Something to Fight For?

We fight for the people we love. Family, friends, and goalies all hold special places in our hearts and fall under the umbrella of individuals who receive unconditional protection. However, there is a trend developing in the NHL which I find not only ridiculous, but detrimental to our great game.

Check out this "fight" between Carlo Colaiacovo of the St. Louis Blues and Blair Jones of the Lightning. Jones had just laid out Colaiacovo's teammate (Brad Boyes) with a hard, albeit clean open ice hit. Sure, Boyes went into the boards awkwardly, but there was nothing inherently dirty about the hit. Immediately following the hit, however, Colaiacovo jumps Boyes, forcing him into a fight. Both get five for fighting, with Colaiacovo getting an extra two minutes for instigating.

Let's get one thing straight; if Jones' hit on Boyes is dirty, Colaiacovo was right to jump in. NHL players need to be held accountable for cheap shots, especially in today's concussion-plagued NHL. What we saw, however, was a player having to stand up and fight for dishing out a completely clean body check. He did nothing wrong, but still had to answer the bell as if he had. You will see fights like this almost every night in today's NHL. A clean body check on a skill player is followed by a mobbing and an unnecessary fight.

Blair Jones, in this situation, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he doesn't fight, he is labeled a pussy and will be followed around the rest of the night until he finally "answers the bell." But if he does stand up to Colaiacovo, he has to, well, fight. I think it's pretty well understood that fighting is fun for everyone except the two involved. Getting punched in the face wasn't on Jones' list of things to do that game.

While you're at it, check out this one between Sidney Crosby and Keith Ballard after Ballard up-ends Evgeni Malkin with a beautiful, clean hip check. Read everything I just wrote above, substituting "Crosby" for Colaiacovo and "Ballard" for Jones. Let me just add that while I respect Crosby's willingness to fight, he made two mistakes here: 1) Fighting Keith Ballard over a perfectly clean hit, and 2) Fighting Keith Ballard. Ouch.

This new trend is ridiculous. Having to stand up and fight just for laying out a perfectly good hit is completely against everything good about this game. The last thing we need is players afraid to make the big hit because they know they'll have to fight for it afterward. It sucks life out of the game.

Let the players hit. Let players fight those who take unrighteous liberties with their teammates. And please, PLEASE, let me hear it for Mike Fisher getting engaged to Carrie Underwood! Holla! Yet another testament to how hockey players are the coolest athletes on the planet. Also, if Carrie takes his last name, she will be Carrie Fisher (you Star Wars fans will get this).

Peace.

2009-10 Captains and Alternates

If you know anything about me, you know of my obsession with the captains of the greatest sports league on Earth. I think I've rounded up just about everyone, so here you go:

Highlighted are new for this season

Anaheim
Captain: Scott Niedermayer
Alternates: Ryan Getzlaf, Saku Koivu

Atlanta
Captain: Ilya Kovalchuk
Alternates: Colby Armstrong, Slava Kozlov, Ron Hainsey, Zach Bogosian

Boston
Captain: Zdeno Chara
Alternates: Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm, Andrew Ference

Buffalo
Captain: Craig Rivet
Alternates:

Calgary
Captain: Jarome Iginla
Alternates: Robyn Regehr, Dion Phaneuf

Carolina
Captain: Rob Brind'Amour
Alternates: Eric Staal, Ray Whitney

Chicago
Captain: Jonathan Toews
Alternates: Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith

Colorado
Captain: Adam Foote
Alternates: Paul Stastny, Milan Hejduk

Columbus
Captain: Rick Nash
Alternates: Frederik Modin, Rostislav Klesla, Mike Commodore, RJ Umberger, Antoine Vermette

Dallas
Captain: Brendan Morrow
Alternates: Mike Modano, Steve Ott, Stephane Robidas

Detroit
Captain: Nicklas Lidstrom
Alternates: Henrik Zetterberg, Kris Draper, Pavel Datsyuk

Edmonton
Captain: Ethan Moreau
Alternates: Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky, Sheldon Souray, Steve Staios

Florida
Captain: Brian McCabe
Alternates: Stephen Weiss, Cory Stillman

Los Angeles
Captain: Dustin Brown
Alternates: Anze Kopitar, Matt Greene

Minnesota
None so far

Montreal
Captain: None
Alternates: Brian Gionta, Andrei Markov, Hal Gill

Nashville
Captain: Jason Arnott
Alternates: Steve Sullivan, Shea Weber

New Jersey
Captain: Jamie Langenbrunner
Alternates: Patrick Elias, Zach Parise

New York Islanders
Captain: Doug Weight
Alternates: Brendan Witt, Richard Park, Kyle Okoposo, Mark Streit

New York Rangers
Captain: Chris Drury
Alternates: Ryan Callahan

Ottawa
Captain: Daniel Alfredsson
Alternates: Chris Phillips, Mike Fisher

Philadelphia
Captain: Mike Richards
Alternates: Still to come

Phoenix
Captain: Shane Doan
Alternates: Ed Jovanovski, Zbenyk Michalek

Pittsburgh
Captain: Sidney Crosby
Alternates: Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin

San Jose
Captain: Rob Blake
Alternates: Dan Boyle, Joe Thornton

St. Louis
Captain: Eric Brewer
Alternates: Barrett Jackman, Keith Tkachuk, Paul Kariya

Tampa Bay
Captain: Vincent Lecavalier
Alternates: Martin St. Louis, Jeff Halpern

Toronto
Captain: None
Alternates: Francois Beauchemin, Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek

Vancouver
Captain: Roberto Luongo
Alternates: Henrik Sedin, Willie Mitchell, Ryan Kesler

Washington
Captain: Chris Clark
Alternates: Alex Ovechkin, Mike Knuble, Tom Poti

Where Are They Now? John Erskine

Visit my examiner page to view other articles, leave comments, subscribe to my articles, etc.

http://www.examiner.com/x-20904-Utah-Grizzlies-Examiner~y2009m9d3-John-Erskine-from-Grizzlies-to-Capitals

This is the first in a series of offseason "Where Are They Now?" articles detailing the current happenings of former Grizzly players.

When John Erskine played for the Grizzlies during the 2002-03 AHL season, he racked up 274 penalty minutes, a feat he accomplished in just 52 games. That’s an average of over five minutes per game. His point totals for that year? Two goals, eight assists.

Sometimes statistics don’t tell the whole story, but they do a pretty good job of it in John Erskine’s case. The 6’4, 220-pound defenseman will never be mistaken for Paul Coffey or Nicklas Lidstrom, but his penchant for rough-nosed, hard-hitting, in-your-face hockey has never come into question. Erskine’s about as mean as they come, and he seems to like it that way.

It was his physical style of play, and a willingness to drop the gloves with youthful exuberance, that endeared the Dallas Stars’ 39th selection in the 1998 NHL entry draft to Grizzlies fans. Erskine was big, mean, and young, and the Dallas Stars were hoping he could develop into the type of defenseman that may not quarterback a power play, but who would keep opposing forwards honest in his own zone.

He did just that during the four seasons he spent with the Grizzlies from 2000 to 2004. His only full season with the team was his first, in 2000-01, while the others were spent between Utah and the occasional call up with the Stars. While his discipline sometimes came into question (note his penalty minutes), nobody could argue Erskine’s worth as a bruising defenseman who was strong in his own zone. He quickly developed a strong chemistry with fellow burly blueliner Jeff MacMillan, and the two became their own version of the Bash Brothers for the Grizzlies. He was also a frequent defensive partner to some of the Grizzlies' more flashy, offensively minded defensemen, serving as a veritable ying to their yang, someone they could rely on to back them up when their hunger for the net drew them a little too far away from their blueline. A brash attitude led to discipline issues on and off the ice in Utah, but he was nevertheless a fan favorite because of his brutal style of play.

After being traded and playing half a season with the New York Islanders, Erskine signed as a free agent. with the upstart Washington Capitals prior to the 2006-07 season. The Captials were young and energetic, led by Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin and known for a flash-and-dash style that didn’t always focus on the defensive side of the game. Erskine’s role was obvious: protect his end when no one else could or would.

It seems Erskine has finally found his niche. He was most recently signed to a two-year extension with the Caps, and was an integral part of the team’s playoff run last year. Still not the strongest skater or point producer, Erskine remains a bruising force on Washington’s blueline, an absolute nightmare for opposing forwards in front of his own net, and a willing fighter when called upon. Perhaps the biggest key to Erskine’s success in staying in the NHL? Discipline. In 52 games with the Capitals last year – the same number as his 2002-03 season with the Grizzlies – Erskine notched just 63 PIMs, demonstrating a physical, yet disciplined game that has earned him a solid roster spot on a very good NHL team. He’s grown up and it shows.

John Erskine, Hockey Hall of Fame? Probably not. But a nasty, dependable blueliner he has become. He will be remembered in Utah.

Check out the next installment, which will feature former Grizz captain Mark Wotton.

The 'Next One' got one!!!

Yessirree Bob, I guess I am a jinx. Last summer I was in Alaska, playing hockey every day and I watched every playoff game in Humpy's pub on C street in Anchorage. I got a lot of fish and chips and a lot of beer from sympathetic Wings fans. This year I am in Arabia and had to wake up at 4:30 in order to watch this epic game.

I slept through my alarm.

But I DID wake up to this amazing sight in my inbox;



The "THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ARE THE" was all I needed!!!!! It didn't take long for me to start tearing around Amman letting everyone know that a team they have never heard of playing a sport they had never heard of won a championship that they don't care about. I care, I care.

Series analysis after I get back from the Dead Sea, but let me first say that I told you so. I was wrong on most of my other predictions, but exactly right where it counted!

Battling Your Worst Enemy: Self

The Humanity Factor was in full swing for Saturday's Game 5. The Wings 5-0 victory was well-earned and deserved. The return of Pavel Datsyuk was not only surprising, but extremely enjoyable to watch. Hank Zetterberg was his usual fantastic self after taking a Game 4 hiatus. He has been one of my top 5 players for the last couple seasons now, and he is taking his game to a whole new level, even displaying a nasty side when standing up for teammates. Like I've said, expect him to be the next bearer of the "C" after Lidstrom's retirement. Speaking of Lidstrom, he continued to be magical, as did most of the Red Wings.

Maybe it's better to say that the Red Wings didn't particularly play "better", they just got back to playing how they always play, which is, needless to say, pretty close to perfection when they're firing on all cylinders. They are extremely disciplined, extremely efficient, and extremely talented at playing as a team. Should I be saying this on a site that carries as its flagship photo an image of Super Joe? Probably not. But I have to tell it how it is.

One thing I've loved about the Penguins is their ability to think and act at maturity levels beyond their age. This is particularly true of Sidney Crosby, whose on- and off-ice poise is that of a 10-year veteran. Unfortunately, none of this was true of the Pittsburgh Penguins of Game 5. A player is only as good as he lets himself be, and the Penguins were letting themselves be pretty darn bad in Game 5. They looked great at the beginning, but a soft goal by Dan Cleary started an avalanche of bad penalties and unfinished chances that led to the mess that was the team in white during Game 5. The Pens, usually so poised and wise beyond their years, displayed attitudes of children far younger, and they have no one to blame but themselves.

A hockey player - or any person for that matter - can become something larger than themselves if they dig deep enough. The youngsters on the Penguins epitomized that attitude the whole last half of the season and up to Game 5 of the Finals. However, on that fateful night, the Penguins started to dig, hit a rough patch, and proceeded to throw down the shovel, kick it, kick a few rocks, stub their toes on the rocks, kick some more, and finally sit down in a fit of tears and curses. It was horrific, sad, and disappointing to see players like Malkin and Kunitz let their team down with despicable penalties. Even the consistently poised Crosby was caught in his attempt to dismember Zetterberg's foot with his stick. Absolutely pitiful. And it made the team all the more upset when the calm, cooler-than-school Red Wings shrugged off their every attack.

The glimmer of hope that I see at the end of the tunnel is the fact that the Pens aren't normally like this. It can be chalked up to a complete mental breakdown that, while disappointing, is something that can be overcome. Expect a drastically different Pens team entering Mellon Arena on Tuesday night.

While objective in my analysis, I still want the Pens to win, if nothing else than to see the underdogs get one and to see the start of what I'm sure will be a hockey dynasty in the near future. Will they pull it off? I'm hesitant to say. Momentum has been like a huge pendelum in these playoffs, and all it takes is one timely goal or penalty or mixup to shift the favor from one team to the next. If my previous prediction comes true, however, The Red Wings will lift Lord Stanley's Cup for the second time in as many years to a quiet, disappointed crowd at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh tomorrow night.

The Humanity Factor

The Red Wings/Pens matchup is quickly becoming one for the ages. It's a seeming David versus Goliath battle between a well-oiled, nearly perfect team of experienced veterans against an upstart, fast and feisty group of youngsters who smell blood after last year's letdown. Whoever ends up winning the Cup will have done so not necessarily because they worked harder or played better, but because they were able to persevere amidst adversity and capitalize on key opportunities. At the end of the day, both of these teams match up pretty evenly when their respective pros and cons are weighed. This makes it mighty difficult to predict a winner, but unbelievably entertaining to watch.

The thing I love about hockey is the raw emotion and humanity behind it all. Players who never score will suddenly come alive and light the lamp; players who never make mistakes will trip up at the worst of times; and players who rarely fight, block a shot, or finish a check will suddenly show they do indeed have a pair. That's what makes hockey so fantastic. These are not robots, these are real people who can get fired up to play beyond their normal means, or can tire enough to fall short of expectation. It's what we hope for in the Stanley Cup Finals in particular: two teams, full of real-life men who are prone to all sorts of hills and valleys. We as viewers find perfection in their imperfection, for it's those moments of blunders and greatness that make for a riveting Stanley Cup series. One that we'll remember.

There have been multiple examples of the Humanity Factor in this year's playoffs. Let's take a look at a few:

Wings D-man Jonathan Ericsson has an appendectomy three days before Game 1. This would sideline most - athletes included - for up to a month. Ericsson? Nope, out there playing. Not only that, but in his own end he's outplayed teammates higher up on the depth chart like Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall.

Sidney Crosby. His numbers before Game 4 aren't great indicators of how he's played. He's put in the work of your typical THIRD liner: mucking, grinding, effective in his own end, finishing checks, and crashing the net, but with all the trimmings of the superstar he is. I think it's also important to note the attention his play has demanded. Every shift Brian Rafalski, Nick Lidstrom, and Hank Zetterberg are out to shadow him. This they've done admirably, but doing so leaves the likes of Stuart, Kronwall, and Franzen to handle Evgeni Malkin. Uh oh.

Perhaps my favorite moment of humanity in action came at the end of Game 2 when Maxime Talbot - probably out of frustration - jabbed his stick into the midsection of Chris Osgood after failing to score, knocking the Wings keeper clean over. Perfect example of humanity causing you to do things you normally wouldn't in the midst of adversity. Then, out of nowhere comes Hank Zetterberg to give Talbot the classic cross-check and complimentary face-wash for his dirty deed. "I love it," I'm thinking to myself. A superstar leaving his niche and personality behind in the name of standing up for his 'keeper. But wait, it gets better: Evgeni Malkin, similar in niche and skill to Hank, jumps in to the fray and engages Zetterberg in what he desperately wants to be a fight, all in the name of protecting his teammate. He didn't accomplish much in the way of hurting Zetterberg, but the look on his face suggested he was ready to kill. This whole exchange was a perfect example of human players doing things they normally wouldn't do, all in the name of playing for a shot at being the greatest team in the greatest league in the world. We can point fingers at whoever was wrong or right, or who deserved what penalty. But what it comes down to is what we've been waiting for all season. Again, we find perfection in the imperfection. And it's damn good hockey.

Then there's been the gaffes: The aforementioned Talbot skewering Osgood; Rafalski bumbling the puck that led to a shorthanded goal by Jordan Staal; Marc-Andre Fleury allowing goals off the back of his legs; and the Red Wings specialty team problems, to name a few. Things like this will continue to happen. There will be missed calls, cheap shots, and retaliations. We can keep a tally of who's done more, or we can just enjoy this fantastic series for what it's worth.

For all it's worth, I think the Pens had to win these past two games. Maybe the Mullet said it best on Sportscenter tonight when talking about Game 4, pointing out that the Penguins are starting to realize they can win, while the Red Wings are realizing they can lose. Detroit looked tired tonight after outplaying the Pens in Games 1, 2, and 3, while the Pens look fresh and hungry. They look poised to take the series after stealing back the momentum. Of course, never count out an experienced Detroit team who will be back in their building with their stellar home crowd. They will get the last change, an ever-important advantage in these Finals, especially in the Crosby-Zetterberg matchup. Hank has done a good job on Sid offensively, but looked dead tonight, while Crosby had a breakout night. It could go either way.

All in all, the winner of the next game will probably win the Cup. I don't see this being a longer series than six games. There's just too much momentum, too much hanging in the balance. The Pittsburgh crowd will see the Stanley Cup raised in their building, whether it's the home or away team is the question to be answered next week. But whatever happens, I'm finding a lot of perfection in the imperfections of this year's Stanley Cup Finals.

Deja vu!

Here we are again! Upcoming game 4 with the Red Wings leading the series 2-1. Don't be fooled though! The series can go either way. The Penguins can come from behind and take revenge for last years loss in game 6. Or the Red Wings will brush off the loss and push to a second straight Cup! It's no secret, I'm a Wings fan! I've tried to keep my biase out of the equation when deciding how I think the series will go. I tried to write before the series started to make my predictions, but life got in the way. Now that we are 3 games into the series, I will make less of a prediction, and more of an observation.

Maturity

When you think of the Penguins who comes to mind? Obviously Sidney Crosby, Ivgeni Malkin, Sergei Gonchar, Marc Andre-Fluery. When you think of the Red Wings you think of Nicholas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Chris Osgood to say the least. There is a major difference in experience, the Red Wings have an average age of 33.4 while the Penguins have an average age of 29. Some people may say that it isn't a big deal, but I definitely notice a difference.

To help describe my observation I will use an example from both teams. Sidney Crosby; the leadership of the Pittsburgh Penguin since 2005. Justin Abdelkader; a little known Red Wing aquisition from the Wings AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins called up for the Stanely Cup Finals. The reason why I chose these two is because they were both born in 1987. One thing I love about the Finals is the level of play! The physicallity of the game seems to be brought up 10 fold. Hit's on the ice are more frequent, and more violent! Which lets be honest, is the reason why most people watch the sport. During the violence that has been these finals I have seen something very interesting. The moments after a hit are very telling about a teams maturity! While I am generally new to Hockey, I know retaliation. From the early years of being a kid, when you brother hits you, you hit him back.

When I watch clean hits put upon the Penguins it's like watching a group of toddlers hitting eachother. It starts at the top. It seems a majority of the time Sidney Crosby gets hit, if the player is close enough, the hit usually is followed by a retaliatory punch. Whether it's a clean hit or not. His teammates see this and this story is played out repeatedly throughout the game. Rather than worrying about what is happening in the game, they are more worried about repairing their ego.

On the wings side last night I saw a viscious hit on Justin Abdelkader by Maxime Talbot, open ice, and hard! Justin abdelkader had his head down, and suffered for it. He got straight up off the ice and skated away, there was no "love tap" or swat with the stick. He got up and knew the game had to played. The position of the puck is more important that the position of the guy who just tried to take his head off. Something else that is note worthy and is my challenge to you for game 4. Watch how many Red Helmets you see on the ice! I was surprised how many helmets were hit off. You know the hit is hard, when helmets come off. But still the retaliation count is probably going to become the next statistic the NHL starts tracking.

Now I know that the Wings aren't an innocent party when it comes to retaliation. Sometimes it's deserved, sometimes it's not. But it seems that the best maturity level the teams has to offer differs on a very large scale. I challenge you to sit and watch game 4. Take note to the level and intensity of the hits, and see how many fists fly after the hits. Take note of the Black Jerseys, and take note of the white jerseys. When all is said and done, I believe frustration gets the best of the Penguins every game with the Wings. The frustration will catch up to them, leading to stupid penalties, and stupid mistakes made by a younger, inexperienced, and immature team.

Pens back to the Finals

I was relieved, elated, excited, optimistic, and positively anxious upon hearing that the Pittsburgh Penguins were heading back to the Stanley Cup Finals for a second straight year. Quite simply, they are the most exciting team in hockey right now, and there’s no other group that I’d rather see battling it for hockey’s Holy Grail then these young ice birdies. Facts: The team has won 8 of their last 9 games and only allowed one PP goal against Carolina; Marc-Andre Fleury is at the top of his game; the team is largely injury-free; and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin seem endowed with the raw power of the hockey gods. They are unstoppable right now.

Although the Pens’ roster remains largely unchanged from last year, the team dynamic is considerably different. The young Pens are one year older and wiser too, being led by Sid the Kid, who may be lean on years but has shown the hockey wisdom of Joe Sakic/Steve Yzerman with the work ethic and willingness to sacrifice of a Mark Messier/Adam Foote. He’s simply the best player in the NHL when it comes to combined skill, attitude, and passion for the game. It is easy to tell that this youngster lives and breathes the game of hockey. But I digress. Back to what the Pens have going for them this year: they are largely injury-free (except for Sergei Gonchar, who is still playing at a fairly high level); they will be well-rested after a fairly unchallenging Carolina series; they’ve picked up some proven playoff-weary vets such as Ruslan Fedotenko (2 goals in last 2 games), Bill Guerin, and Chris Kunitz; and finally, the hunger is just there. You can see it in the way every player on the team plays every game, especially from the team leaders (Crosby, Fleury, Malkin, Gonchar). The intensity in their eyes as they line up for a faceoff, the willingness of even the stars to get their hands dirty by net-crashing, backchecking, and shot-blocking, and the scruffiness of the beard are all key indicators of a fierce desire to come out on top. They want to win, and they want to do it now. Get ready for an exciting Cup Finals, folks.



Oh, and my favorite thing about the Carolina series happened after it was all said and done: Sidney Crosby broke the tradition of not touching the Prince of Wales trophy (a slightly stupid tradition that somehow implied that by touching it you were jinxing your team from winning the Cup). Instead, he grabbed it, posed for pictures with it, and will probably sleep with it tonight. I love that Sid defies all norms. This time, he was basically saying that they were leaving nothing to “luck”; they are going to win the Cup, and no silly tradition is going to stop them. I, for one, hope it happens. Sorry Derek.

Another link... Getting lazy in my old age

I feel slightly cheap by just posting links to things instead of actually writing... but you know how life gets. Know this: I would never clutter Thackalanche with useless junk; anything you get from here is because it is, in the words of Anchorman, a "pretty big deal." So it is with this AWESOME Steve Carrell promo. It is guaranteed you will bust a gut laughing at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Hm2eAmDDE&feature=related



RANDOM BARRY SHOT:

May the Mullet also live long and prosper.

The "Hockey" Guy?

I loved this article by Bill Simmons over at ESPN. If you haven’t heard of him, Known as “The Sports Guy,” Bill is one of today’s premier sports writers. He grew up an avid Bruins fan, but became jaded by the clutch-and-grab, bogged down NHL of the 90s and the early part of this century. However, it looks like the game has won him over again. Bill offers some interesting insights that I wouldn’t expect from a “mainstream” sports writer. Hope you enjoy…

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4178211

RANDOM SICK/DISTURBING PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

A Star is born.

Middle East, but not gone

Oh man, imagine my surprise when I logged into the NHL website, then straightway over to thackalanche to find news that makes the heart race! Three playoff races in game 7 and an update that I can only add my meager two cents to.

I am in a foreign country, Jordan to be exact (no, not South Jordan like Thack) so I only get the internet every couple of days, but ya e'nee! Ya seedi! Two Arabic phrases of surprise and pleasure! Here's my recap. I haven't watched any of the games, by virtue of being in a soccer mad country where the closest regular snowfall is 700 miles away in Kazakhstan, but I have been following them very closely.

BOSTON AND CAROLINA

This went far further than I expected. Carolina led by Staal showed that sixth seed means nothing in the high stakes of the Stanley Cup playoffs. A while ago, I predicted to my friends on my team that Boston was going to take it all in a fashion not seen since Edmonton in the Gretzky days. Now I'm biting my nails. Tim Thomas is a solid goalie, but has had the most dastardly luck in the playoffs. After coasting through the first round, the Bruins had it handed to them by the Hurricanes, but I still think the cubbies will come out on top. My prediction Boston 4-2.

DETROIT AND ANAHEIM

Ooooooooh, I have nothing good to say about this. My least favorite team in the NHL and my second least favorite team who surprised the crap out of the hockey world by upsetting my third least favorite team. I will be the first person to say I predicted San Jose to sweep Anaheim and meet Boston in the final. Now I'm not so sure that I want the Ducks to lose...
Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller has something that Chris Osgood has not had all season, namely, luck, and Chris Osgood has something that Hiller doesn't and that is a solid core of defensemen in front of him to cover his mistakes. These games have been the roller coaster ride I would never have expected, but I predict the big red machine will handle the Ducks 3-1. Hopefully we'll see some fighting at the end of this one to soften up Detroit before they face Chicago.

CHICAGO AND VANCOUVER

Done, and I thought it would come out this way. I think that Detroit will roll over Chicago. Even with trades and stuff, they are pretty much the same two teams that met in the Winter Classic, and the only thing that has changed is the stakes.

Finally, DRUMROLL PLEASE!

PITTSBURGH AND WASHINGTON!

The NHL could not have asked for a better series! The superstars of the league, Sid the Kid and Ovechkin the Crazy Russian! The unsung heroes of the regular season Malkin and Semin! The three highest point producers in the season and the player who far and away took the most shots! A rookie goalie who has been doing stellar after replacing an injury prone choke artist and a not-quite-so rookie goalie who hit his stride halfway through the season, finally! BILL FREAKING GUERIN!!!

Why the media is not going crazy about this, I will never know, but the NHL should be tripping over itself to capitalize on this. I'm sure it will happen next year and the next. For now, let's concentrate on the here and now. Penguins will triumph 4-1, but Fleury will miss his elusive shutout, probably thanks to Ovechkin.

Can I make my prediction now? Detroit will beat the Blackhawks in 5, Pittsburgh will down the Bruins in 7, and Pittsburgh will get their revenge on Hossa in a thrilling, seven game final.

Playoff Musings...

Some thoughts on the current state of the NHL playoffs…

BLACKHAWKS VS. CANUCKS
In a year of great playoff series, this one ranked near the top. Full of scoring, grit, and outright hatred, these two teams battled it out to the final whistle. Sorry to all those Canuck fans, but I was pleased to see Chicago win. Their youth movement has reignited the franchise, instantly turning Chicago back into one of the premier hockey cities. The arena has been packed almost all season, ratings are up, and who could forget the Winter Classic at Wrigley? It has truly been a great year for the Blackhawks, and it’s exciting to be a part of their success. As I mentioned in my last column, the Blackhawks WILL win a Stanley Cup… and sooner rather than later. Khabibulin has been stellar (although he’ll probably be gone after this season). The defense, led by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, has been solid. And the offense… WOW. Kane, Toews, Sharp, Versteeg, Brouwer, Byfuglien. Hell, even Ben Eager (yes, THAT Ben Eager!) is scoring. I’ve mentioned this before, but Jonathan Toews will be one of the premier players in this league. We’re talking Joe Sakic, Jr. He’s everything you look for in a captain: Talented, humble, mature beyond his years. I’ve even seen him get involved in some scrums. Gotta love a kid like that. How would it be to see a Blackhawks/Bruins Stanley Cup Final? Something to think about…

RED WINGS VS. DUCKS
Having always been an Av fan, I’ve grown up with a healthy dose of hatred for the Wings. However, my dad and I were talking about the team the other day and realized that if it weren’t for ONE player, we could probably stomach the Wings. That player, of course, is none other than Chris Chelios. What a whiner… the biggest black eye on the league next to Sean Avery. Nothing made me happier than seeing him get burned the other night by Corey Perry and hearing the announcer say, “You can’t blame that on your linemate, Chris.” HA! Anyways, the Ducks are looking DANGEROUS. You know that feeling Gandalf was getting as he realized Sauron was coming back in to power and could pounce at any moment? That’s how any remaining team in the West should be feeling about the Ducks. They are playing INCREDIBLE hockey right now, having just forced a Game 7 against the Wings. It would be awesome to see them go all the way, and as long as Jonas Hiller is alert and Ryan Getzlaf is healthy, they can win easily.

CAPITALS VS. PENGUINS
Wow. EVERYTHING WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR AND MORE!!!! Sidney Crosby is proving why he’s the NHL’s finest, and is – at least for now – laying to rest the debate over whether or not he’s better than Alexander Ovechkin. Currently, he’s better. Much better. The thing I like about Sid is how he has learned (in a relatively short amount of time) to EMBRACE pressure and feed off it. In these playoffs he has been all over, hitting, scoring, battling in the corners. Basically doing everything and anything to win. He’s been phenomenal. Evgeni Malkin may be the scoring leader, but I think there’s no question in anyone’s mind that Crosby is the heart and soul of the team. Ovie, on the other hand, has struggled at times in these playoffs under the pressure. He’s tried to do too much himself, almost seeming as if he’s wound himself up so tight he can’t shoot, play, or see straight. Luckily, it seems he’s starting to settle in to his game, which has made this one of the most exciting playoff series in ALL HISTORY. Still, if you’ve got a kid learning to play hockey and you want to show him a player that embodies the heart, soul, and attitude of a hockey player, you show him tapes of Sidney Crosby. He would be my absolute first pick of who to build a team around. He’s a magical player who will win Stanley Cups galore and go down in history next to names like Howe and Gretzky.
PS- Kudos to Bruce Boudreau for having the gonads to go with Simeon Varlamov throughout the playoffs after Jose Theodore struggled. Not too many coaches would do that after taking a peek at Theodore’s salary. If Washington goes to the Cup Finals, I think that decision will be forever known as the difference maker.

BRUINS VS HURRICANES
My brother is a huge Boston fan, so I’m inclined to go for them this post season. Plus, they’ve got everything you could want in a team: Youth, Ring-wearing vets, balanced scoring, gritty third- and fourth-liners, a stingy defense who can contribute offensively, and the best goaltending tandem in the playoffs. Of course, one cannot count out the Hurricanes, who have ridden the likes of Cam Ward, Eric Staal, and (gasp) Jussi Jokinen to a surprising playoff run. The games have been heated so far, and I cannot go further without mentioning the Scott Walker/Aaron Ward incident. For those of you who have lived in a foreign country over the last week: In Game 6 of this series, Boston defenseman Aaron Ward was involved with Carolina’s Matt Cullen in front of the net. The two were exchanging friendly face washes after the whistle when Scott Walker of the Hurricanes intervened, standing in front of Ward and engaging him in what appeared to be a simple staring contest. Ward did not say anything, had his hands down and gloves on, when out of nowhere one of Walker’s gloves came off and he threw a haymaker at Ward’s face. Ward went down instantly and may have broken his orbital bone. Surprisingly, Walker was not suspended (the incident called for an automatic one-game suspension which was waived) and he was fined a meager $2,500 (pocket change for him). Walker should have been suspended, and for multiple games. His actions are precisely what the league is trying to do away with, and it blows my mind that they would hand down that type of slap-on-the-wrist discipline. Heck, they suspended Sean Avery and sent him to anger counseling for running his mouth, yet they don’t do anything for Walker’s sucker punch after the whistle after he was technically the third man in? What a joke. They said it wasn’t exactly a sucker punch, and Walker claims Ward was calling him on…. Bull. Total bull. Way to drop the ball on this one, NHL.

In other news, Mike Modano will be back for a 20th season. Very cool, and I’m happy to let my childhood memories live on for at least one more season.

Keep your eyes open!

Atlantic GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
New Jersey Devils 68 45 20 3 93 213 167 24-10-1 21-10-2 8-2-0 Won 3
Philadelphia Flyers 68 37 21 10 84 218 196 21-10-4 16-11-6 5-4-1 Lost 1
Pittsburgh Penguins 71 37 26 8 82 222 216 19-12-3 18-14-5 8-0-2 Won 1
New York Rangers 70 36 26 8 80 177 190 21-10-4 15-16-4 5-3-2 Won 1
New York Islanders 70 24 38 8 56 176 224 16-14-5 8-24-3 6-2-2 Won 1

Northeast GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
Boston Bruins 71 45 17 9 99 237 167 24-6-5 21-11-4 4-5-1 Lost 1
Montréal Canadiens 69 36 25 8 80 205 206 21-7-5 15-18-3 6-3-1 Lost 2
Buffalo Sabres 69 34 27 8 76 203 193 20-12-3 14-15-5 4-4-2 Lost 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 70 28 29 13 69 209 249 13-13-9 15-16-4 6-3-1 Won 1
Ottawa Senators 68 28 30 10 66 177 198 17-12-6 11-18-4 6-3-1 Won 1

Southeast GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
Washington Capitals 70 43 21 6 92 228 205 26-9-2 17-12-4 5-4-1 Won 3
Carolina Hurricanes 71 36 28 7 79 200 203 19-13-1 17-15-6 5-3-2 Lost 3
Florida Panthers 69 34 25 10 78 194 196 18-9-6 16-16-4 4-4-2 Lost 3
Atlanta Thrashers 69 28 35 6 62 209 233 13-18-2 15-17-4 7-3-0 Won 5
Tampa Bay Lightning 69 23 32 14 60 181 227 11-14-9 12-18-5 4-4-2 Won 2

Central GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
Detroit Red Wings 70 46 15 9 101 261 207 25-5-4 21-10-5 7-2-1 Won 2
Chicago Blackhawks 67 37 21 9 83 220 178 18-8-6 19-13-3 3-6-1 Lost 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 70 36 28 6 78 194 196 22-11-2 14-17-4 6-4-0 Lost 1
Nashville Predators 69 34 30 5 73 175 189 21-12-3 13-18-2 7-2-1 Won 1
St Louis Blues 69 32 29 8 72 195 205 19-13-5 13-16-3 7-3-0 Won 1

Northwest GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
Calgary Flames 69 40 23 6 86 229 214 22-8-4 18-15-2 5-5-0 Lost 1
Vancouver Canucks 68 36 23 9 81 206 189 20-11-4 16-12-5 7-2-1 Won 2
Edmonton Oilers 68 32 27 9 73 192 210 15-12-6 17-15-3 3-2-5 Lost 3
Minnesota Wild 69 32 29 8 72 177 172 18-11-6 14-18-2 2-5-3 Lost 4
Colorado Avalanche 70 31 38 1 63 185 218 18-16-0 13-22-1 3-7-0 Lost 1

Pacific GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10 Streak
San Jose Sharks 68 45 13 10 100 219 167 27-3-4 18-10-6 4-5-1 Won 2
Dallas Stars 69 33 28 8 74 199 211 19-13-4 14-15-4 4-5-1 Won 2
Anaheim Ducks 69 32 31 6 70 190 201 16-16-3 16-15-3 4-5-1 Lost 1
Los Angeles Kings 68 29 29 10 68 179 199 16-13-8 13-16-2 4-5-1 Lost 2
Phoenix Coyotes 69 28 35 6 62 168 212 17-14-2 11-21-4 2-7-1 Lost 5


It's almost that time again! PLAYOFFS!!!! Now is the time to keep your eyes open, and see how the playoff picture is going to shape up. Just a reminder, to watch the standings and stay ahead of the game.

Derek's Predictions

Stanley Cup Finals
Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins

Winners
Do I really have to go there?

Indecisive

Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are without a doubt the collective face of the NHL. They are its knights in shining armour, it's saving grace, and they are freakishly good. With that in mind, I've always been a bit disappointed when watching games between these two. Although the talent was definitely there, it was still missing something... an animosity, or a rivalry of sorts that would naturally exist between the two most electrifying players in the game. I just didn't see it, and I was disappointed at how gentlemanly the two were towards each other. I admire hockey exactly because of the classiness of its players, but I secretly wanted to see the cups brim over between these two.

I'm now satsified to say a new era has begun... The Crosby-Ovie fight is on!!!! I was so excited about two weeks ago when the two got into a scrapping match in front of the Capitals bench. In the end, Ovie was just being Ovie, which we like to see. And Crosby let down his guard, also nice to see. No blood was spilt, no harm done, but the animosity was definitely there, and it's nice to see the passion out there.

When the two entered the league, there was a lot of debate over who was better. I couldn't really say then, but after three years I feel I have a better handle on the two and how they've matured... and I must say... Do I have to choose? Both these players are POLAR opposites of each other and I find it impossible to compare them. Can't I just take both? Let's look at both and see if I'm making sense here.

Sidney Crosby has been under the limelight since he was 15 years old. He has lived most of his teens with the label of "Next One", bestowed upon him by none other than The Great One himself. Pressure? Um, yeah. Not only that, but he's from Canada. Essentially, this kid has the weight of the whole hockey world on his shoulders. Even Ovechkin doesn't have that. And one of my favorite qualities about Sid is he embraces the role, even though he didn't ask for it. He not only carries the weight of the hockey world, but the weight of his own team on his back, and he never complains. Player-wise, he has perhaps the best vision in the game - his passes are crisp and he sees plays develop ahead of time. He makes unreal passes that nobody would ever in their right mind think of. He's a Michael Jordan in that he makes everyone around him play better. Case in point? Look at Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz's point totals since coming over to the Pens at the trade deadline. Crosby is strong, fast, and as he's proved this year, not afraid to get his nose a little dirty. He's the complete package. In terms of attitude, this is the kind of guy that dads hope their girls marry. He's humble, soft spoken (at least off the ice), and a consumate gentleman. The Penguins, despite the fact he was still a teenager, almost couldn't wait to hand him the captaincy, and he has filled the role with a quiet humility and dignity typical of the great leaders of the game. He is a fantastic role model to youngsters, and a class act on and off the ice. We are big Sid fans here.

Then there's Alexander Ovechkin. Personified by stringy, unkept hair and a gap-toothed smile, the Russian winger has become the greatest marketing tool the NHL could ask for. He's funny, charming, boisterous, and any other synonym you can think of for "crazy." The guy is an absolute nut. His costume show at the all-star game was absolutely what the event needed. What I love about this guy is his balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm for the game. He's scored countless goals over his lifetime, yet every time he gets one he acts like it's his first. My particular favorite goal celebration is the classic jump up into the air, turn in mid-air, and slam into the glass back-first. Classic Ovie. What's great about Ovie though, is he gets just as excited when his teammates score, usually the first one to get to the other player with offers of a gap-toothed, enthusiastic embrace. He's an awesome player, and a great ambassador for the sport.

In the end, Crosby and Ovie are completely opposite players. Crosby is pass-first, while Ovie has led the league in shots for almost his whole career. Both can hit and play physical, though Ovie is usually a little more flashy. Crosby is the natural leader, Ovie the natural performer. Either way, they're both great for the game and will be for a long time. Long live the kings!

Just for Fun!!

Sorry Matt, I just wanted to put more pictures of Red Wings on your blog. All of the sudden your blog looks 90% more sexy!!!!

Goalie Woes!!!

Just wanted to say that I'm glad that you've developed an open environment for posting. It should be fun, that being said, I'm perfectly ready for you all to hate the lone Red Wings Fan! To you people who will hate me, I would like to give you a number, 94! What is that number, you ask? It is the number of points the Red Wings currently have. Breath it in, live it, love it, choke on it if you must!

Anyway on with my original topic I wanted to write about. As stated above, the Wings are currently tied with San Jose, points wise, for second place in the entire league. As stated by Matt in the past, the Red Wings are a well oiled machine. I cannot agree with him more. There is one reason that I am thoroughly impressed with the Red Wings. They currently have a record of 43-15-8. While this is normal for the Red Wings, I cannot give enough praise to: Pavel Datsyuk, Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, and Brian Rafalski. These are the teams tops scorers. Combined with the rest of the team, these men have led the Red Wings to leading the entire league in goals scored. 244 goals total, which is 21 Goals ahead of the nearest team, the Boston Bruins. Which is no doubt, impressive no matter what team you love. What is not impressive is the 21st place position for Goals Allowed, with 197 on the season. This ranks the Wings with teams flirting with the .500 or lower win percentage. With the help of the offensive talent the Wings possess, the have fared well in the ranking.

My frustration is not centered on Ty Conklin, who is currently tied for 2nd in the league for shutouts. But rest upon Chris Osgood. The Wings have tried; rotating starters, sitting him and calling up Jimmy Howard from the AHL, and nothing has seemed to work. While I have a deep rooted loyalty to Ozzy, as the trade deadline came, and went, I found myself hoping for something to remedy my goalie woes. Ty and Ozzy, are basically even in games played, but Ty has weathered the storm considerably better than Ozzy. Where to go now? What can the Wings do? This is where I'm hoping to get some input from you guys. Is it just a confidence issue that will fade with time? Or is it the beginning of the decline of Ozzy? To be honest, I want to see Ozzy wake up. Every time I see the guy I just get giddy with Red Wing admiration. Heck even my wife knows who he is. I know he has it in him, but the coaching staff has said, he needs to just regain his confidence. He's done it before and he's pulled through for the Wings. But how many times can you allow a Goalie to go through the cycle. If the only consistency you are getting from him, is knowing he'll have a rough spot every year, you have to wonder....

In my oppinion, I hope Chris is buying a round of drinks for Zetty, Hossa, Dats, Franzen, and Juri(All 20+ goals on the season). Followed by a pat on their backs as he says "Geez, you guys are earning my salary this year!"

Deadline deals

Well folks, the deadline is here and past. Right now it feels the Christmas afternoon for me... all the presents have been opened, breakfast is over, and I'm kinda just sitting here thinking, "Well that was fun. What do I want to do now?"

To be perfectly honest, I was hoping for a little more action this deadline. I admit, I probably fell victim to the hype the hockey media makes about the deadline, what with all their predictions, team needs, and such. I got caught up in it, and my heart got broken. Keith Tkachuk, Jay Bouwmeester, Vinny Lecavalier, etc. all stayed put. Sniff Sniff. Oh well. We've still got draft day.

Below is a complete list of the trade deadline movement, along with some Thack thoughts about each deal. As always, I invite my two compadres to add their comments as well. Who do you think came out winners in these deals? Hint: Colorado did NOT.

Toronto trades Richard Petiot to Tampa Bay for Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, and Andy Rogers
Thack Thoughts: Toronto is goalie hungry right now with Vesa Toskala out for the rest of the season and Curtis Joseph being, well, old. Kolzig, even as a graybeard, is still a capable backup and should be a great mentor for Justin Pogge. But he's also out for the rest of the regular season with injuries. Jamie Heward is also sidelined indefintely. This trade does not make a lot of sense to me, unless Toronto is somehow trying to sneak into the playoffs.

Buffalo trades Ales Kotalik to Carolina for a 2nd round pick. Carolina then traded him to Edmonton for a 2nd round pick
Thack thought: Carolina is still in the playoff hunt, and Kotalik should help offensively. They still did not address their primary issue of picking up a big defenseman.

Anaheim trades Travis Moen and Kent Huskins to San Jose for Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier, and a conditional pick
Awesome deal for San Jose, even if it doesn't look that way on paper. Neither Moen or Huskins will dazzle, but they do provide a heavy dose of sandpaper and championship experience for Stanley Cup contender San Jose. Both players were on Anaheim's cup winning team, with Moen in particular being a key component to the checking line that rendered Ottawa's stars completely ineffective. San Jose's already got the scorers, and now they have the grit to hopefully take them far.

Big-time Three Way Trade involving Los Angeles, Edmonton, and Carolina. LA gets Justin Williams from Carolina, Edmonton gets Patrick O'Sullivan from LA, and Carolina gets Erik Cole from Edmonton.
Good trade for everyone. Cole was not a fit in Edmonton and a homecoming shouldn't hurt. The Oilers get a talented young player who could develop into a star. The Kings made the riskiest move with getting Williams. When he's healthy, he's a superstar. But that's an awfully big "when"

San Jose trades Kyle McLaren to Philadelphia for a 6th round draft pick
Good move for Philadelphia acquiring a guy who can fill in as the 6th d-man if the injury bug bites.

Anaheim trades Sami Pahlsson to Chicago for James Wisniewski
This trade looks really good for Chicago. They got an excellent shut down center who is a perfect fit for the 3rd line. If necessary, he could probably do ok on the 2nd line as well, which is what the Hawks really needed.

Florida trades Noah Welch and a 3rd round pick to Tampa Bay for Steve Eminger
Ok...

Toronto trades Dominic Moore to Buffalo for 2nd round pick
Moore's having a great year, which is good to see. Let's see if he can keep it up.

Atlanta trades Erik Christensen to Anaheim for Eric O'Dell
Christensen has the makings to be a star in this league, but completely fell off the map in Atlanta. Let's hope a change of scenery helps.

Phoenix trades Derek Morris to NYR for Dimitri Kalinin, Petr Prucha, and Nigel Dawes

Phoenix trades Daniel Carcillo to Philadelphia for Scottie Upshall

Toronto trades Nik Antropov to NYR for a 2nd round and conditional draft pick

NYI trades Bill Geurin to Pittsburgh for a conditional 2009 draft pick

Mark Recchi and a 2010 2nd round pick to Boston, Tampa Bay gets Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums

Phoenix trades Olli Jokinen and a 2009 3rd round pick to Calgary for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and 2009 or '10 1st round pick

Boston trades Petteri Nokelainen to Anaheim for Steve Montador

Phoenix trades Mikael Tellqvist to Buffalo for a 2010 4th round pick

Pittsburgh trades Danny Richmond to St. Louis for Andy Wozniewski

Colorado trades Jordan Leopold to Calgary for Lawrence Nychocolat and Ryan Wilson

Columbus trades Pascal Leclaire to Ottawa for Antoine Vermette

Waiver Wire
Dallas claims Brendan Morrison
Toronto claims Martin Gerber and Erik Reitz
Pittsburgh claims Craig Adams

MARCH 4, 2009 - OFFICIAL

Off Waiver-y Avery

Thack announced the fate of Sean Avery recently, and it has given me the opportunity to make my weekend musings relevant.

I was a Dallas fan until they got Avery. Mike Modano is a legend and Marty Turco has long been in my top three favorite goalies. Brendan Morrow, Darryl Sydor, Joel Lundqvist, a classier group of chappies you will never see. Then we factor in THE LINE.

Steve "knee seeking missile" Ott and Sean "sloppy seconds" Avery. Two men voted least likely to win the Lady Byng trophy. Derided around the league for their potent antagonization of everyone else in the league. Ott just received another suspension, climaxing in his time served one game suspension keeping him from attempting to hurt Malkin in the Stars next game against the Penguins. I am not a fan of either of these gentlemen. I was happy that the Stars got rid of Avery, since the Stars are the only team in the West I can cheer for and now that my least favorite player in the league is gone, I can again cheer for them. They are doing far better without him anyway, discounting their recent six game skid.

I don't want to blame a teams misfortunes on one player, but let's look at the facts:

Okay, opinions first. Starting with his new head coach:

"Enough is enough. He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the (Dallas) organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the league."

"Asked recently on the network whether the Rangers should claim Avery off of waivers, Tortorella said: "No, and I don't even want to talk about Sean Avery.'"

His former assistant captain:

"Tonight, it was idiotic and stupid. It was one of the most embarrassing things I've seen. If that's what we're going for, then they need to find me an office job."

“Boston center Marc Savard was settling in to face off against 38-year-old Mike Modano in the third period when he said, ‘Too bad you’ll be retiring after having to play with those clowns.’ Modano replied, ‘I know.’”

Mike Brophy quoted an anonymous source saying "If you take just one guy out of the equation, regardless of the team's injury problems, it would be a better team. That one guy is Sean Avery." This backs me up, but now for the facts.

As of Avery's suspension, the Stars were dead last in the NHL. 8-11-4 and 30th out of 30 teams. Since then, they have clawed their way up to 21st, ninth to last but still not high enough to have a prayer at a playoff spot. Overall they are 29-26-7 but that isn't as telling as their 21-15-3 record since letting Avery loose. .583 up from a dismal .342. Avery played every game of the season until his suspension and had three goals, compared to the five he had at that point the year before. He is a good player, don't get me wrong, but not at all productive for the trouble he causes.

Ott is even worse. He is not a strong player and he is well on his way to having twice as many penalty minutes as last year eclipsing his 2005-2006 season of 178 penalty minutes. I am backtracking a little bit when I acknowledge that this is his highest scoring season so far, he has an astounding 29 points, when he had 22 last season, his highest career mark so far. He had six points in fourteen games before Avery's suspension and 23 in the 30 games he has played since.

Overall, Dallas is much better off without Avery, and although Avery seemed like a better fit in New York, I hope that the Blueshirts don't falter after having made such strides without him.

2008-2009 Trade Deadline... I'm Losing Sleep Over This!!!

I don't know why I get so freaking excited for the NHL trade deadline... but seriously folks, it's that same feeling I get on Christmas Eve where I'm so excited I can't think about anything else. I'm hoping this year goes down as one of the best. Last year saw many of the major hockey sites run into glitches because of all the traffic trying to view the trades, so I've taken it upon myself to update Thackalanche as soon as possible with all the major moves. This post will be edited thru Wednesday with all the major movings. So here goes!

We've already talked about the Whitney for Kunitz trade, so we'll go from there.

3/2/09:
New Jersey acquires Niclas Havelid from Atlanta for Anssi Salmela .
Thack thoughts: Havelid was a plus player for Atlanta. Did you hear that? For Atlanta! He should be a huge piece of the puzzle for the resurgent Devils, who are all of a sudden looking very dangerous with the return of Martin Brodeur. The guy's looking like he never left. Atlanta GM Don Waddell looks to be in his usual firesale, unloading salaries at the deadline in return for prospects. It's hard to judge Anssi Salmela this early in his career... He could be the next Chris Pronger... or he could be demoted to the ECHL.

3/3:
Sean Avery taken off re-entry waivers by New York Rangers
Thack thoughts: This wasn't completely unexpected. The Rangers were in desperate need of a change, and bringing in coach John Tortorella and ultra-idiot Sean Avery within a week of each other certainly provides that change. Avery performed well during his first stint with the Rangers, but his blackhole presence in the dressing room would be a constant source of concern if I was a Ranger.

Niklas Backstrom re-ups with Wild
Thack thoughts: Backstrom just signed for four more years with the Wild = Sigh of relief for the Republic of Minnesota.

A Changing of the Bird

It was reported today that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks, two teams just looking to qualify for the playoffs, have made the first big pre-trade deadline splash of 2009. The Ducks sent versatile winger Chris Kunitz and prospect Eric Tangradi to Pittsburgh for d-man Ryan Whitney.

Does the move make sense? Maybe. A change of scenery might be good for both players. Kunitz has been an integral part of the Ducks and was seen as a franchise cornerstone. But the emergence of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, coupled with a drop in Kunitz's play this season, has reduced his role with the Ducks. Pittsburgh has been longing all season for a winger who can keep up with Crosby and/or Malkin, and I'm not sure if Kunitz will be that guy. Right now, he doesn't seem much more effective than the Pens already average set of wingers (Sykora, Satan, Fedotenko, Dupuis, etc.) who can be good at times, and invisible at others. Here's hoping for the best.

Whitney was also supposed to be a franchise cornerstone for the Pens, but fell victim to a game of numbers. The Pens started the season with a hashed up blueline that forced them to make some moves and bring up some players prematurely. As players have become healthy, the Pens found themselves in a logjam at defense. Sergei Gonchar and Kris Letang have established themselves as the go-to guys on the powerplay (actually, Gonchar's the go-to guy for just about anything), and Brooks Orpik and Hal Gill are better-than-average stay-at-home defensemen. In essence, Whitney, who was having a so-so year to begin with, suddenly became expendable. He's still young and very talented, and could make a long-term difference on the Ducks blueline, which is only getting older. Don't forget, Whitney's only 26.

The trade could also be a precursor to a major shake-up of the Anaheim blueline, a rumor that has been floating around for the past month or so. Chris Pronger seems to be the main target of a move, and even captain Scott Niedermayer - whose reputation has been marred by his sitting out most of last season and tying up salary cap money - has not escaped whispers and could retire if not traded. Could this mean one of them will be moved next week? We'll see.

Crosby and Ovie Forever

Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are without a doubt the collective face of the NHL. They are its knights in shining armour, it's saving grace, and they are freakishly good. With that in mind, I've always been a bit disappointed when watching games between these two. Although the talent was definitely there, it was still missing something... an animosity, or a rivalry of sorts that would naturally exist between the two most electrifying players in the game. I just didn't see it, and I was disappointed at how gentlemanly the two were towards each other. I admire hockey exactly because of the classiness of its players, but I secretly wanted to see the cups brim over between these two.

I'm now satsified to say a new era has begun... The Crosby-Ovie fight is on!!!! I was so excited about two weeks ago when the two got into a scrapping match in front of the Capitals bench. In the end, Ovie was just being Ovie, which we like to see. And Crosby let down his guard, also nice to see. No blood was spilt, no harm done, but the animosity was definitely there, and it's nice to see the passion out there.

When the two entered the league, there was a lot of debate over who was better. I couldn't really say then, but after three years I feel I have a better handle on the two and how they've matured... and I must say... Do I have to choose? Both these players are POLAR opposites of each other and I find it impossible to compare them. Can't I just take both? Let's look at both and see if I'm making sense here.

Sidney Crosby has been under the limelight since he was 15 years old. He has lived most of his teens with the label of "Next One", bestowed upon him by none other than The Great One himself. Pressure? Um, yeah. Not only that, but he's from Canada. Essentially, this kid has the weight of the whole hockey world on his shoulders. Even Ovechkin doesn't have that. And one of my favorite qualities about Sid is he embraces the role, even though he didn't ask for it. He not only carries the weight of the hockey world, but the weight of his own team on his back, and he never complains. Player-wise, he has perhaps the best vision in the game - his passes are crisp and he sees plays develop ahead of time. He makes unreal passes that nobody would ever in their right mind think of. He's a Michael Jordan in that he makes everyone around him play better. Case in point? Look at Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz's point totals since coming over to the Pens at the trade deadline. Crosby is strong, fast, and as he's proved this year, not afraid to get his nose a little dirty. He's the complete package. In terms of attitude, this is the kind of guy that dads hope their girls marry. He's humble, soft spoken (at least off the ice), and a consumate gentleman. The Penguins, despite the fact he was still a teenager, almost couldn't wait to hand him the captaincy, and he has filled the role with a quiet humility and dignity typical of the great leaders of the game. He is a fantastic role model to youngsters, and a class act on and off the ice. We are big Sid fans here.

Then there's Alexander Ovechkin. Personified by stringy, unkept hair and a gap-toothed smile, the Russian winger has become the greatest marketing tool the NHL could ask for. He's funny, charming, boisterous, and any other synonym you can think of for "crazy." The guy is an absolute nut. His costume show at the all-star game was absolutely what the event needed. What I love about this guy is his balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm for the game. He's scored countless goals over his lifetime, yet every time he gets one he acts like it's his first. My particular favorite goal celebration is the classic jump up into the air, turn in mid-air, and slam into the glass back-first. Classic Ovie. What's great about Ovie though, is he gets just as excited when his teammates score, usually the first one to get to the other player with offers of a gap-toothed, enthusiastic embrace. He's an awesome player, and a great ambassador for the sport.

In the end, Crosby and Ovie are completely opposite players. Crosby is pass-first, while Ovie has led the league in shots for almost his whole career. Both can hit and play physical, though Ovie is usually a little more flashy. Crosby is the natural leader, Ovie the natural performer. Either way, they're both great for the game and will be for a long time. Long live the kings!

Stars and bars

I was at work this Sunday and there was a couple hours of downtime. I knew that my beloved Penguins were playing the Capitals (the team I love to hate) yet I was at work with no way to watch it on the telly. I got the genius idea to find it on the internet, so I checked both the NBC website and the NHL website. The best I could find was the iso-cam on NHL.com and the Star Cam on NBC.com.

What I saw grossly disappointed me. A camera focused on one player for the entire game! What rubbish! It has long been going around the blogging circles that Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are the best things to happen to the NHL in a long time, both are media magnets that do well in promoting the game, but what the heck people! That doesn't mean that they need a camera trained on them the whole game!

One of the biggest disappointments of the game was when the terrific twosome were off the ice, which was three out of four shifts. The camera was trained on such stars as -11 Jordan Staal. Seeing him skate circles around the ice, then lose a puck to Alexander Semin to assist a Federov goal did nothing for me.

In sum, with all the problems broadcasting hockey has, please guys! Don't exacerbate it by taking away everything good about it. If people complain about not seeing the puck, don't make it worse by never showing the puck! Hockey is not a one man game. To see an Ovechkin goal, you need to see the whole play develop. That's most of the fun of watching him play! To train the camera on Crosby means missing one of his 56 assists, he has twice as many assists as goals.

Think about it.

On the New Voices

I've decided on a bit of a shakeup for the future of Thackalanche. This space has been severely neglected over the past couple of months (which, if you do the math, coincides nicely with the beginning of the BYU semester), and is in desperate need of more voices, whether they are in accordance with the ideals of Thackalanche or in dissent, these new voices are welcome and necessary to keep the blog interesting and worth your time.

That being said, I hope you all welcome two new writers on the site, Alan Rosenhan and Derek Smith. Sorry guys if you wanted your names anonymous... I guess I just spoiled that. Oh well. Anyways, Rosie is one of the best goalies in all of Utah Valley and quite knowledgable of all things hockey. His opinion on the Eastern Conference and his goalie perspective will be a welcome addition to a site that's been decidedly pro-Western Conference and neglecting in goalie love. Welcome Rosie!

Derek has been one of my best friends for it seems as long as I can remember. We were first brought together by our intense love of music (particularly Dave Matthews Band and later John Mayer). He has always been a casual hockey fan, but his heart underwent a deep conversion recently and he has become a full-fledged fanatic. He is an upstart, fast-learning player, and I value his hockey opinion highly. One tidbit of info about Derek may seem blasphemous to many, but carries some interesting prospects in my mind: He is a die-hard Red Wings fan. That's right, a Red Wings fan posting on a very pro-Avalanche blog. This could get REALLY interesting, folks.

Welcome to the new writers, and I hope to hear from all y'all as Thackalanche picks up again!

New Voices

Hey everyone, I'm the new guy. I'm a Penguins fan and a goalie, so I hope this gives a different perspective to this blog. Not improving it, necessarily, but giving another voice.

I pay more attention to hockey in the East than in the West, I am an insufferable Eastern Conference fan, so that bias will creep through. I am unapologetic about it though.

I hope you enjoy my musings.

My Shortcomings and Henrik Zetterberg

I feel like a complete failure... So much going on in the world of hockey, so much to talk about, and the Thackalanche remains dormant. I can't believe I haven't written ANYTHING since the Winter Classic. But hey, so goes the life of a college student in his last semester. I will desperately try to do better (Not that my opinion matters much).

Let's do a quick rewind/fast-forward- whatever- you- wanna- call- it- catch-up.


All-Star Weekend? Nothing short of awesome. Freaking amazing. Everything it should have been and more. One of my favorite parts of the weekend is seeing the players at the skills competition, no helmet, nothing but smiles, and just hanging out with each other, as in the shot above. We see a fun, human side to these guys that's very refreshing. The skills competition has turned into one of the most exciting events in all of sports. Especially with the shootout competition (the NHL equivalent of the slam-dunk competition). The players this year looked like they'd been practicing their moves and put as much into pleasing the crowd as possible. Alexei Kovalev chucking the puck up onto the back of his neck, Steve Stamkos' belly flop, Martin St. Louis' lacrosse skills... All brilliant, youtube-able videos for years to come (search NHL skills competition 2009 for some amazing videos on youtube).

And then there was Alexander Ovechkin. There were some recently discovered apocryphal texts found from the Gospel of Hockey which said, "And the Lord said, let there be Alex. And he saw that it was good." This guy is the best marketing tool - not too mention the most exciting player - the league has. Don't get me wrong, NHL players are the classiest, most polite athletes on the planet. But that's the problem: They're a little TOO reserved sometimes. Sure, they're not into drugs or beating their wives, but they also don't seem to have any FUN. That's where Alexander Ovechkin comes in. Putting on that hat and glasses and doing that move was the highlight of the competition, and instantly put the skills competition out there for the world to see on youtube, Sportscenter, etc. Please don't misunderstand, the popularity of the NHL is kinda low on my list of things that keep me up at night. It could have a fan base of zero and it would still be my favorite sport, but it is kinda nice to see it get noticed. And if the league really wants its players and the game itself to be more marketable, they need to build everything around this guy.
The skills competition is infinitely more exciting than the actual all-star game itself, which definitely gets boring after the first period. I liked the idea that has been mulled over on the great Jon Buccigross's weekly ESPN column: Schedule the all-star game at the BEGINNING of the season with players being chosen based on their performance the previous season, including playoffs. Let's face it, the Winter Classic has cemented itself as the perfect midseason event for the NHL, so the all-star game really has become expendable. Putting it at the beginning, however, is the perfect kick-off to the season. It would get fans excited for the upcoming year, and it could bring some more publicity to the sport. I mean, what other league has a kick-off like that to the season? I think it's definitely something to consider.

Other Pot shots before I sign off of this enormously long entry:

-Henrik Zetterberg was just signed by the Wings to a 12-year, $72 million dollar contract, cementing his role as the centerpiece of his team for the next decade. There was debate about who it could be, from Datsyuk to Franzen to Zetterberg to a combination of the three, but it looks like they're going to stick with Zetterberg. Great choice, he's got the skills, the personality, and more importantly, the PASSION to be the leader of this storied franchise. Expect him to get the "C" upon Lidstrom's retirement.

-Speaking of Captains, and following my obsession with them, Ilya Kovalchuk was named captain of the Thrashers. A perfect leader? Probably not. Great for the Thrashers? Absolutely. Even if he does get traded or leave via free agency, the Thrashers needed to boost the identity of the team, and making their marquee player captain was a big step in that direction. It's what the fans wanted, and it sounds like it's what the players wanted: Story goes that it was Mathieu Schneider, Slava Kozlov, Colby Armstrong, and Niclas Havelid (the team's other four alternate captains) who went to the Thrasher's brass on behalf of the team and requested that Kovalchuk be named captain.


- I like Steve Stamkos. It's been a rough year for the first overall pick in last year's draft, and some have even called him a bust. Those who say that have obviously just examined their fantasy stats and have never watched the youngster play. He's a smart player who plays with a lot of poise and passion... who unfortunately plays with a HORRIBLE team. I feel bad for any player, especially a rookie, who has to play for this team. However, there's something intangible about Stamkos, something difficult to explain. He's got that quiet, confident demeanor typical of Joe Sakic and Joe Thornton... an intensity that's difficult to explain, while at the same time obviously apparent. If you watched the all-star competition or checked out any pictures of the event, you would typically find Stamkos around the likes of Thornton, Jarome Iginla, and other established leaders in the league, which suggests to me the kid has the right attitude and was there as much to learn as to have fun. Rest assured, he will be the captain and cornerstone of the Lightning some day. Rookie of the year? Sorry. That will go to Steve Mason or Drew Doughty.

Thoughts on the Winter Classic

Although the overall intensity trailed off after one period, I would call the 2nd annual Winter Classic a success. As always, an event like this is extremely important for a sports league that is trying to stick with the big guns (NBA, MLB, NFL), and the NHL impressed. The event sold out in a matter of hours, and the fans braved the chilly conditions, sticking it out for the full game, even with their team down by three goals for much of the third period. Playing at historic Wrigley Field was a fantastic sight to behold. I loved watching the players and coaches emerge from the dugouts to make their trek to the ice. I loved seeing the players tap home plate with their sticks as they passed by it. I loved hearing "Take me out to the ballgame" sung (even if the lyric changes were incredibly cheesy). There are some who feel the Winter Classic shouldn't be an annual event, that it will lose some of its flair and excitement if it's done once a year. I say baloney. We have Christmas once a year, do you see people getting sick of that? Dear NHL: Keep doing the Winter Classic. It's great exposure for the league, and a ton of fun to watch. Next year? Rangers vs Bruins, Fenway Park!

Some random thoughts on the game:

• It was too bad the players couldn't keep the fire going from the first period. It was extremely intense and fun to watch. After that, the Wings took over, sucking the life out of the young Hawks. Still, the play of the game? Daniel Cleary getting knocked head-over-heels in to Chicago's bench, then getting his team a Too Many Men on the Ice penalty when he got out of the enemy bench and on to the ice. As if having your feet sticking up out of the other team's bench wasn't embarrassing enough.
• The helicopter cam was cool, especially for hardcore hockey fans. It was fun to see how precisely the players play their positions, and even more fun to see plays set up. I wish they would have used the shot more on power plays.
• The Blackhawks are fun to watch. Despite losing, the Hawks showed why they will be a premier team in the league for years to come. Patrick Kane has some of the most electrifying moves in the NHL. Duncan Keith is as solid a defenseman in the NHL as any right now. Martin Havlat appeared to have eyes on the back and to the sides of his head - He's seeing the ice as well as anyone right now. And Jonathan Toews... what a captain. He gives 100% every shift. He stickhandles well, has great vision, and even got his nose dirty a few times, throwing checks and being in the middle of scrums.
• The Red Wings are machines. When this team gets into a groove, say goodnight to their opponents. They move the puck better than anyone in the league, and are a model of efficiency. It's inspiring to see stars like Zetterberg and Datsyuk giving it their all at both ends of the rink.
• A fight would have been nice, especially if it included a Chicago native like Brett Lebda. That would have gotten the crowd going again.
• The Chicago Blackhawks will win a Stanley Cup before 2013. You heard it here first, folks.
• Why didn't the Hawks start Khabibulin in the first place?
  
• One minute, 57 seconds: The total time Chris Chelios was on the ice. Ouch.
  

Happy New Year to everyone!