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With the Olympic break over and only a month left in the NHL’s regular season we are heading into the most exciting time of year for hockey fans. Over the next month fans will be treated to hockey at its finest as desperate teams embroiled in tight playoff races battle with an intensity that has been sorely lacking through the first three-quarters of the season. As has been the case every year since the salary cap system was put into place both the Western and Eastern conferences are a logjam, and standings are shuffling on a nightly basis as often the pair of points earned from a victory is enough for a team to leapfrog two, three or four opponents.
As tight as the race is in the middle of the pack there are a few teams that have managed to separate themselves from the pack. In the few weeks leading up to the playoffs I will be doing a feature on the teams I deem to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Now, to be fair, with the parity in the NHL these days any team that qualifies for the post-season has a decent shot at capturing glory. A hot goalie is all that is needed to tip the scales in a tight playoff series, and there is never a shortage of upsets in any given playoff year. That’s what makes playoff hockey so exciting. If the teams that look better on paper won all the time the sport would get very boring very quickly (basketball anyone?). Still when trying to pick favorites those paper comparisons are all the prognosticators have to work with. I, like my fellow pundits, have no crystal ball with which to pick the winners, so I will simply go with the teams with the best odds.
The first team I have decided to feature has enjoyed a quick turnaround over the past few seasons. Finishing in the basement of NHL standings has its advantages, most notably in the form of high draft picks. A few high picks that wind up living up to their potential can reverse a franchise’s fortune in a big hurry and that has been exactly what happened to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago Blackhawks
One of the original six franchises the Chicago Blackhawks have a proud history and have boasted such NHL legends as Bobby Hull, Tony Esposito and Stan Mikita. However, long-suffering fans of the Hawks have been forced to endure a longer Stanley Cup drought than original six brethren the Toronto Maple Leafs. 1992's Stanley Cup finals run provided something for fans to cheer about, but that excitement was quickly snuffed out as Mario Lemieux's Pittsburgh Penguins swept the Hawks 4-0 in the finals, and Chicago has been unable to get back for another shot at the cup.
Not only have they not enjoyed much playoff success since 1992, many of those years the lowly Hawks failed to qualify for the postseason altogether. Attendance dwindled, and interest in the franchise waned with fans turning their attention to Michael Jordan's powerful Chicago Bulls, the Bears, the White Sox and even the Cubs who have endured a far longer drought than the Blackhawks.
However, unlike franchises like the New York Rangers and the aforementioned Toronto Maple Leafs, who in recent years have made a habit of mortgaging the future in an effort to bandage the present, the Blackhawks' management exercised patience, holding on to the high draft picks gained from their woeful finishes and building their team from the ground up. That philosophy paid off as today they boast some of the game's best young talent, including players like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook just to name a few.
Patrick Kane has quickly established himself as one of the slickest forwards in the game, and despite his relatively diminutive size he has been able to use his speed, stickhandling ability, vision and hockey sense to become a huge offensive threat.
Young captain Jonathan Toews has shown a poise and a maturity belying his tender years. Known for his incredible focus, determination, and his ability to deliver clutch performances in key moments, Toews has elicited favorable comparisons to NHL legends like Bryan Trottier, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic. When Steve Yzerman named Jonathan Toews to the Canadian Olympic mens hockey squad more than a few eyebrows were raised around the country at his inclusion. Toews wasted no time in validating Yzerman's selection and went on to lead Team Canada in points, scoring a key goal in the gold medal game against Team USA and was named the tournament's top forward. Not bad for a 22 year old.
Behind Toews and Kane the Blackhawks have no shortage of secondary scoring with superstar Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd all capable of lighting the lamp on a regular basis.
On the blueline two more Team Canada Olympians lead the way. Duncan Keith leads the NHL in points from the back end, and partner Brent Seabrook has been an absolute rock on the defensive side of the puck, and is certainly no slouch when it comes to offensive creativity either. The Blackhawks' embarrassment of riches at the D position is clearly illustrated by the fact that $7+ million man Brian Campbell can't even crack the top pair on the team.
The only question mark for this powerful team is at the goaltending position - not exactly the position you want to have a question mark heading into the toughest tournament in professional sports. Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi have been inconsistent all season long, and watching the team play in front of them you get the sense that the players really don't have confidence that either goaltender is capable of turning in that clutch performance that will be so crucial come playoff time.
One of the biggest surprises on the recent trade deadline day was the Blackhawks failure to acquire a goaltender, and should the Hawks flame out early this post-season you can bet there will be plenty of second guessing from media, fans, players and management alike over the club's inability to swing a deal for a bona fide number one tender.
Despite the fact that the Hawks clearly have issues in goal they are still my pick to come out of the Western conference. With their blend of speed, skill, grit, confidence, leadership and youthful enthusiasm it is hard to imagine this team losing to anyone in the Western Conference in a 7 game series. However, they will need either Huet or Niemi to be at least steadily good if they are going to advance further than they did a season ago when they bowed out to the Detroit Red Wings in the semi-finals.
Two Incredible Game Sevens In Washington and New Jersey
April 28th, 2009 admin Posted in Carolina Hurricanes, NHL playoffs, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, washington capitals No Comments »
It looks like the Hollywood scriptwriters are moonlighting for the NHL in the Stanley Cup playoffs. At least that what it seemed like tonight with two phenomenal game sevens between the Capitals and the Rangers and the Devils and the Hurricanes.
In Washington the Capitals looked tentative through the first two periods of the game, and the Rangers were the better team through 40 minutes. However, after a lucky goal by Semin in the first period tied the game 1-1 the Rangers' inability to score goals continued to haunt them. The Caps hung around and the game stayed tied until late in the 3rd period, setting the table for late game heroics by veteran Sergei Fedorov. Fedorov rushed down the right wing, cut back and whipped a wrist shot high short side over Henrik Lundqvist's glove. Ovechkin, who looked listless most of the night, summoned all his energy to come flying across the ice and take Fedorov down with a bear hug. (Obviously he never saw the footage of Radulov taking out Jason Arnott last year.) 
The Caps hung on for the 2-1 win and advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1998. The win, coupled with Carolina's victory in New Jersey, sets up a dream match-up against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby, Malkin and Gonchar vs. Ovechkin, Semin and Green. Buckle your seat belts! This could be the best playoff series in years.
In the other game 7 in New Jersey the action was even better. The two teams went toe to toe right from the drop of the puck, and the Devils took advantage of their home ice to head into the third period nursing a 3-2 lead. Brodeur looked on top of his game, and with their experience and stifling defensive system the Devils looked like they would hold on to advance to round two of the playoffs. Well, perhaps the hockey gods wanted to see a Pittsburgh/Washington series as much as the rest of us because they intervened with 1:20 left in the third period. After a strong cycle, Carolina finally managed to open up the back door play, and Jussi Jokinen snapped the puck under a stretching Brodeur to tie the game. Before the Devils could recover from the shock Eric Staal came flying down the wing and snapped the puck far side past Brodeur with just 32 seconds left to give Carolina a 4-3 lead. Carolina managed to overcome a desperate Devils flurry to win the game and advance to the second round. All of the Devils have to be absolutely crushed by the way the game played out, but perhaps none more so than John Madden who twice led two on ones late in the third and both times fired the puck right into Cam Ward's chest. Had he managed to score on either one it is almost certain the Devils would be celebrating right now instead of booking tee times.
With the victory Carolina will advance to play the Boston Bruins. The Bs were the Beast of the East all season and rolled easily over Montreal. However, Carolina has been hot down the stretch and have a number of veterans from their 2006 Stanley Cup run. Should be a hell of a series folks. Round two action starts Thursday night. Can't wait!
Sean Avery a Healthy Scratch for Game 5 Against Washington
April 24th, 2009 admin Posted in NHL playoffs, New York Rangers, washington capitals No Comments »
Well, it appears that the 2nd honeymoon between Sean Avery and the New York Rangers is officially over. After a brutal finish to game 4 that saw Avery take two dumb penalties when his team was clinging to a late third period lead the league's biggest antagonist is going to sit out tonight's game to think about his actions.
Following the game Rangers' coach John Tortorella refused to discuss Avery and the penalties he took, but TV cameras caught him staring daggers at Avery on the ice after Avery took the second penalty late in the 3rd period. Though many hockey fans asserted that Avery should be sat out, it still comes as something of a surprise that Tortorella took him out of the lineup.
However, when you think about it, Avery hasn't exactly been a force for the Rangers in the series. Sure, he has arguably been the team's best forechecker and has thrown a number of punishing hits, but he has yet to register a single point in the series, and has earned 24 minutes in penalties in just 4 games so far.
So, will Avery be back for game 6 if there is one? Logic would dictate that he will, and this temporary banishment is intended to send a message. And if there is a game 6 that would mean that the Rangers lost without Avery. But what if they win? Will Avery start game of the next series which would take place against original six rival Boston Bruins? Again, the answer is most likely, but John Tortorella is as unpredictable as he is ornery, so you never really know. In the meantime Avery will have plenty of time to think about his actions...again.