Wishful Thinking

So, perhaps the Phil Kessel deal wasn’t a good idea after all.

I’ll admit, I was on the get-rid-of-him bandwagon. For all I know I might have been the President.

But now, I’m regretting Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli’s decision to trade Kessel for three draft picks. I’ll go as far as to say I think it was an awful trade … for now.

So far this season the Bruins struggle to score goals. They’ve only scored more than four goals twice, have been shutout three times, and have managed only one goal five times – all leading to a mediocre 8-8-4 record, good for 10th in the Eastern Conference. Yes, the Bruins will eventually get players from those picks or they might even trade some of those for a star, but the help needs to arrive and fast.

Yes, it is early and yes, the B’s are without Marc Savard and Milan Lucic, but even with the two players good and healthy, is it enough? I don’t think so.

Lucic isn’t known for his goal scoring, he’s known for his physical presence and at times his play making skills. Either way, when Lucic steps on the ice he creates chances.

Marc Savard is a natural play maker– a player that creates goals and goal-scoring chances. The previous three seasons Savard led the Bruins in assists (63, 63 and 74) and points (88, 78 and 96).

This might seem all well and optimistic but here’s where I’ll tell you it still isn’t enough.

In only six games played Kessel has notched seven points (three goals, four assists); bringing and immediate impact to his new team.

The absence of Kessel, his play making and goal-scoring ability are qualities that Chiarelli and everyone else who owns a nice comfy office in The Garden overlooked. Kessel scored 36 goals last season, leading the Bruins to the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs before being ousted by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7. Many, though, including myself, didn’t think Kessel fit the Black and Gold “mold”.

To be a Bruin you have to be tough, physical and gritty player who is willing to block shots, play tough along the boards and stick up for your teammates. Kessel hardly took the body, never blocked shots and shied away from any board play like a Freshman at a High School dance. Still, though, he scored 36 goals, nine more than the next Bruin (Michael Ryder, 27). His snap shot is nearly unstoppable and his wrist shot is unbelievably accurate. He’s the sort of player that team’s have to adjust their game plan to.

But with Kessel now gone, Chiarelli looked to some Bruins of last season and some new additions to fill the skates of the speedy winger. Marco Sturm, who was out most of last season recovering from surgery that repaired his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament, was counted on to step up and provide some of the offensive firepower. He hasn’t delivered. Blake Wheeler and David Krejci, expected to mature into more all-around players while still keeping their point totals up, are struggling to find the net like their German teammate.

Marco Sturm and the Bruins haven't done a lot of cheering lately. Sturm has only nine points (four goals, five assists) in 20 games played.

To give you some prospective, Patrice Bergeron leads the Bruins with 13 points, while the NHL leader, Anze Kopitar of Los Angeles, owns 32 points. The Bruins’ power play is defunct, their overall play is emotional and energy-packed on some night’s while others, like last night’s 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders, failed to convince me and the 14,000  or so fans in attendance last night that they were playing with a purpose.

Things need to change and quick for the B’s who are in 10th place and looking in at teams like Tampa Bay, Atlanta and even the Islanders –who have missed the playoffs the last couple years. But even with Savard and Lucic healthy and providing for the team, the B’s need them badly right now, I still think the Bruins will be looking for more.

So, its been awhile…

Yes, yes it has.

So long in fact that I’m going to act like the season hasn’t even started.

Anyway, the new season brings hope and thoughts of pure optimism for fans and their team’s chances to bring home the Stanley Cup. Yes, there are questions about every team, some have more than others.

But it’s the certain sense of renewal or pure freshness that has NHL’s fans beaming. Their team isn’t 30-10 or 12-36, they’re 0-0 — completely level with every other team for at least that one day.  Things will happen in the season that will shock you, disappoint you and simply cause you to doubt your loyalty to your club. But in the end you always go back cause they’re one of those things you can always depend on.

Sure, they might not play as well as you like and last night’s game should have ended a wee bit different but they always show up to play their game when they’re supposed to– no questions asked. So, here’s to the new NHL season and all the goals, checks, fights, concussions and most of all the breathtaking moments that make us realize time and time again why we, the outnumbered in the world of professional sports, stay by our favorite past time.

NHL’s Best Net Minders

By Ryan Fleming

Since he won the Vezina, we might as well start with him.

Tim Thomas led the NHL with a .933 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average. Leading the Boston Bruins to the second round of the playoffs last year, the unorthodox goaltender, who can be seen flopping from post-to-post in every game looks to lead the Bruins into the playoffs again, but certainly deeper. If not, B’s star prospect Tukka Rask will be yearning at the chance to play.

Playing Time

Now, this is interesting.

In 2010 the Winter Olympics take place in Vancouver, British Columbia between February 12-28. It’s a time when you can watch speed skaters, skiers and hockey players compete to be the best in the world.

But every four years, in which the colder Olympics happen, means something a bit different for those playing in the NHL and other European leagues: a time of utter confusion and frustration.

The dates in which the Olympics begin is smack dab in the middle of the regular season for most leagues. This can cause some interesting scenarios to play out.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, there was a new rule that was implemented by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. If a player gets hurt either training for the games or participating in them then the NHL has the right to basically void the contract and all money going to him would then cease.

That, too, is interesting.

Since I’m a Bruins fan, I’ll use them as an example. Tim Thomas, the B’s starting net minder is trying out (almost a definite) for the USA national team. Say if Thomas became injured a week or two ago when the US was having their player camp. The NHL would then immediately void Thomas’ contract, declining him to get paid for the allotted time he was out.

Now, is that fair? Why should someone get penalized for trying to play for one’s country? Is it Thomas’ fault that the Games take place when they do? Obviously not. So, why penalize the player or the dozens of others who also belong in the NHL? To, me this just seems ridiculous.

Another issue that arises with the position of the Games is the situation of playing time. When the NHL season nears closer to its unwanted two-week break, how many coaches are going to either sit their star players or play them significantly less so they’ll be in top shape for their country? Whatever decisions these coaches make could have significant impact on teams who are trying to make the postseason or enhance their playoff spot. Now this is putting unnecessary pressure on coaches who have to deal with enough.

Now, one way to slove this problem, brought out by numerous NHL GM’s, would be to stop using professional players all together and again use amateur, college players. Since 1920 and up until 1995, amateur players were used in Olympic ice hockey competition and until 1998, when the games were almost totally played by NHL players, there wasn’t a problem of this nature.

The tournament has been adjusted in numerous ways to try and cope with the NHL schedule. First, some of the “powerhouses” (Finland, Canada, USA, Russia, Czech Republic and Sweden) of hockey were allowed to skip the qualifying games until the final round — letting all the members of those teams that played in the NHL to continue playing until they were forced to join their country.

Sure, that was an alright idea, but still — players had to take the two-week absence in the middle of the season, not only fatiguing them to a point where it would hurt their play, but their team’s as well.

The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City used the same format as the ‘98 games. But, only now, since the games were in the US, where most of the NHL teams were located, players who wanted to play for their country had to get permission from their club in order to participate.

You can read more about this here.

The involvement of the NHL in the Winter Olympics is certainly a problem. I’m for using amateur players, it brings a certain sense of innocence back into games — a certain trait that many sports are lacking or have lost.

If you agree or disagree with me I’d appreciate it if you could lend me your thoughts on the topic.

Beasts of the East?

What now?

That’s probably what Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was thinking to himself after watching his team get ousted by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 of the second round last year.

The Bruins, who haven’t won the Stanley Cup since the ‘71-’72 season, were set to make a run deep into the playoffs maybe even bring home what hasn’t been since the days of Bobby Orr and Derek Sanderson.

But then something happened.

The Bruins, who wiped the floor (or ice) with their fierce, bitter and French rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, in four-straight games, all of a sudden forgot to how to score, how to play physical and how to play as a cohesive unit in the next round against the Hurricanes. They managed to come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the series 3-3.

That wasn’t enough.

So now, Chiarelli has had some time to think on how he could improve certain aspects to the team.

First, the GM decided not to resign Manny Fernandez, P.J. Axelsson, Stephane Yelle, Shane Hnidy, Steve Montador and Jeremy Reich. Fernandez, who was making 4.75 million a year wasn’t probably given a second thought to when his name came up in meetings. The injury-plagued net minder only played four games in his first season with the club and split time with reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas last year.

Michigan native Tim Thomas has been the backbone of the Bruins the last few years. The 35-year-old won the Vezina last season -- the last Bruins to win the trophy since Pete Peeters in 82/83

With Tukka Rask, the Bruins Finnish prospect and supposed phenom, getting the call up to the NHL from Providence, Fernandez will have to do what all of the other UFA’s (unrestricted free agents) will have to do – find another team.

Amongst all the players to leave the Bruins Chiarelli and Co. made some interesting additions.

First, the Bruins locked up David Krecji and Byron Bitz, both to two-year deals. Krecji and Bitz are in their own respects, totally opposites when comparing playing styles. Krecji is a smooth skating center who has a dependable scoring touch and a knack for playmaking. Bitz, on the other hand, is a lumbering 6-foot-3 right winger who doesn’t back down from a challenge and might surprise you with his quick shot. The two were good additions to the club -one (Bitz) they got for hardly anything and Krecji for three years at $11.25 million.

Anyway you look at it, it’s a step in the right direction. Keeping players that have grown up with the club and have proven what they can do. Bitz, though, is still trying to find his stride, just don’t look for him to produce offensively often.

Then comes the intriguing case of Phil Kessel (who I don’t really consider a Bruin). I’ll explain that later. Coming into this season Kessel is a RFA (restricted free agent), which basically means he can’t play for another team until the Bruins decide if they want to extend a qualifying offer to him. If the Bruins don’t shoot him and offer before Dec. 1 then Kessel can’t play in the NHL for the entire season.

Kessel will certainly do some more celebrating but the questions remain: when and with who?

One has to wondering if Chiarelli is going to wait until Nov. 30 to give him an offer to perhaps pressure Kessel into taking less money that he would naturally desire.

But in signing Kessel the question arises: how much is he really worth?

During the 07/08 campaign , Claude Julien, the new coach at year, benched the lackluster winger/center numerous times throughout the season and went as far as doing it in the postseason while the Bruins face the Canadiens. Yes, he can score. Yes, he can make defensemen look like their standing in cement, but he can also play like me (for those of you who don’t know, I can’t even skate). Kessel’s been known to play a sort of effortless (excuse my forwardness) half-assed type of game. He doesn’t fight against the boards or play much defense. Julien, looking to make a good impression on the upper management in his first year, decided to bench the youngster. It always seemed to work, too. Usually the game after the sit down he would score or at least play how fans expected him to. So, the actual value of Kessel has been estimated around $4 million a year – which to me, is still up for debate.

On July 24 Chiarelli made a questionable move — releasing one of the Bruins’ most experienced players and hard-nosed defensemen, Aaron Ward. Ward was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Patrick Eaves (who was immediately put on waivers and eventually claimed by the Red Wings) and their 2010 fourth-round pick. One of the biggest question marks last season was the strength of the Bruins’ blue line. So, after the prior losses of Hnidy and Montador, the blue line was seemingly in shambles. The only reasonable explanation I could find for this trade was to make cap room for the resigning of Kessel.

But, I guess not.

Derek Morris will be looked to supply some offense along Zdeno Chara on the B's first defensive pairing.

The next day the Bruins signed former first-round pick Derek Morris to a one-year $3.3 million contract. The PMD (puck moving defenseman) has been a bit of a let down throughout his career. The day of his signing some anonymous GM labeled Morris as a overrated, slow defenseman. Now, looking at that, I wonder why the heck Ward was traded. But, still, Julien has been known to enable players to perform.

Morris will almost certainly be paired with reigning Norris Trophy winner, Zdeno Chara, on the B’s first power play line in an attempt to boost Morris’ offensive numbers, which have always been lower than he was capable of.

The B’s also added net minder Dany Sabourin and defenseman Drew Fata, both of which will start in Providence but will fight for playing time with the big club.

Expecting to get the No. 1 seed in the East might be a little bit much, but with younger players having gained more experience and a Vezina-winner in net anything can happen.

The Roller Coaster That Is Chicago

It’s been a while, a long while since the Chicago Blackhawks were any good – only making the playoffs twice since 2000. With new, young talent like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and rough-nosed Dustin Byfuglien, the team from the Windy City find themselves back amongst the NHL’s top teams.

After narrowly missing the playoffs in the 07/08 season, the Blackhawks, perhaps after gaining a year of valuable experience with their young stars, went as far as the Western Conference Finals before being ousted by the Detriot Red Wings.

Now, perhaps its all unraveling again.

Toews and Kane are two of the Blackhawks best players, but chances are one will be leaving after this season. Will the Kane incident cost him his place on Blackhawks roster in the future?

Just yesterday it was reported that the face of the Blackhawks, Patrick Kane was arrested. After reading the story I was left speechless. As reported by ESPN, Kane and his 21-year-old cousin picked up a cab at about 4 a.m. Sunday morning in a downtown night club district. So, right now I’m assuming Kane was drunk. Yes, he was only 20, but he’s also Patrick Kane, he can do what he wants.

And that he did.

After giving the cabbie 15$ for the cab fare, the cabbie told his two passengers that he didn’t have the 20 cents in change that was owed back to them. Kane and his cousin, James, punched the cabbie, breaking his glasses, ripping his shirt and took their 15$ back.

Honestly?

First off: I’m going to go ahead and say Kane was drunk. There’s no way someone does that with a sober mind, though, I have a hard time imagining someone would do that while under the influence.

Second: He’s rich! The former first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft isn’t hurting for money, nor is any professional athlete (albeit the MLS). Don’t you also tip cabbies after they bring you to your destination? At least I do.

Forget the Kane incident for a second.

Hossa has made an impact for every team he's played for but analyists are already questions Hossa's value in Chicago

In the offseason the Blackhawks aquired superstar Marian Hossa from the Red Wings. Hossa is one of those players that can immediately impact a team’s play on the ice. But wait a second, Hossa has a shoulder injury and his postseason performance last year wasn’t up to par with the normal Hossa scoring routine.

In 23 games last postseason the 3o-year-old tallied only six goals and nine assists as the Red Wings lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Finals. It can be said that a falling in postseason numbers is foreshadowing a future drop in totals for the next season. Only time will tell.

The Blackhawks have an interesting scenario coming after the upcoming 09/10 season. Kane, Toews and Keith are all free agents after the season and obviously they all cannot be resigned. If this incident holds true then Kane could be the odd man out when it comes time to sign.

The young Blackhawks have more problems than we think.

A farewell to J.R.

The last player that has really retired that’s had an affect on me was the legendary Ray Borque. Now, another legend has came and went.

Jeremy Roenick started his career with the Chicago Blackhawks back in 1989 after he was selected 8th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. In his first 20 games in the NHL Roenick had an impressive 18 points and helped his team to the second round in the playoffs.

Roenick continued to help his team the next season. In 78 games played, Roenick tallied 66 points, notching 26 goals and 40 assists. JR’s play helped improve the Blackhawks 22 points from the previous season, leading them to the Norris Division title. The Blackhawks advanced in the playoffs but were ousted by the Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. JR, though, did his part – scoring 18 points in 20 games.

For the next four seasons JR led the Blackhawks in points (94, 103, 107, 107), even leading his team to the Stanley Cup Finals in ‘92, yet falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in four-straight games.

Roenick was traded in the beginning of the ‘96 season to the brand new (or old Winnepig Jets) Phoenix Coyotes. In Phoenix, JR picked up his physical play but saw his point totals suffer. In his five years with the Coyotes JR totalled 69, 56, 72, 78 and 76 points, all near the top of Phoenix’s scoring.

The 2000-2001 season was the last time JR would ever reach the 70-point plateau again. It was after that season Jr became a free agent and woundup with the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite not ever reaching the impressive point totals he once had, JR’s effectiveness couldn’t be debated.

In his inaugral season with the Flyers, JR won the Bobby Clarke Trohpy (Flyers MVP) and led the team with 46 assists and a +32 plus/minus rating – once again playing a large part in the Flyers’ Atlantic Division title. Earlier that year on Jan. 30, 2002 Roenick scored is 1,000 point. At season’s end JR was still in search of his first Stanley Cup as the Flyers fell in the opening round to the Senators.

Over the next three years the Flyers never made it past the second round in the playoffs despite JR leading the team in points in the 2002-2003 season (59). After JR’s tenure with the Flyers (2001-2005) JR steadily faded away. With his age creeping up to him, teams continuing to dump older, veteran players for new, youthful talent and an awful season with the Los Angeles Kings (2005-2006) following the NHL lockout of ‘04-’05, JR knew his career was coming to an end.

JR returned to the NHL to play for three more seasons, one returning back to Phoenix where he only posted 28 points in 70 games.

Today, JR has officially retired symbolizing another legend that has came and went. JR, though, won’t leave hockey for good, nope – he just can’t. He’ll be back to the sport he loves in some way like most who make it known how hard it was for them to leave the game (sans Felix Potvin) and I look forward to it.

Playing for free?

Playing in the Olympics for one’s country should be a great honor, right? Absolutely.

But, if you’re playing in the NHL and are either trying to play in the Winter Games or planning to, you better be careful.

NHL player agent Allan Walsh tweeted yesterday (yes, another sport related person is hopping on) that the league will not honor any player contract if that player gets hurt in the Olympic Summer Orientation Camp.

But why?

If you’re not a shoe-in for your national team then you should be able to put it all on the line, right? The NHL respectfully disagrees.

With the league’s new ruling more players could turn their cheek away from any international competition seeing that there’s the possibility of foregoing one’s paycheck. But, that’s exactly what the NHL hopes.

With the NHL sternly continuing their disdain of not having its players participate in the Olympics, starting with the 2010 games in Vancouver, these upcoming games could have a more amateur look to them – say, 1980’s US Hockey style.

Interesting.
Where can I sign up?