You won't hear me arguing against the fact that Alex Ovechkin is a great hockey player, who has exceptional offensive skills and brings a physical edge. But if you're in the "Alexander can do no wrong" camp with Daniel Alfredsson, take a look at this and see if that changes your opinion.
Basically, Ovechkin has been disobeying the coaches, taking shifts that are too long and not covering up defensively, so they gave him some time on the pine to think about it. That's a ballsy move, taking a firm hand with a young star with so much self-confidence; it's also smart, trying to rein him in early. Hopefully it works, and he remains professional about it. The lesson might lose a little bit of its power when it's given by a cellar-dwelling team who ended up losing the game, but it's a lesson Ovechkin needs to learn all the same.
2006-03-22
2006-03-14
The Trouble With Trades
The Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers made a flurry of deals on March 9 in an effort to solidify their respective lineups for a long post-season run. Vancouver went out and got defencemen Eric Weinrich, Keith Carney, and Sean Brown, as well as goalie Mika Noronen to back up Alex Auld. In the short term, the three blueliners were supposed to fill in for injured rearguards Ed Jovanovski, Sami Salo and Mattias Ohlund. And guess what? Since the deadline, the Canucks are 0-2, and winless in their last four games.
The Oilers, picked up Dwayne Roloson to be their number one netminder, as well as sniper Sergei Samsonov. The Oil also have four losses in as many games, with Roloson taking the loss in three of them.
Calgary, meanwhile, only picked up centre Jamie Lundmark - much to the chagrin of the "experts" on TSN and Sportsnet - yet stormed back into first place in the Northwest Division, while the Canucks and Oilers slid down to seventh and eighth.
Am I suggesting that these trends are going to continue? Of course not; I still expect (and hope) that all three teams will make the playoffs. But I do find a little bit of irony in the fact that two of the teams thought to have done the best at the deadline are winless since then.
Also last Thursday, Carolina made one more slick move to prepare for a run at the Cup by acquiring Mark Recchi from the Pittsburgh Penguins. They're looking more and more formidable by the day, and have a good mix of youth and experience that could take them all the way to the top; add the fact that they're one of the league's fastest teams, and you've got yourself a juggernaut.
Of course, if you're one of those people who listens to what Al Strachan says - you're in my prayers, by the way - then you'll be interested to learn that he believes the Hurricanes have absolutely no shot whatsoever at winning the Stanley Cup. He told the Sportsnet panel that they simply don't have the experience necessary to win it; it's not that they're unlikely to win, it's that they absolutely won't. Now, I'm not going to be so stupid as to guarantee that they win it, but how can you count out this team? That's right, you can't. Sure, his arguments might hold water - there's a lot of pressure on the 1st-overall team, Gerber isn't really playoff-tested, blah blah blah. But do these things completely guarantee that they won't win it all? Of course not. This claim of Strachan's might have been a little easier to take if he hadn't presented it as though anyone who disagreed was a complete moron - the same way he makes most of his claims on Hockey Night in Canada's "Satellite Hot Stove" discussions. Any time the other men on the panel would approach the subject of Carolina's playoff chances, he would sneeringly refer to them as "your beloved Hurricanes." Maybe he's getting ready for a career in politics.
Finally, Daniel Alfredsson on the rookie race:
"I just think (Ovechkin has) everything you could want. He's a great skater, he's a great stickhandler, good one-on-one and he's got a really good work ethic. He doesn't get frustrated if he gets hit, either. He gets up and keeps playing. Not like the other rookie (Crosby), who starts crying. I think there's a big difference in the attitude."
I guess ol' Daniel didn't watch the World Juniors last year, when Alex Ovechkin was in tears after getting thumped around by Team Canada (including Crosby, who even laid a hit on the Russian) en route to a 6-1 Canadian victory. Let's also keep in mind that Ovechkin is playing for a team that wasn't supposed to do anything this year; they were expected to come across the line dead last, so there isn't much pressure on the big Russian. Meanwhile, Crosby's Penguins were expected to be a playoff team - they were predicted to come sixth by The Hockey News prior to the season - and they've done nothing more than stink out the Mellon Arena. His friend, mentor and landlord, Mario Lemieux, also retired mid-season, putting even more pressure on the kid from Cole Harbour, who was given an "A" on his sweater by new head coach Michel Therrien. And really, who can blame Crosby for getting frustrated? He's a target every game, he's taunted both in the media and on the ice, and he's only 18 years old; on the other hand, the 20-year-old Ovechkin played in the Russian SuperLeague before coming over to the Capitals, so he's got much more experience playing against grown men.
I'm not slighting Ovechkin's accomplishments, because he's an excellent hockey player, but all these people who criticized all the hype heaped on Crosby also seem to have bought into it, since they apparently expect him to not just live up to it, but surpass it; the second he doesn't, he becomes a "crybaby" and a "whiner," and never mind his 74 points in 64 games (good for 10th place in league scoring) - that's just an inconvenient statistic.
The Oilers, picked up Dwayne Roloson to be their number one netminder, as well as sniper Sergei Samsonov. The Oil also have four losses in as many games, with Roloson taking the loss in three of them.
Calgary, meanwhile, only picked up centre Jamie Lundmark - much to the chagrin of the "experts" on TSN and Sportsnet - yet stormed back into first place in the Northwest Division, while the Canucks and Oilers slid down to seventh and eighth.
Am I suggesting that these trends are going to continue? Of course not; I still expect (and hope) that all three teams will make the playoffs. But I do find a little bit of irony in the fact that two of the teams thought to have done the best at the deadline are winless since then.
Also last Thursday, Carolina made one more slick move to prepare for a run at the Cup by acquiring Mark Recchi from the Pittsburgh Penguins. They're looking more and more formidable by the day, and have a good mix of youth and experience that could take them all the way to the top; add the fact that they're one of the league's fastest teams, and you've got yourself a juggernaut.
Of course, if you're one of those people who listens to what Al Strachan says - you're in my prayers, by the way - then you'll be interested to learn that he believes the Hurricanes have absolutely no shot whatsoever at winning the Stanley Cup. He told the Sportsnet panel that they simply don't have the experience necessary to win it; it's not that they're unlikely to win, it's that they absolutely won't. Now, I'm not going to be so stupid as to guarantee that they win it, but how can you count out this team? That's right, you can't. Sure, his arguments might hold water - there's a lot of pressure on the 1st-overall team, Gerber isn't really playoff-tested, blah blah blah. But do these things completely guarantee that they won't win it all? Of course not. This claim of Strachan's might have been a little easier to take if he hadn't presented it as though anyone who disagreed was a complete moron - the same way he makes most of his claims on Hockey Night in Canada's "Satellite Hot Stove" discussions. Any time the other men on the panel would approach the subject of Carolina's playoff chances, he would sneeringly refer to them as "your beloved Hurricanes." Maybe he's getting ready for a career in politics.
Finally, Daniel Alfredsson on the rookie race:
"I just think (Ovechkin has) everything you could want. He's a great skater, he's a great stickhandler, good one-on-one and he's got a really good work ethic. He doesn't get frustrated if he gets hit, either. He gets up and keeps playing. Not like the other rookie (Crosby), who starts crying. I think there's a big difference in the attitude."
I guess ol' Daniel didn't watch the World Juniors last year, when Alex Ovechkin was in tears after getting thumped around by Team Canada (including Crosby, who even laid a hit on the Russian) en route to a 6-1 Canadian victory. Let's also keep in mind that Ovechkin is playing for a team that wasn't supposed to do anything this year; they were expected to come across the line dead last, so there isn't much pressure on the big Russian. Meanwhile, Crosby's Penguins were expected to be a playoff team - they were predicted to come sixth by The Hockey News prior to the season - and they've done nothing more than stink out the Mellon Arena. His friend, mentor and landlord, Mario Lemieux, also retired mid-season, putting even more pressure on the kid from Cole Harbour, who was given an "A" on his sweater by new head coach Michel Therrien. And really, who can blame Crosby for getting frustrated? He's a target every game, he's taunted both in the media and on the ice, and he's only 18 years old; on the other hand, the 20-year-old Ovechkin played in the Russian SuperLeague before coming over to the Capitals, so he's got much more experience playing against grown men.
I'm not slighting Ovechkin's accomplishments, because he's an excellent hockey player, but all these people who criticized all the hype heaped on Crosby also seem to have bought into it, since they apparently expect him to not just live up to it, but surpass it; the second he doesn't, he becomes a "crybaby" and a "whiner," and never mind his 74 points in 64 games (good for 10th place in league scoring) - that's just an inconvenient statistic.
2006-03-08
Looks like the NHL's general managers have really kicked things into high gear the day before the trade deadline. There have been many moves - some major and some minor, depending on who you're talking to - already today, and there are still more than 16 hours until the deadline.
The major moves:
Montreal trades Jose Theodore to Colorado for David Aebischer. These two teams have dealt in goaltenders in the past (remember Patrick Roy?), and they're both hoping that these goalies will find new life in new environments. Aebischer has never really instilled much confidence in Avs fans, while Theodore has had an awful season so far. Theodore is still out with a broken heel, but should be back by the start of April.
The Islanders trade forward Mark Parrish and defenceman Brent Sopel to Los Angeles for forward Jeff Tambellini, D-man Denis Grebeshkov, and a conditional draft pick. With this, the Islanders send over $2 million in salary California's way, when all price tags in this deal are accounted for; meanwhile the Kings, 6th in the West, have some big-time help for their playoff run.
The minor:
Toronto dealt defenceman Ken Klee to the Devils for prospect Aleksander Suglobov, while picking up another blueliner, Luke Richardson, from Columbus for a conditional draft pick. The difference between the two defencemen isn't huge; they both play the same style of game, but Richardson's price tag is $190,000 higher. This, of course, is helped by the waiving of Mariusz Czerkawski. Consider the trades in these terms: Richardson for Klee, and a prospect for a conditional pick. I would have to say that the Leafs win out here, and though Richardson is 36 years old and will be a free agent this summer, either his departure or his eventual retirement will leave a roster spot open for one of the Leafs' young defencemen. Toronto also signed Bowling Green University's star forward Alex Foster.
The Senators signed utility skater Brad Norton, who has been playing this season with HIFK Helsinki in Finland. He's just another body to add to the roster, whether at the pro level or in the AHL, as he's signed a two-way contract. Probably won't add much to a potential Stanley Cup contender; if they're looking for a player with sandpaper, they can do better than this.
The San Jose Sharks acquired scrappy forward Ville Nieminen from the Rangers for a 3rd-rounder in 2006. This is who the Senators should have gotten, a gritty team player who's not afraid to mix it up, and has decidedly more skill than somebody like part-time goon, part-time thug Brian McGrattan. Instead, the Rangers are gambling that they won't need Ville's skills during the playoffs - judging from how well he played for the Flames on the way to the 2004 Finals, I would think that every team would want a Ville Nieminen.
Finally, Anaheim signed prospect Bobby Ryan to a three-year deal; the young American star is expected to be a big part of their future. Also, the Washington Capitals kept defenceman Brendan Witt off the ice as a healthy scratch tonight, which makes it fairly obvious that he will be traded before 3:00 tomorrow.
Until demain...
The major moves:
Montreal trades Jose Theodore to Colorado for David Aebischer. These two teams have dealt in goaltenders in the past (remember Patrick Roy?), and they're both hoping that these goalies will find new life in new environments. Aebischer has never really instilled much confidence in Avs fans, while Theodore has had an awful season so far. Theodore is still out with a broken heel, but should be back by the start of April.
The Islanders trade forward Mark Parrish and defenceman Brent Sopel to Los Angeles for forward Jeff Tambellini, D-man Denis Grebeshkov, and a conditional draft pick. With this, the Islanders send over $2 million in salary California's way, when all price tags in this deal are accounted for; meanwhile the Kings, 6th in the West, have some big-time help for their playoff run.
The minor:
Toronto dealt defenceman Ken Klee to the Devils for prospect Aleksander Suglobov, while picking up another blueliner, Luke Richardson, from Columbus for a conditional draft pick. The difference between the two defencemen isn't huge; they both play the same style of game, but Richardson's price tag is $190,000 higher. This, of course, is helped by the waiving of Mariusz Czerkawski. Consider the trades in these terms: Richardson for Klee, and a prospect for a conditional pick. I would have to say that the Leafs win out here, and though Richardson is 36 years old and will be a free agent this summer, either his departure or his eventual retirement will leave a roster spot open for one of the Leafs' young defencemen. Toronto also signed Bowling Green University's star forward Alex Foster.
The Senators signed utility skater Brad Norton, who has been playing this season with HIFK Helsinki in Finland. He's just another body to add to the roster, whether at the pro level or in the AHL, as he's signed a two-way contract. Probably won't add much to a potential Stanley Cup contender; if they're looking for a player with sandpaper, they can do better than this.
The San Jose Sharks acquired scrappy forward Ville Nieminen from the Rangers for a 3rd-rounder in 2006. This is who the Senators should have gotten, a gritty team player who's not afraid to mix it up, and has decidedly more skill than somebody like part-time goon, part-time thug Brian McGrattan. Instead, the Rangers are gambling that they won't need Ville's skills during the playoffs - judging from how well he played for the Flames on the way to the 2004 Finals, I would think that every team would want a Ville Nieminen.
Finally, Anaheim signed prospect Bobby Ryan to a three-year deal; the young American star is expected to be a big part of their future. Also, the Washington Capitals kept defenceman Brendan Witt off the ice as a healthy scratch tonight, which makes it fairly obvious that he will be traded before 3:00 tomorrow.
Until demain...
As of precisely 13 minutes ago, TSN.ca is reporting that the Edmonton Oilers have acquired Dwayne Roloson from the Wild for a first-rounder and a conditional pick. The Oilers waived goalie Mike Morrison this morning. Roloson is 6-17-1 this season, with a 3.00 GAA and a .910 save percentage. This gives Edmonton the number-one goalie they've been needing for a while, and it also ends the speculation on which goaltender will end up with the Oil - Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, Martin Biron and Mika Noronen were also rumoured to be headed their way. Joseph or Biron would have been prime acquisitions if the deal had been just right, whereas Belfour would weigh down their pocketbooks, and Noronen is not a proven starting goalie, adding another noggin to the three-headed monster they had in nets with Ty Conklin, Mike Morrison and Jussi Markkanen.
The Bruins have also picked up Mariusz Czerkawski off waivers from Toronto, looking to fill some roster holes that have been opened up by injuries. There are a few guys in Hogtown who will look awfully silly if he starts scoring in bunches.
The Bruins have also picked up Mariusz Czerkawski off waivers from Toronto, looking to fill some roster holes that have been opened up by injuries. There are a few guys in Hogtown who will look awfully silly if he starts scoring in bunches.
2006-03-07
The stage lights come on, revealing an apartment in downtown Toronto. The phone rings. A six-foot-one, 205-pound 22-year-old man named Brendan crosses the room to answer it.
Brendan: "Hello?"
Mysterious Caller: "Hi, am I speaking with Marlies defenceman Brendan Bell?"
Brendan: "Yes, you are...who is this?"
Caller: "This is John Ferguson. We're going to need you to hop in a cab and come down to the ACC, Brendan. You're playing tonight!"
Brendan: "Oh, wow! Really?"
Caller: "Yes, Andy Wozniewski got hurt the other night and we really need your bodychecking...and your puckhandling skills...and your shot...and your, uh, awesomeness...and bring some beer."
Brendan: "Wait a second...Ben Ondrus?"
Caller: "Hahahaha...yeah man, it's me. I was just kidding; I got the call-up, you're already sent back down. Tough break, dude...but at least you get the night off, right? See you later."
I guess my new drama, The Trials and Tribulations of the Exquisitely Fluctuational Life of Brendan Bell and His Faithful Dog Chowderhead won't ever show on Broadway...in fact, I'm still trying to think of ways to work the Chowderhead character into the script. Really, he's just a dog, so what can you do with that? It's a hard life.
If, however, I decide to have one of those epilogue-type deals, where it tells what happened to all the characters after the fact, I would have to mention Ben Ondrus' game with the Leafs tonight, and he was tremendous. The kid's all hustle. He got a lot of ice time in the first period, and threw checks all over the place, playing a fast, gritty game. He even managed to draw a cross-checking penalty from a frustrated Saku Koivu. The contribution the Maple Leafs got from Ondrus was fairly consistent with what all their minor-leaguers have done this year when called up, playing with lots of heart and energy, and this team needs a ton more of those two attributes. The rookie's play sparked Toronto, as many guys stepped up and had their best games in a while; Jason Allison even outraced a few Canadiens to loose pucks, and if you need to read that twice to make sure your eyes are working right, I don't blame you. Allison skated faster in the first period than I've ever seen him skate before.
Ed Belfour also played his best game in a long time, and had the fans chanting "Eddie, Eddie" after he robbed Saku Koivu from point-blank range - twice - during a Montreal power play. Will that be the last time they chant "Eddie" in Toronto? We'll know by Thursday...
To close things out for the night, some precious Pierre McGuire Moments:
Gord Miller: "[The question on everyone's mind is] could Alexander Ovechkin be the MVP?"
Pierre McGuire: "No!"
Miller: "Why not?"
McGuire: "........" (no response)
Pierre McGuire, on an Andrei Markov hooking penalty: "[This penalty is] tough for Markov, because in the old NHL, it's not a penalty." Um...how many games have they played now, Pierre? Sixty-one? I would think that he could get used to the new rules in three-quarters of a season.
P.S. This hasn't suddenly become a blog just about the Leafs, but I find myself mainly concerned with their fortunes lately. Come draft day, it'll be back to basics for everybody.
P.P.S. Yes, I realize that "fluctuational" is not a word. It's called "artistic license." Leave me alone.
Brendan: "Hello?"
Mysterious Caller: "Hi, am I speaking with Marlies defenceman Brendan Bell?"
Brendan: "Yes, you are...who is this?"
Caller: "This is John Ferguson. We're going to need you to hop in a cab and come down to the ACC, Brendan. You're playing tonight!"
Brendan: "Oh, wow! Really?"
Caller: "Yes, Andy Wozniewski got hurt the other night and we really need your bodychecking...and your puckhandling skills...and your shot...and your, uh, awesomeness...and bring some beer."
Brendan: "Wait a second...Ben Ondrus?"
Caller: "Hahahaha...yeah man, it's me. I was just kidding; I got the call-up, you're already sent back down. Tough break, dude...but at least you get the night off, right? See you later."
I guess my new drama, The Trials and Tribulations of the Exquisitely Fluctuational Life of Brendan Bell and His Faithful Dog Chowderhead won't ever show on Broadway...in fact, I'm still trying to think of ways to work the Chowderhead character into the script. Really, he's just a dog, so what can you do with that? It's a hard life.
If, however, I decide to have one of those epilogue-type deals, where it tells what happened to all the characters after the fact, I would have to mention Ben Ondrus' game with the Leafs tonight, and he was tremendous. The kid's all hustle. He got a lot of ice time in the first period, and threw checks all over the place, playing a fast, gritty game. He even managed to draw a cross-checking penalty from a frustrated Saku Koivu. The contribution the Maple Leafs got from Ondrus was fairly consistent with what all their minor-leaguers have done this year when called up, playing with lots of heart and energy, and this team needs a ton more of those two attributes. The rookie's play sparked Toronto, as many guys stepped up and had their best games in a while; Jason Allison even outraced a few Canadiens to loose pucks, and if you need to read that twice to make sure your eyes are working right, I don't blame you. Allison skated faster in the first period than I've ever seen him skate before.
Ed Belfour also played his best game in a long time, and had the fans chanting "Eddie, Eddie" after he robbed Saku Koivu from point-blank range - twice - during a Montreal power play. Will that be the last time they chant "Eddie" in Toronto? We'll know by Thursday...
To close things out for the night, some precious Pierre McGuire Moments:
Gord Miller: "[The question on everyone's mind is] could Alexander Ovechkin be the MVP?"
Pierre McGuire: "No!"
Miller: "Why not?"
McGuire: "........" (no response)
Pierre McGuire, on an Andrei Markov hooking penalty: "[This penalty is] tough for Markov, because in the old NHL, it's not a penalty." Um...how many games have they played now, Pierre? Sixty-one? I would think that he could get used to the new rules in three-quarters of a season.
P.S. This hasn't suddenly become a blog just about the Leafs, but I find myself mainly concerned with their fortunes lately. Come draft day, it'll be back to basics for everybody.
P.P.S. Yes, I realize that "fluctuational" is not a word. It's called "artistic license." Leave me alone.
As mentioned today on Raking Leafs, Mariusz Czerkawski has been waived by the Maple Leafs. I can't help but think that he could have been put to better use this season. Sure, he scored a paltry 4 goals in 19 games, but he also never really got a chance to play several games in a row, to try and find his stride (if, indeed, it was to be found). Quinn "experimented" with him on Sundin's wing - notice the quotation marks, since said experiment never lasted very long. If the two had been able to drum up some chemistry together they could have been a force, a la Sundin and Mogilny, while Chad Kilger or Darcy Tucker could have played Gary Roberts' old role on left wing; Wellwood could have even played the left side for some more creative playmaking.
What's done is done, though, and the Leafs have finally shaken free of the overwhelming burden of Czerkawski's $500,000 salary (note the sarcasm). There are three reasons he could have been waived:
-John Ferguson Jr. is trying to honour Czerkawski's wish to play where he is wanted, hoping another team will pick him up; after Thursday he still will not have a place in the lineup, so there was no point in delaying the inevitable
-Ferguson has already tried including him in potential trades as a deal-sweetener, and it didn't work, so he was therefore totally useless
-the Leafs GM is shaving the payroll a bit, clearing the deck for a couple of deadline moves
Apparently Toronto is not cleaning house, because the relatively cheap Pole could have filled a hole at forward in the event that the team was just riding out the rest of 2005-06. All the best to Czerkawski, for whom the lockout never really ended. I'm sure he'd rather forget that this season ever happened.
Whether the Leafs make the playoffs or not, their future does not look bad at all, now that Ferguson has beefed up their scouting again. Brendan Bell will make his first NHL appearance against Montreal tonight, giving the Buds five rookie defencemen who have all seen icetime with the big boys this season. Add the eventual arrival of Justin Pogge and/or Tuukka Rask, and things look good on the back end, while Alex Steen and Kyle Wellwood will need some more help up front in order for this team to become a scoring threat again.
What's done is done, though, and the Leafs have finally shaken free of the overwhelming burden of Czerkawski's $500,000 salary (note the sarcasm). There are three reasons he could have been waived:
-John Ferguson Jr. is trying to honour Czerkawski's wish to play where he is wanted, hoping another team will pick him up; after Thursday he still will not have a place in the lineup, so there was no point in delaying the inevitable
-Ferguson has already tried including him in potential trades as a deal-sweetener, and it didn't work, so he was therefore totally useless
-the Leafs GM is shaving the payroll a bit, clearing the deck for a couple of deadline moves
Apparently Toronto is not cleaning house, because the relatively cheap Pole could have filled a hole at forward in the event that the team was just riding out the rest of 2005-06. All the best to Czerkawski, for whom the lockout never really ended. I'm sure he'd rather forget that this season ever happened.
Whether the Leafs make the playoffs or not, their future does not look bad at all, now that Ferguson has beefed up their scouting again. Brendan Bell will make his first NHL appearance against Montreal tonight, giving the Buds five rookie defencemen who have all seen icetime with the big boys this season. Add the eventual arrival of Justin Pogge and/or Tuukka Rask, and things look good on the back end, while Alex Steen and Kyle Wellwood will need some more help up front in order for this team to become a scoring threat again.
2006-03-05
As Thursday draws ever nearer, Saturday night's eleven NHL games saw a few teams getting closer to a decision on whether to buy or sell at the trade deadline, depending on their abilities to make the playoffs.
In the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens won again, keeping their distance from the pack of hungry clubs looking for their spot in eighth. 10th place Boston and 11th place Toronto both lost, putting them six and seven points behind Montreal, respectively. The Thrashers, however, defeated the Capitals to keep pace with the Habs, and it looks like GM Don Waddell might still be able to keep his promise that Atlanta will make it to the dance. The latest rumour here is that playmaking centre Marc Savard will be shipped to Calgary for young defenceman Jordan Leopold, a deal that would likely benefit both teams.
Toronto has been at the centre of many trade rumours, with just about every player being named by some talking head, no matter how far-fetched the claim. The latest is that Ed Belfour might waive his no-trade clause for a move to any contender who would pick up his option for next year, paying him more than $4M in salary. Things could look very different in Hogtown by the time the 2006-07 season rolls around, and that might not be a bad thing. John Ferguson was looking ahead a little bit last summer by mostly signing players to one-year deals, so he could evaluate how things worked out under the cap system, and what changes have to be made. The Leafs should look to make changes at every position - four rookie defencemen got NHL experience this season (Wozniewski, Colaiacovo, Kronwall, and Harrison), and didn't look bad. The forward lines don't look terrible on paper, but the on-ice product is something else, especially when Pat Quinn insists on keeping potential big lines apart (Sundin only sees Jason Allison in the locker room and on the power play, and just played half a game with Eric Lindros on his wing before Lindros' wrist injury; Mats has also gushed about how much he loved playing with Wellwood after one game, and they were promptly separated). Not to flog a dead horse, but the Leafs need to acquire someone who can play wing with Sundin and bury the puck when he gets his chances. Meanwhile, Tellqvist is likely to take the reins in the nets, unless JFJ goes after another goalie; Ed Belfour probably won't come back - and rightly so, as he just doesn't play like Ed Belfour any more.
In the West, the Ducks trail the Oilers by just three points for the last playoff spot, while the Sharks missed a great opportunity to move four points back when they were shut out by the Calgary Flames on Hockey Night In Canada. The race here is a bit closer than the one in the Eastern Conference, but not much; it does, however, fly a bit under the radar as the team rankings between second and eighth seem to change hourly. Neither Anaheim or San Jose have been connected to many trade murmurings (the biggest news from the Pond is that centre Tyler Wright cleared waivers and is considering retirement). This could be because they plan on sticking with the players who got them this far, or simply due to Californians' hockey apathy keeping reporters away - there can't be any trade rumours if nobody hears them, can there? Besides, everyone with a voice recorder in California is too busy working out at the gym to prepare for the media scrum on Oscar night.
In the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens won again, keeping their distance from the pack of hungry clubs looking for their spot in eighth. 10th place Boston and 11th place Toronto both lost, putting them six and seven points behind Montreal, respectively. The Thrashers, however, defeated the Capitals to keep pace with the Habs, and it looks like GM Don Waddell might still be able to keep his promise that Atlanta will make it to the dance. The latest rumour here is that playmaking centre Marc Savard will be shipped to Calgary for young defenceman Jordan Leopold, a deal that would likely benefit both teams.
Toronto has been at the centre of many trade rumours, with just about every player being named by some talking head, no matter how far-fetched the claim. The latest is that Ed Belfour might waive his no-trade clause for a move to any contender who would pick up his option for next year, paying him more than $4M in salary. Things could look very different in Hogtown by the time the 2006-07 season rolls around, and that might not be a bad thing. John Ferguson was looking ahead a little bit last summer by mostly signing players to one-year deals, so he could evaluate how things worked out under the cap system, and what changes have to be made. The Leafs should look to make changes at every position - four rookie defencemen got NHL experience this season (Wozniewski, Colaiacovo, Kronwall, and Harrison), and didn't look bad. The forward lines don't look terrible on paper, but the on-ice product is something else, especially when Pat Quinn insists on keeping potential big lines apart (Sundin only sees Jason Allison in the locker room and on the power play, and just played half a game with Eric Lindros on his wing before Lindros' wrist injury; Mats has also gushed about how much he loved playing with Wellwood after one game, and they were promptly separated). Not to flog a dead horse, but the Leafs need to acquire someone who can play wing with Sundin and bury the puck when he gets his chances. Meanwhile, Tellqvist is likely to take the reins in the nets, unless JFJ goes after another goalie; Ed Belfour probably won't come back - and rightly so, as he just doesn't play like Ed Belfour any more.
In the West, the Ducks trail the Oilers by just three points for the last playoff spot, while the Sharks missed a great opportunity to move four points back when they were shut out by the Calgary Flames on Hockey Night In Canada. The race here is a bit closer than the one in the Eastern Conference, but not much; it does, however, fly a bit under the radar as the team rankings between second and eighth seem to change hourly. Neither Anaheim or San Jose have been connected to many trade murmurings (the biggest news from the Pond is that centre Tyler Wright cleared waivers and is considering retirement). This could be because they plan on sticking with the players who got them this far, or simply due to Californians' hockey apathy keeping reporters away - there can't be any trade rumours if nobody hears them, can there? Besides, everyone with a voice recorder in California is too busy working out at the gym to prepare for the media scrum on Oscar night.
2006-03-02
The Toronto Star is reporting that the Leafs are having trouble getting defenceman Bryan McCabe signed to a new contract, which is of some concern. He is rumoured to be looking for $5M a season, for five years. Considering that partner Tomas Kaberle just got a new $4.25M, 5-year deal, this doesn't sound too unreasonable - although McCabe might be wrong in his assumption that he's worth $750,000 more per year than the smooth-skating Kaberle. Just for argument's sake, however, take a look at what eight of the league's other top defencemen - the ones McCabe played with on Team Canada, plus the two who got hurt - are making per year:
Rob Blake: $6,364,111
Jay Bouwmeester: $946,000
Adam Foote: $4.6 million
Ed Jovanovski: $3.99 million
Scott Niedermayer: $6.75 million
Chris Pronger: $6.25 million
Wade Redden: $3.724 million
Robyn Regehr: $1.672 million
Illuminating, no? Now, obviously McCabe is going to try for as much money as he can, but if he's actually planning on testing the waters of free agency this summer and getting more than $5 million per season, he'll have another thing coming. If one looks at this list of players and figures with the assumption that dollar amounts directly reflect skill level, that would mean that McCabe would be the fourth-best defenceman on the list, ahead of Foote, Redden, Jovanovski, Regehr, and Bouwmeester. Foote was the big free agent signing of this past summer, by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they only paid $4.6M for his services - a figure that the Leafs, who were rumoured to be a possible destination for the big veteran, couldn't match. McCabe is reportedly looking for a Sergei Gonchar-style contract (also $5M/5 years), but looking at how the Penguins are doing after that acquisition, you won't see many teams looking to make the same mistake by overpaying as they might have last summer.
McCabe's agent, Jeff Soloman, insists that Bryan loves playing and living in Toronto; hopefully he loves it enough to bring his price down closer to the $4.75M price tag that the Leafs are said to be looking for. If this doesn't happen, and it looks to management before next Thursday afternoon at 3:00 that their star defenceman will bail come July 1, he could very well be dealt. It's that simple. And with Toronto likely set to completely rebuild the team if they miss the playoffs, that would free up some big-time cap space for the summertime to sign a player like Brad Richards, or another couple of defencemen.
He's got one week left to decide...
Rob Blake: $6,364,111
Jay Bouwmeester: $946,000
Adam Foote: $4.6 million
Ed Jovanovski: $3.99 million
Scott Niedermayer: $6.75 million
Chris Pronger: $6.25 million
Wade Redden: $3.724 million
Robyn Regehr: $1.672 million
Illuminating, no? Now, obviously McCabe is going to try for as much money as he can, but if he's actually planning on testing the waters of free agency this summer and getting more than $5 million per season, he'll have another thing coming. If one looks at this list of players and figures with the assumption that dollar amounts directly reflect skill level, that would mean that McCabe would be the fourth-best defenceman on the list, ahead of Foote, Redden, Jovanovski, Regehr, and Bouwmeester. Foote was the big free agent signing of this past summer, by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they only paid $4.6M for his services - a figure that the Leafs, who were rumoured to be a possible destination for the big veteran, couldn't match. McCabe is reportedly looking for a Sergei Gonchar-style contract (also $5M/5 years), but looking at how the Penguins are doing after that acquisition, you won't see many teams looking to make the same mistake by overpaying as they might have last summer.
McCabe's agent, Jeff Soloman, insists that Bryan loves playing and living in Toronto; hopefully he loves it enough to bring his price down closer to the $4.75M price tag that the Leafs are said to be looking for. If this doesn't happen, and it looks to management before next Thursday afternoon at 3:00 that their star defenceman will bail come July 1, he could very well be dealt. It's that simple. And with Toronto likely set to completely rebuild the team if they miss the playoffs, that would free up some big-time cap space for the summertime to sign a player like Brad Richards, or another couple of defencemen.
He's got one week left to decide...
2006-03-01
A quick look over at the "Other Blogs" column will tell you that I've added two to the roll:
"Virginia's For Lovers" is by a tall drink of water named Dan Gilbert, and features audio, video, essays, and some of his trains of thought - both sensical and nonsensical.
"Raking Leafs" is by a guy known both as Mike and "Ninja," and follows everyone's favourite Toronto-based hockey team.
Check them out.
"Virginia's For Lovers" is by a tall drink of water named Dan Gilbert, and features audio, video, essays, and some of his trains of thought - both sensical and nonsensical.
"Raking Leafs" is by a guy known both as Mike and "Ninja," and follows everyone's favourite Toronto-based hockey team.
Check them out.
Cox and his Crystal Ball
Apparently Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox is running for the presidency of the local clairvoyant society, because in one of his recent columns, he's predicted what Canada's men's hockey team in 2010 will look like. Follow the link to see the complete list, which contains a couple of eyebrow-raisers, but the one that jumped out most at me was Maple Leaf prospect Justin Pogge's inclusion.
"Eh?" says I.
I'm not saying it couldn't happen*, but how does one make this prediction, exactly? The kid's 19 years old right now, and the tournament isn't for another four years; to expect that in that time he'll grow into one of the top three Canadian goalies in the game seems like a bit of a stretch. Granted, youth will be served, but there are other young keepers with a better chance of making it. Marc-Andre Fleury, for example, if he lives up to his potential. José Theodore and Andrew Raycroft could always find their forms again. And what about Cam Ward, the 22-year-old kid (well, 4 years old, according to the calendar - damn those February 29th birthdays) sharing duties with Martin Gerber in Carolina? And if the team doesn't mind getting a little older, Marty Turco and Marty Biron will be 34 and 32 years old, respectively, in 2010.
Sure, predicting that Pogge will be the cream of the crop doesn't hurt newspaper sales, since he's writing in a Toronto paper, but come on, Damien. Don't be silly.
Meanwhile, on the trade front...
The first deal of March went down between the Thrashers and the Ducks today...are you ready?
Anaheim acquired G Jani Hurme, while Atlanta got forward Joel Stepp, and immediately sent him to their ECHL affiliate.
Not exactly a blockbuster, but there's 8 days till the deadline, don't forget. This move was just a salary dump, make no mistake; Hurme pulls in nearly a million bucks per season, and was just an expensive spare part in Atlanta, with Mike Dunham and Kari Lehtonen in the fold. Stepp, on the other hand, is likely to spend the bulk of his career in the minors, as he has already. This won't greatly improve either team; they're just taking care of business.
*See that? I didn't say it couldn't happen. So now if Pogge makes the team, I was "skeptical," not "wrong." That's how they teach things at my clairvoyant society meetings.
"Eh?" says I.
I'm not saying it couldn't happen*, but how does one make this prediction, exactly? The kid's 19 years old right now, and the tournament isn't for another four years; to expect that in that time he'll grow into one of the top three Canadian goalies in the game seems like a bit of a stretch. Granted, youth will be served, but there are other young keepers with a better chance of making it. Marc-Andre Fleury, for example, if he lives up to his potential. José Theodore and Andrew Raycroft could always find their forms again. And what about Cam Ward, the 22-year-old kid (well, 4 years old, according to the calendar - damn those February 29th birthdays) sharing duties with Martin Gerber in Carolina? And if the team doesn't mind getting a little older, Marty Turco and Marty Biron will be 34 and 32 years old, respectively, in 2010.
Sure, predicting that Pogge will be the cream of the crop doesn't hurt newspaper sales, since he's writing in a Toronto paper, but come on, Damien. Don't be silly.
Meanwhile, on the trade front...
The first deal of March went down between the Thrashers and the Ducks today...are you ready?
Anaheim acquired G Jani Hurme, while Atlanta got forward Joel Stepp, and immediately sent him to their ECHL affiliate.
Not exactly a blockbuster, but there's 8 days till the deadline, don't forget. This move was just a salary dump, make no mistake; Hurme pulls in nearly a million bucks per season, and was just an expensive spare part in Atlanta, with Mike Dunham and Kari Lehtonen in the fold. Stepp, on the other hand, is likely to spend the bulk of his career in the minors, as he has already. This won't greatly improve either team; they're just taking care of business.
*See that? I didn't say it couldn't happen. So now if Pogge makes the team, I was "skeptical," not "wrong." That's how they teach things at my clairvoyant society meetings.
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