Thank You New York Rangers

As a die-hard Rangers fan, watching them lose on Friday night just six wins away from a Stanley Cup broke my heart. In fact, for many of us fans, it brought tears to our eyes seeing our team give everything they had just to come up a little bit short. The fans, players, and coaching staff, as well as the whole organization,was very upset to see it end like that. It even took me a few days to write this article because of the emotion this year brought upon me. However, through everything I saw as I watched the hand shake and post game conferences, one thing popped out. It was the coach himself and by far one of the best in the league, John Tortorella, showing a quiet confidence in his team as the future is bright. At that point, a short, small smile came across my face.

This was the farthest I've ever seen the Rangers go in my 22 year life. Yes, I was four when Mark Messier raised Lord Stanley's Cup, but way to young to remember and be a part of. Losing that game in overtime, knowing the season was over, was the hardest thing I've probably ever had to watch. There is a feeling, even still two days later, that I've never had after a Rangers season. The feeling that this team isn't done just yet. The feeling that they will be just as good if not better next year. The feeling that, within the next few years, I will see the Rangers get through the Eastern Conference Final and battle for the Cup.

Looking at the team, there is nothing the Rangers are really losing. There are three core players the Rangers need to get back under contract. Those players are unrestricted free agents Brandon Prust and Martin Biron, alongside restricted free agent Michael Del Zotto. Prust will get a considerable hike in money as he was making  only $800,000 this past season. His deal could even be more than fellow Ranger Brian Boyle who was recently re-upped. Biron, a great backup goaltender and guy to have around the locker room, will bring in about the same he was these past two seasons, a million bucks. Michael Del Zotto will be an interesting RFA as he had a much better season after a dreadful sophomore year. He was part of the Rangers core four defensemen and provided some great offense this year.

Otherwise, the Rangers will have a few names that could be considered to be brought back. Those include Ruslan Fedetenko, John Mitchell, and Anton Stralman among a few others. One thing the Rangers could really use is another scoring winger. They tried to get Rick Nash at the trade deadline but the price was way to high. Look for them to possibly revisit that when the draft nears in June. The other player on the Rangers radar will be Zach Parise. He will be a free agent come July 1 and will probably test the market as he will get more money away from New Jersey. Other fill in players will be looked at to replace any lost players coming into the next season.

Also, one last player I would love to see back in the lineup is Michael Sauer. He received a nasty concussion late in 2011 and not much has been heard since. The hope is that he will come back and play a big role as he has been solid in his first two years.

I am really pumped for the next few years. The Rangers have a great core of players and will surely battle for the Cup once again. It doesn't help sporting a top two goaltender in the league with Henrik Lundqvist either. It's only been two days and summer is my favorite season, yet I can't lie I find myself drooling over October when the puck drops for new Rangers season. Mark my words, these next few years will be epic!

More Blood To Be Seen

Prior to game four in the Rangers and Devils series, there hadn't been a whole lot of nastiness. Few scuffles were seen as the teams just played, well, hockey. The Devils continued their "stay out of it" motto from the Flyers series and the Rangers played physical, but didn't go over the edge. Another part of the reason is because all the games had been one or two goal games, with empty netters being scored late to finish them off. However, it was just a matter or time before things erupted once again. Everyone knew it would eventually happen in one of the games and although it may be game five tonight, don't expect it to stop.

In game four, it started early when McDonagh and Henrique threw a few shots at each other before wrestling down to the ice. The game was on the edge for most of the night and became chippy as it continued. Finally, the big one happened when Mike Rupp threw a hit behind the Devils net with a few minutes remaining. He was called for a penalty and when the whistle blew he was chased. As he passed Brodeur, Marty said something to him, and responding, Rupp shoved him into the net. Bernier then tried to come over but for some reason left his feet to run into a bigger and stronger Rupp and he was dropped to the ice. The altercation continued by the benches as both head coaches Tortorella and DeBoer screamed at each other. 

During the regular season, the Rangers and Devils had two games begin with multiple fights, one time two fights off the opening draw and the following game three fights. I expected it to finally boil over in this series when one game became to far out of reach for one team and that's exactly what happened. The Rangers attacked to send a little message but this time the Devils responded. From here on out, I expect nothing to settle down. Why it will continue:

-The Rangers are changing the lineup tonight by inserted two players who were unavailable the previous game. Prust will return to the lineup after serving his one game suspension for elbowing. Also, Dubinsky will come back for the Rangers tonight after being out a few weeks with a knee injury. Both players do not shy away from the phsyical game and are always will combatants for after-whistle scrums or to drop the gloves. These two players will also try and spark the Rangers offense to score some goals while crashing the net hard on Brodeur. 

-Both teams will be using three to four lines on the offensive side of the puck. The third and fourth lines for both teams play gritty, grinding styles of hockey. The will both screen and crash the net when possible. All the lines will both be hitting hard and engaging their teams in the game as much as possible. The top lines for each team, although full of skill, will tussle along the boards and use their bodies on the forecheck. 

-The rivalry is one of the best in the game right now and after such a hard fought battle between each team last game, it's unavoidable. The taste of blood has spread after game four and neither team is going to back down. I expect to see lots of scrums after whistles and players hitting hard. Their will surely be some action near the benches as players change and yap at one another. 

All in all, I'm really looking forward to the rest of this best of three series. I believe someone will win the next two games and end it though. This game tonight is crucial and for both teams, scoring the first goal could mean a win or a loss. Lundqvist will be ready to go after having a few pucks find their way in last game. The Rangers will show heart while the Devils try to continue the wave they have been on. Enjoy the game!

Why He CAN Win The Hart Trophy

Henrik Lundqvist

As we all know, the playoffs have absolutely zero influence on the award winners at the end of the season (yeah right). But as they roll on and the Stanley Cup Final inches closer, a star continues to dominate at the top level. In fact, he's getting even better and rising up to the occasion every game. After a performance yesterday by the Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist sealed up his second shutout of the series, he is showing why he is a Hart Trophy candidate and why there's no reason he can't win it. 

When the playoffs begin, seeds no longer matter. Yes, they determine home ice advantage for the playoffs and show what a team has done all season, but they offer not even a prediction of what can happen when teams finally meet. The last seeded playoff team, the LA Kings, have played in fact just 12 games so far, losing just one of them. They are currently one win away from the Stanley Cup Final (an article about their current historic run will appear this week). 

Since the Rangers have started the playoffs, they have played well, but haven't had the easiest run. They have shown inconsistency from game to game, putting them in game seven's in both of their first round series'. But when their backs have been against the wall, and even when they have played great, the man in net continues to dazzle the eyes and put his name on the big stage.

Henrik Lundqvist had very good regular seasons since he debuted with the Rangers a few seasons ago. He's set a record for most 30 win seasons to start his career and has been the backbone of a Rangers team that has slowly been brought together with a mix of veteran and youth leadership. Lundqvist had 39 wins this year with a .930 save percentage and a 1.97 goals against, some of the best numbers in the league. He also had one of the best defenses in hockey this year though, with Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh leading that impressive core. 

Lundqvist hasn't ever been bad in the playoffs, winning many games for the Rangers by himself, however, he never won that "huge" game that would put him on another level. This year, Hank has done just that. He has played all 17 Rangers playoff games this year and it's only midway through the Eastern Conference Final. Lundqvist has a .942 save percentage which only seems to go up a little each game as he lets less and less through. His goals against is 1.57 which is also very impressive. His three shutouts have come at times when the Rangers haven't looked good in front of him, stopping 30+ shots in two of those three games. Lundqvist has not let up more than three goals in any playoff game yet this year and has starred in those two huge game sevens, letting up just one goal in each game as his team scored two.

Watching the Rangers play the Devils yesterday, I don't know if my jaw has officially realigned itself after dropping time and time again as Lundqvist stopped shot after shot, breakaway after breakaway, with remarkable saves. The game should have been 5-0 after two periods, however, Lundqvist was not going to let that happen and the Rangers finally awoke to help him preserve an ever so worthy shutout. And although he is not leading the league in stats right now, Jonathon Quick is, he hasn't had the team that Quick has had in front of him either. 

The Hockey New's Adam Proteau's tweeted yesterday, "Looking forward to Henrik Lundqvist being revealed as the world's first fully automated, completely lifelike GoalieBot." It's pretty certain Henrik Lundqvist plays like a robot, as he awaits out his opponent on every move, making sure he is in the perfect spot to make a save. However, the fact is, the man is human. He's just a human that is very good at what he does. Yes, Henrik Lundqvist can win the Hart Trophy. But I'm sure he really doesn't care about that. If he keeps up what he is doing, he may just by carrying home an even bigger trophy in a few weeks.

'Tired' Is Not An Option

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue into the Conference Final Series', many people around the game continue to talk about teams being tired. However, in this day in the NHL, tired is just not an option. In order to win the Stanley Cup, it's not about how the players feel mentally and physically, but the will, the heart, and the desire to get to the top and claim something that only few reach. Yes, teams are becoming 'tired' at this point, but that is no excuse because, well, the teams that are still left are all in the same position.

John Tortorella, the New York Rangers head coach, after playing the Devils in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final Monday, stated after being asked about his hockey club's energy levels, "I don't know where you guys get all this stuff being tired. If we're tired this time of the year, there's something the matter. We still have a month to play. You might as well not even ask me questions about being tired. We're not a tired hockey club. We are ready to play." That's the bottom line. To go through an entire season and get to this point only to be tired and whither away out of the playoffs, that's just not an option for these athletes. 

For example, the Rangers have played 15 playoff games so far this season, the most out of any of the four clubs still left. After finishing their second game seven in just as many series, the Rangers had another quick turnaround to play the Devils this round. Early in the game Monday, Zach Parise caught a break and looked free and clear against Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Out of nowhere, rushing back to recover, Ryan McDonagh swept the puck away and send Parise crashing into the net with solid body contact. McDonagh, if you don't know, has played every single Rangers game this year; 82 in the regular season and 15 so far in the playoffs. To be able to show that type of speed from a stand still position at this time of year shows the conditioning and strength of these hockey players. 

You are not going to see the Kings, Coyotes, Devils, or Rangers back down because they are tired. When it comes to this time of year, just the thought of the Stanley Cup can get any NHL player excited to play. Once the equipment is strapped on and the game is about to begin, it's adrenaline that takes over these players. Mixed in with again, that will and desire to win, is what separates the winners from the losers. Think the Coyotes were favored to make it to the Western Conference Finals? Think again.....The mentality that has been set in that teams mind is what is driving them to compete. They want to win the battles, they want to play together as a team, and they really want to win the Stanley Cup.

In the end, three of these teams will lose and only one will go onto hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. However, don't ever say the losers were 'tired.' With the conditioning and preparation these players put into their line of work, there is no doubting they are some of the best conditioned athletes in the world. The team that ends up on top is the team that has every player on board with the plan. The team that comes out every game with the most heart. The team that will not let anything get in their way. The team that WANTS it most.

What the NHL Needs

Los Angeles and New York

There is no doubt that both the Phoenix and Coyotes and New Jersey Devils are great hockey teams that can win the Stanley Cup. However, when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sits back in his chair and thinks, only one thing comes to mind. The cities of Los Angeles and New York. Two monster cities that never sleep, two teams that have huge amounts of fans, and due to those factors, huge money and exposure.

It is still unknown whether the New York Rangers will move onto the Eastern Conference Finals to play the Devils. The Washington Capitals have not been counted out and if the puck drops their way, can move on just as easily. If the Rangers do advance, there will be plenty of people at the NHL praying for the final they've been waiting years for. It would be the first time in a long time, especially since the lockout, that two NHL powerhouse cities meet for a date with the Cup.

The Coyotes and Devils are both great teams and have deserved every step they have taken so far. However, the matchup just does not have the same zing to it. Home attendence for both teams was poor the entire season. The Coyotes ranked dead last in the league with just over 12,000 fans a game. The Devils didn't do much better, finishing 24th in the league with just over 15,000 fans per game. Both offenses rank in the second half of the league with the Devils at 15th in the league and the Coyotes at 18th. Their defenses also rank in the top 10 in the league, the Coyotes being as good as 5th in the league. They also both have a few great household names, but nothing comparable to the Kings and Rangers. In fact, the biggest name between both teams would be Devils captain Zach Parise, who is about to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and is surrounded by speculation where he will end up.

If the Rangers and Kings were to end up in the final, Los Angeles and New York media would eat it up, making hockey top stories night in and night out. They boast some of the best names in the league on offense with the Kings Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar, and Jeff Carter compared to the Rangers Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik, and Ryan Callahan. Also, the most interesting factor would be the goalie matchup between the top two Vezina candidates. Quick and Lundqvist have been putting up miraculous numbers all playoffs. Not to mention the television coverage that each city would bring. NBC would probably see record numbers in terms of television viewers. The NHL would once again get back on the map, hopefully attracting the viewers that some of the other major sports in the United States bring in. 

Whatever happens, happens. However, when it comes down to the knitty gritty, the NHL wants to see the Kings and Rangers face off in the finals. It would be a 8 seed versus a 1 seed and both cities would bring in huge amounts of fans, media, and revenue. The NHL would reap the benefits on all sides.  

It's A Goalie Duel Out West

Last night the Phoenix Coyotes took an early 2-0 lead and never looked back as they help onto knock out the five seeded Predators. Coming into this playoffs, the Predators were looking like they were in perfect position to make a big run for the Stanley Cup. After ousting Detroit in just five games, they set their site on the Coyotes. However, Captain Shane Doan and his boys had other plans, sending the Predators home with tons of question marks upcoming in their offseason. This story is not about the Predators though, it's about the cool and calm three seeded Coyotes heading into a battle with the red hot Los Angeles Kings.

On paper, this matchup seems like a gimme for the Kings. Only the names Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, and Jeff Carter have to be mentioned and they already have more high profile names than the Coyotes have. On defense, the Kings are mixed with great veterans and skilled young kids while the Coyotes have 12 defensemen listed on their website roster. In goal, the Kings have a possible annual Vezina contender in Jonathon Quick while the Coyotes have Mike Smith, who is finally finding success this year after rough tenures elsewhere. When it comes down to it though, this series will not be easy for either team, and the Western Conference representing Stanley Cup team could be the Coyotes just as well as it could be the Kings.

Here is how their systems will match up. The Kings offense is speedy and moves the puck well. They have tons of talent with Kopitar, Richards, and Carter mixed in with Dustin Brown and Justin Williams. They also have depth with Jared Stoll, Dwight King, Brad Richardson, and Dustin Penner. The Coyotes will counter their attack with Keith Yandle, Derek Morris, Michal Rozsival, and others. Mike Smith has been a great story in net leading the cinderalla Coyotes this far in the playoffs. The defense does a great job of both blocking shots and keeping opponents to the outside. They also clear away rebounds well and have 6'4" Smith to back them up. The Kings will try to get pucks on net and crash using their speed. They will also try to use their defense as they have been doing to create scoring chances. The Coyotes will have to watch for the odd man rushes as the Kings break out well with speed. 

On the other end, Shane Doan will be joined with Radim Vrbata, Ray Whitney, and Martin Hanzal on the Coyotes offense. The Coyotes don't have the best offense, but give all out effort and will attack with four lines that can show speed and physicality. The Kings have a very good defense with Willie Mitchell, Rob Scuderi, and Matt Greene protecting Quick. Drew Doughty and Slava Voynov have been stellar all playoffs. Then there is the best playoff goaltender so far in Jonathon Quick, a Vezina contender. The Kings will pressure the puck and force the Coyotes into bad plays. The Coyotes will counter with hard work and trying to get as many pucks to Quick as possible, hoping he either makes a mistake or gives some type of rebound. It will be a physical battle on this forefront. 

Both coaches Dave Tippett (Coyotes) and Darryl Sutter (Kings) have done great things so far with their respective clubs. With the way they have both been playing it will be no surprise when one of them advance over the other. Although I think the Coyotes are a great team and can win the series, I think the Kings just have way to many great players to lose this series. The goalie matchup will be interesting and I don't expect Mike Smith to give an inch, however, Quick has been so good all season and he has no reason to stop that. The Kings will win the series in six games as my prediction, sending them to the Stanley Cup for the first time since Wayne Gretzky led them in 1993. They lost that series in five games, losing games two through four in overtime. 

NHL Awards 2012

Who Should Win

and

Who Was Left Out

Between when the Stanley Cup is handed out and free agency begins, the NHL will host it's annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas. It is not only a night of fun, but to honor the top players in the league with the winners of each award announced. The votes have been tallied and the top three players in each category will be announced. Here's how the awards ceremony shakes up, including who should win each award and who was left off the top three ballot.

Calder Trophy: Best rookie in the NHL

Finalists: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, Adam Henrique

Who should win: My vote for this award goes to Gabriel Landeskog. If I had been asked in November or December, before the shoulder injury put Nugent-Hopkins on the shelf for a while, he would have been a sure lock. At the time, RNH was geling with Jordan Eberle, putting up good points for the Oilers. However, when RNH went down, a new candidate emerged in Landeskog. Not only did he play every game for the Avalanche this year, he put up 52 points and helped keep the Avs in the playoff race until the end. He also has very good leadership qualities which will help the young Avs team as time goes on.

Who was left out: Matt Read was definitely a surprise in Philadelphia this year. With 47 points in 79 games this year, he really fit in well as a depth scorer and even had some top line minutes as well. Read also boasted a plus 13 in the plus minus category which only can be a good thing. He will continue to work his way into the Philadelphia lineup for years to come if he keeps this up.

Jack Adams Award: Best coach in the NHL

Finalists: Paul MacLean, Ken Hitchcock, John Tortorella

Who should win: My vote for this award goes to Ken Hitchcock. Coming into the year Hitchcock wasn't even a coach. A young Blues team struggled early and head coach Davis Payne was fired. Hitchcock, who already has a ridiculous coaching resume, hopped in an turned the Blues into a defensive-minded powerhouse who could also score goals. Hitchcock led the Blues to a third place finish in the NHL with 109 points. The Blues also only lost six games at home all season in regulation. The Blues are young and if Hitchcock can continue to work with them be aware in the upcoming years.

Who was left out: Darryl Sutter became coach of a struggling Kings team in the middle of the season. With a good lineup on paper, the Kings were severely under-performing with only Jonathon Quick holding them afloat. Sutter turned them around in the second half of the season and led them back into the playoff mix, including a four team race for the Pacific Division late in the season. The Kings only finished eighth in the West, but something tells me at this point they are doing pretty well in the playoffs (even though playoffs don't count in the voting).

GM Award: Best GM in the NHL

Finalists: Doug Armstrong, David Poile, Dale Tallon

Who should win: My vote this year goes to David Poile in Nashville. A team that plays in one of the hardest divisions in the league, Nashville had to keep pace with the likes of Detroit and Chicago who are two of the top teams in the NHL over the past few seasons and newly dangerous St. Louis. Bolstering the defense with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, Poile needed to find some offense for his team. He did more than that. Poile brought Alex Radulov back from the KHL late in the playoffs and traded for Paul Gaustad and Sergei Kostitsyn. Having goaltender Pekka Rinne doesn't hurt either. Hal Gill also became a Predator at the deadline. Poile made Nashville a Cup contender by the start of the playoffs. 

Who was left out: Don Maloney definitely got the snub this year. Again, with a low salary allowance and unowned team, Maloney got the Phoenix Coyotes into the playoffs and even won the Pacific Division. Adding low key but effective names like goaltender Mike Smith, as well as getting the proper coaches to fit within the organization, have made the team successful. Head Coach Dave Tippett also deserves a nod as he has also done a great job with the players he has. 

Selke Trophy: Best Defensive Offenseman in the NHL

Finalists: Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron, David Backes

Who should win: My pick, as it is most years, is Pavel Datsyuk. There is nothing like watching the magician that Datsyuk is. In the defensive zone, he wins faceoffs, covers his area, and breaks out well. Then, when he gets into the offensive zone, you will see a mix of passing, stickhandling, and shooting that you've never seen before. It dazzles the eyes as Datsyuk makes plays you have to rewind to look at again to figure out how he even did it. Datsyuk had nearly a point per game this year and did miss 12 games due to injury, however, nobody can measure what he brings to both sides of the game.

Who was left out: Only one other player comes directly to mind this year and that's Joe Pavelski. He was third in the NHL in faceoff percentage, sixth among forwards in blocked shots, and tenth in takeaways. He also lead the Sharks in plus minus while putting up 31 goals and 61 points this year. If he was on the ballot, I think he would even make a strong candidate as the award winner with how dynamic he can be all over the ice in all areas of the game.

Vezina Trophy: Best Goaltender in the NHL

Finalists: Pekka Rinne, Jonathon Quick, Henrik Lundqvist

Who should win: This year is really a tight race for the trophy as two finalists can with it. In the end though, I have to go with my hometown favorite Henrik Lundqvist. With a team that was expected to be a playoff team but at a higher seed, Lundqvist exceled tremendously. He posted 39 wins this year with a goals against of 1.97 and a save percentage of .930. Lundqvist also had eight shutouts this year after he posted a career high eleven last year. There is no doubt Lundqvist and his Rangers are starting to turn heads in New York. After numerous finalist nominations for the Vezina, he should finally get the trophy this year.

Who was left out: No doubt Mike Smith was the man left off the ballot. Nobody expected Smith to do as well as he did with Phoenix, leading them to a division title with 38 wins. He also posted a goals against average of 2.21 and a save percentage of .930. After seasons with some success but mostly falters in Dallas and Tampa Bay, Smith fit well in Phoenix. He is also one of the best puck-handlers in the league at the goaltender position.

Norris Trophy: Best Defenseman in the NHL

Finalists: Zdeno Chara, Erik Karlsson, Shea Weber

Who should win: I got to give it to the kid this year. Erik Karlsson has stepped up to become a bigtime NHL defender this year for the upcoming Ottawa Senators. He played all but one game this year and his offensive numbers were miraculous. Karlsson had 78 points in 81 games including 19 goals. On a team that was not expected to compete for the playoffs, Karlsson had a plus 16 rating. He is young and has a very bright future ahead of him. His passes are near perfect every time and when he skates it seems to be with ease. There is no doubt in my mind he deserves to be the Norris Trophy winner this year.

Who was left out: Nicklas Lidstrom, one of my favorite defenders of all time, continues to do the job of a top notch NHL defenseman at the age of 42. His offensive numbers dipped this year but 34 points with a plus 21 rating is no slouch in the NHL. The real story is when Lidstrom has the puck on his stick in his own defensive zone. His break outs are perfect as he sees the ice two and three moves ahead of the rest of his opponents. He is patient and never loses his composure. Not only does Lidstrom deserve to be a Norris finalist almost every year, he will be a lock for the Hall of Fame when his time is up......which at this point, may not be for a while.

Hart Trophy: MVP in the NHL

Finalists: Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, Henrik Lundqvist

Who should win: Two of my favorites are on this list but neither will get the award. Stamkos is my favorite player and 60 goals scorer this year and Lundqvist tends the pipes of my favorite NHL team, but nobody can compare to Malkin this year. In Crosby's absence, the man has done nothing but show up game in and game out, dominating on the offensive side of the puck. Malkin had 50 goals, one of only two players to reach that plateau this year, and 109 points this season.  He was also a plus 18 on the first line. Malkin was a huge help to last years trade deadline acquisition James Neal who had a breakout year on the wing. No doubt he takes home the Hart again this year.

Who was left out: Claude Giroux. Talk about dynamic and explosive. Giroux became the forefront of the Flyers after leaders Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were shipped away. He had big expectations on his shoulders and did not disappoint with 93 points in 77 games. He battled a few concussion issues but really was spectacular all year and led the Flyers to a fifth place finish in the East. He will be the face of the Flyers organization for years to come and if he keeps it up, will be on the Hart ballot sooner rather than later.

Welcome To Shot Blocking Country

Two decades ago it was banging bodies, right before the lockout was the neutral zone trap, and now the evolution of defense in the NHL has taken another turn. Last night, after watching the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals block over 80 shots on net, it dawned on me how many teams have started using shot blocking as the main tool on defense. If the puck can't get to your goalie, it can't go in the net. 

Noticing more of the Rangers blocked shots since I am a fan of them myself, I can't tell you how many times I thought Henrik Lundqvist would have to make a huge save to extend this game three. However, out of nowhere many of the times, a sprawled out, flying body would come across and block the shot. For example, Washington came up in OT with a three on two twice, once with Ryan Callahan back and once with John Mitchell. Both times the Capitals hit the top man on the triangle for a hard, what seemed to be open shot. However, both times once it left the Capitals' sticks, sliding bodies came across (Callahan and Mitchell) and took the brunt of the 80+ mile an hour shot of 6oz vulcanized rubber with little to no disregard for their own bodies. Callahan was all over the ice last night, contorting his body in any way necessary in order to block whatever he could.

Those are just two quick examples of scoring chances being broken up by a blocked shot. Again, it happened over 80 times last night and it was almost an even split between the two teams. Teams are realizing with better equipment being offered to players that blocking shots game after game, as the Rangers have done all season, is fully possible. Instead of clogging up the neutral zone and risking a likely goal if beaten, teams are now collapsing in their own zone in front of the net and forming a wall of players to block shots. They keep the opponent to the outside of the ice and keep their bodies in front of the puck at all times. When the shot is finally taken, there are five defensive players within the vicinity and with all likelihood, it will catch some sort of pad and be blocked away.

Teams that have used this method most successfully in the playoffs have been the Rangers in the East and the Coyotes in the West. Mike Smith has had a huge help from his defense in blocking shots against the Predators in games one and two. The Blues also play a very defensive system and attempt to block as many shots as they can. When playing this system, however, teams have to watch out for a few things. One is re-directions when they don't catch the whole puck and it ends up changing directions on their goaltenders. Another is the screen that defenders put on their goaltenders by trying to step in front of a puck. The other, of course, is injuries from shots to unpadded areas like the face. 

Although, when a team blocks shots, it also allows for quick transition to offense and to take the full load off a goaltender. All it requires is a players who's willing to do anything for his team to win, which as a coach, you would hope would be everyone. We will definitely see how the development of shot blocking evolves in the NHL as time goes on. Will the NHL change the rules to disallow shot blocking in order to keep the shot totals up? Or will we see an interesting defensive system come into play more and more as time goes on? Only time will tell.....

45 Years and Counting....

Today, May 2, 2012, marks the 45th anniversary of the Toronto Maple Leafs last Stanley Cup. Since that date, the Maple Leafs have failed to win Lord Stanley's Cup. That doesn't sit well with the organization or the giant fan base that surrounds the Canadian team at all times. In one of the most popular Canadian cities, they are the main sports focus. The media is always covering them and the fans are always watching them. With that, the question isn't even when the Maple Leafs will win the Cup again. It's much more simple....When will the Maple Leafs find a team that gets them to the postseason?

Since the NHL lockout season in 2004-2005, the Maple Leafs have failed to make the postseason all seven times. They have only hit the 40 wins mark twice in those seven years and they were the first two seasons after the lockout. The best divisional finish has been third in the Northeast while they haven't yet cracked the Eastern's top eight to end a season. This past season, the Maple Leafs held a playoff spot down most of the season. Down the stretch, they had some horrid goaltending issues and ended up missing the playoffs by a slew of points in the end.

What can the Maple Leafs do this upcoming offseason in an attempt to prevent another tailspin and jump into the top eight for their first time in eight years? It starts with the goaltending. James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson (contract expires July 1) have both showed flashes of brilliance in the past. However, down the stretch, they both struggled and did not help the playoff cause. Brian Burke has a major decision to make. He can keep an eye on the two he has now by watching their progression through the summer or he can try and acquire a goaltender through trade and free agency. Reimer and Gustavsson are both young with some talent. Burke has to decide whether they are long term solutions for the team. If not, a player would have to be acquired and a name that will surround the Maple Leafs until he's moved somewhere will be Roberto Luongo. After the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs, Luongo said if the team wanted to move him he would waive his no trade clause, doing whatever's best for his squad. Other possible options would include Josh Harding, Jonathon Bernier, Al Montoya, or Scott Clemmensen.

The Maple Leafs defense has some great upcoming names that have developed well in the NHL so far. Cody Franson, Jake Gardiner, Carl Gunnarsson, and and Luke Schenn are currently up with the Maple Leafs. They have developed nicely so far and should continue to fit well. Among them are shifty John-Michael Liles and Captian Dion Phaneuf who had very good seasons. Phaneuf, who had taken a media beating since being traded to the Leafs, had 12 goals and 44 points along with his physical style of play. Burke will probably look to add another veteran or two to the mix to help teach the kids and fill in any lineup gaps. It's too early to know who will make it to free agency but some very intriguing names may come up. Those include unrestricted free agents Ryan Suter, Dennis Wideman, and Hal Gill. 

The offense has been a major amount of work for the Maple Leafs the past few years but it is starting to sport some good names. Phil Kessel had an outstanding year and his new found center Tyler Bozak showed promise. Before a season ending injury, Joffrey Lupul was tearing it up with 67 points in 66 games after finally getting a shot to play on a top line. Nikolai Kulemin and Nazem Kadri are projects but the Leafs have expectations for them in the future. If healthy, Tim Connolly is always a producer. However, he is often injured suffering from all types of ailments including concussions. The Leafs may look to add some depth at center and one thing they don't have is a pure power forward. Burke, with all the moves he's known to make, will surely be on the market shopping for players. 

The Maple Leafs definitely have some light in their future. They need to add some key pieces in the offseason though if they expect to compete in the East. If I were Burke, I would go out and get a goaltender. That seems like the biggest problem as of right now. I don't think either Reimer and Gustavsson can do the job for a full season. Burke is known to pull some heavy duty trades so it will be interesting around draft day and into free agency to see if they pull the trigger on anything major. For now, it's still 45 years....

The 8 Seed That Can Make History

After winning 5-2 over the #2 seeded St. Louis Blues, who are defensive juggernauts under Ken Hitchcock, it was very easy to see how the Los Angeles Kings could make history this year. There has only been one eight seed to ever make it to the Stanley Cup Final, in 05-06 as Chris Pronger led the Edmonton Oilers. They ended up losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes but made history as the only eight seed to ever make it that far. This year could bring the second team to ever make it to the Stanley Cup Final. But this time, they may even be the ones to win it.

Before the season even started, the Los Angeles Kings were picked to be major contenders in the West. Bringing Simon Gagne bolstered up an already impressive offense that had made some huge changes in a swap with Philadelphia. Mike Richards was gearing up for his first season as a King while Wayne Simmonds and Braydon Schenn settled in on the east coast. Combining those players with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown created a potent offense that was also gritty. The defense is full of veterans that know how to win mixed in with younger, offensive defensemen. Matt Greene, Willie Mitchell, and Rob Scuderi all have great experience and will be crucial in the development of the others like Slava Voynov and Alec Martinez.  It also doesn't hurt having Norris caliber defenseman Drew Doughty. In between the pipes sits one of the most athletic goaltenders in the league, Jonathon Quick. He is lightning fast and never gives up on a shot, covering the lower part of the net with his splits and the upper with his flexible arms. As of right now, Quick and Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers are 50/50 for the Vezina Trophy. 

However, when the season began, the Kings floundered and did not meet expectations. In December, when the Kings lost four straight games and dropped to the lowest scoring team in the league, head coach Terry Murray was fired and replaced by Darryl Sutter. Quick kept them in the standings through those tough months, however, since then the team has turned it around. By the end of the season, they were in a four team race to win the Pacific Division. They lost out by two points but were able to hold onto the eight seed. 

Since the playoffs have started, the Kings have been dangerous. They easily ousted Vancouver in only five games. By game two the Kings had put Canuck's starter Roberto Luongo on the bench for the rest of the series to be replaced by upcoming RFA Cory Schneider. He was able to win only one of the next three games and the Kings moved on. So far in round two, they have seemed to be dominant over the defensive-minded St. Louis Blues. After Quick played brilliant in game one to give the Kings the early series lead, the offense took over last night and put up five goals, four in the first period. They also started quickly as Mike Richards scored 31 seconds in. 

The Kings are confident, well-coached, and hungry. They seem to want it more than the Canucks did and so far than the Blues have. They will return home for two crucial games, which will either make it or break it for the high seeded Blues. If the Kings make it past this round, they will have eliminated the top two seeds in the Western Conference. One thing is certain, if the Kings keep this effort up, you will see them in the Stanley Cup Final. They will be only the second team to ever make it from that seed. If they win it, well, welcome to the record books.