Flyers fans the view from down here is pretty grim, but I urge you all to hang in there. While it would be easier to just throw in the towel and follow another team, we just aren't built that way so why fight mother nature? It's a rough patch right now and I understand that it looks like it just isn't going to improve, but it will. Where exactly is up you ask?
Well up is very complicated. The coaching change didn't snap the team out of it so it's beyond time to move onto a new tactic.
Might I suggest the bench/trade method? It's really very simple. Bench the players who aren't playing. If this doesn't get them ramped up and ready to play, shop them on the market.
Don't forget that there is always the option to assign them to Glens Falls. (Okay some can't...but...) The idea of getting sent to Glens Falls should be enough to snap them out of a playing slump. (No offense to Glens Falls. I've been there and while I'd love the snowboarding and other outdoor activities, I can guarantee that these spoiled rotten kids playing on the Flyers would prefer the excitement of Philadelphia and this is after all supposed to be about giving them a reason to show up every night.)
How far do you go? Well, while I understand that most of you want to salvage this season, I would prefer to secure our future. Here it comes, folks....
So, I say strip us down to the youth if you have to. Of course I understand some people aren't going anywhere (ie Pronger, Hartnell and Briere), but there are a lot of guys who could. (Not to mention that I'm sure anyone would be willing to waive their NTCs right about now because some players are actually dying of embarrasement...)
Am I willing to go further than most everyone else? Yes. I'm willing to take the season at a complete and utter loss. It's time to strip the team down and start over. Well, not entirely.
Call it more of a retooling. We have too much money tied up in players that just aren't going to do what we need them to. No offense to Mike Richards, he's never going to be Alexander Ovechkin. That goes for Jeff Carter and a few others too. And Scott Hartnell isn't going to be Mike Knuble. (I'm not saying Mike Knuble was a hockey god, he was just VERY good at his position in front of the net and Hartnell isn't going to be a perfect replacement.)
It's time we give the younger guys the time to really develop. Let's put our focus on Claude Giroux, JVR, Bartulis and Parent. And don't forget that we have Maroon, Matsumoto, Laliberte, Kalinski, Nodl, Marshall and Bourdon aching to get their shot.
Put the time and effort into the younger guys. Now of course, we can't leave them out to dry. But isn't that why we have the veterans like Betts, Lappy, Kimmo and Pronger? And if we dump some of our center city crew we could free up some money to restock with actual prime quality talent.
I realize that the majority of Flyers fans are probably going to think that I'm crazy, but I don't care. You want a turn around? The current situation calls for desperate measures. It's time for management to step up.
While management is at it they might want to stop trying to find the "perfect" players and find the right ones....because they are really two different things...
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Washington Capitals’ Transformational Journey
I first came to the Washington DC area in August 2007 and I experienced the hockey shock of a lifetime. For the first time in my adult life I was not living in a hockey city. Now there are pluses and minuses to any situation. While I was able to see any game I wanted, practically alone, I found it near impossible to find anyone to bring along and discuss hockey. This didn’t stop me because I’ll watch hockey any chance I get.
So I went to games (and a lot of them) with the sparse few Capitals fans that had stuck with the team during the rough patches. They were a very young team that year and were struggling to find their footing but by the end of that season you could see that the pieces were starting to fall into place. They made it to the playoffs and the city was starting to catch Capitals fever. A bitter game 7 exit to the Philadelphia Flyers would energize the Capitals and give the fans a Conference nemesis.
The next season the team was more confident and their fans were growing in number. The arena was steadily filled to see the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. Capitals fans got to witness some special games including when Mike Green beat the NHL record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman. A young rookie named Semyon Varlamov stole the hearts of Caps fans in the playoffs. And let’s face it every night Ovechkin takes the ice, hockey fans are in for an extraordinary treat. A great hockey atmosphere was starting to build but the team still struggled when Ovechkin was absent.
Some new acquisitions in the off-season and a lot of hard conditioning by the entire team and this season Capitals fans get to see a more mature and refined offensive powerhouse. While the fan favorites are still fan favorites, the team has an undeniable chemistry that doesn’t require Alexander Ovechkin to drive it. In fact, even the Hershey Bear call-ups are providing points. (This, of course, is a testament to the system that their management has established.)
Capitals fans get to see a team that won’t quit, passion and desire on a nightly basis, and a fluid offensive machine. The Washington Capitals have taken an amazing transformational journey during the short time that I’ve lived here and sometimes I forget it. Washington, you and the rest of the NHL community are getting to watch something amazing happen. Savor every moment that you can because it looks like it’s getting better every game. This year, I can pretty much guarantee that your team has their sights on a very deep cup run. And with the way they are playing I’d be surprised with anything short of a spectacular show.
(This post appears of www.crashthecrease.com)
So I went to games (and a lot of them) with the sparse few Capitals fans that had stuck with the team during the rough patches. They were a very young team that year and were struggling to find their footing but by the end of that season you could see that the pieces were starting to fall into place. They made it to the playoffs and the city was starting to catch Capitals fever. A bitter game 7 exit to the Philadelphia Flyers would energize the Capitals and give the fans a Conference nemesis.
The next season the team was more confident and their fans were growing in number. The arena was steadily filled to see the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. Capitals fans got to witness some special games including when Mike Green beat the NHL record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman. A young rookie named Semyon Varlamov stole the hearts of Caps fans in the playoffs. And let’s face it every night Ovechkin takes the ice, hockey fans are in for an extraordinary treat. A great hockey atmosphere was starting to build but the team still struggled when Ovechkin was absent.
Some new acquisitions in the off-season and a lot of hard conditioning by the entire team and this season Capitals fans get to see a more mature and refined offensive powerhouse. While the fan favorites are still fan favorites, the team has an undeniable chemistry that doesn’t require Alexander Ovechkin to drive it. In fact, even the Hershey Bear call-ups are providing points. (This, of course, is a testament to the system that their management has established.)
Capitals fans get to see a team that won’t quit, passion and desire on a nightly basis, and a fluid offensive machine. The Washington Capitals have taken an amazing transformational journey during the short time that I’ve lived here and sometimes I forget it. Washington, you and the rest of the NHL community are getting to watch something amazing happen. Savor every moment that you can because it looks like it’s getting better every game. This year, I can pretty much guarantee that your team has their sights on a very deep cup run. And with the way they are playing I’d be surprised with anything short of a spectacular show.
(This post appears of www.crashthecrease.com)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bruce Boudreau – Professionalism?
I’ll start off by saying that I know I’ll take a lot of heat for this post from Capitals fans, but I felt that it had to be said. I think that I’m fare in my writing so I hope that is kept in mind.
During this week, Mike Green took a rather hard hit into the boards courtesy of the Avalanche’s David Koci. John Erskine took on Koci during the game and Coach Boudreau took him on in a post game interview.
I don’t have a problem with a Coach defending his players. In fact, I applaud it, but Boudreau goes awry in my opinion:
“Please, the guy’s got one goal in six years. He couldn’t play in the American league.”
Wow. I think my jaw hit the floor when I heard that line. Of course I understand that he was upset that Green was injured. And he was probably very frustrated that he had three defensemen left at the end of the game, but that really wasn’t professional. There is a difference between stating that you think a hit was dirty and actually berating a professional athlete.
Of course, Boudreau followed it up with: “I hope they throw the book at him.”
Every team in the league has to stand by and let the NHL police the game. In my opinion, Boudreau should state that he felt it was a dirty hit and graciously say that the NHL will review and rule on the matter. If he disagreed with their ruling then he could make a statement disagreeing with the ruling.
I understand that Boudreau is passionate, as are many players on the Capitals, I just think that he needs to choose he words wisely in interviews.
During this week, Mike Green took a rather hard hit into the boards courtesy of the Avalanche’s David Koci. John Erskine took on Koci during the game and Coach Boudreau took him on in a post game interview.
I don’t have a problem with a Coach defending his players. In fact, I applaud it, but Boudreau goes awry in my opinion:
“Please, the guy’s got one goal in six years. He couldn’t play in the American league.”
Wow. I think my jaw hit the floor when I heard that line. Of course I understand that he was upset that Green was injured. And he was probably very frustrated that he had three defensemen left at the end of the game, but that really wasn’t professional. There is a difference between stating that you think a hit was dirty and actually berating a professional athlete.
Of course, Boudreau followed it up with: “I hope they throw the book at him.”
Every team in the league has to stand by and let the NHL police the game. In my opinion, Boudreau should state that he felt it was a dirty hit and graciously say that the NHL will review and rule on the matter. If he disagreed with their ruling then he could make a statement disagreeing with the ruling.
I understand that Boudreau is passionate, as are many players on the Capitals, I just think that he needs to choose he words wisely in interviews.
Caps vs Avs 12 15 2009
The Caps turned out another good showing Tuesday night winning 6-1 against the Colorado Avalanche. While the win was a perfect way to start their western conference trip, the Caps definitely had a lot of defensive challenges along the way to that win.
The Caps defense had a rough night which started with Shaone Morrisonn sustaining an injury on a hit from David Koci. Morrisonn spent most of the evening on the bench.
Mike Green was the second defenseman to leave the game after being boarded by Koci in the second.
John Erskine incurred 17 penalty minutes for fighting Koci for the hit on Green.
With Morrisonn and Green injured, and Erskine’s penalty the Caps defense was severely depleted as only Schultz, Poti and Alzner were available for play.
Coach Boudreau was left in a difficult position, leaving him to turn to some of his forwards for assistance. Brooks Laich and Brendan Morrison were readied by Boudreau to switch to defense. In a rather unique situation the Caps only had two blueliners skating at one point in the third period.
Even with their dwindling defense, the team had a game that was eventful and they even had a couple of firsts.
Tomas Fleischmann had a two goal night and was assisted both times by Kyle Wilson who was making his NHL debut. Wilson was also ironically making his debut on his birthday and tallied his first NHL point during his first shift. After the game Wilson said that it’s his job as a call-up to make it very hard for him to be sent back down. I think he made a good case for himself during the game. Then again the Capitals have had a good effort from all their Hershey Bear call-ups this season and that is a testament to the system that they have in place. This foreshadowing should be a welcome sight to Washington Caps fans who haven’t had the smoothest ride until recently.
Only three games back from finger surgery, Mike Knuble made his presence known by netting a goal in first period. David Steckel and Matt Bradley joined Tomas Fleischmann in scoring during the second and Nicklas Backstrom scored a power play goal in the third.
This was the first time that Jose Theodore faced his former team since signing with the Capitals. Theodore acknowledged the defensive support from his teammates after the game saying that he knew they wanted to help him win the game.
The Caps played together and only allowed Colorado to score one goal against them in the first game of this road trip. They persevered through incredible adversity and have set a good tone for the remainder of the week.
Look for the Washington Capitals to take on the Vancouver Canucks at 10 PM EST on Friday.
(This should have posted on 12/16/2009 on www.crashthecrease.com however there was some technical difficulty on the posting. I apologize.)
The Caps defense had a rough night which started with Shaone Morrisonn sustaining an injury on a hit from David Koci. Morrisonn spent most of the evening on the bench.
Mike Green was the second defenseman to leave the game after being boarded by Koci in the second.
John Erskine incurred 17 penalty minutes for fighting Koci for the hit on Green.
With Morrisonn and Green injured, and Erskine’s penalty the Caps defense was severely depleted as only Schultz, Poti and Alzner were available for play.
Coach Boudreau was left in a difficult position, leaving him to turn to some of his forwards for assistance. Brooks Laich and Brendan Morrison were readied by Boudreau to switch to defense. In a rather unique situation the Caps only had two blueliners skating at one point in the third period.
Even with their dwindling defense, the team had a game that was eventful and they even had a couple of firsts.
Tomas Fleischmann had a two goal night and was assisted both times by Kyle Wilson who was making his NHL debut. Wilson was also ironically making his debut on his birthday and tallied his first NHL point during his first shift. After the game Wilson said that it’s his job as a call-up to make it very hard for him to be sent back down. I think he made a good case for himself during the game. Then again the Capitals have had a good effort from all their Hershey Bear call-ups this season and that is a testament to the system that they have in place. This foreshadowing should be a welcome sight to Washington Caps fans who haven’t had the smoothest ride until recently.
Only three games back from finger surgery, Mike Knuble made his presence known by netting a goal in first period. David Steckel and Matt Bradley joined Tomas Fleischmann in scoring during the second and Nicklas Backstrom scored a power play goal in the third.
This was the first time that Jose Theodore faced his former team since signing with the Capitals. Theodore acknowledged the defensive support from his teammates after the game saying that he knew they wanted to help him win the game.
The Caps played together and only allowed Colorado to score one goal against them in the first game of this road trip. They persevered through incredible adversity and have set a good tone for the remainder of the week.
Look for the Washington Capitals to take on the Vancouver Canucks at 10 PM EST on Friday.
(This should have posted on 12/16/2009 on www.crashthecrease.com however there was some technical difficulty on the posting. I apologize.)
Green: In the Buffer Zone
There is absolutely no denying it. This is an Olympic year. The world knows it and the loyal NHL hockey fans see it weekly in the pace of this year’s affected season schedule. A compressed schedule that has fans catching hockey in greater frequency due to the much talked about NHL Olympic break.
For Canada it’s a special year because the Olympics come home to Vancouver. The hockey world is a buzz with the projections and forecasts for the home team. In fact it’s a little hard to miss the talk. Darn near impossible actually.
Canada is ripe with talent to fill the roster. In fact, as most of you know, they have too much talent to choose from and this is causing a stir. Who makes the team? Who gets cut? Picking Team Canada will probably be the hardest hockey related decision Steve Yzerman will ever have to make.
With the likes of Martin Brodeur, Jay Bouwmeester, Sidney Crosby, and Chris Pronger , the field to choose from is amazing. In fact some analysts consider them locks for Team Canada but what about the players left in the “buffer zone”? Players like Washington’s Mike Green.
It’s undeniable: Mike Green wants to make the Olympic Roster for 2010. You can’t live in the Washington DC metro region and not know this. Green, who is known among his teammates for his must win passion, has been bombarded with questions from the media regarding his Olympic hopes. His personal website is aflutter with mentions of it. His teammates and his coach have also taken up his cause addressing the media regarding his buffer position. All this lobbying isn’t going to seal the deal though. Yzerman made it clear that play throughout the season would dictate who makes the final cut. So how has Green been performing?
Mike Green is an offensive defenseman. His growth as an NHL player erupted once Bruce Boudreau took the head coach position in Washington. Boudreau coached Green in Hershey and knew that Green could be an offensive threat. The trust that Boudreau had in Green’s offensive capabilities allowed Green to rapidly develop with his young team. And advance he has in a system that focuses on offensive production.
The 2008-2009 season was a remarkable one for Green. In 68 games he had amassed 31 goals and 42 assists. In February 2009 Mike Green scored a goal in his eighth consecutive game breaking the reigning NHL record. He appeared to be a rising star among NHL defenseman and he was drawing attention in the hockey world. His stellar season would not carry into the playoffs.
With injuries and high expectations, Mike Green struggled in the playoffs. Game 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins would find Green benched by Boudreau. Something that up until that point I thought I would never see. Boudreau never once doubted Green’s drive or abilities, and chose to defend the young defenseman to the media. This is something that he always does. Boudreau chose to blame high expectations; Green on the other hand would later admit that lingering ailments and a lack of conditioning caused him to be so unprepared for the playoffs.
As noted by everyone in the Washington Capitals organization, Green takes losses the hardest of anyone. Being his own toughest critic, he took the time during the off-season to right his course. He returned to training camp properly conditioned and ready to start the year. The beginning of this season was slightly bumpy for him as he found his way back to form. Currently Mike Green has a league high 32 points and 93 shots on goal for all NHL defensemen. He has 6 goals and 23 assists in 34 games played. His drive and dedication have his coach and teammates pleading his case to the media but will it do any good?
From the beginning of all the Olympic talk, I never thought Mike Green would make the team. This isn’t to say that I think he’s a poor defenseman; it’s more of a ‘reality of the situation’ type of decision for me. While Mike Green may very well continue to break records and be nominated a second time for the Norris Trophy, Steve Yzerman needs Team Canada to win.
Yzerman, I am sure, feels the pressure of choosing Team Canada. Some players are definite locks for the team, while the remaining slots are difficult decisions. Everyone in Canada expects them to win Gold in Vancouver, bringing added pressure. It would be my belief that Yzerman needs to build a team guaranteed to win and I would think that Mike Green does not fit into that plan.
Guaranteeing a win is not an easy feat, but it would be made a lot more difficult if you throw in some questionable variables. Canada needs an offensive burst from their forwards and shut-down, in your face defensemen on the blue line. To play it safe everyone needs to be defensively minded and members of the team cannot be defensive liabilities. Mike Green is still a young defenseman and he goes through periods of ups and downs in his play. The end of last season and the beginning of this season were not his greatest moments. So it all boils down to one question.
Can Mike Green play a “safer” more consistent type of defense? One that shows little risk and severely decreases the room for error? Boudreau says yes, but has the hockey world seen it? No. And that I’m afraid is what will seal Mike Green’s fate for the 2010 Olympics. If the Olympics were in any other country this year, I fully believe that Green would have a better shot at cracking the roster. Not a guaranteed chance, just a better one.
Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will most likely be about defensive forwards and safe shut-down defensemen. It’s going to be about the correct players to ensure a gold medal. Mike Green, while on the rise, has not proven himself as much as say Scott Niedermayer or Chris Pronger. Vancouver will see a Canadian team that sports safe choices because Yzerman knows what is at stake. Mike Green is young and will see other Olympics. While I understand that this one is extremely important to him, I don’t believe that he will make the team. Of course, Washington Capitals fans, I could be entirely wrong.
(This post appears on www.crashthecrease.com)
For Canada it’s a special year because the Olympics come home to Vancouver. The hockey world is a buzz with the projections and forecasts for the home team. In fact it’s a little hard to miss the talk. Darn near impossible actually.
Canada is ripe with talent to fill the roster. In fact, as most of you know, they have too much talent to choose from and this is causing a stir. Who makes the team? Who gets cut? Picking Team Canada will probably be the hardest hockey related decision Steve Yzerman will ever have to make.
With the likes of Martin Brodeur, Jay Bouwmeester, Sidney Crosby, and Chris Pronger , the field to choose from is amazing. In fact some analysts consider them locks for Team Canada but what about the players left in the “buffer zone”? Players like Washington’s Mike Green.
It’s undeniable: Mike Green wants to make the Olympic Roster for 2010. You can’t live in the Washington DC metro region and not know this. Green, who is known among his teammates for his must win passion, has been bombarded with questions from the media regarding his Olympic hopes. His personal website is aflutter with mentions of it. His teammates and his coach have also taken up his cause addressing the media regarding his buffer position. All this lobbying isn’t going to seal the deal though. Yzerman made it clear that play throughout the season would dictate who makes the final cut. So how has Green been performing?
Mike Green is an offensive defenseman. His growth as an NHL player erupted once Bruce Boudreau took the head coach position in Washington. Boudreau coached Green in Hershey and knew that Green could be an offensive threat. The trust that Boudreau had in Green’s offensive capabilities allowed Green to rapidly develop with his young team. And advance he has in a system that focuses on offensive production.
The 2008-2009 season was a remarkable one for Green. In 68 games he had amassed 31 goals and 42 assists. In February 2009 Mike Green scored a goal in his eighth consecutive game breaking the reigning NHL record. He appeared to be a rising star among NHL defenseman and he was drawing attention in the hockey world. His stellar season would not carry into the playoffs.
With injuries and high expectations, Mike Green struggled in the playoffs. Game 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins would find Green benched by Boudreau. Something that up until that point I thought I would never see. Boudreau never once doubted Green’s drive or abilities, and chose to defend the young defenseman to the media. This is something that he always does. Boudreau chose to blame high expectations; Green on the other hand would later admit that lingering ailments and a lack of conditioning caused him to be so unprepared for the playoffs.
As noted by everyone in the Washington Capitals organization, Green takes losses the hardest of anyone. Being his own toughest critic, he took the time during the off-season to right his course. He returned to training camp properly conditioned and ready to start the year. The beginning of this season was slightly bumpy for him as he found his way back to form. Currently Mike Green has a league high 32 points and 93 shots on goal for all NHL defensemen. He has 6 goals and 23 assists in 34 games played. His drive and dedication have his coach and teammates pleading his case to the media but will it do any good?
From the beginning of all the Olympic talk, I never thought Mike Green would make the team. This isn’t to say that I think he’s a poor defenseman; it’s more of a ‘reality of the situation’ type of decision for me. While Mike Green may very well continue to break records and be nominated a second time for the Norris Trophy, Steve Yzerman needs Team Canada to win.
Yzerman, I am sure, feels the pressure of choosing Team Canada. Some players are definite locks for the team, while the remaining slots are difficult decisions. Everyone in Canada expects them to win Gold in Vancouver, bringing added pressure. It would be my belief that Yzerman needs to build a team guaranteed to win and I would think that Mike Green does not fit into that plan.
Guaranteeing a win is not an easy feat, but it would be made a lot more difficult if you throw in some questionable variables. Canada needs an offensive burst from their forwards and shut-down, in your face defensemen on the blue line. To play it safe everyone needs to be defensively minded and members of the team cannot be defensive liabilities. Mike Green is still a young defenseman and he goes through periods of ups and downs in his play. The end of last season and the beginning of this season were not his greatest moments. So it all boils down to one question.
Can Mike Green play a “safer” more consistent type of defense? One that shows little risk and severely decreases the room for error? Boudreau says yes, but has the hockey world seen it? No. And that I’m afraid is what will seal Mike Green’s fate for the 2010 Olympics. If the Olympics were in any other country this year, I fully believe that Green would have a better shot at cracking the roster. Not a guaranteed chance, just a better one.
Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will most likely be about defensive forwards and safe shut-down defensemen. It’s going to be about the correct players to ensure a gold medal. Mike Green, while on the rise, has not proven himself as much as say Scott Niedermayer or Chris Pronger. Vancouver will see a Canadian team that sports safe choices because Yzerman knows what is at stake. Mike Green is young and will see other Olympics. While I understand that this one is extremely important to him, I don’t believe that he will make the team. Of course, Washington Capitals fans, I could be entirely wrong.
(This post appears on www.crashthecrease.com)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
“Favored sons”, Complacency and the Future
The Boston win was refreshing but then came the total collapse in Pittsburgh. Finally Richards seems to comprehend the severity of the situation but is it too late? Most importantly, what exactly is going wrong? I want to take the opportunity today to look at a few things regarding the club.
First and foremost is what I'll call the “favored sons” condition. Players who are favored my management (and fans) because of what they have brought to the team in the past. This past gives them a free pass, so to speak, protecting them from the thoughts of trade. While eventually this would wear off with time, due to a lack of production or inconsistency, the reason I bring it up is for the short term impact. When the so-called “untouchables” are thought to be just that (untouchable), complacency sits in and that is awfully dangerous. Eventually players lose that drive to compete and win if they become complacent for too long. Once that is gone it's rather hard to get back without stimulation by a major motivator. Fear of being traded is probably going to be the best motivator. That’s a vital component currently lacking…
So should people get this favored sons treatment? In a limited capacity, I believe so, however I think the wrong people are on the list. I would prefer to see players such as Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis on this list for the Flyers. For the Phantoms it should be Marshall, Maroon, Bourdon, Ross (I know having a bad year) and a select few others. They are the future of the team and they need to be afforded the opportunity to progress and advance. Should they be completely untouchable? No, no one should, but the next generations are the ones who should be given the closest status to untouchable. The here and now isn't looking so good so it's time to take a good hard look at the future.
The next problems are the NTCs and the NMCs. Welcome to the hell that is contract negotiation. While I do understand that these clauses enticed some players to come to the team, it takes its toll.
With the clauses players can allow complacency to settle in. This again is quite dangerous. Without the ability to externally cause motivation the role of self-motivation becomes critical. Where is the motivation for these players? Probably the only bit still left externally is to embarrass the players with special punishments during practices, or to ridicule them in the media. The NHL clubs should not have to resort to kindergarten type punishment to instill motivation. If the drive isn’t there I’m resorting right back to a previous post. If they don’t perform, bench them. If they don’t respond, trade them. If you can’t trade them, waive them.
Fitting into both of the previous topics is a lack of competition. Without a serious ability to advance, the motivation that you see from the Phantoms is entirely internal. If you throw them some external motivation perhaps they would surprise us all.
Let's face it because I think everyone no matter what they said didn't actually believe that John Stevens was the entire problem. The thing that he was probably the guiltiest of was being too nice and too close to the team. That works in select instances with say Claude Giroux in the playoffs last year when he was wearing the weight of the loss (in his mind) entirely on his shoulders. But does it work with those like Richards & Carter who are more advanced? Well, it took Stevens getting fired and a whole lot of media heat for Richards to start addressing the public regarding the problems. John Stevens enabled the team to remain coddled and for that he became the scapegoat. I feel sorry for the man but he did in a sense create the situation.
There are two goalies whom I feel bad for as well. Let's face it Philadelphia is a hard town to goaltend for. We are loud, mean and expect all our goalies to be Bernie Parent. What has the team done to help them our goalies out this year? I mean overall not just select little incidents. Razor played injured when he shouldn't have and the team knew this. Where was the additional support? Poor Boosh has been the best player some nights and he's taking the loses. It's a shame.
But who do I feel the worst about? Giroux, JVR, Parent, Bartulis, Maroon, Marshall, Bourdon and the rest of the younger generation. The Phantoms because they had a rough adjustment and are suffering a bit for it. Also because they lack real opportunity to advance and showcase their talent right now. They are not fully capable of shopping their goods to the big club nor is anyone really giving them the ability to jump forward. It's a general lack of opportunity.
Which brings us to the young group on the Flyers. They are probably suffering the greatest of anyone. Not only are they being dragged along on this downward spiral, their development is suffering. You really think Claude Giroux is getting the linemates he needs to develop and advance? I'm not saying his linemates are bad, what I'm saying is that he doesn't have the correct ones for his specific talent. The kid has amazing passing skills but if his linemates aren’t capable of receiving his passes and burying them in the net, all that talent is going to waste.
JVR hits a slump and gets moved backwards in the lineup. Everyone needs to remember it's his fist year. He wasn’t even supposed to be with the big club according to most people. The fact that he has accomplished what he has is a testament to his hard-work. I, for one, expected him to bring a lazy attitude to training camp. Gladly I stand corrected. But he has hit a wall and it’s hard to be sure if it’s a normal first year “slump” or if this team has been affecting him.
We are at a pivotal time here in Flyers-land. The club is rocky and it’s fairly new territory for us. I don’t like what I’m seeing and I certainly don’t have the perfect solution.
We need to move forward and it’s critical to decide how to best do that without hurting the future of our club. The here and now isn’t so bright right now so it’s time to look forward. I’d rather take a temporary setback than a long-term one.
My advice is to hold onto the young guys coming up through the system and give them every opportunity to thrive. Sure as a fan base we’ll be irate and disgruntled, but I don’t want to see this team turn into a “welfare team”. I’d rather not witness that first hand.
It’s time to cut our loses and make the changes. If that means trading some big guns then we bite the bullet and do it. The future should be our focus and allowing this group of young players to spiral out of control with the rest of the team is only going to hold them back.
It’s time for management to figure out the exact problem and remove it from the system. It’s to the point that I don’t care if it’s Mike Richards, the problem needs to go. And if the team doesn’t respond tonight, the decision needs to be made now.
First and foremost is what I'll call the “favored sons” condition. Players who are favored my management (and fans) because of what they have brought to the team in the past. This past gives them a free pass, so to speak, protecting them from the thoughts of trade. While eventually this would wear off with time, due to a lack of production or inconsistency, the reason I bring it up is for the short term impact. When the so-called “untouchables” are thought to be just that (untouchable), complacency sits in and that is awfully dangerous. Eventually players lose that drive to compete and win if they become complacent for too long. Once that is gone it's rather hard to get back without stimulation by a major motivator. Fear of being traded is probably going to be the best motivator. That’s a vital component currently lacking…
So should people get this favored sons treatment? In a limited capacity, I believe so, however I think the wrong people are on the list. I would prefer to see players such as Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis on this list for the Flyers. For the Phantoms it should be Marshall, Maroon, Bourdon, Ross (I know having a bad year) and a select few others. They are the future of the team and they need to be afforded the opportunity to progress and advance. Should they be completely untouchable? No, no one should, but the next generations are the ones who should be given the closest status to untouchable. The here and now isn't looking so good so it's time to take a good hard look at the future.
The next problems are the NTCs and the NMCs. Welcome to the hell that is contract negotiation. While I do understand that these clauses enticed some players to come to the team, it takes its toll.
With the clauses players can allow complacency to settle in. This again is quite dangerous. Without the ability to externally cause motivation the role of self-motivation becomes critical. Where is the motivation for these players? Probably the only bit still left externally is to embarrass the players with special punishments during practices, or to ridicule them in the media. The NHL clubs should not have to resort to kindergarten type punishment to instill motivation. If the drive isn’t there I’m resorting right back to a previous post. If they don’t perform, bench them. If they don’t respond, trade them. If you can’t trade them, waive them.
Fitting into both of the previous topics is a lack of competition. Without a serious ability to advance, the motivation that you see from the Phantoms is entirely internal. If you throw them some external motivation perhaps they would surprise us all.
Let's face it because I think everyone no matter what they said didn't actually believe that John Stevens was the entire problem. The thing that he was probably the guiltiest of was being too nice and too close to the team. That works in select instances with say Claude Giroux in the playoffs last year when he was wearing the weight of the loss (in his mind) entirely on his shoulders. But does it work with those like Richards & Carter who are more advanced? Well, it took Stevens getting fired and a whole lot of media heat for Richards to start addressing the public regarding the problems. John Stevens enabled the team to remain coddled and for that he became the scapegoat. I feel sorry for the man but he did in a sense create the situation.
There are two goalies whom I feel bad for as well. Let's face it Philadelphia is a hard town to goaltend for. We are loud, mean and expect all our goalies to be Bernie Parent. What has the team done to help them our goalies out this year? I mean overall not just select little incidents. Razor played injured when he shouldn't have and the team knew this. Where was the additional support? Poor Boosh has been the best player some nights and he's taking the loses. It's a shame.
But who do I feel the worst about? Giroux, JVR, Parent, Bartulis, Maroon, Marshall, Bourdon and the rest of the younger generation. The Phantoms because they had a rough adjustment and are suffering a bit for it. Also because they lack real opportunity to advance and showcase their talent right now. They are not fully capable of shopping their goods to the big club nor is anyone really giving them the ability to jump forward. It's a general lack of opportunity.
Which brings us to the young group on the Flyers. They are probably suffering the greatest of anyone. Not only are they being dragged along on this downward spiral, their development is suffering. You really think Claude Giroux is getting the linemates he needs to develop and advance? I'm not saying his linemates are bad, what I'm saying is that he doesn't have the correct ones for his specific talent. The kid has amazing passing skills but if his linemates aren’t capable of receiving his passes and burying them in the net, all that talent is going to waste.
JVR hits a slump and gets moved backwards in the lineup. Everyone needs to remember it's his fist year. He wasn’t even supposed to be with the big club according to most people. The fact that he has accomplished what he has is a testament to his hard-work. I, for one, expected him to bring a lazy attitude to training camp. Gladly I stand corrected. But he has hit a wall and it’s hard to be sure if it’s a normal first year “slump” or if this team has been affecting him.
We are at a pivotal time here in Flyers-land. The club is rocky and it’s fairly new territory for us. I don’t like what I’m seeing and I certainly don’t have the perfect solution.
We need to move forward and it’s critical to decide how to best do that without hurting the future of our club. The here and now isn’t so bright right now so it’s time to look forward. I’d rather take a temporary setback than a long-term one.
My advice is to hold onto the young guys coming up through the system and give them every opportunity to thrive. Sure as a fan base we’ll be irate and disgruntled, but I don’t want to see this team turn into a “welfare team”. I’d rather not witness that first hand.
It’s time to cut our loses and make the changes. If that means trading some big guns then we bite the bullet and do it. The future should be our focus and allowing this group of young players to spiral out of control with the rest of the team is only going to hold them back.
It’s time for management to figure out the exact problem and remove it from the system. It’s to the point that I don’t care if it’s Mike Richards, the problem needs to go. And if the team doesn’t respond tonight, the decision needs to be made now.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The View From the Bottom.
28th in the league. Leaves you wondering just what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is going on, right?
We acquire Chris Pronger and make a bunch of changes in the off season. We acquire one of the most passionate players in the game with Lappy. We fill some voids with some guys who played strong for us last season. For crying out loud we were striking fear in our opponents before the season started and were being favored to do extremely well. 28th in the league?!?! Speechless, right?
Okay, Flyers fans, let's snap out of it. What is going wrong? Okay probably everything under the sun. I'm just as upset as the rest of you. (Trust me on that one.) The major problem now is still the one we faced over a week ago: how do you snap the team out of it?
I'm sure there are a lot of suggestions floating around in Flyersland. For me the main thing is to break the cycle and that is multi-layered.
Somewhere there is a rotten egg. We're all hearing the rumors so let's not ignore it. My concern is that we have the likes of Pronger and Lappy in the dressing room and the team is still being derailed by one player? Is this possible? Being that I'm not in the locker room it leaves me wondering. Can one player really rock the entire boat?
Even if we offload this so called problem player, the team is pretty shaken and beat up right now. It's going to take some major motivation to get them over this bump. The next question is a pivotal one: can the current leadership team get this ship turned around?
I actually fear that our "problem child" is within the leadership team. Now I have no way of knowing this for sure, but it is definitely a fear that is weighing heavily on my mind. If it is someone on the leadership team, why were they allowed to continue? Either way, shouldn't the remainder of the leadership team have addressed this issue? Perhaps some change is needed.
Richards, I'm sorry, I know everyone thinks you're a golden boy, but man up! Either ask for Pronger to step in and clean house or do it yourself. And while your at it, you might want to focus on the team until you are safely heading in the correct direction.
I understand that he is young and that he is learning. This is not entirely his fault. He is soft-spoken and seems to prefer to lead by example, but this team needs someone to throw something at them so they snap out of it! That could very well be Pronger IF someone lets him.
Peter Laviolette is still implementing his system and I understand this, but if the current lines don't start producing this team's fragile ego is going to completely burst. They need to start scoring NOW not a few weeks down the line. If they start scoring their confidence will build quicker and their confidence could use all the help that it can get.
I don't know if he's doing it, but Laviolette really needs to ensure that the future of our club is not getting destroyed. I mean that Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis need special attention. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want them babied and I don't want them put on a pedestal. They need more personal attention right now and I think they should be given it.
So Flyers fans, I could go on for hours, but I won't.
This team has a lot of work ahead of them if they are up to the challenge. Right now this hockey club is a tired, frustrated and emotionally wrecked one. If they are to move forward and snap out of this downward spiral, things need to start getting shook up immediately. How do you do that? By any means necessary.
If the only way to get these guys moving forward (and upward) is to take drastic measures, then Laviolette and Homer need to make it happen. Someone not producing or showing their best effort? Bench them. Can't get them to snap out of it? Trade them. Can't trade them? Waive them.
Harsh? Sure but as a friend reminded me last night: desperate times call for desperate measures. This is the O&B and we as fans, we don't accept anything less than a best effort.
We acquire Chris Pronger and make a bunch of changes in the off season. We acquire one of the most passionate players in the game with Lappy. We fill some voids with some guys who played strong for us last season. For crying out loud we were striking fear in our opponents before the season started and were being favored to do extremely well. 28th in the league?!?! Speechless, right?
Okay, Flyers fans, let's snap out of it. What is going wrong? Okay probably everything under the sun. I'm just as upset as the rest of you. (Trust me on that one.) The major problem now is still the one we faced over a week ago: how do you snap the team out of it?
I'm sure there are a lot of suggestions floating around in Flyersland. For me the main thing is to break the cycle and that is multi-layered.
Somewhere there is a rotten egg. We're all hearing the rumors so let's not ignore it. My concern is that we have the likes of Pronger and Lappy in the dressing room and the team is still being derailed by one player? Is this possible? Being that I'm not in the locker room it leaves me wondering. Can one player really rock the entire boat?
Even if we offload this so called problem player, the team is pretty shaken and beat up right now. It's going to take some major motivation to get them over this bump. The next question is a pivotal one: can the current leadership team get this ship turned around?
I actually fear that our "problem child" is within the leadership team. Now I have no way of knowing this for sure, but it is definitely a fear that is weighing heavily on my mind. If it is someone on the leadership team, why were they allowed to continue? Either way, shouldn't the remainder of the leadership team have addressed this issue? Perhaps some change is needed.
Richards, I'm sorry, I know everyone thinks you're a golden boy, but man up! Either ask for Pronger to step in and clean house or do it yourself. And while your at it, you might want to focus on the team until you are safely heading in the correct direction.
I understand that he is young and that he is learning. This is not entirely his fault. He is soft-spoken and seems to prefer to lead by example, but this team needs someone to throw something at them so they snap out of it! That could very well be Pronger IF someone lets him.
Peter Laviolette is still implementing his system and I understand this, but if the current lines don't start producing this team's fragile ego is going to completely burst. They need to start scoring NOW not a few weeks down the line. If they start scoring their confidence will build quicker and their confidence could use all the help that it can get.
I don't know if he's doing it, but Laviolette really needs to ensure that the future of our club is not getting destroyed. I mean that Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis need special attention. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want them babied and I don't want them put on a pedestal. They need more personal attention right now and I think they should be given it.
So Flyers fans, I could go on for hours, but I won't.
This team has a lot of work ahead of them if they are up to the challenge. Right now this hockey club is a tired, frustrated and emotionally wrecked one. If they are to move forward and snap out of this downward spiral, things need to start getting shook up immediately. How do you do that? By any means necessary.
If the only way to get these guys moving forward (and upward) is to take drastic measures, then Laviolette and Homer need to make it happen. Someone not producing or showing their best effort? Bench them. Can't get them to snap out of it? Trade them. Can't trade them? Waive them.
Harsh? Sure but as a friend reminded me last night: desperate times call for desperate measures. This is the O&B and we as fans, we don't accept anything less than a best effort.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Caps vs Canes 12/11/2009
This was an interesting game Capitals fans and it turned out to be a rather exciting one at that!
There was not a whole lot for the Caps fans to be excited about in the first period. Jose Theodore allowed two goals. The first was a tip in from Jiri Tlusty at 2:01 which occurred as a rattled Mike Green was returning to the bench. Ward was looking great and the Caps were struggling to get rubber past him. Carolina’s second goal came at 13:56 from Eric Stahl. Just when I thought the Caps had a great scoring opportunity with a half open net, they were robbed by the Carolina defense that came to Ward’s assistance. Towards the end of the period, Carolina’s Tim Gleason took a slapshot from Ovechkin in the face.
At this point in the game both the Caps fans and Alexander Ovechkin where visually showing their frustration. The fans were rather quiet except for the occasional “request” to pull Jose Theodore from the net. (Remember Caps fans, your team is an offensive powerhouse, so a two goal deficit is not an impossible feat to overcome.) Their frustrations also boiled over as they were booing off-sides calls. #8 was very animated looking up to the rafters as Ward continued to shut down the Caps scoring chances. The second period ended and I was surrounded by quite a few disgruntled fans.
I expected the Capitals to take the ice with a tremendous force at the start of the second, however it took them a while to get one past Ward. At 13:07 Alexander Semin scored and I was anxiously awaiting to see if this would wake the Caps up and rattle Ward. As I expected the Washington Capitals began their aggressive offensive attack and the crowd was back into the game. It was a little concerning that the Caps would take a sloppy too many men on the ice penalty after finally getting themselves going. The Capitals did not give up and at 19:59 Alexander Semin beautifully wristed his own rebound up and over Cam Ward. The end of the second period would find the two teams tied.
At 2:52 in the third period, Tomas Fleischmann scored giving the Caps the lead for the first time in the game. Just as I thought that Mike Knuble looked sluggish and winded, he stepped up his game and was robbed by Ward. With Joni Pitkanen serving time in the penalty box, the Capitals could not get their power play to click. At 13:30 Gleason made his presence know by scoring a shorthanded goal tying the game yet again. Theodore and Ward held their ground and the game went into overtime.
At this point I couldn’t help but think that Boudreau and the Caps couldn’t be happy that they gave a division rival a point. The caps came out with a fierce intensity and true to his nickname Mike Green ended the game at 1:16 in overtime.
Well Capitals fans that was one amazing game to attend.
(This is posted on www.crashthecrease.com)
There was not a whole lot for the Caps fans to be excited about in the first period. Jose Theodore allowed two goals. The first was a tip in from Jiri Tlusty at 2:01 which occurred as a rattled Mike Green was returning to the bench. Ward was looking great and the Caps were struggling to get rubber past him. Carolina’s second goal came at 13:56 from Eric Stahl. Just when I thought the Caps had a great scoring opportunity with a half open net, they were robbed by the Carolina defense that came to Ward’s assistance. Towards the end of the period, Carolina’s Tim Gleason took a slapshot from Ovechkin in the face.
At this point in the game both the Caps fans and Alexander Ovechkin where visually showing their frustration. The fans were rather quiet except for the occasional “request” to pull Jose Theodore from the net. (Remember Caps fans, your team is an offensive powerhouse, so a two goal deficit is not an impossible feat to overcome.) Their frustrations also boiled over as they were booing off-sides calls. #8 was very animated looking up to the rafters as Ward continued to shut down the Caps scoring chances. The second period ended and I was surrounded by quite a few disgruntled fans.
I expected the Capitals to take the ice with a tremendous force at the start of the second, however it took them a while to get one past Ward. At 13:07 Alexander Semin scored and I was anxiously awaiting to see if this would wake the Caps up and rattle Ward. As I expected the Washington Capitals began their aggressive offensive attack and the crowd was back into the game. It was a little concerning that the Caps would take a sloppy too many men on the ice penalty after finally getting themselves going. The Capitals did not give up and at 19:59 Alexander Semin beautifully wristed his own rebound up and over Cam Ward. The end of the second period would find the two teams tied.
At 2:52 in the third period, Tomas Fleischmann scored giving the Caps the lead for the first time in the game. Just as I thought that Mike Knuble looked sluggish and winded, he stepped up his game and was robbed by Ward. With Joni Pitkanen serving time in the penalty box, the Capitals could not get their power play to click. At 13:30 Gleason made his presence know by scoring a shorthanded goal tying the game yet again. Theodore and Ward held their ground and the game went into overtime.
At this point I couldn’t help but think that Boudreau and the Caps couldn’t be happy that they gave a division rival a point. The caps came out with a fierce intensity and true to his nickname Mike Green ended the game at 1:16 in overtime.
Well Capitals fans that was one amazing game to attend.
(This is posted on www.crashthecrease.com)
Oh! My Flyers! Where have you gone?
Well, let me first start off by saying that I believe we can officially go down in history as the only team that acquired Chris Pronger and then totally tanked! There, I said it, it's off my chest, now I can move on...
A good friend and fellow Flyers fan told me last night that this team is cooked and that the season is over. While I understand the frustration, I urge everyone in Flyersland not to give up hope. It's not over until the Stanley Cup is skated around the ice....and that, my friends, is at least five months away...
Sure I understand the frustration. I'm probably the biggest Flyers fan that you will ever meet. They are breaking my heart and I would love to throw something at them, but I just don't think it's time to dismantle the team and start from ground zero.
There are plenty of problems but you have to understand that it's going to take time to jump over this hurdle.
While I was never the biggest John Stevens fan, I actually feel really bad for the man. He grew up professionally in our system and he did an amazing job at developing some of our young talent. The way he handled Claude Giroux during the playoffs last year was outstanding. For that effort, I will eternally be grateful to him. The man was, and still is a class act.
Why do I really feel bad for him? There was no options but to fire him; he had to be the scapegoat.
His termination opened the door for the players to step it up and make the change on their own. While I will give them tonight against the devils to prove themselves, I fear that they have blown this opportunity to right their path. Where do we go from here?
I suggest that Homer figures out real fast who is souring the locker room and move their ass to the Western Conference. FAST! Can't move them? Place them on waivers. I'm sure they will enjoy Glens Falls just fabulously!
It should only be a last resort to clean house and start over. There are still some dangerous and pesky weapons in our arsenal just something, or someone, is holding them all back.
So man up, Homer and right this ship! (And I swear to God, if you even consider touching Claude Giroux or JVR, the fans will turn on you...and you really don't want that....we're mean....)
A good friend and fellow Flyers fan told me last night that this team is cooked and that the season is over. While I understand the frustration, I urge everyone in Flyersland not to give up hope. It's not over until the Stanley Cup is skated around the ice....and that, my friends, is at least five months away...
Sure I understand the frustration. I'm probably the biggest Flyers fan that you will ever meet. They are breaking my heart and I would love to throw something at them, but I just don't think it's time to dismantle the team and start from ground zero.
There are plenty of problems but you have to understand that it's going to take time to jump over this hurdle.
While I was never the biggest John Stevens fan, I actually feel really bad for the man. He grew up professionally in our system and he did an amazing job at developing some of our young talent. The way he handled Claude Giroux during the playoffs last year was outstanding. For that effort, I will eternally be grateful to him. The man was, and still is a class act.
Why do I really feel bad for him? There was no options but to fire him; he had to be the scapegoat.
His termination opened the door for the players to step it up and make the change on their own. While I will give them tonight against the devils to prove themselves, I fear that they have blown this opportunity to right their path. Where do we go from here?
I suggest that Homer figures out real fast who is souring the locker room and move their ass to the Western Conference. FAST! Can't move them? Place them on waivers. I'm sure they will enjoy Glens Falls just fabulously!
It should only be a last resort to clean house and start over. There are still some dangerous and pesky weapons in our arsenal just something, or someone, is holding them all back.
So man up, Homer and right this ship! (And I swear to God, if you even consider touching Claude Giroux or JVR, the fans will turn on you...and you really don't want that....we're mean....)
Caps Beat a Disheveled Flyers Team
The Washington Capitals continued their offensive success against a shaken and broken Flyers team.
Mike Green had a four point night in front of Team Canada’s executive director, Steve Yzerman, helping plead his case for a slot on the Olympic roster. This may prove to have been a big night for Green whose dream it is to make the team as he is sitting in a “buffer” position behind such defensemen as Chris Pronger and Jay Bouwmeester. And let’s face it, that was a beautiful wrister last night.
Nicholas Backstrom had a strong night as well as he picked up five points in last night’s game and Tomas Fleischmann netted a pair of goals that started the Capitals offensive surge. Jose Theodore allowed only two goals on the Flyers’ 36 shots.
Perhaps the most notable incident of the night was Daniel Carcillo’s penalities that awarded the Washington Capitals a whopping 9 minutes of powerplay time. I can honestly say that I have never seen such an event and probably never will. (In all honesty, I hope I never see such uninspired, hopeless play in the NHL again.)Today there is still discussion reverberating from both sides regarding the penalties and the lack of penalty on Washington’s Matt Bradley.
After numerous reviews of the play it certainly looked to me as though Bradley was tossing his gloves to the ice when Carcillo hit him, but that is not what the referees saw. And in the end, the referees are what matter. In all honesty Carcillo moved so quickly that I have no doubt that the referees never saw Bradley in the incident until he dropped to the ice.
The Washington Capitals did a tremendous job at exploiting the depleted and unconfident Flyers team that played their first game under Laviolette. In the end, the Capitals were able to keep the Flyers from regrouping as they won 8-2.
Personally I wouldn’t consider this a normal game, but a win is still a win. The Capitals have to remember though that they embarrassed a depleted and frustrated hockey club that won’t forget the whipping in the next meeting. And that, ladies and gentlemen, may prove to be the most heated matchup between these two clubs yet.
(Sorry for the delay in posting this article...it appeared on www.crashthecrease.com shortly after the game.)
Mike Green had a four point night in front of Team Canada’s executive director, Steve Yzerman, helping plead his case for a slot on the Olympic roster. This may prove to have been a big night for Green whose dream it is to make the team as he is sitting in a “buffer” position behind such defensemen as Chris Pronger and Jay Bouwmeester. And let’s face it, that was a beautiful wrister last night.
Nicholas Backstrom had a strong night as well as he picked up five points in last night’s game and Tomas Fleischmann netted a pair of goals that started the Capitals offensive surge. Jose Theodore allowed only two goals on the Flyers’ 36 shots.
Perhaps the most notable incident of the night was Daniel Carcillo’s penalities that awarded the Washington Capitals a whopping 9 minutes of powerplay time. I can honestly say that I have never seen such an event and probably never will. (In all honesty, I hope I never see such uninspired, hopeless play in the NHL again.)Today there is still discussion reverberating from both sides regarding the penalties and the lack of penalty on Washington’s Matt Bradley.
After numerous reviews of the play it certainly looked to me as though Bradley was tossing his gloves to the ice when Carcillo hit him, but that is not what the referees saw. And in the end, the referees are what matter. In all honesty Carcillo moved so quickly that I have no doubt that the referees never saw Bradley in the incident until he dropped to the ice.
The Washington Capitals did a tremendous job at exploiting the depleted and unconfident Flyers team that played their first game under Laviolette. In the end, the Capitals were able to keep the Flyers from regrouping as they won 8-2.
Personally I wouldn’t consider this a normal game, but a win is still a win. The Capitals have to remember though that they embarrassed a depleted and frustrated hockey club that won’t forget the whipping in the next meeting. And that, ladies and gentlemen, may prove to be the most heated matchup between these two clubs yet.
(Sorry for the delay in posting this article...it appeared on www.crashthecrease.com shortly after the game.)
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Caps @ Flyers: Wow! WTF was that?
First and foremost I have to say that was the most disgusting excuse for hockey that I have ever seen. If you had told me a month ago that I would watch my beloved Flyers completely collapse and get slaughtered, I never would have believed you. Then again this is hockey and anything can happen.
The team obviously lacks confidence at this point in time....which I am sure has only been worsened by the continual booing of the fans. Don't get me wrong, they get paid a lot of money to play hockey well and represent Philadelphia, so they deserved every boo directed towards them. The question now is how does Laviolette pick up the pieces and get them going in the right direction?
The lines obviously aren't working. They need to shuffle, but Laviolette's new system still needs to be implemented. What is more important? Getting the system in place should be the priority. Don't get me wrong, this is going to be a bumpy ride and it's going to get a lot worst before it gets better. Once the team gets more comfortable, it's time to experiment with the lines.
What do you change next? Wow! Where do you start?
Something is off-kilter with Jeff Carter. He's supposed to be our big gun so someone had better figure out what is wrong with him and fix it. This, I fear, will take a while due to his allegiance and close relationship with John Stevens. For starters, can we have him shoot targets for hours on end? No offense, Carter, your aim has been lousy.
Claude Giroux. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: For the love of God, unbury this kid! And give him linemates that are worthy of his talent. By leaving him in a position where he cannot score goals or pile on assists, you are stifling his progress. And while I hate to say it, he's very young so he's more "fragile" in his development. How about he gets Danny Briere back on his wing and we see how many points they rack up? Then there is always JVR. How about we let the two youngsters work together. They are both full of energy and let's face it, they are the future of this club. They are going to be together for quite a while so why not let them start now?
Dan Carcillo. I know everyone is attacking him for last night. I think that was the final straw for him. Congratulations, the Flyers fans hate you. This isn't the spot you want to be in. It's time for him to listen to the electric fence they put up for him or he's going to get his walking papers. I will admit though that through this "indiscretion" I gained a little bit of respect back for Richards who finally stepped it up and "dealt" with Carcillo.
I could go on for quite a while, but in the end, Laviolette is getting paid the big bucks to turn this club around. I just hope he does it before it's too late. I sure hope he realizes that the Phantoms aren't too far behind the big club.
So now I suck it up and work on my Caps post for Crash the Crease. What a sad day this is. It has to get better, right? Because seriously I don't think it could get much worst....
The team obviously lacks confidence at this point in time....which I am sure has only been worsened by the continual booing of the fans. Don't get me wrong, they get paid a lot of money to play hockey well and represent Philadelphia, so they deserved every boo directed towards them. The question now is how does Laviolette pick up the pieces and get them going in the right direction?
The lines obviously aren't working. They need to shuffle, but Laviolette's new system still needs to be implemented. What is more important? Getting the system in place should be the priority. Don't get me wrong, this is going to be a bumpy ride and it's going to get a lot worst before it gets better. Once the team gets more comfortable, it's time to experiment with the lines.
What do you change next? Wow! Where do you start?
Something is off-kilter with Jeff Carter. He's supposed to be our big gun so someone had better figure out what is wrong with him and fix it. This, I fear, will take a while due to his allegiance and close relationship with John Stevens. For starters, can we have him shoot targets for hours on end? No offense, Carter, your aim has been lousy.
Claude Giroux. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: For the love of God, unbury this kid! And give him linemates that are worthy of his talent. By leaving him in a position where he cannot score goals or pile on assists, you are stifling his progress. And while I hate to say it, he's very young so he's more "fragile" in his development. How about he gets Danny Briere back on his wing and we see how many points they rack up? Then there is always JVR. How about we let the two youngsters work together. They are both full of energy and let's face it, they are the future of this club. They are going to be together for quite a while so why not let them start now?
Dan Carcillo. I know everyone is attacking him for last night. I think that was the final straw for him. Congratulations, the Flyers fans hate you. This isn't the spot you want to be in. It's time for him to listen to the electric fence they put up for him or he's going to get his walking papers. I will admit though that through this "indiscretion" I gained a little bit of respect back for Richards who finally stepped it up and "dealt" with Carcillo.
I could go on for quite a while, but in the end, Laviolette is getting paid the big bucks to turn this club around. I just hope he does it before it's too late. I sure hope he realizes that the Phantoms aren't too far behind the big club.
So now I suck it up and work on my Caps post for Crash the Crease. What a sad day this is. It has to get better, right? Because seriously I don't think it could get much worst....
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Is Alexander Ovechkin a Dirty Player?
Be careful #8 because the media in DC has begun to question your methods!
Articles have begun appearing in the Washington papers regarding Ovechkin’s suspension and whether he is a “dirty player”. In fact, one of the articles did my homework for me and listed all of his major “indiscretions” since 2006. (Thanks for the help!) The question intrigues me: Is Alexander Ovechkin a dirty player? Well, is he?
First and foremost you have to decide for yourself what a dirty player is, but to me it’s the likes of Sean Avery and Patrick Kaleta. I had the privilege of going to some of the Washington Capitals’ playoff games last season so I saw Sean Avery, first hand and I can tell you it was an eye opening experience. Avery knew exactly when the referees were not watching and would crack someone over the helmet. I was amazed at what he was getting away with both during play and after the whistle. But he is my prime example of what I consider a dirty player.
Avery took opportunities to exact hits that had no other reason but to inflict injury. And most of all he did it in a premeditated manner. The fact that Avery was able to get away with as many helmet hits in as he did during a single game was astounding. Mind you I was specifically watching him during the entire game to see what he was going to do (I had watched previous games at my apartment and wanted to see exactly how he was in person), but I was amazed at how much more you pick up on when you focus most of your attention on him. I understand the referees cannot possible watch him at every moment, but I have no doubt that Avery realizes that as well. It was quite apparent that he took a head shot when he could most likely get away with it.
So to me, a dirty player is one that acts in a purposeful manner to inflict damage with some (or a lot of) premeditation. To this point, Ovechkin does not fit this definition. While he’s playing the game harder than most, it’s his “control” that is in question. Is he intentionally hurting other players? No. Is he premeditating it? No, I don’t believe so. (Come on he bruised his own knee on the last “indiscretion”.) But this doesn’t put him in the clear.
The fact that he was suspended and is being questioned for his play backs up my point. His manner of play is obviously impacting the welfare of those playing against him. If he chooses to stay his course and continues to deliver such devastating blows, it actually does become premeditated. To ignore the league’s disciplinary punishment and the questions of the media, means that he would knowingly disregard the welfare of his opponents. Sure he isn’t intentionally “head-hunting” but it’s still disregard of player welfare and repercussion of his actions that is going to label him a dirty player unless he changes his ways.
Articles have begun appearing in the Washington papers regarding Ovechkin’s suspension and whether he is a “dirty player”. In fact, one of the articles did my homework for me and listed all of his major “indiscretions” since 2006. (Thanks for the help!) The question intrigues me: Is Alexander Ovechkin a dirty player? Well, is he?
First and foremost you have to decide for yourself what a dirty player is, but to me it’s the likes of Sean Avery and Patrick Kaleta. I had the privilege of going to some of the Washington Capitals’ playoff games last season so I saw Sean Avery, first hand and I can tell you it was an eye opening experience. Avery knew exactly when the referees were not watching and would crack someone over the helmet. I was amazed at what he was getting away with both during play and after the whistle. But he is my prime example of what I consider a dirty player.
Avery took opportunities to exact hits that had no other reason but to inflict injury. And most of all he did it in a premeditated manner. The fact that Avery was able to get away with as many helmet hits in as he did during a single game was astounding. Mind you I was specifically watching him during the entire game to see what he was going to do (I had watched previous games at my apartment and wanted to see exactly how he was in person), but I was amazed at how much more you pick up on when you focus most of your attention on him. I understand the referees cannot possible watch him at every moment, but I have no doubt that Avery realizes that as well. It was quite apparent that he took a head shot when he could most likely get away with it.
So to me, a dirty player is one that acts in a purposeful manner to inflict damage with some (or a lot of) premeditation. To this point, Ovechkin does not fit this definition. While he’s playing the game harder than most, it’s his “control” that is in question. Is he intentionally hurting other players? No. Is he premeditating it? No, I don’t believe so. (Come on he bruised his own knee on the last “indiscretion”.) But this doesn’t put him in the clear.
The fact that he was suspended and is being questioned for his play backs up my point. His manner of play is obviously impacting the welfare of those playing against him. If he chooses to stay his course and continues to deliver such devastating blows, it actually does become premeditated. To ignore the league’s disciplinary punishment and the questions of the media, means that he would knowingly disregard the welfare of his opponents. Sure he isn’t intentionally “head-hunting” but it’s still disregard of player welfare and repercussion of his actions that is going to label him a dirty player unless he changes his ways.
Find me on Crash the Crease....
Soon you will be able to see me blogging for Crash the Crease. So hang tight and keep looking for my first two posts...they should both be up by the end of the weekend...unless my current glitch doesn't get resolved.....
Until then, you can find me here....
Good night and good hockey!
Until then, you can find me here....
Good night and good hockey!
Phantoms Return to Philly!
So despite my spinal injury acting up I continued with my plans to go home for the weekend and while I'm a in a bit of discomfort I don't regret it at all. (Although I will admit that it prevented me from seeing the entire game....)
The trip was well worth it as I got to see the Phantoms for the first time since last season. Homer restocked them in the off-season and the depth was supposed to be amazing so I was wondering why they were doing so poorly in the standings. I certainly got my answer, but that, of course, opened up a flurry of other questions.
It was definitely odd to see the first face-off of the game lacking Jared Ross. I'm so used to him being the "main man" that it felt a bit awkward even though I knew he's been struggling this year. When he was finally on the ice, he won most of his face-offs that I saw which was a good sign. His line, however was rather "uncomfortable" as they seemed quite out of sync. There were a LOT of turnovers and it seemed as though they were making far too many risky passes that were continually being intercepted by Norfolk players. I am aware that they have been juggling the lines in Adirondack, but Jared Ross definitely does not have the correct linemates and that is sad to see after the production he turned out for us last year.
For the most part he still had his fight, but I was left wondering if that nasty boarding hit by Kaleta has him slightly off-kilter still. His fight in the corners was still there and great to see, he was even throwing his body around which is amazing considering his diminutive size. The thing that concerned me was that at times I found myself saying "move your feat" under my breathe. I wonder if he's getting tired just a little too fast right now. I do wish him the best as players with that much heart always have a special place with me. Perhaps he will work his way back to last year's success and perhaps he won't. Even so, I do understand that the Glens Falls/Adirondack fans adore him.
The line that looked amazing was the Maroon line. It was definitely snapping together and had a nice jump! They seemed to be the trio with the most attack and heart and it was refreshing.
David Sloane! Hello and welcome home! I was glad to see our hometown boy back in Orange. It didn't seem like the fans in attendance knew he was home though; that was probably better for him. I found myself secretly hoping that his family was there because I think his cinderella story deserved a personal cheering section.
Marshall was a scratch with an undisclosed injury so I was a big sad to have missed seeing him in action as I haven't seen him live since the rookie scrimmage and training camp. Bourdon though definitely won a small place in my heart when he stuck up for a teammate. He's going to be a welcome bruiser to our blue line someday.
My main observation was that Adirondack is playing like they don't know each other. Overall there were sloppy passes, turnovers galore (don't get me wrong they stole the puck back but they shouldn't be loosing it so often in the first place), and just seemed out of step with each other. This saddened me because they were supposed to have such promise what with their supposedly stellar coach and retooled lineup. It raised so many questions that were previously buried in my mind. Is this the wrong coach for them? Were there too many changes in the off-season. Is the move to Glens Falls proving to be at great detriment to the progress of the future of the Flyers? Without being able to see them on a regular basis, I'm just left wondering. Maybe someday soon the Phantoms will return home...then again, maybe so will I.
I don't regret making the trek. Not one bit. I wanted too see them and I even got two more pieces of hockey memorabilia that I desperately wanted. A small bottle of Spectrum ice in a Phantoms jar and a Claude Giroux autographed puck. Both were dirt cheap and will definitely be centerpieces in my hockey collection. I'm so happy about the Spectrum ice....it's like sacred water to us hard-core Flyers fans.
So, my fellow hockey fans, that is my Phantoms update for you. I am sorry that I didn't take many photos to share with you , but that is the nature of an injury such as mine. Some days you think "I'm finally over the worst", and some days you relapse. All you can do is watch some good hockey, ice your back and blog away....
Good night & good hockey!
The trip was well worth it as I got to see the Phantoms for the first time since last season. Homer restocked them in the off-season and the depth was supposed to be amazing so I was wondering why they were doing so poorly in the standings. I certainly got my answer, but that, of course, opened up a flurry of other questions.
It was definitely odd to see the first face-off of the game lacking Jared Ross. I'm so used to him being the "main man" that it felt a bit awkward even though I knew he's been struggling this year. When he was finally on the ice, he won most of his face-offs that I saw which was a good sign. His line, however was rather "uncomfortable" as they seemed quite out of sync. There were a LOT of turnovers and it seemed as though they were making far too many risky passes that were continually being intercepted by Norfolk players. I am aware that they have been juggling the lines in Adirondack, but Jared Ross definitely does not have the correct linemates and that is sad to see after the production he turned out for us last year.
For the most part he still had his fight, but I was left wondering if that nasty boarding hit by Kaleta has him slightly off-kilter still. His fight in the corners was still there and great to see, he was even throwing his body around which is amazing considering his diminutive size. The thing that concerned me was that at times I found myself saying "move your feat" under my breathe. I wonder if he's getting tired just a little too fast right now. I do wish him the best as players with that much heart always have a special place with me. Perhaps he will work his way back to last year's success and perhaps he won't. Even so, I do understand that the Glens Falls/Adirondack fans adore him.
The line that looked amazing was the Maroon line. It was definitely snapping together and had a nice jump! They seemed to be the trio with the most attack and heart and it was refreshing.
David Sloane! Hello and welcome home! I was glad to see our hometown boy back in Orange. It didn't seem like the fans in attendance knew he was home though; that was probably better for him. I found myself secretly hoping that his family was there because I think his cinderella story deserved a personal cheering section.
Marshall was a scratch with an undisclosed injury so I was a big sad to have missed seeing him in action as I haven't seen him live since the rookie scrimmage and training camp. Bourdon though definitely won a small place in my heart when he stuck up for a teammate. He's going to be a welcome bruiser to our blue line someday.
My main observation was that Adirondack is playing like they don't know each other. Overall there were sloppy passes, turnovers galore (don't get me wrong they stole the puck back but they shouldn't be loosing it so often in the first place), and just seemed out of step with each other. This saddened me because they were supposed to have such promise what with their supposedly stellar coach and retooled lineup. It raised so many questions that were previously buried in my mind. Is this the wrong coach for them? Were there too many changes in the off-season. Is the move to Glens Falls proving to be at great detriment to the progress of the future of the Flyers? Without being able to see them on a regular basis, I'm just left wondering. Maybe someday soon the Phantoms will return home...then again, maybe so will I.
I don't regret making the trek. Not one bit. I wanted too see them and I even got two more pieces of hockey memorabilia that I desperately wanted. A small bottle of Spectrum ice in a Phantoms jar and a Claude Giroux autographed puck. Both were dirt cheap and will definitely be centerpieces in my hockey collection. I'm so happy about the Spectrum ice....it's like sacred water to us hard-core Flyers fans.
So, my fellow hockey fans, that is my Phantoms update for you. I am sorry that I didn't take many photos to share with you , but that is the nature of an injury such as mine. Some days you think "I'm finally over the worst", and some days you relapse. All you can do is watch some good hockey, ice your back and blog away....
Good night & good hockey!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Illegal Hits & Suspensions
There was an interesting little article in the Express today regarding Alexander Ovechkin. It quoted him as saying that he plays risky and that he sees no reason to change. It also said that people have told him to stop or someone will kill him to which he responded that no one is going to kill him. Please allow me to attack these two points below.
Playing Risky? Oh he’s playing risky, but there are at least two ways to play risky. There is the we have nothing left to lose so I’m going to go out there and risk the safety of proper defense and defensive offense for the sake of trying to win the game by scoring a much needed goal. This is what some players do when their team is down and they desperately need a goal to win. This is usually a commendable type of risky, but this isn’t what Alexander Ovechkin was referring to.
No, what Ovechkin is talking about is HIS risky type of play. Sure he has total enthusiasm, but he also has a loss of control and a lack of respect….which is pulling us into point number two….
No One is Going to Kill Him? Um…excuse me, but the point is that YOU are going to KILL SOMEONE ELSE. Wow! That was either a major translation problem, narcissism or absolute disrespect. Disrespect of what you ask? Oh, please allow me…..
By playing in a manner in which you are out of control and throwing illegal hits, you disrespect the wonderful game that is hockey. If Alexander Ovechkin, poster-boy for the NHL, cannot respect the game, the league, or other hockey players, he doesn’t deserve to be on the ice.
Which brings us to officiating in the NHL. It is inconsistent to say the least, but the NHL has been allowing their select “poster-boys” get away with far too much. Hockey is a business but it’s also a sport and either way that you look at it, it deserves respect. Respect of the rules, of the players and of the fans. By allowing a select few to get away with “indiscretions” you are weakening the league and the sport. You are also saying that certain players are “worth” more than others. An illegal hit, is an illegal hit. If it’s fuzzy then clarify the rules. Rules should not be determined by the player being investigated.
What I suggest is that everyone “man-up”. The NHL needs to get the suspensions and their lengths standardized so it isn’t a joke, and players like Ovechkin need to get themselves to show respect for the sport they play as well as other players. How many times does he need to hurt someone before he learns his lesson?
Playing Risky? Oh he’s playing risky, but there are at least two ways to play risky. There is the we have nothing left to lose so I’m going to go out there and risk the safety of proper defense and defensive offense for the sake of trying to win the game by scoring a much needed goal. This is what some players do when their team is down and they desperately need a goal to win. This is usually a commendable type of risky, but this isn’t what Alexander Ovechkin was referring to.
No, what Ovechkin is talking about is HIS risky type of play. Sure he has total enthusiasm, but he also has a loss of control and a lack of respect….which is pulling us into point number two….
No One is Going to Kill Him? Um…excuse me, but the point is that YOU are going to KILL SOMEONE ELSE. Wow! That was either a major translation problem, narcissism or absolute disrespect. Disrespect of what you ask? Oh, please allow me…..
By playing in a manner in which you are out of control and throwing illegal hits, you disrespect the wonderful game that is hockey. If Alexander Ovechkin, poster-boy for the NHL, cannot respect the game, the league, or other hockey players, he doesn’t deserve to be on the ice.
Which brings us to officiating in the NHL. It is inconsistent to say the least, but the NHL has been allowing their select “poster-boys” get away with far too much. Hockey is a business but it’s also a sport and either way that you look at it, it deserves respect. Respect of the rules, of the players and of the fans. By allowing a select few to get away with “indiscretions” you are weakening the league and the sport. You are also saying that certain players are “worth” more than others. An illegal hit, is an illegal hit. If it’s fuzzy then clarify the rules. Rules should not be determined by the player being investigated.
What I suggest is that everyone “man-up”. The NHL needs to get the suspensions and their lengths standardized so it isn’t a joke, and players like Ovechkin need to get themselves to show respect for the sport they play as well as other players. How many times does he need to hurt someone before he learns his lesson?
Check - The Deal
I'll start off by apologizing if this takes a rather harsh tone....
I just finished the Deal article on the Coyotes, the NHL and Balsillie. Interesting that they chose to go the route they did...but then again I'll admit I'm not a regular reading this publication.
While the article did outline the economic gravity of the situation, it chose to focus on Balsillie's methods of attempting to acquire an NHL franchise 3 times. I actually find it slightly hard to comprehend why they chose to focus on painting him as the "big bad wolf" when they could have focused more on the situation at the heart of the matter which is the economic collapse of the Phoenix Coyotes. Okay so Balsillie changed his position, had ulterior motives and was a bit backstabbing...I would like to remind you that it's business. This happens on a daily basis. Rich people do whatever they can in an attempt to get what they want. Welcome to the real world.
So Balsillie is the big bad wolf and Bettman is the savior or so it is painted. I ask you: How does keeping a financial pitfall in an economically hostile environment help the NHL? It doesn't. It's just a pissing contest. Hell, it doesn't even help Phoenix in a long term capacity. What the issue really is, and why Bettman stepped in, is control. The NHL and Bettman want to ensure that they have the ultimate control over the location and ownership of the teams in their league. That's boiled down and that's stripped down to the core.
The problem? No one is taking into consideration what really matters: the longevity of the NHL. This is at great detriment to the league.
When the Phoenix Coyotes were moved to Glendale a Pandora’s box of problems opened. Ones that cannot quickly be solved. Perhaps better business proposals could be hatched up, in time, but the fact of the matter is that the NHL does not have the economic resources to manage the Coyotes long-term.
By focusing on control, they chose to ignore the economic ramifications of FORCING the Coyotes to remain in Glendale. Sure you are keeping the jobs there, but at the expense of the league. Ticket prices across the league will increase to shoulder the burden of one struggling franchise....that is forcasted to LOSE $30MILLION a year if it does an outstanding job of running!!!!! Read that about ten times and really let it sink in.
Bettman and the NHL are willing to gamble the future of the entire league, just to maintain control.
The article also points out how certain franchises were pulled out of bankruptcy and now thrive. I ask you though, is that long-term? The Washington Capitals are located in what I consider a hockey-hostile environment. The Washingtonians aren't raised on hockey. They don't live and breathe it. They follow it because Alex Ovechkin has them winning. So what happens when he's gone? Because eventually all hockey players have to retire....you go back to $20 seats and being subsidized by other teams that are selling at the moment. How does this help the NHL long-term? It doesn't.
It's poor business sense to keep teams in locations that cannot turn a profit. If you want the league to survive LONG-TERM, tough decisions need to be made. You cannot pour money into a money pit or it takes you down with it.
I thank my lucky stars that I'm from a hockey city....because in the end, the welfare teams aren't helping anyone.
I just finished the Deal article on the Coyotes, the NHL and Balsillie. Interesting that they chose to go the route they did...but then again I'll admit I'm not a regular reading this publication.
While the article did outline the economic gravity of the situation, it chose to focus on Balsillie's methods of attempting to acquire an NHL franchise 3 times. I actually find it slightly hard to comprehend why they chose to focus on painting him as the "big bad wolf" when they could have focused more on the situation at the heart of the matter which is the economic collapse of the Phoenix Coyotes. Okay so Balsillie changed his position, had ulterior motives and was a bit backstabbing...I would like to remind you that it's business. This happens on a daily basis. Rich people do whatever they can in an attempt to get what they want. Welcome to the real world.
So Balsillie is the big bad wolf and Bettman is the savior or so it is painted. I ask you: How does keeping a financial pitfall in an economically hostile environment help the NHL? It doesn't. It's just a pissing contest. Hell, it doesn't even help Phoenix in a long term capacity. What the issue really is, and why Bettman stepped in, is control. The NHL and Bettman want to ensure that they have the ultimate control over the location and ownership of the teams in their league. That's boiled down and that's stripped down to the core.
The problem? No one is taking into consideration what really matters: the longevity of the NHL. This is at great detriment to the league.
When the Phoenix Coyotes were moved to Glendale a Pandora’s box of problems opened. Ones that cannot quickly be solved. Perhaps better business proposals could be hatched up, in time, but the fact of the matter is that the NHL does not have the economic resources to manage the Coyotes long-term.
By focusing on control, they chose to ignore the economic ramifications of FORCING the Coyotes to remain in Glendale. Sure you are keeping the jobs there, but at the expense of the league. Ticket prices across the league will increase to shoulder the burden of one struggling franchise....that is forcasted to LOSE $30MILLION a year if it does an outstanding job of running!!!!! Read that about ten times and really let it sink in.
Bettman and the NHL are willing to gamble the future of the entire league, just to maintain control.
The article also points out how certain franchises were pulled out of bankruptcy and now thrive. I ask you though, is that long-term? The Washington Capitals are located in what I consider a hockey-hostile environment. The Washingtonians aren't raised on hockey. They don't live and breathe it. They follow it because Alex Ovechkin has them winning. So what happens when he's gone? Because eventually all hockey players have to retire....you go back to $20 seats and being subsidized by other teams that are selling at the moment. How does this help the NHL long-term? It doesn't.
It's poor business sense to keep teams in locations that cannot turn a profit. If you want the league to survive LONG-TERM, tough decisions need to be made. You cannot pour money into a money pit or it takes you down with it.
I thank my lucky stars that I'm from a hockey city....because in the end, the welfare teams aren't helping anyone.
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