Hey all, Phil here, to distinguish from me and the others, I've decided to write in a different font...Anyway...
Okay, So I’m actually writing this blog from Boston. I’m planning on keeping this entry relatively short, it’s that the NHL entry draft is tomorrow, and I’d like to write a blog on it before it happens. So it won’t detract from my vacation. Furthermore, writing is a good way for me to keep my mind off things and stuff. Anyway, tomorrow is the annual NHL Entry Draft, this year located in Minnesota, and in the midst of the encroaching draft, many things have transpired in the world of hockey. The NHL Awards in Las Vegas occurred as well, and a few surprises popped up, so in other words. This blog is about hockey. I have a few other things I’d like to write about for this entry, but I’ll save them for another entry.
Let’s discuss the NHL Awards, shall we? First and foremost, the most deserving goaltender was awarded the Vezina Trophy for goaltender of the year, Tim Thomas. Stanley Cup Winning, Conn Smythe receiving Tim Thomas. Posting the best Goals Against Average in a season since Dominik Hasek in 1998. Timmy Thomas. No surprise there. Thomas was the best goalie in the world this year. Nick Lidstrom, Mr. Perfect won his 7th. Count them, 7th Norris Trophy. (Best defenseman of the season). Tying Doug Harvey, and sitting one behind Bobby Orr. I’m sure you readers are wondering if he could perhaps top that mystical number, but the fact is, he probably won’t. The man is 41.…And sure he won one as a 41 year old, the fact is, he’s starting to wear down. He’s been playing less minutes, and he finished his first season in history as a minus player. In fact, most hockey fans speculate this Norris was won on reputation(I disagree). This actually raises another question all together here, where does Lidstrom rank on the all time “Greatest Defensemen” list. Bobby Orr is firmly locked in at number 1, the man revolutionized the position, and in addition to his 8 Norris Trophies, he won an Art Ross Trophy(Leading the league in points, incredible considering he was a defenseman), and 3 consecutive Hart Trophies(Trophy awarded for the player who’s essentially most valuable to his team in the league, perhaps the most prestigious individual trophy one can win.) Orr is untouchable at the moment, in the same way Gretzky is. However, who’s number 2? You could make a case for the late great Doug Harvey, who also revolutionized the game while playing for the Canadiens throughout the 40’s introducing the notion that a defenseman could contribute to the score sheet. The previously mentioned Nick Lidstrom. Eddie Shore, the grittiest defensemen of the 1930’s who hit like a freight train. And Ray Bourque. The beloved. Ray Bourque, who was the cornerstone of the Bruins franchise for 20 years. (Incidentally, 3 of the 4 defensemen are Bruins.) These are the four defensemen that essentially fill out the 2-5 positions on the top 5 defensemen list of all time, interchangeably.(HM to Dennis Potvin.) Moving on from that discussion…..Dan Bylsma, the Penguins coach, brought home the Jack Adams coach for best coach, little dispute there. Daniel Sedin brought home the Art Ross, naturally. Corey Perry brought home the Rocket Richard trophy for most goals in a season. Roberto Luongo and Corey Schneider shared honors of winning the William M. Jennings trophy for allowing the fewest goals in a season. Ryan Kesler won the Selke trophy for best defensive forward(mainly for the fact that Datsyuk missed a string of games with a wrist injury.) Marty St. Louis brought home the Lady Byng trophy for most gentlemanly player. Jeff Skinner brought home the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. Ian Laperriere won the Bill Masterton trophy for Perseverance and Dedication to hockey. The winner of the Ted Lindsay award, awarded to the MVP of the season as determined by the players of the league, went to Daniel Sedin. Mike Gillis won GM of the year, and the Mark Messier leadership award went to Zdeno Chara. The King Clancy trophy, awarded to players deemed to have donated a significant Humanitarian contribution went to Doug Weight, who received a standing ovation. And perhaps the most interesting awarding of all. The Hart Trophy went to Corey Perry. Everyone suspected that Daniel Sedin would run away with it, but in a surprising twist of events, Corey pulled away his first Hart, most likely for his effort of carrying the team on his back after Ryan Getzlaf went down mid way through the season.
Next matter of business. This afternoon, the Philadelphia Flyers essentially blew up their roster by sending the 5th highest goal scorer of the NHL since 2009 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2003 11th overall pick Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets for 2007 7th overall pick, Jakub Voracek, the 2011 8th overall selection, and a 3rd round pick, as well as sending 2003 24th overall pick Captain Mike Richards to Los Angeles for 2009 5th overall Brayden Schenn and 2007 61st overall pick, Wayne Simmonds. Long story short. The Flyers just sent their top two center across the country. Also, the Flyers signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov for a 9 year deal at 51 million dollars. That amounts to about to 5.66 million per year. That’s pretty high for a goaltender that genuinely has not proven a thing in the post season. The Flyers have a youthful forward corps, an aging defensive corps, and a ridiculously termed goaltender. None of this quite makes sense, however, because Philadelphia has 50 signed players, it’s speculated that they aren’t done, since 50 is the absolute max. So we’ll see where the Flyers wind up. I think it’s safe to say however, that Richards was traded as a result of the Pronger-Richards dispute, and it’s likely, Pronger will be the Flyers captain for next season. Columbus gets their first real first line center in franchise history, who’ll most likely center career Blue Jacket, Rich Nash, and possibly Kristian Huselius, while the Kings get a second line center to take some of the load off of Anze Kopitar’s back. Los Angeles is shaping up to be a top 3 team in the west next season based off this trade.
Which leads me to my next and final topic, The NHL Draft is tomorrow evening at 7 pm. I’m going to run a top 10 simulation, of the draft. I could be completely wrong, but being an armchair GM, I’m going to try anyway. Here’s my Mock Draft…
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1. Edmonton - C Red Deer Rebels WHL Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Best player available, center for Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, TSN interviewed 10 scounts, 9 of which said RNH is the best player available.
2. Colorado LW Gabriel Landeskog OHL Kitchener Rangers
Rather than taking the second best player available player, the Aves stick to precedent of the last couple of seasons by drafting a player further down, in this case, the most NHL ready player, and Swedish Mike Richards, Landeskog. Replaces Stewart and looks good on Duchene’s wing.
3. Florida C Jonathan Huberdeau QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs
A late bloomer, Florida needs some offense, and Huberdeau looks like a promising 2 way player. They also pass on Larsson because of last year’s 3rd overall pick of Gudbranson.
4. New Jersey D Adam Larsson SEL Skelleftea HC
Unusual drafting position for the Devils, the Devils select the best defenseman available, a real fantastic prospect, Adam Larsson.
5. New York Islanders C Sean Couturier QMJHL Drummondville Voltigeurs
Islanders draft a real power forward to compliment Tavares. A real steal, if it wasn’t for a bout of Mono, he would probably be drafted top 2.
6. Ottawa - C Ryan Strome OHL Niagra Icedogs
Will require a lot of conditioning, but the Sens are bare on forwards in terms of prospects, has PPG potential.
7. Winnipeg D Dougie Hamilton OHL Niagra Icedogs
A strong pick for the new Winnipeg franchise, Hamilton is considered a 2 way defenseman, and could be a foundation with Enstrom and Bogosian for years.
8. Philadelphia(From Columbus) D Ryan Murphy OHL Kitchener Rangers
A pure offensive catalyst, and Don Cherry’s favorite player it seems like. Real threat from the blue line, and would help bolster a weakened Flyers defensive cupboard, and aging NHL blue line.
9. Boston (From Toronto) D Duncan Siemens WHL Saskatoon Blades
Fresh from a Stanley Cup parade, the Bruins select a player to bolster their bare defensive cupboard to compliment Tyler Seguin from last year.
10. Minnesota C Mika Zibanejad SEL Djurgarden
A strong two way center to compliment a two way system that Minnesota encourages, will compliment Koivu and Granlund well, has Backstrom-lite upside.
I'm no prospect expert, but that's my take. If I'm wrong about anything, I bet it's Colorado taking Larsson after all...
Anyway. Phil Signing off.
Hope everyone remembered not to duplicate their Bending units...(Tonight's Futurama Reference.)
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