NHL Top Ten Units, Part III (Forwards)
Joe Thornton is not only skilled, but can make even top agitators like Steve Ott back away from him
Finally, those of you who have claimed I have a West Coast bias will see that what you assumed was bias was mere fact. The Western Conference is more focused on blueline and goaltending, but the Eastern Conference has the best forwards.
In this analysis, I cannot go into detail about each of the players like I did for the other units because a typical team will play 14 or 15 forwards over the course of the season. Even if I stuck to the projected 12, that would be 120 players to analyze for a top ten list. I would need Simon and Schuster to publish that, because an article of that size would crash this site.
Therefore, I will focus on stars individually and supporting cast as a body. That is bound to make this analysis less scientific than the others. Remember I have to focus on players currently on the teams’ rosters according to NHL.com–i.e. I will not project likely signings!
Thus, I am sure there will be more than the usual number of cowardly snipers who log on just to send a disparaging comment (usually without good points supporting their mostly biased lamentations that I omit their team’s players!). And as usual, they will never check back to hear the counter-argument. But those who can’t, criticize. Read the rest of this entry »
NHL Top Ten Units, Part II (Blueline)
Scott Niedermayer leads the best defence in the NHL
The blueline is a transition unit. It can be a catalyst for the offence and protect its goaltender.
The last two Stanley Cup Champions rode the two best bluelines in the game to the title. Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks unit struggled to handle the forecheck, turned over the puck exposing Evgeni Nabokov, and was among the poorest point-producing units in the league. The result: they bowed out in the second round three years in a row.
In part two of this series, I analyze the top ten bluelines in the NHL. Because a team’s top two defencemen play more minutes than its bottom two, I am emphasizing the unit at an approximate 40-30-20-10 ratio. The best two may not pair up, but they will be the ones getting the extra time on special teams.
Therefore, please note I am not projecting actual pairs but gauging total minutes. Furthermore, I will list a “fourth” blueline of players that may not dress but will be relied on over the course of the season due to injuries. All players are graded not for their roles, but how they rate among all defencemen. Read the rest of this entry »
Sharks Sign Marc-Eduoard Vlasic to Extension
(I originally wrote this article for Bleacher Report. The inset photo is courtesy of sjsharks.nhl.com.)
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According to sjsharks.nhl.com, the San Jose Sharks have signed defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to a four-year contract extension. Combined with the one year left on his original contract, Vlasic is now locked up for five seasons.
The new deal is reported to be for an average around $3.1 million per year. According to Hockey Buzz, he is slated to make $1.1 million this season, but in this morning’s San Jose Mercury News, his salary is $735,000. If the Mercury News is correct, his shuld more than make up the $225,000+ Hockey Buzz shows the Sharks being over the cap.
“Marc-Edouard is one of the top young defenceman in the game and we are excited to have him in the fold for the next several years,” Read the rest of this entry »
NHL Top Ten Unit, Part I (Goaltending)
Unfortunately, the campaign for Nabby’s Vezina fell short because of pro-Brodeur, East Coast bias
It all starts with goaltending, and so does this list. I will examine which teams have the best goaltending going into the 2008-2009 season, with heavy emphasis on the #1 goalie all teams rely on in the playoffs.
- Anaheim Ducks: I have heard a lot of people claim Jean-Sebastien Giguere is on his way down. I do not know where these ideas come from. The man is 31 years old, hardly an age for decline at the position. He is just one year removed from leading his team to the Stanley Cup, and was a candidate for his second Conn Smythe that year. Sure, he did not fare well in the Dallas series, but you try facing that power play that often! Moreover, he is backed up by a very solid Jonas Hiller.
- San Jose Sharks: the Ducks’ rivals have the man who should have won the Vezina last season (reputation playing too large a role) for leading the league in starts and wins, and among the leaders in goals against average. Read the rest of this entry »
Pacific Division Prognostications
This IS Sharks Territory.
In the past ten years (since the league went to the three divisions per conference format), only once has someone other than the Sharks or Stars won the Pacific Division Title. That was in 2006-7 when the Ducks won en route to their Stanley Cup title.
(Gosh, it still hurts to say that–I have to make a quick run to the bathroom!)
(Any of you college partiers know how one gets that taste out of their mouth after the repercussions of over-imbibing besides having another beer?)
Anyhow, looking to this season, I expect more of the same. While the division is deep, the race for the top is between San Jose (the front-runner), Dallas (the very worthy challenger), and Anaheim (the Darkhorse). But I will examine everyone in this division in the order I expect them to finish.
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