Bobby Ryan's Potential Destinations

I woke up this morning with every intention of writing a piece about the Bobby Ryan trade rumors that have been surfacing lately. With Ryan being such a young, talented forward, I figured it was likely other articles such as this would already exist. I was right. Greg Wyshynski, editor and author of Puck Daddy at Yahoo! Sports, wrote The Bobby Ryan trade proposal summary; what would you offer? Excited to write my own piece, I was a tad saddened,yet undeterred.

Here's my piece....ya jerks!

When these rumors first surfaced, I was shocked. Anaheim possesses the most potent first-line in all of hockey - and they're all under 27. Why would they trade away the youngest piece of that? I was then reminded of their record, 6-14-3. It doesn't matter how fantastic your first line is if your team isn't winning. Anaheim desires more depth in their roster and Bobby Ryan will definitely bring that back in a trade. With their playoff hopes quickly fading early in the season, a roster shakeup may be what the Ducks need.

From what I've read, the Ducks are looking for a multi-player package containing at least one defenseman in return for Ryan. If this is the case, it makes sense to analyze the teams that possess such assets. I see only four, practical destinations for Bobby Ryan: Buffalo, Toronto, Nashville or Los Angeles.

Why these teams?

Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo has been steadily growing its defensive corps over the years. Tyler Myers, Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber, Marc-Andre Gragnani, T.J. Brennan and Brayden McNabb have all been developed internally and are definitely capable of playing in the NHL. This summer, Buffalo also went out and spent money on two free-agent defensemen, Robyn Regher and Christian Ehrhoff. The Sabres have little to no cap space, however. If Ryan's $5.1 million contract is to be absorbed by Buffalo, a forward with a legitimately hefty contract would have to be exchanged. Some potential suitors may be Drew Stafford, Derek Roy or Brad Boyes. Ville Leino is another possibility, NOT! That contract is going to hurt down the road if he doesn't pick it up. Buffalo would likely need to include another young forward in the deal like Nathan Gerbe, Tyler Ennis or Luke Adam. Sabre fans are notoriously harsh on their team, but rightfully so without a Stanley Cup to show for over 40 years of dedication. We all know Terry Pegula isn't afraid to make bold moves and that makes Buffalo a potential destination for Ryan.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto's situation is similar to Buffalo's. They has a very strong, young defensive group. It includes Luke Schenn, Carl Gunnarson, Cody Franson and Keith Aulie. And like Buffalo, Toronto is right up against the salary cap. A forward worth a pretty penny would have to go back to Anaheim. Likely candidates are Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin, Clarke MacArthur and Colby Armstrong. A forward prospect would also be included in the deal such as Tyler Bozak, Matt Frattin or Joe Colborne. We all know Brian Burke has an affinity for big North American forwards. He also has history that runs deep with Anaheim, so a deal isn't unlikely.

Nashville Predators

Nashville is a unique contender because they have a lot of cap room. They are similar to Toronto and Buffalo in that they have a strong defensive unit. Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Francis Bouillon, Calvin Kevin Klein and Jonathon Blum are a few names. Weber is in an interesting situation. Is he staying in Nashville? No one knows. Pekka Rinne was just signed to a long-term contract, but Ryan Suter is still on the fence. He could be a valuable addition to Anaheim's lineup. The Predators have a few young forwards such as Colin Wilson, Blake Geoffrion, Nick Spaling and Matt Halischuk that would make good trade-bait. 

Los Angeles Kings

This is the most unlikely team of all four because they're in Anaheim's division. I'm sure the Ducks don't want to face Bobby Ryan on a regular basis. Still, if the trade makes sense for both parties, it's not out of the question. The Kings have some solid young defensemen: Jack Johnson, Slava Voynov, Alec Martinez, Matt Greene and Davis Drewiske. Depth at forward isn't a problem for Los Angeles either with players like Colin Fraser, Andrei Loktionov, Scott Parse, Brad Richardson and Kyle Clifford. The team has two goaltenders that are quite talented as well. With Jonathan Quick solidifying his spot as the starter, Jonathan Bernier may be awaiting his time with a different team. Again, this is unlikely because, well...Jonas Hiller is pretty good himself.

Out of these four teams, who do you think is most likely to acquire Bobby Ryan?

Maurice, Boudreau and...

It's a bad day to be the head coach of a struggling NHL team. Paul Maurice and Bruce Boudreau now find themselves temporarily jobless in the hockey community. 

Both the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals decided to go in a new direction. The 'Canes will now be lead by Kirk Muller; the Caps by Dale Hunter. Both individuals had extremely successful careers as forwards in the NHL. 

Kirk Muller 

Muller was an assistant coach in Montreal, so he has some NHL coaching experience. From what I've read, Canadien fans are upset the club didn't promote Muller within their organization. The sentiment is something along the lines of, "First Guy Boucher, now him!" Muller actually had a brief, half-year stint as the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals before accepting this offer. The Hurricanes are taking a bit of a gamble with Muller, but he's definitely a capable coach who knows hockey. Being thrust onto a struggling team at the bottom of the league will be a challenge however.

Dale Hunter

Dale Hunter walks into a slightly more advantageous environment. Although the Capitals have slumped as of late, the roster is saturated with skill at every position. Hunter's number currently swings proudly from the rafters in Washington.  His work ethic and toughness will do wonders for a lineup that, at times, looks lackadaisical. Like Muller, Hunter has no head coaching experience in the NHL. However, he has been the head coach of the OHL's London Knights for ten seasons. It'll be interesting to see how his personality meshes with the star players on the roster.

Who do you think is next on the chopping block?

Randy Carlyle - The Ducks have been atrocious this season, losing the last five and going 6-13-4 out of the gate. It seems unlikely Carlyle will get the ax though. He has a Stanley Cup ring and five playoff appearances in six seasons. Then again, Bruce Boudreau was the fastest coach to 200 wins and had four division titles in as many years. 

Jacques Martin - Martin has been coaching in he NHL for sixteen seasons. Aside from the first four years, Martin's team, no matter the city, has never had a losing record. But, in his 12 playoff appearances, Martin has never reached the Stanley Cup Finals. In a city like Montreal where excellence is expected, another playoff "failure" could potentially spell trouble for the boss behind the bench.

Scott Arniel - Arniel has only one season as an NHL head coach under his belt and it finished 34-35-13. Twenty-three games into the current season, the Jackets possess the worst record in the league, accumulating only 15 points. After a summer of big spending, expectations in Columbus are high. If Arniel can't right the ship soon, he may be relieved of his duties. 

Ha, I said duties.

Foreshadowing Future Frustrations

On November 25, 2011, John Tavares slashed Zach Parise.

   Tavares was fined $2,500 for the incident, the most allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. And while this may be viewed as a "one-time" infraction caused by a heated moment of frustration, I think differently. Tavares is disheartened with his organization, teammates and, most importantly, career decisions.

   Since his minor and junior days, John Tavares has been a winner. At just nine years of age, he played for the Mississauga Senators of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. He led this AAA team to a GTHL minor atom championship in 2000. He did the same with the Toronto Marlboros AAA bantam team in 2004. Tavares then petitioned to play junior hockey in the OHL in 2005. He had to petition because, at the time, it was forbidden for a team to draft any individual below the age of 15. The league established an "exceptional player" clause which allowed the 14-year old to be drafted. In the OHL, which is governed by the CHL, Tavares won the Emms Family Award, CHL Player of the Year and set a new record for goals with 214. Oh yeah, he also broke Wayne Gretzky's OHL record for most goals by a 16-year old.

   John Tavares has even had international success with Team Canada, playing in the World U17 Hockey Challenge, the IIHF World U18 Championships, the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships and the IIHF World Championships. He was a top forward and an MVP for his country.

   The frustration Tavares is encountering in the NHL: the New York Islanders aren't winning and haven't been for quite a while. For the past four seasons, the Islanders have been last in their division. In five of the last six years, they have failed to make the playoffs. Making matters worse, the club hasn't been past the first round of the playoffs since 1993. The Islanders drafted Tavares in 2009 with the promise of success for a franchise that was struggling, mightily. 

  In his first two seasons in the NHL, Tavares was impressive - accumulating a total of 121 points and only missing three games. He did all of this with little to no help on offense. And although the team hadn't improved dramatically, Tavares signed a contract with the Islanders in September of 2011. The contract will keep him with the club through 2018. 

   I admire Tavares's loyalty very much, but something tells me he won't be in Long Island for this entire contract. He's a competitor and wants to win. And with no indications of improvement or progress, future frustrations are imminent for this talented forward. 

100 Wins

Earlier this season, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Craig Anderson and Jonathan Quick all reached the 100-win mark. With the current level of competition and skill in the NHL, especially for goaltenders, it's a difficult milestone to achieve. Each individual's specific path to this mark however, was very different. I'll break down each scenario and ask you, "Whose 100th win is the most impressive?" 

Pekka Rinne

100th victory: October 29, 2011 vs. Anaheim Ducks

Age: 29

Games played to reach 100th win: 187

Scenario: Pekka Rinne was drafted in the 8th round by the Nashville Predators in 2004. At that time, the current starter for the Predators was Tomas Vokoun. For those of you not familiar with Vokoun, he's pretty good. That being the case, Rinne played for Nashiville's AHL affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals. In those three seasons, Rinne maintained a 2.54 GAA and .911 SVP. Also during that span, he had surprisingly played only three NHL games. After Vokoun went to Florida, the Predators went with Dan Ellis and Chris Mason in net. Fortunately for Rinne, that plan didn't pan out for Nashville. He was promoted to the number one slot in 2007-2008 and hasn't looked back since. 

Craig Anderson

100th victory: October 20, 2001 vs. Winnipeg Jets

Age: 30

Games played to reach 100th win: 237

Scenario: Craig Anderson was drafted in the 3rd round by the Calgary Flames in 1999. Then, in 2001, Anderson re-entered the NHL draft and was selected in the 3rd round - this time by the Chicago Blackhawks. After several years of bouncing back and forth between the AHL and NHL, Chicago placed him on waivers in 2006. This proved to be a tumultuous year for the young goalie. He was claimed off of waivers three, separate times that year - once by the Boston Bruins, another by the St. Louis Blues and then returning to the Chicago Blackhawks. After re-claiming him, the Blackhawks traded him to the Florida Panthers for a 6th round selection. Keep in mind, this was all in the same year. In his first season, he competed with Ed Belfour and Alex Auld. The next two seasons he played behind, you guessed it, Tomas Vokoun. After doing that for three seasons, Anderson was left in unrestricted free agency. The Colorado Avalanche promoted him to their starter in 2009-2010 after signing him to a two-year contract. He played really well, but halfway through his second year, the Avalanche traded him to the Ottawa Senators for Brian Elliott. In Ottawa, Anderson is the currently enjoying the challenge of starting for a team in the process of rebuilding. 

Carey Price

100th victory: October 26, 2001 vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Age: 24

Games played to reach 100th win: 214

Scenario: Carey Price was drafted in the 1st round by the Montreal Canadiens in 2005. Remember, there is an extreme amount of pressure on goalies who play in Montreal. His first two seasons were spent in the AHL and WHL. The 2007-2008 season provided Price with his first opportunity in the NHL. For the next three years, he split time with other goaltenders. That first year, he split time with Cristobal Huet. The next two, with Jaroslav Halak. In those shared seasons, Price played well, accumulating 60 wins and maintaining a 2.72 GAA and .912 SVP. It was the playoffs that caused Price trouble. In 2008-2009, Price played four playoff games and lost all of them. Montreal gave him another shot the following playoff run, but after faltering early, the organization went with Halak. Halak carried the team to the Conference Finals. However, the team still had faith in Price and traded Halak in the off-season to the St. Luois Blues for Ian Schultz and Lars Eller. The following season, Carey Price proved critics wrong by stopping over 92% of the shots thrown his way. He translated this level of play into the playoffs, although his team didn't get past the first round. In his current season, Price is continuing to affirm his organization's decision by standing on his head.

Jonathan Quick

100th victory: October 20th, 2011 vs. Phoenix Coyotes

Age: 25

Games played to reach 100th win: 185

Scenario: Jonathan Quick was drafted in the 3rd round by the Los Angeles Kings in 2005. Quick spent the first two seasons playing for the University of Massachussetts. In 2007-2008, he played the majority of his games in the ECHL and AHL. He also got a small taste of the NHL with three games. The next season, he was thrust into the starting role, but also shared time with Erik Ersberg. Since then, Quick has absolutely solidified himself at the starter, playing 72 and 61 games in the next two years. He did this while critics questioned whether or not Jonathan Bernier, another talented, young goaltender, would steal the position away from him. Currently, Quick continues to dominate in Los Angeles with a .930 SVP.

Which 100th win do you find most impressive?

Jochen Hecht's Value

 

   Jochen Hecht's return was lost in all the hoopla surrounding the Lucic-Miller incident, T.J Brennan's first NHL goal and a thrilling shootout. On the score sheet, it wouldn't appear Hecht made any difference at all. He registered two hits, four shots and won only six of 17 face offs in 18:15 of ice time. But the score sheet never tells the whole story. Hecht brings a strong, reliable game to an offense that has been anything but, sans the first line. 

   Even in his eight-year tenure with the Sabres, Jochen Hecht hasn't dropped any jaws with his numbers. His highest point total in a season was 56. For goals and assists, 22 and 37 respectively. He isn't the healthiest player either with only one 82-game season and that was in Edmonton. 

   What Hecht brings to the table isn't quantitative. He delivers experience, leadership and hard work. His captaincy in the 2007-2008 season is attestation to all of these qualities. In the last few years, he's also frequently been an assistant captain in the lineup. If you've ever seen a Sabres' game, whether in person or on the couch, you've seen Jochen Hecht make smart decision after smart decision. He's a battler along the boards and if there's ever a chance to take the puck to the net, he does so with force. If he has a split second of space,  he'll fire it on net - an often overlooked skill. Hecht's value, to me, was epitomized in a simple, yet crucial play. Seventeen minutes and 19 seconds into the first period, Hecht ends up with a one-on-one against Dennis Seidenberg. He gets as close as he can to Tim Thomas before shooting. More importantly, after the shot, Hecht doesn't go lazily into the corner as most players would. Instead, he jumps around Seidenberg in an effort to recover the potential rebound. In this particular instance, there wasn't one, but that's not going to change his game in the future.

   Hecht is also a versatile player. He's a tremendous penalty killer and is often counted on in the dying minutes of a one-goal hockey game. Although he hasn't necessarily been known for his power play abilities, I believe he could be used successfully in front of the net. Throughout the course of a hockey game, there really isn't a situation that Hecht can't handle. 

Sabres' fans should be happy to have this guy back!

Boiling Blood: Boston & Buffalo

   

   

   The Boston Bruins meet the Buffalo Sabres tonight at the First Niagara Center. Surely, this game will be exciting. No, not because they're division rivals. No, not because the Boston Bruins are currently on a nine-game, winning streak. And no, not because both teams currently have near-identical records. This game will be exciting because the Sabres want revenge on Milan Lucic for his hit on Ryan Miller, who incurred a concussion on the play and has yet to play since.

   

   In the back of their minds, the Sabres' players have saved this date. Darcy Regier, general manager of the club, called out his team for their response, or lack thereof. The players were disappointed in themselves as well. Lucic received a two-minute penalty on the play and avoided a suspension due to lack of intent. How? I'm not sure. So, what's his consequence? My guess, Paul Gaustad. 

   

   When the buzzer sounded in the previous match-up, Gaustad had these words to share: "I'm embarrassed that we didn't respond the way we should have. We didn't push back. There's no reason to be scared. We had to go after it, and we didn't." This game offers the forward some redemption. He's no stranger to scraps with 541 penalty minutes in his seven-year career - all with Buffalo. Many believe he bleeds blue and gold. We will likely get proof of that tonight.

   

   To my surprise, the Bruins are starting their Vezina-winning goalie Tim Thomas. Dangerous business. Obviously the league will be watching the game very closely. I believe Brendan Shanahan was misguided in not suspending Lucic. He won't make the same mistake twice. Unfortunately for Sabres' fans, any retaliation will come with harsher consequences in suspensions, fines, what have you.

In any case, I can't wait. Drop the puck already!

 

November 21, 2011

Hurricanes @ Flyers

Hurricanes win 4-2

Although Cam Ward gets praise for his play every once in a while, he's still under-appreciated. He carried his team to a win in this one with 30 saves. Just watch the highlights, they're filled with 'em.

Matt Read now has a goal in the last five games. He also leads rookies with nine.

Of course Read's goal in this game was from a sweet, one-handed feed by James van Riemsdyk. JVR also tallied a goal himself by using his size and driving to the front of the net. He's an elite, power forward in the making.

Chad LaRose had a goal and two assists. Alexei Ponikarovsky had two goals and an assist. Each got two of their points on the power play. Hopefully this continues because prior to this game, their power play has not worked very well (bottom five in the league).

Jeff Skinner was probably the butt of a few figure skating jokes in his past. I don't think he cares.

Islanders @ Penguins

Penguins win 5-0

Sidney Crosby returns and contributes two goals and two assists. All of these points came with his backhand. I WAS NOT JOKING! #backhandswork

The Penguins are officially the scariest team in the league, hands down. Where is their weakness? Do they have one?

Marc-Andre Fleury had another stellar performance. Even if it was against the Islanders, he did make 29 saves for his second shutout of the year. He should be a Vezina Trophy candidate at season's end.

Watch Evgeni Malkin's pass on Steve Sullivan's goal. #mmmmmmgood

Pascal Dupuis now has 13 assists on the season. He also has four goals. That's not bad for a guy who's played in five different cities. How did he get passed up so many times?

And finally, the Islanders lose again. A team needs more than three wins a month to succeed. In November, the Isles have obtained five of a possible 18 points. #eeek

Coyotes @ Capitals

Capitals win 4-3

Radim Vrbata starts the game with a nifty, short-handed breakaway. #NHL12favorite

Lauri Korpikoski net two of his own. On the second one, Joel Ward makes a terrible turnover. Luckily for him, it didn't cost his team the game...this time. #crucialturnovers

The Capitals finally get two points after a four-game, winless streak. While good news, they've still only won two of their past eight games. It's time to pick it up.

Tomas Vokoun didn't look great, but at least came away with the "W." If this team is going to succeed, he needs to return to his NSH/FLA form.

Nicklas Backstrom gets a goal and an assist after failing to register a point in his last four. Relax, he'll probably be at 100 points come April of next year.

Flames @ Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets win 4-1

Curtis Sanford and Son came to the rescue again. He stopped 27 of 28 shots for his second consecutive win. That means he was in net for half of the Jackets' wins this season. He is now 2-0-1.

Jeff Carter is finally doing what he does best: scoring. Another game, another SNIPE. 

Vinny Prospal had three assists. It looks as though he's following his career trend. Stay healthy sir!

Bruins @ Canadiens

Bruins win 1-0

I love the rivalry between Boston and Montreal! This game did not disappoint.

The goaltenders shined in this one. If it wasn't for Tim Thomas's effort, the Canadiens would have easily won this match. Thomas stood on his head and made 33 saves for his league-leading, third shutout of the season. Carey Price also had a great game, stopping 17 of 18. 

Andrew Ference had the lone goal with five minutes left in the first period. He also lost his skate blade.

The Bruins have now won nine straight. #dannng

Devils @ Panthers

Panthers win 4-3

Twelve minutes into the game, the Devils were up 3-0. With two minutes left in the game, they were down 4-3. Despite some strong saves by Martin Brodeur, Jose Theodore and the Panthers battled back in spectacular form.

The three goals for the Devils all came within four minutes of each other in the first period. Ilya Kovalchuk, Petr Sykora and Dainius Zubrus all cashed in early. 

Then came the Panthers. Kris Versteeg netted two, consecutive goals the second period, followed by a Stephen Weiss shortie and a finishing blow by Tomas Fleischmann with just over two minutes left in the game. Worth noting - on Stephen Weiss's goal, Mike Weaver blocks a shot and Jason Garrison tosses some perfect sauce. 

The Panthers have accumulated 12 of a possible 18 points in November thus far. Not too shabby.

Oilers @ Stars

Stars win 4-1

The Stars finally ended their five-game losing streak. 

Kari Lehtonen bounces back with 17 saves for his league-leading, 12th win of the season. That stops his personal, three-game skid.

Mark Fistric lays the smackdown. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins records his 8th goal of the season. Man, this kid has some great hockey sense and the skills to match. On this goal, it's important to point out that Ryan Smyth caught the puck at center ice and set this whole thing up.

Michael Ryder hadn't registered a point during the Stars' losing streak. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Michael Ryder Snipeshow.

Other news: 

Tyler Myers is out for a month with a broken wrist. I guess that's why Buffalo bolstered its blue line this off-season.

Kyle Turris has been signed by the Coyotes to a two-year deal worth $2.8 million. Efficiency at its finest. #pfft

Conference Domination: Slowing Tides?

I grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan watching the Western Conference. Before high school, I moved to Buffalo, New York and now primarily watch Eastern Conference games. After many heated debates about which conference was superior, I decided it was time to break down the statistics. Mmmm...it feels good to be right. The Western Conference has dominated the Eastern Conference during the regular season. 

Here is the West's record against the East over the past five seasons:

2006-2007: 82-48-20

2007-2008: 83-53-14

2008-2009: 141-103-26

2009-2010: 155-87-28

2010-2011: 142-88-40

This season, the Eastern Conference has put up more of a fight. Thus far, the West is only 40-24-14 against their cross-conference opponents. Maybe having the Red Wings switch conferences would level the playing field a bit.

In all fairness to you Eastern-homers, the Stanley Cup Champion has switched conferences almost every season. Over the past 20 seasons, an Eastern Conference team has taken the Cup home 11 times. 

I'm not trying to say the Western Conference is better than the Eastern Conference...just during the regular season, which ultimately doesn't matter.

Quarter-Season Review

I love being wrong. That's what makes the NHL so wonderful - it's unpredictability. 

Eastern Conference:

Number Correct: 0/15

Playoff Teams Predicted: 5/8

Biggest Disappointment: Washington Capitals

Biggest Surprise: Florida Panthers

    

Western Conference:

Number Correct: 0/15

Playoff Teams Predicted: 5/8

Biggest Disappointment: Anaheim Ducks

Biggest Surprise: Phoenix Coyotes

Individual Leaders:

Goals - Phil Kessel (16)

Assists - Daniel Sedin (18)

Points - Phil Kessel (29)

Plus/Minus - Shea Weber (+19)

Power Play Goals - Corey Perry and James Neal (6)

Shots - James Neal (83)

Rookie Points: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (19)

Time On Ice Per Game - Dan Girardi (27:48)

Wins - Kari Lehtonen (11)

Goals Against Average - Brian Elliott (1.43)

Save Percentage - Brian Elliott (.947)

Team Leaders:

Points - Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild (27)

Goals Per Game - Philadelphia Flyers (3.74)

Goals Against Per Game - Minnesota Wild (1.95)

Power Play Percentage - Vancouver Canucks (26.7)

Penalty Kill Percentage - New Jersey Devils (92.8)

Shots Per Game - Detroit Red Wings (35.2)

Shots Against Per Game - St. Louis Blues (25.6)

Face Off Percentage - Boston Bruins (54.9)

November 20, 2011

Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes

Hurricanes win 3-2

Ben Scrivens and Cam Ward both had wonderful efforts for their respective clubs. Ward had 28 saves, Scrivens with 38. Ward does a little windmill action on Tim Connolly and Scrivens made this pad save on Eric Staal. Scrivens is putting up a good fight for that starting position. We will see what Jonas Gustavsson does in his next outing. 

This is one of the worst plays I've seen all year. John-Michael Liles completely vacates his position at the point leaving Staal all alone on a breakaway. Matt Frattin hustles back, but then leaves Skinner with an empty net after skating towards the corner (#tisktisk).

Phil Kessel adds two goals in the third period, bringing his total for the season to 16. He leads the NHL in that category by four.

Sharks @ Avalanche

Sharks win 4-1

The game starts off with two PRETTY passing plays. On the first, Ryan Wilson fakes a shot and slides it perfectly to Matt Duchene for his 9th of the season. Then, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who had three assists in this game, does the same with Patrick Marleau. Marleau finishes the game with a hat trick and now has as many as Duchene. What I find hilarious is that on Duchene's goal, Marleau was caught admiring. Oops. 

Thomas Greiss gives Antti Niemi a break and leads the club to a victory with 36 saves. His GAA is now below two in seven games. For the Avalanche, J.S. lets in three goals on 17 shots. That's his first game this season in which he's failed to stop at least 90% of the shots.

Joe Thornton continues to be the play-maker of the decade.

Red Wings @ Ducks

Red Wings win 4-2

Brad Stuart puts two on the board. I'll always point out when a defensive defenseman gets on the board because they deserve recognition. It looks like he understands physics pretty well.

Henrik Zetterberg puts home his first goal in seven games (#backhandswork).

Bobby Ryan scores! Wait...St. Jimmy Howard stopped it.

A very nice 3-on-3 by the Ducks here. That's a great drop pass by Andrew Cogliano. He's turning out to be a pleasant "surprise" in Anaheim.

Senators @ Canucks

Canucks win 2-1 OT

It was truly a battle of the back-ups in this one and both goalies stood tall. I praised Craig Anderson in the last few entries, but put your hands together for Alex Auld. Although he only made 25 saves, the majority of them were difficult. Look at this one on Ryan Kesler at 9:35 of the 2nd period. Cory Schneider stopped 28 shots for his 3rd win of the season. His last win: October 22nd. 

Henrik and Daniel Sedin continue, and will continue, to dominate. How do you stop telepathy?

Erik Karlsson played over half the game! He'll be in the NHL for a long, long time.

Other news: 

Sidney Crosby is back against the Islanders on 11/21/11 for his first game of the season! With him back, I don't see how the Penguins can lose another game this season (#funwithhyperboles).

November 19, 2011

Flyers @ Jets

Jets win 6-4

I absolutely love that Jets' fans booed Chris Pronger every time he touched the puck. Why? Because he deserves it. Pronger is an elite, but mean player.

Bryan Little set the tone for this game early in the first with two goals less than three minutes apart. I’m a big Little fan, so I was excited to see him on the board. My expectations for him are high and I hope he keeps this up.

The Flyers took ten penalties. The Jets had nine. The Jets scored three power play goals. The Flyers contributed two. It may be a small margin, but sometimes that’s a game-changer. A.C. Jim Slater also had a shortie. 

Good news for the Flyers: Matt Read is still crushing it. He tallied two goals in the third period but it was too little, too late.

Dustin Byfuglien had another strong performance for his club with a goal and two assists. It’s still amazing to me that he can transition so fluidly from defense to offense and back again. Versatility is a useful skill. Chicago made a mistake letting this guy walk.

Ondrej Pavelec extends his win streak to three, consecutive games. Czech him out! These were wins over Tampa Bay, Washington and now Philadelphia. Those are difficult opponents.

Red Wings @ Kings

Red Wings win 4-1

Mike Richards start this game off with a sexy short-handed goal. I guess that MMA training didn't help Jiri Hudler with his speed.

Jimmy Howard played well for the Wings in this one with 23 saves. The lone goal the got past him came from Mike Richards early in the first. On the other end of the rink, Jonathan Quick was pummeled with a total of 38 shots.

Pavel Datsyuk returned to his true form with two goals. Expectations for him coming into this season were extremely high and thus far, he hasn’t met them. It’s early in the season, so let’s give him some time. Honestly, the same can be said for Henrik Zetterberg. Where have you been sir?

Game-changing moment: Howard’s save on Anze Kopitar’s penalty shot.

Bruins @ Islanders

Bruins win 6-0

Another win for the Boston Bruins makes it eight straight. Tim Thomas gets his first shutout of the season and 28th of his career. This one required 23 saves. C’mon, like Tim can’t handle 23 shots. Pfft.

Chris Kelly has been red hot. The three points in this one bring him to seven in the last four games. Not too shabby. He would have been a nice piece to Ottawa's rebuild. Oh well.

I know Phil Kessel is doing well this season, but so is Tyler Seguin. With plays like his pass to Patrice Bergeron, it's no coincidence. Sorry about the full highlights, but it's early in the game. Relax.

I think it’s safe to say that the Islanders officially suck again this season. Their captain, Mark Streit, was a negative-five. After relishing his new “starting role,” Rick DiPietro let in three goals on 13 shots and was immediately yanked. Anders Nilsson stepped in to fix the leak but failed. It’s been a sad November for Long Island. Hopefully, they can turn it around soon.

Capitals @ Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs win 7-1

It was an eerily similar script for the Capitals, although I wouldn’t say they’re in the same boat as the Isles. Captain Alexander Ovechkin was a negative-three and hasn't registered a point in four games. Michael Neuvirth was pulled after three goals. His replacement, Tomas Vokoun, wasn’t any better and allowed four of his own.

In the second period, Toronto connected on three power play opportunities pushing the difference to five. I wonder if Bruce Boudreau had any swear words for his club. Probably.

Joffrey, not Jeffrey, Lupul had a goal and three assists. It looks as though Lupul has finally found his niche in Toronto. He’s always had potential with his size and skill, but could never stay on a club long enough to find his footing. I guess that problem is solved.

Congratulations to Matt Frattin on his first NHL goal. 

Jonas Gustavsson or “The Monster” certainly made his presence felt in this game with 40 saves! After an early soft goal, he was stellar. The Leafs appear to have a love/hate relationship with this netminder and for good reason. One night, he’s a superstar. The next game, he’s a sieve. James Reimer, are you better yet? Please say yes. Please say yes.

Rangers @ Canadiens

Canadiens win 4-0

Like the Bruins, the Rangers were looking for their eight straight win. Unlike the Bruins, they failed miserably. They mustered only seventeen shots and Carey Price earned his first shutout of the season – likely the easiest of his career. Other than Brian Gionta's goal, Marty Biron had a pretty, solid game with 27 saves. He doesn't give up a lot of rebounds.

The big names for Montreal finally showed up. Scott Gomez had 2 assists, Tomas Plekanec and Erik Cole had a goal and an assist each and Gionta netted two markers. For continued success, these players need to consistently produce like this. They sure get paid to!

Coyotes @ Sabres

Coyotes win 4-2

Mike Smith continues to stand on his head. In this particular game, he faced 45 shots. Only two beat him. Once again, I had my doubts about this guy, but he’s putting them all to rest. Sheesh!

Jhonas Enroth lost only his second start of the season, but they come within days of each other. Is the pressure of starting every game affecting his play?

Ville Leino: $4.5 million, negative-six and five points. BUST!

Paul Bissonnette got his first goal of the season. His mom, who has yet to see her son play in the NHL, was in attendance. I’m sure he’ll be tweeting about this accomplishment for years. Hooray?

Radim Vrbata tallied two. He now leads the Coyotes in scoring with 15 points. I love sniping with this guy in NHL ’12 – too easy.

Devils @ Lightning

Devils win 4-2

This was just a fun game to review.

Dainius Zubrus starts off the scoring with this beauty. Next time, I don't think Steven Stamkos will be so aggressive on the point. 

David Clarkson and Ryan Shannon both had fantastic games for their teams. Clarkson makes this nifty pass to Patrik Elias who slides it five-hole (#backhandswork). He then battles in front of the net to knock one home.

Ryan Shannon does much of the same with a slick pass on Martin St. Louis's goal. After that, he SNIPES Martin Brodeur.

On a side note, Adam Henrique has a point in seven of his last nine games (#fantasyhelp).

Penguins @ Panthers

Panthers win 3-2

Chris Kunitz starts the game off with hard work, intercepting a pass then batting the puck into the net. After that, he takes a break and lets Brian Campbell walk right through the center of the ice for one of his own. Nice move by Campbell by the way. Hey Kun, what's no-man's-land like?

Jose Theodore has another impressive game with 39 saves. I was wrong. It looks like his eyes are focused on the game and not over his shoulder. 

It's the little things in hockey that make it epic. Watch Jordan Staal recognize that Pascal Dupuis is taking the puck himself across the blue line. Staal straddles the line, then buries it (#playbytherules).

Blues @ Wild

Wild win 3-2 SO

Mikko Koivu is a leader - enough said. 

Jaroslav Halak and Josh Harding both have great games. Harding makes 25 stops for the win and Halak turns away 30. Just look at this save on Cal Clutterbuck! That should have been a game-deciding save. Shucks.

Guess what? David Backes continues to dominate (#NBD). 

For each game in Novemeber, the Blues have not allowed more than two goals. Wow.

Blue Jackets @ Predators

Blue Jackets win 4-3 OT

James Wisniewski and Jeff Carter both get their first goals of the season as as Jackets. Carter snipes out Pekka Rinne early and Wisniewski wins it in overtime. For the amount of money they make, it's about damn time!

Curtis Sanford gets his first win of the season with 27 saves. Hey Columbus, Sanford is 1-0-1 and Steve Mason is 3-12-1. Go with the percentages (#fantasyhelp). Look at this save on Weber. Nasty!

Rinne hasn't lost a game in regulation since October 25th. That's ten in a row!

Sharks @ Stars

Sharks win 4-1

Antti Niemi shines again making 31 saves for his 8th win of the season and fourth in a row.

To try and shake things up a bit, the Stars let Kari Lehtonen rest and gave Andrew Raycroft the start. The former Calder Trophy winner was immersed in shots, but will still able to turn away 34 of 38.

Joe Thornton proves why he's one of the best set-up men in the league. Michael Handzus shows off a bit of his own skills as well. 

Blackhawks @ Oilers

Oilers win 9-2

Rather than try to explain every goal, here are the highlights. 

It's a good thing Ray Emery boxed in his past because he got bashed in this one - seven goals on 27 shots.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins registered five assists. The first rookie to ever do so!

Taylor Hall gets the second hat trick of his career. For some reason, this surprises me. This kid loves the right side of the power play.

Nikolai Khabibulin made 34 saves for his 8th win of the season. This snapped a three-game losing streak.