NHL Predictions

The puck has been dropped on another NHL season. As a result I figured it was time for me to put myself on the line with some NHL predictions here. The parody in the NHL is such that these predictions are probably futile, but I'm going to make a go of it anyway. Feel free to post or e-mail your own predictions and we can see who was closer at the end of the season.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Detroit Red Wings: Easy choice here obviously. The Wings pretty much own first place in the regular season. Their division makes it easy on them. Chicago should be a challenge to them this year, but Nashville got worse, Columbus should be about the same and St. Louis will likely be pretty awful. The Wings not only have almost everyone back from last year, but they added Marian Hossa to an all ready loaded line-up. It'd almost be foolish to pick anybody but the Wings as the top team in the West. That being said, I don't think they'll win the Cup this year. Recently the teams that made the Cup finals or won the Cup itself have either lost in the first round or missed the playoffs the following season. It's too hard to go all the way to the finals and regroup without the conditioning time in the summer.

2. San Jose Sharks: The Sharks are an absurdly talented team. However, they seemed to be floundering a little under Ron Wilson. Not that he isn't a great coach, but in time the same old message just gets old. Their new coaching staff will likely open things up and let the creative talent carry this team. Nabakov is a terrific goaltender. They've made big upgrades on the blue line was well. Veterans Rob Blake and Dan Boyle will vastly improve their transition game and power play. This is the team to watch in the west. They've been the team to watch in the west for a while now though. It's put up or shut up.

3. Edmonton Oilers: As an Oilers fan this is a little bit of a homer pick. I don't think it's unrealistic. The Oilers had one of the better records in the second half of last season. That was without Shawn Horcoff, Sheldon Souray and Ethan Moreau. They'll have those guys back and the additions of Eric Cole and Visnovski. Those two should play big parts in igniting the power play. How great will Souray and Visnovski look together with the man advantage? The key for Edmonton is that their young players need to take a step forward instead of suffering from the dreaded softmore jinx. If Sam Gagner, Robert Nilsson, Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert improve on their rookie seasons this Edmonton team could be terrific. Probably not a cup contender yet, but not far off. They also need Garon to show he can be a #1 for two consecutive seasons. One good year doesn't prove anything just yet.

4. Anaheim Ducks: A year removed from the Stanley Cup hangover these Ducks should challenge for the division title and another run at the finals. They'll have Niedermayer and Selanne back for the entire season this time. Those bodies are a lot more rested after getting dumped in the first round of the playoffs last year. For the most part this is the same Ducks team that won the whole thing in 06-07. You absolutely can't count them out. Depth might be a bit of a concern though. Any major injuries could derail the season.

5. Minnesota Wild: The Wild didn't do much of anything to improve in the off season, but their team was good enough to win the division last year. The loss of Rolston and Demitra will hurt, but Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan should help. Zidliky is a strong addition to the power play as well. The Wild will once again win a lot of 2-1 games.

6. Dallas Stars: This is going to be a tough team to play against. However, I think they may run into some underachivement up the middle. Brad Richards hasn't ever lived up to his 2003-04 season. Mike Ribiero had a career year last year, but will in continue? Mike Modano is at the end of his career and not scoring nearly as much as he used to. Zubov's injury will also be a big blow depending how long he's out. Turco will be great again as usual.

7. Chicago Blackhawks: There's a lot of hype for this team. Will they live up to it? Huet has to be great, but I don't know if you can count on that. He should be better than Khabibulain was, but not by too much. Campbell will be a great addition on the PP, but this team doesn't have many players who will shut the opposition down. Expect a lot of high scoring games one way or the other. Toews and Kane have a lot of pressure on them here, especially if Havlat can't stay healthy. At the very least they'll be a blast to watch.

8. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks have a lot of question marks. If their D can stay healthy they should be back in the playoffs. However, who is going to score the goals? The top line should be fine. Demitra can replace what Naslund did if he stays healthy. That's a big if. After that we all know it's going to be a bit difficult for them. The Canucks also plan to open their game up this season. I don't know if they have the roster to do that. They DO have one an elite goaltender though and that can change things in a hurray.

9. Calgary Flames: Lose Tanguay and Nolan, replace them with Cammalleri and Bertuzzi. Is that an upgrade? I don't think it is. I also think the Kipper is a question mark after an iffy season. The defence isn't as strong as they make it out to be. The scoring depth is almost as weak as Vancouver's. I don't see why there's much hope for this team to be a contender. Another big question for me here is can Dion Phaneuff become a legitimate top 10 or top 5 defenceman? He's fantastic on the PP and throws big hits, but he's not one of the best in his own zone. He'll have to improve to match up to his hype.

10. Columbus Blue Jackets: Running in place. Lose some key players and replace them with guys of relatively similar value. Unless some of their young guys make a huge leap forward it's going to be another year outside of the playoffs for Columbus. I'd love to see them make it, those fans deserve it. I think they're at least a season away.

11. Phoenix Coyotes: See Columbus. The main problem for Phoenix now will be lack of depth on the blue line. Jokinen was a nice pick up, but who replaces Ballard and Boynton? Lots of young guys, but they may have a hard time carrying the load for this team. Fans there should be excited about what's to come though.

12. Colorado Avalanche: A team in transition. The old stars like Sakic and Foote are fading. Thew new guys like Statsny, Wolski and Svatos are taking over. Neither are at their best at this stage. The blue line strikes me as shaky. However, it's in goal where Colorado has the biggest trouble. Budaj has never proven he can be a reliable starter in the NHL. Raycroft was probably the worst goaltender in the NHL last year. That doesn't inspire much confidence. When I look at the roster this pick makes sense, but the Avalanche always find a way to be good.

13. Nashville Predators: Nashville lost a lot of talent from their emerging team of two seasons ago. An unstable ownsership is to blame. Even over this off season they lost Zidliky via trade and are now going with the unproven Dan Ellis as their #1. Does one half season mean Ellis is suddenly a top tier guy when he had never shown it previously? We'll find out. Radulov's defection is a massive blow to their forward group. I don't know if they can recover.

14. St. Louis Blues: Eric Johnson is gone for the season. They were counting on him to turn into their #1 very quickly. I hope this prediction is wrong for the sake of Fruitvale's Barret Jackman. However, I think this team is just mediocre in every way. They've got some good young talent and some declining veterans. Not enough.

15. Los Angeles Kings: A lot of great young talent. They'd make a fantastic AHL team. Not enough steady NHL vets to make any kind of run at it yet though. Goaltending isn't strong enough either.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Ottawa Senators: I know most won't agree with me here. The second half of last season was not a reflection of how talented this team is. They had some negative stuff going on in the dressing room. They had a couple of badly timed injuries. They never figured out their goaltending situation. The coach wasn't the right guy for the job. They've replaced the coach, shipped out the negative influences and brought in some tough, character players who know how to win and to lead. Secondary scoring and a puck moving defenceman are both issues that they have to address. Goaltending isn't elite, but both guys are steady.

2. New Jersey Devils: I keep expecting them to take a turn for the worse and they never do. Brodeur is still one of the best if not the best goaltender in the entire NHL. Young guys like Parise and Zajak are going to get better. Rolston is a nice addition who brings scoring and grit. There's a lot to like. They absolutely need Elias and Gionta to be better this year.

3. Washington Capitals: No reason to think they won't repeat. The only major issue could be Jose Theodore. He had a better year last year, but which Theodore will show up now that he's not in a contract year? Nylander and Clark returning healthy could be big additions to their depth. Fedorov for a full season will make an impact. The defence could use some help.

4. Montreal Canadiens: A great team but maybe a little bit soft. Laraque is a big strong man, but he doesn't really initiative physically. I don't think theyhave enough grit. The guys they added are soft, skilled players like Tanguay and Lang. This team needs some sandpaper. The other issue is if Price will respond from a dissapointing end to last season. I like the Habs, I just see them as a lot more flawed than others seem to. There are a lot of expectations on this team. We'll see, I wouldn't be surprised by a division title.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins: They'd be higher if not for the injuries to Gonchar and Whitney. That takes a lot of steam out of the high powered Penguins offence. Add in the departures of Malone, Roberts, Hossa, Laraque... this team is missing a lot from their cup run. Obviously they still have Crosby and Malkin. Fleury should still be very good. Their wingers are questionable as is their depth on the blue line.

6. New York Rangers: A ton of changes but I don't know if they are really any better. Losing Jagr (who was their best player by a wide margin in the playoffs) and replacing him with the likes of Naslund and Zherdev isn't really an upgrade. Redden should turn his game around now that he's in a new situation, but I don't think he's a top 10 guy in the league anymore. The Rangers needs Drury and Gomez to be better this season. Time to take over that team and deliver more scoring. They have elite goaltending and pretty solid depth. Should be a playoff team for former Smokies coach Tom Renney. A contender? Doubt it.

7. Boston Bruins: A playoff team last year and all they've done is add to the roster. Bergeron is back and healthy. Michael Ryder is on board and hungry. The young guns are a year older and should be a year better. Chara and company should be back in the playoffs. I don't think they did enough to reach the next level, but a couple of key trades at the deadline could put them right in the running.

8. Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers would be higher on my list if not for recent injury woes on the blue line. Parent and Jones going down and Smith's departure leaves them dangerously thin back there. The forward group is strong. They should have two or three lines that can really burn you. They've got grit and defensive talent there as well. It's just that their D is probably not good enough. Biron is going to have to have a great year.

9. Buffalo Sabres: Buffalo didn't change much at all in the off season. I don't think any of their guys are really going to get much better than they are. Roy made his leap last year. Vanek should have a much better first half. Miller is a good goalie but I think he's rated too highly. His numbers really aren't all that fantastic. The D is relatively deep but no real stars. This is a middle of the pack team at best.

10. Carolina Hurricanes: Again a team that wasn't good enough last year and didn't really make significant changes to their roster. The injury to Justin Williams again is a killer. He's an important part of that forward group and just can't seem to catch a break. It's especially important because the Hurricanes felt they had enough forward depth to trade Cole for Joni Pitkanen. As for Pitkanen, watching him play as much as I did last year with the Oilers I know how talented he is. Talented and very very inconsistent. He's also really not that special on the power play for an offensive defenceman. He's had two "off" years in a row so I wonder if those are off years or if that's just how good he's going to be. I also find that Cam Ward is not quite the goaltender people think he is. Had a great run in the 05-06 playoffs, but his numbers are below average since then. Staal, Ward and company have to be back at the level they were at two years ago if they're going to get into a playoff spot.

11. Flordia Panthers: I like a lot of the players on this Panthers roster and I like their hiring Deboer to coach the team. However, they just don't have enough scoring. The blue line could be one of the better ones in the NHL with the addition of McCabe, Ballard and Boynton to what was all ready a pretty decent group. The loss of Jokinen up front is going to be hard for them to overcome. Cory Stillman isn't going to replace him. Nathan Horton and Weiss really have to take their game up a few notches if Florida is going to make the playoffs. That or they're going to have to trade someone from the blue line to get some scoring. If not it will probably be another season of the Panthers enjoying those fabulous golf courses down in Florida.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning: A whole lot of forwards does not a team make. I like a lot of the guys they've added, but you can't win without defencemen. Meszaros is a guy who had his best success with Chara and who hasn't been great ever since the big guy left Ottawa. Ranger is a pretty good defenceman and Carle is OK. They're going to have some trouble. They say championships are won from the goalie out. Tampa doesn't have good goaltending or defencemen. The forwards are terrific but that won't be enough.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ron Wilson is a terrific coach who will have these guys playing a very tight defensive system. I think as a result the Leafs are going to be competative in more games than you expect. You could see that in their 3-2 win over Detroit. However, they just don't have anywhere near the talent you need to be competative in the NHL. There's no way they'll make the playoffs, but I don't expect the Leafs to be as awful as some people think they will be.

14. Atlanta Thrashers: Who is their #1 centre? Todd White? The forward situation is ugly in Atlanta. Their blue line might not be too bad with the additions of Hainsey and Schneider. I like their goaltending. But Kovalchuk can't do everything by himself. Williams is a nice addition up front, but we're talking about a paper thin forward group. Don Waddell has got to be running out of chances now.

15. New York Islanders: Speaking of paper thin, it's hard to find anyone on the Islanders roster that would be on the top line or top pairing of any other NHL team. There are some very good young players and the goaltending will be solid for the next 33 years, but this team is going to have trouble winning games. They don't have Ted Nolan around to will their untalented group to victory anymore. Last place here they come.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Hart: Sidney Crosby (runner up: Alex Ovechkin)

Art Ross: Sidney Crosby (runner up: Joe Thornton)

Richard: Alex Ovechkin (runner up: Rick Nash)

Vezina: Henrik Lundqvist (runner up: Roberto Luongo)

Norris: Niklas Lidstrom (runner up: Zdeno Chara)

Calder: Kyle Turris (runner up: Steven Stamkos)

Jack Adams: Craig Hartsburgh (runner up: Craig MacTavish)

Selke: Brendan Morrow (runner up: Mike Richards)

Tambellini Interview

I don't have time to comment yet, but here's a brief interview I did today with new Oilers GM Steve Tambellini for Mountain FM. He's a Trail native so we talked a bit about that. Check it out.

• Tambellini on Mountain FM's Overtime Part 1
• Tambellini on Mountain FM's Overtime Part 2

Clarke?

Why isn't anyone talking about Bobby Clarke as GM for the Leafs? Kind of a jerk sure, but...

Has he won a cup? No, but in his time with the Flyers they reached the finals multiple times (losing twice the dynasty Oilers team, once to a should have been dynasty Penguins team and once to the dynasty Wings teams, not exactly push overs) while building the foundations of the Florida team that went on their surprise run to the finals, and his teams were never bad teams... until last season, but a lot of the pieces he put in place are a part of that team that is now winning. That includes his solid draft record with guys like Richards, Carter and Downie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Clarke

"Following his retirement, Clarke's first stint as Flyers general manager lasted six seasons and included two trips to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1985 and 1987. After making the playoffs in each of his first five seasons in the front office, the Flyers fell off during the 1989–90 season and missed the playoffs. Jay Snider fired Clarke following the season[23] and Clarke moved on to the Minnesota North Star[24] and spent two seasons as the North Stars GM, one of which saw a surprise run to the Finals in 1991.[14]

Leaving Minnesota, Clarke returned to Philadelphia to assume the role of Senior Vice President during the 1992–93 season, and served as a mentor for young phenom Eric Lindros during his first season.[14] Clarke moved on shortly after and took the general manager position with the expansion Florida Panthers, a team which set the expansion team record for wins and points during a season in 1993-94. He returned to the role of Flyers GM prior to the 1994–95 season (Florida was compensated with cash and the 36th overall pick in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft),[25]and he rebuilt the team into a Cup contender. Though the Flyers only reached the Finals once (1997) during his second tenure as Flyers GM, the Flyers made the playoffs 11 seasons in a row. Following a poor start to the 2006–07 season, Clarke resigned citing a possible burnout and a lack of desire.[26] Clarke returned to the franchise on December 4, 2006 and was named Senior Vice President."

"Clarke failed to win a Stanley Cup over the 22 seasons he was a general manager. During his 19 seasons as Flyers GM, the Flyers were typically considered Stanley Cup contenders and amassed a regular season record of 714–443–199[27] but for one reason or another always came up short.[28]"

Now there's a good argument you could make that the 85 and 87 Flyers were better than many teams who have won the cup... they took the power house Oilers to seven games and nearly beat them.

I know no one is happy with second place, but tell me that Maple Leaf fans wouldn't prefer 4 trips to the finals in 22 seasons versus say... um... none. There's no other General Manager out there who has a wins/loss record close to Clarke's. His teams don't miss the playoffs and his teams are rarely easy to play against. The Flyers were 271 games above .500 in his 19 seasons there. People in Toronto talk about wanting a guy with a winning history, here he is! Unless you get Ken Holland there's nobody with a more successful track record out there.

Playoff Predictions

I wrote these down yesterday and since action is underway I better get on it now!

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit over (8) Nashville in 5 games

I don't see this one being particularly tough for the Red Wings. You never know what could happen, but they should feast on Nashville's goaltending. The one thing to watch for is a great PK from the Preds and possible injuries biting the Wings.

(2) San Jose over (7) Calgary in 5 games

I don't buy into the Flames at all. They were healthy all year and got no traction on three teams (Colorado, Edmonton and Vancouver) that were decimated by injury. The Sharks should own them. Calgary's only edges are physical and leadership. Not enough.

(6) Colorado over (3) Minnesota in 6 games

Who do you want to go to the playoff dance with... Forsberg, Sakic, Smyth and Foote or Gaborik, Rolston, Bouchard and Demintra? Colorado knows how to win the Wild don't. That's not to say it guarantees anything but with the teams as close as they are it sure makes a different. Colorado with a healthy Sakic, Forsberg and Foote all year wins the division easily. Wild will put up a fight but that's it.

(4) Anaheim over (5) Dalls in 7 games

I can't predict a short series with the record Dallas has against Anaheim this season. However, the Ducks defence is MILES ahead of Dallas'. It's not even fair. With Zubov out there's no way the Stars can match up on the blue line. Better scoring depth probably but not by enough.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Montreal over (8) Boston in 4 games

Habs owned the Bruins all year. Boston may get a fluke game but it won't be competitive.

(7) Ottawa over (2) Pittsburgh in 7 games

Nobody thinks it'll happen, but the Senators still have all the talent they had last year they just need to get their heads straight. I think the playoffs are a whole different animal and that may motivate this team. If not you have to shake things up drastically in the off season.

(3) Washington over (6) Philadelphia in 6 games

Hottest team down the stretch against a team that faltered. The Flyers forwards are too inconsistent and soft. Their defence is too big and slow. Their goaltending is average. Just not enough there. Capitals are confident, hungry and they have the best player in the game this year.

(4) New Jersey over (5) New York Rangers in 7 games

Toughest series to call in the NHL by far. Rangers have the forward depth, Devils have the better defence. To me it comes down to experience in goal. They're both great but Brodeur knows how to do it.

So there you have it.

Based on that I'd go in the second round Colorado over Detroit, San Jose over Anaheim (great series), Ottawa over Montreal, New Jersey over Washington.

In the third round San Jose over Colorado and New Jersey over Ottawa.

Leaving us with the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks playing in the lowest scoring series of the century for the Stanley Cup. To me the Devils and Rangers are really the only teams who can play the kind of style you'd need to to challenge the western teams for the cup. That being said I'm giving the mug to the Sharks this year.

What's your call?

My First Oilers Home Game

One thing that people never seem to understand about me is that I'm an Oilers fan who had never actually stepped foot in Edmonton. For the first 27 years of my life I managed to avoid ever being anywhere close to Edmonton. The closest I had come was a brief stop in the Calgary airport about a year ago when I first moved to British Columbia. Anytime someone finds out I'm an Oilers fan they usually assume I'm from Edmonton. I guess that's natural. It's also surprising that while I'm from Ottawa I'm not a Senators fan. However, lets not forget that the Senators didn't exist when I was a wee one. The story of me being an Oilers fan is a pretty simple one. I'm a stubborn kid. My dad is a huge Leafs fan so when I was a kid he wanted me to cheer for them. My one uncle is a big Habs fan and use to send me Canadiens gear to try to win me over to that side. My other uncle is a Bruins fan and frankly there was no way I was cheering for an American team. I watched a lot of Leafs hockey as a youngster. I can remember game after game of a frustrated father watching Toronto's rag tag bunch of losers (this was the 80s remember) get their lunch handed to them. Not exactly a great sell job. I was a child of the 80s, we demanded success and we demanded it RIGHT NOW! That's why I jumped onto my very first bandwagon as an Edmonton Oilers fan. They were the best team in hockey and my dad's team sucked. It was a natural for me.

That, and orange was my favourite colour.

From that point on I've been hooked. As much as I was a bandwagon jumper as a child, I've been pretty loyal ever since. It would've been really easy for me to abandon the Oilers for the fresh new Senators in the early 90s. It's not like Edmonton was putting up great seasons either. I liked and do like Ottawa, but there's something about your first love right? As much as I'd think that my stripes were changing, as soon as I'd go to the Oilers/Senators games my old instincts would come back. Then Todd Marchant's goal against Dallas really cemented me as a fan for life.

A lot of people's love for the Oilers seems to be connected with their western routes. Having never been west of Toronto for most of my life that was the last thing on my mind. However, I've always wondered. Edmonton almost became kind of this mystical place in my eyes when I was a youngster. The far off land of hockey championships where nobody ever frowns. All I ever envisioned was the Oilers and a really big mall, usually in the same image.

I've been to games though. Saw them a number of times in Ottawa. Saw Mark Messier and the Oilers beat the Habs in the old Forum. I even saw game 1 of the 2006 series in Detroit. However, I'd never stepped foot inside Rexall Place until this past weekend.

THE TRIP

In addition to being the play by play voice of the BCHL's Trail Smoke Eaters I'm also the sports director and a sports talk host on a radio station in Castlegar. We do a show every night that is a mix of sports and talk. Obviously a current NHL superstar from a town of 8000 is a pretty big deal. It just so happens that Shawn Horcoff is from Castlegar. I'd always hoped to turn that connection into an interesting road trip and story for air. My original thought had been that I could attend a St.Louis/Edmonton game so there would also be another local connection with Barret Jackman (he's from Fruitvale, about 30 minutes from Castlegar) in the game. That didn't work with my schedule and Horcoff ended up getting hurt. The interesting storylines were kind of limited now.

I did end up getting both Friday and Monday off for the Easter Holiday weekend. Not really worth it for me to fly home for four days, so I felt it was a good opportunity to visit friends in Calgary and maybe finally get to Edmonton. I worked it out and took off on Friday morning. It's a gorgeous drive actually. There's about a two hour stretch through the rockies that is just spectacular. I was kind of in a rush that day but when I go back in May for a friend's wedding I'll be taking lots of photos. I think that stretch from Invermere to Canmore is maybe the most beautiful part of the world I've ever seen. It's right up there with some places in Scottland and Cape Breton. I don't live in a bad area myself, but those mountains are even more spectacular.

Unfortunately my trip was marred somewhat by being under the weather. Had a rough time getting to sleep after a couple of beers with my friend in Calgary and woke up with a bad case of the shivers in the morning. Made for a rough drive up to Edmonton. With the guidance of a very helpful Guy Flaming I found my way to the rink. Traffic wasn't even that bad. Much better than it is to get to a Senators game.

THE ARENA

As a facility I didn't find Rexall Place particularly out of date. I suppose the media space is a bit narrow. The main thing is obviously the capacity, but for the most part it felt like world class arena. I'm sure the new building will be great, but it's not like this one is falling apart. Sitting in the press area was quite interesting. For one, it's a catwalk surrounding the entire arena. You've got fans in front and behind you. That's unique. To see a goal happen and to turn back and have the bleacher fans below you but from behind is an interesting way to watch a crowd. You also get to walk very close to the banners. While I was there as a media guy and had to be as professional as I could, I have to admit getting the goosebumps as I stood mere feet away from those banners I'd only ever seen on TV. Lots of winning has been done in that building's relatively short history.

I was also taken with how many Oilers jerseys there are in the crowd. It seemed like almost everyone had one. In my experience in Ottawa there weren't nearly that many people with jerseys. That could have changed now because the team has had a lot more playoff success than they had when I lived there.

The crowd is terrific. Loudest I've seen for a regular season home game. Just great acoustics in that rink too. I wish I had been there for the playoff run. Lots of familiar faces in the press box from radio, television and the newspaper. Also a bit weird to remember you're not a fan when you're up there. A couple of times I barely caught myself. It is fairly easy to remove yourself from that emotion to some extent, but hockey is also a sport that can suck you in when you're not on guard. It's incredibly quiet up there for the most part. There' s a little chit chat at most. Got to spend a lot of time talking with Guy and he's as nice a guy as he seems.

We walked by the broadcast area in the second intermission. I have to tell you that part especially gave me chills. Working in Junior A hockey today I don't think it's a huge surprise to anyone that being a broadcaster in the NHL would be a dream come true. What Rod Phillips and Jim Hughson get to do that day is something I've imagined doing since I was 3 years old.

GAME THOUGHTS

The game was very entertaining. I don't think you can appreciate how talented Ales Hemsky is on television. I know this was an exceptional game for Hemsky, but the way he handles the puck... the way he skates, moves and dangles... it's amazing to watch. He could go pointless in the game and still be the most entertaining player out there. I loved the speed and skill level of the young players. A couple of things I noticed:

• Robert Nilsson never stops moving. This is something coaches are always telling young players. "Move your feet! Move your feet! Move your feet!" Nilsson must have listened. I swear there's no pause in his game, or at least there wasn't on this night. I chose to follow him for a few shifts and even if he's not in the play he's constantly in motion. I think that keeps him sharp and aware. Also a lot more physical in this game than I expected. Took a couple of penalties and threw a big hit out there. I doubt that's going to happen much, but the constant motion was interesting.
• Sam Ganger just knows where to be. You can't teach hockey sense or instinct. That was probably Wayne Gretzky's greatest quality. I'm not going to put Gagner in that league, but I do think that's what makes him so special at such a young age. Both his goals came about from finding himself in the right place at the right time for nice feeds from Hemsky. The second goal happened even after the play seemed to be falling apart a little. He also had a terrific, quick release. But even on the plays where he didn't score... it's that instinct and hockey sense that has me very optimistic. This would be a great rookie year for any 18 year old, but the sky is the limit for someone who thinks the game that naturally. The physical side of it will come with hard work. That hockey sense is what will make him a franchise player.
• Cogliano is lightning quick, but Glencross is much faster than I anticipated. He' s a gritty, smart, two-way guy but he's also really quick. Don't let him slip away.
• Brodziak is quickly turning into a guy you can rely on in any situation. He's deceptively smart, has good instincts, plays a gritty game and has a good shot. We talk about him like a third and fourth liner but I think his upside is bigger than that. The Horcoff comparisons might be not far off.
• Smid doesn't look as composed as I remember him when I had every Oilers game on satellite. I don't know if his struggles over the last half of last year and first half of this year have limited that somehow. There was a time when I first saw him play that he was so calm and comfortable looking that I had very high expectations for the player he could turn into. It just doesn't seem to be there at quite the same level.
• None of the defencemen really impressed me. I liked Grebeskhov's confidence moving the puck. The whole group did a solid job. However, no one really stood out to me as being a guy who could take control of a game. That's what I was hoping for from Pitkanen and I didn't really see it in this game. He's young yet, I think he has the tools to be that guy, but it doesn't seem to be there yet. Pronger's game control is obviously an impossible thing to replace... but nobody out there is even playing that kind of game. It's definitely a team effort on D. They are all young and seem to be coming along well, but I wonder if any of them have the ability to become the leader out there. Do any of you see one of those guys as someone who will be the defensive captain? I'm not sure.
• Stoll can't receive a pass to save his life. He's great on draws, he did his job positionally and in his own zone, he's got a terrific shot... but man he can't receive a pass. I don't think I've ever watched a player live botch so many incoming passes. His instincts just don't seem to be there anymore. Unless something comes together in the off season I would suggest the days of Stoll as a top 6 forward appear to be gone. Maybe we were all seeing something there that wasn't ever there? Nothing wrong with being a good two-way guy that can contribute on the PP. However, it's not worth a major investment either.

The main thing is that the team is playing with a lot of confidence and chemistry. They appear to be having fun out there. There's skill, there's speed, there's jam, there's grit, there's leadership and there's chemistry. Get some experience out there and these guys are going to be a terrific team to watch for the next five years.

POST GAME

• Click here for my Sam Gagner interview
• Click here for my Shawn Horcoff interview (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4)

Guy gave me good directions to head down to the Oilers dressing room. So I didn't miss anything I went about two minutes before the game ended. I was directed by a security guard down a hallway... but it seemed like an odd spot. The end of the hall left me at the laundry room. I waited for other reporters to show up while the game ticked down. They never did. After about 5-10 minutes I walked back around and found I was sent to the complete wrong area. Missed the initial press scrum I'm sad to say. Was kind of neat to see what the back area of an NHL room is like I guess.

Got a chance to go into the main room and boy they sure have it nice in the pros don't they? Even at the end of the press scrum I'm not used to having that much media around. Usually I can talk to whomever I want for as long as I want without a soul around but other players. I had a few words with Sam Gagner who is really well spoken for an 18 year old. Obviously going through being a star in major junior and a season in the NHL has helped him. I'm used to getting far less from the 18 year olds I interview anyway.

After that, J.J. the PR guy for the Oilers noticed I was there (though I could never actually figure out who he was) and brought Shawn Horcoff into the room. I've talked to Horcoff twice before and he's always among the most well spoken interviews I do. That includes coaches who've been in the game for longer than I've been breathing. One thing you'll often notice from guys who went the NCAA route is that they tend to be more well spoken than guys who didn't. I think that's just a natural result of having more education. Plus Horc is obviously a bright guy. He doesn't hesitate or fall on crutch words. I could easily see him being a strong analyst after his career is over if that's something he wanted.

Both guys are in good spirits. I think the whole organization has been really lifted up by this recent run. Playoffs or not, they all see what the team is capable of now. Get Horcoff back and suddenly that's two really dynamic lines that can score. The fourth line is a gritty, hard to play against unit that can chip in goals. When healthy there will be some great options for a third line. We're going to see a team in Edmonton with no weak units. The forward depth that was so key a couple of years ago is returning. In fact, there may be more scoring on this team next year than there was even on the team that went to the cup. Combine that with a boat load of promising young D. There's little reason to be negative about this team right now. There are holes and room for improvement, but the future looks great and you can feel that buzz in the dressing room.

When done with Horcoff, Guy introduced me to a guy who in some ways I can say is a hero. Rod Phillips is a broadcasting legend who has called some of the most important games in NHL history. He was there for five cups and seven trips to the finals. He makes a game sound exciting and helps you feel what you aren't there to feel... see what you aren't there to see. He does what I want to do for the rest of my life and it was a pleasure to meet him briefly. He was really friendly. Interesting advice was to remember that you don't know what you can be as a broadcaster until you've called 300 games. I'm sitting at about 60 or so at this point so that puts it in real perspective. From talking to him briefly I imagine it won't be too long before he walks away from his post. Enjoy him while you can. He's a hall of famer for a reason.

I went from that conversation to the Mac T press conference. While it seems on TV like you're dealing with a full room, for a Saturday afternoon game it really wasn't that full. You've got your typical guys like the TV reporters you're used to seeing. However, there were really only 6-7 guys who would ever ask questions. I definitely could have if I wanted to, but to be honest there wasn't much point. I was looking for interviews I could use in a talk show format and wasn't really in a place to just look for a quick post game quote. I just found it interesting to watch how it operated. In the pros you all get the same thing out of the coach. In junior I always have them to myself. Glad I don't have to share audio with everybody like these guys do.

Mac T is good though. Smooth, quick and a good quote. Media's dream.

DEPARTURE

With that I found my way out... did a brief tour of the rink and left. I really wish I had been at 100% for this experience. I was getting so sick I barely kept it together for the drive there and the game. On the way back I was close to a complete mess. It kind of took some of the fun out of the whole thing.

That being said, everybody at the game was really friendly. It was a great experience as a fan to see a place I'd only ever watched on TV. The fans are the loudest and proudest I've seen in person. It's a great place to watch a hockey game.

As for the city itself, would I be demanding a trade if I made 6.5 million bucks a year and could go anywhere I want? Hey it's hard to say. I'm sure it's probably objectively nice to live in Anaheim than in Edmonton. However, it didn't really seem much different than any similar sized city I've seen. Not significantly different than Calgary or Ottawa or Montreal or Kelowna or whatever. Colder I imagine, but a great hockey environment and probably a lot more passion than you'd ever get in most American cities. I know if I got the chance to live there for a job I wanted to do I'd definitely go for it.

Hopefully next time I go back I'll be a big more with it. It go so bad the next day I had to skip out on the planned Hitmen game I was going to attend. I also found the drive between Calgary and Edmonton just painful. It's quick and straight, but I'm used to driving by scenic mountain and lake views. Three hours of pure farm and straight lines... well it's a lot like driving back in eastern Ontario actually. Fewer trees maybe.

But I've been there. It was a thrill as an Oilers fan and a very interesting experience to see what an NHL game is like from a media perspective. I look forward to doing it again. Maybe in Calgary and Vancouver too. Of note, the Oilers have gone on the the Stanley Cup finals 100% of the time when I go on a long road trip to see them play. Lets hope that holds up!

The mess in Toronto

NOTE: this is an e-mail I wrote to some friends and my dad today. I figure why not pass it on...

If I were GM of the Maple Leafs? Gut the team and lose as much as I can for the rest of the year.

Everything must go! Don't worry about value, get whatever you can. There's no point in having Jason Blake or Pavel Kubina on your roster anymore. If no one will trade for them, put 'em on waivers. Seriously, if you get a 5th round pick take it.

Some organizations have hope for a real quick turn aroud, but Philadelphia had Richards and Carter and Gagner and Umberger.... Toronto doesn't.

If you are born in 1979 or earlier (with rare exceptions), see ya.

That means goodbye:

-31 year old Belak see ya
-34 year old Blake see ya (for anything OR even re-entry waivers in the off season, but not until then)
-29 year old Deveraux who cares stay if you want
-31 year old Kilger who cares stay if you want (unless you get some value for his all around game at the deadline)
-28 year old John Pohl who cares
-36 year old Mats Sundin see ya (make it very clear there's no winning here anytime soon... feel free to come back, but it'll be at a discount and a 1 or 2 year deal at most if you do. Refuse to waive your NTC and I'm sorry you're gone in the off season regardless, we can't afford to waste it.)
-32 year old Darcy Tucker see ya (are you kidding me? get lost Tucker. A player like that will done by the time the Leafs are any good. Anything you can get, someone will take him for free at least in the off season.)

-32 year old Hal Gill see ya (again if you have to waive him in the off season and sit him in the minor leagues so be it. He's making too much to be average at his age.)
-29 year old Tomas Kaberle can stay. (Ideally he'd stay. If you get a king's ransom for him take it. Otherwise this guy will be good for like 8 more seasons and has a good contract.)
-30 year old Pavek Kubina try to trade (I like Kubina, but if you can get anything do it. If not, I'd keep him up with the big team. I think he's a strong overall d-man.)
-32 year old Bryan McCabe see ya. (Whatever you have to do to get rid of McCabe do it. Someone has to bite, right? Someone! McCabe is the oldest of the big 3 no trade clause D. Not good in his own zone and brittle. If you get a 6th round pick for his contract you take it and run. If he refuses to go, you BUY HIM OUT in the off season. I don't hate McCabe but he does not fit long term plans. He, Blake, Sundin and Tucker must go.)

-27 year old Andrew Raycroft see ya. (Pogge should back up Toskala next year. Raycroft can sit in the minors and not waste cap space. Pay him for the mistake.)
-30 year old Vesa Toskala can stay

Leaving you with a core of:

First Liners:
27 year old Nik Antropov

Maybe Second Liners:
27 year old Alexei Ponikorovski

Third or Fourth Liners:
24 year old Kyle Welwood
27 year old Mark Bell
24 year old Matt Stajan
23 year old Alex Steen (for now)
19 year old Jiri Tlusty (for now)
25 year old Kris Newbury

(Chad Kilger, Boyd Deveraux, John Pohl could be around)

Top Pairing:
30 year old Pavel Kubina (unless you get a good offer)
29 year old Tomas Kaberle

Bottom Pairing:
24 year old Carlo Coliacovo
25 year old Steffan Kromwell
23 year old Ian White

Goalies:
30 year old Vesa Toskala
21 year old Justin Pogge

Antropov, Ponikorovski, Steen, Tlusty, Kaberly, Toskala and Pogge are the ONLY players I would specifically plan on keeping. The others are depth players who could easily be moved.

Off Season: NO TRADING DRAFT PICKS

Don't sign any free agent over the age of 28. Hossa, Huselius.... those guys are the only unrestricted players that stand out as potential targets.

Sundin could come back for a pay cut.

DRAFT/PROSPECT/BUILD

Potential President/GM types?

-Jim Rutherford is an option but I've always felt overrated. His Cup team had a patch work defence that got hugely lucky with Montreal, Buffalo and Edmonton's injuries.

-Burke and Holland will not happen

-Bowman is too old to be in charge of a long term rebuild

-What about Steve Tambellini? For years a strong talent evaluator and A-GM in Vancouver. Part of the mangement committee for the 2002 and 2004 Team Canada squads that won the Olympics and World Cup.

-What about Doug Armstrong? GM of the Dallas Stars from 2002 to this year. Has that team EVER been bad? Won the cup as an AGM in 1999 but never as a GM. Still, strong resume in my opinion.

-What about Marshall Johnson? Big part of the Senators management team and former Ottawa GM. Rick Dudley? Also a former Ottawa GM. Pierre Gautier? Also a former Ottawa GM. Three guys who had a lot of success in helping to build the Senators franchise. John Muckler's name is out there as well, but he's too old for a long term plan.

-What about Rejaen Houle? Just kidding.

-What about Craig Patrick? He won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins by surrounding Mario with the right pieces. If Mario hadn't been sick and injured, wouldn't that team have won more than 2 Cups? I think so. He eventually left after years of struggles, but the team had NO money and Patrick picked alot of the guys that are currently a part of that strong youth movement.

-What about Bob Nicholson? Successfully ran Hockey Canada for several years. Obviously a winning program that has success with prospects and pros. Not an NHL experienced guy but obviously a strong hockey guy.

-If the Rangers falter and miss the playoffs I could see Glenn Sather being available.

-There's the assistant GM in Detroit and also Steve Yzerman in Detroit. Two guys being groomed for bigger roles in the league's most successful franchise. No actual GM experience, but both great potential talents.

Finally tough, the most obvious choice? MIKE MILBURY

Honestly, it's not a pretty picture. I don't like the Leafs and a I never will, but it's an intriguing challenge. Whomever the new GM is, they have to take advantage of the reality that the Leafs will make money and sell out even if they go 2-82. Suck and suck hard for the rest of this year and next. Get some superstar picks and build around them with what's left of your young core.

The future of the Leafs?

Pogge, 2008 pick, 2009 pick, Antropov the veteran scorer, Kaberle the veteran defender and puck mover, Tlusty the skilled youngster

That's your core.

Fernando

What a story!

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=224176&hubname=

Fernando Pisani returns to the line-up for the Edmonton Oilers tonight. My only disappointment is that it's not a home game. Hopefully when he does come back to Edmonton he gets the ovation he deserves.

How could the line-up look when the team is healthy? Look forward to when Moreau and Sanderson are also back.

Penner Horcoff Hemsky
Torres Stoll Pisani
Moreau Cogliano Brodziak
Sanderson Reasoner Gagner

How does that look? Those are lines that won't give away many goals even if they won't score many.

We have to think Pisani's going to get a pretty easy ride to start with. Don't expect him to play a ton of minutes yet anyway. Once he's healthy though, should Fernando start getting a chance to replicate his playoff scoring touch? No one else is scoring much anyway. Why not give him some serious PP time and top line consideration here? Not replacing Hemmer, but at least some time with good players in scoring situations.

He's as good an option as any.

Fernando returning means an improved PK. It means improved play for whatever line he's on. It also means a big lift in the dressing room as these guys can be inspired by a guy some thought wouldn't play again this year.

Fernando Pisani is a winner and he's a true Oiler. Go get 'em!




EDIT: I was just thinking when posting over at Lowetide. Perhaps Pisani should get a chance out there with Horcoff and Hemsky. It would certainly make them a line that could go head to head with the other team's top line. Pisani would get a chance to deliver some goals in that situation. We could see what he's capeable of. Gotta get a few games in first I imagine. I still think he deserves more of a shot to prove the playoffs wern't a fluke.