March 31, 2008
Alexander Ovechkin (Capital Punishment) deserves to win the Hart Trophy this season. Some people think that the Hart Trophy should go to the Most Valuable Player to his team in the NHL and others think it should go to the best player in the league.
Ovechkin is both.
He leads the NHL in goals with 62.
He leads the NHL in points with 109.
He leads the NHL in power play goals with 21 and is ninth this season in plus/minus with a plus 26.
What more could one player do. I know the argument will be that the Washington Capitals won't make the playoffs and that the MVP has to be on a playoff team. Well, if Ovechkin wasn't on the Capitals, they would be the favorites to get Steve Stamkos in the Entry Draft. The Capitals would have finished last and the only way that Stamkos would not be Washington-bound would be if some team jumped up in the lottery.
Nobody has stats like Ovechkin in the NHL and no one deserves to win the Hart Trophy more than he does. Not Nicklas Lidstrom, not Evgeni Malkin, not even Martin Brodeur or Jarome Iginla.
It should be Ovechkin, Malkin and Lidstrom as one, two, three.
We shall see how the voting goes in June.
March 28, 2008
Unlike many, I don’t believe there is true parity in the NHL. Despite the fact that there are often very few points separating the teams in the standings, the same clubs miss the playoffs year after year. They do so for a variety of reasons, including drafting incompetence, poor player development, substandard coaching and overall mismanagement.
If Florida, Columbus and Phoenix don’t qualify for the post-season this year--and it does not look as if they will--they will miss the playoffs for an unbelievable seventh consecutive campaign. Atlanta has played in only one playoff series since the new millennium, and Washington has missed the Stanley Cup dance five out of the last seven years. Chicago has qualified for the playoffs only three times since the 1995-06 season and Los Angeles has made only two playoff appearances over that same time span.
On the flip side, New Jersey and Ottawa have not missed the playoffs since the 1995-06 campaign and Detroit has an incredible streak of 17 straight seasons in the post-season, the longest in pro sports.
Some may argue, that because there have been six different Cup winners over the last six seasons, there is some sort of parity in the NHL. I say, tell that to Kings’, Blackhawks’, Panthers’, Blue Jackets’ or Coyotes’ fans. And when you do tell them, make sure you do so at a distance, for you may be egged for your ignorance.
March 24, 2008
I've been a bit surprised at how well Teemu Selanne has played this season, and not at all surprised at the lack of production of Peter Forsberg.
Selanne has 19 points in 21 games, statistics that have been inflated by one five point game, but he is still averaging close to a point a game since returning to the Anaheim lineup after unretiring on Feb. 5. He did go through a five game scoring drought in the first two weeks of March, but has since responded with three goals and seven points in his last five games.
Forsberg is a different story. Whereas Selanne retired, but was healthy, Forsberg missed all of this season trying to get his wonky ankle back in shape and he also had off-season hernia surgery. The Avalanche were so happy to sign him at the trade deadline, but he has been out of action with groin problems and has only two assists in four games played in the month of March.
Fantasy players should be very wary of players returning to action off long and lingering injuries. They might get off to hot starts, but eventually they cool off as they are not in game shape and get re-injured a lot easier. Selanne surprised me this season with his stellar play, but Forsberg did not.
In the future you should let others in your pool take chances on players returning; especially from injuries. More players will turn out like Forsberg than Selanne.
March 21, 2008
The NHL selects players as its three stars each and every week of the season. I was wondering if this could provide us with some insight as to who the league’s most valuable player should be. It was not surprising to find that Alexander Ovechkin was chosen as the first star in three weeks. He was also selected as both a second and third star. Jarome Iginla fared very well, with two first star and one second and third star selections. Marian Gaborik had two first star and one third star selection to his name as did Vincent Lecavalier. Goaltenders Martin Brodeur and Evgeni Nabokov were each selected three times as second or third stars. However, Manny Legace takes the prize as the most decorated netminder as he was chosen twice as the league’s top player of the week. Jason Spezza and Ilya Kovalchuk were both multiple choices as league’s first star, while Evgeni Malkin, Roberto Luongo and Pavel Datsyuk each recorded a first and second star win.
Although it is by no means scientific, this analysis would suggest that Alexander Ovechkin and Jarome Iginla were the frontrunners for Hart Trophy honors.
For a complete list of winners click here: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=357287
March 17, 2008
It is startling to learn that the top four leaders in the penalty minute department are all rookies. Daniel Carcillo, Jared Boll, Adam Burish and Riley Cote are all eligible for the Calder Trophy as is number seven in penalty minutes, David Clarkson.
Continue reading "Rookies Top the Penalty Minute Parade" »
March 15, 2008
Is it just me, or have the Sabres been involved in more one-sided games than any other team in recent memory. They have beaten Atlanta 6-0 and 10-1, Washington 7-3, Carolina 8-1 and 7-1 (tonight), San Jose 7-1 and Nashville 8-4 so far this season. They have also lost to Carolina 6-2, Los Angeles 8-2, Montreal 6-2 and Pittsburgh 7-3. In all, Buffalo has been involved in 15 games decided by four or more goals. I'm not sure if that is an NHL record, but it is impressive.
What is clear, is that when the Sabres are on, they are one of the NHL's better clubs. When they have an off-night, they stink.
Once you see the Sabres winning or trailing by three or more goals, do yourself a favor and don't bet on the losing team coming back!
March 10, 2008
There are three first-year players who have spent at least the last six years playing in Europe. The three are Nicklas Backstrom, Tobias Enstrom and Cory Murphy and they all came in the NHL with big expectations.
Both Backstrom and Enstrom are from Sweden, while Murphy is from Canada, but played four years in the NCAA and then went over to Europe, playing five years in Finland, sandwiching a season in Switzerland.
Continue reading "European Rookies" »
March 07, 2008
After years of ineptitude, the Blackhawks seem rejuvenated this season. Rocky Wirtz has taken over from his father and changed the fan’s attitude towards the team. He’s even put them on TV.
On the ice, young stars such as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have been electrifying. A young and underrated defense corps led by Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith has been a nice surprise and virtual unknowns like Dustin Byfuglien and Dave Bolland have been key contributors. Robert Lang, Martin Havlat and Jason Williams have provided leadership and solid scoring.
This turnaround has only taken a few years. It just shows that in today’s NHL, a team can go from sad sack to contender if it drafts and spends well. Are you listening in Los Angeles and Tampa? Pick Stamkos in the draft, spend wisely on free agents, and you could be next season’s Hawks.
March 04, 2008
As the NHL heads down the home stretch, it is quite amazing at how susceptible the goaltending is in the Eastern Conference. The only teams in a playoff position at this time with solid goaltending is New Jersey (the great Martin Brodeur) and the New York Rangers (with Henrik Lundqvist), and the Rangers are no sure thing to make the post-season.
Continue reading "Devils looking good to go to Cup finals" »
March 01, 2008
Talk about shockers. The Canadiens trade of Cristobal Huet to the Capitals seemed to come out of nowhere. In many ways however, it makes sense. Huet is no spring chicken. He will turn 33 in September. He is also an unrestricted free agent as of July 1st. He has also been inconsistent at times this season.
That said, Montreal is certainly taking a risk in handing over the starting goaltending duties to rookie Carey Price. Sure he is poised. And everyone who knows anything about hockey will tell you, he has talent. But it is a tall order for an untested first-year goaltender to lead his team in a playoff run.
It has been done before. Tom Barraso, Ken Dryden and Cam Ward come to mind immediately.
The Canadiens are banking it can be done again.
I wish them luck. I for one, would like to see them prove the Price is right.
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