Showing posts with label National Hockey League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Hockey League. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

The Postseason rulebook (followup)/A wrapup of the final four NHL teams/Finals Preview (RW77)



The PostSeason Rulebook

Much has been said (and ignored) by the NHL about the postseason rulebook... and sadly most of the issues in round 1 went away in the subsequent rounds.  Why sadly?  Because it gives ammo to the NHL to simply dust it under the rug and ignore what is painfully obvious:

The Rulebook is wrongfully applied in the postseason...or is it the regular season?  Either way the rulebook used during the regular season has been replaced by a new rulebook that allows spearing, embellishment, roughing, boarding, slashing, and randomly allows/disallows interference and tripping.

Diving is a huge problem in professional sports.  HUGE.  It's on the rise in the NHL and NFL, it's pretty entrenched in the NBA, and it's an absolute PLAGUE on soccer/football.

Semifinal Reviews:

Montreal Canadiens

They weren't outplayed by New York.  They fell victim to two things:  Bad luck and Karma.  It was bad luck that Price got injured (for many reasons).  It was bad luck that Dustin Tokarski came in and played very well except for one game and will STILL be remembered as the guy who couldn't pull a Carey Price.  Montreal will be more known for their diving and embellishing than they will for the skill they put on the ice.

Carey Price played out of his mind.  I STILL do not believe that this is the norm.  Price STILL isn't an elite goaltender.  He's VERY good, don't get me wrong.  He had an EPIC postseason this year.  But in the end, PK Subban and Tomas Plekanec (among others) placed BAD KARMA on the Canadiens by flopping like fish when they were touched.

PK Subban is a GREAT fit for Vancouver because, like the Vancouver Candivers, he's EXCEPTIONALLY talented.  He's one of the best puck moving defensemen in the NHL... but he can't let his gameplay do the talking.  He has to showboat and dive.  The guy is the most visible minority hockey player in the NHL right now.  Sure, there are others (Wayne Simmonds, Johnny Oduya, Jerome Iginla, among others) but PK is the most visible.  And he's representing himself POORLY.  He reminds me a lot of Robbie Earl while he was with Wisconsin.  Robbie had a TON of talent.  He was fast, a great stick handler, a finisher... but you breathe on him wrong and he falls to the ice like he's been shot.  And, like Earl, the team representatives defend him (I still remember hearing UW blowhards talk about how Earl skates on the balls of his feet which causes him to be unstable on his skates... whatever...  when it suits him nothing knocks him off of his skates).

Anyways, ethical behavior amongst players in sports is almost dead anyways.

NY Rangers

Have they beaten any opponent outright?  Have they laid the smackdown at all this post season?  The answer is no.  They "got by" every opponent they faced.  Does it matter?  No.  Because, do you know what's the worst thing that could happen to the Rangers if they get by the Kings?  Nothing because they'd still be hoisting the Cup.  The truth is, the fact that they've had to fight through EVERY opponent they've  faced and dominated in the areas of goaltending and capitolizing on the other guys mistakes (they've done little to create their own victories really) means that they will once again have to slog their way through the LA Kings in the finals.  Good thing is that Lundqvist is a beast...well except for that one game where he looked epically awful.

Chicago Blackhawks

Tons of talent and no depth.  Oh, and Corey Crawford joins Marc Andre Fleury in proving that it doesn't take elite goaltending to win the Stanley Cup.  Crawford was singularly AWFUL for most of the series.  Game 7 was astounding to me.  Quick gives up a horrendous softie to Patrick Sharp and they can't win despite it?  If Chicago was all that great wouldn't 4 goals be enough to win a game?

Not with the Hawk D and Corey Sieve Crawford.  He looked SO MUCH like Cristobal Huet that I could've SWORE the French Sieve kidnapped the real Corey Crawford and undermined the Hawks.

Nick Leddy, I know you botched a block which resulted in the game winner for the Kings in Game 7, but don't feel bad.  In all likelihood the next shot the Kings would have made would have beaten Crawford anyways.

In the end, the Hawks focus on depth this offseason but they should focus on shut down D, a 2nd line Center, and training Crawford's replacement.

LA Kings

They outlasted the Hawks.  It is evident that they will be the favorites to win the Cup and I hope they do win, but they have a team eerily similar to the NY Rangers.  Good D, Great Goaltending, and mediocre Offense.  It's strange that the Kings boast a 4th line in Pearson/Taffoli/Carter that outscores their first line... or at least the commentators call that line the Kings' 4th line.  It's kindof like calling the Toews line the Hawks checking line.  Call it what you will but we all know that the first line that does almost no scoring isn't the first line and the fourth line that does most of the scoring is usually called the first line.  Whatever.

Prediction:  If LA is going to win it, they'll need to NOT see Game 7.  If Game 7 comes around, Quick's streak ends and the Rangers hoist the Cup.  My prediction:  Kings in 6.
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NHL Records That Will Never be Broken



I don't seen anyone breaking this record. "The Finnish Flash" Teemu Selanne was a special player.
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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Thomas Vanek Watch is Officially On



This was a story that I happen to come across on the Score. I would have to think that the Thomas Vanek watch is officially on. It will be interesting to see where he actually ends up. From the looks of it, it doesn't appear that his stay in Montreal was very memorable, either.






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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price back in full pads



Ruh-roh! The New York Rangers might want to put the Montreal Canadiens away in game six or they could end up facing Carey Price in game seven. Price was at practice, wearing full gear, and did face some shots. Price also did some side-to-side drills. Are you thinking what I am thinking?


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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

NCAA Hockey: Penalize the players who Embellish?



I am a subscriber to XM Radio, and I listen to the Hockey Night In Canada Radio a couple of times a week. Today, Hockey Night in Canada Radio had an awesome segment on officiating during the 3:00 p.m. hour.

Former NHL Official and current ECAC head of officials Paul Stewart was on with the HNIC co-hosts (Rob Pizzo and Elliotte Friedman), and he had some interesting things to say. One thing that caught my attention was his proposal that he made to the NCAA about punishing players that embellish. There's more coming on that this week.

Some of his proposal was to give players who embellish a five-minute misconduct penalty. After three five-minute misconducts, that player would sit for a game. After four five-minute misconducts, that player would sit for two games. Also, the linesmen and refs could make the call. I think it's a great idea.

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Are the Rangers and Habs gooning it up?



This is the series I expected the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins to have, but didn't. There three more hearings with the NHL's Department of Player Safety today. Shouldn't be too much longer and we will have the rulings from the league office. Suspensions are usually announced in the late afternoon after the hearings are over. This has been an emotional, hard fought series, and it's starting to show up on the score sheet.

That being said, the Rene Bourque cross check and the Derek Dorsett headbutt could end up costing both teams more games. John Moore is most definitely going to miss a game or two for his dirty hit on Dale Weise.



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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

UND could end up losing recruit Ryan Mantha, depending on who drafts him

As a fan of the University of North Dakota, none of us are shocked by these revelations. We have seen it numerous times. We will see it again, probably sooner rather than later. 

[From the Hockey WritersRyan Mantha, Sioux City USHL, University of North Dakota, Elite Prospects Page


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Saturday, May 24, 2014

(Video) Michel Therrien Confronts Ulf Samuelsson During Practice



Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien is really a cry baby... Therrien did nothing but cry and complain during the second round series between the Boston Bruins and Canadiens as well. He confronts Ulf Samuelsson during the Canadiens team practice. Seriously, what are the Habs going to give away during their practice?
SNYRangers Blog -- Therrien’s quote on the subject was “There is always a gentleman’s agreement between two teams and the general manager that coaches are not allowed to attend practices between games. Game day is different. So when we saw those assistant coaches there, they were not supposed to be there, so we let them know.” (via the NHL)


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(Video) Jonathan Toews scores a nice goal against Jonathan Quick



Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews knows how to get to the blue paint, this is a perfect example of this. Toews scored two goals in the first period of game three of the Western Conference Finals, but this one was a thing of beauty.

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Friday, May 23, 2014

(Video) Rangers Daniel Carcillo Car Bombed by the NHL, Prust and Dorsett fight



Today, the NHL car bombed Daniel Carcillo. The Rangers pugilist has been suspended for 10 games for his abuse of an NHL official, I think the suspension should be 20 games. There's no excuse for pushing, hitting and or elbowing an NHL linesman or referee.

Looking at the video, this was in the first six minutes of the first period of game three. I included the P.K. Subban and Derek Dorsett exchange. It almost looks like a slew-foot. There was no penalty on the play.

The fight between Dorsett and Brandon Prust is per the hockey code. I don’t have a problem with this fight, and in this instance the code worked. Prust took out one of the Montreal Canadiens with a dirty hit, Dorset challenged him to a fight and Prust accepted the challenge.
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Brandon Prust Hit on Derek Stepan, Prust suspended two games



A two-game suspension is an joke , and no where near enough for this dirty, predatory hit.

These types of dirty hits have no place in the game of hockey, at any level. There's no defending this hit. It's a brutal, late, and it's interference. There's also significant contact with the head. This hit is unacceptable. Because of Brandon Prust's dirty hit, Derek Stephan has a broke jaw that required surgery today.
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Thursday, May 22, 2014

IIHF Hockey: Proposed Rule Changes



I was looking at some of the proposed IIHF hockey rule changes and I think these changes would actually set the game backwards. Getting rid of the no-touch icing, is a horrible idea.

Also, re-introducing the red-Line offsides is another bad idea that would probably slow the game down. I just hope that the NCAA and the NHL doesn't decide that they need to have these rules too. s/t to the Hockey news and the IIHF. 
The IIHF Rule Book is revised every four years and for the 2014 IIHF Annual Congress 86 proposals for 57 rules came together from five committees and several IIHF member national associations.
Some major proposals that will be individually discussed and voted on include:
to standardize the dimensions of the ice surface
to move the goal line closer to the end of the rink (from 4 to 3.3 metres)
**the reinstatement of the red-line offside
**the introduction of touch icing
to move the blue line in order to standardize and also increase the offensive zones
to remove the “cheater piece” of goalkeepers’ catching gloves
to double the penalty for goalkeeper interference to 2+2 minutes
to penalize any deliberate grabbing, twisting or holding of an opponent’s head with a major penalty
to forbid bass drums at ice rinks in addition to air horns and whistles already mentioned in the current rule book.
that goalkeepers cannot freeze the puck if the shot originates from outside the blue line
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(Video) USA forward Justin Abdelkader blows up Czech Republic's Vladimir Sobotka


USA forward Justin Abdelkader was given a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct for this hit on Czech Republic forward Vladimir Sobotka. In the NHL this would have been a five-minute major for contact to the head.
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Johnny Gaudreau's Amazing Goal versus Germany



Another former college hockey player with an amazing goal at the World Championships. This goal by former Boston College Eagale forward Johnny Gaudreau's helped lead Team USA’s 5-4 victory German this past Tuesday at the World Championships. This might be a preview of thing to come in Calgary.
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(Video) Drew Shore goal vs Germany



Check out this dirty goal by former DU Pioneer Drew Shore. Nice toe drag move.
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Monday, May 19, 2014

Today in Hockey History, Pierre McGuire fired from the Whalers



Now, with any luck, we could get NBC to fire him. In my opinion, it would be a very good start. Pierre McGuire is one of the most annoying hockey analysts in all of hockey.
Jeff Jacobs; Courant columnist--- With one brush of his newly recovered powers Thursday, general manager Paul Holmgren did more to unify the Whalers than anybody in recent team history.

Holmgren fired coach Pierre McGuire after six months.

It was more than a great idea.

It was justice,

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

(Video) Chicago Blackhawks goal that was disallowed (Goalie Interference)



Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews thought he had scored Chicago's second goal of the game. The play was ruled goalie interference. Was this the right call or not? Should the goal have counted?  Rule 69.1 states that you can't review goalie interference with the aid of video replay.

So, here's my question, how do we know when the refs didn't didn't use video replay when they called up stairs to make the decision? We don't. This might be one of those plays where the  refs "should" be able to review video to help them make a decision.


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