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Zach Parise Likely to Play Elsewhere

Dec 6

Posted by EB in Rumors | 1 Comment

Zach Parise may be a New Jersey Devil today, but come trade deadline or free agency, expect him to be on the move.

New Jersey Devil fans have it tough, real tough. If it is not bad enough that the Devils are currently sitting 12th in the standings in the East, young superstar Zach Parise is likely to play for another team come trade deadline or in the off-season.

The Minnesota native Zach Parise is coming into his production years at the age of 27. Playing 7 seasons with the Devils, it is time for some new scenery. With a Silver medal under his belt from 2010, Parise wants a Stanley Cup ring, that of which the Devils won’t do for quite some time.

The Devils of old were once a powerhouse team. Hard hitting defender Scott Stevens, a younger Martin Brodeur between the pipes and head coach Jacques Lemaire made every team cringe. How the years have passed, as the Devils of new are nothing but a pushover. Last year the team missed the playoffs by 12 points. To this day the team is once again sitting on the outside looking in. An argument could be that they are only 2 points back from 8th, but the Eastern Conference is a tricky beast.

My how a few acquisitions, trades and years makes a difference. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised the hockey community as both are currently sitting in playoff spots. It seems Brian Burke’s master plan to take over the hockey world is finally taking form. (insert lightning/thunder/evil laugh now) On the flip side, the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, all three teams who made the playoffs last season, are currently on the outside looking in. The Devils competition is only going to get tougher.

Over a quarter way in, Parise has only 16 points in 25 games. His total is from a combined 7 goals and 9 assists, a rather poor total for such a player of his caliber. On top of that, Parise has a plus minus rating of negative 10, second to worst on the team, that of which belongs to Ilya Kovalchuk with a negative 11.

Devil fans enjoy the season while it lasts, despite the slow plummet to miss the playoffs yet again. Parise is on the move come trade deadline or free agency. If you are lucky another team will be offering a trade and you can get some depth and draft picks.

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: New Jersey Devils

Sep 1

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Additions: None

Key Offseason Losses: Brian Rolston

Last Season Ranking: 11th in the East

Offense: With recent headlines of, “Devils Sign 12 Players, Mostly Minor Leaguers”, you begin to wonder what the organization is thinking to turn this sinking ship around. Oh, that’s right, the team will heavily rely on Ilya Kovalchuk and his 15 year, $100 million dollar deal.

Kovaluchuk is coming off of a down year with only 60 points in all. The plus side, a 60 point season for many players is a good

Can both Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise turn this team around this season?

season. His point production will likely get back up in the 90 point range this season, especially if teammate Zach Parise can stay healthy from a knee injury. Parise currently is in his last year before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Many predict after an off-season with tough contract negotiations, the talented young player will test the free agency market for not only more money that the Devils cannot offer, but a better chance at winning the Stanley cup.

If that is not enough drama to make General Hospital look sane, the Devil’s organization are now faced with who to give the Captaincy to. Many believe Kovalchuk is the only option, with the length of his contract with the Devils until bites the dust, but because Parise won’t be a Devil after this year. Is Kovalchuk the right player for the job? It is still not known, but I would not put my money on it.

Supporting cast will be made up of Travis Zajac, Dainius Zubrus and Patrik Elias. Zajac and Zubrus are both coming off of down years and need to step it up for the team to succeed. Elias, on the other hand, put together a 21 goals and 41 assists for a 62 point season. Elias is still capable of meeting and possibly exceeding those numbers this year, but at age 35, how much endurance does he really have? Side note, Zajac will miss a month and a half of the season to heal from a left Achilles tendon surgery.

Defense: The Devils, despite not having any really big named defensive players, were 9th overall in goals against average with 2.52. This is in part due to the strong effort of Andy Greene, Henrik Tallinder and Andy Volchenkov. But with a combined plus/minus rating of  -26, to say they need to do better is an understatement.

A big blow to the defense happens to not be a player, but the news that Jacques Lemaire will not return as Head Coach. Lemaire was previously retired, but after the Devils sunk last season under John McLean, the soon to be 66-year-old Lemaire came back to help out. In the 48 games he coached last year, he led the team to a 28-17-3 record.

Perhaps new Head Coach Peter DeBoer can mimic some of Lemaire’s winning ways, but coming off of two losing seasons as Head Coach of the Florida Panthers and eventually being fired with one year left on his contract, it looks like he might have his work cut out with this Bad News Bears bunch.

Goaltending: Need I really say anything on goaltending? Martin Brodeur is still the number one goalie and will be backed up by Johan Hedberg. If the Devil’s are smart, and want to make the playoffs, they need to give Hedberg 20 games. Brodeur is no longer a spring chicken and is 39 years old. Factor in that he missed games last season to knee problems, elbow problems the year before that, the Devils need to start looking at reserving his energy as well as possibly replacing him in one of the upcoming seasons.

Hedberg is only a year behind Brodeur at 38 years of age but will be the deciding factor for the Devils if they make the post-season or not. Never really having a bad nor good season, mainly staying at .500 each year, Hedberg needs to find the Tim Thomas fountain of save-my-career-and-make-me-the-king-of-the-world.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound.

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Will the Zach Parise Injury Help the Devils?

Nov 6

Posted by Matt in Soap Box | 5 Comments

Will Ilya Kovalchuk pick up the scoring in the absence of Zach Parise?

Will Ilya Kovalchuk pick up the scoring in the absence of Zach Parise?

For anyone who didn’t know, Zach Parise got injured. He was forced to have surgery to repair torn meniscus in his right knee. This injury will keep him out of competition for the next three months. As one of the top scorers on a struggling New Jersey Devils squad, how is this going to affect the team?

Well, in the worst case scenario, the Devils continue tumbling over the next three months and basically sit rock bottom in the standings when Parise returns. After playing 15 games already and only gathering nine points, this seems likely. They’re currently second to last in the Eastern Conference as it is. The Devils and their fans will pretty much call it a season, and begin thinking about next year.

But what if this is exactly what the team needs? What if this is exactly what a guy like Ilya Kovalchuk needs to really break loose and start scoring in bunches. Maybe guys like Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner need this added responsibility to turn up their scoring too.

Kovalchuk was always ‘the guy’ in Atlanta. Coming to an already productive team, it hasn’t been necessary for him to do all of the scoring, and perhaps thats thrown him off. Just the same, his addition to the Devils roster has taken scoring pressure off of the aforementioned Arnott and Langenbrunner. But now as point per game player Zach Parise is out for the next three months, the pressure has returned more than ever.

With solid goaltending in Martin Brodeur, and some potent scorers, perhaps this injury is just what the Devils need to get going. Kovalchuk will regain his scoring touch and dominate on the top power play unit, secondary scorers like Travis Zajac will carry their share of the workload, and overall the people who should be scoring, will be scoring. By the time Parise returns, we could be looking at a hot Devils team that is once again near the top of the Atlantic Devision.

What do you think will happen? Is the Devils season salvageable? Or should they just begin thinking about year two of the Ilya Kovalchuk mega contract?

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Goaltenders

Aug 30

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

With NHL training camps set to begin about four weeks from now, it’s time for fantasy hockey managers to start reengaging their brains and begin planning for their upcoming Fantasy Hockey Draft. Most drafts will take place in the latter-half of September, but it’s never too early to start looking for that gem of a late-round pick, the underrated talent who is set for a breakout season or the veteran presence who is due for a rebound year.

Today’s Position: Goaltenders

Goalies can make or break a great fantasy season. Think of it this way – you have15 or so players on your roster to help you win in approximately 10 offensive categories and then you have two or three goalies to help you in approximately five goalie stat categories. Seems a little lopsided, don’t you think? That is why you need to secure a good goaltender if you intend to make a serious push at becoming league champion. Here are a couple names that could help you out.

If You Want Wins – Brodeur. Enough said. If he stays healthy he will start between 60 and 70 games and will win more than half of those. He will also give you a decent amount of shutouts as well.

Jimmy-HowardFor An All-Around Good Goalie – Take Ryan Miller. Not only did Miller post excellent numbers last season, but he solidified himself as an All-Star goaltender with an amazing outing at the Olympics as the starting goaltender for Team USA. Miller will give you solid numbers all around.

The Secret is Out On – Ilya Bryzgalov. Forty-two wins last season and a career-best 2.29 goals against average, this guy is the real deal and so is Phoenix.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Chance On – Jimmy Howard (pictured). As long as Howard can make the saves that he is supposed to make, he will get a lot of help from a newly rejuvenated Red Wings squad. Expect Howard to be solid in all goalie stat categories this season.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Marty Turco. Now in Chicago, Turco will have a better defensive core in front of him that will surely help him reclaim his game.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Antero Nittymaki. Nittymaki had a good season last year with a subpar Tampa Bay squad where he posted 21 wins and a 2.87 goals against average. Any shortcomings as a net minder this season may be erased by San Jose’s potent offense. Expect 30 or more wins this season.

Keep An Eye On – Everyone. It’s so difficult to predict which goalies will thrive and which goalies will fail on any given night or during any given season. Remember that some of the best goaltenders in recent years probably went undrafted in most fantasy hockey drafts. I certainly don’t know anyone who drafted Antti Niemi, Tuuku Rask or Jimmy Howard out of the gate last season and all three of those players managed to stay at the top of the league in goalie stats.

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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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Most Valuable Players Thus Far

Jan 26

Posted by Matt in News | 2 Comments

With every team having played at least 50 games, I think we’re approaching a good time to start talking about the league’s most valuable players this season. I’ve separated my choices into three different categories to make things easier, the Most Valuable Goalie, the Most Valuable Defenseman, and the Most Valuable Player. Let’s jump right in and take a look.

Most Valuable Goaltender: Ryan Miller – Buffalo Sabres

Ryan Miller was the clear cut choice for me. Several other goalies could make a case, but Miller has been absolutely clutch this season and the Buffalo Sabres would not be where they are today (1st in the Northeast Division, 3rd in the Eastern Conference) without his stellar play.

While he hasn’t won a game in his past three starts, Miller has still put together some great numbers. His 2.09 goals against average is 2nd in the NHL, sitting only behind Chicago backup Antti Niemi. Miller is also currently posting a .933 save percentage, the highest in the league. Along with those impressive stats, Miller is tied for 4th in wins with 27 and tied for 3rd in shutouts with 5.

Honorable Mention: Martin Brodeur, Craig Anderson, Ilya Bryzgalov

Most Valuable Defenseman: Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks

Duncan Keith has really turned into a solid and reliable defenseman for the Blackhawks. His offensive skills, as well as his ability to shut down the oppositions best players, has turned him into an irreplaceable piece of the team. On most nights, you can find Keith playing 25 minutes or more.

Keith is putting together a career year offensively, and you can expect him to get better as he enters his prime. So far this season, he has posted 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points in only 52 games. His point total is 2nd to only Patrick Kane, and he also ranks 2nd on the team in +/- with a +18. Only 11 of his points thus far have come on the power-play, so Keith is not only a threat there, but especially even strength. Duncan Keith definitely has a bright future with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Honorable Mention: Mike Green, Drew Doughty, Tyler Myers

Henrik Sedin is currently the Most Valuable Player in the NHL

Henrik Sedin is currently the Most Valuable Player in the NHL

Most Valuable Player: Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks

Where would the Canucks be this season without the outstanding play of Henrik Sedin? In case you haven’t been paying attention this season, he is playing out of his mind. Since the start of December, he has only failed to score a point in two games. This has resulted in point streaks of 9 games, 10 games, and his current 5 game point streak. His point total over that that is 48, through 10 goals and 38 assists.

The Sedin line is probably the hottest line in the NHL. Other lines may come close, but you can’t touch the production he has had this season. As we stand today, 52 games in for the Canucks, Henrik has already set a career high in goals with 24. He’s currently 19 assists shy of his career high of 71, which he will break in approximately 10 games at his current pace. Alongside those numbers, his 76 points are only 6 shy of tying a career high. Did I mention the Canucks have only played 52 games? At his current pace, Henrik Sedin will have no problem breaking the 100 point barrier and leading the Canucks to the playoffs. His strong play will be most crucial if the Canucks plan on making a run at the Stanley Cup this spring.

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K-F-C

Dec 22

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Captain Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atalanta Thrashers.

Captain Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atalanta Thrashers.

K is for Kovalchuk:

The All-Star left wing and Captain of the Atlanta Thrashers has come to a “snag” in talks for a new contract with his current club.

Next year, Kovalchuk becomes an unrestricted free agent. Kovalchuk entered the league in the 2001-2002 season with Atlanta Thrashers, and has played with them since. He has been posting up consistent numbers, averaging 79 points in the five completed seasons he has played. Atlanta has had trouble in the past completing deals. Atlanta was unable to sign Marian Hossa a few seasons back.

Kovalchuk is one of the big names this year for potential free agents. It is expected he will sign with Atlanta and become their franchise player, however if not, oh what a fun time it will be come trade deadline.

F is for Fisticuffs:

The Florida Panthers visited the Philadelphia Flyers last night for some good ‘ol hockey.

The meeting was their first since October 24th, where Flyer’s captain Mike Richards hit winger David Booth. The hit, which was controversial in being a head shot or not, received no disciplinary action, but has taken Booth out of the lineup for an indefinite period of time. Booth is the future of the Panthers, but currently is only participating in “light” skating.

The game began with a bang, as the first period consisted of 3 fights, one less than 2 minutes in. The total fight count ended with 4, yet the one to make note of was Panther’s captain Bryan McCabe challenging Flyer’s captain Mike Richards to a fight 3 minutes and 42 seconds into the game. The two dropped the gloves, circled briefly with both captain C’s bearing on their chest, and began to throw their punches.

It is not often you see two captains going toe to toe in a fight. Respect to both captains, McCabe for setting the tone and the score, and for Richards taking responsibility for his previous actions on Booth. Hockey is scrutinized for it’s fighting, however self regulation such as this makes the game safer than if fighting were to be removed.

The Panthers dominated the score board, winning 4-1, moving them to 8th place in the East, and sending the Flyers into a speedy decline to second to the bottom of the conference.

Martin Brodeur is interviewed after recording his 104th career shutout in an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh Monday, Dec. 21, 2009.

Martin Brodeur is interviewed after recording his 104th career shutout in an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh Monday, Dec. 21, 2009.

C is for Champion:

New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur broke the shutout record, posting his 104th of his career in a 4-0 win over the defending Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins. The record previously belonged to Detroit Red Wing’s Terry Sawchuk.

Brodeur, smiling from ear to ear took many photos with teammates and his puck inscribed with “104.” It is good to see the emotion and love for the game, and Devils forward Zach Parise said it best about the milestone, “I mean, it’s pretty fun. I’m sure it’s fun for him but it’s pretty cool for us too.”

The record stood for 39 years. Ironically, Sawchuk’s last shutout was against the Penguins on February 1, 1970.

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New Jersey Devils

Sep 1

Posted by EB in Season Previews | 3 Comments

NewJerseyDevils_logoThe New Jersey Devils had a remarkable year last season considering goaltender Martin Brodeur was out majority of the season with surgery to repair a torn bicep muscle. One would expect the Devils to be even better this upcoming season as Brodeur is healthy and in top shape as always, however during the off season the Devils have lost a big part of their team.

Savior goaltender Scott Clemmensen has gone to the Florida Panthers leaving the backup position to the Devils only acquisition, goaltender Yann Dannis from the New York Islanders. This however is not a worry as Brodeur is the Iron Man of goaltenders.

The problem that will be faced is the loss of forwards Brian Gionta and John Madden. Last season Gionta posted 60 points in 81 games with 3 of those points being shorthanded goals. Madden on the other hand only 23 points in 76 games, yet contributed greatly to the depth of the team. He too also posted a shorthanded goal and 2 short handed assists.

The Devils were able to not only secure a playoff spot last season, but were able to clinch first in the tough Atlantic division. This year expect them to drop to 3rd if not farther within the division as the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers look tougher this season with their off season acquisitions, as well as defending Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins look to go back to back.

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Florida’s New Starter

Aug 14

Posted by EB in Fantasy | 3 Comments

Clemmensen had one of the best pad, jersey and helmet aesthetic combos.

Clemmensen had one of the best pad, jersey and helmet aesthetic combos last season with the Devils.

The Florida Panthers have been receiving some publicity lately, mainly focusing on their off season acquisition of goaltender Scott Clemmensen. Clemmensen signed as an unrestrictive free agent for 3 years coming from the New Jersey Devils after a remarkable season. When all hopes were lost with the news of Martin Brodeur missing the majority of the season due to surgery to repair a torn bicep muscle, Clemmensen received the green light. In previous years he had short game stints in the NHL to fill in, to be expected behind Brodeur, but never has had constant starts. Clemmensen posted a 25-13-1 record, .917 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average. Oh, he also had 2 shutouts.

I never recommend picking up a goalie in the early rounds seeing that it is a crap shoot what team will be winning out of the gate or not, but keep Clemmensen on your radar as he may be a diamond in the rough in the later rounds. It will be interesting to see how he fares in Florida with the different players in front of him, but something tells me he will be a consistent backup goalie on your roster, and perhaps even surpassing your starter.

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