Just a bit of an announcement folks. I have decided to leave my Blackout Dallas and Dallas Stars family for an oppourtunity to write with Eyes On Isles, a New York Islanders site.
I figured an Eastern Conference team would be easier on my schedule and better for my career. I hope all of the Islander fans out there welcome me with warm arms!
And with that, I urge you to go take a look at their site; I start up the week of July 8th.
Oopsy! Sometimes you just can’t control what goes on with live broadcasts.
Sean Avery gets caught throwing obsenities at Darcy Hordichul after a melee on the ice. Some of these insults are classics. Have a look for yourself!
WARNING: NSFW Language
Alex Bourret is a feisty right-winger who grew up in Quebec. Being drafted 16th overall in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft to the Atlanta Thrashers, Bourret has played in many leagues both here and across the pond. Last season he started off with the Cornwall River Kings and then finished up in Russia. This season, he’s back in the River Kings line up for his second year.
March Hockey: How does the style of of play in Russia compare to that of North America like the LNAH or ECHL for example? What was it like with the language barrier?
Alex Bourret: I’ve played in Russia, South Korea, Czech Republic and the language barrier has always been hard (they don’t speak any English or they’re not willing to try). It’s a different game overseas, ice is bigger and it is less physical but they can play hockey that for sure.
MH: Wait a minute….South Korea?! What was THAT like?
AB: They treat you real good over there. Japan, China, nicest hotels and private jets; Everything! But hockey is another story…
MH: Are the fans/players/teams just us passionate as us Canadians are for the game?
AB: Yes they are!! Some don’t know much about hockey; It’s more a big party for them but when you hear 15 000 people screaming for 2 hours, it’s great. Gives you a lot of energy.
MH: Growing up who was your biggest influence on your style of play??
AB: I always compare myself to guys like Sean Avery and Darcy Tucker. I like the way they play and they are not the biggest guys either.
MH: You’re a bit of a fighter, who’s the toughest player to go toe to toe with you?
AB: I remember one night in junior playing in Rimouski against Sidney Crosby. I was all over him and at one point Eric Nelson, (one of the tough guys at the time), asked me to go. Probably to scare me, I told him “Let’s go big guy!” with a BIG smile. I did pretty good on that one.
MH: And finally, if you could play with any player past or present, who would it be and why?
AB: Probably Thomas Beauregard. He was my linemate with the Wichita Thunder a year ago and we did good together. He is a sniper and I’m more of a hard-working forward.
Happy Canada Day to all of my fellow Canadians! Stay safe and we will see you tomorrow!
The draft is finally over and everyone can finally sleep a little bit better at night. At least until Free Agency starts up. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here though. We’re going to take a look at the top 5 picks who got selected in this years draft.
1. Colorado Avalanche – Nathan MacKinnon
Of course to no one’s surprise MacKinnon went first overall. Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy had been saying for weeks that they weren’t going to draft defensemen Seth Jones. That led for lots of speculation of “will they” or “won’t they”. Well, as we can see they weren’t bluffing. Mackinnon was the first player from the QMJHL to be drafted first overall since Sidney Crosby in 2005. After putting up outstanding numbers with the Halifax Mooseheads and capturing a Memorial Cup championship title, MacKinnon will be a no brainer in training camp and should make the cut. See him on the first line with Landeskog and O’Reilly but no lower than the second where Matt Duchesne could offer great veteran support.
2. Florida Panthers – Alexander Barkov
With the first shocker of the draft, the Florida Panthers also declined to pick up Seth Jones and went with Finnish-Russian powerhouse Alexander Barkov. Coming out of SM-Liga with Tappara in Finland, Barkov collected 48 points in 53 games. A massive man at 6’2, Barkov shows a great amount of hockey sense and should add depth to the Panthers squad.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning – Jonathan Drouin
As expected, Steve Yzerman and company selected MacKinnon’s Halifax teammate Jonathan Drouin. Fast feet and good hands, Drouin is a great pick to fill in the void that was left with Vincent Lecavalier’s buyout. Drouin seems to know what’s going on around him on the ice at all times. He was an integral part of Halifax’s Memorial Cup win.
4. Nashville Predators – Seth Jones
What a steal for the Nashville Predators! American defencemen Seth Jones was choosen 4th overall and could not have gone to a better team. Imagine him and Shea Weber on your blue line. This year with Portland, Jones racked up 56 points in the 61 games he played. Should be interesting to see how his career first starts out.
5. Carolina Hurricanes – Elias Lindholm
A jack of all trades, Lindholm is a great addition for the Hurricanes and the Stall brothers. A stick handler with lots of leadership skills in him, Lindholm could go a long way in the Carolina system. Providing he doesn’t head back to Europe, he’s a rising star on the east coast.
As the draft rolls on before our eyes I would like to point some what of an observation…
What strikes me as odd is that for many of these kids and their families, this is the happiest day of their lives and some of these GMs are skulking up to the podiums and just nonchalantly announcing names..Washington’s seemed outright rude.
Is it their intention to make it seem as if they don’t give a crap about these kids..? Cause it certainly comes across that way.
Anyway its great to see these young kids and their families looking so proud and excited. The coming years will be pivotal for all them, some will join the elite and others may disappear into obscurity. However this has to be the proudest day of their lives.
March’s Note: Kavan Young is a new contributor to the blog. Stationed out of Vancouver, British Columbia and a die hard Habs fan, Kavan will give us his fresh take on all things hockey! Welcome bud!
Welcome, and thank you for checking out my post! This is my first attempt at starting a blog and can’t wait to see what kind of reaction I will get. I have an extreme passion for hockey; perhaps an obsession. Regardless, I love this game and all the discussions and debates that come with it. So without further ado, let’s get started! Growing up playing goal, I thought, “What better way to start a blog than to talk about my favourite position.”
Last offseason in the NHL saw little action in regards to goaltender movement, with only Al Montoya, Sergei Bobrovsky, Anders Lindback, Jonas Gustavsson and Chris Mason re-painting their masks.
Teams were looking more for top line forwards and top 6 defensemen, with players like Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Rick Nash, Jordan Staal, James van Riemsdyk and Luke Schenn bringing in the highest demand.
This season, however, is a much different monster; there are a number of goalies who will be shipped out, bought out and paid handsomely, as many teams, such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, have been exposed at the position.
This article will take a look at available goaltenders and their potential destinations.
Roberto Luongo:
Gotta start with Bobby Lu. Living in Vancouver, I hear a lot about this guy, and for good reason. The man is a true professional, an elite goaltender and still has lots left in the tank. He has dealt with rumors and potential trades for nearly 3 years now and GM Mike Gillis and the Canucks owe it to him to have him moved by the time next season starts. Whether it be via buyout or trade, look for Luongo to end up somewhere southern. He resides in South Florida so the Panthers seem to be a likely destination, but don’t rule out Tampa Bay either. Anders Lindback has the potential to be a stellar number one goaltender, but dropped the ball last season and could really benefit from a proven veteran and leader like Luongo.
Ryan Miller
What oh what do we do with Ryan Miller? The current Sabres starter has been in the Buffalo system since being drafted in 1999 and has suck with them through thick and thin. Nowadays, however, the Sabres seem to be unable to decide whether to rebuild or try to add pieces for another push. I think it makes sense for GM Darcy Regier to shop Miller actively.
At only 32 years of age, Miller is still in his prime, but doesn’t have a lot of time left, so a cup contender with plenty of firepower makes sense as a destination for Miller.
With the Philadelphia Flyers recent buyout of the sometimes eccentric Ilya Bryzgalov, its not a stretch to visualize miller in orange and black next season. Knowing that Philly is the NHL’s graveyard for goalies would normally be a deterrent, but with only a year left on his contract, it is a low-risk, high-reward deal for all parties involved. Philly gets a proven starter with experience on his resume, Miller can re-establish himself in a new city while giving the Flyers a chance to win and Buffalo gets assets and/or picks to help build the future of the team.
Ilya Bryzgalov:
Speaking of the Flyers, how good of a move was it to buyout possibly the biggest headache in the NHL. Besides Roberto Luongo, I can’t see any other team with as much drama surrounding them as Philadelphia had with Bryz, besides Phoenix, but that’s a whole other story.
Realizing that his client is somewhat of a headcase, Ilya’s agent Ritch Winter has gone public stating that Philadelphia’s goaltending system is awful and that their goalie coach has no authority. Whether these words are fact or an opinion is somewhat irrelevant, as this seems like a marketing ploy to let interested teams know that Bryzgalov can still stop a puck or two and that it’s actually the team’s fault that Bryz sucked it up for 2 years. Right.
Either way, after names like Luongo and Miller are dealt with, teams who missed out may take a chance on the former Vezina finalist since there won’t be much left afterwards.
Edmonton is a team that Bryzgalov has expressed interest in playing for, but i can’t see that interest being mutual. Devan Dubnyk seems to be the future between the pipes in oil country, so they may look closer at a proven backup such as Ray Emery or Dan Ellis to help mentor him and shape him into a guy who can steal a few games.
Sitting on the cusp of being a playoff team, the Winnipeg Jets may want to give Ritch Winter a call to inquire about his client’s services. Ondrej Pavelec is supposed to be the clear-cut number 1 in Winnipeg, but his career numbers are mediocre at best (2.98 GAA, .907 SV%). If GM Kevin Chevaldayoff can talk Bryzgalov into dealing with Winnipeg’s weather, he could be exactly what the team needs to get Pavelec going. Bringing in Bryz on a one-year deal as a 1B shows Pavelec that the organization is less than pleased with his performances and creates a healthy competition for the starting job.
Marc-Andre Fleury:
The Flower is an interesting name to have on this list, as he has backstopped Pittsburgh to the playoffs in each of his 7 full seasons with the team, posting career numbers of 249-151-2-39, 2.66 GAA and 0.910 over 467 games.
It is his efforts in the postseason that have left Penguins brass scratching their heads. After winning it all in 2009-2009, Fleury has choked in the postseason to the point of being pulled and benched.
The question mark is whether Fleury is a legitimate elite goaltender or if he can’t handle the pressure come playoffs. This, surely, has made GM Ray Shero consider the option of moving his long-time starting goaltender who has 2 years left at $5 million per season on his current contract.
One team who may shoot Mr. Shero a text message is the St. Louis Blues. With Jaroslav Halak apparently displeased with his playing time, he could use a change of scenery to get back on track. With a record of 109-67-21(1.23 winning percentage compared to Fleury’s 1.31), GAA of 2.43 and SV% of .918 during the regular season, his numbers are not all that different when put up against Fleury’s.
It’s the playoffs that tip the scales in Halak’s favor. Fleury’s playoff numbers are average at best (2.73 GAA, .903 SV%). Halak’s numbers, meanwhile, are definitely not Conn Smythe-worthy; they are, however, substantially better than Fleury’s at 2.48 GAA and .923 SV% over his career.
Both goaltenders are in need of a change and could excel on opposite teams. Halak plays well and can carry his team (as he put on display during Montreal’s magical 2010 run) should defence be lacking (see: Pittsburgh Penguins) and Fleury could benefit from a team with any type of defensive structure (see: St. Louis Blues).
Although I believe Halak to be the better goalie, Fleury’s cup ring and All-Star nomination may increase his market value; therefore, St. Louis may have to toss in a defensive prospect or draft pick. Let’s try this:
PIT gets:Jaroslav Halak, Kris Russell or Ian Cole
STL gets:Marc-Andre Fleury, 3rd round pick
This deal gives both goalies a fresh start while benefiting both teams with Russell/Cole and the Pens 3rd rounder being swapped.
Other goalies who may be on the move:
Jonas Hiller – With the emergence of Victor Fasth and one of John Gibson or Igor Bobkov making the jump to the show, the crease in Anaheim seems to be a little crowded nowadays. Phoenix needs a starting goalie and has the young defensive help that Anaheim needs. Oliver Ekman-Larsson may be untouchable, but the Coyotes have secretly been fielding questions about Keith Yandle for some time now and he may be a great fit in SoCal.
Mike Smith – With the confusion surrounding the Coyotes’ ownership, expect Smith to test the market and take his talents elsewhere come July 5th.
James Reimer – Some may be surprised to see this name up here and, I admit, it is a bit of a longshot, but with the recent acquisition of Jonathan Bernier and many quality backup tenders available, Reimer may finally grow tired of the lack of confidence the Leafs have put in him and it may be best for both teams to split. I don’t foresee this happening in the offseason, but if Bernier has a strong start to the season, don’t be surprised to see Reimer’s name come up in trade rumors.
Last week we saw how hockey has taken off in Wales, United Kingdom with our Q&A with Matt Richards of the Cardiff Bay Lightning. This week we head down under.
Justin Findlay is a 25 year old Canadian playing goaltender for the Canterbury Red Devils of the New Zealand Ice Hockey League. Most people don’t even think of hockey when they hear of that country. Here’s what Justin had to tell me about the ever growing game in Kiwi land.
March Hockey: How did you end up in New Zealand, let alone playing hockey there?
Justin Findlay: I was originally born in Sudbury, Ontario. My father is an air traffic controller and with his job he moves around a lot. I moved here when I was 4/5 years old and started playing inline hockey at age 10. I then transitioned to ice hockey at 12 and continued to play both until 17 years old when I switched to ice permanently.
MH: How is the hockey there compared to that of European leagues or back home in North America? Are fans just as passionate?
JF: The league is growing in skill level and fans every season, we have a very passionate support base and I firmly believe the Southern Stampede have the most passionate fans in the NZIHL. I would compare our league to a Canadian major junior league in terms of skill level, although as I said earlier it improves every season.
MH: Is there a lot of support for hockey in New Zealand? Or even Australia?
JF: There is a great, loyal fan base down under, in both countries! New Zealanders really enjoy the sport but the problem is getting them down to their first game. We find that once people have seen one game it is quite hard to keep them away!
MH: Growing up, who was your biggest influence as a goaltender?? What is your style of play like?
JF: Growing up I was heavily influenced by Dominik Hasek, Terry Sawchuck, Curtis Joseph, Johnny Bower, Patrick Roy and ‘Battlin’ Billy Smith. I play a hybrid-butterfly style of goal-tending and I love to challenge shooters and come quite far out of my net. I am confident in my puck handling, although my team members may not be as confident!
MH: And finally, if you could play with any player, past or present, who would it be and why??
JF: If I could play with ANY player ever it would have to be Scott Stevens of the New Jersey Devils. I know he would protect me in net and would give me some huge hits to fawn over on the ice.
Head on over to http://www.reddevils.co.nz for more info on the team and the NZIHL!
This week we take a look at Winnipeg Jets netminder Ondrej Pavelec and his 2013 lid. Whether or not this actually is indeed a tribute to the Royal Canadian Air Force; I have no idea, but I’m going to look at it that way.
In keeping with a slight WW2 theme that we had last week with Antti Niemi’s mask, this one shows the old WW2 fighter jet that was so commonly seen. The fighter jets were painted on their fronts to instill terror among the opposing soldiers/civillians.
Painted one again by David Gunnarsson of Sweden, you can see how he took his time to make sure all the details were just right including a giant maple leaf on top of the head. Either way, the veterans of the RCAF can look at this mask and salue it with pride.
I hope Pavelec continues wearing this mask for next season, it sure is a beauty.
A short summary of some of the names rumoured to be hitting the trade/free agency block the next few days. There of plenty of names hitting free agency on July 1st, but here are a few names already hitting the headlines recently.
Big Vinny
Lecavalier WILL be picked up. The Dallas Stars seem to be going after him pretty hard but i’ts early days right now. But a guy like this will a huge aid to any hockey club he chooses to join. It’s a no brainer for those GMs out there!
Tanger
Kris Letang is also someone who seems to be heading for the trading block right now. After rejecting a Pittsburgh Penguin offer, and the Penguins then rejecting his more costly counter offer, Letang may well be made available to teams in the coming days. After his questionable play this year it will be interesting to see what teams will take an interest, he still has a heck of a lot to contribute.
Nate
Nathan Horton has decided to move on from the B’s. He will also aid plenty of clubs out there wanting to add size to their bench.
Danny Briere
After disappointing Philadelphia again, Briere was bought out by the Flyers recently. Although I dont see many teams going hard for him – he deserves a mention.. he is a stand up guy, March and all Flyer fans will be cheering for this guy wherever he goes.
Seguin
Another one hitting the rumour mill this week on a possible trade. He is a young skilled player with a Stanley Cup in his rookie year, and deep playoffs experience. He is also a no brainer for many clubs looking to add some depth.
Ranger Brad
The Rangers are currently denying any movement on Brad Richards as of now..will keep an eye on that.
marchhockey.com 
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