As if my blog wasn't unfocused enough, here is a long rant about hockey. I have plenty of other and better things to write about . . . but there is about a 2-year backlog of hockey nonsense stuck in my brain, so I had to get it out. If nothing else, it will bring an exoteric flavour to this place. Did I just say "exoteric"? Sorry. Don't read this. No, seriously, don't read it.
Richard Park is the greatest (Korean) hockey player ever! And now he is a Vancouver Canuck. He's also the only Korean hockey player in the NHL, so he's also the worst, but let's look on the bright side. So that was the suitably nonsensical opening to the inexplicable (I'm told) topic that is my semi-obsession with hockey.
Unless you accidentally clicked on the "read more" button, you probably already know that the NHL exists once again, and that it's landscape has been shaken by various earthquakes measuring about 8.6 on the Richter scale. 8.6, incidentally, will be the GAA for the NYR this year, Mike Richter's former team.
No one wants to talk about the new CBA, or the process leading up to it, but I will point out a few good things that have come from it:
1. NHL participation at Turin 2006 has been ensured (Go Romania Go! I mean, Canada!).
2. Some rule tweaks might make the game more offensive.
3. The net effect of the cap of Canadian teams has been positive.
4. The effect on some teams I dislike has been negative.
The Olympics thing is self-explanatory. Canada will defend it's gold medals. The only team that can beat us is still the Czechs. The rule tweaks . . . who knows what will happen with them, let's hope they work. The two smallest market Canadian teams (CGY & EDM) have markedly improved in the post-CBA NHL, and the remaining four are generally the same as before, with the possibly exception of that team from Toronto.
Calgary was already going to contend in the West, but they added Tony Amonte, for some potentially valuable offense, and Darren McCarthy, to punch people and accuse others of being communists. They did lose Martin Gelinas, but they have 2 young guys with big upsides . . . Chuck Cobasew and that guy from the Juniors . . . . Dion.
Edmonton made 2 really smart moves: Pronger and Peca. They did have to give up Eric Brewer, but Pronger is better and more offensive. They may also benefit from a more open game. Their goaltending is suspect, but they have two promising prospects, so hopefully one of them will be good.
Ottawa apparently does not know that the lockout is over. I guess they resigned Havlat, which was a nobrainer . . . but they are mostly the same. Philly has possibly passed them as being the deepest team in the league, but they are still in the top 2-3 (TB? SJ?). Their only question mark is in goal, since Dominick Hasek is in rehab in the Czech Republic (probably).
Montreal . . . . all I know is they resigned some guys . . . . notably Alexei Kovalev, which was a coup.
Toronto . . . . I don't know what is happening with the greatest Irish player in the NHL, but his injury situation is not helpful. I don't think losing Leetch and Murray was so huge; they didn't have a whole lot left to contribute anyway, imho. It would have been nice to hold on to . . . . Gary Roberts, he'll be hard to replace, but c'est la vie. Jeff O'neill (wait, that sounds kind of Irish too?) was a deft pick-up. He'll fit well. As easy as Eric Lindros is to make fun of, I actually like him. Hopefully the year off will have done him good, and he'll have plenty of protection from the goon festival that is the Leafs, so . . . that move could work out well. They've always had a decent core . . . but I think they need at least one more big piece (probably on D) to make them serious contenders. Oh yeah, I forgot about Allison . . . . if he's healthy . . . that's good, duh.
Vancouver . . . . well, it's great that Marcus Naslund has stayed, and for multiple years at that! That bodes quite well for Todzilla staying . . . so that's good. Hopefully the Sedins will benefit from a more open game . . . and the big line definitely will. Losing Malik was very bad :( . . . . Bryan Allen can't pick up much of that slack. I didn't mind seeing Sopel go. He was OK, I guess, but overrated because of his chemistry with Ohlund. I don't know what Richard Park can do that Brandon Reid can't, but he did score . . . possibly the biggest goal in Minnesota Wild history, in game 7 against COL, a few years ago (that was him right?). Anyway, he can be added to the ever-expanding toolbox of 3rd and 4th line role players that we have. Van definitely needs another top-4 defenceman . . . and a scoring 2nd line center. The goaltending picture is still a perpetual question mark. The last playoffs was Cloutier's last chance . . . . but he was injured, so he gets another one. Let's hope Auld is the next Giguere/Kiprusoff. Anyway, I predict that the Canucks will win the Stanley Cup, because I do every year, and I'm always right! Except for every time.
Teams of interest from South of the Border:
Penguins have been going crazy. They won't make it deep in the playoffs, but they'll be fun to watch, and will definitely throw some hockey pools for a loop.
Philadelphia. D'oh! Probably the 3rd best team last season adds arguably the best player AND 2 really good defensemen! Frig! I'm glad we're not in the East. For my real pick, I pick them to win the cup. The only possible hole is in goal, but Boucher was good last playoffs.
Atlanta will be fun to watch, and if their goalie prospect is half as good as he's supposed to be . . . they'll make the playoffs easily. Holik was a great catch; they'll have a really good first 2 lines. I think I'll take a bunch of them in the pool.
The West will be really open this year. Perenial powerhouses STL, DAL and COL have been decimated. Especially COL . . . . . Turgeon and some other guy to replace Forsberg and Foote? HAHAHAHAHA . . . . ha! DET will still make the playoffs probably, but they are too old. SJ and CGY and hopefully Van will potentially be the big teams for a few years to come. OK, that's enough overconfident and manic speculation for a while. If you read to the end you get a prize, it can be whatever you want, since it's imaginary.
Richard Park is the greatest (Korean) hockey player ever! And now he is a Vancouver Canuck. He's also the only Korean hockey player in the NHL, so he's also the worst, but let's look on the bright side. So that was the suitably nonsensical opening to the inexplicable (I'm told) topic that is my semi-obsession with hockey.
Unless you accidentally clicked on the "read more" button, you probably already know that the NHL exists once again, and that it's landscape has been shaken by various earthquakes measuring about 8.6 on the Richter scale. 8.6, incidentally, will be the GAA for the NYR this year, Mike Richter's former team.
No one wants to talk about the new CBA, or the process leading up to it, but I will point out a few good things that have come from it:
1. NHL participation at Turin 2006 has been ensured (Go Romania Go! I mean, Canada!).
2. Some rule tweaks might make the game more offensive.
3. The net effect of the cap of Canadian teams has been positive.
4. The effect on some teams I dislike has been negative.
The Olympics thing is self-explanatory. Canada will defend it's gold medals. The only team that can beat us is still the Czechs. The rule tweaks . . . who knows what will happen with them, let's hope they work. The two smallest market Canadian teams (CGY & EDM) have markedly improved in the post-CBA NHL, and the remaining four are generally the same as before, with the possibly exception of that team from Toronto.
Calgary was already going to contend in the West, but they added Tony Amonte, for some potentially valuable offense, and Darren McCarthy, to punch people and accuse others of being communists. They did lose Martin Gelinas, but they have 2 young guys with big upsides . . . Chuck Cobasew and that guy from the Juniors . . . . Dion.
Edmonton made 2 really smart moves: Pronger and Peca. They did have to give up Eric Brewer, but Pronger is better and more offensive. They may also benefit from a more open game. Their goaltending is suspect, but they have two promising prospects, so hopefully one of them will be good.
Ottawa apparently does not know that the lockout is over. I guess they resigned Havlat, which was a nobrainer . . . but they are mostly the same. Philly has possibly passed them as being the deepest team in the league, but they are still in the top 2-3 (TB? SJ?). Their only question mark is in goal, since Dominick Hasek is in rehab in the Czech Republic (probably).
Montreal . . . . all I know is they resigned some guys . . . . notably Alexei Kovalev, which was a coup.
Toronto . . . . I don't know what is happening with the greatest Irish player in the NHL, but his injury situation is not helpful. I don't think losing Leetch and Murray was so huge; they didn't have a whole lot left to contribute anyway, imho. It would have been nice to hold on to . . . . Gary Roberts, he'll be hard to replace, but c'est la vie. Jeff O'neill (wait, that sounds kind of Irish too?) was a deft pick-up. He'll fit well. As easy as Eric Lindros is to make fun of, I actually like him. Hopefully the year off will have done him good, and he'll have plenty of protection from the goon festival that is the Leafs, so . . . that move could work out well. They've always had a decent core . . . but I think they need at least one more big piece (probably on D) to make them serious contenders. Oh yeah, I forgot about Allison . . . . if he's healthy . . . that's good, duh.
Vancouver . . . . well, it's great that Marcus Naslund has stayed, and for multiple years at that! That bodes quite well for Todzilla staying . . . so that's good. Hopefully the Sedins will benefit from a more open game . . . and the big line definitely will. Losing Malik was very bad :( . . . . Bryan Allen can't pick up much of that slack. I didn't mind seeing Sopel go. He was OK, I guess, but overrated because of his chemistry with Ohlund. I don't know what Richard Park can do that Brandon Reid can't, but he did score . . . possibly the biggest goal in Minnesota Wild history, in game 7 against COL, a few years ago (that was him right?). Anyway, he can be added to the ever-expanding toolbox of 3rd and 4th line role players that we have. Van definitely needs another top-4 defenceman . . . and a scoring 2nd line center. The goaltending picture is still a perpetual question mark. The last playoffs was Cloutier's last chance . . . . but he was injured, so he gets another one. Let's hope Auld is the next Giguere/Kiprusoff. Anyway, I predict that the Canucks will win the Stanley Cup, because I do every year, and I'm always right! Except for every time.
Teams of interest from South of the Border:
Penguins have been going crazy. They won't make it deep in the playoffs, but they'll be fun to watch, and will definitely throw some hockey pools for a loop.
Philadelphia. D'oh! Probably the 3rd best team last season adds arguably the best player AND 2 really good defensemen! Frig! I'm glad we're not in the East. For my real pick, I pick them to win the cup. The only possible hole is in goal, but Boucher was good last playoffs.
Atlanta will be fun to watch, and if their goalie prospect is half as good as he's supposed to be . . . they'll make the playoffs easily. Holik was a great catch; they'll have a really good first 2 lines. I think I'll take a bunch of them in the pool.
The West will be really open this year. Perenial powerhouses STL, DAL and COL have been decimated. Especially COL . . . . . Turgeon and some other guy to replace Forsberg and Foote? HAHAHAHAHA . . . . ha! DET will still make the playoffs probably, but they are too old. SJ and CGY and hopefully Van will potentially be the big teams for a few years to come. OK, that's enough overconfident and manic speculation for a while. If you read to the end you get a prize, it can be whatever you want, since it's imaginary.
posted by DJH at 12:34 p.m.
5 Comments:
As my prize I choose a game at GM place oh wait we were plannning that anyway - then I'll go for Swiss chalet as the pre game meal .
Dad
p.s. talking to a couple of hab fans back in mtl (Sam and Paul son of Nick)
they seem very confident of the moves made by les habs but them most fans are overly optimistic in August .
Why? WHY didn't I heed the warning not to read this!?!?
I had forgotten how hockey-licious you were. Don't worry though, it's all come SCREAMING back to me.
Lovely.
Since your update on the Habs de Montreal was ... short, let me put one of my own:
OFFENCE
Resining Kovalev was a move that Montreal will remember. As Great of a player he can be, I would have never sing him for more then 2 yr but I guess that's the only way we had to keep him. Zetnik-Koivu-Kovalev was a pretty powerfull scoring line in the playoff last year and we sure hope the same for all of this season. Ribeiro resing for 1 year and he is defenitly a key element in winning as per is second line along with Rider and Dagenais are going to suprise lots of people again this year. We now have Radek Bonk to give the 3rd line some scoring chances, He should be playing with Bulis and Sundstrom. Last but not lease, Steeve Begin (he must be my favorite player ever) will be dynamite on the 4th line alongside some goon and some american league prospect like Tomas Plekanec who must be the best kept secret or Andrai Kostitsyn (an epileptic seedish dude that no one would beleive in exept some hardcore habs fan)
DEFFENCE
We loose Patrice Brisbois to Danver. solid play maker but overated. Replaced by Mathieu Dendenault who I beleive will play great hockey for the Habs comming from a winning experience in Detroit and will also make us save about 3M$ a year alowing us to sing kovalev i guess. Sourray should have a ok year (i'm not expecting much from him) Rivet should be stable as usual, Boullion will realy have fun with the new rules... watch out for that guy in your pools, I think he'll be a surprise. Komisarek should have is first complete season in the big team and will be in the penalty box for most of it. Andrei Markov and Dykhuis should be farly productive.
GOALS
This is a question mark. I have no doubt on the quality of Theodore but we have no second goalie this year...
Generaly, the team as improve as it is more stable then before but mostly more balanced. They should get to second and maybe division conference final.
I would also give the cup to Philladelphie this year but watch out pittsburg... those guys will be pumped by a full house every home game and will most probably be the best show of the year.
Jan 21st MTL-VAN game.
Thanks for the insight Sam. There's a guy at work who likes the Habs too, so we like to make fun of each other.
MTL will always have a chance with a playoff goalie like Theodore (unless against TB maybe) . . . but I think maybe they need more 'grit'. It might be different in the 'new system' . . . but . . . if you look at Calgary last year, for example, they were basically built around their goalie . . . but they they played a very physical (some would say dirty) style. Or like . . . NJD or Anaheim in the playoffs 2 seasons ago . . . they were D-first, and built around a goalie. Actually, it's pointless for me to talk about this, since D-first, built around a goalie might not work at all with new rules. Perhaps I don't know enough about . . . the Habs, but it seems like they can't make up their minds about being an all offensive team, like VAN or EDM . . . or a Defensive team . . . like NJD or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . maybe SJ or some such team. Anyway, I drank too much coffee.
Yeah, OTT vs PHI will be great, if it happens. I don't know if Heatley necessarily makes them better immediately, but he could potentially make them significantly better as a playoff team, since he is considerably less European than Hossa (and the rest of the Sens).
OTT is officially my 2nd favourite team now, not that a 2nd favourite really means anything at all.
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