NHL Discipline = Joke

As a Maple Leaf fan I will admit to some bias in being inspired to write this. Recently we have seen the league trying to handcuff the physical side of the game in an effort to clean up the league. The addition of a 2 minute minor for removing your helmet before a fight and the age old leaving the bench to fight 10 game suspension. The latter has happened twice already in the preseason.

First with Paul "Biznasty" Bissonette leaving the bench to fight Los Angeles Kings forward Jordan Nolan after a hit in which Nolan left his feet and caught Rostislav Klesla high. A hit that sent Klesla to the hospital on a stretcher. Bisonette did what he is payed to do and that is to defend his teammates and this is a role that has been filled for decades by well known guys like Probert,  Domi, Parros,  Orr the list goes on and on. For good reason teams employ these guys like they do an insurance policy. Tough players who will stand up for teammates on a moments notice and go from hockey player to pro boxer quicker then a rowdy drunk at a nightclub.

While David Clarkson is certainly being paid for more than his fists the other night against Buffalo following a fight between Jamie Devane and Corey Tropp that saw Tropp knocked unconscious and helped off the ice by teammates and officials.  The following faceoff Sabres tough guy John Scott who stands 6 feet 8 inches tall and 255lbs lined up next to Leafs leading scorer Phil Kessel who is all of 6 feet and 202 lbs. Scott began his usual song and dance chirping and challenging Kessel like he would a fellow heavyweight tough guy and on the puck drop threw his gloves off and tried to grab Kessel who backed away and slashed Scott in the shin guard. Immediately teammates tried coming to his defence while some ended up grabbing a dance partner it was David Clarkson who hopped the boards from the bench and engaged Scott. Well Kessel ended up fighting anyway which is the last thing you want from your top scorer but a far cry from seeing him pummelled by someone who dwarfs him in every way.

The end result is a 10 game suspension for both Bisonnette and Clarkson. In both cases they came to the defence of a player who could not defend themselves against their opponent which is a role that their teams and fans would respect while the league sees it otherwise.

The part I find absolutely ridiculous is that the NHL has all these rules and one of the weakest disciplinary departments in all of professional sports. Colin Campbell could not find a balance between reason and reality when suspending players and to top it off with a bonus was intimidating referees who penalised his son. Then came Brendan Shannahan. A respected legend of the league and he quickly set a new precedent earning a new twitter tag the Shannaban. By midseason Shannahan lost his might and began to fall into the same frame of mind as Campbell allowing dirty hits to go unpunished but atleast he made some videos to explain his one game suspension for nearly decapitating a guy right?

So using only very recent examples we look at first the aforementioned John Scott. Engaging a skill player smaller than him who is not a fighter and who he knows isn't going to fight him in Kessel which incites a line brawl. John Scott is going unpunished!

How about Jordan Nolan who sent a player to the hospital when he left his feet to complete a hit? No supplemental discipline for Mr Nolan either.

Zack Kassian breaks Jordan Eberle's jaw! with a reckless high stick/stick swing after a missed hit! He's given 5 regular season games for this.

Bisonnette and Clarkson get 10 for standing up for their team mates

So to recap. You can attack star players and start brawls, You can destroy your fellow player and shorten careers and you can also break a guys jaw but by the power of Bettman if you leave the bench to defend your teammates you will be subject to the wrath of all the power of the NHL discipline office.  If that doesn't say open season I'm not sure what does.

The Remainder Of The Free Agent Class

Today we are going to take a look at some of the final free agents who could make a difference for your team.
 

Tim Thomas. I know this guy is unlikely to land a gig but I can't help but wonder.  Known more lately as a political bull in the proverbial china shop. Primarily with his refusal to meet US President Barrack Obama after winning the cup. Made into a big deal by hockey media it spelled the beginning of events that would eventually lead Thomas to take a year off from hockey. His rights were traded to the Islanders though continued his hiatus..

 

Well Tim is a free agent and has stated he may make a return(However, whether or not there are suitors may dictate that). His presence in the market brings a sense of intrigue. He's healthy, He has won a Stanley Cup, He was huge for the Bruins for years. His veteran leadership could go a long way for a team like Edmonton who have struggled defensively and between the pipes.

 

The problem with Tim Thomas is he's been out of hockey for a while now and the NHL is not a place where you can take time off and come back the same player. Will this keep him from getting any offers? More than likely at this point as many teams are not willing to gamble and still fear his political views will draw unnecessary attention to their club. 

Where does he land? Nowhere. I want to say he lands a gig but he's a risky pick up. I do believe he could be a sleeper on a cheap contract but where that is may not be answered

 

Jaromir Jagr. The man, the myth, the legend. Jagr is still playing hockey and much like Teemu Selanne you have to wonder what keeps these guys going after 20+ years? Jagr has been doing a tour of the league it seems as he's played for the Dallas Stars, The Boston Bruins and the Philidelphia Flyers since returning from the KHL. This trend is likely to continue as the Montreal Canadiens and the 41 year old Jagr appear to be in talks on a deal thats nearly happened twice before. In separate years Jagr spoke with Montreal management and both times signed elsewhere (Flyers, Stars). It looks like things will be different this time and still somewhat new General Manager Marc Bergevin will be able to hash out a deal that would reunite Jagr with former teammate Daniel Briere who signed in Montreal after a buyout by the Flyers.

Where does he land? Montreal is somewhere he's wanted to play for a while and the talk is out there so this one wont come as a surprise.


Mikhail Grabovski. His time with the Toronto Maple Leafs came to a screeching halt on July 4th(The day before his wedding, ouch) when the final four years of a five year contract were bought out. Grabovski went down swinging with a profanity filled tirade aimed at head coach Randy Carlyle which included criticism of the way he was used in the lockout shortened season and playoffs. He signed the $27.5 million dollar deal under former GM Brian Burke as a reward for a breakout year and Grabovski interestingly was quoted after the extension as saying "If you play well, it doesn't matter who your coach is". I wonder how he would respond if he were reminded of this statement now?

 

Grabovski brings a some nice offensive tools including great wheels(great skating/speed) and a good accurate shot. His biggest criticism would be lazy play at times. He is a talented player who can produce in a lot of roles but is most suitable as a second line center.  In a game against Boston a couple seasons ago he battled through an ugly hit from Zdeno Chara and a few shifts later broke in behind the defence and scored so there is no question he is durable and has heart. 

 

Where does he end up? I'm going to take a swing and say Winnipeg. A lot of ex-Leafs go there and they just happen to have a newly opened roster spot thanks to Alex Burmistrov's departure to the KHL.

 

Some other mentions are Damien Brunner who showed he has a knack for scoring. The question is where does he land and can he produce without Zetterburg?

 

Dustin Penner is sure to be on a few teams wish lists. The 6'4 forward known more for a pancake story than his scoring over the last couple seasons has two Stanley Cup rings(Anaheim, Los Angeles). He's a big body and will find work but can he start putting up points more regularly?

 

Douglas Murray while not the fastest player provides some grit and good play in his own end. Just about every team in the league can use a good defender and Murray isn't a gamble.

 

Ilya Bryzgalov needs a fresh start and a defence first team to pick him up. He's proved that he was reliant on Dave Tippett's system in Phoenix when he went to Philly and quickly got run out of town.  Decent goalie but doesn't bring anything that most teams aren't already getting from their goaltenders. Likely takes a backup gig to battle his way back up.

 

Mason Raymond has speed other players would kill for but unfortunately for him he's never been able to bury it consistently. He's a guy Vancouver fans had high hopes for but it looks like it's time to move on.

The rest of the pool is mostly injury riddled and full of veterans whose main role will be to bring veteran leadership more than anything.

 

Jagr in a Montreal uniform? Could your team use a Thomas or Grabovski? Discuss below.

Free Agency Day 1

This article can also be seen on Cornwall Free News.

Lets start with Daniel Alfredsson. 18 year veteran and now former captain of the Ottawa Senators. The heart and soul of Ottawa. He walks away and signs with the Detroit Red Wings. The outrage is apparent surrounding Sens army with many fans cancelling season tickets. It’s clear it’s a fan base stunned. In the end though there are those who appreciate the captains contributions and understand his decision to take a shot elsewhere and in the end they are the fans who are right at the end of the day.


Ottawa signs Clarke MacArthur out of Toronto and sends a clear message to fans by trading for Anaheim power forward Bobby Ryan. Ryan is a solid acquisition and it’s clear that Bryan Murray wanted to make it up to Ottawa fans going forward and show that Ottawa is not going to roll over just because Alfie is gone. Ottawa ships Silfverberg who is a good young player with good hands but they also send Stefan Noeson who is a former 1st rounder in 09′ and their first round selection in in 2014. On the surface both teams win as Ottawa gets a big name to help people forget Alfie while Anaheim gets three good pieces for the future and in the long run it looks like the Ducks win this trade(Sorry Sens fans). Bobby Ryan has a chance to change that though and will likely be featured on the wing of All-Star Jason Spezza so stay tuned as the East just got a lot more interesting.

TSN touted David Clarkson as their top available free agent. A big gamble with guys like Jarome Iginla and Stephen Weiss floating around. For the first time in a long time Toronto has landed one of the big fish in the market. The Leafs are continuing to pile up on grit and toughness. Nearly a week ago they acquired Dave Bolland from Stanley Cup Champ Chicago and today added another Toronto native. A seven year deal at $5.25 million anually is a steep price to pay for a guy who will likely challenge for a second line spot but is more suited to the third line but a price Toronto was in good position to pay. His heart and toughness are what likely endeared him to Toronto brass and that grit will make him an automatic favorite for coach Randy Carlyle. Look for Clarkson and Bolland to likely play with Nik Kulemin in a shutdown role to take on opposing top lines.

 

 

Toronto also ended the Tyler Bozak stalemate. Five years around $4 million per season. Bozak is best friends with Phil Kessel and even lives with him so it’s clear that this move not only helps bridge the lack of top line center issue but also goes toward re-signing Phil Kessel. It’s clear Bozak is well liked and it’s no surprise that both sides were able to find common ground going forward despite Toronto management playing hardball in the early going.


Nathan Horton signs a 7 year pact with Columbus. A risky deal but if it pays off Jarmo Kekalanen is quicky becoming one the best GM’s in the league. Jarmo has been a revelation in Columbus and is making huge strides in improving this team in a short period and I would not be surprised if he lands GM of the year in the near future. Horton is yet to have offseason shoulder surgery though  and also has concussion history so barring any lingering effects he will be a great addition to a team that traditionally hasn’t scored a lot of goals.


The day isn’t over but let’s close for now with a trade from Montreal to add enforcer George Parros. Far from the biggest deal of the day but certainly a smart one. The Habs have long been a small team often bullied by teams like the Boston Bruins. By adding Parros they now carry a one-two punch(pun intended) of George Parros and Brandon Prust to protect what has been the smallest team in the league and now ensures that scenes like Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren bullying the Habs top line wont happen again.


Some big fish left include: Tim Thomas, Ilya Bryzgalov, Mikhail Grabovski to name a few
Are you happy with what your team has done? Discuss below

You Call That Hockey?: Vincent Lecavalier's Future

Vincent Lecavalier, The long time Tampa forward is about to hit free agency during a strange and unpredictable time. A year or two ago Vinny would be walking away with a monster 10 year deal worth $65 million.

Fast forward to 2013. He's older(33) and slightly less productive depending on who you ask(If you ask me, not at all). Oh, And he's about to be bought out of a nasty contract that benefitted only him(Lecavalier) and his agent.


Fast forward to July 5th 2013. The market opens and Lecavalier will be receiving five to ten offers from teams falling over themselves to try and pick up a potential #1 center for free.


Does this not sound like Tampa 2.0? Is money going to be the biggest factor or is he going to Montreal for less? Growing up a Hab fan gives the Canadiens a distinct advantage in the process and more than likely a discount to boot.


Then you have teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs.  There is a hole between all-star wingers Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel. They represent guaranteed top line minutes and a fat paycheck likely in the $6 million+ range.


Does Lecavalier shy away from the spotlight that he has managed to avoid since being drafted to a non-traditional market? Does Vinny thrive in a market that loves hockey or does he wither?


What kind of contract does he sign? Surely there will be teams offering the maximum term of seven seasons. I believe it will take $42 million($6 Million/7 season) in the bank to entice the French Canadian.


The real question is can he live up to that? We've seen Vinny pot 50 goals and also put pen to paper on a monster deal before slowing down and coming back down to a normal but respectable scoring pace so the question is will this time be different?


I think the reasonable expectation in this precarious situation is to accept that Lecavalier's best years are behind him but that he can still be a game changing acquisition that becomes available so rarely that anyone who goes for broke once free agency opens will simply be understood as taking a necessary chance,  whether it's a hit or a miss a few seasons from now is something only Vincent Lecavalier can decide but he has a fresh start and a golden opportunity now to make Tampa regret the buyout and his doubters silent.

For kicks here is Vinny's 52 goal breakout season

                                       (not my video)

Exciting Draft Day And Trades

Draft day 2013 is beyond us now. So I guess it's time to have a look at the happenings of the day!

First off what a draft day. Brodeurs picking Brodeurs. 6 foor 4 inch Seth Jones comes up a little short in the 1st. Some trades also happened like Nino "coolest name in the league" Niederreiter being traded for Cal "also the coolest name in the league" Clutterbuck. How can you go wrong? Unless your Dave Bolland... Traded to my beloved Leafs as punishment for scoring the game winning Stanley Cup goal. Don't teams normally make statues for hero's? No... just no...  according to Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien.

Lets start with me being right. In my last post Craziest Week In NHL History? I mentioned a man named John Tortorella. I also mentioned how he was trading down from Henrik Lundqvist to Cory Schneider. Yes well blame Gillis all you want(he deserves it) but I'm willing to bet Tortorella's all over this one. I called it days before it was announced that Cory Schneider was on the block and days later he is in New Jersey auditioning for that gaping hole that Martin Brodeur's going to leave when he decides to retire.

While we are on the subject of Brodeur lets have a look at a rare occurrence.

 

 

 

 

The Devils swing a trade to acquire the 208th (seventh round) pick of the 2013 draft and give Martin Brodeur the honor of drafting his own son into the NHL. While it's not a guarantee he will make it, having arguably the best goaltender ever as your father can certainly help you grow quicker than projections with input from good ol' dad.  If I'm Anthony Brodeur I'm picking on dad for not using his pull to make me a first round pick. All in theory but could you imagine the Prudential Center's hometown New Jersey Devils selecting a Brodeur in the first round on tv. Ridiculous would be the word to describe the crowds. While scouts are far from high on the kid I hope he gets a crack one day. Almost like Brent Gretzky versus Wayne Gretzky in stat comparison.

 

 

Clutterbuck for Niederreiter is the classic prospect goes sour story. Niederreiter is a very talented player and at 20 years old Garth Snow made a bold move in shipping him to Minnesota. The Wild on the other hand add a former 5th overall pick to their stable that already includes some impressive names like Charlie Coyle and Matthew Dumba. 

 

The Isles get tougher and get a guy who has played with Tavares before and therefore should have instant chemistry in a perfect world. Clutterbuck's role is unlikely to change as he'll be expected to lay the body as often as he likes(and enjoyes to) and may even get some reps with Tavares and Moulson. I like the move from both ends to be honest, however I do think Snow could have pulled a little more out of Minnesota.

 

Future superstar Seth Jones saw his stock drop to fourth as teams loaded up on offense. Don't read too much into this one. The big story here is Ryan Suter bolts to Minnesota and David Poile who nearly had his heart ripped out twice in one offseason (see Shea Weber offer sheet) now has another franchise defenseman to play in front of Pekka Rinne. Barry Trotz is also loving life at the moment. Can it go any more storybook for the Preds? What's next a Stanley Cup to spite Suter?

 

Dave Bolland wins his second Stanley Cup. Scores the dramatic game winner in game 6. Gets traded one week later to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Also Bryan Bickell within an hour of the trade signed a 4 year $16 million contract. If there is any solace to find it's that 1. He will get a more prominent role in Toronto. 2. He's close to home. 3. He didn't get screwed by being shipped to Atlanta like Byfuglien and Ladd or a train wreck Toronto team like Versteeg who later got traded to another train wreck in Philly and then another in Florida. It's like the Vince quote from the movie Fast Five... What? After you messed things up in Chicago? I free fell through every hell hole in the league.

 

For Toronto this trade gives Randy Carlyle the grit he loves and another player of his liking, Much like the signing of Jay Mcclement who is looking like a steal. It also may signal a new opportunity for Mikhail Grabovski who spent much of the lockout shortened season in the checking role dog house. If Grabovski gets a chance to play a more offensive role (See Tyler Bozak's spot on the top line) He will certainly chase it with everything he's got trying to cling to that opportunity. If he fails to grasp a bigger role it's likely going to be a change of scenery for Grabo.

 

 

There is still so much to come in a league ripe for action. July 5th marks the opening of NHL Free Agency. The buyout period ends in a couple days and the buyouts will be made official. Teams are still searching for all sorts of help in every area. Edmonton looking hard for help on the blue line. Philly wants a goaltender. Toronto and virtually every team except Colorado is looking for a centre. There are a host of compliance buyouts that have yet to be decided on let alone be announced and by the sound of things a lot of GM's are dangling some game changers due to salary cap constraints.



The craziest week in NHL history?



Toronto at Ottawa 4/20/2013

It's going to be one of those times where the excitement is going to be there but not boiling over and TSN will have some lame show to follow the action that wasn't. Maybe, just maybe, this time though they may have something...

It's been less than a week since the Blackhawks stunning 17 second comeback against Boston to win the Stanley Cup... Teams are itching to make improvements. There is a certain buzz about this offseason that hasn't been present since the pre-lockout era when teams like the New York Rangers spent lavishly trying to buy cups... Oh wait... They still do... see: Brad Richards, Bobby Holik, Scott Gomez, Wade Redden, Dariusz Kasparitis and Chris Drury to name a few.

The new CBA(Collective Bargaining Agreement) has put many teams in a frenzied position heading into this offseason as the salary cap drops to 64.3 million. Many teams are sitting on their buy outs while others are being forced already to make cuts to prepare for next season.

Several buyouts have already been announced. Today it was revealed by Lightning GM Steve Yzerman that career Lightning player and former captain Vincent Lecavalier would have his contract which was paying a whopping 7 million+ per season bought out and he will join the likes of Daniel Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov as free agency is on the horizon.

Vancouver is looking for a suitor for Roberto Luongo still and suggested today they will pursue a trade more aggressively in the coming weeks. Luongo is a compliance buy out candidate and any team interested is fully aware of the akward situation in Vancouver with 9 million in salary between the pipes. While unlikely it remains to be seen whether new Vancouver coach John Tortorella is comfortable going from King Henrik to Cory Schneider so this may be an interesting story as Torts looks at his current roster situation more closely and maybe just maybe Cory Schneider gets traded instead.

I believe any team interested in Luongo will wait to see if Vancouver cracks and uses a buy out before making any further pitches. If Luongo hits the open market he is likely to get a shorter but similar value contract although with Ray Emery, Mike Smith and the aforementioned Ilya Bryzgalov also available the market for the veteran netminder may dry up quickly as teams choose not to give up assets to fill the void between the pipes.

The GM's of the league will truly be tested in the coming weeks. Many more will falter than thrive as some will be gun shy while others will be throwing out big contracts on risky players. Trades will be coming and free agent bidding wars may get nasty as teams see a rare chance to sign pivots. The market for centers is a little deeper than usual with Lecavalier, Ribeiro, Elias, Bozak, Zubrus, Malhotra and a host of others still without contract presently

All this lunacy and we still haven't even touched on the draft... Do they take Mackinnon? or do they sucker someone just below them into trading up and then take the Denver kid Seth Jones? Last year Garth Snow  GM of the Islanders wanted Ryan Murray so bad he offered all of the Islanders picks to get the first overall and was rejected. This year Calgary offered all three of their first round picks for the 1st overall and that to was also rejected. In my opinion this year will be a record for Gary Bettman approaching the podium to announce trades. Ridiculous out of the blue trades coming... I think so.

Final thoughts: There are some interesting minor stories to watch out for in the coming weeks as well. Where does Jagr land next? Does Tim Thomas attempt a comeback? Does Selanne continue schooling players half his age and how about Alfredsson? Does Jarome Iginla take his talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat? Stay tuned