This, that, and the other

It’s been a while, and I have to say I’ve missed writing. So, now that I’m settled into the new confines (with an incredibly strong air freshener, and a new roomie that keeps his peanut butter in the fridge), my dear readers, you can expect updates at least weekly. The goal will be two or three a week though. I really want to travel back in time and rip the Gay Accountant for admitting that he lied to Jays fans about injuries, and I’d like to get to a few other things I missed, but the moment’s gone, and Wednesday was busy, so let’s get right to it.

First off, Kobe Bryant. Wednesday, during a live radio interview, Kobe said the following: “I would like to be traded.” And the NBA will be forever changed because of it.

The fact he backtracked a couple hours later doesn’t change the fact he said it—live, on air. Reading the transcript, Bryant was undoubtedly led to this answer. In fact, the question the on-air personality poses to Bryant isn’t even admissible in a court of law.

But in the court of the sports fan, legal mumbo-jumbo isn’t worth a nickel. And in the ultra-rare company Kobe Bryant keeps as one of the most polarizing athletes in North America, it’s worth even less.

Time was a man could be thrown out of his sport for demanding a trade, but now it’s a weekly occurrence, and in some cases it may even be justified.

Allen Iverson was given a free pass from fans for demanding a trade, fans practically encourage Kevin Garnett to demand a trade, and I think it’s well within Bryant’s rights to ask out of L.A.

He is one of the three or four best players in the league, he has only a few prime seasons left, and given the help of a real basketball player or two, could easily lead a team to a title or two within the next couple years. The Lakers are not that team though. He’s tried to do it on his own, he’s tried to be a team player (in the end, his coach told him to stop passing), and neither way worked. The Lakers aren’t going to be a contender any time soon, so he wants out.

It’s unlikely the Lakers will trade him, but if they do, we’ll at least find out whether or not Bryant’s teammates were the problem the last couple years.

Next up, game two of the Stanley Cup Final. Memo to Ottawa: get aggressive. Ottawa had one good shift in the game, and much like game one (which they also lost), it was the first shift. Mike Fisher went out there and hit the first thing in a black sweater and didn’t stop. Then when Fisher left the ice, the Ducks started to hit back, and the Sens quickly went into a defensive shell and couldn’t find their groove again. Coach Bryan Murray tinkered with the lines, united and breaking apart the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line with minimal results, and again the line committed costly turnovers, specifically Dany Heatley losing the puck to Samuel Pahlsson for the game’s only goal. Speaking of Pahlsson, it’s not so much that his line with Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen is doing a great job neutralizing the Spezza line, as much as they’re simply controlling the play against the Spezza line, and not allowing the Sens big guns to get out of their own end.

The bright side for Ottawa? Ray Emery is willing, and seemingly able to do it on his own. Over at Sportsnet.ca, columnist Jim Kelley is keeping a Conn Smythe tracker. After game two, he’s elevated Anaheim’s J-S Giguere to the top spot, but as I mentioned Monday, Emery should be in the mix. Before it was cool to question Ottawa’s toughness, leadership or character in the playoffs, their goalies were always the goats. With Emery, that’s no longer the case.

Two other hockey notes from Wednesday. The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to name Sidney Crosby team captain some time Thursday. For his sake, I sure hope the Penguins don’t struggle out of the gate in October. For their sake, every hockey writer in Canada is hoping they do, so they have one more reason to pile on Crosby. After just two seasons in the NHL, Crosby is becoming a polarizing star like Kobe Bryant and others. Despite his immense talent, it seems a lot of people are lining up to despise him. Slap me if I ever become on of those people.

And Jim Balsillie, who seems unwilling to go away, has re-upped a deal with The City of Hamilton (sorry, for some reason I thought it was necessary to use the corporate name) to secure exclusive rights to Copps Coliseum, leading to more speculation regarding his future plans for the Nashville Predators, whom he’s agreed to buy pending league approval. For the love of the people in my hometown, please stop jerking them around. Anyway, that’s the last NHL to Hamilton talk around these parts until a deal is done (at which point, I’ll really start kicking myself for moving out west).

Check back Friday for thoughts on Mark Cuban, the Calder Cup Final and anything else that may get my attention.

It's here, it's here, it's here...

Finally! The Final. It’s been a long journey, and while I’d initially lamented the long layoff before the beginning of the Stanley Cup Final, it was a blessing in disguise—for me at least.

So here we have it. The Ottawa Senators, the Anaheim Ducks, hockey’s Holy Grail on the line.

We’ll keep it short and sweet, since these teams’ virtues and setbacks have been discussed in detail since early October. And in even greater detail since mid-April.

Ottawa’s forwards are clearly a better group, though it’s only a matter of time until the real Oleg Saprykin shows up and ruins everything. That said, the Ducks have been more balanced in their attack. Seven Duck forwards have seven points or more, compared to just four Senators forwards.

On defense, a lot was made of the collection of Norris Trophies in the Western Final. Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer obviously continue to bring that pedigree, while none of the Senators defensemen can make the same claim. But again, while Anaheim’s Francois Beauchemin is improving and becoming a standout defenseman, the rest of the guys are journeymen and unproven. Ottawa boasts much better overall depth along the blue line, and Joe Corvo and Wade Redden move the puck ahead as well as Anaheim’s high-profile defensemen.

In goal, it’s hard to ignore the pedigree Jean-Sebastien Giguere is building. He’s been to three of the last four Western Finals, winning twice. He has one Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in his pocket, and may be in line for another this year. If numbers and past accomplishments count for anything, Anaheim has an edge in goal. That said, Ottawa’s Ray Emery was so nonchalant about facing off against New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur (three Stanley Cups, two Vezinas, four Jennings, Olympic gold, and so forth), he missed a team flight heading to New Jersey. Emery has been the best goalie in the playoffs this season, topping the league’s top scorer Sidney Crosby and a high-flying Pens team, a Devils first line as good as any in the league, and the league’s top offense in Buffalo. We’ll call it square between the pipes.

So Ottawa’s the pick. I’ve picked against them in the first three rounds, and they continue to kick me in the crotch for doing so. Ottawa in six (maybe even only five), and Daniel Alfredsson takes the Conn Smythe, though it should be Emery or Chris Phillips.

Conference finals, anyone?

We’re right down to it now, the conference finals. It hardly seems like we’re coming up on the end of another NHL season, but it’s coming as quick as ever. And this is no time to look back. Instead, we look ahead to the conference finals, with a new format.

The Eastern Conference final gets started Thursday night in Buffalo, where the league’s two highest-scoring teams are set for an epic battle. Forget about the past, and forget about the brawl earlier this season. The two teams have said all the right things leading up to this series, and they will leave it all on the ice.

Forwards advantage Buffalo
We all know Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson, and we all know they’re going to produce. They’re a coach’s dream on the top line, especially now that they’ve improved their defensive play. So why does Buffalo get the nod? Versatility. It’s rare to see line juggling work the way the Sabres make it work, but somehow they do it. From one shift to the next Dan Briere could be double shifting, Chris Drury could be, Max Afinogenov could be double shifting, benched, or scratched. And the Sabres rarely miss a beat. They typically roll all four lines, which leads to greater production from guys like Jochen Hecht or Adam Mair.

Defense advantage Ottawa
The Sabres have a really good defensive corps, but Chris Phillips is playing out-of-his-mind this post-season. He’s probably been the best defenseman in the entire playoffs, and his sidekick Anton Volchenkov seems to have stopped more shots than the goalie this spring. Meanwhile, Wade Redden is starting to play the way we all expect Wade Redden to play. And there’s one more reason to dislike Buffalo’s defense that I’ll get to later.

Goaltending advantage Ottawa
Ray Emery has been very good this spring. He beat the Art Ross winner in the first round, and a three-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist in the second round. Simply put, he’s played much better than anyone thought he could, and he’s been better than his counterpart Ryan Miller has.

Special teams advantage Ottawa
Though it seems strange to say, the Sabres have been unable to get their power play working the way it should be. They’re operating at just 15.3 per cent through the first two rounds, and should be in Ottawa’s 22.7 neighbourhood. Similarly, Buffalo’s penalty killing percentage is the worst of the eight teams that made the second round.

Coaching advantage Buffalo
Lindy Ruff is the NHL’s longest-tenured coach, and it’s for good reason. He’s now taken the Sabres to the Eastern Final three times, and the Stanley Cup once. Ruff isn’t big on matching a particular checking line against his opponents’ top lines, instead relying on the team system, and matching a defensive pair against the opposition’s top line. From time to time he will shorten his bench and utilize three five-man groups, and Ruff always seems to make the right adjustments. Senators coach Bryan Murray is a very good coach, but Ruff is just a little better.

Player that could ruin everything for his team
Every team has one of these guys. For Buffalo, it’s Jaroslav Spacek. He was lauded for his performance with the Oilers last spring, but the guy’s barely more useful than a traffic cone in his own end. As good as his offensive instincts can be, he makes some incredibly bone-headed plays in his own zone. For Ottawa, it’s less distressing. Oleg Saprykin could wear goat horns in Ottawa, despite playing a scant 6:28 a game.

It all adds up to
Buffalo in seven. As evenly-matched as these two teams are, Buffalo’s fans will be the X-factor in game seven.

Out west, Detroit and Anaheim meet up in a rematch of the playoff series that put the Ducks on the map back in 2003. The Ducks are coming off a grueling series with Vancouver, while the Red Wings skated circles around the Sharks en route to their first trip to the conference final since they won the Stanley Cup in 2002. But let’s look ahead, shall we?

Forwards advantage Detroit
The list doesn’t just read like a who’s who, it is a who’s who list of top-flight talent. Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Mikael Samuelsson, Robert Lang, Todd Bertuzzi, the Red Wings have so many forwards that can beat an opponent in so many ways, it’s impossible for the Ducks youngsters to match up. Ryan Getzlaf, Dustin Penner, Corey Perry, Chris Kunitz, and Andy McDonald just aren’t as impressive a list. Teemu Selanne has disappeared. Travis Moen and Samuel Pahlsson have been the Ducks most consistent forwards this spring, and Pahlsson leads all Ducks forwards with seven points.

Defense advantage Anaheim
Chris Pronger is up to his old playoff tricks. He leads the Ducks with 11 points this postseason, and he’s not leaving as big a mess as usual in his own end. Scott Neidermayer has been a rock, and Francois Beauchemin continues to improve. Those three guys match up well against any team’s defense, and it’s rare to even notice Joe DiPenta, Kent Huskins or Sean O’Donnell even taking a shift. The Wings are banged up along the blue line, and will rely heavily on Chris Chelios and Nicklas Lidstrom to lead the way. Danny Markov stepped up in games five and six against San Jose, and the Wings would love for him to do it again against Anaheim. Losing Mathieu Schneider is potentially devastating to the Wings.

Goaltending advantage Anaheim
The Ducks get the nod because they have a backup goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov that could be a starter for nearly any other team. J-S Giguere has been stellar between the pipes for the Ducks in the first two rounds, but hasn’t faced the kind of rubber the Wings will hope to send his way. Giguere is playing as well as he did when he carried the Cinderella Ducks to game seven of the final in 2003. At the other end of the ice, six Vezinas, two Harts, Olympic gold, Dominik Hasek. He’s not the Dominator that won six Vezinas in eight years, but he can still steal games.

Special teams advantage Anaheim
The numbers suggest these teams are on fairly even ground with the man advantage, but the Ducks penalty killing has been lights-out. They have killed 53 or 56 shorthanded situations in the playoffs, and the Wings have had trouble getting their power play going. The Red Wings penalty killing has been good, and shut the Sharks high-octane power play down, allowing just two power play goals.

Coaching advantage Anaheim
The Ducks struck gold when they plucked Randy Carlyle from the minor league coaching ranks. Carlyle is an excellent coach who gets the most out of his players. He doesn’t make many adjustments, instead preferring to stay the course. He gets full marks for the way he’s made his goalies co-exist in the 1-A, 1-B situation. Wings coach Mike Babcock is no slouch, and is familiar with some of the Ducks’ players from his time in Anaheim.

Player that could ruin everything for his team
For the Wings, it’s Kyle Calder. The Red Wings rolled the dice on Calder at the trade deadline, and were hoping for more than one point in 11 playoff games. His ineffective play is what hurts the Wings most. For the Ducks, it’s Pronger. The Wings will get after him physically, and he’s never had much success against smallish forwards. He can be outworked, and there is nothing more lethal come May than being outworked.

It all adds up to
Red Wings in seven. There’s been talk of empty seats at Joe Louis in the first two rounds, but expect Hockeytown to be rocking as this series moves along, and the Wings get closer to the Stanley Cup final. The Ducks have yet to face an elite offensive team in the playoffs, and their inability to score will catch up to them.

Hockey's tournament of champions may soon be a reality

There is big news regarding international hockey flying under the radar this week, and I'd like to shed some light on it.

But before that, I’d like to quickly comment about the format of the IIHF World Championship. It’s stupid. Fans practically need a degree in advanced astrophysics to make sense of the standings chart. Although, I am glad they’ve made a move to eliminate tie games, they need to find a way to keep it simple and fan-friendly. The only people that check the standings every day are eight-year-olds that can't get enough hockey.

Now, the good news involving the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

We don’t hear a lot about the IIHF in North America, since most leagues here follow the National Hockey League’s lead, but the IIHF is the central governing body of all the European leagues and international tournaments like the World Championships, men’s and women’s Olympic ice hockey, the women’s Worlds, World Under-20, Under-18, and the myriad divisions within them.

With the IIHF’s centennial approaching, they have taken strides to offer a new and ultimately exciting tournament.

The idea is similar to soccer’s Champions League tournament, and may even use the same name. It’s a tournament which would pit the champions of the European leagues against one another to determine a European champion. And I love it.

First and foremost, it’s good for fans. For a hockey fan, there is nothing worse than the wait between the end of your team’s season, and the start of the next one. It’s even worse when your team doesn’t make the playoffs. By August, I get downright squirrelly waiting for hockey season to start again. So it gives fans more opportunity to cheer for their team, and that’s never a bad thing.

Secondly, it’s good for the leagues. European leagues make a lot of money from their transfer agreement with the NHL, and this tournament gives NHL scouts one more opportunity to see potential draft choices playing at a high level. Just as an undrafted player can improve his lot at the NHL draft with a strong showing at the Under-20 tournament (see Fleury, Marc-Andre), a player could do the same with an impressive champions league showing. A European veteran could use the tournament to turn some NHL heads and become the next Marek Zidlicky or Mark Streit. The European leagues get more exposure, their players get more exposure, and it can lead to more money for everyone.

Lastly, it’s long overdue. The three major junior leagues in Canada operate under one governing body (Canadian Hockey League), have individual league champions, then a tournament (Memorial Cup) to determine a national champion. In the United States, NCAA governs the six collegiate hockey leagues, and each league has a champion, leading to the Frozen Four tournament. Likewise, European leagues are governed by one body (IIHF), have individual champions, supply draft-eligible talent to the NHL, and should have a champion among champions.

The final wrinkle in the IIHF’s plan might be my favourite part. They are proposing an annual exhibition between the European champion, and the Stanley Cup champion. Apparently the NHL (probably mostly the players union) is reluctant to commit the Cup winner to said exhibition, but to do so would create a great spectacle every year, and a great way to kick off the NHL season. It would even give fans the impression the league is giving back to them, unlike the World Cup, which is over-hyped, over-priced, and ultimately passé.

So, NHL, NHL Players Association, and IIHF, I beg you all. Make this happen. It can’t disappoint.