Why Edmonton Is Screwed at Number One in the 2012 Draft, Unless They Do Something

By Daniel A. Marley

            The Edmonton Oilers have been awarded, yet again, the first overall pick in the 2012 National Hockey League Draft.

            Chances are they will draft Nail Yakupov, forward, of the Sarnia Sting.  From the game footage that I have seen, Yakupov reminds me of Alexander Ovechkin, before his game sagged to what it is now.  Nail can hit, shoot, make plays, and generate action at both ends of the ice.

            Also, he has the strength to break glass.  Remember his check on Brett Cook on January 21, 2011?

            If this guy is so great, why are the Oilers “dumb” if they draft Nail?  It’s because they have way too much offensive talent, and nothing to look forward to on the defensive front. 

            On offense, apart from Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Linus Omark, they have players like Magnus Paajarvi and Tobias Rieder to look forward to in the future.

            Paajarvi had an up-and-down season this year, but continues to show a lot of improvement in his game.  With the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League as of April 10, he posted 23 points in 31 games with a plus-six rating.  As the Barons gear up for the Calder Cup Playoffs, Paajarvi will have the opportunity to continue to improve his game.  He will definitely come out of this slump as a top-six forward. 

            I have been keeping a close eye on the Kitchener Rangers’ Rieder since the beginning of the year.  Rieder is a great offensive player that has a lot of upside to his game, combining speed and great stick handling into goal scoring and smart playmaking.  He will fit well with Edmonton’s style of play, and fair well in a lineup with either Nugent-Hopkins or Gagner.  During the 2011/12 regular season, Rieder has posted 42 goals and 43 assists in 60 games.  With phenomenal improvement to his game, I expect Rieder to be competing for a roster spot next year.

            Even though they have this stockpile of offensive talent, the Oilers have no defensemen in their system to look forward to in their rebuilding process.  I am still shocked that Adam Larsson was not the first overall pick in the draft last year. 

            Andy Sutton, Ladislav Smid, and Ryan Whitney will be departing after next season due to the possibility of retirement and unrestricted free agency.  If Edmonton is not playoff contenders next year, there will be no luck resigning them.

            Defensemen like Corey Potter, Colten Teubert, and Alex Plante are on pace to become career minor leaguers.  The way they are playing now at their current levels are not what the Oilers organization had expected, which means their future status on the club roster is bleak if they do not improve their game soon.

            The only defensive prospects that Edmonton has to look forward to are Oscar Klefbom, Jeff Petry, and David Musil.

             From EliteProspects.com: “A big and strong defenseman with very impressive leadership qualities and character, Klefbom plays a good two-way game and is fairly good defensively, while probably being capable to chip in more offensively than he has in the past. He reads the play very well and has good enough positioning. He also has speed and a great passing game.”  Expect him on the roster next season.

             Petry is a smart two-way forward that can generate offense and shut down opponents at the blue line.  He still has some work to do to get his game at that NHL-level.  After next season, he will be a better-established pro player.

            Musil is a strong player who can shut down the opposition at the blue line.  His game is expected to evolve as his development progresses.  Expect him to compete for a roster spot next year.

            Klefbom, Petry, and Musil are the defensive future of the Oilers, and that is not enough.  If they still want to go after Yakupov, what the Oilers should do is make some moves for defensemen or picks in the draft to get those needed defensemen. 

            During the 2011/12 season, rumors speculated over a trade between the Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, which would send Omark to the Leafs for defenseman Luke Scheen.  Even though Scheen’s production is in question after a somewhat peculiar year, his physical play is what Edmonton needs.  He can contribute offensively, but his ability to hit and block shots will help bolster Edmonton’s special teams.  The right deal can land Scheen to Edmonton and give the Oilers that needed defensive boost.

            Another option, which could upset Oilers fans, is moving Gagner at the Draft.  His offensive value can land the team a better quality defenseman plus a first round pick.  That first round pick, which should be between picks 15 and 22, can get them a goalie like Malcolm Subban at the draft.  The deal should be made with their provincial rivals, the Calgary Flames.

            The Flames too are in need of a rebuild and are looking for better top-six talent to add to their future plans.  Playing on a line with the likes of Sven Baertschi, Gagner can help turn Calgary’s luck around.  A brief truce can be made to help further excite the Alberta rivalry.

            With goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin aging, Edmonton needs to add some goaltending depth.  Subban has great positioning and is quick from post-to-post.  He also has incredible reflexes, making his glove hand and blocker valuable commodities.  He still needs to improve in screened situations, but he is already showing significant signs of improvement in that area.  In 39 games this year with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, Subban has allowed 94 goals on 1,215 shots against with three shutouts.   

            As for the other players involved in the deal, Edmonton could use a defenseman like Mark Giordano, a solid d-man that can block shots and use that talent to help prospects improve their blue-line defense. 

            There are more combinations of moves that the Oilers can make, but the point is that before they select Nail Yakupov as the first overall pick, they need to be aware of their specific needs before going after another player they do not need. 

Enough About the All Stars. What about the prospects at the Trade Deadline?

By Daniel A. Marley

         

             It has been a pain looking at all of these National Hockey League Trade Deadline rumors these past couple of weeks.  All I see online is “Rick Nash destined to go to this team” and” that backup will get a starting role with that other team.”  I am sick of it!

            However, I am guilty of contributing to these tiresome rumors, like what I am doing right now.

            Instead of talking about what top National Hockey League players will be on the move, I will go ahead and discuss the rookies or prospects that could be on the move and how they will fair elsewhere.

            One teams that is in no place to be trading away their farm system right now is the New York Rangers.

            During the fiasco of a victory back on February 19 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden, a plethora of die-hard Rangers fans continuously chanted “WE DON’T NEED YOU” and other variations of this phrase towards Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash.  As much as the fans would love to see a goal-scorer like him on the team, the asking price by Columbus General Manager Scott Howson is too erroneous.  The proposed offer by Howson for Nash is Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Kreider, and a first-round pick. 

            Dubinsky has had an odd year offensively, but his contributions on and off the ice are too good to pass up.  Krieder, according to most scouts, has a Nash-like complex and is eager to play for the Rangers club.  If the Rangers trade both of these players, unless they win a Stanley Cup this year, there will be a lot of dissatisfied fans.

            Also, his $7.8 million cap hit will make it impossible for the Rangers to resign players like Derek Stepan, Michael Del Zotto, and Ryan McDonagh, who have positively contributed to the team’s new nucleus.

            From the way that I see it, there will be three teams that will be eager to trade away their future or to go for it all this year, or for their own personal reasons.  Those teams are the Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings.

            .  Currently, the Phoenix Coyotes are seventh in the Western Conference with a 29-21-9 record for 67 points, and have gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

            The NHL wants to keep the Coyotes in the desert; yet they are ranked last in attendance and there are eight other cities up north that are begging for a team.  The Blue Jackets have a better attendance than them, and they are last in the standings.

            Speaking about the Jackets and the Coyotes, NHL.com headlines “On the Prowl” back on the evening of February 19, as the Coyotes are looking to add players to build a more successful playoff run.  Above the headline is a member of the Coyotes organization and Nash, which is very peculiar and might hinder something unexpected.  The odds of Nash going to Phoenix are currently astronomical.

            The thing that makes Phoenix so unique to me is their collection of veterans.  Their team’s average age is 28 years old, and the majority of the team has been around the league for quite some time.  Michal Rozsival, Ray Whitney, Radim Vrbata, Derek Morris, and Adrian Aucoin have been with multiple clubs and are so far use to the different styles of play, despite what most hockey fans think.

            Phoenix would love to add a top goal scorer to their team, whether it is Nash or someone else.  They have over $10 million in cap space at the moment to make a risky move, but given the current circumstance that they are in, they will need to give up their young core to do so.

            Players whom the sellers would love to receive in return are defensemen Brandon Gormley and David Rundblad and goaltender Mark Visentin.

            Gormley has been considered one of the best defenseman coming out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.  He is a phenomenal two-way defenseman, a cornerstone piece for any team’s rebuild.  According to HockeysFuture.com, Gormley will make contact with the opponent, is solid in his zone, has a bullet of a slapshot, and is an excellent skater. 

            If moved, Gormley will be used like T.J. Brodie of the Calgary Flames.  The team will center their new defensive core around him.

Currently, he has 10 goals and 22 assists in 35 games this season between the Moncton Wildcats and the Shawinigan Cataractes.

            Rundblad was part of the mini-buster trade that sent forward Kyle Turris to the Ottawa Senators.  Like Mika Zibanjead, Ottawa fans would have loved to see how this defenseman will develop.

            He spent the last four years with Skelleftea HC of the Swedish Elite League, or Elitserien, posting good numbers on both ends of the ice.  This year, he is acclimating himself with the North American style of play at both the pro and minor league level. 

            Most scouts love Rundblad’s two-way style of play.  He has good vision on the ice, which allows him to set up plays, handle the puck well, and quarterback the man advantage.  On the defensive front, he does need to work on his aggressiveness.  With a team in need of a rebuild, they will work with Rundblad on this and help develop him into an elite two-way defenseman.

            At the NHL level this year, Rundblad has 26 hits and26 blocked shots with six penalty minutes in 26 games.  On the scoreboard, Rundblad has scored one goal and assisted on five during that same stretch.

            Visentin is a golatender that could be on a lot of team’s radars because of his size, rebound control, and willingness to improve his skills. 

After his sluggish first year in the Ontario Hockey League, where he had a 4.26 goals against average and 87.1 save percentage, Visentin rapidly improved and is being regarded as one of the best goaltenders in the Ontario Hockey League.

            This season, in 35 games with the Niagara Ice Dogs, Visentin is 25-7-2 with 69 goals allowed on 885 shots against.  I would not be surprised if the team he goes to next year, if traded, will give him a starting role.

            The Maple Leafs were once sellers.  Now, they are buyers.

            General Manager Brian Burke has done a splendid job ridding his club of good yet unwanted personnel and replacing them with younger talent.  After the Trade Deadline last year, in their last 15 games, the Leafs went 8-6-1 to end the season on a good note.  Currently, they are in a fight with the Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

            The Leafs are still fairly young and could be in need of more veteran leadership.  They have been rumored to acquire Rick Nash and have some great rebuilding pieces that the Blue Jackets could use; however, they could and should be in the hunt for a more solid defenseman. 

            They are eighth in the league in goals for with 178.  This is a clear indication that offense is not a problem.

Currently, they are 26^th in the league in goals allowed with 180. 

Defensemen with expiring contracts that would love to play for the Leafs are Shea Weber and Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators.  Since the Predators might have trouble financially retaining these two, the Leafs could make an outstanding offer to bring at least one of these stars to Toronto.  Toronto has not won a Cup since 1967, and with the current competitive nature that this club exhibits, a deal like this could be on the horizon.

The prospects that I could see being moved from the Leafs are forwards Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, and Jerry D’Amigo.

Kadri is about one to three years away from being NHL ready and is expected to be a consistent 20-plus goal scorer.  However, there are some concerns about his playmaking, which explains his low offensive production for the AHL Toronto Marlies.  The Leafs might not want to wait for him to develop, because if he does not reach his potential, he could see himself being a career minor leaguer. 

On a team looking to rebuild, the organization could help Kadri work on his playmaking skills.  Kadri could be a first or second line center if proper time is put into his game, but if coaches continue to overlook this issue, he could be a third or fourth liner at best if he ever does reach the NHL.

Colborne has been recently a favorite of mine ever since he came to the Toronto organization from the Boston Bruins as part of the Tomas Kaberle trade.  His numbers clearly show that he has adapted well to Toronto’s style of play.  In 63 games for the Marlies, Colborne has scored 24 goals and assisted on 27 with a plus-12 rating.  This offensive production was made possible by his good ice vision and his puck release. 

His size, however, brings about a psychological problem to his game.  He performs based on the size of his opponents and how he manages to offensively and defensively go around him.  Fortunately, this issue has been declining of late and Colborne has the potential to battle for a top-six spot next year for any team.    

The Binghamton, New York native D’Amigo has been viewed as a future two-way winger whose size can add a major presence at both ends of the ice.  He has a high scoring upside and has shown great improvement in the minors statistically, increasing from 15 points in 43 games to 32 points in 54 games.  A player of his caliber will definitely earn him a NHL roster spot for any club next season. 

The Los Angeles Kings made a major move to acquire Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers for Brayden Scheen and Wayne Simmonds.  Scheen and Simmons are prospering in the city of Brotherly Love with their new club succeeding, whereas Richards is doing poorly with 28 points in 51 games while the team struggles offensively.

They too are in the hunt for Rick Nash and other top goal scorers.  However, they need to move some big salary in the process.  They virtually have no cap space. 

Defensively, however, they are phenomenal.  Currently, they are third in the league with 126 goals against.

Richards, along with Jarret Stoll, Dustin Penner, and Simon Gagne, could be that salary on the move.  However, in order for teams to take their salary, they need to give up some of their top prospects.

These prospects include goaltender Jonathan Bernier, defensemen Slava Voyonov and Derek Forbort, and forward Andrei Loktionov.

At this point in his career, Bernier should be a starter.  He joins an elite club with Boston’s Tuuka Rask and Minnesota’s Josh Harding of backups who should be earning full-time roles somewhere else.  His hybrid style of play of stand-up and butterfly goaltending, along with his quickness from post to post and great puck handling, has him on every team’s radar.

Unfortunately in Los Angeles, Jonathan Quick beat him to the starting job.  Bernier needs to go somewhere else before his talent depreciates in value and consistency.

Voyonov is a defenseman that every team likes.  He plays a solid two-way game, has phenomenal speed, and contributes to the special teams well.  The only negative criticism that I have about this guy is that he rarely takes shots when he has an open lane in the offensive zone.  Besides that, he is a great asset to any rebuilding team.  Any organization would love to build a defensive core around him.

At the NHL level, Voyonov has four goals and seven assists, two of each coming from the power play, with a plus-four rating.  He has also blocked 29 shots and hit 48 people.

Before Voyonov, Forbort was seen as the best defensive prospect in the Kings organization.  A defenseman who has a phenomenal decision-making process on and off the ice, Forbort is a perfect example of a stay-at-home defenseman.  He will get the puck out of the zone and make sharp passes to his teammates to help generate offensive rushes.

Currently, Forbort is playing for the University of North Dakota.  According to HockeysFuture.com, he is projected to be a number-one defenseman.  The Kings have two defensemen who currently are in contention for that opening— Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty.

Center Loktionov is a two-way forward who can be perfectly utilized for any special teams unit.  He is projected to be on the second line at best for an NHL club, and utilized in important situations where his impressive face-off skills will come in handy.  He is adjusting well to the American hockey style from his Russian roots, but could use another year of development to further enhance his skills.  Once he reaches his prime, he will be an effective two-way force.

Everyone is focusing their attention on where the stars of the league will go.  I am one of several die-hard fans who care about the players that are on the move.  It is a common practice to see competing teams trade away the future of their franchise for some mercenary rental and succeed, and we have seen busts.  For Flyers fans, it was Eric Lindros.  For the first Winnipeg team, it was Teemu Selanne.  For the Florida Panthers, it was Roberto Louongo.  For the Islanders, they were Louongo, Zdeno Chara, and a first-round pick which led to Jason Spezza.  I like seeing trades like this, because what could have been or what will become of these young and talented players will transpire somewhere else.

This Year, Maybe, Next Year, or Will Be a While? Who’s Got a Shot for 2012 Cup?

By Dan Marley

            The season is almost halfway done and already everyone is making their playoff and trophy predictions.  I thought I’d take a shot at predicting the winners and losers myself.

            Instead of saying, “this team will beat this team in seven games” or “that guy will win this honor,” I decided to take another approach: Now, Maybe, Next Year, or Possibly Never.

            From what I am seeing this year, a lot of teams are sending me mixed signals on how they will finish.  Each team will be categorized based on the signals that I am receiving.

            Every team in the “Now” category has the potential to win it this year.  If they do not end up winning the Cup, definitely next year.

            The “Maybes” are those dark horses that might surprise everybody this year.  There are only a few based on their trends.  Some choices might surprise you, but it is that situation where it is “this year or never.”

            The “Next Years” are the teams that will not make it far this year, but a minor tweaking could lead to Stanley Cup glory in 2013.

            The “Possibly Never” teams have more problems to work on before they can even think about competing for the Cup, with some having high hopes on the horizon and others light years away from a first round win.  These issues have become more visible this season or have been recurring for over a long span of time and nothing has been done to compensate for these damages.

            To start off, I will address who are the “Nevers” and work my way up to the “Nows.”  Also, going against my traditional style of writing, I will be brief with my explanations.  Some of my explanations may sound monotonous, but the same scenario may apply to multiple teams.

*Standings as of January 11, 2012 at 2:15 PM EST; no special way these teams were ranked.

Possibly Never (8)

1.     Columbus Blue Jackets (11-26-5, 27 pts)

The Blue Jackets have a new lease to keep them in Ohio until 2039, according to prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com.  The moves that they have made to acquire Jeff Carter from the Flyers and James Wisinewski from Montreal via multiple off-season trades are backfiring: Carter cannot develop chemistry with captain Rick Nash and Wisinewski’s eight-game suspension in the beginning of the year put them in a deep hole early (2-9-1 in the month of October).  Now with Nash trade rumors circulating, this team has to rebuild, yet again.  My advice, get players who can play together and be smarter come Draft Day.   Hopefully, Nail Yakupov (Sarnia, OHL) and Mikhail Grigorenko (Quebec, QMJHL) won’t become busts at the NHL level.

2.     Anaheim Ducks (13-22-6, 32 pts)

Not off to the start that they were hoping for, and Bruce Boudreau is not helping.  Under his reign of… whatever kind of terror It is, they are 5-9-2, and continue to sink in the standings.  There were rumors about trading Bobby Ryan earlier this year, and if teams are interested in him, the Ducks have the negotiating floor.  Expect Anaheim to do some damage come Trade Deadline, which is on February 27^th at 3pm EST.  It might be a while before they actually clique as one cohesive unit to the likes of their Stanley Cup years in 2003 (lost to Devils) and 2007 (defeated Ottawa).

3.     New York Islanders (15-19-6, 36 pts)

No veteran leadership, a decaying attendance, and a stadium waiting to collapse on itself encumber the fate of the Islanders in New York.  This organization needs to find a new home, maybe Kansas City, Hartford, or Quebec?  They cannot compete within their own division, let alone the entire Eastern Conference.  They have players that can bring anyone they want to Uniondale, but do any of them want to play here?  I even bet you Mark Streit and Evegni Nabokov want out, and one of them is the captain.  Kyle Okposo has been disappointing the fans as of late, as well as the rest of the offensive staff.  Expect Okposo to be moved.

4.     Montreal Canadiens (16-19-7, 39 pts)

Scott Gomez for Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko, and Chris Higgins was probably the worst trade in Canadiens history.  While McDonagh is entering his prime with the Rangers, Valentenko gaining a lot of interests from NHL teams while playing for the CT Whale of the American Hockey League, and Higgins playing important offensive roles and earning Top-6 status with the Canucks, Gomez is getting hurt and losing his ability to play every single day.  On top of that, only three players (Erik Cole, Max Pacioretty, and Andrei Kostitsyn) have reached the ten-goal mark while 50-percent of the remaining roster has failed to reach five.  The irony I find here is that of the three listed above, one of them almost lost his life during a game.  See link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzXM488vzDc

Fortunately for Montreal, their fan base is one of the most supportive. So no matter what approach they take, there will still be 20,000-plus at the Bell Centre every game.  Expect them to make some trades and build for the future.  

5.     Carolina Hurricanes (14-23-7, 35 points)

Personally, I thought the Hurricanes would compete for a playoff spot this year.  Their goaltending is out of whack, nearing the 150 goals allowed mark in 44 games.  Their defense is atrocious, allowing over 30 goals each when they are on the ice.  Scoring too has been an issue with these guys; I don’t know where to begin.  I foresee a bad prophecy for Carolina.

6.     Calgary Flames (20-19-5, 45 pts)

      The last article I wrote about the Flames sums up what they should do: build from within and acquire the missing pieces needed for future success (see subsequent article).  They have a plethora of contracts that are about to expire, and there is little or no chance of these players resigning.

7.     Phoenix Coyotes (20-17-6, 46 pts)

Do I need to explain why the Phoenix Coyotes will never win a Cup?  They cannot financially afford to be in one.  I am shocked that they are in the playoff hunt.  They have trouble keeping their good players, i.e. Kyle Turris, and those who are desperate to find work at the pro level are not desperate enough to go to the desert.  Just relocate already!  Mike Smith has stepped up, Shane Doan is consistent, and that’s about it.

8.     Washington Capitals (21-17-2, 44 pts)

I might get beat up for this, but I can’t be the only one who thinks this way.  Long story short: Ovechkin is not a leader, Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth are not all what they crack up to be in net, everyone is apparently on the trade block, and whenever this team makes it big they come up short in the end.  They should stop stockpiling players who are really utilized for their individual efforts and start getting players that can develop better chemistry with one another.   

Maybe Next Year (13)

1.     Florida Panthers (21-13-8, 50 pts)

If you would have told me in the beginning of the season that the Panthers would have a somewhat commanding lead over the Capitals in the Southeast Division by this point in the season, I would have called you crazy.  Now, it is believable.  However, amongst the Division leaders, they have trouble scoring goals.  Their youth movement is so far successful, but they need a goal scorer that they can get a hold of for more than just half a season.  They could make a playoff spot, but are not yet ready to take THAT step closer to saving their franchise from soon-to-be financial turmoil.  Next year, if this current chemistry is still in existence, they will be a force to be reckoned with. 

2.     Pittsburgh Penguins (21-16-4, 46 pts)

The future of Sidney Crosby is questionable.  Could this be the end of an illustrious career?  The good news is that the Penguins have shown that they can win without him, and if they can keep this dynamic in tact, they will have a good shot at the Cup next year. 

3.     Ottawa Senators (23-15-6, 52 pts)

Ottawa is bouncing back from their mini depression during the Dany Heatley years.  Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek, and Daniel Alfredsson are stepping up their games.  Sergei Gonchar is having a bounce-back season.   Craig Anderson is doing well in net.  The rookies could use a little more developing, and despite the run they are in, there are better teams in the league. 

4.     Toronto Maple Leafs (22-15-5, 49 pts)

The Leafs are showing good signs of improvement.  Phil Kessel is having a better year offensively, the defense is cliquing and contributing offensively, and the goalies are healthy in splitting time.  Their defense and goaltending is still young and not yet fully experienced.  This year should focus on these players improving their skills, but don’t count them out for next year.

5.     Buffalo Sabres (18-19-5, 41 pts)

After making a lot of changes in ownership, the Sabres went out and stocked their team with players who had personal-best career years last season and young players from their farm system.  So far, no success.  Players like Brad Boyes and even Ryan Miller might be on the move, because they cannot reach their expectations.  IF they can go on some kind of streak to end the season on a positive note, they can definitely bounce back in the standings next year.  I had them winning the Northeast Division this year, but it looks like Boston will yet again reign supreme.

6.     Winnipeg Jets (20-17-5, 45 pts)

The Jets are getting use to traveling back and forth from central Canada to the east coast and back.  Unfortunately, they are probably going to have to do it again for another year because the NHLPA declined the new division realignment plans.  They are making a push right now for the last playoff seed, but their roster consists of young players who still need to acclimate themselves with the professional style of play.  Must be the jet lag kicking in.

7.     Tampa Bay Lightning (17-20-4, 38 pts)

After they were able to keep Steven Stamkos in St. Petersburg, the Lightning have had nothing but a bad omen.  The goaltending is terrible, and they only have two reliable sources of goal scoring.  They still have time to bounce back, but in my opinion, they should just end the season now and regroup for next year.  Sellers with a cause?

8.     Nashville Predators (23-15-4, 50 pts)

Nashville is in the playoff hunt and threatening to climb higher in the standings.  Their defense is doing well and Pekka Rinne is having a great year so far.  They have multiple sources of goal scoring, but not enough for them to compete for the Cup.  Shea Weber might be on the move to acquire better offensive talent.  When they do get better offensively, expect them to make some noise.

9.     Minnesota Wild (22-15-6, 50 pts)

The incredible start that they had in the beginning of the season is nothing but a distant memory now.  They lost nine of their last 11 games.  The Canucks got first place back in their division and the Avalanche are coming from behind to take over their position in the standings.  A team that is known for its defense has allowed a lot of goals during their slump.  They are also finding it hard to score goals as well.  If they can get out of that slump, they can finish the year strong; however, it is not enough to win a Cup in 2012.  If not, it might be a while before they can move closer to their Cup dreams.

10. Colorado Avalanche (23-20-1, 47 pts)

Colorado has been playing great hockey with a peculiar institution of players.  Fans have criticized the team for their poor moves in the offseason, and expected them to finish dead last in the standings.  It has been the exact opposite of that.  Semyon Varlamov is so far worth the risk, and J.S. Giguere is playing like the star he was back in his days with Anaheim.  Gabriel Landeskog, Matt Duchene, and Paul Stastny are generating a lot of offense, and players like Ryan O’Riley and are stepping up their game despite their age or how the team initially utilizes their skills.  There is chemistry there, though it can improve just a little bit more.

11. Los Angeles Kings (21-15-7, 49 pts)

With the players that they have on that roster, they should be the best team in the league.  If they can move some now-unwanted salary around, they can play some better hockey and regroup for next season.

12. Edmonton Oilers (16-22-3, 35 pts)

Their youth movement is going well according to plan.  Next season, the prospects will be ready to compete.  Hopefully Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can recover soundly from his left shoulder injury.

13. New Jersey Devils (23-17-2, 48 pts)

Everything depends on the status of Zach Parise.  They really need to work on their future goaltending plans (see After Brodeur).  The rest of their prospects are developing well.  I am looking forward to seeing Adam Henrique, Mattias Tedenby, Adam Larsson, and others reach their prime.

Maybe (3)

1.     St. Louis Blues (25-12-5, 55 pts)

They are surprising everyone this year with their goaltending duo of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot.  The defense too contributes to their successes, allowing only 89 goals in 42 games.  Their offense is coming from multiple sources, something that Blues fans haven’t seen in a while.  They play amazing hockey at home, but are below .500 on the road.  They are under the radar and not popularizing their successes across the league.  Good for them.  They remind me of the 2009/10 Montreal Canadiens in terms of being under the radar, and they have one of their players from that that team.

2.     San Jose Sharks (23-11-5, 51 pts)

They are a maybe every year, the perfect example of a team with only “regular season success.”  Everyone is contributing offensively, but under the “assists” category.  They are struggling on the special teams, something they need to improve on.  If they can get someone other than Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, and Joe Pavelski to score more goals, they will go farther this year.  Defense is superb, with only one player a “minus” (Jason Demers with a minus-7 rating). 

3.     Dallas Stars (23-17-1, 47 pts)

After Brad Richards left, the hockey community did not see Dallas competing, rather working on relocation plans.  So far, General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk is proving everyone wrong.  They are third in their division in a really close race, and can climb up to the top soon.  Jamie Benn, Louie Eriksson, and Richard Bachman are playing well this year and could be franchise pieces.

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1.     New York Rangers (27-9-4, 58 pts)

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/allen/story/2012-01-09/nhl-rangers-championship-look/52467590/1

This article by Kevin Allen of USA Today: Sports perfectly sums it up.

2.     Philadelphia Flyers (25-12-4, 54 pts)

After losing in the Winter Classic, they are taking out their frustrations on their remaining scheduled opponents.  Everyone is playing their part, and the rookies are making more of an impact than Mike Richards (now with LA) and Jeff Carter (now with Columbus) ever did.  Fans say that they are ready for a Cup this year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get it in 2012.  Their only problem: goaltending.  Ilya Bryzgalov, a.k.a. Mr. Universe, is having a poor start to his tenure in Philadelphia.  Sergei Bobrovsky is stepping and taking over as the starter, so there is hope on the horizon.  Expect Mr. Universe to take that humiliation he endured during the 24/7 taping and turn it into saves and wins.

3.     Boston Bruins (27-11-1, 55 pts)

A plus-70 goal differential pretty much sums it up.  Everyone is contributing on the offensive and defensive fronts, and there is no sign of a mid-season collapse.  Back-to-back champions?

4.     Detroit Red Wings (26-15-1, 53 pts)

Jimmy Howard is stellar in net and carrying his club far.  Everyone is contributing outside of their current roles, something that the Red Wings have done every year they won the Cup.  Is this a good sign of things to come in Detroit?  Also, they usually play better playoff hockey.

5.     Chicago Blackhawks (25-13-5, 55 pts)

      A team that probably has one of the best Top-6 statuses in the league.  Marian Hossa (17-28-45), Jonathan Toews (22-20-42), Patrick Sharp (20-20-40), Patrick Kane (10-28-38), Viktor Stalberg (12-13-25), and Dave Bolland (10-9-19) are major offensive threats.  Duncan Keith and Nick Leddy are good defensemen who can contribute at both ends of the ice.  Their checking line led by Daniel Carcillo is one of the fiercest, and once Danny Boy comes back from his injury he will do so with a vengeance, after being suspended by the NHL for seven games for illegal hit prior to said injury.  Corey Crawford is continuously increasing his goalie skills, and Ray Emery is a solid backup.  

6.     Vancouver Canucks (27-14-3, 57 pts)

For the city of Vancouver’s sake, I hope they win the Cup so that the drunken and trashy fans do not trash or torch the city again.  They were off to a rocky start this season, but they have managed to bounce back.  Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider are a perfect duo in net.  There is nothing to fear if one of these two get hurt.  They are the only team in the league that has a Top-9 status on offense and a strong defensive core.  

Time to Rebuild the Calgary Flames: Who to Go After?

By Dan Marley

            Calgary fans are certain that the team is need of restructuring.

After losing in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, the Flames have failed to make their championship dreams a reality.  They have missed the playoffs their previous two seasons and have not made it passed the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the preceding four.

This year, they have very few pieces to make some kind of push, but not enough to make any kind of outstanding impact.

            With a weak farm system and a plethora of contracts ready to expire this upcoming season, the time is now to start from scratch.   If they want to compete, they need to emulate the moves and the meticulous patience that their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, are utilizing.

            The Flames are in need of younger talent that can create an unstoppable core offensively and defensively, especially in a division that is now hard to compete in: Edmonton’s player development is so far a success, Vancouver and Minnesota are firmly established with their rosters and line combinations, and Colorado’s peculiar institution of prospects and veterans are keeping their playoff hopes alive on a daily basis.

            Currently, the Flames are ranked in the bottom five of player development, according to HockeysFuture.com (26^th) and ESPN as reported by Yahoo! Sports (28^th).

            In their farm system, they have prospects who show a lot of grit and heart.  Their known prospects do well on the defensive front and can be utilized on the third and fourth lines.  They are forwards Mikael Backlund, Roman Horak, Greg Nemisz, and Ryan Howse, and defenseman T.J. Brodie. 

            Backlund is probably one of the best young play makers on the Flames roster. He is at best a third line forward; however, he cannot be depended on for goals.

            Horak was acquired by the Flames this past off season in a deal which sent defenseman Tim Erixon to the New York Rangers.  He is having a decent year so far in Calgary, adjusting at a good pace to the team’s style of play.  He too is a future third line center and regular to the special team units; however, he needs to be more physical on the fore check.

            After two years playing for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League and four years prior for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, Nemisz is becoming more acclimated with professional styles of play.  A player who could use another year or two of development in the minors, Nemisz has been counted on by his clubs to make plays and contribute at both ends of the ice.

            Howse was a goal- scoring beast for the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League (now the Victoria Royals), averaging over 30 goals per season and a point per game.  After he left the league due to age and signed a minor league deal with the Flames, he has yet to show that he belongs on the big club.  As of January 8, Howse has yet to register a point in 17 contests.  It will take a lot of convincing and a mid-season personal comeback for the Flames to have him on the roster next year. 

            After Erixon was traded to the Rangers, Brodie became the number one defensive prospect for the Flames.  He has that all-around defensive quality that many teams yearn for: he has great puck-handling skills, can skate very well on the open ice and around his opponents, and cause havoc without being sent to the penalty box with how well he blocks shots and hits his opponents.  He will definitely be the perfect centerpiece for the new team’s defensive core.

            In net, the Flames also have a good prospect in Leland Irving, who is currently the backup at the pro level.  He is revered as the successor of Mikka Kiprusoff.

            According to scouts, he is one of the calmest goaltenders in the game.  His size and lack of aggressiveness may be an issue; however, he steps up and challenges any shooter that he faces with ease. Before he allowed six goals on 21 shots in a 9-0 loss to the Boston Bruins back on January 5, Irving was 1-0-2 with a 2.23 goals against average and a 94.2 save percentage. 

            Despite this upside, their downside is that they only have one prospect who is first and second-line worthy.  His name is Sven Baertschi, and he is still in juniors.

            The 2011 first- round pick Baertschi is a gritty player with an amazing offensive mind.  The Flames wanted him on their roster opening day; but because of full roster spots and his age, the organization felt that he would be better off improving his skills back at the junior level, which has so far proven to be effective.

            In 25 games with the Portland Winterhawks, Baertschi has scored 12 goals and assisted on 42 with 18 penalty minutes and a plus-9 rating.  Expect him on the team's roster at some point during the 2012/13 season.

            With no one else to look forward to, this upcoming National Hockey League Trade Deadline will provide an opportunity for the the Flames to seek the young talent that they need to develop a chemistry with the above prospects.

            To do this, they will need to part ways with fan favorites like Kiprusoff, forward Jarome Iginla, and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.  All three have been in the organization for quite sometime, and they have collectively not been able to satisfy the playoff aspirations and expectations of the Flames' fandom.

            Kiprusoff is a good solid goaltender who deserves to be on a contending team that is in need of goaltending; Iginla has leadership that playoff hopefuls can use; Bouwmeester is a solid defenseman and special teams contributor that can help mature defensive cores that need that kind of veteran presence on the blue line.

            Potential and smart teams that should make a push for these three and give up a little extra for 2012 success are the Tampa Bay Lightning (Kiprusoff), Florida Panthers (Iginla), and Dallas Stars (Bouwmeester).

            Kiprusoff will be a perfect fit for the Lightning.

            Currently, their goalie situation is abysmal.  Starter Dwayne Roloson is not playing the style of net minding that the organization had anticipated in the beginning of the season and Mathieu Garon is not starter worthy come playoff time.  Tampa Bay might be able to turn their season around if they go out and get that solid net minder like Kiprusoff.

            Also, the Tampa Bay/ St. Petersburg market depends on winning.  Their consistent inconsistency of winning and losing seasons have created a fluctuation of attendance and popularity amongst their market and the NHL since they won the Stanley Cup back in 2004.  If this issue does not get resolved, long-term financial and player development issues are sure to arise.
            This bit of knowledge can make the negotiation process go in favor of Calgary.

            Two prospects that the Flames might target in a deal with Tampa Bay are forwards Brett Connolly and Vladislav Namestnikov.

            Connolly is a good goal scorer and a great play maker, someone that the Flames can use as part of their rebuilding process.  He is so far adjusting well to the professional level, registering eight points in 29 games for Tampa Bay.  He is projected to be a second line center.

              Namestnikov is a skilled forward who harnesses the power to shoot the puck accurately and create plays at both ends of the ice.  He is making the most of his development with the London Knights of the OHL.  He is a bonafide second liner, according to scouts, but has the potential to be an effective first- line center.

            For the first time in as many years, the Panthers have a chance to make a strong push for the Cup.  However, if they want this, they need to improve on their goal scoring.  The presence of Iginla on the Panthers can improve the team’s offensive output, as well as provide leadership for the younger players.

As of January 8, the Panthers are 24^th in the NHL in goals and have a goal differential of minus-8.  This is the worst in the league amongst division leaders.  In a first line that includes Iginla with Tomas Fleischman at center and Kris Versteeg on the wing, the Panthers can finally get the scoring touch that the future Hall of Famer can provide.

In exchange, the Panthers can offer the Flames their expendable prospects. Their desperation for goal scoring can too lead to a first round pick coming Calgary’s way.

Some expendable prospects in the Panthers organization that could fit well in the Flames farm system are prospects Quinton Howden, Rocco Grimaldi, and Alexander Petrovic.

Howden has been known for his speed and contributions to the special team units.  According to scouts, he has the potential to be an effective second-line forward with a chance of competing for a first line spot.  Currently with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, Howden has registered 29 points in 22 games.

University of North Dakota forward Grimaldi has a lot of upside to his game.  He has an accurate shot and is one of the fastest players in the NCAA.  Because he is relying on college hockey to further his development, he is one of those perfect cases of “hit-or-miss” players.  This is a player that the Flames will be very careful with if they want to get the best out of him and his skill set.  

Petrovic is a solid defenseman and enforcer who is heavily relied on by his team to come up big in games.  Besides his physical strengths, Petrovic can too contribute offensively.  His shot at the blue line is one of the hardest in his league and can set up great passing plays to generate effective scoring chances.  With the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Petrovic has registered 26 assists and 59 penalty minutes in 36 games.

Dallas needs more help on the power play.  Their struggles on the man advantage hinder their chances of making it to the playoffs.
Also, with financial issues on the horizon with low attendances and desperation to sell tickets, something needs to be done.

Currently, they are 24^th in the league in this category at 14.4 percent.  Bouwmeester is a perfect candidate for Dallas’s power play woes.  The reason why is their absence of a player on their roster that can keep the puck into the offensive zone for the full two-plus minutes and feeding it to the open man cleanly and putting it on net.

With Calgary and Florida, Bouwmeester has been revered for his contributions to the special teams.  Since the 2002/03 season, Bouwmeester has registered 105 points with the man advantage, amongst the best for defensemen.
Not only can he be counted on during the power play, Bouwmeester can also be utilized on the penalty kill.  On the penalty kill, he can hit and block shots.

What also makes him a perfect fit in the Lone Star State is Dallas’ collection of veteran talent. 

After former captain Brad Richards left for the Big Apple, Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk dove into the free agent market and signed a collection of players who have playoff and leadership experience.  These players include forwards Radek Dvorak, Vernon Fiddler, and Michael Ryder and defenseman Sheldon Souray.  Each player contributed to the team's early season success. 

However, they are in need of a better defensive presence, given that their team's defense is filled with NHL journeymen and rookies.  Currently, four of their defensemen have a plus/minus rating of minus-1 or worse. 

Calgary, in exchange, can get those rookie defensemen and give them a chance to properly develop and not worry about rushing to become superstars.  

Two defensemen that the Flames should push for on the Stars roster are Philip Larsen and Mark Fistric. 

Larsen is a confident, solid defenseman who is not afraid to challenge his opponents and avoid the penalty box (2 penalty minutes in 19 games).  If the Flames do acquire him, he can see himself on the same pairing as Brodie.

Fistric is a physical player who plays well on the road.  A team like Calgary that has struggled on the road can use a guy like him.  As of January 9, Calgary is 8-14-3 on the road, and a player with great confidence away from his home venue like Fistric can help a team like the Flames regain lost ground in the standings.

Calgary has a lot of options to rebrand and fix this club for the future, but the time to do it is now.  If they continue to do what they are doing now, their chances of competing in the future will look bleak.

After Brodeur: Who Should Start in Net After the Goalie "Great One" Retires?

By Dan Marley

            There is a good chance that after this season, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur will be calling it a career.

            If it wasn’t for Brodeur, the Devils organization would have not enjoyed any of their successes in the Garden State, winning three Stanley Cup Championships, four Prince of Whales Trophies (Eastern Conference Champions), and multiple Atlantic Division titles.  They would have instead been struggling to make ends meet in Nashville, Tennessee (see footnote).

            When Brodeur retires, the concern lies on whom will be the new starting goaltender at The Rock.  Many Devils fans want to see the Devils make a move for an elite goaltender, with the future status of captain Zach Praise still questionable.

            As easy as it may be to trade expendable prospects for a goaltender or to sign one over the summer, the Devils do not stand for signing mercenaries.  What separates them from many other teams in the National Hockey League is that they grow their own talent.  Brodeur, Patrick Elias, Parise, Ken Daneyko, John MacLean, Brendan Shanahan, Scott Niedermayer, Sergei Brylin, and others were brought up in the Devils farm system and other team development functions.  They should continue to do what has made them successful for many years.

            Picking which goaltending prospect to have the distinct honor and privilege of starting in net for the organization may be a challenge, since they had one perfect candidate that they had treated poorly and another who they have kept forever in the farm system that by now will never make his NHL debut.  I am talking about Scott Clemmensen and Jeff Frazee.

            From 2005-2009, Clemmensen was the only goaltender on the Devils in the EA Sports NHL Series to not be named “Backup #35.”  Clemmensen did not see much playtime until the 2008/09 season, when Brodeur was sidelined for 16 weeks due to a torn distal biceps tendon in his arm.

With a team plagued with injuries, Clemmensen stepped up and kept the Devils on top of the Atlantic Division.  He and his goalie pads that were thinner than he posted a 25-13-1 record with a 2.39 goals against average and a 91.7 save percentage with two shutouts.  He played more successfully against his Atlantic Division rivals, registering an 8-3-0 record against them, including a 3-0-0 record with one shutout against the New York Rangers. 

When Brodeur returned from injury and led the Devils at home to a shutout victory over the Colorado Avalanche back on February 26, 2009, Clemmensen was sent back down to the minors instead of their "other" backup in Kevin Weeks.  This right here was a major sign of disrespect for a player that kept the Devils reigning supreme that year.

In the end, Clemmensen got the last laugh, as the Devils blew a one-goal lead with 80 seconds left in game seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Eric Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes.

            Frazee was the coveted prospect who was originally going to take over the position.  For a while, Frazee was the only goaltending prospect in the Devils farm system.

            After his tenure at the University of Minnesota, where he posted a 26-13-3 record, the Devils kept him locked up in the farm system.  For five seasons, he was stuck in the minors, playing in Albany and Lowell of the American Hockey League and the Trenton Devils of the ECHL.  In the beginning, he had a lot of promise.  Today, he can now label himself as a “Crash Davis.”

            His talent is being wasted away in the AHL, as his game is now becoming less consistent and losing important attributes daily.  The only goaltending quality that he truly has left is his flexibility; yet, it is not helping out his cause. 

            Luckily, the Devils have three other goaltending prospects that show high promise.  Their names are Keith Kinkaid, Scott Wedgewood, and Maxime Clermont.

            Kinkaid made his first appearance with the Devils this past preseason in a special contest up in Albany, New York back on September 21, 2011.  He made ten saves and allowed zero goals in 31 minutes and 13 seconds of play in a Devils 2-1 win over the Rangers.  From that day on, the former player from Union College was on everyone’s radar. 

            Kinkaid has good size for a net minder and unlike Frazee is more consistent in net.  He cuts down the angles well, has good reflexes, and controls his rebounds.  Currently, Kinkaid is 8-10-0 with two shutouts, and allowed 56 goals on 471 shots faced down in Albany, which is pretty good for an undrafted goalie playing professionally on a team that has been slumping all year.  He and Frazee are currently splitting time to determine who will be the primary starter for the second half of the year.

            Wedgewood, the 84^th overall pick by the Devils in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, is playing good goaltending in the Ontario Hockey League with the Plymouth Whalers. 

            What differentiates him from the other goaltenders in the Devils organization is his ability to handle pressure during every second of the game, a Brodeur-like quality which foreshadows the good future that he will have in this organization.  In net, Wedgewood plays the body and protects the crease well. 

            As of January 4, Wedgewood is 13-5-3 and has allowed 63 goals on 1,227 shots.  Because of age restrictions in the Canadian Hockey League, Wedgewood will not return to the OHL, and instead, be competing with the others for that coveted roster spot.

            Clermont, the other goaltender selected by the Devils in the 2010 Draft, is currently in the ECHL playing for the Kalamazoo Wings.  What attracted scouts to this prospect is his commitment to challenging shooters on the breakaway, aggressiveness in net, good use of the glove, and rebound control.

            During his tenure with the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Clermont helped lead his club to two President’s Cups in 2008 and 2011, winning in 2008 against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, a fourth-place finish in the 2008 CHL Memorial Cup, and a Western Division Title in 2009.  The Devils have recognized his importance and impending future with the organization and want to be extra cautious with his development. 

            So far in his first season at the professional level, Clermont is 4-4-0 with a 3.89 goals against average and 87.8 save percentage.  

            The race for the starting goalie role in New Jersey will be one of great interest for the NHL community.  Frazee, Kinkaid, Wedgewood, and Clermont are making very interesting cases to be the next starter for the Devils.  As the 2011/12 season begins to come to an end, only time will tell who will be the next “Marty.”

*The reason why the 1995 Stanley Cup was so special to the Devils was because it kept the team in New Jersey.  If they had not won, the NHL had plans to move the club to Nashville.  Eventually, in 1998, Nashville was awarded an NHL franchise as part of the NHL’s expansion to 30 teams.

Where to Next? The NHL Winter Classic, a Neutral Location, and Advantages

By Dan Marley

            This week, we watched two of hockey’s biggest rivals battle outdoors in the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The visiting New York Rangers came from behind to defeat the hosting Flyers three to two, a game that will live in resplendence and glory for Rangers fans, and infamy for Flyers fans.

Hockey fans across the United States are anxiously awaiting the news for next year’s contest, hoping that different teams for once can take the ice.

Next year, the National Hockey League should consider playing in locations that are not located where the previous participants are from; however, if they have to for reasons of marketing and profit, the teams should play at a neutral location.

The key word here is “neutral.”  Never has anyone in any professional sports league considered playing a game like this in a nonbiased setting unless certain circumstances arose.  If possible, what two teams that draw heavy volumes of interest across the country can play in the Winter Classic at a neutral location and where?

The answer: Penguins versus Flyers at Beaver Stadium in Penn State University.

Hockey fans are probably tired of seeing these two teams in another outdoor classic, but knowing Gary Bettman, Barry Melrose, and company, they might consider this option.

Currently, Penn State athletics are in a rough patch after the sex scandal involving former head coach Joe Paterno and defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.  An incident like this will take years for the university to recover.  However, for the athletic department, there is some good news on the horizon.

According to reports on ESPN.com, the Penn State Ice Hockey program will be upgrading to Division I.  A move like this will continue to increase the popularity of the school and calm the current dilemmas that are bothering the school’s athletic department.

In terms of marketing, “what better way to celebrate Penn State hockey’s newest achievement than a NHL Winter Classic?”.    

Penn State is a perfect neutral ground for the Flyers and the Penguins.  Both teams are within a three-hour radius of the campus and have been known to draw big crowds from all over.

This Winter Classic has the potential to last a week with various hockey events, leading up to and preceding the big game.  These include an American Hockey League Winter Classic, an ECHL Winter Classic, and Penn State DI outdoor hockey.

The battle of Pennsylvania will continue in the AHL, with the Scranton/WB Penguins taking on the Hersey Bears.  The Bears will be playing in the 2012 Winter Classic Festivities on January 6 in Philadelphia against the Adirondack Phantoms.

This particular situation with the Bears might mimic the one with both the Penguins and the Flyers; however, unlike the rest of the league, Hershey can get a good attendance.

The ECHL has never hosted an outdoor game, unless I am mistaken.  Currently, there is only one ECHL team that plays in Pennsylvania: the Reading Royals.  The Royals are the minor league affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. 

However, there are two teams that play within twenty miles of the eastern and western Pennsylvania borders and are the affiliates of both Pennsylvania teams: the Wheeling Nailers (Penguins) and the Trenton Titans (Flyers).  All three of these teams play in the same division in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals of Elmira, New York.

 Having two of the three Pennsylvania state-limit teams or even all four teams of the Atlantic Division in a day-night double header can help the ECHL gain more recognition across the country as the league continues to expand.

Finally, an outdoor college hockey game featuring Penn State University will close off an amazing week of hockey in Happy Valley.  Potential opponents include Ohio State, Boston College, Boston University, and UMass-Amherst.

The concern of hosting a game like this on neutral ground is which of the two teams will have the home advantage.  Having no home team for this particular Classic can open up opportunities for future NHL markets.

Since 2008, the National Hockey League has been playing games in Europe.  After the games, there is usually a one- week break in the season.  During that week off, the Penguins and the Flyers should play a regular season game in a venue of a new potential market.  This will test the new markets to see whether or not they deserve a team. 

Preseason games have been used to do this, but hockey fans in these areas are not fond of watching no name prospects play on teams with weak farm systems.  They would rather see Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux battle for scoring supremacy instead of Jason Akeson and Dominik Uher battle for roster spots.

The schedule for Flyers/Penguins matchups will go as follow: two at Wells Fargo, two at CONSOLE Energy Center, one at Penn State, and the other at the potential market location.  The markets that everyone has been obsessing over lately are Kansas City, Missouri; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Hartford, Connecticut; Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

A lot of people are getting sick of seeing the Penguins and the Flyers play in the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.  However, because of the popularity of these two teams, it is bound to happen again within the next five years.  By having a Winter Classic at a neutral location, especially Penn State University, everyone can benefit from this.  No one needs to have home field advantage.  Minor league hockey can get some much- needed recognition.  The tradition of college hockey can continue to grow as it introduces a new member to its more competitive ranks of Division I.  A new market can be tested properly.   

My Thoughts: Barclays Center in Brooklyn a Possible Spot for a Minor League Team

By Dan Marley


Over on the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, a new sports and entertainment complex is being built.

Named the Barclays Center, its expected completion date is in September of 2012.

With the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association relocating here, big-league professional sports will be back in Brooklyn for the first time since 1957.  With the Nets, more tenants might make the Barclays Center their new home.

According to sources, the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League will more than likely fill in one of the open spots.

In their first decade of operations, the Nets and Islanders played in the same venue in Long Island, bringing forth a nostalgic intention of reuniting the two teams under one roof.  This move would be great for the Islanders, however, skepticism and financial worries center on this potential move.

Since 1972, the Islanders have played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where they won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983.  Their thirteen consecutive playoff appearances from the 1975 to 1988 seasons too brought in heavy volumes of fans and fan favorites like Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, Mike Bossy, and Clark Gilles.

After the 1989 season, however, two decades of missing the playoffs, poor trades, and early postseason exits led to a decline in attendance and popularity.  The 2004/05 NHL Lockout and 2008 United States economic recession were of no help to this team’s woes, as the rise of lacrosse and the poor economy in Nassau and Suffolk counties contributed to the franchise’s steady demise.

According to ESPN, the Islanders averaged 11,000 fans per game, the worst in the NHL.  Of these fans, a majority of them were fans of their Atlantic Division rivals and of the notorious Quebec-ians that migrated from Quebec City on several occasions who wish to bring the Nordiques back into the NHL.

To make matters worse, fans found other ways to use their tickets instead of going to the games or selling them online for a dime a dozen.

Greg “Opie” Hughes of The Opie and Anthony Show broadcasted his feelings about his favorite hockey club all over YouTube by dumping his tickets into the Hudson River after the Isles had lost its seventeenth in 18 games early in the 2010/11 regular season.

Also, when the vote this summer came for a new arena on the Island, no one showed up to the voting booths.  Those who were able to make some kind of effort to cast their ballot voted “NO”.

If the Islanders cannot make ends meet now, how would they be able to do so 30 miles west?

These reasons do not just affect the Islanders; they also affect the rest of the league.

Apart from the Islanders, the New York Rangers are playing at the newly renovated Madison Square Garden five miles north of the new site.  The Rangers have one of the biggest fan bases in the league, and a huge following across the globe.  Also, the New Jersey Devils play ten miles west in Newark, New Jersey, and have a steadily growing fandom.

It is because of this that NHL hockey will not be able to properly thrive in Brooklyn.  However, a minor league hockey team will be able to find a home here.

The Rangers are a perfect candidate for an affiliation here in Brooklyn.

Right now, the Rangers have an affiliation agreement with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.  The Whale play 120 miles away from Madison Square Garden, and the travel between destinations on game day plays a heavy toll on the players being called up and sent down.

The traffic from the airports to the arena during rush hour too is critical, delaying the arrival of the players, giving them less preparation time for their upcoming contests.

Another dilemma with this affiliation is the poor attendance at the XL Center in the Hartford Metropolitan Area.  In an arena that seats 15,000-plus, the Whale average only 5,600 per game, as of the 2010/11 season.  Reasons being due to the poor conditions of the XL Center in Hartford and the emotional toll that took place in 1997 when the Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina.

A clear indication of dissatisfaction was seen during the Whale Bowl, the AHL’s “Winter Classic” that saw very little interest in the Hartford community.  The crowd attendance was equivalent to the maximum capacity of the men’s bathroom at the University of Connecticut football field.

A change in scenery would be best for the organization and for player development.

An affiliation in Brooklyn for the Rangers will preserve a New York hockey identity within the five boroughs and make call ups and send downs easier to regulate and conduct.

Instead of a plane or long car ride to and from Hartford, players will be taking a short subway ride between boroughs, cutting down travel time and making arrangements stress-free.

Because of the close proximity of the two teams, fans can meet and greet with future Rangers and help better promote player and team development in the upcoming seasons.  If fans want to see how the prospects are doing, they can go to the games at an affordable price and see them play, rather than look up highlights online or read biased articles that do not depict the real style of play that they witnessed.

As for media agreements, WKRB (90.3 FM) and Brooklyn Community Access Television Brooklyn can air the games.

WKRB currently broadcast the Brooklyn Cyclones (Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets) of the New York-Penn League and the addition of a sports team to a student-based network can lead to more advertising, scholastic programs, and financial interests to the Brooklyn Center for Media Education.

The biggest concern centering on this move would be the scheduling of games and transportation.

In regards to this, the AHL can make the Brooklyn team’s schedule non-conflicting with the NHL’s, having them play at home when they are on the road and vice versa or playing on the other’s off days.

Another concern is keeping the AHL and NHL 30 teams even.

Relocation would be required, and there are two perfect candidates for this: the Whale and the Abbotsford Heat.

In Hartford, there have been murmurs about building a new sports and entertainment complex in the surrounding area with the slightest hint of bringing back their beloved Whalers.  If construction does go underway, the Whale would need to relocate, and Brooklyn would be a perfect fit for the farm team.

When the Heat popped into the hockey picture in British Colombia as the farm team for the Calgary Flames, all major markets in that area focused their attention on the Heat, disrupting broadcasting agreements with the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League.  Chilliwack and Abbotsford are very close neighbors.

Media focus of the Heat led to a major decline in profits for Chilliwack and eventually to their relocation in the B.C. capital of Victoria.

“You don’t do what Calgary did here,” said Daryl Porter, former owner of the Chilliwack Bruins, on Chilliwack’s 89.5 The Hawk back in April, “… [There’s a code in minor sports, and especially in hockey]… the fundamental bad break at the end of the day [turned us into victims].”

Ironically, the WHL reigns more supreme than their AHL competitor in the Western Canadian province.  Despite the new complex that was built in Abbotsford, the team averaged less than 50 percent attendance, while the Chilliwack Bruins averaged over 60-percent at the 5,000-plus during their tenure at the Prospera Center.

By relocating the Heat to Brooklyn, not only would the Rangers have a closer minor league affiliate, the popularity and media rights to the B.C. Division of the WHL will be preserved and given more room to grow.

The last major concern of a professional or minor league team heading into the borough is the competition between both the new team and the Brooklyn Aviators of the Federal Hockey League.

The Aviators play at Aviator Sports and Events Center down the road on Flatbush Avenue.  The organization has developed a winning dynasty, with two league championship appearances and one title dating back to the time they were the New York Aviators of the North East Professional Hockey League.

The decision of moving the Aviators to a new location, the Brooklyn AHL team using Aviator Sports as a training facility, and naming the new AHL team after these Aviators are not the best of ideas.

However, the two can coexist where both can benefit from an affiliation agreement with the Rangers.

Currently, the Aviators are the “proud” affiliate of the Wheeling Nailers, who are the East Coast Hockey League affiliate for the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  New York fans are not too fond of either of these teams.

To better promote hockey in Brooklyn and preserve a New York identity, the Aviators should consider signing an affiliation agreement with the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL, who are currently the AA farm team for the Rangers.

Also, when it comes to scheduling, since the FHL plays their games primarily on weekends, both leagues must make sure that if both teams play on the same day, they should not play at the same time.  Everyone gets a cool taste of the good old hockey game in Brooklyn at every level.

The National Hockey League must not consider allowing any team to occupy a space at the Barclays Center, especially one that has a decaying fan base and is in close proximity of popular and successful franchises like the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.  Instead, the American Hockey League is a perfect fit, as a center for player development and affordable family fun.  It may not happen right away, but proper delegation of the idea will work great and spread the word of hockey in a very positive way.