New Goalie, Same Results?

Because I'll likely be away from the computer for much of the day tomorrow, you will get the preview for that day tonight.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

2011-12 record: 51-22-9 (111 points)
Lost to Los Angeles in conference quarterfinals
Captain: Henrik Sedin

For the second year in a row, the Canucks were the President's Trophy winners.  However, that felt like less of an accomplishment than before, and those fears were founded in the opening round loss to Los Angeles.  These were clearly not the Canucks that were a win away from the Stanley Cup in 2011, and certainly, they won't be that team this coming season.  For one, Cory Schneider is now the starting goaltender, whether Roberto Luongo is there or not.  The jury is still out on whether trading away Cody Hodgson for Zack Kassian was a good idea, as Kassian certainly has the size and fight necessary, but does he have the discipline and motivation?  Not having Ryan Kesler for a month or two will be a big deal, as he hasn't been healthy since the 2011 playoffs, and his health is a major thing to look at if the Canucks wish to make a deep run again.  Defensively, Jason Garrison was brought in, and he will be counted on to be a younger version of Sami Salo, who left for Tampa Bay.  There is no real number one defenseman, but there are plenty of solid players in the group, but there is likely room for either Kevin Connauton or Chris Tanev to crack the lineup.  Offensively, good health willing, the Canucks will be secure in this area.

Prediction: 1st in the West

Band: Judas Priest

Judas Priest is near the top when it comes to heavy metal in all eras.  However, they are second (and possibly third) fiddle in their own country.  The Canucks are near the top, but have never reached the top.  Does that change this year?

And yes, I deliberately picked this video because what can I say, it's a guilty pleasure.

Leaf Burning

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

2011-12 record: 35-37-10 (80 points)
missed the playoffs
Captain: Dion Phaneuf

The Toronto Maple Leafs were on their way to the playoffs by the end of January.  Unfortunately, the season ends in April and when February reared its ugly head, the Maple Leafs reverted to their futile ways, from a losing streak that knocked them into New York Islanders territory to a lifeless 8-0 drubbing by Boston that would see the Bruins sweep that season series.  Ron Wilson was a casualty in all of this, and Randy Carlyle took his place.  Should the Maple Leafs miss the post-season again, it will be more than just the coach getting fired.  Getting there will be a harder climb, particularly when your goaltenders are James Reimer and Ben Scrivens...not exactly a winning combination.  On defense, there is the mercurial Dion Phaneuf, solid, if unspectacular Carl Gunnarson, and a bunch of question marks after that.  When the most likely call-up from the minors is a guy named Korbinan Holzer, you know your blue line has problems.  The top two lines are actually good, but lack a true number one center.  The fact that the Leafs are trying new acquisition James Van Riemsdyk at center tells you all you need to know about the team's problems.  In the interim, the wings in Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, and Van Riemsdyk (if the center experiment fails) should provide some good offensive numbers.

Prediction: 14th in the East

Band: Iced Earth

Love them or hate them, Iced Earth is constantly in the discussion when it comes to metal bands most everyone is familiar with...and sometimes, it's for reasons other than music.  The Maple Leafs are a polarizing team that fans can't turn away from, even if the team is a train wreck waiting to happen.

Striking Twice

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

2011-12 record: 38-36-8 (84 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Vincent Lecavalier

There is plenty of offense in Tampa, and Steven Stamkos leads the way.  What kept Tampa Bay from making the playoffs was goaltending, as in it was an epic kind of terrible.  Anders Lindback is a tall goalie, but will he be able to handle a full season?  The Lightning are banking on him fulfilling his potential because other than Mathieu Garon, the Lightning have no proven guys in goal.  Defensively, there is good depth, but it would be so much better if Victor Hedman takes that next step.  Stamkos is the man on offense, but he has a lot of help in Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell.  Secondary scoring would be nice, and that is where Brett Connolly could very well fit into the picture, as he didn't have such a good rookie year last year.

Prediction: 8th in the East

Band: Hammerfall

Hammerfall was the talk of the metal scene in their early days, but were rapidly exposed after about, say, their third album.  The Lightning are the talk of the NHL with their offensive prowess, but goaltending tempers all talk about them.

Searching for its Bite

SAN JOSE SHARKS

43-29-10 (96 points)
Lost to St. Louis in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: Joe Thornton

The story of the San Jose Sharks last season was that they fell considerably short of their usually high expectations.  A favorite for the Stanley Cup at the beginning of last season, they barely squeaked into the playoffs and were promptly disposed of by St. Louis in the opening round.  Most of their offensive stars suffered career lows, and their biggest problem, secondary scoring, was not addressed in the offseason.  It will be up to the likes of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Ryan Clowe to recoup some of that lost offense.  Martin Havlat was supposed to be a difference maker, but he couldn't even get over the boards without getting hurt.  A full season of good health will go a long way in his hopes for a rebound.  Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski had good years, but they shouldn't be your bell cows for offense just yet.  Defensively, there is depth, but not a lot of grit, something that the re-acquisition of Brad Stuart hopes to resolve.  Dan Boyle is on the wrong side of 35, and he saw a drop in offensive numbers, so it will be up to Brent Burns to be more of an offensive force.  Antti Niemi is alright as a starting goaltender, but if the Sharks hope to entertain a long run in the playoffs, he has to be better than what he is.

Prediction: 7th in the West

Band: Stratovarius

Stratovarius is often talked up to lofty heights, yet isn't quite what everyone says they are.  The Sharks are often pre-season favorites for Stanley Cup contention, but they fail to even reach the Finals.

March of the Penguins: the Sequel

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

2011-12 record: 51-25-6 (108 points)
Lost to Philadelphia in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: Sidney Crosby

For a while last year, the Penguins were battling the New York Rangers for the Atlantic Division, and they figure to do so again this year.  However, the playoffs rolled around, and the Penguins folded faster than you could read this sentence.  The most obvious question mark is Sidney Crosby, who will have to show that he's fully over his concussion issues.  Yes, he is still a game changer, but he can't change the game from the press box.  Evgeni Malkin is the team's best player (until Crosby can prove he can play an entire season again), and the Hart Trophy is proof of that.  The team won't have Jordan Staal, as he was flipped for Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumolin, and a pick that became Derrick Pouliot.  The only real dropoff in that trade is one of talent, but Sutter will slide into the third line center role seamlessly.  Defense is an issue outside of Kris Letang, as evidenced by the team's pursuit of Ryan Suter.  Yes, there are prospects, but no truly proven commodities at this point.  Marc-Andre Fleury was great in the regular season, but he too, folded in the playoffs.  Too much time on the ice was part of the issue, and Tomas Vokoun should shoulder some of the load.

Prediction: 4th in the East

Band: Iced Earth

A lot people love Iced Earth, but a lot of people hate Iced Earth, too.  The Penguins are in a similar boat.

Rave Reviews

NEW YORK RANGERS

2011-12 record: 51-24-7 (109 points)
Lost to New Jersey in Conference Finals
Captain: Ryan Callahan

The 2011-12 season was almost the smash hit the Rangers were hoping for, but cross-river rivals New Jersey ruined the ending.  This year, the Rangers are once again the prohibitive favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference.  No Marian Gaborik for a month?  No problem, as the Rangers have Rick Nash at the expense of Brandong Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, and Tim Erixon, all of which were expendable by Rangers' standards.  The middle is quite strong, with Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, and Brian Boyle manning the top three lines.  Nash, Gaborik (when he returns from injury), Ryan Callahan, Carl Hagelin, and rookie Chris Kreider make for an equally strong wing.  Despite losing Erixon, the Rangers are still good on depth on the blue line, as Ryan McDonagh has emerged as a solid option.  Dan Girardi sets the tone with his shot blocking prowess, and Marc Staal and Michael Del Zotto are the table setters for the forwards.  A solid blue line is not wasted thanks to Henrik Lundqvist, who was finally recognized as the best goaltender last year with a Vezina Trophy, and he finally put most of the "can't perform in the playoffs" voices to bed with his performance last year.

Prediction: 1st in the East

Band: Blind Guardian

Blind Guardian is a lot of flash, but it is the not so noticeable quirks that make up their staying power, which has lasted for a while.  The Rangers hope for a similar length of success, and they have all the tools to make it happen.

Singing a Different Tune

As you know, the NHL owners have locked out the players in what is the third such labor stoppage in the last 20 years.  However, this blog will continue the 2012-13 NHL season preview as planned.  I devote a month of this blog to actually doing something, and it is not about to end now.  Now that we're clear on the state of this blog this month, let's get to the next team.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

2011-12 record: 48-26-8 (104 points)
Lost to Phoenix in the Conference semi-finals
Captain: Shea Weber

The Predators will certainly look different this year, as they lost the sandpaper in Jordin Tootoo, a large backup goalie in Anders Lindback, a talented, but enigmatic Alexander Radulov, and one half of their shutdown pair in Ryan Suter.  At least there's still Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber.  The Predators are a team with an identity and as long as both are still around (which will be at least another seven years), the Predators are still a playoff contender.  There are a bunch of other defensemen that are looking to establish themselves, and with Suter gone, this is their best opportunity yet. Offense is by-committee, and Patric Hornqvist is the best option of that group.  Mike Fisher and Martin Erat also lead the charge in this department, but look for Gabriel Bourque to emerge as a new option.

Prediction: 6th in the West

Band: Widow

The Raleigh, NC band has a habit of surprising with fairly straightforward traditional power metal that just works.  Nashville has had the same system since their inaugural season, and it is not about to change...and that's a good thing.

Northern Lights

MINNESOTA WILD

2011-12 record: 35-36-11 (81 points)
missed the playoffs
Captain: Mikko Koivu

The Wild were strong out of the gate last season, but had a falling off the cliff moment that only the Boston Red Sox would know about.  It looked like more of the same in the offseason, but all of that changed on America's birthday.  Yes, they added toughness when they signed Zenon Konopka, Jake Dowell, and Torrey Mitchell.  However, all of that toughness will be protecting the newest stars in Minnesota in Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.  Parise adds offense to a team that should not be having Kyle Brodziak as their second leading scorer (no offense to Mr. Brodziak).  Yes, Mikko Koivu missed time to injury, but Dany Heatley does need to register more than 24 goals if he hopes to revive his career.  Suter gives the Wild an instant number one defenseman, and given the relative inexperience of the blue line, Suter will be leaned on heavily to be the rock on that line.  Goaltending has suffered, but the bet here is that Nicklas Backstrom and Josh Harding will return to some semblance of their career years.

Prediction: 4th in the West

Band: Primal Fear

One thought of as a mere Judas Priest ripoff, Primal Fear would eventually find their own identity.  The Wild have been searching for their identity since the Jacques Lemaire days, and they're hoping the Parise/Suter signings will help in that regard.

A Touch of Gray

DALLAS STARS

2011-12 Record: 42-35-5 (89 points)
missed the playoffs
Captain: Brenden Morrow

The Dallas Stars are a team on the rise, yet there is something missing that will take them over the top.  Last year, it was offense, as evidenced by the team's last place finish on the Power Play.  This year, it may very well be the toughness category.  To shore up their offense, the Stars got Derek Roy at the cost of Steve Ott and Adam Pardy, Jaromir Jagr and Ray Whitney in free agency, and Cody Eakin at the cost of Mike Ribiero.  Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson are the team's returning leaders on offense and Michael Ryder is a good player that may be most affected by the Ribiero trade.  The blue line is respectable, but lacks a true number one, yet the group looks better with Kari Lehtonen being the man in goal.  He does need to stay healthy, but Richard Bachman is a capable backup.  Losing Ott means that Brenden Morrow will have to shoulder the load in the grit department.

Prediction: 11th in the West

Band: White Wizzard

White Wizzard has a lot of potential, but suffered some setbacks along the way.  Dallas is in the same boat as the Los Angeles-based metal band.

The Same, but Different

BOSTON BRUINS

2011-12 record: 49-29-4 (102 points)
Lost to Washington in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: Zdeno Chara

Boston uses a scoring by committee approach when it comes to offense, as evidenced by six players scoring at least 20 goals last year.  Tyler Seguin led the team in scoring with 67 points, and he hasn't even touched the surface of his full potential.  He's entering his third year, and you figure the training wheels will come off for him.  80 points is not unreasonable for him this coming season.  One notable change in the Bruins lineup will be in goal, where Tim Thomas decided to skip the 2012-13 season.  That leaves Tuukka Rask as the starter, and while he has done well when he has played, he has also been injury prone.  If he is unable to play 65 games this season, the experience behind him is woefully thin.  The X-factor in the Bruins lineup is one Nathan Horton, who is good for 30 goals a season...if he is healthy, and that is where the problem lies.  Horton hasn't been able to stay on the ice for prolonged periods of time since the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, and it is uncertain whether he will get back to that level since he has received another concussion last season.  Don't be surprised if Dougie Hamilton is given the Tyler Seguin treatment this year.  He will likely crack the Bruins' opening night roster, and given the depth on the blue line, the Bruins will not have to rush Hamilton in the same manner that they didn't have to rush Seguin in his rookie year.  Tim Thomas' hiatus makes the Bruins' goaltending situation a little less certain, as he provided moments of dominance the last few years.  Rask can play, but there will always be that question of health.

Prediction: 2nd in the East

Band: Iron Maiden (Blaze Bayley era)

A familiar classic, but something seems a little bit off.

Hobbits, Orcs, and Other Tolkien Related Fantasy

Since the new Blind Guardian album is coming out soon (if it hasn't already), today's album is a 1998 Blind Guardian classic called Nightfall in Middle Earth.  The album is a concept based on the J.R.R. Tolkien book The Silmarillion.  With 22 tracks running over an hour, there would be some fairly high expectations as far as the album goes.  Throw in the band's penchant for going all out on their albums, both musically and songwriting wise, there is much pressure to succeed.  In many respects, this album does that and more, as Hansi Kursch shows why he is considered one of the best vocalists in the last 15 years or so.  Obviously, since this album is based on a Tolkien work, some people who haven't read any of his works may not get the idea while those who are familiar will gain much from the album.  One of the things that makes this album great is that the band is so naturally good at making grand sounding albums that they don't even need to try to overextend themselves.

Eddie

As said in yesterday's piece, the goalie mask is a good way to express yourself.  Today's mask, or I should say "masks," do just that.

Take a good look at the picture above.  Notice something about the three masks in the picture?  If you guessed that the creature on all three masks is Eddie the Iron Maiden mascot, then you are correct.  Now, I know what you're saying, and yes, there were three different masks that had the Iron Maiden icon on them.  What you may not know is that they are all attributed to one man: Roman Turek.

Turek was an NHL goaltender in the late 90's to mid 2000's and played on three teams in that time: the Dallas Stars (top), St. Louis Blues (lower left), and Calgary Flames (lower right).  His best years were in St. Louis, leading them to the conference finals in 2001, but many who consider themselves heavy metal fans will remember the masks the most.  Good thing, since most of his numbers were above average, but hardly Hall of Fame worthy.

Lost in Manhattan (Kansas)

If I ever get an opportunity to write my own autobiography, there is much assurance that the mini-Metal music experience known as Lost in Manhattan (Kansas) will have its very own chapter.  Beginning that fateful Thursday evening would be a 36 hour period that would see drinking, partying, and other wackiness that comes with metal music nights.

The adventure began one September evening on a Thursday, when the Canadian trio Cauldron came through Kansas City for a show along with the Swedish band Enforcer.  For that show, five bands played: Ancient Creation, Meatshank, Vanlade, Cauldron, and Enforcer.  Despite it being a good show, there weren't many people at the show, as it unfortunately had to compete with another show a couple of blocks away.  The fact that it was also a Thursday also didn't help, as that is one of the quietest days for evening entertainment.  Friday morning wasn't kind to me, as I had headache issues (Gee, I wonder how that happened?).  While trying to recover, I got a text from a friend of mine who wasn't present at the show the previous evening.  She had asked if I wanted to tag along for the road trip out to Manhattan, KS for (wait for it) Cauldron and Enforcer.  I said I would think about it (read: see if the headache would go away long enough for me to accept), and did just about everything to get rid of the headache.  Okay, so that was a lie, I didn't do anything about the headache until I picked up a couple of Tylenols and downed them along with some hot tea in the afternoon.  Decision time came about 3 PM, when the friend asked if I made up my mind. I accepted, and the wait began.  We left for Manhattan about 5:30 PM, but not before getting lost in the casino parking lot because we were to meet another person who was also tagging along.  As we were going through Kansas City, KS (yes, there are two towns called Kansas City), another friend asks if he can join in. To make that happen, we had to stop in Lawrence, KS and pick him up from a bar.  Before long, it was off to Manhattan, with a stop in Topeka to pick up snacks.

We arrived in Manhattan about 9 PM and I, at least, could figure out where the venue was because the band's van was parked out in front.   The venue was pretty small, maybe about 100 at most, could fit into the place.  Drinks were reasonably priced, though the Jack and Cokes were actually cheaper than the bottled-beers.  The "stage" was small, and if you were in front, you had a very good view of the package of Enforcer's vocalist.  Opening the show was some band whose name I forget, which is just as well, since I forgot what style they actually played.  The evening wasn't too bad, with everyone in the group acting like clowns and even a pool game.  The real fun began as we were trying to find our way to a hotel in town.  As you can imagine, finding a way was no easy task, and eventually, we stumbled upon an IHOP and had some late night breakfast.  As luck would have it, there was a hotel not too far away from the IHOP.  However, the hotel wasn't in price range, so the trek to Lawrence went through some winding back roads on the way to Topeka.  We made it to Lawrence at 4 AM, where 2-3 hours of sleep was the standard there.  Everyone who didn't live in Lawrence left about 9 AM Saturday for our respective homes.

So, what did I learn?  Metal Nights always bring out the crazy in people and where there's metal music and booze, there's a wild night ahead.

The Holy Grail of Metal

You may not agree with me about today's title of the piece, but this is my writing, so roll with it.  When it comes to metal music and seeing it live and in person, there are three very specific instances that I can point to and say, "I have reached the Holy Grail."  The three?  Seeing Agalloch last year on Halloween weekend in Portland, getting to see Iron Maiden for the first time last month in Albuquerque, NM, and seeing Sonata Arctica three years ago in Atlanta, GA as part of ProgPower VIII.  The last of the three is the subject of today's piece, and what better way to tie in the live theme than with the For the Sake of Revenge CD/DVD combo that was released in 2006.

I don't make it a secret that Sonata Arctica is one of my favorite bands, so it should be no surprise that I would throw lots of praise for the DVD.  Filmed in Tokyo, Japan as part of the Reckoning Night tour in 2005, Sonata Arctica plays up to the cameras with their trademark humor and the crowd is into it, even participating in a sing-along directed by vocalist Tony Kakko.  There is never a dull moment with Sonata Arctica live, but the picks of the litter include Kakko's intro to "Sing in Silence," "Fullmoon," and the set closing "Vodka," which is sung in the style of "Hava Nagila."

I'm fortunate enough to have seen the band twice, and even going as far as to have interviewed them in person.  And let me tell you, before the interview was when I was at my most nervous.  They always say that waiting is the hardest thing to do, and in that instance, those people would be right.  Those same people who say Sonata Arctica put on a great show would also be correct, and For the Sake of Revenge is proof of that.

Heathen Crusade 3 revisited...sort of...

So, I have nothing really to say here, which means to fill up some space, I have to come up with something.  Since the first thing that came to mind was the pre-Heathen Crusade 3 party, here is some Hammerfall-Riders on the Storm.

Here Lies June 2010...

June was a crazy month.  There were shows, incredibly hot weather, and more complaints about Kansas City than you can shake a stick at, but that's not the point.  The month began with the party folks from North Carolina, otherwise known as Widow making their, what seems to be an annual tradition now, return engagement to Kansas City along with Las Vegas, Nevada's party folks known as Seventh Calling.  As you would expect, there was much drinking and much metal music.  This month also saw the old man hit the big 7-0, so a party was held at Smithville Lake with family, including a few that made the trip from New Mexico.  The next morning, I went with the relatives to New Mexico, which for the first time in a while, didn't feel like a thirteen hour drive.  Well, there was an extra three hours to Albuquerque, but that's not important.  What is important is that road trips are what you make of it.  As Widow says, "Road trips can be fun if you choose to make it that way."

The week in New Mexico was hot, but not oppressively so.  That week included the Museum of Natural History and Sciences, a minor-league baseball game, sampling the night life, the zoo, and of course, Iron Maiden.  This month ended just like it began: with a metal show, featuring Skelator, and even though I had to turn in early, since it was a week night and I needed to be up early, it was a good show overall, though I would like for people here in Kansas City to actually try and make it out to more shows.

Iron Maiden thoughts

Wednesday night of the week in New Mexico brought the Iron Maiden/Dream Theater show and as one would expect, there was quite a crowd.  To your left is the gateway to the venue where the show was held: the Albuquerque Pavilion.  It's practically located in the middle of nowhere and going down University Blvd., there are a couple of snake statues that look like actual giant snakes pulling a Tremors like invasion.  Waiting to get into the venue was obviously a pain in the ass, as the sun was beating down in a way that only the Southwest can offer.  On this day however, it was also quite windy, which if I was twenty pounds lighter, I would be gone with the wind.

As for the show itself, Dream Theater played a 45 minute set, which was rather surprising, given that the band has been around for twenty-five years.  Iron Maiden played a near two hour set, with most of the songs being from Brave New World forward.  The new single from the upcoming album The Final Frontier "El Dorado" was also played.  Old school fans weren't left out, as "Fear of the Dark" was played, and the encore was all older songs that many in the crowd were familiar with, though "Run to the Hills," "Aces High," and "Powerslave" were all left off, which was just as well, since Maiden's set list was due for a change.  When it comes to comparing seeing bands live to religious experiences, for me, Agalloch and Iron Maiden are right up there, and now, I have seen them both live.

And here's a visual that made the evening all worth it, Maiden on a side screen with a beautiful sunset in the background: