Just Make the Playoffs

As we get further and further into the season, the playoffs get closer and closer! There isn't a more exciting time of year. Now, I know we're only about 33 games into the season and most of the focus falls on the last few, but this is when playoff positions are often really lost. The fight for the final spots wouldn't exist if teams buckled down earlier - the sooner, the better. Obviously I am way ahead of myself with this post, but as all hockey fans know, there is one simple recipe to winning the hardest trophy in all of sports: make the playoffs. It doesn't matter where you finish in the standings as long as you're in the top eight. After that, anything can happen.

Let me show you. Since the lockout, here are the last two contenders for the Stanley Cup each year along with their playoff seeds (East listed first):

2005-2006 (8/7)

2. Carolina vs. 8. Edmonton

2006-2007 (10/5)

4. Ottawa vs. 2. Anaheim

2007-2008 (9/6)

2. Pittsburgh vs. 1. Detroit

2008-2009 (8/7)

4. Pittsburgh vs. 2. Detroit

2009-2010 (8/7)

7. Philadelphia vs. 2. Chicago

2010-2011 (10/5)

3. Boston vs. 1. Vancouver

Having home-ice advantage generally provides teams with a better opportunity to win. The support of fans and familiarity with the rink supply a comfortable environment during a tense, emotional battle. Next to the playoff years above, I've listed home-ice series wins versus away (H/A). While it appears being at home brings a slight advantage, it's not a guarantee. 

Since the lockout, the eventual Stanley Cup Champion has finished the regular season in at the least the fourth position. But again, with 30 out of 75 playoff series won on the road, anything is possible. 

The main point of this article is draw attention to the teams making an effort to make the playoffs now. Let's take a look at some of those organizations:

St. Louis Blues: 14-3-4 in last 21 games

Detroit Red Wings: 16-5-0 in last 21 games

Vancouver Canucks: 14-4-1 in last 19 games

Boston Bruins: 19-2-1 in last 22 games

And those teams that may lose their spot early:

New York Islanders: 7-13-6 in last 26 games

Carolina Hurricanes: 5-14-3 in last 22 games

Tampa Bay Lightning: 9-12-0 in last 21 games

Anaheim Ducks: 4-14-4 in last 22 games

These teams weren't necessarily expected to make the playoffs, but they're taking themselves out of the hunt early in the season. A resurgence is going to be much more difficult at this point.

Do work now!

A New Flame

Since competing for the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Calgary Flames have struggled to return to legitimate contenders. While the club has continued to produce winning season after winning season, they haven't truly battled. In the six previous seasons, the Flames have failed to get past the first round. And in the two most recent seasons, they have missed the playoffs altogether. What happened to this team?

A better question would be, "Why didn't something happen to this team?" Although only two players have played every season for the Flames since the lockout, Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, there were still a number of individuals who spent many years in the uniform. Cory Sarich, Rene Bourque, Daymond Langkow, Curtis Glencross, Mark Giordano, Craig Conroy, Alex Tanguay, Olli Jokinen and David Moss have all played at least four seasons with the club. For some reason, Tanguay and Jokinen left, but then returned.

In all fairness to Calgary, most of these athletes were the club's top performers. Still, we all know that if results aren't achieved, especially in markets like Calgary, change is imminent. The club has tried a few shakeups to deflect the blame of stagnance. They've shipped off Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regher, Kristian Huselius, Matthew Lombardi, Michael Cammalleri, Todd Bertuzzi and others for Jay Bouwmeester, Chris Butler, Paul Byron and Brendan Morrison. Obviously I'm leaving a few individuals out, but these hardly seem like upgrades to a roster that was all ready struggling.

The team has tried some coaching changes throughout the past few seasons as well (Darryl Sutter, Jim Playfair, Mike Keenan and Brent Sutter), but to no avail. When the time right for a team to start from scratch and rebuild? The Flames possess a bit of homegrown talent. Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund and Roman Horak are the most notable, but beyond that there isn't much.

I believe the best way for the franchise to turn itself around would be to part ways with superstar forward Jarome Iginla. If he agrees to waive his no-trade clause, he would command an incredible return for a team that desires young talent going forward. Here is what Iginla brings to the table. This type of production is going to be valued in any market - most specifically those that can afford his $7 million cap hit for two more seasons. 

So my question to you readers:

Where should Iginla be sent and what would you expect in return?

Allocating Resources in the NHL

The construction and maintenance of an NHL roster has always been a fascination of mine. Why do teams keep the players they do? How do they determine a player's worth? I'm sure there are an infinite number of factors that go into the answering these questions, but let's for a second glance at exactly how each team has allocated their resources. 

To be completely honest, this chart really doesn't answer anything. However, it does provide some interesting insight to which teams have failed, or succeeded, at distributing their investments. Mulling over the results though, a reliable coach appears to be a necessity. 

I have ordered the teams according to current standings. In parenthesis, next to the team's abbreviations, I have listed their rank in accordance with overall money spent. Each column represents the number of players making over that specific million-dollar amount. Here's what I found (all figures are from CapGeek.com):

First, I'm going to break down this chart into four categories: Great Successes, Good Spenders, Get What You Pay For, Failures. I'm defining each category by comparing the top 16 spenders with the current playoff teams. Great Successes are teams who spend the least, but currently hold a playoff position. Good Spenders are the top 16 payrolls in the same boat. Get What You Pay For are the most frugal and least successful teams. And Failures are those that spend a ton with bad results.

Great Successes:

Chicago Blackhawks

Minnesota Wild

Detroit Red Wings

Nashville Predators

Dallas Stars

Florida Panthers

Good Spenders:

Philadelphia Flyers

Boston Bruins

New York Rangers

Pittsburgh Penguins

New Jersey Devils

Buffalo Sabres

Toronto Maple Leafs

San Jose Sharks

Vancouver Canucks

Get What You Pay For:

Winnipeg Jets

Ottawa Senators

New York Islanders

Carolina Hurricanes

Colorado Avalanche

Phoenix Coyotes

Edmonton Oilers

Failures:

Anaheim Ducks

Washington Capitals

Los Angeles Kings

Columbus Blue Jackets

Calgary Flames

Montreal Canadiens

Tampa Bay Lightning

It's clear that the Eastern Conference is much better at allocating their resources than the Western Conference. It possesses seven of the top eight payrolls in the league and of those seven teams, five are currently in a playoff position. However, only two of the top seven payrolls in the Western Conference can say the same.

The Washington Capitals are the only team to invest almost one-fifth of their payroll in a single player. It doesn't look as though this has been advantageous for them. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues are the only team in the league without a player making more than $5 million. They seem to be doing just fine with that setup, although the addition of Ken Hitchcock does make a big difference.

Of the 11 teams that employ at least ten individuals who make less than $1 million, seven are currently playoff bound. 

In the East, there are 11 players who make more than $7 million a year. In the West, there are six. Half of those players in each conference are on a team in the top 16.

The Nashville Predators have the least amount of money invested in their team and they're currently sitting in 7th place in the Western Conference. The Washington Capitals invested the most and now hold the 11th position in the Eastern Conference. The Predators play in the Central Division. Currently, that division has four playoff teams. In the Southeast Division, where the Capitals are located, only one team claims a spot.

Of the top eight salaries in the league, seven are currently in a playoff position. The lone spender out: Montreal. To be fair, if we extend the top salaries to ten teams, Los Angeles and Calgary join the Canadiens.

If they're willing, there are a ton of teams in the Western Conference that could spend a little extra money to gain an edge. This likely won't be the case as teams are content with their current, successful rosters. However, if there should be a slip in momentum, especially as the trade deadline approaches, expect some additions to be made.

This will be a chart I adjust as the season continues, so look for updates!

Rookie Race

Year in and year out, the ability of rookies to barge into the NHL and make a serious impact never ceases to amaze me. This current season is no exception. In both conferences there are number of individuals, on offense and defense, that are setting the foundation for a lengthy, successful career. The battle for this season's Calder Memorial Trophy will be exciting to watch. 

Here's a shot of what the rookie race looks like right now:

Currently, the first overall draft pick in 2011, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, leads the charge in point production - a significant consideration among forwards for the Calder Memorial Trophy. Because of his size, it was uncertain whether or not RNH would even stay in the big leagues. The decision to keep him with the Oilers has obviously turned out to be a good great one. He goes to the dirty areas on the ice, making the size argument completely moot. His vision and playmaking skills make him the most dangerous rookie thus far. Almost half of his points are on the power play, which is significant because last season the Oilers' power play finished 27th. It's currently ranked 6th. A difference maker? Yeah, I'd say so!

How about Adam Henrique? This guy came out of nowhere. After going scoreless in his first four games, Henrique has recorded at least one point in 18 of his last 25 games. He's been on a torrid pace and was recently promoted to Zach Parise's line. Playing with one of the games most talented forwards will provide him with every opportunity to succeed. If the Oilers continue their recent struggles, expect Henrique to surpass RNH very soon. 

I'm not sure why Craig Smith's name is highlighted, but he has definitely made a significant impact on Nashville's roster. His shoulders should be fairly sore from carrying such a large burden for a team that struggles to score. Aside from his empty net mishap, Smith has been a reliable forward on both ends of the ice. Get ready to see Smith in the NHL for a long while.

Other rookie notes:

Luke Adam has been one of the most consistent forwards in Buffalo. The team has struggled under the pressures of an optimistic off-season, but at least they have a productive center going forward.

Matt Read has benefited from his surroundings in Philadelphia, but is still bringing his best every night. A small injury kept him out of a few games, however he returned at an insane pace. He's slowed down since, but is still capable of earning a Calder nomination.

Nick Johnson was claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh by Minnesota in September. He has 13 points and only one of those was on the power play. Not bad.

Adam Larsson has been tossed into the fire, playing against some of the league's most dangerous offensive forwards. With this, his negative-nine doesn't look as bad. His offensive talent and shut-down abilities are going to make him a serious game-changer in a few years. 

Hart Front-runner Jonathan Toews

Jonathan Toews is setting a perfect example for young hockey players everywhere. He's the captain of his team, plays in all situations, possesses an incredible work ethic and, in the absence of Sidney Crosby, rivals any other forward as the best in the league. I forgot to mention, he's only 23.

The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded to the individual judged to be most valuable to his team. Key phrase: to his team. There are a number of obvious players deserving of the honor this season which include, but are not limited to, Phil Kessel, Claude Giroux, Tim Thomas and Brian Elliott. In my opinion, there are also a number of potential nominees who aren't as publicized like Anze Kopitar, Jimmy Howard, Tyler Seguin and Mikko Koivu. This piece isn't meant to sell any of these individuals short. I just believe they're not as deserving as Toews.

The trophy's recipient is extremely difficult to select. There is no restriction on who can receive it. It can be a left wing, right wing, center, goalie or defenseman. This means that an infinite number of factors must be considered. And not all factors apply to each position. Goals and other offensive production are good indicators, but if that's the only consideration, goalies and defensemen would never win. Plus-minus is another meaningful statistic, but it's too often ambiguous because every team has a different structure. Shoot, the same can be said for every line and defensive pairing within a roster. These obscurities make the choice near impossible.

Generally however, the winner's team was successful during the regular season, likely because the recipient made a significant difference. Jonathan Toews has made a serious impact every year, but especially this season. Other than his rookie year, the Chicago Blackhawks have made the playoffs every season with him in the lineup. He's always been as close to a point-a-game player as one can get. In this current season, Toews is on pace to finally break that mark. 

I understand the Blackhawks are a very good team even without him, but let's take a closer looks at exactly what he's brought to the lineup this year. He currently leads the team in total points, takeaways, shooting percentage and shorthanded points He's third on his team in plus-minus. He leads forwards in average ice time. He's third in average power play ice time, by only ten seconds. He's second on the team among forwards for average shorthanded time on ice, by one second. He has the best face-off percentage in the league, 62%, among forwards who regularly take them (>225). This exponentially increases puck-possession and gets the team out of potentially dangerous situations. 

Without Jonathan Toews, the Chicago Blackhawks would be a very different, less successful team. For all of the reasons mentioned above, plus more, Toews is well on his way to being the most important player in the league.

Agreed?

Florida Panthers: Fluke or Resurgence?

Currently, the Florida Panthers have a stranglehold on the Southeast Division. They are 16-9-6 despite only scoring four more goals than they've allowed all season. The Panthers lead the next closest division rival, Winnipeg, by a comfortable six points. This means they also hold onto the third overall spot in the Eastern Conference. Last year, Florida finished at the bottom of both their division and conference. 

So what happened? Dale Tallon's cash-money happened. The general manager brought in an influx of talent up front and a new face in net. These changes have seemingly turned the franchise around. Or have they? It's too early to tell, but I'd like to take you all through a journey of the Florida Panther's current environment and possible future.

Current cap situation courtesy of CapGeek.com:

Current statistical situation courtesy of TSN.ca:

Let's start by analyzing the overall situation. Florida, although a smaller market team and likely won't be needing it, has over $10 million in cap space. To have this successful of a team with that much breathing room is quite a luxury. Tallon has proven his ability to toss money around. Whether or not he's reached his threshold has yet to be seen. 

This summer, the Panthers signed a number of unrestricted free agents, and some to lengthy contracts (take a breath). Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall, Sean Bergenheim, Ed Jovanovski and Tomas Kopecky were all inked to four-year deals. Marcel Goc was acquired for the next three seasons. Matt Bradley and Jose Theodore for two. 

The team also made significant trades that brought in Marco Sturm, Kris Versteeg and Mikael Samuelsson for the final season remaining on their respective contracts. But the most notable trade was the exchange of Rotislav Olesz for Brian Campbell, who still carries a hefty cap hit for the next five seasons.

For the most part, these additions have shined in Sunrise, Florida. The top line is currently one of the most potent in the league. Stephen Weiss has always been a game-changer, but hasn't had strong chemistry with previous linemates. He sure has it now with Fleischmann and Versteeg. These three have a combined 94 points with a plus-52 rating. Tomas Kopecky isn't having a breakout season by any means, but provides a big body in front of the net. His negative-11 is a big turn-off however. Matt Bradley and Marcel Goc don't put up a ton of offense, but it wasn't expected. They spend time grinding along the boards in close games, which apparently Florida does often with that tiny goal differential. They're absolutely useful. Sean Bergenheim, Marco Sturm, Mikael Samuelsson and Scottie Upshall aren't doing themselves any favors with their play. If this continues, they'll be out of a job as soon as their contracts end, maybe sooner. Luckily for the team, that top line has compensated for any other offensive shortcomings. 

Brian Campbell is turning out to be worth every penny. He plays over 26 minutes a game and leads his defensive unit in points. Speaking of the defensive unit, how about the development of Jason Garrison, Dmitry Kulikov and Mike Weaver? Garrison and Kulikov are helping lead the offensive push, while Weaver kills all the penalties. Unfortunately, Jovanovski hasn't worked out as planned, but he's getting older. That contract may have been a bit, but he still provides veteran leadership and hard-nosed defense.

Jose Theodore has been spectacular. I admittedly thought his signing was a huge mistake at first. He's proven me, and probably many others, dead wrong. His 11 wins thus far have shut me right up. The back-ups have also been stellar. Jacob Markstrom is a starting goalie in the making and Scott Clemmensen has been as reliable as a back-up can be. 

While this may be a fluky year for the franchise, I think differently. They have a great combination of veteran leadership and young talent throughout their roster. They're also developing some pretty good players that have yet to see ice time in the big league.

After the Panthers drop a few pieces of dead weight, I believe they'll have a competitive team for many years to come.

What do you think?

Dean Lombardi, Why?

The National Hockey League's "Season of Fear" for head coaches continues with the dismissal of Terry Murray, who was forced out of his position after failing to meet the high expectations set for his team over the summer. However, over the three previous seasons, he led the Los Angeles Kings to a 126-94-26 record with two playoff appearances. While that's a terrific accomplishment, two first-round exits from said playoffs are not. This makes his predicament very similar to Bruce Boudreau's. He had a talented team with high expectations that struggled early. And as we've all learned this season, coaches are easily expendable. But why?

Murray was a terrific coach in the NHL for 15 seasons with four different organizations (Washington, Philadelphia, Florida and Los Angeles). Of those 15 seasons, only four finished with a losing record. I use "finished" lightly, as he was fired in two of those before the end of the season. The other two losing seasons were in his first year with the Panthers and first year with the Kings. 

Let's all be honest. It wasn't Murray's fault.

The blame falls on the players then, right? That's how general manager Dean Lombardi felt. In a meeting following the team's most recent loss, he laid into the players, pinning the guilt and blame of Murray's joblessness on them. To a certain extent, he's correct. The players are the ones most directly involved in the game. They prevent goals. They score goals. They are on the ice competing, or in the Kings' situation, not so much. In that light, Lombardi is right.

How about a different light? Let's shed some on Lombardi's past. In his seven seasons as the general manager for the San Jose Sharks (from 1996-2003), he had three winning season. The Sharks still made the playoffs in five of those seasons, but never made it past the second round. After being relieved of his duties in San Jose, he was appointed president and general manager of the Kings in 2006. In the five years that he's held this position, the Kings have had only two winning seasons. Those two winning seasons resulted in first-round playoff exits. Hmmm...interesting.

Dean, you're blaming your players? You're in charge! Take responsibility for your own actions. You hire these individuals. You make the decisions. You should absorb the consequences. Apparently, you're not that talented at building a successful franchise. In fact, you even have trouble signing your best young stars. I think the players were responding less to the coach and more to management.

In any case, John Stevens has been named the interim head coach. But how long will he hold this position? History tells us it won't be long. Still, Stevens has a short track record of being a successful NHL coach and for his sake, I hope it continues. If it doesn't, an immediate replacement will be right behind him.

My guess: Randy Carlyle. He's never finished an NHL season with a losing record. He's also won a Stanley Cup. I think that's the definition of winning.

How long do you think John Stevens lasts? If he fails, who replaces him?

Most Significant '90s Draft

Over the past few years, I've heard a number of arguments over which '90s NHL entry draft was the most significant. It's an interesting debate because there isn't a definitive answer. Some drafts have resulted in more Stanley Cups. Others, more goals. But statistics never tell the whole story. What about leadership? What about loyalty? These are impossible to measure but, to a certain extent, equally important. 

Below, I pick 15 of the most important players from each draft. They are in no particular order of standing. They're just significant individuals. If you disagree with my picks, I'd love to hear about it in either the comment section or on Twitter (@HolyJumpin40).  

1990:

1. Jaromir Jagr

2. Peter Bondra

3. Derian Hatcher

4. Martin Brodeur

5. Doug Weight

6. Geoff Sanderson

7. Owen Nolan

8. Mike Ricci

9. Sergei Zubov

10. Robert Lang

11. Petr Nedved

12. Keith Tkachuk

13. Vyacheslav Kozlov

14. Keith Primeau

15. Darryl Sydor

Honorable Mentions: Brad May, Alexei Zhamnov, Craig Conroy, Bryan Smolinksi, Felix Potvin, Roman Turek and Mikael Renberg.

1991:

1. Scott Niedermayer

2. Eric Lindros

3. Peter Forsberg

4. Brian Rolston

5. Alexei Kovalev

6. Markus Naslund

7. Ray Whitney

8. Zigmund Palffy

9. Jozef Stumpel

10. Michael Nylander

11. Mike Knuble

12. Alexei Zhitnik

13. Martin Lapointe

14. Chris Osgood

15. Aaron Ward

Honorable Mentions: Sean O'Donnell, Sandy McCarthy, Steve Staios, Brian Savage, Martin Rucinsky, Sandis Ozolinsh, Yanic Perreault, Scott Lachance and Richard Matvichuk.

1992:

1. Cory Stillman

2. Alexei Yashin

3. Roman Hamrlik

4. Sergei Gonchar

5. Martin Straka

6. Jason Smith

7. Mike Peca

8. Kirk Maltby

9. Craig Rivet

10. Jere Lehtinen

11. Matthew Barnaby

12. Adrian Aucoin

13. Ian Laperriere

14. Darius Kasparaitis

15. Nikolai Khabibulin

Honorable Mentions: Mattias Nortstrom, Darren McCarty, Jim Carey, Manny Fernandez, Sergei Brylin, Igor Korolev, Stephane Yelle and Anson Carter.

1993:

1. Chris Pronger

2. Saku Koivu

3. Hal Gill

4. Paul Kariya

5. Rob Niedermayer

6. Jason Arnott

7. Viktor Kozlov

8. Todd Bertuzzi

9. Jamie Langebrunner

10. Bryan McCabe

11. Vaclav Prospal

12. Pavol Demitra

13. Darcy Tucker

14. Andrew Brunette

15. Kimmo Timonen

Honorable Mentions: Chris Gratton, Jocelyn Thibault, Kevin Weekes, Mike Grier, Todd Marchant, Miroslav Satan, Brendan Morrison, Jay Pandolfo, Jamal Mayers and Scott Walker.

1994:

1. Ed Jovanovski

2. Jeff O'Neill

3. Ryan Smyth

4. Tomas Vokoun

5. Richard Zednik

6. Patrik Elias

7. Chris Drury

8. Sheldon Souray

9. Steve Sullivan

10. Jose Theodore

11. Milan Hejduk

12. Daniel Alfredsson

13. Marty Turco

14. Tim Thomas

15. Evgeni Nabokov

Honorable Mentions: Fredrik Modin, Radek Bonk, Ethan Moreau, Mathieu Dandenault, Mattias Ohlund, Wayne Primeau, Richard Park, Chris Clark, Brad Lukowich, Bryce Salvador and Tomas Holmstrom.

1995:

1. Shane Doan

2. Wade Redden

3. Jarome Iginla

4. Daymond Langkow

5. Radek Dvorak

6. Petr Sykora

7. Marc Savard

8. Michal Handzus

9. Miikka Kiprusoff

10. Jay McKee

11. Sami Kapanen

12. Stephane Robidas

13. P.J. Axelsson

14. Filip Kuba

15. Jochen Hecht

Honorable Mentions: Jean-Sebastion Giguere, Georges Laraque, Kye McLaren, Brent Sopel, Martin Biron, Peter Schaefer, Brad Isbister and Vesa Toskala.

1996:

1. Daniel Briere

2. Dainius Zubrus

3. Marco Sturm

4. Cory Sarich

5. Matt Cullen

6. Zdeno Chara

7. Tom Poti

8. Toni Lydman

9. Pavel Kubina

10. Tomas Kaberle

11. Samuel Pahlsson

12. Derek Morris

13. Ruslan Salei

14. Chris Phillips

15. J.P. Dumont

Honorable Mentions: Colin White, Michal Rozsival, Marty Reasoner, Arron Asham, Eric Belanger, Brett Clark, Matt Bradley, Sami Salo and Craig Adams.

1997:

1. Joe Thornton

2. Patrick Marleau

3. Marian Hossa

4. Roberto Luongo

5. Olli Jokinen

6. Sergei Samsonov

7. Brian Campbell

8. Scott Hannan

9. Eric Brewer

10. Brenden Morrow

11. Matt Cooke

12. Paul Mara

13. Daniel Cleary

14. Maxim Afinogevov

15. Jason Chimera

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Ference, Henrik Tallinder, Kristian Huselius, Nick Boynton, Joe Corvo, Adam Mair, Todd Fedoruk, Mike York and Shawn Thornton.

1998:

1. Vincent Lecavalier

2. David Legwand

3. Alex Tanguay

4. Robyn Regehr

5. Scott Gomez

6. Brad Richards

7. Mike Ribiero

8. Erik Cole

9. Brian Gionta

10. Andrei Markov

11. Mikael Samuelsson

12. Shawn Horcoff

13. Simon Gagne

14. Mike Fisher

15. Pavel Datsyuk

Honorable Mentions: Manny Malhorta, Karlis Skrastins, Jaroslav Spacek, Brad Stuart, Michael Ryder, Michael Rupp, Martin Skoula, Jarkko Ruutu, Francois Beauchemin, Chris Neil and Ales Kotalik.

1999:

1. Henrik Sedin

2. Daniel Sedin

3. Taylor Pyatt

4. Tim Connolly

5. Martin Havlat

6. Niklas Hagman

7. Mike Comrie

8. Niclas Havelid

9. Martin Erat

10. Henrik Zetterberg

11. Radim Vrbata

12. Ryan Miller

13. Craig Anderson

14. Barret Jackman

15. Jordan Leopold

Honorable Mentions: Adam Hall, Chris Kelly, Ryan Malone, Douglas Murray, Nick Boynton, Mike Commodore, Frantisek Kaberle and Tom Kostopoulos. 

Which '90s draft do you think had the most significant impact? What about least significant?

My picks:

Most significant - 1997

Least significant - 1992

No Richards. No Carter. No Problem.

After Flyers' general manager Paul Holmgren completely changed the makeup of his club this summer, many questioned whether or not the team would maintain its level of success. Those critics have since been silenced, at least for now.

I've mentioned this bold move and its results in previous posts, but haven't really delved into an analysis. Now that the Flyers currently sit atop the Eastern Conference, there couldn't be a better time. Let's take a look at the roster changes that made a significant impact (courtesy of Yahoo! Sports):

Out:

In: 

Obviously this isn't a fair comparison because a full season worth of statistics is up against just over a quarter, but extrapolation exists so no worries. If the new additions stay at the same pace, we are looking at the following point projections: Jagr -77, Read - 59, Voracek - 52, Simmonds - 37, Talbot - 37 and Couturier - 22.

Point total sacrificed last season: 272

Projected point total for additions this season: 284

Although only a projection, these figures still provide a good sense of the positive changes taking place in Philadelphia. Keep in mind that the progress of Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk haven't been taken into consideration. Last season, these young men combined for 116 points. This year, Giroux is on pace for 113 by himself. This may be a far-fetched projection, but then again, maybe not. In addition to Giroux's success, van Riemsdyk is on pace for 52 points. 

Upgraded offense? I'd say so!

Goaltending hasn't been taken into consideration either. Did they improve? The jury is still out.

Sergei Bobrovsky and Brian Boucher combined for 46 wins last season. Bobrovsky had 28 of those with a 2.59 GAA and a .915 SVP. That's pretty good for a rookie, right? Still, the organization has had unreliable goaltending for a few years, so it made a serious investment in Ilya Bryzgalov. Currently, Bryzgalov is on pace for 38 wins. While that's good news, his other statistics are not. He has a 2.83 GAA and a .897 SVP. Bobrovsky, on the other hand, sports a 2.75 GAA and a .906 SVP. Even if Bryzy falters later, they have a great second option.

Altogether, the Flyers have drastically enhanced their roster, now and in the future. Yes, it's early and anything can happen over the course of a season, but I believe the Flyers have shown indications of an improved franchise. Bryzgalov will definitely pick up his play. Giroux may not maintain this pace, but he's still going to be an elite player. The same can be said for van Riemsdyk. 

The future is bright in Philadelphia!

Set an Example with Ovechkin Spear

In a game between the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals on December 7, 2011, this happened: 

This was not an accident. After delivering a perfectly legal check on Alexander Ovechkin, Chris Neil smack talks a bit as they head back down the ice. In the process, Ovechkin swings his arms in a skating motion and slyly jams his stick into Neil's midsection. Neil crumbles to the ground in pain. No penalty.

Don't get me wrong - I have absolutely no sympathy for Chris Neil. Let me show you why: Reason #1, Reason #2, Reason #3 ,Reason #4. And there are many, many more instances of his classlessness, but it's beside the point. It shouldn't doesn't matter who commits the violation and who's on the receiving end. What's important is that proper consequences are dealt for a violation - especially spearing. Spearing is an incredibly dangerous action and usually leads to a serious injury. "Fortunately," Neil was not hurt severely on the play. 

I absolutely guarantee if this incident happened the other way around, Neil would've received a major penalty and a game misconduct followed by a lengthy suspension. Why is not the same for Ovechkin? Yes, he's worth more money and fans like to see him play, but that can't be an argument for a legitimate, professional league. Just like Neil, Ovechkin is a repeat offender.

I understand that through the course of a hockey game emotions, usually anger, run high. I also understand that some players have bad blood with others. That's why fighting is allowed. It's what makes hockey so unique and wonderful. If you have a problem with someone, drop your gloves and settle it. Don't jam your stick into his stomach. That's pathetic. 

Brendan Shanahan, or Sheriff Shanaban, please set an example. Prove that superstars are held to the same standards as the rest of the league. It's way past due.