Monday Musings: ... On Tuesday; Sochi Recap

Greetings Habs Addicts!

Photo Credit: CTVnews.com

It was a golden weekend for Team Canada, wrapping up the Olympics with a stifling defensive performance in the Gold Medal game against Sweden. Carey Price notched his second straight shutout in the a 3-0 victory. In the semi-finals, it was the Battle of North America again, as Canada squared off against the United States. Carey Price was sensational in stopping 31 saves and out-duelling Jon Quick who had 36 stops of his own in a 1-0 shutout win to advance Canada to the final. In order to get to that point at all, Canada had to first get past Latvia. Sounds easy enough, but this game was extremely close in score due to a career-defining performance by Kristers Gudlevskis, the Latvian goaltender - and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect - who made 55 saves including many difficult ones in the 2-1 Canada win.

Carey Price was named the Top Goaltender of the tournament. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender finished the tournament with a 5-0 record, a 0.59 goals-against average and .972 save percentage. He allowed three goals on 106 shots and finished with a shutout streak of 164 minutes and 19 seconds - the longest of his career to-date. What can we say, maybe the rest of Canada woke up to the greatness that is Carey Price, but we've been privy to these performances all season long and we always knew the potential for greatness was there. Keep Calm and Carey on! (Yes, I know. Shameless plug. Sorry, not sorry).

Photo Credit: TheChronicleHerald.ca

P.K Subban finished the tournament as Canada's best cheerleader, developing quite a bond in the press-box with goalie Mike Smith.  Subban only appeared in one game - Canada's only game in which they scored more than 3 goals - which was a 6-0 drubbing of Austria. Mike Babcock preferred to dress Dan Hamhuis over Subban. Hamhuis played 1:06 against Team USA and did not leave the bench in the finals. Canada's power-play struggled and Patrick Sharp - a right-handed shooting forward - looked horrible playing the point, as many of his shots hit defenders and he rarely got the puck through traffic. I spoke at length last week about Subban's lack of use in the tournament. We won the gold medal. I'm not going to beat a dead horse. I'm simply going to reiterate what I said all tournament long: Why do you have the Norris Trophy winning, right-handed shooting, power-play point shot specialist sitting in the press box in order to play a forward at the point and dress a 7th defenseman you will not use. The point is moot, as Canada won the tournament. The logic behind that move just does not make sense. Subban was a great teammate and clearly savored the moment of being on the podium (SubbieCam strikes again) as well as the opportunity to be a part of the team. Subban should be a force in 2018 if the NHL players are allowed to participate.  Congrats to both PK and Carey!

Rounding out the medal winners was Finland, who soundly defeated a hapless United States team 5-0 in the Bronze medal game. Back in July, when Montreal Hockey Talk had us provide Olympic previews, I took on the task of predicting the Finnish team's roster and ultimate finish. While I was wrong with some of my roster predictions - Saku Koivu should have been on the team, I don't care what anyone else says and injuries to Pekka Rinne and Mikko Koivu certainly played a part with some of my wrong choices - I had the core of the team correct. I gambled incorrectly that youngsters Alexander Barkov and Olli Maata would take the necessary leaps to find a place on the roster, but both rookies have been extremely solid this season and both played a big role for the Fins. Finland's Teemu Selanne had two goals against the United States and was also named tournament MVP in what will be his final Olympics. Congrats to Team (Grumpy Old) Finland on a well played tournament. Finland surpassed my prediction of a 4th place finish by winning the bronze medal game instead of losing it and taking home the medal. My Canada vs Russia final was also wrong, but to be fair, I made the predictions in July. I correctly predicted the participants of the bronze medal game as well as the gold medal winner. I'll take that! Watch out, Wiarton Willie. I'm coming for your job next!

With the Sochi Olympics wrapped up, it was nice to see the host Russian squad get eliminated from the tournament in the quarter-finals even if it meant my Olympic prediction would be crushed. The early knock off allowed for our veteran workhorse Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin to get some much needed rest before returning to North America. Sorry, Russia. Purely selfish Habs reasoning here. Rounding out the Montreal presence in Sochi, Tomas Plekanec had a great tournament playing with Jaromir Jagr (Hey Marc Bergevin, trade deadline is approaching...) for the Czech Republic and Max Pacioretty played very well with linemates Paul Stastny (Hey Marc Bergevin, trade deadline is approaching...) and T.J Oshie for the United States. Peter Budaj only appeared in one game; in relief of a shelled Jaroslav Halak in the opening round. He'll be ready to resume wearing the ball-cap and pom-poms on the bench and dominate when called upon to play.

Coming up this week: The NHL season resumes!

P.K Subban will get to show Mike Babcock exactly how he really feels about his lineup snub when the Detroit Red Wings come to town on Wednesday. Personally, I'll expect Subban to dominate down the stretch and take the playing-time snub as an added motivational chip on his shoulder. The Habs travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday and take on Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby's Penguins before wrapping up the week at home with a rivalry showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Three very tough match-ups against three very good teams. Great way to jump right back into the action.

Welcome back, NHL hockey!

Three Questions From My Musings:

A) Will P.K Subban use the playing-time snub as added motivation to dominate down the stretch?

B) Will the Habs be affected by having so many key veteran players participating in the Sochi games?

C) With only 23 games remaining to be played, what do you think the Habs record will be from this point forward?

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Nick M. is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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Monday Musings: #FreeSubban & Sochi Highlights

Greetings Habs Addicts!

I hope you are all enjoying the Sochi Olympic games. I know I have not followed along with too much of it. Truth be told, I've really only watched the hockey. Our athletes are performing fantastic so far and we've had an amazing medal showing and I'm proud of all of them. I'm just not interested in watching figure skating or curling. The hockey games have not disappointed, either. Very closely fought battles, with some surprising results along the way. Team Canada has had a closely contested defensive game, winning 3-1 against Norway and then exploded with a 6-0 rout of Austria, which saw Jeff Carter net a natural hat-trick and then had a nail-biting, rather disappointing 2-1 overtime win over Finland. Going to overtime dropped Canada from a potential 1st overall seed to 3rd, behind Sweden and the United States. Canada's next opponent will be the winner of the game between Latvia and Switzerland.

Photo Credit: Canada.com

- The prevailing theme of the tournament has been a surprising lack of scoring from the Canadian forwards. Drew Doughty has led the team with 4 goals from the blue line, including both goals against Finland. Shea Weber has contributed 2 goals himself and Carter had the hat-trick against Austria. The rest of the Canadian squad has scored a combined 2 goals. Aside from the rout against Austria, the other two games have been hard fought defensive games. Both Norway and Finland have utilized a trap-style system and it has stymied the offense. Carey Price has been solid in goal, starting against Norway and Finland. He has allowed a goal in each game while facing a low-shot total, but in his defense, both goals were deflected point shots through screens that even Roberto Luongo would not have saved. Bobby Lou was fantastic against Austria in his lone game, but it appears that the tournament will belong to Price going forward.

- P.K Subban has been a scratch in two of the three games played so far in Sochi. Subban sat in favour of Dan Hamhuis in the 3-1 win over Norway and the 2-1 win over Finland. Subban was in the line-up for the 6-0 win over Austria. The use of the reigning Norris Trophy winner has been subject to many Twitter comments as well as wide spread media commentary. Even Don Cherry on Coaches' Corner has lobbied for Subban to be in the line-up. Frankly, Canada has had trouble scoring goals in two of the three games and while Subban did not factor much into the offense, he moves the puck and has a much better offensive game than either Dan Hamhuis or Marc-Edouard Vlasic. His 'defensive liabilities' are overrated and often overblown in the media. Sure, Subban will take some chances with the puck and sure, he will sometimes turn over the puck. But so does Sidney Crosby. So does Alex Ovechkin. So does Drew Doughty. So did Bobby Orr. Elite playmakers take chances, sometimes they do not work. Often times, they do. With the amount of goal scoring coming from the defense, Canada is better served with PK Subban rotating through the line-up than they are having the limited offensive contributions of Hamhuis or Vlasic. While the latter two may be stronger defensively, Subban is used to playing in front of incumbent starter Carey Price and is hardly a drop-off defensively. Offensively, neither one of those two can bring to the ice what Subban can. How PK has not been in the line-up all tournament long is a slight to him and Canadian hockey fans. Knowing Subban, we can expect a beast of a performance down the stretch for the Habs as he uses his lack of ice time in Sochi as added motivation in his quest for a second-straight Norris Trophy. 

- Canada's next potential opponent is the Swiss squad led by former Habs' blueliners Mark Streit, Yannick Weber and Raphael Diaz. The Swiss finished the preliminary round with a 2-1 record, all three games 1-0 affairs. The Swiss have also been playing a trap-style defensive game; the same style of game that has given Canada fits so far in Sochi. Diaz has been paired up with Streit on the blueline. While they have not scored too much in the tournament, the Swiss boast a large number of NHL players in the line-up, especially on the back end with Roman Josi rounding out the top-4 and Anaheim Duck's goaltender Jonas Hiller manning the crease. The Swiss team should get past the Latvian squad in the quarterfinals and could provide Team Canada with a real test to open the medal round.

- Max Pacioretty and Team USA has had an impressive showing so far this tournament and has to be considered a legitimate threat to Canada. Another Canada vs USA final is not out of the question. Patches has played with Paul Stastny and T.J. Oshie in the tournament and they came out flying in the first game against Peter Budaj's Slovakian squad. Team USA scored 6 goals in the second period of the 7-1 drubbing. Patches had an assist to go along with a +2 rating and 4 shots on goal. His line-mate Stastny had 2 goals and Oshie added a pair of assists. This performance was the shining moment for Pacioretty, has he saw limited ice time against Russia and was a scratch in the third game against Slovenia. Former Habs goalie Jaroslav Halak started and was hung out to dry before giving away to Budaj, who allowed a goal on the first shot he faced. Budaj finished the game, but has not seen the ice in the subsequent games, as Slovakia went back to Halak before giving the third game to Jan Laco.

- Tomas Plekanec has been paired up with veteran Jaromir Jagr for the Czech Republic, as they often are in international play. Jagr has been snubbed by the Habs in free-agency the past few season, as he has bounced around from Dallas to Boston to New Jersey. Each time he has expressed interest in playing for Montreal and each time was not considered. Instead we signed Danny Briere. I've already expressed my opinion numerous times in the past about this topic. Plekanec set up Jagr for a goal in each of the first two games and has played well all tournament long, providing a penalty killing presence and the same solid two-way game we've come to expect from him each year.

- Rounding out our Habs presence in Sochi, Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin have been representing the home squad of Team Russia. While Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk form a very credible trio up front, the Russian squad has been somewhat of a disappointment so far in the tournament.  Filling out the roster with relatively unknown KHL players, the drop off in skill between the NHL players and KHL players is noticeable, as Russia has had some low-scoring games en route to a 1-0-1-1 record in round-robin play. Russia opened up with a 5-2 victory of a low-ranked Slovenia squad, before losing 3-2 to the United States in an epic shootout which has turned T.J Oshie into an American hero. Andrei Markov had 2 assists for Russia in this game. Russia ended the preliminary round by beating Slovakia in a shootout, with no goals scored in regulation. Very disappointing performance thus far in my opinion. Andrei Markov has played big minutes, which concerns me as he has faded down the stretch last year and has showed signs that his workload was getting to him prior to Sochi. Alexei Emelin has not done anything offensively in the tournament, but has played solidly in his own end.

That pretty much recaps our Habs showing thus far in Sochi. The biggest storyline coming up will be the goaltending of Carey Price and the usage of P.K Subban by Canada. The lack of offense from Canada will continue to draw attention to the fact that Subban has been watching from the press-box. Subban should be playing. He should have a big role for this team, but Mike Babcock has other ideas. Hopefully, his other ideas do not cost us the gold medal.

Three Questions From My Musings

A) Should P.K Subban be in the line-up every game for Team Canada?

B) Should Marc Bergevin make a play to bring Jaromir Jagr to Montreal for the stretch run?

C) Who out of Sweden, USA or Russia poses the biggest threat to Canada's gold medal chances?

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Monday Musings: The Dale Weise vs Rafael Diaz Edition

Greetings Habs Addicts!

Photo Credit: Montreal.Ctvnews.ca

Well the Habs are officially on the Sochi Olympic break. Well, a third of the Habs are on the Olympic break anyway. The rest of the roster will be playing some high pressure, high intensity games on the worlds biggest stage - and ice surface, for that matter.  As always, we'll begin with a recap of this past week's games. The Habs played 3 very impressive games. Carey Price started all three, beginning with a tight-checking 2-0 shutout win over the Calgary Flames, this was followed by a thumping of the Vancouver Canucks.  Price out-dueled fellow Olympian Roberto Luongo, stopping 42 of 44 shots and Max Pacioretty netted a hat-trick (with two missed penalty shots) in a 5-2 Habs win.  Montreal headed into the break with a 4-1 dismantling of the Carolina Hurricanes, winning the season series 2-1. David Desharnais scored two goals in this one.  After a stretch where the Habs gave up 4+ goals in 6 straight games (1-5 in those games), the defensive effort came back strong in the past 7 games (2 or fewer goals allowed; two shutouts and a 5-1-1 record to show for it).  The penalty killing has been lights out over this stretch as well, allowing only 2 goals on 21 attempts during this stretch.

Recap aside, now its on to my musings.

- Biggest news of the week was the trade that sent Rafael Diaz to the Vancouver Canucks in return for grinding forward Dale Weise.  Hours before this trade went down last Monday, I had just finishing stating in my musings that I preferred to see Diaz in the lineup over Douglas Murray, feeling he'd pair up very well with Nathan Beaulieu, allowing the kid the chance to play on his natural (left) side instead of the right side. Needless to say, that will not be happening.  The stat geeks were up in arms over this deal, notably those who use the Corsi ratings who felt that Diaz has been our most effective defender.  While Diaz is a fluid skater, with decent puck moving skills, his shot is erratic and at 5'11, 197 pounds he is slightly undersized for an NHL defender. For the stat geeks, the average defenseman is 6' 1 7/8" tall, weighs 209.66 lbs and is 27.5 years old. Irrelevant, yes. But while Diaz blocks shots effectively, he provided absolutely no physical presence on the back end and while touted as an offensive defenseman, he was never going to develop into the second coming of Mark Streit on our power-play.

Dale Weise will never challenge Sidney Crosby for the scoring title (although he did show the ability to score in junior, so he's not a player who made his name solely by dropping the gloves).  He'll never win a Lady Byng award, either. Instead the gritty Weise brings size (6'2", 210 pounds) and strength to the Habs 4th line while possessing considerably more overall skill than George Parros. Weise is also fast.  He is the reigning back-to-back winner of the 'Fastest Skater' in a competition held each year at the Vancouver Canucks skills competition. Sure this is straight-line speed, but speed is speed. Weise is also a former junior teammate of Ryan White, who made his return to the lineup this week from a nagging "upper-body injury" after missing 14 games.  Paired up together with the speedy Michael Bournival, the energy line contributed 9 shots on goal and 9 hits, while averaging 12 minutes of ice time against Calgary.  Against his former team, Weise and Bournival set up Ryan White's first goal of the season, while contributing 3 shots and 5 hits, while averaging only 8 minutes on the ice (Bournival left with a concussion after only 5:02 of ice time; Weise played a line-high 10:28).  Saturday night in Carolina, White added another goal and assist and combined with Weise saw some time on the penalty kill and also added another 4 hits and 3 take-aways in their 10:55 and 14:02, respectively.

Ultimately, the Corsi-loving and stat based analysts hate this trade. But there is more to hockey than just stats.  Besides, there are stats to back up all arguments and only using select ones while avoiding others will allow for biased opinions to be made, even if they are backed up by the numbers. Much like Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) are used to make advance stat-based arguments in baseball, Corsi and Fenwick ratings are starting to gain traction to rate production levels in hockey. While valid and helpful, advanced stats are not the be all and end all of how a roster should be built. Moneyball illustrated how the Oakland A's could build a solid yet slightly flawed, playoff contending roster on a smaller budget by incorporating advance stats in determining how they made roster moves.  While this use of advanced stats became a trend in baseball, followed soon thereafter by teams like the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, the Oakland A's still have not won a World Series since incorporating the Moneyball strategy.  Sure, they've won games and made the playoffs, but they haven't won the championship with this strategy.  In hockey, the Montreal Canadiens can win games and make the playoffs with the lineup they have, but the goal is to win the Stanley Cup.  I think its safe to say, that in a seven-game series, a lineup of Dale Weise clones repeatedly coming at a defensive core of Rafael Diaz clones would ultimately lead to a lot of punishment suffered by the Diaz's, not so much the Weises.  That same core of Weises battling a bunch of Douglas Murrays would feel more physical pain on their end, while not necessarily scoring too many more goals.  There's no advanced stats to justify what a physical presence can have on a hockey game. Only hits. With that said, I much preferred to see Diaz in the lineup over Douglas Murray - because lets face it, sometimes the stats do tell the story as Murray has been horrible at anything that is not killing penalties.  However, that is no longer an option. We'll need to find another way to replace Murray.  Ultimately, the traditional way of grading players based on their skills and abilities to build lineups will never be replaced by paper stats. The stats can assist, but games aren't won on paper. Never were, never will be.

Truth be told, Marc Bergevin went out and solved a need while giving up an expiring asset.  Diaz has been a healthy scratch by Michel Therrien and was not going to make his way back into the lineup anytime soon. While a lot of fans on Twitter were angry over the deal, Diaz was never going to land us a P.A. Parenteau as earlier rumoured, or be a part of a trade for Thomas Vanek.  He was also going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and was surely not going to re-sign with the Habs.  So rather than trade him away for a draft pick who may or may not pan out (insert Trevor Timmins comments here) three or four years from now, Bergevin went out and filled a roster need by bringing in a fast, physical energy player in Dale Weise.

The fourth line has been a problem for the Habs all season long. Michael Bournival has been a solid contributor, providing a spark offensively coupled with solid defensive play.  Ryan White missed games with an injury, but has played well when given the opportunity.  White earned himself a spot in Therrien's doghouse last year with undisciplined play, but has continued to play a gritty, agitating game this season under a lot more emotional control.  Travis Moen has been ineffective again this season when healthy and George Parros has been injured and utterly ineffective when healthy (two concussions and 0 points with a -5 rating in 16 games played - averaging under 5 minutes per game).  The Habs have had a revolving door of AHL callups rounding out the 4th line this year: Louis Leblanc, Christian Thomas, Michael Blunden, Patrick Holland, Martin St. Pierre, Gabriel Dumont, Joonas Nattinen have all seen action and in a combined 25 games played have contributed a grand total of 0 points. Zero.  Dale Weise has out-scored all of them combined in his 3 games (1 assist). 

The fact of the matter is, none of our AHL players are NHL fourth liners. They are not grind-it-out, big and physical energy players.  Their games are based on skill and scoring.  They are top-9 material but none of them have proven to be NHL ready.  Montreal's defensive prospects (Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn) are all closer to being NHL-ready than our forwards are.  In fact, Beaulieu has already made the jump and will most likely never return to Hamilton again.  We knew going into this season that depth at forward was an issue.  Instead of relying on this revolving door of non-production,  Bergevin went out and traded for an experienced, young proven NHL grinder to fill the role that has been a hole in the lineup all season long. Weise will be a restricted free-agent at the end of the season - thus still under club control - and will be easy to re-sign this off-season and ultimately ship to Hamilton if he is outplayed or replaced by other new off-season additions.

In the meantime, Weise may never lead the NHL in Corsi and Fenwick scores. But no one will argue that his first week in the lineup has been a successful one.  We can expect to see a lot more games like we saw this week from the newest Hab as he continues to make his father proud sporting the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Coming up this week: SOCHI!  Go Canada Go!

While I'm proudly Canadian through and through and I fully expect the gold medal to come home again this year with Carey Price and P.K. Subban. I do want to wish the best to all our beloved Habs participating in the games: Max Pacioretty for the United States; Tomas Plekanec with the Czech Republic; Peter Budaj with Slovakia; and both Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin with the host Russian squad.  Also looking forward to watching a real underdog with three former Habs on it can do this time around: Team Switzerland boasts former Habs defensemen Mark Streit, Rafael Diaz and Yannick Weber.  We're in store for some great hockey over the next few weeks.

Enjoy it, folks!


Three Questions from my Musings:

A) Will Dale Weise continue to make a positive contribution to the Habs lineup?

B) Which current Hamilton Bulldog that has received a callup this year will make the jump and remain in the Canadiens lineup next season?

C) Who will in the Gold medal in Sochi?

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Montreal Canadiens: Love them, and Enjoy the Sochi Olympics

It’s never easy being a Montreal Canadiens fan. In fact, it’s pretty much always an emotional roller-coaster ride.

Even when the Habs were on that winning streak a couple of months ago (it feels so long ago), I was mentally preparing myself to expect the kind of play we have witnessed over the past couple of weeks. Let’s just say that the mental prep failed to diminish the frustration and disappointment while watching our team…tank miserably. Some may call the previous description as melodramatic, but need I remind you that I’m a Montreal Canadiens fan?

I was one of the unlucky fans to attend a game at the Bell Centre this weekend. Sometimes I wonder, why should I bother cheering for a team that makes me want to get a refund on my ticket (although I’ve been fortunate enough to go for free, but you get what I mean)? I deserve to cheer for a team that WINS (I also happen to subject myself to some torture with FC Liverpool…but that’s a story for another time folks). Despite watching one of the more boring games of the season, something hit me…
There’ something so special about seeing a game at the Bell Centre. I have been blessed with a number of opportunities to watch games in the amphitheater, and I have never passed up on the chance. How could I refuse? Lord knows how hard it can be to purchase a ticket, and yet summon the funds to actually seat your ass down (and don’t get me started on the price of food.

MINOR DETAILS (but not really) aside, the atmosphere at the Bell Centre is something people talk about time and time again, and it always lives up to the hype. It’s one thing watching a game at a bar, or at home with friends…but it’s a completely different story watching the game with 21 000 crazy fans (apart from the boring business men who sit in front…have a little life guys!).

21 000 mostly hungry, self-proclaimed hockey experts cheering and critiquing their beloved team is testament to the love we Montrealers have for our hockey.

It would be nice if the Habs could give back. It would be nice if they could play like a team fans should be cheering for. Yes, if you’re a true fan, your devotion to the team is infallible.

Let’s just say that I would be willing to be a crap ton of money to watch them if I was fairly certain of seeing a good spectacle. Despite this mini-rant, I still watch them on TV, read up on the latest news surrounding the team, and listen in on the ongoing debates on Briere and many other issues.

Heck, I even take the time to write about them every week!

Why? Because there is something beautiful about uniting yourself behind a group of individuals trying to restore their past pride and glory. This group of men, whatever their skills or shortcomings, represent an integral part of our city and are an important piece to our identity as a Montrealer.

Even if I told myself: “ Screw this, I’m going to cheer for the Blackhawks!”, I could never genuinely adhere to them. I bleed, you bleed, we all bleed the blue, white and red. Now, after this miniature grammar lesson, let’s enjoy the last game against the Hurricanes before some of our boys battle it out in Sochi.

Sit back, relax, and go Habs go, no matter what.

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Sochi 2014: Team Snublandia

Now that all the Olympic teams have been named for the upcoming 2014 Sochi Olympics, let’s have a look at the notable omissions of each major country and form the best possible team with the talented players that have been left out by their respective countries. Luckily for us Habs fans, P.K. Subban was named to Team Canada so there will be no riots in Montreal this week.

This squad of cast-offs would be one of the most dominant teams of the Olympic tournament thanks to a mix of talent, speed and leadership. Those disgruntled players are ready to prove their detractors wrong and go for Gold in late February.

Hand picked team Canada myself so I wouldn't have to toss a hipcheck at Claude Giroux if he came close to scoring a golden goal.
— Sidney Crosby's Ego (@SidneyCrosbyEgo) January 7, 2014

Forwards:

James Neal (CAN) – Claude Giroux (CAN) – Martin St. Louis (CAN)
Alexander Semin (RUS) – Joe Thornton (CAN) – Bobby Ryan (USA)
Taylor Hall (CAN) – Logan Couture (CAN) – Tyler Seguin (CAN)
Sean Bergenheim (FIN) – Eric Staal (CAN) – Jiri Hudler (CZE)
Extras: Kyle Okposo (USA), Radim Vrbata (CZE)

-Canadian forwards with more points than Claude Giroux since the 2010 Olympics: Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. This means that if Stamkos is not ready to go, all three players will be left off Canada’s roster.

-Joe Thornton not only leads the NHL with 43 assists in 42 games this season, he is also 4th in scoring with 48 points and has a lot of international experience.

-Alexander Semin, despite being a 0.86 point per game player in his career, was snubbed in favor of some unknown KHL players who are struggling to put points on the board in Putin-land.

-Talented wingers Jiri Hudler and Radim Vrbata was left out of Czech Republic’s roster in favor ofPetr Nedved who played for the Canadian National Team back in 1993-94…

Olympic snubs are trying to create their own Olympics.

Defensemen:
Keith Yandle (USA) – Victor Hedman (SWE)
Jack Johnson (USA) – Kris Letang (CAN)
Jonas Brodin (SWE) – Brent Seabrook (CAN)

Extras:

Dan Boyle (CAN) – Jan Hejda (CZE)

Paul Martin made Team USA over Keith Yandle, Jack Johnson, and Erik Johnson. Lord help us. https://t.co/irLdCWP75Q
— Drunk Patrick Kane (@Drunk_Kane88) January 6, 2014

-Kris Letang, Brent Seabrook and Dan Boyle were all left off the Canadian squad because they shoot right. Instead, left-handed Canuck Dan Hamhuis gets the call despite scoring only 13 points this year.

-Sweden decided to select washed up defenseman Henrik Tallinder instead of talented youngsters such as Victor Hedman and Jonas Brodin…

Goalenders:

Marc-André Fleury (CAN)
Ben Bishop (USA)

Pekka Rinne (FIN)

-Team Canada decided to chose Mike Smith, who has more goals than shutouts this season, over former Stanley Cup winner Marc-André Fleury. Flower also leads the NHL with 24 wins this season.

-Despite suffering from the lingering effects of an infection to his surgically-repaired hip, Pekka Rinne should have been nominated, at least temporarily, as one of the top three Finnish netminders.

Other notables:  Nail Yakupov, Brandon Saad, Jordan Staal, Mike Richards, Jeff Skinner, Sven Baerstchi, Dustin Byfuglien, Marc Staal, Mark Giordano, Erik Johnson, Dmitry Kulikov, Corey Crawford, Josh Harding, Robin Lehner.

Did I miss anyone?

Do you think this team of misfits could contend for gold in Sochi?

Follow me on Twitter to debate and talk about puck!

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Sochi 2014 Preview: Canada's Gold Medal Team

When I was asked by Habs Addict to choose which country I thought would bring home the Gold medal in the upcoming Olympics, Canada jumped to mind without hesitation.

While I am Canadian, this is in no way a prediction based solely on where my heart lies. The reason why Canada is known for hockey, and why not winning gold in any tournament we play in is unacceptable is simply because it is in our blood.

Hockey is Canadian culture. It's no surprise that our country boasts the most talent when it comes to the game we hold so dear. That is not meant to disrespect any other country. This gold medal is in no way a guarantee. With the skill of Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin to name a few in Russia, the men between the pipes for Finland in Tuuka Rask, Pekka Rinne and Niklas Backstrom and the NHL stacked team the Americans will bring to Sochi, this will be no cake walk.

What Canada has that fuels my confidence however, is depth. With that said, here is the roster that wold be headed to Sochi, Russia in 2014 to compete for the gold medal if I were in charge of Team Canada.

Goaltending

Carey Price- Corey Crawford- Cam Ward

Price may not have backstopped his way into the "elite goaltender" category yet, but his outstanding play on a team that's been less than mediocre for the majority of his career makes you wonder what he's capable of on a star studded roster.

Ward has also done well on a basement team, and in 2006 he proved he can go all the way when his Conn Smyth winning performance lead his Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup championship.

Crawford is less experienced than Price and Ward and already has shown his ability to win by backstopping the Chicago Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup.

Defense

Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Shea Weber - P.K. Subban
Drew Doughty - Kris Letang
Alex Pietrangelo

Keith and Seabrook have two Stanley Cups together and an Olympic gold medal so they're an ideal pairing. The absence of a player like Chris Pronger will definately be felt. Doughty and Weber can both play physical. Subban will chip in as well. With players like Letang, Keith, Subban and Doughty patrolling the blue line, it's hard to imagine any other team coming close to providing as much scoring from the point as Canada will.

Forwards

Rick Nash- Sidney Crosby- Patrice Bergeron
Claude Giroux- Steven Stamkos- Martin St. Louis
John Tavares- Jonathan Toews- Patrick Sharp
Mike Richards- Ryan Getzlaf- Corey Perry
Jordan Eberle

Having Crosby, the world's best player, on your roster is not a bad way to start. These lines would provide each trio with elite snipers who can put the puck in the net at any given moment. Bergeron and Toews are two of the best two way players in the game. Mike Richards plays a hard nosed style that will make the line of him sniper/pest Corey Perry and big bodied Getzlaf tough to play against.

No other country can match the depth Canada has in every position. The goaltending, while young, is stacked with three net minders who play focused hockey and have come up big in their careers for either their country or their NHL club.

Canada's back end will be mostly made up up of offensive minded rearguards but the amount of talented two way forwards will make up for their lack of shut down defensemen.

Up front is any and every opposing goalitender's nightmare. Having to face a team that will have multiple scoring threats on the ice shift after shift.

Canada has something to prove at Sochi. This country is proud to be heralded as the best in the world at hockey. That reputation is not something we take lightly and not something these players want to risk by coming home with anything other than gold.

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Sochi 2014: Russia's Hope For Gold On Home Soil

Let me first stand up, and in a strong and proud voice exclaim, “I am Canadian”. I have the maple leaf (that’s singular and lower case) firmly tattooed on my heart.

But with that said, despite my love of my country and trust that Team Canada will always strive, well I am sorry folks but the Gold Medal in Mens Hockey in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi is destined to go to Team Russia.

Before I get into the 23 players who will help win this medal, let’s talk about the extraneous variables that will come into play.

First, the living conditions. Russia is not exactly known for it’s top notch accommodations when it comes to sports. Yes the KHL throws out a huge amount of money to lure top end talent but the housing, the travel, the food is less than desirable. Team Russia will certainly have a competitive advantage in this domain whereas other nations will have to learn to cope and adjust to having a less than usual experience in preparing for the tournament.

Second the climate. It is one thing to hoist a gold medal in Vancouver or Salt Lake City while taking in the weather and the city. Players were able to unwind, take in a good restaurant, enjoying the athletes village and bask in the beauty of some major metropolis areas. Now they turn to a small Russian city with a population slightly larger than the Bell Centre with a climate which, although not harsh, is still colder than of more recent Olympics.

Third and perhaps the most important, home field advantage. I am sure we all remember the images of the tens of thousands of fans both outside and within the arena screaming “Go Canada Go”. Well that support that Canada once shared will now be solely on the backs of the knowledgeable Russian hockey fans. Sure you’ll see the 50-100 Canadians in the audience but there spectators will be Russian.

With that said, here is the line-up that will be bringing home the GOLD medal.

Forwards:

Alexander Ovechkin-Evgeny Malkin-Alexander Semin
Alexander Radulov-Pavel Datysuk-Ilya Kovalchuk
Nail Yakupov-Artem Anisimov-Alexei Morozov
Sergei Mozyakin-Andrei Loktionov-Nikolai Zherdev

Nikolai Kulemin, Evgeny Kuznetsov

If there is a team that can put together a better group of top end talent on the top two lines then I would like to see it. This group consists of Hart, Rocket Richard, Art Ross, Selke, Con Smythe trophy winners who excel at both the offensive and defensive side of the puck.

Combine that with the speed, youth and familiarity of the country, they are without a doubt the best collection of forwards that any team will put together.

The list of players who make the team will include 4 players who are currently playing in the KHL. Including the top point getter in Sergei Mozyakin who some may remember from the 2010 Olympics, young Evgeny Kuznetsov as well as former NHL players Alexei Morozov and Nikolai Zherdev and

Watch for KHL standouts like Igor Mirnov or Andrei Subbotin to at least have a chance at making the club should injuries be a factor.

Player to watch out for,Alexander Radulov. He’s a big game player who loves to keep his best for international play. Watch for “Radu” to be named on of the tournament All-Stars

Defense:

Sergei Gonchar-Fedor Tyutin
Andrei Markov- Alexei Emelin
Renat Mamashev-Slava Voynov

Illya Nikulin-Evgeny Medvedev

If there is a weakness for the favorites then it has to be on defense. Sure there are some young, up and coming players who look to make an impact but on a whole the Russian blue line is again, battered and bruised.

None the less, as a collective, this 6 man unit will help in keeping the puck out of the net and ensuring that the high flying Russian transition game be a factor against whomever they are playing.

Assuming that injuries are not a factor, this group will consist of 5 NHL players and 3 players currently in the KHL.

Player to watch out for, Renat Mamashev. You likely do not know much about the guy but the 30 year old Defenseman from the Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk is an offensive superstar. He’s a point per game producing river gambler who takes chances and jumps in the rush at the expense of his own zone. Watch for him to make an impact.


Goaltending

Sergei Bobrovsky-Evgheni Nabokov- Stanislav Galimov

Goaltending has long been a question mark for the Russian team however the emergence of Sergei Bobrovsky as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL has solidified a position of weakness.

“Bob the goalie”, who I will argue should have not only won the Vezina this year but also had my vote as the Hart Winner, will be backed up by the KHL stand out goaltender Stanislav Galimov.

If “Bob” should struggle then Galimov has proven more than capable of leading a team. Galimov is the catalyst of a strong CSKA Moskow team who completed the 2012-13 season with a 1.76 GAA and .932 save %. Together they will form one of the best 1-2 punches in this tournament and will be supported by the veteran leadership of the aging but still effective Evgheny Nabakov.


Conclusion

When you combine arguably the top 2 lines of this tournament with the superb goaltending and the stand out play of an offensive minded D-core with the extraneous off ice variables, you have the makings of what looks like a Russian gold medal victory.

I am still hoping and preying that our Canadian boys prevail victoriously, but they will be in tough for what I predict will be a Russian Gold Medal victory.

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Sochi 2014 Preview: Team Finland

First and foremost, I am proudly Canadian and I fully expect the gold medal to be coming home to Canada.   The reason I chose to write up about Team Finland is simple:  Former Habs captain Saku Koivu has long been my favorite NHL player. 

Finland has been a force in the past two Olympics, ending up with a silver medal in 2006 and a bronze in 2010. The strength of the Finnish program is goaltending. While Canada is trying to figure out who will be more consistent between Carey Price and Corey Crawford, Finland is trying to figure out which all-star to leave OFF the roster. Good goaltending can help a bad team win games.  This is good because Finland has an aging roster that is short on top-level talent, especially on defense.

Goaltending

Pekka Rinne (starter)

Tuukka Rask

Anti Niemi (3^rd)

With incumbent starter Mikka Kiprusoff retiring, the reins have been passed to All-Star and two-time (arguably should have been three-time) Vezina trophy candidate Pekka Rinne. Tuukka Rask is coming off a defining playoff run and Antti Niemi has won a Stanley Cup in Chicago and was a Vezina nominee for his play this year in San Jose.  Kari Lehtonen is a former 2^nd overall draft pick and star for the Dallas Stars, but does not boast the talent and resume to make this squad.  Barring injury to one of the top three, Lehtonen is watching from home, along with Minnesota Wild standout Niklas Backstrom.

Grade: A+

Defense

Kimmo Timonen  --  Sami Salo

Joni Pitkanen  --   Toni Lydman

Sami Lepisto  --  Sami Vatanen

Ossi  Väänänen (scratch)

This group is old.  Timonen and Salo are both 38 years old, but both still posess puck-moving skills to lead the power-play (Timonen) and a cannon point shot accessorize it (Salo).  Lydman is an elite shutdown defender, but is also 35 years old.  Sami Lepisto makes the team based on his past experience, but is currently playing in the KHL.  Sami Vatanen (Anaheim Ducks prospect) is an up-and-coming NHL player who should break camp with the Ducks this upcoming season and will be a part of Finlands future. Olli Maata (Pittsburgh Penguins prospect) has a bright future, but at 19 will not be a part of this team.  Ossi Väänänen is a well-regarded veteran and will be on the squad to provide depth.

Grade: C

Forwards 

Valterri Filppula  --  Mikko Koivu  --  Mikael Granlund

Tuomo Ruutu  --  Saku Koivu  --  Teemu Selanne

Lori Korpikoski  --  Olli Jokinen  --  Ville Leino

Antti Miettinen  --  Sean Bergenheim  --  Jussi Jokinen

Teemu Hartikainen, Jori Lehtera (scratches)

Up-front, this squad is led by the brothers Koivu (Mikko is my choice for captain, Saku an assistant), the ageless Teemu Selanne and Detroit Red Wings stalwart Valterri Filppula.  After that, the talent level thins out considerably.   This is a veteran group through and through, as Saku is 38 years old, Selanne is 42 and Olli Jokinen is 34. Most of the core players are at or around 30 years of age.  Granlund and Hartikainen (20 and 22 respectively) will provide the youth.

The top line of Filppula/Koivu/Granlund boasts two potential line-mates from Minnesota playing together. If they develop a chemistry together during the regular season, that should theoretically carry over to the Olympics.  Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne have played together in Olympics past and currently play together with the Anaheim Ducks. Tuomo Ruutu provides a physical presence on that line.  The third line consists of veteran sniper Olli Jokinen, with two-way Phoenix Coyote Lori Korpikoski and the gritty Ville Leino.  The checking line should be able to shut down teams on the penalty kill, with proven grinders Miettinen and Jussi Jokinen paired up with Florida Panther Sean Bergenheim.  This line can also put the puck in the net.  Teemu Hartikainen is a top-prospect with the Edmonton Oilers and pairs up with top KHL player Jori Lehtera (52 games, 17 goals, 48 pts) to provide depth.  While Aleksander Barkov was drafted 2nd overall in the 2013 NHL draft by Florida and is an extremely talented player, I do not see him making the team this year barring a Sidney Crosby-esque start to his NHL career. Sochi is about taking one last veteran run at winning Olympic gold.

Grade: C

Prediction

Finland has the goaltending depth to steal another medal.  While they lack the firepower to compete with power-houses Canada, Russia and the United States, this has always been the case for them.  Finland has enough two-way forwards to make up for the lack of depth on defence.  Age will be a factor, as will health.  Sami Salo, Joni Pitkanen, Saku and Mikko Koivu and Tuomo Ruutu have been injury prone in the past and losing any of these players to injury around Olympic time will be a hard blow to overcome.

Group B consists of Finland, Canada, Austria and Norway.  Canada and Finland advance.

Finland rides hot goaltending to make another appearance in the medal round but lacks the offensive firepower to upset the United States.  Canada and Russia meet for the gold.

The Finnish Finish:  4^th 

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Sochi 2014 Preview: Team Sweden

BY: Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98)

We are now less than one year away from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Now that the NHL has finally allowed its players to compete in the Men's hockey tournament, it's time to have a in-depth look at the potential candidates to make Team Sweden's roster.

The core of this team is getting older every year and 2014 might be the last chance at a Gold Medal for this unheralded country. With key veterans such as Nicklas Lidstrom and Mats Sundin who retired in recent years, Team Sweden will have to rely on younger players such as Gabriel Landeskog and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to take over.

Expect the Sedins, Henrik and Daniel, to lead the way once again on offense along with clutch performer Henrik Zetterberg and puck distributor Nicklas Backstrom. Veteran Daniel Alfredsson will be back for his last Olympics should he decide to play one more season at the ripe age of 41 with the improving Ottawa Senators. 

On defense, the Nordic country can count on a solid brigade lead by former Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson. The offensive-minded rearguard will be supported by a strong cast of players such as Viktor Hedman, Niklas Kronwall and Alexander Edler.

In goal, the choice is not difficult as King Henrik Lundqvist is the obvious choice to get the bulk of the workload with towering netminder Anders Lindback and late-bloomer Viktor Fasth backing him up.

Seeding for the 2014 Sochi Olympics:
Group A: Russia (1), Slovakia (6), USA (7), Slovenia (18)
Group B: Finland (2), Canada (5), Norway (8), Austria (15)
Group C: Czech Republic (3), Sweden (4), Switzerland (9), Latvia (11)

The format will be the same as in Vancouver 2010 as the four teams with the best record (the group winners and the second-place team with the best record) advance to the quarter-finals. Sweden will be in a tough group with Czech Republic and the ever-improving Switzerland that can shuffle the cards and surprise.

Depth Chart

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Daniel Sedin	Henrik Sedin	Daniel Alfredsson
Henrik Zetterberg	Nicklas Backstrom	Johan Franzen
Gabriel Landeskog	Alex Steen	Loui Eriksson
Carl Hagelin	Patrik Berglund	Patric Hornqvist
Defence	Defence	Goaltenders
Alexander Edler	Erik Karlsson	Henrik Lundqvist
Niklas Kronwall	Tobias Enstrom	Victor Fasth
Victor Hedman	Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Spares

Carl Gunnarsson (D), Jonathan Ericsson (D), Viktor Stalberg (LW), Marcus Kruger (C), Anders Lindback (G)

Just Missed

Douglas Murray (D), Johnny Oduya (D), Adam Larsson (D), Niklas Hjalmarsson (D), Kristian Huselius (RW), Mikael Backlund (C), Jacob Silfverbeg (C), Mika Zibanejad (C), M. Johansson (C), Johan Hedberg (G), Jonas Gustavsson (G), Jhonas Enroth (G), Jacob Markstrom (G)

As you can see, Team Sweden boasts the best defensive corps of the tournament with three solid pairings who can contribute offensively as well as shut down the opposition every game. They are big and fast with Kronwall, Hedman, Edler and Ekman-Larsson all recording more than 20 points in the 48-game shortened NHL season while Karlsson (14 points in 17 games) and Enstrom (15 points in 22 games) missed 31 and 26 games respectively.

On attack, the country can count on a plethora of offensive options with a good mix of snipers and passers. Gabriel Landeskog and Johan Franzen can lay out big hits and drive the net, while Henrik Sedin, Nicklas Backstrom and Daniel Alfresson can distribute the puck. Snipers Daniel Sedin and Loui Eriksson can be dominant on the power play and two-way specialists such as Alex Steen and Henrik Zetterberg can handle penalty killing duties.

Should injuries happen during the season prior to the Olympic break, Sweden will be able to count on a solid pool of talented players, so depth won't be a problem for this Scandinavian land.

Please note that teams will be allowed to carry 25 players to the tournament (but only 22 can dress for a game) compared to 20 players for a regular NHL game.

The 2006 gold medalists in Turin did not have the same success in Vancouver in 2010, losing to Slovakia in a tightly-contested quarterfinal game.  Sweden will head to Sochi looking to come back on the highest step of the podium and they certainly have a deep roster capable of competing for gold.

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Sochi 2014 Preview: Team Switzerland

BY: Steven Hindle (@StevenHindle)

Neutral No More

Fresh off of a Silver Medal finish at the recently completed IIHF World Championship, Head Coach of Team Switzerland, Sean Simpson, has high hopes for the upcoming 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

Having long been considered a competitive club, Team Switzerland has yet to make a dent among the top nations in International play. Finishing 8^th at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Swiss are sure to challenge for a better finish this time around.

Despite only 0.35% of the population of Switzerland play hockey, the talent pool has grown exponentially, as witnessed in recent years as Swiss prospects have produced some 1^st round prospects in the NHL.
Building off the development of recent prospects, the Swiss look to ice a club that will not only cause fits for top Nations such as Sweden, Canada, Russia and the U.S., but they will look to cement their place as a legit contender in International competition.

Sure, they’ve pulled off some upsets and caused a few scares in the past, but the outlook is different this time around. Most imagine that Sean Simpson was ecstatic over the Silver Medal earned in Sweden at the World Championships, yet that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Though proud of the accomplishment, internally the Swiss are focused on nothing but winning. Anything less isn’t good enough.
And it is this change of attitude and thinking, internally, which has the elite hockey Nations thinking twice about how to handle Simpson’s Swiss club.

While the projections will remain conservative for the Swiss heading into Round Robin play, the 9^th ranked Nation will be motivated through rivalry as they will share Group C with Team Sweden, Gold Medal winners over the Swiss at the 2013 IIHF World Championships. Included in the group with the Swiss and Swedes are the Czech Republic and Latvia.

Though the odds have Switzerland ranked behind the 3^rd and 4^th ranked Nations (Czechs and Swedes), the Swiss are getting younger and faster and will look to have their most talented and competitive roster on the ice this upcoming February.

Included in the mix for the final cut on Team Switzerland are a few NHL players and prospects, and a dearth of talented players skating across Europe.

Here is a look the players vying for spots on Team Switzerland:

Goaltenders:

Jonas Hiller, Reto Berra, Martin Gerber, Benjamin Conz, Tobias Stephan

Defense:

Mark Streit, Raphael Diaz, Roman Josi, Julien Vauclair, Severin Blindenbacher, Goran Bezina, Robin Grossman, Mathias Seger, Luca Sbisa, Felicien DuBois, Yannick Weber (maybe Mirco Muller)

Forwards:

Bruno Hollenstein, Kevin Romy, Damian Brunner, Sven Bärtschi, Martin Pluss, Nino Neiderreiter, Roman Wick, Andrey Bykov, Luca Cunti, Ryan Gardner, Reto Suri, Simon Moser, Morris Trachsler, Andres Ambühl, Julian Walker (maybe Sven Andrighetto)

With a potent mix of veteran leaders and young, up-and-coming prospects, Sean Simpson will have his work cut when it comes to making the final cut for the opening night roster against Team Latvia.

Beyond Group C, the Olympic Hockey tournament promises to be one of the greatest hockey competitions of all-time. With hosts Russia leading Slovakia, the U.S. and Slovenia in Group A, Group B will offer up Finland, Canada, Norway and Austria. Needless to say, the Swiss couldn’t have picked a better time to begin their rise in Hockey.

Making it to the medal round at the Olympics is quite a different story as compared to the World Championships, but with a roster that exuded great chemistry at the WC and an ability to add to that, Team Switzerland is no longer a team without expectations. Rather they have now entered the realm of great expectations; territory the Swiss hope propels them to a seat among the elite of hockey Nations.

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