HabsAddict.com - Your Montreal Canadiens Fix: Mike Richards

Showing posts with label Mike Richards. Show all posts

Friday, June 24, 2011

Habs sign Markov, Flyers clean house, Regher, Setoguchi, Stars, Winnipeg and more...

8:25 AM Unknown No comments

Habs News

Habs to sign Yemelin, Red Wings, Sharks, Leblanc surgery, rumours and more...

9:17 AM Unknown No comments

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Possible Alexei Yemelin Signing Changes Montreal Canadiens' Defensive Squad
http://www.habsaddict.com/2011/05/possible-alexei-yemelin-signing-changes.html

Hockey Inside/Out - Reeling in Yemelin?
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/reeling-in-yemelin

Leblanc to miss 4 to 6 months: report
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/leblanc-to-miss-4-to-6-months-report

Hockey Summit at the Bell Centre
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/hockey-summit-at-the-bell-centre

RDS - Louis Leblanc aura besoin de 4 à 6 mois
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/319501.html

Pierre Gauthier toujours aussi discret
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/319499.html

CH-Tampa au Colisée Pepsi en octobre
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/319495.html

News
Hockey Inside/Out - Another seventh game
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/another-seventh-game

PENGUINS ANXIOUS TO RE-ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION WITH JAGR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=365328

CULLEN: WINGS WON'T QUIT; GOING THE DISTANCE AGAINST SHARKS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=365361

GLENDALE PLEDGES $25 MILLION TO KEEP COYOTES ONE MORE YEAR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=365374

RICHARDS, FOUR OTHER FLYERS NEED SURGERY
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=365300

NHL Playoff Recap: Red Wings have Sharks reliving playoff nightmares
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40262-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Red-Wings-have-Sharks-reliving-playoff-nightmares.html

VIDEO: THN Puck Panel – Best and worst of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40253-VIDEO-THN-Puck-Panel-Best-and-worst-of-the-2011-Stanley-Cup-playoffs.html

Campbell: Coyotes staying will have huge impact across NHL
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40244-Campbell-Coyotes-staying-will-have-huge-impact-across-NHL.html

Justin Bourne: The diving epidemic and how to curb it
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40252-Justin-Bourne-The-diving-epidemic-and-how-to-curb-it.html

Spector's Hockey - NHL Trade & Free Agent Rumors – May 11, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/?p=5250

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)

Montreal-Philadelphia: Indiscipline and Powerless Power Play Sink Canadiens

11:09 AM Unknown No comments

by Kamal Panesar

The Montreal Canadiens were in Philadelphia to take on the Flyers last night in their final game before a week long all star break. And with Carey Price being the sole Canadien participating in the festivities, you would have expected Montreal to leave it all on the ice.

Apparently the Canadiens did not get the memo.

The pregame tension was palpable—these two squads clearly have no love loss between them—with Daniel Carcillo and Mike Richards yapping at P.K. Subban only 15 seconds into the game. The raucous Philly crowd got in on the action too, booing Subban every time he touched the puck.

But despite the hostile atmosphere, the Canadiens played well to start the game, using their speed to create scoring chances in the Flyers' zone. Chipping the puck behind their D and moving their feet, Montreal controlled play for long stretches of the first period.
That is until Montreal once again fell into the trap of indiscipline, taking three penalties in the span of 1:31 to hand the Flyers back-to-back 5-on-3 power plays.

With Andrei Kostitsyn, P.K. Subban and Jaroslav Spacek sitting in the crowded penalty box, the Flyers put two past Price, taking a 2-0 lead into the second period.

After that, it was all Philly as the disorganized Canadiens struggled to get the puck out of their zone and looked like they were more focused on the one week break than the task at hand.

The Flyers would pot two more in the second period—their fourth also on the power play—crushing any hope of a comeback spurred by David Desharnais' third of the season.

Ultimately, the Canadiens were masters of their own destiny, failing to take advantage of some shaky goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky and unable to convert on any of their eight power plays.

With Price on the bench for the extra attacker and the Flyers carrying a two goal lead in the third, Daniel Briere sealed the victory with an empty netter.

Final score: Flyers 5 — Habs 2

Habs' scorers: David Desharnais (3), Mathieu Darche (9).
Flyers' scorers: Jeff Carter (23), Kimmo Timonen (3), Daniel Carcillo (3), Claude Giroux (19), Daniel Briere (26).

Three stars: 1. Claude Giroux, 2. Chris Pronger, 3. Mike Richards.

Game Notes

1. This game was all about the special teams.

The story of the game was special teams and Montreal could have had a better result if they had any success on the PK or the PP.

Philly went 3-for-5 on the power play and Montreal went 0-for-8.

Need I say more?

On the Flyers PP, they constantly had a giant Philly player parked right in front of Price. On the Habs' PP they constantly had 5'6" David Desharnais near the front of the net, but not necessarily in front of it.

Need I say more?

So while many fans are lamenting the Habs lack of physicality as a main reason for the loss—and it was a factor—the Canadiens could have tied and won this game on the power play alone.

As the Montreal Gazette's Pat Hickey pointed out before the game, the Canadiens had no sense of urgency going into the match. They just did not have their heads in the game and it looked like too many of them were already thinking beyond last night to the one week all star break.

So in a way, this was a game they lost before they even stepped on the ice.

2. Desharnais continues to look good in the Habs lineup.

The Canadiens were facing a formidable opponent in more ways than one last night. Not only is Philly the top team in the league but they are also big, strong, physical and skilled.

Despite giving up half a foot to most players in the Flyers' lineup, Desharnais was once again one of the more effective players for the Habs last night.

His gritty play and nose for the net meant that he was usually causing problems for the slower Flyers' defenders. Along with Benoit Pouliot and Mathieu Darche, Desharnais continued to compete when too many of his teammates had already checked out of the game.

Like Max Pacioretty, Desharnais is one of the few Canadiens who is usually in front of or around the net on the power play. As such he is often able to make plays, pick up rebounds and set up scoring chances.

He gives his all but at 5'6" he can only be so effective against 6-foot-plus defenders.

If all of the players on the team tried as hard as Desharnais does, Montreal would be a much more consistent squad.

3. James Wizniewski had a rough night.

The official stat sheet shows Wizniewski with only one giveaway in the entire game and for anyone who actually watched the game you know that this is total folly.

The reality is that The Wiz had three horrible defensive zone turnovers in the first period alone, and is perhaps starting to show why he has played on four teams since 2009.

Despite being a tremendous offensive threat—he has 12 points in 13 games with Montreal so far this season—Wizniewski has a tendency to make poor decisions on the defensive side of the puck.
As such, he plays his best when he keeps his game simple; clearing the puck along the boards or making a quick play to a forward are the best bets for Wiz but, last night, he decided to get fancy.

Three times in the first period Wizniewski tried to clear the puck up the middle of the ice and all three times it resulted in a scoring chance against.

We have to remember that Wiz was a minus-19 when he was traded to the Canadiens. Granted he was playing for a horrible Islanders squad but still, that is just a brutal stat.

If the Habs decide to keep him they absolutely have to pair him with a rock of a defensive player in order for him to be his most effective.

4. Ryan White didn't drop the gloves but he played a gritty game.

The Habs were totally outclassed and overwhelmed for a good two-thirds of the game last night. During that time, the only pseudo spark that they had was provided by the third and fourth lines. The fourth line in particular with Ryan White, Travis Moen and Jeff Halpern, looked like a solid combo for the Canadiens with a nice mix of speed, grit and skill.

Now it's kind of hard to find any bright spots in Montreal's pathetic performance last night, but I liked what I saw from White during the first period before the Flyers took control of the game.

He was going to the net, finishing his checks and getting involved in post-whistle scrums. He even hit a Flyers player after the whistle in a move that drew a crowd and that is exactly the type of role he has to play for Montreal.
White truly seems to be the only one willing to play that gritty, agitating role on a regular basis and Montreal is a better team for it.

It's only been three games, but he already has nine hits and is showing a level of grittiness that few players on the roster bring. Hopefully he keeps it up because the Habs can use his sandpaper.

5. The path to the Cup goes through Philadelphia.

The Habs played well during the first period and had a ton of power play chances over the course of the game but let's be serious here, they are in a different league from the Flyers.

Four lines deep with size, grit, skill and speed on every trio, the Flyers are scary good! Don't forget that they manhandled the Habs last night without the services of the up and coming James Van Riemsdyk—their Max Pacioretty type player from a readiness perspective.

The only question mark for the Flyers is, as always, their goaltending.

Sergei Bobrovsky has played well for them this season and played a decent match last night but you can see that he is a goalie that can be beaten. His rebound control is weak and he gives up a ton of chances as a result.
The problem for Montreal is that they never had anyone in front of the net to capitalize on all the loose pucks.

As for the Flyers, well, if the playoffs last season demonstrated anything it is that it is possible to win the cup without having a lights out goaltender. As such, regardless of the strength or weakness of their goalie, this team is my odds on favorite to go all the way.

Standings and Next Game

In losing to the Flyers, Montreal missed a golden opportunity to move into a tie for points with the Rangers and Bruins.

Instead, Montreal's record drops to 27-18-5 with 59 points in the standings, good enough for sole possession of seventh overall in the East. Montreal will now enjoy a full week off, for the All Star break, playing again next Tuesday February 2, 2011 against the Capitals at the Verizon Center.

Despite the horrible game Montreal played last night, fans have to remember that they are still sixth overall in the East, nine points better than at the same point last season.
In addition, they are doing it without the services of Andrei Markov, Josh Gorges and Michael Cammalleri and that's no small feat.

So things aren't all bad.

Enjoy the break folks!

(Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images North America)

Canadiens Game Day: Habs and Flyers Clash in Pre-All Star Rumble

11:29 AM Unknown 6 comments

by Kamal Panesar

Dictionary.com defines the word nemesis as follows:

nem·e·sis [nem-uh-sis]
–noun, plural

1. something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.: The performance test proved to be my nemesis.
2. an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
3. Classical Mythology, the goddess of divine retribution.
4. an agent or act of retribution or punishment.

If ever the Montreal Canadiens had a nemesis, the Philadelphia Flyers would be that team.

The Flyers and Canadiens have played each other in two playoff series since 2008, with Montreal losing both series four games to one. In addition, the two teams have faced each other three times already this season with the Flyers winning two out of three.

Moreover, Philly has been able to physically dominate the small, fast Canadiens forwards and, as such, it has been a long time since Montreal has had any real answer for what the Flyers bring.

So tonight's fourth and final meeting is sure to be a high intensity match between these two teams whose rivalry seems to grow with each encounter. Not only because of the bad blood between the two teams but, with a week off for the All-Star break starting tomorrow, both teams are sure to leave it all on the ice.

The Flyers are the No. 1 team in the league with 69 points in the standings—tied with the Canucks for points but ahead of them by virtue of their 32 wins to Vancouver’s 30—and look like the odds-on favorite to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Montreal, on the other hand, has had its ups and downs this season. In addition, the Canadiens are decimated by injuries, having lost both Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges to season-ending knee problems. In addition, top sniper Michael Cammalleri continues to be sidelined with a separated shoulder.

Yet, despite its losses, "Team Clinic" is 6-1-3 over its last 10 games and only two points out of first place in its division. A win tonight by Montreal would put it in a tie with the Rangers and the Bruins—first place in the Northeast—with 61 points. In addition, it would leave the Canadiens only two back of Washington and three back of Pittsburgh, fifth and fourth, respectively, in the Eastern Conference.

Needless to say, Montreal wants this win really badly.

Another source of motivation is that neither team wants to go into a one-week break on a loss, so expect a playoff atmosphere tonight at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly.

Claude Giroux and Mike Richards are the two hottest players for the Flyers, with five points in two games and five points in three games, respectively. For Montreal, the defense is bringing the heat with James Wizniewski's 12 points in his last 11 games and P.K. Subban having six in his last six.

Max Pacioretty has also been heating things up lately with four points in his last two games.

Tonight's game is one that will feature a nice goaltending matchup with Carey Price—24 wins—going head-to-head against Sergei Bobrovsky—20 wins.

Montreal will be getting a much-needed boost to its lineup with the return of Jeff Halpern in favour of Andreas Engqvist, who was sent back down to Hamilton yesterday.

Game time is at 7:30 p.m. with the puck dropping around 7:40 p.m. for what should be one heck of a game!

(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images North America)

Canadiens Game Day: Habs and Flyers Renew Rivalry in Montreal

1:17 PM Unknown 1 comment

by Kamal Panesar

The Canadiens and Flyers have a history of animosity going back to the days of the Broadstreet Bullies in the 70s.

The flame of angst continued to flicker through playoff appearances in the 80s and 90s, but went a little quiet over recent years. Well, that quiet is no more with the teams clashing twice over the last three seasons in the playoffs, and the Habs getting spanked on each occasion.

This year's version of the rivalry started after the two teams' first matchup of the season, a 3-0 shutout win by the Habs on November 16, 2010. After the game, a visibly upset Mike Richards went into a rant about how P.K. Subban needs to show more respect to veterans and that he shouldn't be so cocky. Richards' speech might have sparked a lot of discussion off the ice but nothing manifested on the ice in the rematch a week later, where the Flyers went to work on a 3-2 comeback win.

Tonight is the third meeting of the season between the teams with both seemingly headed in different directions.

The Flyers are soaring high on a three-game winning streak, having a 20-7-5 record for 45 points in the standings. They currently sit atop both Eastern Conference and league standings.

The Habs, on the other hand, have had a tough time of things over the last 12 games with a 6-6 record. Their current two-game skid coincided with a two-game absence from the lineup by Scott Gomez and Subban

Gomez will be making his return to the lineup from injury tonight, and will have reinforcements on his wings in the form of Max Pacioretty and perennial linemate Brian Gionta.

Subban, on the other hand, will be playing his third game since serving a three-game stretch in the press box. As much as P.K.'s confidence was evident in the early parts of the season, since returning to the ice he has looked more like a tentative rookie. With Andrei Markov out for the season and Jaroslav Spacek returning tonight from an "upper body" injury, the Habs will need Subban to quickly return to prime form.

It looks like Michael Cammalleri will be reunited with top center Tomas Plekanec and Travis Moen will be playing on the other wing. Andrei Kostitsyn practiced on the fourth line yesterday so you would have to assume that Coach Martin has seen something he didn't like for AK46.

Look for Kostitsyn to move up to the first line at some point during the match, especially if the Habs are down by a goal.

The Flyers are coming off of three straight wins and are 5-1 in their last six games. Their only loss was a 5-4 shootout loss where they still picked up a point in the standings.

Philly will be playing their second game in 48 hours tonight and the Canadiens would be well advised to take the play to them early. Considering that the Flyers are coming off a hard-fought emotional battle against the division rival Penguins, scoring the first goal could go a long way towards victory for the Habs.

In a very difficult month, the Habs are facing yet another huge test this week playing the Flyers tonight and Bruins tomorrow. Both are teams that the Habs are in direct competition in the standings, and they also play a physical brand that the Habs don't tell to do as well against.

As I have said before, if the Canadiens truly hope to contend this season they have to be able to beat teams that play a physical brand of hockey.

Carey Price will be making his 28th start of the season and there is no word yet on who the Flyers will be countering with. With Brian Boucher playing the last three games and being in a back-to-back situation, you'd have to think it might be Sergei Bobrovsky in the net.

The Canadiens have not yet lost more than two games in a row this season, and they hope to ensure that trends doesn't change tonight.

Game time is 7:30 pm and the puck should drop around 7:38 pm. This one should be a barn-burner!

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

Canadiens Game Day: P.K. Subban and Mike Richards Faceoff

10:45 AM Unknown No comments

by Kamal Panesar

The Montreal Canadiens are in the city of brotherly love, this morning, in preparation for tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

While Philadelphia holds the moniker of brotherly love, I'm fairly certain there will be no love lost in tonight's tilt between the two conference rivals.

In case you've been hiding under a rock the last few weeks, these two teams clashed last Tuesday and the result was a 3-0 Canadiens win. More than just winning, the Canadiens, and in particular rookie defenseman P.K. Subban, played up to the Flyers and didn't at all appear intimidated by their goon tactics.

This prompted Flyers' Captain, Mike Richards, to tell the media that he felt Subban has to earn respect and if he is not careful he will get hurt.

Richards is a smart cookie and his rant has put the spotlight directly on Subban. P.K. is a confident guy and one who seems very capable of handling himself. That being said, it will be interesting to see if Richards got into Subban's head or not. While Subban is a confident young man, he is not necessarily impervious to psychological warfare.

Will Subban stick to his game or will he get caught running around? If he chooses the latter path, then Richards has won this round.

The Flyers are sure to give the rookie extra attention tonight so Subban had better keep his head up. I'd like to see players like Travis Moen and Maxim Lapierre doing a better job of insulating young Subban so that he doesn't have to get involved in fights, and can stick to playing hockey. Subban might have the strength to throw down but the Canadiens are better served with him on the ice than in the penalty box.

Only one point separates these two teams in the standings and the winner of tonight's match will stake a claim on second overall in the East.

The Flyers are coming off a dramatic overtime victory against the conference leading Washington Capitals and have revenge on their minds against the Habs. They also want to continue to put the memory of a ridiculous 8-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Lighting, two games ago, behind them.

The Canadiens hit a bump in the road against the Nashville Predators but have otherwise won five of their last six games, killing 26 of 27 penalties in the process. They now have the top ranked penalty killing unit in the league operating at 90.5 percent efficiency.

Carey Price will get his 20th start of the season for the Habs with Brian Boucher getting the call for the Flyers.

The stage is set and the actors are all in place. This game has the hype of a playoff matchup and is more akin to the "Thrilla in Manilla," "Intensity in Ten Cities" or "The Rumble In the Jungle."

The puck drops at 7:05 pm (ish). Tune in to see who plays Ali to who's Fraser.

Habs/Flyers preview, Subban, Pat Burns, Campbell, and more...

9:06 AM Unknown No comments

Pre-game: Habs @ Flyers

HabsAddict.com - Canadiens Game Day: P.K. Subban and Mike Richards Faceoff
http://www.habsaddict.com/2010/11/canadiens-game-day-pk-subban-and-mike.html

ESPN.com - Canadiens-Flyers Preview
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=301122015

TSN - Gameday
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/scores/gameday/?hubname=nhl-flyers

Habs Inside/Out - Big one tonight
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/40167

News
The Checking Line - Habs Panel - Week 2
http://www.thecheckingline.com/blog/iain-carnegie/montreal-canadiens/habs-panel-week-2

RDS - CH : bilan satisfaisant après 20 matchs
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/310321.html

Habs Inside/Out - Pat Burns funeral Nov. 29 in Montreal
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/40165

Habs Future
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/40166

ESPN.com - Weekend wrap: Stamkos negotiating, Doughty waiting, Iginla rumors dubious
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/1988/weekend-wrap-stamkos-negotiating-doughty-waiting-iginla-rumors-dubious

TSN - MCKENZIE: CAMPBELL STILL HAS BACKING OF NHL COMMUNITY
http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=341501

The Hockey News - THN.com Blog: 30 NHL teams, 30 Stanley Cup contenders
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/36553-THNcom-Blog-30-NHL-teams-30-Stanley-Cup-contenders.html

THN.com Blog: Pat Burns will eventually get rightful place in Hall of Fame
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/36514-THNcom-Blog-Pat-Burns-will-eventually-get-rightful-place-in-Hall-of-Fame.html

THN.com Blog: NHL disciplinarian job should be done by committee
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/36484-THNcom-Blog-NHL-disciplinarian-job-should-be-done-by-committee.html

Spector's Hockey - NHL Rumors – November 22, 2010
http://spectorshockey.net/2010/11/nhl-rumors-november-22-2010/

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Habs/Preds preview, Sergei K, Life after Markov, and more...

8:29 AM Unknown No comments

Pre-game: Habs v Preds

Habs Inside/Out - Game 19: Canadiens vs. Predators
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/39910

TSN - Gameday
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/scores/gameday/?hubname=nhl-canadiens

ESPN.com - Predators-Canadiens Preview
http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=301118010

News
Habs Inside/Out - Should young players be seen but not heard?
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/39913

Halpern, Gorges take day off
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/39909

RDS - Richards critique l'arrogance de Subban
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/310067.html

Halpern et Gorges : rien de trop sérieux
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/310066.html

Tomas Plekanec demeure sous-estimé
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/310092.html

Subban ne changera pas
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/310086.html

TSN - FLYERS' RICHARDS: SUBBAN NEEDS TO EARN PLAYERS' RESPECT
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=341621

Spector's Hockey - NHL Rumors – Wednesday, November 17, 2010
http://spectorshockey.net/2010/11/nhl-rumors-wednesday-november-17-2010/

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Brian Gionta Named Montreal's Captain: Ranking the NHL's "C's"

11:22 AM Unknown No comments

by Kamal Panesar

With the news leaking last week that Brian Gionta will become the 28th captain of the Montreal Canadiens, I thought it was a good time to take a look at and rank all 30 NHL captains.

Ranking the captains is no easy task, mind you, since all of them have some combination of leadership qualities, work ethic, and a never-quit mentality.

As such, deciding which one is better than another is like splitting hairs. The following list is a ranking of the 30 NHL captains based on my overall impression of them as captains.

I am sure that this ranking will spur debate, rage, happiness, and all sorts of emotions but keep in mind that the positioning of one person ahead or behind another is by no means meant as disrespect to any of these individuals.

Being an NHL captain takes a special kind of character, and I truly feel that all of these players demonstrate, in some way or another, a certain "je ne sais quoi."

Note: Five teams have not yet named team captains. In those instances, I have stated the person who I believe should become the captain. I have ranked those teams 30 through 26 for simplicity's sake and not because I feel that their potential captains are inferior.

All stats and info were compiled from ESPN.com and Wikipedia.org.

No. 30: Vancouver Canucks – Currently Vacant

My selection for captain: Henrik Sedin
Years in the league: 9
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 112 Points (29 G, 83 A), plus-35

No. 29: San Jose Sharks – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Dan Boyle
Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 58 Points (15 G, 43 A), plus-6

No. 28: Edmonton Oilers – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ales Hemsky
Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 22 GP, 22 points (7 G, 15 A), plus-7

No. 27: Atlanta Thrashers – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ron Hainsey
Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 26 points (5 G, 21 A), minus-6

No. 26: Anaheim Ducks – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ryan Getzlaf
Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 66 GP, 69 points (19 G, 50 A), plus-4

No. 25: Florida Panthers – Bryan McCabe

What makes him great: Is in charge of a team in transition, but has been there before.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 43 points (8 G, 35 A), Minus-4

Awards and accomplishments:
• Second All-Star Team - 2004
• 1997 World Championship Gold

No. 24: New York Rangers – Chris Drury
What makes him great: Captain Clutch knows how to come through in a jam.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 77 GP, 32 points (14 G, 18 A), minus-10

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2001 Stanley Cup (Colorado)
• 2002 Olympic Silver
• 2010 Olympic Silver
• 2004 World Championship Bronze

No. 23: New York Islanders – Doug Weight
What makes him great: Like Foote, there isn’t much that Weight hasn’t experienced.

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 36 GP, 17 points (1 G, 16 A), minus-1

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1995–96: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 1995–96: World Cup of Hockey Championship (Team USA)
• 1997–98: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2000–01: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2001–02: Silver medal (XIX Olympic Winter Games)
• 2002–03: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2005–06: Stanley Cup Championship (Carolina Hurricanes)

No. 22: Los Angeles Kings – Dustin Brown
What makes him great: A young veteran with grit and determination.

Years in the league: 6
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 56 points (24 G, 32 A), minus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 World Championship Bronze
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (2009)
• 2010 Olympic Silver

No. 21: St. Louis Blues – Eric Brewer

What makes him great: Has enough experience to be able to help guide a young, talented group.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 59 GP, 15 points (8 G, 7 A), minus-17

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2002 Olympic Gold Medal
• 2003 World Championship Gold
• 2003 – Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004 World Championship Gold
• 2007 World Championship Gold
• 2004 World Cup Gold

No. 20: Toronto Maple Leafs – Dion Phaneuf
What makes him great: He is the mold that the Leafs are being shaped in.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 32 points (12 G, 20 A), plus-1

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2007 World Championship Gold
• First Team All-Star 2008

No. 19: Minnesota Wild – Mikko Koivu
What makes him great: Strong leadership genes and competitive nature.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 71 Points (22 G, 49 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2006 Olympic Sliver
• 2010 Olympic Bronze
• 2006 World Championship Bronze
• 2007 World Championship Silver
• 2008 World Championship Bronze
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey Silver

No. 18: New Jersey Devils – Jamie Langenbrunner
What makes him great: Like Adam Foote, Langenbrunner is a repository of experience.

Years in the league: 15
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 61 points (19 G, 42 A), plus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1996–97 NHL Calder Trophy Finalist for Rookie of the Year (Dallas Stars)
• 1998 Member of the United States Olympic Hockey team
• 1998–99 NHL Stanley Cup Champion (Dallas Stars)
• 2002–03 NHL Stanley Cup Champion (New Jersey Devils)
• 2002–03 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Scoring Champion (New Jersey Devils)
• 2004 Member of the United States team at the World Cup of Hockey
• 2007–present New Jersey Devils Team Captain
• Named to 2010 United States Olympic Hockey team
• Named Captain of 2010 United States Olympic Hockey team
• 2010 Winter Olympic Silver Medalist - Men’s Ice Hockey

No. 17: Colorado Avalanche – Adam Foote

What makes him great: Battle hardened veteran who has seen it all

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 67 GP, 9 points (0 G, 9 A), plus-8

Awards and accomplishments:
• Named to the OHL First All-Star team in 1990-91.
• Won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and 2001.
• Won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada in 2002.
• Won a World Cup championship with Team Canada in 2004.

No. 16: Nashville Predators – Shea Weber
What makes him great: He is young, skilled and determined

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 78 GP, 43 points (16 G, 27 A), even

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 – WHL West Second All-Star Team
• 2004 – CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team
• 2005 – WHL airBC Trophy
• 2005 – WHL West First All-Star Team
• 2007 – Played in NHL YoungStars Game
• 2009 - Played in NHL All-Star Game
• Named to the 2010 Olympics All-Star Team

No. 15: Columbus – Rick Nash
What makes him great: Like Lecavalier, Nash is intensely committed to the Columbus organization.

Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 67 points (33 G, 34 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team - 2003
• Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy - 2004 (shared with Ilya Kovalchuk and Jarome Iginla)
• NHL All-Star Game appearance - 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009
• NHL Foundation Player Award - 2009
• World Championships gold medal - 2007
• World Championships MVP – 2007
• World Championships All-Star Team - 2007, 2008
• Gold medal - 2010 Winter Olympic Games
• Best Play ESPY Award nomination - 2008

No. 14: Buffalo Sabres – Craig Rivet
What makes him great: Class and poise

Years in the league: 15
2010 Stats: 78 GP, 15 points (1 G, 14 A), minus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• World Championship Gold Medal - 2003

No. 13: Washington Capitals – Alexander Ovechkin
What makes him great: Wants to win so badly that you, the fans, can taste it.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 72 GP, 109 points (50 G, 59 A), plus-45

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team: 2006
• NHL First All-Star Team: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• NHL Number 1 Star of the Month: January 2006, January 2008, March 2008, November 2008, January 2010
• NHL Offensive Player of the Month: January 2006
• NHL Rookie of the Month: December 2005 and January 2006
• NHL Number 1 Star of the Week: Week Ending – December 30, 2007; March 9, 2008; March 23, 2008; December 28, 2008; October 5, 2009; January 18, 2010.
• NHL Offensive Player of the Week: Week Ending – December 31, 2005; January 23, 2006
• NHL Player of the Year – Sporting News: 2008, 2009
• NHL All-Star Game selections: 2007, 2008, 2009
• Calder Memorial Trophy – NHL Rookie of the Year: 2006
• Kharlamov Trophy – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding Player): 2008, 2009
• Ted Lindsay Award (Formerly known as Lester B. Pearson Award): 2010
• Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player): 2008, 2009
• Art Ross Trophy: 2008 (112 points)
• Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: 2008 (65 goals), 2009 (56 goals)
• 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships – Best Forward
• 2006 Winter Olympics – Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team
• 2006 IIHF World Championship – Media All-Star Team
• 2008 IIHF World Championship – Media All-Star Team

No. 12: Ottawa Senators – Daniel Alfredsson
What makes him great: Wants desperately to get his team over the championship hump.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 70 GP, 71 points (20 G, 51 A), plus-8

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1996 — NHL All-Rookie Team
• 1996 — Calder Memorial Trophy
• 1996 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1997 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1998 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2005–06 — Second Team All-Star
• 2006 — Gold medal at the Winter Olympics
• 2008 — Starter to NHL All-Star Game, Guy Carbonneau Award for 'Top Penalty-Killer'

No. 11: Montreal Canadiens – Brian Gionta

What makes him great: Instills confidence with his quiet intensity.

Years in the league: 8
2010 Stats: 61 GP, 46 points (28 G, 18 A), plus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2002–03: Stanley Cup — New Jersey Devils (NHL)

No. 10: Tampa Bay Lightning – Vincent Lecavalier
What makes him great: Despite ups and downs, Lecavalier remains intensely committed to Tampa Bay.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 70 points (24 G, 46 A), minus-16

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL Second All-Star Team - 2007
• NHL All-Star Game - 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Stanley Cup - 2004
• Rocket Richard Trophy - 2007
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy - 2008
• World Cup of Hockey Championship - 2004
• World Cup of Hockey All-Star Team - 2004
• World Cup of Hockey MVP - 2004

No. 9: Carolina Hurricanes – Eric Staal
What makes him great: Dogged determination

Years in the league: 6
2010 Stats: 70 GP, 70 points (29 G, 41 A), plus-4

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2003–04: Played in the YoungStars Game (NHL)
• 2005–06: Won Stanley Cup with Carolina Hurricanes, NHL 2nd All-Star Team
• 2007: World Ice Hockey gold
• NHL All-Star Game appearances: 2007, 2998, 2009
• 2007–08: All-Star Game MVP
• 2010: Olympic gold (Staal became the 23rd member of the Triple Gold Club)

No. 8: Boston Bruins – Zdeno Chara
What makes him great: His size aside, Chara is a tower of strength for the Bruins.

Years in the league: 12
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 44 points (7 G, 44 A), plus-19

Awards and accomplishments:
• Played in NHL All-Star Game in 2003, 2007, 2008 (starter) and 2009.
• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 2004 and 2009.
• Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 2006 and 2008.
• Won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2009.
• Won the hardest shot competition at the NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

No. 7: Philadelphia Flyers – Mike Richards

What makes him great: Gritty workhorse in the mold of Bobby Clarke.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 62 points (31 G, 31 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• Calder Cup championship (with the Philadelphia Phantoms) - 2004–05
• NHL All-Star Game - 2008
• Bobby Clarke Trophy (Philadelphia Flyers' MVP) - 2007–08, 2008–09
• Gene Hart Memorial Award (Philadelphia Flyers' fan favorite) - 2007–08
• World Junior gold medal - 2005
• Winter Olympic Gold Medal - Vancouver 2010

No. 6: Phoenix Coyotes – Shane Doan
What makes him great: He is a supremely classy individual with an insatiable work ethic.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 55 points (18 G, 37 A), plus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• Named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team in 1995.
• Won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup MVP) in 1995.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2004 and 2009.

No. 5: Dallas Stars – Brendan Morrow
What makes him great: Learned under Carbonneau and Gainey’s tutelage

Years in the league: 10
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 46 points (20 G, 26 A), minus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships gold medal
• Gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics (Team Canada)

No. 4: Chicago Blackhawks – Jonathan Toews
What makes him great: Maturity and wisdom beyond his years

Years in the league: 3
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 68 points (25 G, 43 A), plus-22

Awards and accomplishments:
• Nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy – 2008
• NHL All-Star Game - 2009 (starter)
• All-Star selection of the 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament
• 2010 Winter Olympics - Best Forward
• 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy winner
• Second-youngest to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (22 years, 41 days; only Patrick Roy was younger); youngest Captain to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
• Youngest person to gain entry into the Triple Gold Club (22 years, 41 days at time last component was achieved)
• Named full captain of an NHL team after only 64 NHL games; third youngest full captain (Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier) in NHL history.
• 2010 Stanley Cup Champion
• One of only six players to win Olympic gold and the Stanley Cup in the same year.

No. 3: Pittsburgh Penguins – Sidney Crosby

What makes him great: The face of his city and the NHL

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 109 points (51 G, 58 A), plus-15

Awards and accomplishments:
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2010)
• Rocket Richard Trophy (2010)
• Stanley Cup (2009)
• Art Ross Trophy (Leading Scorer) (2007)
• Lester B. Pearson Award (2007)
• Hart Memorial Trophy (2007)
• Sporting News NHL Player of the Year (2007)
• NHL First All-Star Team (2007)
• NHL All-Rookie Team (2006)
• Rookie of the Month (October 2005)
• All-Star Game (2007, 2008, 2009)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2010)
• World Championships All-Star Team (2006)
• World Championship Best Forward (2006)
• World Championship Leading Scorer (2006)
• Olympic Gold Medal (2010)

No. 2: Calgary Flames – Jarome Iginla

What makes him great: Pure heart and humility

Years in the league: 13
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 69 points (32 G, 37 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team (1997)
• First team All-Star (2002, 2008, 2009)
• Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (2002, 2004)
• Art Ross Trophy (2002)
• Lester B. Pearson Award (2002)
• ESPY Best NHL Player (2002, 2004)
• Second team All-Star (2004)
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2004)
• NHL Foundation Player Award (2004)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2009)

No. 1: Detroit Red Wings – Nicklas Lidstrom

What makes him great: A stalwart, both on and off the ice.

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 49 points (9 G, 40 A), plus-22

Awards and accomplishments:
• World Championship gold medal winner (Sweden, 1991).
• NHL All-Rookie Team (1992).
• 4-time Stanley Cup winner (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008).
• 11-time NHL All-Star (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009*).
• 9-time NHL First All-Star Team member (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008).
• 2-time NHL Second All-Star Team member (2009 and 2010).
• 6-time Norris Trophy winner (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008).
• Conn Smythe Trophy winner (2002).
• Olympic gold medal winner (Sweden, 2006); Lidstrom became a member of the Triple Gold Club with this win.
• Olympic All-Star Team (2006).

Men's Olympic Hockey: Destiny on Ice fulfilled as Team Canada wins 3-2 over Team USA

6:24 PM Unknown 1 comment

As I sit here sipping my third glass of wine and watching Sidney Crosby skate around the ice surface of GM Place, waving an oversized Canadian flag from a pole, I am reminded of how proud I am to be Canadian.

The emotion that surrounded Canada's dramatic overtime win today was palpable over the course of the weekend. Every person I talked to, every store I went into and everything I read was all pointing towards today's gold medal match and with Crosby's overtime heroics, I can say that I am as happy and relieved as any in this great country!

Tonight's game, unlike some of the other 2010 Olympic hockey games to date, lived up to all of the hype and provided one of the most entertaining spectacles of the last 50 years of hockey.

The game was close right from the start of the game as the crowd's intensity seemed to buoy both teams. Canada's Toews made it 1-0 at 12:50 of this first when he picked up the rebound off of a Mike Richards shot from in close, and roofed it from a tight angle.

The scoring continued in the second period as Corey Perry made it 2-0 for Canada by rifling a shot from the high slot past Miller at 7:13.

Despite being down by two, the U.S. wasn't ready to quit as they took the play Canada, in this back and forth game, with Ryan Kesler scoring at 12:44 to pull them to within one.

The score stayed at 2-1 for Canada with both teams having their chances through the rest of the second and most of the third.

The status quo disappeared, however, as Canada, leading by one, went into a defensive shell about half way through the third period. As soon as I saw them playing the 1-2-2 trapping style, I could feel the potential for disaster.

Have you ever been watching a hockey game when your team was leading by one and started to sit back too early? And when they did so, did you ever get that ominous foreboding feeling that the opposition would tie the game? Well Canada, unfortunately, fell into that classic trap.

The result of Canada's passive play was that with time winding down, Ryan Miller on the bench and the U.S. pressing for the tie, Parise's second effort tied the game with 25 seconds to play.

Picking up the rebound off of a Langenbrunner deflection in front, Parise whipped the puck past a falling Luongo to silence the rumbling crowd and send the game to overtime.

Now if you didn't know, overtime is a little different in international hockey than it is in the NHL. In international hockey, overtime is one twenty minute, four-on-four, sudden death period before going to a shootout to decide things. So for tonight's game, this meant a show case of some of the best hockey talent in the world, with a lot of extra skating room. Yummy.

Despite this delicious prospect, both teams were very tentative to start the overtime period. To a man, they looked more interested in avoiding a costly mistake rather than in pressing for the win. Things changed, however, about five minutes in as Canada started to relax and take the play to the U.S.

After a few nervous moments on both sides of the ice, Canada, led by Crosby, streaked down the ice. Crosby, carrying the puck over the offensive blue line, tried to split the U.S. defense and charge the net. Crosby was stopped and Miller deflected the puck into the corner.

Jerome Iginla picked up the puck in the corner and shuttled a soft, back door pass to Crosby who quickly fired the winner through Miller's five-hole. Miller, who had extended his stick in a poke-check attempt, was caught by surprise by Crosby's quick release.

Crosby threw off his gloves and helmet in celebration as the Canadian team players swarmed him in the U.S. zone to celebrate their golden win.

With that goal, Crosby says goodbye to the rapidly mounting criticism for his lack of production in this tournament, and says hello to joining Paul Henderson and Mario Lemieux in Canadian hockey history.

Final score: Canada 3 - USA 2 (OT)

Lost in the shadow of Canada's win is the fact that their gold medal gives Canada, as a nation, 14 gold medals in this Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Those 14 medals break the record for the most gold medals won by a host nation at the Olympics.

So congratulations Canada on your ice hockey gold, on your gold medal record and for hosting one of the most memorable Winter Olympics in Olympic history.

Oh Canada, indeed!

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