Entry 30: Top 25 Left Wingers Heading into the 2011 Season.

Left Wing is not a position as well defined as center and right wing for whatever reason.  This is true throughout the history of hockey.  You might say because left handed people aren't as common as right handed people, however playing either wing is not dependent on your handedness.  For example, Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks is right handed and plays on the left side, so why this is is anyone's answer.  But, here is my rendition of the NHL's top 25 Left Wingers going into 2011.

And thusly, it's that time again:

25. James Neal

James Neal was a dynamic, gritty young winger out of Dallas before he was traded to Pittsburgh this past season.  With Pittsburgh, his production dried up.  However, it's the hope of Penguins fans that with the inevitable return of Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, that he'll compliment one of them well.  So here he sits  at twenty five.

24.  Erik Cole

Montreal signed a well known veteren out of Carolina this summer, and with Cole, they hope to add a 20 goal, gritty, 2 way player to compliment their offensively dismal club.  Cole's leadership, scoring ability, and physical presence put him at 24.

23. Alex Tanguay

Tanguay has had some up and down seasons lately, but since returning to Calgary, he's certainly found his form as Iginla's left winger, posting almost 70 points this season.  If Calgary can find an answer to put down the middle, it'll be a formidable scoring line.  But Alex Tanguay has proven to be a reliable scorer in Calgary.

22. Jeff Hartnell

Hartnell has been a reliable twenty goal scorer for the Flyers playing flexibly on their top 3 lines since being there, and is a strong physical presence.  When he's not in the penalty box, Hartnell is generally very reliable for posting timely goals.

21. Ville Leino

During the Flyers cup run 2 years ago, Ville Leino truly found his niche in the NHL, and it carried over through last year putting up 53 points.  Leino found his payday with the Sabres this off season, and Sabres fans hope that this Slick Finnish winger can put up similar numbers with them this season.

20. Evander Kane

Tomorrow's a momentous day for Evander Kane's new team up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as they finally unveil their new jerseys for the season.  Kane's entering his third NHL season. and will likely improve on already good numbers on a rather mediocre team.  Gritty, young, and passionate, look for a possible breakout year from the former 4th overall pick.
19. Brandon Dubinsky

Dubinsky's also coming off a strong regular season campaign posting 54 points, and as an integral core of the New York Rangers along with Michael Callahan, the Rangers hope to have the stability, along with the firepower(Gaborik/Richards) to win their first division since 1994.  Dubinsky's a reliable two way player, and strong on the puck and a fan favorite in New York.
18. Alexandre Burrows

Alexandre Burrows is coming off a rather low regular season for him, but had a strong display in the post season.  Burrows put up two consecutive 30 goal seasons before this past year however, and is a really reliable scoring line winger for Vancouver.

17. Taylor Hall

Hall's coming off an impressive 40 point rookie season that was cut short by a season ending injury, expect Hall to be back this season with an improving display.  Taylor Hall is a winner, and the attitude should rub off on the Oilers as they mature on the heels a very young, prolific goal scorer.

16. Nikolai Kulemin

Kulemin is coming off his best season ever with Toronto, putting up almost 60 points on the left side of Macarthur and Grabovski, expect an improvement this season, as Toronto now has some chemistry to build off of.

15. James Van Riemsdyk

The Flyers handled the development of former 2nd overall pick, Jeff Van Riemsdyk very well, coming off an impressive playoffs.  "JVR", as he's be-lovingly known as, fits the power forward bill that's so hard to come by.  Coming off a 20 goal season, expect a stronger display this season.

14. Andrew Ladd

The former 4th overall pick of the Carolina Hurricanes took some time bouncing around teams before finding his home in Atlanta...I mean Winnipeg.  Ladd's proven to be quite the leader, and in doing so, posted almost 60 points this season to mark his best season yet.  Expect bigger and better things going forward.

13. Patrik Elias

Elias is a fan favorite in New Jersey, and a career Devil being described as the "Statesman".  Elias is just coming off a 60 point season himself, and is put at 13 because of his role for his franchise, and the work ethic he puts forward.

12. Simon Gagne

Gagne has had a nagging injury problem that's prohibited him from putting up 40+ goal seasons that he's experienced in the past, but he's still a reliable 2nd line scoring center who's not far removed from posting a 30 goal season, and was very reliable for Tampa's deep playoff run last season.  Gagne moves to LA where he hopes to have some chemistry with former linemate Mike Richards.
11. Brenden Morrow

The captain of the stars is coming off a fresh 56 point season, where he showed the same grit and leadership that's expected out of him in Dallas.  Morrow is a reliable point producer, a gritty two way player, and a true captain.  He's going to have to be even more prevalent this season without Richards in Dallas.

10. Milan Lucic

Milan Lucic is a big, bruising fan favorite of Bean Town who just had his best season thus far potting 60 points, and 30 goals.  Lucic is a menacing physical presence who rightly sits at 10 on this list.

9. Thomas Vanek

The best Austrian hockey player in the world had a strong rebound year last year posting nearly at a PPG clip, and being one of the sole goal providers in the Sabres post season run.  His contract is a bit steep, but for a team that's offensively starved, Vanek's worth every penny.

8. Michael Cammalleri

Surely Lucic is more physical imposing and better in his own end, and surely Vanek's a more prolific goal scorer.  Cammalleri's spot on this list is defined by his timely, and impeccable post season points that he produces.  His production the last two post seasons has been over a PPG total in a 28 game sample size.  That's more than we can say for the other two.  While posting respectable regular season numbers despite having nagging injury concerns.

7. Bobby Ryan

The consolation prize for the Sydney Crosby draft has improved every year since joining the league, putting up nearly a PPG this most season, and putting up 4 points in 4 games in the post season.  The left winger on perhaps the best line in the NHL of Getzlaf and Perry, Ryan is the lowest of the three on their respective lists, but he's also the youngest, expect an even better season from Ryan this season which'll likely see him rise.

6. Patrick Marleau

Marleau experienced a lot of criticism in the post season this year for not being a big time player, disappearing in the entire round against Detroit.  Marleau put up over a PPG 2 years ago, and almost a PPG this past season.  Marleau is a dominant regular season player, and if it translated to the post season, you'd see him higher.
5. Zach Parise

Parise would also possibly be higher had he played more than 13 games this past season, the two seasons prior two, he finished over a PPG, and in addition to that, is a good two way player, and is the heart and soul of the New Jersey Devils.  Devils hope he's 100% ready to go, because without him, the playoffs are unlikely.

4. Ilya Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk could also be higher if he didn't have such a slumping season last year...By his standards.  He a strong second half, but still finished below a PPG pace, which is unusual for the offensive dynamo.  However, if the second half of the season is any indication, this should be a bounce back year for Kovie.
 
3. Rick Nash

Nash has finished under a PPG pace the last two seasons, but the reason he's higher than Kovalchuk, Parise, and Marleau is because Nash has been on his own in Columbus.  He has very little offensive support, and is the heart and soul for this franchise.  He does it all, defensive play, offensive generation, and leadership.  Nash is perfect for spot 3.
2. Daniel Sedin

Daniel Sedin has finished at least at a PPG place for the last 3 straight years, putting up 104 points in 82 games this past season.  He made the first team All Star team, and won the Ted Lindsay and Art Ross trophies.  The problem is.  Sedin is rather one dimensional and receives criticism of only being able to produce with Henrik.  However, I see him as the indisputable number 2 best left wing in the NHL, at the moment.
1. Alexander Ovechkin

Let's put it this way, Alexander the Great had a down season this year....A down season for the most prolific goal scorer in the NHL still involved over a PPG pace.  Ovechkin is the heart, the soul, the leader of this team.  Ovechkin hits like a freight train, and has become more responsible in his own end.  Expect a rebound year from Ovechkin.

Entry 29: Superman

People who read comic books read them for a plethora of reasons.  They read comics because they love page long fisticuffs where an entire city, planet, or perhaps more lay in the balance.  Maybe they read comics because they like the brilliant visualizations.   But I think that most life long comic book fans read comics because they like relating to a character or a story.  A lot of people relate to Peter Parker, aka the Amazing Spiderman.  A lot of readers like reading about bad asses like Wolverine, Punisher, Venom, and Batman. But today's blog is about someone who receives a lot of criticism from modern American readers.  A character I've admired since I was five years old.  Today's entry is about the Man of Steel and the Man of Tomorrow.  Superman.

The reasoning behind the disliking of Superman usually falls under the same categories:  He's boring; he's too powerful; He's not relatable; he's too much of a boyscout.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  But frankly, readers are missing the point.  And I think the disliking of Superman in the modern era is much more of a commentary on modern day America than it is on the character himself.  It's a little sad that kids grow up idolizing nihilistic, selfish, and fake role models when they could be idolizing a selfless man who does nothing less than to try to do the right thing and nothing but the right thing. Superman is a character with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.  The character can fly, move at remarkable speeds, has unyielding strength, is as indestructible as they come, has heat ray vision, x-ray vision, super hearing, and can freeze things with his breath.  Superman can do a lot of things.  However, despite having all of those powers he doesn't use them to harm people.  Superman can easily take over the entire planet if he wanted to, but he doesn't.  It's really interesting, from an early age Bruce Wayne aka Batman was taught the worst humanity had to offer, but with Superman it was different.  The last son of Krypton was raised by loving adoptive parents in Smallville, and Superman was raised with the complete opposite.  He learned of the good in people.  And that's what separates Superman from genuinely every other hero.  He constantly looks for the good in everyone.  And that's something most of us do.  People are so hesitant to trust others, and are quick to think of other people as someone who's selfish and with no regard for others.  And you know what?  Maybe people aren't wrong for doing so, but Kal-El never loses faith in the people of his adopted home world.  Superman wrestles with an unbelievable burdon night in and night out of saving 7 billion people a day for no reward and for no gain.  Superman doesn't get a thing for this.  He's just a modest farm boy, who tries to do the right thing.  He always tries to do the right thing.

People talk about Superman being cocky perhaps?  I hardly think so.  As Clark Kent, the woman he loves is more in love with the man with the red cape, and his boss is a real hard ass.  In fact, the only people who seem to actually understand him are his very own parents.  Clark can have anything in the world he wants, but he struggles with keeping everyone away so he doesn't hurt them.  He lives a modest life as journalist exposing Lex Luthor in the papers, while foiling him in a bright iconic costume that brings hope to an entire planet of people.  The story about Superman is not about a God protecting the Earth from giant threats who are more powerful than him.  The story of Superman is about a man that we should all aspire to be like.  A selfless, modest, man who never strays from the line.   I understand people have a hard time relating to reading about a man who can do anything, but is struggling to find his place in the world, but that's not the point.  Superman is someone we should all aspire to be like.  Because even though we fool ourselves into believing that we have limitations in life, all we really need to do is reach for the skies and believe.