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The Leafs are 0-6-1 and with no sign of greener pastures just yet, the question had to be asked, how long do you stick with Ron Wilson before a change is in order? Brian Burke said he'd fire every player before he even thought about firing Ron Wilson. Obviously he was using a hyperbole, because we all know that's not possible, but I understand what he means. He's placed the onus on the players. That's an admirable approach, and probably one that I would take if I were in the shoes of a General Manager that runs a team low on talent, but high on energy and effort.

However, I'm not so quick to protect this coach. Regardless of the below-average skill level he's faced with and the fact that you can't teach anyone how to score goals, Ron Wilson isn't doing his job. One thing a coach can do, especially with the types of bodies the Leafs have (most of them are big, strong, and fast) is teach special teams. Especially the penalty kill - it's all tactical. The players become like chess pieces, and whether you're Evgeni Malkin or Rickard Wallin, all things are equal when your team is down a man, so long as your coach knows what he's doing.

I don't see a shred of consistency to the Leafs penalty kill, and that's because there's no sign of structure. People are all over the place, sticks are waving about aimlessly, bodies are turned the wrong way, defencemen are in the wrong quadrants of their zone, and so on and so forth. This is a result of one of two things; either the players aren't listening or the coach isn't instructing them. Now, I don't want to make false accusations, but I think there's enough evidence to suggest it is the latter.

Consider the power play. Through seven games, I've seen only one semblance of a strategy, and it involved nothing more than Tomas Kaberle saucering the puck over to Francois Beauchemin for a one-timer. That's it. The whole power play revolves around this one-timer gameplan. There's no movement between the circles, there's nobody posting up on the half-wall for a big shot, and there's no cross crease interchanges. The Leafs power play is abysmal. Again, coaching is the biggest part of that. The proof is in the pudding - Darcy Tucker, a man of little skill, once scored 17 power play goals for Toronto. Almost any NHLer is capable, they just need to be given some guidance.

I don't want to dive too far into their 5-on-5 system, other than to say it doesn't appear that they have one. Ron Wilson probably thinks a left wing lock will help him protect his bicycle. That's not sarcasm. Don't forget, this is the man who attempted to solve a six-game losing streak by canceling practice and scheduling some on-ice dodgeball.

Demons & Demons

Am I the only one put off by the whole Theoren Fleury situation? It would appear so. Having been subjected to the release of his tell-all book, and believe me, he told us a lot, and countless television interviews, we've all gotten to know a little bit more about the man behind the mask (or visor in this case). Don't get me wrong, some terrible things have been done to Mr. Fleury. But I have to question, simply because nobody else is, Theoren's response to what Graham James allegedly did to him and his subsequent attempt to profit from it all.

Many people turn to alcohol and drugs. I could never understand why. Whether we're talking about professional athletes or an average Joe, or Jane, on the street, it seems to happen far too often. In Fleury's case, people keep making excuses for him. "He was a victim," they say. "He was caught up in the temptations of a big city like New York." And the worst excuse is the one I hear the most - that drinking is "part of the culture of hockey." Give me a break. If Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are going out partying and getting drunk every night, then I'm getting drafted first overall next June. I'm not naive enough to deny that most players drink on occasion, or that some players drink heavily on a more regular basis, but that doesn't mean that drinking and drug use are part of the culture of hockey. Alcoholism and drug abuse are part of the culture of the individual. Theoren Fleury's adventure into the abyss, regardless of his motivations, was a product of his own choice, and ultimately, inexcusable.

He has "demons" they say. As if he were some kind of angel corrupted by the NHL. Theoren Fleury was a man that had wrong done to him and being confused about what to do come decision time, made a bad call. There are people everywhere who have been dealt a bad hand. It's what they choose to do about it that really means something. It's cliche, but two wrongs don't make a right. Theoren Fleury chose to bankrupt himself on drugs and alcohol (lest we forget he made almost $13 million playing for the Rangers). Now, he's begging for sympathy, and hoping the nostalgic fans of Calgary, and this country, will re-load his bank account. I guess there really is no honour among thieves, even when the victim and perpetrator are one and the same.

Sweet Revenge

For a few years now, it appears that Buffalo Sabres' GM Darcy Regier and Head Coach Lindy Ruff have been content to sit back and watch talent walk out the door at season's end, for a variety of reasons. A perennial contender not too long ago, the Sabres have struggled mightily the past two seasons, and the projections weren't looking good heading in to '09-'10. Interestingly enough, thanks in large part to the stellar play of goaltender Ryan Miller, Buffalo is sitting atop the Northeast division three weeks into the season. I don't wish ill upon anyone, but sometimes I think people deserve what comes their way, even when it hurts them. Take a look at this beauty by the man the people of Buffalo once loved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN63TneKfKI

Variety Is Good

Like many of you, I sat through several hours of season preview coverage last night, and for the most part I was underwhelmed. The climax of the show is supposed to be the panelists making their Stanley Cup predictions, but there was nothing dramatic about any of the selections on either network. The so called "experts" didn't make any significant changes to last year's final standings, and all the familiar faces (Detroit, Pittsburgh, and San Jose) made countless appearances in the championship dance graphics. Sure many of them were also on the Philadelphia band-wagon, but it was almost silly when four straight TSN analysts predicted they would make the final. How about some variety people?!

I'm an odds man, and when it comes to picking the Stanley Cup finalist this early, I know one thing... they can't possibly ALL get it right. Sorry Flyers fans.

So how do I see the teams stacking up this year? Here are my predictions, by division. I have placed an asterisk next to the teams I believe will qualify for the post-season.

NORTHEAST

1. Boston*

2. Ottawa*

3. Toronto*

4. Buffalo

5. Montreal

ATLANTIC

1. Philadelphia*

2. Pittsburgh*

3. New York*

4. New Jersey

5. Long Island

SOUTHEAST

1. Washington*

2. Atlanta*

3. Carolina

4. Tampa Bay

5. Florida

CENTRAL

1. Chicago*

2. Detroit*

3. St. Louis*

4. Columbus

5. Nashville

NORTHWEST

1. Vancouver*

2. Calgary*

3. Minnesota

4. Edmonton

5. Colorado

PACIFIC

1. Anaheim*

2. San Jose*

3. Los Angeles*

4. Dallas

5. Phoenix

The Answer Man

Everyone loves a good prediction, and in these, the days leading up to the season, there's no shortage of questions out there that need an answer. Here's my take on some of the issues dancing through the minds of NHL fans everywhere.

- Will the Leafs make the playoffs? Yes. Which rookies, apart from Stalberg and Gustavsson deserved to stay with the big club to kick off the season? None of them - Ron Wilson got it right.

- Are the Canadiens better than they were last year? No. Why not? Because Gomez and Gionta won't score at the pace they have in the pre-season.

- Dany Heatley says he did nothing wrong in asking to be traded. I disagree. Is Ottawa a better team without him? Without question. The combination of Alexei Kovalev, Jonathan Cheechoo, and Milan Michalek will produce far more collectively than Heatley ever could, which is important because for many years, finding secondary scoring in Ottawa has been near impossible.

- Did Wayne Gretzky do the right think in resigning from his coaching position with the Coyotes? Absolutely.

- How many games will Marian Gaborik play this year? I'll drink the rest of Glen Sather's Kool Aid and say more than 70.

- Who will be the starting goalie for the Anaheim Ducks? Next question.

- Who will be the starting goalie for the Washington Capitals. I can't say for certain who will enter the season with that distinction, but by the end of it, Semyon Varlamov will have played more games than Jose Theodore.

- Should Calgary have kept Theo Fleury? Yes. The Sutters dropped the ball again. Luckily, Olli Jokinen will have a tremendous bounce-back season and keep Calgary in the mix atop the Northwest division.

- Which off-season acquisition will have the biggest impact? Chris Pronger. Just think about it. Every team he's gone to since leaving St. Louis has had tremendous success with him in the line-up. Once he gets healthy, Marian Hossa will also be huge for Chicago, who in all likelihood, will make the Finals in 2010.

- Which teams are poised to fall out of the playoff picture? Montreal and possibly Carolina in the East. Enter Toronto, and Ottawa or Atlanta. If anyone in the West, it'll have to be Columbus, making way for the upstart LA Kings.

I've opened myself up (potentially) to a lot of criticism come season's end, but hey, what else is new.

Enjoy the puck drop on Thursday.

Constructing Canada

We're six months from the Olympics, and Canada's orientation camp has come to a conclusion. The reviews are in, but do they really matter? At the end of the day, is Jarome Iginla's weak effort or Simon Gagne's injury going to determine their fate come the roster announcement this December? Probably not. Everyone knows all these players too well. It's the months of regular season play leading up to the tournament that will have the biggest impact on each team's composition. Of course there are locks to make the team, but about 1/3 of the roster is open for debate, perhaps more than that if you're like me and believe players like Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton (who just became teammates and can hide TOGETHER in the playoffs from now on) have no business wearing the red and white in 2010.

Regardless, Canada will have a team to be reckoned with. In fairness though, some of the other teams are looking pretty snazzy on paper (Russia, anyone?) and let's not forget our horrendous seventh place finish in 2006. Any number of teams can walk away with gold, mostly because every country has a goaltender capable of stealing one game at a time, all the way to the final. It used to be the case that Canada's distinct advantage was in goal, but now I would argue it is our biggest question mark, if not weakness heading into Vancouver.

The favorite to start, Martin Brodeur, is well past his prime, the evidence being three straight sub-par playoff performances. Years, not games. Then there's the Golden Boy - Roberto Luongo. Sure he looks slick and talks a big game, but where are the results? I know he hasn't played for the Detroit Red Wings, but if he's as good as everyone says he is, how is it that he's never advanced past the second round of the playoffs? Why does he have a losing record for his career? He's never won anything of significance, and hey, he was the goalie that got hammer-timed 6-3 by Kazakhstan at the 1998 World Junior Championships. I'm just saying I'm worried.

I won't be though, if somehow Steve Yzerman ignores popular opinion and selects the right goalies. Who are they you might wonder? Well, in my eyes, they are Marc Andre Fleury, Cam Ward, and Marty Turco. I just think that trio stacks up better against combos like Ryan Miller and Tim Thomas, Niklas Backstrom and Mikka Kiprusoff, or Henrik Lundqvist and whomever is sitting on Sweden's bench.

We can win it all, or fall all the way to seventh again. No result would be surprising when you consider the talent that will be gathering at the Olympic hockey tournament this February.

Dilemma in the Desert

If you haven't seen The Never Ending Story, this remake should suffice. The Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy situation has completely overshadowed whatever else has happened in the hockey world this summer, and will continue to occupy the spotlight until Judge Redfield T. Baum decides on the appropriate course of action.

I can't speak intelligently on these matters as they pertain to American Bankruptcy Law or Competition Rules, but I can chime in on some of the issues underlying this whole mess, the most prominent being NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's apparent vendetta against RIM boss Jim Balsillie. Let's remember, a few years back when Balsillie attempted to buy the Nashville Predators, the league elected instead to give the team to one Mr. William "Boots" Del Biaggio. The latter is now serving an eight-year prison sentence for his involvement in an investment scheme, prior to which, he needed financial assistance from the NHL to keep the Predators afloat. All the while, it is the mandate of the NHL that Jim Balsillie is "not of the character" required to be an owner in their league. Really? Give me a break.

The simple fact of the matter is that pride is hard to swallow. Gary Bettman is embarrassed. Embarrassed about taking the game to markets that can't sustain franchises (Phoenix, Nashville, South Florida, and Atlanta) and embarrassed about what happened the last time he hand-picked someone to help a team out of financial hell. One of the lessons we can take from this is that it is never a good idea to sell a professional sports franchise to an adult with a nickname. The other is that Bettman is simply prolonging the admittance of his mistakes.

At the end of the day, Bettman and his owners may get their way, but it will only postpone the inevitable. Think of it like Terminator 2.

Eventually, there will be no more professional hockey in Phoenix. Eventually there will be another professional hockey team, maybe even two more, in Southern Ontario. And eventually Jim Balsillie will own a professional sports team, more than likely in the NHL. Eventually.

Jerry Moyes, Wayne Gretzky, and the fans of the Coyotes want someone to stop the bleeding, and they want someone to provide them with some closure on this thing. Redfield T. Baum may be that person, but alas, we wait.

New Look Leafs

I'm the first person to give credit where credit is due, but let's not give Brian Burke the key to the city just yet. Leaf fans everywhere are doing cart-wheels in anticipation of the '09-'10 season, which kicks off with an exhibition game against the superior Bruins this Wednesday. To steal a phrase from the outspoken GM himself, the trainer isn't going to have to tape my wrists from doing cart-wheels. Sure they're tougher, but exuberance, grit, and collecting PIMS won't do much for the win column. Hold on Slink... "It worked in Anaheim!" you say. Sure it did, but they also had Ryan Getzlaf, Andy McDonald, Scott Niedermayer, and the ageless Teemu Selanne. If you know of anybody even close to as good as any of those four on the current Leafs roster, please enlighten me.

Don't get me wrong, I want to believe. I want to believe Mikhail Grabovski and John Mitchell will continue to progress. I want to believe Jason Blake will get back to the 30-goal plateau. I want to believe Mike Komisarek will make Tomas Kaberle better. I want to believe "The Monster" is the real deal. The bad news is that hope is a dangerous thing. The good news is if it all goes down as planned, there's nothing stopping Toronto from making it into the playoffs - perhaps as high as the 6th seed.

Here's what I know - there are only four teams that we can pencil in for playoff spots (Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia, and Boston). Beyond this impressive foursome, the field is wide open, because much like the situation in Toronto, the rest of the teams in the East will have to deal with a surplus of variables and question marks from the moment the puck drops on October 1st.

Desperation Mode

With precious few players under contract for next season, Bob Gainey was forced into making several splashes in the free agent pool.  It's obviously too early to tell what kind of impact the players he signed will have, but in my opinion, I think this is an example of a desperate general manager who has found a way to re-direct the blame if things go sour again in 09-10.  

The Canadiens had a disappointing campaign this year - one that was supposed to celebratory as the team enjoyed it's 100th anniversary.  Not only did they under-achieve (relative to expectation) on the ice, but they were swarmed by controversy off it.  In the end, much of the blame fell on Bob Gainey.  Now, having parted ways with longtime captain Saku Koivu and several other players, and replacing them with big-name, high-priced talent like Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, and Jaroslav Spacek, the blame will likely fall on these and any other new players if things don't get better in October.

Over $100 million dollars has been invested in the new guys, a list that also includes former Leaf and recent Stanley Cup winner Hal Gill.  Are they worth it?  Probably not.  Spacek fills a glaring need on the PP (which was hit hard by the departure of Sheldon Souray, and then Mark Streit a year later) but his best defensive years are behind him.  Gill will not get the kind of goaltending behind him in Montreal that he had in Pittsburgh and Toronto to cover up for the mistakes he frequently makes due to his lack of speed.  Up front, Scott Gomez might care less about winning than any other player since he signed his whopping contract a few years ago.  Cammalleri and Gionta will score, but will it be enough?  And will their scoring continue if Montreal qualifies for the post-season?  Furthermore, the knock on Montreal for the past several years has been their lack of size.  This trio of forwards might not be able to meet the height restrictions on some of the rides at Canada's Wonderland.

The Habs are in for another tough year.  What's worse is that this one will cost them more.  Good timing Molson brothers.

Heat

I've publicly criticized Dany Heatley for many things - his attitude, his effort, his demeanor, and more specifically, his most recent playoff performance.  There's also the Dan Snyder tragedy, which doesn't speak to his capabilities as a hockey player, but as a human being, and I think it's an incident that will forever call his character to question.  His latest antics (demanding a trade less than a year after signing a lucrative contract extension only to quash the only good offer the Senators received for him) have left an even worse taste in my mouth.  If he wasn't happy under the new coaching regime in Ottawa - one that makes him accountable for his inconsistent play - that's fine.  But don't go public with it, you owe the organization and its fans at least that much.  Once you come out and say you want to be traded, you don't exactly put your GM in an advantageous bargaining position.  

Miraculously, Bryan Murray managed to negotiate himself a pretty decent offer.  I think the Senators would be a better team tomorrow if they dressed Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner, and Ladislav Smid instead of Dany Heatley.  The trio offered up by Oilers' GM Kevin Lowe helps Ottawa in several areas of need.  So, Heatley wants out... but apparently he's not going to Edmonton.  I guess beggars can in fact be choosers.

At the end of the day, Heatley's actions have hand-cuffed his current team, disappointed the fans of two Canadian teams, and embarrassed three NHL players, who now have the awkward task of walking back in to Rexall Place and moving forward as though Lowe never tried to trade them.  It's time that the NHL look to the NFL-model of allowing for contracts that aren't guaranteed to avoid problems like this in the future.  Everyone effected by this saga, except he who set it all in motion, deserves better.

Movie Wordplay

Movie studios know sports movies are cash cows.  They are relatively cheap to produce, and typically draw a big crowd.  In light of my desire to get into the movie business, I thought I'd draft some screenplays based on what has transpired in this year's playoffs.  With creativity being at a premium these days, all of the films I'm pitching are remakes of some oldies and some goodies.  Luckily, some of the original stars have agreed to come back for more.

Here are a look at some of the titles I'm giving an overhaul for a new generation...

Anger Management

Starring: Milan Lucic and Jack Nicholson

Premise:  Nicholson tries to help Lucic find inner peace while keeping his stick and elbow down.

Better Off Dead

Starring: John Cusack and the Columbus BlueJackets

Premise: The BlueJackets realize that death is more appealing than playing the Red Wings.

Black Hawk Down

Starring: Patrick Kane and Josh Hartnett

Premise: Kane has a bad case of the flu and might miss game 4.  Hartnett risks everything to make sure that doesn't happen.  Nobody asks to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.

Bringing Down the House

Starring: Blackhawks fans and Queen Latifah.

Premise: Danger ensues at the United Center where the loudest fans in the league cause a partial collapse in the structure of the building.  Luckily, most of the rubble lands on Queen.  This one's not really a comedy.  Or is it?

A Bronx Tale

Starring: The New York Rangers, the Washington Capitals and Robert de Niro

Premise: The hard-working, blue-collar Rangers overcome the rich, slick, and powerful Capitals.  Robert de Niro plays Dan Girardi's bus-driving father, and operates the team bus.

Clueless

Starring: Barrett Jackman and Alicia Silverstone

Premise: Jackman is completely lost playing defence for the Blues.  Silverstone takes him shopping for speed and awareness.

Crash

Starring: Tuomo Ruutu and the New Jersey Devils

Premise: Ruutu finds himself constantly bumping into the Devils.  Calamity ensues.

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Starring: Dan Carcillo and Mike Cammalleri

Premise: Woody Allen directs as we look at two men who commit the same act, and inexplicably face vastly different consequences.

A Few Good Men

Starring: The Calgary Flames and Tom Cruise

Premise: A trio of Calgary's best are facing punishment from the league.  It's up to Tom to save them, and all he has to do is convince the judge the Flames' were acting under orders.

A Fistful of Dollars

Starring: Martin Havlat and Hawks' GM Dale Tallon

Premise: Tallon has no choice but to re-sign Havlat this summer, and for big time money.   Clint Eastwood has a cameo as the Zamboni driver, dressed appropriately in his poncho.

The Great Escape

Starring: The Vancouver Canucks and the guys who open the door in the penalty box.

Premise: Somehow, the Canucks escape the penalty box, practically unscathed.   Unfortunately, when they go back there in round 2, they are killed pretty quickly.

Heist

Starring: Henrik Lundqvist and Gene Hackman

Premise: The King of New York steals game after game, and in the end, Gene Hackman outsmarts everyone.

In Good Company

Starring: Michael Ryder, David Krejci, and Blake Wheeler

Premise: After years of wandering aimlessly through life, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Michael Ryder figures it all out.

I Spy

Starring: Alex Ovechkin, John Tortorella, and Eddie Murphy.

Premise: Ovechkin stakes out the Rangers' practice.  Murphy stars, by his own request, because he has nothing better to do these days.

Keeping the Faith

Starring: Sharks fans.

Premise: There's still hope.

Kicking and Screaming

Starring: Martin Brodeur and Jussi Jokinen

Premise: Brodeur flips out after a totally legitimate goal.  Sticks and the hearts of poor little Devils fans are broken, as Carolina gains all kinds of momentum.

Men With Brooms

Starring: The Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks

Premise: Four games is all it took them.

Missing In Action

Starring: Joe Thornton and Chuck Norris

Premise: It's the beginning of the playoffs and Joe Thornton is nowhere to be found.  In a T2-esque role reversal, Norris is sent to look for him.

Missing In Action 2

Starring: Joe Thornton and Chuck Norris

Premise: The playoffs continue, and Thornton is once again absent.  Norris is back, although this time a little more reluctantly. 

Mission: Impossible

Starring: The Detroit Red Wings, whatever team they're playing, and Tom Cruise (playing Marian Hossa, without the accent)

Premise: Teams are consistently dominated by the Wings.  Hossa (Tom Cruise), while hanging from the ceiling, tries to infiltrate their defence, but sets off the alarm, at which point he explodes through a wall and jumps out a window, doing a flip before opening his parachute.  When he lands, he decides to leave IMF and join the unstoppable Red Wings, because Tom Cruise always wins.

Ordinary People

Starring: Bob Mackenzie and Darren Dreger with cameos by the entire NHL on TSN panel.

Premise: A bunch of regular, middle aged guys masquerade as "hockey insiders" and make bold statements and predictions about hockey and life.  As if they know what they're talking about. 

Raw Deal

Starring: Sean Avery and every referee in the NHL

Premise: No matter what he does, Sean Avery gets screwed, but perseveres in the end.

Shooter

Starring: Alex Ovechkin

Premise: There's going to be more shooting, people are going to get scored on.  He didn't start it, but he means to see it through.

Snakes on a Plane

Starring: Gary Bettman, Bill Daly and their staff

Premise: A look at the commissioner and his travels across the continent.

There Will Be Blood

Starring: The Penguins and Flyers

Premise: These two teams beat on each other for 120 minutes.

Capital Conspiracy

Alexander Ovechkin will try anything.  This morning he found himself on the sidelines of Madison Square Garden, looking on as the Rangers practiced.  I'm not sure what he hoped to gather from this spy session, but in any event, he was asked to leave, and John Tortorella wasn't too thrilled about the whole thing.  So, did Ovechkin figure out all that he needed in his time there to turn this series around? No.  Does it matter. No.  This thing wasn't over anyway.

New York won two games in a row to start the series, both by a goal, and both because Henrik Lundqvist stole the show.  Don't get me wrong, a hot goalie can win you a series, and there's no one out there better than "The King", but Washington has been firing on all cylinders, and they will be doing so for the rest of the series, whether it be four or five more games in length.  What is certain - because I stick to my guns, the way Washington does there's - is that New York can't sustain this success, and they will ultimately suffer an unappealing fate at the hands of the most exciting team in hockey.  

Before the series began, no one with any bit of sanity gave New York a chance, and on Saturday night when asked if Washington had any chance of overcoming the 0-2 deficit, the entire TSN panel responded with a resounding "no".  The media can turn on you pretty quickly.  Or maybe they just have their feet stuck in their overworked mouths.  The fans can also turn on you pretty quickly too.

The very same people who went on and on about how good Ovechkin was, and how hard he played, have filled blogs and message boards with striking blows to his character and heart.  I've seen the words selfish and lazy used to describe the man who for the balance of the season has outworked, outhit, and outplayed his opponent every shift he was on the ice.  Ovechkin hasn't gone soft over the course of two games people.  Get your heads on straight.  This guy has 19 shots on goal, and 17 hits in the first two games.  He's giving it everything he has, and just hasn't gotten any results... yet.  

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down: Day 3

Sorry Dave Hodge, I'm borrowing your segment.  It's just so catchy!

I don't usually like to start off with a negative attitude, but thumbs down to Colin Campbell for not suspending Mike Cammalleri.  His wallop to the head of Martin Havlat was pre-meditated, violent, and dangerous.  It was away from the puck, and even before the whistle.  It was not a hockey play, and he should've been reprimanded by the league.  Especially when you consider that just a day before, Flyers' pest Daniel Carcillo was suspended one game for doing essentially the same thing.

Conversely, thumbs up to Martin Havlat.  Not necessarily for his two-goal performance, which tied and won the game for Chicago in the aftermath of the Cammalleri incident, but for the way he conducted himself when questioned about the elbow.  This afternoon on HockeyCentral, Havlat didn't whine or complain or make accusations about the Flames' winger, he simply attributed the conduct to the competitive nature of athletes during the playoffs.  

Thumbs up to the Canes' Tuomo Ruutu.  Every year in the playoffs, certain players have a coming out party.  While Ruutu made a name for himself at the last World Cup of Hockey, he has sort of fallen off the radar since then, but he had a terrific regular season playing with Eric Staal, and his solid play has continued into the playoffs.  Not only is he dangerous offensively, but if you're playing against him and have your head down, you may not have a head at the end of your shift.

An extra thumb, pointed upward, to Marc-Andre Fleury, who just made an unbelievable save to preserve an opportunity for the Penguins to win game two.

Top 10 Signs it's the Playoffs

10. Teams are getting way too many power plays, especially those that the league has an economic interest in seeing win (I'm looking at you Columbus).

9. Montreal is giving Boston a hard time.

8. Joe Thornton has officially packed it in for the year.  No I'm not being overly harsh.  Yes it's been just one game so far this year, but his poor post-season play extends back into eternity.

7.   Chris Osgood is playing awesome.  He made a world-class save in the first minute of game one, and the team never looked back.

6. Players are hitting each other - hard.

5. Mark Recchi is playing, but not for the team he started the season with.

4. Jay Bouwmeester is not playing.

3. Martin Havlat is scoring all the time.  Don't get me wrong, this guy had a great regular season, but he always seems to elevate to a new level in the Spring.

2. The play-by-play announcers have seemingly nothing to talk about other than line match-ups and the importance of face-offs.

1. I'm in my house from 7pm to 1am every night watching hockey.

Playoff Predictions

For those of you who follow this blog, you'll have noticed an elongated period of inactivity.  My apologies.  I'm in the middle of my final exam period, which sees me writing 6 exams over 11 days, each worth 100% of my grade.  On top of that, I run an annual NHL Playoff Pool, which involves quite a bit of organizational busy work.

Anyhow, I'm a couple days late in posting them, but here are my predictions for the first round.  I did make them prior to the commencement of each series.  Note, I'm not off to a very hot start.

BOSTON IN 5

WASHINGTON IN 6

CAROLINA IN 7

PITTSBURGH IN 7

SAN JOSE IN 6

DETROIT IN 5

ST. LOUIS IN 6

CHICAGO IN 7

Part of me wanted to pick other teams, like New Jersey and Calgary.  In fact, I think you could formulate an argument for any team winning their match-up (except Columbus, they have no chance).

So who do I think will be around long-term?  My philosophy is you have to be bold.  It's rare to see all the top seeds advance to the final four, so why bother, like so many analysts have this week, picking San Jose, Boston, Detroit, and Washington?

Before I get my foot stuck in my mouth, I should say I do believe Detroit and Washington will make it to the third round.  The teams joining them - my money (but not very much of it) is on Carolina and St. Louis.

Beyond that, I have a hard time imagining anybody beating the Detroit Red Wings.  It will also make for a nice story, given the whole Marian Hossa situation.  He's a noble man on a honorable mission.  And he's a heck of a hockey player.  

Perhaps I'm a year late, but they're just so dangerous offensively and so good in their own zone, I don't think the other elite teams in the league can match their talent or work ethic.  Making a pick like this is kind of like under-dressing the day after an unseasonably warm afternoon.  Let's hope it stays warm out there...

Curious Coaching

With their teams right in the thick of the most competitive playoff race in years, Edmonton's Craig MacTavish and Minnesota's Jaques Lemaire have been making numerous puzzling choices in terms of player personnel and ice time recently. I want to highlight a couple of the decisions I found particularly disturbing.

On Sunday, the aforementioned teams were playing each other. The Oilers were behind by two goals in the third period. Who might one expect to see on the ice, and on the ice a lot? Perhaps Ales Hemsky, Andrew Cogliano, Shawn Horcoff, Ales Kotalik. You know, people who can score. People who can create offence. Instead, for at least four shifts during what in retrospect might be one of the most important periods of the Oilers season, we all got experience the joys of watching fourth-line players fail miserably at generating any kind of attack while skill players wasted away on the bench. Now, I am baffled enough with the fact that "Mac T", as they call him, continues to lean towards spreading out his ice time, but the fact that he chose to stick to his strategy under such circumstances was beyond my comprehension. This isn't Minor Pewee House League in Newmarket, Ontario. This is the National Hockey League. Your best players are your best players - so you have to win with them or lose with them. By that I mean, it is the coach's responsibility to at least TRY to win with them. I think this team has underperformed this season. On paper, they should have been able to compete with Calgary and Vancouver, especially when you factor in the world-class goaltending they've received from the ageless Dwaybe Roloson. As a Ranger fan, I'm the last person to point the finger at a coach, but it this case, I think it is the only fair place to be pointing.

I'll take a less harsh stance against Jaques Lemaire, because his record speaks for itself. But he made a curious decision tonight against Vancouver that left me scratching my head. And I'm sure the fans in Minnesota aren't too thrilled either. The game was heading into overtime, and the Wild were starting the extra frame on the power play. In fact, they were set to have over a minute of 4-on-3. Now, given what you know about Minnesota's roster, who might be the first person you send onto the ice under such circumstances? There is one, and only one correct answer. It starts and ends with Marian Gaborik. He's one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league, and since returning from injury he has been on fire. In addition to that, he traditionally does very well against the Canucks (remember the '03 playoffs?). And oh yeah, he scored Minnesota's only goal in the third period tonight. Lemaire, for whatever reason, elected to throw Andrew Brunette out there with Mikko Koivu instead. Nothing against Brunette, he's always been a capable scorer, but c'mon, you absolutely have to go with Gaborik. Why? Same reason Mac T shouldn't have had Stortini, Jaques, and Brodziak running around on Sunday. To make it even worse, Brunette had four, count 'em, FOUR chances to one-time the puck onto the net and/or walk the puck into the crease area. He failed each time. I'm not guaranteeing Gaborik would've scored, but the odds suggest he may have performed more admirably than the others on the ice. I hope Minnesota doesn't miss the playoffs by a single point...

Central Time: Mason vs. Rinne

For years the Central division has been a feasting ground for teams looking to scoop up easy points.  The Columbus BlueJackets have never made the playoffs, Nashville went through a similar stretch upon their inception into the league, and St. Louis and Chicago have had some miserable seasons since the dawn of the new millennium.  Detroit is the only team in the bunch that has been consistently excellent.  The tides have certainly turned this year.  Prior to action tonight, all five teams in the division occupied Western Conference playoff spots.  Whether they are all still there come April 13th is indeterminable, but it is an intriguing possibility.  Detroit's success has long been achieved through the employment of capable scouts and their subsequent drafting of excellent young players.  After years of failure, the other teams in their division are beginning to reap the benefits of having solid drafts - this should be the focus for the next few seasons for teams in peril, such as Colorado, Atlanta, and Toronto.

- In Columbus, much of the credit has been bestowed upon rookie goaltending sensation Steve Mason, and he deserves the accolades.  There is endless talk about him garnering league MVP consideration and just yesterday I read an article which all but guaranteed he would be representing Canada at the Olympics next winter.  Oddly enough, nowhere have I read that Pekka Rinne will be nominated alongside Mason for the Hart Trophy.  Rinne is also absent from Finland's projected Olympic roster.  Now I know nobody except Taylor Swift (I do love those commercials) and Vince Gill go to hockey games in Nashville, but somebody out there has to be starting a campaign for this guy.  Maybe that guy should be me. 

For arguments sake, and we all know I love a good argument, what if I were to suggest to you Nashville's rookie goaltender, Pekka Rinne, is actually MORE valuable to his team?  You can go about this one of two ways.  First, you can look at the numbers.

Mason has 32 wins and 23 losses (9 games over .500).  His goals against average is 2.22 and his save percentage is .918.  He also has 10 shutouts.  Pretty amazing stuff.  Believe me I know, because every time you turn a Canadian sports program on, the analysts all remind us.

But what of the mysterious Pekka Rinne?

He has 27 wins and 16 losses (11 games over .500).  His goals against average is 2.25 and his save percentage is .922.  He has 7 shutouts.  Equally amazing stuff right? They both win two categories.  I disagree, it is more amazing.  

Why is that?  Go ahead and try and name more than six forwards that suited up for the Predators tonight.  I'll tell you who didn't - Erat, Arnott, and Legwand.  Those are three of their top four forwards.  The other is J.P Dumont, and he left the game with an injury.  These guys have all missed some time this year, which hurts Nashville, but even when they are all in the lineup, the Predators roster is no match, on paper, in contrast to a healthy BlueJackets team.  Nashville, given their overall talent level, has no business whatsoever being involved in the playoff race.  Don't get me wrong, I love Radek Bonk, but the biggest reason they are still in the hunt,without question, is the monsterously dominant and criminally under-appreciated play of Pekka Rinne.

I don't know which, or how many, teams from the Central division will end up qualifying for the playoffs beyond Detroit and Chicago.  However, if Nashville does get in and you're standing in a room full of people who are voting Mason for MVP (believe me, they're out there), how about making them aware of guy they should be voting for instead.  

Dropping the Puck: March 27th, Crystal Ball Edition

The playoff races get more intriguing by the second, and that won't change tonight, but there's plenty of other things to keep an eye on.  Panelists are constantly prognosticating, which is nice.  Unfortunately, they're often incorrect - consider the fact that the people on television last night mulling over whether or not Montreal will make the playoffs are the very same people that all but guaranteed they would be in the Stanley Cup Final this June.  But hey, everybody likes predictions, so I'll make some too, using a systematically appointed color scheme.  

P.S. - I don't assume responsibility for any wagers placed in response to this blog.

- The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Washington.  

What people think will happen: If the media has there way, the Lightning players will be seeking retribution for Alex Ovechkin's rendition of "Feelin' Hot."  People out there, Don Cherry included, believe that somebody on Tampa will physically punish the Russian sniper.  

What WILL happen: Ovechkin will score two goals, celebrate emphatically, and absolutely crunch at least three Lightning players into the boards over the course of the game.

- The Ducks and Oilers are battling for the final playoff position in the West.

What people think will happen:  Well, in Edmonton they hope Dwayne Roloson will somehow manage to lead them to the playoffs and that it will all begin with a win tonight.

What WILL happen: Edmonton will lose 4-2 to the Ducks, and fail to re-enter the top eight for the remainder of the season.  St. Louis is too hot right now.  So is Marian Gaborik.

- The Buffalo Sabres welcome back Ryan Miller.  

In this case, I don't have any qualms with what the people are thinking - Miller stands on his head, and the Sabres start to get on a roll.  Watch out Montreal.

- And finally, a note on the improving observation skills of the average Canadian hockey fan.

Today's TSN poll asks who is having the better season, Sidney Crosby or Zach Parise.  At this point in time, Parise leads with 71.6% of the votes, meaning only 28.4% of the voting population is wrong.  It's refreshing to see a much smaller portion of the NHL's fan base is drinking Gary Bettman's marketing Kool-Aid.

Slamming Headshots

Hits to the head are a hot topic these days.  On the one hand, this is an indication that the league and player's association care about the health and safety of the combatants on the ice, which is a good thing.  On the other hand, the fact that we have to keep talking about it means that players are still out there taking liberties with each other, and whatever measures and suspensions the league is dishing out to perpetrators seem to lack the substance required to make an impact.  No decision on the legality of a hit ever seems to satisfy everyone.  For instance, I thought Thomas Pock and Denis Gauthier were over-penalized for questionable hits this season, while Brendan Witt got off easy, and a teammate of his and Pock's, (Doug Weight) got off scot-free.  My opinion takes into account a number of factors, the most important of which being whether or not the hitter was trying to make a "legitimate hockey play."  Pock and Gauthier, while throwing dirty hits, did so while trying to separate their man from the puck.  Both were overzealous, and suspensions were warranted, but not five games in length.  Weight's hit on an unsuspecting Brandon Sutter was as unnecessary as it was malicious.  I like Doug Weight, but he crossed the line, and the league looked the other way.  Fortunately, Sutter is now ok.  Witt though, he's another story.  His elbow to the head of Niklas Hagman (who three weeks later, is still recovering) was blatantly violent, and in no way, shape or form was he trying to do anything else but injure Hagman.  He should have had a suspension in the Steve Downie range.  For all future purposes, the "Steve Downie Range" encompasses suspensions approximately 20 games in length, as he is no stranger to those.

So why bring all of this up now?  Well, Ben Eager was suspended for three games for a hit to the head on Liam Reddox.  Evgeni Malkin threw an eerily similar hit on the Kings' Wayne Simmonds a couple of nights later, and received no suspension.  So this month, Eager is the equivalent of Pock and Malkin is the equivalent of Weight.  People are up in arms over the fact that there appears to be a double standard being applied across the league.  There seems to be one set of rules for the stars and another for those who aren't.  Is this true?  If so, is it justifiable?  These are all intriguing questions.

I think the evidence suggests there is some inconsistency here.  Since Eager was suspended, Malkin should have been also, based on the rules.  Neither player was interested in the puck during their respective headshot sequences.  They were only interested in crushing in the skull of their opponent.  I'm supportive of suspensions for these kinds of hits in general, but I would also advocate longer banishments.  So why doesn't the league agree?  Consider what the common denominator in all of these cases is.  The player on the receiving end of the dirty hit has yet to be someone of significance.  With all due respect to people like Reddox, Simmonds, Hagman, Sutter, and Josh Gorges, they are role players, not superstars.  If Pavel Datsyuk or Sidney Crosby had their heads slammed by the third and fourth liners of the world, leading to either of them missing substantial time, I'm absolutely positive the league would step in and make a statement.  And from a business perspective, I understand that - the league has to protect their assets.  Through similar logic, I can understand why Evgeni Malkin and Doug Weight were not suspended - they are also superstars.  Well, one is, and the latter was.

All things being equal, the league would properly assess hits and reprimand players appropriately.  But in sports, like in life, all things aren't equal.  That's just something we're all going to have to live with.  Besides, I'm sure highlights of the Malkin hit, which got plenty of airplay on all the major networks over the weekend, will be replaced almost instantly by a world-class offensive play.  It's a "what have you done for me lately" kind of business.  And lately, no one has been better than Evgeni Malkin.  Life at the top has its perks...   

    

Cherry Picking

There exists a number of intense rivalries in hockey, and across all sports.  This has always been the case, and will continue to be so for the rest of time.  Usually they involve players or teams going head-to-head.  Federer-Nadal and Red Sox-Yankees come to mind.  The newest rivalry in sports comes to us via the National Hockey League, and it is escalating pretty quickly.  It is also unique, considering it involves the league's best player going head-to-head with its most renowned broadcasting figure of all-time.  I'm talking of course about Alex Ovechkin and Don Cherry.  And if you haven't seen and heard what they have been saying about one another, I'm here to fill you in.

First take a look at the video of goal, the celebration, and his post-game interview, which is priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g0dZR7G4Gs

Apparently Don Cherry doesn't like Ovechkin's celebratory nature.  On Hockey Night in Canada three weeks ago, Cherry called-out the Russian sniper for being over-enthusiastic and disrespectful.  He suggested the forward was resorting to "soccer-like" tactics and his advice for the kids was to steer clear of such behaviour because it was "not the Canadian way."  All of this on the heels of Sidney Crosby's vocal displeasure with Ovechkin's attitude on the ice.  If you ask me, Crosby is a bit jealous and Cherry's assertations are nonsense.  I'll admit, I still tune in weekly, but only to witness live what travesty he will spout out of his mouth at any given moment.  You get the feeling even Ron Maclean is growing tiresome of Cherry's antics.

The worst part of it all?  Last weekend, after supplying his audience with footage of Ovechkin celebrating in a more restrained fashion, Cherry took credit, saying "that's why everyone listens to me." 

The best part? A mere five days later, Ovechkin scores his 50th goal, and oh my, did he celebrate.  He was dancing over top of his stick, which was, in his words, "hot, hot, hot."  Who is Don Cherry kidding?  What he says won't change who Ovechkin is - and that's a good thing.  Ovechkin has a personality, he has flair - and it is a good thing for the game.  Crosby says he doesn't like ovechkin's attitude.  I say, I'm glad he has an attitude to begin with.  And what's wrong with being happy when you score a goal?  Maybe if Crosby had anywhere near Ovechkin's 50 and counting...

That's a debate for another time, though the conclusion to the question about which player is more effective is foregone in my opinion.

Back to Cherry and Ovechkin... make sure to tune in to HNIC this Saturday.  Cherry will be sure to use up most of his time addressing Ovechkin's post-game comments last night in Tampa Bay.  Ovechkin claimed he "doesn't care about Cherry" and can't wait to see "Coach's Room" because he bet Cherry "will be p****d off".  The more people chime in to the debate, the more support Ovechkin seems to get.  I've made it clear where I stand.  He's earned the right to have some fun out there, because at the end of the day, that's what we're all told this game is about anyway.  

What do you think?

 

Green Day

At this point in the season, it is impossible to under-emphasize the importance of the games played each night.  Tonight will be an especially interested evening, as teams battling for bottom end playoff positions are going head-to-head.  A couple of Canadian teams will be hoping that some that old Irish luck rubs off on them.

In the West, the 10th place St. Louis Blues will be facing the 9th place Edmonton Oilers.  Either team can jump into a playoff spot with a win.  In the East exists an even more intriguing match.  The Canadiens and Rangers, who are tied with 80 points each, will do battle in Montreal.  Anything can happen - that's why they play the games, but I wouldn't be surprised if a loss tonight marked the beginning of the end, of this season anyway, for either team.  At this point though, I think the two points are more important to the Habs if they want to avoid early tee off times.

Beyond the many playoff battles to take in, there are a few other interesting story lines to keep an eye on.  

First and foremost, Martin Brodeur will be looking for his record setting 552nd win against the Blackhawks.  In a nice coincidence, his longtime friend and teammate, Patrik Elias, can take over the Devils' all-time scoring lead with just a point.  He currently sits at 701.  Throughout his career, Brodeur has received endless praise, all of it deserved.  Elias, has received much less than his play has warranted over his seasons in the swamp.  It would be fitting for both of them to celebrate together tonight.  I'll be watching, I hope you will be too.

Alex Ovechkin is in Florida looking for his 50th goal of the season.  Whether he scores it tonight or not, it is inevitable that he will score it, ultimately becoming the first member of the Capitals organization to score 50 or more goals in three or more seasons.  An interesting piece of trivia to know, considering Peter Bondra, one of the most prolific scorers during the 90's, lit the lamp with tremendous frequency for the very same team.

And finally, the Leafs and Lightning meet again, following a heated battle last week that saw Ron Wilson ejected.  

Enjoy the evening, there's some great hockey to be played.

AA Batteries

battery [bat-uh-ree]

1. a combination of two or more cells electronically connected to work together to produce electric energy.

7. intentional infliction upon the body of another of a harmful contact.

12. any imposing group of persons or things acting or directed in unison.

Antropov.  Avery.  The combination has truly been magical thus far for New York.  The Garden hasn't been as loud as it was Sunday afternoon in a long time.  The fans saluted both players with cheers throughout the game as they were instrumental in the demolishing of the Philadelphia Flyers.  Unfortunately for the Rangers, the result the afternoon before was not as favorable.  Their quest for the post-season continues, and I believe it is safe to say the acquisitions of Nik Antropov and Sean Avery are the biggest reason why this team has been able to stay in the mix.

In six games so far, Avery has four goals and five points.  He's also drawn several penalties, leading to power play goals for his team, and has managed to get under the skin of some key players.  Case in point, Flyers stars Jeff Carter and Mike Richards became non-factors yesterday after run-ins with the most hated man in hockey.  Antropov has five points as well, three of them goals, and has looked dangerous in all situations playing on a line with the over-paid Chris Drury and under-appreciated Brandon Dubinsky.

These guys are high impact players.  It's as simple as that.  They aren't Datsyuk and Zetterberg or Ovechkin and Semin, but they're difference makers.  And since they have been summoned to the same dressing room, their teammates have developed a new respect for them and their opponents have been instilled with a sense of fear.  Lining up against a Ranger team is a much more daunting task today than it was two weeks ago.  It's all good in New York folks.  For now, that is.   

Honorable Mention

I can't re-call a year where this much attention was paid by fans and media alike to the NHL's annual Draft Lottery.  Never has it even been close.  There are a couple reasons I can cite as a basis for all the hoopla.  One - John Tavares is an appealing prospect.  Perhaps Canada's most appealing since Sidney Crosby, and even Crosby's draft year didn't have this much Lottery talk prefacing it because of the lockout.  Two - A couple of the teams that are in the running for the top pick are situated in Ontario, North America's hotbed for hockey-related media.  

It was not too long ago that a springtime playoff encounter between the Senators and Maple Leafs was almost automatic, something everyone except Patrick Lalime could get excited about.  These days, its not uncommon to have Sens fans cheering on the Leafs, and Leafs fans cheering on the Sens.  As crazy as it sounds, you people know its been happening since October.  I've sat through countless chats, listening to ignorant fans blather on about how last night's come from behind Leafs victory (and there has been a lot of those this season) was a waste of time... completely useless... futile even.  Fear not true fans, these are same people who are in love with fantasy hockey, not real hockey.  And Kyle Wellwood.  Anyone who thinks teams should be, or are, out on the ice losing on purpose hasn't ever played anything at a competitive level.  What's more, is they don't make an effort to understand the world of professional sports either.  

The players and coaches want to win.  The players and coaches are competitive.  It doesn't matter what the expectations for their teams are, or what percentage of a chance they have at drafting John Tavares.  Presently, the Islanders have the best odds, at 25%.  That hasn't stopped them from going 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.  It also hasn't stopped Sean Bergenheim, one of their best players, from being one of the best players in the entire league over the last 14 days.  Second in the hunt are the Thrashers.  No wait, the Lightning.  It was the Thrashers, until they strung together some wins and passed Tampa Bay in the standings.  They too appear to be interested more in winning than draft position.  Colorado and Phoenix are in the mix too.  And maybe they'll lose more games than they win down the stretch to move up a position or two in the draft.  But one thing is for certain, they won't lose on purpose.  Nor should they.  Anyone suggesting otherwise should be reprimanded accordingly.  Maybe we could arrange for them to get an earful from Ron Wilson.  

This is an honorable mention to the relentless efforts of professional athletes and the never quit attitude that separates them from the amateurs.  It is a quality that is often taken for granted.  Draft schmaft said Cliff Fletcher many years ago.  A shared sentiment amongst the seven teams battling not to finish last, but to stay out of last.  Pride is hard to swallow.   

Stream of Consciousness...

There were a ton of games tonight, many with intriguing story lines.  Here are some post-game thoughts and opinions...

The Montreal Canadiens defeated Edmonton in Bob Gainey's return to the bench boss role.  TSN claims his presence has had an immediate impact.  Relax everybody, it's just one game, and it was against Edmonton.  Sorry Oiler faithful... Sheldon Souray left the game in the third period.  The extent of his injury is not yet known, but with Visnosvky already out, the Oilers better hope this is only a minor problem... I'll take the aforementioned "relax everybody, it's just one game" approach and apply it to what has happened with the Sabres over the last four days.  And stretch out its applicability so it includes two games... The Blues beat Dallas 5-2 in a game that has major implications on the standings.  Yesterday on Hockeycentral at Noon, Doug MacLean referred to St. Louis as "the best team in the Western Conference."  I thought I misheard, but then he repeated it a minute later... Martin Havlat is hurt, but the good news is he's only listed as day-to-day.  Who had over 64.5 games played in their injury pool?... Owen Nolan scored his 400th career goal today.  Yes, that Owen Nolan.  He plays for Minnesota in case you were wondering... There's some chatter about Alexei Yashin returning to the NHL next season.  I'd take him on my team... What's the deal with Boston?... I don't want to discount the nine shutouts Steve Mason has this year, but what is alarming is the amount of goals he lets in when he's not getting shutouts.  Look it up... Fighting is all the rage at the GM's meetings right now.  Let's hope they emphasize on reducing the amount of staged fights, and worry less about enforcing the instigator rule.  The spur-of-the-moment fight is the one the fans love to see... Don't look now, but the Penguins are on a huge roll.  I still think they're toast against New Jersey, Washington, or Boston in the playoffs though... Miro Satan hasn't reported to Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, so if you see him, call Ray Shero... The honeymoon between Olli Jokinen and the Flames appears to have been short-lived.  After dominating Philadelphia in his debut, Calgary has lost three straight... 

That's all for tonight, check back during the week for more updates and analysis.  I will post a special report in response to the decisions made at the conclusion of the GM's meetings. 

Meeting of the Minds

The NHL's General Managers are presently engaged in a series of meetings in Naples, Florida to discuss the state of the game.  Check back in the next couple days for a full report.  Issues generating substantial discussion include; fighting, headshots, goalie equipment, rule changes in regards to delayed penalties, balancing the schedule, and Olympic participation beyond 2010. 

Happy Anniversary

Apparently Bob Gainey thought it appropriate to file for a divorce instead.  A slow decline from the top end of the conference into an intense battle for a playoff spot, has cost Guy Carbonneau his head coaching job with the Montreal Canadiens.  As I noted on the weekend, expectations were so high for this team that something had to give, and fast.  The trade deadline came and went and no players arrived or left.  There was only one place left to turn - behind the bench.  With Carolina and Pittsburgh catching fire, I assume Gainey, who will take over as coach for the balance of the season, was beginning to feel the heat.  At this juncture of the season, everyone in Montreal is hoping this transition can work.

Here's how I'm assessing the situation - Gainey is motivated by a need to preserve his own position within the organization.  After all, he's the one responsible for the on ice personnel Carbonneau had to work with, meaning he also believes, as a group, they are a good enough team to be competitive right now (hence his inactivity last week).  Supposedly, Carbonneau did not - just look at the way he distributed ice time.  Getting behind the bench gives Gainey the opportunity to prove the team he put together can win.  They better win a lot and get into the playoffs because if they don't, he'll be gone too.

Trade Nullified

The transaction sending Kyle McLaren from the San Jose Sharks organization to Philadelphia has been rejected by the league because McLaren failed his physical.  He will however be able to play for Philadelphia's farm team, the Phantoms.

I didn't particularly like this trade for Philadelphia to begin with, so perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.  Acquiring a guy like McLaren seems to be a reversion to the mentality in place when they spent a boatload to bring in Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje.  I'm glad to see the Flyers' having success right now, but we all know where they finished in the standings two seasons ago.  

The Burden of Expectation

The Montreal Canadiens were the toast of the hockey world coming into this season.  Expectations of both the fans and the organization were sky high.  Mats Sundin was coming, Carey Price was entering superstardom,  and Alex Kovalev was hitting the peak of his renaissance.  The plan was to have it all culminate in a Stanley Cup championship to cap off their 100th anniversary celebration, which to this point, has provided us with nothing cheer about except additional midweek national coverage of NHL games on CBC.

Sundin never showed up, and his replacement, Robert Lang, is out for the season.  Carey price has been - dare I say it - absolutely awful for more of the season, and despite being more effective recently, we all know the deal with Kovalev.  Since the team can't give everyone two days off to "find themselves" Montreal is stuck in a world of hurt.  The way they're going, it is legitimate to assume they may actually miss the playoffs.  However, if they do make it, I am almost certain they won't last very long.

Everyone jumped on Bob Gainey's back for not making a splash on deadline day... but hold on a minute... wasn't this team supposed to challenge for the Stanley Cup anyway?  What happened to all that early season hype?!  The guys playing for Montreal now are the same guys all the analysts envisioned would be playing for them when they dropped the puck in October.  What seems to have befallen Montreal is the same problem that has cursed Ottawa: collective over-achievement.  In 2007 when the Senators made it to the finals, they got career years out of people like Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette, Chris Kelly, Andrej Meszaros, and Chris Neil.  I know some of them have moved on, but what's clear is that you'll never see any of the aforementioned players produce or compete the way they did two years ago.  Which is really frightening considering some of their salaries...

Is it possible that the likes of Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, and the Kostitsyn brothers have already peaked and rescinded back into mediocrity?  The Habs better hope not.  There's no hope for them this year, or next: have you seen the list of pending UFA's?  I guess it was just hype. 

Roberts Retires

After having 29 teams pass on his services and coming to terms with the fact that the Lightning no longer want or need him in their lineup, especially at an extra $10 000 per game, veteran Gary Roberts has retired from professional hockey.  His tenure in the NHL has had its ups-and-downs, and included stops in Tampa, Pittsburgh, Florida, Toronto, Carolina, and Calgary, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1989.  A severe neck injury almost prematurely ended his career, but Roberts was able to persevere and have several successful seasons afterwards, which speaks to the character, heart, and determination he was always attributed with.  He finishes with 909 points in 1224 games.

This marks yet another departure of a recently acquired player from Tampa's roster.  They splurged into the free agent market this past summer, only to see themselves struggle to stay out of the league's basement for the balance of the schedule.  The management and ownership tactics practiced by Brian Lawton, Len Barrie, and Oren Koules have raised eyebrows all year, and I'm sure there will be more problems to deal with before they find a solution.

- In other Lightning news...

In case you missed it, Steve Downie is in trouble again.  He has been suspended 20 games by the AHL for swinging his stick at an official.  With each passing incident, it would appear as though Downie is becoming less and less intelligent.  And believe me, there wasn't much going on upstairs to begin with.    

Californian Comebacks

If you weren't up late watching the Kings/Stars and Sharks/Wild, you missed some of the best action of the season.  The Kings, down 3-0 at one point, and then 4-2 late in the third took advantage of a series of penalties, and some shoddy goaltending by Marty Turco (who actually took one of the aforementioned infractions) on their way to a 5-4 overtime victory.  Michael Handzus (I love this guy) was instrumental in the face-off circle as usual and scored the winner to cap off a night that saw him tally a hat trick.

Upstate, the Sharks had a 3-0 lead over Minnesota, who looked lifeless for most of the first half of the game.  They slowly crept back in it, and then with under ten minutes to go in the third period, Marek Zidlicky tied the game at three after he tossed a no-look backhand shot towards goal, from centre ice no less, and it bounced its way past Brian Boucher (who has been filling in for the ailing Evgeni Nabokov).  Mikko Koivu stole the game for the Wild with 13.1 seconds left in overtime, after a nice zone entry and centering effort from Brent Burns. 

If there was ever a reason to subscribe to NHL Centre Ice, tonight was it. 

Ranger Line Combos

After shuffling his lines non-stop for his first three games as head coach of the Rangers, John Tortorella had his work cut out for him  after yesterday.  Two forwards are gone and two new ones are in.  Here's how the Ranger forwards started the game tonight.

Antropov-Drury-Dubinsky

Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev

Callahan-Korpikoski-Avery

Sjostrom-Betts-Orr

Let's hope Torts give them a chance to get adjusted to each other because this team needs offense more than anything else.  So far so good, Zherdev has given them the early lead.  Newcomer Nik Antropov has already had a couple quality shots, and Sean Avery, while quiet so far, has been hearing it from the fans of both sides (many of the seats have been taken up by local Ranger supporters).  

The game has had a terrific pace so far...

The Day After

It is always exciting to watch a player suit up for a new team, and there will be plenty of that happening across the continent tonight.  The most intriguing debut will take place at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia where Olli Jokinen, wearing number 21, will skate alongside Jarome Iginla.  Flames fans have high hopes, as do I, and I will be watching the game and providing live updates should anything interesting occur.  A state over, the new look Rangers will be trying to take advantage of a weak Islanders team.  Unfortunately for New York, they haven't had a lot of success on the island the past three seasons.  I will be watching that game closely as well, specifically to find out how much Sean Avery and Nik Antropov can help the struggling Ranger offense.  Other new faces include Martin Gerber starting on goal tonight for Toronto and Mark Recchi suiting up for the Bruins.  There are many more players that will be getting adjusted to their new teammates tonight, so it should be a good evening to take in some games.

If not for the reasons above, then simply because there are certainly playoff implications attached to almost every game tonight.  Most notably, in Florida where the Penguins will battle the Panthers and in Nashville, where the Predators play host to the Bluejackets.  Big time points on the line.  Enjoy the action and stay tuned for updates.

Picks for tonight:  Calgary and New York will both come out on top.