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?
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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!
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!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
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!"
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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