The hockey news have recently started to feel more and more like a police report of some serial abuser. Is this a sign of rising tempers on the ice or just a mere reflection of the current world and its increasing focus on peeking into nasty incidents and filth? If the first theory is true, we'll be seeing a lot of Mr. Shanahan on the video clips to come. If the latter, well I guess it's time to look in the mirror and ask what are we relly looking for in the coverage of our favorite sport.
I'll chip in by producing another article on the violent topic. I'll try to inject some sense within the gallery of gore.
I'll try to avoid the Sidney Crosby threshold here, otherwise I'd have to write about every bump that happens in the game. Instead, I'll focus on some of the recent serious incidents on the rinks around NHL.
Let's start with fellow Finn Ville Leino of the Buffalo Sabres. I knew the guy was extremely talented, but his nasty elbow on the head of Flyers rookie sensation Matt Read was in its viciousness a tribute to superhuman limb coordination. Leino used his left knee to knock Read's stick up, his right foot to kick the puck to himself and delivered a "no-look elbow" straight to the head of the unsuspecting rookie. All this in a fragment of a second, with perfect coordination. One game suspension is light and likely mostly so because Shanahan, regardless of his unquestionable merits on ice, couldn't have pulled that off himself and thus writes it off as an reckless accident. Hopefully Read didn't get any damage on the play and Leino vents his frustration of unproductiveness on other levels of play in the future.
Moving then to a distinguished bad boy Krys Barch. On his first game as a Florida Panther, he managed to destroy Boston's Daniel Paille on a thunderous hit near the boards. Paille spent four games on the press box after vicious headshot in February. Conspiracy theorists should all already connect the dots on the fact that the victim on Paille's check was Raymond Sawada, then a teammate of Krys Barch in Dallas. Barch hasn't yet received a suspension on the hit, but Paille is very likely out with a concussion. To make matters worse for Daniel Paille, he just returned from some time off the roster after stopping a slap shot with his nose. The ratio of buck for pain is definitely getting worse for him. Tough guys..
On the same night, Edmonton Oilers' Andy Sutton jumped off the ice to smash Carolina's Alexei Ponikarovsky's head on the boards. That's a 245lbs of mean meat aimed directly at someone's head. He's been suspended a few times in the past for irresponsible hits on ice and this is just getting ridiculous. Ponikarovsky is a big guy himself and there's no info on his status, but I find it very unlikely that he'll be able to play for a while. Sutton on the other hand is suspended indefinitely and will likely be looking at some extended time on the stationary bike and gym. Definitely not on the ice for a while.
And to cap the night of irresponsibility, Colorado's fourth liner Kevin Porter's knee-on-knee hit destroyed David Booth's dreams of starting to click in the Vancouver Canucks' lineup. Booth is out for at least a month with knee injury and Porter sits out the next four games as reminder.
On a week where we already saw Nashville Predators' Jordin Tootoo get suspended for trying to re-concuss Buffalo's star goalie Ryan Miller and Dallas Stars' Mark Fistric get three games ban for jumping off the ice to knock Islanders' Nino Niederreiter out with concussion, this recent burst of violent incidents just seems to underline the dangers of this game.
But in the end, has anything changed? Ice hockey is, and will always be, a rough sport. The players know it and the fans expect it. The players are professionals and practice every day to be able to navigate the hazards on ice. You can't take the physicality off the game without changing the whole sport. Everyone knows that.
The league is working hard on limiting the number of severe injuries, especially on the head area. But at the same time these get picked up to the headlines way easier than before and thus portray the picture of ice hockey as more violent than ever. I wonder will this new focus on injuries subconsciously also program some of the game's loose cannons to aim for the spotlight? There must be a sociopath or two out there who'd like to steal the headlines for a day or two on the sports coverage, right?
2011/12/09
2011/11/30
The short lifespan of an NHL coach
So, now it has started. The season is one quarter out and coaches are getting the boot. St. Louis Blues already got rid of their starting coach and went back to old timer Hitchcock. In retrospect that looks like a brilliant move. At the time, it seemed just a bit too trigger-happy. The Blues were doing ok, not great, but I believe what was expected from them by the general public.
Now it was time for a change in struggling Carolina. Well expected and maybe their last chance to turn this season around. I can't see them clawing back to playoffs anymore, but the ownership seems to.
On the same day the biggest bomb was dropped in Washington, where Bruce Boudreau was let go after taking the Capitals from bottom dwellers to the top of the league in just a few seasons. The modern day quarter economy equivalent in the game of hockey does not look at the past results or give much of a chance of failure. All over the media the explanations from Capitals' ownership were rather dodgy. And the sheer amount of interviews claiming that Boudreau had no bad blood with Ovechkin or vice versa, actually prove the opposite point. The team, lead by its celebrity captain, just couldn't work for this guy anymore. Some new system, huh?
It's a some sort of a miracle that Columbus Blue Jackets haven't fired their coach yet. They're actually already at the point where the ownership has given up on the season and seem to have decided to save some money instead of having to pay salaries for two coaches. If the fans start some sort of a mutiny, maybe they'll comply and claim that they're building for the next season with the move.
Anaheim Ducks have slipped down to the bottom of the league. They're running out of the seasons where they can keep their star lineup together and it must be just a matter of getting the papers out of their printer, before they have a new coach. They need to push for the Cup run now or face the return to rebuilding mode in the coming seasons.
After rather disappointing start of a season, coaching changes may arise in Tampa Bay or even Montreal. Colorado's brilliant start may have taken the expectations up a notch too to jeopardize the current leadership now that they've actually just fallen to the expected levels.
The rest of the struggling teams are either young and expected still to have growth pains, like Edmonton, Winnipeg and New York Islanders or just plain clueless like Calgary and New Jersey and cannot seem to see what good could another coaching change do.
The fun of getting fired from the NHL head coach position doesn't end in the heavy paychecks that usually follow through the original contract. It also seems to be a commonly agreed fact that failed coaches instantly regain the trust on their competence by all the teams in need of a new guy behind the bench. Fail as miserably as you can and it's still likely that you get hired before the season is over. Pick up two paychecks for the rest of the year as a bonus.
Now it's going to be very interesting to see how the chips fall with the teams with the most pressure to act. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mr. Boudreau moving down to sunny California before the end of this week..
Now it was time for a change in struggling Carolina. Well expected and maybe their last chance to turn this season around. I can't see them clawing back to playoffs anymore, but the ownership seems to.
On the same day the biggest bomb was dropped in Washington, where Bruce Boudreau was let go after taking the Capitals from bottom dwellers to the top of the league in just a few seasons. The modern day quarter economy equivalent in the game of hockey does not look at the past results or give much of a chance of failure. All over the media the explanations from Capitals' ownership were rather dodgy. And the sheer amount of interviews claiming that Boudreau had no bad blood with Ovechkin or vice versa, actually prove the opposite point. The team, lead by its celebrity captain, just couldn't work for this guy anymore. Some new system, huh?
It's a some sort of a miracle that Columbus Blue Jackets haven't fired their coach yet. They're actually already at the point where the ownership has given up on the season and seem to have decided to save some money instead of having to pay salaries for two coaches. If the fans start some sort of a mutiny, maybe they'll comply and claim that they're building for the next season with the move.
Anaheim Ducks have slipped down to the bottom of the league. They're running out of the seasons where they can keep their star lineup together and it must be just a matter of getting the papers out of their printer, before they have a new coach. They need to push for the Cup run now or face the return to rebuilding mode in the coming seasons.
After rather disappointing start of a season, coaching changes may arise in Tampa Bay or even Montreal. Colorado's brilliant start may have taken the expectations up a notch too to jeopardize the current leadership now that they've actually just fallen to the expected levels.
The rest of the struggling teams are either young and expected still to have growth pains, like Edmonton, Winnipeg and New York Islanders or just plain clueless like Calgary and New Jersey and cannot seem to see what good could another coaching change do.
The fun of getting fired from the NHL head coach position doesn't end in the heavy paychecks that usually follow through the original contract. It also seems to be a commonly agreed fact that failed coaches instantly regain the trust on their competence by all the teams in need of a new guy behind the bench. Fail as miserably as you can and it's still likely that you get hired before the season is over. Pick up two paychecks for the rest of the year as a bonus.
Now it's going to be very interesting to see how the chips fall with the teams with the most pressure to act. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mr. Boudreau moving down to sunny California before the end of this week..
2011/11/23
If I was a gambling man
Let's put the hockey hunch to grind in some money. The local betting office posts the ratios for win, loss and a regulation tie. And since it all seems so clear in the ways of the league, it's about time to do a reality check of sorts. I'll just pick up a few games that are sure, easy money and another bunch of a bit longer shots but bigger potential payout. Five bucks each. Short analysis for each pair and a remorseful recap in the morning to close up the post. Don't worry, I won't tamper my original estimates and try to appear smarter than I am. Let's face it, if it would be this easy, it wouldn't be available for the common audience. Let's go then!
Sure bets, absolutely cannot go wrong with these, right?
NYI-PHI: Well, Philly takes this easily. They're bigger, meaner, stronger and have loads of more talent throughout the roster. Islanders still wonder what hit them on Monday, something black and yellow and #87, and forget to play the game. Returns 1,95:1, ka-ching.
PIT-STL: Crosby honeymoon is on and St. Louis is not the team to challenge that. Sid the Kid will deposit a few more points and the supporting cast wants to prove they're right on par with the wonder boy. A night to forget for coach Hitchcock's band. Another multiplier of 1,75:1 for my bucks.
BUF-BOS: The Sabres are very similar to the Bruins, just worse on every aspect at the moment. The teams play similar style of hard working, evenly balanced lines. Thomas outduels Enroth easily and Boston's boys just walk over their counterparts for the victory #10 in the current hot streak. Finalizes my sure money bet with complimentary 2,20:1.
I'll bring home a sweet pot of €37,50 for an investment of $5,00. Like taking candy from a kid.
Then the trickier bet. Not that this is too difficult either, but there's a remote chance that someone somewhere along the line screws up my moneymaker.
WAS-WPG: Boudreau's big guns are soon all on the shelf with the new style of boring, non-scoring game plan. Today they give this style the final try and get crushed by the inconsistent, but capable-when-given-the-opportunity, Jets. For the next game Bruce gives up on the plan for the playoff grind and lets the two Alexes play like they like. Then it'll be very difficult to say what will happen on the ice. This sleeper starts my bigger cash-in with a whopper 3,55:1.
NJ-CLB: The Blue Jackets seem to have found some groove now that they can just play for fun for the rest of the season. The Devils are a perfect opponent for that kind of approach, being the gloomy, play-the-gameplan, uninnovative team that they are. Carter puts in a pair and Nash complements with two of his own. Curtis Sanford wants to prove he can be the long lost number one netminder and who would be better opposing goalie to take for the comparison than the best ever to stand between the pipes, Martin Brodeur. Jackets' third in a row multiplies my dough by 3,45:1.
MIN-NAS: These teams will play another very low scoring game. Minnesota finds itself on top of the league, but absolutely cannot score. Nashville had major difficulties against the young Oilers' squad and need to prove that they're actually way better. Pekka Rinne will shut the door after being benched after the first on Tuesday and the team will play much more solid game today. However, they're against the ultra defensive Wild who can throw either goalie out there and keep the score low. As much as I hate to bet on ties, this sure looks like one. Hell, we might be looking at a 0-0 in the end. The sleepy effort will not match the money invested in tickets, but will finish my triple with a sweet 3,65:1 cherry on top.
My second crumpled note of five euros will explode to a highly satisfying payout of €223,50 in the end of the day.
-- end of evening brag.
-- beginning of morning whine.
Okay, this got rather ridiculous. I was expecting that I can somehow explain myself out of a slight deviation from the original guess, but the reality requires a bit more. I outright busted on the bets in the end. No need to consider a new career here, yet.
Sure picks, right? Philly won the Islanders, but barely and only in overtime. So that ended in a tie on the betting results. Sid the Kid fell short and somehow the Blues ended up taking the game. Again in the overtime, so another tie. And Boston Bruins then? They got the victory, but only with the slightest of margins and after a third period rally. Another tie in regulation and the victory only in the overtime. Three out of three wrong on the sure picks. What a way to start.
Well, after that it's pretty obvious that the higher degree of analysis didn't go much better. The Capitals did eventually beat the Jets, again on the overtime. Not an easy victory, but not the result I picked either. The Blue Jackets did have the moral victory in totally dominating the game against the Devils. However, it was Martin Brodeur, who stole the show, not Curtis Sanford. A regulation tie again and shootout victory to New Jersey. Finally, I can end this disastrous recap of my prophetic abilities on a regulation victory. It was close as I predicted, but Minnesota Wild ended up scoring one more than the Nashville Predators. I need to point my finger at Pekka Rinne on this one, the third and decisive goal was rather embarassing. Solid three out of three wrong here too.
This was a fun excercise, even though the results were downright awful. Maybe I need to get another crystal ball and give it a try somewhere in the future. Can't really go much worse than this, right? With so many regulation ties this night, I'd bet (huh!?) that very few got their picks right. The betting offices were the big winners on this round.
Sure bets, absolutely cannot go wrong with these, right?
NYI-PHI: Well, Philly takes this easily. They're bigger, meaner, stronger and have loads of more talent throughout the roster. Islanders still wonder what hit them on Monday, something black and yellow and #87, and forget to play the game. Returns 1,95:1, ka-ching.
PIT-STL: Crosby honeymoon is on and St. Louis is not the team to challenge that. Sid the Kid will deposit a few more points and the supporting cast wants to prove they're right on par with the wonder boy. A night to forget for coach Hitchcock's band. Another multiplier of 1,75:1 for my bucks.
BUF-BOS: The Sabres are very similar to the Bruins, just worse on every aspect at the moment. The teams play similar style of hard working, evenly balanced lines. Thomas outduels Enroth easily and Boston's boys just walk over their counterparts for the victory #10 in the current hot streak. Finalizes my sure money bet with complimentary 2,20:1.
I'll bring home a sweet pot of €37,50 for an investment of $5,00. Like taking candy from a kid.
Then the trickier bet. Not that this is too difficult either, but there's a remote chance that someone somewhere along the line screws up my moneymaker.
WAS-WPG: Boudreau's big guns are soon all on the shelf with the new style of boring, non-scoring game plan. Today they give this style the final try and get crushed by the inconsistent, but capable-when-given-the-opportunity, Jets. For the next game Bruce gives up on the plan for the playoff grind and lets the two Alexes play like they like. Then it'll be very difficult to say what will happen on the ice. This sleeper starts my bigger cash-in with a whopper 3,55:1.
NJ-CLB: The Blue Jackets seem to have found some groove now that they can just play for fun for the rest of the season. The Devils are a perfect opponent for that kind of approach, being the gloomy, play-the-gameplan, uninnovative team that they are. Carter puts in a pair and Nash complements with two of his own. Curtis Sanford wants to prove he can be the long lost number one netminder and who would be better opposing goalie to take for the comparison than the best ever to stand between the pipes, Martin Brodeur. Jackets' third in a row multiplies my dough by 3,45:1.
MIN-NAS: These teams will play another very low scoring game. Minnesota finds itself on top of the league, but absolutely cannot score. Nashville had major difficulties against the young Oilers' squad and need to prove that they're actually way better. Pekka Rinne will shut the door after being benched after the first on Tuesday and the team will play much more solid game today. However, they're against the ultra defensive Wild who can throw either goalie out there and keep the score low. As much as I hate to bet on ties, this sure looks like one. Hell, we might be looking at a 0-0 in the end. The sleepy effort will not match the money invested in tickets, but will finish my triple with a sweet 3,65:1 cherry on top.
My second crumpled note of five euros will explode to a highly satisfying payout of €223,50 in the end of the day.
-- end of evening brag.
-- beginning of morning whine.
Okay, this got rather ridiculous. I was expecting that I can somehow explain myself out of a slight deviation from the original guess, but the reality requires a bit more. I outright busted on the bets in the end. No need to consider a new career here, yet.
Sure picks, right? Philly won the Islanders, but barely and only in overtime. So that ended in a tie on the betting results. Sid the Kid fell short and somehow the Blues ended up taking the game. Again in the overtime, so another tie. And Boston Bruins then? They got the victory, but only with the slightest of margins and after a third period rally. Another tie in regulation and the victory only in the overtime. Three out of three wrong on the sure picks. What a way to start.
Well, after that it's pretty obvious that the higher degree of analysis didn't go much better. The Capitals did eventually beat the Jets, again on the overtime. Not an easy victory, but not the result I picked either. The Blue Jackets did have the moral victory in totally dominating the game against the Devils. However, it was Martin Brodeur, who stole the show, not Curtis Sanford. A regulation tie again and shootout victory to New Jersey. Finally, I can end this disastrous recap of my prophetic abilities on a regulation victory. It was close as I predicted, but Minnesota Wild ended up scoring one more than the Nashville Predators. I need to point my finger at Pekka Rinne on this one, the third and decisive goal was rather embarassing. Solid three out of three wrong here too.
This was a fun excercise, even though the results were downright awful. Maybe I need to get another crystal ball and give it a try somewhere in the future. Can't really go much worse than this, right? With so many regulation ties this night, I'd bet (huh!?) that very few got their picks right. The betting offices were the big winners on this round.
2011/11/21
Funky stats
There's enough games under everyone's belt to take a deeper look on the statistics so far. Not looking at the obvious ones, everyone can see those, but trying to peek behind the scenes and point out some oddities. Somewhat random, but if you're in, strangely interesting.
Disappearance of Alex Ovechkin. The guy gets paid 100k a game, has proven to be one of the unique talents in the league, but now lingers somewhere in mediocrity. 14 points in 18 games is fine for most, but less than expected from Ovie. The troubling fact is his -6 rating. That's the worst in the whole team! And the team is way over .500 and +2 on goals. What has Alex been doing? Not shooting is one thing. In the previous seasons he's been blasting away on the top of the league stats. Now, barely in top20. Defending, like coach Boudreau claims? Half of the hits than the league's biggest bruisers, three blocked shots. Doesn't look like much. He's playing 3-5 minutes less than in the previous years, maybe due to less than expected production. The bottom line seems to be that mr. Ovechkin is either injured or just not motivated enough. Both are bad for Washington, but later might be harder to fix.
The curse of Eric Staal. Staal has been among the top forwards of this league for several years. He's proven to be a great captain and a hard worker. But now he and his team are in a slump to remember. Leading the league unchallenged in -18. Shooting second most in the league with 5% accuracy. 8 points in 20 games, half of them in powerplay. Talk about squeezing the stick. Big Eric must snap out of this and carry the Hurricanes on his back again, if they have any dreams of the playoffs.
Teen-aged and fearless. Have you noticed a kid called Gabriel Landeskog in Colorado Avalanche? Well, if not, please look for the number #92 in the future. This Swedish rookie is in top20 of the league in shots fired and hits delivered. And was just promoted to play in the top line. Must be hard to miss. It's great to see the rookies of today playing just like the big boys. No fear, no bowing, and ready to challenge. Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins just posted 5 assists the other day. Wonder how many rookies have had that many on a game in the history of this sport? Well a guy named Gretzky had 7 back in the day, but Nugent-Hopkins likely made it to the top 5. Coincidentally, that heroic effort also puts Ryan on par with slightly older, but yet ever promising forward from the Ducks, Teemu Selänne. It'll be a fun race between guys aged 18 and 41 for the rest of the season. Place your bets!
Grabbing the momentum in the circle. Chicago's Jonathan Toews leads the league in faceoffs taken and has the biggest win percentage of the active centers on the paint at whopping 62,4%. That sure brings an extra edge to the game when you can grab almost two out of three to your linemates. And the linemates in particular are called Kane and Hossa, which doesn't hurt either. On the other end of the spectrum we have the polite Czech, Patrik Elias, from the Devils, who takes only a modest share of 42,4% of the many faceoffs he faces. I wonder, could the wingers do much worse there?
The Suter-Weber wall. Among the Nashville Predators' hot topics is how to keep their top defencive pair of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. That might prove to be a bit tricky, but that shouldn't keep the team from enjoying the ride these two defensive monsters bring. They have the biggest plus minus ratings in the league, they stand in the top5 in d-man scoring and just seem to do everything right at the moment. I'd hate to play as a visiting forward in Nashville when paired agains these two. Tough and frustrating in the offensive zone, outright scary in the defensive zone diving in front of Weber's cannon.
Speaking of defensemen, Colorado's ever promising Erik Johnson must be hating the stats charts. He just hit 50 shots, leading the league in attempts in vain. Zero goals, one assist on even strength (8 more on powerplay though) and a miserable -12 rating. Can't really say that he's fulfilled the expectations yet. Maybe he should call up Detroit's colleagues Lidström and Kronwall for some consulting. They've both let go about as many shots and are looking at 6 goals apiece. Not to mention the positive ratings in plus minus column.
Well, that was the take today. I'll be drilling more some other time. Hope you enjoy!
Disappearance of Alex Ovechkin. The guy gets paid 100k a game, has proven to be one of the unique talents in the league, but now lingers somewhere in mediocrity. 14 points in 18 games is fine for most, but less than expected from Ovie. The troubling fact is his -6 rating. That's the worst in the whole team! And the team is way over .500 and +2 on goals. What has Alex been doing? Not shooting is one thing. In the previous seasons he's been blasting away on the top of the league stats. Now, barely in top20. Defending, like coach Boudreau claims? Half of the hits than the league's biggest bruisers, three blocked shots. Doesn't look like much. He's playing 3-5 minutes less than in the previous years, maybe due to less than expected production. The bottom line seems to be that mr. Ovechkin is either injured or just not motivated enough. Both are bad for Washington, but later might be harder to fix.
The curse of Eric Staal. Staal has been among the top forwards of this league for several years. He's proven to be a great captain and a hard worker. But now he and his team are in a slump to remember. Leading the league unchallenged in -18. Shooting second most in the league with 5% accuracy. 8 points in 20 games, half of them in powerplay. Talk about squeezing the stick. Big Eric must snap out of this and carry the Hurricanes on his back again, if they have any dreams of the playoffs.
Teen-aged and fearless. Have you noticed a kid called Gabriel Landeskog in Colorado Avalanche? Well, if not, please look for the number #92 in the future. This Swedish rookie is in top20 of the league in shots fired and hits delivered. And was just promoted to play in the top line. Must be hard to miss. It's great to see the rookies of today playing just like the big boys. No fear, no bowing, and ready to challenge. Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins just posted 5 assists the other day. Wonder how many rookies have had that many on a game in the history of this sport? Well a guy named Gretzky had 7 back in the day, but Nugent-Hopkins likely made it to the top 5. Coincidentally, that heroic effort also puts Ryan on par with slightly older, but yet ever promising forward from the Ducks, Teemu Selänne. It'll be a fun race between guys aged 18 and 41 for the rest of the season. Place your bets!
Grabbing the momentum in the circle. Chicago's Jonathan Toews leads the league in faceoffs taken and has the biggest win percentage of the active centers on the paint at whopping 62,4%. That sure brings an extra edge to the game when you can grab almost two out of three to your linemates. And the linemates in particular are called Kane and Hossa, which doesn't hurt either. On the other end of the spectrum we have the polite Czech, Patrik Elias, from the Devils, who takes only a modest share of 42,4% of the many faceoffs he faces. I wonder, could the wingers do much worse there?
The Suter-Weber wall. Among the Nashville Predators' hot topics is how to keep their top defencive pair of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. That might prove to be a bit tricky, but that shouldn't keep the team from enjoying the ride these two defensive monsters bring. They have the biggest plus minus ratings in the league, they stand in the top5 in d-man scoring and just seem to do everything right at the moment. I'd hate to play as a visiting forward in Nashville when paired agains these two. Tough and frustrating in the offensive zone, outright scary in the defensive zone diving in front of Weber's cannon.
Speaking of defensemen, Colorado's ever promising Erik Johnson must be hating the stats charts. He just hit 50 shots, leading the league in attempts in vain. Zero goals, one assist on even strength (8 more on powerplay though) and a miserable -12 rating. Can't really say that he's fulfilled the expectations yet. Maybe he should call up Detroit's colleagues Lidström and Kronwall for some consulting. They've both let go about as many shots and are looking at 6 goals apiece. Not to mention the positive ratings in plus minus column.
Well, that was the take today. I'll be drilling more some other time. Hope you enjoy!
2011/11/18
Pulling off a Granlund
Hockey world, prepare for the newest trick in the bag! Originating likely from some other sports, like lacrosse or floorball, the so called airhook is emerging in the game of hockey. The talented younger kids on the game can sometimes playfully take the puck on top of the stick blade, spin it around and sling it off towards the target. This truly puts another angle in deceiving the goaltenders.
Mostly this kind of trickery seems to be reserved for skills competitions and other moments of showing off. However, leading the pack of taking this as one of the potential weapons in the live game action, are the Granlund brothers from Finland. Mikael basically introduced this trick to the wide world in the last hockey world championships by crushing the favorite Russian team's spirit in the semifinals. Yesterday, his younger brother Markus pulled the same stunt off in Finland's top hockey league.
These brothers will soon arrive to the NHL, Mikael Granlund was drafted on the first round in 2010 by Minnesota Wild and Markus Granlund on the second round in 2011 by Calgary Flames. Judging by their success on European and world level, they'll have a great chance for an interesting NHL career.
Just like that, it seems that goalies and defensemen need to take a while to plan for counter tactics before this trick starts really picking up among the forwards. Leave this unnoticed and soon you'll be seeing this kind of goals in every game. Some might say it doesn't belong in the game. Anyway, as long as the kids get more skillful every year, you can expect these kinds of minor changes emerging every once in a while.
I'll end this short post with a tribute to one of the originators of the airhook, form the great nordic game of floorball, Janne Tähkä. Check it out, even if you wouldn't know the game.
Mostly this kind of trickery seems to be reserved for skills competitions and other moments of showing off. However, leading the pack of taking this as one of the potential weapons in the live game action, are the Granlund brothers from Finland. Mikael basically introduced this trick to the wide world in the last hockey world championships by crushing the favorite Russian team's spirit in the semifinals. Yesterday, his younger brother Markus pulled the same stunt off in Finland's top hockey league.
These brothers will soon arrive to the NHL, Mikael Granlund was drafted on the first round in 2010 by Minnesota Wild and Markus Granlund on the second round in 2011 by Calgary Flames. Judging by their success on European and world level, they'll have a great chance for an interesting NHL career.
Just like that, it seems that goalies and defensemen need to take a while to plan for counter tactics before this trick starts really picking up among the forwards. Leave this unnoticed and soon you'll be seeing this kind of goals in every game. Some might say it doesn't belong in the game. Anyway, as long as the kids get more skillful every year, you can expect these kinds of minor changes emerging every once in a while.
I'll end this short post with a tribute to one of the originators of the airhook, form the great nordic game of floorball, Janne Tähkä. Check it out, even if you wouldn't know the game.
2011/10/31
One month milestone
October has found its end. NHL season has been running for about one month now, teams getting somewhere around ten games under their belt. We can say that the game is on full speed. No room for excuses anymore.
And what an interesting start it has been. Some teams have really had a hard time filling the expectations, others have cruised under the radar and find themselves on the top of the league. As early as this is, in the whole season's perspective, the first month has already contributed in setting up the stage for playoff hopes. Let's point out some of the obvious in the standings and try to analyze a bit on how we got here.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are standing on top of it all. Having played most games doesn't hurt, but the results so far are extremely impressing. Considering that Crosby is still out and Malkin has only one leg, this team is playing absolutely great. The secondary weapons are stepping up and making a statement. Guys like Neal, Letang and Staal may well have what it takes to take over the leadership for a cup candidate team.
Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised everyone, themselves included, by ending up this high on the standings. Phil Kessel has found his confidence after an off year and is the most dangerous player on the game now. Look at his supporting cast and compare it to other teams' top lines. Case closed. I'm still saying that Leafs are bound to fall in the autumn and we'll see them fighting for the 8th spot at the season's half way point. They just don't have the depth.
Who doesn't love Philadelphia Flyers? They must be one of the most entertaining teams now. If they would be half as disciplined as entertaining, they'd win all the games now. It's just such a talented roster that once they finally figure it out themselves, they'll climb on top of the conference in no time. Kudos to Jaromir Jagr, he's still strong as a bull and sees the game like the best of them.
Washington Capitals have been surprisingly quiet, considering that they've scored the most per game and have most points per game in the league. They've balanced the scoring a lot so far and the superstars get great support from the blue collar lines. It's going to be interesting to see how they do when real rivalries break out with Philly and Pittsburgh for the Eastern crown.
Ottawa and Florida are the flukes of the early season. Wait a while and they'll swap positions with better teams who've slept for the first month like Boston, Tampa and NY Rangers.
Edmonton Oilers are on top of the Western conference! Take some photos or screenshots or whatever. They seem to have the best groove going on in the whole league. Bunch of teenagers from first rounds of draft complement the veteran experience of Ryan Smyth & co. As long as the management lets the kids play fancy, there will be lots of people cheering in the stands. Who knows how far it'll fly this season. I'm sure that on the following couple, the Oil will return to the fight for the cup. Until they run into the free agency and salary cap issues.
Chicago, LA and San Jose are on the expected strong track, winning roughly two thirds of their games. They'll keep up the pace all the way to the playoffs if nothing dramatic happens on the rosters.
Dallas Stars have been terrific early, largely thanks to Kari Lehtonen's heroics in goal. He's on track for a career season after being the prospect with high expectations but loads of injuries for all of his NHL career so far. Hopefully he stays healthy for the season and can take the Stars to a spoler run in the playoffs.
Colorado has had a brilliant start for the season, but I expect their downfall start soon. It will be conveniently timed to match the rise of Vancouver Canucks to the fight for pole position in the West. Anaheim Ducks are also bound to take a stand and start climbing up to the playoff picture. They just have way too much firepower to not win more games than average teams.
A big old question mark lays on top of Detroit Red Wings. Will the aging squad be able to pull together another solid campaign leading to another playoff appearance or will they finally crack under pressure and fall out of competition while desperately trying to replace past decade's brightest stars with limited pool of newcomers.
And what an interesting start it has been. Some teams have really had a hard time filling the expectations, others have cruised under the radar and find themselves on the top of the league. As early as this is, in the whole season's perspective, the first month has already contributed in setting up the stage for playoff hopes. Let's point out some of the obvious in the standings and try to analyze a bit on how we got here.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are standing on top of it all. Having played most games doesn't hurt, but the results so far are extremely impressing. Considering that Crosby is still out and Malkin has only one leg, this team is playing absolutely great. The secondary weapons are stepping up and making a statement. Guys like Neal, Letang and Staal may well have what it takes to take over the leadership for a cup candidate team.
Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised everyone, themselves included, by ending up this high on the standings. Phil Kessel has found his confidence after an off year and is the most dangerous player on the game now. Look at his supporting cast and compare it to other teams' top lines. Case closed. I'm still saying that Leafs are bound to fall in the autumn and we'll see them fighting for the 8th spot at the season's half way point. They just don't have the depth.
Who doesn't love Philadelphia Flyers? They must be one of the most entertaining teams now. If they would be half as disciplined as entertaining, they'd win all the games now. It's just such a talented roster that once they finally figure it out themselves, they'll climb on top of the conference in no time. Kudos to Jaromir Jagr, he's still strong as a bull and sees the game like the best of them.
Washington Capitals have been surprisingly quiet, considering that they've scored the most per game and have most points per game in the league. They've balanced the scoring a lot so far and the superstars get great support from the blue collar lines. It's going to be interesting to see how they do when real rivalries break out with Philly and Pittsburgh for the Eastern crown.
Ottawa and Florida are the flukes of the early season. Wait a while and they'll swap positions with better teams who've slept for the first month like Boston, Tampa and NY Rangers.
Edmonton Oilers are on top of the Western conference! Take some photos or screenshots or whatever. They seem to have the best groove going on in the whole league. Bunch of teenagers from first rounds of draft complement the veteran experience of Ryan Smyth & co. As long as the management lets the kids play fancy, there will be lots of people cheering in the stands. Who knows how far it'll fly this season. I'm sure that on the following couple, the Oil will return to the fight for the cup. Until they run into the free agency and salary cap issues.
Chicago, LA and San Jose are on the expected strong track, winning roughly two thirds of their games. They'll keep up the pace all the way to the playoffs if nothing dramatic happens on the rosters.
Dallas Stars have been terrific early, largely thanks to Kari Lehtonen's heroics in goal. He's on track for a career season after being the prospect with high expectations but loads of injuries for all of his NHL career so far. Hopefully he stays healthy for the season and can take the Stars to a spoler run in the playoffs.
Colorado has had a brilliant start for the season, but I expect their downfall start soon. It will be conveniently timed to match the rise of Vancouver Canucks to the fight for pole position in the West. Anaheim Ducks are also bound to take a stand and start climbing up to the playoff picture. They just have way too much firepower to not win more games than average teams.
A big old question mark lays on top of Detroit Red Wings. Will the aging squad be able to pull together another solid campaign leading to another playoff appearance or will they finally crack under pressure and fall out of competition while desperately trying to replace past decade's brightest stars with limited pool of newcomers.
2011/10/20
Return of the King
Okay, "the King" might be pushing it, but Sidney Crosby is undeniably one of the most talented guys ever to lace up the skates. This is a short analysis on his comeback from a long absence due to concussion from last season.
The number of severe concussions in NHL seem to have increased in the past seasons. Maybe it's the fact that the game is now faster than ever and high-speed collisions have devastating effects. Maybe it's the instigator rule, that penalizes quite heavily on starting the brawls on the ice and thus making it less appealing to take matters in players' own hands after heavy hits on the most important players. Maybe it's just that the topic of concussions has become very popular in the gossipy sports journalism? Maybe we just have started to care more about player's health after some disturbing incidents and careers that have been cut off mid flight. Whatever the reason, concussion discussion is on, with high volume.
Sid the Kid has been cleared for contact practice. He must be torn apart with emotions. On the other hand he has to be afraid of the symptoms returning after receiving another hard hit. Then again, he was on top of the pedestal, the poster boy of hockey, the leading player in the league, and must hate having a white helmet for contact warning in practice and not being able to play the game he loves. The salary keeps rolling in even if he's not on the ice for games. The kid is a multimillionaire for the rest of his life. But that isn't the driving force. It is achieving immortality in the history of hockey by being the best of an era.
Well, young Mr. Crosby and his position among hockey's greatest is probably one of the most discussed topic in the hockey online boards. There's fans and haters, both equally emotional. But merely the fact that this much heated debate exists around him is a testament to the fact that he is a special talent. And everyone, who follows the game, should welcome Sidney Crosby back to the rinks with open arms.
But then, the prognosis. What will happen when he actually returns. The pressure is high now with the clearance from doctors, and Pittsburgh Penguins management has to eventually make the decision to let him loose. Will there be some unspoken league wide agreement to respect his return and let him accommodate to the game or will there be some loose cannons on the ice, aiming to crush him just to make a permanent dent in the Penguins' future. This way or that, given the time and avoiding further setback, Sidney Crosby will start to deliver in the offensive columns. Penguins will take a giant leap forwards and become the team to beat for the championship. After Crosby gets all cylinders pumping, he needs to be taken under special surveillance and constant harassment by the opposition. Hard hits will follow.
I'm eagerly waiting for Crosby's return, but also have a healthy dose of scepticism on his ability to remain healthy under the growing pressure. I hope he can avoid Marc Savard's destiny of losing the enge of his game due to constantly having to look over his shoulders and keep out of trouble, while at the same time diverting from the finely tuned optimal tracks in his game and perhaps opening the door for even bigger disasters in the form of physical contact. I hope he can return to his full potential and help the whole league take a step up in the competitive levels just to not let him dominate too much. Then it's up to the other star players in the league to overthrow the King from his throne. With talent, not with violence.
The number of severe concussions in NHL seem to have increased in the past seasons. Maybe it's the fact that the game is now faster than ever and high-speed collisions have devastating effects. Maybe it's the instigator rule, that penalizes quite heavily on starting the brawls on the ice and thus making it less appealing to take matters in players' own hands after heavy hits on the most important players. Maybe it's just that the topic of concussions has become very popular in the gossipy sports journalism? Maybe we just have started to care more about player's health after some disturbing incidents and careers that have been cut off mid flight. Whatever the reason, concussion discussion is on, with high volume.
Sid the Kid has been cleared for contact practice. He must be torn apart with emotions. On the other hand he has to be afraid of the symptoms returning after receiving another hard hit. Then again, he was on top of the pedestal, the poster boy of hockey, the leading player in the league, and must hate having a white helmet for contact warning in practice and not being able to play the game he loves. The salary keeps rolling in even if he's not on the ice for games. The kid is a multimillionaire for the rest of his life. But that isn't the driving force. It is achieving immortality in the history of hockey by being the best of an era.
Well, young Mr. Crosby and his position among hockey's greatest is probably one of the most discussed topic in the hockey online boards. There's fans and haters, both equally emotional. But merely the fact that this much heated debate exists around him is a testament to the fact that he is a special talent. And everyone, who follows the game, should welcome Sidney Crosby back to the rinks with open arms.
But then, the prognosis. What will happen when he actually returns. The pressure is high now with the clearance from doctors, and Pittsburgh Penguins management has to eventually make the decision to let him loose. Will there be some unspoken league wide agreement to respect his return and let him accommodate to the game or will there be some loose cannons on the ice, aiming to crush him just to make a permanent dent in the Penguins' future. This way or that, given the time and avoiding further setback, Sidney Crosby will start to deliver in the offensive columns. Penguins will take a giant leap forwards and become the team to beat for the championship. After Crosby gets all cylinders pumping, he needs to be taken under special surveillance and constant harassment by the opposition. Hard hits will follow.
I'm eagerly waiting for Crosby's return, but also have a healthy dose of scepticism on his ability to remain healthy under the growing pressure. I hope he can avoid Marc Savard's destiny of losing the enge of his game due to constantly having to look over his shoulders and keep out of trouble, while at the same time diverting from the finely tuned optimal tracks in his game and perhaps opening the door for even bigger disasters in the form of physical contact. I hope he can return to his full potential and help the whole league take a step up in the competitive levels just to not let him dominate too much. Then it's up to the other star players in the league to overthrow the King from his throne. With talent, not with violence.
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