The Bottom Line

Over at The NHL Arena, we have a new game called The Bottom Line.  Yes the game is in its infancy stages but there is the beauty of it.  It is simple really to take the betting spreads and guess the winner based on who is going to win by how much….just like any prediction contest.  However, the spreads create much fun and intrigue unless the game goes into overtime of course.  Here is why.

The standard spread for most, if not all, hockey games is +1.5 or -1.5.  Okay, what does that mean?  Well, if your team is listed as +1.5, they are the underdog getting those 1.5 goals.  Now if the other team is listed at -1.5…that just means that they are giving up 1.5 goals.  Really it boils down to the fact that the favored team has to win by 2 goals or more while the underdog can win outright or lose by one goal.  Imagine that, something so seemingly easy being so dastardly hard.  Yet amazingly it is.

There are so many variables in a hockey game that a casual fan can’t just go off making predictions.  You’ll probably lose your bloody shirt if you do so.  Hey, but it doesn’t even make us “experts” do any better at it.  It is still a game of chance after all and you can get lucky.  Somehow I am figuring over the course of a season, the luck runs out and there is more skill and knowledge involved.  It will be curious over the weeks to see how the predictions pan out.

So we did a little table over at the forum for the four of us who embarked on this grand tour in the first week and well the creator here didn’t do so hot…nabbing just 54% of his predictions while my two Canadian friends, Erin and Dan, nailed 71% and 81% respectively.  Did I think too much maybe?  That’s a possibility.  One thing I do know, they wiped the floor with me….that is for sure.  I can’t say I am doing much better this week but as more people join up, I might just be able to get more of an idea of patterns and thoughts, etc.  It won’t be a dull ride, that is for sure.

Over an 82 game season, there are many twists and turns.  I will try and keep everyone at Fanboom updated on how this goes…if you want to sign up…just come and join The NHL Arena today.

My Favorite NHL Tough Guy Goal Scorers

Special Thanks to my buddy Pedro for the blog idea, but in my mind there is nothing more quintessential hockey then a guy who can bang in the corners and put the puck in the net.  There was no need to waste a bench space on a goon for these guys.   I’ve tried to put a couple older guys that I obviously never saw play to prove a point, but everyone from the 80’s on are my personal favorites so send along guys you’d put on the list…I’ll also send a signed 8 x 10 glossy of myself to anyone that can give me a European that belongs here…

Gordie Howe

Mr. Hockey and the creator of the Gordie Howe Hat Trick (goal, assist, fight)  compiled 1,685 PIM to go along with his 1,850 points in 1,767 games. 

Dino Ciccarrelli

He even looked the part of total badass. 1,200 points and 1,429 PIM in 1,200+ games proves it.

 Cam Neely

Man if you have never seen this guy fight check out nhlfights.com but in his shortened career he racked up 694 pts and 1,241 PIM in 726 games.  My personal favorite!

Terry O’Reilly

He’s here on reputation as he’s before my time, but 2,095 PIM and 606 pts in 891 games backs it up.

Brendan Shanahan

Forget the numbers (1,294 pts 2,425 PIM in 1,418 games), if you saw him pick the fight with Donald Brashear leading the Rangers to a much needed win last season, then you understand.

Eddie Shore

Very old school, but my grandfather’s favorite player who knew I thing or two about hockey. 284 pts, 1037 PIM in 553 games as a defenseman, solid.

Gary Roberts

Not sure how he’s still doing it at 41, but Sid and company sure are learning a thing or two about the NHL from this guy. 887 pts ,2493 PIM in 1166 games.

 Tie Domi

Okay he’s a goon fighter, but guess who scored 104 career goals and 141 assists in the NHL while racking up 3,515 PIM in 1,024 career games? The most feared fighter of all time.  That’s a lot of pucks in the net if you ask me.

Honorable Mentions: Dale Hunter, Bobby Clarke, Wendel Clark, Adam Graves, Clark Gilles, Scott Stevens

Roberto Luongo Vs. Martin Brodeur

Well this is truly an early Christmas present if I could ever ask for one.  The Devils play at Vancouver tonight at 10pm ET.  It turns out that Roberto Luongo will indeed be back after missing several games due to a rib injury.  Thanks to the schedule makers, the hockey fans get this rare treat.  Yes, I did circle this date in my calendar and I surely will tape it.

Some will even say this is a game that kind of passes the torch.  Last I checked Brodeur is only 35 and Luongo is 28.  So as Luongo enters his prime….Brodeur has entered what some call the French-Canadian prime for goalies.  The mid 30’s has been kind to such guys as Plante and Roy.  Their numbers are mind boggling in that time span.  Brodeur is well on his way to even surpassing their gaudy numbers as he stalks some of the game’s greatest goaltending records.  Who knows how many wins Martin will end up with, how many shutouts, etc.

Luongo has 175 wins right now..and will probably have over 200 when the season is done.  He is about the only goalie that I think can come to close to Marty’s records.  He is one of the few goalies that can start 70-75 games a season in this league and not be tired come playoff time.  He has that “it”.  The “it” being a rare quality of being able to bounce back with very little ill effects from the wear and tear of playing so many games.  The only drawback with Luongo if there is any, is he is a hair more injury prone but that is slicing a bit fine…I’ll admit it.

So is this game really a passing of the torch?  Hell no!  Most may widely accept that Roberto Luongo is the best goalie in the game…but I will take the more consistent goalie that is the cornerstone of the team’s defense.  Brodeur still handles the puck better (though he will say it has slipped a bit) than Luongo and that does help the D out.  Luongo has gotten some of his bad habits out of the way (rebound direction, etc.) and now is in the elite class of goalies.  To see two of the top goalies at the top of their game is rare.  Now if only they would meet in the playoffs…..that has the makings of one hell of a series.  But for now, tonite’s game will have to do.  Enjoy!!

How Far To Go??

The Flyers-Pens game last night offered up a very interesting question.  So the NHL has set its rules as far as fights instigated with under 5:00 left in a game but what about boneheaded plays that clearly try to instigate another team (committed in the last five minutes of course)?  This is not too hard to fathom really.

It is not a coincidence that yesterday was Gary Bettman’s 15th anniversary as commissioner.  In his time he has effectively taken out accountability in the game.  Players can commit all sorts of egregious acts without fear of having their heads chopped off it seems (not literally of course).  A guy like Sean Avery is allowed to basically not only play but thrive in this game.  Even a player like Sidney Crosby can trip Martin Biron and then smile from the bench knowing that he doesn’t have to take account for his actions.

This pains me to see things like this.  I am just old enough (32) to remember how old time hockey was played.  I remember the days of Jeff Beukeboom going at it with Mike Peluso…the days when a star player got clocked….action would be taken.  That can’t really happen as much today because if you do…you get a call from Colin Campbell.  To me, that is completely ridiculous…there is no condoned reasoning for teams to not be allowed to take liberties when they have been wronged.  However, the NHL warning the Flyers that they are being watched made them hesitant to go after Pittsburgh….especially when the Pens resorted to tomfoolery in the third period.  People can deny it but you could see it.  It was all there to see live on national television..well Versus…but that’s for another blog.

The worst act was probably the Georges Laraque baseball slide on Martin Biron with 3:13 to go.  The play was pretty well…way away…when Laraque saw an opportunity and took out Biron with what looked to be a nice leg first slide into second base.  Only thing was…second base was Biron himself.  Now as everyone knows…any instigators committed with under 5:00 to go…usually leads to a fine and a suspension in the new NHL (the coach gets a fine too — the sweep the leg theory).  Using a broad scope of the definition, Laraque did instigate a reaction in Philly that the Flyers really could not take to task.  If they had reacted worse, I have this feeling Campbell would have suspended a few more Flyers, fined the coach and the organization possibly.  My god I am defending the Flyers here…this may be a first.

In all seriousness, Laraque at the very least should be fined for his actions…there was no excuse or reason for it.  It was bush league and it was callous!  At the max, he should get a 1 or 2 game suspension.  I do not think he will.  Merely I am saying…it is more than warranted.  The Flyers and Penguins play five more times this season….the bad blood is going to carry over and the NHL needs to pay attention to this because if they don’t act now, it is going to get much uglier later.

So how far to go?  Well if you are going to nail people for instigating and cheap shots.  This qualifies as both Colin Campbell….now at least do something before this spirals out of control later!

Coach Crawford Ordered Hit on Steve Moore? So What!!

If you haven’t seen the hit by then Canuck Todd Bertuzzi on Steve Moore in 2004 check it out here first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz9RE9RGrVY) .  This week, court documents from the on-going litigation revealed that Crawford, now coach of the LA Kings, ordered the hit on Steve Moore in a pre-game chalk board session, specifically calling out his number.  All I have to say is so freakin’ what?

Anyone who has played hockey above the peewee level knows retaliation and fighting is part of the game and you will not find a bigger advocate than this guy.  I am sure Crawford at one point or another told his guys that someone needs to lay a hit on Moore for a vicious blind-side elbow the previous game on Canucks star Markus Naslund.  These teams are inter-division rivals that play eachother 6 to 7 times a year.  This game polices itself, you lay an elbow on the head of a team’s star, you know full well a fight is coming in this game or the next.  As Barry Merose puts it here (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3143906) every coach has sent a fighter out after someone before.  It is and always has been a part of the game.  If you can’t protect yourself, then you don’t play cheap.  If you play cheap, you better be able to fight.  End of story!

 By no means am I saying Moore deserved a broken neck, but the blame here lies no where but on the goon Todd Bertuzzi.  What do you think, Crawford said “chase him around the ice, sucker punch him from behind, and then pile drive his face into the ice breaking his neck and ending his hockey career?”  Come on, these isolated incidents (Bertuzzi, McSorley’s slash on Brashear, Dale Hunter’s chop on Lafontaine, etc) are over-played by the media and picked up by the casual fan who can’t seperate them from every other fight that happens for a damn good reason.

 Crawford was right, Bertuzzi is an idiot, and Steve Moore is a very unfortunate soul.  By no means should Crawford (or the Canucks and the NHL for that matter) be involved in any legal action especially for the $38mm+ Moore is asking for.  Moore knew what he was doing, prepared himself for the fight that happened and then Bertuzzi commited a criminal act seperate from anything else, that simple.  Bertuzzi should have to pay all medical bills as well as an arbitrator appointed sum as to what Moore could have made in the NHL over his career and be done (though I think jail and banishment from the NHL would be more appropriate than the 17 month suspension).

Strange Days In Lowell Indeed….

Anyone who follows the Lowell Devils these days knows one thing and one thing well…expect the unexpected.  Granted their record of 8-11-2-1 hardly gives other teams fear….but they do play with heart night in and night out.  Now if only they could play Manchester (4-0-0-0) all the time…that would be great but not likely going to happen.  The Devils were victimized by the AHL playoff format last year with a 90 point season that should have got them in….but what can you do.  This year, they seem to play really well at times and then go into long stretches of moribund play that could drive any fan mad. 

When I moved away from New Jersey, I swore I would see more minor league hockey.  Laughably, the San Diego Gulls went belly up before I even got out here.  However, I have been to quite a few Ducks and Kings games…and also a few games in Vegas.  Alot of fun was had by all.  However, my favorite AHL team is still the team from Lowell.  Gotta stick with the colors you know.  There are players on the squad that might even find themselves with the big club in the not too distant future.  For example, there are 2 or 3 guys that I feel are almost ready to make that jump.

Stephen Gionta is one such player.  I know he only has 13 points in 21 games….but his 9 goals are worth noting.  His hat trick against Manchester on Sunday was an indication that he is making progress as a player down on the farm.  Each goal was a different type of shot…one was a tip in, one was a wrister, and one was a slapper.  Anyone who has seen older brother Brian play can see a lot of similarities.  The feisty work ethic around the net, the ability to pounce on an offensive situation, are things that Stephen specializes.  His only main weakness right now is the defensive end and that is even showing signs of being reversed.  That 2 way play is what is going to get him the big ticket up to New Jersey.  For now, he must learn not to get caught down low in the offensive end as that may be his biggest problem.

Petr Vrana plays center and is quite the passer.  His 16 assists lead the team but his playmaking and defensive ability may just get him a shot with New Jersey in the near future.  Yes it would seem New Jersey has too many centers but they always can use a secondary playmaker and Vrana would fit that role well.  There are nights where Vrana can thread needles better than most NHL players and his shot is deceptively fast.  Then there are the nights where he just withdraws from the game almost looking disinterested.  Right now…his game is right on.  Vrana has 1 goal and 7 assists in his last 5 games and a +3 with an increased zeal in his intensity toward hockey.  One never knows when the call may come.

Finally,  there is Jordan Parise, backup goalie on the Lowell Devils. His 2.89 GAA and .908 save percentage don’t seem very impressive in the minors.  Then again, Martin Brodeur wasn’t all that great stats wise in the AHL either but his fundamentals were there…and so is Parise’s.  He is the younger brother of Zach with just about the same work ethic.  Facing 31 shots a game is a rather difficult proposition in a league where defense is at a premium.  The scoring chances are always more plentiful in the AHL…and the goalies have to stand more firm than ever.  If there were an injury to Weekes, I could see Parise coming up just to get a taste of the NHL and the New Jersey Devils.  He may just surprise some people!

Well our next column will take us a bit into the college ranks to look at some of the candidates for the Hobey Baker….till then…..aloha!

Why Is New NHL Going MIA?

Two years ago after the lockout, you couldn’t take your eyes off the game for a moment or you would miss a goal, end to end rush or hard body check. The same could be said for last year’s 2006-7 season. It was once again magic! Can someone tell me what happened to change this post-lockout high speed sport back to one reminiscent of the old, trapping, obstructing NHL?

Success in sports is all about copying what worked for winning teams. The Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup this past spring using both speed and hard hitting checks as the foundation for their success. Sprinkle in a little obstruction here and there, and they dominated the NHL. They possessed the players with the skills necessary to carry out this formula. Many other NHL teams don’t possess the skilled players the Ducks have, but they thought they would try the formula anyway. What has this translated into? The neutral zone trap is back! “Yippee”, I say with sarcasm. Is it any wonder why scoring is down again? Is it any wonder goonery, translated into cheap shots are back? Players who were nearly out the door 2 years ago because they couldn’t skate or compete in the new NHL have had their careers revived and they are once again flourishing like the dinosaurs who once wandered the plains of the midwest. Unfortunately, many of these players move around like dinosaurs on blades. Some even possess the mentality of raptors and I’m not referring to Toronto’s basketball team!

The million dollar question is WHY? In fact, unless that question is addressed, it may be more than a million dollar question for the NHL and some teams. There are several NHL teams who are not drawing fans. Even after a year end lockout/strike, fans were willing to give the NHL a second chance and come back to watch games. Old fans and new fans became enamored with the upbeat tempo, fast pace and scoring. The NHL became perhaps the biggest success in recent years behind the NFL.

I have never understood something about life in general. If something isn’t broken why try to fix it? If something is highly successful, then why change it? If the consumer is willing to pay for the product, why not maintain the demand? It would appear the NHL is not as successful as it was a year ago and it appears to be somewhat broken. Why not fix it before it becomes insidesouly worse?