As hockey fans, we have been spoiled the last couple summers when it comes to the Stanley Cup Finals.
In 2008 we had Sidney Crosby make his 1st appearance in the finals only to watch the Detroit Red Wings win the 4th cup in 11 seasons.
In 2009 we had a rematch but this time with Crosby's Penguins winning Game 7 in Detroit to win their 3rd Stanley Cup. (And yes it still hurts to type it.)
In 2010 we saw the Chicago Blackhawks end their 49 year Stanley Cup drought by defeating Philadelphia in 6 games.
This years match-up is just as intriguing.
We have an original six franchise in the Boston Bruins who are trying to win their 1st Stanley Cup in 39 years. Standing in their way is the Vancouver Canucks who are celebrating their 40th season and would love to cap it off with a Stanley Cup celebration of their own.
So who do I like? Let's break it down to find out.
Forwards:
Boston is lead up front by David Krecji (10G, 7A) and Nathan Horton (8G, 9A) They have been the two best forwards for the Bruins during the playoffs.
Patrice Bergeron has been Boston's best forward all season and looks to be healthy after missing the 1st two games against Tampa. He is a great two way skater & a strong penalty killer. His main task will be to help keep the Sedin twins in check.
For Vancouver it's starts up front with the Sedin twins. Daniel leads the Canucks in goals scored this spring with 8 while his brother Henrik leads Vancouver with 19 assists.
If trying to stop the both of them isn't tough enough Boston will have to deal with Ryan Kesler on the 2nd line. Kesler has 7 goals & 11 assist and has been in my opinion the best two way forward in the playoffs. If Vancouver wins the Stanley Cup Kesler probably wins the Conn Smythe Award.
Both teams are very deep up front at forward but I like Vancouver's core of forwards a little better than Boston's.
Edge: Vancouver
Defense:
Both teams have been good defensively this post-season as Boston has only given up 45 goals while Vancouver has given up 46.
The Bruins are lead on the blueline by Zdeno Chara. Chara, a Norris Trophy candidate, has 2 goals, 3 assists this post-season and is a + 11 on the ice. He is a shutdown defenseman and will have the difficult task along with Dennis Seidenberg to try & stop the Sedin twins.
The rest of the Bruins defense will have the luxury of trying to stop the Ryan Kesler line. They should be up to the task as Tomas Kaberle (+7) Andrew Ference (+6) Adam McQuaid & Johnny Boychuk (+5) all have had great success keeping their opponents in check.
While the Canucks don't have a shutdown defenseman like Chara they do have a deep core of defenseman that is capable of stopping the Bruins forwards.
They are led by Kevin Bieksa who is a +10 this post-season. Dan Hamhuis (+5) has been everything the Canucks were hoping he would be after signing him as a free agent.
How deep is the Canucks blueline? Keith Ballard who would be a #4 defenseman on most teams in the NHL has been a healthy scratch most of the post-season. Injuries to Christian Ehrhoff & Aaron Rome have allowed him to finally see some playing time.
The depth of both these teams when healthy is similar but when you have a Norris Trophy candidate on one side why the other side is dealing with a couple injuries then the edge is pretty obvious.
Edge: Boston
Goaltending:
This position couldn't be more even if we tried.
Tim Thomas & Roberto Luongo have 12 wins this post-season. They also have a GAA of 2.29. Thomas has a save percentage of .929 while Luongo's is .922. It's no surprise that these two are also candidates for the Vezina Trophy.
This is expected of Luongo. Since being drafted 4th overall in 1997 Luongo has won two IIHF World Championships, A William Jennings Trophy and an Olympic Gold Medal. All that's left is for him is to win the Stanley Cup.
Thomas's path has not been as spectacular as Luongo's. After bouncing around Europe & North America Thomas joined the Bruins organization in 2002-2003.
He took over as the starter in 2008 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2009. Last season he lost his job in the playoffs to Tuukka Rask only to reclaim it this season when Rask struggled at the beginning of the season.
Both of these goalie have been great but if you had to ask me to pick one win a series I'd have to go with the one who has a gold medal.
Edge: Vancouver
Coaching:
Boston is lead by Claude Julien while Vancouver is lead by Alain Vigneault. Truth be told neither one of these two isn't going to be confused with Toe Blake but they have lead their teams here so they must be doing something right.
Vigneault has taken a very talented Canucks team and lead them to their 1st President's Trophy in franchise history. Because of that he is a candidate for the Jack Adams Award. The Canucks started clicking on all cylinders back in December with the only adversity they have had to face this season coming against Chicago in the 1st round.
As for Mr. Julien, last season after blowing a 3-0 series lead against Philadelphia I called for the Bruins to fire him. That's something I rarely do.
Boston didn't fire him and now they are in the Stanley Cup Finals. I think the Bruins have made it to the finals not because of him but in spite of him. When I watch him coach I'm not sure Julien is even aware there is a hockey game going on.
I have no faith in Claude Julien. I think you can tell who I believe has the edge in coaching.
Edge: Vancouver
Special Teams:
The Power Play for the Bruins has been abysmal in the playoffs. They are 5 for 61with the man advantage. Compare that to Vancouver who is 17 for 60 this post-season with the man advantage.
On the penalty kill both teams are pretty similar. Vancouver has given up 14 goals in 72 opportunities while Boston has given up 13 goals in 63 opportunities. Vancouver has allowed three short-handed goals in the playoffs while Boston has allowed only one.
As long as Boston's power play continues to struggle this remains a huge advantage for the Canucks.
Edge: Vancouver
X-Factors:
For Boston it's Tyler Seguin. The kid got his 1st taste of post-season action against Tampa Bay and he didn't disappoint scoring three goals and adding three assists.
Segun played so well that when Patrice Bergeron returned from his injury Claude Julien had no choice but to leave him in the lineup. I'm not sure what kind of impact Seguin will have against Vancouver be he bears worth watching.
For Vancouver it's Manny Malhotra, Malhotra was the center for the Canucks 3rd line this season until he took a puck to the eye in March against Colorado. Thought to be lost for the season Malhotra has been skating for the past couple weeks and has been cleared to play in the finals.
Whether Malhotra plays or not remains to be seen but if he does he makes a very good Vancouver team even better.
Prediction:
Out of the four teams remaining this was the best match-up the NHL could have hoped for.
You have a rabid fanbase in Boston that is hoping for their 1st Stanley Cup in 39 years going against another rabid fanbase in Vancouver hoping for their 1st Stanley Cup in franchise history.
I think Boston is good enough to put up a fight and challenge Vancouver but the Canucks have been the best team in the NHL all season. The last team to win the President's Trophy in a full NHL season and lose in the Finals were the 1990 Boston Bruins.
That fact will remain true after this series. Get ready Canada, for the 1st time in 18 years the Stanley Cup will be coming north of the border.
The pick: Canucks in seven.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Tampa Bay Lightning
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points
2nd in Southeast, 5th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
After watching Game 7 it's hard to say anything went wrong for either team.
It was an exceptionally played game where both goaltenders performed well. It was a shame someone had to lose.
But someone did end up losing the game and it was the Lightning. The thing that did them in was the Bruins played their best defensive game of the series.
Boston only allowed 24 shots on goal with only four of them coming off the stick of Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier & Steven Stamkos.
Meanwhile Boston threw everything but the kitchen sink at Dwayne Roloson sending 38 shots his way. Roloson was able to stop 37 of them but he couldn't stop Nathan Horton's deflection at the 12:27 mark of the 3rd period which gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
That lead would hold up as Tampa had trouble penetrating the offensive zone the rest of the game thanks to an aggressive forecheck by the Bruins.
When it was all said & done Boston would hold on to win 1-0 and clinch a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals while all Tampa could do is wonder what might have been.
Where Do They Go From Here:
For the previous two seasons I said Tampa was one of the more talented teams in the Eastern Conference only to watch them underachieve. This year I said the same thing only to watch them overachieve and fall one game short of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Lightning finally have stable ownership and Steve Yzerman did a magnificent job in his 1st season as General Manager adding players to the roster to help the Lightning get as far as they did.
The cap space for Tampa next season is projected to be at around $22 million. Most of the core players are in place but there are a couple free agents Yzerman will have to make a decision on.
Simon Gagne has 17 goals and 23 assists in his 1st season in Tampa while Sean Bergenheim had 9 goals this post-season. Eric Brewer help solidify the blueline for the Lightning while Roloson's play in net allowed Tampa to make a cup run.
Whether all or any of these four players return depends on Steven Stamkos. He is a restricted free agent and you can bet Tampa will do everything they can to lock him up to a long term deal. How much Stamkos is signed for will determine which free agents the Lightning will try to retain.
This is a good core of players in Tampa Bay and now they have the ownership in place where they should be able to compete year in and year out.
They went on a cup run that reminded their fans of 2004. While they didn't have the same success as they did in 2004 I compare this Lightning team to the 2003 team that was just learning how to win.
Next season the Lightning won't take any team by surprise but I think it's safe to say that Tampa Bay is once again a legit Stanley Cup contender.
For the 1st time in seven years things are sunny in Tampa if you are a hockey fan.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points
2nd in Southeast, 5th in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
After watching Game 7 it's hard to say anything went wrong for either team.
It was an exceptionally played game where both goaltenders performed well. It was a shame someone had to lose.
But someone did end up losing the game and it was the Lightning. The thing that did them in was the Bruins played their best defensive game of the series.
Boston only allowed 24 shots on goal with only four of them coming off the stick of Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier & Steven Stamkos.
Meanwhile Boston threw everything but the kitchen sink at Dwayne Roloson sending 38 shots his way. Roloson was able to stop 37 of them but he couldn't stop Nathan Horton's deflection at the 12:27 mark of the 3rd period which gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
That lead would hold up as Tampa had trouble penetrating the offensive zone the rest of the game thanks to an aggressive forecheck by the Bruins.
When it was all said & done Boston would hold on to win 1-0 and clinch a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals while all Tampa could do is wonder what might have been.
Where Do They Go From Here:
For the previous two seasons I said Tampa was one of the more talented teams in the Eastern Conference only to watch them underachieve. This year I said the same thing only to watch them overachieve and fall one game short of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Lightning finally have stable ownership and Steve Yzerman did a magnificent job in his 1st season as General Manager adding players to the roster to help the Lightning get as far as they did.
The cap space for Tampa next season is projected to be at around $22 million. Most of the core players are in place but there are a couple free agents Yzerman will have to make a decision on.
Simon Gagne has 17 goals and 23 assists in his 1st season in Tampa while Sean Bergenheim had 9 goals this post-season. Eric Brewer help solidify the blueline for the Lightning while Roloson's play in net allowed Tampa to make a cup run.
Whether all or any of these four players return depends on Steven Stamkos. He is a restricted free agent and you can bet Tampa will do everything they can to lock him up to a long term deal. How much Stamkos is signed for will determine which free agents the Lightning will try to retain.
This is a good core of players in Tampa Bay and now they have the ownership in place where they should be able to compete year in and year out.
They went on a cup run that reminded their fans of 2004. While they didn't have the same success as they did in 2004 I compare this Lightning team to the 2003 team that was just learning how to win.
Next season the Lightning won't take any team by surprise but I think it's safe to say that Tampa Bay is once again a legit Stanley Cup contender.
For the 1st time in seven years things are sunny in Tampa if you are a hockey fan.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Thanks For Playing: San Jose Sharks
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
San Jose Sharks:
How They Finished: 48-25-9 105 points
1st in Pacific Division, 2nd in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
It seems like we ask this question every spring.
The Sharks have a great regular season and we all think this is the year they finally breakthrough only to watch them trip and fall over their stick in the playoffs.
In all fairness they did make the Conference Finals for the 2nd year in a row and this time they won a game in the series so some progress is being made.
That being said the one thing the Sharks do better than any other team in the NHL is find a way to underachieve in the playoffs.
It's hard to pinpoint why this team keeps failing. They have three great lines that can score, a steady group of defenseman and they finally have a goaltender that has proven he can win in the playoffs.
It wasn't until I heard an interview with with NHL Hall of Famer Denis Potvin that I realized what the Sharks problem was.
They're mentally weak.
That's what Potvin said in the interview and after watching this series he couldn't be more right.
In Game 2 the Sharks took 10 penalties, three of which lead to Power Play goals for Vancouver & 3 game misconducts.
In Game 3 Jamie McGinn received a 5 minute major for boarding which resulted into two power play goals for Vancouver & almost cost the Sharks the game.
In Game 4 Vancouver scored three power play goals within a two minute span and all three of the power play goals came with two Sharks in the penalty box.
Mental breakdowns & dumb penalties are the main reason why San Jose is no longer playing. You may be able to get away with that early on in the playoffs but it will catch up with you eventually.
Where Do They Go From Here:
That is a tough question to answer if you are a Sharks fan.
They changed coaches three years ago. Turns out that wasn't the problem.
They changed goaltenders this year. That didn't help although in all fairness Antti Niemi is an upgrade over Evgeni Nabokov.
The next step is to change the core of the team but I don't see that happening.
The big three of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley & Patrick Marleau are locked up together for the next three years and all three have a no trade or no movement clause.
Joe Pavelski & Ryan Clowe each have three & two years respectfully left on their contracts. While they could be moved I don't see the Sharks trading either one.
Devon Setoguchi is a restricted free agent while Logan Couture still has a year left on his deal before he becomes a RFA.
The only forwards who are unrestricted are Ben Eager, Scott Nichol, Jamal Mayers & Kyle Wellwood. All nice players but none of which I would go out of my way to re-sign.
Things are a little thinner on the blue line as Ian White, Niclas Wallin & Kent Huskins all are free agents. Dan Boyle, Marc Vlasic, Douglas Murray, & Jason Demars should all be back with the Sharks next season. The only defenseman I would make an effort to bring back is White.
In goal Niemi is signed for the next four years. He wasn't as great as he was with Chicago last season but he was solid & should keep San Jose as one of the elite teams in the West.
The projected cap space for San Jose next season is 7.5 million so they should be able to tweak the roster to some extent but with their core players locked in for the next few years the Sharks may have no choice but to stay the course.
That plan hasn't worked yet but the talent is there for it to happen. All the Sharks have to do is play smart & become mentally strong.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
San Jose Sharks:
How They Finished: 48-25-9 105 points
1st in Pacific Division, 2nd in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
It seems like we ask this question every spring.
The Sharks have a great regular season and we all think this is the year they finally breakthrough only to watch them trip and fall over their stick in the playoffs.
In all fairness they did make the Conference Finals for the 2nd year in a row and this time they won a game in the series so some progress is being made.
That being said the one thing the Sharks do better than any other team in the NHL is find a way to underachieve in the playoffs.
It's hard to pinpoint why this team keeps failing. They have three great lines that can score, a steady group of defenseman and they finally have a goaltender that has proven he can win in the playoffs.
It wasn't until I heard an interview with with NHL Hall of Famer Denis Potvin that I realized what the Sharks problem was.
They're mentally weak.
That's what Potvin said in the interview and after watching this series he couldn't be more right.
In Game 2 the Sharks took 10 penalties, three of which lead to Power Play goals for Vancouver & 3 game misconducts.
In Game 3 Jamie McGinn received a 5 minute major for boarding which resulted into two power play goals for Vancouver & almost cost the Sharks the game.
In Game 4 Vancouver scored three power play goals within a two minute span and all three of the power play goals came with two Sharks in the penalty box.
Mental breakdowns & dumb penalties are the main reason why San Jose is no longer playing. You may be able to get away with that early on in the playoffs but it will catch up with you eventually.
Where Do They Go From Here:
That is a tough question to answer if you are a Sharks fan.
They changed coaches three years ago. Turns out that wasn't the problem.
They changed goaltenders this year. That didn't help although in all fairness Antti Niemi is an upgrade over Evgeni Nabokov.
The next step is to change the core of the team but I don't see that happening.
The big three of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley & Patrick Marleau are locked up together for the next three years and all three have a no trade or no movement clause.
Joe Pavelski & Ryan Clowe each have three & two years respectfully left on their contracts. While they could be moved I don't see the Sharks trading either one.
Devon Setoguchi is a restricted free agent while Logan Couture still has a year left on his deal before he becomes a RFA.
The only forwards who are unrestricted are Ben Eager, Scott Nichol, Jamal Mayers & Kyle Wellwood. All nice players but none of which I would go out of my way to re-sign.
Things are a little thinner on the blue line as Ian White, Niclas Wallin & Kent Huskins all are free agents. Dan Boyle, Marc Vlasic, Douglas Murray, & Jason Demars should all be back with the Sharks next season. The only defenseman I would make an effort to bring back is White.
In goal Niemi is signed for the next four years. He wasn't as great as he was with Chicago last season but he was solid & should keep San Jose as one of the elite teams in the West.
The projected cap space for San Jose next season is 7.5 million so they should be able to tweak the roster to some extent but with their core players locked in for the next few years the Sharks may have no choice but to stay the course.
That plan hasn't worked yet but the talent is there for it to happen. All the Sharks have to do is play smart & become mentally strong.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Eastern Conference Finals after two games
The first two games of the NHL Conference Finals have been played and both series have had their share of drama.
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place tonight in Tampa and I wanted to break down a couple storylines that are shaping up this series.
1. Tyler Seguin is making the most of his opportunity.
Seguin had been a healthy scratch for the Bruins in their 1st two playoff series. Inserted into the lineup in place of Patrice Bergeron the kid has made the most of his opportunity to play.
Seguin scored his 1st playoff goal and had an assist in game one. He had a 2nd period to remember in Game 2 scoring two goals & two assists.
Most importantly Seguin seems to have provided a spark that the Bruins needed. The puck is finding his stick & his teammates are finding ways to contribute. Good things seem to happen for Boston when he is on the ice.
Which leaves the question, what do the Bruins do when Bergeron returns?
They can't take out Seguin. He has been the Bruins best player this series. But Bergeron needs to play as Boston is much better with him than without him. The odds on favorite to sit out when Bergeron returns is Shawn Thornton but that is a decision Bruins coach Claude Julien will have to make.
2. The Bruins are lucky the series is 1-1.
So far Boston has played one good period of hockey in two games. Tampa got the jump on the Bruins in Game 1 scoring 3 goals in 85 seconds en route to a 5-2 win.
In Game 2 Tampa scored 13 seconds into the game thanks to a goal by Adam Hall. Boston was able to fight back and take a 6-3 lead into the 3rd period. What caught my attention was how Tampa came out to start the 3rd period.
The Lightning could have just gone through the motions and been happy with a split going back to Tampa for Game 3. Instead they scored twice in the 3rd period & were pressing for the game tying goal before time ran out, setting the tone for Game 3.
The Lightning are relentless. An effort like that is one of many reasons why I picked Tampa to win this series.
3. Tampa's players are better than Boston's players right now.
The big three of Martin St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier, & Steven Stamkos each found the back of the net in Game 2. However the role players that have helped carry Tampa this far have also contributed.
Sean Bergenheim continues to produce beyond anyone expectations scoring the 1st goal in Game 1 & adding an assist in Game 2.
Role players Brett Clark & Teddy Purcell scored goals in Game 1 that gave Tampa the win while Dominic Moore added a goal in Game 2.
For Boston the only player other than Seguin that has had an impact is Michael Ryder who scored two goals in Game 2.
Zdeno Chara has yet to be on the scoresheet while David Krecji & Nathan Horton haven't made an impact like they did against Philadelphia & Montreal.
Tomas Kaberle did have two assists in Game 2 but he has been mainly a bust for the Bruins this post-season.
The most disappointing thing has to be the play of Tim Thomas in goal. Thomas was a wall against Philadelphia allowing only seven goals in four games. In two games he has already allowed ten goals to Tampa. Some of those are due to bad defense but a couple of the goals have been soft.
His counterpart in net, Dwayne Roloson, has played only one bad game since the playoffs started. If Thomas can't outplay Roloson & Boston's best players don't step up I don't see anyway the Bruins win this series.
I like how Tampa finished in Game 2 and I believe that it carries over into tonight with the Lightning winning at home.
If the Bruins want to win this series they better get a split in Tampa otherwise the Lightning will win this series in six games. We'll find out who has the momentum tonight.
Puck drops at 7 PM tonight on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place tonight in Tampa and I wanted to break down a couple storylines that are shaping up this series.
1. Tyler Seguin is making the most of his opportunity.
Seguin had been a healthy scratch for the Bruins in their 1st two playoff series. Inserted into the lineup in place of Patrice Bergeron the kid has made the most of his opportunity to play.
Seguin scored his 1st playoff goal and had an assist in game one. He had a 2nd period to remember in Game 2 scoring two goals & two assists.
Most importantly Seguin seems to have provided a spark that the Bruins needed. The puck is finding his stick & his teammates are finding ways to contribute. Good things seem to happen for Boston when he is on the ice.
Which leaves the question, what do the Bruins do when Bergeron returns?
They can't take out Seguin. He has been the Bruins best player this series. But Bergeron needs to play as Boston is much better with him than without him. The odds on favorite to sit out when Bergeron returns is Shawn Thornton but that is a decision Bruins coach Claude Julien will have to make.
2. The Bruins are lucky the series is 1-1.
So far Boston has played one good period of hockey in two games. Tampa got the jump on the Bruins in Game 1 scoring 3 goals in 85 seconds en route to a 5-2 win.
In Game 2 Tampa scored 13 seconds into the game thanks to a goal by Adam Hall. Boston was able to fight back and take a 6-3 lead into the 3rd period. What caught my attention was how Tampa came out to start the 3rd period.
The Lightning could have just gone through the motions and been happy with a split going back to Tampa for Game 3. Instead they scored twice in the 3rd period & were pressing for the game tying goal before time ran out, setting the tone for Game 3.
The Lightning are relentless. An effort like that is one of many reasons why I picked Tampa to win this series.
3. Tampa's players are better than Boston's players right now.
The big three of Martin St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier, & Steven Stamkos each found the back of the net in Game 2. However the role players that have helped carry Tampa this far have also contributed.
Sean Bergenheim continues to produce beyond anyone expectations scoring the 1st goal in Game 1 & adding an assist in Game 2.
Role players Brett Clark & Teddy Purcell scored goals in Game 1 that gave Tampa the win while Dominic Moore added a goal in Game 2.
For Boston the only player other than Seguin that has had an impact is Michael Ryder who scored two goals in Game 2.
Zdeno Chara has yet to be on the scoresheet while David Krecji & Nathan Horton haven't made an impact like they did against Philadelphia & Montreal.
Tomas Kaberle did have two assists in Game 2 but he has been mainly a bust for the Bruins this post-season.
The most disappointing thing has to be the play of Tim Thomas in goal. Thomas was a wall against Philadelphia allowing only seven goals in four games. In two games he has already allowed ten goals to Tampa. Some of those are due to bad defense but a couple of the goals have been soft.
His counterpart in net, Dwayne Roloson, has played only one bad game since the playoffs started. If Thomas can't outplay Roloson & Boston's best players don't step up I don't see anyway the Bruins win this series.
I like how Tampa finished in Game 2 and I believe that it carries over into tonight with the Lightning winning at home.
If the Bruins want to win this series they better get a split in Tampa otherwise the Lightning will win this series in six games. We'll find out who has the momentum tonight.
Puck drops at 7 PM tonight on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Conference Finals Preview
And then there were four.
The Conference Finals are set with San Jose taking on Vancouver in the West & Tampa Bay vs. Boston in the East.
San Jose & Vancouver shouldn't surprise a lot of people as they were the two best teams in the Western Conference this season. As for Tampa & Boston, you'll be hard pressed to find someone who predicted this matchup at the start of the playoffs.
But these are the four teams left standing with a chance to play for Lord Stanley's Cup. So who do I like? Let's start in the East.
Tampa Bay vs. Boston:
Both teams overcame adversity in their 1st round series. Boston lost the 1st two games against Montreal before rallying to win in seven games while Tampa trailed 3-1 against Pittsburgh before winning three straight to win the series.
The momentum for both teams continued into the next round as Boston swept Philadelphia & Tampa Bay swept Washington.
Leading the Lightning in scoring this post-season isn't Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, or Steven Stamkos. It's Sean Bergenheim with seven goals.
St. Louis & Lecavalier have done their part on offense for the Lightning. St. Louis leads the team in points with 13 (6G, 7A) while Lecavalier is 2nd with 12 (5G, 7A).
Tampa will be a little weak on defense to start the series as Pavel Kubina didn't travel with the Lightning to Boston. He is day to day with an upper body injury.
Despite the injury Tampa should be good on the blueline with Eric Brewer & Matthias Ohlund carrying the load. They will have their hands full with Boston's forwards & will have to keep them from crashing the net against Dwayne Roloson.
Speaking of Roloson he has been one of the great stories this post-season. He leads the playoffs with a save percentage of .941 & a GAA of 2.01. If it wasn't for Roloson I doubt Tampa Bay would still be playing.
His counterpart in net for Boston, Tim Thomas, has also played very well this post-season. Thomas in 2nd in the playoffs with a save percentage of .937 & a GAA of 2.03. His play in net has been nothing short of spectacular this season.
On defense the Bruins are led by team captain Zdeno Chara. Chara leads all players in plus/minus this playoffs with a plus 11 on the ice. Boston's defense has only allowed 24 goals this post-season which is tied with Tampa for the best among the four teams remaining.
The Bruins will start the series without their top scorer this post-season. Patrice Bergeron (2G, 10A) is out with a concussion. With Begeron out of the lineup Boston will need more out of their forwards.
Brad Marchand, David Krecji, & Nathan Horton each have five goals in the playoffs and all three played well against Philadelphia. They will need to carry that momentum against a Tampa team with much better goaltending.
Prediction:
Both teams have impressed me this spring. Boston was able to exercise playoff demons by beating Montreal & Philadelphia. That being said there is just something about the Bruins I just don't trust.
Claude Julien looks lost at times behind the bench in Boston while Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher inspires a confidence in the Lightning I haven't seen since 2004.
The leaders for Tampa, St Louis & Lecavalier, have won a Stanley Cup & know what it takes to get there while the Bruins captain Chara has a history of coming up short.
I am thankful that the Bruins eliminated Philadelphia but the goodwill ends there. In the end I can't go against a team that Steve Yzerman oversees.
Tampa Bay in 6.
San Jose vs. Vancouver:
With all due respect to Tampa Bay & Boston, the matchup in the Western Conference is your Stanley Cup Final this season.
You have two very good teams facing each other that have very fragile fanbases & a history of underachieving. The good news is one of these teams will breakthrough in this series.
Both teams matchup well with each other. The Canucks up front are led by the Sedin twins & Ryan Kesler.
Daniel Sedin leads Vancouver with six goals this post-season and is 2nd on the team in points with 10. His brother Henrik has one goal & eight assists. Kesler played like a man possessed against Nashville finishing with 11 points in the series. Kesler is tied with Pavel Datsyuk as the scoring leader with 15 points.
On defense the Canucks are a deep group led by Christian Ehrhoff who has 10 points (2G, 7A) Ehrhoff along with Dan Hamhuis & Kevin Bieksla will have the task of stopping the top scorers for the Sharks.
San Jose is lead up front by the big three of Joe Thornton (2G, 9A) Dany Heatley (3G, 5A) & Patrick Marleau (3G, 3A) While those three players have not shown up every game the Sharks have not been devoid of scoring.
Ryane Clowe leads the team with 13 points (4G, 9A) While Devon Setoguchi & Logan Couture are tied for the team lead with 6 goals each.
On defense the Sharks are led by Dan Boyle (2G, 9A) who always seemed to come up big against Detroit when the Sharks needed him to. Joining him on defense is Ian White (+5), Douglas Murray, & Jason Demars. They will have the task of stopping the 1st line of the Sedin Twins & the 2nd line led by Kesler.
Both teams are strong in goal. Roberto Luongo has a GAAIIHF world championships.
Antti Niemi has a GAA of 3.01 & a save percentage of .906. He hasn't been as good as he was last season when he won the Stanley Cup but he gives the Sharks quality goaltending and he hasn't been outplayed in net in the playoffs, something that always seemed to happen when Evgeni Nabokov played for the Sharks.
Prediction:
Both teams have overcome a lot to reach this point and as much as I loved the way Vancouver played against Nashville there is something different about San Jose this year.
In years past the pressure would have gotten to the Sharks & they would have failed against Los Angeles & Detroit. Instead they were able to put away the Kings in the 1st round & hold off Detroit in the 2nd round.
The Sharks are the only team that can match Vancouver depth up front & I like their defense a little better than the Canucks. As for goaltending, Niemi has already proven he can beat Luongo in the playoffs.
Call me crazy but I like the Sharks to win this series.
San Jose in 7.
The Conference Finals are set with San Jose taking on Vancouver in the West & Tampa Bay vs. Boston in the East.
San Jose & Vancouver shouldn't surprise a lot of people as they were the two best teams in the Western Conference this season. As for Tampa & Boston, you'll be hard pressed to find someone who predicted this matchup at the start of the playoffs.
But these are the four teams left standing with a chance to play for Lord Stanley's Cup. So who do I like? Let's start in the East.
Tampa Bay vs. Boston:
Both teams overcame adversity in their 1st round series. Boston lost the 1st two games against Montreal before rallying to win in seven games while Tampa trailed 3-1 against Pittsburgh before winning three straight to win the series.
The momentum for both teams continued into the next round as Boston swept Philadelphia & Tampa Bay swept Washington.
Leading the Lightning in scoring this post-season isn't Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, or Steven Stamkos. It's Sean Bergenheim with seven goals.
St. Louis & Lecavalier have done their part on offense for the Lightning. St. Louis leads the team in points with 13 (6G, 7A) while Lecavalier is 2nd with 12 (5G, 7A).
Tampa will be a little weak on defense to start the series as Pavel Kubina didn't travel with the Lightning to Boston. He is day to day with an upper body injury.
Despite the injury Tampa should be good on the blueline with Eric Brewer & Matthias Ohlund carrying the load. They will have their hands full with Boston's forwards & will have to keep them from crashing the net against Dwayne Roloson.
Speaking of Roloson he has been one of the great stories this post-season. He leads the playoffs with a save percentage of .941 & a GAA of 2.01. If it wasn't for Roloson I doubt Tampa Bay would still be playing.
His counterpart in net for Boston, Tim Thomas, has also played very well this post-season. Thomas in 2nd in the playoffs with a save percentage of .937 & a GAA of 2.03. His play in net has been nothing short of spectacular this season.
On defense the Bruins are led by team captain Zdeno Chara. Chara leads all players in plus/minus this playoffs with a plus 11 on the ice. Boston's defense has only allowed 24 goals this post-season which is tied with Tampa for the best among the four teams remaining.
The Bruins will start the series without their top scorer this post-season. Patrice Bergeron (2G, 10A) is out with a concussion. With Begeron out of the lineup Boston will need more out of their forwards.
Brad Marchand, David Krecji, & Nathan Horton each have five goals in the playoffs and all three played well against Philadelphia. They will need to carry that momentum against a Tampa team with much better goaltending.
Prediction:
Both teams have impressed me this spring. Boston was able to exercise playoff demons by beating Montreal & Philadelphia. That being said there is just something about the Bruins I just don't trust.
Claude Julien looks lost at times behind the bench in Boston while Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher inspires a confidence in the Lightning I haven't seen since 2004.
The leaders for Tampa, St Louis & Lecavalier, have won a Stanley Cup & know what it takes to get there while the Bruins captain Chara has a history of coming up short.
I am thankful that the Bruins eliminated Philadelphia but the goodwill ends there. In the end I can't go against a team that Steve Yzerman oversees.
Tampa Bay in 6.
San Jose vs. Vancouver:
With all due respect to Tampa Bay & Boston, the matchup in the Western Conference is your Stanley Cup Final this season.
You have two very good teams facing each other that have very fragile fanbases & a history of underachieving. The good news is one of these teams will breakthrough in this series.
Both teams matchup well with each other. The Canucks up front are led by the Sedin twins & Ryan Kesler.
Daniel Sedin leads Vancouver with six goals this post-season and is 2nd on the team in points with 10. His brother Henrik has one goal & eight assists. Kesler played like a man possessed against Nashville finishing with 11 points in the series. Kesler is tied with Pavel Datsyuk as the scoring leader with 15 points.
On defense the Canucks are a deep group led by Christian Ehrhoff who has 10 points (2G, 7A) Ehrhoff along with Dan Hamhuis & Kevin Bieksla will have the task of stopping the top scorers for the Sharks.
San Jose is lead up front by the big three of Joe Thornton (2G, 9A) Dany Heatley (3G, 5A) & Patrick Marleau (3G, 3A) While those three players have not shown up every game the Sharks have not been devoid of scoring.
Ryane Clowe leads the team with 13 points (4G, 9A) While Devon Setoguchi & Logan Couture are tied for the team lead with 6 goals each.
On defense the Sharks are led by Dan Boyle (2G, 9A) who always seemed to come up big against Detroit when the Sharks needed him to. Joining him on defense is Ian White (+5), Douglas Murray, & Jason Demars. They will have the task of stopping the 1st line of the Sedin Twins & the 2nd line led by Kesler.
Both teams are strong in goal. Roberto Luongo has a GAAIIHF world championships.
Antti Niemi has a GAA of 3.01 & a save percentage of .906. He hasn't been as good as he was last season when he won the Stanley Cup but he gives the Sharks quality goaltending and he hasn't been outplayed in net in the playoffs, something that always seemed to happen when Evgeni Nabokov played for the Sharks.
Prediction:
Both teams have overcome a lot to reach this point and as much as I loved the way Vancouver played against Nashville there is something different about San Jose this year.
In years past the pressure would have gotten to the Sharks & they would have failed against Los Angeles & Detroit. Instead they were able to put away the Kings in the 1st round & hold off Detroit in the 2nd round.
The Sharks are the only team that can match Vancouver depth up front & I like their defense a little better than the Canucks. As for goaltending, Niemi has already proven he can beat Luongo in the playoffs.
Call me crazy but I like the Sharks to win this series.
San Jose in 7.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Detroit Red Wings
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Detroit Red Wings:
How They Finished: 47-25-10 104 points
1st in Central Division, 3rd in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
To answer that question we have to go back to the month of March. During the last 19 games of the season the Red Wings finished with a record of 8-7-4.
That slump at the end of the season left them one point behind San Jose in the standings to end the year meaning the Sharks would have home ice in the playoffs if the two teams met.
Now a lot of people think home ice doesn't mean today what it meant 20 years ago. I'll agree that it doesn't but if you asked every team if they had their choice between having home ice or playing Game 7 on the road I'd be very surprised if any of them would pass up having home ice.
The other thing that hurt the Red Wings was losing the 1st three games of the series with two of those losses being in overtime. In Games 1 & 3 I thought the Red Wings were the better team. That being said San Jose was able to stay with the Red Wings and found a way to win those two games.
Detroit did a great job holding off elimination to force a Game 7 but we saw last night why only three teams have come back from 3-0 down to win the series.
In Game 7 the Sharks best players came up big. Joe Thornton played his best game of the series, setting up the 1st goal of the game on a pass to Devon Setoguchi and Patrick Marleau, who Jeremy Roenick called gutless after Game 5, came through with the Game winning goal to put away Detroit.
The Red Wings had their chances in the game but with Todd Bertuzzi & Dan Cleary leaving the game with injuries the task was too big to overcome and the Sharks move on ending Detroit's season for the 2nd year in a row.
Where Do They Go From Here:
That depends on Nicklas Lidstrom.
The captain of the Red Wings just turned 41 and is a free agent. His play this season proved he can still play at a high level. The question is does he want to come back for another season.
Lidstrom's oldest son attends a hockey school in Sweden and there has been talk about him leaving Detroit to move back to Sweden for the last few years.
If Lidstrom stays that should keep Detroit near the top in the Western Conference although they have other holes to fill.
The Red Wings have about 12.5 million in cap space for next season. Besides Lidstrom the other free agents on the roster are Kris Draper, Mike Modano, Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller, Ruslan Salei, Jonathan Ericsson & Chris Osgood.
I don't see Modano, Osgood & Salei returning next season. Eaves & Miller should re-sign with Detroit. Draper & Ericsson are a little harder to predict.
Draper will be 40 years old next season. He can still skate well but Detroit is set at center with Pavel Datsyuk, Valteri Filppula, Darren Helm, & Jiri Hudler. There may not be room for Draper on the roster.
As for Ericsson, he will be sought after should he hit the free agent market. I think the Red Wings will do everything they can to re-sign him before July 1st but if he hits the free agent market I don't see him returning to Detroit.
For the last few years I keep hearing how old Detroit is and how it's only a matter of time before they are no longer an elite team. After watching this post-season, the Red Wings have proven they can still play with any team in the NHL.
If Lidstrom returns they still will be a favorite to win the Stanley Cup next season. If he doesn't then the transition phase will begin sooner rather than later.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to shave.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Detroit Red Wings:
How They Finished: 47-25-10 104 points
1st in Central Division, 3rd in Western Conference.
What Went Wrong:
To answer that question we have to go back to the month of March. During the last 19 games of the season the Red Wings finished with a record of 8-7-4.
That slump at the end of the season left them one point behind San Jose in the standings to end the year meaning the Sharks would have home ice in the playoffs if the two teams met.
Now a lot of people think home ice doesn't mean today what it meant 20 years ago. I'll agree that it doesn't but if you asked every team if they had their choice between having home ice or playing Game 7 on the road I'd be very surprised if any of them would pass up having home ice.
The other thing that hurt the Red Wings was losing the 1st three games of the series with two of those losses being in overtime. In Games 1 & 3 I thought the Red Wings were the better team. That being said San Jose was able to stay with the Red Wings and found a way to win those two games.
Detroit did a great job holding off elimination to force a Game 7 but we saw last night why only three teams have come back from 3-0 down to win the series.
In Game 7 the Sharks best players came up big. Joe Thornton played his best game of the series, setting up the 1st goal of the game on a pass to Devon Setoguchi and Patrick Marleau, who Jeremy Roenick called gutless after Game 5, came through with the Game winning goal to put away Detroit.
The Red Wings had their chances in the game but with Todd Bertuzzi & Dan Cleary leaving the game with injuries the task was too big to overcome and the Sharks move on ending Detroit's season for the 2nd year in a row.
Where Do They Go From Here:
That depends on Nicklas Lidstrom.
The captain of the Red Wings just turned 41 and is a free agent. His play this season proved he can still play at a high level. The question is does he want to come back for another season.
Lidstrom's oldest son attends a hockey school in Sweden and there has been talk about him leaving Detroit to move back to Sweden for the last few years.
If Lidstrom stays that should keep Detroit near the top in the Western Conference although they have other holes to fill.
The Red Wings have about 12.5 million in cap space for next season. Besides Lidstrom the other free agents on the roster are Kris Draper, Mike Modano, Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller, Ruslan Salei, Jonathan Ericsson & Chris Osgood.
I don't see Modano, Osgood & Salei returning next season. Eaves & Miller should re-sign with Detroit. Draper & Ericsson are a little harder to predict.
Draper will be 40 years old next season. He can still skate well but Detroit is set at center with Pavel Datsyuk, Valteri Filppula, Darren Helm, & Jiri Hudler. There may not be room for Draper on the roster.
As for Ericsson, he will be sought after should he hit the free agent market. I think the Red Wings will do everything they can to re-sign him before July 1st but if he hits the free agent market I don't see him returning to Detroit.
For the last few years I keep hearing how old Detroit is and how it's only a matter of time before they are no longer an elite team. After watching this post-season, the Red Wings have proven they can still play with any team in the NHL.
If Lidstrom returns they still will be a favorite to win the Stanley Cup next season. If he doesn't then the transition phase will begin sooner rather than later.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to shave.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Nashville Predators
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Nashville Predators:
How They Finished: 44-27-11 99 points
2nd in Central Division, 5th in Western Conference
What Went Wrong:
Ryan Kesler.
That name alone is the reason why Nashville's season is over.
Kesler was responsible for 11 of the 14 goals scored in the series against the Predators. He scored 5 goals against Nashville with two of them being game winners. (Game three & Game four)
But Kesler's scoring wasn't the only thing that stood out. He also had 24 shots, 12 takeaways, 16 hits and a 105-73 record on faceoffs. His play confirmed what I thought Nashville biggest problem would be in the series.
Their defense wasn't deep enough to stop both the Sedin twins & Kesler.
The tandem of Shea Weber & Ryan Suter did a great job keeping the Sedins in check holding them to only 2 goals & 5 assists in the series but the rest of the team had no answers for Kesler or the rest of the Canucks.
The Canucks were a much deeper team than Nashville & while the Predators did play well in the series they didn't have the players to keep with Vancouver.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Despite losing the series the Predators should feel good about how things went this season.
They won a playoff series for the 1st time in franchise history and they have a good nucleus of talent to build around.
Pekka Rinne looks like he will be the next elite goaltender in the NHL. Weber & Suter proved with their play that they can successfully match up against any of the top players in the NHL.
What the Predators could use is someone who can score goals. Shea Weber led the team in goals with 16 this season while three other players finished 2nd on the team with 10 goals each.
Joel Ward led Nashville in the playoffs with seven goals but is a free agent. Nashville's projected cap space is $18.5 million so they should be able to afford him while looking for another goal scorer either via trade or free agency.
Nashville is a well coached team that was finally able to take the next step this season. Their core players are locked up for the next couple years and they aren't that far away from being an elite team in the NHL.
If you are a Predators fan there is a lot to be positive about.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Nashville Predators:
How They Finished: 44-27-11 99 points
2nd in Central Division, 5th in Western Conference
What Went Wrong:
Ryan Kesler.
That name alone is the reason why Nashville's season is over.
Kesler was responsible for 11 of the 14 goals scored in the series against the Predators. He scored 5 goals against Nashville with two of them being game winners. (Game three & Game four)
But Kesler's scoring wasn't the only thing that stood out. He also had 24 shots, 12 takeaways, 16 hits and a 105-73 record on faceoffs. His play confirmed what I thought Nashville biggest problem would be in the series.
Their defense wasn't deep enough to stop both the Sedin twins & Kesler.
The tandem of Shea Weber & Ryan Suter did a great job keeping the Sedins in check holding them to only 2 goals & 5 assists in the series but the rest of the team had no answers for Kesler or the rest of the Canucks.
The Canucks were a much deeper team than Nashville & while the Predators did play well in the series they didn't have the players to keep with Vancouver.
Where Do They Go From Here:
Despite losing the series the Predators should feel good about how things went this season.
They won a playoff series for the 1st time in franchise history and they have a good nucleus of talent to build around.
Pekka Rinne looks like he will be the next elite goaltender in the NHL. Weber & Suter proved with their play that they can successfully match up against any of the top players in the NHL.
What the Predators could use is someone who can score goals. Shea Weber led the team in goals with 16 this season while three other players finished 2nd on the team with 10 goals each.
Joel Ward led Nashville in the playoffs with seven goals but is a free agent. Nashville's projected cap space is $18.5 million so they should be able to afford him while looking for another goal scorer either via trade or free agency.
Nashville is a well coached team that was finally able to take the next step this season. Their core players are locked up for the next couple years and they aren't that far away from being an elite team in the NHL.
If you are a Predators fan there is a lot to be positive about.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Philadelphia Flyers
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Philadelphia Flyers:
How They Finished: 47-23-12 106 points
1st in Atlantic Division, 2nd in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
You probably think I'm going to say goaltending failed the Flyers.
It did but we will get to that in a little bit.
The problem for the Flyers started last summer. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals with a Journeyman (Michael Leighton) and a backup who has never been able to hold on to the top goaltending job when given the opportunity. (Brian Boucher)
Between the both of them The Flyers came within two wins of the Stanley Cup.
Common sense says that finding a goalie would be the top priority in the off-season but GM Paul Holmgren decided to stick with the tandem of Leighton & Boucher while he would upgrade the core of defenseman.
This isn't a bad strategy but a lot of things need to go in your favor for it to work, mainly your best defenseman needs to stay healthy & play at a high level.
Which brings us to the 2nd thing that went wrong for Philadelphia.
Chris Pronger missed the last six weeks of the season with a hand injury. With Pronger in the lineup the Flyers were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Without him the Flyers were an average team and played like it down the stretch surrendering the top seed in the East to Washington.
Pronger missed the 1st five games of the post-season before returning in Game six against Buffalo. While his return may have given the Flyers an emotional lift he wasn't the same Chris Pronger we have grown to love & despise over the years. He only played in three games before sitting out the rest of the playoffs because of injury.
Without Pronger's presence on the ice it left a group of average goaltenders vulnerable which brings us to the 3rd thing that went wrong.
When you have three goaltenders you really have none.
Philadelphia started the playoffs with Sergei Bobrovsky in net. Bobrovsky made the opening night roster because of an injury to Michael Leighton and played pretty well this season for the Flyers.
He gave up one goal in game one loss to Buffalo and was pulled after giving up three goals in a game two win over the Sabres.
After that the goalie carousel began.
The rest of the playoffs the rotation in goal was Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Leighton, Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Bobrovsky.
In the seven playoff games Boucher started he was pulled in three of them.
Coach Peter Laviolette had no faith in his goaltending and it showed by how he juggled his goalies throughout the playoffs.
Where Do They Go From Here:
After watching this post-season it's clear to see there are question marks in goal. If this was seven years early the Flyers would just throw a lot of money at the top goalie on the free agent market and hope he was the answer in net.
Because of the salary cap though it isn't that easy.
The projected cap space for Philadelphia next season is $430,845 which makes going after a free agent highly unlikely. The next question is are they comfortable with Bobrovsky in goal.
If they believe Bobrovsky is the answer in net the Flyers still have Leighton as a veteran backup and Pronger should be healthy next season to lead their core of defenseman.
If they don't think Bobrovsky can get the job done then a trade will have to happen to bring in a goalie which won't be easy. Three of their highest played players (Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, &Kimmo Timonen) all have no trade/movement clauses.
If they want to move a big salary their best trade options are Mike Richards & Jeff Carter.
Richards has a no movement clause that goes into effect on July 1st, 2012. If Philly wants to trade him this would be the time to do it although I don't think they are willing to trade their captain.
That leaves Carter who is scheduled to make 5.2 million starting next season. That is a lot of money for a talented player who always leaves you wanting more from him. His salary slot could be used for a top goaltender if Philly decides to move him.
Either way the tragic tale for the Flyers ends the same way it does every post-season, a talented team with subpar goaltending that fails to win the Stanley Cup.
I love happy endings.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Philadelphia Flyers:
How They Finished: 47-23-12 106 points
1st in Atlantic Division, 2nd in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
You probably think I'm going to say goaltending failed the Flyers.
It did but we will get to that in a little bit.
The problem for the Flyers started last summer. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals with a Journeyman (Michael Leighton) and a backup who has never been able to hold on to the top goaltending job when given the opportunity. (Brian Boucher)
Between the both of them The Flyers came within two wins of the Stanley Cup.
Common sense says that finding a goalie would be the top priority in the off-season but GM Paul Holmgren decided to stick with the tandem of Leighton & Boucher while he would upgrade the core of defenseman.
This isn't a bad strategy but a lot of things need to go in your favor for it to work, mainly your best defenseman needs to stay healthy & play at a high level.
Which brings us to the 2nd thing that went wrong for Philadelphia.
Chris Pronger missed the last six weeks of the season with a hand injury. With Pronger in the lineup the Flyers were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Without him the Flyers were an average team and played like it down the stretch surrendering the top seed in the East to Washington.
Pronger missed the 1st five games of the post-season before returning in Game six against Buffalo. While his return may have given the Flyers an emotional lift he wasn't the same Chris Pronger we have grown to love & despise over the years. He only played in three games before sitting out the rest of the playoffs because of injury.
Without Pronger's presence on the ice it left a group of average goaltenders vulnerable which brings us to the 3rd thing that went wrong.
When you have three goaltenders you really have none.
Philadelphia started the playoffs with Sergei Bobrovsky in net. Bobrovsky made the opening night roster because of an injury to Michael Leighton and played pretty well this season for the Flyers.
He gave up one goal in game one loss to Buffalo and was pulled after giving up three goals in a game two win over the Sabres.
After that the goalie carousel began.
The rest of the playoffs the rotation in goal was Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Leighton, Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Bobrovsky.
In the seven playoff games Boucher started he was pulled in three of them.
Coach Peter Laviolette had no faith in his goaltending and it showed by how he juggled his goalies throughout the playoffs.
Where Do They Go From Here:
After watching this post-season it's clear to see there are question marks in goal. If this was seven years early the Flyers would just throw a lot of money at the top goalie on the free agent market and hope he was the answer in net.
Because of the salary cap though it isn't that easy.
The projected cap space for Philadelphia next season is $430,845 which makes going after a free agent highly unlikely. The next question is are they comfortable with Bobrovsky in goal.
If they believe Bobrovsky is the answer in net the Flyers still have Leighton as a veteran backup and Pronger should be healthy next season to lead their core of defenseman.
If they don't think Bobrovsky can get the job done then a trade will have to happen to bring in a goalie which won't be easy. Three of their highest played players (Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, &Kimmo Timonen) all have no trade/movement clauses.
If they want to move a big salary their best trade options are Mike Richards & Jeff Carter.
Richards has a no movement clause that goes into effect on July 1st, 2012. If Philly wants to trade him this would be the time to do it although I don't think they are willing to trade their captain.
That leaves Carter who is scheduled to make 5.2 million starting next season. That is a lot of money for a talented player who always leaves you wanting more from him. His salary slot could be used for a top goaltender if Philly decides to move him.
Either way the tragic tale for the Flyers ends the same way it does every post-season, a talented team with subpar goaltending that fails to win the Stanley Cup.
I love happy endings.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Washington Capitals
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what could of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Washington Capitals:
How They Finished: 48-23-11 107 points
1st in Southeast Division, 1st in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
Their best players weren't the best players on the ice.
OK, I know it's a kind of a cliche but that was the case from the start of the series.
If you compare all the Washington players against their counterparts on Tampa Bay there isn't one Capital that was better on the ice.
Let's start with the two captains.
Alex Ovechkin was by default the Capitals best player in the series with 2 goals & 2 assists.
Tampa's captain, Vincent Lecavalier was better with 3 goals & 3 assist and a game winning goal in Game 2.
Alexander Semin & Nicklas Backstrom combined for only a goal & an assist a piece in the series. Steven Stamkos & Martin St. Louis were more productive for Tampa combining for four goals & three assists.
Another reason for the Capitals being swept in the series was Tampa's 3rd & 4th line outplayed Washington's 3rd & 4th line.
Sean Bergenheim was the most productive player in the series scoring four goals for the Lightning. The Capitals were unable to stop him or any of the other role players for Tampa while the Lighting had no problems shutting down Washington's role players.
In goal Dwayne Roloson continued to play like he did in 2006 giving up only 10 goals on 133 shots in the series. He was rock solid in net and hands down better than Michal Neuvirth was for Washington.
But I think one of the main reasons Washington lost this series is because they never took Tampa seriously.
After each loss Washington just figured OK, we'll just go out and win the next one. Only problem was that never happened.
The only time I saw the Capitals play desperate hockey was in Game 2 of the series. They were able to press and tie the game to force overtime.
In the overtime they went away from the defensive team that brought them success this season and back to the Capitals that play reckless hockey where they are a threat to score but just as likely a threat to give up a goal. That's what happened when Lecavalier scored the game winner to give Tampa control of the series.
Where Do They Go From Here:
After four years of having great regular seasons with very little to show for it some type of changes have to be in order in Washington.
The first thought is to change coaches but Capitals GM George McPhee says he expects Bruce Boudreau to return as coach next season.
If that is true then the changes are going to come from tweaking the roster of players.
Jason Arnott, Marco Sturm, Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon, & Scott Hannan are all free agents this summer and the only players I think the Capitals would like to ring back are Laich & Hannan.
The Capitals have only 8.5 million in projected cap space for next season and Laich is expected to be one of the more coveted free agents this summer. If they are able to re-sign Laich then I think someone else from the roster is going to be moved.
Looking at the roster the two names that jump out at me are Alexander Semin & Mike Green.
Semin will make 6.7 million next season and is a free agent in 2012. He has a history of being a good regular season player but disappearing in the playoffs. This year he finished with four goals & two assists in the playoffs. If the Capitals don't plan on re-signing him I can see them trying to move him this summer.
As for Green he is a restricted free agent after next season and scheduled to make 5.25 million next year. He is known for his offensive play-making ability but has been considered a liability on defense.
One thing to keep in mind is Green missed the last 20 games of the season with a concussion. While he was out of the lineup Washington went 16-3-1 and were able to overtake Philadelphia for the top spot in the East. If your the Capitals you have to ask are you better with or without Mike Green.
Regardless of what happens changes are coming in DC. The Capitals have way too much talent to keep coming up short. Each year you think they are ready to take the next step. Instead they always end up tripping over their own skates.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Washington Capitals:
How They Finished: 48-23-11 107 points
1st in Southeast Division, 1st in Eastern Conference.
What Went Wrong:
Their best players weren't the best players on the ice.
OK, I know it's a kind of a cliche but that was the case from the start of the series.
If you compare all the Washington players against their counterparts on Tampa Bay there isn't one Capital that was better on the ice.
Let's start with the two captains.
Alex Ovechkin was by default the Capitals best player in the series with 2 goals & 2 assists.
Tampa's captain, Vincent Lecavalier was better with 3 goals & 3 assist and a game winning goal in Game 2.
Alexander Semin & Nicklas Backstrom combined for only a goal & an assist a piece in the series. Steven Stamkos & Martin St. Louis were more productive for Tampa combining for four goals & three assists.
Another reason for the Capitals being swept in the series was Tampa's 3rd & 4th line outplayed Washington's 3rd & 4th line.
Sean Bergenheim was the most productive player in the series scoring four goals for the Lightning. The Capitals were unable to stop him or any of the other role players for Tampa while the Lighting had no problems shutting down Washington's role players.
In goal Dwayne Roloson continued to play like he did in 2006 giving up only 10 goals on 133 shots in the series. He was rock solid in net and hands down better than Michal Neuvirth was for Washington.
But I think one of the main reasons Washington lost this series is because they never took Tampa seriously.
After each loss Washington just figured OK, we'll just go out and win the next one. Only problem was that never happened.
The only time I saw the Capitals play desperate hockey was in Game 2 of the series. They were able to press and tie the game to force overtime.
In the overtime they went away from the defensive team that brought them success this season and back to the Capitals that play reckless hockey where they are a threat to score but just as likely a threat to give up a goal. That's what happened when Lecavalier scored the game winner to give Tampa control of the series.
Where Do They Go From Here:
After four years of having great regular seasons with very little to show for it some type of changes have to be in order in Washington.
The first thought is to change coaches but Capitals GM George McPhee says he expects Bruce Boudreau to return as coach next season.
If that is true then the changes are going to come from tweaking the roster of players.
Jason Arnott, Marco Sturm, Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon, & Scott Hannan are all free agents this summer and the only players I think the Capitals would like to ring back are Laich & Hannan.
The Capitals have only 8.5 million in projected cap space for next season and Laich is expected to be one of the more coveted free agents this summer. If they are able to re-sign Laich then I think someone else from the roster is going to be moved.
Looking at the roster the two names that jump out at me are Alexander Semin & Mike Green.
Semin will make 6.7 million next season and is a free agent in 2012. He has a history of being a good regular season player but disappearing in the playoffs. This year he finished with four goals & two assists in the playoffs. If the Capitals don't plan on re-signing him I can see them trying to move him this summer.
As for Green he is a restricted free agent after next season and scheduled to make 5.25 million next year. He is known for his offensive play-making ability but has been considered a liability on defense.
One thing to keep in mind is Green missed the last 20 games of the season with a concussion. While he was out of the lineup Washington went 16-3-1 and were able to overtake Philadelphia for the top spot in the East. If your the Capitals you have to ask are you better with or without Mike Green.
Regardless of what happens changes are coming in DC. The Capitals have way too much talent to keep coming up short. Each year you think they are ready to take the next step. Instead they always end up tripping over their own skates.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)