The Good ole Hockey Game
Looking Back on the First Quarter of the NHL
The first quarter (give or take) of the NHL season is behind us and in this blog we will take a look at what is right, what surprises we’ve had and what to look for in the future.
Since this is on the site of the Chris Townsend Show we will start with the home town league leading San Jose Sharks. The question I am constantly answering when asked about this team is “are they going to make a playoff run. Are they going to breeze through the regular season and break our hearts in the early rounds of the playoffs….again.” The answer to that can only truly be put to rest come spring, but, an educated guess says no they will not disappoint. Here are only a few reasons why. First off last seasons early exit from the playoffs left a bad taste with Shark players. More so than years past because they really felt that this team had what it took and was the most talented they have entered the post season with. The Sharks have a unique mix of veterans who for the most part are not on the down side of their careers and the youth is really coming into their own. Guys like Devon Setoguchi and Joe Pavelski are only getting better and have shown that they can handle big minutes in big games. Like all teams injuries are a factor and San Jose has had their share of them but in the absence of key contributors the depth has shown to be very promising. Players like Scott Nicoll and Jamie McGinn have stepped up with timely goals when the top lines stutter. 3rd and 4th line scoring is HUGE in the NHL. Huge because there will no doubt be injuries going into the playoffs and when you can throw depth players into situations they have been in before they know how to get the job done. Nothing is scarier to a player coming up from the minors to play their first NHL game in the playoffs. Aside from bad luck that won’t be the case in San Jose. Coach MacLellan has a year of experience under his belt as a head coach but more importantly a year with his new team. He has already put his mark on the club by appointing Rob Blake captain taking pressure off of Patrick Marleau, he is off to the best start of his career. If you are going to be successful in the post season you have to have good goaltending and goalies always play better in a contract year. Evgeni Nabakov is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. There is no greater incentive than that to play to the best of your abilities, except maybe representing your country... but we’ll get that shortly. Marleau is in the same boat which may explain his fast start. Add to that the block buster trade that GM Wilson made in acquiring one of the league’s best snipers in Dany Heatley who has playoff experience and this is a recipe for success.
The biggest surprise so far has been the Colorado Avalanche. This team went out and got a new goalie in the off season and is starting two 18 year old rookies at the center position.
The Anaheim Ducks are last in the west after a surprising performance in last years post season. The departures of Chris Pronger and Francois Beachemin are taking there toll as well the level of goaltending has dropped from the end of last year.
The young Pittsburgh Penguins have not suffered the Stanley Cup hangover which many expected they would especially with a young coach.
The Boston Bruins have taken a nose dive after winning the Eastern conference last season. Injuries have plagued the team as well as trading top line winger Phil Kessel. This has given opportunity to the Buffalo Sabres who lead the Northeast Division.
The Carolina Hurricanes who lost in the eastern conference finals last year are last in the league. They have some key injuries to top players. However, they started the season with top players in the line up and have nothing to show for it.
Marion Gaborik is among the league leaders in points vs. games missed which is where he usually is. This is very surprising in a season that has seen the top 3 in points from last season go down with injuries along with a large number of other star players. Last year it was the top goalies of the NHL on the sideline but the league has vowed and so far done a better job of protecting goalies.
Brendan Shanahan’s retirement doesn’t come as a surprise after 21 years in the league. Shanny to his teammates will no doubt be a first ballot hall of famer as he is the only player in history to score over 600 goals and over 2,000 penalty minutes. Shanahan is one of those rare players who had it all. At 6’3 and 220 pounds very few were willing to drop the gloves with this elite player. He was a superstar who didn’t need the team’s enforcer to fight his battles. If you made the mistake of picking a fight with this guy you wouldn’t do it again. He retires with 17 Gordie Howe hatricks. A Gordie Howe hatrick is when a player scores a goal, an assist, and gets into a fight in the same game. It is tough to think of another player in the last 20 years who played more like the great Gordie Howe than Brendan Shanahan. His presence on the ice will be missed.
The future will bring more great ground breaking hockey. This is a special year in the NHL due to the Olympics. Every game between now and the start of the games in Vancouver is a try out for numerous players to represent their countries. Most players are able to up the level of play in a contract year but every single guy who has the slightest chance to represent their country in the Olympics finds the next level. The game now belongs to younger men and the games this February could be a springboard for a number of careers. This is a chance for athletes to play the game at the highest level possible. To prove to the world what they are capable of. To find out what it takes to get to the next level. Mario Lemieux gives credit to Wayne Gretzky in the 1987 Canada Cup tournament for teaching him how to win. Mario said he saw what it took from guys like The Great One and Messier on how to get over that hump and how to bring your teammates along with you. Who will win gold this year and who will take what they have learned and apply it to the everyday grind of the NHL regular season.
Thanks for reading,
Cam Gore
|
