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Not the March Madness you may be familiar with. The National Hockey League right now is in a unique situation at this stage of the season. Never have so many teams been so tight in the standings and have a very good chance of making the playoffs. Some good teams are going to be on the outside looking in.
In the NHL you get 2 points for a win, 1 point for an overtime/shootout loss and 0 points for a regulation time loss. The Western Conference is by far the tightest race there has maybe ever been. There are 3 divisions in each conference and the leader of each division is assured the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd seed in the playoffs. That being said, the Vancouver Canucks are 14 points up on the next closest team so they pretty much have it rapped up. The Detroit Redwings are 10 points up, so they are pretty much assured a top 3 seed. After that it is a crap-shoot. From third place to twelfth place (with the top 8 teams making the playoffs) there are 10 points separating them. If any team loses 3 or 4 in a row they can go from third to out of a playoff spot. If Colorado would not have taken a nose dive to win 1 in there last 10, there would have been another team in the hunt, but they have joined Edmonton as the 2 teams to be out for sure. (Not mathematically, but slim chance).
The East is close as well, not quite as tight, but it has its own story lines. Three of the worst teams the first half of the season, have three of best records since the All-Star break. It may be to little to late, but what the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs can do is spoil the party for many other teams and maybe even make the playoffs in the process. Toronto having the best chance.
It will be a crazy March, and the playoffs will not be sorted out until the last day of the season. The standing will shift dramatically every night, and will provide one of the most exciting stretch runs in NHL history. If you are a fan of any of those teams, or a hockey fan in general, there will be a lot of tense moments, exciting moments and maybe some devastating moments, but isn't that what being a sports fan is all about.
In NHL history, it has proven that regular season teams that have great success do not translate well to the playoffs. NHL playoffs is like a whole other season, the game is played a little differently for whatever reason. It is usually tighter checking, more defensive, and a hot goalie can steal a series. It is a time when your superstars are watched, maybe even shadowed, by opposition forces. That is when heroes emerge from the depths of the team. Your role players, grinders and checkers, defensive specialists, special teams specialists come to the forefront. There are a few elite teams in the league, but as 3 of the last 6 playoffs have indicated a 6 seed and two 8 seeds have went to the finals. There is a certain makeup teams usually have in the playoffs that make them successful. 1. A seasoned goalie usually, but sometimes just a hot goalie. 2. A 3rd and 4th line that out perform the other teams and give you some bonus goals (i.e Max Talbot in Pittsburgh 2 years ago with a 2 goal game 7). 3. A strong team system like the trap or something of the sort 4. Great special teams, power play and penalty kill. So if my favorite team was sitting at the top I would be happy, but are they ready for the playoffs? These are my top 5 playoff ready teams that I think have the best chance of making a long run.
6.
Phoenix Coyotes - They are here primarily because of goaltending. They have been on the better end of most of the one goal games they play and low scoring games they play. That alone is a recipe for success. They play a discipline team game and play by committee. There are no superstars, but their back end is deep with some serious experience in that key position. They have a team chemistry maybe unmatched in the league.
5.
Montreal Canadiens - They are here because they possess great game stealing goaltending as well. They have great team speed and a pretty solid defense. They are around the top 10 for power play and penalty kill. They have great veteran leadership and good play off experience. They usually get contributions from all 4 lines.
4.
Philadelphia Flyers - They have the most players with 50 points or more and the most players with 10 goals or more. The equals depth. There defense is big, mean and mobile. They have grit and last year they won the last game of the year in the shootout, just to make the playoffs, come back from a 3-0 series deficit against Boston and a 3-0 deficit in game 7 to win the series and run to the final. That shows some amazing tenacity and will. This sounds like a higher ranked team than 4, however, their most important position is a revolving door with a rookie, from Russia, tending the goal. The Russians have a history of not performing well in the playoffs for the most part and the other goalie Boucher, made a great run, but can that happen again to a career back up goalie? Plus they play in the weaker East, so their regular season stats, may be a little inflated.
3.
Boston Bruin - With the new additions, especially adding a top 2 defenseman in Kaberle to the best defensive team in the league will prove to be a formidable opponent to anyone in the league. They have a lot of size upfront and play a physical, punishing style of play, which can wear teams out in a 7 game series. They have this years Vezina trophy (most likely) winner in Thomas and a backup in Rask who be a number one on most other teams. They are deep, big, rough, and skilled.
2.
Vancouver Canucks - With the defense acquisitions they made over the off season, they became one of the deepest teams in that area, couple with the Olympic Gold medal winning goalie for Canada, they are a force on the back end. With all their injuries on D, and not missing a beat, is a testament to their depth. They also have maybe the best first line in hockey with the Sedin twins who are 1 and 3 in scoring in the league and a second line that may be the best in hockey too. Their 3rd and 4th lines are solid with face off wins being a key team stat, very important especially in the playoffs. They have the top power play in the league and a top 5 penalty kill. That is unmatched. The can win 2-1 games and 6-5 games. They get help from all areas in scoring so the pressure is not solely on their stars. This may be the most well rounded team in the league sitting a top the stacked Western conference. But still at number 2.
1.
Detroit Red Wings - They would be at #2, but for the fact they are in the playoffs, with a contending team year after year. The value of veterans, and playoff experience is something you cannot teach, only earn. They have been to the finals 2 of the last 3 years and have not missed the playoffs in many years. They have the second greatest defenseman in NHL history in Lidstrom, who just happened to get a little better at 40. They have a deep blue-line behind him with some offensive pairings and great shutdown defense like Stuart. Jimmy Howard has proven he can hang with the big boys so far and will be the only reason if any, they do not make it far. They are maybe as deep as the Canucks, but with the experience this organization has in post season play, they can only be in this position for now.
Although Detroit is my number one in this list, I will pick with my heart a little bit and say Vancouver will edge them out and be in the finals against the Boston Bruins. It will come down to goaltending and if Luongo had not proven his big game ability in the Olympics I may not put him here, but he is now ready to go to the next level and prove all the naysayers wrong. Thomas and Luongo will be there at the end battling it out for top prize.
N.C.
I am a Canadian living in the center of the hockey universe... Phoenix, AZ. It doesn't take a genius to realize that this great sport goes mostly unnoticed. It does allow a hockey fan like myself, to never have to worry about not getting a ticket for a game I want to see. This year I saw the Penguins and the Capitals come to town for a grand total of $73 (for myself). I know an upper bowl pre-season ticket in Edmonton can run at $100/each.
I think one of the hardest things for people down here is they have no one to teach them the game. Hockey is fast and the TV announcers do not take time to explain every play like they can for baseball and football. I started playing competitive hockey at age 4 and always had access to it. Down here, there are not many ways a young kid can play, but that is growing.
What I am hoping to do in some small way, is help educate people on the great game of hockey and maybe build some interest even if it is just a few people. In my opinion people are missing out. I will try to post blogs with general hockey information, rules, strategies, etc, and hopefully it will grow. I will still post my own blogs about things I want to talk about, but as an added element I think a "hockey knowledge" type blog, where people can ask questions and I can share some of the games insights that I have acquired over 20 years of playing and watching.
I would be grateful if anyone is interested or knows someone who may be interested in hockey, to ask questions which will help steer the blog in the proper direction. Even if you know hockey, but just want clarification on something, I would be happy to assist. Thank you for any support you can provide.
N.C.
Here are ten great funny and/or clever quotes in the history of hockey, there are many more, but these are among the best in no particular order.
Goal-tending is a normal job, sure. How would you like it in your job if every time you made a small mistake, a red light went on over your desk and 15,000 people stood up and yelled at you. - Jacques Plante
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Todays worst rule in hockey, which will probably change many times, until the game never reaches perfect, is the "shoot the puck over the glass from your defensive zone delay of game penalty". It took longer to write that sentence than the delay it creates. In fact, it takes longer to send someone to the penalty box than it is to grab a new puck and drop it.
It may not be that simple, but if you get penalized for "intentionally" shooting the puck over the glass then you should get a penalty for "intentionally" icing the puck. You ice the puck for the same reason. You are getting buzzed in your own zone and need to clear it/get a whistle/get a line change
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Comment by Zamboni Diaries
on March Madness
Zamboni Diaries
Hockey 101