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Home / Archive: 27. May 2009
By Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter…
“And with the number one pick in the NHL’s 2009/10 Entry Draft, the New York Islanders select, John Tavares of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights”…This is how the draft will start off for the New York Islanders, but if they fail to develop the players already in the system and/or mess up the rest of this years draft the Islanders may end up looking like the Atlanta Thrashers. It’s great that the Thrashers have ultra talented Ilya kovalchuk in their stable, but it’s hardly amounting to many successful seasons. The 2009/10 NHL Entry Draft is a “Make it or break” ordeal for the Islanders, failure to draft the right players and this franchise will continue to be amongst the bottom feeders for years to come.
The reality is, the Islanders are sitting pretty this draft, in fact, the Islanders have a total of 6 draft choices in the top 92, 3 of those being in the top 37. With all those picks, and with this years draft believed to be very deep, the Islanders have a very good chance to re-define this troubled franchise in hurry. Going with the theory that the Islanders will pick John Tavares, the Islanders will get a player who, in many scouts eyes, has incredible offensive ability, is extremely driven, possesses tremendous leadership skills and is also very marketable; indeed, Tavares is the total package the Islanders have been waiting for. So, with that out of the way, what’s next? Who else will the Islanders be gunning for in the 2009/10 draft?
The Islanders need a little bit of everything. Some of the building blocks of this franchise are already here; players such as, Right Winger Kyle Okposo looked great in his rookie year with the big club, while prospects Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Jesse Joensuu, Frans Neilsen and Jack Hillen look as though they will all make a push for NHL duties this season. On the current roster, the Islanders must address the Goaltending issue; Is Rick DiPietro the guy? Or do the Islanders need to consider bringing in a blue-chip goaltending prospect this year? DiPietro has a mammoth contract so there is a ton of pressure for management and the coaching staff to play him, but the reality is DiPietro has been hurt more than he has played and the Islanders can ill-afford to bounce around 3-4 goalies again in 2009/10, clearly this is a make or break year for DiPietro. Another area of concern for the Islanders is goal scoring, the Islanders ranked 29th overall this season in that department. Sure, Tavares will help in that regard, but who is going to play with him? There is a solid group of offensive forwards in this years draft, the Islanders would be well advised to select one or more of them. Then there is the little problem of defense. The Islanders D ranked 28th in the NHL last season, clearly this needs to improve in a hurry if the Islanders have any chance of being competitive, it’s going to be tough, ‘cause as you can see form the stats, the Islanders are a mess! Without further adieu, let’s take a look at some of the players that will be available to the Islanders after they take Tavares and who they will be targeting in the 31st, 37th, 56th, 62nd and 92nd spots.
31st- The Islanders need a bit of everything, but it is my belief they will target a defenseman here. There are 4 names that stick out at the #31 position, undersized Canadian Offensive defenseman Calvin De Hann (6’0, 173 LBS) Swedish Two-way defenseman Tim Erixon (6’2, 190 LBS), Canadian Offensive defenseman Stefan Elliot (6’1, 184 LBS) and Canadian Two-way defenseman C-O Roussel (6’1, 200 LBS). All four of these players could still be available here, but anything can happen on draft day. The best fit for the Islanders would be De Hann. De Hann, who played in Oshawa last season, had 8 Goals and 63 points, he’s not much of a “Hitter”, but he is a smooth skater with great poise, great hockey sense and agility. The Islanders need both offense and defense, De Hann helps both issues. If not De Hann, I like Elliot.
37th- With a little offense and a great defenseman out of the way I expect the Islanders to turn their thoughts to selecting a goaltender. I do not foresee any team selecting a goaltender before the Islanders do, so in that regard they should have their pick of the crop. The top three ranked goaltending prospects in their respective Leagues are- Matthew Hackett (Plymouth- OHL), Olivier Roy (Cape Breton- QMJHL) and Robin Lehner (Frolunda Jr.), another goalie with an outside shot of going number one is Edward Pasquale (Saginaw- OHL). In the end I see the Islanders going with the numbers, selecting Matt Hackett. Hackett, a nephew of former NHL goalie Jeff Hackett, has good size at 6’2, 170 LBS, covers the angles well and has very good positioning. If not Hackett I go with Pasquale.
56th- Obviously it’s a bit of a guessing game when we are talking about the 56th pick, as I lamented earlier, anything can happen in the draft. Once again, there are a few players who stick out at the 56th position and it’s my belief the islanders will be willing to take a chance here. One player that has watched his stock plummet is Swedish Center Marcus Johansson. Johansson, who played for Farjestad of the swedish Elite League this season. He is not “Great” at anything, but many envision him as a solid Two-way player. At 5’11 and 181 LBS, Johansson is a tad undersized, but he could translate into a good player if given the right opportunity. Another player that has watched his stock plummet is American Center Zach Burrish. Burrish, once thought of as a first rounder, blew out his knee while playing football this year, which has caused many scouts to take a pass on this kid. At 6’3, 225 LBS, Burrish is a monster sized player with the potential to be a great 3rd liner with a tremendous amount of grit. The third guy I noted was Barrie Colts Center and captain Alex Hutchings. Hutchings, who stands 5’10 and 179 LBS, is a tad undersized, but he plays with a ton of “Piss and vinegar” and was used in every conceivable situation with the Colts this year. He has good hands and competes for every puck. If it were up to me and he’s still around in the 56th spot, I am all over Hutchings.
62nd- One or more of the above noted players may be available in the number 62 spot, but none of them are defenseman and that’s what I see the Islanders selecting here. A couple of D-Men stick out at the 62 spot, at 6’2 and 190 LBS Lewiston D-Man Eric Gelina is a guy you want to look at. Gelina struggles with his “Hockey sense”, but he skates well and has a decent shot, he projects well as a Two-way defenseman. Brayden McNabb played this season in Kootenay and represented Canada at the Under-18’s. He struggles with his skating, but he has a great shot and at 6’4, 195 LBS, he has the size to compete in the NHL, also projects nicely as a Two-way defenseman. Then there is American born Seth Helgeson. Helgeson, who sits at 6’3, 220 LBS, is a big physical defenseman, who is tough to move in front of the net, is strong and mean, and projects well as a defensive defenseman. The Islanders need some presence on D, for that reason I go with Helgeson.
92nd- The 92nd pick will be a total crap shoot, let’s just say that the Islanders will take the best player available and leave it at that!
If you review the picks you will see that the Islanders will land some decent talent in this years draft. Will it be enough to catapult them into the playoffs in 2-3 years? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, if the Islanders do get it right they will have a chance to be the toast of the NHL again, screw it up and they are dead in the ground and likely to move by 2015. The time is now to make all the right moves, failure, as they say, is not an option.
By Chase… Well it is championship season once again, the NBA and NHL Playoffs are in the Conference Final stages, the European soccer leagues are wrapping up and so is the UEFA Champions League. Once again a perennial champion, that I hate for doing so is going to win a title, it just happens, so here are the five cities I would love to see never win a title.
5. Manchester, England
I know we all live in a North American sports market, but the EPL is the biggest soccer league in the world, and the most watched. The Red Devils from Man U have won the EPL Championship more times than any other club. Combined with the countless domestic and league cups, Man U seems to never go through a rebuilding stage, and they let you know about it. Here is to hoping Barcelona teaches them a lesson in the Champions League Final.
4. Dallas, Texas
I may not have to dream about this one as the city of Dallas hasn’t won anything of significance since the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 2000. Dallas is the city of excess, the have extravagant stadiums, extravagant players, and most of all extravagant owners.
I think everyone is on my side when I say that Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban are up there on the most hated owners list. Top that off with the Americas Team nickname with the Cowboys, and you have yourself the number four most hated city.
3. New York, New York
This pains me to say, since I am a Giants fan, but I would love to see New York enter a sports abyss. The Yankees and Mets are big spenders who gouge the fans and don’t pay them back. Don’t get me started on the whole call your team New York while playing in New Jersey thing.
New York media also always think their teams are better than they really are. I wish Old Yankee Stadium was open so the real fans could see their mediocre lineup of overpaid underachievers, same with the Mets.
2. Los Angeles, California
This really can only go towards the Lakers and USC, because they are the only teams that ever seem to win anything, but L.A. really pushes my buttons. Well I don’t mind their teams, it is the fans and the celebrity atmosphere at the games that gives me a sick feeling.
Also USC seems to cheat the NCAA Rule and seems to go unpunished while continuing their tradition of being Los Angeles’ only professional football team. Combined with the Dodgers, it seems like there is a lot of cheating going on in the City of Angels, and as they say, cheaters never prosper. Lets hope that motto stays true for say, the rest of my lifetime.
1. Boston, Mass.
Now here comes Public Enemy Number One. The Celtics won one title and they are back on track as an unstoppable force? The Patriots are a dynasty? The Red Sox are still love-able losers?
Boston sports fans love to see their teams in a certain light. Plus like L.A., they continue to ignore their teams cheating ways. Also Boston is another city that is never happy unless their team wins the title.
Plus I just cannot get into cheering for their vanilla players. It seems that if you play in Boston you have to be a wholesome, uninteresting kid of guy. They also never pay attention to the Bruins until the playoffs start, much like their leader, ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons, who is the ultimate symbol of a Boston sports fan.
He is a fan who when they lose, seems to bring up past glory.
Boston lets hope your entire city gets cursed by the Babe, and your whole city goes one hundred years without sniffing a title.
By Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter…
With the 2009/10 NHL entry draft just a few weeks away we have all heard of top prospects John Tavares, Victor Hedman and Matt Duchesne. But what about the hidden gems of the draft? Which players should we get to know? Here are the top ten unknown prospects you need to know. Dmitri Kulikov- D (Rus)- Slated to be a top 12 pick, Kulikov is not known for doing one thing excellent, but he is regarded as a top of the line offensive defenseman that does everything “Well”. Kulikov reminds some Scouts of former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dmitri Markov, with a bigger offensive upside. Being a top 12 pick one can hardly call Kulikov a “Sleeper”, but it says here the teams who pass on him will regret it, I see all kinds of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar in Kulikov.
Zack Kassian- RW (Can)- Slated to be a top 20 pick, Kassian has been compared to such players as Dallas Stars All-Star forward Brenden Morrow, Boston Bruins rookie sensation Milan Lucic and even legendary Boston Bruins forward Cam Neely. At 6’3, 205 LBS, Kassian is not far off being able to step into an NHL roster, whichever team gets him will get a heck of a player.
Chris Kreider- LW (USA)- Slated to be a top 30 pick, Kreider, a High School player at Andover Academy, is one of the best skaters in the draft and he has a scorer’s touch as well. Kreider is fast, skillful, and at 6’2, 200LBS, he has the size to be successful at the NHL level. Kreider is expected to join the QMJHL or OHL next season, which should give those who doubt him a better look at his skill-set, don’t pass on this guy for long, he’s bound to be a great one.
Joonas Nattinen- C (Fin)- A reliable, two-way Centre. That’s what you’ll get by selecting Finland’s top prospect. Nattinen won 67% of his faceoff’s at the Champion World Junior Championships and is tough to move off the puck, being ranked in the top 30-40 range makes him attractive to teams looking for depth.
Jordan Caron- C (Can)- A gifted goal scorer, I liked what I watched of this kid at this years Memorial Cup. Playing for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, Caron scored 36 Goals and 67 Points in an injury riddled year. There are not many players that can be referred to as “Goal Scorers”, Caron will be one for years to come, making him a steal in the second round.
Dylan Olsen- D (Can)- Plays with confidence and poise beyond his years, projects well as a two-way D-Man with the ability to move the puck. Olsen also likes to mix it up a bit and has a physical edge to his game, ranked as a top 40 prospect he will be a “Project”, but should pay off in 3-4 years.
Olivier Roy- G (Can)- How can you ignore the son of one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game? Olivier, son of NHL goaltending legend Patrick Roy, is small in stature, but Scouts like his compete level and his ability to win games. He is not as talented as his father, in fact his game is a little on the ugly side, but he is consistently good, making him a decent candidate as a starting NHL goalie. Think of a less talented Tim Thomas, he’s not “Pretty”, but he’ll get the W for his team more times than not.
Alex Hutchings C (Can)- Standing only 5’10 and weighing in at 180 LBS, Hutchings, who Captained the Barrie Colts of the OHL, might seem a bit undersized to some NHL Scouts. What the numbers won’t tell you is that Hutchings has exceptional “Hockey sense” and speed, two things many NHL teams are looking for. Some Scouts see Hutchings being a Steve Sullivan type player, lot’s of heart, a scorer’s touch and a compete level that is off the charts. To all you GM’s out there remember this name, you could do a lot worse than Hutchings with your top 60 pick.
Seth Helgeson D (USA)- At 6’3 and 220 LBS, Helgeson has Scouts drooling over his size. He is Big, Physical, a stay at home D-Man, that projects well as a solid future NHLer. Helgeson is not flashy, but he is good at clearing the net, think of a meaner version of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Hal Gil. Helgeson is a great depth player, ranked in the top 50, he will be a steal.
Tomas Vincour- C (Czech)- At one point was ranked as a top 25 prospect in this years draft, now ranked around 60-70th. Vincour, who played for the Edmonton Oil kings of the WHL this season, is one of those “Good players on a bad team” type of guy. He is a fluid skater, great playmaker and he has decent hockey sense. Vincour will bring grit and scoring to an NHL club, what’s not to like about that? Surely there will be many good players that get a “Pass” from NHL Scouts and GM’s, for there part, I would hope these ten players are on the radar. Until next time, Peace!
By Tommy G… Frank Mahovlich – LW / Leonard “Red” Kelly – C / Ron Stewart – RW
Mahovlich and Kelly were together for a while and during that time the “Big M” had a 48 goal season in 1960-61 and Kelly had 50 assists and won the Lady Byng Trophy.
Punch Imlach added Stewart to the right wing in a crucial game five against the New York Rangers in the 1962 playoffs.
They each had a goal, including the double over-time winner by Kelly.
Game six was a more decisive 7 to 1 victory for the Leafs and then they went on to thump the Chicago Blackhawks and win their first of three straight Stanley Cups.
Leonard “Red” Kelly – LW / Dave Keon – C / George “Chief” Armstrong – RW
This trio was instrumental in winning game seven of the 1964 Stanley Cup semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens were determined to win on home ice but Dave Keon scored a hat-trick. He became the first player to score three goals for a game seven visiting team.
Bob Pulford – LW / Peter Stemkowski – C / Jim Pappin – RW
On a team full of aging superstars an unlikely line was an important factor in winning the 1967 Stanley Cup.
Pulford had 11 points in the 12 games, Stemkowski tallied 5 goals, and Pappin contributed 7 goals to the mix, including the Stanley Cup winner.
Paul Henderson – LW / Norm Ullman – C / Ron Ellis – RW
The “HUE” line, a combination of the first letter from their surnames, was an excellent mix of offense on the left and defense on the right. This was all cemented by the skillful two-way game played by Ullman at centre.
In 1970-71, Ullman registered 85 points (34 goals and 51 assists) which placed him 6th overall in the NHL scoring race. More importantly, this broke Frank Mahovlich’s team point record set a decade earlier.
Errol Thompson – LW / Darryl Sittler – C / Lanny McDonald – RW
This line was formed in 1975-76 and they had a few good years together but perhaps it’s best known for kick-starting McDonald’s career.
He had only scored 31 goals in his first 134 games and the Leafs almost traded him to Atlanta.
The first season that this line was formed he scored 37 goals and 93 points. That was followed with seasons of 46, 47, and 43 goals and suddenly Lanny was the 2nd best right winger in the NHL behind Guy Lafleur.
In 1975-76 Sittler also became the first Leaf to score a 100 point season (41 goals) and he was 9th in NHL scoring.
Thompson had a career high, 43 goals on Sittler’s right wing.
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