Category: Graham Thurgood

With the regular season winding down and the available playoff spots mostly taken up, it is time to look at some of the possible matchups that will be the most fun to watch. There is still some shuffling to be done, some at the top, but more interestingly, the ninth place team in each conference that can still grab one of the last spots. In the west Colorado is on the outside looking in, sitting five points behind Minnesota for the last spot. However, the race is much tighter in the East with Detroit and Philadelphia tied with 87 points and Boston one point ahead of them. The team that gets in on the West side will have to play a very good team in either Dallas or St. Louis and it looks like whoever lands eighth in the East will have a tough time playing the Presidents Trophy winning Washington Capitals. So here is a look at two of the more exciting and more even matchups that can meet in the playoffs.

The first is probably going to be the most interesting in the West and maybe the whole playoffs. Chicago vs St. Louis or Dallas. These are three teams that all play in the Central Division and therefore have a great division rivalry. Currently, the matchup is Chicago playing St.Louis and they have tied their season series, but St.Louis and Dallas both have identical records for 101 points and 42 wins with five games remaining. Chicago is six points back with only two less wins with five games remaining but as history has shown, they can match up with any team in the league. Whichever, of these two (three) teams play each other it will be a great matchup with physical hockey and great goaltending.

In the East, the best matchup so far is the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers. One of these teams have made the Eastern Conference finals in six of the last eight years. Both of these teams obviously have the experience, skill and toughness to make it all the way. It will be unfortunate that only one of these teams can make it past the first round (they play each other as of now) but there are still six games remaining and anything can happen. Both teams are playing great hockey right now with the Rangers going 5-3-2 in their last ten and Pittsburgh with an amazing 9-1-0 record. These two teams both have great defence and amazing scoring talent. It will be a battle of which team can score more goals against two great goaltenders in Pittsburgh’s Marc-AndréFleury and New York’s Henrik Lundqvist.

The rest of the matchups obviously have the potential of being great hockey (and they probably will because it’s playoff hockey) but this article focused on the two that should be really fun to watch. It should be noted that these are just potential matchups and that the standings can and probably will change. However, it is the playoffs and any matchup on any given day can be the greatest game you have ever seen.

The Detroit Red Wings are quite an amazing and unique organization, not just in the National Hockey League, but in terms of all professional sports teams. As of right now there are only three NHL teams that have a longer streak of consecutively making the playoffs than the Red Wings, and they all started in the late 60’s when there were far less teams to compete with. Detroit has made the playoffs for an incredible 24 straight seasons and are poised to make it 25 (knock wood). In this day and age that is a remarkable feat.

However, the Red Wings are in a dogfight for the last wild-card playoff position right now but that is mainly due to the Philadelphia Flyers going 7-2-1 in their last 10, while Detroit remained even at 5-5-0. Nevertheless, there is no denying that the Detroit Red Wings have the ability, experience, and drive to take them into the playoffs for a 25th straight time.

The greatest difference between the Detroit Red Wings and every other team in the NHL is they now have the ability and patience to see the future of their team. They have now been doing this for so long that they have complete control of their future rosters, as well as having a strong contending team in the present.

General manager Ken Holland has been an integral part of creating this 24 year old dynasty. He consistently gives his team the right tools to get to the playoffs year after year and yet still drafts quality players that are needed to keep his team vying for the Stanley Cup the future.

The way the entry draft worked in the past is: the lower the ranking in the previous season, the higher your position was to pick players. These rules have changed in the past few years but the sentiment is the same. However, with the management’s foresight, they have made some great picks late in the draft. For example:

●     Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Fedorov – taken 53rd and 74th, respectively in the 1989 draft

●     Bob Probert and Petr Klima – selected 46th and 86th, respectively, in the 1983 draft

●     Petr Mrazek – selected in the 2010 draft, 141st overall

The Detroit Red Wings started a tradition 24 years ago that more teams should follow. They are keeping their younger players from their draft in the minor leagues for at least a year, usually more. This is exactly what all teams should be doing with their younger players, whether they are considered a ‘superstar’ or not.

By allowing these young players the time they need to gain experience and confidence in the minor leagues, the Detroit Red Wings have found a way to consistently win without the benefit of a ‘generational’ player.

If you take a moment to think about the draft lottery system and how it favours the lowest ranked teams at the end of the NHL season, Detroit’s organizational plan is quite mind-boggling! How do you make the playoffs every year for 24 years and still put together a Stanley Cup calibre team in each of those years without drafting a Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, or however many more number one picks the Edmonton Oilers need. The Detroit Red Wings have an amazing long-term game plan and the rest of the NHL should follow.

Like winning any trophy in professional sports, a lot of work has to go into building a championship team and that begins with management. The general manager of a hockey team is the one in charge of putting together a hockey team that can win the Stanley Cup. This process takes years. Everyone knows the first and second overall picks who are most likely a high profile forward (I think we all can name a few of those) or an exceptional defenceman and then start to build your team around them.

What you won’t hear about is the goaltenders who are picked with the 207th overall selection, like Dominik Hasek who ended up with six Vezina trophies, two Hart trophies and two Stanley Cups. Being a goaltender in the NHL is one of the hardest jobs in sports. With not having the fame and fortune early on in your career like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid, most goaltenders have to wait years to perfect their skills to be at the top of the NHL ranks. Here is a look at some of the goaltenders that are claiming their stake to take their teams all the way to the Stanley Cup.

Statistically, the best goaltender on the best team in the league is Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. He has seven more wins than the second place goalies on this list of whom you will soon read about. Holtby was selected 93rd overall by the Capitals in the 2008 NHL draft. After eight years it looks like Holtby is ready to try to lead his team all the way. I think the Capitals are a great team and it took a lot to get to where they are but I also think Holtby will have to win some playoff games by himself and that comes with experience, which he is lacking. Look for him next year after he has some tough games.

Pekka Rinne is on this list because he is a world class goaltender and has the ability to ‘steal’ any game that he starts. The Nashville Predators locked up their prize goaltender to a huge deal and for good reason. He is an absolute workhorse for the Predators and is the NHL leader in time on ice and tied for games played. If Nashville can score at least two or three goals they have the ability to win every game with Rinne in net. He was taken with the 258th overall pick.

The New York Rangers were able to steal Henrik Lundqvist with the 205th overall pick in the 2000 draft. He has since been nominated for the Vezina trophy three times and is the first goalie to win at least thirty games in his first six seasons. The Rangers are playing good hockey now and are jockeying for home ice advantage in the playoffs. If Lundqvist is on his game then there is no better goalie in the NHL today and gives the Rangers a chance every night.

The first three goaltenders are being written about because they have been stable throughout the years or have just started on the big stage in the NHL. The two that I have left off are Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks and Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings. These two goalies are not just world class goalies like the previous three, but they have the intangible benefit of having the ultimate experience of both winning and losing on the biggest stage imaginable. Whichever one of these goalies comes out on top, you can be sure that we will have a fun time watching them.

With the trade deadline approaching it is time for the teams hoping to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to try and acquire whichever pieces of their respective puzzles they need. Some teams need a backup goaltender. Some need a right shot defenceman or perhaps a second or third line center. There are always a variety of players available and when a team makes the right moves it could be the difference between hoisting the Stanley Cup and hoisting your golf bag. Here is a look at a few teams that could be sipping from Lord Stanley’s mug in June.

Washington Capitals

Starting with the best record in the league going into the trade deadline, the Washington Capitals are playing their best hockey in a decade. A lot of a team’s success can be attributed to their goaltender and Washington is no different. Braden Holtby is leading the league in wins, has a .924 save percentage and a 2.17 goals against average, all near the top of the league. Goaltending aside, the Capitals have the most prolific scorer in this generation in Alex Ovechkin. With 39 goals and more to come, Washington, on paper, has the offence and defence to go all the way. What has yet to be seen is if they have the heart and stamina that other teams like Chicago and Los Angeles have shown in recent years.

Vegas Odds: 13/4  Prediction: Lose in Stanley Cup final

New York Rangers

A lot of people are looking at the Florida Panthers as the number two in the Eastern Conference but I think they are still a little inexperienced in the playoffs. This is where the New York Rangers get the edge. They have the experience and depth to make a run in the playoffs. They will most likely make a play for an experienced forward and possibly another defenceman and coupled with arguably the best goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist they have a good chance to make it far into the playoffs.

Vegas Odds: 15/1  Prediction: Lose in Eastern Conference final

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings started the season a little slow but have come around as of late and are playing some good hockey.They are winning more consistently and find themselves four points clear of the Anaheim Ducks and five ahead of the San Jose Sharks in the extremely tough Pacific Division. Always a team to fear in the playoffs, Los Angeles still has their core of players that won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. This core includes Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick and Norris Trophy candidate Drew Doughty who are all more than capable of bringing their ‘A’ game in the playoffs.

Vegas Odds: 10/1  Prediction: Lose in Western Conference final

Chicago Blackhawks

Last year’s Stanley Cup Champions look very similar to the Chicago Blackhawks of this year and that spells trouble to the rest of the teams that make the playoffs. One point behind division rival Dallas, the Blackhawks are firing on all cylinders. Although they don’t have much room to work with in terms of salary cap space they don’t have a lot of holes to fill in their roster. In fact they were in a similar situation last year and they found a way to win with the team that Stan Bowman built and that Joel Quenneville coaches. They have a tremendous amount of depth players to compliment their talented core players like Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Artemi Panarin and with Corey Crawford playing great and now the addition of two-time champion Andrew Ladd, there is no stopping the Blackhawks. Oh yeah, and Patrick Kane is lighting up the NHL right now.

Vegas Odds: 13/2  Prediction: Win Stanley Cup

Well it took a few months but the Pittsburgh Penguins are finally playing like the team they were built to be. The Penguins have been on a tear as of late, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games which puts them alongside the elite teams of the Eastern Conference, such as the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. They also slid into the last wild card spot in the east. A lot of this has to do with the play of their points leader, captain and heart of the team, Sidney Crosby.

Sidney Crosby, the hottest player in the league right now, is finally playing like the Crosby we all remember. A few games ago he had a hat trick followed by two goals and two assists for a four point night. He also just had a career-high seven game goal scoring streak and has climbed to sixth in the league in points with 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points. He also recently became the 10th fastest player to reach 900 points in the NHL. This is a list that includes names like Guy Lafleur, Mario Lemieux and obviously Wayne Gretzky. This list is comprised of great players, but players that played in an era where scoring goals came a lot easier than in Crosby’s era. This makes Crosby’s achievements even more remarkable.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were built 10 years ago with one of the strongest groups of core players since the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980’s. The standard that great teams have used to win the Stanley Cup is a goaltender, a great secondary scoring forward and a center-man. They got their goaltender in Marc-André Fleury and they got their big, high-scoring forward in Evgeni Malkin. The final piece of the puzzle was Sidney Crosby. He is the Penguins’ leader, center-man, playmaker and difference maker. The management of the Penguins have done a great job surrounding Crosby, Malkin and Fleury with players that compliment their superstars. Players like Kris Letang and Phil Kessel that are realizing that playing with Crosby is very easy when you just let him control the game like only he can.

The coaching change has been very good to Crosby’s game as well. New coach Mike Sullivan has given Crosby and the rest of the team more freedom to play a faster, higher scoring style of play, and it is paying off. By giving the team free reign of the offence and trusting the goaltending and defence, Pittsburgh is playing its best hockey of the season and looking like the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2008-2009.

A lot of us forgot about Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first half of the season. It was easy to get sidetracked from this storyline because of other narratives such as the Washington Capitals, Connor McDavid and Patrick Kane. Now, it is going to be fun to watch Crosby and the Penguins for the rest of the season. The best player in his generation and the team he captains is back where they belong: on the front page.

In Calgary, Canada NHL hockey is now a major part of Calgarians lives. It was not always so and Dion Phaneuf was a big reason for that transition.

Calgarians can remember the days of rebuilding their team in the 1990’s and 2000’s in which the players were ostensibly referred to as the “Young Guns”. While that sentiment was good for the newspapers, the seats at the Saddledome remained mostly empty.  There was future-Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla and then there was the rest of the team. Slowly the building blocks of a great team started to come together and one of those blocks was a young Red Deer Rebel’s defenseman named Dion Phaneuf.

Dion Phaneuf was exactly what the city of Calgary needed to re-energized its love for hockey. He had a hard hitting style (and I mean HARD HITTING) that would shake the plexiglass in the Saddledome for years to come. He had a career high 60 points in the 2007-2008 season. He finished his rookie season by being named a Calder Trophy finalist behind two fairly mediocre and non-talented players named Sidney Crosby and eventual winner Alex Ovechkin.

He was beloved in Calgary for his scoring, his defence and putting opponents into the glass, but not so much for his off-ice attitude.

It was rumoured that his demeanour in the locker room left something to be desired from his teammates, yet his prolific scoring and bone crunching hits made him a fan favourite. His off-ice demeanour got him traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs when he was arguably at the peak of his career in Calgary and now the same reasons have been got him traded to the Ottawa Senators. That, and the fact that his huge salary cap hit is now off the books it looks like the Maple Leafs will now use that gap to try to get Steven Stamkos.

Dion Phaneuf is a great defenseman who has an amazing workout regimen and can be a leader in the locker room but he should not have been made the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs; arguably the toughest job in the NHL. The media and the pressure of being the face of the most watched and most scrutinized hockey market in the world makes it infinitely harder to be the player you need him to be. When he was in Calgary and not in the white-hot Toronto spotlight, he played the best hockey of his career. He was fun to watch. He body-checked everyone. He blasted shots on the power play.  Players couldn’t get around him. Now that he doesn’t have the enormous burden of being Toronto’s captain, he should revert back to the great player he is, the player that should push the Ottawa Senators into the playoffs and form one of the best defences in the league alongside Erik Karlsson.

The best thing about this trade is that Dion Phaneuf has the pressure of the Toronto hockey world off his shoulders. To all the other players in the NHL, watch out. It should be fun to watch, just like in the good old days in Calgary.