the Northwest Division being a battle, the Preds sneak in the back door and get some playoff life. It's just that they have to face down big bad Detroit in the first round. Just how healthy the Wings are could determine if it's a one and done for the President's Trophy winners. I can see the Predators giving the Red Wings more than they can handle. But we are talking about Hockeytown.
Detroit wins in 6 games.
#7 Calgary Flames at #2 San Jose Sharks - Oh lord, let's hope that the San Jose fans mind their manners and not boo at the Canadian Anthem. Besides that, I am expecting a very physical affair between these two. San Jose has finally started hitting on all cylinders, after a ho hum start to nearly going undefeated in March. For the Flames, Jerome Iginla probably would have won the Hart for MVP if it weren't for that Ovechkin guy, he has basically carried this team into the playoffs himself. But he needs some help if they want to solve Evgeni Nabokov. Both teams are relatively healthy so this should be a hard fought series. If only the Flames goaltending was as solid as the Sharks this year.
San Jose wins in 5 games.
#6 Colorado Avalanche at #3 Minnesota Wild - Ah, my seven game series match up. The Wild have had a quiet but effective season while the Avalanche have struggled to make the playoffs. Minnesota has the skill, but their state of emotion will be the deciding factor. Sure the Wild has bulked up with the addition of Chris Simon, but the rule of thumb playing the Wild is be physical and they will lay down. The Aves are just looking for some old time magic to spark their once proud playoff tradition by bringing back Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. It should be a great goaltending duel with Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom both manning the net for their teams. Will the Avalanche's experience be enough to out battle Wild's speed and talent? Short answer, no.
Minnesota wins in 7 games.
#5 Dallas Stars at #4 Anaheim Ducks - The Stars are coming off a relatively successfully season. I say relative, because their record since the trade deadline is nothing to write home about. Since acquiring Brad Richards their once winning record in February became a losing one in March. They will also be with out Sergei Zubov on the blue line as he is out with foot surgery. While the Ducks found some late legs with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer back in the fold, they still need some dependable goaltending and good secondary scoring. One could draw a conclusion that the Ducks have an easy opponent in the Stars, but often when one overlooks any team, that is when they are the most dangerous. The Stars might be limping, but they still have some fight.
Dallas upsets the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings - This is stirring up to be an all out shoot out, two very talented teams. The Stars have to be pretty beat up walking through the Ducks, so I don't expect they have very much fight left in them. Thankfully, Detroit is known more for their puck possession rather than the Ducks' beat-you-down method. If the Stars still have the legs, they could take Detroit to the brink. If.
Detroit wins in 5 games.
Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks - If the Wild's first series wasn't a battle royale it better be against the Sharks. It should be another great goaltender head to head with Backstrom and Nabokov with the waffle irons and mitts on. This is were Minnesota's toughness will have a chance to prove it's worth and San Jose should be wary of this quiet unassuming team.
San Jose wins in 6 games.
Western Conference Championship
San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings - I actually predicted this two season ago, and it seems this might be the year we see these two giants settle it out in the conference championship. Detroit has come this far pretty unscathed, but this will be no cake walk for them. If there was ever a time to question the Red Wings' goaltending, it would be here and now in the Conference finals. The Sharks come into this contest battle tested and hungry. When these two teams face each other, I wouldn't be surprised to feel the ground quake and the skies quiver. Can Hasek/Osgood keep this Wings in it?
San Jose wins in 7 games.
The Sharks, I think, have learned their lesson from playoff series past. The previous two post seasons they faced Nashville and beat them 4 games to one, only to lose the next series 2-4 to both Edmonton and Detroit. But if the linage runs much as I have laid out here, they have had wonderful success against Northwest Division teams. Facing them in the first and second rounds is a good indicator that leads me to believe they are a Conference bound team. Since losing last year to the Red Wings I would expect Ron Wilson to use that as some inspiration in the Shark locker room.
As for the Red Wings, I think they will enjoy the spoils of winning the President's Trophy and will make quick work of their first two opponents. But if the goaltending is tested by a playoff veteran team like the Sharks, it may crack. The only bright spot may be home ice advantage.
Stay tuned for some Eastern knowledge I will be throwing your way next as I will start in on the Eastern Conference tomorrow. Feel free to comment. I will also have my prediction on who will be taking home the hardware, hockey's top prize: the Stanley Cup.
Just some administrative duties to attend to first. The Capitals playoff schedule is now in stone and can be found here on the right column >>> under the Pic of the Week. The Caps get Philly instead of Ottawa in the first round after the Flyers beat the Penguins on Sunday 2-0.
Okay, back to the predictions. There are some surprises and some new faces, especially in the Eastern Conference. But as always, I will start in the wild, wild West.
Round 1
#8 Nashville Predators at #1 Detroit Red Wings - I think it's easy to pick Detroit here, and I think that's also a mistake. Nashville definitely didn't look like a team that was going to make it, especially after a loss to the Capitals a few weeks ago. But with the Northwest Division being a battle, the Preds sneak in the back door and get some playoff life. It's just that they have to face down big bad Detroit in the first round. Just how healthy the Wings are could determine if it's a one and done for the President's Trophy winners. I can see the Predators giving the Red Wings more than they can handle. But we are talking about Hockeytown.
Detroit wins in 6 games.
#7 Calgary Flames at #2 San Jose Sharks - Oh lord, let's hope that the San Jose fans mind their manners and not boo at the Canadian Anthem. Besides that, I am expecting a very physical affair between these two. San Jose has finally started hitting on all cylinders, after a ho hum start to nearly going undefeated in March. For the Flames, Jerome Iginla probably would have won the Hart for MVP if it weren't for that Ovechkin guy, he has basically carried this team into the playoffs himself. But he needs some help if they want to solve Evgeni Nabokov. Both teams are relatively healthy so this should be a hard fought series. If only the Flames goaltending was as solid as the Sharks this year.
San Jose wins in 5 games.
#6 Colorado Avalanche at #3 Minnesota Wild - Ah, my seven game series match up. The Wild have had a quiet but effective season while the Avalanche have struggled to make the playoffs. Minnesota has the skill, but their state of emotion will be the deciding factor. Sure the Wild has bulked up with the addition of Chris Simon, but the rule of thumb playing the Wild is be physical and they will lay down. The Aves are just looking for some old time magic to spark their once proud playoff tradition by bringing back Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. It should be a great goaltending duel with Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom both manning the net for their teams. Will the Avalanche's experience be enough to out battle Wild's speed and talent? Short answer, no.
Minnesota wins in 7 games.
#5 Dallas Stars at #4 Anaheim Ducks - The Stars are coming off a relatively successfully season. I say relative, because their record since the trade deadline is nothing to write home about. Since acquiring Brad Richards their once winning record in February became a losing one in March. They will also be with out Sergei Zubov on the blue line as he is out with foot surgery. While the Ducks found some late legs with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer back in the fold, they still need some dependable goaltending and good secondary scoring. One could draw a conclusion that the Ducks have an easy opponent in the Stars, but often when one overlooks any team, that is when they are the most dangerous. The Stars might be limping, but they still have some fight.
Dallas upsets the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings - This is stirring up to be an all out shoot out, two very talented teams. The Stars have to be pretty beat up walking through the Ducks, so I don't expect they have very much fight left in them. Thankfully, Detroit is known more for their puck possession rather than the Ducks' beat-you-down method. If the Stars still have the legs, they could take Detroit to the brink. If.
Detroit wins in 5 games.
Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks - If the Wild's first series wasn't a battle royale it better be against the Sharks. It should be another great goaltender head to head with Backstrom and Nabokov with the waffle irons and mitts on. This is were Minnesota's toughness will have a chance to prove it's worth and San Jose should be wary of this quiet unassuming team.
San Jose wins in 6 games.
Western Conference Championship
San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings - I actually predicted this two season ago, and it seems this might be the year we see these two giants settle it out in the conference championship. Detroit has come this far pretty unscathed, but this will be no cake walk for them. If there was ever a time to question the Red Wings' goaltending, it would be here and now in the Conference finals. The Sharks come into this contest battle tested and hungry. When these two teams face each other, I wouldn't be surprised to feel the ground quake and the skies quiver. Can Hasek/Osgood keep this Wings in it?
San Jose wins in 7 games.
The Sharks, I think, have learned their lesson from playoff series past. The previous two post seasons they faced Nashville and beat them 4 games to one, only to lose the next series 2-4 to both Edmonton and Detroit. But if the linage runs much as I have laid out here, they have had wonderful success against Northwest Division teams. Facing them in the first and second rounds is a good indicator that leads me to believe they are a Conference bound team. Since losing last year to the Red Wings I would expect Ron Wilson to use that as some inspiration in the Shark locker room.
As for the Red Wings, I think they will enjoy the spoils of winning the President's Trophy and will make quick work of their first two opponents. But if the goaltending is tested by a playoff veteran team like the Sharks, it may crack. The only bright spot may be home ice advantage.
Stay tuned for some Eastern knowledge I will be throwing your way next as I will start in on the Eastern Conference tomorrow. Feel free to comment. I will also have my prediction on who will be taking home the hardware, hockey's top prize: the Stanley Cup.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Okay, Jersey Talk
Everyone has their opinion on the new league mandated jerseys. Now that they have all been revealed (thanks Rangers for leaving it to the last possible second just to show that there was no change to your jersey design), I guess I can bestow upon you my glorious position on some of the new sweaters.
Amongst the jerseys I like are the Caps sweaters (which at first I hated, but after seeing them in action, I am actually enjoying the new look). I also loved the new St. Louis Blues jerseys. They put a new spin on the same basic design from their old look. I have to admit, I really do like the home jersey look. I am glad to see Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and the Rangers not deviate from their original look. There is just something sacred about those jerseys that modernization shouldn't touch.
The sweaters I hated were both Dallas and San Jose. What the hell happened to San Jose? They tried to go for a classic look, but it just looks awful. The only thing good about the Sharks look this season is their new logo. I was expecting more I guess.
Dallas just doesn't make sense. On the home jerseys it says "Dallas." Huh, yea, I think that the home fans know where the team is from. It would have made more sense to have that on their away jerseys. But what do I know.
I know a lot of Oiler fans are upset about their jersey look, but I kind of like it. Like a classier look to their away jersey with the piping down the front. I did not like Phoenix's jerseys, the shoulders just look stupid on the away jerseys. There was a lot of grumbling about about Vancouver's sweater too, but there is some history there with the lettering so I am okay with it. And at least it's both on the home and away jerseys, unlike Dallas.
There has been issues on the new jerseys ripping during fights, which could be a problem for the goons of the league. If a players jersey rips and slips over his head during a fight, it's cause for injury, which in a fight isn't that the point? Also due to the fitted style of the jersey, punching and grasping is a much harder exercise, and limits full range of motion during a fight. No word though if that is going to be fixed.
Amongst the jerseys I like are the Caps sweaters (which at first I hated, but after seeing them in action, I am actually enjoying the new look). I also loved the new St. Louis Blues jerseys. They put a new spin on the same basic design from their old look. I have to admit, I really do like the home jersey look. I am glad to see Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and the Rangers not deviate from their original look. There is just something sacred about those jerseys that modernization shouldn't touch.
The sweaters I hated were both Dallas and San Jose. What the hell happened to San Jose? They tried to go for a classic look, but it just looks awful. The only thing good about the Sharks look this season is their new logo. I was expecting more I guess.
Dallas just doesn't make sense. On the home jerseys it says "Dallas." Huh, yea, I think that the home fans know where the team is from. It would have made more sense to have that on their away jerseys. But what do I know.
I know a lot of Oiler fans are upset about their jersey look, but I kind of like it. Like a classier look to their away jersey with the piping down the front. I did not like Phoenix's jerseys, the shoulders just look stupid on the away jerseys. There was a lot of grumbling about about Vancouver's sweater too, but there is some history there with the lettering so I am okay with it. And at least it's both on the home and away jerseys, unlike Dallas.
There has been issues on the new jerseys ripping during fights, which could be a problem for the goons of the league. If a players jersey rips and slips over his head during a fight, it's cause for injury, which in a fight isn't that the point? Also due to the fitted style of the jersey, punching and grasping is a much harder exercise, and limits full range of motion during a fight. No word though if that is going to be fixed.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Capitals Win First Period
Capitals 2, Sharks 3 OT/SO(1-2)
Scoresheet – Wash Post – Mercury
Too bad they thought that one period was enough. I am speechless. One of the best starts of the year, the Caps jump out to a two goal lead, and just stopped playing. Quotes:
The Capitals are not the New Jersey Devils, you can’t expect them to get an early lead and play defense for the rest of the game. I have a feeling that the “trap” defense is going to be a killer for the Capitals.
When you play the trap, it does not allow your offensive players to do what they do, because they cannot be out of position, ever. Ovechkin’s best goals came from when he wasn’t necessarily playing the trap. Ovie needs to be Ovie, not a defender.
Olaf Kolzig may be out for the season. In an interview with Comcast Sportsnet, the Caps’ net minder mentioned that if the Caps were in the hunt for the playoffs, he would be there in net 100%. But it wasn’t worth re-injuring his knee in the last two weeks of the season for games that don’t mean anything. Uh-oh.
Speaking of the Devils, Caps play the trap-masters themselves in a home and home stretch this weekend.
Scoresheet – Wash Post – Mercury
Too bad they thought that one period was enough. I am speechless. One of the best starts of the year, the Caps jump out to a two goal lead, and just stopped playing. Quotes:
“Long term I think it makes you stronger, I think it makes you delve into what makes you play well. There are very few players in the NHL that go from start to finish in their careers without a little bit of a stall, especially offensive guys.” – Glen Hanlon on Alex Ovechkin’s slump.
“We've been struggling of late, so it was nice to see that when we got behind the eight ball there, we showed a lot of guts coming back. We stuck with
it and got two points, and that's huge for us right now” – Sharks’ Scott Hannan.
“I want to score goals. We're disappointed. We play against a great team, and we can't win. The second penalty in the third period was a killer for us.” – Ovechkin.
“All he needed was to stop one and feel good about himself.” – Sharks’ head coach Ron Wilson speaking about his goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.
“We're playing better. But we're not getting the wins. We're just falling
a goal short.” – Brent Johnson.
“Shootouts are always a roll of the dice.” – Nabokov (not against the Capitals this season, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion).
“We're a pretty positive group. Focus on the positives. We keep on trying to emphasize the things that we do well. We keep on correcting mistakes. It's a group that works hard. They've got great leadership in there.” – Glen Hanlon.
The Capitals are not the New Jersey Devils, you can’t expect them to get an early lead and play defense for the rest of the game. I have a feeling that the “trap” defense is going to be a killer for the Capitals.
When you play the trap, it does not allow your offensive players to do what they do, because they cannot be out of position, ever. Ovechkin’s best goals came from when he wasn’t necessarily playing the trap. Ovie needs to be Ovie, not a defender.
Olaf Kolzig may be out for the season. In an interview with Comcast Sportsnet, the Caps’ net minder mentioned that if the Caps were in the hunt for the playoffs, he would be there in net 100%. But it wasn’t worth re-injuring his knee in the last two weeks of the season for games that don’t mean anything. Uh-oh.
Speaking of the Devils, Caps play the trap-masters themselves in a home and home stretch this weekend.
Monday, December 19, 2005
I'm On Vacation!
Caught the game last night and the Caps can’t figure out Roberto Luongo. The Caps once again fall to the Panthers even shooting a franchise record 55 shots against the Panthers’ goaltender.
Caps just couldn’t get anything in, and they had plenty of opportunities.
Overall Grade: B
Since I didn’t see the San Jose game I really can’t grade. Hanlon should have let Kolzig rest for that game, and I was surprised to see his name as the starting goalie. The Caps looked a little tired for the Panther game due to the cross continental trip from San Jose.
Wash Post will cover the details on both the Panthers and San Jose’s wins. Since I will not be able to post until after the holidays you’re on your own for the next couple of games. Just take deep breaths and remind yourself its ok.
Merry Christmas!
Caps just couldn’t get anything in, and they had plenty of opportunities.
Overall Grade: B
Since I didn’t see the San Jose game I really can’t grade. Hanlon should have let Kolzig rest for that game, and I was surprised to see his name as the starting goalie. The Caps looked a little tired for the Panther game due to the cross continental trip from San Jose.
Wash Post will cover the details on both the Panthers and San Jose’s wins. Since I will not be able to post until after the holidays you’re on your own for the next couple of games. Just take deep breaths and remind yourself its ok.
Merry Christmas!
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