, National Hockey League, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (9)

Your Presence Is Requested - 2008-09 Washington Capitals Schedule

By The OFB Team
Thursday, July 17, 2008

The NHL released the regular season schedule for all 30 teams today. The NHL will open its 91st season in Stockholm, Sweden and Prague, Czech Republic with a pair of games between the Rangers and Lightning in Prague and the Senators and Penguins in Stockholm on October 4th and 5th.

Washington Captials - secondary logoThe Capitals begin the season on the road in Atlanta on Friday, October 10th with the first home game the next day against Cristobal Huet and the Chicago Blackhawks.  Olaf Kolig visits the Phone Booth for the first time on November 10th.

This season’s schedule is under a new matrix that has each team to playing six games against each team in its division (24 games), four games against the non-division teams within its conference (40 games), and 18 non-Conference games — at least one game against each club in the other conference (15 games) and three home-and-home series against non-Conference teams.

Some schedule notes:

All thirty teams will be in action on the same day on Saturday,  October 25th.

The 2009 Winter Classic will take place on January 1st at Chicago’s Wrigley Field with the Blackhawks facing the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Redwings.

The NHL All-Star Game will be held in Montreal’s Bell Centre on January 2tth.  Montreal will also host the 2009 Entry Draft on June 26th and 27th.

Hockey Day In Canada returns to its all-Canadian lineup on Februay 21st with Ottawa at Montreal, Vancouver at Toronto, and Calgary at Edmonton.

[Full Capitals Schedule after the break.]

Continue reading ›

Filed in Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Atlantic Division, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Central Division, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Eastern Conference, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Northeast Division, Northwest Division, Ottawa Senators, Pacific Division, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Southeast Division, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Western Conference| Permalink| Comments (13)

‘08-’09 Season Opener Details

By The OFB Team
Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Well, that was fast. Capitals fans won’t have to wait long to see Huet again. Just announced from Caps’ PR:

The Washington Capitals will face the Chicago Blackhawks in their home opener at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Verizon Center, one day after opening the season at Atlanta, the NHL announced today. The league also announced the Capitals will play two games each against Western Conference opponents Columbus, Los Angeles and Nashville during the season.

The Capitals will raise their 2007-08 Southeast Division championship banner prior to the home opener.

This is the second time in club history that Washington will host Chicago for its home opener, as the Blackhawks made the trip to D.C. on Oct. 5, 1996, and won 5-2. The Capitals are 17-14-2-0 in home openers. Washington is 33-38-11-1 all-time against Chicago, but owns a 20-15-5-1 record at home against the Blackhawks.

The three finalists for the 2008 Calder Trophy should be on the ice for the matchup and the goaltending pairings could provide some interesting storylines as well. Chicago’s Patrick Kane edged Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom last year for rookie of the year honors, as Kane’s teammate Jonathan Toews finished third.

Both teams could introduce new goaltenders during the game. Washington signed former Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore during the off-season, and Chicago signed Cristobal Huet, who will return to Verizon Center after helping backstop the Capitals to a Southeast Division title last season.

The NHL tweaked the overall schedule this year so teams would play their divisional rivals only six times instead of eight, which had been customary the past three seasons. In doing so, every team in the league will play one another this year and teams will also play three non-conference opponents at home and on the road. Washington’s three non-conference opponents that they will play twice are Columbus, Los Angeles and Nashville.

The Capitals’ entire 2008-09 schedule will be released tomorrow, July 16.

Filed in Chicago Blackhawks, Cristobal Huet, Former Coaches & Players, Jose Theodore, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (14)

Windy City Winter Classic Confirmed

By The OFB Team
Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The NHL today confirmed what had long been suspected: that its next outdoor game would take place at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, on January 1, 2009.

The Original Six matchup between the Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings will be the 701st between the clubs – the most of any NHL clubs.

Back in May, when we wondered about the next iteration of the Winter classic, we actually suggested Chicago and a game between the Hawks and Wings. We just got the venue wrong.

The date means that hockey fans planning on attending have the opportunity to spend New Years Eve in Chicago. Not a bad party town. But bring your longjohns.

Filed in Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Gary Bettman, Hockey, Hockey Rinks, Hockey Towns, Hockey Weather, Ice, National Hockey League, Winter Classic 2009| Permalink| Comments (1)

Ovechkin vs. Huet

By Gustafsson
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Perhaps newly signed Chicago Blackhawk Cristobal Huet would like to forget this night as netminder for the Montreal Canadians. Alexander Ovechkin victimized him for 3 goals in regulation and the game winner in overtime. When all was said and done, Ovechkin had 5 points, 4 goals, stitches in his lip, and a broken nose in a 5 - 4 OT win.

“Today was a special day,” Ovechkin said with a smile. “I broke my nose, have stitches [and] score four goals. Everything [went] to my face.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysyu3aOVVHQ

Do you think Ovechkin is hoping Huet is in net when the Caps face the Hawks?

Thanks to Sean Leahy from Going Five Hole for posting the video.

Filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Chicago Blackhawks, Cristobal Huet, Montreal Canadiens, Video Clips| Permalink| Comments (2)

“Washington Got an Elite Goaltender”

By The OFB Team
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

The Russian reaction to Capitals’ goaltender moves from Sovetsky Sport, including Alex Ovechkin’s take on things (translation courtesy of Dmitry Chesnokov):

The Caps management did everything right. The club saved about $1 million. The club also got an experienced goaltender. And now they will start to develop Varlamov and bring him closer to the first team, even though he will most likely start the season in the AHL. Considering the fact that Theodore’s contract is only for two years, the plan is to have Varlamov as the number 1 starter by the start of the 2010-2011 season.

Alex Ovechkin thinks this is the case. He confirmed his opinion in a conversation he had with Pavel Lysenkov:

“I think there is a possibility for Varlamov to debut in the NHL this season. At least Semion will compete for the number 2 role with Brent Johnson.”

What do you think about Theodore’s arrival in Washington?

“We needed a good goaltender because we were losing Huet. And our management made a thought-out move. I have only played once against Theodore in my career. It was last season; we played Colorado at home and won 2:1. Although, I didn’t score.

It is a shame that Huet didn’t stay [with Washington]. He was a great goaltender. But our future now lies with Theodore, and I am sure he won’t let us down.”

Filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Cristobal Huet, George McPhee, Michal Neuvirth, Simeon Varlamov, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (3)

Washington’s New View in Net, Take 2

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

As Pucksandbooks pointed out in his recent post, his assessment of the Capitals’ goaltender situation was his own. Now I don’t dispute Pucks’ facts, nor are his conclusions irrational — but from my perspective they seem a bit dire and premature mere hours after the signing. So, as a counterpoint, here’s my take on the situation which, while hardly sunny, is a more optimistic outlook.

Let’s start with the bad: There’s no doubt that a combination of bad planning and bad luck has left the organization with a goaltender dilemma — one that has been hanging over the team, Sword of Damocles-like, for years now. Olie Kolzig’s career naturally progressed from stellar to solid to adequate as he aged; a successor needed to be a top team priority before Kolzig’s ability to carry a starter’s workload was in doubt. As Pucks pointed out, the organization made such an attempt by bringing in Maxime Oulett from Philly; sadly, Maximus turned out to be more of a minimus.

Varlamov and Neuvirth are top prospects and progressing quickly; it is certainly feasible to see one if not both in Caps’ uniforms come 2010-11. Yet, really, a top-tier netminder was needed five years ago to avoid the team’s recent stop-gap measures. Easier said than done, to be sure . . . building and maintaining a team is tough. But if it were an easy job then it wouldn’t pay well, and GMGM couldn’t afford all those snazzy suits.

While the team’s need for a “bridge” goaltender, and its difficulty in addressing that need earlier, led to their shaky netminder situation this offseason, the team could do little to change the past on July 1, 2008.

So let me say this: the organization made the right call with Huet. The information slowly revealing itself indicates that, while the Capitals tried to lowball Huet initially, they were more than flexible in eventually giving him exactly what he asked for . . . only to have Huet reject the contract like James T. Kirk scoffed at alien STDs.

Once Huet made the business decision to squeeze a bit extra from another team, the Caps immediately snagged the best guy still available: Jose Theodore. General consensus saw Huet and Theodore as the two best ‘tenders in this year’s admittedly goalie-light free agent pool. Some would say they were equal; some feel Huet was #1 and Theodore #2 or #1A.

Regardless, once Huet made it clear that he wanted more money and a four-year deal, the Caps acted quickly to get the remaining free agent with the best potential as a starting netminder.

Huet returning for 3 years at a reasonable price would have likely been the best outcome for the Caps. But Theodore is no slouch; their styles are different, yet in many ways Huet and Theodore have similar pasts, similar potential, and similar stats. Remember, too, that expectations for Huet would have been intense based on his 20 games in a Capitals sweater . . . a mercenary like Huet may be one of those archetypal contract-year wonders who slip back to normalcy once they get their big deal. Tying up $22 million for four years of average play is not what the Capitals need — particularly not with a pricey Alexander Semin contract just a year or two away.

Has the loss of Huet impacted the Capitals’ chances of a deep post-season run in the next two or three years? Perhaps a bit — but mostly due to the team adjusting to their third starting goalie in less than a year, and the impact that may have on defensive strategies and cohesiveness, than a significant drop-off in goaltender skill.

Change is scary; changing a goaltender doubly so. But with a well rounded roster, stars like Ovechkin and Green, and top-notch coaches and staff (notably in Theodore’s case, superstar goalie coach Dave Prior), the 2008-09 Capitals hardly project to be bottom-feeders.

Let’s see Theodore don his new Capitals’ sweater and get a few games under his belt before deeming his signing a failure or a success.

Filed in Colorado Avalanche, Cristobal Huet, George McPhee, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (20)

A Day of Dastardly Dichotomy

By The OFB Team
Tuesday, July 1, 2008

On this the opening day of ‘08-09 NHL free agency Washington Capitals’ fans confronted the opposing twins of personnel movement outcome: morning elation with Mike Green’s signing and afternoon agony in the club’s failure to come to terms with season-salvaging, starting netminder Cristobal Huet. The Capitals this afternoon, having reached an impasse with Huet and his agent, signed Colorado’s Jose Theodore to a two-year deal.

An absolute bulwark of the Caps’ stunning late-season surge to a Southeast division crown, Huet’s heroics won’t be returning, the fallout of which is this sobering question: have the Caps’ Cup contention plans necessarily taken a step back? It’s a demoralizing outcome, most particularly in light of widespread reports, from reliable organization sources, that Huet’s return was largely a fait accompli.

It would be difficult to imagine a netminder better auditioning for the role of go-to guy, of in-his-prime, no. 1 stud, than Huet’s with the Caps this past spring. He went 11-2 in his 13 regular season starts with the Caps, posting two shutouts, a stunning .936 save percentage, and a microscopic 1.63 goals against. Those numbers weren’t as impressive in the playoffs against Philadelphia, but after the Caps fell behind three games to one in the series, Huet was rock solid and at times spectacular in net in nearly leading the Caps to a dramatic series comeback.

As for Theodore, this from the Caps’ press release:

Theodore, who will turn 32 on Sept. 13, won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player in 2001-02. The 5’11”, 182-pound native of Laval, Quebec, is a 12-year professional who spent the last two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. He was 28-21-3 with three shutouts, a 2.44 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in 2007-08, including a 21-13-2 record, a 2.24 GAA and a .919 save percentage in his last 37 starts.

2007-08 was indeed a rebound year for Theodore, but that’s also cause for concern for Caps’ fans. His has not been a career of model consistency, to put it charitably (he was run out of Montreal). In his previous two seasons, with Montreal and Colorado, Theodore put up sub-.900 save percentages and above 3.00 goals-against numbers. Perhaps more troubling is this: Avalanche Head Coach Joel Quenneville collapsed a trap around him this past season, almost certainly boosting his numbers.  

Disappointment over Huet’s departure should not necessarily draw savage criticism of General Manager George McPhee, who was poised today with a viable Plan B. According to the Washington Post’s Tarik El Bashir, the Caps met Huet’s demands of three years and $5 million per only to learn of his wish to test the proverbial waters, apparently with the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Tonight a stunned HockeyWashington, still in mid-summer swoon over so spectacular a 2007-08 season, has seen the sport’s best momentum here in 30-plus years come to a screeching halt.     

Today in D.C. there’s palpable disappointment surrounding the personnel outcome for the most important position on the ice. A beautiful bride has run off; left behind is her ok-looking bridesmaid.

Filed in Colorado Avalanche, Cristobal Huet, Free Agents, George McPhee, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (42)

Well His Name Isn’t Gary Fretman

By The OFB Team
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The NHL ownership scandals continue; and it’s beyond Boots Del Baggio and his shady tactics for buying the Nashville Predators . . . Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli has pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities. Gary Bettman seemed unperturbed:

“The Samuelis have been terrific owners. They’re perhaps the most community-minded and charitable people in all of Orange County,” Bettman said. “I am not going to fret about something that may or may not be substantiated at the end of the day.”

Read all about it at The Star.

Filed in Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, National Hockey League| Permalink| Comments (3)

First-Round Flops Over the Years

By pucksandbooks
Friday, June 20, 2008

No team can get it right in round one every year, even drafting very high. And at times all teams get it really wrong then. A survey such as this is a powerful reminder of the crapshoot that is selecting 18-year-old hockey players. However, it is also an invitation for fans to react with, “What the *@^* were you thinking?”

I’ve included picks made by the Whale with those of the Hurricanes, and of those made by the Nordiques in association with Colorado, to even out the survey period. No need however to add Winnipeg to Phoenix’s draft woes — the Desert Dogs know how to screw the draft pooch up high all on their own. Take a look:

Team Player Picked Comment Studs Selected After
Anaheim Stanislav Chistov (5th, 2001) The ‘07 Cup win offers serious salve for the Stanislav screwup Mike Komisarek, Pascal Leclaire, R.J. Umberger, Ales Hemsky, Mike Cammalleri
Atlanta Patrick Stefan (no.1, 1999) The ‘99 harvest wasn’t swell to be sure, but this still is a serious stinker The Sedin twins, Martin Havlat
Boston Lars Jonsson (7th, 2000) A good recipe for Swedish meatballs would have delivered more Brooks Orpik, Alexander Frolov, Anton Volchenkov, Niklas Kronvall
Buffalo Shawn Anderson, (5th, 1986) This was a Shawn of the Dead selection Vincent Damphousse, Brian Leetch, Craig Janney, Teppo Numminen
Calgary Bryan Deasley (19th, 1987) The Flames’ no. 1 from ‘86, George Pelawa, died in a motorcycle crash that summer, making this a two-year strikeout stretch John LaClair, Eric Desjardins, Mathieu Schneider, Stephane Matteau
Carolina/Hartford Fred Arthur (8th, 1980) No relation to Bea Arthur, except in NHL impact Paul Coffey, Brent Sutter, Craig Ludwig, Steve Larmer, Andy Moog, Jari Kurri
Chicago Tony Tanti (12th, 1981) Wirtz maybe thought he’d sign cheap? Al MacInnis, Chris Chelios, Mike Vernon, John Vanbiesbrouck
Colorado/Quebec Aniel Dore (5th, 1988) Who doesn’t own an Aniel Dore Nordiques’ sweater? Jeremy Roenick, Teemu Selanne, Rob Blake, Rod Brind’Amour, Martin Gelinas
Columbus Alexander Picard (8th, 2004) Inspector Clousseau isn’t going to look into this pick — he made it Alexander Radulov, Drew Stafford, Andrej Meszaros, Wojtek Wolski
Dallas Jason Bacashihua (26th, 2001) Played with the ECHL’s Johnston Chiefs in ‘07-08, which for a first-rounder seven years after being drafted is a fairly moderate pace of development Derek Roy, Fedor Tyutin, Mike Cammalleri, Jason Pominville, Dave Steckel
Detroit Shawn Burr (7th, 1984) I thought briefly of exluding the Wings from this exercise, they draft so well, and you have to go back a bit to find a serious screwup Shane Corson, Sylvain Cote, Gary Roberts, Kevin Hatcher, Scott Mellanby
Edmonton Marc-Antoine Pouliot (22nd, 2003) Overlooked this scouting report by the rest of the league: “Thin, weak, won’t hit or backcheck or play in traffic. Other than that, he’s dandy.” Mike Richards, Corey Perry, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Carle
Florida Petr Taticek (9th, 2002) Why no postseasons in Sunrise, Cats’ fans ask? Look at this pick Alexander Semin, Chris Higgins, Alexander Steen, Cam Ward
Los Angeles Wally McBean (4th, 1987) Not a new lunch item at MickeyD’s Joe Sakic, Andrew Cassels, Mathieu Schneider, Luke Richardson
Minnesota (Wild/Stars) Brian Lawton (no. 1, 1983) The bridesmaid to Daigle Pat LaFontaine, Steve Yzerman, Tom Barrasso, Cam Neely
Montreal Terry Ryan (8th, 1995) Terry Hatcher would have looked better here Jarome Iginla, J.S. Giguere, Petr Sykora, Martin Biron
Nashville Brian Finley (6th, 1999) The day the music stopped in Honkeytonkville Barret Jackman, Martin Havlat, Mike Commodore, David Tanabe
New Jersey Adrian Foster (28th, 2001) Yo, Adrian! Legend has it that Foster wasn’t even on other teams’ lists — anywhere! Fedor Tyutin, Mike Cammalleri, Peter Budaj, Ray Emery, Patrick Sharp
NY Islanders Dave Chyzowski (2nd, 1989) Can’t blame Mad Mike for this one — he didn’t arrive until ‘95 Bill Guerin, Pavel Bure, Olaf Kolzig, Stu Barnes
NY Rangers Hugh Jessiman (12th, 2003) Hughe mistake! Brent Seabrook, Steve Bernier, Zach Parise, Ryan Getzlaf
Ottawa Alexander Daigle (no. 1, 1993) The Mother of all Misses; to “Daigle” in round one is every GM’s nightmare Chris Pronger, Paul Kariya, Todd Bertuzzi, Brendan Witt, Adam Deadmarsh
Philadelphia Claude Boivin (14th, 1988) Philly does real well in the first round; this year, not so much Rob Blake, Alexander Mogilny, Tony Amonte, Bret Hedican, Tie Domi
Phoenix Blake Wheeler ( 5th, 2004) Wheeler of misfortune; think Gretz & co. reached here? Rostislav Olesz, Alexander Radulov, Drew Stafford, Wojtek Wolski
Pittsburgh Zarley Zalapski (4th, 1980) ZZ FlopTop and agonizing alliteration Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Steve Larmer, Craig Ludwig, Brent Sutter
San Jose Pat Falloon (2nd, 1991) Plus, Pat had to don that original San Jose teal sweater on the ‘91 draft stage Scott Niedermayer, Peter Forsberg, Martin Lapointe, Brian Rolston, Alexei Kovalev
St. Louis Perry Turnbull (2nd, 1979) 188 goals in an NHL career is nothing to snicker at, but methinks Ray Bourque would have helped out more Ray Bourque, Mike Gartner, Brian Propp, Kevin Lowe
Tampa Alexander Svitov (3rd, 2001) Tampa (Nikita Alexeev) hasn’t exactly struck Lightning with first-round Russians Pascal Leclaire, Alex Hemsky, R.J. Umberger, Shaone Morrisonn
Toronto Gary Nylund (3rd, 1982) This is the stuff of Cup droughts Scott Stevens, Phil Housley, Dave Andreychuk, Doug Gilmour
Vancouver Jere Gillis (4th, 1978) The Canucks have no home-grown Hall of Famers, including Gillis Mark Napier, Don Maloney, Doug Wilson, Bengt Gustafsson
Washington Greg Joly ( no.1, 1974) Good Golly what a stinker! “The next Bobby Orr” it was said of Joly in ‘74. Umm, not so much. Clark Gillies, Pierre Larouche, Bryan Trottier, Doug Riesbrough
Filed in Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, DraftGeek, Edmonton Oilers, Entry Draft, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (4)

Father’s Day Lesson for the Sports Junkie

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Monday, June 16, 2008

ESPN writer (and Detroit Red Wings fan, and general sports addict) LZ Granderson wrangles with his 11-year-old son’s request to stop playing organized sports. Not directly hockey-related, but a thoughtful article worth checking out here.

Filed in Detroit Red Wings, ESPN| Permalink| Comments (1)

A Facelift for Hockey in Portland, Maine

By pucksandbooks
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Buffalo Sabres today announced a brand new American League affiliation, in Portland, Maine, with the Pirates. Such news generally doesn’t catch the OFB eye, but in this instance, the affiliate happens to be in one of our favorite towns, one we’ve blogged from before.

Portland of course was recently the affiliate for the Caps; in fact, the Caps’ American League affiliation in Portland began when the Baltimore Skipjacks departed Charm City for Portland in 1993, carrying with them the Caps’ affiliation. And it’s where Kevin Kaminski’s sweater is retired. It’s also the home of the best breakfast in all of New England, Becky’s. It ain’t a bad bar town, either: the motto at Bull Feeney’s is “Thirst is a shameless disease, so here’s to a shameful cure.”

After the Caps severed ties with the Pirates following the 2004-05 season, the Anaheim Ducks shipped their prospects all the way across the country to the quaint Maine metropolis. That was obviously impractical, and Anaheim will affiliate with the Iowa Stars beginning next season.

Earlier this year there was serious concern that pro hockey would depart Portland, as the Pirates’ arena ain’t exactly contemporary or state of the art. (But it has a lot of relic charm.) Last year the city authorized a $175,000 study to renovate Cumberland County Civic Center, the Pirates’ home.

“Modern multi-purpose venues dwarf the building in both capacity and amenities,” a Portland Press Herald story on renovation plans understates. Political support appears to exist for a substantial renovation of the building; one wouldn’t imagine the Sabres entering into a long-term affiliation with the city otherwise.

The Sabres’ agreement with the Pirates ensures that there will be an American League presence there through 2010-11, and the Sabres have an option to extend the affiliation two years beyond that.  

Filed in Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Former Coaches & Players, Hockey Towns, Kevin Kaminski, Minor Pro Hockey, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (0)

It’s Time To Realign and Bring Back the Heat Among Hated Rivals

By pucksandbooks
Monday, June 9, 2008

I have six principles guiding a much-needed, rigorous realignment of NHL teams for the 2009-10 season. They are:

(1) There is widespread support among general managers, owners, players, media, the presidential candidates, and hockey fans to have the Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby rivalry, such as it is, coronated formally in a largely reconstituted Patrick division. In so doing, one of the league’s fiercest set of division rivals would be getting back to hating one another nightly as they should. April’s Washington-Philadelphia seven-gamer offered a powerful reminder of the Patrick’s lasting legacy. This would also right the grievous wrong the league perpetrated on the Capitals a decade ago in removing them from one of sports’ best divisions.

(2) Expansion — to 32 teams — is inevitable. The revenues the league has enjoyed in three successive post-lockout seasons indicate it. My new-look league, initially unbalanced by 16 teams in one conference and 14 in the other, is perfectly structured to accommodate the new arrivals. This inevitable expansion is virtually certain to be located out West, be it in Houston, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Seattle, Portland, or Winnipeg.

(3) Geographic region names for divisions and conferences are for sucks. They are characterless. The NHL had it right pre-Bettman, honoring the game’s builders by affiliating their names with individual divisions, and just as importantly, the league’s gained nothing by vanilla-ing their identity away from it. So Norris, Patrick and Smythe are returned. But in a tip of the hat to the new, the two conferences aren’t rigidly structured by East and West and instead are designated under perhaps the two greatest player names in hockey history: Howe and Orr.

(4) There is something unrivaled in all of professional sports with the cache of the NHL’s Original Six teams, and so those six clubs, housed together for the first time since pre-’67, become the centerpiece of my alignment overhaul.

(5) Forever has Detroit wanted to move to an Eastern time zone conference affiliation, and with this overhaul the Wings will.

(6) A largely balanced schedule is in the best interest of the sport. There would be home and aways with every team in the league, every season. That would mean about 50 games out of your division and about 30 within. The majority of games within conference. This seems about right. Everybody sees Sidney, everybody sees Alex, everybody gets to see every star every season. Out of principle. What has been in place under Bettman has bred numbing repetition and indifference, and indefensible geographic isolation.

Other Benefits. Mercifully, the NASCAR division — since it can’t be uniformly euthanized — is coherently structured with Washington’s removal and Nashville’s addition. A half dozen genuinely hate-based rivalries of today, in a 30-team league, would be doubled or even tripled in this new configuration. The Patrick and Original Six divisions would likely play their division foes to near 100 percent attendance capacity each night, every season. The addition of a team in Las Vegas — a Sin City locale for a league full of sin on every shift — would create instant buzz generally and especially pizzaz within a West-configurated division named after Foster Hewitt.

This realignment would be executed in time for the 2009-10 season, with the Orr and Howe conferences unbalanced in number of teams for a year or two to allow time to expand in two more markets, both of which would join the Howe conference.

We can quibble on the reorienting of one or three specific franchises, but the heart of this matter is getting Sid and Alex and the Atlantic region reconfigured together, Detroit appropriately accommodated to a largely Eastern schedule, inevitable expansion seamlessly slotted in, and the Original Six ascending to a perch known by no other division in the entirety of the professional sports landscape.

Orr Conference
Patrick Division Original Six Norris Division
Washington Boston Atlanta
New Jersey Chicago Carolina
NY Islanders Detroit Florida
Philadelphia Montreal Nashville
Pittsburgh NY Rangers Tampa
Toronto
Howe Conference
Adams Division Smythe Division Hewitt Division
Buffalo Calgary Anaheim
Columbus Colorado (Las Vegas)
Minnesota Dallas Los Angeles
Ottawa Edmonton Phoenix
St. Louis (Houston) San Jose
Vancouver
Filed in Conferences, Eastern Conference, Gary Bettman, Hockey Legends, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals, Western Conference| Permalink| Comments (31)

Wilson to Toronto a Done Deal?

By The OFB Team
Monday, June 9, 2008

According to a CBC report, former Capitals coach Ron Wilson will be announced the next Toronto Maple Leafs coach on Tuesday, assuming there are no last minute issues. The contract is reported to be a four year deal for $5.6-million, plus incentives. In more than 1,000 games, Wilson’s coaching record is 518-446-127 with stops in Anaheim, Washington, and San Jose.

Filed in Anaheim Ducks, Ron Wilson, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (0)

A Tradition That Ought To Lose Its Legs

By pucksandbooks
Thursday, June 5, 2008

I’m octpoi-ed out. Have had it with those Motor City slimers and the slime tosses of them. They wash up on our frozen shores whenever the Wings make a nice run, and sometimes before, and it’s an outdated tradition that is best retired.

They’re about the ugliest of sea creatures, and they’ve taken hold of postseason hockey — moreso this year than in any preceding. Thousands of tentacles, real and representative, are hanging from puckhead heads in the Midwest. I want our seas over-fished of them, their numbers imperiled, and the relevant government agency to enforce a ban on them in Detroit.

All we need is some pseudo study suggesting their numbers are diminishing, and our hyper-protective preservation instincts will halt the on-ice hurling. Better still, let’s have a single young girl suffer a bruise about her cheek from a mis-tossed cephalopod and the NHL will install Octo-detetctors at every portal.

Beginning next season, I’d like Wings’ fans to begin wearing hubcaps on their heads, as a demonstration of their renewed commitment to making a good domestic car again. They’re overdue on that endeavor by about 30 years. So less slimy, grotesque-looking fish and more reliable revving in MoTown. That would be a nice tradition that would never grow outdated.

I confess that back in the day, the octopus’ appearance was fresh and inventive. The beast first appeared on frozen pond in 1952, during the playoffs. In those Original Six days, a mere eight postseason wins were required to win Lord Stanley’s Cup, and the cephalopod was a nifty and novel representation of this. Today, though, we see eight legs hanging from embarrassing looking ballcaps in the first round.

Look at “Octopus Etiquette” in hockey as rendered at Wikipedia:

” . . . an octopus should be boiled for at least 20 minutes on high heat with a little lemon juice and white wine. This will mask the creature’s odor as well as reducing the amount of slime. A raw dead thrown octopus would result in a smelly ball that would stick to the ice upon impact and possibly leave an inky stain, while a well-boiled octopus will bounce and roll across the surface of the ice.”

Where’s PETA?

A decade-plus back, the Florida Panthers adopted a locker room rat as a sort of rally rat. The story goes that on opening night in ‘95-’96, a long-tailed critter scurried across the ‘Cats’ locker room, and Scott Mellanby actually one-timed the intruder against a wall, to its death. He went on to score two goals that night, and a tradition was born. Cats’ fans got into the act during the team’s unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Finals, hurling plastic rats onto the ice after home team goals throughout the postseason.

At one point during the ‘96 postseason, Sunrise staff had to sweep up more than 2,000 rubber rats off the ice. (Would that they were dispensed upon Verizon Center’s sheet for Game 7 last month, thereby improving it.)

It was novel and mildly amusing for about three weeks. And to their credit, perhaps because it was enforced with vigor, Panthers’ fans halted the hijinx. It also helped that virtually immediately after that postseason the ‘Cats perpetually fell out of postseason contention.

But this octopus gig, it’s got a staying power, and it’s beyond well worn now — to say nothing of its outdatedness and inaccuracy. Wings’ fans need a representative of 16 significant moments. Like an Elizabeth Taylor wedding invitation.

As OrderedChaos pointed out, “Did you notice that someone threw an octopus on the ice when the Wings scored their second goal to tie it at 2-2 in game 5? Talk about premature octopulation.” This practice is so Vanilla Ice now.

Euthanizing the octopus will be no easy endeavor, as ridding the ice of the literal eight-leggers means killing off the figurative one — Al the Octopus. But we euthanized the San Diego Chicken, and he was a heck of a lot more popular.

Filed in Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Hockey Rituals, National Hockey League, Senseless Cephalopod use, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (8)

Ice Can Be Nice in June

By The OFB Team
Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Last night’s game 5 was easily the best game of these Stanley Cup Finals, and perhaps the best finals game in years. Near the top of NBC’s broadcast, did you catch play-by-play pro Mike Emerick’s referencing the temperature of Joe Louis Arena’s ice sheet? 

A frosty eight degrees.

That’s about 12 degrees colder than is standard for an NHL sheet. It was warm outside in Detroit yestersday, and Joe Louis staff knew they’d be working with a full house. So they over-refrigerated the sheet to ensure quality as long as possible.

The play for much of last night’s game was fast and crisp, with passes remaining rather flat on the ice for nearly all of regulation play. In fact, Detroit’s best period was the third, when the puck seemed afixed to red Wing stick blades in the Pittsburgh zone. As the temperature in the rink over the course of the multi-overtime game rose, the ice sheet’s quality deteriorated, as it should have. But Joe Louis staff and the Red Wings organization offered the entire hockey world a powerful exhibition of what can be done with ice hockey in summer and a rink heated high by packed-in bodies.  

Filed in Detroit Red Wings, Hockey Rinks, Ice, Stanley Cup Playoffs| Permalink| Comments (2)

On the Stanley Cup Road, It’s No HoJo Lodging for the Wings

By pucksandbooks
Tuesday, June 3, 2008

One reason the Red Wings may not be terribly disappointed to play Game 6: a potential return to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, “one of only 21 hotels and resorts in the world to host AAA Five-Diamond lodging and dining.” The team took up residence there last week, for Games 3 and 4 in Pittsburgh. And thanks in part to Gary Bettman’s postseason scheduling, the Wings enjoyed an unhurried stay.

If it was the Wings’ mission to get away from the distractions of downtown Pittsburgh (such as they exist), they’d have a tough time bettering themselves than in Nemacolin’s isolated pampering. The resort, located about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh, is situated on 3,000 acres, features its own private airfield, a Pete Dye-designed golf course, and black bear and buffalo roaming about the property. Rooms at Nemacolin can fetch $700 a night. At that rate, Mike Babcock’s crew, you’d think, was highly unlikely to encounter the typical Penguins ruffian-fan, and in point of fact the resort enforces a strict prohibition against extreme mullets.  

In an interesting irony, Nemacolin is the official resort of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Be fun to know if the Wings selected the site as a thumb in the nose of their Finals foes or if the Pens actually had a recommending hand in selecting it for the visitors.

Among the guests late last week at the resort was a contingent of Washington lobbyists, a few of whom read OFB.

“I was checking in and all of a sudden I see a stream of hockey players line up behind me,” one told me. “I knew it was Detroit because each player had ‘Red Wings’ on his bag.”

“What was so funny was for the rest of the time we were there when we’d ask about the Red Wings everyone on staff would reply ‘What hockey players?’ They were in button-lipped mode alright.”

Filed in Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup Playoffs| Permalink| Comments (2)

The NHL in Kansas City This Autumn

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Friday, May 30, 2008

A pre-sale is occurring right now (through 10:00 p.m. Central) for the first NHL game at Kansas City’s Sprint Center arena.

Of course, it’s a pre-season game on September 22 between the Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues, so it’s not like KC is getting its own hockey team . . . yet.

Whether via relocation or expansion, Kansas City, Missouri, remains near the top of the NHL’s short list for franchise consideration. Back in October we discussed the feasibility of an NHL team in Kansas City, in the context of a possible new home for the Predators. This exhibition game seems to be the NHL’s way of dipping their big toe in the KC water once again, to see if the temperature is right for hockey there.

Filed in Gary Bettman, Hockey Towns, Nashville Predators, National Hockey League| Permalink| Comments (8)

On Outdoor Puck, the NHL Says Chicago Is Its Kind of Town

By The OFB Team
Thursday, May 29, 2008

TSN is reporting today that the NHL has decided that its next outdoor, regular season game will take place in Chicago, between the ‘Hawks and Red Wings, next season:

“TSN has confirmed that the Chicago Blackhawks will take on the Detroit Red Wings next January in what has become the league’s annual outdoor game.”

Could the game be on any day but New Years next January?

It’s the very city — and the identical two Original Six teams — we suggested just a couple of weeks ago.

Interestingly, Soldier Field is only one possible site in the Windy City for Winter Classic II. The other is Wrigley Field.  

Filed in Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Hockey Rinks, Hockey Towns, Hockey Weather, Old Time Hockey, Pond Hockey, Winter Classic II| Permalink| Comments (5)

Bucci Gets a Little Overexcited

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Thursday, May 29, 2008

1980 = 2008? Nope.In his latest bout of Penguin love (hmm, I suppose that phrase could generate some non-traditional search hits), ESPN columnist and host John Buccigross drew some questionable comparisons, including the “almost joyless” Detroit Red Wings’ resemblence to the 1980 Soviet Red Army team, and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ potentially miraculous victory potential. Here’s the excerpt that boiled my blood:

If the Penguins are somehow able to win these finals, dubbing it “Miracle on Ice 2″ would not be hyperbole.

What a ridiculous statement. 1980’s Team USA were huge underdogs — a team filled with college kids rather than first-round NHL talent. Practically no one picked them to medal, let alone win the Gold, and certainly nobody other than Coach Brooks and his team thought they could beat the Soviets.

In 2008, many people picked the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup, including Buccigross. Perhaps the Pens were slight underdogs to the Wings; it’s also true that a Cup-clinching comeback from their 0-2 start would be impressive indeed.

But even if the Penguins manage to win the Cup this year, calling it “Miracle on Ice 2″ would be more than just hyperbole; it would be a joke, a travesty, something blurted by a die-hard homer rather than someone who actually follows and respects the sport. Buccigross, one would think, should know better.

Filed in Detroit Red Wings, ESPN, John Buccigross, Pittsburgh Penguins| Permalink| Comments (16)
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