Today's blog is a one on one with Dustin Leed As I continue explore the teams of the NHL.
Does Peter Laviolette deserve Coach of the Year?
One would venture to say that Peter Laviolette deserves coach of the year honors, but because of how talented the Flyers roster is - it's unlikely a coach like Laviolette gets honored with that award. One thing Laviolette does better than the average coach is that he expects excellence - and that's a big reason why the Flyers have been so successful - he deserves a lot of the credit.
The main reason I like Laviolett is because of what he has done to the team. He has turned the team around and given them direction. The players have bought into what he has to offer. He has given the team a reason to believe. It takes a great coach to turn the team around.
Who is the MVP on the Flyers?
They are a ton of options as to who the Flyers' MVP is this season. Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter... there are lots of options. But I will go with Danny Briere. He has continued his 2010 postseason year into the regular season and he leads the Flyers in goals. He has 43 points and is a plus 16 and has been the centerpiece on the Flyers' most dangerous line this year - centering Ville Leino and Scott Hartnell. Five of his 25 goals have been game winners.
I remember when Philly signed Danny Briere, and how upset everyone in Quebec was. Well, the Flyers are getting their money's worth. I really like his skating and how good he is with the puck. He is a very skilled offensive forward, who does everything right. A very good pick, Dustin.
Are the Flyers the real thing this season?
I think this the closest the Flyers have been to the 'real thing' in some time. They are a much improved bunch from the team that finished two games from the Stanley Cup last season - hands down. Their defense is talented and deep, they have six guys who can log 20+ minutes, they have one of the deepest groups of forwards in the League, and their goaltending has been very good. They have eight players with 10+ goals and four players with 40+ points. If the goaltending can stay on point through the end of the regular season, the Flyers are the absolute favorites in the East - and maybe in the NHL.
The main reason I love this team is because they simply don't have any weaknesses. They have one of the best top 6 forward combinations in the League. The defence, led by Pronger, is one of the best in the League. Their young goaltender is fantastic and has come out of nowhere. I agree they are the real thing.
What are the keys for the Flyers' success?
The Flyers must keep working. They have the tendency to go invisible at times, and not put together full 60 minutes of hockey. The key is to continue playing with passion and come out with a relentless forecheck. They must limit the opposing teams shots and chances (like they have been doing) and stay the course.
The only way this team can go wrong is beating themselves. The best formula for winning is hard work, no matter how good you are. If Philly puts in 100%, they are a powerful team.
Hey how can we find follow you and keep in touch with ya?
You can follow me on Twitter @D_LEED for all of my updates and read my writing at www.thefourthperiod.com and at www.thehockeyguys.net.
Dustin is a great guy. I am lucky to be able to get some of his time. I would highly recommend you follow him
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
One one One with Jon Moncrief
Today's blog is on the LA Kings. They are probably one of the most puzzling teams in the League. Any team that has the talent the Kings do should not have to battle making the playoffs.
Among the forwards, they have one of the most talented young forwards in the League: Kopitar. That kid can do anything. He is not alone. The Kings have a solid winger in Ryan Smith, who is a leader on this team. Justin Williams actually led this team in scoring at one time; he is a solid winger with fire power.
On the defense, the Kings have one of the best young defencemen in Drew Doughty. Drew is probably one of the best skaters and puck-moving players in the League. They have one of the best stay-home defencemen in the League in Willie Mitchell, who is very sound in his own end.
In goal, they have Jonathan Quick; the Olympian goalie is one of the best young goalies in the League. He is a quick (no pun intended), agile goalie with great reflexes. Quick is a fundamentally sound goalie who plays his angles and has all the talent to become a star in the League.
Yet with all this talent, the Kings continue to struggle. So I went to find out the scoop with this team; and who better to ask than Jon Moncrief, LA Kings Examiner? He would know far more than I would, which is not saying much. I asked Jon some pertinent questions on the Kings.
The Kings should be one of the best teams in the League with all of their talent. What is going on? I mean, what do you see as the main reason for the spiral in the standings?
They have certainly had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season to be sure, and it comes from their ability or inability to understand their talent level. They have it certain areas and are lacking in others. When they play their system for 60 minutes, they can beat any team in the league soundly. When they get away from doing all of the little things, they can have lapses that expose them as the flawed team they seem to be. With the Kings, it’s all about the confidence they have in themselves.
How are the fans feeling right now? Is there a lot of pressure on the Kings to win?
The fans are understandably frustrated because of the way thing went earlier in the season, and the promise that this season brought because of the Dean Lombardi rebuilding plan. Making the playoffs last year meant that the next logical step was contending for a division title and winning a round or two in the playoffs. You have to remember: these fans suffered through a lot of years of ownership mismanagement, trying quick fixes and selling the future to come up short, and watching the “younger brother” down the freeway in Orange County win a Stanley Cup already. So there is pressure on the Kings to win, but not nearly as suffocating as say in Vancouver or Toronto or markets like that. Still, the fans that I’ve talked to recently are disappointed in that they think more needs to be done in the short term. It’s hard to argue with what they are saying, but part of the historic problem has been the franchise’s unwillingness to take one step backward in order to take two or three steps forward.
The next question has to do with Drew Doughty. Have the injuries really affected his play? He has not been the same player as last year. Are the Kings happy with his play of late?
Doughty has certainly been the whipping boy for some fans, because it has been perceived that he came into the season unprepared to take the next step up that someone nominated for the Norris at 20 should. I think he came back a little too soon from the concussion, but the other issue has been that the Kings are a little thin on the blue line overall. Beyond Jack Johnson and Doughty, you have an often-injured Willie Mitchell who’s game is predicated on physicality, and two defensive-defensemen in Scuderi and Greene who are great defenders but contribute nothing offensively, putting a lot on Drew and JJ. Alec Martinez has been a nice find, but they are woefully thin back there. Terry Murray has been talking with Doughty regularly about playing his game more, not trying to do too much beyond what he can. His game Saturday night against Edmonton was easily his best game in the last month and arguably of the entire season. In some ways, these growing pains he’s struggling through this year I feel will only benefit his development because he will understand that everything doesn’t come easily.
Are the Kings going to be active at the deadline? Who is going to be the hired gun to get the Kings to the promise land? Or are the Kings even going to get a rental?
The answer will be determined on their upcoming franchise-record 10-game road trip. Thanks to the Grammy Awards and the NBA All-Star Game here at Staples in February, the Kings will be on the road from February 1 through February 24 and will play teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia and the NY Rangers during that stretch. If they are still within eight points of a spot or in playoff position by then, then they will be active buyers to a point. If not, they may be sellers in terms of vets that might fit other teams. Dean Lombardi has never been a big-name blockbuster trade kind of GM, and I don’t expect that to change, despite the reemergence of the Jarome Iginla rumors and the daily rumors of guys like Patrik Elias, Mike Fisher, and others. I think he will stay the course and look towards the summer to address some issues.
Jon Moncrief has been covering the Los Angeles Kings for Examiner.com for three seasons now, and also covers the NHL in general and baseball’s Dodgers for Examiner as well. He is also the co-host of INSIDE SPORTS, a weekly sports web-TV series, and serves as a featured contributor to the college football site Bowl Gamer. Jon has been covering sports on-line and in print for over a decade, and was lead writer for the award-winning sports documentary film 4CHOSENWednesday, January 12, 2011
The Best Team In The NHL
Ok so I decided to do a chart of the best first, second, third and fourth liners, best Defense pairs along with the best Starting and Backup Goalies. This is all based on my opinion of their play this year and this year only. The fourth line is based on players who can do more then scrap. Feel free to comment.
GOALTENDERS
Starting Goalie- Carey Price (MONTREAL CANADIENS): In only 38 games, Price is 2 wins off of his all time best wins record, which is 23, set in his rookie season. Price has had a breakout year, considering last year he easily lost the starting role to Playoff star Jaroslav Halak. He was named to the All-Star team and many think he may win Vezina and possibly The Hart Trophy for best player in the League.
Notables: Tim Thomas
Backup- Andreas Lindback(NASHVILLE PREDATORS): Lindback was a great solution when Rinne went down with his injury. Lindback had 10 wins and 3 losses in 18 games. He also had 2 shutouts. HE is on pace for 32 wins and 9 losses. Not bad for a goalie who many thought would lose the backup role. He is 9th in Save Percentage with .922.
Notables: Sergei Bobrovsky/ Brian Boucher (DEPENDS ON PERFORMANCE)
DEFENCEMAN
1. Niklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski (DETROIT RED WINGS): No doubt about it, these guys are a dominant tandem. At 40 and 36 years old, they still have it, and head coach Mike Babcock knows it. In both the regular season and the playoffs, they were used more than half of the time on the Red Wings' power play, playing at 52 percent and 51 percent rates respectively. They may be old, but they can play as well, if not better, then most d pairs in the entire league.
2. Duncan Keith And Brent Seabrook (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS): For Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, there was almost no room to slow down. During the regular season, the duo played together 94 percent of the time, or 56 minutes a game. In the playoffs, they were together for 53 minutes a game, which is about 89 percent of the time. Despite the fact that they were used so heavily by Joel Quennville, they still produced at a high level and were two big reasons why the Hawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years.
3. Chris Pronger And Matt Carle (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): 2nd overall selection by the Hartford Whalers in 1993, Chris Pronger is entering the latter stages of his career, but still remains one of the best—and most hated—defensemen in the league. He has been a part of the Stanley Cup Finals two of the last four years and knows what is necessary for a team to succeed in the playoffs. Matt Carle, on the other hand, is a young player with plenty of upside. He will greatly benefit from playing with one of the NHL's best defensemen and should be an important part of the Flyers' franchise going forward.
Notables: Dustin Bufuglin and Tobias Enstrom
Forwards
Line 1- LW-Patrick Sharp (CHICAGO), C-Sidney Crosby (PITTSBURGH) RW-Martin St.Louis (TAMPA): Sharp is having a career year so far, with 25 goals, 44 points in 43 games. Playing on a powerhouse like Chicago helps with those goal totals. Some say that Daniel Sedin is the best Left wing in the NHL, but how would he play without Henrik? Crosby, as usual, is tearing up the league with 32 goals and 66 points and is on pace for 61 goals and 126 points. Not bad for the former first overall draft pick by the Penguins. And Martin St.Louis has played outstanding with Steven Stamkos this season. He hasn't played this well since he was with Lecalvier and Brad Richards. St.Louis is getting old, but so far has proved he still has it. With Vinny Injured, many thought St.Louis would not play well whatsoever, but he's rejuvenated with Stamkos.
Notables: Henrik And Daniel Sedin.
Line 2- LW-Clarke Mcarthur(TORONTO)-C- Ryan Kesler(VANCOUVER)-RW-Patrick Kane(CHICAGO)- Mcarthur may be the best bargain in the NHL. He makes only $800,000 this year, and has 36 points in 42 games. He could just be the most overlooked player in recent years, along with Dustin Byfuglin, Rich Peverly and Patric Hornqvist. Playing on a bad Toronto team, he has made the most of his opportunities playing with another revived player, Mikhail Grabovski. They both sometimes play on the first line. Ryan Kesler,one of the better center-men in the NHL made the 2011 All-Star Game, along with the 2 Sedin twins. Kesler has 41 points in 42 games so far. Not bad for a player that has been in many trade talks in recent years. Patrick Kane could be a First liner on most teams, but when you play the same position as Marian Hossa, it's hard to be a clear number one winger. Kane scored the big game winner to win the 2010 Stanley Cup, and some say with him and Toews, along with a bunch of other young stars, Chicago will be a fixture for the cup for years to come.
Notables: Tomas Plekanec And Ville LeinoLine 3- LW-David Krejci(BOSTON), C-Jordan Staal(PITTSBURGH) RW-Jiri Hudler(DETROIT)- Staal is a no brainer. He hits. He scores. Done. Playing behind Crosby and Malkin is a hard thing to live up to, and he plays his role well. Pittsburgh doesn't need him to score, with the amount of firepower they have already. Krejci is a great play-maker who is capable of getting 70 points a season. He has a tough job with Boston, but still plays well in every situation. Could he be a fixture for playing top line with Boston? We will have to wait and see as he is still young, but has alot of potential. Hudler returned to Detroit after signing in the KHL for a year. He is part of Detroit's future, and has a lot of skill too, like most Russian Players. Although sometimes Inconsistent, he can fill in in the top 2 lines if someone is injured or not playing up to Mike Babcock's standards.
Line 4- LW-Mike Brown(TORONTO)-C-Chris Drury(RANGERS)-RW-Chris Neil(OTTAWA)- Brown may be one of the better skaters in the NHL. The guy with the Weird 'stache can drop the gloves, as well as get a few goals. Sad to say, but he may be one of the most talented players on a talentless Toronto squad. I don't think anyone expected Chris Drury to be a fourth liner ever in his career, but that's how it has turned out. He is not playing up to any standards, but still, he isn't worthless. He has proved in his career he can play, but right now he's trying to prove himself on a Rangers squad with a strong middle. Maybe a change in scenery will help. Chris Neil has shown he can dangle like the best of them. He probably is the most talented fourth liner in the NHL, and is one of the Fourth liners all teams want: Physical, with a bit of skill.
Notables: George Parros.
GOALTENDERS
Starting Goalie- Carey Price (MONTREAL CANADIENS): In only 38 games, Price is 2 wins off of his all time best wins record, which is 23, set in his rookie season. Price has had a breakout year, considering last year he easily lost the starting role to Playoff star Jaroslav Halak. He was named to the All-Star team and many think he may win Vezina and possibly The Hart Trophy for best player in the League.
Notables: Tim Thomas
Backup- Andreas Lindback(NASHVILLE PREDATORS): Lindback was a great solution when Rinne went down with his injury. Lindback had 10 wins and 3 losses in 18 games. He also had 2 shutouts. HE is on pace for 32 wins and 9 losses. Not bad for a goalie who many thought would lose the backup role. He is 9th in Save Percentage with .922.
Notables: Sergei Bobrovsky/ Brian Boucher (DEPENDS ON PERFORMANCE)
DEFENCEMAN
1. Niklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski (DETROIT RED WINGS): No doubt about it, these guys are a dominant tandem. At 40 and 36 years old, they still have it, and head coach Mike Babcock knows it. In both the regular season and the playoffs, they were used more than half of the time on the Red Wings' power play, playing at 52 percent and 51 percent rates respectively. They may be old, but they can play as well, if not better, then most d pairs in the entire league.
2. Duncan Keith And Brent Seabrook (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS): For Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, there was almost no room to slow down. During the regular season, the duo played together 94 percent of the time, or 56 minutes a game. In the playoffs, they were together for 53 minutes a game, which is about 89 percent of the time. Despite the fact that they were used so heavily by Joel Quennville, they still produced at a high level and were two big reasons why the Hawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years.
3. Chris Pronger And Matt Carle (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS): 2nd overall selection by the Hartford Whalers in 1993, Chris Pronger is entering the latter stages of his career, but still remains one of the best—and most hated—defensemen in the league. He has been a part of the Stanley Cup Finals two of the last four years and knows what is necessary for a team to succeed in the playoffs. Matt Carle, on the other hand, is a young player with plenty of upside. He will greatly benefit from playing with one of the NHL's best defensemen and should be an important part of the Flyers' franchise going forward.
Notables: Dustin Bufuglin and Tobias Enstrom
Forwards
Line 1- LW-Patrick Sharp (CHICAGO), C-Sidney Crosby (PITTSBURGH) RW-Martin St.Louis (TAMPA): Sharp is having a career year so far, with 25 goals, 44 points in 43 games. Playing on a powerhouse like Chicago helps with those goal totals. Some say that Daniel Sedin is the best Left wing in the NHL, but how would he play without Henrik? Crosby, as usual, is tearing up the league with 32 goals and 66 points and is on pace for 61 goals and 126 points. Not bad for the former first overall draft pick by the Penguins. And Martin St.Louis has played outstanding with Steven Stamkos this season. He hasn't played this well since he was with Lecalvier and Brad Richards. St.Louis is getting old, but so far has proved he still has it. With Vinny Injured, many thought St.Louis would not play well whatsoever, but he's rejuvenated with Stamkos.
Notables: Henrik And Daniel Sedin.
Line 2- LW-Clarke Mcarthur(TORONTO)-C- Ryan Kesler(VANCOUVER)-RW-Patrick Kane(CHICAGO)- Mcarthur may be the best bargain in the NHL. He makes only $800,000 this year, and has 36 points in 42 games. He could just be the most overlooked player in recent years, along with Dustin Byfuglin, Rich Peverly and Patric Hornqvist. Playing on a bad Toronto team, he has made the most of his opportunities playing with another revived player, Mikhail Grabovski. They both sometimes play on the first line. Ryan Kesler,one of the better center-men in the NHL made the 2011 All-Star Game, along with the 2 Sedin twins. Kesler has 41 points in 42 games so far. Not bad for a player that has been in many trade talks in recent years. Patrick Kane could be a First liner on most teams, but when you play the same position as Marian Hossa, it's hard to be a clear number one winger. Kane scored the big game winner to win the 2010 Stanley Cup, and some say with him and Toews, along with a bunch of other young stars, Chicago will be a fixture for the cup for years to come.
Notables: Tomas Plekanec And Ville Leino
Line 4- LW-Mike Brown(TORONTO)-C-Chris Drury(RANGERS)-RW-Chris Neil(OTTAWA)- Brown may be one of the better skaters in the NHL. The guy with the Weird 'stache can drop the gloves, as well as get a few goals. Sad to say, but he may be one of the most talented players on a talentless Toronto squad. I don't think anyone expected Chris Drury to be a fourth liner ever in his career, but that's how it has turned out. He is not playing up to any standards, but still, he isn't worthless. He has proved in his career he can play, but right now he's trying to prove himself on a Rangers squad with a strong middle. Maybe a change in scenery will help. Chris Neil has shown he can dangle like the best of them. He probably is the most talented fourth liner in the NHL, and is one of the Fourth liners all teams want: Physical, with a bit of skill.
Notables: George Parros.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
My Fav 5 Who I would love to be traded.
So who does everyone expect to change addresses this season? Who out of the superstars should plan on being traded? Well, I have my own list of those who I feel could be had. Of course, I have a different list of superstars than most people do. Today's column is on the 5 players who I see as most likely to go at the deadline, in no particular order.
Jarome Iginla
Yes, I know what Jay has said; but really, he really needs to rethink his philosophy. No-one deserves to stay in purgatory for as long as Iggy has. I know he loves this city and would never request a trade. He is too classy for that. But in order for the Flames to get back to respectability, they need to restock the shelves.
The best way for the Flame to rebuild the team is through the draft, or at least some really good prospects. I am sure the Flames could get a pretty darn good prospect and a high pick. Iggy would be a great asset for any team down the stretch.
David Booth
This may be an odd pick, but I really like his game, and he could really add some punch to a team's offence. His speed is another great asset to a team. He would cause quite a few turnovers with his speed.
Brad Richards
I think Richards would be a prize at the deadline if he became available. If the Stars cannot re-sign him, they may opt to get something for him at the deadline. Brad is a great play-making center, who has great vision on the ice and can get a sniper the puck. He also is a great leader, and with his cup ring, he knows what it takes to be a winner. His leadership skills are a good match for his playing skills, which makes a good asset.
Tomas Kaberle
Kaberle is the best puck-moving dman on the wish list. He can do anything offensively that he is asked to by any team. Tomas would make the perfect powerplay quarterback with his passing abilities. He has a great shot from the point, which he can usually get through. He is underrated on the defence side. He is adequate defensively and won't cause too many breakdowns. He has decent speed to make up for his mistakes. Tomas would could push a contender to the promised land; a valuable asset to any playoff team.
Ales Hemsky
If the Oilers were to trade Hemsky at the deadline, they could get a hefty bundle for him. He is a smooth-skating center, who has speed to burn. I have seen him do things with the puck that should be outlawed. He is a highly skilled winger, who could be just what the doctor ordered. He would be another great addition to any powerplay, but I highly doubt that he will be on the block. But if he is, a contender would be a fool not to take him.
Team of the Week
The Canucks are the best team in this League by far. They have possibly the best top 6 in the NHL. They have the best goalie in the League in Louongo. The twins are backed up by Raymond, Burrows, and of course Kesler. Let's not forget they have a defence that is so strong that they can trade Bieska, Salo, or Ehrhoff for even more assets. In fact, because of the cap, they probably will. Right now, they are by far my pick to win the Cup this season.
Fan Poll
Who are your favourite 5 that you would love to see traded?
Randy
Jarome Iginla
Yes, I know what Jay has said; but really, he really needs to rethink his philosophy. No-one deserves to stay in purgatory for as long as Iggy has. I know he loves this city and would never request a trade. He is too classy for that. But in order for the Flames to get back to respectability, they need to restock the shelves.
The best way for the Flame to rebuild the team is through the draft, or at least some really good prospects. I am sure the Flames could get a pretty darn good prospect and a high pick. Iggy would be a great asset for any team down the stretch.
David Booth
This may be an odd pick, but I really like his game, and he could really add some punch to a team's offence. His speed is another great asset to a team. He would cause quite a few turnovers with his speed.
Brad Richards
I think Richards would be a prize at the deadline if he became available. If the Stars cannot re-sign him, they may opt to get something for him at the deadline. Brad is a great play-making center, who has great vision on the ice and can get a sniper the puck. He also is a great leader, and with his cup ring, he knows what it takes to be a winner. His leadership skills are a good match for his playing skills, which makes a good asset.
Tomas Kaberle
Kaberle is the best puck-moving dman on the wish list. He can do anything offensively that he is asked to by any team. Tomas would make the perfect powerplay quarterback with his passing abilities. He has a great shot from the point, which he can usually get through. He is underrated on the defence side. He is adequate defensively and won't cause too many breakdowns. He has decent speed to make up for his mistakes. Tomas would could push a contender to the promised land; a valuable asset to any playoff team.
Ales Hemsky
If the Oilers were to trade Hemsky at the deadline, they could get a hefty bundle for him. He is a smooth-skating center, who has speed to burn. I have seen him do things with the puck that should be outlawed. He is a highly skilled winger, who could be just what the doctor ordered. He would be another great addition to any powerplay, but I highly doubt that he will be on the block. But if he is, a contender would be a fool not to take him.
Team of the Week
The Canucks are the best team in this League by far. They have possibly the best top 6 in the NHL. They have the best goalie in the League in Louongo. The twins are backed up by Raymond, Burrows, and of course Kesler. Let's not forget they have a defence that is so strong that they can trade Bieska, Salo, or Ehrhoff for even more assets. In fact, because of the cap, they probably will. Right now, they are by far my pick to win the Cup this season.
Fan Poll
Who are your favourite 5 that you would love to see traded?
Randy
Monday, January 3, 2011
One oneOne with Erik Erlendsson
One of the biggest surprises in the League has to be the team in Tampa. I, for one, did not expect it at all. You have to consider Stampkos one of the best in the League, don't you? I mean, you have to consider Steve the MVP of this surprising team, or is he?
To get to know this team a little more, I contacted one of my most favourites reporters on Twitter, Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune. You can find Erik on Twitter at http://twitter.com/erlendssontrib. So let's get to know the Bolts, shall we?
No one really expected the Bolts to do as well as they have. Are you surprised at the success of the Bolts?
I think you have to be surprised by their success to this point. You have a team with a brand new management staff in place, with a brand new coaching staff running a roster more than half-filled with new players. Add in the fact that Simon Gagne missed 18 games, Vinny Lecavalier missed 15 games, and Steve Downie has missed 13 games and counting, a horrible travel schedule that included a stretch of 15 out of 21 games on the road, five one-game homestands, and substandard goaltending for the most part, there's really not much which suggests this team should be in first place.
But the special teams have been a strength all season; Steven Stamkos has been a scoring machine, Marty St. Louis is a driving force, and the team has been very opportunistic getting contributions up and down the lineup.
If somebody would have said all those odds were going to be stacked against this team, I can't imagine many would have thought they would be in a playoff position at Christmas, let alone in first place in the division.
Do you think Vinny will get traded this season or the off-season?
No way Lecavalier gets moved any time soon, because his contract and production essentially make him untradeable. Perhaps somewhere down the road, it might have to be explored, or possibly even further down the line, a buyout may be something the team looks at, but right now, if you can ignore the large annual salary, he makes a good second line center and is somebody still capable of playing an effective two-way game and win some faceoffs.
Who is the MVP: Stamkos or Marty? They work so well together.
As gaudy as the numbers are for Stamkos this season, St. Louis is the MVP of this team. He is the heart-and-soul, and the engine that drives the train. His tenacity and drive on the ice inspires the rest of his team; and that, combined with his skill level, forces his teammates to try to keep up with him. St. Louis is a guy who makes others around him better, and Stamkos benefits from his linemate without a doubt.
NHL Season:
I have been getting a lot of feedback on the headshots this season. Do you feel the NHL does enough to stop it?
There is not enough being done for headshots in the NHL, and I give you the suspension earlier this year of Joe Thornton as Exhibit A. There was an outcry from many who felt Thornton did not deserve a penalty, let alone a suspension, for his hit to David Perron. But in my estimation, Thornton should have been hit harder to show to everybody that the League is serious about trying to remove those kind of targets to the head, instead it looks more passive on the League's part. The NHL has always been more of a reactive League as opposed to proactive, and I get the feeling that nothing will be done on a more strict scale until somebody gets seriously injured as the result of a hit to the head, whether it be a life-threatening situation or career-threatening. I hope that moment never occurs, but I fear that's what it's going to take to get the League to make a serious crack-down on hits to the head.
I would like to thank Erik and the Tampa Tribune for the interview.
He is a great guy and I highly recommend following him.
Randy
To get to know this team a little more, I contacted one of my most favourites reporters on Twitter, Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune. You can find Erik on Twitter at http://twitter.com/erlendssontrib. So let's get to know the Bolts, shall we?
No one really expected the Bolts to do as well as they have. Are you surprised at the success of the Bolts?
I think you have to be surprised by their success to this point. You have a team with a brand new management staff in place, with a brand new coaching staff running a roster more than half-filled with new players. Add in the fact that Simon Gagne missed 18 games, Vinny Lecavalier missed 15 games, and Steve Downie has missed 13 games and counting, a horrible travel schedule that included a stretch of 15 out of 21 games on the road, five one-game homestands, and substandard goaltending for the most part, there's really not much which suggests this team should be in first place.
But the special teams have been a strength all season; Steven Stamkos has been a scoring machine, Marty St. Louis is a driving force, and the team has been very opportunistic getting contributions up and down the lineup.
If somebody would have said all those odds were going to be stacked against this team, I can't imagine many would have thought they would be in a playoff position at Christmas, let alone in first place in the division.
Do you think Vinny will get traded this season or the off-season?
No way Lecavalier gets moved any time soon, because his contract and production essentially make him untradeable. Perhaps somewhere down the road, it might have to be explored, or possibly even further down the line, a buyout may be something the team looks at, but right now, if you can ignore the large annual salary, he makes a good second line center and is somebody still capable of playing an effective two-way game and win some faceoffs.
Who is the MVP: Stamkos or Marty? They work so well together.
As gaudy as the numbers are for Stamkos this season, St. Louis is the MVP of this team. He is the heart-and-soul, and the engine that drives the train. His tenacity and drive on the ice inspires the rest of his team; and that, combined with his skill level, forces his teammates to try to keep up with him. St. Louis is a guy who makes others around him better, and Stamkos benefits from his linemate without a doubt.
NHL Season:
I have been getting a lot of feedback on the headshots this season. Do you feel the NHL does enough to stop it?
There is not enough being done for headshots in the NHL, and I give you the suspension earlier this year of Joe Thornton as Exhibit A. There was an outcry from many who felt Thornton did not deserve a penalty, let alone a suspension, for his hit to David Perron. But in my estimation, Thornton should have been hit harder to show to everybody that the League is serious about trying to remove those kind of targets to the head, instead it looks more passive on the League's part. The NHL has always been more of a reactive League as opposed to proactive, and I get the feeling that nothing will be done on a more strict scale until somebody gets seriously injured as the result of a hit to the head, whether it be a life-threatening situation or career-threatening. I hope that moment never occurs, but I fear that's what it's going to take to get the League to make a serious crack-down on hits to the head.
I would like to thank Erik and the Tampa Tribune for the interview.
He is a great guy and I highly recommend following him.
Randy
The Future Of Womens Hockey: Is It Done For?
Womens Hockey. One sport that no one seems to care about. Why? Is the world Sexist? Or is it that people don't think that girls have any talent at the sport we call "Hockey". Well i asked one of the best about this and she says that people should pay attention to female hockey.
"The game is getting faster and the players are a lot bigger," said 2010 Hockey Hall of Famer and 7 time International Gold Medalist Angela James. "I think the game has improved in the last 5 years and the players are more conditioned and train for their sport which in turn will increase the power of skating , shooting and the game overall. I would like to see a Womens National Hockey League as well.
"We need to share our resources to help other countries. Send over different coaches. They do this on the men's side. Attitudes in other countries need to change for woman's hockey. They are still in the mind set of 25 years ago.
"I think you will see more women go into the hall as well as women builders."
James, along with Cammi Granato, were the first women inducted as players in the Hockey Hall of Fame. That was great for the sport and they certainly deserve to be there. But the competion lacks in the womens game, so will there be many more inducted in the next while? Well considering only a few major players have retired and major people like Pat Burns, Paul Henderson, Ron Ellis, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Ed Belfour, Ron Hextall, Theo Fleury, Alexander Mogilny, the list goes on and on and on and on, it may be a while before we see and more women in the HHOF. With only one women hockey player to play an NHL game, it may be even harder.
Think about all the girls who go to the Olympics, hoping they can win the Gold Medal. Well unless you play for team Canada or the United States, you might as well be shopping. Canada and the U.S dominate all international events. And why is this? It's because they are the only countries with strong programs trying to make womens hockey competitive. Countries like Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, and Finland could care less about their womens programs as they only want to make their men's programs better. How do you think it makes players feel when their country doesn't in any way support what they want to do when they grow up?
I want to tell you about a 14 year old girl named Katie Bidulka. She is a goalie who plays AA bantam for her city. She has major hopes of making Team Canada in the next 5-10 years. But there has been talk about womens Hockey getting pulled from the Olympics, due to the lack of competition.
"It better be in the Olympics or i will somehow putting up a fight. This is what i want to do. I think it will evolve more, with China recently getting a new rink. Like all sports people will want to be better then others, and then there's all the competition with canada and usa being the better teams for womens hockey, everyones going to want be competing with them."
The owner of the site, better known as Oilersjambalaya from twitter, says this about womens hockey:
"I have 2 girls myself and there is nothing more that I want then to see one of them make the NHL in 18 years. Not sure yet how I feel about women in the HHOF, but I am softening more to it."
I also asked Detroit Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock about this. He said that he hopes that the game of hockey will appeal more to other countries, meaning more competion in world events.
I agree with that. Watching the 2010 Olympics, i thought that if Canada and the U.S were going to dominate, they might as well have a bunch of different Canada and U.S teams in the tournament, instead of just two teams who win by 10 goals in every game. It's Always been a Slaughterhouse. Nobody wants to pay a big chunk of money to see one team completley dominate the world. Look at the World Juniors. Canada won 7-2 and 10-1 in 2 of the games. Is that competion? No. But that is mens hockey. The teams that lose by huge amounts in those games could probably destroy most womens teams in the olympics.
There are many young girls who would love to compete in the olympics for their countries. But the IOC and the IIHF have talked a lot about taking the womens game out of future games. Is this what needs to be done? Is the game officially dead? Well if the same 2 teams dominate the 2014 olympics, i think that the game will be immediatley removed and the sport will be forgotten, even more then it has been right now. If countries dont stop ignoring Womens Hockey, we will not see any more Angela James' or Cammi Granato's Or Haley Wickenheiser.
Girls can play too. Give them a chance, and they can play as well or even better as a big portion of the players in the NHL. Remove the Derek Boogard's and Colton Orr's: Include players that are good enough to make the greatest league ever, better.
Unfourtanley, i still think Womens hockey in the olympics will not be around much longer. It's a slap in the face for Girls with talent. But since the biggest league in the world is the NHL, which is all Men, i don't see other countries paying attention to females, resulting in a collapse of all womens leagues.
I would like to thank all who contributed to this.
"The game is getting faster and the players are a lot bigger," said 2010 Hockey Hall of Famer and 7 time International Gold Medalist Angela James. "I think the game has improved in the last 5 years and the players are more conditioned and train for their sport which in turn will increase the power of skating , shooting and the game overall. I would like to see a Womens National Hockey League as well.
"We need to share our resources to help other countries. Send over different coaches. They do this on the men's side. Attitudes in other countries need to change for woman's hockey. They are still in the mind set of 25 years ago.
"I think you will see more women go into the hall as well as women builders."
James, along with Cammi Granato, were the first women inducted as players in the Hockey Hall of Fame. That was great for the sport and they certainly deserve to be there. But the competion lacks in the womens game, so will there be many more inducted in the next while? Well considering only a few major players have retired and major people like Pat Burns, Paul Henderson, Ron Ellis, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Ed Belfour, Ron Hextall, Theo Fleury, Alexander Mogilny, the list goes on and on and on and on, it may be a while before we see and more women in the HHOF. With only one women hockey player to play an NHL game, it may be even harder.
Think about all the girls who go to the Olympics, hoping they can win the Gold Medal. Well unless you play for team Canada or the United States, you might as well be shopping. Canada and the U.S dominate all international events. And why is this? It's because they are the only countries with strong programs trying to make womens hockey competitive. Countries like Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, and Finland could care less about their womens programs as they only want to make their men's programs better. How do you think it makes players feel when their country doesn't in any way support what they want to do when they grow up?
I want to tell you about a 14 year old girl named Katie Bidulka. She is a goalie who plays AA bantam for her city. She has major hopes of making Team Canada in the next 5-10 years. But there has been talk about womens Hockey getting pulled from the Olympics, due to the lack of competition.
"It better be in the Olympics or i will somehow putting up a fight. This is what i want to do. I think it will evolve more, with China recently getting a new rink. Like all sports people will want to be better then others, and then there's all the competition with canada and usa being the better teams for womens hockey, everyones going to want be competing with them."
The owner of the site, better known as Oilersjambalaya from twitter, says this about womens hockey:
"I have 2 girls myself and there is nothing more that I want then to see one of them make the NHL in 18 years. Not sure yet how I feel about women in the HHOF, but I am softening more to it."
I also asked Detroit Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock about this. He said that he hopes that the game of hockey will appeal more to other countries, meaning more competion in world events.
I agree with that. Watching the 2010 Olympics, i thought that if Canada and the U.S were going to dominate, they might as well have a bunch of different Canada and U.S teams in the tournament, instead of just two teams who win by 10 goals in every game. It's Always been a Slaughterhouse. Nobody wants to pay a big chunk of money to see one team completley dominate the world. Look at the World Juniors. Canada won 7-2 and 10-1 in 2 of the games. Is that competion? No. But that is mens hockey. The teams that lose by huge amounts in those games could probably destroy most womens teams in the olympics.
There are many young girls who would love to compete in the olympics for their countries. But the IOC and the IIHF have talked a lot about taking the womens game out of future games. Is this what needs to be done? Is the game officially dead? Well if the same 2 teams dominate the 2014 olympics, i think that the game will be immediatley removed and the sport will be forgotten, even more then it has been right now. If countries dont stop ignoring Womens Hockey, we will not see any more Angela James' or Cammi Granato's Or Haley Wickenheiser.
Girls can play too. Give them a chance, and they can play as well or even better as a big portion of the players in the NHL. Remove the Derek Boogard's and Colton Orr's: Include players that are good enough to make the greatest league ever, better.
Unfourtanley, i still think Womens hockey in the olympics will not be around much longer. It's a slap in the face for Girls with talent. But since the biggest league in the world is the NHL, which is all Men, i don't see other countries paying attention to females, resulting in a collapse of all womens leagues.
I would like to thank all who contributed to this.
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