Hitting the Reset Button

Two former first round picks are getting fresh starts after a recent trade...well, besides Ryan Johansen and Seth Jones. The Vancouver Canucks sent Nicklas Jensen and a 2017 6th round pick to the New York Rangers and get Emerson Etem in return. Essentially, this means two first round picks that haven't been able to establish themselves on the NHL level (as Johansen had two great years prior to this season while Jones did well despite playing behind Shea Weber and Roman Josi), as Etem is now on his third team since last June, as he had been traded to the Rangers for Carl Hagelin, and Jensen was unable to get out of Utica of the AHL. Jensen will be heading to Hartford while Etem will try to put his speed and size to good use in Vancouver all while trying to rediscover his scoring touch from his Medicine Hat days.

Trading Places

There's been a fair number of trades today, with Los Angeles trading with Philadelphia and Nashville trading with Columbus. First, Los Angeles gets Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn while Philadelphia gets much needed cap space as well as Jordan Weal and a third round pick.

As for Columbus and Nashville, you may have noticed that I put the Portland Winterhawks logo as the primary picture. Well, it so happens that two Winterhawks alumni will be trading places, as Ryan Johansen (2009-11) goes to Nashville with Seth Jones (2012-13) going to Columbus. The trade is a culmination of the rather tumultuous relationship between Johansen and Blue Jackets' upper management that came to a head when Johansen clashed with coach John Tortorella once Tortorella was named as coach midway through this season. Johansen gets a fresh start with Nashville while Seth Jones will get his best chance to be the number one defenseman in Columbus now that he won't be stuck behind Shea Weber and Roman Josi.

Golden Opportunity Gone to Waste

Today, the NHL All-Star rosters, as well as the jerseys, were revealed. While there are bound to be questions about the choices of the rosters, that happens every year, and some are warranted. As for what the players will be wearing, well, you're seeing it in the picture above.  According to the press release:

Each All-Star jersey features the official NHL Shield infused with the Predators' gold in the crest. For the on-ice version of the All-Star jersey, the crest has been constructed with reflective material which glimmers in certain light as a salute to Nashville's vibrant night-life scene. The black and white color scheme in each jersey shares the colors of the keys on a piano to celebrate the city of Nashville's "Music City" nickname.

The All-Star jerseys will feature numbers and letters designed as modern interpretations of traditional country music poster lettering, which has been a defining aesthetic of Nashville. The numbers for the on-ice versions of the All-Star jerseys also will have the same reflective material as the crest. The tri-star mark, which appears in the neck gusset as well as on the pant, is a tribute to the Tennessee state flag and the Predators and a symbol of the elite athletes participating in the 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star festivities. Each All-Star jersey will feature two full-color shoulder patches – the player's home team logo and the NHL All-Star logo.

 Now, for my analysis. The most obvious thing to notice is the fact that the game will feature black and white jerseys, and I feel the analogy to piano keys is far-fetched. Here, the league had an opportunity to go with gold and navy blue jerseys to give it the distinction that it is Nashville's year for the All-Star game. Instead, it is a missed opportunity. The crest on the front, while it could be better, is as good as it's going to get, given that two different teams will be wearing the respective home and away jerseys for the game.  Name and numbering has not been officially been revealed for public view as of this time, so judgement will be held off until then.  However, the neck gusset is where it actually hits on the mark, as it is same tri-star mark found on Predators gear, as well as the Tennessee state flag.  Overall, the All-Star jerseys for Nashville will be remembered as opportunities missed to create an identity for the game and year.

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On the Move?

It was a mere two and a half years ago that Jonathan Drouin was as close to the top of the world as one could get, having been drafted third overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft, which followed a memorable season in which he helped the Halifax Mooseheads win the Presidents' Trophy in the QMJHL and the Memorial Cup soon after.  As of today, the relationship between Drouin and the Lightning is rather strained, as word of Drouin requesting a trade out of Tampa has come out, something that had been simmering since November.

Given that the Drouin situation has parallels to the Tyler Seguin/Boston Bruins dust-up of 2013, in which the Bruins ultimately traded Seguin to Dallas that Summer, it is entirely possible that a team could pony up an offer the Lightning couldn't refuse, but who would be the most likely to do so?  This is where I put on my General Manager's hat and narrow it down to five teams that could make the move for Drouin.

• ANAHEIM DUCKS: They've struggled out of the gate offensively, though they have picked it up lately.  They still have a deep prospect pool, and given that they need to start thinking younger, as Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler are all about to exit the prime of their careers, getting Drouin would help on the wings alongside either Getzlaf or Kesler.
• CALGARY FLAMES: Another team with a very good prospect pool, they've also been mentioned as long shots to get Drouin's teammate Steven Stamkos. However, the Flames are more likely to address the goalie situation, as despite the depth, they do not have a number one player ready at that position.
• NEW YORK RANGERS: Lacking prospects, the Rangers could still trade for Drouin, as they could move a couple players from their NHL roster to get Drouin. Plus, they've had this habit of trading away their first round picks lately, so if they throw in their first round pick for 2016, anything can happen.
• VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Homer pick, I know, but the Canucks need to get younger. If Tampa Bay comes knocking for a player like Alex Burrows or Radim Vrbata plus a draft pick for Drouin, the Canucks would be wise to listen. Like Calgary, however, this would be a long shot, as they don't have the prospects...unless they decide to trade Jake Virtanen.
• WINNIPEG JETS: I have to think of them as the favorites, as they have the prospect pool, and they've been able to make trades involving malcontents without giving up too much. Andrew Ladd could be a throw-in if the Jets decide to eventually hand Blake Wheeler the C.

All of the possibilities are wild speculation, since it hasn't been made clear where Drouin would like to land if traded.  It is a possibility that a team no one thinks of could sneak in to get Drouin (e.g. Detroit), but whoever gets Drouin would be getting a player that is still young enough to live up to potential, but one that needs refinement.

Mavericks Report: Still Rolling...

2015 ended for the Missouri Mavericks the way they hoped, as they laid a 7-1 thumping on Wichita at home last Thursday.  Similarly, 2016 began as they wanted, as they put down Allen 4-1 on Friday before hitting the road on Saturday at Evansville.  They trailed entering the third period, but were able to force overtime, where they closed the deal 4-3.

The Mavericks continue their road trip, as they travel to Tulsa for a Tuesday night game before heading to Rapid City, SD for two games on Friday and Sautrday.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others...

This screen grab is not made up: it has actually happened.  That's right, John Scott, he of one assist in 25 games this season for Arizona, was voted into the All-Star Game as captain of the Pacific Division as part of the NHL's revamping of its format.  He will join Patrick Kane (Central), Jaromir Jagr (Atlantic), and Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan) in Nashville at the end of the month.

Now, if you thought All-Star Weekend in any sport was a joke before, with the farce of fan voting, it's hit the fan here in the NHL.  As you may remember, Scott is on his sixth team in his NHL career, amassing five goals, five assists, and 517 PIM since he joined in the 2008-09 season.  The former Michigan Tech grad has also been suspended three times and his career high in games played was 56 in 2013-14 with Buffalo.  He does nothing of note on the ice other than be a physical presence, as he's 6'8" and 270 lbs., but given that it IS the All-Star weekend, where things should be light-hearted, he's a true breath of fresh air, and that should count for something, at least, as evidenced here when he was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.

I Watched This Game: Winter Classic Edition

Taking a page from Hockey Blog in Canada and cleaning up my own personal facebook posts about a game I watch, I decided to try and post about any hockey games that I watch from start to finish (or as close as I can get within five minutes left in the game). Today, the 2016 Winter Classic happened, and from pre-game to the end, here were my observations, complete with smarmy comments.

PRE-GAME

• In recent outdoor games, the NHL has been fond of getting musical entertainment to try and increase visibility to a wider audience.  The pre-game act American Authors (find out about this band on your own) was a terrible way to start.  Unfortunately, it only goes downhill from there.
• Boston Pops Symphony plays while both Montreal and Boston take the walk to the rink, complete with people dressed as Minutemen firing muskets.  This was easily the best moment of the pre-game.
• The Canadian National Anthem was "performed" by A Simple Plan. Worst. Rendition. Ever.
• The Star Spangled Banner was performed by Jordan Smith (Who?), and the entire time, I thought Pat (Saturday Night Live character) somehow became a decent singer.

FIRST PERIOD

• It doesn't take the Canadiens long to make their mark, as David Desharnais scores on a loose puck that Tuukka Rask was unable to find just under two minutes into the game.
• Max Talbot gets sent to the penalty box, but the Canadiens, despite great chances, do not score.
• A tussle between Torey Krug and Desharnais sees both go for coincidental minors.
• Late in the period, Adam McQuaid takes a puck to the midsection, then proceeds to flip the puck out of play. That's good for two minutes in the box.

FIRST INTERMISSION

• Some guy named Nate Ruess (and Friends, I guess?) play, and it was a mess.

SECOND PERIOD

• Montreal fails to score on the power play that carried over from the first period, but they still dominate a Bruins team that largely sleepwalked through the first half of the game.
• Paul Byron charges to the net and tips home a pass to double the Habs' lead.
• Boston thinks they've scored, but a premature whistle wipes out the goal.
• Nathan Beaulieu goes to the box for holding, but Boston can't capitalize on the man-advantage.
• Brendan Gallagher, in his first game back since November, puts Montreal up 3-0.  Montreal missed his presence, and having him back provided the team a spark largely absent in December.
• Boston goes back on the power play that would carry over to the third period, as Tomas Plekanec bats the puck with a high stick, which is a no-no.
• Ryan Spooner had a golden opportunity to put the Bruins within two in the dying seconds, but Mike Condon makes a great glove save.  Had Spooner shot a split second earlier, that puck goes past Condon.

SECOND INTERMISSION

• I'm surprised A Simple Plan is back out there, seeing as they embarrassed themselves with a brutal rendition of O Canada. Their intermission set was nothing to write home about, which is just as well for them.
• Dale Weise was ruled out for the rest of the game due to an injury suffered at the end of the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

• A strong start by Boston is rewarded when Matt Beleskey scores to give the Bruins a little life.
• Two missed opportunities by Boston to cut into the Habs' lead, as one of the shots misses going in by mere inches.
• Max Pacioretty puts a perfect pass into the net, restoring the Canadiens' lead to three.
• Scary moment, as Tuukka Rask takes a shot just below the mask and is seen holding around the throat area. Fortunately, it isn't serious and he stays in the game.
• The Bruins' frustrations begin to boil over, as Jimmy Hayes takes some of it out on Lars Eller. Both are finished for the day, as it's just under two minutes left in the game.
• Byron puts the exclamation point on the game with another goal, allowing Montreal to leave with a 5-1 win and two much needed points to get back into first in the Atlantic Division.
• Boston, however, attempted to keep the bad blood going after the last whistle, with Zac Rinaldo throwing the first punch. How he still has a roster spot is anyone's guess.

The Boston Bruins didn't show the fire needed to succeed for much of the game, and it showed on the stat sheet. Montreal dominated the chances and having Gallagher back helped immensely, as he is their heart and soul player. The NHL could stand to improve their choices when it comes to music entertainment, but everything else was as good as one could have wanted.