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[hockeygod]

Brophy on Leafs: Dudley does right
Toronto Maple Leafs director of player personnel Rick Dudley is expected to join the Montreal Canadiens.

Mike Brophy, Sportsnet.ca, May 8 2012

The Montreal Canadiens were a bunch of duds this season, finishing out of the playoffs and dead last in the Eastern Conference.

Now it appears they are going after Duds to help them get back to the dance.

Duds, as in Rick Dudley, who is currently the director of player personnel for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When Marc Bergevin was named the new general manager of the Habs last week, it was immediately speculated that he would try to hire Dudley away from the Maple Leafs to become his assistant GM. Bergevin and Dudley are close friends having worked together in building the Chicago Blackhawks into a Stanley Cup champion in 2010. Bergevin was the Hawks director of player personnel and although Dudley had departed to become GM of the Atlanta Thrashers by time Chicago hoisted the Cup, his fingerprints were all over the team.

It has been even suggested if Dudley joins the Canadiens, he would pull the strings as the team's GM with the bilingual and comical Bergevin merely being the face of the management team.

Of course the fact that Dudley is currently under contract with the Maple Leafs and the two teams are said to be in discussions trying to work out a deal that will allow him to join the rival organization could be a stumbling block. The Maple Leafs want Dudley to remain with them at least until the 2012 NHL Draft in June concludes. Montreal is slated to select third overall, while Toronto is primed to pick fifth.

It really comes as no surprise that a team would seek out Dudley to be a leader on their management staff. He is, after all, a guy who has been the general manager of four NHL teams (Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers) and has worked as a coach, amateur and pro scout, director of player personnel and as an assistant GM since retiring as a player in 1982.

"Duds is a smart guy," said Maple Leafs assistant GM Claude Loiselle, who also interviewed for the Canadiens GM post. "He is a little unorthodox, but he's a really good scout. Even when he was the GM in Tampa Bay, he would jump in his car and take off to scout players for days on end. He just loves watching games and evaluating players."

Added Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting Dave Morrison: "He's a good man and he loves the game … absolutely loves the game! He is as enthusiastic about the game of hockey as anybody I have ever met. He gets excited about good players making great plays. It's refreshing. Scouting isn't necessarily the most glamorous job in hockey, but Duds just embraces it."

Loiselle said when he first met Dudley when they worked together in Tampa Bay, he was introduced to a new way of classifying players. All scouts, Loiselle said, have a system, usually numerical, but Dudley's system included ranking players by number and by letter. Forwards are ranked as elite, skilled and bottom six while defenceman are either top four or bottom five, six and seven.

"At first it was difficult to understand, but once you grasped it, you realized how easy it was," Loiselle said. "It's just one more step in defining the players that we scouted."

As a player, Dudley, was as tenacious as they come. The 6-foot, 190-pound left winger scored 75 goals and 174 points with 292 penalty minutes in 309 NHL games with Buffalo and Winnipeg, and 131 goals and 277 points with 516 penalty minutes in 270 WHA games with the Cincinnati Stingers. He was also one of the best — and toughest — lacrosse players in the world having played for the Rochester Golden Griffins of the National Lacrosse League.

Yet to meet the soft-spoken Dudley, who is 63, one would never guess that he could be as brash as a player.

"There are guys who weren't tough as players, but as soon as they get behind the bench to coach they act like tough guys," Loiselle said. "And then there are guys who were genuinely tough as players, but when you meet them off the ice, they have completely different personalities. That's Duds."

Don Luce, the director of player development with the Philadelphia Flyers, played on the same line with Dudley on the Buffalo Sabres in the '70s and said his skill was underrated.

"He was definitely a fiery competitor," Luce said. "I don't know if you would call him Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but he was absolutely a fierce player. He played with so much passion. The funny thing is, he is mostly remembered for being an energy player and a tough guy to play against, but he had a high skill level, too. I remember one game against the Canadiens, he carried the puck from one end to the other, through the entire team, and scored a goal. I think the Canadiens were shocked. They didn't expect that from him. And yet he also played his typical tough game that night."

Luce said Dudley was a great teammate — always there to help others. It is looking very much like he'll be there to help his pal Bergevin try to revive the NHL's most successful franchise which has fallen on hard times very soon.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Pros and cons of playing summer hockey:
Whether or not summer hockey is a good idea has always been something for parents to wrestle with.

Daniel Tkaczuk, The Hockey News, 2012-05-08

There has been a lot of debate in recent years over young players getting involved in summer hockey.

More than half of the players I have talked to in the Greater Toronto Area play (or intend to play) in organized tournaments in May and June this year and they expect to travel to Boston, Minnesota, Detroit, Ottawa and even Europe.

Gone are the days of putting away your skates after the season ends and picking them up again in September.

As a kid I played in many tournaments. I loved it. But in retrospect, there are some clear benefits and negatives that come along with the ride. Here is my take:

POSITIVES

• You get to play with and against many different teams and players. Summer tournaments have fewer administrative rules. For example, I played on Roberto Luongo’s team from Montreal in peewee and with Tim Connolly’s team from Syracuse/NY. In the age of Facebook and Twitter this is a great way for kids to branch out, network and have fun outside of their geographical area.?

• Every weekend is new. During the course of a ‘winter team’ there are budgets, line combinations, schedules, fundraising, politics, standings and statistics that drag on all year. During the summer, if you have a bad game or weekend you can press the reset button and start fresh. Issues don’t tend to carry on to the next week.?

• Simple fun. Kids need to be kids. Though they take the game seriously, some of the best times they have are jumping in and out of the hotel pool and having fun outdoors between games (and, hey, parents tend to have a better time in the summer, too).?

• Good Hockey. Some of the best teams I played against every year were all-star squads that were formed specifically for these tournaments. For instance, the South West Hawks representing the London-Sarnia area had Brian Campbell and some guy named Joe Thornton. ?

• Gameplay. As a player plays more games he will undoubtedly be put into more pressure situations on the ice. Finding ways to compete and win under varying circumstances can serve players well in developing hockey sense. Some players even get to play a different position during the summer.

NEGATIVES

• Cost. Hockey is already expensive. Registration and increasing travel fees can really put added stress on a family.?

• Schooling. Most tournaments start on Friday, which means players usually miss out on classes. Education should still be a priority for these student-athletes.?

• Organization. Summer tournaments (and teams) have become a big business. Unfortunately, sometimes they can be run inefficiently as they try to bring in money instead of improving the experience for players and families.?

• Burnout. Players can be drained physically and mentally after a long year of winter hockey. Though they may improve in the summer, the strain could have detrimental effects. Some kids may be better off playing soccer or lacrosse for variation.?

• Lack of specialized development. Every family has a limited amount of time, resources and energy. Playing extensive summer hockey games can limit a player from addressing skill areas that are in need of attention such as skating, strength or shooting.

Every player and family situation is different. To me, it all comes down to fun. If you choose to have your player participate in the summer tournament chaos, be sure they are enjoying the experience and coming out with a smile on their face.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

A three-in-the-key rule to solve NHL’s shot-blocking bore

ERIC DUHATSCHEK, Globe and Mail, May. 09, 2012

In the mid-1990s, during the NHL’s original dead-puck era, former coach and general manager Pierre Pagé floated a unique idea that may have merit again as scoring shrinks and the game has turned into an exercise in shot-blocking, where the majority of goals are scored on ricochets, deflections or other happenstance.

What’s on display in these playoffs isn’t hockey, it’s pinball.

Seeking a way to enhance offence, Pagé proposed that the NHL introduce a modified version of basketball’s three-in-the-key rule. The rule states that an offensive player shall not remain in the key for more than three seconds. Pagé’s application to hockey would affect both offensive and defensive players, with the primary goal to keep the area in front of the net unclogged.

It’s an idea worth considering, given how established the shot-blocking trend is today. Teams all collapse back toward the goal, with every player instructed to get in front of shots, even if they happen to screen the goaltenders. Under the Pagé plan, hockey could create a zone in front of the goaltender that perhaps only three, or even two, players a team could enter at the same time.

Naturally, purists would hate this innovation because it would mean drawing more lines on the ice, but for the sake of argument, let’s say the NHL designated the area from the goal to the outer edges of the lower faceoff circles as hockey’s key. If you permitted only two defenders to enter that area at a time, you might see some creative plays down low instead of the gridlock we have now. Traffic on the Long Island Expressway at rush hour can’t compare to the way the New York Rangers clog the lanes in front of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, and the Washington Capitals are just as guilty/adept, making the area in front of Braden Holtby look like the Beltway when a presidential motorcade is passing by.

Maybe you’d see more stick-handling. Maybe you’d see more give-and-goes. It might take some getting used to – defenders stationed outside the zone, waiting for an opportunity to counter. But it might also mean more action off the rush; if a team breaks up a play in the key and gets the puck ahead to one of its forwards, it theoretically should create more open-ice, odd-man opportunities, a part of the old NHL that seems to have been relegated to the Classic TV channels.

The attempt to unclog the area in front of the goalie would break the glassy-eyed sameness of what we have now – a game dominated by netminding and team defence, in which virtually every goal seems to come off a cycle down low and requires that the puck carom to a player in a shooting position, usually off a deflected pass. There is so much more randomness and luck involved in scoring a goal than pure offensive brilliance and it’s not because of a lack of skill. The skilled players just don’t have enough room to demonstrate those talents.

It even raises the larger question, which seems to have gone unasked in these playoffs. Is shot-blocking good for the game? Unquestionably, it takes courage to block shots. Nowadays, players can all rifle the puck, and as good as it is, today’s equipment cannot completely protect against the tiny gaps where the human body is exposed. If the puck hits you just right, it can do some serious damage. One of these days, a puck is going to deflect off a stick, into the face of a player and there will be a tragedy on the ice.

Beyond the safety considerations, there is also the entertainment perspective to consider. Yes, the league is competitive. Yes, there is parity. Any team can win, and all you need to do is examine who’s left in the playoffs to understand that. All five Western Conference teams that finished with 100 or more points in the regular season are on the sidelines. For the right to advance to the Stanley Cup final, we’re left with the Phoenix Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings, two teams that – based on their respective goalie’s save percentages – are stopping 19 of every 20 shots that actually make it to the net, never mind all the ones blocked along the way.

In this day and age, it isn’t just NHL players who are better than they’ve ever been. Coaches are too. Coaches have devised these winning defensive systems and players are smart, skilled and fit enough to adhere to them with minimal breakdowns. There is no earthly reason why, on a sheet of ice 200 feet by 85 feet, eight of 10 position players should be spending so much time crowded within 30 feet of the same net.

Maybe that’s an idea the NHL’s research and development crew can examine next summer.

Because based on these playoffs, the NHL is moving ever closer to an era where a single goal is all you’re going to see on a given night.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

MacKinnon: Oil Kings, Winterhawks make WHL playoff magic:
Evenly matched teams deliver excitement for fans

John MacKinnon, edmontonjournal.com, May 9, 2012

EDMONTON – There’s the shotblocking, neutral-zone trapping contest the NHL calls the playoffs and then there’s the free-flowing, end-to-end, thrill-fest the Oil Kings and Portland Winterhawks are staging to determine the championship of the Western Hockey League.

For sheer entertainment value, the Oil Kings playoff run has been the more compelling spectacle, by far.

After rolling over Kootenay, Brandon and Moose Jaw with a 12-1 won-lost record, the Oil Kings have not merely met their match, but their mirror image in the uptempo Winterhawks. The result has been playoff magic.

Following Edmonton’s 4-3 overtime victory on Tuesday night in Portland, the WHL final series is tied 2-2, with Game 5 on offer tonight at Rexall Place (7 p.m. puck drop).

This could be your final chance to get a load of real playoff excitement, unless the series goes the distance, in which case Game 7 will be Sunday night at Rexall at 6 p.m.

In other words, if it comes down to Game 7, you’ll have to skip supper on Mother’s Day to root for the home team, which isn’t much of a choice for the hardcore hockey fan, with no disrespect meant to all the moms.

Just in case, why not treat mom to brunch, so you can all take in Game 7, if it comes to that? With all the momentum shifts, the lead changes and all-out intensity, it’s fabulous entertainment.

“They’re junior hockey players, their emotions go up and down,” Portland coach Mike Johnston said Wednesday. “That’s the exciting part about junior hockey.

“We’re a pace team and (the Oil Kings) are an energy-pace team, too. I think both teams play a similar style, which leads to an entertaining hockey game.”

Three of the four games in the best-of-seven series have been decided by one goal, including the overtime game on Wednesday night, which keeps things suspenseful.

And the games have resembled the best basketball games, with one team getting on a run of goals or of intense pressure, followed by the inevitable pushback from the other team, and back and forth it goes.

“We pride ourselves on being good defensively,” Johnston said. “At the same time, we want to attack with speed, we want to include our defence in the rush and I know Edmonton plays the same style.

“It leads to a game which is not clamped down, where there’s no room to move. There is room to move, there are mistakes being made because teams are pressuring the other team to make mistakes.”

These are games in which Edmonton defencemen Mark Pysyk and Martin Gernat, for two, appear to have revived the ancient hockey position of ‘rover,’ as they travel all over the 200-foot-long ice surface, spending lengthy stretches deep in enemy territory, spearheading the attack.

“You’ve got to create offence and both teams are trying to create offence with that second wave,” said Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal. “The defence are doing such a great job on the first wave, that we have to kind of construct something and I thought our guys were doing a great job jumping up.

“I don’t know if you noticed Martin Gernat down below the goal line about four times in the first period.

“That’s not by design. But you’ve got to give these guys credit because they’re working hard to get back (on defence) and guys are supporting them. You’ve got two teams that can score goals in a hurry here.

“I don’t think any lead is safe.’

Certainly not with the likes of Sven Baertschi and Ty Rattie on the boil for the Winterhawks, both with 32 points in the playoffs to lead all WHL scorers. Baertschi has seven points this series, including six goals, including a pair in the third period on Tuesday night to force overtime.

Unlike Alexander Ovechkin, his ice time rationed by the Washington Capitals owing to his defensive liabilities, Baertschi is a complete player.

“I thought Baertschi was all-world last night in the third period,” Johnston said. “He was incredible at both ends of the ice, coming back, and in transition.

If the Oil Kings don’t quite have the high-end skill of a Baertschi or a Rattie, they have enviable depth up front and a splendid Big Four on defence — Pysyk, Gernat, Griffin Reinhart and Keegan Lowe. They ably support goalie Laurent Brossoit, who has sparkled all post-season.

The result is up-and-down, five-man hockey in which the high stakes — the winner advances to the Memorial Cup — has not translated into cautious play.

“It’s excitement right now, that’s the message we’re trying to deliver to everybody,” said Pysyk, the Oil Kings captain. “You’ve got to go out and have fun, enjoy the moment.

“Who knows the next time when an opportunity like this is going to come around? So, make the most of it and have fun while you’re here.”

Fans might want to heed that message, too.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Quenneville uses leverage, plus 30 Thoughts

Elliotte Friedman, CBC Sports, May 9 2012

I'm a big believer in "face time," that talking to someone or seeing a situation in-person is the best way to report. Obviously, that isn't always possible, but it beats phone calls or text messaging – the scourge of a new generation.

Didn't get a lot of face-time with the Chicago Blackhawks this season and I'm not around the team every day like a Chris Kuc, an Adam Jahns or a Tracey Myers. But there were plenty of rumours of behind-the-scenes strife, especially when former Scotty Bowman assistant Barry Smith appeared on-ice to help with the ailing power play.

General manager Stan Bowman agreed to address it two months ago and disagreed with the idea of a rift, pointing out that Smith – the team's director of player development – worked with guys all the time. He added it didn't hurt to "have an extra set of eyes" with a power play that went 0-for-40 in one stretch.

The rumours never went away. Not being there makes it very difficult to recognize what really is going on. Tuesday night, we finally received a window into the situation.

As Joel Quenneville emphatically stated his desire to stay with the Blackhawks, assistant coach Mike Haviland was fired. This came two days after we blathered that Quenneville's good friend, new Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, may ask for permission to talk to him about the Montreal opening.

"I had an assessment that there is some dysfunction to our coaching staff and we need a change," Quenneville said on a conference call, adding that Stan Bowman agreed. "It was not an easy decision. It was tough on Mike. I'm respectful for the job that he did. It's not the blame game here."

He later added, "I take ownership for what happened this year."

The word "dysfunction" is an eyebrow-raiser, because you so rarely hear coaches use it in relation to their staff. But, it is the exact word that's been used from the outside to describe what's been going on in Chicago.

Now, this is where it gets dicey. Not going to take sides because I'm not there every day, but here's an idea of what's been said:

Over the past few years, the Blackhawks moved from one of the NHL's worst-run organizations to one of its model franchises. The focus changed from floundering like a beached fish to actually winning a Stanley Cup – which it did in 2010.

Under president John McDonough, Stan Bowman and Scotty Bowman, the team was unafraid to make bold but cutthroat decisions. Dale Tallon, who began the resurgence, was fired under controversial circumstances. Quenneville replaced Denis Savard just four games into the 2008-09 season.

The Blackhawks knew they were going to Salary Cap Jail in 2010. But, understanding they had a rare chance with a great team to end a 50-year Stanley Cup drought, they went for it – a decision no one can argue.

The cap crunch meant painful choices. Gone are Andrew Ladd, Troy Brouwer, Dustin Byfuglien and Brian Campbell, among others. Since they left? Consecutive first-round defeats.

McDonough made it clear the organization wanted to win "Cups" (as opposed to just one "Cup") and this was not acceptable. Never mind the fact it's hard to win and that, for 49 years, Chicago wasn't real close very often.

More was demanded. And, when it didn't happen, the pressure increased and different factions emerged. There were accusations of "spying."

Disagreements, too. Apparently, according to sources, there is a belief one involved where Patrick Kane should play – wing or centre. Another involved John Scott. (Scott was traded to the Rangers at the deadline, after internal debate about his spot on the team.) Power-play philosophy clearly was an issue. And there was something else.

Don't know what happened between Quenneville, his good friend/assistant Mike Kitchen and Haviland. Don't know who is right or who is wrong or who stood where on what issues. But, the decision to remove Haviland – a coaching finalist in Winnipeg last season – and the explanation for it is proof that people did not trust each other.

Players notice stuff like this. It affects your team.

Quenneville had a lot of leverage. If he walked or was fired, he'd be unemployed for as long as it takes Don Draper to charm a bored housewife. And, there was no guarantee they'd find a better replacement.

He wanted to pick his own assistants and got his wish. Haviland becomes a scapegoat, because there couldn't be just one person disagreeing with everybody else. But next season is a huge one for the Hawks. If they don't push farther into the playoffs, bigger changes are coming.

Got to make Quenneville happy, because he's your best bench choice for that success.

30 THOUGHTS

1. Expect Bergevin to interview a wide range of French-speaking candidates (Marc Crawford, Bob Hartley, Patrick Roy, Michel Therrien, etc.) but don't be surprised if he looks at a couple of unexpected names as either assistants or AHL coaching possibilities. Among them: Gatineau coach Benoit Groulx (especially if Roy is the guy) and Colorado assistant Sylvain Lefebvre.

2. In the last week, Bergevin's received a lot of credit for his scouting acumen. Best find? Probably Andrew Shaw, who wasn't selected until his third year of draft eligibility. Bergevin convinced the Blackhawks to take him in the fifth round last June.

3. A few hockey people are surprised the coaching market's been "so quiet." Montreal and Calgary are vacant, Edmonton and Columbus are in a holding pattern, Vancouver wants to extend Alain Vigneault and Washington awaits Dale Hunter's decision. Some of it is because candidates are still coaching, some of it is because teams hoped Vigneault, Quenneville or Todd McLellan would be free. (If San Jose lets McLellan go, he'd be snapped up in a second.) But it could also be because teams don't want to risk paying two salaries with the possibility of a lockout.

4. One bit of coaching gossip is that Bryan Marchment could join the San Jose staff. He is currently a scout.

5. Agreed with Brendan Shanahan's decision to suspend Claude Giroux, but something about the video was off. At the 1:05 mark, he points out Giroux is "legally finished" by Mark Fayne but certainly creates the impression the Flyers forward is angry there was no call on that contact. (Giroux was actually upset Martin Brodeur wasn't penalized for illegally playing the puck.) Shanahan's trying to protect his referees, but that's misleading.

6. Not that he needed to, but Zach Parise increased his UFA attractiveness with a ferocious forechecking performance against Philly. He constantly forced Flyers to turn towards the boards, where New Jersey dominated the entire series. For a great example, look at his goal that puts the Devils up 3-2 in Game 3.

7. The Flyers downplayed their lack of hatred for New Jersey as a factor, but you've got to believe it is a pretty big reason for the defeat. Philly so badly wanted Pittsburgh — and deserve great credit for having that attitude — but succeeding in the playoffs is all about adapting to four different opponents and challenges. If you're not as emotionally invested in the Devils as you are in the Penguins, you've got to find another way.

8. From stat superstar Stan Nieradka: Who is the only player acquired on Trade Deadline day still active in the postseason? (Answer at bottom.)

9. Barry Trotz repaid David Poile for 14 years of loyalty by playing Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn in Game 5. Can't imagine there is any way Trotz wanted to do it. After the Game 4 loss, he understood the bigger picture: don't embarrass your GM. Especially when he's been great to you.

10. One storyline got a little out of control last week. It's ridiculous to say that you can't win with Russians, just as it's ridiculous to say that people were "piling on" them. The fact is this: more than any other "hockey nationality," you have to do your research — because Russian players have a legitimate financial option others don't. A lot of them want to play in the NHL and compete hard for the Cup. Some don't. If you're wrong, you could get burned by a player who is willing to flout the rules because he sees no consequence.

11. The best thing the Predators could do right now is take a deep breath and say, "We're not making any decisions over the next couple of weeks." Never make important choices when you're emotional. Then, they've got to sit down with Ryan Suter and ask for an honest appraisal of his future. If he won't sign (or give you enough assurance), it's time to let teams talk to him in advance of July 1. Get what you can.

12. Shea Weber? One more year until he becomes UFA. God knows what the next CBA will look like, but will there be any push from the league to raise the age/experience level for free agency? That could affect Weber, Jordan Staal, Carey Price and Cory Schneider, among others.

13. This is the series where Phoenix will miss Raffi Torres. Energized and in control, he could have made a difference against the physically dominant Kings.

14. The better the Kings do, the worse it is for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have an option on the Kings' first-round pick, but a conference final berth means it can't be any higher than 27th. The Jackets will likely wait for 2013.

15. Colorado didn't create a market for Chris Stewart before trading him to St. Louis, and teams were disappointed they didn't get a chance at a strong, right-shooting scorer. Not long after the deal, I asked a member of the organization about letting him go. All he said was, "We have our reasons." That was it. No further explanation, no shot at his character. Just that.

16. Thought of that conversation when Stewart was a healthy scratch for the second time in the playoffs, Game 2 against Los Angeles. As the Blues packed up, he told NHL.com's Lou Korac, "This is probably the biggest summer of my career." Yes, it is, if he wants to prove the Avalanche wrong.

17. On Mike Green's Game 4 power-play winner, Alex Ovechkin was down low with the extra man, not on the point. (Dale Hunter does that late in games to be a little safer defensively.) One thought is that this was a reason for the goal, because Henrik Lundqvist couldn't find Ovechkin in the regular spot. Glenn Healy disagreed.

18. The next day (Sunday), the Rangers reminded players about their "rules" of shot blocking. As one explained it, Lundqvist (and the coaches), ask that if you're going to block, you have to stop everything low. That is your responsibility. Green's shot got through the otherwise excellent Ryan McDonagh for the score.There are not supposed to be any holes along (or slightly above) the ice.

19. Lundqvist gave brief insight into his film work with coach Benoit Allaire. They'll break down all of the opposing team's scoring chances, among other things. How many clips is that, he was asked? "About 20." That's a lot by today's standards, as most coaches don't believe players have the attention span for more than four or five. "Goalies are smarter," Lundqvist said.

20. One more on him: when Ottawa smothered the Rangers late in the third period of Game 7, Kelly Hrudey wondered how badly Lundqvist's legs were burning. Standing in goal, adjusting your stance, it wears you down. The Ranger said it isn't so bad for him, because he's so upright. And, other goalies do agree his style economizes movement.

21. A little insight into the McDonagh trade: Right around the 2009 draft, it's believed the Canadiens struck out for the second time on Vincent Lecavalier. (There was disagreement in Tampa about whether or not it really made sense to deal him.) Glen Sather saw an opening and let Montreal know Scott Gomez was available. He pointed out, correctly, that there wasn't much out there and the Canadiens could not go without trying to fill the No. 1 centre position. They were in a weak spot and Sather exploited it.

22. When Sather realized he had a shot at making the deal, he went to Director of player personnel Gordie Clark and asked, "Who should we get?" Both Clark and assistant GM Jeff Gorton had McDonagh No. 1. The Rangers really liked him going back to the NHL combine of his draft year and always kept an eye on him. (He was taken before New York selected the late Alexei Cherepanov.) Who was No. 2 if Montreal said no? "It never got that far," Clark said.

23. Clark explained how the Rangers (and presumably every other team) keep an updated list of about four/five players from all other organizations they'd target in a deal. "We're not talking about guys like [Steven] Stamkos," he said. "Everybody wants him. It's about prospects or lesser-known players. You watch everyone else's like you watch your own." That way, when Sather needs an answer, he gets one quickly.

24. Clark added the Rangers liked McDonagh for the same reason they noticed Chris Kreider and Dylan McIlrath at their comebines. "Physically, it was like men amongst boys," he said. "You have to be careful to make certain they have the hockey sense to play the way they need to, but they really stood out."

25. Totally forgot that Tom Renney helped run the Rangers' draft from 2001-05. He found some good ones — none better than current captain Ryan Callahan. Renney apparently credits Don Maloney and Jamie McDonald for that pick, and McDonald's influence is interesting. He took a ton of grief for selecting Mike Richards fourth overall in the OHL draft and saw Callahan in the same mold. "Oozed character and drive," was part of the report on Callahan.

26. Jay Beagle lost 10 pounds in the triple overtime Game 3. He said he was doing shots of olive oil and avocado oil the next day to replace some of the "good fat." Keith Aucoin joked he lost just four pounds "because I only weigh 170."

27. Dale Hunter indicated Beagle would play Game 6 despite missing the morning skate. (He blocked a shot on Monday.) Beagle could barely walk from the ice to the dressing room. Sometimes skating is easier than stepping, but you could see he was really in pain.

28. Really couldn't find a ton of info on Roman Cervenka, the free-agent centre the Flames signed out of the KHL. Even though his salary is reported as $3.775 million US, three-quarters of that is bonuses. (His base is $925,000.) Calgary would be more than happy to pay all of that, because it means he has a great season. It caught people by surprise, because there wasn't a ton of interest. Maybe the Flames know something others don't.

29. Mattias Ohlund wants to play again. You can be certain he'll try everything he can to get back, although the knee problems are severe. While Brian Rafalski and close friend Markus Naslund walked away from one year of salary, Ohlund has four years and $12 million remaining.

30. Trivia answer? John Scott. (Credit to NHL.com's Dave Lozo, who guessed it in three seconds.) The only other players still alive acquired in the week before the deadline are Jeff Carter, Antoine Vermette and Marek Zidlicky.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Hockey taking new form with Bikini League

Keith Whitmire, Fox Sports Southwest, May 10, 2012

Not even the creator of the Bikini Hockey League thought his idea would generate the reaction it has.

"I never dreamed in a million years that we would have this much interest in it," league owner Cary Eskridge said. "I'm just thrilled beyond my wildest dreams."

The notion of athletic young women playing hockey in swimwear has apparently touched a nerve, resulting in a frenzy of interest.

The Bikini Hockey League's website received 60,000 hits within a four-hour period of the initial announcement. Interview requests have poured in, including radio-show requests from as far away as London. Numerous sponsorship and franchise inquiries have come in as well as player applications from both coasts and Canada.

While interest has mushroomed, don't expect to see pucks and two-pieces flashing by at your nearby arena anytime soon. Eskridge, whose background is in video production, is starting with just two teams, the formation of which will be the basis for a reality show.

The pilot episode will begin filming next month in Eskridge's hometown of Tulsa.

"We have several different networks that are interested already," Eskridge said. "We're not able to say who right now, but we feel like this could truly be compelling and interesting. There's always a storyline with girls being from different areas of the country and the different personalities."

Expansion to a full-blown league with franchises in other cities is in the talking stages. For now, Eskridge is scouting for a mansion to house the players in during tryouts, a la The Bachelor.

A more obvious comparison is the Lingerie Football League, a bras-and-shoulder-pads concept that began as a pay-per-view special during the Super Bowl halftime break and is now a series on MTV2.

"I don't like to be compared to that, really," Eskridge said. "It's a totally, completely different sport. I don't want to say anything negative, I just think this will be more compelling and engaging. But time will tell."

The Bikini Hockey League won't be played on ice. The games will be played using inline skates, which not only means warmer conditions for the bikini-clad players but it means the games can be played indoors or out.

In addition to being a videographer for Tulsa's minor league hockey and arena football teams, Eskridge said he has been running inline hockey leagues since 1992. He got the idea for inline bikini hockey in 2004 during the NHL lockout when fans were in need of a hockey fix, and networks that carried hockey needed programming.

"I wanted to bring awareness to inline hockey and I thought this was the best way to do it," Eskridge said. "This wasn't something that was dreamed up yesterday. I've been in the business for 20 years filming hockey and promoting hockey."

The lack of razor-sharp ice skates cuts down on the injury factor, but bikini hockey players will have more than halter tops to protect them during games.

Eskridge said the players will be adorned in helmets with clear face shields, elbow pads, gloves, padded compression pants and shin guards.

"They'll be protected for sure," he said.

Based on the applications the league has received, Eskridge will be able to choose from a considerable pool of players with varying levels of hockey experience.

One prospect is Ashley Riggs, who played collegiately and tried out for the Canadian Olympic team.

Another prospect, Candace Warn, played inline hockey on a boys' team as a kid but is now a member of a dance team for an arena football team. Warn's father, David, coached her as a kid and still plays inline and ice hockey himself.

"I came home from work one day and he goes, 'Hey, have you heard about that new TV show called bikini hockey? I signed you up for it, ha ha," recalled Warn.

Only he wasn't joking. The Warns got a callback from Eskridge a few days later.

"It's always been his dream for me to play hockey, but I didn't think it would go this far," said Warn, 20. "Now that I'm in, I'm like why not? I'm a huge hockey fan. I can't turn this down."

Her father obviously doesn't have an issue with the league's uniform.

"He's pretty proud," Warn said. "I don't think he cares what I'm wearing as long as I'm playing hockey."

Warn hasn't played since she was 9, but isn't worried about being able to get back to speed. She's also not worried about losing any teeth.

"Not at all," Warn said. "I've got to get some battle wounds."

At 5-4, Warn probably won't be an enforcer, but she isn't afraid to mix it up.

"I can be pretty feisty," she said.

And then there's Ashley Van Boxmeer, who already competes in bikini fitness competitions. Van Boxmeer played college softball at Cal-State Fullerton, but her father, John, won a Stanley Cup as a player for the Montreal Canadiens and was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings.

Van Boxmeer said she's been approached several times about playing lingerie football but it never interested her. Then a friend told her about bikini hockey.

"Hockey will perk my ears up a little bit more than normal," Van Boxmeer said. "I've always wanted to play and my dad never let me."

Having grown up around the game, Van Boxmeer doesn't think she will have any trouble picking up the nuances of hockey. At 5-10 and with a competitive streak inherited from her hockey-playing family, Van Boxmeer sounds like she will be physical presence.

"I'm not a small girl," said Van Boxmeer, 27. "Hey, if she wants to drop the gloves, I'm not going to say no. Don't start something you can't finish."

Eskridge said filling out the rosters with players who can skate, scuffle and look good in swimwear won't be a problem.

"We have other girls that played hockey that it turns out are very pretty, too," Eskridge said. "Most girls that we've talked to have been very athletic."

Before the 49-year-old Eskridge could begin interviewing all those young, athletic women, he first had to broach the idea of bikini hockey with his wife, Robin.

"She thought it was interesting," said Eskridge. "She's behind it all the way."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Flyers GM on Bryzgalov: ‘It's not Comedy Central'

VOORHEES, N.J.— Dan Gelston, The Associated Press, May. 10, 2012

Ilya Bryzgalov had plenty of time this season to babble on about bears, the universe, the woods, and other arcane bits of knowledge.

He kept quiet on Thursday.

Staying out of the locker room on the day Philadelphia packed up and headed home might be the first sign the Flyers' quirky goalie learned a lesson that he's paid $51 million to win games and not play the room like a late night talk show host.

“His job is to stop pucks and help us win games,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. “It's not Comedy Central.”

The man known around these parts as “Bryz,” still has eight more years left to figure it all out.

Bryzgalov never quite warmed to hockey-mad Philadelphia and even his own teammates were often left wondering what the Russian was really all about. He had trouble adjusting to the increased scrutiny from media and fans, and even a new style of play in front of him. Bryzgalov had a sensational March with three straight shutouts, and he set a Flyers record with a shutout streak of 249 minutes, 43 seconds. His success just failed to carry over into May.

Holmgren said he expected more out of Bryzgalov next season.

“Did he play as good as I expected this year,” Holmgren asked. “I'd probably say, no.”

In the post-season, Bryzgalov had a 3.46 goals-against average.

“He is a funny guy to talk to, I don't think there's any question about that,” the GM said. “He's got some interesting concepts of life and how to walk down the road of life.”

Forward Jaromir Jagr compared Bryzgalov's struggles in his first season to baseball player Albert Pujols having trouble going from St. Louis to Anaheim. Bryzgalov's dry wit made him a hit on HBO's behind-the-scenes show “24/7” leading into the Winter Classic.

“Maybe the HBO thing didn't help much,” Jagr said. “He's not shy of the cameras, that's for sure.”

Bryzgalov was the lone Flyer who declined to talk to the media on Thursday.

The ones who did talk, though, echoed the same sentiment: A season that ended in the second round with a five-game loss to the New Jersey Devils was a major underachievement for a team that finished with 103 points and dominated Pittsburgh in Round 1.

“We had a decent year,” Holmgren said.

In Philadelphia, that's not good enough. And as they move ahead, the Flyers now enter an off-season loaded with questions about the return of key veterans.

Jagr, who won a pair of Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, proclaimed this season his most enjoyable in the NHL. Yet he stopped short of saying he wanted to return to the Flyers. Jagr credited his agent, Petr Svoboda, a fomer Flyers defenceman, with steering him back to the NHL after three seasons in Russia. He's again putting the pressure on Svoboda to find him a new home.

“I want to play in the NHL. I want to play somewhere,” he said. “Hopefully I'm going to find some team where I can play. I still love the game and I think I'm going to be better than I was this year.”

All-Star forward Scott Hartnell said he thought Jagr would be arrogant and cocky. What he found was a player who was one of the hardest workers on the team and a true mentor to a roster stocked with under-25 players.

Holmgren was noncommittal

“I'd like to have him back” Holmgren said. “But we'll see.”

Defenceman Chris Pronger sat out most of the regular season and playoffs because of severe post-concussion syndrome. He has been sidelined since Nov. 19 and his teammates said they hadn't talked to him in weeks.

“You always kind of felt that missing part of the dressing room,” Hartnell said.

Holmgren had no update on Pronger's condition, though he remained optimistic the captain could return next season.

“I believe he's going to play, but I don't know,” Holmgren said. “I don't have anything to back that up.”

Blossoming superstar forward Claude Giroux said he could serve next season as captain, if needed.

“If the time is right, yeah, I think so,” Giroux said.

He could be the latest in a long line of Flyers captains that includes Mike Richards. He and another former Flyer — Jeff Carter — will both play in the Western Conference finals for the Los Angeles Kings next week, while the Flyers make vacation plans.

“We missed Ritchie and Carts,” Hartnell said. “That's a lot of points not in our lineup.”

Holmgren pointed to Jagr as the kind of player he wanted youngsters like Giroux to learn from. Even when prodded about the deals, he refused to say a more harmonious locker room this season came simply because they traded Richards and Carter last summer.

“What you're asking is, were those guys problems? I don't think that's the case,” Holmgren said. “I think those guys were good, young players and we decided we needed to make changes.”

Holmgren and several other Flyers said they were rooting for the Kings to win the Cup. But with a shaky labour future in the NHL, the question remains: Could that Cup be the last one hoisted after a full season?

With the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire Sept. 15, the prospect of another tough round of negotiations means next season may not start on time. Forward Danny Briere said a harmonious relationship between the two sides left him hopeful a new deal could be struck without any game interruption.

“I just have a feeling there's more respect for both sides,” Briere said. “That's what gives me the confidence something will be worked out.”

That's a concern for another day. Instead, the Flyers spent this one lamenting their missed opportunity in a wide-open playoff race to win their first championship since 1975.

“We're here to win championships,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “So, when it comes to that, there's disappointment.”

Other year-ends notes from the Philadelphia locker room:

— Holmgren expected the salary cap to be set at about $69 million.

— Holmgren gave oft-injured forward James van Riemsdyk a “huge incomplete” for this season: “There was something wrong with him all the time.”

— Holmgren wants to re-sign unrestricted free-agent defenceman Matt Carle. “I don't see any reason why we can't work out a deal.”

— Holmgren talked with Kimmo Timonen and said the veteran defenceman wants to return for the final year of his contract.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

What next for Jaromir Jagr?

JAMES MIRTLE, Globe and Mail, May 11, 2012

By all accounts, Jaromir Jagr ended up having a wildly successful return to the NHL.

You’ll recall, however, that back in the summer of 2011, when the hockey world learned he intended to come back after three years in the KHL, at age 39, plenty of teams were skeptical.

Jagr had always been a bit of an odd duck.

Who knew what he would bring to a new organization in the twilight of his career?

As it turned out, quite a lot.

Jagr scored 19 goals and 54 points for the Philadelphia Flyers this season, meshing well almost from the beginning on an interesting line with Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell and helping those two to career years.

Jagr, meanwhile, earned a reputation as a workout fiend, often staying long after games — both times I was in Philadelphia this season, security guards were stuck staying past midnight waiting for him to leave the gym — and as a mentor to the Flyers many youngsters.

In other words, for $3.3-million, he was a bargain.

So it would seem to be a natural fit for Jagr to return to Philadelphia again next season, but in his final meeting with the media on Thursday, he didn’t offer much off an opinion one way or the other.

“Well I want to play in the NHL,” Jagr said. “I want to play somewhere when I know teams will want me to. Hopefully we are going to find some team where I can play. I still love the game, and I think I am going to be better than I was this year.

“I have learned some stuff, and the NHL has changed. You have to change with the NHL. You have to adjust some practising and some little things to make you better. I learned a lot this year and I know what kind of direction I want to go to get better. If I come back, I know I am going to be better than I was last year.

“I don't know what kind of direction Philadelphia is going to go. What is my situation going to be? I don't think they know right now. We have a long summer to think about it and talk about it.”

Contrast that with when the Flyers were eliminated by the New Jersey Devils earlier this week, and Jagr spoke quite poignantly about how much he enjoyed his time in Philadelphia.

He said it had been “probably the most enjoyable year I’ve ever had.”

By Thursday, there was the hint that Jagr felt he could have been used differently and played more in key situations — although he insisted it wasn’t a big deal.

“Sometimes I wanted to play a little bit more, but it is fine with me,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like I can be better and play a little bit more than I played. I think everyone feels that way. If I don't feel that way, I shouldn't be in the NHL. I have never been upset. Upset is not the right word. If I don't play good, I am not going to go and I am going to work harder to prove I am still a good player.”

Jagr is one of those players where trying to get in his headspace is pretty well impossible. No one in the game is wired quite like he is, and I’m not even sure if he knows where he wants to play next season.

But it sounds like we can rule out retirement, despite the fact he hit 40 back in February, and you can also rule out him playing for a non-contender.

He’ll also want a prominent role, maybe even with more than the 16:20 a game he played under Flyers coach Peter Laviolette (which marked a career low).

He’ll probably stay in the Eastern Conference, as he always has, but beyond that, who knows?

Even with the three years in Russia, Jagr’s career numbers are such that he’ll go into the Hall of Fame three years after he hangs up the skates — which could be a while given he intends to play back in the Czech Republic for the HC Kladno team he owns with his father (also named Jaromir).

In the NHL record books, Jagr is 11th all time in goals scored, 12th in assists, eighth in points, 32nd in plus-minus, fourth in even strength goals, 19th in power play goals, second in game winning goals, eighth in shots and 12th in points per game.

Another two 54 point seasons like this one and he will pass long-time friend Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman to move into sixth in all-time scoring.

Had Jagr stuck around the past three years, he could have easily snuck past everyone but Wayne Gretzky sometime in 2012-13.

Any way you look at it, that’s quite a career.

And with Jaromir Jagr, Jr., you never know where the next chapter will take you.

On a related note, if you haven’t read Frank Seravalli’s excellent profile of Jagr from earlier in the playoffs, it’s well worth a read.

http://articles.philly.com/2012-05-04/sports/31556831_1_jagr-flyers-teammates-flyers-management

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Dale Hunter making believers out of Capitals

Bruce Arthur, National Post, May 10, 2012

Dale Hunter’s great lantern face tends towards one expression, more or less; he seems to squint without squinting, his mouth a hard line, his pale blue eyes partly lidded. The whole thing seems made of granite when he is behind the bench, though the mouth moves.

He wears the same expression with reporters, where the coach of the Washington Capitals deflects questions the way his team now blocks shots. But if you ask him enough questions, the mask breaks into a smile — not quite uneasy, but not quite not. For instance: What was the difference between coaching the junior London Knights and the NHL’s Capitals, who will play Game 7 of the second round against the New York Rangers Saturday night? The transition can’t have been easy, can it?

“Nothing’s easy that’s worthwhile,” says Hunter, before breaking into a spasm of laughter. “It’s the game of hockey. Don’t overanalyze that, it’s hockey.”

He keeps answers and hockey simple, as best he can, chopping along with short strides. He is no more revealing than the man on the other bench in Game 7, John Tortorella, though Tortorella’s public face is more likely to be awash in rage. In steering the Washington Capitals to Game 7 as a seventh seed, Hunter has also done about as much to promote hockey as a thicket, rather than a pond. In this series — and in Washington’s previous one — hockey is being dragged to Earth with goaltenders, defensive discipline and blocked shots, all married with a fierce desire. And Hunter, a tower of emotion as a player, watches it all with that face carved out the side of a mountain.

“Well, you know, as a coach, as a player it’s kind of different,” Hunter says. “You’re on the ice, you’re in the heat of the battle. As a coach you’ve got to be watching more, and studying the game more. As a player you can get heated up, because you can use your emotions on the ice to be a better player on the ice. But as a coach you have to watch, and make sure you have your wits about you.”

Was an adjustment necessary when he started coaching? “Yeah, you have to talk to yourself, I think.”

It is all a little odd. When Bruce Boudreau was fired and Hunter elevated in late November, the team itself did not know what to think. “When I found out it was Dale Hunter I kind of took a breath and thought, ‘This is going to be real serious’,” centre Brooks Laich says. Hunter’s methods in 52 games produced a 92-point pace, which was coincidentally the pace at which the Capitals played over the entire season.

He reduced the ice time of the team’s stars, created less puck possession for his team, and produced more time in Washington’s defensive end. He has carved out increased roles for of a posse of grinding pros like Jay Beagle, Joel Ward, Jason Chimera, Troy Brouwer, Mike Knuble, and especially in Game 6 in Washington, Matt Hendricks. Hendricks, a guy who bounced around for years, is a perfect Capital, just now.

“’Cause he’s a — I don’t know if I can say it — he’s a prick on the ice,” Laich says of Hendricks. “You don’t want to play against a guy like that. You have to go through a lot to get the best of Matt Hendricks. He’s gonna compete, and he’s gonna do everything in his power to not let you do it.”

The Capitals have seen 12 of their 13 playoff games decided by one goal, which means the margin for error is narrow, and the entire apparatus seems based at least in part on luck and jeopardy. Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski called Hunter an accidental genius, which seems about right — it seems like a cocktail of magical thinking, luck, strategy, and belief. Hunter was prepared for this, in some ways; the former Washington star installed a satellite dish on the Knights bus so he could watch Capitals games, and he has been talking to GM George McPhee regularly for years.

But Hunter imported the same system he used in London, and when asked about the difference between there and here, he says, “They’re both … bottom line, they want to win. It’s just [the players are] older, and they’re the best in the world. [In junior] they’re younger, they make more mistakes; up here they make less. There are more scoring chances in junior because you’re teaching them to play the right way.”

Hunter does not come across as sophisticated in his coaching, yet his players say they believe, to a man. The Capitals have not lost back-to-back games in these playoffs. Ovechkin’s ice time has plummeted, and Mike Green’s role was reverted, and neither one has complained. Defenceman Karl Alzner says “we have that thick skin.” Chimera says, “It’s a working man’s game.” Laich says, “I just think he’s done a great job finding the balance and still allowing our skill players to be creative but within the confines of the system and obviously giving our defensive players the assignments and minutes to do what they do.”

Of course, all of this would mean nothing if not for a 22-year-old goaltender with 34 career starts whose playoff save percentage is .935, which is the highest he has ever achieved at any serious level of hockey. We don’t yet know if it is a coincidence that the goaltender in question, Braden Holtby, who became a father for the first time on Thursday, gave his newborn son Hunter as a middle name.

Regardless, the coach beetles along with short, choppy strides, matching lines, staying calm, carrying on, and whether he is an accidental genius or simply a lucky devil, his team believes. Alex Ovechkin blocked three shots in Game 6, at least two of them intentionally, and scored a goal by being moved to a new spot on the power play. Alex Semin, long derided for vacillating effort, fought like hell to set up the winning goal.

One more game to play, and Washington will go further than it did as the league’s best team, further than any Capitals team since 1998. Back then there was a 37-year-old veteran at the end of his career hanging around, playing a role on a top-10 defensive team, chipping in, a bit of a prick on the ice, sacrificing for the team. He seemed to squint, and had pale blue eyes.

—–

Alex Ovechkin’s evolving superstar status

Ken Campbell, The Hockey News, 2012-05-11

When Steve Yzerman reached the crossroad of his career, he had the option of going one of two ways. He could either continue as a one-way offensive dynamo or he could reinvent himself as a two-way player.

Had he taken the first option, there’s a good chance Yzerman would have never won a single Stanley Cup. Either he would have been dealt from the Detroit Red Wings or he wouldn’t have been able to provide them with the type of play they needed for him to lead them to three championships. Because he chose the latter, not only was he an integral part of three championship teams, but he also cemented his Hall of Fame credentials and his status as one of the greatest leaders and players of all-time.

So it’s rather curious, isn’t it, that now that Alex Ovechkin is being asked to do some of the same things and he’s complying, his career is going down the sinkhole before his 27th birthday? The same things for which Yzerman was lionized Ovechkin is being fed to the lions. This wouldn’t have anything to do with a bias against Russians would it? Didn’t think so.

It must be more a function of the fact that at just more than $9.5 million, Ovechkin carries the highest salary cap hit in the league. But the reality is there are a lot of players in the top snack bracket who aren’t exactly earning their money these days.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 salary cap hits among forwards. Most hockey observers concede that Ovechkin has endured two consecutive miserable, underachieving seasons. But of the players in that group, only Steven Stamkos has more goals and more points than Ovechkin in that time period. Or put another way, would you rather face the prospect of another nine years with Ovechkin’s $9.5 million cap hit or another six years with Vincent Lecavalier at $7.7 million? (Lecavalier’s contract actually runs for another eight years, but the last two years are for salaries of $1.5 million and $1 million, meaning there’s a very good chance he will retire by then.)

Ovechkin has averaged 35 goals and 75 points over the past two seasons, which is by anyone’s standards an enormous downgrade from his salad days. Will we ever see a 60-goal season from Ovechkin again? Probably not. Will we see 50? Debatable.

But under Dale Hunter in these playoffs, Ovechkin has done everything he has been asked. He isn’t exactly a shot-blocking demon, but he’s putting his body in the way of shots. He’s playing both ends of the ice. He isn’t cheating by darting up the ice out of the defensive zone before his team even has control of the puck. And hey, if you’re going to let the game get dragged down by not enforcing the standards and by rewarding defensive play, what’s a guy to do? Ovechkin would have been exposed if he played the way he has in the past.

And we shouldn’t forget that through all of this he’s still leading the Capitals in scoring in the playoffs with five goals and nine points. It would be one thing if Ovechkin were lagging behind his teammates, but has anyone noticed that Nicklas Backstrom has only eight points through 12 games? In these playoffs, Ovechkin is far more a product of his environment than he is the author of his demise.

We can only imagine what GM George McPhee makes of all this. After all, he built the Capitals to be the most exciting team in the new NHL and basically got nowhere in the process. Ovechkin was the crown jewel, the constant go-to guy and the one around whom the entire offensive game plan revolved. That didn’t work out so well.

Now the Capitals are far more turgid, defense-minded and typical of a team that has more success in the playoffs. Ovechkin’s ice time is way down, as is his production and his impact on the game, and the Capitals are one win away from making it the furthest they ever have with Ovechkin in their lineup.

The key for Hunter, if he decides to stay on as the Capitals coach beyond this year, is to convince Ovechkin and some of the other Caps there are rewards in playing this way for the 82 games of the regular season. It’s one thing to have players buy into a system for two months with the Stanley Cup as a tangible and reachable goal. It’s quite another to make them realize the rewards of playing that way on a Tuesday night in the middle of January.

So far, though, Ovechkin has been buying what Hunter has been selling. More importantly, he hasn’t made any of this about himself. Lesser players, lots of them, would have been far more vocal in their complaints by now. And in return, Ovechkin is being written off as an impact player.

It’s not Ovechkin’s fault he’s doing what’s best for his team. He’s an extremely proud man, he’s driven and, contrary to the belief of some people, he cares deeply about winning. He’s also still one of the most dynamic physical talents in the NHL.

That’s not a player I’m ready to write off. Not by a long shot.

—–

Change of identity has been key for Caps

Terry Koshan,Toronto Sun, May 10, 2012

ARLINGTON, VA. – Brooks Laich sat up and took notice last July when Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee went on bit of a spending spree.

McPhee, who had acquired Troy Brouwer from Chicago in a trade at the NHL draft, soon added veterans Joel Ward, Jeff Halpern, Roman Hamrlik and Tomas Vokoun.

Great, thought Laich, a leader on a team that counts Alex Ovechkin as its captain. A solid group, in his mind, was improved.

But it wasn't until the end of November, when Dale Hunter took over as coach after Bruce Boudreau was fired, that the true re-shaping of the Capitals began to come into sharp focus.

"It has been interesting to see our team evolve with the change in identity, change of mentality," Laich said. "We have learned that preventing a (scoring) chance is more important than trying to create one.

"It is a game of mistakes, and you need to be solid defensively. Don't give them anything and think that sooner or later the other team might break down and give us a chance, and we have opportunistic scorers.

"That's a different mentality than what we had in here before."

Of course, the Capitals will carry that mentality into Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal Saturday night against the New York Rangers. The winner of that game will clash with the New Jersey Devils in the conference final, starting Monday night. The loser will pick up the mental pieces and begin to prepare for a summer of what-ifs.

Neither club practised Thursday, and the Rangers players had the day off completely. Hunter said he would have a better idea on Friday whether there would be any chance forward Jay Beagle could return from a lower-body injury, one that caused him to be replaced in the lineup by Halpern in Game 6.

No one knows yet what Hunter will do if the Caps lose, whether he will pack up and head back to the London Knights (as some suspect) or decide that coaching in the NHL is something he wants to do for the foreseeable future.

For Hunter, the transition to coaching NHL players after being responsible for the hockey well-being of teenagers wasn't done with the snap of his fingers.

"Nothing is easy," Hunter said. "(If it was) it would not be worthwhile. (NHL players) are older and they are the best in the world. (Junior players) are younger and make more mistakes. There are more scoring chances in junior because you are teaching them how to play the right way. Up here, there are less mistakes."

You expect the grit guys, the Laichs, the Jason Chimeras, the Brouwers, the Matt Hendricks, to get in line with Hunter's way of thinking. But there was Alexander Semin dumping the puck into the Rangers' end in Game 6, when, Laich figured, he might have tried to dangle in the past. There was Ovechkin blocking three shots, the most of any Caps forward in what was the team's biggest game of the season.

But let's not kid ourselves. No team is perfect, but when the Capitals do have breakdowns and make mistakes, 22-year-old goaltender Braden Holtby (who became a father on Thursday when his fiance gave birth to a boy, named Benjamin Hunter Holtby) has calmly turned away just about every Rangers shot when a save has been needed most.

Laich said he "absolutely" wants Hunter to return next season, but then caught himself and reminded reporters that he was thinking only of Game 7.

But he recalled the day he learned it was Hunter who would be taking over from Boudreau.

"I took a breath, and it was like, 'This is going to be really serious,'" Laich said. "I can't speak enough (about Hunter). He has been great. It's almost like having another veteran in the locker room. He has been through these battles."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Hunter steps down as Capitals head coach:
Hunter is expected to rejoin the London Knights franchise in the Ontario Hockey League.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, May 14 2012

ARLINGTON, Va. — Dale Hunter is finished as coach of the Washington Capitals after less than one full season, telling the team he wants to return to his family in Canada.

Hunter says: "It was the right thing to do."

He told general manager George McPhee of the decision Monday, two days after the Capitals were eliminated from the playoffs by the Rangers in Game 7.

Hunter was hired in November to replace the fired Bruce Boudreau and went 30-23-7 during the remainder of the regular season to help the Capitals squeeze into the playoffs. Playing a defence-first, possession-oriented system, Washington eliminated reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston in the first round. Hunter also limited captain Alex Ovechkin's minutes.

McPhee says Hunter "got everything out of this team that he could."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Bryzgalov: My season unfit for an enemy

Luke Fox, Sportsnet.ca, May 11, 2012

"What I lived through this season I wouldn't wish to an enemy," Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov told Russian newspaper Sovetsky Sport this week. "I understand the fans. They paid their money and want the show, but many forget we're not robots but living people."

Bryzgalov spoke with the Russian daily on Tuesday, after the favoured Flyers lost the fifth and final game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils.

The enigmatic goalie’s quotes were released on Thursday, the same day that Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren delivered his season-end press conference.

"His job is to stop pucks and help us win games," Holmgren said. "It's not Comedy Central."

Bryzgalov was acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes in the off-season to remedy Philadelphia’s instability between the pipes. He has eight more years on a nine-year contract that pays him $51 million.

"Did he play as good as I expected this year?" Holmgren asked. "I'd probably say no."

Bryzgalov posted a 3.46 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage in 11 playoff games, the worst numbers of any netminder who reached the second round. His record was 5-6.

Bryzgalov, a great quote since his quirky personality was revealed on HBO’s 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic, was the only Flyer who declined to speak to the media on Thursday.

"We have an excellent team," Bryzgalov says in the Sovetsky Sport piece. "All the guys are good, the management is great. But there is a lot of negativity surrounding the team. You did everything you could on the ice, you go to the locker room and someone yells some nonsense at your back. They're ready to eat you alive. It's unpleasant, because we are all people.

"You should understand that I am not speaking out against the fans. Philadelphia has great fans. They are the majority. They are always with the team in difficult times."

Bryzgalov had his share of difficult times in 2011-12. In October, he allowed five goals on 15 shots against the Winnipeg Jets before being pulled and told the postgame scrum that he was “lost in the woods.” And although “Bryz” was the breakout star of 24/7, he did not get the start in the Winter Classic.

Bryzgalov did, however, enjoy a phenomenal stretch towards the end of the regular season during which he set a franchise record for the longest shutout streak.

"Everyone is talking about me …'Philadelphia won, but Bryz made a mistake again.' … Guys, who doesn't make mistakes? People are so concentrated on the negative that they only see the bad in me. But I think that you need to be kinder to each other,” the 31-year-old said.

"I gained invaluable experience. It is difficult to describe with words. It is a psychology, a new view on life."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Rangers shot-blocking mentality bad for NHL

Ken Campbell, The Hockey News, 2012-05-14

One of the first things you learn in this business, after the importance of always getting receipts, is that there’s no cheering in the press box. You are to never, ever cheer for an individual player or team. Of course, cheering for the best story is entirely acceptable.

With that in mind, I can’t help but want to see the New York Rangers go down in flames in the Eastern Conference final. Nothing personal. It’s just that I think the New York Rangers are bad for hockey. And if we’ve learned anything about the NHL over the past century, it’s that once one style of play garners some success, teams will be lined up to steal the blueprint.

First of all, let me state for the record this has absolutely nothing to do with Rangers coach John Tortorella. I do, however, marvel at his transformation on a couple of fronts. When he won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 at the height of the Dead Puck Era, his and his team’s mantra was “Safe is Death.” Now, in what is supposed to resemble a new era with an emphasis on offense and creativity, his mantra seems to be, “If you do not chip the puck off the boards and block 12 shots a game, your rear end will be nailed to the bench. Just ask Derek Stepan.”

And back in his early days with the Lightning, when they were the dregs of the league, I remember travelling to Tampa Bay as a Toronto Maple Leafs beat writer with the Toronto Star and watching Tortorella kibitz with the local media corps for an hour after practice. They would run out of questions before he would run out of answers. Then, the better the Lightning got, the surlier he became. Now he approaches media sessions with all the enthusiasm of a death row prisoner on his way to the execution room…in Texas.

But as I said, I couldn’t care less that Tortorella gives a lousy press conference. Plus, I believe it’s all part of his grand plan. If those who chronicle the game are unduly focusing on Tortorella’s prickly manner, they’re not asking nagging questions such as, “why did the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference need seven games each to dispatch the seventh and eighth seeds?” And hey, this is the NHL. Most of us gave up a long time ago on any of these guys taking any responsibility for actually trying to promote the game. In the NHL, any advantage an individual team can gain regardless of the collective good of the game is pursued because the league sits back and allows its teams to do it.

But that’s not why I’m hoping the Rangers playoff run ends against the New Jersey Devils in the third round. The Rangers are bad for the NHL, that’s why. If you found the Rangers seven-game second round series against the Washington Capitals to be compelling hockey, then good on you. A lot of people, present company included, found it frustrating to watch and devoid of excitement beyond the fact there was so much at stake.

Part of the reason for this is I’ve grown to hate blocked shots. It didn’t used to be that way. There was a time when the blocked shot was an art, almost a thing of beauty, executed only by those players who could summon the courage to sacrifice their bodies to keep a puck from getting to the net. These days, though, there is no gallantry involved in blocking shots, otherwise everyone wouldn’t be able to do it. Protected by the best equipment the game has ever seen, players are no longer the least bit hesitant to put themselves between a slapshot and the net because they know there’s almost no chance they’ll get hurt. That’s why now when a guy winds up from the point, the defending team collapses in front of the net like a building being imploded. You call that exciting? I call it bloody maddening. But that’s the kind of play that has been earning rave reviews throughout the playoffs.

And nobody does it with the frequency the Rangers do, which doesn’t seem to make sense since conventional wisdom suggests they have the best goaltender in the league and if Hart Trophy voting is any indication, one of the top three players in the world. What’s more, they pay him 6.9 million a year to stop pucks, then have their players stand in front of him and do it for him.

Secondly, I can’t stand the Rangers because they don’t even pretend to press the issue when they get ahead by a single goal. There were times during their series against the Capitals when I thought Karl Alzner was going to let the clock run out standing behind his own net with the puck, while the Ranger forwards circled around the Capitals zone. Whatever happened to forechecking? Are teams like the Rangers so spooked with the prospect of getting caught up ice that they can’t bring themselves to try to create a turnover?

And yes, I do see an enormous amount of irony in the fact that I would rather see the Devils, who invented and perfected turgid hockey, triumph over an organization that has traditionally been more about star power and panache. But it’s almost as though the two teams have transposed themselves. The Devils are far more compelling to watch with their relentless pressure on the puck, their ability to spring forwards loose and their willingness to at least try to beat a defenseman one-on-one.

As we’ve seen over the years, it’s almost impossible to legislate against the way the Rangers are playing. When Bob Gainey proposed a couple of years ago to penalize players who leave their feet to stop a shot, it got nowhere. And it’s not as though the equipment manufacturers are going to start making inferior protective gear.

So the only thing we can do is to hope it doesn’t succeed. Because Lord help us if it does.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

The NHL injuries nobody told you about

Sean McIndoe, National Post, May 15, 2012

It’s the time of year when hockey fans see something they’re not used to on NHL injury reports: honesty.

By now fans have become used to teams being as vague as possible when it comes to health issues. Many injuries to key players are never acknowledged at all, and those that are mentioned are cryptically referred to as upper or lower body injuries and nothing more.

But that all changes once a team has been eliminated. There’s no point in keeping up the charade once the season is over, so teams finally let the public know what sort of medical challenges the players were dealing with. Sometimes the news confirms fans’ suspicions, and sometimes we’re all caught completely off-guard.

Here are some of the hidden injuries that teams have recently revealed after being eliminated from Stanley Cup contention.

Ryan Suter, Predators His teammates say he was obviously dealing with some sort of major injury that will require him to meet with a specialist in Detroit, since he spent the past few months constantly whispering into his cellphone about some sort of appointment there at 12:01 on July 1.

David Backes, Blues Along with several teammates, he suffered abdominal injuries from laughing at that moronic advance scout who kept insisting that the best way to score on Jonathan Quick was to take slapshots from centre ice.

Ed Jovanovski, Panthers Keeps saying that he thinks this year’s first-round loss will help the Panthers when they’re back in the playoffs next year, which has led to facial trauma from all the people who keep pinching his cheeks and telling him he’s being just adorable.

Ryan Kesler, Canucks Will be out for six months after surgery to repair an injured labrum. The injury has confounded local experts, in the sense that they haven’t been able to figure out how to blame it on Roberto Luongo.

Sidney Crosby, Penguins Was not only hurt but also has terrible cellphone reception since every time you ask him what his injury is he yells, “Uh, you’re breaking up on me” and hangs up, according to the people who put together Canada’s roster for the world championship.

Brad Marchand, Bruins Was battling through an upper-body injury that team doctors described as unusual, since it’s rare to see so many knee-cap-shaped bruises on somebody’s shoulder like that.

Erik Karlsson, Senators Looked pretty darn tired towards the end and should probably just take half of next season off, according to this petition from other NHL blueliners who’d like to have a chance at winning the scoring title for defencemen.

Claude Giroux, Flyers Some time between the first and second rounds, apparently had whatever that type of injury that turns you from the consensus best player in the world to an overrated bum that everyone hates.

Nicklas Listrom, Red Wings Has been spotted walking around with this weird growth on his back that looks kind of like Mike Babcock crying and screaming, “Please don’t retire!”

Patrick Marleau, Sharks Embarrassed team doctors recently admitted that it turns out that they didn’t need to list him on every injury report after all, since technically “eyebrows that make you look super-surprised in every photo” aren’t actually considered an upper body injury.

Alexander Ovechkin, Capitals He told everyone he has been dealing with a severely broken heart ever since he heard that coach Dale Hunter won’t return next year although, come to think of it, considering all the Champagne and balloons, there’s a chance he may have been being sarcastic.

Patrick Kane, Blackhawks Obviously suffered some sort of serious injury to his knees or legs, since every story about him on gossip blogs these days ends with all his friends having to carry him.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

NHL seeks to terminate CBA this fall

DAVID SHOALTS, Globe and Mail, May 16, 2012

Just in case you thought the NHL was going to sail smoothly into collective bargaining this fall, word arrived the league served notice it plans to terminate the current agreement in September.

Under the terms of the existing deal, which expires at midnight Sept. 15, either the NHL or the NHL Players' Association has to provide notice to the other 120 days before the expiry date if it wants to terminate or modify the agreement. The NHL passed along its notification Wednesday, which was first reported by the Sports Business Journal.

Two sources close to the players said this was not a surprise and was simply a procedural matter. The notice had to be issued by at least one party, otherwise the current agreement would have remained in place for one more year.

In May, 2004, the league issued the same notice to the players when the previous collective agreement was set to expire in 120 days. The result was the loss of the entire 2004-05 season to a lockout by the owners.

The NHL made it clear in recent months it wants to begin negotiations this summer. However, history shows the serious bargaining will not start at least until the regular season is scheduled to begin in early October.

For the NHL's 30 owners, the major issue is the players' share of hockey-related revenue, which is expected to hit a record $3.2-billion (all currency U.S.) by the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The players received 57 per cent of the gross revenue this season, while their colleagues in the NBA and NFL accepted 55 per cent or less in agreeing to new collective agreements within the last year. The NHL owners are expected to demand the players reduce their take to less than 50 per cent.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said this season's revenue tops seven years of record income after the lockout. The league also announced television ratings are up substantially in the playoffs, particularly in the U.S.

The NHL is in the first year of a 10-year, $2-billion television deal with NBCUniversal for its national American broadcasts. There have been a series of announcements about rich sponsorship deals with a variety of major corporations, topped by a $375-million contract for seven years with Molson Coors that was signed last year.

However, the NHL is still a have and have-not league. While the richest teams turn profits in excess of $40-million, the teams at the bottom rack up losses in the same amount. The Phoenix Coyotes, for example, are perennially in danger of moving because they lose between $30-million and $40-million every year.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Flood of late donations buoys Guinness Record hockey marathon:
Buzzer finally ends play after non-stop 246-hour match in Chestermere Arena

Bryce Forbes, Calgary Herald, May 16, 2012

CHESTERMERE, AB — They played 246 straight hours of hockey — but it took the final buzzer to finally slow them down.

Two hours earlier, they had already set a Guinness World Record for the longest hockey game.

Yet as the last seconds finally ticked away at the Oilympics Hockey Marathon, they still wanted to give a show to the cheering fans at the jam-packed Chestermere Arena.

“These guys are nuts, these guys are absolutely nuts,” said team captain and organizer Alex Halat.

“These guys did not stop for 10-and-a-half days. There was no off switch in them, whether it was one in the morning or one in the afternoon.

“They were going 100 miles an hour and they were going for the win.”

Unfortunately for Halat, his Team Hope was on the wrong end of a 4,178-3,845 score, as the teams combined for a record 8,023 goals.

The final score didn’t matter, though.

It was all about the $1.4 million and counting that will go to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Hopes were bleak around the arena heading into the final 48 hours. They had only raised $822,000 going into play on Tuesday morning.

But donations soon flooded in from all over the world — around $200,000 on Tuesday and at least $400,000 on the last day.

Halat was confident they had broken the $1.5-million goal, with donations still being accepted online for those interested in topping up the total.

“I’m so happy for all the kids here that we did something awesome — we really did,” said a beaming Lyall Marshall, holding six-year-old daughter Diamond Marshall. “It means a lot for everyone that got those needed funds in.”

Those funds will be going toward cancer research and equipment in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit.

“It’s absolutely critical to the hospital,” said Kathy Greenwood, ACHF’s vice-president of development.

“The difference that it makes to the kids and the families at the hospital to have state-of-the-art equipment especially in our pediatric intensive care unit means that the treatment is quicker, it’s faster, it’s better, it’s less invasive.”

At the closing ceremonies, Dave Shillington was given a golden stick for his record 524 goals and Halat was awarded a mini-Stanley Cup for all the work he did.

Country music superstar Paul Brandt serenaded the crowd with I Was There, the song he wrote for the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship in Calgary.

For the players who were adored like rock stars to the fans for more than 10 days — signing autographs and posing for photos — they’ll now head back to the real world of families, jobs and honey-do lists.

They have plenty of injuries to heal, from blisters and skate bite all the way up to separated shoulders, broken ankles and concussions.

“I miss my family and I want to go home, but I don’t think we will ever forget what we are doing today,” said former Canadian Football League player Frank Pimiskern.

The players will need the rest.

Halat is already planning on doing it again — only bigger.

“It’s hard to believe we finished this,” Scott Logan said.

“It feels both like we just finished yesterday and at the same time it feels like we went for weeks and weeks.”

———-

Top goal scorers:

Dave Shillington — 524

Chris Robertson — 442

Casey Coutts — 397

Allen Bekolay — 379

Chris Wilkins — 323

(All five beat the previous record of 313 goals)

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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