A couple weekends ago, we were witnessed to one of the first time occurrences in the history of sports. A game which initially started on network TV on NBC was flopped around to Versus to show the remaining 10 minutes of an overtime period. What was so vital that NBC had to have hockey pulled. Why horseracing pregame!
I’m sure that people needed to be informed about what’s going on and which horse took the longest pregame shit but seriously. The conditions of the track are indeed important but
In one of the dumbest things that I have ever seen NBC took away from one of the most exciting moments in sport: playoff hockey sudden death overtime. Why on earth did Bettman agree to such an arrangement after all. What has NBC brought the NHL to warrant receiving half of the money being brought in by advertising?
For a brief couple of minutes, the fans of the NHL were puzzled. Flipping back between horseracing and the strongman contest or whatever was on was not a position we want to be in. The pundits will point to the fact that the Preakness’s ratings are double or even triple what the NHL would have gotten is indeed true. Frankly, though a big no shit should apply to this also. If hockey was on 3 times a year, I’m sure the ratings would be fine too. This is not the case obviously but with the ratings for the sport on the verge of being irrelevant within 30 years. Not to mention that horseracing seems to have relevance only to the gambling fiends and big-wig 60 something owners who care less about the actual horse and jockey and more about profit margins. Not to mention the biggest star horse racing was euthanized last year and is now spawning multiple made for tv movies on NBC and even HBO. Let’s also not forget about those diehard Strongman fans who missed out on who lifted the sedan with his neck and who won this weeks competition. While this debate has been turned into Hockey vs. Horseracing the real idiot in all of this is Bettman.
One of the many things that makes the NHL playoffs so glorious to many is the fact that one game could on until the early am. The tension, the drama and the heroes are long remembered by not only fans of the respective teams but also by casual fans. Heck, the long OT games are the only reason these games even show up on sportscenter. This is just horrendous planning by both Bettman. How can this sport not get a dedicated spot on TV to ensure that we the viewer gets to see the dramatic conclusion?
Sadly, the OT game ended in a mere 10 minutes but the fact remains that Bettman makes these shoddy deals that don’t advertise the sport or the players. How many ads have you seen of NBC promoting the game? Mostly the only ads seem to be advertising the game next week. How in god’s name is that going to attract Joe E. mainstream who has no idea what a Duck or a Senator is or any of the story. Furthermore, why do we only see hockey ads during hockey games and not during any other time. NBC has a boatloads of shows that could all be used to get some backstory of the game. All the ads on NBC simply point to which two teams are playing and on which network.
Watching Bettman continue to find his White whale is indeed a painful spectacle to endure. The NHL seemingly blew its chance to thrust this sport into the limelight during that brief moment in 1994. Moreover, the NHL has been on 3 of the major networks the past 10 years and none of them have stuck.
Sadly this year is a perfect opportunity. The NBA playoffs have been painfully average at best with the notorious defensive teams reigning supreme. We could have used a 7 game Buffalo and Ottawa series but alas it wasn’t meant to be. The playoffs have been solid but alas hockey continues to bumble around in the forest like a toppling tree with no one around. Will it make a sound?
According to the ratings the answer is sadly no.
-op
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Messier Announces his Leadership Award is Worthless
Today Mark Messier confirmed that his Messier Leadership Award is in fact useless and full of crap as he announced that Chris Chelios has won the award for the year.
And no, this is not a fake entry.
I can honestly say without a doubt the Messier Award is a complete crock now.
If there is anyone who doesn’t deserve a leadership award it Chelios. Yes, he may be a great player, yes he may wear the ‘A’ for many years, but when you look at the guy, he is nothing close to a leader. Chelios is a whiner.
Throughout his career Chelios has constantly complained to anyone within ear length when things don’t go his way. Like a spoiled five year old he wants things his way and will gripe and cry until he gets it. Proof? Take Ted Saskin, the recently disposed NHLPA head. Chelios didn’t like his hire, so for two years complained how unfair it was he was hired, it wasn’t legit etc. It didn’t matter the rest of the players unanimously voted him in, or that a court threw out his suite. No, he had to keep pushing until he got what he wanted.
Further proof he is not a leader? Take game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Where was he during the handshake? Well, our good old boy ran off to the locker room in a hissy fit like a spoiled little brat who can’t stand to lose. How is that anything close to leadership? That is about the most juvenile, not to mention unprofessional thing a player can do. No one likes to lose, yet the rest of his team managed to do what he couldn’t: show respect.
Chris Chelios is a 45 your old man, middle aged for god’s sake, and he acts like a five year old on a constant basis.
I’m sorry, but a leader should act his age.
And to you Mark Messier, really, for as much praise as you get you should know better than to choose someone who shows the opposite of what your award is about.
Then again, I guess that’s why your award is meaningless now, isn’t it?
-Jordan
And no, this is not a fake entry.
I can honestly say without a doubt the Messier Award is a complete crock now.
If there is anyone who doesn’t deserve a leadership award it Chelios. Yes, he may be a great player, yes he may wear the ‘A’ for many years, but when you look at the guy, he is nothing close to a leader. Chelios is a whiner.
Throughout his career Chelios has constantly complained to anyone within ear length when things don’t go his way. Like a spoiled five year old he wants things his way and will gripe and cry until he gets it. Proof? Take Ted Saskin, the recently disposed NHLPA head. Chelios didn’t like his hire, so for two years complained how unfair it was he was hired, it wasn’t legit etc. It didn’t matter the rest of the players unanimously voted him in, or that a court threw out his suite. No, he had to keep pushing until he got what he wanted.
Further proof he is not a leader? Take game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Where was he during the handshake? Well, our good old boy ran off to the locker room in a hissy fit like a spoiled little brat who can’t stand to lose. How is that anything close to leadership? That is about the most juvenile, not to mention unprofessional thing a player can do. No one likes to lose, yet the rest of his team managed to do what he couldn’t: show respect.
Chris Chelios is a 45 your old man, middle aged for god’s sake, and he acts like a five year old on a constant basis.
I’m sorry, but a leader should act his age.
And to you Mark Messier, really, for as much praise as you get you should know better than to choose someone who shows the opposite of what your award is about.
Then again, I guess that’s why your award is meaningless now, isn’t it?
-Jordan
Thursday, May 17, 2007
GM Rankings
1) Bryan Burke, Ana.
Burke didn’t lose a step after being fired from Vancouver, and has gone on a bit of a rampage in his return. He has acquired two perennial Norris candidates in Pronger and Niedermayer, giving him the deadliest top defensive pairing in the league. His refusal (profanity laced as he so called it) to trade away young players is very smart in the new cap environment. While the Ducks had a strong base before his arrival, he has only made it better.
2) Darryl Sutter, Cgy.
Sutter knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it. He has maintained a strong defense since he took over the gm job (with few all stars on it also) and has slowly built the offense up, especially this year acquiring Tanguay and Conroy in separate deals. He always gets fair values for his deals and has managed to keep the core intact.
3) David Poile, Nsh.
For eight years now Poile has stuck to his plan of building through the draft. While some free agent help post-lockout has helped, the Preds are still full of young, integral players that have yet to hit their potential helping the team, so when they do lose guys via free agency, they still have plenty waiting in the wings. His patience is limitless as Barry Trotz still remains behind the bench. That is a good job.
4) Lou Lamoriello, NJ
I know I tend to be harsh when it comes to Lou, but much of that comes from countering people not being able to see past the fact he is who he is and actually bothering to analyze what he does. And I have never denied he is a good GM. Please see my previous article “Over Rated Lou” for why he is 4th.
5) Doug Wilson, SJ
While Dean Lombardi laid a solid foundation with the Sharks, Wilson ahs continued to keep the team going strong. He had no problem in going out to fill his deadline needs acquiring Guerin and Rivet, and in the off season signed Mike Grier and got a 1st round pick form New Jersey to take Malakov off their hands. He continues to draft well as San Jose is currently the youngest team in the NHL. And let’s not forget that Thornton deal either.
6) George McPhee, Wsh.
If you need to get maximum value for trading away soon to be free agents, look up McPhee, George for information (for the opposite, look up Patrick, Craig). McPhee has stockpiled a bevy of picks and prospects since the roster blowup he was ordered to do years ago, and no matter who it is he deals, he continues to get a strong return even though he deals from a position of weakness. You have to give the guy credit for that.
7) Darcy Regier, Buf.
I’m still not totally sold on Regier. His team was built for the new rules, yes, but lest we forget that the Sabres were bottom feeders before then. Some say he was smart to have few salaries committed, but it is going to catch up, as they lost McKee last year, and could potentially lose Briere ad Drury this year (though doubtful both will be gone). Still, I do not think he is bad by any means and seems to be making the most of what he has to work with now. Plus many of his draft picks are stepping up and filling roster spots.
8) Dave Nonis, Van.
It’s a bit hard to judge Nonis. He inherited some good things and some bad, but largely had a roster he was not able to keep together post lockout. But give him credit: he stole one of the best goalies in the league in Luongo.
9) Doug Armstrong, Dal.
Until the deadline Armstrong had treaded cautiously in the new economic landscape, only added depth players instead of big name free agents. He did trade for Mattias Norstrom from the Kings, a move very few expected. Dallas was a big spending team before the lockout so I think Armstrong still needs another year to see how he deals with an aging core of players to see what he can really do. But so far he hasn’t done anything stupid.
10) John Muckler, Ott.
When is the last time Muckler brought in someone at the deadline that actually mattered? How about a good free agent signing? But then again he has had quite a bit of success at the draft and his unwillingness to sign or trade for big name guys has allowed him to keep most of his team together.
11) Ken Holland, Det.
You might be asking how Holland is so far down on this list? Well, take a look at some of the core: Hasek, Schneider and Lidstrom. All are past their mid 30’s and there is a heavy reliance on them. You can say Holland was smart to bring in Hasek, but he only did so because he lost out on the Gerber bidding (which I am sure he and Red Wings fans are thoroughly glad of now). Holland remains largely inactive in free agency and the team does need to get younger, as at some point it will catch up.
12) Francois Giguere, Col.
Let me start off by saying I felt Pierre Lacroix was a very over rated GM. Giving away young talent to land the top dollar guys like Blake and throwing large contracts at others because you can afford it when others can't doesn’t make you good. And now Giguere is paying for Lacroix’s mistakes. It’s hard to tell how good a job Giguere has done as he is still sorting out a mess. However, what deals he has done (like the Tanguay deal, signing Brisbois and Turgeon) don’t seem to pan out.
13) Bob Gainey, Mtl.
Gainey’s two big moves in his tenure have been trading for Alexei Kovalev and signing Sergei Samsanov. Kovalev hasn’t been the same since he left Pittsburgh and the Samsanov signing has been well documented on every front to be bad. Though he does get kudos for getting a 1st rounder and a prospect for Craig Rivet.
14) *Paul Holmgren, Phi.
Holmgren inherited a mess but has done a good job in cleaning it up. He has rid the Flyers of enough dead weight that he now has $24 million to spend in the off season (and while he wont spend it all, look for some key players to be added). He has gotten some good returns with the dealings of Zhitnik and Forsberg to further bolster a strong (but struggling) score of young players. Philadelphia’s turn around could be very quick.
15) *Ray Shero, Pit.
Like other rookie GM’s telling how much Shero has really done is questionable (especially after what he inherited). But he did do something that his predecessor Craig Patrick never did: added lower line depth. His was something that had killed the Pens for years as Patrick only plugged in what mediocre player/prospect was available into the lower lines. Shero immediately went and filled it out with role players who added much needed defense from the forward lines. The defense is still weak but with the outrageous prices in the summer its hard to blame him for not over paying. Plus he did decide to take Jordan Staal.
16) *Garth Snow, NYI
We all laughed when Snow was named GM, but it seems the laugh is on us. Snow has done a good job in his role, landing Smyth and getting younger talant for old (a la Meyer for Zhitnik). He has succeeded all expectations, meaning Could owner Charles Wang actually be right about something?
17) Kevin Lowe, Edm
Lowe gets credit for making the deals that got them to the finals last year, though his inability to get any defensemen in the off season to replace the losses of Pronger and Spacek nearly counter that. He was forced to deal away Smyth at the deadline but got a potential bounty in return. How he fares this off season could signify how good he truly is.
18) *Dean Lombardi, LA
Lombardi wasted no time in rebuilding the Kings. After years of mediocrity he blew up the roster to start over again. He dealt captain Norstrum to Dallas for a hefty return, and landed prized prospect Jack Johnson from Carolina. As he had good success with drafting in San Jose, look for him to make good use of the picks he has acquired.
19) Glen Sather, NYR
I actually thought Sather did good in the off season by signing the likes of Cullen and Ward to boost his roster. Neither panned out (Cullen has struggled, Ward traded due to his feud with Jagr). His only deadline pick up was Avery who has been very helpful so far. However, it still doesn’t seem like Sather has regained his form from his Edmonton days, and I doubt he will at this point.
20) Jim Rutherford, Car.
Rutherford got lucky his team succeeded with the new rules, as he stood by and watched as affordable players such as Matt Cullen and Aaron Ward departed. He did little to shore up for those losses, and traded away one of the best defensive prospects in Jack Johnson to the Kings. His activity at the deadline consisted of getting Anson Carter who proved to be of no use at all. He just got an extension from the Hurricanes so obviously they hold him in higher regard than myself.
21) Larry Pleau, StL.
I have never been a fan of Pleau, always feeling he overpaid for such talent as Weight and Tkachuck. And while they are good players, I never really considered either elite, while he always gave up a good chunk of the future to get them (for just Tkachuk Handzus and Nagy). He has redeemed himself somewhat this year and last by stockpiling first round picks for veteran talent like Weight (who he then resigned), Guerin (who many gave up on) and Tkachuk. Though he could have done better in the Pronger deal.
22) Don Waddell, Atl.
For years Atlanta has needed defense and Waddell has done little about it. Yes he got Zhitnik, but he also dealt Vishnevsky away and their best defensive prospect in Coburn. Atlanta is also very top heavy with Kovulchuk and Hossa, and the $4.5 million dollar deal he handed to Holik could have been spent better elsewhere. I also think he gave up too much for Tkachuk like many others do.
23) Doug Risebrough, Min.
I know part of Risebrough’s inactivity is due to having an expansion team, but honestly I’m not big on the deals he handed out this summer. Getting Demitra was good, but he overpaid both Parrish and Jonsson to sign and they were both lengthy contracts. A lot of this teams success cans till be attributed to coach Lemaire and not Risebrough.
24) John Ferguson, Tor
Fergeson doesn’t seem to realize that in a cap world you don’t throw money at players just to get them. He overpaid for Kubina and Gill who have done little to bolster the Leafs this year. Antropov is finally starting to earn some of his pay, but $1 million is still a bit steep. He also massively overpaid for Perrault at the deadline. Don’t expect his habits to get any better after this year.
25) *Jacques Martin, Fla.
It is truly hard to judge Martin. He inherited a mess from Mike Keenan (who left the bloodiest trail yet of his career) and has coaching duties to boot. Not much can be said of what he has done or is capable of doing, so he is at this ranking because he has yet to prove he is better than the aforementioned or worse than those after him.
26) *Peter Chiarelli, Bos.
I wrote an article a few months back about Chiarelli called “Put up or shut up.” To sum it up: if you’re going to trade someone, do it and don’t run your mouth to the media. And trading someone because they will be a UFA doesn’t count. In the end I was pretty much right as he dealt away Stuart and Primeau but managed to keep Sturm. He also dealt away Boyes for a young defenseman that will probably not have the same kind of impact Boyes can.
27) Dale Tallon, Chi.
Tallon has the unfortunate GM job of working under Bill Wirtz, NHL (and possibly pro sports) worst owner. In order to get any name free agents he was forced to overpay for them. His mistakes have showed as rumors consistently fly about Aucoin and Khabibuin, and after a year he bought out Barnaby and Brown. While he isn’t given much to work with, he really hasn’t made much of what he has.
28) Doug McLean, CBJ
McLean does try, I’ll give him that much. He’s always trying to add some smaller pieces to make the team better, but it hasn’t worked out so well. They have a strong core with Nash, Zherdev and Leclaire in goal, but luck hasn’t been on their side. Leclaire and Berard were injured and Carter never panned out. The only things he had to deal at the deadline was stuff no one wanted. McLean has been let go by Columbus and I don’t really see him getting another GM job after this. His firing had no impact on these ratings.
29) Jay Feaster, TB
If you want a model of how not to spend money in the cap era, Jay Feaster is your man. He gave in to the big three’s demands, all landing about a million more dollars than they should have (but granted Vinny is earning his pay this year). Add in Boyle and Denis (who his trade for I still defend) and over half his payroll is gone. Rumor is Tampa is looking to spend less for the upcoming season, which will further hurt Feaster’s ability to build up the defense he needs. Giving up a first rounder for an average young defenseman wasn’t a very good move either.
30) Mike Barnett, Phx.
I have made it no secret that I feel Barnett is mostly responsible for the Coyotes failures. He has yet to learn you can’t keep changing roster in real life like you do in NHL 2K7. Every year he is active in the off season and the deadline, and every year they continue to be mediocre. Here is a hint Mike: stop making so many changes! But it’s too late as he was part of the Phoenix house cleaning in the front office. I can assure, and my previous posts on him will back up, I ranked him here long before he was canned.
Burke didn’t lose a step after being fired from Vancouver, and has gone on a bit of a rampage in his return. He has acquired two perennial Norris candidates in Pronger and Niedermayer, giving him the deadliest top defensive pairing in the league. His refusal (profanity laced as he so called it) to trade away young players is very smart in the new cap environment. While the Ducks had a strong base before his arrival, he has only made it better.
2) Darryl Sutter, Cgy.
Sutter knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it. He has maintained a strong defense since he took over the gm job (with few all stars on it also) and has slowly built the offense up, especially this year acquiring Tanguay and Conroy in separate deals. He always gets fair values for his deals and has managed to keep the core intact.
3) David Poile, Nsh.
For eight years now Poile has stuck to his plan of building through the draft. While some free agent help post-lockout has helped, the Preds are still full of young, integral players that have yet to hit their potential helping the team, so when they do lose guys via free agency, they still have plenty waiting in the wings. His patience is limitless as Barry Trotz still remains behind the bench. That is a good job.
4) Lou Lamoriello, NJ
I know I tend to be harsh when it comes to Lou, but much of that comes from countering people not being able to see past the fact he is who he is and actually bothering to analyze what he does. And I have never denied he is a good GM. Please see my previous article “Over Rated Lou” for why he is 4th.
5) Doug Wilson, SJ
While Dean Lombardi laid a solid foundation with the Sharks, Wilson ahs continued to keep the team going strong. He had no problem in going out to fill his deadline needs acquiring Guerin and Rivet, and in the off season signed Mike Grier and got a 1st round pick form New Jersey to take Malakov off their hands. He continues to draft well as San Jose is currently the youngest team in the NHL. And let’s not forget that Thornton deal either.
6) George McPhee, Wsh.
If you need to get maximum value for trading away soon to be free agents, look up McPhee, George for information (for the opposite, look up Patrick, Craig). McPhee has stockpiled a bevy of picks and prospects since the roster blowup he was ordered to do years ago, and no matter who it is he deals, he continues to get a strong return even though he deals from a position of weakness. You have to give the guy credit for that.
7) Darcy Regier, Buf.
I’m still not totally sold on Regier. His team was built for the new rules, yes, but lest we forget that the Sabres were bottom feeders before then. Some say he was smart to have few salaries committed, but it is going to catch up, as they lost McKee last year, and could potentially lose Briere ad Drury this year (though doubtful both will be gone). Still, I do not think he is bad by any means and seems to be making the most of what he has to work with now. Plus many of his draft picks are stepping up and filling roster spots.
8) Dave Nonis, Van.
It’s a bit hard to judge Nonis. He inherited some good things and some bad, but largely had a roster he was not able to keep together post lockout. But give him credit: he stole one of the best goalies in the league in Luongo.
9) Doug Armstrong, Dal.
Until the deadline Armstrong had treaded cautiously in the new economic landscape, only added depth players instead of big name free agents. He did trade for Mattias Norstrom from the Kings, a move very few expected. Dallas was a big spending team before the lockout so I think Armstrong still needs another year to see how he deals with an aging core of players to see what he can really do. But so far he hasn’t done anything stupid.
10) John Muckler, Ott.
When is the last time Muckler brought in someone at the deadline that actually mattered? How about a good free agent signing? But then again he has had quite a bit of success at the draft and his unwillingness to sign or trade for big name guys has allowed him to keep most of his team together.
11) Ken Holland, Det.
You might be asking how Holland is so far down on this list? Well, take a look at some of the core: Hasek, Schneider and Lidstrom. All are past their mid 30’s and there is a heavy reliance on them. You can say Holland was smart to bring in Hasek, but he only did so because he lost out on the Gerber bidding (which I am sure he and Red Wings fans are thoroughly glad of now). Holland remains largely inactive in free agency and the team does need to get younger, as at some point it will catch up.
12) Francois Giguere, Col.
Let me start off by saying I felt Pierre Lacroix was a very over rated GM. Giving away young talent to land the top dollar guys like Blake and throwing large contracts at others because you can afford it when others can't doesn’t make you good. And now Giguere is paying for Lacroix’s mistakes. It’s hard to tell how good a job Giguere has done as he is still sorting out a mess. However, what deals he has done (like the Tanguay deal, signing Brisbois and Turgeon) don’t seem to pan out.
13) Bob Gainey, Mtl.
Gainey’s two big moves in his tenure have been trading for Alexei Kovalev and signing Sergei Samsanov. Kovalev hasn’t been the same since he left Pittsburgh and the Samsanov signing has been well documented on every front to be bad. Though he does get kudos for getting a 1st rounder and a prospect for Craig Rivet.
14) *Paul Holmgren, Phi.
Holmgren inherited a mess but has done a good job in cleaning it up. He has rid the Flyers of enough dead weight that he now has $24 million to spend in the off season (and while he wont spend it all, look for some key players to be added). He has gotten some good returns with the dealings of Zhitnik and Forsberg to further bolster a strong (but struggling) score of young players. Philadelphia’s turn around could be very quick.
15) *Ray Shero, Pit.
Like other rookie GM’s telling how much Shero has really done is questionable (especially after what he inherited). But he did do something that his predecessor Craig Patrick never did: added lower line depth. His was something that had killed the Pens for years as Patrick only plugged in what mediocre player/prospect was available into the lower lines. Shero immediately went and filled it out with role players who added much needed defense from the forward lines. The defense is still weak but with the outrageous prices in the summer its hard to blame him for not over paying. Plus he did decide to take Jordan Staal.
16) *Garth Snow, NYI
We all laughed when Snow was named GM, but it seems the laugh is on us. Snow has done a good job in his role, landing Smyth and getting younger talant for old (a la Meyer for Zhitnik). He has succeeded all expectations, meaning Could owner Charles Wang actually be right about something?
17) Kevin Lowe, Edm
Lowe gets credit for making the deals that got them to the finals last year, though his inability to get any defensemen in the off season to replace the losses of Pronger and Spacek nearly counter that. He was forced to deal away Smyth at the deadline but got a potential bounty in return. How he fares this off season could signify how good he truly is.
18) *Dean Lombardi, LA
Lombardi wasted no time in rebuilding the Kings. After years of mediocrity he blew up the roster to start over again. He dealt captain Norstrum to Dallas for a hefty return, and landed prized prospect Jack Johnson from Carolina. As he had good success with drafting in San Jose, look for him to make good use of the picks he has acquired.
19) Glen Sather, NYR
I actually thought Sather did good in the off season by signing the likes of Cullen and Ward to boost his roster. Neither panned out (Cullen has struggled, Ward traded due to his feud with Jagr). His only deadline pick up was Avery who has been very helpful so far. However, it still doesn’t seem like Sather has regained his form from his Edmonton days, and I doubt he will at this point.
20) Jim Rutherford, Car.
Rutherford got lucky his team succeeded with the new rules, as he stood by and watched as affordable players such as Matt Cullen and Aaron Ward departed. He did little to shore up for those losses, and traded away one of the best defensive prospects in Jack Johnson to the Kings. His activity at the deadline consisted of getting Anson Carter who proved to be of no use at all. He just got an extension from the Hurricanes so obviously they hold him in higher regard than myself.
21) Larry Pleau, StL.
I have never been a fan of Pleau, always feeling he overpaid for such talent as Weight and Tkachuck. And while they are good players, I never really considered either elite, while he always gave up a good chunk of the future to get them (for just Tkachuk Handzus and Nagy). He has redeemed himself somewhat this year and last by stockpiling first round picks for veteran talent like Weight (who he then resigned), Guerin (who many gave up on) and Tkachuk. Though he could have done better in the Pronger deal.
22) Don Waddell, Atl.
For years Atlanta has needed defense and Waddell has done little about it. Yes he got Zhitnik, but he also dealt Vishnevsky away and their best defensive prospect in Coburn. Atlanta is also very top heavy with Kovulchuk and Hossa, and the $4.5 million dollar deal he handed to Holik could have been spent better elsewhere. I also think he gave up too much for Tkachuk like many others do.
23) Doug Risebrough, Min.
I know part of Risebrough’s inactivity is due to having an expansion team, but honestly I’m not big on the deals he handed out this summer. Getting Demitra was good, but he overpaid both Parrish and Jonsson to sign and they were both lengthy contracts. A lot of this teams success cans till be attributed to coach Lemaire and not Risebrough.
24) John Ferguson, Tor
Fergeson doesn’t seem to realize that in a cap world you don’t throw money at players just to get them. He overpaid for Kubina and Gill who have done little to bolster the Leafs this year. Antropov is finally starting to earn some of his pay, but $1 million is still a bit steep. He also massively overpaid for Perrault at the deadline. Don’t expect his habits to get any better after this year.
25) *Jacques Martin, Fla.
It is truly hard to judge Martin. He inherited a mess from Mike Keenan (who left the bloodiest trail yet of his career) and has coaching duties to boot. Not much can be said of what he has done or is capable of doing, so he is at this ranking because he has yet to prove he is better than the aforementioned or worse than those after him.
26) *Peter Chiarelli, Bos.
I wrote an article a few months back about Chiarelli called “Put up or shut up.” To sum it up: if you’re going to trade someone, do it and don’t run your mouth to the media. And trading someone because they will be a UFA doesn’t count. In the end I was pretty much right as he dealt away Stuart and Primeau but managed to keep Sturm. He also dealt away Boyes for a young defenseman that will probably not have the same kind of impact Boyes can.
27) Dale Tallon, Chi.
Tallon has the unfortunate GM job of working under Bill Wirtz, NHL (and possibly pro sports) worst owner. In order to get any name free agents he was forced to overpay for them. His mistakes have showed as rumors consistently fly about Aucoin and Khabibuin, and after a year he bought out Barnaby and Brown. While he isn’t given much to work with, he really hasn’t made much of what he has.
28) Doug McLean, CBJ
McLean does try, I’ll give him that much. He’s always trying to add some smaller pieces to make the team better, but it hasn’t worked out so well. They have a strong core with Nash, Zherdev and Leclaire in goal, but luck hasn’t been on their side. Leclaire and Berard were injured and Carter never panned out. The only things he had to deal at the deadline was stuff no one wanted. McLean has been let go by Columbus and I don’t really see him getting another GM job after this. His firing had no impact on these ratings.
29) Jay Feaster, TB
If you want a model of how not to spend money in the cap era, Jay Feaster is your man. He gave in to the big three’s demands, all landing about a million more dollars than they should have (but granted Vinny is earning his pay this year). Add in Boyle and Denis (who his trade for I still defend) and over half his payroll is gone. Rumor is Tampa is looking to spend less for the upcoming season, which will further hurt Feaster’s ability to build up the defense he needs. Giving up a first rounder for an average young defenseman wasn’t a very good move either.
30) Mike Barnett, Phx.
I have made it no secret that I feel Barnett is mostly responsible for the Coyotes failures. He has yet to learn you can’t keep changing roster in real life like you do in NHL 2K7. Every year he is active in the off season and the deadline, and every year they continue to be mediocre. Here is a hint Mike: stop making so many changes! But it’s too late as he was part of the Phoenix house cleaning in the front office. I can assure, and my previous posts on him will back up, I ranked him here long before he was canned.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
NHL Awards Nominees
The NHL listed their awards finalists for the 2006-2007 season. Here they are:
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins- the kid has a ton of talent and showed why he as the 2nd over all pick. 85 points and 17th scoring in the league isn’t bad either.
Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins- he came from nowhere and proved better defensively than most veterans. More short handed goals than anyone in the NHL
Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche- set a rookie record for consecutive games with a point by a rookie, and did it on a non-playoff team
Predicted winner: Evgeni Malkin
Who should win: Evgeni Malkin
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY:
Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes- starting to seem ageless, and he scores to boot
Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim Ducks- enough respect for you Mr. Burke?
Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils- I’m sorry, but without the Devils systems and being paired with Madden he wouldn’t even be considered. I do not think he belongs on this list.
Predicted winner: Samuel Pahlsson
Who should win: Samuel Pahlsson
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils- can still be dominate
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins- Art Ross in your sophomore year at 19? Ridiculous
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- no Luongo, no playoffs. Simple as that
Predicted winner: Roberto Luongo
Who should win: Sidney Crosby
JACK ADAMS AWARD:
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres- even with injuries they keep going strong
Michel Therrien, Pittsburgh Penguins- 47 point jump 4th greatest in NHL history, and did it with a bunch of kids
Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks- utilized what he had more than any other coach
Predicted Winner: Lindy Ruff
Who should win: Alain Vignault
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings- would you guess this guy is 37?
Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks- not many people get better at his age
Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks- it doesn’t matter what team he is on, he still dominates
Predicted winner: Nicklas Lidstrom
Who should win: Nicklas Lidstrom
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings- I think the term “nice guy” comes from him
Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche- always the consummate professional
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning- has he ever done anything bad on the ice?
Predicted winner: Joe Sakic
Who should win: Joe Sakic
LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD:
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins- even if he had no talent, he’s still be the hardest worker in the league
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning- finally elevating his game to the dominant level and was a danger 5 on 5, on the power play and a man down
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- how many of the Canucks wins were solely because of him?
Predicted winner: Vincent Lecavalier
Who should win: Sidney Crosby
VEZINA AWARD:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils- 48 wins and 12 shutouts. Damn.
Henrik Lunqvist- had another solid year though only a sophomore (I think it is a bit of a stretch to nominate him though)
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- 47 wins on a team with no offense is pretty damn good
Mikka Kiprussoff, Calgary Flames- carried the Flames on his back again
Predicted Winner- Martin Brodeur
Who should win: Roberto Luongo
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins- the kid has a ton of talent and showed why he as the 2nd over all pick. 85 points and 17th scoring in the league isn’t bad either.
Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins- he came from nowhere and proved better defensively than most veterans. More short handed goals than anyone in the NHL
Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche- set a rookie record for consecutive games with a point by a rookie, and did it on a non-playoff team
Predicted winner: Evgeni Malkin
Who should win: Evgeni Malkin
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY:
Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes- starting to seem ageless, and he scores to boot
Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim Ducks- enough respect for you Mr. Burke?
Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils- I’m sorry, but without the Devils systems and being paired with Madden he wouldn’t even be considered. I do not think he belongs on this list.
Predicted winner: Samuel Pahlsson
Who should win: Samuel Pahlsson
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils- can still be dominate
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins- Art Ross in your sophomore year at 19? Ridiculous
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- no Luongo, no playoffs. Simple as that
Predicted winner: Roberto Luongo
Who should win: Sidney Crosby
JACK ADAMS AWARD:
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres- even with injuries they keep going strong
Michel Therrien, Pittsburgh Penguins- 47 point jump 4th greatest in NHL history, and did it with a bunch of kids
Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks- utilized what he had more than any other coach
Predicted Winner: Lindy Ruff
Who should win: Alain Vignault
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings- would you guess this guy is 37?
Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks- not many people get better at his age
Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks- it doesn’t matter what team he is on, he still dominates
Predicted winner: Nicklas Lidstrom
Who should win: Nicklas Lidstrom
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings- I think the term “nice guy” comes from him
Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche- always the consummate professional
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning- has he ever done anything bad on the ice?
Predicted winner: Joe Sakic
Who should win: Joe Sakic
LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD:
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins- even if he had no talent, he’s still be the hardest worker in the league
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning- finally elevating his game to the dominant level and was a danger 5 on 5, on the power play and a man down
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- how many of the Canucks wins were solely because of him?
Predicted winner: Vincent Lecavalier
Who should win: Sidney Crosby
VEZINA AWARD:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils- 48 wins and 12 shutouts. Damn.
Henrik Lunqvist- had another solid year though only a sophomore (I think it is a bit of a stretch to nominate him though)
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks- 47 wins on a team with no offense is pretty damn good
Mikka Kiprussoff, Calgary Flames- carried the Flames on his back again
Predicted Winner- Martin Brodeur
Who should win: Roberto Luongo
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