Monday Musings

Written on 9/27/2010 by Jim Cerny

Here's a quick analysis of the top stories from this past weekend in the NHL:

Streit Headed Straight to IR
It can't be easy being an Islanders fan. Or being Garth Snow or Scott Gordon, for that matter. The team holds an open scrimmage for their fans to get excited about its young up-and-coming team, and what happens? The Islanders top defenseman, Mark Streit, suffers a major shoulder injury when checked by teammate Matt Moulson. Word is that Streit will miss 6 months of action due to damage in the labrum and rotator cuff. Other than an injury to John Tavares, could you think of a more important player to go down for the luckless Islanders? I sure can't. Streit is invaluable to this team. It's No. 1 defenseman. It's power play quarterback. A legit 50-60 point player from the back end. A 25-minute per-night ice hog. Respected locker room, and on ice, leader. Barring a trade, and reports say the Isles have no interest in Edmonton's Sheldon Souray, look to James Wisniewski, Jack Hillen, and Andrew McDonald as defensemen asked to step up up offensively. Yikes! What a comedown from Streit, in my opinion one of the most underrated blueliners in the game. Perhaps 19 year-old Calvin de Haan will get a longer look now, though he, too, is coming off shoulder surgery from last season. Plus several scouts have expressed their doubts about de Haan to me, though most reports have him pegged as a solid offensive defenseman. Bottom line, though, Streit's long-term departure is a crippling blow to the Islanders, one that only could be surpassed by a similar injury to Tavares.

Redden Waives Goodbye to Broadway
The news that defenseman Wade Redden was placed on waivers by the Rangers on Saturday was expected. The veteran's play has been in a steep decline for years and his $6.5 million salary cap hit has been an albatross for GM Glen Sather for three seasons. But anytime a team is willing to pay a player that much money not to play---or at least to do so in some minor league outpost like Hartford---is still somewhat of a surprise. I have not spoken yet with Redden, but you would think he and his agent Don Meehan have been preparing for this moment all summer and have thought out all of their options. To keep collecting his mega-salary, Redden must report to the Rangers AHL affiliate. But he and Meehan could try and broker a deal in Europe, similar to what Blackhawks unwanted goalie Christobal Huet has done this season. Either way, Redden is finished on Broadway. And while it is the right move for the team to make, it shouldn't be lost in all of this that Redden is a decent, well-intentioned person. Redden was All-Class all the time. He is not the monster Rangers fans would have you believe. In fact, he is the exact opposite. And I wish Wade and his wife Danica, who just gave birth to the couple's first child last Wednesday, the best moving forward.

Calling Jose Theodore! Calling Jose Theodore!
Josh Harding's gruesome knee injury in which he suffered not only a torn MCL, but a shredded ACL, as well, has Minnesota on the lookout for a No. 2 goalie to play behind Niklas Backstrom this season. While 20 year-old Matt Hackett is viewed as the Wild's goalie of the future, he needs more seasoning and would not benefit playing 20-odd games behind Backstrom. And minor league backstop Anton Khudobin, while being talked up by GM Chuck Fletcher, doesn't fit the bill either. But at the right price, a veteran like 34 year-old Jose Theodore (30 wins, .911 save percentage, 2.81 goals against in Washington last year) or Vesa Toskala (not so pretty in Toronto and Calgary) would be a nice addition. And why wouldn't the price be right? Better to be the Wild's No. 2 than sitting out, staying in shape, and waiting for the phone to ring during the season, all while NOT being paid a cent. Minnesota will head to Finland to begin the season shortly, so Fletcher needs to make a decision soon. If I'm Theodore, I'd make sure my passport is ready to go.

Burke Says Kadri Not Such a Sure Thing
Ok, I'll admit it. When thinking about who the top rookies would be in the NHL this season, I always, and I mean every single time, had Toronto's Nazem Kadri near the top of my list. Not so fast, according to Toronto GM Brian Burke who came down hard on the 19 year-old center this weekend. Burke flat out said that, though, Kadri survived a round of cuts, the kid hasn't shown anything in the pre-season that leads the Maple Leafs to believe he can contribute at the NHL level this season. OUCH! Kadri was a 35-goal, 93 point player in London last year, and his arrival in Toronto has been eagerly anticipated by Leafs fans ever since he was selected in the first round of the 2009 draft. That wait now may just be a bit longer. Burke is a straight shooter. While his words had to have some motivational meaning behind them, I really believe that Burke right now is leaning towards farming the kid out. Kadri's got this week to pick up his play. Let's see how he reacts to a taste of adversity.

Youngsters Shine in Edmonton
19 year-old wing Magnus Paajarvi netted a Hat Trick late last week. 20 year-old Jordan Eberle makes the highlights with two pretty goals and an assist last night. 18 year-old first-overall pick Taylor Hall has a goal and two assists in his first two games. And 23 year-old Linus Omark thrills with his goal-scoring prowess. I know it's only the pre-season, but the Oilers look like they have a lot to be excited about---not just this season, but thinking long-term---with the play of these four exciting rookies. Edmonton coach Tom Renney was loathe to play the kids when he coached the Rangers in the all-consuming win-now atmosphere. But is he now willing to take on this many kids and let them grow together, knowing the inevitable bumps in the road which will come on a regular basis, perhaps more often than victories, to start? I hope so. The potential for the Oilers to be one of the more intriguing and exciting teams to watch this season is growing by the day. Let the Kids Play, Tom!

Posted in Brian Burke, Glen Sather, Jordan Eberle, Jose Theodore, Josh Harding, Magnus Paajarvi, Mark Streit, Nazem Kadri, NHL, Niklas Backstrom, Rink Rap, Taylor Hall, Tom Renney, Wade Redden | Comment Now!

Goaltenders and the 4,000 Minute Barrier

Written on 9/08/2009 by Jim Cerny

Was perusing stats from last year and noticed that only four NHL goaltenders logged more than 4,000 minutes of playing time: Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff, Marty Turco of Dallas, Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers, and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom.

My hunch is that Kiprusoff---barring injury---may be the only one of that group to exceed 4,000 minutes this season, at least as far as NHL action is concerned.

The reasons for this vary depending upon the goalie in question.

Turco, who played more than 4,300 minutes---the first time he was over the 4,000 mark since the 2003-04 season---, will see less of the ice this season now that the veteran Alex Auld was signed by the Stars as his reliable foil. This should greatly enhance the play of Turco, as well as Dallas' chances of making the playoffs.

Lundqvist, who has logged more than 4,000 minutes in each of the last three years, will be Sweden's starting goaltender in the Olympics, adding to his big workload. To avoid completely wearing his franchise goalie out, Rangers coach John Tortorella has already hinted that Steve Valiquette---who won over the coach last season with his strong work ethic, and play when called upon---likely will get the starting nod more often than in the past.

And while Backstrom thrived under the heavy workload a year ago (NHL's 3rd best goals against average and 4th best save percentage), he also benefited from playing behind a Jacques Lemaire-coached team. Now that the defensive guru has left Minnesota for a return engagement in New Jersey, Backstrom might be in need of a few extra days off, with Josh Harding and Wade Dubielewicz both capable of proving adequate relief.

As for Kiprusoff, without a top backup---Curtis McElhinney again will be his understudy---he will almost definitely surpass 4,000 minutes for the fifth straight season, though he might benefit the most from fewer starts and minutes played. Kiprusoff's Flames have been bounced in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. And the one year Calgary made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals in the spring of 2004, it came after Kiprusoff logged only 2,301 minutes during the regular season. You can argue that the lighter workload in the regular season helped fuel his magnificent playoff run that year.

Of course, what often dictates whether or not a goalie these days makes 70 starts and logs over 4,000 minutes is where the team sits in the standings. Kiprusoff, Turco, Lundqvist, and Backstrom all could not afford too many nights off last season because their respective teams were in dogfights all year to make the playoffs---Kipruoff's Flames and Lundqvist's Rangers did ultimately crack the top eight in their conferences while the other two were on the outside looking in.

Of the goaltenders who might make a run at 4,000 minutes this year, add the names of Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur. Both of these franchise netminders are annually among the league leaders in games, and minutes, played, though both were limited by injury a year ago. Also, with his star on the rise---and no significant backup behind him---Carolina's Cam Ward could break into the 4,000 minute group this year, as well.

What will bear watching, in an Olympic year like this, is to see how the condensed NHL schedule and grueling Olympic sked affects the likes of Lundqvist, Ward, Luongo, Kiprusoff, Brodeur, and others who represent their respective countries come February in Vancouver.

And on the other hand, will there be some goaltenders not playing in the Olympics who will be more fresh and able to start more games because they will have a two-week vacation in the middle of the season? Will their teams benefit, while others with Olympic goalies will be hurt?

The answer to those questions lay ahead, playing out in the months of March and April.

Posted in 2010 Winter Olympics, Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Brodeur, Marty Turco, Miikka Kiprusoff, NHL, Niklas Backstrom, Rink Rap, Roberto Luongo | Comment Now!