How are the Red Wings the first team to be knocked out?

Shea Weber's contract: $7.5 million.  Punching Henrik Zetterberg repeatedly: $2,500.  Beating the Red Wings in 5 games: Priceless.

Two things are certain in the playoffs: someone will lift the Stanley Cup in mid-June and the Red Wings will be in it.  For the first time since 2006, the Red Wings have been bumped out of the playoffs in the opening round.  Speculation about Nicklas Lidstrom's future and potential free agents that might sign with Detroit have already begun, but let's take a look at how the Red Wings season ended early, at the hands of the Nashville Predators.

• Late in Game 3 in Detroit, the Red Wings players skated to center ice and raised their arms, but as it turns out, it wasn't because they won, but because of a bad call by an official.
   
• Coach Mike Babcock had to scold his team multiple times after they repeatedly kept looking around at the suites in Nashville.
   
• Red Wings players were confused as to why Mike Babcock's lineup sheet included "Parise" and "Suter" and not Jiri Hudler or Nicklas Lidstrom.
   
• According to Don Cherry, the only reason Detroit lost is because they don't have any goons that could have taken on Shea Weber after Game 1.
   
• The Red Wings are now planning to suspend Pavel Datsyuk for the next four years and then bring him up so they can draw more media attention, and Jiri Hudler seems offended for some reason.

Hockey experts sound off on Tortorella and Clowe



I don't read minds, but if I had to guess, I'd say he's not very happy there.  Or ever.



Yesterday may have been Good Friday, but the hockey world has seen some not-so-good action over the last week.  First, Rangers coach John Tortorella ripped the Penguins organization and blasted Brooks Orpik for his knee-on-knee hit on Derek Stepan.  That cost "Torts" $20,000.  San Jose's Ryane Clowe, meanwhile, cheated a bit against the Los Angeles Kings.  No, he wasn't paid to injure anyone, but that doesn't make him a Saint.  He reached over the boards and played the puck from the bench.  Here's the reaction that wasn't from hockey experts (please note: this is not real).


Pierre McGuire

On Tortorella - John is one of the best coaches in the league, he's so good with his team.  He should at least be one of the top two or three or twenty finalists for the Jack Adams Trophy.  He's so smart with his team, Doc.
On Clowe - Ryane Clowe is an excellent player.  He's a gritty player and I think every team in the league could use someone like him, but that's just uncalled for.  He should know better than that, but Ryane Clowe is still an exceptional hockey player, Doc.


Mike Milbury

On Tortorella - Well finally someone spoke the truth!  I mean, when was someone gonna man up and tell it like it is?  I love John Tortorella.  The fact that the NHL fined him is stupid and completely idiotic.
On Clowe - There is absolutely nothing wrong with players being a little creative out there.  He helped his team, and if the refs aren't looking, hey, why not?  I wish I had told my players to do that more on Long Island.


Don Cherry

On Tortorella - LISTEN, JOHN, I LOVE YA AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT BUT YOU CAN'T BE SAYING THAT ABOUT THA PITTSBURGH PENKWINS.  YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BY NOW.
On Clowe - RYANE CLOWE, HERE, HE'S A GOOD ST. JOHN'S BOY FROM NEWFOUNDLAND, WHICH IS ALMOST AS GOOD AS ONTARIO, HE'S GOTTA BE SMARTA THAN THAT!  BUT HEY, THE L.A. KINGS SHOULDA TRIED TA FIGHT HIM!  THAT'LL SHOW HIM.  I HOPE THEY FIGHT HIM TODAY.

Things that happen in the first 5 seconds of hockey games



Hey Torts, Y U HEFF TO BE MAD?


Last night at Madison Square Garden, the Devils and Rangers engaged in three simultanious fights immediately after puck drop (see below).

The results of this included an energized crowd, two angry coaches and some blood.  But was that the most interesting thing that has ever happened at the start of a hockey game?  I've thought of a few others, so you can make the decision for yourselves.

• Rick DiPietro leaves the game with an undisclosed injury, such as itchy finger nail.
   
• The Toronto Maple Leafs are losing 4-0.
   
• Sidney Crosby has already been named first star of the game.
   
• John Tortorella is fuming, because the opposing coach actually started a line.
   
• Zdeno Chara has stepped onto the ice, and all five opposing skaters gulp.
   
• Kyle Wellwood has become famished.
  

Some St. Patrick's Day Traditions Across the NHL

Maybe fans will start throwing four leaf clovers onto the ice.  You know, there's four leafs, ugh, leaves and all...

Like many of us non-NHL players, several NHL players have various traditions that they follow every time St. Patrik (or Patrick)'s Day comes around.  I've put together a list of some of the traditions that people around the NHL.


Patrick Kane - Gets drunk.


Tim Thomas - Goes with a group of his friends to someone's house to party.  I can't swear by this, but I don't think it's a white house.


Adam Larsson - Has a tradition of insisting to bartenders that I.D.'s are a ridiculous way to proof people's age.


Boston Bruins - Have "Shipping up to Boston" playing constantly at TD Garden, which annoys no one, says Zdeno Chara, who's guarding the music room.


Patrick Kane - Still drunk.


Dustin Byfuglien - Upon drinking his fifth or sixth beer, he makes the mature decision not to drive drunk.  Instead, he often takes his boat out, which doesn't always end well for him.


Colorado Avalanche - Like most NHL teams, the Avs sell green t-shirts with their players names on the back and an added O', such as O'O'Brien, O'O'Byrne and O'O'Reilly.

Which bubble teams will make the playoffs?

"IF YA DON'T HAVE ANY ONTARIO PLAYERS, YA CAN'T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!
HOW CAN YA MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IF YA DON'T HAVE ANY ONTARIO PLAYERS?"

The playoffs begin in just over a month, and there's still plenty of teams that have a chance, or think they have a chance, to be a part of it this season.  As a hockey blogger, I feel that it is my duty to provide you with a carefully written and intelligent analysis of who I think will miss the playoffs and won't will miss them.  Naturally, I decided not to do that.  Instead, here's a hopefully more entertaining look at the "bubble" teams.


Winnipeg Jets

Why they can make the playoffs: Their fans would give up breathing if it meant seeing their team in the playoffs.
Why they can't make the playoffs: According to Pierre McGuire, they have many of the most underrated players in the league.  If Pierre McGuire says you're underrated, you must suck.  A lot.
Verdict: They could, and if they do, I hope the architects who built MTS Centre don't let the roof blow off.


Florida Panthers

Why they can make the playoffs: Lots of people like to take in games at BankAtlantic Center, such as Rangers, Bruins, Caps, Habs and Leafs fans.
Why they can't make the playoffs: If their top line can't carry them offensively, Jose Theodore becomes their biggest offensive threat.
Verdict: Then again, Jose Theodore has scored a goal before...


Washington Capitals

Why they can make the playoffs: Despite the injury to Nicklas Backstrom, they still have talent in Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin and Mike Green.
Why they can't make the playoffs: Well, this isn't 2008, so Alex, Alex and Green are pretty useless.
Verdict: Perhaps this is all a plan, since finishing first in the Conference so many times didn't work out for Washington.


Tampa Bay Lightning

Why they can make the playoffs: Steven Stamkos can outscore your favorite team combined.
Why they can't make the playoffs: Mike Smith left Tampa Bay for a more up-and-coming hockey market.
Verdict: They have four active players on their roster from Ontario.  How could they not make the playoffs?

NHL Power Rankings - Week of March 5th, 2012

The regular season is winding down, and at this point, we know most of the teams who will participate in this spring's Stanley Cup playoffs.  We also know that others will hope to land Nail Yakupov in this June's entry draft.  All 30 teams get to be in the power rankings, so here's my top 30.


1. New York Rangers - I can't deny it anymore: the Rangers are the President's Trophy favorites, which by default, means they aren't Stanley Cup favorites.

2. Vancouver Canucks - The Canucks knew Cody Hodgson could never succeed in Vancouver, thus proving that no actual human beings can be superstar scorers in Vancouver.

3. St. Louis Blues - If Jamie Langenbrunner had sustained an injury last season with the Devils, fans probably would have celebrated.

4. Nashville Predators - Pekka Rinne : Vesa Toskala :: Ferrari : Kia

5. Pittsburgh Penguins - Here's a new outlook on the Penguins that nobody has thought of before me: if Sidney Crosby returns this season, the Pens are going to be reeeeally good.

6. Detroit Red Wings - They can't win at home.  Throw in the towel, the season's lost.

7. Chicago Blackhawks - The Hawks have found ways to win without Jonathan Toews.  Hopefully, before they can blink, Toews will be back.  Unless they're waiting for Toews to blink.

8. Philadelphia Flyers - Ilya Bryzgalov shut out the Caps last night.  Michael Leighton could have shut out the Caps last night.

A review of the Jets' return to Winnipeg

Vintage Phoenix Coyotes logo...

http://www.yourwinnipegjets.com/2011/06/20/winnipeg-nhl-team-name-announcement-iminent-will-be-the-jets/

It was a positive day in Winnipeg, as the city had a chance to cheer on an NHL team for the first time in 15 years.  The Montreal Canadiens weren't even able to spoil the party by beating the Winnipeg Jets, 5-1 at the MTS Centre.  Let's take a look at the day that was.  *Please note: all times are estimated.

3:00 PM (Eastern time): The zamboni driver is late.  He's been trying to get out of an Atlanta jail for many months now...

4:47 PM: Jets head coach Claude Noel gives his team a pre-game pep talk, warning them not to get caught up in all of the excitement and hype of the crowd, especially because most players on the team have never played a home game in front of as many as 15,000 people before.  He then turns to Kyle Wellwood and throws out his box of doughnuts.

4:50 PM: Dustin Byfuglien puts his jersey on and wonders why they had to put an airplane on the logo instead of something more his type, such as a boat.

4:57 PM: A fan asks Gary Bettman for his autograph.  Bettman flinches, expecting to be tackled by the fan, then asks what an autograph is.  There's a first for everything, I guess.

5:03 PM: Don Cherry steps onto the ice.  As he does, Ron MacLean accidentally bumps into his chin, but Cherry forgives him, because it wasn't an intentional headshot.

5:06 PM: Player intros.  As Evander Kane skates out, he sees many many hockey jerseys that say Winnipeg Jets on them, but they look weird.  They're clearly before his time.

5:15 PM: During the National Anthem, Dustin Byfuglien stares down Brian Gionta and cracks his knuckles.  Gionta hides behind Carey Price's blocker.

1st Period: After being slashed in the leg by a skate, Mike Cammelleri skates to the bench trying to get to the locker room, but can't find the locker room.

2nd Period: After getting beat on a second straight Canadiens' goal, Johnny Oduya asks Noel if there's any way to quiet the crowd so he can pay more attention on the ice.

2nd Intermission: Jets lose.  Oh, oops, wrong sport...

3rd Period: Nik Antropov finally gets the Jets on the board, as he stuffs in a loose puck in the crease.  Neighboring towns call the police in fear of an earthquake.

3rd Period: Dustin Byfuglien taps into Brian Gionta, sending him flying and drawing a penalty for Montreal and opening the floodgates.

3rd Period: As the final seconds wind down, fans give the team a standing ovation as they trail 5-1, which supports CBC's comments that Winnipeg fans are much more informed than Atlanta fans were.

End of Game: Jets lose (think I got it right this time...).

Postgame: Fans begin to realize that this isn't going to be as easy as they thought.  So, to compensate, they begin to take a look at 2012 NHL Entry Draft projections.

8:13 PM: A fan taps into a referee's car, sending it spinning across the parking lot out of control, but the fan drives away without stopping.

11:20 PM: Even without the Thrashers, the city of Atlanta keeps losing as the Falcons fall to the Packers, giving up 25 unanswered points, which is more than the Thrashers ever gave up in one game.