Every other Friday, we’ll bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league…
HART TROPHY 1. Sidney Crosby
Stats: 39 GP, 32 G, 33 A, 65 Pts, +20
Crosby’s on track for another Hart Trophy as long as he stays healthy. 2. Steven Stamkos
Stats: 38 GP, 31 G, 25 A, 56 Pts, +12
Stamkos’s production seems to be getting back to normal after a slight step back. 3. Henrik Sedin
Stats: 35 GP, 8 G, 39 A, 47 Pts, +12
Last year’s Hart winner is in the mix once again. Other candidates: Brad Richards, Pavel Datsyuk, Daniel Sedin
The National Hockey League announced today the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will change the original 1 p.m. (ET) start time on New Year's Day to 8 p.m. (ET). The decision was based on the latest meteorological reports, which have advised an approaching front of potentially steady rain expected to fall through the afternoon and taper off by early evening, and after consultation with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals, national broadcast partners (NBC, CBC, RDS), the Pittsburgh Steelers, the National Hockey League Players' Association, and local officials.
Earlier this week I caught up with Preds defenseman Francis Bouillon to get his thoughts on the current state of the Preds and his experience in the 2003 Heritage Classic.
RLD: So far through the first half of the season, the wins and losses have come in bunches… how do you get more consistency moving forward? Francis Bouillon: We played well before the last few games, and we’ve had a tough time to score. We have to be better on our special teams units, too. We’ve got a lot of up and down lately, but we have to be more consistency and play a better 60-minute game.
It’s a shame that only 10,000 fans got to see Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis and the rest of the Winter Classic Alumni Game participants. It was a fun game and atmosphere at Heinz Field as the Capitals and Penguins skated to a 5-5 tie. Paul Mulvey scored twice for the Caps, while Lemieux tallied two assists.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Steven Stamkos, TB (2 Goals, 2 Assists)… Stamkos was in on all four Tampa Bay goals as they cruised past sputtering Montreal. 2. Mike Richards, PHI (2 Goals, 2 Assists) 3. Kristian Huselius, CBJ (2 Goals)
---
Games of the Night: Vancouver Canucks @ Dallas Stars
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks
Records: Overall: Canucks (22-8-5) … Stars (22-12-4) Last Ten: Canucks (8-0-2) … Stars (5-3-2) Away/Home: Canucks (9-5-3) … Stars (12-5-3) Season Series (09/10): 3-1 Canucks
Players to watch: VAN- Ryan Kesler
Kesler has been clutch for the Canucks with 19 points in December. DAL- Brad Richards
There’s been no stopping Richards, who has been solid vs. Vancouver in his career.
Injury Report: VAN- Mason Raymond (thumb, out), Sami Salo (Achilles, out), Guillaume Desbiens (hand, out) DAL- None
Game Thoughts:
A pair of division leaders faceoff tonight in Dallas. The Stars dropped a 7-3 decision to Detroit on Wednesday, so they’ll be looking to rebound. Vancouver drilled Philadelphia, 6-2, in their last game. Marc Crawford’s club is in the midst of a big litmus test week, while the Canucks will begin a six-game-in-nine-nights stretch. Go with the Stars here… Prediction: Stars 3, Canucks 2
The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Thrashers over Devils
Canadiens over Panthers
Predators over Wild
Red Wings over Islanders
Senators over Blue Jackets
Ducks over Flyers
Blues over Coyotes
Flames over Avalanche
--- Video of the Day:
*You can follow us on Twitter @RLDhockey!
*Did you miss our radio show from Tuesday? No worries… you can always catch up on the archive!
The biggest buzz here in Pittsburgh is the weather for Saturday’s Winter Classic at Heinz Field. The talk of Crosby vs. Ovechkin surrounding the event has shifted to Mother Nature. At a press conference earlier today, NHL COO John Collins seemed confident that they’ll be able to get the game in as scheduled.
When talking about the NHL, fans and pundits alike often find themselves talking about teams like the Red Wings, Blackhawks, Flyers, Penguins and so forth.
With that said, why aren't more fans and media alike talking about the league's Southeast Division this season? Believe it or not, this division is one of the better ones in all of hockey and it can be said that the Washington Capitals are not the only team in the division that deserves some attention.
When Ryan asked me to provide a guest blog on why Pittsburgh was deserving of hosting the Winter Classic, a reason didn’t immediately come to mind. In fact, I was one of the folks who was a bit bitter about the selection this summer, mainly because there was a good bit of bellyaching from around the league. Then I thought about it and came up with the blog below… enjoy!
When John Tavares was selected first overall in the the Summer of 2009, it marked the start of a new era. Having already drafted the likes of Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey and Travis Hamonic, owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow were hoping the selection of the big names like Tavares would help re-spark interest in the failing organization. Their hope lay in newfound revenue and, eventually, a new arena.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Patrick Eaves, DET (3 Goals, 1 Assist)… Detroit's scoring spree was engineered by Eaves' hat trick and four points. 2. Cam Ward, CAR (37 Saves, Shutout) 3. Shane Doan, PHX (2 Goals)
---
Tonight’s Slate:
Blue Jackets @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET
Bruins @ Thrashers, 7:00
Canadiens @ Lightning, 7:30
Sharks @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Avalanche @ Oilers, 9:30
Flyers @ Kings, 10:30
Game of the Night: San Jose Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks
8:30 ET… TV: Local Networks
Stars and Wings Go Toe-to-Toe in ‘Big D’
For the second straight ‘Game of the Week’, two division-leading clubs battle it out. The Stars will host Detroit tonight in what will be a good test for both sides. Detroit has been up and down with some injuries sprinkled in, while the Stars keep chugging away despite the doubters.
“We came in without big expectations and everyone was relaxed, anxious and excited to get the season started,” Dallas forward James Neal told RLD. “We knew we had a good team. We’re young and fresh, and having fun every night.”
I caught up with Stars forward Jamie Been yesterday to get some thoughts on the Stars' surprising start and the World Junior Championships.
RLD: Coming into the year, not many people expected you guys to be in the position you are in now. Is this what you expected out of this team? Jamie Benn: We knew we had a good team coming into the year. Not too many people believed in us, but that doesn’t matter. We believe in ourselves. We have a good group of guys in here and we’re a pretty good hockey team.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Sidney Crosby, PIT (2 Goals, 2 Assists)… Crosby extended his point streak to 25 games with another dazzling performance, tallying four points. He now has 50 points during the streak – more than anyone else’s overall total. 2. Ryan Kesler, VAN (2 Goals, 1 Assist) 3. Semyon Varlamov, WSH (25 Saves, Shutout)
---
For exactly eight years, Darryl Sutter has been a substantial part of the operations in Calgary. Those times have to come to an end as he was forced to resign from his post as general manager by team president Ken King earlier today. So, he was basically fired. Jay Feaster has taken over full control of operation as this move is effective immediately.
Will Feaster hang on to Darryl’s brother Brent? What will this do for Jarome Iginla’s future, if anything at all? Let the rumors begin.
You can listen to today's show HERE at 2 PM ET (notice the time change)! This will be our Winter Classic preview, but will only be a 30-minute show.
1:00 CT - Show Introduction - Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass - Welcome in guest Kevin Allen, USA Today - Latest on Winter Classic - Weather/Backup plans - HBO’s ‘24/7’ - Matchup - Caps/Pens rivalry memories - Future sites - Future of the event
1:20 CT (roughly) - Roundtable Discussion - Nashville Predators - Jordin Tootoo - Offensive funk - NHL and Blizzards - Other various topics
47 degrees and rain – the kind of weather that is the NHL’s worst fear when scheduling an outdoor game. But that is what is in the forecast for this weekend as of last night, which is really starting to cause a stir through the league for the upcoming Winter Classic.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Chris Osgood, DET (46 Saves, 3 GA)… Ozzie made 46 saves in Colorado en route to his 400th career win in the NHL – the 10th in league history to do so. 2. Nicklas Lidstrom, DET (1 Goal, 3 Assists) 3. Anze Kopitar, LA (3 Assists)
---
Pittsburgh vs. Washington is the hottest rivalry in the league courtesy of the individual rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. The two superstars were drafted one year apart – both No. 1 overall – and broke into the league in the same season due to the lockout. Naturally, they’ve been compared every which way ever since, from awards to point totals to what kind of toothbrush they use.
Though overplayed a tad, Sid vs. Ovie is one of the main attractions of this year’s Winter Classic, as well as the league’s biggest marketing ploy for the event. Here are the top five moments between the NHL’s two best players when going head-to-head…
1. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 2
Dan Bylsma’s gang showed their mettle last week with dominating victories over the ‘Yotes and Panthers, while gutting out a ‘W’ in Washington. 2. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 3
The Canucks are 11-1-2 in their last 14 games, catapulting to second in the West and building some cushion atop the division. 3. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 1
Philly’s one-week layoff comes to an end Tuesday when they make their way out west and begin a brutal stretch in which nine of their next 10 games will be away from home. 4. Los Angeles Kings… LW: 12
Terry Murray and company are in the middle of the only four-games-in-five-days span in the NHL this season. Point, Jonathan Bernier’s fantasy owners (like myself). 5. Tampa Bay Lightning… LW: 15
The division-leading Bolts have already played 22 road games (14 home), and have yet to hosted more than two straight contests on home-ice. Considering their consistent success… impressive.
Welcome to another installment of "The Week Ahead" where this week, we will look at some of the top teams and players in 2010 that hockey fans should continue to keep their eyes on as we head into the New Year.
Players to Keep An Eye On
The players mentioned below have simply been forces in the NHL this season. They have consistently produced and have helped their teams to various levels of success.
- Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
At just 20 years of age, it is amazing to think how far Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos has come since his rookie season.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Vincent Lecavalier, TB (2 Goals)… Vinny’s pair of goals – including an OT winner – lifted the Bolts to a big win in Atlanta. 2. Erik Karlsson, OTT (2 Goals, 1 Assist) 3. Jaroslav Halak, STL (32 Saves, Shutout) Close but no cigar: J. LaBarbera, PHX; C. Armstrong, TOR; P. Sharp, CHI; D. Roloson, NYI; A. Ovechkin, WSH; H. Zetterberg, DET; D. Brown, LA
---
Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Rangers, 7:00 ET
Wild @ Blue Jackets, 7:30
Bruins @ Panthers, 7:30
Red Wings @ Avalanche, 9:00
Sabres @ Flames, 9:00
Kings @ Sharks, 10:30
Game of the Night: Detroit Red Wings @ Colorado Avalanche
9:00 ET… TV: Local Networks
HBO's '24/7: Road to the Winter Classic' has been a huge attraction for hockey fans leading up to the Winter Classic. Its unprecedented behind the scenes, all-access coverage is unbelievable theatre! With a new episode every week, it will only build up hype for the game.
With two episodes in the books, here are some clips from the hour-long shows...
It is hard to believe that as we get closer to 2011, the New Jersey Devils' season has already gone up in flames, no pun intended.
The team is 9-23-2 and dead last not only in the Eastern Conference, but in the entire National Hockey League. The Devils have not been this bad of a hockey club since the "Great One" Wayne Gretzky called the team a "Mickey Mouse franchise."
Picture this. You’re sitting with your family and friends in your Canada jersey, nervous as can be, praying that your nation comes out on top and not your brother south of the border. You’re hoping that all of this build up for the ‘biggest hockey game in the Canada’s history’ doesn’t end with a sour taste.
Now let’s move to the U.S. You’re at the bar donning the red, white and blue, gripping your beer even tighter, thinking this two-week Cinderella run is going to end in jubilation, but nervous it could go otherwise. This was America’s chance to steal gold from the enemy north of the border. Destiny was on your side, right?
Canada vs. USA… for gold… in Vancouver… on possibly the biggest stage this sport has ever seen.
Players to watch: TB- Martin St. Louis
St. Louis, who has 14 points in 10 December games, keeps coming up big for the Bolts. ATL- Bryan Little
Little has been solid for Atlanta since returning from injury in mid-November.
We are still a week away from this year’s Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, but it’s never too early to look ahead when it comes to the league's biggest spectacle. Patrick and I debate where the 2012 Winter Classic should be held…
From everyone here at RLD, we wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Chirstmas!! Some of us from Nashville's 'Bloggers Row' would like to wish you a Merry Christmas as well!
Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
We’re almost half-way through the season, and some teams’ point totals are still deceiving despite what the overall standings look like. Through Thursday’s action, here’s how many points each team was on pace to accumulate this season. (Decimals were rounded up).
Atlantic Division
Pittsburgh Penguins (50 pts in 36 gms)… On pace: 114 points
Philadelphia Flyers (49 pts in 35 gms)… On pace: 115 points
New York Rangers (42 pts in 36 gms)… On pace: 96 points
New York Islanders (22 pts in 32 gms)… On pace: 57 points
New Jersey Devils (20 pts in 34 gms)… On pace: 49 points
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Vancouver’s top line (10 points combined)… The Sedin twins and Alex Burrows combined to rack up 10 points in the Canucks’ big win over the Jackets. 2. Patrick Marleau, SJ (2 Goals, 1 Assist) 3. Josh Bailey, NYI (2 Goals, 1 Assist) Close but no cigar: P. Berglund and J. Halak, STL; M. Cullen, MIN; S. Thornton, BOS; C. Higgins, FLA; S. Crosby and M. Fleury, PIT; J. Thornton, SJ; M. St Louis, TB; J. Johnson, LA
Morning Links: - ESPN… Scott Burnside’s extensive recap of last night’s thriller in Washington. - From the Rink… A handful of teams are facing make-or-break weeks. - View From My Seats… Matt has some mid-season projections, including a surprise winner in the Southeast. - SB Nation… A recap of the second episode of 24/7, which aired on HBO on Wednesday. - Spector’s Hockey… The latest trade rumors out of Calgary.
Video of the Day:
*You can follow us on Twitter @RLDhockey!
*Did you miss our radio show from Tuesday? No worries… you can always catch up on the archive!
Some of the best rivalries this sport has to offer are based either by geography or decades of history. Others are born in the postseason, where emotions run high on a nightly basis. Just look at the Red Wings and Avalanche; their playoff battles in the late 90’s are well-documented.
Pittsburgh and Washington would fall under the latter of those two sides.
Each year the NHL has some sort of 'Cinderella story'. Last year, we had the resurgence of the Phoenix Coyotes into respectability under Don Maloney and Dave Tippet. In the 2009 Season, we saw the NHL's poster boy, Sidney Crosby, take home the prize; he did so as the youngest NHL captain in league history. Any hockey fan could find some sort of feel good story for each season, and I'm sure Gary Bettman doesn't mind.
Hockey is not only a sport and it's not strictly a business; the NHL is a source of entertainment (HBO has proven just that with the recent premiere of it's "24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic" series). In entertainment, the hope is that any sort of story gets you watching and talking.
What's been the talk around the office water cooler this year in the NHL?
Not three months into his NHL coaching career, John MacLean has been fired by Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils, following last night’s 5-1 loss in Washington. Lamoriello has gone back to the well by choosing Jacques Lemaire – who retired last spring – as the interim.
Most people around the league believe Pavel Datsyuk – or the ‘Russian Magician’, as I call him – is in the Hart Trophy discussion here on Dec. 23. With 39 points in 33 games, no one can argue that. But the Red Wings will be without their MVP candidate for the next month after Datsyuk suffered a broken hand in last night’s contest with the Canucks.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Henrik Zetterberg, DET (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… Hank’s three points and OT winner helped Detroit get by a tough test against Vancouver. 2. Jack Skille, CHI (2 Goals) 3. John Tavares, NYI (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---
When the news broke out earlier this year that Capitals/Penguins would be the matchup for the 2011 Winter Classic, there were mixed feelings from hockey fans all around. Many thought the NHL didn’t need this game at the Winter Classic to drive up the ratings. Plus, many of those same people were outraged at the fact that this will be Pittsburgh’s second appearance (in four years, no less).
All of that aside, this is destined to be a great event in Pittsburgh next weekend. Why? Well there are numerous factors as to why this will be the ‘perfect matchup’ for this spectacle:
Western Conference Powers Duel in Detroit
At the beginning of the season, many pundits felt Detroit and Vancouver were the two best teams in the Western Conference. Two-plus months into play, they are one-two in the West in points percentage and leading their respective divisions. Tonight’s tilt is just another measuring stick for each of these well-built clubs.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Dustin Brown, LA (2 Goals, 2 Assists)… L.A.’s decisive victory in Colorado was engineered by Captain Brown’s four points. 2. Tyler Ennis, BUF (2 Goals) 3. Ty Conklin, STL (37 Saves, 2 GA) Close but no cigar: J. Quick, LA; J. Carlson, WSH; L. Eriksson, DAL; M. Garon, CBJ
---
Tonight’s Slate:
Lightning @ Islanders, 7:00 ET
Panthers @ Penguins, 7:00
Canucks @ Red Wings, 7:30
Predators @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Games of the Night: Nashville Predators @ Chicago Blackhawks
8:30 ET… TV: Local Networks
With each passing day, the hype surrounding this year’s Winter Classic is building. HBO has helped this with their ‘24/7’ feature documentary, along with the fact that the equally high-powered Penguins and Capitals are participating.
For the next 10 days here at RLD (starting tomorrow), we’re going to cover different angles of the Winter Classic leading up to New Year’s Day – including the rivalry between these teams, the featured star power, and the general state of this event. I have been credentialed for the game, and will be in Pittsburgh late next week from Dec. 29 through Jan. 1.
We hope you enjoy our coverage of the Winter Classic over the next week or two as it is set to be one of the biggest events this league has ever seen!
As you woke up this morning and took a gander at the standings, you found that the Atlanta Thrashers were leading the Southeast Division. Not the high-powered Capitals… not even Steven Stamkos’s Lightning. Yes, the Atlanta Thrashers. And if the Thrashers and Bolts can keep it up, it’s going to be one helluva battle in a division that has been one-team race in recent years.
You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!
12:00 CT - Show Introduction - Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass - Roundtable Discussion - Coyotes decision
12:05 CT (roughly) - Welcome in guest John Forslund, Hurricanes/Versus TV - Carolina Hurricanes - Jeff Skinner - All-Star Game - City of Raleigh - Anaheim Ducks - Broadcasting career - Other NHL arenas - Future of NHL on TV
12:25 CT (roughly) - Roundtable Discussion - Thoughts on 24/7
12:30 CT (roughly) - Welcome in guest Sarah Baicker, CSN Philly - Philadelphia Flyers - Chris Pronger - Goaltending - Nikolay Zherdev - Thoughts on 24/7
12:45 CT (roughly) - Roundtable Discussion - Winter Classic tune-up - Preds recent success - Other various topics
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Evgeni Malkin, PIT (2 Goals, 3 Assists)… Malkin has looked like himself since returning from injury and put together a five-point performance vs. Phoenix. 2. Jonas Hiller, ANA (45 Saves, Shutout) 3. Tobias Enstrom, ATL (2 Goals, 2 Assists) Close but no cigar: T. Vokoun, FLA; S. Crosby, PIT; M. St. Louis, TB; N. Backstrom, MIN; F. Modin, ATL
---
1. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 3
Peter Laviolette’s gang leads the NHL with 49 points. Nikolay Zherdev has five goals in his last five games. 2. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 1
With every long winning streak comes a letdown… and we saw that with the Pens last week. They have four games this week to get back on the winning track. 3. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 4
Vancouver is easily the top faceoff team in the league at 57.4% (4.3% ahead of San Jose, in 2nd). 4. Dallas Stars… LW: 10
Has Brad Richards’ 38-point campaign overshadowed what Loui Eriksson has done? He has been extremely consistent (34 points in 33 games) and deserves an All-Star nod. 5. Atlanta Thrashers… LW: 5
I don’t know how you can keep Ondrej Pavelec out of the Vezina race right now. He has a 1.56 goals-against and .949 save percentage since Nov. 9.
For this week's installment of "The Week Ahead", I'd like to focus on players and teams that need some holiday cheer whether it is because they are struggling as individuals or as a whole team. Being that this is the holiday season and all, I thought that this kind of post made sense for Christmas week.
Players to Keep an Eye On - Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
There is no doubt that Leafs forward Phil Kessel is a talented hockey player. Unfortunately, his name will always be associated with Tyler Seguin and the No. 2 overall pick they gave away in the 2010 NHL Draft (along with the pending 2011 draft pick).
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Mathieu Perreault, WSH (2 Goals)… Perreault’s pair of second period goals helped snap the Caps’ eight-game skid. 2. Loui Eriksson, DAL (1 Goal, 2 Assists) 3. Brendan Morrow, DAL (2 Goals)
If the playoffs started today…
Eastern Conference:
1) PHI vs. 8) BOS
2) WSH vs. 7) TB
3) MTL vs. 6) NYR
4) PIT vs. 5) ATL
Western Conference:
1) DET vs. 8) ANA
2) DAL vs. 7) CHI
3) COL vs. 6) SJ
4) VAN vs. 5) NSH
---
One shocking development over the course of the first half here in the NHL has been the state of the New Jersey Devils. Picked by many in the pre-season to not only win their division, but to be a Stanley Cup contender as well, they have been just the opposite.
Standings-wise, the Devils’ neighbors are no longer the Penguins, Flyers and Rangers; it’s the lowly Islanders, which just about sums up where they are in the present, and where they are headed in the future.
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Eric Staal, CAR (3 Goals)… Captain Staal collected his 12th (!) hat trick of his career – in a little over one period, no less. 2. Eric Boulton, ATL (3 Goals) 3. Brad Richards, DAL (2 Goals) Close but no cigar: T. Thomas, BOS; L. Couture, SJ; R. Smyth, LA; N. Zherdev, PHI; M. Koivu, MIN; K. Lehtonen, DAL; C. Thorburn, ATL; J. Hansen, VAN; R. Vrbata, PHX
---
Tonight’s Slate:
Stars @ Red Wings, 5:00 ET
Kings @ Blackhawks, 7:00
Capitals @ Senators, 7:30
Canadiens @ Avalanche, 8:00
Games of the Night: Dallas Stars @ Detroit Red Wings
5:00 ET… TV: Local Networks
Every summer, general managers try to find the best deals possible… especially those who are up against the salary cap, or can’t afford to dish out the big bucks to stars. Over two months into the season, you can already tell which teams got some great deals this off-season (either through trade or free agency). Patrick, Brian and I debate who the best bargain has been thus far…
Andrew Ladd By Patrick Hoffman
When it comes to the holiday season, everyone is looking for the best deals and bargains where they can get something great for a reasonable price.
The NHL's bargaining season is during the off-season/free-agent season and as such, was done with the team's financial interest at heart. In my eyes, the NHL's best bargain this year belongs to the Atlanta Thrashers and their forward, Andrew Ladd.
On Wednesday I went around the Sharks locker room to get some thoughts on Logan Couture’s success and how the season is going…
Logan Couture on first full season in NHL…
“Yeah, I’m definitely getting more comfortable. Last year, being up and down, it was tough to get used to playing in the best league in the world. This summer I knew what to expect coming into camp. It helped playing in the playoffs last year, too… that was huge for me. I knew what to expect. It’s not easy playing in this league, so you have to bring your A-game every night.”
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Matt Duchene, COL (2 Goals)… Duchene’s stellar sophomore season continued as he pocketed two goals, including the overtime winner in a crazy contest. 2. Martin Erat, NSH (2 Goals) 3. Corey Crawford, CHI (29 Saves, 1 GA)
---
Every other Friday, we’ll bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league…
HART TROPHY
1. Sidney Crosby
Stats: 33 GP, 26 G, 28 A, 54 Pts, +14
Crosby continues at his torrid pace as his point streak has reached 20 games.
2. Steven Stamkos
Stats: 31 GP, 24 G, 20 A, 44 Pts, +7
Though his production hasn’t been at an unworldly pace like earlier in the season, Stamkos has still been a key cog for Tampa Bay. He definitely had as Hart Trophy moment last weekend as he bailed out his team in Vancouver with the overtime winner. The early favorite for this award has some catching up to do to catch Crosby.
3. Pavel Datsyuk
Stats: 30 GP, 11 G, 26 A, 37 Pts, +10
Datsyuk has been one of the more dominant two-way players this year, and has 15 points in the last 10 games.
Other candidates: Tim Thomas, Brad Richards, Daniel Sedin
My 3 stars of the night: 1. Cam Ward, CAR (45 Saves, 2 GA)… Ward came up big time and time again for the ‘Canes, allowing them to make the comeback to top Atlanta. 2. Jordan Eberle, EDM (2 Goals) 3. Kristian Huselius, CBJ (3 Goals) Close but no cigar: L. Omark and T. Hall, EDM; D. Setoguchi, SJ; O. Jokinen, CGY; M. Pacioretty, MTL; V. Sobotka, STL; D. Girardi, NYR; R. DiPietro, NYI
Quick-hit Observations:
- That Boston/Montreal game was one of the more enjoyable I’ve watched this year. It had a little bit of everything, along with the feel of a very important game. The Habs snapped their three-game skid and extended their division lead to four points.
- Kings/Blues was another fun game to watch; a lot of back-and-forth action. It also included some heated animosity in the third period! Considering their injury woes, the win for the Blues had to feel like a huge confidence boost.
- After blowing a late lead to Preds on Wednesday, the Sharks dug deep and picked up a huge two points in Dallas last night. Though it came in overtime, they are back in the top eight and Logan Couture scored his fifth game-winner of the season.
- Dion Phaneuf certainly heard the boos in his return to Calgary, but his former ‘mates got the last laugh.
- For the second straight night, Carolina completed a comeback against a divisional foe; this time, they beat the Thrashers in a shootout to creep closer to the eighth seed in the East.
- Linus Omark scored a goal last night… I wonder if anyone felt it was ‘disrespectful’.
---
Tonight’s Slate:
Predators @ Devils, 7:00 ET
Sabres @ Panthers, 7:30
Red Wings @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Senators @ Avalanche, 9:00
Game of the Night: Detroit Red Wings @ Chicago Blackhawks
8:30 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), Local Networks
When the Capitals and Avalanche made their trade back on November 30th, most of the attention was on the Caps acquiring defenseman Scott Hannan – and with good reason. Washington has needed an upgrade on the back end for a while now, so the Hannan addition was viewed as just that.
But the player going the other way in that deal has gotten off to a much better start. In seven games with Colorado, Tomas Fleischmann has 10 points, including last night’s hat trick in Chicago. ‘Flash’ had 10 points in 23 games with the Caps earlier this season.
It makes you wonder why Washington couldn’t figure out a way to make it work out with Fleischmann. In any case, the Avs have added another quality top-six forward to the highest-scoring team in the Western Conference – which will pay off in their quest to win the division.
Our podcast 'RLD Hockey Talk' is LIVE every Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 ET/Noon CT. Some of our notable guests in past episodes have been Dustin Brown, Doc Emrick, John Buccigross, Dave Strader, E.J. Hradek, Elliotte Friedman and Jay Grossman.
Posts
