Hot streaking

Tonight, the Bruins will take on the Habs at TD Garden. Above, Alex Galchenyuk, Russian-American superstar and young gun.

Hockey fans across New England ought to rejoice at the turn of events to our North, in Montreal. This shortened season has brought a bounty of talent and fresh energy to the Montreal Canadiens, in no small part to their rookies and the returned health of cogs Andrei Markov and Brian Gionta.

Last year was an anomaly. A Bruins v. Habs game was less heated match, more painful kicking of a man already down. Are there Bruins fans content with this? Of course. Were most, and should they be? No. 

A rejuvenate Habs club keeps the Northeast interesting. Sure, the Leafs might sneak into the playoffs this year, but the Northeast division has lacked the combustion of other divisions in recent years. Bruins v. Habs, while over-hyped, over-trodden, is still the gold standard.

What makes this Canadiens team different, the same? Michel Therrien for one. The dog of Martin’s teams is gone. Therrien, though still an interim solution, has brought clean new systems and life. Brendan Gallagher and Galchenyuk bring bright youth, and have and will change, for the future, the complexion of these match-ups. Unlike Canadiens of yore, this are highly skilled, but also hard-driving forwards. They head to the dirty areas, rush the net, and don’t stick to perimeter passing. This segues into what’s the same–this team is still built on specialty teams, small but skilled forwards and smart, European-styled hockey. Gionta, Plekanec, Pacioretty, et al. still play the Canadien-style.

I hope this team makes the playoffs, not just to keep pressure on the Bruins, but for the whole NHL.

 

 

Bruins camp kicks off

The boys are back in town.

 

On a mild January day, overcast, somewhat wet, the Boston Bruins opened their 2013 training camp.

It seemed less a camp, less an exercise, less an event, than a collective exhaling by the players, the coaching staff, and the fans in attendance today at TD Garden. The fans ranged from old timers to children, hipsters to die-hards. There were probably a few thousand filling the lower bowl. The Bruins did a first-class job–free hot dogs, sodas and popcorn for all, plus a 30-foot dessert spread that was being constantly replenished. Sure, all the tortes, cakes, macaroons and crumpets in the world couldn’t erase the heartache of the past four months for hockey fans. But it was a gesture, an apology, and a thank you. It felt like it counted for something in an arena where a beer will run you $9 and an ice cream $7.75. Cam Neely even appeared for good measure and shook hands and signed autographs.

But how about that on-ice product? The timing and speed were lacking, but the energy certainly wasn’t. The green and grey-shirted borderliners (Bourque, Spooner et al.) had the most pop. Mostly likely owing to the most regular AHL playing-time, but their own motivation too. Tuukka looked sharp. Dougie Hamilton appeared as much the nervous rookie as you’d expect, staying on the ice the longest. He looked to be highly observant, longing to become one of the group. Among forwards, Seguin stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of speed and hands. He will be a terror this season.

Let this season begin.

And we’re back!

Boston Blades facing the Russian women’s national team in Somerville this past November

 

It’s only been, what, eight months? Yowzer! 2012 was a jam-packed year: a new job, a move, a girlfriend moving in with me, and a host of other happenings, as if that wasn’t all enough. And then, there was a lockout. And today, that lockout broke.

It wasn’t the worst thing at all, this lockout. I didn’t feel like writing after midnight struck on September 15th, though I’d be lying if I said the urge didn’t strike. It’s just that, well, I don’t care. I enjoy law and the business side of the sport, but frankly, this labor debacle was too much–and I wound up apathetic, like a lot of fans and followers (and probably journalists).

In this lockout, I took in as much women’s hockey (thank you, Boston Blades of the CWHL) and college hockey (Harvard, BC–the wonders of Omaha at Nebraska versus Colorado College on the odd weeknight) as I could. I returned to pirated streams of KHL games and watched them weekend mornings over breakfast. My girlfriend and I translated and enjoyed the Czech Extraliga as we long have. Got some luxury box tickets to the Celtics from work (heck, they played the Raptors so I even got to hear “O Canada”), and started to understand the rules of football. And I played my own hockey.

But boy, am I glad to have the NHL back. I can’t wait. I can see TD Garden from my office at work. Certainly, in the last four months, the butterflies haven’t come from staring down that building every day. Instead, it was nearly insulting.

The Bruins are back. Watching games after work is back. Having something great to enjoy a beer with when you’re alone–it is all back. And I could not be happier.

2012 Stanley Cup playoff predictions, first-round

Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, again. I am going to take a look at just the first-round, for now. I will run a full bracket in a few days. But for now, let’s take on just the wildest, most exciting round: the first one. Without further ado…

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks v. 8. LA Kings

Vancouver, in six. The Kings started to rebound from a dreadful start under a Sutter, but can they take down the President’s Trophy winner (two times going) and do so with change to spare? Jonathan Quick has been incredible, the Kings’ offensive began firing of late. But their frayed nerves from the Pacific race may be pressed further by their much Northerly neighbors. The ‘Nucks have this.

2. St Louis Blues v. 7. San Jose Sharks

St Louis, in five. Nothing can stop a Ken Hitchcock train, least of all the aging and increasingly dull Sharks. Sure, the Sharks are the kind of balanced, strong club that can beat any team, any time, injured or healthy. But they lack the pop, and fearsome fight, they had before. And the Blues are just too good, their goaltending elegant and efficient.

3. Phoenix Coyotes v. 6. Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago, in six. Chicago’s got this. They’re a playoff team par excellence. There’s little more to it. As much as we’d love more success in the desert nationwide, Chicago is simply too deep. The Coyotes, like the Sharks, can give any team fits. But unlike the Sharks, the Yotes’ are still ascendent, with young talent and decent draft picks to propel them for years to come. The Blackhawks do have question marks: this has been Patrick Kane’s worst season, and Jonathan Toews will be returning from a concussion that’s left him sidelined for two months. Phoenix does have a shot.

4. Nashville Predators v. 5. Detroit Red Wings.

Nashville, in five. This will be perhaps one of the most thrilling series. I think Nashville’s time is now, its health is now, its goaltending is now. The Red Wings struggle too much on the road–but truly, that’s the only knock against them. Otherwise the Wings march on, older, but still nimble creatures of happen, capable of scoring at all angles, possessing the puck mightily, stout in their defense, decent if not strong in goal.

Eastern Conference

1. New York Rangers v. 8. Ottawa Senators

Ottawa, in seven. Yup, it runs counter to all logic and wisdom. Won’t say more than that.

2. Boston Bruins v. 7. Washington Capitals

Boston, in six. And while the regular season series tilted in the Caps’ favor primarily due to Boston’s injuries or psycho-drama, I think this series could give them fits they aren’t expected. Brayden Holtby could play out of this world and change everything, too. Also, I’m going to raise the homer card on this: the Bruins have to win.

3. Florida Panthers v. 6. New Jersey Devils

NJ, in seven. I wish the Panthers had the might to move forward, but I am afraid they do not. The Devils have playoff experience as a unit, they have superstar scoring. The Panthers have a bunch of fellas that have won Cups and played big time games, and this will make it close, however. I wonder about goaltending for both clubs. This could be a surprisingly exciting series.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins v. 5. Philadelphia Flyers

Christ, I have no idea, but probably Pittsburgh in seven, in triple OT.

2012: Alexander Radulov returns

Radulov in the 2010 Olympics.

Back in August I wrote about an interview Ufa star Alexander Radulov gave with a Czech newspaper. This morning, Radulov released the tweet-heard-round-the-hockey-world: himself, on an airplane, apparently bound for NYC, then Nashville.

Mr Radulov is to be a Predator again. And the Nashville Predators are set to be a real Stanley Cup contender this time around. The Predators organization remains quiet on the Radulov front. Whether work in the NHL offices in NYC is required, what visas and contracts issues must be sorted out, we don’t know. Maybe he is just connecting via JFK? Surely, the business class seat he is seated in in the photo he tweeted, with “business” monogrammed at the top, an olive-looking branch below, couldn’t be more perfect.

Alexander Radulov, the KHL’s meteoric star, is a man on a mission. Even if only for the next three months, until he must return to complete the final year of his contract in the KHL, or so we believe, so Dmitri Chesnokov of Yahoo! has determined (I trust this man’s words). It was downright refreshing to read the comments from Shea Weber and Barry Trotz about Radulov. He isn’t looked upon as a pariah, a turn-coat or one seeking attention–but as a compatriot with a different plan. Again, playing hockey isn’t one-size-fits-all. There are different ways, different roads, for every player. Radulov abandoned a contract as a 20-something. 20-somethings make mistakes. They also demand more work mobility than anyone. Some on a grander stage than others.

The Predators have already been remarkably deep and resilient this season. They are playing an efficient brand of hockey. With their locked-down goaltending and defense (hey, remember a couple years ago when Anders Lindback was all the rage?) and their now more stout looking forward groups (those Kostitsyns, Fisher, Hornqvist, Gaustad, Erat, Legwand, etc) and now Radulov, are the Predators capable of defeating anyone in the playoffs? Maybe. It’s easy to forget (and shame on me) just who plays for the Predators and how great they can be).

The Western Conference is looking a lot different this year than in seasons past. It is refreshing to find the Blues in the playoff picture, along with Dallas. It is spooky to see the Sharks and the Kings outside the bubble, or playing to the 8th seed, much like the Capitals. And to see the Nashville Predators, an expansion club, surging, while still in the midst of uncertainty about Suter and Weber, is fantastic.

How does Radulov fit in? I am sure his reunion with the team is a scenario he’s played out 10,000 times in his head. I think the same must go for David Poile, Trotz and the players themselves. He is a Predator, always has been, always will be. He could have stayed in Russia as the NHL post-season began. But he elected to come to Nashville. While it might just be a money power-play, it speaks volumes about character, commitment and maturity. He could have waited until he was 27, gone UFA. But he didn’t. While it just may be for three months, it’s great to have him back.

Lying down always makes it better

Spartak, ah, on their bellies ahead of a match again SKA (via hotice.ru).

The Roman Hamrlik dilemma

Roman Hamrlik and some head-pats.

Former first overall draft pick defenseman Roman Hamrlik could have been a sweet pick-up at the deadline earlier this week. Alas, the Capitals weren’t dealers at the deadline (a move I support–less change, more stability, is best for the team now–moreover, they’ve made lots of moves the last two years of “contention). Hamrlik remains a Cap, with 1366 games under his belt.

IDNES revisited the Zlin native’s situation today. The article addressed coach Dale Hunter’s comments about wanting Hamrlik to remain more of a defensive defenseman and not toy with offense quite so much, but one nugget from an IDNES interview back in December was pulled. In it, Hamrlik said “I don’t think he (Hunter) understands me, my past. I have built a name for myself in the NHL, so I thought I would get more space (leeway). However, coach usually gives chances for young players to play all the time, even if they make mistakes.”

Hamrlik is not getting any younger. And it may be a down year. He was a steadfast blueliner for Montreal, and Washington was a different kettle of fish. But he provides a solid presence the Caps are often lacking. He can look lazy in his approach at times, however. Most had him pinned as a new player February 28th, but the Capitals held fast. Perhaps it’s a sign rifts between coach and players aren’t simply going to be fixed by shipping out one or the other any longer. But one has to hope the situation betters itself for Hamrlik soon.

What insight does this give us for Hunter? That he takes risks for his younger set. This makes sense–trial and error now, reward later. But it must be balanced out.