Nail Yakupov Celebrations Rant

Alright, I'm growing a bit tired of all the criticism that Nail Yakupov is getting for his goal celebrations. The first-overall draft pick has 4 goals in 6 games this season, and two of them have been the center of controversy because of what's taken place after.

Yakupov's stick says warrior. His weapon
of choice in war? The nail gun.

The first one that got a bunch of people in a stir was his second NHL goal in the Oiler's game against the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. Let's briefly review the event of this game. Kings forward Jeff Carter scores a beauty to take a 1-0 lead over Edmonton in the second period. The Oilers battled back and tied the game with just over a minute to go, but the goal was waved off for goalie interference. Which was the correct call, by the way. The fans at Rexall place were outraged, and began to chant, shake the boards and litter the ice. After nearly ten minutes of the game being delayed, the puck was dropped again. Edmonton pulled their goalie. Down to the final ten seconds, and Jonathan Quick makes a blocker save. The rebound pops to Nail Yakupov who bats it out of the air and into the net to tie the game. The place went ape-shit, and so did he. He exploded down the ice with a burst of energy and slid on his knees through the neutral zone. Just two games into his NHL career, and he scored a huge goal that will be remembered for a long time by the fans. The Oilers went on to win the game in overtime.

Nail Yakupov: 1
Miserable fanless office workers: 0

Right away, his celebration was criticized by what I assume to be four main groups of people. Kings fans, baseball fans, basketball fans and dumbasses. Obviously the Kings fans that criticize Yakupov are just bitter because they got embarrassed, so they need to find something bitch about. Somewhat understandable. Baseball fans complain about the celebration because their sport and its players are so unbelievably boring that there's really never anything to get that excited about during the ridiculously long and stagnant regular season. Or they're just mad that you cannot slide nearly as far in dirt as you can ice. In basketball, each team scores about 40 seemingly insignificant baskets throughout the course of the game, so it's understandable that they can't grasp why someone would celebrate so extensively for one goal. Finally, the dumbasses all say the same thing, and it goes something like this: "Act like you've scored before. You're a professional, and scoring is your job." True, it is the job of a hockey forward to score goals. But the difference between their job and yours is that you don't have 18,000 people that jump up and scream your name every time you equate the balance sheet of a company no one's ever heard of.

Seriously people, show a little excitement in your life. If you had watched the full game, you would have understood how exciting that goal was at the time, given the events leading to it. "He put the spot light on himself, very selfish."  Give the kid a break; it's his second game in the league, and he scored the kind of goal that most players only dream of. He was having fun and showing his passion for the game. Then some bitter sports fans complain because he "acted childish". Would you rather all hockey players who score a game-tying goal in the waning moments of a game just skate to the bench and sit there like it didn't matter? No, you moron! You want your players to be just as excited as you are, because it shows they actually care. And if you're not excited, then I don't know what you're watching the sport for.

Derek Morris registering his only 'shot'
of the game. Nail Yakupov's unbelievably
over the top completely unnecessary excessive
celebrating, clearly and explicitly on display
in this picture, justifies the forth-coming
superman punch from Morris.

Fast forward to Nail's fourth NHL goal. (This comes after the empty-netter he scored, followed by no celebration at all, effectively debunking every claim that he excessively celebrates when it isn't necessary.) His fourth was an overtime game winner that bared striking resemblance to the game-tier against Los Angeles. This time, Nail whacked it in out of mid air as he was moving towards the net. He stopped behind the net after scoring and called his teammates to him to celebrate. Close to the celebration, Phoenix defenseman Derek Morris was complaining to the refs for a non-existent hand-pass, and on his way to the celebration, Edmonton defenseman Ryan Whitney said something to Morris, the two bumped each other, and Morris immediately began swinging hooks at Whitney. A scrum ensued but was quickly dispersed. Yakupov was blamed by the commentators for the whole thing, and by extension, the people who listen to the commentators, who clearly lacked a firm grasp of the obvious, as Doc Emrick would say.

The whole controversy surrounding Nail Yakupov's celebrations is nothing but buffoonery of the highest order. I hope that when he scores his next goal, he lights the end of his stick on fire and burns his name onto the boards right in front of the opposing teams bench, all while wearing sunglasses that he inconspicuously hid in his red-hot gloves which read "Get Nailed."

Photo credits: AP Photos/The Canadien Press, Jason Franson, blogs.plos.org, Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc./Corbis, AP Photos/Ross D. Franklin

2013 Power Rankings: Week 1

In a season that almost didn't happen, it's hard to believe we have a full week in the books. And wow, what a week it was. 72 games of highlight-reel moments and non-stop excitement. With only a few games under each team's belts, and the uncertainty with which many teams performances have been fluctuating, ranking all 30 teams from best to worst is a difficult task. I like difficult tasks.

1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 6-0-0
In a tightly contested top three, the Blackhawks reign superior. They've played a grueling six games in a span of nine days, and won them all, beating a few division rivals along the way. Chicago's top forwards are off to an impressive start, but they wouldn't be here without their depth, defensive contributions and solid goaltending from Cory Crawford.

2. San Jose Sharks . . . 5-0-0
Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton.

3. St. Louis Blues . . . 5-1-0
The Blues have come out of the gate strong, with every part of their team performing well. Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko hasn't wasted any time putting together his highlight reel. The reason this team is playing so well is their young energy, and unbelievable scoring balance, reminiscent of last year's Boston Bruins. The goalie tandem has been holding down the fort, but it's Jaroslav Halak that's been stealing the show early, sporting a 1.69 GAA.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 4-1-0
Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos are back to their usual antics, and things are clicking so far for a Tampa team that's averaging nearly 5 goals per game. Look for Garon to challenge Lindback for the starting position in net.

5. Boston Bruins . . . 3-0-1
Boston's been a tough team to play against, and they've given the Rangers some headaches in this early stretch of the season. Tuukka Rask looks promising in net and the offensive balance on this team is still mind-boggling. No player has more than 3 points for this team, and they've yet to lose a game in regulation. Impressive.

6. New Jersey Devils . . . 3-0-1
Last season's Stanley Cup finalists entered this season with a lot of doubts, especially with the loss of Zach Parise. This team refuses to fold over and quit though. A week into the season, they find themselves in comfortable position through good team efforts and consistent goaltending from the ageless Martin Brodeur.

7. Winnipeg Jets . . . 3-1-1
After dropping the first game of the season, the Jets gave Boston a run for their money, and have since been one of the best teams in the league. Two defensemen, Enstrom and Byfuglien, lead the team in points, but the top forwards aren't far behind. Goalie Ondrej Pavelec is off to a sharp start with a .932 save percentage.

8. Montreal Canadiens . . . 3-1-0
Montreal's teamwork and conscious defensive play have paid dividends early. They've picked up three impressive wins after losing a close one to Toronto on opening night. Carey Price and the boys are on a mission to prove last season was just a fluke, and they're getting off on the right foot.

9. Ottawa Senators . . . 3-1-1
This team got off to a snappy start, and Craig Anderson has been nothing short of brilliant between the pipes. However, two of their three wins came against the Panthers, they've dropped their last two decisions and they've yet to play a division rival. It's hard to tell if this team is the real deal yet.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 3-2-0
Although this team isn't turning any heads offensively, a couple division victories and getting on the winning side early puts this high-powered team in the top ten at the end of week 1.

11. Dallas Stars . . . 2-2-1
This team's played better than their record indicates. After picking up a couple wins, they've lost two very close games to two of the top three ranked teams. The goaltending's been solid, but the offensive production's been a bit slow. Now that Jamie Benn is back in the line-up, expect the offensive output to pick up.

12. Anaheim Ducks . . . 3-1-0
This group has three wins in four games, but they still have problems. Daniel Winnik's 5 goals have come in handy as the rest of the Duck's high-powered offense has been average. The goaltending doesn't look to be at a level that can sustain a playoff-worthy record for the duration of the season.

13. New York Islanders . . . 2-2-1
The Islanders have put up some good fights in their first week of games, and have been able to squeeze some points out of them. Their offense has been impressive, and this is one of the deepest Islander teams we've seen in a while. The goaltending needs to improve though. (Yeah, shocker right?)

14. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 2-2-0
After a shaky start, these guys seem to have found their game with two good wins over the Buffalo Sabres. A flurry of upcoming games in the Northeast should show more of what this team is made of.

15. Colorado Avalanche . . . 2-2-0
Although they were blanked in their last game against San Jose, a 4-0 win against the new-look Blue Jackets and a 3-1 win over the Stanley Cup champs lead me to believe this team may have the makings to make a strong push for the playoffs.

16. Minnesota Wild . . . 2-2-1
This team's big three forwards are off to a quick start, however top defenseman Ryan Suter is a -5 on the year so far, and the goaltending has been average at best. In their last 3 games, Minnesota's only picked up 1 point.

17. New York Rangers . . . 2-3-0
The Rangers have played a few dismal games in this young season and are surprisingly low after one week. However, the top line is connecting and the team's won two of their last three.

18. Edmonton Oilers . . . 2-2-0
These guys have picked up a couple of huge wins against Los Angeles and Vancouver thusfar, but haven't been able to string a couple wins together. The young guns are off to a good start for Edmonton, but the whole team is going to have to step up their game a bit if they want to contend for a playoff spot.

19. Vancouver Canucks . . . 2-2-1
Only two wins in five games for one of last season's top teams. They've lost by some pretty big margins already this season, and with injuries and goaltending questions, the Canucks don't look to be in great shape to repeat as President's Trophy winners.

20. Detroit Red Wings . . . 2-2-1
Detroit opened the season by losing to the Blues 6-0 and just narrowly beating Columbus. Since then, they've won 1 game out of their last 3, and don't appear to be the same team without Lidstrom on the back end.

21. Nashville Predators . . . 1-1-3
Sure, they've only picked up 1 win in 5 games, but they've also managed 5 points. These guys haven't been getting blown out, they just seem to like shootouts. Unfortunately  they aren't very good at them. What they are good at is defense, so if they can add just a bit more scoring, they'll start to win some more 60 minute games.

22. Buffalo Sabres . . . 2-3-0
They won their first two but have since lost three straight. On the bright side though, their top forwards are off to quick starts, and Ryan Miller's been playing excellent between the pipes.

23. Los Angeles Kings . . . 1-2-1
Goal scoring was a major problem for the Kings last season, and it continues to be this year. Goalie Jonathan Quick hasn't bee up to par with his Vezina-candidate performance last season either. However, the team has 3 points in their last 4 games.

24. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 2-3-0
Phil Kessel's gotten off to an unusually slow start, and it's hurt his struggling team lately. After an impressive win against the Penguins, Toronto was lit up for 7 goals against the Islanders and 5 in a match-up with the Rangers.

25. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 2-4-0
Philly's been a busy team with six games played already. Despite a huge 7-1 win over Florida, they've only got two wins on the season. Surprisingly, the problem has been the offense, and not Ilya Bryzgalov, who's been solid in net.

26. Calgary Flames . . . 1-2-1
The Flames only have one win in their first four games, despite having a good amount of scoring. They struggled keeping the puck out of their net early, but have played better against division rivals in their last two games.

27. Washington Capitals . . . 1-3-1
A lot of things have been going wrong in Washington, not the least of which being playoff hero Braden Holtby's 5.04 GAA to start the season. Ovechkin's 2 points thusfar are not even close to good enough. Joel Ward has stepped up and been arguably the best player on a team that started 0-3, but has 3 points in their last 4 games.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 1-3-1
There hasn't been nearly enough scoring going on in Columbus, and Steve Mason continues to disappoint in net. After winning their first game, the Jackets have only managed 1 point in their last 4 games.

29. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 1-4-0
So far, this has been one of the strongest teams offensively. Unfortunately, they've been the worst at the other end of the ice, and the awful goaltending numbers show it. This team's only win so far came against the Blue Jackets.

30. Florida Panthers . . . 1-4-0
After a convincing win on opening night, everything that can go wrong seemingly has. The Panthers are 0-4 since then, and have been outscored 18-3 during that stretch.


So that's it for week one. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why. Be sure to check back in next week to see the updated rankings.

Gomez to the Sharks: Good or Bad?

This pretty much sums up Gomez's stint in Montreal.

After a week or so of speculation as to which team center Scott Gomez would select, it appears as if he'll be calling San Jose his home for a while. He was bought out by the Montreal Canadiens not too long ago, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this season rather than next, as per a last minute adjustment to the compliance buyout guidelines. His time spent in Montreal can only be described as miserable compared to New York and New Jersey, but being bought out has released him from his bonds and given him the opportunity to prove he can still be a valuable contribution to a team. The Sharks are expected to sign a deal with him later today, which is likely to have a cap hit of around $1 per year.

San Jose was just one team among a list of many that had expressed interest in Scott Gomez. That list of at least six teams also included Phoenix, Carolina, Long Island, Anaheim, and New Jersey. Rumors that Chicago was in the mix also floated around for a bit. As time narrowed down, San Jose, Anaheim and New Jersey appeared to be among the most likely candidates. Some Devils fans were very excited at the prospect of getting their former all-star and Calder Memorial Trophy winner back, while others were less enthusiastic after seeing his breakdown of sorts in Montreal. Personally, I thought he would have been a great fit in New Jersey, a team that is somewhat lacking at the center position, especially with playoff hero Adam Henrique out for the first few weeks of the season. Gomez, however, was setting his sights on the Western Conference, eliminating New Jersey from the list too. It was reported that Gomez was spending much of his time with the Sharks organization, both in San Jose and travelling with the team. Once he began partaking in team practices too, it was all but official.

Scott Gomez reportedly scored two goals during his practice with
the Sharks, matching his total output in the 11-12 season with Montreal.

The Sharks will become Gomez's fourth team of his career, but how much does he really fit with them? Initially, I had the Sharks pretty low on the list of likely teams for Gomez to land himself on, particularly because of their depth at center. In my opinion, Gomez isn't worthy of being a first line center anymore, but I don't see why he can't be a reliable second/third line center. The Sharks, however, already have arguably the best top three centers in the league, being Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. Past that, they still have Michal Handzus and Andrew Desjardins. So where does Gomez fit in? At first glance, the obvious choice might be to simply move Joe Pavelski to the wing, where he's played a bit before, and leave Thornton and Couture at center. But the way I see it, Pavelski has been one of the team's top centers for 5-plus seasons. He's been putting up stellar numbers inside the circle consistently, where Gomez's have been average at best over recent years. Last season, out of all players who had taken 300 faceoffs or more, Pavelski ranked sixth best league-wide in faceoff win percentage. 500 faceoffs or more, he was third best. He seems to be the perfect second line center behind Thornton, and if it were up to me, that's exactly where he would stay. I'm not keen on moving young players out of their known positions either, so Couture stays at center too. Unfortunately, it's not up to me.

Joe Pavelski's name begins to crumble under the threat of
Scott Gomez usurping his position. The guy under the 'V'
doesn't look too happy about it.

The way this is falling into place, it seems the acquisition of Gomez may see Pavelski's time spent as a centerman drop significantly, which I believe isn't helping the team. The Sharks were already a team that, for the first time in a while, a lot of people considered more of a bubble team than a lock for the the playoffs. It's difficult to say how the addition of Gomez will affect that. The pessimist may say he's been awful the past couple years, and he'll be taking time away from the team's top centermen. The optimist would argue that by moving Pavelski to the wing, it gives Couture an opportunity to log some more center minutes, while adding overall depth to the team's forward position. Both viewpoints are viable, and both are likely possibilities.

Once Gomez is added as a regular fixture on the team, here's the minor changes I expect to take place. Look for Pavelski to be moved to more of a utility forward role, spending some time as both a first and second line winger, and taking faceoffs when necessary. The teams primary go-to centers will likely be Thornton on the first line, Couture on the second, Gomez on the third and Handzus bringing up the rear on line four. How do you like this line-up for the Sharks? Will Scott Gomez be able to come out of the slump he entered in Montreal and return to his former.. uhh.. form?

Photo credits: Associated Press, Kevin Kurz/San Jose Sharks, Sharkspage.com

Bernier to New Jersey? A Trade That Satisfies Everyone

I entertained the thought of writing a post centered around the Scott Gomez buy-out situation, but in all honesty, I don't really care about it. There isn't much to be written on the topic, other than explaining what's going on. This would require me to educate myself on both the old and new process of buy-outs in the NHL, but with all the stuff going on that's actually interesting, I really couldn't be bothered.

Nothing better than two hot girls fighting over a big stick, eh?

So instead, I've decided to talk about two of the most intriguing teams in the league, and make another prediction of sorts. The Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils treated hockey fans to another exciting Stanley Cup final. What made it so great is that it was perhaps the most unexpected match-up in Stanley Cup history. The eighth seed Kings beat the sixth seed Devils, who once again found their way to the finals, despite most of the "experts" tabbing them as bottom-dwellers before the season started. Believe it or not, I had actually picked the Kings and Devils as my Stanley Cup match-up before the season started, but for some reason switched my East pick to the Penguins come playoff bracket time. Actually, I'm on a two year streak, as I had also picked Vancouver and Boston during the 10-11 preseason. I don't remember my 09-10 picks, but I know is they weren't even close. Buffalo and Vancouver, I think..

Brodeur challenges Hedberg following a dispute
over who is older.

I digress. The reason I write about New Jersey and Los Angeles today is because I see a potential trade brewing. As everyone worries about Luongo, I'm even more interested in Jonathan Bernier, the goalie drafted in the first round who has found himself playing back-up to Jonathan Quick for the better part of three seasons. It's clear that Los Angeles is not a good fit for Bernier, and he's already stated himself that he would be better suited elsewhere. On the other side of the country, the other Stanley Cup finalist has two aging goalies that will be a combined 81 years old come May. As happy as Lou Lamoriello must be with that tandem of Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg, he has to also recognize that within a few years, he's going to have a serious goaltending dilemma on his hands. Jonathan Bernier offers perhaps the best opportunity that Lamoriello will have to obtain a reliable goalie for the post-Brodeur era. The only problem here seems to be that both Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg are signed through the '13-14 season, and both have no trade clauses. So if Lamoriello is to set his sights on Bernier, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of whether he should risk waiting until either Brodeur or Hedberg decide to hang up their skates, or ask one of them to wave their no-trade clause. You may say, "Well what if he does neither? Then he doesn't have to worry about being between a rock and a hard place." True, but if he does neither, then in two years time, the rock will be the  14th seed Montreal Canadiens, and the hard place will be the line under the fifteenth row of the conference standings.

Bernier spots his girlfriend in the crowd wearing a Quick jersey.

Despite Bernier's desire to move on from Los Angeles and get out from underneath Jonathan Quick's shadow, general manager Dean Lombardi has said he's not in any rush to move Bernier yet, saying how valuable a back up goalie is, especially with a condensed schedule. This gives the Devils a bit of leeway. However, I think waiting until the offseason to pursue Bernier would be too risky, especially with all the other teams who will be after him. The best thing I think Lamoriello can do is ask Johan Hedberg to waive his no-trade clause as the April 3 trade deadline approaches. This sets up a potential deal that would appeal to both sides. The Devils offer up Johan Hedberg, Andy Greene, and a second round draft pick. The Devils have a bit more defensive depth than do the Kings, and the Kings have a pretty complete offense, so adding a proven defenseman and a reliable back-up for Quick may be just what Lombardi is looking for. Obviously, Hedberg isn't getting any younger on the Kings either, but the second round draft pick gives Lombardi the opportunity to pick up a goalie to replace Hedberg if none of their current minor league goalies are tickling his fancy. In exchange, he gives up Jonathan Bernier and defenseman Davis Drewiskie (to minimize the extra cap inherited with Hedberg and Tallinder). This gives the Devils exactly what they need, which is a young and promising goalie. Bernier, drafted 11th overall in 2006, and just 24 years old, is exactly that. Also, it gives them back a bit of their defensive depth lost by trading away Tallinder. On the Kings end, they only add about $2,533,000 to their team's overall cap hit.

Jonathan Bernier becomes the first goalie to perform
a pad-stack save since the practice was outlawed
following the 2005 CBA.

This deal works out great for Bernier, too. Even though he would find himself playing a mostly back up role for the next year or two, he can take solace in the fact that the number one job will be all his as soon as Marty calls it a career, which can't be too far away. Brodeur is only signed through this season and the next, but has said that if he still feels good by the time his contract expires, there's a possibility he may sign for another year. To me, playing NHL level hockey seems easier said than done at age 42; just ask Dwayne Roloson. But to be fair, comparing Brodeur to Roloson is like comparing Breaking Bad to Lost. Yeah, Lost was good and all, but if you had to to stick Jack Sheppard or freakin' Heisenberg in your net, who would you pick?

Even if Brodeur does stick around until age 43 or beyond, I would imagine Bernier would be logging the bulk of the minutes by that point, or at the very least, the two would split the time. Plus, while he awaits that day, he'll have the chance to be mentored by arguably the best goalie that's ever played the game. Bernier has even shown the occasional flash of the 90s hybrid style of play, so him and Brodeur could be a good fit. All in all, this is a deal that benefits everyone, and may become a very real possibility in the near future.

In other news, college football player Manti Te'o's girlfriend was spotted at a Coyotes games this week:

Photo credits: Miss Universe Organization, Bruce Bennett/Getty Images, Jeff Gross/Getty Images, David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net, ciskie.blogspot.com

2013 Season Predictions

The time has come, ladies and gents. Hockey is upon us, and all across the United States and Canada, folks just like you and me are conjuring up their best projections for how they believe the season will play out. I'm particularly fond of predictions for three reasons:

1. I'm good at them.
2. After reading the "experts" make their awful predictions every year on NHL.com, it's impossible to not find myself compiling an over-extensive list of predictions that are actually realistic and don't pander to the majority.
3. There's always the incredibly miniscule possibility that I'll get every standing, score and stat correct one season, and in the process, not only become famous, but gain a following of worshipers who will look to me for hope and guidance, essentially making me a god. Aside from UNBELIEVABLY accurate predictions, I have a lot of other god-like qualities, such as the ability to count really high with my eyes closed, and the ability to continuously crack my jaw. But only on one side of my mouth.

My predictions for this shortened season are not as extensive as usual, because I had actually done my full predictions in August, just as the threat of a lockout was becoming serious. The hours I spent on my 1,000+ predictions and then the initiation of the lockout, negating my hard work, kind of turned me off from the whole thing. I adjusted many of my predictions, but most of them were just deleted. Now, without further ado, I present my official predictions for the 2013 National Hockey League season:

WARNING! SPOILER ALERT!

Standings:

1. Boston.............68       1. Los Angeles....65
2. New York........64       2. Vancouver......62
3. Washington.....59       3. Chicago...........61
4. Pittsburgh........62       4. St. Louis.........61
5. Buffalo.............56       5. Colorado.........58
6. Philadelphia....56        6. Dallas.............57
7. New Jersey.....55        7. Minnesota......54
8. Carolina..........54        8. Edmonton......53
9. Tampa Bay.....52        9. San Jose.........53
10. Ottawa..........50       10. Detroit...........51
11. Toronto.........48       11. Anaheim.......50
12. Long Island..48        12. Calgary.........47
13. Winnipeg......45        13. Nashville......44
14. Montreal.......41        14. Columbus.....42
15. Florida..........39        15. Phoenix........36

Point Leaders:

1. Claude Giroux.......62
2. Evgeni Malkin.......58
3. John Tavares..........55
4. Sidney Crosby......54
5. Steven Stamkos......52

GAA Leaders:

1. Jonathan Quick........1.94
2. Henrik Lundquist.....2.07
3. Tuukka Rask............2.10
4. Jaroslav Halak..........2.12
5. Semyon Varlomov...2.28

Wins:

1. Tuukka Rask...........27
2. Jonathan Quick.......25
3. Cory Crawford........25
4. Henrik Lundqvist....24
5. Kari Lehtonen.........23

Shutouts:

1. Henrik Lundqvist.....5
2. Jonathan Quick........5
3. Tuukka Rask............4
4. Jaroslav Halak..........4
5. Semyon Varlomov...4

Hart Trophy:

Claude Giroux
John Tavares
Steven Stamkos

Vezina Trophy:

Jonathan Quick
Tuukka Rask
Henrik Lundqvist

Calder Memorial Trophy:

Nail Yakapov
Chris Kreider
Justin Schultz

James Norris Trophy:

Zdeno Chara
Drew Daughty
Ryan McDonagh

Jack Adams Award:

John Tortorella
Darryl Sutter
Claude Julien

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:

Jason Pominville
Matt Moulson
Jordan Eberle

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:

Sidney Crosby
Josh Harding
Chris Pronger

GM of the Year:

Chuck Fletcher
Glen Sather
Jim Rutherford

NHL 14 Cover Athlete:
Henrik Lundqvist

Stanley Cup Match-Up:

St. Louis vs. New York

So that's pretty much how it's going to play out. Agree? Disagree? Want to know what led me to these particular picks? Leave a comment below!

Defending Kovalchuk and the KHL

"Nothing I can do. In Soviet Russia, contract signs you."

Okay, all this talk about Ilya Kovalchuk is a little ridiculous. The big news lately is that Kovalchuk wanted to stay in the KHL for the remainder of the season. As most Russian NHL players were on their way back to the states, Ilya made it quite apparent that he was in no rush to return right away. He expressed his loyalty to his team, SKA St. Petersburg, and his desire to remain in Russia to play in their all-star game and hopefully the rest of the season. This, of course, sparked a huge amount of controversy and unwarranted over-reactions.

The Kovalchukian quote that seems to have everyone in a tizzy is this statement from a couple days ago: "I want to stay in St. Petersburg, but I have contractual obligations in the NHL, which will be hard to break." Here in North America, many fans, particularly Devils fans, take personal offense to this statement. People like to look at this quote and right away come to a final determination that Kovalchuk doesn't like playing for the NHL or the Devils, wants to stay in Russia for the rest of his life, and is unloyal. Slow down, Devils fans. And over-zealous Ranger fans. And bitter Thrashers fans. Perhaps you missed the part where he said he wants to finish the season with SKA, not his career. Besides, when Kovy expressed his desire to remain in the KHL this season, the NHL's CBA was still not actually finalized. The players union had still yet to ratify it, so why should Kovalchuk be in such a rush to return to a state of uncertainty? Besides, he seems to be having a pretty good time in the motherland.


"I GOALED!  I GOALED!  I GOAL AGAIN!"

I understand the initial feelings that this statement alone may stir, but let's try to remain objective here, rather than condemning Kovy to a state of eternal damnation. Imagine you played in a league with a commissioner who told you that you can't play until you give him more money. So, you take your all-star resume to Russia's league instead, where you quickly find yourself captain and top-scorer of one of the best and most storied teams in that league. You've become a fan favorite. Then, several months into the season, the NHL calls and lets you know that they've settled and are ready to begin a half-season. But with half of an unbelievably successful season already under your belt in the KHL, not to mention a first-place position in the standings and an all-star game just a few days away, would you not want to stick around for a little longer? Hell, I'd want to break my contractual obligations too. But by "breaking contractual obligations", Kovy meant, "find a way to finish out the season with SKA before returning to New Jersey to honor my contract for the rest of my career."

"37 goals? That's nothin. I'm tellin ya, Ron here could
do better. The Russian are NOTHIN!"

Don Cherry, who has made his opinion of Russian hockey players quite apparent over the last few years, had a lot to say about the Kovalchuk situation too. He tweeted, (yes, tweeted), about how offended Lou Lamoriello and Devils fans should be about Kovy wanting to stay in Russia. He went on to attack his contract, saying it's too big for a guy who "only" scores 37 goals. He finished up by saying "I'm sorry to say Lou, he'll be back." Yes, Don. I'm sure Lou Lamoriello is just devastated that the NHL's 5th leading scorer last season will be back to play for him again.

The point is, people continually say that Kovalchuk's desire to finish the season in Russia shows that he is not loyal. I think it does exactly the opposite. He has played in a league (the NHL) that has clearly shown that it isn't loyal to it's players or fans, so why should he be loyal to that league? The NHL pushed him to Russia this season, where he doesn't want to disappoint thousands of fans and a hockey club that depends on him night in and night out to be the driving force behind their first place team. As far as loyalty is concerned, SKA is the team that Ilya Kovalchuk is loyal to this season. The fact that he had the balls to stand up and defend himself and his team earns him a ton of respect points in my book. The people who say they don't want him back because he is not loyal or not worth his contract are idiots.

Photo credits: RIA Novosti/Alexey Filippov, Steve Dangle, Bruce Mason

Luongo, Burke and Nonis Repeating History?

Feels nice to get back to talking hockey, eh? The lockout is finally over, but through the past few days, there has been an explosion of headlines and controversies, most of which seeming to gravitate towards Toronto.

Above: Toronto almost making the playoffs.

Nearly as soon as the lockout ended, the Roberto Luongo saga picked up right where it left off. Now if you ask me, Toronto is the one team in the league that is in the biggest need for a solidified starting goalie other than Long Island, but that goes without saying. By no surprise, there have been countless rumors of a possible deal being worked out that would ship Roberto to Toronto. Now I can't confirm or deny the legitimacy of these ripples, however, I am fairly certain that Luongo won't be a Canuck for much longer. He has even said himself that he is ready to move on, stating that he doesn't want to get in the way of young goalie Cory Schneider's ability to help the team and develop into a star. 

Rumors have also surfaced that Philadelphia is interested in acquiring Roberto Luongo, but such rumors have since been shot down by General Manager Paul Holmgren. I guess he realizes, like I do, how incredibly stupid it would be to add another goalie to a team that already has a starter and a capable back-up. *cough*Tebow*cough*. Now, it's probably not too much of an argument that Ilya Bryzgalov is better at his job than Mark Sanchez is at his, but for some reason, people insist on making Bryzgalov out to be the source of everything wrong in Philly. Which, there's really not too much wrong in Philly. 

Brian Burke, likely pissing someone off, while
almost making the playoffs.

For those of you who don't know, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired their general manager, Brian Burke, just a few days ago, replacing him with Dave Nonis. There has been speculation that this Lunogo business is one of the several factors that led to Brian Burke's demise. Some say Burke didn't want to pursue Luongo while the rest of the team's ownership did, and some say it was actually the other way around. At first glance, this leads me to believe that both ideas are bullshit, because their contradictory nature effectively cancels them out in my mind. Other popular theories as to why he was dismissed include his conflicting views with ownership, his occasional unprofessional manner, and his frequent disputes with media. Oh, and Toronto hasn't made the playoffs since the lockout. The 04-05 one..

The big question here is "why now?" What in the world made Toronto ownership wait until ten days before the start of a season to kick Brian Burke to the curb? Actually, now that I think about it, maybe it does make sense that he was against the whole Luongo thing. I'm sure Toronto doesn't want to enter an abbreviated season with a talented but inexperienced starter in James Reimer, and a back-up minder, Ben Scrivens, who you've probably never even heard of. Maybe Burke's supposed opposition towards a trade for Luongo was the final straw for an ownership that was already growing tired of him. With things getting frantic before the start of the season, perhaps Toronto's ownership and management are really pushing for Luongo, and the only way to get him now was to dump Burke.. now. 

Maybe I'm fishing a bit, but I think it's possible that Luongo could have played a pretty big role in the firing of Brian Burke. It will be a very interesting story to watch develop over the next few days, particularly because of this little fun fact I'm about to sprinkle on you. You know how they say history repeats itself? Well back in 2004, after Brian Burke was let go as general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, he was replaced by Dave Nonis, the same guy that just replaced him again on Toronto. And what is Dave Nonis most remembered for doing in Vancouver? Making a trade to acquire star goalie Roberto Luongo.

Dave Nonis, hell bent on repeating history, in
preparation to almost make the playoffs.

Photo credits: Steve Russell, Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images, Reuters/Mark Blinch