Gary Bettman's outfit handing out the Devils punishment
For the NHL to truly show how dedicated they were to stopping long term deals like Illya Kovalchucks, Marian Hossa, Chris Pronger, Marc Savard, etc, the league had to make an example of the New Jersey Devils. In the end, Gary Bettman got what he wanted for the owners (a rule to halt circumventing contracts), and the Devils got their man, Kovalchuck. 3 million dollars and two draft picks later, the Illyad has come to a close. That's not to say the punishment was over the line.
The NHL can only fine a maximum of 3 million dollars, which they acted on. Money was going to be lost after the first contract of the Devils (17 years, 102 mil)got shot down. Bettman assessing draft picks on top was like kicking the dead horse a 3rd time, after everyone has agreed enough was enough.
(The draft picks by the way, are a 3rd rounder, and the Devils choice of a 1st rounder in the next four years)
When the League and the Devils went to arbitration, Arbitrator Bloch ruled that the rejected deal went “well beyond the typical retirement age for NHL players.”Kovalchuck would have played until 44. By the age of 37, he would have made $95 million dollars, and received the league minimum the rest of his seven years. The NHL argued that the Devils would buy him out.
Here's an important factor to note. Bloch said that the Devils acted graciously throughout the whole process, did not show signs of purposely circumventing, saying the contract itself was fine, and that the team should not be penalized.
And by the way, what happened to Hossa, Pronger and everyone else's contract? They will get off scotts-free.
The reason for all these circumventions is a giant loop-hole left from the last Collective Barganing Agreement between the NHL and its players association. It allows teams to basically front load a long contract, and then pay less money as a player gets older. That way, when (or if) the player drops off, or leaves the team, the salary hit for the cap doesn't hurt the team that much.
Another factor is the latness in the fine. The deadline to fine the Devils was September 17th, but you'd figure the league had plenty of time to hand out the penalty.
Eitehr way, the message is clear as the dust settles from the summer. Bettman is demonstrating he's had it, and will be sharpening his axe when the next CBA expires in two years. Hockey fans can only hope that the Players Association can bounce back and step up to settle the issue with the owners. We can only hope it doesn't get as bad as it is with the NFL. There's too much to lose if the league shutsdown for the third time.
-------------
Tomorrow will begin the first of the Metro Team previews. Myself and Tom Verde will analyze, preview, and predict the Islanders for the 2010-2011 season. The Rangers will be next, followed by the Devils, and a preview for the East & West conference battles.
Follow 'Between the Pipes Online' throughout the year for coverage of all things hockey from the Goalies world.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sports Armageddon 2012?
Will hockey fans have to pull these out of the closet again?
The off-season is the worst time for any sport. No one can win the waiting game, lets be honest. Anticipation grows, patience wains, and the urge to return to normalcy begins to turn to silent screams in the mind. That is how I feel as the world awaits the return of the NHL season, hockey in general.
That's not to say it hasn't been an active summer. In fact, this has been "THESummer of Free Agent Frenzy" for sports in general. The NBA saw unprecedented coverage the likes anyone has ever seen. Players going left and right for unnecessary millions. All this with the hype surrounded the big fish, LeBron LeBron (yes I'm calling him that), it took the gaze of the nation, and affected business everywhere. The end product of all the hype, media coverage, and paranoia came in the form of an awful one hour special, which could have been saved by a 4-5 word sentence (though it did spawn a great spoof by Steve Carell and Paul Rudd)
The NHL's equivalent to LeBron LeBron was Russian sniper Illya Kovalchuck. When was the last time a player of his caliber hit the free agent market? Maybe Hossa last year, but Kovie is a better shooter all together. The craze over the Russian superstar spewed rumors of his possible landing point. The Devils were one place, then the LA Kings, Russia, the New York Islanders, LA Kings, the New York Rangers, LA Kings, LA Kings (again)finally with the Devils....and now possibly the Kings again, following the rejection of the Devils mega contract.
What the NHL has done is shown that they will not take teams taking advantage of the CBA anymore. It happened already with Roberto Luongo (12-year, $64-million), Chris Pronger (7-year, $34.5-million), Marc Savard (7-year, $28.05-million), Marian Hossa (12-year, $62.8-million), and many more. A message to team's general managers that if you try to circumvent the cap (take advantage of a glaring loop-hole left in the Collective Bargaining Agreement from the Lockout), they will drag you through the mud.
I am not a fan of these 'Retirement Contracts' as they have been ruled. Personally, its just not a fair system to follow for both the team and a player (see Dipietro contract and tell me how he and the Islanders are doing). But that's not to say I agree with the arbitrator all together. Bloch ruled that the Devils 17-year, $102-million offer to Kovalchuck, was legal under the current CBA. It did not circumvent the cap. What he did rule though was that it was a 'retirement contract' and ruled the speculation of the NHL, that Kovie would not play out until the end of his contract at age 44, due to a look at averages.
While there is a sense of what a contract probably should and shouldn't be, having the league give a years limit to contracts should not be the case. Control should not be given by Gary Bettman or any of the higher ups in the league. They have to be sure the contract is fair for both parties.
What does this mean for the NHL Players Association, who once again, falls short to the NHL? It should be a wake-up call that they need to get their act together. They do not have a head man in charge, but an adviser. Former head of the baseball players union, Donald Fehr, seems the new likely candidate to be the executive directer of the NHL Players Association. For those who don't know, he's the person that made Major League Baseball's Players Association what it is now.
But you look across the sports spectrum, and within the major four sports, there are growing issues that might lead to work stoppage. As the weeks go by, it seems more and more that the NFL might go into a lockout for the 2011-2012 season. It happened before, it can surely happen again, and it could be worse this time. The NBA also has their negotiations coming up, and hell, you never know if the two sides cannot find a middle ground. The NHL is in 2012, and the MLB is years from now.
Here's the point I have thought about: What if all four of the major teams were canceled for one year. No Pro Hockey, No Pro Basketball, Baseball, and Football, for one year! What would happen to the American Sports landscape?
As fans of athletic events, they'd cater to the next level of that sport: Minor league baseball, the United Football League, the American Hockey League, probably college basketball, but even then, there's an argument to say college basketball is better than the NBA. You would see soccer, fighting sports (MMA & boxing), maybe Lacrosse, and Tennis/Golf start to see a rise in popularity.
Overall, fans of the Big Four sports would suffer. Nothing to discuss at the water cooler, no get togethers to see the game at Millers Ale House or your pal's house, no motivation to slack off and play hooky from work. Sports businesses (media & sales) begin to die. Hell, maybe that's what the Mayans were predicting when the calendar ended on 12/21/2012; the day American Sports changed!
Obviously that will not happen, and the actual 2012 Apocalypse is up in the air (the movie 2012 has made me believe its not happening instead of the other).
However, would it be the end for that sports league, or possibly a crippling move?
We saw how it hurt hockey. Football is probably the only sport that could pick up where it left off. It's a billion dollar business with hands in billions of cookie jars (Cookie Monster cries reading this), and has so much support (fan-ship & sponsorship) where it can survive and still have people come back to it. Plus, football is apart of the American way of life, especially for those between the East Coast & West Coast.
To me, the NBA and MLB (especially Major League Baseball) would be hurt from a season-lockout. Basketball has faced skepticism and controversy with the Ref Scandal, and Commissioner Stern isn't the most popular man. The Association needs a new Collective Bargaining Agreement as well. As for the MLB, the past decade wasn't a nice time for Bud Selig. Dubbed the 'Steroid Era', the sport has suffered a scar it might not recover from. While the MLBPA is the strongest of the four sports, that could also be a bad thing for the league itself, as the players have the most power when the two sides go back to the negotiating table. Instant Replay will be a hot topic for years to come.
Whether it would be in the shape hockey was after their lockout....its hard to say. Both basketball and baseball are more entwined with American sports culture (sadly)....(see the college sports for example and tell me when's the last time people were all giggity for the Frozen Four over college Final Four & college World Series).
So to sum it up my thoughts:
NFL could have a work stoppage next season. The players and owners are not on the same page right now, and that rift is still growing.
The NBA does not look bleak, but there has to be a change in the CBA. Anything could happen between now and 2012.
The NHL has a lot to lose if they suffer their third lockout. Two words: Game Over. They've reached the point they were at before 2004. That reason alone should be a driving force to find a middle ground.
MLB is in no danger right now, but the seeds are rooted for the owners to try and come out swinging.
All four of them iced for a year=BAD THINGS!
The off-season is the worst time for any sport. No one can win the waiting game, lets be honest. Anticipation grows, patience wains, and the urge to return to normalcy begins to turn to silent screams in the mind. That is how I feel as the world awaits the return of the NHL season, hockey in general.
That's not to say it hasn't been an active summer. In fact, this has been "THESummer of Free Agent Frenzy" for sports in general. The NBA saw unprecedented coverage the likes anyone has ever seen. Players going left and right for unnecessary millions. All this with the hype surrounded the big fish, LeBron LeBron (yes I'm calling him that), it took the gaze of the nation, and affected business everywhere. The end product of all the hype, media coverage, and paranoia came in the form of an awful one hour special, which could have been saved by a 4-5 word sentence (though it did spawn a great spoof by Steve Carell and Paul Rudd)
The NHL's equivalent to LeBron LeBron was Russian sniper Illya Kovalchuck. When was the last time a player of his caliber hit the free agent market? Maybe Hossa last year, but Kovie is a better shooter all together. The craze over the Russian superstar spewed rumors of his possible landing point. The Devils were one place, then the LA Kings, Russia, the New York Islanders, LA Kings, the New York Rangers, LA Kings, LA Kings (again)finally with the Devils....and now possibly the Kings again, following the rejection of the Devils mega contract.
What the NHL has done is shown that they will not take teams taking advantage of the CBA anymore. It happened already with Roberto Luongo (12-year, $64-million), Chris Pronger (7-year, $34.5-million), Marc Savard (7-year, $28.05-million), Marian Hossa (12-year, $62.8-million), and many more. A message to team's general managers that if you try to circumvent the cap (take advantage of a glaring loop-hole left in the Collective Bargaining Agreement from the Lockout), they will drag you through the mud.
I am not a fan of these 'Retirement Contracts' as they have been ruled. Personally, its just not a fair system to follow for both the team and a player (see Dipietro contract and tell me how he and the Islanders are doing). But that's not to say I agree with the arbitrator all together. Bloch ruled that the Devils 17-year, $102-million offer to Kovalchuck, was legal under the current CBA. It did not circumvent the cap. What he did rule though was that it was a 'retirement contract' and ruled the speculation of the NHL, that Kovie would not play out until the end of his contract at age 44, due to a look at averages.
While there is a sense of what a contract probably should and shouldn't be, having the league give a years limit to contracts should not be the case. Control should not be given by Gary Bettman or any of the higher ups in the league. They have to be sure the contract is fair for both parties.
What does this mean for the NHL Players Association, who once again, falls short to the NHL? It should be a wake-up call that they need to get their act together. They do not have a head man in charge, but an adviser. Former head of the baseball players union, Donald Fehr, seems the new likely candidate to be the executive directer of the NHL Players Association. For those who don't know, he's the person that made Major League Baseball's Players Association what it is now.
But you look across the sports spectrum, and within the major four sports, there are growing issues that might lead to work stoppage. As the weeks go by, it seems more and more that the NFL might go into a lockout for the 2011-2012 season. It happened before, it can surely happen again, and it could be worse this time. The NBA also has their negotiations coming up, and hell, you never know if the two sides cannot find a middle ground. The NHL is in 2012, and the MLB is years from now.
Here's the point I have thought about: What if all four of the major teams were canceled for one year. No Pro Hockey, No Pro Basketball, Baseball, and Football, for one year! What would happen to the American Sports landscape?
As fans of athletic events, they'd cater to the next level of that sport: Minor league baseball, the United Football League, the American Hockey League, probably college basketball, but even then, there's an argument to say college basketball is better than the NBA. You would see soccer, fighting sports (MMA & boxing), maybe Lacrosse, and Tennis/Golf start to see a rise in popularity.
Overall, fans of the Big Four sports would suffer. Nothing to discuss at the water cooler, no get togethers to see the game at Millers Ale House or your pal's house, no motivation to slack off and play hooky from work. Sports businesses (media & sales) begin to die. Hell, maybe that's what the Mayans were predicting when the calendar ended on 12/21/2012; the day American Sports changed!
Obviously that will not happen, and the actual 2012 Apocalypse is up in the air (the movie 2012 has made me believe its not happening instead of the other).
However, would it be the end for that sports league, or possibly a crippling move?
We saw how it hurt hockey. Football is probably the only sport that could pick up where it left off. It's a billion dollar business with hands in billions of cookie jars (Cookie Monster cries reading this), and has so much support (fan-ship & sponsorship) where it can survive and still have people come back to it. Plus, football is apart of the American way of life, especially for those between the East Coast & West Coast.
To me, the NBA and MLB (especially Major League Baseball) would be hurt from a season-lockout. Basketball has faced skepticism and controversy with the Ref Scandal, and Commissioner Stern isn't the most popular man. The Association needs a new Collective Bargaining Agreement as well. As for the MLB, the past decade wasn't a nice time for Bud Selig. Dubbed the 'Steroid Era', the sport has suffered a scar it might not recover from. While the MLBPA is the strongest of the four sports, that could also be a bad thing for the league itself, as the players have the most power when the two sides go back to the negotiating table. Instant Replay will be a hot topic for years to come.
Whether it would be in the shape hockey was after their lockout....its hard to say. Both basketball and baseball are more entwined with American sports culture (sadly)....(see the college sports for example and tell me when's the last time people were all giggity for the Frozen Four over college Final Four & college World Series).
So to sum it up my thoughts:
NFL could have a work stoppage next season. The players and owners are not on the same page right now, and that rift is still growing.
The NBA does not look bleak, but there has to be a change in the CBA. Anything could happen between now and 2012.
The NHL has a lot to lose if they suffer their third lockout. Two words: Game Over. They've reached the point they were at before 2004. That reason alone should be a driving force to find a middle ground.
MLB is in no danger right now, but the seeds are rooted for the owners to try and come out swinging.
All four of them iced for a year=BAD THINGS!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Early Thoughts On the Islanders after 5 Games
By Tom Verde
The Islanders have gotten off to a slow start as far as the win column is concerned, but have really not played too badly or looked overmatched. Those are good things for a team who is committed to rebuilding. The team has looked particularly good against Boston (minus those last 8 minutes) and Pittsburgh. John Tavares has looked good, as have his linemates, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson. The goaltending has been a steady rotation and will probably stay that way until one of the goalies gets hot. However this raises the question as to whether a goalie can ever really get hot if he only plays every other game. Martin Biron has looked the more steady of the two, especially after the game in Buffalo, where I felt Dwayne Roloson just looked tired. Here are some thoughts on a few individual players thus far:
John Tavares- has gotten off to a great start, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves in proclaiming him as a capable savior. He has looked good, been in good positions, and certainly has one heck of a wrist shot (just ask Tuukka Rask). The fact that he is tied for the team lead in points (3g, 3a) through five games is a good sign.
Matt Moulson- why Los Angeles thought him to be expendable is beyond me. He has been one of the Islanders best players by far. He is fast and physical, something that works well in Scott Gordon’s system. He isn’t afraid to park in front of the net and I am very pleased with his play thus far. His 3 goals and 3 assists are well deserved and he leads the team with a plus three.
Kyle Okposo- is starting to look like he can blossom into one of the NHL’s elite forwards. He got bigger over the off-season and it shows. He has been very physical, throwing a lot of hits, and has been difficult to knock off the puck. His highlight reel goal against Boston is one of the best so far this season.
Mark Streit- they might as well call him Mr. Consistent. Streit is off to a good start again, with 4 points (1g, 3a) and a plus one so far this season. Look for more of that from one of the best defenseman in the game.
Freddy Meyer- as I said in the season preview, Meyer has been effective when healthy for the Islanders. He has 3 assists and a plus one, tied for second on NYI in plus/minus.
Rob Schremp- this guy has really good and quick hands, and I like what I have seen thus far.
Richard Park- despite his poor numbers (0 points, -5) Park has been one of the best Islanders. He has been threatening on offense, getting some great scoring chances and working hard as always. His faceoffs have been good, and his minus five can largely be attributed by his time spent on the penalty kill and the lack of help from his linemates Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman (0 points combined).
Sean Bergenheim- where has this guy been? I was expecting a lot out of Bergie, especially after his great start last year. Yet he has been held scoreless throughout the first four games, and Scott Gordon is considering switching his line, or his wing side, in an attempt to get him going.
Joel Rechliz- not really sure why he is still in the NHL. He is getting three or so minutes of ice time a night, which as far as I’m concerned, is a waste of a roster spot, which would be better used by Jeff Tambellini.
Josh Bailey- there was a lot of talk about Bailey getting stronger and looking to carry more of the offensive load this year during the off-season. Yet through five, Bailey looks about the same as he did last year. He seems hesitant to shoot, and has just one assist.
The Islanders have gotten off to a slow start as far as the win column is concerned, but have really not played too badly or looked overmatched. Those are good things for a team who is committed to rebuilding. The team has looked particularly good against Boston (minus those last 8 minutes) and Pittsburgh. John Tavares has looked good, as have his linemates, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson. The goaltending has been a steady rotation and will probably stay that way until one of the goalies gets hot. However this raises the question as to whether a goalie can ever really get hot if he only plays every other game. Martin Biron has looked the more steady of the two, especially after the game in Buffalo, where I felt Dwayne Roloson just looked tired. Here are some thoughts on a few individual players thus far:
John Tavares- has gotten off to a great start, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves in proclaiming him as a capable savior. He has looked good, been in good positions, and certainly has one heck of a wrist shot (just ask Tuukka Rask). The fact that he is tied for the team lead in points (3g, 3a) through five games is a good sign.
Matt Moulson- why Los Angeles thought him to be expendable is beyond me. He has been one of the Islanders best players by far. He is fast and physical, something that works well in Scott Gordon’s system. He isn’t afraid to park in front of the net and I am very pleased with his play thus far. His 3 goals and 3 assists are well deserved and he leads the team with a plus three.
Kyle Okposo- is starting to look like he can blossom into one of the NHL’s elite forwards. He got bigger over the off-season and it shows. He has been very physical, throwing a lot of hits, and has been difficult to knock off the puck. His highlight reel goal against Boston is one of the best so far this season.
Mark Streit- they might as well call him Mr. Consistent. Streit is off to a good start again, with 4 points (1g, 3a) and a plus one so far this season. Look for more of that from one of the best defenseman in the game.
Freddy Meyer- as I said in the season preview, Meyer has been effective when healthy for the Islanders. He has 3 assists and a plus one, tied for second on NYI in plus/minus.
Rob Schremp- this guy has really good and quick hands, and I like what I have seen thus far.
Richard Park- despite his poor numbers (0 points, -5) Park has been one of the best Islanders. He has been threatening on offense, getting some great scoring chances and working hard as always. His faceoffs have been good, and his minus five can largely be attributed by his time spent on the penalty kill and the lack of help from his linemates Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman (0 points combined).
Sean Bergenheim- where has this guy been? I was expecting a lot out of Bergie, especially after his great start last year. Yet he has been held scoreless throughout the first four games, and Scott Gordon is considering switching his line, or his wing side, in an attempt to get him going.
Joel Rechliz- not really sure why he is still in the NHL. He is getting three or so minutes of ice time a night, which as far as I’m concerned, is a waste of a roster spot, which would be better used by Jeff Tambellini.
Josh Bailey- there was a lot of talk about Bailey getting stronger and looking to carry more of the offensive load this year during the off-season. Yet through five, Bailey looks about the same as he did last year. He seems hesitant to shoot, and has just one assist.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Boston Bruins season preview 2009-2010
by: Jefferson Mills
Quick recap of last season:
Record: (53-19-10) finished in 1st place in the eastern conference with 116 points
-They led the eastern conference in goals for with 274.
-They led the entire NHL in goals against giving up only 196.
-Marc Savard led the bruins for the third straight year in total points (88) and assists (63)
- Seven bruins ( wheeler, kobasew, krejci, savard, ryder, kessel, and recchi) has twenty goals or more.
- phil kessel led the team in goals with 36.
- Captain zedeno chara made the all star game and finished with 19 goals and 31 assists. He also
Won the Norris trophy which is given to the league’s best defenseman.
-Head coach claude julien won the jack adams trophy which is given to the league’s best head
coach in just his third year.
-Tim Thomas had a career best year winning the most games he’s ever won (36) and played in
His second consecutive all star game. He also finished as the league leader in goals against( 2.10)
save percentage (.933) Thomas’s success did not go unseen as he won the vezina trophy which is
given to the league’s best goaltender.
Off season moves
-the most crucial move made by the b’s was undoubtedly the trade of phil kessel to the Toronto
maple leafs. They got the leafs first round pick as well as two second round picks in next years
draft.
-the bruins had limited cap space to work with but managed to resign veteran winger Mark
Recchi, as well as Youngsters Byron bitz matt hunwick and Johnny boychuk. All three were
integral parts of the bruins organization last year and should make the 09 roster. Boychuk is the
least known of the three. He led the p- bruins in scoring with twenty five goals which as a
defenseman is unheard of unless your mike green. The longest tenured bruin in pj axelsson
went back home to play
Quick recap of last season:
Record: (53-19-10) finished in 1st place in the eastern conference with 116 points
-They led the eastern conference in goals for with 274.
-They led the entire NHL in goals against giving up only 196.
-Marc Savard led the bruins for the third straight year in total points (88) and assists (63)
- Seven bruins ( wheeler, kobasew, krejci, savard, ryder, kessel, and recchi) has twenty goals or more.
- phil kessel led the team in goals with 36.
- Captain zedeno chara made the all star game and finished with 19 goals and 31 assists. He also
Won the Norris trophy which is given to the league’s best defenseman.
-Head coach claude julien won the jack adams trophy which is given to the league’s best head
coach in just his third year.
-Tim Thomas had a career best year winning the most games he’s ever won (36) and played in
His second consecutive all star game. He also finished as the league leader in goals against( 2.10)
save percentage (.933) Thomas’s success did not go unseen as he won the vezina trophy which is
given to the league’s best goaltender.
Off season moves
-the most crucial move made by the b’s was undoubtedly the trade of phil kessel to the Toronto
maple leafs. They got the leafs first round pick as well as two second round picks in next years
draft.
-the bruins had limited cap space to work with but managed to resign veteran winger Mark
Recchi, as well as Youngsters Byron bitz matt hunwick and Johnny boychuk. All three were
integral parts of the bruins organization last year and should make the 09 roster. Boychuk is the
least known of the three. He led the p- bruins in scoring with twenty five goals which as a
defenseman is unheard of unless your mike green. The longest tenured bruin in pj axelsson
went back home to play
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Philadelphia Flyers 2009-2010 Season Preview
By Jeff Herman
The Philadelphia Flyers’ slogan for their 2007-2008 season was “Back with a Vengeance” and they lived up to it by going from their brief stay in the league basement to conference finalists. In 2008-2009, their slogan was “Hungry for More” but left their fans starving for consistent play, a fully healthy squad, and a sense of direction. This season, their slogan is simply “Relentless”, but I have a better idea.
“No excuses.”
Plain and simple. No more blaming injuries, no more blaming officiating injustices, no more late night parties in the Old City section of Philly. General Manger Paul Holmgren, and his thousands and thousands of bosses, want results and they want them now. Luckily for them, this team might just do it.
The Flyers backed their way into the 5th seed playoff spot last year, finishing the season 4-5-1 in their last 10, and dropping their season finale at home to the New York Rangers, costing them home ice advantage against the Pittsburgh Penguins. While they took the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to a rough six games, it was a series where the Flyers were outworked and outhustled, as they lacked direction, discipline, and desire.
For the off-season, Holmgren knew changes were necessary in goaltending, and immediate help was not going to come from the current roster or in the system. Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki, both with GAAs of 2.76, and near identical save percentages (Biron at .915, Niitty at .912), were in an identity crisis. Biron would have a couple bad outings, and when Niitty was given the opportunity to start (as he has been given countless times for the past three seasons), he was not able to fulfill the duties as a number one goaltender. So the plan was to find an undisputed starter, and an undisputed backup.
Enter Ray Emery, and re-enter Brian Boucher. Emery quickly fell from grace after his Stanley Cup Finals run with the Senators in 2007, and was waived after 2008 for because of locker room problems. But after spending a year in the KHL in Russia, Emery realized where he made his mistakes, and knows that this is his last chance to prove that 2007 was no fluke. What made him an up and coming goaltender after the lockout was his mix of size, athletic ability, and competitive nature. His career year with Ottawa he posted a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage, with a few years of personal growth behind him since then, he could stand to have a comeback season this year. As he is only a 1.5 million dollar cap hit, it’s a risk worth taking considering the less than spectacular market of free agent starting goalies this past off-season. As for Brian Boucher, he is the backup and everyone, including him, knows it. That alone is what separates him from Niittymaki. Boucher was once the Flyers’ goaltending wunderkind in 2000, but like Emery, he also fell from grace (not attitude, just poor play). But his past two years with the Sharks proved he is a backup capable of getting on a hot streak whenever he is in net.
As for the Flyers defense, Holmgren transformed it from the days of old and slow-footed pylons like Mike Rathje and Chris Therien, to the young and mobile likes of Braydon Coburn and Matt Carle. Each defenseman has their attributes: Coburn has his size and mobility, Timonen is a one of the premier two-way defenders in the league, Carle fills the roll as a power play quarterback, Ryan Parent provides safe last-man-back defense, and Randy Jones, when healthy and on his game, a solid bottom pairing defenseman. But they were just missing that key ingredient to tie it all together. Andrew Alberts was not durable enough for the big time minutes as a physical defenseman, so he skipped town to Carolina. There were serious rumblings of Jay Bouwmeester becoming a Flyer, but Paul Holmgren hung up the phone on Panthers GM Jacques Martin after Martin’s asking price for Bouwmeester started with Claude Giroux. So Holmgren resorted to plan B in Chris Pronger.
Many accused Holmgren of giving up too much youth for Pronger (scoring winger Joffrey Lupul, defensive prospect Luca Sbisa, two first round picks, and a conditional third rounder). But if was any defenseman that was born to wear the Orange and Black, it’s Chris Pronger. At 6’6” 223 lbs, his mix of size, mobility, tenacity, veteran leadership, and a thunderous point shot gives the Flyers the shot the arm their defense needed. With Pronger’s arrival, and an extra dose of grit from depth defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, the Flyers possess one of the most well-rounded and feared defensive corps in the league.
As for the forwards, the Flyers possessed one of the deepest scoring threats in the league, as six forwards tallied 25 or more goals. But what they had in talent and scoring depth, they lacked in discipline, veteran leadership, and in-game work ethic. Joffrey Lupul was known to score in clusters, and then fall off the radar for a few games. Mike Knuble was a fan favorite for his consistent play and off-ice professionalism and honesty, but his un-doing was a mixture of cap restraints and lazy offensive zone penalties putting the Flyers in short handed situations. But this year’s offensive will more than likely make up for lost input by Knuble and Lupul, and then add plenty of intangibles.
Three small improvements come in depth forwards with Blair Betts, Ian Laperriere, and Mika Pyorala. Betts was invited to camp on a tryout, and could be a blessing in disguise for the Flyers: at 6’3” 210 lbs, Betts is a big, defensive center who is good on faceoffs, a glaring weakness for the Flyers down the middle. Laperriere was signed to provide a more vocal veteran leadership in the locker room and on the ice that Knuble could not provide. Pyorala who came over from Finland, was coveted by a few teams, and is a prototypical Finnish forward: strong two-way play, decent hitter, and a hard worker. Betts performed well in camp, and will most likely be signed to a contract since the Flyers dealt ECHL prospect Patrick Hersley to Nashville today.
As we head to the returning sandpaper forwards, a couple questions remain on who makes the cut. Scott Hartnell and Arron Asham are pretty much locked in, Darroll Powe, the small yet speedy fore checker, stands a good chance, so now it comes down to Carcillo and Cote. Carcillo is a question because he’s been known for taking bad penalties, but after Tuesday’s pre-season game vs. Detroit where he showcased his scoring abilities, he may have saved his job. This brings us to Riley Cote. Cote, while one of the more durable fighters, has a diminished role on this tougher Flyers team. His abilities as a player on the team are limited, the heavyweight fighters he faces routinely beat him, and his roster spot is better taken up by our next category of forwards.
Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk are the secret weapons to this Flyers team. Giroux, 21, was called up for the second half of the season last year, and is a genuine puck wizard. His vision and awareness on the ice is unbelievable, his accuracy for passes and placement for scoring opportunities is a sight to see on an instant replay. There is no doubt in my mind that a healthy Claude Giroux will score at least 60 points this season. This kid is a world-class talent in the making. JVR was considered to start the year with the Adirondack Phantoms, but he is having a very strong pre-season with three goals and an assist in four games. He is using his size to defend the puck and with improved mobility he will drive the net for the tip-ins and rebounds. There were doubts about his drive and his maturity coming into camp, but he is proving himself worthy and may cement himself a spot on the Flyers roster.
But what ties this all together is Head Coach John Stevens. When Stevens took over coaching duties early on in 2006, he needed to do what Ken Hitchcock failed to do, and that was develop the young players into key factors towards the Flyers success. He has done that with the likes of Carter, Richards, Giroux, and Coburn, along with the departed Umberger, Lupul, and Upshall. But now it isn’t about developing these key players. Now it is about developing a strict system of play that focuses on hard work, discipline, a consistent effort, and the good old fashioned Flyers hatred for losing. Stevens is not a vocal coach, but if his control over this team is exemplified by this team’s consistent lapses of judgment, he will not be behind the bench of the Flyers for very long. The first couple of games into the pre-season better not be a sign of things to come from Stevens, otherwise he will be out the door by Halloween.
The time is now for the Flyers. But if there are consistent bad penalties, shaky goaltending, injuries galore, or a failure to give a full effort each game or live up to expectations, some big names will be gone in the offseason because of cap issues. Paul Holmgren has put together a team deep with youthful energy and veteran leadership, and raw talent with raw grit. If they are running on all gears, this team can and will win the Cup.
But if they aren’t, there are no excuses.
The Philadelphia Flyers’ slogan for their 2007-2008 season was “Back with a Vengeance” and they lived up to it by going from their brief stay in the league basement to conference finalists. In 2008-2009, their slogan was “Hungry for More” but left their fans starving for consistent play, a fully healthy squad, and a sense of direction. This season, their slogan is simply “Relentless”, but I have a better idea.
“No excuses.”
Plain and simple. No more blaming injuries, no more blaming officiating injustices, no more late night parties in the Old City section of Philly. General Manger Paul Holmgren, and his thousands and thousands of bosses, want results and they want them now. Luckily for them, this team might just do it.
The Flyers backed their way into the 5th seed playoff spot last year, finishing the season 4-5-1 in their last 10, and dropping their season finale at home to the New York Rangers, costing them home ice advantage against the Pittsburgh Penguins. While they took the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to a rough six games, it was a series where the Flyers were outworked and outhustled, as they lacked direction, discipline, and desire.
For the off-season, Holmgren knew changes were necessary in goaltending, and immediate help was not going to come from the current roster or in the system. Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki, both with GAAs of 2.76, and near identical save percentages (Biron at .915, Niitty at .912), were in an identity crisis. Biron would have a couple bad outings, and when Niitty was given the opportunity to start (as he has been given countless times for the past three seasons), he was not able to fulfill the duties as a number one goaltender. So the plan was to find an undisputed starter, and an undisputed backup.
Enter Ray Emery, and re-enter Brian Boucher. Emery quickly fell from grace after his Stanley Cup Finals run with the Senators in 2007, and was waived after 2008 for because of locker room problems. But after spending a year in the KHL in Russia, Emery realized where he made his mistakes, and knows that this is his last chance to prove that 2007 was no fluke. What made him an up and coming goaltender after the lockout was his mix of size, athletic ability, and competitive nature. His career year with Ottawa he posted a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage, with a few years of personal growth behind him since then, he could stand to have a comeback season this year. As he is only a 1.5 million dollar cap hit, it’s a risk worth taking considering the less than spectacular market of free agent starting goalies this past off-season. As for Brian Boucher, he is the backup and everyone, including him, knows it. That alone is what separates him from Niittymaki. Boucher was once the Flyers’ goaltending wunderkind in 2000, but like Emery, he also fell from grace (not attitude, just poor play). But his past two years with the Sharks proved he is a backup capable of getting on a hot streak whenever he is in net.
As for the Flyers defense, Holmgren transformed it from the days of old and slow-footed pylons like Mike Rathje and Chris Therien, to the young and mobile likes of Braydon Coburn and Matt Carle. Each defenseman has their attributes: Coburn has his size and mobility, Timonen is a one of the premier two-way defenders in the league, Carle fills the roll as a power play quarterback, Ryan Parent provides safe last-man-back defense, and Randy Jones, when healthy and on his game, a solid bottom pairing defenseman. But they were just missing that key ingredient to tie it all together. Andrew Alberts was not durable enough for the big time minutes as a physical defenseman, so he skipped town to Carolina. There were serious rumblings of Jay Bouwmeester becoming a Flyer, but Paul Holmgren hung up the phone on Panthers GM Jacques Martin after Martin’s asking price for Bouwmeester started with Claude Giroux. So Holmgren resorted to plan B in Chris Pronger.
Many accused Holmgren of giving up too much youth for Pronger (scoring winger Joffrey Lupul, defensive prospect Luca Sbisa, two first round picks, and a conditional third rounder). But if was any defenseman that was born to wear the Orange and Black, it’s Chris Pronger. At 6’6” 223 lbs, his mix of size, mobility, tenacity, veteran leadership, and a thunderous point shot gives the Flyers the shot the arm their defense needed. With Pronger’s arrival, and an extra dose of grit from depth defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, the Flyers possess one of the most well-rounded and feared defensive corps in the league.
As for the forwards, the Flyers possessed one of the deepest scoring threats in the league, as six forwards tallied 25 or more goals. But what they had in talent and scoring depth, they lacked in discipline, veteran leadership, and in-game work ethic. Joffrey Lupul was known to score in clusters, and then fall off the radar for a few games. Mike Knuble was a fan favorite for his consistent play and off-ice professionalism and honesty, but his un-doing was a mixture of cap restraints and lazy offensive zone penalties putting the Flyers in short handed situations. But this year’s offensive will more than likely make up for lost input by Knuble and Lupul, and then add plenty of intangibles.
Three small improvements come in depth forwards with Blair Betts, Ian Laperriere, and Mika Pyorala. Betts was invited to camp on a tryout, and could be a blessing in disguise for the Flyers: at 6’3” 210 lbs, Betts is a big, defensive center who is good on faceoffs, a glaring weakness for the Flyers down the middle. Laperriere was signed to provide a more vocal veteran leadership in the locker room and on the ice that Knuble could not provide. Pyorala who came over from Finland, was coveted by a few teams, and is a prototypical Finnish forward: strong two-way play, decent hitter, and a hard worker. Betts performed well in camp, and will most likely be signed to a contract since the Flyers dealt ECHL prospect Patrick Hersley to Nashville today.
As we head to the returning sandpaper forwards, a couple questions remain on who makes the cut. Scott Hartnell and Arron Asham are pretty much locked in, Darroll Powe, the small yet speedy fore checker, stands a good chance, so now it comes down to Carcillo and Cote. Carcillo is a question because he’s been known for taking bad penalties, but after Tuesday’s pre-season game vs. Detroit where he showcased his scoring abilities, he may have saved his job. This brings us to Riley Cote. Cote, while one of the more durable fighters, has a diminished role on this tougher Flyers team. His abilities as a player on the team are limited, the heavyweight fighters he faces routinely beat him, and his roster spot is better taken up by our next category of forwards.
Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk are the secret weapons to this Flyers team. Giroux, 21, was called up for the second half of the season last year, and is a genuine puck wizard. His vision and awareness on the ice is unbelievable, his accuracy for passes and placement for scoring opportunities is a sight to see on an instant replay. There is no doubt in my mind that a healthy Claude Giroux will score at least 60 points this season. This kid is a world-class talent in the making. JVR was considered to start the year with the Adirondack Phantoms, but he is having a very strong pre-season with three goals and an assist in four games. He is using his size to defend the puck and with improved mobility he will drive the net for the tip-ins and rebounds. There were doubts about his drive and his maturity coming into camp, but he is proving himself worthy and may cement himself a spot on the Flyers roster.
But what ties this all together is Head Coach John Stevens. When Stevens took over coaching duties early on in 2006, he needed to do what Ken Hitchcock failed to do, and that was develop the young players into key factors towards the Flyers success. He has done that with the likes of Carter, Richards, Giroux, and Coburn, along with the departed Umberger, Lupul, and Upshall. But now it isn’t about developing these key players. Now it is about developing a strict system of play that focuses on hard work, discipline, a consistent effort, and the good old fashioned Flyers hatred for losing. Stevens is not a vocal coach, but if his control over this team is exemplified by this team’s consistent lapses of judgment, he will not be behind the bench of the Flyers for very long. The first couple of games into the pre-season better not be a sign of things to come from Stevens, otherwise he will be out the door by Halloween.
The time is now for the Flyers. But if there are consistent bad penalties, shaky goaltending, injuries galore, or a failure to give a full effort each game or live up to expectations, some big names will be gone in the offseason because of cap issues. Paul Holmgren has put together a team deep with youthful energy and veteran leadership, and raw talent with raw grit. If they are running on all gears, this team can and will win the Cup.
But if they aren’t, there are no excuses.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
San Jose Sharks 2009-2010 Season Preview
This is Sharks Territory
By Gabe Diamond
It’s just about that time of the year now, when the temperature starts getting a little colder in most hockey cities. The northerners get out of the cold and onto the ice, watching the world’s best in action. But lest we forget, the north does not own every hockeytown in the nation. There are a few teams out west that would have something to say about that.
San Jose, California, is a temperate city with a large surrounding population and a hunger for the Stanley Cup. Although Joe Thornton is able to walk the streets without constant recognition, don’t be fooled. In San Jose and the nearby areas, there are plenty of front lawns donning signs that unequivocally declare, “This is Sharks’ territory.”
But what does that mean exactly? In recent years it has signified a team that is one of the best, if not the best, in the regular season. But come playoff time, everything changes. The Sharks turn into a frightened team, devoid of leadership, that appears unable to take it to the next level. It’s almost as if the lockout came at the exact wrong time for San Jose; the year before, the Sharks were in the conference finals. Since then, they have been unable to make it past the second round. The postseason for the San Jose Sharks went as follows from the 2005-06 season to the 2008-09 campaign: lost to Edmonton in the second round (six games), lost to Detroit in the second round (six games), lost to Dallas in the second round (six games), and just to finally break the cycle, lost to Anaheim in the first round (but still six games).
Somehow, some way, the team must find a way to snap out of this funk. General Manager Doug Wilson was furious with the team after last year’s loss to Anaheim, a year when they took home the President’s Trophy for best overall record in the regular season. He promised big changes in the offseason and made it clear that no player was safe. And so the fans eagerly anticipated the imminent moves. They waited. And waited. And finally… Scott Nichol! Wait, what? That was the big move? Not that I don’t have respect for the former Nashville Predator, but most were hoping for something more than a 5’9” forward whose career high in goals is ten.
Then things did start happening, though. It took until late August, but all of a sudden defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich were gone to Vancouver in exchange for center Patrick White and D Daniel Rahimi. That trade was obviously not overly advantageous for San Jose, but it did clear up plenty of cap space. Ehrhoff and Lukowich were solid players for the Sharks, but their inability to help on offense became abundantly clear in the postseason. Ehrhoff in particular showed many of the passing errors that had brought him doubters in the past.
And then it happened. Wilson made the big move to trump all others, acquiring the Prima Donna right wing with one “n” too few in his name. German born Dany Heatley gives the Sharks the consistent top-line scoring threat that the team has lacked. Previously, various players had benefited from the on point passing of Thornton, but with Heatley they hope to have a guy who can enjoy 40+ goal scoring seasons repeatedly. The concern, of course, is that Heatley gets disgruntled with the situation in San Jose as he did with that of Atlanta and most recently Ottawa. But for now, that top line of Thornton, Heatley, and Devin Setoguchi (who enjoyed a breakout sophomore season last year with 31 goals) looks quite formidable for any opponent.
No benefit is without its cost, of course. The Sharks had to give up wingers Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to snag Heatley. Cheechoo, who reached his peak in ’05-’06 when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 56 goals, had seen a diminished role on the team after injuries and other opportunistic forwards took him down. After his glorious ’05 campaign, he fell to 37, 23, and finally 12 goals in subsequent seasons. The bigger loss in this case was Michalek. At just 24 years old, Michalek had shown remarkable consistency, scoring 26, 24, and 23 goals in the past three seasons. Can Heatley completely offset the combined contributions of those two? That remains to be seen.
What also remains to be seen is if the Sharks can succeed beyond the regular season largely relying on the same top players. Thornton still anchors the first line; Patrick Marleau lost his spot on line one but will still see plenty of time on line two; and Evgeni Nabokov will still get showered with chants of “Nabby, Nabby” when he makes a great save.
Despite this nucleus that remains unbroken, the Sharks do appear to be a very different team. Marleau has lost his Captain’s tag (rightly so), and there have been significant changes to the roster. The Sharks will give some of their minor leaguers a shot this year, including wingers Jamie McGinn and Brad Staubitz, who showed potential in short spells with the Sharks last season. McGinn had 19 goals and 11 assists for the Worcester Sharks last year, and although Staubitz was goalless last year with Worcester, he adds another enforcer type to a Sharks lineup that looked vulnerable at points in the playoffs.
Wilson and the sharks also made it clear who was in favor with the team. San Jose resigned Ryan Clowe and Torrey Mitchell to four and three year contracts, respectfully. The versatile Clowe will most likely retain his spot on the second line, and it’s possible that Mitchell could be moved up to line two as well. The only certainties for the Sharks appear to be the first line, and reigning all-star Marleau getting the center spot on the second line. Otherwise, get in line boys. There’s something to compete for.
Expectations will be high this year. They should be. San Jose will once again be a force to be reckoned with in the regular season. But with Joe Thornton at the helm, and Patrick Marleau (who many thought would be gone this offseason) skating on that proverbial thin ice, can this team finally break through and get to the cup finals? No Sharks team has ever done that before, and if this one can’t, it might be a while until one does.
By Gabe Diamond
It’s just about that time of the year now, when the temperature starts getting a little colder in most hockey cities. The northerners get out of the cold and onto the ice, watching the world’s best in action. But lest we forget, the north does not own every hockeytown in the nation. There are a few teams out west that would have something to say about that.
San Jose, California, is a temperate city with a large surrounding population and a hunger for the Stanley Cup. Although Joe Thornton is able to walk the streets without constant recognition, don’t be fooled. In San Jose and the nearby areas, there are plenty of front lawns donning signs that unequivocally declare, “This is Sharks’ territory.”
But what does that mean exactly? In recent years it has signified a team that is one of the best, if not the best, in the regular season. But come playoff time, everything changes. The Sharks turn into a frightened team, devoid of leadership, that appears unable to take it to the next level. It’s almost as if the lockout came at the exact wrong time for San Jose; the year before, the Sharks were in the conference finals. Since then, they have been unable to make it past the second round. The postseason for the San Jose Sharks went as follows from the 2005-06 season to the 2008-09 campaign: lost to Edmonton in the second round (six games), lost to Detroit in the second round (six games), lost to Dallas in the second round (six games), and just to finally break the cycle, lost to Anaheim in the first round (but still six games).
Somehow, some way, the team must find a way to snap out of this funk. General Manager Doug Wilson was furious with the team after last year’s loss to Anaheim, a year when they took home the President’s Trophy for best overall record in the regular season. He promised big changes in the offseason and made it clear that no player was safe. And so the fans eagerly anticipated the imminent moves. They waited. And waited. And finally… Scott Nichol! Wait, what? That was the big move? Not that I don’t have respect for the former Nashville Predator, but most were hoping for something more than a 5’9” forward whose career high in goals is ten.
Then things did start happening, though. It took until late August, but all of a sudden defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich were gone to Vancouver in exchange for center Patrick White and D Daniel Rahimi. That trade was obviously not overly advantageous for San Jose, but it did clear up plenty of cap space. Ehrhoff and Lukowich were solid players for the Sharks, but their inability to help on offense became abundantly clear in the postseason. Ehrhoff in particular showed many of the passing errors that had brought him doubters in the past.
And then it happened. Wilson made the big move to trump all others, acquiring the Prima Donna right wing with one “n” too few in his name. German born Dany Heatley gives the Sharks the consistent top-line scoring threat that the team has lacked. Previously, various players had benefited from the on point passing of Thornton, but with Heatley they hope to have a guy who can enjoy 40+ goal scoring seasons repeatedly. The concern, of course, is that Heatley gets disgruntled with the situation in San Jose as he did with that of Atlanta and most recently Ottawa. But for now, that top line of Thornton, Heatley, and Devin Setoguchi (who enjoyed a breakout sophomore season last year with 31 goals) looks quite formidable for any opponent.
No benefit is without its cost, of course. The Sharks had to give up wingers Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to snag Heatley. Cheechoo, who reached his peak in ’05-’06 when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 56 goals, had seen a diminished role on the team after injuries and other opportunistic forwards took him down. After his glorious ’05 campaign, he fell to 37, 23, and finally 12 goals in subsequent seasons. The bigger loss in this case was Michalek. At just 24 years old, Michalek had shown remarkable consistency, scoring 26, 24, and 23 goals in the past three seasons. Can Heatley completely offset the combined contributions of those two? That remains to be seen.
What also remains to be seen is if the Sharks can succeed beyond the regular season largely relying on the same top players. Thornton still anchors the first line; Patrick Marleau lost his spot on line one but will still see plenty of time on line two; and Evgeni Nabokov will still get showered with chants of “Nabby, Nabby” when he makes a great save.
Despite this nucleus that remains unbroken, the Sharks do appear to be a very different team. Marleau has lost his Captain’s tag (rightly so), and there have been significant changes to the roster. The Sharks will give some of their minor leaguers a shot this year, including wingers Jamie McGinn and Brad Staubitz, who showed potential in short spells with the Sharks last season. McGinn had 19 goals and 11 assists for the Worcester Sharks last year, and although Staubitz was goalless last year with Worcester, he adds another enforcer type to a Sharks lineup that looked vulnerable at points in the playoffs.
Wilson and the sharks also made it clear who was in favor with the team. San Jose resigned Ryan Clowe and Torrey Mitchell to four and three year contracts, respectfully. The versatile Clowe will most likely retain his spot on the second line, and it’s possible that Mitchell could be moved up to line two as well. The only certainties for the Sharks appear to be the first line, and reigning all-star Marleau getting the center spot on the second line. Otherwise, get in line boys. There’s something to compete for.
Expectations will be high this year. They should be. San Jose will once again be a force to be reckoned with in the regular season. But with Joe Thornton at the helm, and Patrick Marleau (who many thought would be gone this offseason) skating on that proverbial thin ice, can this team finally break through and get to the cup finals? No Sharks team has ever done that before, and if this one can’t, it might be a while until one does.
Columbus Blue Jackets 2009-2010 Season Preview
By: Raymond Rotella
The Columbus Blue Jackets spent their off-season in a new position for the franchise, improving a team that made the play-offs and a franchise record ninety-two points. Fortunately for the Blue Jackets they were a young team last year and return many starters including rookie of the year goalie Steve Mason. However, the Jackets have to improve upon a poor post-season showing against Western Conference champions Detroit Red Wings. A series that saw the Red Wings outscore Columbus eighteen to seven. The only game that Columbus was even in was game four where they lost in Columbus six to five. However, that game saw Columbus play a lot looser than they did in the other three games, this is something that head coach Ken Hitchcock can build on. With that being said teams don’t get better by living in the past they have to look forward and the Columbus Blue Jackets should be looking at an exciting 2009-2010 season.
ADDITIONS
Perhaps the biggest acquisition for the young franchise is Samuel Pahlsson. Pahlsson brings a veteran presence that has been missed since the trade of Sergi Federov. Pahlsson is a defensive minded center (defense a huge need for this team) brings thirteen years of experience, a career that includes a Stanley Cup championship while with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Last season with the Chicago Blackhawks saw Pahlsson register seven goals eleven assists in sixty-five games.
Mathieu Garon comes over from Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins to back up goal tender Steve Mason. Garon brings experience to the table. Like Pahlsson, Garon is a thirteen year vet drafted in the second round in 1996. Last season for the Stanley Cup champs Garon played in nineteen games where he went eight and nine with a 3.11 goals against and a .894 save percentage.
Mathieu Roy heads to Columbus after spending the first six years with the Edmonton Oilers. Roy, a defenseman, spent the last two season on the Oilers AHL team Springfield Falcons. There he played 59 games and had seventeen points BUT had a -20 +/-.
And rounding out the 2009 Columbus additions is another former Blackhawks Pascal Pelletier. Last year Pelletier played for AHL Rockford Icehogs. There he posted twenty nine goals and twenty six assists with thirteen of those goals coming off the power play.
Departures
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen will be the most missed player for the Blue Jackets who part ways with the defenseman mostly because he cannot stay healthy. The 25-year-old defenseman missed most of last year with a chronic knee injury. Tollefsen recorded only one point in his nineteen games with the Jackets.
Aaron Rome leaves the confines of Nationwide Arena and heads to the Vancouver Canucks. The defenseman who spent most of last season with the Syracuse Crunch did play in eight games for the Jackets where he tallied one assist. In twenty six regular season games Rome has one goal and two assists.
The only other departure is backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz who came over to Columbus half way through last season from the New York Islanders. Dubielewicz heads to Minnesota. In Columbus Dubielewicz posted a one and two mark in his three games with the club.
Pros
Youth- The Columbus Blue Jackets have a young team. They are eager to prove themselves.
Continuity- The Jackets are returning ALL of their key players Rick Nash, Steve Mason, Derick Brassard, Jakub Voracek etc. These players were all key contributors to the first play-off apperence in franchise history.
Cons
Defense- The Blue Jackets defense was exposed last year in the playoffs against Detroit, they needed to improve and they got a defenseman and a defenseive minded center, but will this be enough? I’m not sure. Steve Mason had a GREAT rookie year, in order to avoid the sophomore slump he will need the defense to step up in front of him.
Division- I will go on record and state that the Central Division is the toughest division in hockey. It has the defending Western Conference champion and runner up, it produced the more play off teams then any other division four (Detroit, Chicago, St Louis, and Columbus) and the Nashville Predators just missed out. All the teams (minus Detroit but they haven’t been bad in over twenty years) are young, strong teams building on last years success.
Predictions
This is tough, as an Ohioan we are brought up to expect the worst and hope for the best, especially when it comes to our pro sports teams. But the Blue Jackets give us something to get excited for, and they don’t have the lineage of disappointment that the Cleveland teams do or the Bengals do. So despite the tough division, I think that Columbus will make the playoffs again this year. I just think that Slick Rick and company are hungry to prove they are no fluke and to improve on their poor play-off showing. Mason will have a slight fall off this year but the offense will compensate. I predict a sixth seed for the Jackets.
The Columbus Blue Jackets spent their off-season in a new position for the franchise, improving a team that made the play-offs and a franchise record ninety-two points. Fortunately for the Blue Jackets they were a young team last year and return many starters including rookie of the year goalie Steve Mason. However, the Jackets have to improve upon a poor post-season showing against Western Conference champions Detroit Red Wings. A series that saw the Red Wings outscore Columbus eighteen to seven. The only game that Columbus was even in was game four where they lost in Columbus six to five. However, that game saw Columbus play a lot looser than they did in the other three games, this is something that head coach Ken Hitchcock can build on. With that being said teams don’t get better by living in the past they have to look forward and the Columbus Blue Jackets should be looking at an exciting 2009-2010 season.
ADDITIONS
Perhaps the biggest acquisition for the young franchise is Samuel Pahlsson. Pahlsson brings a veteran presence that has been missed since the trade of Sergi Federov. Pahlsson is a defensive minded center (defense a huge need for this team) brings thirteen years of experience, a career that includes a Stanley Cup championship while with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Last season with the Chicago Blackhawks saw Pahlsson register seven goals eleven assists in sixty-five games.
Mathieu Garon comes over from Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins to back up goal tender Steve Mason. Garon brings experience to the table. Like Pahlsson, Garon is a thirteen year vet drafted in the second round in 1996. Last season for the Stanley Cup champs Garon played in nineteen games where he went eight and nine with a 3.11 goals against and a .894 save percentage.
Mathieu Roy heads to Columbus after spending the first six years with the Edmonton Oilers. Roy, a defenseman, spent the last two season on the Oilers AHL team Springfield Falcons. There he played 59 games and had seventeen points BUT had a -20 +/-.
And rounding out the 2009 Columbus additions is another former Blackhawks Pascal Pelletier. Last year Pelletier played for AHL Rockford Icehogs. There he posted twenty nine goals and twenty six assists with thirteen of those goals coming off the power play.
Departures
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen will be the most missed player for the Blue Jackets who part ways with the defenseman mostly because he cannot stay healthy. The 25-year-old defenseman missed most of last year with a chronic knee injury. Tollefsen recorded only one point in his nineteen games with the Jackets.
Aaron Rome leaves the confines of Nationwide Arena and heads to the Vancouver Canucks. The defenseman who spent most of last season with the Syracuse Crunch did play in eight games for the Jackets where he tallied one assist. In twenty six regular season games Rome has one goal and two assists.
The only other departure is backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz who came over to Columbus half way through last season from the New York Islanders. Dubielewicz heads to Minnesota. In Columbus Dubielewicz posted a one and two mark in his three games with the club.
Pros
Youth- The Columbus Blue Jackets have a young team. They are eager to prove themselves.
Continuity- The Jackets are returning ALL of their key players Rick Nash, Steve Mason, Derick Brassard, Jakub Voracek etc. These players were all key contributors to the first play-off apperence in franchise history.
Cons
Defense- The Blue Jackets defense was exposed last year in the playoffs against Detroit, they needed to improve and they got a defenseman and a defenseive minded center, but will this be enough? I’m not sure. Steve Mason had a GREAT rookie year, in order to avoid the sophomore slump he will need the defense to step up in front of him.
Division- I will go on record and state that the Central Division is the toughest division in hockey. It has the defending Western Conference champion and runner up, it produced the more play off teams then any other division four (Detroit, Chicago, St Louis, and Columbus) and the Nashville Predators just missed out. All the teams (minus Detroit but they haven’t been bad in over twenty years) are young, strong teams building on last years success.
Predictions
This is tough, as an Ohioan we are brought up to expect the worst and hope for the best, especially when it comes to our pro sports teams. But the Blue Jackets give us something to get excited for, and they don’t have the lineage of disappointment that the Cleveland teams do or the Bengals do. So despite the tough division, I think that Columbus will make the playoffs again this year. I just think that Slick Rick and company are hungry to prove they are no fluke and to improve on their poor play-off showing. Mason will have a slight fall off this year but the offense will compensate. I predict a sixth seed for the Jackets.
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