With Martin Brodeur set to make his return tonight, I present to you a brief write-up as to why he is already the greatest goaltender in the history of the NHL, with plenty of time to go in his career.
Consider the following list, accurate as of today, February 26, 2009. All of the records Brodeur does not yet own, he is currently 2nd all-time.
01. Brodeur has 544 all-time wins, 7 behind Roy (551) for 1st all-time.
02. Brodeur has 98 all-time season shutouts, 5 behind Sawchuk (103) for 1st all-time.
03. Brodeur has 22 all-time playoff shutouts, 1 behind Roy (23) for 1st all-time.
04. Brodeur has 120 all-time shutouts overall (season + playoffs), the most in NHL history.
05. Brodeur has appeared in 978 regular season games, 51 behind Roy (1,029) for 1st all-time.
06. Brodeur has played 57,790 career regular season minutes, 2,444 behind Roy (60,235) for 1st all-time.
07. Brodeur has recorded at least 30 regular-season wins a total of 12 times, 1 behind Roy (13) for 1st all-time.
08. Brodeur has recorded at least 40 regular-season wins a total of seven times, the most in NHL history.
09. Brodeur has recorded at least 30 wins each of the last 12 regular seasons, the longest streak in NHL history.
10. Brodeur has recorded at least 40 wins each of the last three regular seasons, the longest streak in NHL history.
11. Brodeur has made 14 consecutive Opening Night starts for the same team, the longest streak in NHL history.
12. Brodeur has recorded 53 regular season overtime wins, the most in NHL history.
13. Brodeur recorded an NHL-record 48 wins in 2006-07.
14. Brodeur played an NHL-record 4,697 minutes in 2006-07.
15. Brodeur recorded an NHL-record seven shutouts during the 2003 postseason.
16. Brodeur recorded three shutouts during the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, tying Frank McCool for the NHL record.
17. Brodeur has posted at least 10 regular season shutouts a total of four times.
18. Brodeur has appeared in at least 70 regular-season games a total of 11 times.
19. Brodeur scored a goal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Montreal Canadiens on April 17, 1997.
20. Brodeur was credited with the game-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on February 15, 2000, joining Ron Hextall as the only goaltenders to have scored a goal in both the regular season and playoffs.
Brodeur also has the following accomplishments in his trophy case:
— 3 Stanley Cups - 1995, 2000, 2003
— 4 Vezina Trophies (Best Goaltender) - 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
— 4 Jennings Trophies (Lowest Goals-Against Average) - 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004
— Calder Trophy (Top Rookie) - 1994
— Olympic Gold Medal - 2002
Other Notable Achievements:
— Has won the team’s Most Valuable Devil award 10 times.
— Has appeared in nine NHL All-Star Games.
— Has appeared in two Winter Olympic Games.
— Has led the NHL in games played during the regular season five times.
— Has led the NHL in games played during the postseason four times.
— Has led the NHL in wins during the regular season eight times.
— Has led the NHL in wins during the postseason three times.
— Has led the NHL in minutes played during the regular season six times.
— Has led the NHL in minutes played during the postseason four times.
— Has led the NHL in shutouts during the regular season four times.
— Has led the NHL in shutouts during the postseason three times.
— Has led the NHL in goals-against average during the regular season one time.
— Has led the NHL in goals-against average during the postseason three times.
But there’s more than just numbers and accomplishments in the Brodeur argument. There’s a reason that upcoming goalies like Steve Mason cite Brodeur as their biggest influence; it’s because he is truly above a goaltending “style.” You’ve got your standups and your butterflies, and then there’s Brodeur, a hybrid goalie who calls upon whichever style will keep the puck out. Perhaps the best feature about Marty is that despite his intense level of preparation and knowledge about his opponents, it took a line-crosser like Sean Avery to break his cool, an incredible level of calm he has carried with him throughout his entire career. Having done all he has, it seems rather easy for him to maintain a level head at this point in his career, which allows him to block out his mistakes and continue to play at an extremely high level.
Ready to write the book on Brodeur's career? Hold on, there’s one more thing. Brodeur currently has three more full seasons on his contract after this year; the contract runs out after the 2011-12 season. Even if he decides to retire after that, there’s a very good chance that all those “2nd place” marks will have been changed to “1st place.” They might as well start petitioning now to rename the goaltending record book “The Martin Brodeur NHL Goaltending Record Book.”
Did he have an incredible defense in front of him all these years? Sure, but from 2006 forward, he has hardly had the blueline of years past, yet still continues to put up the same numbers. Did he benefit from the overtime and shootout? Yeah maybe, but that’s no fault of his, and in fact, the NHL has also implemented things like the trapezoid with one eye focused on Brodeur, although it hasn’t really worked. Patrick Roy himself said that it doesn't really matter if Marty had the benefit of overtime and shootouts, he still had to win the games.
And that's what Martin Brodeur is all about. Forget the awards, it's all about winning. And add to that list of accomplishments "future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
USA 2010
With the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver set to begin this time next year, I can’t help but think of the incredible task sitting before Team USA’s General Manager Brian Burke. Narrowing an entire country’s worth of players into one 23-man squad is hard enough, but this Olympics will be different. There is a big cloud of uncertainty hanging over Vancouver 2010, because coinciding with the fact that the Olympics are being hosted by an NHL city, there is an underlying concern over whether or not NHL players will even participate in the Olympics again after Vancouver. With the 2014 Olympics set to take place in Sochi, Russia, tensions over Russia’s refusal to sign an international player transfer agreement have led the NHL to consider pulling all players under NHL contracts from participating in future Olympics.
With the thought of no more Olympics hanging over NHL-heavy nations like the US, an interesting subplot begins to develop when considering which players to select. Does Burke, knowing this may be the last go around, select a veteran-heavy roster in hopes of bringing lots of experience to the table, as well as providing the more decorated players one last chance of true international competition? Or does Burke go with a very young roster, taking advantage of the incredible wealth of youth that American hockey presents, grooming Team USA for possible future international competition?
Either way, it’s a tough call to make, so when picking my team, I went with a little of both. Heavy on the youth, but with just enough veteran leadership to really anchor the group. Numbers were given out on a seniority basis. And if you’re not happy with the selections, don’t worry, I’m not the one who actually has to do this.
Goaltenders
01 – Tim Thomas
29 – Ty Conklin
30 – Ryan Miller
Defensemen
03 – Jack Johnson
07 – Paul Martin
13 – Alex Goligoski
18 – Mathieu Schneider
20 – Ryan Whitney
22 – Ryan Suter
28 – Brian Rafalski (A)
Forwards
09 – Mike Modano (C)
10 – David Booth
11 – Zach Parise (A)
12 – Ryan Malone
17 – Ryan Kesler
19 – Scott Gomez
21 – Drew Stafford
23 – Dustin Brown
25 – Blake Wheeler
26 – Eric Cole
54 – Bobby Ryan
81 – Phil Kessel
88 – Patrick Kane
With the thought of no more Olympics hanging over NHL-heavy nations like the US, an interesting subplot begins to develop when considering which players to select. Does Burke, knowing this may be the last go around, select a veteran-heavy roster in hopes of bringing lots of experience to the table, as well as providing the more decorated players one last chance of true international competition? Or does Burke go with a very young roster, taking advantage of the incredible wealth of youth that American hockey presents, grooming Team USA for possible future international competition?
Either way, it’s a tough call to make, so when picking my team, I went with a little of both. Heavy on the youth, but with just enough veteran leadership to really anchor the group. Numbers were given out on a seniority basis. And if you’re not happy with the selections, don’t worry, I’m not the one who actually has to do this.
Goaltenders
01 – Tim Thomas
29 – Ty Conklin
30 – Ryan Miller
Defensemen
03 – Jack Johnson
07 – Paul Martin
13 – Alex Goligoski
18 – Mathieu Schneider
20 – Ryan Whitney
22 – Ryan Suter
28 – Brian Rafalski (A)
Forwards
09 – Mike Modano (C)
10 – David Booth
11 – Zach Parise (A)
12 – Ryan Malone
17 – Ryan Kesler
19 – Scott Gomez
21 – Drew Stafford
23 – Dustin Brown
25 – Blake Wheeler
26 – Eric Cole
54 – Bobby Ryan
81 – Phil Kessel
88 – Patrick Kane
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The (N)o (H)ams (L)eague
With all that’s going on in all the other sports in America, the NHL should really be seizing the opportunity in front of them.
Baseball, America’s “past-time” until around 2004 or so, seems entangled in a never-ending struggle with players on steroids. Baseball fans, perhaps the only ones more stats-happy than hockey fans, are crossing some mighty large names off future Hall of Fame ballots, because, quite frankly, they cheated. It is a stigma they may never be able to shake, and every time a baseball player does something truly great, that tiny sense of suspicion will start to surface from society’s collective subconscious. Unfortunately for the players, in a game so filled with history, no accomplishment may ever go without suspicion again.
Football, America’s new past-time, is riddled with a problem of their own. For a sport which more people gravitate towards by the day, it seems, there are far too many players winding up in trouble with the law, or being put in jail, for a myriad of reasons. Fact is, it’s become a league full of outlaws, one that should have far less success than it does at attracting young fans given the immature personalities of its players. I admit, there are a significant number of players who do nothing wrong at all, but the ones who mess up get an incredible amount of press coverage that it almost doesn’t matter anymore that some players are clean and mature. As if it wasn’t bad enough, the NFL continues to take back repeat offenders regardless of how many strip clubs they shoot up, illegal guns they possess, pounds of weed they smoke, or own appendages they accidentally shoot. People often harp on the “No Fun League” for being as such, but when a large percentage of your players clearly cannot properly walk the line between fun and danger, why should they let them dance like a cracked out robot for scoring one touchdown?
Nobody cares about pro basketball, so blah blah blah Kobe Bryant blah blah moving on…
In light of these dark clouds hanging over (unfortunately) the two most popular sports in America, the NHL has remained frustratingly quiet on the sports landscape. One NHL player, Sean Hill (who? … exactly) has failed the NHL’s drug policy under the same stringent regulations that the other sports adhere to. The only tragedies involving hockey players are the result of on-ice incidents; in other words, our unfortunate events come from playing the game, not extracurricular activities.
Does no one else see the marketing opportunity here? I’m not saying we need to parade around showing off how much more drama-free we are (“We’re mean, we’re clean, get used to it?”); rather, just getting the word out in general will suffice just fine! You want star power America? We’ve got Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, and a wealth of other players who are not only phenomenal athletes, they’re humble guys who stay out of trouble. People can discover that part for themselves if they’re so inclined. Just grabbing an increased presence on the sports radar will do just fine for the NHL.
More commercials, more partnerships, and hopefully one day, a deal with a REAL television network, instead of one who cares more about fishing and bull riding. The fact that the sport is clean will market itself once the casual sports fan start actually paying attention in the first place.
Baseball, America’s “past-time” until around 2004 or so, seems entangled in a never-ending struggle with players on steroids. Baseball fans, perhaps the only ones more stats-happy than hockey fans, are crossing some mighty large names off future Hall of Fame ballots, because, quite frankly, they cheated. It is a stigma they may never be able to shake, and every time a baseball player does something truly great, that tiny sense of suspicion will start to surface from society’s collective subconscious. Unfortunately for the players, in a game so filled with history, no accomplishment may ever go without suspicion again.
Football, America’s new past-time, is riddled with a problem of their own. For a sport which more people gravitate towards by the day, it seems, there are far too many players winding up in trouble with the law, or being put in jail, for a myriad of reasons. Fact is, it’s become a league full of outlaws, one that should have far less success than it does at attracting young fans given the immature personalities of its players. I admit, there are a significant number of players who do nothing wrong at all, but the ones who mess up get an incredible amount of press coverage that it almost doesn’t matter anymore that some players are clean and mature. As if it wasn’t bad enough, the NFL continues to take back repeat offenders regardless of how many strip clubs they shoot up, illegal guns they possess, pounds of weed they smoke, or own appendages they accidentally shoot. People often harp on the “No Fun League” for being as such, but when a large percentage of your players clearly cannot properly walk the line between fun and danger, why should they let them dance like a cracked out robot for scoring one touchdown?
Nobody cares about pro basketball, so blah blah blah Kobe Bryant blah blah moving on…
In light of these dark clouds hanging over (unfortunately) the two most popular sports in America, the NHL has remained frustratingly quiet on the sports landscape. One NHL player, Sean Hill (who? … exactly) has failed the NHL’s drug policy under the same stringent regulations that the other sports adhere to. The only tragedies involving hockey players are the result of on-ice incidents; in other words, our unfortunate events come from playing the game, not extracurricular activities.
Does no one else see the marketing opportunity here? I’m not saying we need to parade around showing off how much more drama-free we are (“We’re mean, we’re clean, get used to it?”); rather, just getting the word out in general will suffice just fine! You want star power America? We’ve got Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, and a wealth of other players who are not only phenomenal athletes, they’re humble guys who stay out of trouble. People can discover that part for themselves if they’re so inclined. Just grabbing an increased presence on the sports radar will do just fine for the NHL.
More commercials, more partnerships, and hopefully one day, a deal with a REAL television network, instead of one who cares more about fishing and bull riding. The fact that the sport is clean will market itself once the casual sports fan start actually paying attention in the first place.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Looking Ahead
Predicting how a team will fare in this post-lockout, parity-heavy NHL is harder than finding the Stanley Cup in the ocean. Hot streaks, cold streaks, injuries, Sean Avery…the modern NHL is an unpredictable world. So while I’m cautiously optimistic about the Devils’ chances this season, there are a few areas to which I can offer my input as to how things either will or should unfold which hopefully require far less fortune-telling ability.
Trade Deadline
One of two things will happen on Magical March 4th. Either the Devils will look to upgrade their defense at the expense of upcoming UFA Brian Gionta, or…nothing. Especially if things remain basically unchanged, and the Devils continue to win in bunches followed by dropping a few here and there, I don’t really see the need to shake things up or add any pieces. As it stands, the glaring holes from last year have been filled, and this year’s team has shown incredible resolve. Just when everyone thought the Devils were out of the race—both when Brodeur went down Nov. 1 and multiple times since—the Devils bounced back. For that, I see no reason why standing pat, or perhaps swapping prospects, isn’t the right move.
Goalie Controversy
First of all, hockey media, there is no controversy. Martin Brodeur is the greatest goalie of the modern era, and when he comes back, he’ll play. But whether he returns February 26, March 1, or any other time in that general area, the sample size of games will likely be too small to determine if he’s back at 100%. Because of this, we will not trade Scott Clemmensen or Kevin Weekes, both set to become free agents at year’s end. Rather, we will do as the Edmonton Oilers have done before us, keeping all three goalies, with either Clemmensen or Weekes being chosen to warm the chair in the press box on a per-game basis. So what happens at the end of the season? Well, that ties into the next category…
Draft
My belief is that Clemmensen, who will surely want far more than $500,000 for his services after his performance this year, will be dealt on draft day to a team in need of goaltending. It will be one of those deals whereby it only goes through if Clemmensen agrees to sign a new contract with the team he is traded to. As for what we should receive in return, most likely draft picks or a decent defenseman.
Now, onto the draft itself. While the “experts” have started to publish their mock drafts, I believe that no matter how much research goes into who the Devils should take, they have historically always gone off the board, so don’t bother. Last year, after three years of selecting zero goaltenders, I thought for sure they’d take Jakob Markstrom. Of course I’m happy with offensive stalwart Mattias Tedenby, I just didn’t see it coming…so I don’t want to speculate. All I will say is that we should draft at least one goalie this time around; we’re a little overdue. Our crop of forward and defensive prospects are looking mighty fine, but goaltending could actually be a weakness for the Devils of the future unless we act now.
Free Agency
Lou Lamoriello would probably be the first to admit that he’s made some mistakes in his day at this time of year (see Dan McGillis, the returns of Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov) but he got it right in ‘08. Summer 2009, in my opinion, should mostly be spent locking up core players. I divided this section into who should stay, who should go, and then what we need to look for in terms of bringing in new players.
Keep:
John Madden. In my mind, this is priority #1 this offseason. One of the best defensive forwards in the game, alternate captain, all-around team player. Without a doubt one of our core players who must be re-signed.
Johnny Oduya. Rather underrated, and the only major piece of our defense set to become unrestricted. He will command—and deserves—a significant raise from the $600,000 he’s making this year. He’s only going to get better, and with every team needing good offensive defensemen, we’d be wise to lock him up now.
Travis Zajac. Zajac is set to become a restricted free agent, which is why he doesn’t rank as high on the list. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make every effort to sign him long term. He and Zach Parise are our one-two punch of the future, and he should be treated and signed as such.
Bobby Holik. Give him one more year. He deserves it. He’s not going to rack up the points, but there isn’t a better veteran presence to have in a locker room. He’s always honest and always speaks his mind, and when the team needs a kick in the rear, no one else can do it like Bobby.
Mike Rupp. Unless Lou has plans to bring in a different heavyweight, Rupp needs to be brought back. Clarkson is more of a pest than anything, and can’t really handle the big boys. If we don’t keep Rupp that’s fine, but we better get a different giant who can fight with the best of them instead.
Kevin Weekes. You were waiting for this one, weren’t you? Which goalie to keep when both are UFA’s? Weekes will require less money for about equal talent. Besides, he’s the ultimate teammate when he’s not playing, and he has no delusions of being a starter anymore. Clemmensen, meanwhile, has played phenomenal, but wants to become a full-time starter now, and that opportunity cannot come in New Jersey. He’ll make his money and play his minutes elsewhere. Keep Weekes.
Petr Vrana. Like Nicklas Bergfors, Vrana deserves to play in the role he was designed for, which is not low-minute nights on the fourth line. As you’ll read below, getting a few salaries/roster spots off the books will enable our top-end prospects like Bergfors and Vrana the chance to develop at the NHL level. Sign him and keep a spot for him open.
Anssi Salmela. I say keep him, but only if you’re actually going to use him at the NHL level. He has an absolute cannon of a shot, and is probably not happy about so much AHL time while useless players like Mike Mottau are allowed to play in New Jersey. If I were him, I wouldn’t sign unless I was promised more time in the NHL. If not, back to Finland.
Ditch:
Brian Gionta. I have nothing against Gionta, but facts are facts. He’s going to want more than he’s worth, and no player who thinks like that stays in Jersey. We can use his cap room for better things, while giving offensive youngsters like Nicklas Bergfors the chance to finally prove themselves in the proper environment, i.e. NOT 6 minutes a night on the fourth line, as was the case early this year.
Scott Clemmensen. You can read the explanation above under why we should keep Kevin Weekes. Clemmensen will be better off on a team with little goaltending depth.
Brendan Shanahan. I put him here because he’s probably going to retire anyway, but also because we’re a very old team right now, and that’s how you get yourself into salary cap trouble. I love the concept of Shanahan coming back for this year to help us make a run, but after that we need to start getting younger like everyone else.
Andy Greene. An upcoming RFA, Greene is not necessarily a bad player, but we have a nice crop of blooming defensive prospects on the way (Matt Corrente, Tyler Eckford, etc.) while Greene has followed up a potential-filled first year with a couple of nondescript performances. The more entry-level deals on our books, the better.
So now that we did all that, what do we need to add to make the 2010 Devils even better? Well unfortunately, we’re no different than the other 29 teams. Since losing Rafalski, we’ve seriously needed a top-end puck moving defenseman. Other than that, I like the pieces we have, and as long as some of those prospects that have been stewing in the minors for four or five years finally get the chance to prove themselves, I don’t think we need to do a whole lot else.
Trade Deadline
One of two things will happen on Magical March 4th. Either the Devils will look to upgrade their defense at the expense of upcoming UFA Brian Gionta, or…nothing. Especially if things remain basically unchanged, and the Devils continue to win in bunches followed by dropping a few here and there, I don’t really see the need to shake things up or add any pieces. As it stands, the glaring holes from last year have been filled, and this year’s team has shown incredible resolve. Just when everyone thought the Devils were out of the race—both when Brodeur went down Nov. 1 and multiple times since—the Devils bounced back. For that, I see no reason why standing pat, or perhaps swapping prospects, isn’t the right move.
Goalie Controversy
First of all, hockey media, there is no controversy. Martin Brodeur is the greatest goalie of the modern era, and when he comes back, he’ll play. But whether he returns February 26, March 1, or any other time in that general area, the sample size of games will likely be too small to determine if he’s back at 100%. Because of this, we will not trade Scott Clemmensen or Kevin Weekes, both set to become free agents at year’s end. Rather, we will do as the Edmonton Oilers have done before us, keeping all three goalies, with either Clemmensen or Weekes being chosen to warm the chair in the press box on a per-game basis. So what happens at the end of the season? Well, that ties into the next category…
Draft
My belief is that Clemmensen, who will surely want far more than $500,000 for his services after his performance this year, will be dealt on draft day to a team in need of goaltending. It will be one of those deals whereby it only goes through if Clemmensen agrees to sign a new contract with the team he is traded to. As for what we should receive in return, most likely draft picks or a decent defenseman.
Now, onto the draft itself. While the “experts” have started to publish their mock drafts, I believe that no matter how much research goes into who the Devils should take, they have historically always gone off the board, so don’t bother. Last year, after three years of selecting zero goaltenders, I thought for sure they’d take Jakob Markstrom. Of course I’m happy with offensive stalwart Mattias Tedenby, I just didn’t see it coming…so I don’t want to speculate. All I will say is that we should draft at least one goalie this time around; we’re a little overdue. Our crop of forward and defensive prospects are looking mighty fine, but goaltending could actually be a weakness for the Devils of the future unless we act now.
Free Agency
Lou Lamoriello would probably be the first to admit that he’s made some mistakes in his day at this time of year (see Dan McGillis, the returns of Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov) but he got it right in ‘08. Summer 2009, in my opinion, should mostly be spent locking up core players. I divided this section into who should stay, who should go, and then what we need to look for in terms of bringing in new players.
Keep:
John Madden. In my mind, this is priority #1 this offseason. One of the best defensive forwards in the game, alternate captain, all-around team player. Without a doubt one of our core players who must be re-signed.
Johnny Oduya. Rather underrated, and the only major piece of our defense set to become unrestricted. He will command—and deserves—a significant raise from the $600,000 he’s making this year. He’s only going to get better, and with every team needing good offensive defensemen, we’d be wise to lock him up now.
Travis Zajac. Zajac is set to become a restricted free agent, which is why he doesn’t rank as high on the list. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make every effort to sign him long term. He and Zach Parise are our one-two punch of the future, and he should be treated and signed as such.
Bobby Holik. Give him one more year. He deserves it. He’s not going to rack up the points, but there isn’t a better veteran presence to have in a locker room. He’s always honest and always speaks his mind, and when the team needs a kick in the rear, no one else can do it like Bobby.
Mike Rupp. Unless Lou has plans to bring in a different heavyweight, Rupp needs to be brought back. Clarkson is more of a pest than anything, and can’t really handle the big boys. If we don’t keep Rupp that’s fine, but we better get a different giant who can fight with the best of them instead.
Kevin Weekes. You were waiting for this one, weren’t you? Which goalie to keep when both are UFA’s? Weekes will require less money for about equal talent. Besides, he’s the ultimate teammate when he’s not playing, and he has no delusions of being a starter anymore. Clemmensen, meanwhile, has played phenomenal, but wants to become a full-time starter now, and that opportunity cannot come in New Jersey. He’ll make his money and play his minutes elsewhere. Keep Weekes.
Petr Vrana. Like Nicklas Bergfors, Vrana deserves to play in the role he was designed for, which is not low-minute nights on the fourth line. As you’ll read below, getting a few salaries/roster spots off the books will enable our top-end prospects like Bergfors and Vrana the chance to develop at the NHL level. Sign him and keep a spot for him open.
Anssi Salmela. I say keep him, but only if you’re actually going to use him at the NHL level. He has an absolute cannon of a shot, and is probably not happy about so much AHL time while useless players like Mike Mottau are allowed to play in New Jersey. If I were him, I wouldn’t sign unless I was promised more time in the NHL. If not, back to Finland.
Ditch:
Brian Gionta. I have nothing against Gionta, but facts are facts. He’s going to want more than he’s worth, and no player who thinks like that stays in Jersey. We can use his cap room for better things, while giving offensive youngsters like Nicklas Bergfors the chance to finally prove themselves in the proper environment, i.e. NOT 6 minutes a night on the fourth line, as was the case early this year.
Scott Clemmensen. You can read the explanation above under why we should keep Kevin Weekes. Clemmensen will be better off on a team with little goaltending depth.
Brendan Shanahan. I put him here because he’s probably going to retire anyway, but also because we’re a very old team right now, and that’s how you get yourself into salary cap trouble. I love the concept of Shanahan coming back for this year to help us make a run, but after that we need to start getting younger like everyone else.
Andy Greene. An upcoming RFA, Greene is not necessarily a bad player, but we have a nice crop of blooming defensive prospects on the way (Matt Corrente, Tyler Eckford, etc.) while Greene has followed up a potential-filled first year with a couple of nondescript performances. The more entry-level deals on our books, the better.
So now that we did all that, what do we need to add to make the 2010 Devils even better? Well unfortunately, we’re no different than the other 29 teams. Since losing Rafalski, we’ve seriously needed a top-end puck moving defenseman. Other than that, I like the pieces we have, and as long as some of those prospects that have been stewing in the minors for four or five years finally get the chance to prove themselves, I don’t think we need to do a whole lot else.
Monday, February 2, 2009
To Hell With The Trap
Sometimes I can’t help but think that the hockey media hasn’t watched a Devils game since 1997. I’ve learned over the years to take what the media says with a grain of salt because more often than not, their comments are a combination of the accepted stereotype about a certain team and the recycled remains of another analyst’s comments. It’s an unfortunate cycle which never seems to break, and for this I feel bad for said media, for if they could look outside their fishbowl they’d see the potential that the New Jersey Devils circa 2009 have.
The 2008-09 Devils are being hailed—by those who don’t refuse to admit that the Devils don’t trap anymore—as the best incarnation of Lou’s Crew since 2001, when the Devils racked up 111 points and were one game away from becoming repeat Stanley Cup champs. Looking at the makeup of this year’s team, it’s hard to argue.
The addition of three veterans (and former Devils) by Lou Lamoriello has been bashed by some, but give credit to Lamoriello. He not only realized that our prospects are not yet ready to crack the lineup, he also plugged the team’s holes with proven players who bring boatloads of veteran experience and locker room presence. I admit that I didn’t like the signing of Bobby Holik at first, but as time went on, I began to recall several instances where his kind of personality—sarcastic and brutally honest—was necessary for a team who needed the occasional kick in the rear.
Brian Rolston and Brendan Shanahan have also provided the team with remarkable depth at forward, enough that Jay Pandolfo has become the odd-man out on a team which has historically had so little depth up front that players like Arron Asham were signed to fill out a lineup. And let’s not forget the play of Scott Clemmensen, who has more than held down the fort while Martin Brodeur recovers from elbow surgery. Brodeur will return rested and raring to go, and the two will make a formidable goaltending duo in the months ahead.
It’s hard to compare pre and post-lockout teams, since so much about hockey and the NHL has changed since then, so for comparison’s sake, here is a brief statistical breakdown since the lockout. Perhaps the most telling statistic in hockey is Goal Differential, or Goals For – Goals Against. It’s a pretty safe bet that the result will strongly coincide with where a team resides in the standings.
2005-06: 233-225 = +8
2006-07: 206-193 = +13
2007-08: 198-193 = +5
2008-09: 153-123 = +30
This stat speaks volumes to me about why this year’s team is different. We score goals! Yes, you heard me, media, the Devils score goals, and lots of them! Brent Sutter earns my praise as the best Devils coach since Jacques Lemaire for this very reason. He’s created a team that has typical Devils success, maintaining a solid defensive foundation, but layered a great deal of offensive prowess on top of that foundation. I’d put him on the short list of candidates for the Jack Adams this year.
Every hole that seemed to plague the Devils last season appears to have been filled this year. The reason the Devils are in the midst of another prolonged winning streak is because every player has a role on this team, and every player is executing their role to perfection. From the goal scorers like Parise and Elias all the way down to the grinders like Rupp and Clarkson, one thing that has never changed about the Devils is that they are a team in every sense of the word.
As of today, having completed 50 games of 82, the Devils are a solid 8 points ahead of where they stood at the 50-game mark last season. And like it or not, world, this may just be the beginning.
The 2008-09 Devils are being hailed—by those who don’t refuse to admit that the Devils don’t trap anymore—as the best incarnation of Lou’s Crew since 2001, when the Devils racked up 111 points and were one game away from becoming repeat Stanley Cup champs. Looking at the makeup of this year’s team, it’s hard to argue.
The addition of three veterans (and former Devils) by Lou Lamoriello has been bashed by some, but give credit to Lamoriello. He not only realized that our prospects are not yet ready to crack the lineup, he also plugged the team’s holes with proven players who bring boatloads of veteran experience and locker room presence. I admit that I didn’t like the signing of Bobby Holik at first, but as time went on, I began to recall several instances where his kind of personality—sarcastic and brutally honest—was necessary for a team who needed the occasional kick in the rear.
Brian Rolston and Brendan Shanahan have also provided the team with remarkable depth at forward, enough that Jay Pandolfo has become the odd-man out on a team which has historically had so little depth up front that players like Arron Asham were signed to fill out a lineup. And let’s not forget the play of Scott Clemmensen, who has more than held down the fort while Martin Brodeur recovers from elbow surgery. Brodeur will return rested and raring to go, and the two will make a formidable goaltending duo in the months ahead.
It’s hard to compare pre and post-lockout teams, since so much about hockey and the NHL has changed since then, so for comparison’s sake, here is a brief statistical breakdown since the lockout. Perhaps the most telling statistic in hockey is Goal Differential, or Goals For – Goals Against. It’s a pretty safe bet that the result will strongly coincide with where a team resides in the standings.
2005-06: 233-225 = +8
2006-07: 206-193 = +13
2007-08: 198-193 = +5
2008-09: 153-123 = +30
This stat speaks volumes to me about why this year’s team is different. We score goals! Yes, you heard me, media, the Devils score goals, and lots of them! Brent Sutter earns my praise as the best Devils coach since Jacques Lemaire for this very reason. He’s created a team that has typical Devils success, maintaining a solid defensive foundation, but layered a great deal of offensive prowess on top of that foundation. I’d put him on the short list of candidates for the Jack Adams this year.
Every hole that seemed to plague the Devils last season appears to have been filled this year. The reason the Devils are in the midst of another prolonged winning streak is because every player has a role on this team, and every player is executing their role to perfection. From the goal scorers like Parise and Elias all the way down to the grinders like Rupp and Clarkson, one thing that has never changed about the Devils is that they are a team in every sense of the word.
As of today, having completed 50 games of 82, the Devils are a solid 8 points ahead of where they stood at the 50-game mark last season. And like it or not, world, this may just be the beginning.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Merci Beaucoup, Montréal
For all those who criticize the All-Star Game as nothing more than a meaningless game where players try not to get hurt, you really need to be at an All-Star weekend to appreciate the spectacle it is and the way it takes over a city.
I was lucky enough to attend the 2009 All-Star weekend this year in Montreal, and I have to say it is instantly in the top three greatest hockey-related experiences of my life.
First of all, there was the temperature. It was downright Antarctic in Montreal. I’m sure Iceburgh felt right at home.
It was the kind of cold that made your skin feel like it was on fire after just a few minutes outside. As cold as it was, however, it really gave the whole weekend a nice atmosphere to it. People were friendlier as the cold started conversations. It brought together fans from rival teams as well as teams on the opposite end of the continent, all united in both their hatred for freezing cold weather and their love for the greatest game on the planet.
I’ve never been to any sort of sci-fi convention before in my life, though I imagine the scene is a similar one to walking along the closed down streets of Montreal on All-Star weekend. Countless fans walking, talking, enjoying the sights, each wearing the different colors of the team they support, yet united as an entire whole by their love of hockey.
The cold also allowed for some fantastic decoration along the streets surrounding the Bell Centre, including every NHL jersey encased in a block of ice, as well as ice sculptures of the NHL and All-Star logos. Trust me when I tell you, these blocks of ice were in no danger of melting.
For anyone who has not been to Montreal, it is highly recommended, as long as you either love the feeling of being frozen, or plan to go in the warmer weather months. Though Montreal is bilingual like the rest of Canada, unlike the rest of the country, French is the primary language. The signs all read in French, and all the people speak French. Although many speak English as well, a few do not, and I did not come across any who only speak English. This created the sensation at times that you were in a European city, and it seems that Montreal prides itself as such. Everyone was friendly, and as knowledgeable about hockey as they are passionate. Unlike some other cities, unless you are a Leafs or Bruins fan, they are extremely polite regardless of who you root for. (That could also be because I had on a Martin Brodeur jersey, but I saw it happen with everyone.)
But onto the events themselves. The skills competition was enjoyable, although as much as love the PA announcer in Montreal, I think he needed to let the events unfold rather than giving us a play-by-play of what was happening. For example, during the accuracy shooting competition, he would attempt to tell us the shooter’s record after each shot. This resulted in a confusing jumble that made it hard to keep track. A small complaint, but one that I think could make the events better in the coming years.
The game was spectacular in its presentation, and I love how the announcer mixes French and English together when he speaks. I also liked how he said every player’s name in that accent, and almost made every player’s name sound French, especially Alex Kovalev. (As a sidenote, the only exception was Roberto Luongo, whose name he said in an impressive Italian impersonation.)
The game itself was what you would expect, lots of offense, lots of showmanship. The crowd made it known that they loved all the French-Canadian players the best, especially Lecavalier. They also showed a lot of love to former Canadiens Mark Streit and Sheldon Souray, as if to say, “If only we knew what our powerplay would be like without you!”
I was also very proud of our own Zach Parise, who had a goal, and also a lot of great scoring chances on his line with Lecavalier and St. Louis.
The intermission entertainment was pretty good as well. In the first, they had some French pop star who I’ve never heard of, and in the second they had Simple Plan, who I like.
In an interesting twist of fate, the game goes to a shootout, and how fitting that this man…
…winds up with the game on his stick. The East ends up winning 12-11 in a shootout, a terrific ending to a fun game.
It was also a nice capper on the trip when at the airport coming home this morning, I was on line for customs, and looking around I saw Mark Messier, Jeff Carter from the Flyers, and Rich Matthews, the Devils equipment manager. Later on, I also saw Bill Clement leaving one of the newspaper stands.
This weekend was the only All-Star Game I’ve been to in person, but many hockey media people who have seen their share are calling it the greatest one yet, and based on those that I’ve watched (from 1997 on), it certainly ranks up there. But more than the game, this was a celebration of the oldest and most storied team in hockey, and their 100 year anniversary. So while I enjoyed the festivities, I know my dad was really enjoying seeing the old-time Canadiens he grew up watching, many of which were in attendance for the game.
As I said before, people who try to make the All-Star Game relevant need to be at one to truly understand why this game is fine the way it is. It’s FUN! It’s not supposed to count for anything, and it doesn’t want to either. It’s a showcase for the best players in the world to show what they can do, and it gives fans from all over the opportunity to gather and enjoy the show.
Montreal, you really put on a great show, and I’m sure anyone who was there this weekend had as great a time as I did. With so many serious issues in the world of hockey today, there’s nothing wrong with leaving the All-Star game as-is, a fun and welcome break from the ordinary.
I was lucky enough to attend the 2009 All-Star weekend this year in Montreal, and I have to say it is instantly in the top three greatest hockey-related experiences of my life.
First of all, there was the temperature. It was downright Antarctic in Montreal. I’m sure Iceburgh felt right at home.
It was the kind of cold that made your skin feel like it was on fire after just a few minutes outside. As cold as it was, however, it really gave the whole weekend a nice atmosphere to it. People were friendlier as the cold started conversations. It brought together fans from rival teams as well as teams on the opposite end of the continent, all united in both their hatred for freezing cold weather and their love for the greatest game on the planet.
I’ve never been to any sort of sci-fi convention before in my life, though I imagine the scene is a similar one to walking along the closed down streets of Montreal on All-Star weekend. Countless fans walking, talking, enjoying the sights, each wearing the different colors of the team they support, yet united as an entire whole by their love of hockey.
The cold also allowed for some fantastic decoration along the streets surrounding the Bell Centre, including every NHL jersey encased in a block of ice, as well as ice sculptures of the NHL and All-Star logos. Trust me when I tell you, these blocks of ice were in no danger of melting.
For anyone who has not been to Montreal, it is highly recommended, as long as you either love the feeling of being frozen, or plan to go in the warmer weather months. Though Montreal is bilingual like the rest of Canada, unlike the rest of the country, French is the primary language. The signs all read in French, and all the people speak French. Although many speak English as well, a few do not, and I did not come across any who only speak English. This created the sensation at times that you were in a European city, and it seems that Montreal prides itself as such. Everyone was friendly, and as knowledgeable about hockey as they are passionate. Unlike some other cities, unless you are a Leafs or Bruins fan, they are extremely polite regardless of who you root for. (That could also be because I had on a Martin Brodeur jersey, but I saw it happen with everyone.)
But onto the events themselves. The skills competition was enjoyable, although as much as love the PA announcer in Montreal, I think he needed to let the events unfold rather than giving us a play-by-play of what was happening. For example, during the accuracy shooting competition, he would attempt to tell us the shooter’s record after each shot. This resulted in a confusing jumble that made it hard to keep track. A small complaint, but one that I think could make the events better in the coming years.
The game was spectacular in its presentation, and I love how the announcer mixes French and English together when he speaks. I also liked how he said every player’s name in that accent, and almost made every player’s name sound French, especially Alex Kovalev. (As a sidenote, the only exception was Roberto Luongo, whose name he said in an impressive Italian impersonation.)
The game itself was what you would expect, lots of offense, lots of showmanship. The crowd made it known that they loved all the French-Canadian players the best, especially Lecavalier. They also showed a lot of love to former Canadiens Mark Streit and Sheldon Souray, as if to say, “If only we knew what our powerplay would be like without you!”
I was also very proud of our own Zach Parise, who had a goal, and also a lot of great scoring chances on his line with Lecavalier and St. Louis.
The intermission entertainment was pretty good as well. In the first, they had some French pop star who I’ve never heard of, and in the second they had Simple Plan, who I like.
In an interesting twist of fate, the game goes to a shootout, and how fitting that this man…
…winds up with the game on his stick. The East ends up winning 12-11 in a shootout, a terrific ending to a fun game.
It was also a nice capper on the trip when at the airport coming home this morning, I was on line for customs, and looking around I saw Mark Messier, Jeff Carter from the Flyers, and Rich Matthews, the Devils equipment manager. Later on, I also saw Bill Clement leaving one of the newspaper stands.
This weekend was the only All-Star Game I’ve been to in person, but many hockey media people who have seen their share are calling it the greatest one yet, and based on those that I’ve watched (from 1997 on), it certainly ranks up there. But more than the game, this was a celebration of the oldest and most storied team in hockey, and their 100 year anniversary. So while I enjoyed the festivities, I know my dad was really enjoying seeing the old-time Canadiens he grew up watching, many of which were in attendance for the game.
As I said before, people who try to make the All-Star Game relevant need to be at one to truly understand why this game is fine the way it is. It’s FUN! It’s not supposed to count for anything, and it doesn’t want to either. It’s a showcase for the best players in the world to show what they can do, and it gives fans from all over the opportunity to gather and enjoy the show.
Montreal, you really put on a great show, and I’m sure anyone who was there this weekend had as great a time as I did. With so many serious issues in the world of hockey today, there’s nothing wrong with leaving the All-Star game as-is, a fun and welcome break from the ordinary.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Midseason Predictions
Well, it’s that time again. Now that it’s officially the All-Star break, it’s time to revise my season predictions. I don’t remember how they went, but I’m sure they’re mostly wrong by now. So many things can change from preseason to All-Star break that the predictions you make in January hold far more value than those in September. So with that in mind, here are my division/conference breakdowns with a tiny explanation for each team.
Atlantic Division
1. New Jersey – (Bias aside, they’ve surprised even me so far.)
2. Philadelphia – (Truly dangerous this year, especially if they get healthy.)
3. NY Rangers – (If they get some offense at the deadline, perhaps they finish better.)
4. Pittsburgh – (Disappointing so far, but all is not lost just yet.)
5. NY Islanders – (Come on, do I really need to explain this one?)
Northeast Division
1. Boston – (I think it’s a safe bet no one is catching them.)
2. Montreal – (Fans have to be pleased with 100th season so far.)
3. Buffalo – (Management has left poor Ryan Miller with no help anymore.)
4. Toronto – (Good things seem to lie ahead for once.)
5. Ottawa – (The only GM who doesn’t realize that one line cannot do it all.)
Southeast Division
1. Washington – (Can’t wait to see Ovechkin in the playoffs again.)
2. Florida – (Even being in the playoff picture is a pleasant surprise.)
3. Carolina – (I honestly don’t know what to make of them.)
4. Tampa Bay – (A little patience goes a long way. Melrose was too good for you.)
5. Atlanta – (Please let Kovalchuk out of his sentence. He looks so disenchanted.)
Central Division
1. Detroit – (It’s been a while since a defending champion looked so good.)
2. Chicago – (What can I say except, “Here Come the Hawks!”)
3. Columbus – (For their own sake, I hope they finally make the playoffs.)
4. Nashville – (Hey it could be worse…Balsillie could be the owner.)
5. St. Louis – (At least there finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.)
Northwest Division
1. Calgary – (If Kiprusoff could be a little less streaky, this team could go far.)
2. Minnesota – (They are better than they’ve been playing recently.)
3. Edmonton – (In any other division, they could end up better.)
4.Vancouver – (There’s still hope, but Sundin and Luongo need to get their game together.)
5. Colorado – (Finishing last won’t be the worst of their worries. What about Joe?)
Pacific Division
1. San Jose – (This team is so good, it’s not even fair. It’s like a video game.)
2. Phoenix – (I’m really happy for Gretz and his team. They could surprise someone in the playoffs.)
3. Anaheim – (Getzlaf aside, I’m not impressed.)
4. Los Angeles – (Another positive looking rebuild.)
5. Dallas – (I feel bad for Mike Modano.)
Eastern Conference
1. Boston
2. Washington
3. New Jersey
4. Montreal
5. Philadelphia
6. NY Rangers
7. Florida
8. Pittsburgh
9. Buffalo
10. Carolina
11. Toronto
12. Tampa Bay
13. Ottawa
14. Atlanta
15. NY Islanders
Western Conference
1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Phoenix
6. Minnesota
7. Columbus
8. Edmonton
9. Anaheim
10. Vancouver
11. Los Angeles
12. Nashville
13. Colorado
14. Dallas
15. St. Louis
I realize that some of the standings are exactly how teams stand now, and that’s purely by chance. I think the standings will do quite a bit of shuffling between now and April, but in the end that’s how I expect it to end up.
Atlantic Division
1. New Jersey – (Bias aside, they’ve surprised even me so far.)
2. Philadelphia – (Truly dangerous this year, especially if they get healthy.)
3. NY Rangers – (If they get some offense at the deadline, perhaps they finish better.)
4. Pittsburgh – (Disappointing so far, but all is not lost just yet.)
5. NY Islanders – (Come on, do I really need to explain this one?)
Northeast Division
1. Boston – (I think it’s a safe bet no one is catching them.)
2. Montreal – (Fans have to be pleased with 100th season so far.)
3. Buffalo – (Management has left poor Ryan Miller with no help anymore.)
4. Toronto – (Good things seem to lie ahead for once.)
5. Ottawa – (The only GM who doesn’t realize that one line cannot do it all.)
Southeast Division
1. Washington – (Can’t wait to see Ovechkin in the playoffs again.)
2. Florida – (Even being in the playoff picture is a pleasant surprise.)
3. Carolina – (I honestly don’t know what to make of them.)
4. Tampa Bay – (A little patience goes a long way. Melrose was too good for you.)
5. Atlanta – (Please let Kovalchuk out of his sentence. He looks so disenchanted.)
Central Division
1. Detroit – (It’s been a while since a defending champion looked so good.)
2. Chicago – (What can I say except, “Here Come the Hawks!”)
3. Columbus – (For their own sake, I hope they finally make the playoffs.)
4. Nashville – (Hey it could be worse…Balsillie could be the owner.)
5. St. Louis – (At least there finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.)
Northwest Division
1. Calgary – (If Kiprusoff could be a little less streaky, this team could go far.)
2. Minnesota – (They are better than they’ve been playing recently.)
3. Edmonton – (In any other division, they could end up better.)
4.Vancouver – (There’s still hope, but Sundin and Luongo need to get their game together.)
5. Colorado – (Finishing last won’t be the worst of their worries. What about Joe?)
Pacific Division
1. San Jose – (This team is so good, it’s not even fair. It’s like a video game.)
2. Phoenix – (I’m really happy for Gretz and his team. They could surprise someone in the playoffs.)
3. Anaheim – (Getzlaf aside, I’m not impressed.)
4. Los Angeles – (Another positive looking rebuild.)
5. Dallas – (I feel bad for Mike Modano.)
Eastern Conference
1. Boston
2. Washington
3. New Jersey
4. Montreal
5. Philadelphia
6. NY Rangers
7. Florida
8. Pittsburgh
9. Buffalo
10. Carolina
11. Toronto
12. Tampa Bay
13. Ottawa
14. Atlanta
15. NY Islanders
Western Conference
1. San Jose
2. Detroit
3. Calgary
4. Chicago
5. Phoenix
6. Minnesota
7. Columbus
8. Edmonton
9. Anaheim
10. Vancouver
11. Los Angeles
12. Nashville
13. Colorado
14. Dallas
15. St. Louis
I realize that some of the standings are exactly how teams stand now, and that’s purely by chance. I think the standings will do quite a bit of shuffling between now and April, but in the end that’s how I expect it to end up.
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