What happened?

The NHL season and the NHL brand may be heading towards its most interesting and suspenseful season in over a decade. We have established stars trying to maintain their elevated standing in the league, traded franchise players hoping to invigorate their new destinations, high flying rookies adding a new energy and verve, and GM's and coaches hoping to hold on to their jobs. PK Subban and Shea Weber have been pitted against each other through no doing of their own. Both Nashville and Montreal have been close to the Stanley Cup final in the last few years but have been unable to get over the hump. Both teams think they got the missing link that will lead to Cup glory. Each player wants to desperately win the Cup to cement their legacy. Weber is the much more respected player by coaches and players, meanwhile PK has been making his own waves with his personality. Weber has been clearly more productive in the early stages of the season leading the habs to first place overall. PK ha...

Well in October  I posted my wild and crazy predictions for the hockey year. So far I missed the boat by a country mile. Here is my rationale why my predictions have been so off. 1) Sydney Crosby will get 150 - 200 points- eeek what a disaster. My prediction was based on what I saw at the world championships last year. Crosby put on an offensive exhibition as did most of his teammates. As well, he finally had the scoring winger that would inflate his point totals in Phil Kessel. Well, Crosby still has not shown up this year. The coach was fired, Kessel was moved to Malkin's line, and the Penguins are struggling. It is becoming apparent Crosby does not seem to do well with star wingers. They have tried Pallfy, Hossa, Neal, amd now Kessel and no one gels with Sid. Weird as it is it seems Crosby plays better with average wingers.  2) Phil Kessel will win the Maurice Richard trophy- Don't think so. I watched a recent game and I saw that Kessel was a step slower than h...

Well it is October, wine season, tomato sauce season, and of course the start of a brand new NHL season. Here are my wild and crazy predictions for this year: 1) Sydney Crosby will get 150 - 200 points 2) Phil Kessel will win the Maurice Richard trophy  3) Conner Mcdavid will get 100 points 4) PK Subban will get 20 goals 5) Thomas Plekanec will be traded for a goal scorer at the deadline 6) Los Angeles Kings will win the Stanley Cup defeating the habs  7) Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall will score 50 goals 8) Toronto Maple Leafs finish dead last  9) Detroit Red Wings do not make the playoffs 10) Aaron Ekblad scores 20 goals Well anyways one can dream

We are in December a month before Team Canada is chosen. Time to decide. If the trend remains the same these are my choices. To be perfectly clear,  Steve Stamkos would have been on my team. I am basing these choices on the assumption he will not be ready.                          My goalies are in no particular order Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, and Corey Crawford. Luongo should get the start for the opener. He is the defending gold medal goalie and his job has to be taken away. However, as Brodeur was given the hook after a bad game in the last Olympics, the same should be done to the inconsistent Luongo. Carey Price has been nothing short of spectacular this year. I still have my doubts he can come through in big games. He has not proven much since his victories in the World Juniors and the AHL. Canada may have no option but to throw him in and hope for the best if Luongo bombs. Corey Crawford should be there becau...

Okay I remember the time Ron Wilson mocked opposing coach Michel Therrien when he saw Therrien using  a sketch board to outline strategy. Wilson made everyone aware he didn't think Therrien had any idea about hockey strategy. Well maybe he didn't and still doesn't. Jacques Martin could not be accused of lacking strategic comprehension, but the habs started going downhill with that so-called know-how. Ron Wilson and all his supposed hockey savvy couldn't lift the Leafs out of their slumber and is now out of a job. So what does Michel Therrien bring to the job and why was he so highly thought of by Marc Bergevin. Outward appearances show a thuglike demeanor.  Ex players like Terry Ryan call him an ignoramus. However, there seems to be a split opinion as others like Sydney Crosby and Maxime Talbot seem to give Therrien credit for turning the Penguins around. Therrien's background was initially as a junior coach and then f...