Night with the Jersey Devils
I had to do my playoff predictions for The Hockey News this week and I picked New Jersey to win the Stanley Cup, beating San Jose in the Finals.
I just like the Devils up and down the lineup. I felt a little better about my pick on Thursday when Coach Q said New Jersey might be the most complete team the Hawks have played all year. They can score, defend, play physical, and they have Marty Brodeur in goal.
I also think Brent Sutter should be coach of the year for how he kept the Devils together and winning most of the season without Brodeur.
Just my two cents. It's early and I might feel differently when the playoffs get here. I like the Red Wings a lot also, but their goaltending is a concern right now...
Lot of Patrick Kane talk out there this week about being an underachiever.
I don't buy it. This is a kid 1 point behind Marty Havlat for the team scoring lead who played more than a month on a bad ankle.
Maybe Kane takes some short cuts defensively, but he's learning. These are tough, tough games to play in right now and it takes an adjustment for a smaller and inexperienced player such as Kane. Even if you think you're working hard, there's another level to reach and Kane is searching to find it.
Would I like to see him back on Toews' line? Sure, that's where he belongs, but you have to have the same work ethic as Toews to play with him. Maybe that's what Q is waiting to see.
You dont draft this kid number one, then plaster his face all over Chicago, then trade him because hes only 20 years old. I didnt know what to expect from his sophmore year but hes already at career high in goals. The kid was magic the first two months and everybody was gushing about 100 point season and 40 or 50 goals. He was even compared to Roenick(offensively if nothing else).
I know i was selfish and greedy at 20, I can only imagine being paid his money and not have it effect your whole life.
Sami needs alot of work on his faceoffs. For him to skip practice is ridiculous. How much energy would it realistically sap to practice faceoffs? I still havent seen why we traded for this gump.
The centerman in the draft i would target and move up for is the Duchesne kid. This guy does it all including win faceoffs. Hes a lock for top ten possibly top five pick though.
Makarov,Beach,Skille are all close and id like to see them, but part of the team would have to not be resigned over the summer for them to get a spot. I predict Havlat will not be signed so the team will keep the 6 million for the future. I think the Hawks want to move ahead with their original plan that consists of removing Habby and Havlat from the payroll. Honestly,neither guy deserves an extension with this team even with them playing like they are. I know Havlats awesome but their are other players that need to be taken care off. Havlat doesnt deserve to get this treatment even with the year hes having,and yes I think the Hawks would not be where they are without either guy.
Q seems to be following a "classic formula" for his three top lines right now:
One Board Player
One Sniper
One Distributor
If he can get the Kane, Pahlson, Steeg line to go it makes it very tough to match up against the HAWKS on an overall basis as most teams have one shut down line.
This is not to diminish the efforts/contribution that the forth line has provided this year. They wear the other team down and play great chip/retriev/forecheck/cycle.
Have to agree with Tim. Kane is only a second year player and is in the learning phase of the "big show". He will be fine. As far as being selfish or lazy I have not seen this in him. I think he is learning how to be effective and this style of play has worked for him in the past. As the pressure of playoff hockey rears his ugly head Kane will adapt and learn from this experience. So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater folks and have some patience. "A couple of games does not a career make"- Hawkeye1, 2009.
There goes That "D" TEAM
New Jersey can go back to hell. Even though there nickname is the best. It's was Chicago time to play God.
Good win "Jack the Ripper" would be proud of the way they slashed to the net.
Go Blackhawks.
"Re. Kane - I am not so sure he is an underacheiver necessarily. I just think is immature and self-centered."
How so? You met him? What did he say?
"I don't like him. He looks like somebody I would not want to have for a teammate."
This is your reason?
"He brings to mind some guys I have played with, who were easily among the most talented on the team, but were really just selfish assssses."
You're holding a grudge because of people you play hockey with?
"Yes, they wanted to win, but they were jerks - thought of themselves as much as winning."
Good grief.
Good Grief is right. You ought to relax a bit.
No, I don't know him, and it's not like any of this has just come out of the blue. People have been talking about Kane's selfishness and attitude for awhile on this board and others.
What are you talking about, "holding a grudge?" As a fan of the Blackhawks, just like you, I don't care for him; but it's not on the basis of guys I played hockey with. He just reminds me of them. And I am sure others know what I am talking about. Maybe I am wrong; maybe it's just immaturity. But the basis for my not liking him has to do with his own words, demeanor on the ice, and lack of tenacity - especially in comparison to a teammate like Toews. I am a fan. I didn't like Sammy Sosa either. And near the end of his tenure here, I didn't like Chris Chelios. So what? Kane's a very good player, and maybe he will mature and become more likeable. I don't doubt his ability.
Get a new name. You don't know diiick. You have no right to use 20s name while you spew your crap about a 20 year old kid who probably knew more than you about hockey when he was 12. What Sassone says about Kane is right on.
I knew Al Secord and you are no Al Secord. You, sir, are a jagbag.
Not sure what a "jagbag" is, but I supsect it is not complimentary.
Hmmm, let's suppose I - a fan, mind you - was criticizing Theo Fleury, Alex Karpotsev (sp?), Ken Yaremchuk, Tony Tanti, Eric Daze, or Big Buff (and I am sure you could add others to the list) for lacking consistent and tenacious effort - would that be ok? Or are they off limits too? Or what if I was criticizing, say, Jeremy Roenick or Chris Chelios for acting like prima donna jerks (which they both have done, especially Chelios) - are they are off limits? How about Brett Hull, Ken Linesman, Bobby Clarke, or Dino Cicarelli (those guys could be real jerks)? What about Gretzky? He sure did his fair share of cherry-picking and whining. I suppose he is off limits too. All of those guys likely knew more about playing hockey at age 12 than I (and you) probably do now (although I have played the game at a pretty competitive level). According to your reasoning, media people or fans who have never played hockey at a professional level should not be allowed to criticize the players. What about criticizing Alex Ovechkin's 50th goal celebration? Or Sean Avery's antics? Where's the line to be drawn? I am assuming then that you never criticize hockey players from a fan's perspective? Or, perhaps, you are a former NHL player and are, thus, entitled to do so????A?
Perhaps I should not have said "I don't like Kane." What I meant to say, in the context of an ongoing discussion over the last month or so is that Kane does not appear to be a good team player; he appears to be as much or more concerned about himself than the team or his teammates' personal success; and his comments off the ice and some actions on the ice seem to bear this out. Hopefully all of that is merely an indication of immaturity. Even if it is, he will have to learn to be humble and a good team player - and that will take time. For the time being, as a fan, he is not one of my favorite players. Big deal.
You, sir, also need to relax a bit.
Lets respect everyone's opinion here. Trying to be an internet tough guy is a cowardly move. Disagree in a thoughtful manner, and save the name calling for the playground.
Not that my opinion matters (Tim's does, he gets paid for his), but I have been telling folks for the last little while that the Devils are my favorite to win the Cup. And Tim is right on about Detroit b/c of the goaltending. Can't say I disagree with him regarding San Jose - especially if they have everybody back and going for the playoffs.
Re. Kane - I am not so sure he is an underacheiver necessarily. I just think is immature and self-centered. I don't like him. He looks like somebody I would not want to have for a teammate. He brings to mind some guys I have played with, who were easily among the most talented on the team, but were really just selfish assssses. Yes, they wanted to win, but they were jerks - thought of themselves as much as winning.
I know of only TheREALWiz for sure whose passion after (or before?) the Blackhawks is the rating and the entire NHL draft thing. I saw three columnists predict three different players for our team. I am wondering if yet you have particular players you would like to see us select? I realize it is a crapshoot after the first five or so players, and also the ratings change for some players as the Memorial Cup playoffs continue. I'm really hopeful that our impact player next year is Makarov. I don't think Beach is quite ready to have a full impact. Niemi is an unknown insofar as impact being the position of goaltender. Niemi has the ability but does he require at least one year to further develop? It is rare when a Steve Mason is so amazing as a true rookie. Wouldn't expect Niemi to be that good and that consistently solid. Huet will have to play poorly for extended stretches before a young goaltender is ordained, eh? I am interested to see how soon Sweat needs to reach the NHL -- on third line, you once claimed. Does he finish well or not? Does things at high speed. If so, a la Brassard, who adjusted well to the league in second whirl. Ben Smith is a n above average prospect but in a bad situation as far as putting up numbers in Hockey East. Would think Skille comes aboard. Maybe I am the only one who holds out hope for Bertram and Davis. Tallon likes Fallon. But is he cursed -- last name rhymes with Tallon. Lastly, just wondering about: if those two small collegiate centers Leblanc and Auger have developed (and Radna at Rockford a descent prospect?/you said no prior to season insofar as Radna). I see where you aren't high on Denis-Pepin. His size, reach and smarts/skating perhaps he could develop into a LESS imposing Chara type on a third pair?
Zahn out of the western junior loop might be a good one. Too early to tell about the boatload of defensemen. All at this position need time to develop. I hope Lalonde in particular has moved further along development curve and I am curious if Lavin could play at Rockford next year? Charlesbois a third pair NHL possibility?
I agree with Tim too. NJ is a solid team and has shown that it can handle adversity as proof of the Brodeur injury, the play of Clemmenson, and other injuries. They also have good veteran leadership with Shannahan, Rolston, and Brodeur. Kane has done very well this season considering he is only 20 and was playing on a bad ankle. Its not easy to play in the NHL, especially at an younger age. Some people should give him a break.
Anyone else think that maybe the reason Quenneville split up Kane, Toews, and Sharp was to balance out the scoring and give the Hawks 3 LEGIT lines that could create offense and force the opposing coach to pick what line he wants to check? With plenty of time to jell before the playoffs start?
Think about it. You have Kane, Toews, and Sharp on one line, and that's the OBVIOUS line you pick if your the opposition to check. So that leaves Havlat-Bolland_Ladd to check the oppositions top line (if at home) or to be the offense on the road (assuming the Kane line is checked). So, does anyone want to rely on Brouwer, Pahlsson, and Versteeg to score? Should we just buy Versteeg a gun right now?
So yes, is Sammy Pahlsson a gifted offensive player? No. However, with Versteeg and Kane together, there is no reason that they can't create chances, especially with the skill Versteeg is showing of late. Pahlsson should be there to win faceoffs and give these guys the most amount of time with the puck as possible and do the dirty work in the corners, etc.
Even giving Q the benefit of the doubt for the only reason I can understand, why the hard-headedness with the PP unit? This unit looked like crap in practice as well on Tuesday (meaning, the Toews, Brouwer, Kane, Campbell, Buf group). Toews and Kane are magic together as most would agree. I would love to see Barker and Sharp on the points if Q is intent on keeping this forward group together on the PP. In Barker, you've got a great shot and very good hands/skill at keeping the play alive. Sharpie -- well, not much more to say there except you have a guy (maybe the best on the team) that can one-time a pass. Buf has hands of stone and has yet to prove to me that he can stand up on his skates for any great length of time. I have not seen any other pro spend more time on his butt -- he has more skate-related blowouts that anyone. He needs to: A, get skates sharpened, B wear a different brand of skates or more likely, C needs to learn how to skate without falling down.
Steeger is capable of scoring with Kane -- the only issue I have is he likes to play with the puck too much and as a result, usually gets stripped before being able to make a play. He plays his best when he keeps his legs moving and quickly moves the puck. When he holds on to it, unlike Havlat, he usually loses it.
And regardless of Pahlsson's recuperation -- this guy has been murder thus far on the faceoffs. So much for him being a specialist. Here's a guy that SHOULD have been at the optional practice and was not there. He should have been there working on getting back into shape and working on his draws. He has not shown any skill thus far in this area.
totally right about Big Buf - he likes to clean the ice. Most of the time, he is not very graceful or strong on his skates. That penalty call against buf last night was a weak call.
Versteeg has his moments. He did score a nice goal against Brodeur.
Did you ever think to ask the staff if he was TOLD not to be at the optional practice? Maybe he was ordered to take the time off to make sure he has energy for the games, where things really matter. Since you go to practices you know, I'm sure, that Coach Q does not stress practices as much as some other coaches. Another thing about Sammy missing, maybe he flew to Cali to get some of his stuff, ever think about that before you decided to assume he chose to be lazy and avoid an optional practice????
About Kane, TimS you hit the nail on the head about Kane needing to match Toews' level of effort to stay on his line. Kane would be a great force as is Versteeg if he just played a little harder and never coasted. The only way to get respect in this league is to play clean and hard for 60 minutes. Patrick can score all the goals he wants but he will not be a superstar if he doesn't play every second of every shift. He will be a prima donna in the eyes of 'hockey people' the world over.
Thank you sir - perhaps you said it better and nicer than I did. He does seem like a prima donna, and yes, he coasts all too often. It's the shift-to-shift tenacity and intensity that he lacks.
That's a completely different animal, and I am all about putting the BEST 5 guys out there to make the most of the opportunities. Especially in the playoffs. That and the PK will be the huge factors determining on how far this team can go. Would love to see them sure up the PK and stop running around like they were on the first SJ PP the other night.
I have not attended a practice yet, but that's a very good point on Pahlsson. Guys who are banged up are one thing, but a guy coming back from mono you think would use the time to get in better shape and work on the things that are a bit rusty.
Haven't noticed the faceoffs as much, but I'll keep an eye on it tonight.
I agree totally.
People seem to forget that this is a 20-year old kid in his second NHL season. For him to win the Calder trophy last year was completely unexpected. Now this season he's on pace to equal or pass his points production in a season which is typically a down one for most rookies. People seem to like to compare him to Toews when they are completely different players. You don't compare Vinny Lecavlier and Marty St. Louis in Tampa. They play different games, and it's the same thing here.
It's alot like the fuss about Campbell's play as a D-man. People get their panties in a bunch because he gets caught in the offensive zone from time to time, but the Hawks didn't sign him because he was the 2nd coming of Scott Stevens. They signed him to quarterback a powerplay unit that was in the bottom 5 of the rankings last year. Now it's in the top 10. Kane is the same way. He's not here to play superb defense and backcheck like a maniac. He's here to score goals, and thats what he does (on a bum ankle, no less). Once Q takes him off the Pahlsson line (I don't get it either), all will be well.
Phew.
New Jersey is a good choice. Its between them, San Jose or Detroit.
San Jose has really added alot of experience and character this year which should at least push them deep. I mean, they added Boyle and Blake for blue line Cup experience and up front Travis Moen. Claude Lemieux is kind of a good luck charm since the Cup seems to follow him around.
Detroit is at the top following their Stanley Cup last year unlike previous winners and this year they added Hossa. Question remains on Osgood.
I don't like Boston. I'm not sold on Marc Savard or Kessel coming thru in the playoff grind. I think they'll disappear at some point.
Everyone else are pretenders. I'll say this though as muc as I hate to say it. I think Columbus may be this year's Cinderella team. They're really starting to come on as the season winds down. Damn them.
As for Patrick Kane. I agree. Everybody's bashing the kid and making up stuff as they go along too. Where did all this whiny and pouty come from? Total B.S. is all it is.
Tim,
Good insight on the contenders as well as on Kane. You're right, he is learning. I'm hoping Patrick can move his game up another level -- watching him yesterday at the optional practice, I think his head and heart are in the right place. In the "compressed" (side board to side board between the center line and blue line) the guys played, I was really impressed with 88's tenacity -- he made some moves that were incredible. If he can get past the fact he's playing on the wrong line right now and do whatever he can to step up his game, I believe Q will reunite him with Sharpie and Toews before the regular season finishes.