Snapshots: Life After Hockey, Fixing Detroit’s Power Play
The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc penned an insightful article about the post-hockey adjustments players make when their careers come to an end. For some, the years of abuse on the body take a toll mentally and physically, while for others, the completion of their career is a shock after a lifetime spent in hockey. Kuc profiled several former Blackhawks including Ben Eager, Daniel Carcillo, and Nick Boynton, all of whom have faced a mixture of different struggles after walking away from the sport. Boynton and Carcillo both faced dark thoughts, a combination of their careers ending and also from the damage inflicted after playing “hard nosed” hockey. Concussions, for all three players, certainly played a role in some of the “darkness” that all three players alluded to. All are involved with hockey after their professional careers–Carcillo and Eager both coaching youth hockey while Boynton is a radio analyst for the Arizona Coyotes. Carcillo also is the founder of Chapter 5, an organization designed to help former players transition into life after hockey.
- The Red Wings, who own the worst power play in hockey, are desperate to try anything–including the idea to give Steve Ott time on the man advantage. MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that the Wings are willing to do whatever it takes to wake their slumbering power play. The Red Wings have not scored a goal on the man advantage since October 19th, a span of 48 opportunities. Ott would replace Riley Sheahan, who has yet to score a goal this season, but the decision to replace the struggling Sheahan with a “grit-first” player in Ott seems counterproductive. Ott, who through 33 games has 4 points (2-2), was not signed for his goal scoring, and has on several occasions this season, taken penalties at inopportune times for Detroit. Ott did say that he realizes he isn’t the “answer.” From Khan:
The reason I would be there is to try to retrieve pucks and get pucks in the hands of players that make plays,” Ott said. “Sacrifice in front of the net, doing anything right now. We need to find ways to generate more momentum.”
Ott worked in with Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Tatar, Anthony Mantha and Niklas Kronwall. The other unit would replace defenseman Brendan Smith with speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou, who would join Gustav Nyquist at the point. Frans Nielsen, Dylan Larkin and Thomas Vanek would play up front. Meanwhile, Prashanth Iyer of Winging It In Motown broke down Detroit’s power play zone entry, and how it appears from a quantitative standpoint.
Centennial Classic Notes: New Start Time, Differing Expectations
Frank Seravalli tweets that due to a sun glare in Toronto, the Centennial Classic will be pushed back thirty minutes from its expected 3ET start. Pierre LeBrun adds that concern for the players safety, due to the sun being in their eyes, is the main reason for the 3:30 ET start.
- Pension Plan Puppets managing editor Scott Wheeler writes how the Maple Leafs’ expectations are much different than they were three years ago when they played Detroit in the Winter Classic. Calling the team three years ago one in “flux,” Wheeler takes a long look at the changes made in what has been a transition toward building a champion. He notes that while the Leafs are sitting tenth in the Eastern Conference, the tone of the season feels “decidedly different” than the former, where they were competing for a playoff spot during the 2013-14 season. Besides the new faces, younger talent, and having Mike Babcock running the team, the Centennial Classic strikes a chord of change–one that signals a team on the rise versus a team, just three seasons ago, trending down with no hope in sight.
- On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Leafs’ opponents in Detroit are trying to figure out just what they really are. The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin reports that the Red Wings believe their chances to make the playoffs are there because of parity. But Larkin paints a more honest picture of the team than those within are willing to admit. The Red Wings power play is a nightmare, Larkin writes, and is a major reason the Wings are just 16-16-4. He adds that Detroit is the second oldest team in the league, saddled with an aging core, and unable to build around star Dylan Larkin because they lack “can’t-miss” talent in the minors. The main issue, however, is that the organization is hard wired to make the playoffs, a quarter century tradition that may impede the ability to rebuild properly. From Larkin:
Whether it’s a good thing for this team to keep wheezing its way to low-seed playoff berths doesn’t matter to the guys wearing the winged wheel crests. They’ll keep fighting until reality finally sets in. They believe the league’s unprecedented parity will help them triumph.
- Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com writes about Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg, who says the Red Wings are not only trying to extend the streak, but to win the Stanley Cup. Though some may bristle in the face of Detroit’s struggles, Cotsonika writes that the players “do not want to go quietly” and have no interest in being part of a rebuild. Cotsonika also included a story about the mixing of Leafs old and new, and how interacting with those from the Leafs’ storied past serves as inspiration for the new generation.
P.K. Subban May Have Herniated Disc
According to Elliotte Friedman, Predators defenseman P.K. Subban is expected to meet with doctors tomorrow to discuss a course of treatment for “what is believed to be a herniated disc.” In a follow-up tweet, Friedman states the two options the talented blue liner and the Predators have are resting the back and hoping for improvement or surgery, which would sideline Subban for “quite a while.”
Subban has already missed seven games with what had been termed an upper-body injury and while the team has considered the defender day-to-day, this latest bit of news obviously throws serious doubt on that belief.
Acquired in the summer blockbuster trade which sent Shea Weber to Montreal, Subban has tallied seven goals and 17 points in 29 games in his first campaign with Nashville.
More to come as new information comes to light.
Allen’s Latest: US Juniors To Watch, 2017 Predictions
USA Today’s Kevin Allen writes a bit about the five must watch players for the US team as the World Junior Championships kick off today. Those on his watch list include Charlie McAvoy, Luke Kunin, Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson, and Colin White. Allen writes that White is versatile and expected to be a boon for the American squad as a difference maker. Thompson, according to Allen, is a younger version of Blake Wheeler, while Keller is the “gamebreaker” who has the potential to be a dynamic player someday in the NHL. Captain Kunin, according to USA general manager Jim Johannson, is the “engine” of the team. McAvoy is a physical presence, and according to bench boss Bob Motzko, wants to “knock you on your rear end and score a goal on the same shift. He is going to be a guy we lean on heavily in all situations.” The Americans will look to build on their bronze medal finish from last year’s tournament.
- Allen also lists his 10 bold predictions in 2017. Some of the bolder ones include Patrik Laine outscoring Alex Ovechkin this season and that the Blackhawks will pay Artemi Panarin $7MM to remain in Chicago. Allen expects Ralph Krueger to be back in the NHL, and that the Canucks will finally embrace a much needed rebuild. Allen writes:
It’s past time. The Canucks will be first class and ask the Sedin twins how they want the organization to handle their future. They have always loved living in Vancouver. If they wait until the summer, they might be able to trade them both to one team. Maybe the Sedins would be comfortable mentoring a young team.
Finally, Allen believes that Kevin Shattenkirk will head to free agency and be pursued by the Red Wings, Bruins, Rangers, and Lightning. In the same vein, he expects John Tavares to get the “Stamkos treatment” with his impending free agency. Whether it’s a monster contract from the Islanders or a pricier offer from another team, Allen believes it to be one of the main storylines in 2017.
The Impressive Rise Of The Columbus Blue Jackets
Raise your hand if you had the Columbus Blue Jackets ripping off 12 straight wins and rocketing to the top of the NHL as the league’s best team.
You’re not alone.
Outside of those who built the team or are currently playing for them, few had the Blue Jackets “making any noise” in the East. Coming off a poor showing in the World Cup of Hockey, bench boss John Tortorella was the odds on favorite to be fired first this season. What a difference a couple of months make.
The “first fired” honor would end up going to Gerard Gallant, who was let go by Florida. Tortorella, meanwhile, is guiding the Blue Jackets to one of their best runs in franchise history.
But there were a couple victories that stood out along the way:
- Thumping Montreal 10-0 in Columbus back on November 4th. It was significant for two reasons: first, they blew out a Habs team on an eight game winning streak. Second, it signaled the turnaround for the Jackets was underway. Though at the time it was their third consecutive victory, Columbus recovered from an 0-2 start and were then 5-3-2 after its first 10 games. Since then, the Jackets are a staggering 18-2-2.
- In the battle of the Metropolitan Division this past week, the Jackets slapped the defending champ Penguins in the face with a 7-1 romp that gave them sole possession of first place.
Columbus is undefeated in the month of December, and with only three games remaining before the calendar turns over to 2017, they have the possibility of running the table in the final month of 2016. The Jackets have rightfully received a lot of press for their performance.
Puck Daddy’s Sean Leahy writes that the cunning signing of Sam Gagner has paid dividends for the Jackets. Currently, Gagner has 26 points (14-12) and has been one of the better value based signings in years (one-year, $650K).
Eric Seeds from Blue Jackets blog The Cannon argues that the Jackets are for real, no matter what pundits say. Seeds points out a number of the catalysts for the teams rise. First, netminder Sergei Bobrovsky has been healthy and dominant. Back in August, it was reported that the Jackets had sunk significant resources into ensuring Bobrovsky’s training was top notch. So far, so good. His numbers (21-5-2, .935 save percentage) should remain strong should he remain healthy and not run into the bumps of the past–which usually centered around getting injured.
One other point: the emergence of 19-year-old Zach Werenski. Much has been written about the dynamic defenseman from the University of Michigan who stands as one of the better bets to win the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie. Werenski has helped the power play tremendously, and has shored up a blue line with other young talents like Seth Jones.
Fans and other teams are taking notice, but it doesn’t concern Tortorella, who has been vigilant in keeping attention off of his streaking team, especially since there are some who think the Jackets might not be as strong as they look.
Regardless of how it turns out, the Jackets’ rise in the Eastern Conference has been a treat for the hockey world to watch–and rewarding for a fan base that has only seen two playoff appearances in the organization’s sixteen seasons.
Are the Blue Jackets for real?
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Yes 60% (269)
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Still too early to tell 28% (126)
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No 12% (55)
Total votes: 450
Mobile users vote here
Poll: 2005 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Sixth Overall Pick
Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
We’re looking back at the 2005 NHL Draft, which kicked off the salary cap era and ushered in many of the current NHL superstars. The question we’re looking to answer is knowing now what we didn’t know then, how different would this draft look now with the benefit of hindsight?
Here are the results of our redraft so far:
1st Overall: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
2nd Overall: Carey Price (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim)
3rd Overall: Anze Kopitar (Carolina Hurricanes)
4th Overall: Jonathan Quick (Minnesota Wild)
5th Overall: Kris Letang (Montreal Canadiens)
6th Overall: Tuukka Rask (Columbus Blue Jackets)
7th Overall: Bobby Ryan (Chicago Blackhawks)
8th Overall: Marc-Edouard Vlasic (San Jose Sharks)
9th Overall: Ben Bishop (Ottawa Senators)
10th Overall: James Neal (Vancouver Canucks)
11th Overall: T.J. Oshie (Los Angeles Kings)
12th Overall: Keith Yandle (New York Rangers)
13th Overall: Paul Stastny (Buffalo Sabres)
14th Overall: Marc Staal (Washington Capitals)
15th Overall: Patric Hornqvist (New York Islanders)
16th Overall: Niklas Hjalmarsson (Atlanta Thrashers)
17th Overall: Anton Stralman (Phoenix Coyotes)
18th Overall: Jack Johnson (Nashville Predators)
19th Overall: Matt Niskanen (Detroit Red Wings)
20th Overall: Justin Abdelkader (Florida Panthers)
21st Overall: Martin Hanzal (Toronto Maple Leafs)
22nd Overall: Andrew Cogliano (Boston Bruins)
23rd Overall: Kris Russell (New Jersey Devils)
24th Overall: Darren Helm (St. Louis Blues)
25th Overall: Cody Franson (Edmonton Oilers)
Now we move forward to the 26th pick, which was held by the Calgary Flames.
To recap how this works:
- We will go through the 2005 NHL Draft and have our readers select, through a voting process, who they think should have been taken with the selection.
- The entire first round will be redrafted, spanning picks one through thirty. The new selection is chosen by the majority of votes.
Back in 2005, the Flames took defenseman Matt Pelech from the Sarnia Sting. Since being drafted, Pelech played a total of 13 games in the NHL, tallying four points (1-3). Of those 13 games, Pelech spent five with the Flames and the other eight with San Jose. During the 2013-14 season, Pelech spent time in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies after playing for both San Jose and its AHL affiliate Worcester. A season later, Pelech recorded 39 games with the Rochester Americans. Last season, Pelech appeared in 49 games for the Schwenningen Wild Wings in the DEL (Germany) and has played the current season with Graz EC in the Austrian league.
With the 26th pick of the 2005 NHL Redraft, who should the Flames select? Cast your vote below! Mobile users, you can vote here!
With the 26th overall pick, the Calgary Flames select...
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Benoit Pouliot 28% (144)
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Devin Setoguchi 20% (103)
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Vladimir Sobotka 16% (80)
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Mason Raymond 9% (44)
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Steve Downie 8% (39)
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Sergei Kostitsyn 7% (34)
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Jakub Kindl 6% (30)
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Nathan Gerbe 3% (14)
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Jared Boll 2% (11)
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Jack Skille 2% (9)
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Gilbert Brule 1% (7)
Total votes: 515
Snapshots: Clinton’s Latest, Crawford, Hossa
The Hockey News’ Jared Clinton breaks down five significant summer signings that haven’t quite lived up to their billing. While a number of players were given lucrative deals, Clinton gives the number one spot to Andrew Ladd, who after receiving a seven year, $38MM deal, has produced at an abysmal level. Ladd had only one assist in his first 12 games, and if his current pace of four goals and seven points continue, he is on pace for only 10 goals and 18 points. It’s hardly a return on investment.
Second on Clinton’s list is Mikkel Boedker, who inked a four-year, $16MM with San Jose. Boedker has six points (2-4) in 33 games, and Clinton wonders if this is why the winger barely fetched anything at the trade deadline last season. On the defensive side, Clinton looks at Dan Hamhuis, who appeared to be a great pickup for the Dallas Stars. It hasn’t worked out as such. Clinton notes that the veteran defenseman has been a healthy scratch twice, seen his average ice time drop by nearly two minutes, and has been relegated to a third line pairing.
With the salary cap not expected to move much in the next year, these signings could serve as a cautionary tale as to spending wisely instead of just spending to spend.
In other NHL news:
- Corey Crawford is set to return in net tonight writes the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Hine. The 31-year-old goaltender has been out since having an emergency appendectomy almost three weeks ago. Crawford will face the struggling Colorado Avalanche, who were dismantled 6-0 by Toronto last night. Crawford has been outstanding for the Hawks this season, posting a 12-6-2 mark with a .927 save percentage.
- With the good comes the bad, and Hine reports that Marian Hossa will miss his first game since suffering an upper body injury Tuesday night against Ottawa. In Hossa’s place will be Tanner Kero, who leads AHL affiliate Rockford in points this season. Kero worked in with Jordin Tootoo and Andrew Desjardins during practice. In addition to Hossa, Artem Anisimov is slated to miss his third straight game with an upper body injury.
Should Joe Sakic Be Shown The Door?
Is it time for the Colorado Avalanche to concede that Joe Sakic isn’t getting the job done? The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla writes exactly that after the Avs suffered a humiliating 6-0 loss to Toronto and cemented their status as the worst team in the NHL. Frustration is mounting, and Kiszla believes this to be the lowest point in the organization’s history in Denver.
A once proud franchise that won a Stanley Cup immediately after moving from Quebec prior to the 1995-96 season, the last decade has been a wandering in the wilderness. And while the return of Sakic and former bench boss Patrick Roy were supposed to be an indication of happier times, it’s been just the opposite. From Kiszla:
The problem is too big to ignore, and the stink starts at the top. This is a poorly constructed hockey team, a roster that cannot win.
Josh Kroenke tried to recreate the Avalanche’s glory years by bringing back two superstars, with Sakic in the front office and Patrick Roy as coach. Hey, it was worth a shot. I endorsed the idea.
But it’s not working. The grand plan began falling apart late last winter, when Roy told me he thought it was essential the Avs make the playoffs, while Kroenke preached patience.
When Patrick Roy abruptly left the organization back in August, reviews were mixed as to what it meant. Was it Patrick being petulant? Was Sakic painted into a corner? Was it a philosophical difference? Or was it a sign that the players of the past weren’t the answer as management? Now more than ever, it seems like the latter is truly the case.
The Avalanche have been miserable, seeing significant slippage in nearly ever facet of the club. Not only do the Avs have the worst record in hockey, but they’ve been shut out seven times already this season–and it’s not even January. Kiszla goes as far to say that the team’s core, namely Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Semyon Varlamov and Matt Duchene is no longer the answer. Kiszla is hardly alone in his thinking.
Darren Dreger chimed in, tweeting that business as usual in Colorado may change once the roster freeze expires next week. Ray Ferraro agrees, going as far to call Colorado a “train wreck.”
The solution? Kiszla believes it’s time Sakic walks away from the team at the end of the season, doing what’s best for the franchise he won two Stanley Cups with. Should he stay on, it will not only continue to damage the future of the Avs but it could also tarnish the legacy of one of Colorado’s most beloved players.
Should Joe Sakic be fired?
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Yes 73% (284)
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No 27% (107)
Total votes: 391
Metropolitan Notes: Al Ali, Burakovsky, Helgeson
In what is one of the most heartwarming hockey stories of the year, J.J. Regan of CSN Mid-Atlantic reports on a former Washington Capitals recent find overseas. Peter Bondra, a 500-goal man who spent most of his career in the nation’s capital, now travels around the world seeking out hockey talent as an ambassador of the game.
In Abu Dhabi of all places, he found Fatima Al Ali, a member of the UAB National Women’s team and owner of some of the silkiest hands anywhere in the world. Bondra provides proof of her skill with twitter videos and even claims she has better hands than him. Fatima also happens to be a Capitals fan, so the team is bringing her to Washington in February to celebrate ‘Hockey Is For Everyone’ month.
- Staying in Washington, tonight is a return for Andre Burakovsky after three games as a healthy scratch. The former first-round pick has gone ice cold after a fast start, and is pointless in his last seven games. After playing 18:30 in the season opener (including overtime) and scoring two goals, Burakovsky played just 8:06 in his most recent game. He seems positive about the situation though, saying that “It helped me last year when I was not playing really well and I sat out for two games and came back and my game just turned around from being bad to being really good”. Hopefully it happens again or he may find himself right back in the press box before long.
- In New Jersey, there are early reports from Pete Dougherty that the team will call up Seth Helgeson tomorrow after the defenseman was “unavailable” for tonight’s Albany Devils game. It’s unclear why he’d be brought up unless one of their current defensemen has suffered an injury in practice. A possible explanation is Ray Shero’s recent comments to Andrew Gross of The Record, in which he says that the key to the team turning around their early season struggles is to “Play [expletive] harder.” Helgeson is a big mean defender who might be able to give them a physical boost, though there is no guarantee he’ll get into the lineup right away.
Snapshots: Ward, Schlemko, Petan, Nylander
The San Jose Sharks will make two noteworthy starters healthy scratches tonight. For the second time in three games, veteran winger Joel Ward will watch from the press box and he will now be joined by free agent acquisition defenseman David Schlemko. While the rest of the Pacific Division treads water, the Sharks have swam to the top spot with seven wins in their last ten. They’ve done so by injecting youth into the lineup to replace older players, and continue that trend tonight against the only other team making moves in the division, the Calgary Flames.
The drop-off has been steep for Ward this season. Although there were signs last year that the 34-year-old winger was slowing down, such as the struggles with puck possession and a career-worst -15 rating, Ward was still impressive in 2015-16. However, with just nine points in 31 games, due in part to a breakdown in shooting ability, Ward began to see a decreased role on special teams, the a loss of ice time, and now is just sitting out games. While there may be health concerns driving this poor play, the team has not hinted at such. Ward may just be showing the wear and tear of a long, physical career. But when you play alongside the ageless Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, showing your age is not an excuse.
Schlemko’s case may have more to do with the team than the player. After a breakout season with the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16, in which his puck-moving ability finally resulted in evidence on the scoreboard, the Sharks grabbed Schlemko on July 1st with a four-year, $8.4MM contract. Perhaps his eight points in 28 games is seen as a disappointment to coach Peter DeBoer, but in fact Schlemko is well on his way to matching his 19 points from last year and has played a superior defensive game in San Jose compared to his time in New Jersey. It seems more likely that Schlemko’s scratch, a “coach’s decision”, is due to the Shark’s defensive depth. Sharing a building with your AHL affiliate allows for closer inspection of your young players, and the Sharks have seen strong play out of Barracudas Dylan DeMelo (in the lineup tonight) and Mirco Mueller this season. However, with six other bona fide NHL defenseman already on the roster, something has to give to get those young blue liners play time at the next level. Don’t expect Schlemko to be out of lineup for very long unless there is something else going on in with this situation.
In other league news:
- The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have activated Nic Petan from the injured reserve. The young forward has joined the team to start their two-game road trip and is expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. Petan had seven points in 13 games to start the season before a lower body injury landed him on IR in November.
- The Buffalo Sabres hace made the decision to loan 2016 first-round pick Alexander Nylander to Team Sweden for the upcoming World Junior Championship. Nylander has been adjusting to the pro game with the AHL’s Rochester Americans this season and has 17 points in 29 games. However, he has not yet earned a call-up to Buffalo and there seemingly was not one coming in the near future. Instead, the Sabres see the value in sending Nylander to face the best young U-20 players on the planet at the World Juniors. He’ll join a strong Swedish side that has several players with NHL or AHL experience this season.