Monday, June 11, 2007
All hail the new Stanley Cup Champions!
For the sixth season in a row the NHL has a new Stanley Cup champion. Colorado 2001, Detroit 2002, New Jersey 2003, Tampa Bay 2004, Carolina 2006 and now Anaheim in 2007. Gary Bettman wanted a salary cap and parity; I think that’s been achieved.
The table was set early in game six thanks to the usual array of ridiculous penalty calls. If there’s one thing that the league somehow has to get a grasp on it’s the BS marginal calls that actually can have an impact on a game. Case in point the hooking penalty called on Anton Volchenkov. That was a brutal, brutal call. It put Ottawa down two men, Anaheim scored just as the first penalty expired, which was a fair call to Tom Preissing for interference and the Ducks were off to the races. Corey Perry set up Rob Niedermayer to make it 2-0 ten seconds after Perry got out of the box. That goal came with less than three minutes to play in the first period and our next image on TV was that of the Stanley Cup arriving in the building. Can you say foreshadowing?
I think Anaheim were destined to win the Cup regardless especially after how game four unfolded in Ottawa however, it should be noted that Daniel Alfredsson did all he could in the second period to erase the Ducks advantages he just could not stop the puck as well so the Sens are out of luck this year. The trick now is hoping there’s enough gas left in the tank to take another run at this next season. Here in lies the rub. Of those six teams, including Anaheim on the above list, the Hurricanes and the Devils are the only other teams that made the finals additionally in that same time period. That’s it of those past twelve entries. 25%, those are not good odds. Ottawa will have to guard against that and hope a few off season changes will be enough to whet the appetite of those wishing to imbibe out of Lord Stanley’s mug.
Speaking of which, for the record it takes seventeen 12oz pints of Molson Export Ale to fill up the bowl of the Stanley Cup. I know this because I did it at Chris Vickers house in Manotick on July 1, 1993. Undoubtedly some of the Ducks will discover this during their respective day with the classic Cup. Although Ex might not be the beverage of choice it will I’m quite certain see at least that many pints of beer especially Canadian beer with so many passports from north of the 49th on the Duck roster. By coincidence this was the best year the Senators ever had in the post season also with a record setting number of Canadian born players – since they made their first playoffs in 1997. How did Alanis put that? Isn’t it ironic? Yes, I guess it is.
Anthem singer’s aside changes for next year for the Senators should include a couple of tough calls. I think it’s time to give Wade Redden another lease on life as I mentioned in an earlier post. Granted there are elements of what goes on behind the scenes that many of us including most in the media know nothing about. I would still deal him. I think he still has the potential to have one heck of a career I just feel his service to the Senators has outlived his ability to deliver solidly enough for them. Rumours abound about Edmonton. It is a possible scenario given Redden’s western Canadian roots, regardless; I would look at options of giving him his ‘Larry Murphy’ lease on life.
The aforementioned Tom Preissing appears to be done for sure, Dean McAmmond may want to come back and finish a job that he was handed as a member of the Senators or he may want to take his cleared head and shuffle off to greener pastures in the south. Ottawa missed his 10+ minutes of ice time after the Pronger hit no question about it. Speaking of which the NHL could certainly have given Chris Pronger maybe an extra game given the severity of the McAmmond injury however if you have a huge issue with Colin Campbell’s call of this you need to debate whether the finals are worth more or if they should just be treated like another hockey game. Myself I feel they are worth more and at the end of the day although I thought two games were more deserving I was okay with the one.
Bottom line, Ottawa were beat by a hungrier, better hockey club. We now know that Dany Heatley was quite banged up as were other players and numerous Ducks including Chris Pronger who was popping his shoulder back in place several times in game five after being nailed big time by Antoine Vermette and Chris Neil. My question that I will pose to Senator President Roy Mlakar on TV next Monday night June 18th (Big Bad Sports Show- Rogers cable 22 – 7pm) is at what point does a coach consider pulling an injured player and dressing a healthy reserve? Granted its Bryan Murray’s decision as the coach but I’ll be interested to see what Mr. Mlakar’s response will be. I’ll print it for you here next week after the show.
Speaking of Bryan Murray, I believe he will be back to coach this team again. John Muckler has one year left on his contract. He’ll be 74 next year. Regardless of how Ottawa does next season Muckler will be off to the land of consultants and the stage will be set perfectly for Murray to ascend to the position he relishes more than any. I don’t believe that these guys are going to be dinner guests at each others house anytime soon, just my opinion but I don’t think they are really tight. Still, this is too good a situation for Murray to pass up. Coach one more year and he should be set for a solid 3+ year run as GM of this franchise and frankly after his work in Florida and Anaheim in that position Ottawa will be well served.
Congrats to the Ducks for a well deserved win. It will be interesting to see how they play next year and if they can shake off the bad karma that has followed the previous winners.
Trivia time
The answer to last weeks question, the youngest captain in NHL history is not the newly named Sydney Crosby with the Penguins but Brian Bellows with the Minnesota North Stars who was a full six months younger than Crosby when he was named interim captain in January of 1984. Why the NHL does not acknowledge this is beyond me. Here’s another one for you hardcore researchers out there. Andrew Miller and Todd Marchant join a long line of American born players to have their name engraved on the Cup. Who was the first? Answer in next week’s blog. Have a great week.
The table was set early in game six thanks to the usual array of ridiculous penalty calls. If there’s one thing that the league somehow has to get a grasp on it’s the BS marginal calls that actually can have an impact on a game. Case in point the hooking penalty called on Anton Volchenkov. That was a brutal, brutal call. It put Ottawa down two men, Anaheim scored just as the first penalty expired, which was a fair call to Tom Preissing for interference and the Ducks were off to the races. Corey Perry set up Rob Niedermayer to make it 2-0 ten seconds after Perry got out of the box. That goal came with less than three minutes to play in the first period and our next image on TV was that of the Stanley Cup arriving in the building. Can you say foreshadowing?
I think Anaheim were destined to win the Cup regardless especially after how game four unfolded in Ottawa however, it should be noted that Daniel Alfredsson did all he could in the second period to erase the Ducks advantages he just could not stop the puck as well so the Sens are out of luck this year. The trick now is hoping there’s enough gas left in the tank to take another run at this next season. Here in lies the rub. Of those six teams, including Anaheim on the above list, the Hurricanes and the Devils are the only other teams that made the finals additionally in that same time period. That’s it of those past twelve entries. 25%, those are not good odds. Ottawa will have to guard against that and hope a few off season changes will be enough to whet the appetite of those wishing to imbibe out of Lord Stanley’s mug.
Speaking of which, for the record it takes seventeen 12oz pints of Molson Export Ale to fill up the bowl of the Stanley Cup. I know this because I did it at Chris Vickers house in Manotick on July 1, 1993. Undoubtedly some of the Ducks will discover this during their respective day with the classic Cup. Although Ex might not be the beverage of choice it will I’m quite certain see at least that many pints of beer especially Canadian beer with so many passports from north of the 49th on the Duck roster. By coincidence this was the best year the Senators ever had in the post season also with a record setting number of Canadian born players – since they made their first playoffs in 1997. How did Alanis put that? Isn’t it ironic? Yes, I guess it is.
Anthem singer’s aside changes for next year for the Senators should include a couple of tough calls. I think it’s time to give Wade Redden another lease on life as I mentioned in an earlier post. Granted there are elements of what goes on behind the scenes that many of us including most in the media know nothing about. I would still deal him. I think he still has the potential to have one heck of a career I just feel his service to the Senators has outlived his ability to deliver solidly enough for them. Rumours abound about Edmonton. It is a possible scenario given Redden’s western Canadian roots, regardless; I would look at options of giving him his ‘Larry Murphy’ lease on life.
The aforementioned Tom Preissing appears to be done for sure, Dean McAmmond may want to come back and finish a job that he was handed as a member of the Senators or he may want to take his cleared head and shuffle off to greener pastures in the south. Ottawa missed his 10+ minutes of ice time after the Pronger hit no question about it. Speaking of which the NHL could certainly have given Chris Pronger maybe an extra game given the severity of the McAmmond injury however if you have a huge issue with Colin Campbell’s call of this you need to debate whether the finals are worth more or if they should just be treated like another hockey game. Myself I feel they are worth more and at the end of the day although I thought two games were more deserving I was okay with the one.
Bottom line, Ottawa were beat by a hungrier, better hockey club. We now know that Dany Heatley was quite banged up as were other players and numerous Ducks including Chris Pronger who was popping his shoulder back in place several times in game five after being nailed big time by Antoine Vermette and Chris Neil. My question that I will pose to Senator President Roy Mlakar on TV next Monday night June 18th (Big Bad Sports Show- Rogers cable 22 – 7pm) is at what point does a coach consider pulling an injured player and dressing a healthy reserve? Granted its Bryan Murray’s decision as the coach but I’ll be interested to see what Mr. Mlakar’s response will be. I’ll print it for you here next week after the show.
Speaking of Bryan Murray, I believe he will be back to coach this team again. John Muckler has one year left on his contract. He’ll be 74 next year. Regardless of how Ottawa does next season Muckler will be off to the land of consultants and the stage will be set perfectly for Murray to ascend to the position he relishes more than any. I don’t believe that these guys are going to be dinner guests at each others house anytime soon, just my opinion but I don’t think they are really tight. Still, this is too good a situation for Murray to pass up. Coach one more year and he should be set for a solid 3+ year run as GM of this franchise and frankly after his work in Florida and Anaheim in that position Ottawa will be well served.
Congrats to the Ducks for a well deserved win. It will be interesting to see how they play next year and if they can shake off the bad karma that has followed the previous winners.
Trivia time
The answer to last weeks question, the youngest captain in NHL history is not the newly named Sydney Crosby with the Penguins but Brian Bellows with the Minnesota North Stars who was a full six months younger than Crosby when he was named interim captain in January of 1984. Why the NHL does not acknowledge this is beyond me. Here’s another one for you hardcore researchers out there. Andrew Miller and Todd Marchant join a long line of American born players to have their name engraved on the Cup. Who was the first? Answer in next week’s blog. Have a great week.
# posted by Liam Maguire @ 2:07 PM 
