Yardbarker: Florida Panthers

Kicked in the Saku Koivu

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:08:14 -0500

I attended the first Leafs home game of the post-Kyle Wellwood era tonight. After the victory in Detroit on Thursday, Leafs fans were a little more (cautiously) optimistic about the Leafs team this year. Of course, there are the omnipresent Leafs fans who figure "This is the year" every year. They're the ones you see on TV all the time that give other more realistic Leafs fans a bad name and make people think that all Leafs fans are moronic sheep. Anyway, I hope tonight's game wasn't a more realistic indication of how the Leafs will do this year. Are they going to beat great teams like the Red Wings every time? Certainly not, but hopefully we won't see too many more 6-1 losses either. The Good Curtis Joseph played the third and didn't allow a single goal, much to the delight of the Joseph-loving Toronto fans. Strangely, one of the biggest ovations he got (with the crowd erupting into chants of "CuJo! CuJo! CuJo!") was after he was beaten by a shot that rang off of the goal post. A total of one penalty for both teams in the first period. Twenty of Canada's medal winners from the Beijing Olympics were there for the ceremonial faceoff. They got a well-deserved standing ovation, and then led the crowd of almost 20,000 in singing the national anthem a capella style. No matter what big musical star they could have gotten to sing the anthem, it couldn't have been any cooler than 20,000 people singing in unision. It was amazing. Mike Van Ryn made a very nice defensive move in the first, stripping a Montreal player of the puck. It was a play that Bryan McCabe could never have made, but of course you knew that already -- I did say it was a very nice defensive move. The Bad The Leafs were playing their second game of the season, and it showed. There were lots of missed passes and lots of shots that missed the net by a foot or more. It seemed that there were a lot of players just out of place all night. The Habs would take a shot and the rebound (whether off the goalie or the boards) would go straight to another Montreal player. The Leafs would take a shot and the rebound would either go straight to a Montreal defenseman or would coast all the way to the neutral zone because there were no Leafs players anywhere near it. The Habs played like it was their twentieth game of the season -- less missed passes, less players out of place, less penalties... though it's possible that Montreal is simply a better team. Penalty killing was awful. The Leafs had five penalties in the second period, leading to four Montreal power play goals. I suppose it improved in the third though, as the Leafs had four more penalties but no goals allowed. In the second period, Carlo Colaiacovo (I spelled that right without even looking it up first! < proud >) tripped over a Montreal player who was knocked down by another Leaf and limped off the ice in obvious pain. I thought maybe Captain Glass was injured again and would be out for a few weeks, but he returned in the third period, so maybe this should have been listed under "The Good". Toskala was shaky for the first two periods, though a few of the six goals he allowed weren't his fault at all. Toronto only scored one goal, and it wasn't even that nice a goal. They had another one called back because Antropov directed it in with his arm. This was on Montreal's backup goaltender -- they didn't want to waste Carey Price on Toronto. The Ugly Final score: Montreal 6 Toronto 1. 'Nuff said. The Leafs could really have used the scoring touch from their former number one center -- Kyle Wellwood. Or Darcy Tucker. Or that other guy, what's his name? You know, that Swedish guy? Anyway, the team is rebuilding and we all know that when a team is rebuilding, there are going to be some ugly games. But despite the final score, I don't think this was really one of them. A young rebuilding team was simply beaten by a more talented team. They put up a good fight and as Andy Frost mentioned in the post-game show on the radio, the Leafs did not mail it in in the third period, they came out and played hard. You gotta respect that.

NHL Fantasy Hockey Numbers for October 7, 2008

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:31:27 -0500

FantasyHockeyNetwork.com takes a look at the top NHL fantasy hockey performers for games played on Monday October 6, 2008.

15 Young Fantasy Hockey Guns to Watch for in 2008-09.

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:23:58 -0500

FantasyHockeyNetwork.com takes a look at 15 up and coming fantasy hockey prospects in the NHL.

McCabe, Panthers’ Newest Addition

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:45:38 -0500

Well, the long anticipated trade, has been finally completed. Not a trade that is very controversial, only Toronto Maple Leaf fans arguing over if the fourth round pick was legit or not. So in that case, I guess it was pretty good wasn't it? It seems that way. How do you judge this trade? I think it's pretty much trading a liability for a liability, an injury burdened Mike Van Ryn for an under-performing Bryan McCabe. So either way, both teams have question marks with their respective returns.

McCabe heading to South Beach?

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:45:39 -0500

According Sportsnet and TSN, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe may be willing to waive his no-movement clause and allow a trade to the Florida Panthers.

Ballard Signs For Six Years

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:45:38 -0500

The pieces are falling into place, just like most Florida Panther fans had expected. Keith Ballard, recently traded to the Florida Panthers in a very controversial trade on GM Jacques Martin's part, for Olli Jokinen. The dollar amount for the contract is uncertain at the moment, but it has indeed gone down.

2008 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Goaltenders

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:36:18 -0500

Wrapping things up, FIO staff writer Tim Hays breaks down the Top 25 goaltenders heading into fantasy hockey drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list... and don't forget some sleepers listed.

NOAH WELCH IS DONATING HIS BRAIN

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:25:03 -0500

To be perfectly honest with you, I devoted much of my alloted MH writing time for the day to another "behind enemy lines"-style preview, this week for the Blogimore Ravens site, run by Dewey Hammond, who doubles as managing editor of Yardbarker.com, the blog network you've come to know and love.

That means I had to pass over coverage of a lot of great stories, including Pedro Alvarez signing on the dotted line(!), Matt Millen's Littlefield-esque run finally ending in Detroit, the suspension of Plaxico Burress, and John Clayton apparently passing gas on live TV.

For reasons I'm still trying to figure out, I decided to devote my nighttime post to the fact that former Penguin Noah Welch is one of a handful of athletes who recently pledged to donate their brains for examination after death.

Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy also got commitments from former Patriot Ted Johnson and former Titan TE Frank Wycheck for their concussion-based research.

The center has so far determined that four deceased former NFL players suffered from brain damage commonly associated with boxers, and three of the four were Steelers: HOF center Mike Webster, OL Terry Long, and OL Justin Strzelczyk, who are joined on the list by former Eagle Andre Waters.

It's a nice gesture by Welch, who will go down in Penguin history as the guy traded for Gary Roberts in 2007. He's appeared in just six games so far for Florida, where he'll be competing for a spot once again this season. I think it's pretty safe to chalk up that trade under the victory column for Ray Shero, no?

2008 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Defensemen

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:17:10 -0500

FIO staff writer Tim Hays breaks down the Top 25 defensemen heading into fantasy hockey drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list... and don't forget some sleepers listed.

Playoff Battles for the Leafs

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:41:01 -0500

In spite of all the negative attention surrounding the Leafs lately, I thought I'd take a different angle and -- god forbid -- take a look to the future of a possible playoff berth. While the Leafs have their work cut out for them, itâ??s not impossible for them to attain post-season play. While it may seem improbable considering the teams they must leapfrog, the recent play of the Buds suggests they got the heart to overcome such odds.

What stands between the Leafs and 8th place are the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres,

Washington Capitals, and last but not least, the Boston Bruins. In order for the Leafs to be considered serious contenders for the dubious position, they would have to win atleast 5 of their last 6 games, garnering 10 pts out of a possible 12. But even that might not be enough, most likely putting them in the placing their all too familiar with, the dreaded 9th place.

However, the Leafs will need to play at their absolute best, and while their recent play without Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov has been impressive, they will need to withstand the upcoming schedule without the pair for a little longer. Consistency will be key here, something the Leafs have struggled with all season long. A huge part to their recent upswing as been the emergence of Matt Stajan and Alexander Steen, the two have displayed strong leadership for the Buds, and have produced points consistently in the past few weeks. But with the upcoming double-header against the Bruins, the pair will have to solidify themselves as the teamâ??s leaders if the Leafs wish to even flirt with a possible playoff berth.

With all that said, let's assume the Leafs do make the playoffs. What are the possible team's they would face? Is it possible to advance to the 2nd round against any of these foes? The answer is yes. Here's your preview:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Season Series: 2-2

When I think of this potential playoff match, goals are what instantly come to mind. The emergence of Evgeni Malkin in the absence of Sidney Crosby has been beyond impressive. The kid has established himself as a true first line winger and franchise player for the Pens. Once "Sid The Kid" returns from his injury, you can bet these two will be causing loads of havoc on the powerplay, and head coach Micheal Therrien will be looking to give Malkin the same kind of ice-time he's receiving now. While the Leafs can handle faster teams more efficiently this season, I highly doubt they would be able to contain their offense for an entire series. While goaltender Vesa Toskala has been great for the Leafs, his durability is still a concern considering his career high in games played was 38 before this season.

Outcome: Pens in 5 games

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils

Season Series: 4-0 Devils

If the Leafs were to enter the playoffs facing the Devils, Iâ??d bet it would end much like the season series. The Devils play trap hockey, and magnificent goaltending from Martin Brodeur helps them perfect the style of play. The Leafs offense is anything but explosive and their defense has been mediocre for most of the season. Their only prayer would lie with Toskala, and that would be quite the challenge for the 31-year old netminder, who's played game after game for the Buds this season.

Outcome: Devils in 5 games

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Season Series: 3-3 as of now

What a treat this would be, the two most passionate fan bases colliding for post-season supremacy. Whether you hate the Habs or the Leafs, we must all respect the rivalry that has evolved between these two ever since the league began in 1916. With this particular series, it doesn't matter what place both teams finish, because both clubs always play above their heads when they meet up at centre-ice --especially the Leafs. Both clubs have enjoyed great goaltending this season, but the Habs have something special in Carey Price. The 20-year old netminder will be the go-to guy going into the playoffs, and those who have watched him know that he is capable of handling his own. While the Habs have a young team, they have no shortage of leadership with the likes of Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev leading the charge. The key to this series would be physical play, and strong puck movement. One thing is for certain, however, if the Leafs are to beat the Habs in the playoffs, it would definitely require a healthy Mats Sundin.

Outcome: Leafs in 7 games

As you may have noticed, I did not add the Ottawa Senators to possible playoff opponents. This is due to the fact that they are now 7 points behind 1st place, and I find it highly improbable that they attain the position. But, barring a miracle, it would be an instant classic to see the Leafs and Sens gear up for another round of playoff battle.

With all that said, this could all be for not if the Leafs don't win their upcoming games. It starts tonight with the Boston Bruins.

Potential Playoff Series: Habs vs. Caps

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:41:01 -0500

Before I begin, let me start by saying this is not written in stone yet, but if the playoffs were to start today, this would be the best series throughout the first round of playoff hockey. While the Capitals still require lady luck on their side, it's important to note that their chances are significantly higher considering the Flyers are going head-to-head with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils for their final two games of the regular season. Meanwhile, the Capitals will be hosting the Florida Panthers for their final game -- not exactly an overly difficult game. Still, what we must keep in mind is that the Capitals do not control their destiny; so once again, lady luck will have to be sitting on their shoulder.

Throwing aside all these implications, let's look at what a possible Habs vs. Caps playoffs series would deliver. The first thing you can expect is an overhaul of intensity from both clubs. You can certainly expect Capitals goaltender Cristobal Huet to raise his game to new levels in an attempt to prove his old team wrong. Ever since the 33-year old has been traded, he's polished his game to become a much more reliable netminder. Huet was often criticized for weak goals and durability issues. Both of those things have gotten considerably better since arriving in Washington, winning his last three starts with a 0.67 GAA and a .971 SV%. One thing is for certain, the goaltending battle between former teammates Carey Price and Huet would make this one of the best series in the playoffs.

While the Habs have been scorching hot lately, Price has been better. The 20-year old goaltender has raised his game to new heights ever since the departure of Huet. While he had minor problems with questionable goals earlier in the season, he has rounded his game to become an undisputed #1 goaltender in this league. The Vancouver native has accumulated 23 wins, a 2.60 GAA, a .919 SV% and 3 shutouts in 40 games played. Sensational numbers considering he's playing his rookie season -- at 20 years old! Perhaps the best contributor to Price's success is his positional play. While he possesses a huge frame at 6'3, 226 lbs., he makes himself even bigger with superb positioning. Another thing that must be mentioned is that the kid is fazed by absolutely nothing, and he's capable of keeping his cool in the biggest of games. Despite all of his impressive abilities, Price will have to follow through in the playoffs, standing as the Habs best player. As we all know, a good team means nothing in the post-season unless you have a goaltender ready to steal you games.

The second thing you can expect is goals, and a lot of them with Alexander Ovechkin in the mix. The 22-year old has become the NHL's best player this season, posting an incredible league leading 65 goals and 112 points with a +28 rating in 81 games played. His explosive speed, big hits, ferocious wrist shots and incredible intensity are what make him impossible to contain for a full 60 minutes. The Russian sensation will undoubtedly win the Rocket Richard and Art Ross Trophies respectively, with a chance for the Hart Trophy as well. While the Habs contain one of the best defensive clubs of the East, they will not be able to stop Ovechkin, just slow him down a little. While the Caps have offensive threats in Alexander Semin and Niklas Backstrom, the key to any playoff success lies with Ovechkin.

In the other end, the Habs host the best offensive club in the league this season, scoring an impressive 259 goals for. The key to their offensive success lies in Alexei Kovalev and Tomas Plekanec. The duo has been explosive in the offensive zone this season, displaying great chemistry together. Fantastic puck control, superb passing and incredible patience is what makes the Habs such a threat going into the playoffs. The club has placed themselves 1st overall on the powerplay (24.3%) because of this, and it will prove to be a huge factor once the playoffs begin. Despite the play of Kovalev and Plekanec, the Habs have had balanced scoring throughout the season, the 3rd and 4th line chipping in for offensive production. If the Habs can follow through with superb goaltending, balanced scoring and solid defensive play, there wonâ??t be many teams who can stop them. But if you ask me, out of all the possible opponents the Habs could be facing, the Capitals should be the most feared.

2008 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Right Wings

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 09:20:16 -0500

FIO staff writer Tim Hays breaks down the Top 25 right wingers heading into fantasy hockey drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list... and don't forget some sleepers listed.

An Early Look: The East

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:25:48 -0500

FIO staff writer looks ahead at the Eastern Conference for the upcoming NHL season. Discussed are topics of free agency, trades and how the teams on the east stack up for 2008-2009, as well as some early predictions.

Ballard Signs For Six Years

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:22:04 -0500

NHL Coming Attractions: Southeast Division

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:03:17 -0500

Breaking down the Southeast with the help of movie posters and MS Paint.