Betting on Hockey

NHL Free Agency: 5 Possible Free Agents the Winnipeg Jets Could Pursue

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:26:13 +0000

Free agency is inching closer and the Winnipeg Jets are a team that has to make improvements. There’s no better time to fill in some holes than July 1, the day it all begins.

The Jets have always been a team that built within, via the draft, but they don’t shy away when it comes to free agency (obviously, things have changed since the Atlanta days).

Don’t expect the Jets to target big-name players such as Zach Parise, Shea Weber, or Alex Semin because that’s not going to happen. But that doesn’t mean they’ll be unable to find what they need.

Whether or not Kevin Cheveldayoff agrees, the Jets could pursue a number of free agents who would come in and help the team right away.

The Jets’ most pressing need is defense and my list, believe it or not, consists of all but one defensemen. Not because I think the Jets will not pursue a forward, but because pursuing a defenseman greatly outweighs pursuing a forward.

Defensemen seem to be the logical option to pursue and I think there are quite a few the Jets will look at. Whether or not they’re active during the free agency period, we’ll just have to wait and see.

For now, let’s take a look at some possible future Jets.

Begin Slideshow

NHL Free Agency: 5 Possible Free Agents the Winnipeg Jets Could Pursue

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:26:13 +0000

Free agency is inching closer and the Winnipeg Jets are a team that has to make improvements. There’s no better time to fill in some holes than July 1, the day it all begins.

The Jets have always been a team that built within, via the draft, but they don’t shy away when it comes to free agency (obviously, things have changed since the Atlanta days).

Whether or not Kevin Cheveldayoff agrees, the Jets could pursue a number of free agents who would come in and help the team right away.

For now, let’s take a look at some possible future Jets.

Begin Slideshow

Chicago Blackhawks: The Right Ingredients for an Effective Assistant Coach

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:16:42 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks are on the hunt for an assistant coach. What kind of guy is right for the job?

Consider the players, Joel Quenneville.

The ‘Hawks head coach is likely going to name his assistant after firing Mike Haviland early in the offseason. Haviland was a holdover from the Denis Savard regime and had been in the organization for several years before that. It’s apparent that Quenneville wants his man with him on the bench.

He can have that man, but Quenneville needs to find a man with specific qualities. Haviland was a coach the players liked, trusted and confided in.

I spoke to retired NHL stars Jeremy Roenick and Mike Modano recently for an article I did on playoff beards. In the course of our conversation, I got a chance to ask them about what they thought about what makes an effective assistant coach.

Both guys agreed that while an assistant needs to know his X’s and O’s, dealing with players is a huge part of the job.

“It’s a bridge between the head coach and the players,” Modano said. “It’s someone who needs to be a good communicator, a good teacher, a guy that could keep things light and loose. He’s just kind of that buffer guy that brings some fun to the game.”

Both former players cited the importance of relationships between players and coaches as a key role of the assistant.

“That’s where I think some of the guys’ best relationships are, with the assistant coaches, the ones that I had,” Modano started. “For me, personally, I think that’s important.”

“That was the one thing I was going to say, the relationship of the player and the coaches,” added Roenick, who started his long NHL career with the Blackhawks. “The head coach has got to stay pretty neutral. He’s got to be the guy who’s the disciplinarian; he’s the one who’s calling the shots. The assistant coach is the guy who understands how to motivate and, like Mike said, how to teach, and it’s also about relationships.”

It seems apparent that Haviland was adept in cultivating those relationships with the players. Roenick stressed that it wasn’t necessary for an assistant to cater completely to the players. It’s a tightrope an assistant walks between his boss and his players.

“Being able to put his arm around your shoulder and try to get your confidence going or, you know, maybe even just to give you a little kick in the ass when you need it,” Roenick explains. “I think an assistant coach’s job is kind of a tricky job because you have to stay very loyal to both sides.”

“I think the coach needs to have little details and directions and some responsibility in that sense, but the assistants…they’re teachers and mentors, but they need to bring some enthusiasm and fun for the game,” Modano said.

A guy who can serve as a buffer, who can keep things loose and make things fun. Sounds a little like Roenick, no?

Forget it. J.R. is happy doing what he’s currently doing.

“It would take way too much time off the golf course for me,” Roenick said with a laugh.

Quenneville can rule out adding Roenick’s name to his list of candidates. I would imagine that he’s had time to put his list together and has a pretty good idea in which direction he wants to proceed. His new assistant will hopefully be able to provide that bridge between talent and management.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL: The Best Player on Each NHL Team to Have Played for a Memorial Cup

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:25:44 +0000

Canada’s answer to the NCAA Final Four and Bowl Championship Series commences on Friday with the first day of the Memorial Cup’s preliminary round.

The host Shawinigan Cataractes, Quebec League champion Saint John Sea Dogs, Ontario League champion London Knights and Western League champion Edmonton Oil Kings boast a combined 32 NHL draft picks. Another 22 participants are eyeing a selection in this year’s entry draft.

Quite tellingly, all 30 NHL teams have at least one established player or a prospect on the cusp of settling into The Show who has contended for the Canadian Hockey League championship. With a total of 60 teams between the CHL’s three regional branches and only four going to the annual dance, the Memorial Cup’s developmental benefit speaks for itself.

In alphabetical order, here is a capsule of every NHL franchise’s most impressive Memorial Cup alum. Selections are based on a combination of the player’s accomplishments when playing for the CHL title and what he has done more recently for his current employer.

Begin Slideshow

US Men’s National Hockey Team: 10 Likely 1st-Time Olympians in 2014

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:25:58 +0000

With the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships set to wrap up on Sunday and this summer’s London Olympics just over two months away, we have passed the halfway point to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

The U.S. Men’s National Team—now out of the running for a medal at the World Championships—has shifted its focus to 2014. And despite coming within one goal of gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games, the next U.S. Olympic roster will look considerably different.

Some players have retired. Others have aged past their Olympic-level years, and some have simply gotten worse. Meanwhile, other players have entered the IIHF scene, have made a mark in the NHL or look to make a mark in the near future.

With the 2013 World Championships and one and a half NHL seasons still to come before the Sochi roster will be named, this list is completely speculative. There have been no official reports or even substantive rumors about what the 2014 U.S. roster will look like.

That being said, the 10 players mentioned here all have played in the NHL, are relatively young, are extremely talented and were born in the United States.

Begin Slideshow

NHL Playoffs: 4 Reasons the NHL Needs the NY Rangers in the Stanley Cup Finals

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:26:14 +0000

The New York Rangers have not won a Stanley Cup since 1994. Since that time, Original Six teams have won the Cup six times, four of which were the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008).

Major sporting markets such as Boston, Chicago, Detroit and New York are credited with driving in some of the largest revenues for the National Hockey League. With the Rangers making a strong push for the Stanley Cup this post-season, including two Game 7s, the need for them to make the Finals is growing more and more obvious.

Let’s take a look at the benefit for the NHL of having the Rangers compete for the Cup.

Begin Slideshow

NHL Playoffs 2012: 5 Unsung Heroes on the Los Angeles Kings

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:17:03 +0000

The playoff dominance of the Los Angeles Kings has been well documented. Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick are MVP candidates, while Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, and Drew Doughty have gained wide recognition for their play in the postseason.

However, there are a number of relatively unknown players who have made significant contributions to the Kings’ playoff run. They may not be the most talented players, but they consistently do the little things needed to win 16 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Here are five role players who have helped make the Kings a nearly unbeatable playoff team.

Begin Slideshow

Washington Capitals Will Miss Dale Hunter During the 2013 Season

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:25:45 +0000

The Washington Capitals fell just short of making the Eastern Conference final this year, dropping their series to the NY Rangers four games to three, losing Game 7 by a score of 2-1. Earlier this week, in a somewhat surprising announcement, head coach Dale Hunter announced that he would not be returning to the team for the 2013 season.

That announcement may have been greeted by some as good news, but in the big picture it is a disaster for the Washington Capitals franchise and fans.

Hunter was the perfect coach for the Capitals—as the co-owner of the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, he did not need the job as the Capitals coach. With that in mind, he had nothing to fear from the players or from management. That fact left him free to implement the structure and game plan that he felt was best for the success of the team.

And that is exactly what Hunter did.

As the head coach, he came in and didn’t consider ego, salary or the name on the back of the sweater. Hunter did the exact thing that every coach claims they will do, but few rarely do: He put the team first and had great success leading the team to within one game of the Eastern Conference final.

When Hunter left, Alex Ovechkin was asked his opinion on the man who had coached him throughout the playoffs, telling the Washington Post, “It’s his decision so we have to live with it.”

When asked his opinion on how Hunter coached the team, the Capitals captain said, “It doesn’t matter if I like it or not, because he’s my coach and I have to listen. How he said, you have to be a plumber. So I was a plumber.”

In those words the message seems clear: Ovechkin had no interest in playing the style of hockey that Hunter wanted him to play.

With that in mind, perhaps Hunter saw the writing on the wall and decided he didn’t need the drama and didn’t need to deal with a diva who frankly had no right to act like one. Ovechkin may have been the straw that stirred the drink in Washington a few years ago, but over the past two seasons, he’s been an average player on an average team—a player, who like it or not, needed to earn his ice time just like the third- and fourth-line players did under Hunter.

I’m not saying it was a him-or-me situation in Washington, but there was tension brewing between the one-time superstar and his head coach. Knowing it’s easier to fire a coach when things come to a head, perhaps Hunter thought: Why prolong the inevitable?

With Hunter stepping down, the Capitals franchise is far worse off right now than they were when he paced behind the bench in the one suit and tie that he owned.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Coyotes vs. Kings: Game 3 Highlights, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:26:09 +0000

The march to glory continues for the Los Angeles Kings, who moved to within one game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals with a 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals at the Staples Center on Thursday night.

Early scores in the second and third periods by Anze Kopitar and rookie Dwight King, respectively, helped the Kings secure their eighth straight playoff win (tying an NHL record) and their 11th in 12 games since the end of the regular season.

Once again, the Kings got contributions from just about all of their lines, from top to bottom, while Phoenix could do little to muster solid chances against LA’s smothering defense.

Nonetheless, the Coyotes halted a slew of streaks 63 seconds into the second period. Keith Yandle sent a long pass up the ice to Daymond Langkow, who took advantage of the Kings’ poor defensive alignment and promptly slotted a goal past Jonathan Quick that gave Phoenix its first lead of the series and LA its first deficit since the second round’s Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues. It also snapped a shutout streak for Jonathan Quick that had lasted more than 100 minutes.

That goal also served to cash in a much-improved effort by the ‘Yotes throughout the first period, in which they out-shot the Kings 11-8 (though it was LA that wound up with the better chances).

But the Kings didn’t wait long to even the score. Anze Kopitar scored on a breakaway just 2:07 later to even the tally at 1-1.

Mike Smith made several brilliant saves early in the third, as the ‘Yotes struggled to get the puck out of their own end. But they couldn’t quite stop Dwight King from snapping a shot into the net to give the Kings their first lead of the night less than two minutes into the period. LA went on to dominate the period and close out the game with a flourish, putting pressure on the puck and out-shooting Phoenix 13-4 over the final 20 minutes.

With a 3-0 series lead in their collective back pocket, the Kings will skate into Game 4 on Sunday looking to close out the Desert Dogs and nail down a spot among the final two teams vying for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Tweets of the Night

Who says there aren’t “real” hockey fans in LA? Ben Maller of the NBC Sports Network had no trouble finding one:

First grader just rolled off 10 names of LA Kings players by matching jersey numbers. Someone should get her an NHL Sports Radio show.

— Ben Maller (@benmaller) May 18, 2012

The Kings didn’t even bother waiting for Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times to update the Twitterverse on the game before they tied up the score. The nerve…

first time Kings have trailed since Game 1 of secodn round opener…and by the time i typed that they tied it.

— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) May 18, 2012

And thanks to Molly Knight of ESPN the Magazine for giving a textual synopsis of Coyotes coach Dave Tippett’s reaction to Anze Kopitar’s equalizer:

Kopitar ties it up 1-1 for the @LAKings. Coyotes’ coach shown on TV saying: “F— me.”

— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) May 18, 2012

Must-See Highlight

Here’s another look at Anze Kopitar’s breakaway goal to even the score at 1-1 in the second. Kopi’s a big guy who can rough it up with the best of ‘em, but he’s got some smooth moves with his stick as well.

Grades for Key Coyotes Players

Shane Doan: C

Shane Doan played another physical game but was nowhere to be found offensively in over 18 minutes of ice time. Phoenix’s long-time captain took two penalties and didn’t get off a single shot, though he did contribute 11 hits to the cause.

Still, Phoenix will need much more from Doan going forward if it’s going to avoid being swept by their red-hot Pacific rivals.

Mike Smith: A-

Mike Smith made some amazing saves in goal, but was ultimately victimized by some defensive lapses by the skaters in front of him, who couldn’t seem to handle the Kings’ forecheck. Nonetheless, Smith deserves tremendous credit for stopping 26 of 28 shots to keep the Coyotes in the game.

Grades for Key Kings Players

Dustin Brown: A-

Everybody hates Dustin Brown. Except for everyone who plays or roots for the Kings. Brown continued to crawl under the Coyotes’ collective skin on Thursday, drawing a cross-checking penalty on Oliver Ekman-Larsson and even drawing Mike Smith far away from the net for a check.

Throw in nine hits, three shots and an assist on Kopitar’s goal, and Brown earns top marks for his effort in Game 3.

Jonathan Quick: A-

Jonathan Quick had a relatively easy evening, thanks to a tremendous effort by the Kings on the forecheck. The All-Star goalie stopped 18 of 19 shots and deserves at least a partial pass for letting up a goal on a defensive breakdown by his back line in the second period.

Deciding Factor: Balance

The Kings have cruised through the playoffs behind contributions from just about everyone on their roster, and that certainly didn’t change on Thursday night. Eight different Kings contributed multiple shots to the effort, with the top and bottom lines each accounting for a goal.

That’s how you win in the playoffs, and that’s precisely why LA now stands just five wins away from hoisting the Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Game MVP: Brown

Quick was great again, but Brown was the real difference-maker in Game 3. He was an offensive threat, a hard hitter, a pest and a defensive dynamo all in the same game.

Brown has so many facets to his game and showed off almost all of them in yet another winning effort for LA.

What’s Next?

These two teams will reconvene for Game 4 at the Staples Center on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. EDT.

Follow @Josh_E_Martin

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012: Keys to the Game for the Los Angeles Kings

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:17:29 +0000

The Los Angeles Kings won their eighth game in a row on Thursday evening in LA, when the Phoenix Coyotes came in town for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

The game is a pivotal one, because the Kings can put themselves one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup finals with four chances to get there.

On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Kings saw many different players stepping up and dictating the play that contributed to the win.

The three Kings stars of the game are:

Third Star: Dustin Brown. He made an amazing stretch pass from inside his own zone to line-mate Anze Kopitar to send him on a breakaway on Mike Smith. That goal was critical to stop the momentum that Phoenix had built up by scoring the important first goal of the hockey game. Dustin Brown was exceptional once again.

Second Star: Dwight King. King scored the game-winning goal for the Los Angeles Kings in the third period when he drew the puck from along the end goal line toward the left faceoff circle of Mike Smith. With no pressure stopping him, King ripped a shot on goal, and it beat Smith to make it a 2-1 hockey game with less than a period to play.

First Star: Jarret Stoll. The third line was on fire for the LA Kings on this night. Dwight King scored the game winner, and it was the work that Stoll had done all night that forced the Coyotes to turnover pucks in their own zone, and back off on defense. He skated very well, and hunted down every puck on the Kings’ fore-checking game. Stoll had numerous opportunities to score and create scoring chances for LA. In line with Trevor Lewis, Dwight King was by far the biggest factor tonight.

Key to winning Game 4 in Los Angeles:

The LA Kings just need to keep the pressure on the Coyotes in all three zones, and let Jonathan Quick see the shots directed on the net. The Kings are well on their way to a Stanley Cup final appearance.

Go Kings Go!!!

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com