The Vancouver-Nashville game last night looked as though it would go on for a long time before Matt Halischuk found a hole in Roberto Luongo's armor. It wouldn't have been a surprise to see these two teams, led by Vezina-nominee goalies and strong defenses that helped Vancouver finish first in goals-against average in the regular season and Nashville third, play in one of those classic marathon games that causes fans to sleep at the rink and local pizza parlors to get a surprise spike in business at two in the morning.
Winning those games is one of the toughest thing for a team to do. They are well beyond their usual physical fatigue levels and their mental fatigue is catching up quickly. They get through their shifts by sheer willpower and equipment managers work harder than ever in an effort to keep their equipment dry. The winning goal doesn't just mean a celebration for the win, it brings relief that the game is over and they can finally begin to rest as their next game is less than two days away.
Those long games go a long way towards helping to win a series. Both teams are equally exhausted, but the wining team gets a huge mental boost while the losers are dejected as the loss becomes too much to handle. Of the 10 longest games in NHL history, nine of the winners have gone on to win the series, proving there is a short-term boost from winning those games. It isn't until the next series that the games start to take a toll as those nine winner are a combined 4-5 in the following series and 4-7 through the rest of the playoffs. No team would ever throw a game on purpose, but in the long run it may be better to lose the game early in the overtime and have more reserves going forward than to win a long game and be too tired to continue the playoff run. Here are the results of what happened after the 10 longest games in NHL history:
Date: Round, game of series; winner-score over loser-score in time taken; how the winner fared in series; how they fared in series after.
3/24/36: 1, 1 of 5; Red Wings-1 over Maroons-0 in 2:56:30; won series 3-0; won next series (Cup final) over Maple Leafs 3-1.
4/3/33: 1, 5 of 5; Maple Leafs-1 over Bruins-0 in 2:44:46; won series 3-2; lost next series (Cup final) to Rangers 3-1
5/4/00: 2, 4 of 7; Flyers-2 over Penguins-1 in 2:32:01; won series 4-2; lost next series (conf. final) to Devils 4-3.
4/24/03: 2, 1 of 7; Mighty Ducks-4 over Stars-3 in 2:20:48; won series 4-2; won next series (conf. final) over Wild 4-0; lost next series (Cup final) to Devils 4-3.
4/24/96: 1, 4 of 7; Penguins-3 over Capitals-2 in 2:19:15; won series 4-2; won next series (conf. semifinal) over Rangers 4-1; lost next series (conf. final) to Panthers 4-3.
4/11/07: 1, 1 of 7; Canucks-5 over Stars-4 in 2:18:06; won series 4-3; lost next series (conf. semifinal) to Ducks 4-1.
3/23/43: 1, 2 of 7; Maple Leafs-3 over Red Wings-2; lost series 4-2
5/4/08: 2, 6 of 7; Stars-2 over Sharks-1 in 2:09:03; won series 4-2; lost next series (conf. final) to Red Wings 4-2
3/28/30: 2, 1 of 3; Canadiens-2 over Rangers-1 in 2:08:52, won series 2-0; won next series (Cup final) over Bruins 2-0.
4/18/87: 1, 7 of 7; Islanders-3 over Capitals-2 in 2:08:47; won series 4-3; lost next series (conf. semifinal) to Flyers 4-3.
The team that won the game have a combined 14-8 record (.636 winning percentage) in the rest of the series following the win, not counting the three series in which that win was in the deciding game. In the 11 series after the one featuring the game, the record drops to 29-29 (.500) for a total record of 43-37 (.538). This shows marathon games take too much out of teams to continue their runs to the Cup.
One of the biggest examples of this is with the Flyers. The third-longest game help them tie their second round series against the Penguins at 2-2 after they lost the first two games at home. Then, after building a 3-1 series lead against their arch-rival Devils, they managed only three goals in the final three games of the series and missed out on the Stanley Cup final.
The Devils benefited from an opponent's marathon again in 2003. After the Mighty Ducks won their series against the Stars, they swept their way through the Western Conference final against the Wild, only allowing one goal in the four games. But then they got the the Stanley Cup final and were shutout three times in a grueling series including a 3-0 loss in Game 7.
The Islanders won the Easter Epic against the Capitals on Pat LaFontaine's turn-around shot from the blueline, then faced the Flyers in round two. That series went the full seven games and of the first six, five were decided by two goals or fewer. They would lose Game 7 5-1. The Stars also wrapped up a series with a history-making game, then dropped the first three games of the 2008 Western Conference final against the Red Wings. They battled back to force Game 6, but lost that game 4-1.
Even though the Canucks lost the game, surrendering home-ice advantage to the Predators in the process, the fact they didn't play all night may have helped them in the long run. Ultra-long overtime games just don't leave enough in the tank to continue playing at a high level
Showing posts with label Nashville Predators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nashville Predators. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Saturday Recap - 4/30
Boston at Philadelphia
First Period
1:52: David Krejci scores the first goal of the series early in the game. Last year it was his injury, coupled with Simon Gagne's return, that swung the series in the Flyers' favor. Brian Boucher bit too early and Krejci was easily able to go around him for the goal. Milan Lucic, while he didn't get an assist on the goal, started it with strong play down low which is a good sign for Boston as he was largely invisible during the first round against Montreal. The crowd which was raucous just moments ago is really quiet at the moment.
11:02: Danny Briere answers back, putting home a rebound for his seventh of the playoffs, going around Tim Thomas for a goal similar to the Krejci one. Ville Leino made a nice play entering the zone, leaving the puck at the blueline for Braydon Coburn to pick it up and get a shot on net.
12:20: Leino proves he doesn't let anyone get in the way of a loose puck as he knocks down the referee on his way to the corner.
12:55: Thomas makes a great save on James van Reimsdyk on a pass from Claude Giroux and the Flyers have been putting on a lot of pressure since the Briere goal. Those two are starting to become one of the top duos in the league as they gain more and more experience.
16:06: The Flyers kill off a goalie interference penalty on Zac Rinaldo who is playing in his first career NHL game. It was a curious call as both Rinaldo and Dennis Seidenberg both ran into Thomas on a rush it it looked as if Rinaldo was trying to stop, but couldn't because Seidenberg was draped all over him.
19:24: Nathan Horton continues his strong play during his first career playoff run with his fourth goal in the dying seconds of the first period. Seidenberg made another great pinch as he did on the first goal. Horton was given plenty of room to get two whacks at the puck before scoring and the Flyers defense aren't working the front of their net with their usual bravado.
End of period: Both teams spent the period feeling each other out. Neither team was rushing or trying to force plays that weren't there and there weren't any big hits. Both goalies were alright, all three goals were on rebounds and scrambles in front of the net.
Second Period
2:34: Mark Recchi gets enough on a shot to put the puck just over the goal line. The Flyers do not look good in their own zone as nobody was able to pick up Recchi or clear any rebounds. Right now they are on pace for their fourth goalie change of the playoffs.
5:11: Kris Versteeg takes an unnecessary slashing call as the Bruins are starting to dominate Game 1. The Flyers have no sense of urgency whatsoever and the Bs are taking advantage.
7:42: The Flyers kill off the penalty as the Bruins power play continues to be their weak spot. But they are right back on it as Briere takes another bad penalty, this time for tripping Seidenberg in the Flyers zone. The Flyers don't appear to be focused and it is hurting them right now.
9:58: Briere gets a great chance coming out of the box, but shoots just wide. The Flyers penalty kill is doing a great job as the Bruins are having trouble entering the zone and cannot get set up. They will now get their chance on the power play that went 5-for-35 against Buffalo as Brad Marchand takes a slashing call.
12:37: The penalty is killed off as Thomas was strong, making four tough stops. The Flyers get another power plays Johnny Boychuk high sticks Nikolay Zherdev.
15:26: Boucher doesn't even react as a shot by Adam McQuad that is going well wide is deflected by Horton back towards the net and in. Right now the build is as quiet as it can get as nothing is going right for the Flyers.
17:14: Brad Marchand seals the deal in the second period. He scores on a rebound and he was left open in front as the Bruins have been all game. The Flyers are flat and Sergei Bobrovsky comes in to see his first action since Game 2 of the Buffalo series.
17:30: van Reimsdyk scores right off the faceoff on a wrist shot over Thomas' glove. It was a clean win by Giroux and a nice little pass by Sean O'Donnell to put the puck right in the wheelhouse for the quick snipe.
End of period: The Flyers looked absolutely horrendous this period. Their forwards were ineffective and their defense looked lost. The Bruins have buried all of their chances and aren't giving the Flyers anything right now. The Flyers have taken a lot of stupid penalties and have been careless in their own zone. They have been making everything easy for the Bruins.
Third Period
3:50: Bobrovsky makes a good glove save on a Seidenberg shot from in close as he gets into the game. Best thing for the Flyers to see is he made it look easy and was able to hold on to it.
8:30: Giroux show some amazing stickhandling as he turn Chris Kelly inside out and sends van Reimsdyk in alone then almost scores himself before being hauled down by Andrew Ference who takes a hooking penalty.
10: 57: The Bruins kill off that penalty easily as neither team has threatened at all. the Flyers PP unit goes back to work as Krejci takes a slashing call.
12:01: The Flyers will have plenty of room as Marchand takes a penalty to give them a 5-on-3.
13:02: Mike Richards gets his first of the playoff just after the first penalty expires. He walks out of the corner then rips a short-side shot by Thomas. The Flyers are playing much better this period, showing the Bruins Game 2 will not be nearly as easy as this one. It is his first goal since April 5, a span of 10 games.
14:59: Marchand scores a goal as the puck is cleared from the crease before Patrice Bergeron knocks the puck off a defenseman's stick right to Marchand for the tap in.
Greg Campbell scores to make it 7-3. Coburn does nothing to tie up Campbell's stick as he glided in unimpeded.
Final score: Boston-7 Philadelphia-3
Story of the game: The Flyers did not play smart at all today. Almost all seven of the Bruins goals were on player where the goalscorer was able to get behind the defense without anyone noticing. Even when there were four Flyers in deep, they didn't seem to communicate with one another and spent a lot of time running aorund instead of playing the sound positional game they need to in front of the goaltending backing this team. They were also undisciplined, taking five slashing calls away from the play. Even though the Bruins power play has been dreadful throughout the playoffs, this didn't allow the Flyers to get any consistent attack.
Player of the game: Dennis Seidenberg made two risky pinches early in the game and they both led to Boston goals as they got the advantage early. He quietly played very well in his own end, leading all players with a plus-4. David Krejci did a lot of the scoring with two goals and four points, but a lot of that was getting lucky bounces while Seidenberg was consistently making his own plays and getting the puck away from danger.
Nashville at Vancouver
First Period
7:19: Martin Erat records the Predators fifth shot on goal which is as many as they had the entire first period of Game 1. The Preds are doing a much better job forechecking and taking the puck to the net, showing the urgency that was lacking the first game when they seemed to forget you can't win if you don't score at least one goal.
10:30: Nashville gets Roberto Luongo scrambling as they send a flurry of shots on net and were getting to the rebounds. They had two shots on net, one blocked and a few just wide for their best scoring chances of the series so far.
15:07: Vancouver kills of an interference penalty on Mikael Samuelsson. After getting a number of quality chances early in the game, Nashville has a hard time just entering the zone. When they did get a clean entry, Vancouver was winning all the battles and clearing the puck every time.
19:36: Patric Hornqvist takes a hard hit from Alex Edler, but doesn't let it faze him as he gets right back up and get a shot on net.
End of period: Once again, there were no goals at the end of one period. Nashville has looked way better and has as many quality chances in period one as they did in Game 1. They outshot Vancouver 12-6, more shots than they had the first two periods of Game 1 when they were out shot 16-5 in the first and 30-20 in the game.
Second Period
2:00: Alex Burrows opens the scoring shorthanded. He went on with Ryan Kesler, tried to center a pass only to have it go off a skate and take a fortunate bounce right back to him. Pekka Rinne was sliding across to take the shot from Kesler only to leave the side of the net wide open.
2:35: Martin Erat takes a Shea Weber shot off the side of the head after it deflects off a stick while he was jumping out of the way. To give you an idea of how much that sucks, watch this.
2:56: Vancouver gets another chance shorthanded, this time on a 3-on-1, but the puck slid off Keith Ballard's stick and the chance was nullified. Vancouver gets a third chance as the penalty expires, but Kesler shoots it high as the penalty benefits Vancouver more than Nashville.
7:33: Jordin Tootoo takes a bad tripping penalty and Ballard is lucky he wasn't seriously hurt on the play. Going back for the icing call, Tootoo taps the back of ballard's knee just enough to send him crashing into the base of the boards. Nashville likks off the penalty however to keep the deficit at one.
19:18: Rinne makes a fantastic save on Kesler on a wraparound, getting to the glove side of the net in an instant as Kesler made a quick turn and got off a pretty good shot.
End of period: A much closer period saw Nashville out shoot Vancouver for the third consecutive period, but they have yet to score. Vancouver had plenty of chances to extend their lead with Kesler leading the charge most times, but a lot of their shots were blocked or sent wide.
Third Period
5:41: Luongo makes a great glove save on Blake Geoffrion. The line of Tootoo, Nick Spaling and Jerred Smithson has been the best of the game so far and they had a great shift right before and their strong forechecking is leading to some quality chances.
10:46: The Preds go in offside after the best shift of the game. They has possession of the puck inside the Vancouver zone for about a minute and had all their players running around. The Sedins looked awful and they haven't done much all game. Meanwhile the line of Mike Fisher, Sergei Kostitsyn and Patric Hornqvist were making plays at will.
11:15: Tootoo gets a breakaway and Luongo answers with a great leg save. A very similar play to the Fisher breakaway in Game 1.
18:53: Ryan Suter finally scores for Nashville on a goal Luongo would love to have back. With Rinne pulled, Suter went into the corner and in desperation, threw the puck to the front of the net where it when off Luongo's stick, caromed off his left skate and into the net.
End of period:Nashville outplayed Vancouver all period and it finally broke through for them. The shots were 15-5 in the period, 36-15 in regulation and the way Rinne and Luongo are playing, the fans in Vancouver better get comfortable. The edge going into overtime definitely goes to Nashville who have been by far the better team and they will certainly get a jump from the tying goal.
Overtime 1
0:18: Kevin Bieksa takes a hit from Kostitsyn and goes down awkwardly, jamming his hand into the boards. This could be bad because not only is he a quality shut-down defenseman, but if they have to play only five D-men they will get tired much quicker and mental fatigue leads to a lot of overtime goals.
4:18: Rinne makes an amazing save on Daniel Sedin on his best opportunity of the game. A takeaway at the blueline by Henrik led to the glorious chance at the doorstep on a rebound.
6:57: Nashville gets the power play when Vancouver has too many men on the ice. In overtime penalties are rarely called as refs generally let the players decide things, but this is one they have to call.
17:45: Rinne makes one of the best save you will ever see, this rivals the Thomas save in overtime of Game 6. Daniel Sedin fakes a slapshot then sends the puck over to Bieksa for the one-timer. He had the whoile cage to shoot at, but Rinne manages to get his stick on that. Even ESPN has to give him credit for that one on tomorrow's top 10. But it's hockey so they probably won't.
End of period: Both goalies came up big a few times as we have now played 80 minutes without a winner. Vancouver had the better chances, out shooting Nashville for the first time in five periods. They could have had even more chances, but they had a lot of offside calls against them as they seem too eager to try and get those 2-on-1 and 3-on-2 rushes. The Sedins have played their best hockey of the series in that period. The Nucks will need them to be better if they hope to solve Rinne more than once a game.
Overtime 2
5:45: Rinne channels his inner Dominic Hasek, rolling on his back and getting a glove on a shot by Daniel who went around the crease and had a wide open net.
6:20: Vancouver takes another penalty the referees have to call. It is a delay of game for flipping the puck over the glass. This is one rule I really wish they would get rid of. It should really be treated as an icing call as both plays are made for the purpose of resting tired players on the ice. Why one gets the player two minutes is beyond me.
14:51: When it was looking like both goalies were in a zone and this game may not come to a conclusion anytime soon, Matt Halischuk ends the game, firing a wrist shot into the top corner. Luongo doesn't make a good play on the goal at all as he was on his knees before the puck was even shot, leaving Halischuk plenty of room over the glove to put it where mom hides the cookies.
Final score: Nashville-2 Vancouver-1
Story of the game: For the second straight game, it's the goalies. They combined for a .962 save percentage this game and are .969 in the series (.970 for Luongo, .968 for Rinne). While each team played well on the defensive side of the puck, they each had their chances to put the game away, especially Nashville who had two power plays in the extra frames. As strong as Luongo was, he made two mistakes that cost the Canucks a 2-0 series lead by letting a shot go in from behind the goal line and biting way too early on the overtime goal. The Predators now have home ice advantage as they need three more wins and they have three games at home. The Sedins showed up for the series in overtime, but they will have to be much better at creating chances and finishing as scoring is going to come at a premium. Like Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and every other sniper, they have to learn to crash the net and score on scrambles in front. They can score those pretty goals in the regular season, but it doesn't work often in the playoffs.
Player of the game: It was Ryan Kesler through regulation who despite not scoring a goal, got an assist on the Burrows goal and created chances throughout the game. He was solid defensively, giving the Predators little room to work with in the Vancouver zone. He deserves a mention, but Rinne stole the show in overtime as the Canucks had four or five opportunities where they could have easily ended the game. He faced nearly as many shots in overtime (11) as he did in regulation (15) and they were much better quality, especially once the Sedins got going.
First Period
1:52: David Krejci scores the first goal of the series early in the game. Last year it was his injury, coupled with Simon Gagne's return, that swung the series in the Flyers' favor. Brian Boucher bit too early and Krejci was easily able to go around him for the goal. Milan Lucic, while he didn't get an assist on the goal, started it with strong play down low which is a good sign for Boston as he was largely invisible during the first round against Montreal. The crowd which was raucous just moments ago is really quiet at the moment.
11:02: Danny Briere answers back, putting home a rebound for his seventh of the playoffs, going around Tim Thomas for a goal similar to the Krejci one. Ville Leino made a nice play entering the zone, leaving the puck at the blueline for Braydon Coburn to pick it up and get a shot on net.
12:20: Leino proves he doesn't let anyone get in the way of a loose puck as he knocks down the referee on his way to the corner.
12:55: Thomas makes a great save on James van Reimsdyk on a pass from Claude Giroux and the Flyers have been putting on a lot of pressure since the Briere goal. Those two are starting to become one of the top duos in the league as they gain more and more experience.
16:06: The Flyers kill off a goalie interference penalty on Zac Rinaldo who is playing in his first career NHL game. It was a curious call as both Rinaldo and Dennis Seidenberg both ran into Thomas on a rush it it looked as if Rinaldo was trying to stop, but couldn't because Seidenberg was draped all over him.
19:24: Nathan Horton continues his strong play during his first career playoff run with his fourth goal in the dying seconds of the first period. Seidenberg made another great pinch as he did on the first goal. Horton was given plenty of room to get two whacks at the puck before scoring and the Flyers defense aren't working the front of their net with their usual bravado.
End of period: Both teams spent the period feeling each other out. Neither team was rushing or trying to force plays that weren't there and there weren't any big hits. Both goalies were alright, all three goals were on rebounds and scrambles in front of the net.
Second Period
2:34: Mark Recchi gets enough on a shot to put the puck just over the goal line. The Flyers do not look good in their own zone as nobody was able to pick up Recchi or clear any rebounds. Right now they are on pace for their fourth goalie change of the playoffs.
5:11: Kris Versteeg takes an unnecessary slashing call as the Bruins are starting to dominate Game 1. The Flyers have no sense of urgency whatsoever and the Bs are taking advantage.
7:42: The Flyers kill off the penalty as the Bruins power play continues to be their weak spot. But they are right back on it as Briere takes another bad penalty, this time for tripping Seidenberg in the Flyers zone. The Flyers don't appear to be focused and it is hurting them right now.
9:58: Briere gets a great chance coming out of the box, but shoots just wide. The Flyers penalty kill is doing a great job as the Bruins are having trouble entering the zone and cannot get set up. They will now get their chance on the power play that went 5-for-35 against Buffalo as Brad Marchand takes a slashing call.
12:37: The penalty is killed off as Thomas was strong, making four tough stops. The Flyers get another power plays Johnny Boychuk high sticks Nikolay Zherdev.
15:26: Boucher doesn't even react as a shot by Adam McQuad that is going well wide is deflected by Horton back towards the net and in. Right now the build is as quiet as it can get as nothing is going right for the Flyers.
17:14: Brad Marchand seals the deal in the second period. He scores on a rebound and he was left open in front as the Bruins have been all game. The Flyers are flat and Sergei Bobrovsky comes in to see his first action since Game 2 of the Buffalo series.
17:30: van Reimsdyk scores right off the faceoff on a wrist shot over Thomas' glove. It was a clean win by Giroux and a nice little pass by Sean O'Donnell to put the puck right in the wheelhouse for the quick snipe.
End of period: The Flyers looked absolutely horrendous this period. Their forwards were ineffective and their defense looked lost. The Bruins have buried all of their chances and aren't giving the Flyers anything right now. The Flyers have taken a lot of stupid penalties and have been careless in their own zone. They have been making everything easy for the Bruins.
Third Period
3:50: Bobrovsky makes a good glove save on a Seidenberg shot from in close as he gets into the game. Best thing for the Flyers to see is he made it look easy and was able to hold on to it.
8:30: Giroux show some amazing stickhandling as he turn Chris Kelly inside out and sends van Reimsdyk in alone then almost scores himself before being hauled down by Andrew Ference who takes a hooking penalty.
10: 57: The Bruins kill off that penalty easily as neither team has threatened at all. the Flyers PP unit goes back to work as Krejci takes a slashing call.
12:01: The Flyers will have plenty of room as Marchand takes a penalty to give them a 5-on-3.
13:02: Mike Richards gets his first of the playoff just after the first penalty expires. He walks out of the corner then rips a short-side shot by Thomas. The Flyers are playing much better this period, showing the Bruins Game 2 will not be nearly as easy as this one. It is his first goal since April 5, a span of 10 games.
14:59: Marchand scores a goal as the puck is cleared from the crease before Patrice Bergeron knocks the puck off a defenseman's stick right to Marchand for the tap in.
Greg Campbell scores to make it 7-3. Coburn does nothing to tie up Campbell's stick as he glided in unimpeded.
Final score: Boston-7 Philadelphia-3
Story of the game: The Flyers did not play smart at all today. Almost all seven of the Bruins goals were on player where the goalscorer was able to get behind the defense without anyone noticing. Even when there were four Flyers in deep, they didn't seem to communicate with one another and spent a lot of time running aorund instead of playing the sound positional game they need to in front of the goaltending backing this team. They were also undisciplined, taking five slashing calls away from the play. Even though the Bruins power play has been dreadful throughout the playoffs, this didn't allow the Flyers to get any consistent attack.
Player of the game: Dennis Seidenberg made two risky pinches early in the game and they both led to Boston goals as they got the advantage early. He quietly played very well in his own end, leading all players with a plus-4. David Krejci did a lot of the scoring with two goals and four points, but a lot of that was getting lucky bounces while Seidenberg was consistently making his own plays and getting the puck away from danger.
Nashville at Vancouver
First Period
7:19: Martin Erat records the Predators fifth shot on goal which is as many as they had the entire first period of Game 1. The Preds are doing a much better job forechecking and taking the puck to the net, showing the urgency that was lacking the first game when they seemed to forget you can't win if you don't score at least one goal.
10:30: Nashville gets Roberto Luongo scrambling as they send a flurry of shots on net and were getting to the rebounds. They had two shots on net, one blocked and a few just wide for their best scoring chances of the series so far.
15:07: Vancouver kills of an interference penalty on Mikael Samuelsson. After getting a number of quality chances early in the game, Nashville has a hard time just entering the zone. When they did get a clean entry, Vancouver was winning all the battles and clearing the puck every time.
19:36: Patric Hornqvist takes a hard hit from Alex Edler, but doesn't let it faze him as he gets right back up and get a shot on net.
End of period: Once again, there were no goals at the end of one period. Nashville has looked way better and has as many quality chances in period one as they did in Game 1. They outshot Vancouver 12-6, more shots than they had the first two periods of Game 1 when they were out shot 16-5 in the first and 30-20 in the game.
Second Period
2:00: Alex Burrows opens the scoring shorthanded. He went on with Ryan Kesler, tried to center a pass only to have it go off a skate and take a fortunate bounce right back to him. Pekka Rinne was sliding across to take the shot from Kesler only to leave the side of the net wide open.
2:35: Martin Erat takes a Shea Weber shot off the side of the head after it deflects off a stick while he was jumping out of the way. To give you an idea of how much that sucks, watch this.
2:56: Vancouver gets another chance shorthanded, this time on a 3-on-1, but the puck slid off Keith Ballard's stick and the chance was nullified. Vancouver gets a third chance as the penalty expires, but Kesler shoots it high as the penalty benefits Vancouver more than Nashville.
7:33: Jordin Tootoo takes a bad tripping penalty and Ballard is lucky he wasn't seriously hurt on the play. Going back for the icing call, Tootoo taps the back of ballard's knee just enough to send him crashing into the base of the boards. Nashville likks off the penalty however to keep the deficit at one.
19:18: Rinne makes a fantastic save on Kesler on a wraparound, getting to the glove side of the net in an instant as Kesler made a quick turn and got off a pretty good shot.
End of period: A much closer period saw Nashville out shoot Vancouver for the third consecutive period, but they have yet to score. Vancouver had plenty of chances to extend their lead with Kesler leading the charge most times, but a lot of their shots were blocked or sent wide.
Third Period
5:41: Luongo makes a great glove save on Blake Geoffrion. The line of Tootoo, Nick Spaling and Jerred Smithson has been the best of the game so far and they had a great shift right before and their strong forechecking is leading to some quality chances.
10:46: The Preds go in offside after the best shift of the game. They has possession of the puck inside the Vancouver zone for about a minute and had all their players running around. The Sedins looked awful and they haven't done much all game. Meanwhile the line of Mike Fisher, Sergei Kostitsyn and Patric Hornqvist were making plays at will.
11:15: Tootoo gets a breakaway and Luongo answers with a great leg save. A very similar play to the Fisher breakaway in Game 1.
18:53: Ryan Suter finally scores for Nashville on a goal Luongo would love to have back. With Rinne pulled, Suter went into the corner and in desperation, threw the puck to the front of the net where it when off Luongo's stick, caromed off his left skate and into the net.
End of period:Nashville outplayed Vancouver all period and it finally broke through for them. The shots were 15-5 in the period, 36-15 in regulation and the way Rinne and Luongo are playing, the fans in Vancouver better get comfortable. The edge going into overtime definitely goes to Nashville who have been by far the better team and they will certainly get a jump from the tying goal.
Overtime 1
0:18: Kevin Bieksa takes a hit from Kostitsyn and goes down awkwardly, jamming his hand into the boards. This could be bad because not only is he a quality shut-down defenseman, but if they have to play only five D-men they will get tired much quicker and mental fatigue leads to a lot of overtime goals.
4:18: Rinne makes an amazing save on Daniel Sedin on his best opportunity of the game. A takeaway at the blueline by Henrik led to the glorious chance at the doorstep on a rebound.
6:57: Nashville gets the power play when Vancouver has too many men on the ice. In overtime penalties are rarely called as refs generally let the players decide things, but this is one they have to call.
17:45: Rinne makes one of the best save you will ever see, this rivals the Thomas save in overtime of Game 6. Daniel Sedin fakes a slapshot then sends the puck over to Bieksa for the one-timer. He had the whoile cage to shoot at, but Rinne manages to get his stick on that. Even ESPN has to give him credit for that one on tomorrow's top 10. But it's hockey so they probably won't.
End of period: Both goalies came up big a few times as we have now played 80 minutes without a winner. Vancouver had the better chances, out shooting Nashville for the first time in five periods. They could have had even more chances, but they had a lot of offside calls against them as they seem too eager to try and get those 2-on-1 and 3-on-2 rushes. The Sedins have played their best hockey of the series in that period. The Nucks will need them to be better if they hope to solve Rinne more than once a game.
Overtime 2
5:45: Rinne channels his inner Dominic Hasek, rolling on his back and getting a glove on a shot by Daniel who went around the crease and had a wide open net.
6:20: Vancouver takes another penalty the referees have to call. It is a delay of game for flipping the puck over the glass. This is one rule I really wish they would get rid of. It should really be treated as an icing call as both plays are made for the purpose of resting tired players on the ice. Why one gets the player two minutes is beyond me.
14:51: When it was looking like both goalies were in a zone and this game may not come to a conclusion anytime soon, Matt Halischuk ends the game, firing a wrist shot into the top corner. Luongo doesn't make a good play on the goal at all as he was on his knees before the puck was even shot, leaving Halischuk plenty of room over the glove to put it where mom hides the cookies.
Final score: Nashville-2 Vancouver-1
Story of the game: For the second straight game, it's the goalies. They combined for a .962 save percentage this game and are .969 in the series (.970 for Luongo, .968 for Rinne). While each team played well on the defensive side of the puck, they each had their chances to put the game away, especially Nashville who had two power plays in the extra frames. As strong as Luongo was, he made two mistakes that cost the Canucks a 2-0 series lead by letting a shot go in from behind the goal line and biting way too early on the overtime goal. The Predators now have home ice advantage as they need three more wins and they have three games at home. The Sedins showed up for the series in overtime, but they will have to be much better at creating chances and finishing as scoring is going to come at a premium. Like Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and every other sniper, they have to learn to crash the net and score on scrambles in front. They can score those pretty goals in the regular season, but it doesn't work often in the playoffs.
Player of the game: It was Ryan Kesler through regulation who despite not scoring a goal, got an assist on the Burrows goal and created chances throughout the game. He was solid defensively, giving the Predators little room to work with in the Vancouver zone. He deserves a mention, but Rinne stole the show in overtime as the Canucks had four or five opportunities where they could have easily ended the game. He faced nearly as many shots in overtime (11) as he did in regulation (15) and they were much better quality, especially once the Sedins got going.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Playoff Implication Trends-Western Conference
I did the Eastern Conference yesterday, here is the Western Conference. Same thing, who is getting hot and who is slowing down and what that may mean for the playoffs.
Trending Up
Jonathan Toews: At the midpoint of the season, it looked as though the summer salary purge had crippled the Chicago Blackhawks. Their goaltending was inconsistent without Antti Niemi and the teams lacked the character and grit that took them to the Stanley Cup last season. They appeared ready to become just the third team since 1995 to win the Cup and miss the playoffs the next season until Toews decided to go on a tear. In the 20 games since Feb. 1, Captain Serious has 13 goals, 18 assists and 31 points and has played to a +18 over that span, leading them to a 12-4-4 record. They are now in sixth place in the Western Conference, just one point out of fourth where I predicted them to finish in the summer. The 22-year-old, who has already won the Conn Smyth Trophy as playoff MVP and named the top forward after winning the gold medal at the Olympics, has entered the Hart Trophy debate as well. With Toews playing so well and Corey Crawford settling in as the team’s netminder, a third consecutive trip to the Western Conference final could be in the cards.
Vancouver Canucks: It’s a scary idea that the best team in the league is actually getting hotter, but such is the reality in southern British Colombia. An 8-2-0 record in their past 10, the Cancuks have an 11 point lead over the Detroit Red Wings in the West and an eight point lead over the Philadelphia Flyers in the race for the Presidents Trophy. Whether or not that ends up being a good thing remains to be seen, but Roberto Luongo is having his best season, Ryan Kesler is getting hot again and their secondary scoring is giving support to the Sedins. Defencemen Kevin Bieksa, Andrew Alberts and Alex Edler could all be back by the playoffs, making the league’s top defensive team even better. The past two Presidents Trophy winners have lost in the first round, but I feel this Canucks team is deep enough and has all the right pieces to become the eighth team since 1989-90 to reach the Stanley Cup final after recording the best regular season record and not one of the fie teams to go out in the first round.
Trending Down
Henrik Zetterberg/Johan Franzen: Zetterberg’s production has come to a near halt recently. One goal and four points in his past ten games and zero points in the past six, the usually defensively responsible Zetterberg has also played to a -10 over that span. Franzen scored five goals against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 2 and has just one since then. The Mule has started picking up points recently, but needs to return to the form that has seen him go through stretches as one of the top goal-scorers in the league. His points-per-game is much higher in the playoffs (59 points in 51 games, 1.16 PPG) than the regular season (118 in 170, .69 PPG) the past three seasons, so maybe the Wings just need to wait until the end of April rolls around before he really catches fire. Detroit is just 4-4-2 recently while giving up 30 goals and are now just six points above the surging Blackhawks for the Central Division lead. Going into any sort of slump can cause a team to fall fast in the ultra-tight Western Conference, so Zetterberg and Franzen need to regain their form before the Red Wings squander their home-ice position.
Nashville Predators: This is a scrappy team that always seems to over-achieve, but if they keep going the way they are now, they may miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. They are one of the best defensive teams in the NHL and have been for years. They have three wins this month, two by shutout and one against the Colorado Avalanche, and four in the past 12 games. Five of the eight losses in that stretch have come by one goal. They need more goal support as Pekka Rinne can’t brig them to the playoffs by himself. In the past 10 games, Sergei Kostitsyn has one assist, Patric Hornqvist, David Legwand and J.P. Dumont have one goal each and Colin Wilson has two points for a team that is already ranked 26th in offense. Missing out on the playoffs may also make it tougher to re-sign stud defenseman, franchise player and captain Shea Weber who is an RFA at the end of this season. Unless he signs before July 1, it is a safe bet one team will get his signature on an offer sheet at a price the Preds may be unable to match.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
The Next Seven Guardians
As you could have guessed, I am not the only one who is critical of The Guardian Project. This article on Bleacher Report addresses just how dumb of an idea this is, NBC Sports did as well. Let's get started on the most recent seven "heroes" revealed.
The creators of The Guardian Project are keeping up with the trend of ripping off known characters; The Wild just takes after Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. Half the time he's an intellectual, the other half a raging maniac. He becomes so crazy that he "chains himself up at night so as not to cause any unnecessary mayhem." Does anyone else see a problem with this? Let's skip the fact that if he is chaining himself up he either a) has to keep the key near him for when he wakes up so he should be able to get out when he goes crazy, or b) he tosses the key away and can't get out the next morning. He has incinerators on his hands and can tunnel through the earth! I don't think it would be too much trouble to break through a chain. And let's hope he never gives a fellow super hero a pat on the back or we will only have 29 mutant freaks to fight crime. By the way, I can't wait to see what kind of brilliant criminal mastermind they come up with for these guys to fight.
The Lightning has the ability to control lighting (wow, who would have seen that one coming?). And that's pretty much it. Has anyone ever tried to write a paper but the topic was too specific to find adequate information so you just rewrote the same sentence over and over in order to fill the required pages? Well, that's what they did on nhl.com, stating roughly five times in two short paragraphs that he can control lightning. They really couldn't think of any other power to give this guy other than he's a ladies man. I'm sure getting lit up like a Christmas Tree is exactly what girls are going for these days.
This is just an unfortunate case of a guy with zero confidence. The Predator can spit radioactive plasma and can rip through steel like paper, yet he still sees himself as an underdog. And why exactly, the underdog he is, does he always volunteer first for any mission? Do the other heroes get annoyed at him for always asking to go first like that nerd in school everyone always made fun of? Hey Wild, give him a high five and you won't have to deal with this suck up anymore.
The exact opposite of his Predator brethren, The Shark only works when he feels like it. It's strange not for him to be the kiss-ass, seeing as he is the computer geek of the group (and we all know how great computers and salt water mix together). He can also control sharks to help him on a mission, if only a certain small-town sheriff didn't keep killing all his allies (damn you Chief Brody! he only ever wanted to help!). Hey, sometime you just need to do bad things in order to infiltrate the bad guys and dismantle their operation from the inside out. Ever see The Departed? Like that but with sharks.
Another Guardian who is just a big kid, The Bruin is also another Guardian who is very intelligent. The creators have now gone beyond ripping of current, established super heroes, they're just ripping off the other guardians they have already created themselves. He has the ability to smell crime which, as any Sunny in Philly fan can tell you, has already been done. So this guy has the uncanny ability to track prey really well and scare people with nothing but his roar. Soo...basically he's a bear.
Ok, The Canuck is just Batman with a whale motif. Here is yet another guy who can control the weather except he can "fashion the resulting downpour into any number of offensive or defensive weapons," which is great if he's fighting the Wicked Witch of the West. He can also summon his whale friends to help him out when necessary. I hope he and The Shark never work together; having all the sharks eat all the whales might make for some awkward moments around their base.
Give Ironman a new paint job and you have The Canadien. He has jets in his boots, along with ice skates and roller blades so he can get around. Uhh...can't he, you know, fly? He can take any power he wishes from any of the other Guardians and makes them all better at what they do. I bet The Leaf secretly loathes him. What he have here is another ladies man, some one rich in culture (and French culture, come on!) who believes he's the best at everything. I know people like that. They're called pricks.
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Prediction Reviews-Western Conference
Last year the Flyers and Rangers played what was essentially a two game playoff to determine who would secure the final playoff spot available. Expect to see that scenario more than once in the Western Conference this year as only eight points separate fourth and fourteenth place. Compare that to the Eastern Conference where eight points separate eighth and tenth and you can tell that, with the exception of the Edmonton Oilers, each team has a legitimate shot at making the playoffs. Right now, Phoenix is in tenth, but with a win they move all the way to fourth; the last weeks of the season are going to be very intense as each win will move a team up several spots and each loss will be devastating. Any extended winning or losing streak will mean the difference between hosting the first round of the playoffs and having a high draft pick this summer.
Once again, here are the teams by division along with how I predicted they would finish.
Central Division
1. Detroit Red Wings (1)
2. Nashville Predators (4)
3. Chicago Blackhawks (2)
4. St. Louis Blues (3)
5. Columbus Blue Jackets (5)
Northeast Division
1. Vancouver Canucks (1)
2. Colorado Avalanche (2)
3. Minnesota Wild (4)
4. Calgary Flames (3)
5. Edmonton Oilers (5)
Pacific Division
1. Dallas Stars (5)
2. Anaheim Ducks (4)
3. San Jose Sharks (1)
4. Phoenix Coyotes (3)
5. Los Angeles Kings (2)
Here are the conference standings along with their point totals and my predicted rank.
1. Vancouver Canucks 59 (1)
2. Detroit Red Wings 57 (2)
3. Dallas Stars 53 (13)
4. Nashville Predators 48 (11)
5. Colorado Avalanche 48 (7)
6. Anaheim Ducks 48 (9)
7. San Jose Sharks 47 (3)
8. Chicago Blackhawks 47 (4)
9. St. Louis Blues 46 (8)
10. Phoenix Coyotes 46 (6)
11. Minnesota Wild 45 (14)
12. Los Angeles Kings 45 (5)
13. Columbus Blue Jackets 43 (12)
14. Calgary Flames 40 (10)
15. Edmonton Oilers 33 (15)
Biggest Surprises
Nashville Predators: Barry Trotz needs to win the Jack Adams award for best coach one of these seasons. Every year, the Predators lose key veterans and scoring support and every year they remain competitive. Only two teams in the conference have scored fewer goals and yet they are currently 4th. The predators have been the best team at developing goalies over the past decade and they never have a shortage of quality puck stoppers. Since the 2002-03 season, they have had a new starting goalie seemingly every other year, including Mike Dunham, Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis, Pekka Rinne, and Anders Lindback. Trotz is able to get each player to buy into his system, leading to few individual accolades, though Shea Weber may once again be a Norris Trophy candidate by season's end, but plenty of team success.
Dallas Stars: Before the season started, I said the Stars needed to find their identity. Apparently that identity comes in the form of Brad Richards, who is on pace for a career year, possibly including his first 30 goal season. Kari Lehtonen has managed to stay healthy and Andrew Raycroft has performed well in his backup role, giving them an upgrade in goal over the departed Marty Turco who has yet to find his groove in Chicago. Loui Eriksson has turned into one of the top two-way forwards in the game and they get solid secondary scoring from Mike Ribeiro, Jamie Benn, and James Neal. GM Joe Nieuwendyk had put this team together on a tight budget and he has performed his duties admirably.
Once again, here are the teams by division along with how I predicted they would finish.
Central Division
1. Detroit Red Wings (1)
2. Nashville Predators (4)
3. Chicago Blackhawks (2)
4. St. Louis Blues (3)
5. Columbus Blue Jackets (5)
Northeast Division
1. Vancouver Canucks (1)
2. Colorado Avalanche (2)
3. Minnesota Wild (4)
4. Calgary Flames (3)
5. Edmonton Oilers (5)
Pacific Division
1. Dallas Stars (5)
2. Anaheim Ducks (4)
3. San Jose Sharks (1)
4. Phoenix Coyotes (3)
5. Los Angeles Kings (2)
Here are the conference standings along with their point totals and my predicted rank.
1. Vancouver Canucks 59 (1)
2. Detroit Red Wings 57 (2)
3. Dallas Stars 53 (13)
4. Nashville Predators 48 (11)
5. Colorado Avalanche 48 (7)
6. Anaheim Ducks 48 (9)
7. San Jose Sharks 47 (3)
8. Chicago Blackhawks 47 (4)
9. St. Louis Blues 46 (8)
10. Phoenix Coyotes 46 (6)
11. Minnesota Wild 45 (14)
12. Los Angeles Kings 45 (5)
13. Columbus Blue Jackets 43 (12)
14. Calgary Flames 40 (10)
15. Edmonton Oilers 33 (15)
Biggest Surprises
Nashville Predators: Barry Trotz needs to win the Jack Adams award for best coach one of these seasons. Every year, the Predators lose key veterans and scoring support and every year they remain competitive. Only two teams in the conference have scored fewer goals and yet they are currently 4th. The predators have been the best team at developing goalies over the past decade and they never have a shortage of quality puck stoppers. Since the 2002-03 season, they have had a new starting goalie seemingly every other year, including Mike Dunham, Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis, Pekka Rinne, and Anders Lindback. Trotz is able to get each player to buy into his system, leading to few individual accolades, though Shea Weber may once again be a Norris Trophy candidate by season's end, but plenty of team success.
Dallas Stars: Before the season started, I said the Stars needed to find their identity. Apparently that identity comes in the form of Brad Richards, who is on pace for a career year, possibly including his first 30 goal season. Kari Lehtonen has managed to stay healthy and Andrew Raycroft has performed well in his backup role, giving them an upgrade in goal over the departed Marty Turco who has yet to find his groove in Chicago. Loui Eriksson has turned into one of the top two-way forwards in the game and they get solid secondary scoring from Mike Ribeiro, Jamie Benn, and James Neal. GM Joe Nieuwendyk had put this team together on a tight budget and he has performed his duties admirably.
Friday, 3 September 2010
Offseason Recap-Central Division
Detroit will try to show the Blackhawks they are not yet the best team in the division. The Central Division has a chance to have a few teams make the playoffs next year.
Detroit Red Wings - 2
Key Signings
7/6: LW Drew Miller (re-signed) 1 year
7/7: Patrick Eaves (re-signed) 1 year
7/15: D Derek Meech (re-signed) 1 year
8/4: C Darren Helm (re-signed) 2 years, $1.825 M
8/5: Mike Modano (DAL) 1 year, $1.25 M
8/9: D Ruslan Salei (COL) 1 year
8/23: LW Justin Abdelkader (re-signed) 2 years
Trades
None
Departures
D Brett Lebda (TOR)
RW Jeremy Williams (NYR)
What To Expect
You know you have a good team when 101 points and a fifth place showing is considered an off year. Improved health is going to be the biggest factor this season, as evidence by the lack of any major signings. Jimmy Howard looks to be ready to take control of the crease in Detroit, but look for Chris Osgood to get some starts early as he looks for win number 400.
Chicago Blackhawks - 4
Key Signings
7/12: Nicklas Hjalmarsson (re-signed, offer sheet from SJ matched) 4 years, $14 M
7/28: RW Jack Skille (re-signed) 1 year
7/28: LW Bryan Bickell (re-signed) 3 years
8/2: G Marty Turco (DAL) 1 year, $1.3 M
8/4: C Evan Brophey (re-signed) 1 year
8/24: RW Fernando Pisani
Trades
6/23: 24th overall draft pick (2010), 2nd round draft pick (2010), C Marty Reasoner, LW Jeremy Morin, and RW Joey Crabb from ATL for LW Dustin Byfuglien, D Brent Sopel, LW Ben Eager, and RW Akim Aliu
6/24: 6th round draft pick (2010) from EDM for C Colin Fraser
6/26: RW Jimmy Hayes from TOR for 2nd round draft pick (2010)
6/30: LW Viktor Stalberg, C Phillipe Paradis, and C Chris Di Domenico from TOR for LW Kris Versteeg and LW Bill Sweatt
7/1: D Ivan Vishnevsky and 2nd round draft pick from ATL for LW Andrew Ladd
7/22: F Jeff Taffe from FLA for F Marty Reasoner
Departures
RW Adam Burish (DAL)
C John Madden (MIN)
What To Expect
GM Stan Bowman had as good an offseason as he could have hope for all things considering. He did lose quality players such as Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg, but he was at least able to get a return on almost every player he lost. They stocked up on draft picks, so they should be able to cheaply support the core that includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook supported for a while. There's no reason for the Hawks not to be as dangerous as ever this season.
St. Louis Blues - 8
Key Signings
7/1: C Alex Steen (re-signed)
7/1: C Vladimir Sobotka (BOS)
7/2: F Brad Winchester (re-signed)
Trades
6/17: G Jaroslav Halak from MON for F Lars Eller and RW Ian Schultz
6/17: C T.J. Hensick from COL for C Julian Talbot
6/25: 1st round draft pick (2010) from OTT for D David Bolland
6/26: C Vladimir Sobotka from BOS for D David Warsofsky
7/28: F Stefan Della Rouvere from WAS for F D.J. King
Departures
G Chris Mason (ATL)
C Keith Tkachuk
LW Paul Kariya
What To Expect
The Blues season last year should really be considered as growing pains. The youth movement is ready to pay off as the same core returns from last year, one year wiser and better. Add playoff hero Jaroslav Halak and this has the potential to be a dangerous group. There is no one superstar in this group, rather a whole lineup of solid players.
Nashville Predators - 11
Key Signings
7/26: D Rayn Parent (PHI) 2 years, $1.8 M
8/24: RW Patrick Hornqvist (re-signed) 3 years, $9.25 M
Trades
6/19: D Ryan Parent from PHI for D Dan Hamhuis and 7th round draft pick (2011)
6/19: RW Matt Halischuk and 2nd round draft pick (2011) from NJ for C Jason Arnott
6/29: LW Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations from MON for C Dustin Boyd, G Dan Ellis, and future considerations
Departures
LW Triston Grant (FLA)
D Nolan Yonkman (PHO)
RW Hugh Jessiman (CHI)
C Dave Scatchard (STL)
What To Expect
With Jason Arnott headed back to New Jersey via trade, the Predators are left with few proven goal scorers in the fold. Thirty goal scorer Patrick Hornqvist is back and will need to at least match that amount again for the Predators to have any change of getting back in the playoffs. Ryan Parent comes back to the team that drafted him, bringing playoff experience with him this time. Its hard to believe this team, which finished 18th overall in offense last season, will produce enough goals to get into a playoff spot.
Columbus Blue Jackets - 12
Key Signings
7/1: C Derek MacKenzie (re-signed) 2 years
7/2: D Nathan Guenin (PIT) 1 year
7/13: RW Jared Boll (re-signed) 2 years
7/22: D Grant Clitsome (re-signed) 1 year
7/28: D Anton Stralman (re-signed) 1 year
8/10: RW Michael Blunden (re-signed) 1 year
8/18: RW Ben Guite (NAS) 1 year
Trades
None
Departures
D Nathan Paetsch (FLA)
D Mathieu Roy (TB)
What To Expect
If Steve Mason plays like he did when he was a rookie, the Blue Jackets may have a chance to sneak into the playoffs. Maybe. Like Philadelphia and goalies, Columbus cannot find a quality, long-term number one center. Antoine Vermette and Derek Brassard are good players, but neither can be considered a true number one. They added grit and leadership in Ethan Moreau, but made no other significant moves.
Sources: NHL.com Free Agent Tracker, TSN.ca TradeCentre, The Hockey News Yearbook
Detroit Red Wings - 2
Key Signings
7/6: LW Drew Miller (re-signed) 1 year
7/7: Patrick Eaves (re-signed) 1 year
7/15: D Derek Meech (re-signed) 1 year
8/4: C Darren Helm (re-signed) 2 years, $1.825 M
8/5: Mike Modano (DAL) 1 year, $1.25 M
8/9: D Ruslan Salei (COL) 1 year
8/23: LW Justin Abdelkader (re-signed) 2 years
Trades
None
Departures
D Brett Lebda (TOR)
RW Jeremy Williams (NYR)
What To Expect
You know you have a good team when 101 points and a fifth place showing is considered an off year. Improved health is going to be the biggest factor this season, as evidence by the lack of any major signings. Jimmy Howard looks to be ready to take control of the crease in Detroit, but look for Chris Osgood to get some starts early as he looks for win number 400.
Chicago Blackhawks - 4
Key Signings
7/12: Nicklas Hjalmarsson (re-signed, offer sheet from SJ matched) 4 years, $14 M
7/28: RW Jack Skille (re-signed) 1 year
7/28: LW Bryan Bickell (re-signed) 3 years
8/2: G Marty Turco (DAL) 1 year, $1.3 M
8/4: C Evan Brophey (re-signed) 1 year
8/24: RW Fernando Pisani
Trades
6/23: 24th overall draft pick (2010), 2nd round draft pick (2010), C Marty Reasoner, LW Jeremy Morin, and RW Joey Crabb from ATL for LW Dustin Byfuglien, D Brent Sopel, LW Ben Eager, and RW Akim Aliu
6/24: 6th round draft pick (2010) from EDM for C Colin Fraser
6/26: RW Jimmy Hayes from TOR for 2nd round draft pick (2010)
6/30: LW Viktor Stalberg, C Phillipe Paradis, and C Chris Di Domenico from TOR for LW Kris Versteeg and LW Bill Sweatt
7/1: D Ivan Vishnevsky and 2nd round draft pick from ATL for LW Andrew Ladd
7/22: F Jeff Taffe from FLA for F Marty Reasoner
Departures
RW Adam Burish (DAL)
C John Madden (MIN)
What To Expect
GM Stan Bowman had as good an offseason as he could have hope for all things considering. He did lose quality players such as Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg, but he was at least able to get a return on almost every player he lost. They stocked up on draft picks, so they should be able to cheaply support the core that includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook supported for a while. There's no reason for the Hawks not to be as dangerous as ever this season.
St. Louis Blues - 8
Key Signings
7/1: C Alex Steen (re-signed)
7/1: C Vladimir Sobotka (BOS)
7/2: F Brad Winchester (re-signed)
7/6: G Jaroslav Halak (MON) 4 years, $14 M
7/6: RW Cam Janssen (re-signed) 1 year
7/6: D Carlo Colaiacovo (re-signed) 2 years
7/15: D Tyson Strachan (re-signed) 1 year
7/16: C T.J. Hensick (COL) 1 year
7/21: LW David Perron (re-signed) 2 years, $4.3 M
8/2: D Eric Johnson (re-signed) 2 years, $5.2 M
8/4: C Dave Scatchard (NAS) 1 year
6/17: G Jaroslav Halak from MON for F Lars Eller and RW Ian Schultz
6/17: C T.J. Hensick from COL for C Julian Talbot
6/25: 1st round draft pick (2010) from OTT for D David Bolland
6/26: C Vladimir Sobotka from BOS for D David Warsofsky
7/28: F Stefan Della Rouvere from WAS for F D.J. King
Departures
G Chris Mason (ATL)
C Keith Tkachuk
LW Paul Kariya
What To Expect
The Blues season last year should really be considered as growing pains. The youth movement is ready to pay off as the same core returns from last year, one year wiser and better. Add playoff hero Jaroslav Halak and this has the potential to be a dangerous group. There is no one superstar in this group, rather a whole lineup of solid players.
Nashville Predators - 11
Key Signings
7/26: D Rayn Parent (PHI) 2 years, $1.8 M
8/24: RW Patrick Hornqvist (re-signed) 3 years, $9.25 M
Trades
6/19: D Ryan Parent from PHI for D Dan Hamhuis and 7th round draft pick (2011)
6/19: RW Matt Halischuk and 2nd round draft pick (2011) from NJ for C Jason Arnott
6/29: LW Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations from MON for C Dustin Boyd, G Dan Ellis, and future considerations
Departures
LW Triston Grant (FLA)
D Nolan Yonkman (PHO)
RW Hugh Jessiman (CHI)
C Dave Scatchard (STL)
What To Expect
With Jason Arnott headed back to New Jersey via trade, the Predators are left with few proven goal scorers in the fold. Thirty goal scorer Patrick Hornqvist is back and will need to at least match that amount again for the Predators to have any change of getting back in the playoffs. Ryan Parent comes back to the team that drafted him, bringing playoff experience with him this time. Its hard to believe this team, which finished 18th overall in offense last season, will produce enough goals to get into a playoff spot.
Columbus Blue Jackets - 12
Key Signings
7/1: C Derek MacKenzie (re-signed) 2 years
7/2: D Nathan Guenin (PIT) 1 year
7/13: RW Jared Boll (re-signed) 2 years
7/22: D Grant Clitsome (re-signed) 1 year
7/28: D Anton Stralman (re-signed) 1 year
8/10: RW Michael Blunden (re-signed) 1 year
8/18: RW Ben Guite (NAS) 1 year
Trades
None
Departures
D Nathan Paetsch (FLA)
D Mathieu Roy (TB)
What To Expect
If Steve Mason plays like he did when he was a rookie, the Blue Jackets may have a chance to sneak into the playoffs. Maybe. Like Philadelphia and goalies, Columbus cannot find a quality, long-term number one center. Antoine Vermette and Derek Brassard are good players, but neither can be considered a true number one. They added grit and leadership in Ethan Moreau, but made no other significant moves.
Sources: NHL.com Free Agent Tracker, TSN.ca TradeCentre, The Hockey News Yearbook
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