Winter Classic 2013?

There has been speculation on where the next Winter Classic will be held. The Winter Classic has been a major success over the years and it's exemplified hockey in its purest sense. All fans for all teams wish for the opportunity for their home team to host this Classic event. I'm fortunate enough, even though they're not hosting, that my New York Rangers will be a part of history tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia and New York have been a major rivalry in the NHL for a number of years and I'm sure it will be amazing. But I wondering where there next destination will be with this event. Here are the past Winter Classics to date:

2008: Ralph Wilson Stadium- Buffalo Sabres Vs Pittsburgh Penguins
2009: Wrigley Field- Chicago Blackhawks Vs Detroit Red Wings
2010: Fenway Park- Boston Bruins Vs Philadelphia Flyers
2011: Heinz Field- Pittsburgh Penguins Vs Washington Capitals
2012: Citizens Bank Park- Philadelphia Flyers Vs New York Rangers

There are a number of candidates for the next Winter Classic and I feel there should be no "repeat" teams involved. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have already been involved twice and I think there are a number of teams that should host this event. For 2013, I believe the next Winter Classic should be hosted in Canada, where hockey is a religion.

I think the next Winter Classic should be hosted in Rogers Centre by the Toronto Maple Leafs against their biggest rival, the Montreal Canadiens.

Let me know who you think the next Winter Classic should include!

My Power 10

Alright, over the last ten games, I've tried watching as much hockey as I could (thank you Center Ice) and I wanted to come up with my top 10 power rankings during that span. I'm basing my opinions on how well each team played, their consistency in that span, and which team I'd be worried to play in this present time. There are a lot of teams playing extremely well and teams that have cooled down considerably. These are the teams who I feel are the toughest teams out there right now.

1. The Boston Bruins (18-9-1) - Boston is the best team in hockey right now. Period. The defending Stanley Cup Champions were asleep the first 10 games where they went (3-7) in the month of October. But then after this shaky start, they went on an incredible surge where they went (12-0-1) in the month of November. They have great offensive power, especially with young Seguin who's blossomed into a powerhouse goal scorer, contributing 13 goals along with 13 assists in 27 games. With Lucic, Bergeron, Marchand, Horton and Chara, the offense doesn't seem it'll cool off. With Tim Thomas back to his normal self in net, they have a good shot going back-to-back Cup years my friends. Watch out.
2. The Detroit Red Wings (18-9-1) - Another very unusual start to the season, Detroit destroyed their 5-0 start by dropping 6 straight. People questioned whether the most consistent team in hockey (standings-wise) can bounce back this season. I answer with these names. Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterburg, Franzen, Eaves, Holmstrom, Kronwall. They've went (8-2) last 10 games and Jimmy Howard is a capable goalie who can lead them through the playoffs. Even though I feel the Eastern Conference is too good for a West Coast team to win the Cup this year, this would be the team to make my guess be horribly wrong.
3. The Vancouver Canucks (18-10-1) - Have to be honest, this team is scary. When you have two scary-looking twins who will make you look like a Pee-Wee hockey team, how couldn't you make this list. The Sedins with Burrows have been one of the most dominant lines in hockey dating back to last year. With another shaky start, Vancouver has the hottest record the last 10 games, posting a (9-1) record in that span. Even though I hate Luongo, he's been pretty consistent as of late and when you have Corey Schneider as your back-up, you have a good shot in winning games. Maybe they can continue this success and push for another Stanley Cup chance. But I'm doubtful with that notion.
4. The New York Rangers (16-6-4) - Homer pick right? Wrong. We've played the fewest amount of games so don't let our overall position fool you. Acquiring Brad Richards has sparked secondary scoring, something that has been missing for as long as I can remember. With Gaborik playing like a fiend, we're unquestionably a force to be reckoned with. Stepan has proven he can play with the best, along with youngsters like Anisimov, Hagelin and Mitchell. Our heart, soul and captain Ryan Callahan, has led us in finding an identity of hard-work, blocking shots and camaraderie. We've beaten Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington who's had our number for so many years. We've let up the fewest amount of goals (59) without our All-Star defenseman Marc Staal and Michael Sauer, whose injuries had left him out many games. Once their both healthy, along with Lundqvist and red hot back-up Biron, and this added offense, the Rangers are finally ready to make a push for a deep playoff run.
5. The Philadelphia Flyers (18-7-3) - 101 goals in 29 games. Yikes. Claude Giroux, in my eyes, is the only player in hockey who can break the 100-point mark this season. The beginning of the season seemed like they were trying to make themselves a horrible team, giving up Jeff Carter and Mike Richards right off the bat. They gambled on the aging superstar Jaromir Jagr, who hadn't played in the NHL for almost 3 years. Well, the gambling worked. With Jagr, Giroux and Hartnell, they have become, once again, another offensive powerhouse team who's won 5 straight, posting a (7-3) record the last 10 games. Even with questionable goaltending, the Flyers are capable of outscoring their opponent no matter how many goals they let in.
6. The Pittsburgh Penguins (17-9-4) - People can say this team is only good when Crosby and Malkin are healthy. And when they say it, they might as well admit they don't know a thing about hockey because this team, time and time again, has proven they can win without them. Marc-Andre Fleury (15-6-2) may be the best goalie in hockey this year. James Neal has surprised me with his consistent offensive power where he's still finding ways to score (17). With Dupuis, Cooke, Staal and Letang providing secondary scoring, they're a playoff team. With Malkin and Crosby healthy, they are just out-right scary. 
7. The Minnesota Wild (20-7-3) - Why do I have the league-leading Minnesota Wild at number 7 you ask? it's obviously not because they've won 7 games in a row. It's not because they've won 8 of their last 10. And it's definitely not because they've only given up 64 goals in 30 games. No, it's because, in my eyes, they're going to fall down in the near future. Don't get me wrong, they're playing great hockey. But with Backstrom and Harding as their goalies, they are a beatable team. They don't have enough offense to support them and I believe they're going to slowly lose their confidence. If, and this is a big if, Backstrom and Harding (mostly Harding) can continue their success, they can ultimately prove me wrong and they may be something to be scared of later in the season.
8. The St. Louis Blues (17-9-3) -"Oh Baby!" J.D. is making strides with this team. First off, who the hell is Brian Elliot? He only has a 12-2-0 record with 4 shutouts. With this type of goalie performance this team can be the best team in the West by far. This team has gone (7-1-2) in their last 10 where they beat Detroit, Pittsburgh, San Jose and Washington in that span. With Steen, Oshie and Backes providing balanced scoring, and Elliot playing like a fiend, this team is a legitimate contender in the NHL. Good job J.D.!
9. The Florida Panthers (16-8-5) - Scary, scary team. Posting a (6-2-2) record their last 10, Florida has surprised us all with a stellar beginning of the season. Fleischmann, Versteeg and Weiss is the best line in hockey. They have combined for 89 points this season and they seem to be clicking. What worries me is their secondary lines who just aren't contributing. If the top-line doesn't produce, no one will and that won't win you a Cup. Jose Theodore has been playing his best hockey since his All-Star year in Montreal and he  needs to continue it if Florida has any shot in being a playoff contender. 
10. The Chicago Blackhawks (17-8-4) - The reason why I have Chicago as number 10 is simple. I've been able to watch their last 10 games (5-4-1) and they just don't seem in sync. They still have a great record but they give up just too many goals and even though they have a majority of the big names still, I just don't see them keeping up with their poor goaltending. They need to do something with them because Crawford and Emery have a combined .GAA of 2.90, which will not win you a Cup unless your offense is the Philadelphia Flyers. If Crawford can shake out the cob-webs, maybe they'll have another shot at the Cup but I doubt it.

So there's my 10. Comment and let me know what you guys think! You can give me your top 10 as well. Thanks guys. Tell your friends about my blog too!

Can Visit To The Mile-High Reboot The Isles?

The question all season for the Islanders is this: Who will be the starting goaltender? The Islanders haven't had a strong goalie season since DiPietro's All-Star year back in 2008. Since then, continuously struggling with injuries, DiPietro has found himself always trying to earn his spot as the number one goaltender. This, however, is no easy task with Islander fans growing restless with his inconsistency. The Islanders acquired Evgeni Nabokov last season and has started for them four games this year so far. He has a  slumping 1-3-0 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.81 GAA. Nabokov has shown great poise at times but other times has shown great inconsistency in net, giving up weak goals early in the game which forces the Islanders to claw back from behind. Al Montoya has been the most consistent of the Islander goalies, posting a 2-2-0 record so far with a staggering .928 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA. Coach Capuano has been a fan favorite but his biggest issue is his impatience with his goaltenders. He needs to play the hot goalie which is clearly Al Montoya. Being that this young goaltender is trying to make a name for himself in the NHL, Capuano needs to instill a sense of trust and confidence in his young goaltender and ride out the season with his young player.

After a implosion against Washington last game where they fell 6-2, the Islanders are looking to make a statement against the slumping Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders need to take this game, a game that they should win, and use them to propel them in getting points. With Varlamov starting, which has been a great disappointment, the Islanders should catch a huge moral boost. Playing a slumping team is just the thing to boast some confidence in this team. This is also the opportunity for the Islanders to find some secondary scoring, which has been non-existent all season. Tavares can not be the only offense on this team. Okposo needs to find his game, which has been long-awaiting for Islander fans. He needs to prove himself as one of the marquee names of the Islanders. This could be a huge turning point for the Islanders. This could be the boost they need or the step in the same direction as last season.

Jet-Lagged

After a very weak 3-3-3 record after the first nine games, the New York Rangers found a way to win four straight games in front of the Garden Faithful. I went to the game on Sunday, November 6th and I felt a buzz in the crowd the moment I took my seat. Hosting the Winnipeg Jets, whose 5-6-2 record doesn't do justice to their offensive power, the Rangers started the period sloppier than any of their previous three starts. The passing was off, they took two very weak penalties, and they couldn't muster much of an attack on the Jets. Once the horn sounded, echoed with the boos of aggravated Ranger fans, the Rangers ended the period with a pathetic five shots on goal. John Torterella must have torn their heads off during the intermission, because the team came out with grit which was absent the first twenty minutes. After a third aggressive penalty kill, the Jets lost their discipline as well with three straight penalties of their own. Derek Stepan, who's off to a great start, scored on a beautiful pass by Gaborik on a power play which seemed poised and in control. Stepan showed the patience and confidence to slow down the hard pass by Gaborik and scored the goal with relative ease, leaving Winnipeg goalie Pavelec rendered helpless. Although receiving a much needed power play goal, the Rangers failed to score on a very long 5-3, which was due to missing the net on ample shots. Despite an unsuccessful power play, the Rangers played great defense and held Jets to seven shots in the second period. The third period showed me how conditioned the Ranger team really is. They controlled most of the play and ended up with a beautiful two on one where Stepan made a beautiful saucer pass to Gaborik for his sixth goal of the young season. After controlling the play the rest of the game, with Marty Biron making a quiet 23 saves which most were harder than they looked, Gaborik backhanded his seventh in the empty net to solidify a gritty Ranger victory. Winning four straight, the Rangers head to Ottawa where they seek revenge on their third period collapse a few games prior at the Garden. The Rangers seem at ease with their forechecking style of play. Losing their alternate captain and defensive powerhouse Marc Staal doesn't seem like their slowing down defensively. With Ryan Mcdonough and Dan Girardi logging in the minutes and the young Del Zotto showing some offensive power, the Rangers press on forward looking for five straight. It helps having King Henrik in net and a back-up goaltender who gives them a chance to win every night he plays. With all those pieces, the Rangers are starting to look like a team.

Delay Of The Game

The new NHL rules that started up after the lockout have sparked much praise and controversy. One new penalty that has spurred fans and players over the years is the Delay Of Game penalty where a player who shoots the puck over the boards in their defensive zone will be penalized. One can argue this being a good penalty. Tired players who lift the puck over the boards should be subject to consequence, especially if the opposing team has established a balanced level of attack on them. But with all the penalties issued in games and the strict discipline issued by officials, it seems like a very unnecessary approach for discipline to the player. The intent of the player to stop play is the very same intent for icing the puck. One new rule which disciplines a player for icing the puck is the negation of a line change and also a tv timeout. So the argument against the new penalty is simply this: why not discipline a player for shooting the puck into the stands the same way as someone shooting the puck down the ice? When the playoffs come, and there is more on the line with each game, officials become more lenient with obstruction penalties such as hooking, tripping, etc. But when a player lifts the puck over the boards, it's an automatic penalty and a very weak one. There are too many accidental puck lifting for them all to be disciplined with a two minute minor. There are times when the offensive team aren't even in attack mode and a defensive player accidentally lifts the puck over the boards. Why should that player be penalized? I'm not saying there shouldn't be a rational any action taken to such an event. I believe the player's team should not be allowed a line change and immediately have a face-off in their defensive zone, which will give the offensive team a fair chance to regain their attack on a tired team. When it's Game 6 in the playoffs, I don't want to see a weak penalty like this and I believe its one "new rule" that should be changed.

Avery: Plus or Minus

Sean Avery is confirmed to be in the line-up for the New York Rangers tonight, at home against the Montreal Canadiens. Ranger fans have been faithful to the agitator since his arrival to the Big Apple but they must ask themselves; is he an asset or a bust to the team? Sean Avery's biggest asset he brings to his club is getting under the skin of star opponents and keep them off their game. But the officials have kept his crazy antics on a short leash. The penalties he used to draw don't get called and his PIM has increased over the years. Once John Torterella dropped him to the waiver wire to start the season, fans had a strong feeling this could be the end of Sean Avery's time as a Broadway Blue. So when the Garden Faithful started chanting Avery's name during their losing skid to start the season and losing Mike Rupp to a knee injury which could require anthroscopic surgery, it was inevitable to see Avery get called up to fill in his 4th line spot. But is it worth it? The New York Rangers have solidified a deep young talent with their youth players which makes you wonder why they would call up a washed up Avery rather than any of those talented young players in their system. Avery has lost his edge, his grit and his weapon of antagonizing. Without these characteristics, Avery is a sub-par player. He does have speed, a good set of hands and strength, but doesn't have the skill to become an everyday player. Avery has 42 goals and 78 assists in 249 games as a Ranger with a majority of those points coming in his first two seasons. Sean needs to use his speed and hands to create scoring for the 4th line or else maybe even his hockey career will be over. Only he can decide his fate.