Dazzling Chicago

The other day my fellow blogger, music critic turned eminent sportswriter Per Bjurman, wrote about the threat coming from Minnesota this year. And yes, coach Jacques Lemaire has successfully turned these Wild into a well oiled machine, just as he did with the New Jersey Devils in the 90's. But, while the Minnesota Wild will cause a lot of problems for all other teams this season, the Chicago Blackhawks will definitely turn some heads as well. The young and dazzling Hawks, with top-rookies Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, look like they finally might make the playoffs. I know it's still early, but I predict that Chicago will not even have to struggle for the last few spots. Friday night, led by Kane and Toews, the Blackhawks beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 to earn their fourth win of the season. Also, netminder Nikolai Khabibulin seems to be back in his previous cup-winning form.

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Speaking of the Avalanche. I wonder if we will ever see Milan Hejduk back in his best form. The Czech hasn't really been able to do himself justice since that 2002-03 season, when he amassed 50 goals and 48 assists. The really sad part is that I don't even think we have seen how good he could have been. Granted he isn't that old yet, but he is already into his ninth season with the Avs.

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Fifty years ago Friday, Maurice (Rocket) Richard got his 500th career goal, a benchmark for goal-scorers that has been matched by 38 other players.

For those of you who haven't see it, I can recommend the film The Rocket (Maurice Richard in French). I am not sure if the film got much attention outside of Canada, but I know it never played here in Sweden. Roy Dupuis does a good job as Richard and real NHL players like Vincent Lecavalier, Mike Ricci, and Sean Avery give the film an authentic feel.

New Flyers keep rolling

Last season is history, especially if you ask the player from the "City of Brotherly Love". The Philadelphia Flyers are finally starting to resemble the Flyers that we are more used to. Gone is last seasons poor excuse for a team. The organization did a major overhaul of the roster and it is already paying off. After the catastrophic last season the Flyers are back to playing for the spot where they belong, at number one. The most resent team to get a taste of the new Flyers were the unfortunate Atlanta Thrashers who lost 4-0 at the Wachovia Center. The poor Thrashers have yet to register a point this season and nothing, absolutely nothing has gone their way so far. After six straight losses coach Bob Hartley was finally fired. The irony is that the Philadelphia Flyers might have been the team that ultimately pushed the Thrashers into being this years "Philadelphia Flyers". They are at the very least front runners for the title.

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Earlier this year the Calgary Flames took the last playoff spot from under Colorado's nose. The late season charge from the Avs was brought to a sudden halt in the last few games, as they missed the playoffs by an inch. Last night they rallied back from being down 0-4 to a 5-4 shootout victory. Jose Theodore grabbed all 17 shots from the Flames after he replaced Peter Budaj at 0-4. I think this win will be one of the most important to Colorado this season. It really shows you have character to be able to come back like that. This Avs team is vastly different from last years squad and I can't see them fighting for the 8th spot again. I think they will take back the division.

To retire or not... Come on!

While still waiting for the return of several key players, the Anaheim Ducks are finding their form as others have stepped up in their place. Among them are Kent Huskins, who scored his first NHL goal in the 6-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings. Several of the absentees are injured, like Mathieu Schneider, Todd Bertuzzi, Todd Marchant, and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere who is not yet fit to play consecutive games. But, along with Teemu Selanne, the most important player, captain Scott Niedermayer, is still deciding whether to retire or not.
I am a big fan of both Selanne and Niedermayer as players, but this is getting more and more ridiculous. Why is this thing taking so long, and why is it so hard to decide on this? I am sure they both think they have good reasons for this stalling, but I fail to see it.
A few years ago Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom was contemplating retirement. He wanted his children to attend a Swedish school, but ultimately decided to sign a new contract and stay in Motown for a few more years. The difference is he did this thinking in the summer.
So if it is such a hard decision to make, maybe you shouldn't be playing and just call it quits.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in for a bumpy ride this season. The 4-5 loss to Buffalo last night (which included an own goal by Bryan McCabe) was the second straight game in which Toronto blew a two-goal lead. If this years Leafs will make the post season, it won't be by much. My prediction is they will have to sit out yet another playoff.

Great eggs!

The saying goes, "You shouldn't put all your eggs in the same basket". Well the Detroit Red Wings have three of their very best eggs in one basket. Top line with Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmström was the deciding factor yesterday as the Red Wings beat the ever so slumping Los Angeles Kings, who haven't won since that two-game battle with the Ducks back in London.

Although there have been attempts to split up the ZDH line (man, that is a lame name. Any suggestions?) to get two strong lines, it seems like coach Mike Babcock will stick with this trio. And why mess with what works, as the old cliché goes. Down the road, however, the Wings will need the addition of a top scoring forward to even the scoring burden a little. I should be interesting to see what rookie Igor Grigorenko can do when he returns from getting his pace and game up to NHL level in Grand Rapids. There is certainly no shortage of talent in Detroit, but the young guns of Hockeytown are carrying a heavy load in the absence of older more seasoned forwards, like Brendan Shanahan.

On a different note, Detroit is one of seven clubs that have yet to use a rookie this season.

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Ottawa center Jason Spezza is currently second in the scoring race behind Henrik Zetterberg with 11 points. He has 11 assists and no goals so far and is on pace for a fantastic 0 goals and 129 assists in 82 games. That will of course be a new record. I am guessing that having his number one center at a -2 rating is also cause for concern for coach John Paddock.

Hull pulling for Forsberg

I do have a lot of respect for The Hockey News, but I still can't help but laugh a little when thinking about their advice to Peter Forsberg, that he should hang up the skates. I admit that I shared in the frustration with his recurring injuries over the last couple of seasons, but my disappointment was purely selfish. I felt robbed of seeing one of the greatest players ever displaying his skills on the ice. If he feels he is fit enough to play (which by his own definition is at least 100%) of course he should do so. I mean it's not like he's Eric Lindros, who last season skated around pretending to play hockey.

It seem like pretty much all of the NHL teams agree with me (why don't THN I wonder), since they all want him. The most recent team to enter the fight for his signature is the Dallas Stars. GM Doug Armstrong and his advisor Brett Hull apparently flew to Sweden just to talk to Forsberg. Not so sure he wants to end his career in Texas, but I do know that he's not done with the game.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are 2-0 against the Detroit Red Wings this season, and it looks like they could really stir things up in a Central division that looks to be closer than ever.

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Ottawa Senators-New York Rangers and New York Islanders-Philadelphia Flyers. Two great games, I'm sure. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers will keep their momentum at the Garden, but I suspect that the Islanders will bounce back to beat the homecoming Flyers who just had a tough trip out west.

Sundin makes history in T.O.

Mats Sundin made franchise history last night, as the Toronto Maple Leafs smashed the, so far, overperforming New York Islanders by 8-1. With 390 goals and 917 points he now holds both records, held by Darryl Sittler for so long. For his efforts he recieved all three stars of the game, and was also offered the larger media centre for his post-game interviews, which he declined. He would much rather stay in the looker room with his teammates. I guess, true to his usual gentleman manors he didn't want to make a fuss.
It has been almost twenty years since I first saw the Stockholm native play for the first time, and it's hard to imagine this is the same guy. He always had enough skill to compete with the best, but I think what has made the biggest impression on me over the years is how his leader ship has developed. He has an incredible work ethic and he leads his team by it, following such greats as Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier. Way to go Mats!

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Has anyone missed Paul Stastny's sensational start of this season? In case you have, here's a recap. He has 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points and a +4 rating in only three games. All of the goals, of which one was a game winner, have come at even strength, and he has a shot percentage of 66.67 (6 shots). I can't wait to see what happens when this kid starts to shoot more.

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Before last night there where three winless teams, Calgary, Buffalo, and Atlanta. Since the Sabres, and epecially Ryan Miller, woke up and shut out the Thrashers 6-0, they have now left this unflattering club. The Calgary Flames will get a chance to do the same tonight as they face the Dallas Stars. My prediction is it will still be a club of two tomorrow.

Wasting talent in New York?

I can understand why a guy like Henrik Lundqvist enjoys playing for the New York Rangers, he thrives in the Manhattan lifestyle. Sure the Rangers, like the other original six teams, have tons of tradition and history going back to the latest ice age. But they are not cup material, at least not this season. And until Glen Sather realizes the importance of a solid yet speedy defense, they never will be. They are good enough to make the post season, and once there, win a few games before being ousted by a team like Carolina or Ottawa. Without Lundqvist, however, they would, while scoring a bunch of goals but allowing ever more, sink like a stone in the East River. So maybe the best carreer move for the puckstopping Swede would be to sacrifice the Big Apple party scene and relocate to a team with a somewhat brighter future, like Washington or Chicago. I would say that maybe even Edmonton might have a more exciting core of young players, but I guess he wouldn't exactly thrive out on the prairie.

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Young Carey Price made his NHL debut last night, and what a way to do it. He shut down the Pittsburgh Penguins, looked really confident (according to Habs captain Saku Koivu), and already has people in Montreal dreaming of a new Patrick Roy. No pressure, Carey.

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The Vancouver Canucks were totally humiliated in a 8-2 blowout at home against the roadtrippin' Philadelphia Flyers. Granted it's only been three games, but it seems like the Philadelphia Flyers won't be this years "Philadelphia Flyers".