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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 6

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | 1 Comment

Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Losing back-to-back games over the weekend, the Philadelphia Flyers are in a temporary state of free-falling. This is largely do in part by the combination of struggling net-minders.

Seen here, Sergei Bobrovsky passes while being replaced by Ilya Bryzgalov after letting 6 goals in midway through the second period against the surging New Jersey Devils Saturday night. The loss was followed up by another one against the New York Rangers Sunday night. Together, the two goalies allowed 10 goals on 68 shots faced for a .853 save percentage.

Sure, the Flyers are still sitting comfortable within the Eastern Conference standings, currently in 4th place, but going 4-4-2 in their last 10 games needs to come to an end or other suitors will gladly knock them out of playoff contention.

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Fantasy Hockey Friday

Jan 20

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

Two weeks ago, we brought you an in depth breakdown of team stats around the NHL that could help give a better indication on how your goalie may fare on any given night against any given opponent. This week we turn the tables a bit to analyze more team stats, but this time focus on the impact of these stats for forwards and defenseman.

A good Fantasy Hockey league setup has roster positions and bench positions so that on some nights, when most everyone on your team is playing, you have to make the tough decisions regarding who to bench and who to play. So as a Manager, how do you decide which players to play and which to sit?

Sometimes it comes down to a “hunch” or intuition. Obviously your star players will likely get spots because they are more likely to put points on the board. Players on hot streaks may also get the nod over someone that is slumping. Or you may choose to go by which team any given player is playing against that night.

For instance, if you’re trying to decide between two players, and one is playing against the New York Rangers while the other is playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may want to consider playing your guy against Tampa Bay. Why? Because Tampa Bay averages 3.47 goals against per game while the Rangers average 1.98 goals against per game, meaning there is a greater probability that your player will score against Tampa Bay.

Here is a breakdown of the top five teams in the league with the lowest goals against averages per game:

New York Rangers (1.98)

St. Louis Blues (1.98)

Boston Bruins (2.02)

Los Angeles Kings (2.13)

San Jose Sharks (2.28)

Similarly, here are the worst five teams in the NHL with the highest goals against averages per game:

Tampa Bay Lightning (3.47)

Columbus Blue Jackets (3.22)

Carolina Hurricanes (3.17)

Ottawa Senators (3.08)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3.07)

The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders also have averages of 3.00 goals against per game or better as well.

You can also get a good idea of how your players will fare by looking at which goalie he will face that night. And these numbers don’t always correlate with the team average.

Boston has a low enough team goals against per game average, but backup netminder Tuukka Rask actually has a lower goals against average than starter Tim Thomas. This means that your player is more likely to score on Thomas than on Rask, but the likelihood that he will score against Boston at all is slim.

Consider the Colorado Avalanche as well. As a whole, the team averages 2.85 goals allowed per game. However, goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere have basically split time, but Varlamov’s goals against average is much higher at 3.00 goals against per game than Giguere’s 2.12 goals against per game. So if Varlamov gets the start, play against him with confidence.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a similar issue with Ilya Bryzgalov (3.00) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.42). Thankfully for Fantasy Managers, Bryzgalov gets the majority of the starts with 30 this season compared to Bobrovsky’s 14.

It doesn’t happen often when you have a full slate of games and have to make the tough choices as a manager on whom to bench and whom to play, but knowing the odds can help you make the right decision in the future. It’s not fool-proof by any means, but it’s a step in the right direction.

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Kings Look to Prove Their Worth

Oct 29

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Jonathan Quick, net-minder for the Los Angeles Kings has topped the charts for fantasy goalies. Going 6-0-1 in his first 7 starts, his play could be an early indicator of the Kings success this year.

Tonight, the Kings will face the Phoenix Coyotes in a division showdown. The Coyotes are off to a rough start, 4-3-2 in 9 games so far, look to build upon their recent win over the New Jersey Devils. With Ray Whitney, Keith Yandle and Captain Shane Doan leading the team, it is only a matter of time before the Coyotes fight for first place within the division. Factor in a new netminder Mike Smith, after Ilya Bryzgalov went to the Philadelphia flyers (3-4-1 and a 3.44 goals against average this season), and the team is definitely hungry.

The Kings come into this season with a lot to prove after an early exit last year in the playoffs. This was largely in part to the injury to Captain Anze Kopitar. This season, Kopitar looks to have recovered from his broken ankle, as he is tearing it up with 4 goals, 8 assists and a plus 5 overall rating. Furthermore, new addition Mike Richards has 1 goal and 8 helpers so far. Richards had 23 goals last season and 31 the season before that, fans are just waiting for the dam to break.

You cannot speak about the Kings without mentioning defensman Drew Doughty. Doughty had a rough start to the season, holding out for more money then now having an upper-body injury. Tonight he is expected to suit back up against the Coyotes, and hopefully tries to prove he is indeed worth his contract.

The season is young, still too early to see who really has what it takes this year to go all the way. Still, the Kings are looking really good early on. Once all the puzzle pieces start coming together, it will be interesting to see if any team in the Pacific division stands a chance.

 

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Phoenix Coyotes

Sep 16

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Additions: Daymond Langkow, Raffi Torres, Mike Smith

Key Offseason Losses: Eric Belanger, Lee Stempniak, Vernon Fiddler, Ed Jovanovski, Ilya Bryzgalov

Last Season Ranking: 6th in West

What do you mean Ilya Bryzgalov is gone? We're screwed!

Offense: The Phoenix Coyotes were in the middle of the pack last year as a team for offensive statistics. Averaging 2.76 goals per game, it is going to be interesting to see if the team can better last years numbers with the amount of changes to the lineup.

The Coyotes are still lead by the great work ethic of Shane Doan. Doan is a player you would love on your team but hate to play against. Averaging 64 points over his last five seasons, it seems likely he will meet that number again this year.

Doan will be supported by an assortment of players, most notably Martin Hanzel, Ray Whitney, Radim Vrbata, Taylor Pyatt and new addition Daymond Langkow. Hanzel is coming into his 5th season and has been looking to break into the 40 point threshold. Whitney brings the veteran presence as well as great playmaking capabilities. Vrbata has jumped to a few teams but it seems Phoenix is the place for him. Vrbata has averaged 49 points in the three seasons with the Coyotes. Pyatt brings good depth to the team, not exceling, but manages to stay positive in +/- over his years.

The final piece of the puzzle comes from Daymond Langkow who previously played for the Calgary Flames. He has been suffering from a neck injury, but if healthy, can add another 40+ points to the team. The positive for Coyote fans is that his production is a good combination of assists and goals.

Defense: When you look at Phoenix’s defensive pairings you cannot help but notice the team has depth. Sure they lost gritty Ed Jovanovski, but that can be easily overlooked by giving more ice time to sophomore Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson only played 48 games last season, needing time to develop with the San Antonio Rampage. Expected to play a full season this year without any unforeseen hardships, Ekman-Larsson could develop into a very good defenseman.

Most of the weight of the defense will be carried by Keith Yandle. Yandle had a breakout season posting 11 goals and 48 assists for 59 points. Include a plus 12 rating and 103 blocked shots, Yandle does what it takes for the team to win.

Goaltending: The biggest change for the team comes in the net. Ilya Bryzgalov has gone to the Philadelphia Flyers to be replaced by Mike Smith from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Smith did not play much last season for the Lightning as Dwayne Roloson stole the show. It is expected the time out of the number one spotlight, as well as replacing Bryzgalov’s shoes, will make Smith hungry to be the best goalie and the right choice for the Coyotes.

If, however, Smith falters, backup Jason LaBarbera will be there to assist. While playing for the Los Angeles Kings, LaBarbera was expected to be a great goalie. The hype far outweighed the production, and he will forever be just a backup.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Not Playoff bound. With the loss of Ilya Bryzgalov and no real added stars, the Phoenix Coyotes will not make the playoffs. Poor performance will increase the low attendance, expect rumors to be spreading all year about a potential city change.

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Philadelphia Flyers

Sep 4

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Additions: Ilya Bryzgalov, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, , Brayden Schenn, Jaromir Jagr, Maxime Talbot

Key Offseason Losses: Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Kris Versteeg, Ville Leino, Dan Carcillo

Last Season Ranking: 2nd in the East

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter won't be partying anymore as both players have been traded to different teams.

Offense: It is hard predicting all that the Philadelphia Flyers can achieve this year offensively with the massive amount of trades that happened during the off-season. Captain Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Kris Versteeg all parted ways in the Flyers remodel. Together, the three combined for 80 goals, 98 assists to total a whopping 178 points. Simply put, that is a lot of points lost.

Flyer’s fans will be happy to know that the incoming class will most likely pick up the slack and put forth a mighty good effort in out-doing their predecessors. Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek are both solid two way players that will bring a lot of heart to the game. Veteran Jaromir Jagr is a wild card but is coming off of a slightly higher than point per game season in the KHL as well as a head turning display in the World Championships for the Czech Republic. Throw in gritty, get-under-your-skin-and-draw-a-penalty Maxime Talbot and the Flyers are starting to look like a good mix resembling that of the Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins.

The Flyers still have one more asset from the off-season trades and that being young Brayden Schenn. Schenn only played 8 NHL games last season for the Los angeles Kings but still managed to produce 2 assist and 11 shots. His Junior career was spent with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL where as a rookie, he not only lead the team in scoring, he lead the league amongst all rookie scorers with 28 goals and 43 assists to total 71 points in 66 games played. It is still yet to be determined if he will be playing this season, but the future for the organization has a definite plus side with him in it.

The Flyers still have a very solid core, made up of Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Scott “Carrot Top” Hartnell and recently extended contract James van Riemsdyk. It is important that the four of these players not only assist the new players in learning how to play Broad Street Bully hockey, but also be able to adapt to new line-mates.

Defense: Philly’s defense did not change nearly as much as the offense, as a matter of fact, only 1 new defensive player has been added to the roster. Big 6’3″ Andreas Lilja, who played last season with the Anaheim Ducks and most known for his years with the Detroit Red Wings, will be looking at limited ice time unless he can earn more.

Ilya Bryzgalov looks to be the solid goaltender the Philadelphia flyers have been missing

The team will once again be coddled by veteran and Stanley Cup winner Chris Pronger. Pronger is coming off of an injury plagued season. Pronger underwent two recent surgeries, a plate and pins inserted in his right hand and disk fragments removed from his lower back. It is expected that Pronger will not be ready in time for training camp, but stated his hand which is limiting the majority of his weight training, is between 80 and 85 percent healed.

Overall, the Flyer’s defense looks as good as last year, which saw them as 11th best in goals against average with 2.63. That stat will most likely improve…

Goaltending: Perhaps the biggest move of the off-season was the addition of net-minder Ilya Brzygalov. Bryz played for the Phoenix Coyotes, and in leaving, most likely burned some bridges. But that really doesn’t matter now as becoming the number one goalie over Sergei Bobrovski, Ilya has said all the right things to Philly fans. “This is a team with rich history,” Bryzgalov said. “The highest goal is to win the Cup. That’s what this game is all about. That’s all that matters.”

Could Bryzgalov take the Flyers to the promised land? Not sure, but being known as a somewhat difficult teammate, it will be interesting to see if the Flyers later down the road want to dump him as they did Richards and Carter, only to be denied by his 9 year, $51 million dollar deal taking him to 40 years of age.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound.

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Flyers ink Bryzgalov for nine years

Jun 23

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

As expected, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year, $51 million contract.

The move comes immediately on the heels of news that the Flyers traded forwards Jeff Carter and Mike Richards to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings respectively – a move that freed up roughly $11 million in salary cap space for a team that had less than one million in cap space when they acquired the negotiating rights for Bryzgalov from Phoenix two weeks ago.

The contract will give the Flyers a cap hit of roughly $5.7 million each season for one of the best goaltenders in the league in recent years. Last season with the Coyotes, Bryzgalov posted 36 wins along with a 2.48 goals against average and a .921 save percentage – some of the best stats of his career.

With the salary cap increasing by roughly $5 million for next season, the Flyers still have $7.57 million in cap space left with 18 players under contract and their moves today.

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Philadelphia Flyers acquire negotiating rights to Ilya Bryzgalov

Jun 8

Posted by Chris in News | 2 Comments

The Philadelphia Flyers took one step closer to resolving their goaltender situation as the team traded the Phoenix Coyotes for the negotiating rights to goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

In exchange for his negotiating rights, Phoenix received forward Matt Clackson, a third-round draft pick in 2012 and future considerations. The Flyers will now have sole negotiating rights to Bryzgalov before he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

“We’ll see what we can do,” said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. “He’s certainly not an old goaltender. We feel like he’s got a lot of good years left in him. We’ll see how it goes. When you get into a negotiation like this, you’re dealing with a salary cap and you try and get a number you can live with.”

Perhaps no team in the NHL more desperately needs a top-tier goaltender than the Flyers, which became evident this spring in the playoffs after the team consistently started different goalies and hardly played the same backstop in back-to-back games.

However, sources close to the situation stated that Phoenix intended to re-sign Bryzgalov, but talks broke down when Bryzgalov indicated that the money he seeks would make him one of the highest paid goalies in the NHL. Whether this is true remains unclear, but Bryzgalov, who finished this past season with 36 wins – including seven shutouts – could command a raise from the $4.25 million he was making previously – especially in a free agent market thin on quality, proven starting goaltenders.

“After several discussions with Ilya and his agent, it became very clear to us that we were not in a position to sign Ilya to a long-term contract,” said Coyotes’ general manager Don Maloney in a statement. “We will now focus our efforts on adding another goaltender to our roster for the upcoming season.”

While the Flyers need a goalie, their cap situation makes it difficult for the team to even match Bryzgalov’s previous contract, let alone make him one of the highest paid netminders in the game. The team currently has less than $500,000 available in cap space for next season with only 18 players under contract. Although the cap is expected to go up, the Flyers will still have to move a player or two in order to fit Bryzgalov under the cap. Rumors continue to circulate that Jeff Carter has been targeted and inquired about by several teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. With a long-term contract and a cap hit of roughly $5.25 million, Carter would be a cap-friendly commodity for any team looking to beef up their offense.

Don’t be surprised if the Flyers try to unload defenseman Chris Pronger, either. Pronger, whose cap hit is $4.92 million, was plagued by injuries most of last season. At 36-years-old, Pronger may have seen his best days and the Flyers could look to unload the physical defenseman and his hefty contract.

With the NHL Entry Draft two-and-a-half weeks away, the Flyers will most likely try to figure out where they stand with Bryzgalov before the draft and then make any necessary cap moves at the draft or in the days preceding the draft.

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Phoenix Coyotes Tops the Pacific Division

Nov 24

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | 1 Comment

As if you thought I would not touch on this topic?

The Phoenix Coyotes are now the new leader in the Pacific Division. With a record of 11-5-5 for 27 points, the team seems to have settled in. Things did not come easy though for the Coyotes as in the month of October they were a sad 3-4-3, 9 points out of a possible 20. Some were worried, even myself, that maybe the team was a fluke last year.

This is not the case as the team is currently on a tear with a 7-1-2 record in their last 10 games played. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov is starting to regain form; 6 wins in a row. New addition Ray Whitney leads the team with 15 points, Wojtek Wolski is getting his scoring hands back and forwards Radim Vrbata and Lee Stempniak each have 13 points a piece and a +6/+5 rating.

The team is playing well and still has some room to grow. Youndg defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is still finding his way, forward Scottie Upshall has not been up to his normal scoring ways, and even captain Shane Doan has yet to lead the team as a captain should.

The Phoenix Coyotes are back on track and look to keep up their impressive streak of wins. The Pacific division is tough with the likes of the Los Angeles Kings and the slumping San Jose Sharks, but expect the Coyotes to contest for the top spot throughout the whole year. Come playoffs, the only thing these desert dogs have to worry about is not matching up against the Detroit Red Wings.

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Phoenix Coyotes Slow Start

Nov 17

Posted by EB in Guest Article | No Comments

HWB is reaching out to local fans bringing their thoguhts and opinions about their home team to HWB readers. Here is one of them from guest writer Jenna @ Hipchecks.com.

The Coyotes season has not been off to as great of a start as we thought it would be. I am thinking we need to change the marketing campaign from Don’t Blink to Don’t Panic. As several people have pointed out, this is not the worse start. It’s not great and there is still a lot of hockey to play yet.

The biggest problem seems to be the penalties. I don’t know what they have in the penalty box this season but it must be pretty good since the guys love to take a 2 minute rest. Beyond that, we can’t string together a consistent 60 minutes and we seem to have lost our physical edge. The Coyotes are a much better team when they play aggressively. They seem to have forgotten how to finish a check.

The Coyotes are finding ways to get a point here and there but I would much rather take the win in regulation. The team seems to be starting to gel a bit now. Tippett put the Czech line back together for the win against Chicago and Wolski has remembered he has skills. I am hoping we can string together some wins. LaBarbera put up a good game Wednesday and gave Bryz a much needed rest. This could be a turnaround point.

Enough about the on ice problems, what about the attendance? Personally, I think it sucks right now. I can give you all the excuses in the world for. Trust me, I know them all and have recited them quite a bit. I can also tell you I have yet to buy a single game ticket. I used to be a season ticket holder. Why haven’t I bought a ticket? I can’t afford it. I have not received a raise in three, going on four, years. The economy is brutal right now.

A couple of the players have made comments about the attendance. Paul Bissonnette stated on twitter that he thought it was dress like a seat night while Ray Whitney gave extensive quotes to some news story. The difference is Bissonnette was making a joke and has made it apparent how much he appreciates the loyal fans. Whitney just threw us all under a bus. Maybe if Whitney could score a few more fans would show up. Just a thought.

The fact that we don’t have an owner doesn’t help attendance either. It’s very unstable right now. I know I have talked to a lot of people that are waiting for the whole mess to sort out. There is no easy answer. With an owner, we can have a real marketing department with a real budget. There is almost no advertising now except at the market that already watches the game. We have guys that should be out in public. Shane Doan is like the Steve Nash and Kurt Warner of hockey. He is already in the community a lot but he is no where near the Steve Nash or Kurt Warner level in Phoenix and he should be.

Speaking of the ownership situation… Did anyone see the interview with Hulsizer during the Chicago game? It was quite positive. He has already talked to the coaching staff about making the transition and he referred to the assistant GM as “our GM”. He is already thinking about the team as his. I also liked the way he spoke about hockey and owning a team. It’s not about the money for him. He is very passionate about this sport and wants to see it prosper in Arizona. He said a deal is imminent. I believe we will hear the big announcement by the end of 2010.

If you would like to write a guest article about your home team, please contact any member of the HWB team and we would be happy to make that possible.

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NHL Award Finalists and Picks Part 3

May 11

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Part one can be found here, while part two can be found here.

Vezina Trophy: Best Goaltender

Finalists:

  • Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
  • Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres
  • Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes

Interesting how the three finalists for the most outstanding goaltender went one-and-done in the playoffs. All three goalies are outstanding in their own way. All three competed for their native countries in the Olympics, despite Brodeur getting benched after the first matchup against Miller and the United States. Brodeur was the workhorse of NHL goalies as he led all goaltenders in games played (77) , wins (45) , and shoutouts (9). Miller kept his hot streak going after the United States Olympic run as he posted a 9-2-1 record after the Vancouver games. He also posted a .929 save percentage while winning 41 games. Bryzgalov was the one of the trio who had more of a breakout season. He posted career-high’s in games played (69), wins (42), and shutouts (eight). His season also led to the Coyotes posting franchise best marks in wins and points in a season.

My Pick: Bryzgalov

GM of the Year

Finalists:

  • George McPhee, Washington Capitals
  • Don Maloney, Phoenix Coyotes
  • David Poile, Nashville Predators

The work of a general manager is like walking a fine line. If the team has a successful season, the GM is given credit for assembling a fantastic roster. If they start to lose games, the finger is pointed at them. The three finalists this season has either seen the fruits of their labor some to fruition or has kept their team competitive in the salary cap era of the NHL. McPhee and Poile didn’t have to tinker with their teams as much as Maloney had to, but they did enough to have their team keep improving over the course of the season. McPhee signed Mike Knuble to help Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom form one of the most powerful lines in the NHL. Poile was patient in Nashville, as the team was struggling early in the season. Instead of blowing it up right there, he let coach Barry Trotz work it out before making moves at the deadline to push Nashville into the seventh seed in the playoffs. Maloney had a tough situation last off season as he couldn’t make any moves due to the team being in bankruptcy court and not knowing his operating budget. He did what he could, and fielded a young, competitive team to  make the playoffs and bring fans back to the arena.

My Pick: Maloney

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Norris Trophy: Most Outstanding Defenseman

Finalists:

  • Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
  • Mike Green, Washington Capitals
  • Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks

It’s weird to see a Norris Trophy finalist list without seeing Nicklas Lidstrom. Could it be the end of an era of one of the best defensemen in league history? The three finalists up for the award this season is part of the youth movement the league is going for. Mike Green has both the offensive and defensive capabilities that’s needed for a top notch blueliner. Green finished runner-up to Zdeno Chara last season, and lead all defensemen this season in goals, assists, points, and power play goals. Doughty would be the second-youngest winner, behind Bobby Orr. Keith posted career high’s in goals, assists and points while finishing second behind Green in assists and points.

My Pick: Green

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