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Loui Eriksson Voted NHLs Most Underrated Player

Jan 14

Posted by Matt in News | No Comments

Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars

Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars was voted the most underrated hockey player by his NHL peers

A few days ago, we brought you Sports Illustrated’s poll about the NHL’s most overrated players. Today, we’re gonna take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum. In this SI poll, NHL players voted on who they thought was the most underrated hockey player.

Taking the crown of most underrated player is Dallas Stars winger Loui Eriksson. The Swedish star has grown into a standout player who has recorded new career highs in points every year since entering the league in 2006-07. So far this season, Eriksson has piled on 40 points through 16 goals and 24 assists. He’s on pace to approach the 80 point mark, which would be another career best.

As Eriksson’s offensive numbers begin to grow, so does his defensive prowess. Eriksson is lined up against some of the oppositions best players, and proving he can handle the workload by posting a plus 12 rating at the seasons midway point. Not only is Eriksson turning into a solid defensive forward, but he does it the right way – without taking penalties. In all of last season, Eriksson only picked up four minor penalties, he’s on pace for the same this season with only two penalties thus far. With tremendous talent and ability, along with great numbers that are only getting better by the year, it’s no wonder Loui Eriksson is the league’s most underrated player.

Coming in at 2nd on the list is Eriksson’s teammate, and Dallas Stars winger, Jamie Benn. Just like his teammate, Benn has consistently improved year after year. This season, his third in the league, Benn is a mere 14 points shy of setting a new career high. His 13 goals and 29 assists thus far have him on pace to easily best his numbers from last season, and Benn is also on his way to finishing the season as a plus player for the first time in his career.

Third on the list is Joe Pavelski, the young San Jose Sharks center. In his short six season career, Pavelski has already notched 119 goals and 155 assists for a point total of 274. This year, Pavelski looks to best his previous career high of 25 goals. He is currently tied for second on the team in goals with 16.

Having an incredible rookie season with 7 shorthanded goals, along with being a prominent defensive forward, might have helped Jordan Staal land at number four on the list. Staal was on pace for career numbers both last season, and this season, but has continued to be plagued by the injury bug. Staal is an important piece to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and should help them turn things around once he is healthy again.

Rounding out our top five is Chris Kelly of the Boston Bruins. Kelly has never stood out on the scoresheet, but is one of those depth players that is vital to a teams success. Obviously a lot of NHL players think he could be more than that too. Kelly helped the Bruins to a Stanley Cup Championship last season, and his 23 points have helped them get off to a 28-11-1 record.

Here are the remaining most underrated hockey players:

6. Pavel Datsyuk
7. Patrick Sharp
8. Claude Giroux
9. Frans Nielsen
10. Zach Parise
11. Tomas Fleischmann
12. Mikko Koivu
13. Martin St. Louis
14. Anze Kopitar
15. Ryan Suter

How accurate do you think the NHL players were? If it were your list, who would you have voted most underrated?

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

Sep 14

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Simon Gagne, Mike Smith, Sean Bergenheim

Key Offseason Additions: Mathieu Garon, Bruno Gervais, Matt Gilroy

Last Season Ranking: 5th in the East

Offense: While a few new faces will grace the roster of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, the core of the team stays intact – a positive for a team that finished 7th in goals scored per game last season.

Martin St. Louis, Steve Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier again form the foundation of the offense. At 36, St. Louis shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Stamkos seemed to struggle with consistency in the second half last season, although 45 goals and 91 points is hardly anything to complain about. Look for these two to tear it up again this season as Stamkos looks to regain his crown as league scoring leader.

Injuries limited Lecavalier to only 65 games last season, but when he’s on the ice he is an effective player scoring 54 points. However, he really came alive in the playoffs with 19 points in 18 games. Seventy points seems like the norm for Lecavalier in a healthy season, but falling just shy of a Stanley Cup Finals berth could light the fire and push Lecavalier back to 80-90 points.

Although the team lost 17 goals and 40 points with the departure of Simon Gagne, they should be able to overcome his departure and make up that scoring elsewhere. Players such as Ryan Malone and Steve Downie will help fill the void if they stay healthy, and Teddy Purcell proved last season he is ready for more responsibilities and quality minutes. A hefty new contract doesn’t necessarily mean production, however, and Purcell will need to prove that he belongs in the top six.

Expect Tampa Bay to post lots of goals this season and be an offensive force again.

Defense: While getting sniper Steve Stamkos under contract was a priority for Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman, he failed to give his blue line a significant boost through trade or free agency. Perhaps that’s because 60 percent of the team’s blue line will be free agents of some sorts next summer.

Victor Hedman continues to grow with each season. Expect a breakout year for Hedman as he enters a contract year and needs to prove that he is a franchise blue liner. Along with Hedman, expect Eric Brewer, Mattius Ohlund and Pavel Kubina to shoulder most of the load.

Tampa Bay finished 22nd in the league in goals allowed per game while only 10 players on the roster finished positive plus/minus ratings. Even then, no player finished better than plus-8. The Lightning are a team that help overcome their defensive deficiencies with strong offense. Expect more of the same this season with no real changes made to the blue line in the offseason.

Goaltending: One problem plaguing the team is recent years has been inconsistent goaltending. That changed last season when they traded for veteran Dwayne Roloson, who made an immediate impact and helped give the team confidence in net. This season, the question is whether lightning can strike twice for the 41-year-old goaltender?

Roloson doesn’t need to be spectacular every night, but he needs to be consistent and give the team a chance to win every time he starts.

The team also let loose backup Mike Smith in favor of veteran Mathieu Garon. Smith struggled with consistency during his years in Tampa and, if nothing else, the Roloson/Garon tandem should provide a more stable net presence for the Lightning than they have had in years.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound.

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Zach Parise Agrees to Terms; Top Fantasy Pick

Jul 31

Posted by EB in Fantasy, News | 5 Comments

The New Jersey Devils and winger Zach Parise have come to terms. After what seemed to be a a guaranteed arbitration hearing, both sides have agreed to a 1 year 6 million dollar contract.

The 26 year old Minnesota native was one of the hot topics of the off-season. Parise, who was a restricted free agent, had the possibility of becoming an unrestricted free agent if the bargaining between the two sides went sour. Had Parise become an unrestricted free agent, Parise could have been approached by other NHL team with contract offers. The talented young player would have definitely had his pick of the litter.

Parise is coming off of an injured 2010-2011 NHL season. He injured his knee during off-season training, opting to play through the pain. Unfortunately hockey is a rough sport, and to his disliking, Parise missed the majority of the season due to exploratory arthroscopic surgery.

The winger broke into the NHL in the 2005-2006 season with the devils and posted a respectable 32 points in 81 games played. Over the next 4 seasons, Parise totaled 303 points in 326 games. His high, only to this point in his career, was 45 goals and 49 assists totaling 94 points in 82 games played. Simply put, Parise is the real deal.

As noted earlier, the Devils and Parise have avoided arbitration and have agreed to a 1 year 6 million dollar contract. In looking at this, the length of the contract, I do not believe Parise will play with the Devils beyond the 2011-2012 season. For Parise, this means that the upcoming NHL season is a season where he needs to not only prove his worth, but play to a caliber that would warrant a big contract. For you as a fan and a fantasy player, this means Parise is going to be putting up big points, upwards of 90+ points. So who might he rival next year? Both Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and yes, Alexander Ovechkin will return to the mix of scoring leaders. Oh, one more guy would be a healthy Sidney Crosby.

Parise has one more year as a Devil and he’s jumping ship. If you are sitting in the third to seventh spot in your draft, Parise would be a good option to take.

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Martin St. Louis continues strong performance into playoffs

May 3

Posted by Chris in Soap Box | 1 Comment

When Martin St. Louis stands on the ice next to his teammates, he looks like somebody’s kid brother. Coming in at a mere 5’9 and less than 180 pounds, in any other situation St. Louis could easily be mistaken for the runt of the group, the kid who was allowed to tag along because mom said so, the one who wants to prove to everyone else that he belongs. The difference between that kid brother and Martin St. Louis, however, is that any team would love to have a player as talented as St. Louis on their roster – someone who long ago proved that he belongs.

Throughout his NHL career, St. Louis has become one of the most consistent and enduring players in the league. In the six years since the lockout, St. Louis has scored 30 or more goals four times and has tallied 80 or more points five times – including this past season where St. Louis posted the second-best numbers of his career with 99 total points (31 G, 68 A), only three shy of his personal best of 102 points in 2006-07.

Perhaps what’s even more impressive is that St. Louis doesn’t let up when the postseason hits, he keeps his foot on the gas pedal and continues where he leaves off in the regular season. The same is true this year where St. Louis has five goals and five assists in nine playoff games – better than a point-per-game average. And this isn’t a once-off thing for St. Louis, this is a trend. St. Louis averaged more than a point per game in three of Tampa Bay’s previous four playoff appearances as well. In a time when goals come at a premium, St. Louis works harder and continues to be a presence both on the ice and on the score sheet.

St. Louis has been there before; he knows what it takes to win. As the Lightning look to go up three games to none on the Washington Capitals tonight, you can bet that Martin St. Louis will be looked upon to provide leadership both on and off the ice for a team looking to make an incredible post season run after missing the playoffs the past three seasons. At 35 years old, St. Louis has become one of the premier talents in the NHL thanks to his solid work ethic. Not too shabby for a player that went undrafted and was cut by the Ottawa Senators in a training camp tryout over a decade ago.

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Washington Capitals in Do-or-Die Game

May 3

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

The series between the Washington Capitals continues tonight for game 3 in Tampa Bay. The Lightning however, with much amazement, are currently leading the series two games to none. Tonight’s game will be either a make or break for the Washington Capitals, possibly leaving them to be exiting the playoffs much earlier than anticipated by most.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are seeing their big names player put points on the board. Currently, Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier have a game winning goal each. Together, they combine for 3 goals, 2 assists and 12 shots. The Lightning supporting casts of Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell have contributed for 1 goal, 4 assists and 11 shots. Where do the Caps stand?

The big three, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Alexander Ovechkin only have a combined 2 goals and 1 assist. Skating the majority of minutes of the Capitals offense, the stats are well below what is to be expected of them. Focusing on defense, offensive defenseman Mike Green is a -2 rating.

With the saying, “Defense wins championships”, Head Coach Bruce Boudreau tweaked the offensive juggernaut in the regular season to focus more on defense and less on the run and gun style they use to play. Sure, the Capitals played close 1 goal difference games in the regular season, but the change was for the playoffs, for the now. In the first round the Capitals were capable of maintaining their defensive minded better back-checking play style to take out the New York Rangers in 5. In this series though, the team have resorted back to their offensive, defensive lacking,  play.

The game tonight is expected to be a high flying, high intensity game, with the Capitals having their backs against the wall. If they wish to take out the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team needs to get back to their play that won them the first seed in the East. The person that needs to lead that charge is Alexander Ovechkin. If however Ovie is unable to tame his urge to take every shot, the team will follow and expect the series to go to 3-0 Lightning, with a possible sweep in sight.

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Omark dazzles in Oilers debut

Dec 11

Posted by Chris in News | 2 Comments

Linus Omark, the gifted Edmonton Oilers left wing and shootout connoisseur who brought us this gem from last season, made his NHL debut last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning and certainly did not disappoint.

Omark not only tallied a power play assist and had two blocks, but he also won the game for the Oilers in the shootout with a nifty little spin-o-rama before faking a slapshot and then burying a wrist shot through the five-hole of goaltender Dan Ellis. A video of the goal can be found below.

Omark’s shootout antics, however, did not sit well with members of the Lightning.

“It’s embarrassing for him,” Ellis said. “You come into a league, a respectful league like this, and you try a little move like that. It’s not a very classy thing. That’s just the kind of person he is.”

Other members of the Lightning weighed in on the move with negative comments. Left wing Ryan Malone called it “a joke” while Martin St. Louis described it as “a slap in the face.”

Perhaps Ellis and his Lightning teammates are just a tad sour that Omark had the confidence to pull off such a move in his NHL debut. Besides, the spin-o-rama seemed to work as Ellis looked to the rafters after allowing the goal in an effort to reconcile his thoughts and figure out what just happened. The move and the fake worked to both pull Ellis out of position and freeze him to allow the opening in his five-hole where Omark buried the shootout-clinching shot.

What are your thoughts? Was Omark’s move disrespectful to the league and to the game or was it a great ploy to freeze Ellis and get the game-winning goal? Check out the video and let us know what you think.

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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Tampa Bay Lightning

Sep 14

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Antero Nittymaki, Alex Tanguy, Ryan Craig, Kurtis Foster

Key Offseason Additions: Dan Ellis, Simon Gagne, Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina, Randy Jones, Brett Clark

Last Season Ranking: 12th in East

Offense:

Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis have been the foundation of this team for several years now, but last season, former number one draft pick Steve Stamkos gave Lightning fans 51 reasons to hope for a better and brighter future. In only his second year in the league, Stamkos tied Sidney Crosby for the league lead in goals with 51 and added 44 assists for 95 total points. These are the three players who will lead the charge again this season.

steven-stamkosStill, what hindered this team was their lack of depth. Newly crowned general manager Steve Yzerman quickly took care of those issues with several decisive moves. On offense, Yzerman added forward Simon Gagne through a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Gagne will help give Tampa Bay two sturdy scoring lines and will certainly help on the power play. Although injury-prone, Gagne is capable of producing at nearly a point-per-game pace during the season.

Both Ryan Malone and Steve Downie will both be called upon to continue their physical style of play this season, but both players are capable of producing offensively as well. Malone notched 21 goals last year while Downie tallied 22 and also added 208 penalty minutes and a plus-14 as well. Both of these players not only give Tampa a physical prowess, but they help give the team that additional scoring depth that will help them win.

Dominic Moore, a free agent signing, will not only bring secondary scoring depth to the lineup but he also works hard and has a good defensive game as well – which Tampa sorely needs.

Defense:

Yzerman made some adjustments on defense as well by adding some grit with the addition of defenseman Pavel Kubina. As a former Stanley Cup winner, Kubina not only lends a veteran presence, but he plays tough and can also chip in 30-40 points per season, which will hopefully help fill the void left by the departed Kurtis Foster. The team also inked blueliners Randy Jones and Brett Clark. Both players have been in the NHL long enough to help bring some experience to the team while giving Tampa more options on the blue line.

Sophomore Victor Hedman, the second-overall draft choice during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, should benefit from the experience of an entire NHL season under his belt. Another season under the wing of veteran defenseman Mattius Ohlund should help Hedman continue to improve rapidly.

Goaltending:

It goes without saying that goaltending has been nothing short of a mess in Tampa in recent years, which is why signing Dan Ellis was essentially the first move that Yzerman made as general manager. With the departure of Antero Nittymaki, the team needed a reliable goaltender and Ellis will hopefully fit the bill. While his stats haven’t been spectacular the past several seasons, he has been relatively consistent and should be a good addition to Tampa’s lineup. Hopefully some healthy competition stirs up between Ellis and backup Mike Smith, causing both players to work hard and play their best.

Season Outlook:

A lot of the pieces seem to be falling into place for the Tampa Bay Lightning and they very well could prove to be one of the most improved teams this season. General manager Steve Yzerman made it a point to add depth to the roster and sign a steady number one goaltender. The team’s additions may be enough to sneak them into the playoffs this season, but if nothing else, the moves made by Yzerman should give the team the foundation to build a contender in the years to come.

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Right Wings

Aug 27

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | 2 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: Right Wing

Right wing may be the shallowest position in fantasy hockey. There is a big disparity between your top-tier guys and the second-tier talent, which makes it essential that you walk into draft day knowing who your best bets are. If you’re looking for a good right wing, consider taking one of the players listed below.

Coyotes Sharks Hockey If You Have a Top 3 Pick – Consider Dany Heatley (pictured). Twice a 50-goal scorer, Heatley has a knack for the net and will give you offense in the range of 80-90 points per season.

If You Can’t Take Heatley – Then look at Martin St. Louis – especially if you want consistency. More than 50 assists in each of his past four seasons and 25 or more goals in those seasons as well. Not to mention he has played in all 82 games every one of those four seasons, too.

The Secret Is Out On – Bobby Ryan. Being the second-overall draft selection behind Sidney Crosby isn’t bad, and neither are 35 goals last season. Bobby Ryan is on the upswing and looks to only be getting better.

Still Under the Radar Is – Nathan Horton. With 20 or more goals in each of his past five seasons, many say Horton has yet to reach his full potential as he spent most of his time with a subpar Florida Panthers organization. A move to Boston where he could end up alongside Marc Savard could really help boost his offensive production this year.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Brad Boyes. After scoring 43 goals and 33 goals in consecutive seasons, Boyes fell backward last year and notched only 14 tallies. Boyes has good hands and knows how to find the back of the net and could easily find himself back up to between 20 and 30 goals this season.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Peter Mueller. Mueller showed a lot of promise in Phoenix but seemingly failed to reach his full potential. After being traded to Colorado last season, Mueller posted 20 points in 15 games – including nine goals – and showed what he is capable of achieving.

Keep An Eye On – Joffrey Lupul. Here is a guy who consistently hovers around the 50-point marker. Lupul was off to an impressive pace last season before injuries limited him to only 23 games. If he gets off to a hot start again, snatch him up because he could put up some decent numbers in Anaheim.

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NHL Award Finalists Revealed

Apr 22

Posted by Eddie in News | 3 Comments

Starting this week and throughout the next week, the National Hockey League is revealing finalists for the year-end awards. The NHL Awards Show will be June 23 in Las Vegas. Here’s a preview of the award finalists already announced as well as my picks for who could take home the hardwood. More previews will hit Hockey World Blog as they are announced.

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Lady Byng Trophy: Most Gentlemanly Player

Finalists:

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Brad Richards, Dallas
  • Martin St. Louis, Tampa

Datsyuk is the only player to have won the award in the post-lockout era. He has edged St. Louis each of the past three seasons. Datsyuk is near the opposite of his Russian counterpart Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin likes to play it rough and get his nose dirty while Datsyuk is more quiet, reserved and gets job done. Could this be the year Richards and St. Louis put their name on the hardware? Richards has won the award previously, in 2004.

My Pick: Richards

Frank Selke Trophy: Best Defensive Forward

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Ryan Kesler, Vancouver
  • Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh

Each one of these players is very deserving of the award. Datsyuk led the league in takeaways with 132 and finished with a plus-17 rating. Kesler’s career-high 19:32 averaged playing time helped play a role in the Canucks finished fourth this season in home penalty-killing. Stall finished second in the league in short-handed penalty minutes.

My Pick: Datsyuk

Calder Trophy: Rookie of the Year

  • Matt Duchene, Colorado
  • Tyler Myers, Buffalo
  • Jimmy Howard, Detroit
Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

This is a solid group of candiates for the Calder Trophy. At the beginning of the season, you would expect someone like John Tavares to be in this position and not Jimmy Howard. Howard has stepped into the Detroit net and embraced it. He hopes to become the first Red Wing to win the Calder since Roger Crozier in 1965. Howard’s 2.26 GAA and a .924 SV% placed him in the top-five in the NHL in each category. Myers was one of four players to play in all 82 games and the only defenseman rookie to do so. He was very effective when his name was on the scoresheet, as Buffalo was 8-1-1 when he scored a goal and 29-7-1 when he recorded a point. Duchene had a  breakout season in Colorado. He played a role in the Avalanche qualifying for the playoffs, when he scored 24 goals and 31 assists this season. His 55 points was the second-highest total in Av’s history, only behind teammate Paul Stasny’s 78 in 2007. He also led all rookies in points and tied for first in goals with Tavares.

My Pick: Duchene

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Steve Stamkos House Tour

Mar 29

Posted by Matt in Media | No Comments

Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning has been on an absolute tear this season, only his second in the NHL. After a good rookie campaign, which could have been better if it weren’t for Barry Melrose, the young Stamkos has blossomed this season into the top goal scoring threat on a Tampa Bay team that also features Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. But have you ever wondered what kind of home a 20 year old NHL star lives in? Thanks to Bauer Hockey, we now know. Check it out.

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