Odds and Ends

When Yashin's contract got bought out last week, I couldn't help but think it was the Smytty Factor at play. When the season ended Ryan made a remark such that it was a real disappointment playing with guys who weren't willing to leave it all on the ice. It's obvious who he was referring to, the management, players and coaching staff all loved him (and would love to have him back). Was buying out Yashin's contract the first step in an Islander bid to resign Smyth?

I'll say one thing, after all the crap Yashin has gotten away with over the years, I will laugh if it was the words of one Ryan Smyth that finally got him canned.

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Speaking of, who is Yashin's agent anyway? That man must be the most talented agent on the planet. Well...maybe some of the credit has to go to Milbury and Wang.

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NHL Awards are on Thursday night, just a couple predictions:

Even though it should got to Luongo, I think the players will select Sidney Crosby for the Lester B. Pearson. Reason being? Players seem to tend to shy away from selecting goalies, and Lecavalier got to play with St. Louis. Crosby had Malkin, but I think St. Louis is still the preferred linemate. I think Crosby's got the best shot at the Hart too - the Eastern media has never even watched Luongo and Brodeur pulls this MVP thing every year.

After watching Pahlsson in the playoffs, he's my vote for the Selke (I know playoffs don't count, ok?). I think he'll take the Selke home. Brind'Amour is more of a sentimental pick and Pandolfo plays for team Selke.

Pronger and Niedermayer will split the voters for the Norris, and Lidstrom will win it. Again...

Vigneault should win the Jack Adams, but (again, the eastern media) I think it will go to Ruff. Of the three teams nominated, the Sabres were the most formidable, and the hockey journalists seem to not want to give Therrien any credit for the Penguins' success.

Award the Vezina to Luongo. He's earned it.

In the early goings of the season my vote for Calder would have been Malkin, but both Staal and Stastny were better overall players in my opinion. Should go to Stastny, will go to Malkin.

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I've mentioned multiple times that the trend seemed to be leaning towards a more balanced group of 6 defenders, none of whom could be considered a true number 1, and none of whom could really be considered a true number 6.

Calgary almost suceeded with that strategy in 04, I would argue that Tampa Bay did succeed with that strategy (even though Dan Boyle has more recently matured into a very competent number 1). Carolina won with that strategy last year, and I wondered allowed if it was even possible to win when spending upwards of $6 million on one defenceman (given current cap constraints).

I guess Anaheim blew away that theory.

Obviously Anaheim has a few cap bargains (Perry, Getzlaf, Penner, Beauchemin), but I think that will be common to all future Stanley Cup winners under this bargaining agreement.

That statement however, depends on the cap not stratifying the league to pre-cap period levels.

Just Beauty

Some quick thoughts because I don't have time to make a proper post until later next week:

• Pretty much everyone overestimated Ottawa and underestimated the Ducks.
• No one fully recognized how sophisticated Carlyle's systems were. He made a very good team look like a throwaway.

• The 'New' NHL is not all about speed and skill. Hockey is more the same today than it ever was; in other words, it's still about a combination of speed, skill, smarts, determination, depth, health and physicality. The best team will always have a combination of all of those attributes.
• Buffalo lacked physicality.
• Ottawa lacked smarts and physicality.
• Detroit lacked health.
• NYR lacked depth.
• SJ lacked determination.
• Vancouver lacked skill/depth.
• Calgary lacked smarts/physicality.

• Scott Niedermayer is the second greatest defenceman ever, the greatest if winning it the only determination.

• Rob Niedermayer went from Special Needs to special teams. He's become a top quality forechecker/shutdown guy who turns it on when it counts most.

• It's unfair to say that Giguere is good only because of his pads. Everyone else has the same opportunity to use those pads, and there isn't anybody else doing it successfully (or at least very few.) It's like saying Kovalchuk has a great shot because he's got a one-piece stick.

Stanley Cup Finals - 5 Reasons to Cheer for the Anaheim Ducks

5. They Really Are the Best

Despite the name change, they're even mightier than before. Pronger, Niedermeyer, Selanne, Giguere, Carlyle, Getzlaf, Pahlsson After watching them play the Flames in the playoffs last year, I had a feeling they were destined for good things.

"2. Anaheim - If Anaheim plays this correctly, they could have either Pronger or Neidermeyer on the ice during the whole game. If this doesn’t intimidate opponents, nothing will. While the Ducks still have goaltending issues (who's the number 1 today?) its not as if neither guy can handle the job. Their forwards are young, but last year proved they have what it takes to get the job done. Probably the Cup favorites." -therealdeal Hockey, October 3, 2006

4. Ryan Getzlaf

When he played for the Hitmen he was considered soft. On his first year tryout with the Ducks the word was he was sent back down to the Hitmen and told to play a tougher game. I couldn't stand him, he wasn't a good captain. The Hitmen had a good team, and with him leading it they never seemed to match their potential. I thought he looked disappointing the whole 2005 World Jr. tournament - that is, until the final game. He scored (as I recall) the opening goal, setting the tone for the rest of the game. He's been playing inspired hockey ever since.

3. JS. Giguere

Kelly Hrudey and Pierre Maguire describe him as unathletic, critics claim that his pads are his only saving grace. No one believes in JS Giguere, but it hasn't seemed to matter. After carrying his team to the final in '03, seeing him receive the Conn Smythe trophy could only be described as heartbreaking. Seeing him win the Cup would be a sweet finish to that storyline.

2. The Niedermeyer Brothers

Having a brother that I play hockey with, I know how awesome it must be for the Niedermeyer brothers to play on the same team. Because Scott is the captain, and Rob is the assistant, I can't imagine another team having a more unified leadership voice and vision. And the fact that they've both been big contributors to the Duck's post season success makes it even sweeter. In 03 Mom Niedermeyer said she was cheering for Rob because he had never won a cup- hopefully the Niedermeyer household can have an undivided Stanley Cup celebration this June.

1. Hope for the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers

The Carolina Hurricanes went on a Cinderella run in 2002, but lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Detroit Red Wings. 4 years later, the 'Canes beat out the Cinderella Oilers to win the Stanley Cup. In 2003, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks took a Cinderella run to the finals, losing in 7 games to the NJ Devils. If they win this year, it'll be 4 years after their Cinderella run. If the trend continues, the Flames will win the Cup next year, and the Oilers the year after that. There's no better reason to cheer for the Ducks than that.

Check out Earl Sleek and The Battle of California for the view from the Pond.

D-Day

The Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks are the best team in the NHL today. Since day 1 of this NHL season they have been dominating, running off 25 wins, scoring more than every team in the league save one (Buffalo), and they have more points than any other team in the league. They show no signs of slowing, having the best record (8-2-0-0) in the league in their last 10 games.

Not that I think this is a particular suprise to hockey fans. After having won the Scott Niedermeyer sweepstakes thanks to an ace in the hole (Damn you Special Neids!) the Ducks (or more specifically Brian Burke) aquired the disgruntled Pronger from Edmonton, thus having locked up possibly the best 1-2 defensive group in the history of the NHL. Supergenius coach Randy Carlyle has determined playing them apart at about 25 minutes a night (usually more) assures that at any moment one of the two of Niedermeyer and Pronger are on at any one time, creating an unstoppable defensive force. Who is Pronger paired with? Who is Niedermeyer paired with? Does it matter? All apologies to Beauchemin and O'Donnel, but I'm pretty sure Zyuzin could play with Neids or Pronger and look like all-star material.

That is why the Flames' game against the Ducks tonight is of the utmost importance. Already Calgary has had what could be termed as huge success against the Ducks with a home shutout victory (1 of only 4 regular time losses the Ducks have accrued all season). But the Flames are no longer at home. The Flames are facing their nemesis - the road. With a road record hovering around .500 and 10 straight home wins, you can do the math and figure out the Flames are having a second straight Jekyl and Hyde season.

The current road trip has been much of the same, loss against division rival Canucks, but a win against the basement dwelling Coyotes. Tonight though, is the real test, D-Day, if you will. Tonight's game could become a turning point for the Flames this season; pull their proverbial shit together, beat the best team in the league and prove to themselves AND their critics they have what it takes to be the best, or fall back into old patterns of being good to great at home and terrible on the road, leading what could be another first round playoff flop.

To be fair, the Flames have a slapdash defensive group tonight, the pairings being Regehr/Ference, Phanuef/Giordano (hope Mark is ready for a 20+ minute night) and Regehr/Ference II (by the way, how wierd is that?) But there are always ways to find excuses, always ways to find reasons to win. The Flames need to find reasons to win.

As Rod Stewart sang, "tonight's the night." But will it be alright?

Keys to the Game

Shut Down Selanne - The Masterton Trophy winner has been a Flame killer in the past, and he's simply on fire this season. He is the key to the Ducks' offense.

Giggy vs. Kipper - Giguere couldn't get the job done in the playoffs last year but his record this year is a stunning 21-3-5 with a .922%. Kipper played very average against the Ducks in the playoffs but shut them out once already this year. He may need a repeat type performance for the Flames to win.

Secondary Scoring - Don't count on the Flames winning without at least a goal from a line other than the Iginla Langkow Tanguay one. Huselius has had his moments versus the ducks, in my opinon, he's the one to watch.

• check out Finny for the view from the opposition!