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Are The Ottawa Senators Truly Overachieving?

22 May 2013

Bryan Murray, Cory Conacher, Craig Anderson, Robin Lehner

Scotiabank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators (Image: Andrew3000/Flickr)

The Ottawa Senators weren’t projected to go this far in the playoffs, let alone make the playoffs after they learned they would be without Jason Spezza for the regular season. Daniel Alfredsson is getting older, what about Anderson in net, look at their blueline with only Chris Philips and Erik Karlsson leading the charge, yadda, yadda, yadda. None of that mattered to the Pesky Sens.

Injuries started to mount and as the team looked like their overachieving ways would be put to a halt and reality would set in- they surged ahead.

Injuries to key pieces of the Senators roster may have been the best thing for this organization moving forward. Not only were the Sens stared in the face by adversity, but they overcame it. The Senators really only had two options, play to the best of their ability with players from their AHL affiliate (The Binghamton Senators), or just scrap what was looking to be a promising season to get a nice draft pick. Neither option was satisfactory to this Sens team, thus Pesky Sens came into rotation among the fans and media outlets across the NHL.

Looking at their current roster, there are many names that stand out as new. This wouldn’t be the case to management and scouts who have spent, by now, thousands of hours scouting and developing these players into professionals. It may be time to throw Bryan Murray a bone as well as management who have helped him draft extremely well, and make trades for the better of the organization.

Craig Anderson (Chris Williams/Icon SMI)

Craig Anderson is the guy for the Senators. He played outstanding hockey all season and has continued this through the playoffs stealing games for the Sens. Robin Lehner is not exactly ready to be a starter, and he could learn a lot from watching Anderson play. After all, he is only 21 years old. Lehner was drafted 46th overall in the second round of the 2009 NHL entry draft by the Ottawa Senators. He stood on his head at the World Junior Tournament in 2011 for Team Sweden. This was a well drafted goalie, and having Ben Bishop waiting in the wings as an NHL ready goaltender wasn’t fair. Bryan Murray recognized who his two guys were and made a trade that benefitted Ben Bishop by sending him to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline for Cory Conacher.

Cory Conacher went undrafted out of college, and managed 24 points in 35 games for the Lightning. One thing the Lightning needed was goaltending, one thing the Sens needed was added offense, and young offense. Both the Sens and Lightning swapped productive players to address their needs.

Instead of sitting on the issue of which goalies to keep, Murray acted professionally and made a decision without looking back to keep who he and his team thought would be the best choice moving forward. Asset for asset, the trade has been a success so far.

Going all the way back to the 1997 entry draft, these are the notable names who have been drafted by the Ottawa Senators:

1997- Round 1, 12 overall Marian Hossa
1998- Round 2, 44 overall Mike Fisher
1998- Round 6, 161 overall Chris Neil
1999- Round 1, 26 overall Martin Havlat
1999- Round 3, 94 overall Chris Kelly
2000- Round 1, 21 overall Anton Volchenkov
2000- Round 2, 45 overall Antoine Vermette
2000- Round 5, 156 overall Greg Zanon
2001- Round 1, 2 overall Jason Spezza
2001- Round 1, 23 overall Tim Gleason
2001- Round 4, 99 overall Ray Emery
2001- Round 6, 193 overal Brooks Laich
2003- Round 1, 29 overall Patrick Eaves
2004- Round 1, 23 overall Andrej Meszaros
2004- Round 3, 87 overall Peter Regin
2005- Round 1, 9 overall Brian Lee
2005- Round 7, 204 overall Colin Greening
2006- Round 1, 28 overall Nick Foligno
2006- Round 3, 68 overall Eric Gryba
2006- Round 3, 91 overall Kaspars Daugavins
2006- Round 7, 211 overall Erik Condra
2008- Round 1, 15 overall Erik Karlsson
2008- Round 3, 79 overall Zack Smith
2009- Round 1, 9 overall Jared Cowen
2009- Round 2, 39 overall Jakob Silfverberg
2009- Round 2, 46 overall Robin Lehner
2010- Round 6, 178 overall Mark Stone
2011- Round 1, 6 overall Mika Zibanejad
2011- Round 1, 21 overall Stefan Noesen
2011- Round 4, 96 overall Jean-Gabriel Pageau

(Current roster players for the Senators in bold.)

Out of all the draftees listed above by the Senators, every single one has played NHL games, or has gone on to have successful careers. Of course, the later draft picks are only starting theirs, but they do look promising. A huge amount of credit should go to the Ottawa Senators scouting department and head office for making all of these draft selections.

Senators GM Bryan Murray

So this brings us back to the original question; are the Ottawa Senators actually overachieving? The answer, simply, is no. They have faced adversity and answered it with the pieces they drafted. Bryan Murray and his staff have worked hard to make sure if something like this were to happen, they would have something up their sleeve to make sure they weren’t doomed.

If your season falls apart because your star players are injured, it’s a common pass. We see it all the time. For Bryan Murray to be able to take his draft picks and turn them into capable replacements is quite honestly the greatest achievement a GM can strive toward. The pieces you draft are meant to be there for development and for instances exactly like the one the Senators faced this season.

Overachievement is the opposite of what is happening. The Senators have managed to develop and mold their draft picks into capable NHL starters which is what the draft is all about, isn’t it? Bryan Murray has effectively completed his job as GM. He has drafted, traded, and developed his team into an organization that won’t faulter when faced with a hole in the lineup.

Duck Tales: Ex-Oiler Making an Impact

Posted by: Marcy Di Michele

in Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers

22 May 2013

Andrew Cogliano, Bruce Boudreau, Ryan Getzlaf

Although his Ducks were eliminated from the postseason at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim’s season was a huge success, and former Edmonton Oiler Andrew Cogliano had a hand in that. The Ducks finished last in their division a season ago, and with a largely unchanged roster, many expected them to be in a dogfight just to make the playoffs. But the lock-out shortened season proved to be a good thing for the Ducks, as they stormed out to a franchise best start, and ended winning the Pacific division and the second seed in the conference. Anaheim has enjoyed success in it’s short history, going to the Stanley Cup final in 2003 and then winning it all in 2007, but since haven’t made it out of the second round.

(Photo courtesy of Gosh@/ Flikr.)

When they hired former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, many wondered how the team would respond. But the Ducks have thrived under Boudreau, most notably captain Ryan Getzlaf. It has been the foot soldiers of the team, however, that have helped lift the Ducks to their lofty position. Guys like Matt Beleskey, Kyle Palmieri, Nick Bonino and Ben Lovejoy have been key players in Anaheim’s run. Another guy making an impact? The Oilers 25th overall draft pick in 2005, Andrew Cogliano.

In 48 games played this season, Cogliano scored 13 goals and 23 points, and was a plus 14 rating for the Ducks. He’s never scored more than 18 goals in an NHL season, and had this been a a full 82 game season, he likely would have shattered his personal best in goals and points. When Cogliano was drafted by the Oilers, they expected him to be a key part of their organization moving forward. He was a speedy, skilled centre who could also play wing, but he never really seemed to fit in with the Oilers. His rookie season was his best stats wise, with 45 points over 82 games, but his totals dipped every year since then.

In 2009, the Oilers decided to package Cogliano in a trade deal that would send Dany Heatley to Edmonton, but Heatley refused to waive his no-trade clause, and the deal was nixed. At the trade deadline in 2011, the Oilers finally were able to trade Cogliano, the return being a second round draft pick. Despite being taken low in the first round, many felt Cogliano never really lived up to expectations, but his speed is proving to be a perfect fit in Anaheims high tempo system after a tough go in 2011-12

Cogliano notched 13 goals last season for the Ducks, and was able to equal that total in just over half the games this year. It’s safe to say he’s found his spot in the Anaheim and earned the praise of his head coach for working hard to turn his game around for the better.

“To see the speed and the work ethic and his demeanor you think it would be there, but it wasn’t there (last season),” Boudreau said. “So there was something missing and whatever it was, he was smart enough to correct it. He’s now a player on our team that we really rely on. I think sometimes he just used his speed and went helter, skelter, all over the place (last season). Now he’s thinking the game a lot more and I think that comes with games maturity and playing a lot of games.” (Edmonton Sun)

For a team that relies a lot on their secondary scoring, Cogliano has found a role that he suits well. He has one more year on his contract before becoming a UFA. Depending on his play next season, he could be in line for a raise. Whether or not that’s with the Ducks remains to be seen, but he can be a valuable top nine forward in the NHL. Even though he’s not having that impact with the team that drafted him, you can’t help but cheer on a guy who’s hard work has reaped rewards. That’s what this game is all about.

Is it Panic Time for the Blackhawks?

Posted by: Reagan King

in Chicago Blackhawks

22 May 2013

Chicago Blackhawks, CHIVSDET, Game Four, Panic Button

After day one of the extended two days of rest has passed and everyone has regrouped from Monday’s 3-1 loss, it’s time to turn our attention to Game 4. With the fans of Detroit smiling and Blackhawks fans biting down the last of their fingernails, let’s take a moment to discuss why it’s not time for the Blackhawks and their fans to hit the panic button just quite yet.

Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports

History Says Differently

In 2010, the #2 seeded Chicago Blackhawks played the #7 seeded Nashville Predators in the Conference Quarterfinals. In that series, the Hawks went down 2-1 in the first three games. In a similar scenario to the 2013 Conference Semifinals, the Hawks had their backs against the wall after playing three games. As you can see in the graphic above, the Hawks won Game 1 at home, followed by a loss at home and a loss on the road.

But This Isn’t the Same Team

That’s true, it’s not. It’s a better team. What do the Hawks have now that they didn’t have three years ago? Not one, but TWO phenomenal goaltenders in Corey Crawford and Ray Emery. Although we haven’t seen Emery so far this post season, we know what he is capable of and leave us without that “oh no, we have to rely on the backup” feeling.

In the 2010 Playoffs, Antti Niemi was THE goaltender for the Hawks during the post season. He played in 65 of 66 periods during the teams Stanley Cup run, with a GAA of 2.63. Crawford has gotten 8/8 starts so far this post season and so far he’s sporting a very solid 1.81 GAA and a save percentage of .932. Among the goaltenders still playing into May, Crawford is sporting the best GAA. Of course this doesn’t mean much when the Wings put more pucks in the net in a given game, but it does mean he’s still the foundation the Hawks need to turn this series around.

They’re Hungry

Between the Hawks historic points streak to begin the year, to the addition of young players on the team, there is a a hunger and a will to win. As we’ve seen all season, this is a team that plays 60 minutes. They’re tough, they’re fast, and they’re extremely talented. Young guys want their first, veterans want another, and Coach Quenneville won’t let a team roll over and die…especially not this one.

They’re Getting Pucks to the Net

Not everyone is a proponent of the “shots on goal” statistic. However, as we’ve seen multiple times this post season (Johnny Boychuk’s goal last night in New York is a prime example) that getting the puck to the net can not only lead to chances, but goals.

Through three games, the Hawks hold a shots on goal differential of +21 (Hawks 102 SOG, Hawks 81) and were only outshot in Game 2 30-20.

What to Do Next

The Hawks have continued to master the penalty kill. Having killed 17/17 penalties against the Wild, the Hawks carried that effort into the Semifinal round against the Wings, killing all 12 short handed opportunities they’ve faced. The Wings have figured out how to get the puck passed Crawford at even strength, but the Hawks PK needs to remain strong.

As mentioned earlier, continue getting the puck to the net. Jimmy Howard was spectacular in Games 2 & 3, but facing 102 shots through 3 games takes its toll. Continue to wear down the goaltending and create plays. It eventually becomes a numbers game after a while.

It’s time to get back to basics. Play Blackhawks hockey. Although it’s not a win-or-go-home scenario on Thursday, it is a must win for the Hawks. The Red Wings are a tough, veteran team looking to go on a 2012 Los Angeles Kings type run. Come out hard and continue the push for the Cup.

Frustrated Hawks Must Get Back To Game Plan

Posted by: Rick Emrith

in Chicago Blackhawks, Playoffs

22 May 2013

Detroit Red Wings, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Viktor Stalberg

Henrik Zetterberg and Jonathan Toews have battled all series (Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Chicago is three games into their second round match up and they are sitting in unfamiliar territory, trailing the series 2 games to 1. The Detroit Red Wings have come out hard and played a gritty game many have not seen from them for years. Gone is the puck moving finesse team that had so many great players wear its uniform and in its place is a gritty grind it out team that has frustrated the Chicago Blackhawks. The important thing for Blackhawks fans to remember is no one ever lost a series in 3 games, there is still plenty of hockey left. The Chicago Blackhawks need to get back to their game plan to be successful.

In Game 3 the Blackhawks were clearly frustrated by the lack of success and lack of calls going their way, to be fair the officiating in Game 3 was horrible on both sides (Welcome to the NHL!). Jonathan Toews embodies his team’s attitude and the frustrated and angry captain has been distracted off of his game plan that has brought him so much success this season.

After a lacklustre effort in Game 2, the Blackhawks have attempted to step up their physical play in Game 3, but it seemed as the game wore on they started to sacrifice their offensive game plan to get it done.

There is no doubt the Blackhawks can be successful overloading the aging Red Wings with their speed and exposing a defense core that for the first time in 20 years does not include one of the best defenseman ever to play the game.

You cannot fault Jonathan Toews for the predicament his team finds itself in, yes he is very uncharacteristically struggling to produce but his overall level of compete and effort remain at the maximum. Despite his faceoff struggles in Game 2 (41%) and Game 3 (47%), Toews led by example firing a team high 7 shots on goal, but continues to be snake bitten in this year’s playoffs.

In Game 1 the Blackhawks were competitive in the faceoff dot, had their powerplay produce and got two even strength goals from unexpected sources (Oduya, Krueger). In Game 2 Detroit had started to calm the game down playing at their own pace. The Red Wings have iced the pairing of Ericsson and Kronwall which have been unexpectedly adept at shutting down the Saad-Toews-Hossa line in Game 2 and 3.

Some positive notes coming out of Game 3 are that Patrick Kane has seemed to have shaken off his early slump, posting goals in two straight games as the Blackhawks only source of offense. Viktor Stalberg, despite almost breaking his neck in his first shift, had a really solid game and was the only third line player for the Blackhawks who did not take any stupid penalties.

So far in the series, Detroit’s big guns of Zetterberg and Datsyuk have been outplaying, out-chancing and out-producing the best players of the Blackhawks, if this trend continues it could be an earlier than expected off season in Chicago.

Jimmy Howard has rose to the challenge of stealing games, Game 3 was the perfect example as the Blackhawks came out firing but to no avail. The Blackhawks may have had one goal cheated away from them but Howard stood tall all game turning aside 39 of 40 shots.

Chicago has too much talent and experience to be kept down for long, expect this series to go the distance and provide a fitting end to one of the best rivalries in the Western Conference.

Linus Arnesson – The Next Ones – 2013 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Posted by: Sebastian Egerton-Read

in NHL Entry Draft

22 May 2013

European prospect rankings, Linus Arnesson, NHL Entry Draft 2013, Swedish hockey

Linus Arnesson THW Close Up:

Date of birth: 09/21/1994

Place of birth: Stockholm, Sweden

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 190 lbs

Shoots: Left

Position: Defense

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2013

THW Rankings: 54 (April edition)

Other Rankings:

CSS (EUR skaters): 14

Consensus Rankings Aggregate: 67

Button: 74

Click here for Notes Up Front for various topics covered below in the live updated NHL 2013 Entry Draft Guide – The Next Ones home page – your quintessential draft resource

Arnesson’s defensive smarts are reminiscent of countryman Mattias Ohlund.

Linus Arnesson isn’t a high profile prospect in terms of being selected in the first two rounds of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. However, he is the sort of prospect that it is worth betting will be a pretty serviceable defenseman in the NHL one day.

Arnesson has pretty good size and has already started growing into a pretty big frame. He uses his body effectively and has the makings of a solid shutdown defenseman. He doesn’t lay out big hits, but he is physical enough to compete effectively as a shutdown blue liner at senior hockey level in Sweden.

Besides a decent defensive game, Arnesson’s greatest asset is a strong all-round skating game. He has good backward and lateral movement and can get up the ice as well. His skating offers hope for a little bit of offensive upside, or at least hope for a player that can be more involved in an effective transition game and in the offensive end of the ice.

Arnesson has upside in the range of fellow Swedes Douglas Murray and Mattias Ohlund. He is unlikely to reach the heights of Ohlund’s fantastic NHL career and he won’t be a big hitter in the mold of Murray. However, he compares as a player who has upside somewhere between the two both in terms of effectiveness and playing style.

The maturity and well-rounded, developed nature of Arnesson’s game should make him an effective player. He could do with adding a little extra snarl to the physical element of his game and any offensive development will only be a bonus to the team that drafts him. However, there really are no obvious flaws to the prospects game.

Where he will end up in June: Arnesson should be picked up in the early part of the third round, but he definitely won’t drop any lower than the mid-fourth round.

Scout’s Honor:

‘A solid and well-rounded defenseman with good wheels. Projected as a mid-to-late round pick.’

Brendan Ross – Dobber Prospects

‘A highly mobile defensive defenseman, Arnesson has a smoothness and maturity to his game that could lead to him rising up the charts. He hasn’t produced much by way of offense, but he seems to have some good puck-moving skills. He isn’t always noticeable, but he plays a very effective brand of defense.’

Chris Peter - CBS sports

‘Big skilled Swede defender already playing in the Super-elite league. Tremedous upside based on toughness skill, smarts and feet. Maintains gaps as his four way skating abilty let’s him close down quickly. Sees the ice well,plays mistake-free,and is an excellent touch passer. Solid two way defender who thinks defense first and despite limited offensive upside and little snarl to his defensive game is an excellent prospect.’

Bill Placzek – Draft Site

‘He is a big, mobile D-man that just shuts down the opposition. He is not overly gifted in the offensive zone, yet plays smart with the puck, makes good breakout passes, and tough to beat on the defensive side.’

Russ Bitely – Examiner.com

Statistics:

International Tournaments:

-Arnesson has represented Sweden at junior level several times over the past two seasons. In 2012 he competed in both the U-18 World championship and the U-19 WJAC.

-This year he played six games in the World Junior championships picking up six PIMs.

ETA = 3-4 years

Risk-Reward Analysis: Risk = 2/5 Reward 4/5

NHL Potential: Top four defenseman

Strengths:

Defensive smarts

Size/strength

First pass breakout

Defensive positioning

Active stick in defensive end

Shutdown ability

Conditioning

All-round skating

Flaws/aspects he needs to work on:

Physicality/’snarl’

Offensive play

Fantasy Hockey Potential: Offensive = 4/10 Defensive = 8/10

NHL Player Comparison:

Douglas Murray

Mattias Ohlund

Follow Sebastian Egerton-Read on twitter @SebEread

THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph

Bruins Lines Remain Blurred

Posted by: Ian C McLaren

in Boston Bruins

22 May 2013

Brad Marchand, Chris Kelly, Claude Julien, Daniel Paille, David Krejci, Gregory Campbell, Jaromir Jagr, Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton, NHL Playoffs, Patrice Bergeron, Rich Peverley, Shawn Thornton, Tyler Seguin

One of the great strengths for the Boston Bruins during their 2011 Stanley Cup run – and in the time since – has been their ability to consistently and effectively roll out four lines on any given night.

This strength was on display once again in Game 3 vs the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, as both goals in the Bruins 2-1 victory came with their so-called 4th (or Merlot) line on the ice.

Shawn Thornton & Co. help give the Bruins an advantage over the rest of the NHL. (Icon SMI)

Down 1-0 going into the 3rd, Boston struck early in the final period on the strength of an aggressive forecheck by Gregory Campbell, Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille, which led to a Johnny Boychuk wrist shot that managed to find its way behind Henrik Lundqvist.

The Bruins then took the lead late in the 3rd on an opportunity manufactured off a Thornton faceoff win that led to a Paille goal after the puck bounced off the goal line and landed in front of a befuddled Lundqvist.

When it was all said and done, Thornton ended up with two assists and a plus-2 rating in 6:42 of ice time, Campbell logged 11:45 and chipped in with an assist and was plus-2, and Paille added an assist to his game-winning goal and was plus-2 in 11:10 of ice time.

Two goals (5 total points) from the 4th line to give the Bruins a 3-0 series lead and inspire tweets like this:

What most people already know, however, is that the designations between Bruins lines can often be quite blurry. While most consider the line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton to be Boston’s top line, it was the trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin that rose up to steal that designation while doing much of the heavy offensive lifting during the regular season.

Conversely, it was 17-46-18 that stood out in the first round vs the Toronto Maple Leafs, combining for 29 points in 7 games, while Marchand and Seguin were scoreless in that series and Bergeron waited until literally the last possible moment to make a major offensive impact.

Within the group of bottom 6 forwards, the argument can easily be made that Paille, Campbell and Thornton are more effective night in and night out over the line of Jaromir Jagr, Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly. A quick look at Behind The Net shows us that the more offensively minded forwards do drive the bus in terms of shots for and TOI, but the Merlot line has the uncanny ability to coming up with these incredibly aggressive offensive zones shifts that slow down the pace of the game and, every so often, will lead to a goal or two.

It’s a great luxury for the Bruins to have (as Claude Julien alludes to in the tweet below), and one that has proven to greatly impact their ability to succeed in today’s NHL.

If the Bruins are able to go on an extended run in this year’s playoffs, it will be because of games like this. With Boston out shooting New York 34-24, Henrik Lundqvist was poised to steal this one for the Rangers. With the usual offensive suspects unable to find the back of the net (some with increasing irregularity), the Bruins were able to manufacture goals in opportune if not unflashy ways en route to securing a stranglehold on the series.

If the Bruins lines remain blurred on any given night, it bodes well for their potential success in these playoffs. One has to think that the likes of Tyler Seguin and Jaromir Jagr will begin producing goals at some point, that the “3rd” line might chip along the way as well, and that the top guns will continue to do what they do.

But if the 4th line can chip in like this every now and again, then the Bruins have a great shot at winning their second Stanley Cup in three years.

Game 4 of this series goes Thursday night in New York.

Follow Ian on Twitter for more hockey updates and commentary.

Who’s at Fault for the Bryzgalov Saga?

Posted by: Kyle Phillippi

in Philadelphia Flyers

22 May 2013

backtracking, Ed Snider, ilya brzygalov, Philadelphia Flyers, saga

Two years ago in a galaxy far, far away. During a long period of goaltending woes, Ed Snider, demanding the best available goalie, won the victory of free agency to land Russian stopper Ilya Bryzgalov.

The Ilya Bryzgalov saga, unlike that of Star Wars, has been drawn out way too long. At this point, despite being just two years removed from signing with the Philadelphia Flyers, Bryzgalov has overstayed his welcome.

It’s been a rough go in Philadelphia for Bryz (Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE)

The majority of fans feel this way. Even some experts are in agreement. Heck, it even appears Bryzgalov wants out.

What does ownership think, though?

The answer to that question has been answered rather vaguely. Actually, ownership has been nothing but a contradiction when discussing Bryzgalov. Why is that?

Well, unfortunately, no one in the front office wants to take blame for the Bryz-aster because the repercussions could be costly. Who knows what the backlash could be from frustrated Flyers fans.

Looking back on the signing, it’s a really cloudy situation as to who played the biggest part in bringing in the former Phoenix Coyote. Originally, Ed Snider appeared to be the ring leader behind the move. In a story published by Frank Seravelli in The Daily News, Snider goes on the record as to saying, “I was part of making it happen.” The article also notes that Snider personally sent his private jet to pick up Bryzgalov before meeting with the free agent. In that meeting, Snider apparently felt the Russian “was intelligent, fun to be around.”

Yet, recently Snider has backtracked and is apparently trying to cover his tracks. In an interview published in The Courier Post, Snider made a very interesting remark as he seeks to keep his spotless image intact.

“First of all, I didn’t pick Bryz. That’s not my job,” he told Randy Miller.

Hmm.

So he either was the catalyst in bringing Brzygalov to Philly. Or he wasn’t. That seems like a, for lack of a better term, “humongous big” lie.

(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Read it however you want, but it seems what happened is that Snider was, indeed, the driver behind the wheel in the negotiations two years ago. He was so jubilated in finally bringing a prized goaltender to Philadelphia so he wanted everyone to know it was him, not Paul Holmgren, who made the call on Bryzgalov. When you bring in one of the best goalies in the West and the biggest free agent that offseason, nothing can go wrong (or so they thought). So why wouldn’t Snider want to put himself out there as the engineer behind it all?

Things went downhill in a flash. From his 24/7 comedic relief to his underachieving play all the way to his postgame comments, Bryzgalov became the scapegoat for their struggles.

Flyers chairman Ed Snider (cr: Comcast-Spectacor PR)

When all of that came to fruition, Snider had no choice but to play it cool and tell the reporters he had nothing to do with bringing in Bryz. He chose to redirect the fire back at everyone else, thinking fans would have forgotten his remarks from two years ago.

Yet, his words have come back to bite him.

At the time, not many fans questioned Snider for reeling in Bryzgalov. He was the best option and the Flyers went out and threw the biggest dollar figure his way. In hindsight, it wasn’t a smart signing.

But that’s not the problem with this situation. It’s how management, specifically Snider, doesn’t own up to his miscue.

Snider has skated through his tenure in Philadelphia fairly unscathed, becoming a hero to many Flyers fans in the process. That shouldn’t hide the fact that he – and his staff – botched their scouting of the Russian netminder and didn’t do their homework on the free agent.

The least he could do is take responsibility for his actions.

Mack Shields – The Next Ones: 2013 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Posted by: Ryan Pike

in NHL Entry Draft

22 May 2013

2013 NHL Draft, Draft Rankings, Mack Shields, Next Ones, The Next Ones

Mack Shields THW Close-Up

Date of Birth: February 13, 1995
Place of Birth: Saskatoon, SK
Ht: 6’3” Wt: 190 lbs
Catches: Left
Position: Goaltender
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2013

One of the challenges in projecting goaltenders is seeing how they have adjusted to increases in competition level in the past and guessing how they’ll do so in the future. As such, there’s a debate within scouting communities regarding how many games you need to see a goaltender in a new level of hockey before you can conclude how “good” he is.

Mack Shields is ranked 25th among North American goaltenders by NHL’s Central Scouting. He only played 21 games during his rookie season in the WHL, although he played on a good team and played behind established WHL starter Chris Driedger, who’s also an NHL draftee. In limited duty, he went 10-7-1 with 2 shutouts, a 3.10 goals against average and an .890 save percentage. By his numbers alone, he should probably be four or five spots higher in the Central Scouting rankings.

Mack Shields. (Michael Kwas/WHL)

Aside from his numbers, the big question is this: do NHL teams feel that they know more about his game based on limited WHL experience than other players who may be in arguably lower levels of hockey like the USHL or the NAHL?

When he played, Shields showed promise. He’s an aggressive goalie with good positioning and he’s adept at using his big frame efficiently. He struggles a bit with consistency at times – both in-game and between games – but that may be a product of playing on a good team that often blew out the opposition (and left their goalie standing around for awhile) and a product of playing so infrequently.

As of today, Mack Shields is a capable back-up goaltender on a good WHL team. He’ll probably get more starts this coming season as the Hitmen begin to prepare for Chris Driedger’s eventual departure. NHL teams will probably have a better handle on Shields after next season, but that may not stop one of them from taking a gamble and snapping up his rights in this year’s draft. His numbers are good but not incredible, but he’s shown a great deal of promise when he has played. That promise may trigger a team to roll the dice, so to speak.

Scout’s Honour:

“Shields is very raw but has a big frame with quick pads and is great at cutting down the angles. Has been very solid in limited game action and would be pushing for more ice time if Driedger hadn’t been so strong all season.” – Kyle Woodlief, Red Line Report

Statistics:

Bio/Interview(s)/Link(s):

International Tournaments:

Shields represented Team Western Canada at the 2012 World Under-17 Challenge. He didn’t have a great tournament, posting a goals-against average of 5.50 and an .845 save percentage.

ETA:

3-4 years

Risk-Reward Analysis:

Risk 1/5, Reward 3/5

NHL Potential:

Back-up NHL goaltender.

Strengths:

Good positioning
Good aggression
Great glove hand
He’s physically large and uses his size well

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:

Needs to get more playing time to continue to adapt to speed of WHL
Needs to improve his consistency
Relies a bit more on his size to make saves than on technique

Fantasy Hockey Potential:

Goaltender 7/10

NHL Player(s) Comparison:

The career trajectory of late-round Minnesota Wild draft pick Matt Kuemper may be something for Shields to aspire towards. In terms of more established netminders, he could end up being someone along the lines of Ben Bishop – a goaltender who bounces between the AHL and NHL.

When He’ll Go In June:

Based on where he’s ranked and how much he’s played, if Shields get chosen this season, he’ll likely be taken in the seventh round.

Washington Capitals’ AHL Prospects Review

Posted by: Matthew Speck

in AHL, Washington Capitals

22 May 2013

Chay Genoway, Dmitry Orlov, Garrett Mitchell, Hershey Bears, Michael Latta, Tomas Kundratek

The Hershey Bears once hopeful playoff run came to a crashing halt in their first round series against the Providence Bruins. Washington’s AHL affiliate grabbed a 2-0 lead on the road in the best of five series, but lost the final three games to Providence ending their season far earlier than they wanted to.

However, there were numerous positives to Hershey’s season. Bears’ fans saw the emergence of second year grinding forward Garrett Mitchell and the arrival of the physical Michael Latta, the center who came to Washington in the Martin Erat trade in exchange for Capitals 2012 first round pick Filip Forsberg.

Prospect	PPG	Goals	Assists	Shot %	PIM/G	Role
Michael Latta	0.5	10	28	0.27	2.61	3rd Line Center
Garrett Mitchell	0.4	15	15	0.14	1.25	3rd Line Winger/PK Specialist
Nicolas Deschamps	0.35	10	13	0.098	0.42	3rd Line Winger
Tomas Kundratek	0.63	16	15	0.18	0.53	2nd Pair Defenseman, PP Specialist
Chay Genoway	0.38	5	20	0.057	0.75	Puck Moving Defenseman
Dmitry Orlov	0.55	3	14	0.06	0.65	Two Way Defenseman
Cameron Schilling	0.23	7	9	0.08	0.87	Shutdown Defenseman, PK Specialist
Nate Schmidt	0.5	1	3	0.06	0.25	Two Way Defenseman, Puck Mover

Hershey also reaped the benefits of defensive prospects including Dmitry Orlov, Tomas Kundratek, Chay Genoway and college free agent signee Nate Schmidt. Orlov and Kundratek both have NHL experience and should receive invites to Capitals training camp come next season. Schmidt has solid puck moving skills and was one of the top college free agents available this spring. He attended the University of Minnesota and totaled 32 points in 40 games in his final season with the Gophers.

Bears’ fans also saw the emergence of starting goalie Philipp Grubauer, who began the season in the ECHL, playing for the Reading Royals during the NHL lockout. Once the lockout was lifted and Braden Holtby was back playing in Washington, Grubauer took the starting job in stride, playing alongside veteran net minder Dany Sabourin. He posted a 15-9-2 record in 28 regular season games, including a 2.25 goals against average along with a .191 save percentage and two shutouts.

Philipp Grubauer (M. Richter-Capitals Outsider)

Grubauer is all but a lock to be the starting goalie in Hershey next season with Michal Neuvirth signed for two more seasons in Washington. Dany Sabourin is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but could return on an AHL deal to backup Grubauer.

“Michael’s a very physical player,” former Hershey Bears head coach Mark French said during the playoffs. “When Washington made the deal for Martin Erat he was a big part of the deal and you can see why. He’s a player that when you get into the playoffs certainly you understand his value.”

Latta totaled 38 points during the AHL season, and played a third line role with Capitals forward prospect Garrett Mitchell. He brought high energy to a veteran Hershey Bears’ roster and could slide into the second center position next season in his first full year with Washington’s AHL affiliate.

Washington’s top prospect in Hershey is unquestionably goaltender Philipp Grubauer, but he is at least one year away from the NHL. Mitchell and Latta should etch out bottom six roles in the NHL for sure.

Garrett Mitchell (M. Richter-Capitals Outsider)

“He’s obviously demonstrating more offensive confidence this year, which is probably reasonable to assume with his development,” said French during the regular season. “He’s going to play in the NHL; I’ve got no doubt about it. If he continues to blossom, a pretty important player for the organization.”

Hershey could also see Capitals forward prospect Stanislav Gailev full time next season. Gailev played the majority of the season for the Reading Royals, the ECHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

Washington should look to build through the draft and add some top six forward skill, especially at the center position. Their minor league system includes depth on the blue line, but only third line skill in the forwards groups with the exception of a few.

Stay tuned for more Capitals prospect updates on The Hockey Writers in the coming days.

You can follow Matthew on twitter @m_speck.

Dallas Stars Set to Unveil New Uniform and Logo

Posted by: Andrew Monrreal

in Dallas Stars, News/Commentary

21 May 2013

Dallas Stars, jamie benn

What are arguably the worst jerseys in the NHL will be officially laid to rest on June 4th, 2013 when the Dallas Stars unveil a new uniform and logo at a special event in Dallas.

In the Stars 4-0 win, Jamie Benn netted two goals to give him 11 on the season. (HermanVonPetri/flickr)

The change is a welcome one, with the bland black and white current jerseys growing increasingly unpopular over the past few years. Of course, it doesn’t help that the jerseys were worn during one of the least successful stretches of the franchise’s existence with the Stars having missed the playoffs for the last five years.

The event will feature Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, President and CEO Jim Lites, newly-hired General Manager Jim Nill, Mike Modano, and Stars forward Jamie Benn. Lites describes the rebrand as “ classic, simple and true-to-hockey” and Stars fans should rest easy knowing that while the logo and uniform will change, the color green will remain and in fact, it will return as the primary color.

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has confirmed that while the team toyed with changing the colors completely, fan feedback swayed Gaglardi to return to green as the primary color, a color that the team de-emphasized with the current kit. Thankfully, Gaglardi also stated that the team is rebranding with a “vintage look”, squashing all fear that the team would create an outlandish uniform.

The Stars logo, which was resigned to the shoulders while the “Dallas” word-mark was featured on the chest in the current kit, was a loved and long-lived logo, and while fans will have reservations about a new logo given that the last attempt, the so called “mooterus” failed miserably, it feels as if it is the right time for it to go. It has remained relatively unchanged since the team’s final season in Minnesota, simply adding the word Dallas onto the top of the logo.

Say goodbye to the current Dallas Stars logo

Interestingly though, the press release also mentions that the team will be making a “significant announcement” in addition to unveiling the uniforms. As Jamie Benn will be the only current Stars player to be present at the event, and with the departure of captain Brenden Morrow, it seems plausible that the team could also announce Jamie Benn as the new Captain of the Dallas Stars.

No matter what happens, June 4th will mark the beginning of a new era for the Dallas Stars. A new owner, a new general manager, a new coach and a new look to go along with it. The last five years have been like a recurring nightmare, an unending torture of missed opportunities. It’s time to wipe the slate clean and start over. In fact, it’s long overdue.