From the outside looking in, it may not seem like the Minnesota Wild made any big splashes during the NHL Draft weekend, but take a closer look. Not only did Chuck Fletcher snag the top-rated goaltender in the draft, securing a spot that will need some good depth with the fact that Josh Harding will be moving before the 2009/10 season ends, but they also definitely restocked the cupboard with young players who should be able to make an impact in the next few years. It will be a shock if any of the Wild's draft picks play a game in the Iron Range Red sweaters this season, but most should have a fair shot in the next few years, and none will be watched more closely than the Wild's first round pick, current Mr. Hockey, Nick Leddy.
Leddy is the kind of player that, once he grows into his talent, could very easily be a keystone to a dominant team. A skilled defenseman with a definite ability to generate offense, picture him in a few years skating next to Norris Trophy-candidate Brent Burns. For that to happen, of course, Burns needs to rediscover his own magic, and Leddy needs to continue his development through the college ranks, but the two could be a scary tandem. And, while Marek Zidlicky and Marc-Andre Bergeron also carry the moniker "offensive defenseman", Leddy has the blue line skills to keep from being a detriment on the ice. That will definitely come in handy if Fletcher and Todd Richards are able to build the kind of pace they're looking for.
Fletcher was also working the trade wires, and, while he wasn't able to land the big fish he was looking for (and the verdict is still out on just how good in red Heatley would look), he did make some moves that showed a bit of hockey savvy. The trade that may have raised the biggest eyebrows, especially in light of today's qualifying offers to restricted free agents, was the trade for Edmonton's Kyle Brodziak. Brodziak is a very similar player in style to Dan Fritsche, and the Wild looked fairly content with Fritsche last season. However, bringing Brodziak in means that, today, Fritsche learned he will become an unrestricted free agent with the likes of the two Marians (Gaborik and Hossa). Overall, a very very smart business move by Fletcher. A qualifying offer to Fritsche would have cost around twice as much as making a qualifying offer to Brodziak, and, if they really do bring the same thing to the on-ice product, then the move will prove brilliant. Especially because freeing up that extra money will allow the Wild to show that they have plenty to spend on the unrestricted free agents, when that circus begins on Wednesday.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
2009 Stanley Cup Finals; Wild rumors
Friday night, the Stanley Cup Finals ended in a thrilling fashion, with two very talented teams playing hard against each other. One year after the same two teams met in the finals, the result was reversed, as the Pittsburgh Penguins shrugged off losing the first two games, and then a 3-2 series deficit (along with a 5-0 blowout loss) to come back and take two hard-fought 2-1 games from the Detroit Red Wings.
Plenty of sports fans believe in gods for their particular sport. If there are hockey gods, they've definitely got to be having a good time with Red Wings winger Marian Hossa. Hossa made it to the Finals last year with Pittsburgh, only to lose on home ice and watch Detroit parade with the Cup. This year, he switched to Detroit, only to watch the Penguins lift the Cup inside of Joe Louis Arena. They say you should dance with the one that brought you, and you have to wonder if Hossa is regretting his decision to jump ship after last season.
Still, how talented and deep were the Penguins? Their stars were kept from getting goals the last two games, and Sidney Crosby spent most of Game 7 sitting on the bench. Somehow, the Penguins were still able to take the game from the more experienced Wings. Now begins the off-season for all thirty teams in the league, preparing for the draft, and getting ready for October, when the race to take the Cup out of Pittsburgh begins.
One name that may appear on that Cup is that of new Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, since he was part of the Penguins organization until a mere three weeks ago. Well, rumors are flying that Fletcher may have secured himself another prize, as reports are starting to come out that the Wild may be on the verge of hiring only the second coach in franchise history. The name associated with the rumors? Todd Richards, a former Golden Gopher who has recently been an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks. Even though the Sharks got bounced in the first round, they did happen to secure themselves the President's Trophy for most points in the season. Meanwhile, Richards has experience leading AHL teams to the Calder Cup Finals, and should be eager for his shot to take that success to the NHL level. The Wild are still probably a couple of years and a few major acquisitions away from being a Stanley Cup threat, but they certainly look like they might be getting on the right track.
Now to see if former Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire ends up behind another bench, or if he ends up shifting into consulting. After all, the New Jersey Devils are in the market, and Lemaire does have a history with that franchise.
Plenty of sports fans believe in gods for their particular sport. If there are hockey gods, they've definitely got to be having a good time with Red Wings winger Marian Hossa. Hossa made it to the Finals last year with Pittsburgh, only to lose on home ice and watch Detroit parade with the Cup. This year, he switched to Detroit, only to watch the Penguins lift the Cup inside of Joe Louis Arena. They say you should dance with the one that brought you, and you have to wonder if Hossa is regretting his decision to jump ship after last season.
Still, how talented and deep were the Penguins? Their stars were kept from getting goals the last two games, and Sidney Crosby spent most of Game 7 sitting on the bench. Somehow, the Penguins were still able to take the game from the more experienced Wings. Now begins the off-season for all thirty teams in the league, preparing for the draft, and getting ready for October, when the race to take the Cup out of Pittsburgh begins.
One name that may appear on that Cup is that of new Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, since he was part of the Penguins organization until a mere three weeks ago. Well, rumors are flying that Fletcher may have secured himself another prize, as reports are starting to come out that the Wild may be on the verge of hiring only the second coach in franchise history. The name associated with the rumors? Todd Richards, a former Golden Gopher who has recently been an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks. Even though the Sharks got bounced in the first round, they did happen to secure themselves the President's Trophy for most points in the season. Meanwhile, Richards has experience leading AHL teams to the Calder Cup Finals, and should be eager for his shot to take that success to the NHL level. The Wild are still probably a couple of years and a few major acquisitions away from being a Stanley Cup threat, but they certainly look like they might be getting on the right track.
Now to see if former Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire ends up behind another bench, or if he ends up shifting into consulting. After all, the New Jersey Devils are in the market, and Lemaire does have a history with that franchise.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Momentum swings; coaching news
Hockey is often a sport where momentum can completely change the outcome of the game. That has proven incredibly true in the playoffs this season, where little things during games can bring the tide one way or the other, and make the final score something of a foregone conclusion. By the same token, any team that gets momentum needs to hang on to it.
Take, for example, the Stanley Cup Finals going on right now between Detroit and Pittsburgh. The Red Wings stormed out of the gate with two wins at home, but, in many ways, they got the benefit of lucky bounces and Pittsburgh not being able to find anything other than goal posts. The Penguins felt that they'd outplayed the champion Red Wings, and, even though they were down two games to none, they had confidence. However, all of the momentum was on Detroit's side, with the two big wins behind them, and memories of a similar start a year ago. The series shifted to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins faced a must-win game just to keep their hopes alive.
Well, last night, the Penguins faced another do-or-die game, trying to even the series. They got a quick start with a goal from Evgeni Malkin, but then the Red Wings took over. Two goals a short time apart, and Detroit looked on pace to put the Penguins down three games to one. Pittsburgh didn't make it any easier on themselves by taking two penalties back-to-back, granting the Red Wings almost four full minutes of power play time. And that was where the shift in momentum happened.
During the second power play, Jordan Staal retrieved a long outlet pass, darted through Detroit defenders, and was able to slip the puck past Chris Osgood. Instead of a 3-1 lead, Detroit was now facing a 2-2 tie. Not only did Staal connect on the shorthanded tally, but the Penguins killed off the remainder of the penalty time, and then put their foot on the gas with two more quick goals, including Sidney Crosby's first of the series. The Red Wings looked shell-shocked, and now return to Detroit where the series originally slated as a best-of-seven has become a best-of-three. The Penguins are flying high, and they've insured that they get to play before their hometown fans one more time. Even more to the point, Pittsburgh has all of the energy and momentum right now, and they have a very good chance of lifting the Cup in Mellon Arena next Tuesday, unless Detroit can get back on track.
Another playoff note. For anyone that says that the schedule benefits Pittsburgh because Detroit's veterans are getting tired, just keep in mind that, at this point in the year, everyone's tired. Hockey is a very physical game, and being able to keep playing at your best all the way through six games in the preseason, 82 games for the regular season, and then however many games in the post season is a grind. Both teams have played over 100 games in this season alone, so tired is just the beginning of what they're going through. By the same token, with each playoff win, the legs don't feel quite so heavy, and both teams want to be able to carry around 35 pounds of metal next week.
In Wild news, the coaching picture isn't really completed yet, but it has gotten a shade clearer. While new GM Chuck Fletcher is interviewing potential candidates, one Wild assistant will be looking to different pastures. Mario Tremblay, one of Jacques Lemaire's assistant coaches, has announced that he will be leaving the Wild franchise. Tremblay was apparently considered for the head coaching job, but Fletcher is looking elsewhere. This could also lead to Mike Ramsey needing to find new employment, but Ramsey is a young guy with a lot of local ties, and Fletcher could actually bring someone in to groom him for a head coaching position down the road. Especially since the Wild players tend to respond very positively to Ramsey's style. As for Tremblay, don't worry too much. There are signs that he could be finding his way back to Montreal, possibly as an assistant to new Canadiens coach Jacques Martin. After all, Tremblay knows the Montreal organization well, having both played and coached there.
Take, for example, the Stanley Cup Finals going on right now between Detroit and Pittsburgh. The Red Wings stormed out of the gate with two wins at home, but, in many ways, they got the benefit of lucky bounces and Pittsburgh not being able to find anything other than goal posts. The Penguins felt that they'd outplayed the champion Red Wings, and, even though they were down two games to none, they had confidence. However, all of the momentum was on Detroit's side, with the two big wins behind them, and memories of a similar start a year ago. The series shifted to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins faced a must-win game just to keep their hopes alive.
Well, last night, the Penguins faced another do-or-die game, trying to even the series. They got a quick start with a goal from Evgeni Malkin, but then the Red Wings took over. Two goals a short time apart, and Detroit looked on pace to put the Penguins down three games to one. Pittsburgh didn't make it any easier on themselves by taking two penalties back-to-back, granting the Red Wings almost four full minutes of power play time. And that was where the shift in momentum happened.
During the second power play, Jordan Staal retrieved a long outlet pass, darted through Detroit defenders, and was able to slip the puck past Chris Osgood. Instead of a 3-1 lead, Detroit was now facing a 2-2 tie. Not only did Staal connect on the shorthanded tally, but the Penguins killed off the remainder of the penalty time, and then put their foot on the gas with two more quick goals, including Sidney Crosby's first of the series. The Red Wings looked shell-shocked, and now return to Detroit where the series originally slated as a best-of-seven has become a best-of-three. The Penguins are flying high, and they've insured that they get to play before their hometown fans one more time. Even more to the point, Pittsburgh has all of the energy and momentum right now, and they have a very good chance of lifting the Cup in Mellon Arena next Tuesday, unless Detroit can get back on track.
Another playoff note. For anyone that says that the schedule benefits Pittsburgh because Detroit's veterans are getting tired, just keep in mind that, at this point in the year, everyone's tired. Hockey is a very physical game, and being able to keep playing at your best all the way through six games in the preseason, 82 games for the regular season, and then however many games in the post season is a grind. Both teams have played over 100 games in this season alone, so tired is just the beginning of what they're going through. By the same token, with each playoff win, the legs don't feel quite so heavy, and both teams want to be able to carry around 35 pounds of metal next week.
In Wild news, the coaching picture isn't really completed yet, but it has gotten a shade clearer. While new GM Chuck Fletcher is interviewing potential candidates, one Wild assistant will be looking to different pastures. Mario Tremblay, one of Jacques Lemaire's assistant coaches, has announced that he will be leaving the Wild franchise. Tremblay was apparently considered for the head coaching job, but Fletcher is looking elsewhere. This could also lead to Mike Ramsey needing to find new employment, but Ramsey is a young guy with a lot of local ties, and Fletcher could actually bring someone in to groom him for a head coaching position down the road. Especially since the Wild players tend to respond very positively to Ramsey's style. As for Tremblay, don't worry too much. There are signs that he could be finding his way back to Montreal, possibly as an assistant to new Canadiens coach Jacques Martin. After all, Tremblay knows the Montreal organization well, having both played and coached there.
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