The preseason is almost done, so we here figure we get in a quick preseason SNH to get back into shape.
If the Preseason had a Championship
Here is what the preseason standing look like heading into the final games:
Leafs second? Oilers first? the Red wings last? Take a good look, because after October, you'll never see that again. Out of the six divisions, only the Atlantic Division looks the most likely to happen this season.
Lineup NOTables
Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit: Pavel "Dangle Dangle" Datsyuk (back), Dan Cleary (upper body), Jan Musek (ankle), and Mike Commordore (bruised knee) are out. Brenden Smith is suspended. Ty Conklin gets the start. Toronto: Nazem Kadri (knee) and Tim Connolly (fragile upper body injury) are out. Clarke MacArthur is suspended. James Reimer is expected to start.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Montreal: Leader of the Right Knee Injury, Andrei Markov, is out, along with Brendon Nash (shoulder) and Lars Eller (shoulder). Carey Price might get the start in net. Tampa Bay: Scott Jackson (knee) is out. Dwayne Roloson is starting tonight.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks
Edmonton: Taylor Fedur (broken femur), Taylor Chorney (knee), and Ladislav Smid (shoulder) are out. Nikolai Khabibulin will start. Vancouver: Mason Raymond (back) and Aaron Rome (hand) are out. Roberto Luongo is expected to pump Khabibulin's tires start tonight.
It's a few days old, but after Arsenal got hammered by Manchester United 8-2, they sent a message to the fans who made the trip that they will get a free ticket to a future away match. If this was practiced over here, Leaf fans would go ballistic.
NHL 12 releases (checks watch) SOON. To honour it, here's the best story from the game (suck on that, Madden).
Yes, it's late on most of this, but with the morbid off-season not wanted to go away (yet) we should catch up a bit. So our condolences go out to the familes of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, and all the players, coaching staff, and crew of the plane crash in Russia last week.
It gets earlier and earlier every year, and it it, I mean our predictions. This is a bit of a momentus event since this is the last season that our infamous Division Board (TM...not really) will be in use. If all goes as plan, we'll push its use with standing updates. Finally, yes Atlanta has moved to Winnipeg, but looking at the other teams logos, it's pretty obvious this thing is old, so deal with it.
MDK's Prediction:
(Note: Even he doesn't know why he put Colorado first in the Northwest)
Another day, anotehr attack on the Bettman charity point (via Dave Perkins of the Toronto Star), but here's the part that caught my eye (bold part mine):
Ties were part of the scenery when this fan was growing up. They were considered an honourable result and still should be, in this opinion. (Does anyone think a shootout decision, exciting as some may be, is a more honourable result?) But that horse has long since left the barn; the NHL chose a generation ago to eliminate ties. Fine, but in that case, why not go all the way?
So let's go all the way. This means that the format goes to a straight win/loss. Let's look at how leat year would end if the win/loss format was used.
2 things to keep in mind:
The division leaders still get the top three spots in the conference.
Any tiebreakers are broken by using how the NHL would determine it.
Here's what the East would look like:
Some shuffling at the top of the standings. Pittsburgh gets the top spot, Washington gets bumped to second, and Philadelphia falls to fourth. Other changes are the Rangers jumping the Sabres, and the Devils and Leafs switching spots.
Here's the West:
Not as much changing as in the East. Los Angeles switches with Nashville, and Chicago swap spots with Phoenix. Outside the playoffs, Minnesota jumps ahead of St. Louis.
The conclusion: There isn't significant changes, but it does seem to do a better job highlighting how close the top of the East is and how close the playoff race in the West is.
Starting off with the local news, Mike Danton is officially playing professional hockey again. In Sweden. And NOT in the SEL. He's with IFK Ore, a Third Division team. We wish him all the best (and thank him for opening up a spot on the SMU team...not that I'd have much of a chance making it).
Yashin Returns...Maybe...
It has been reported that Alexei Yashin might be returning to the NHL (and to the Islanders no less). There are two different sides to this though. One side suggest that Yashin is just using the Islander's contract offer to up the offers from KHL teams. The other side is that Yashin is actually going to
...And Modano's Retired....Maybe
Mike Modano was on the Bob and Dan Radio Show a few days ago and when asked about retirement, responded by saying “I think that [last season] was the swan song”. While last year wasn't a good year for Modano, it does seem weird that he would be retiring a Red Wing. He should have a proper swan song back in Dallas (and by proper, I mean just playing one more game for the franchise he spent 99% of his career with).
But Draper Retires
While Modano is in decision mode over his playing career, Kris Draper decided to hang up the skates. Even though he was a big part of Red Wings organization, and part of the "Grind Line", he'll only ever be worth a dollar. Right Winnipeg? And speaking of the Jets... (and ending a lame attempt of a segue)
Winnipeg's New Logo
The Winnipeg Jets FINALLY released their new logo. An military-inspired Don Cherry-endorsed logo that does have a good look to it. Most of the back-lash from the logo though is that full-fledged nostalgia has hit fans hard, so anything outside of the original Jets look is going to get a negative reaction. It is reported that the Jets will be able to wear the old jersey for a few games this season, which will make any Coyotes-Jets vintage-night game awkward.
Richards, Carter and the Adventures of Dry Island
As reported by Dan Gross of the Philadelphia Daily News, the partying of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter may have been what prompted Richards and Carter to leave town. Apparently, since Peter Laviolette became coach of the Flyers, the concept of the "Dry Island" (in which players pledge to not drink for a month) has been used six times. All six times, Richards' and Carter's numbers were not on the board. Between their excessive partying and and an apparent locker room divide, it's easy to see why they got shipped out (even though that isn't exactly the case says Paul Holmgren). Looking at the trades from the drinking perspective, it's like they sent Richards to party town and Carter to rehab.
Kovalev Prophecy Still Not Happening
Yes, he is enigmatic. Yes, his points and skills are going down. And now the Kovalev hype is going to the KHL. Ah, what could have been...
