Not sure if it is the global warming, or whether it is simply the attendant pressures of parity and job insecurity, but the heat seems to be turned up very high, very early in several NHL cities this season.
Forget Toronto, where it is always unseasonably warm and usually for good reason, but since the firing in Atlanta there has been no shortage of speculation as to where the next axe might fall. New York. Toronto. Nashville. Anyway, a few thoughts on what is happening around the league:
Some of the heat on the Rangers was relieved Thursday when they shut out the Devils, 2-0. But this is still clearly a team that is not firing on all cylinders. Even with the win, the Rangers have scored a grand total of three even-strength goals in their past eight games. They also have been shut out in 19 of 27 periods, which is curious when you consider their lineup includes Jaromir Jagr, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez.
Not surprisingly, coach Tom Renney has been fingered by some as the problem, which is curious and wrong. The Rangers require some time to find their way and allow the new talent to fit in. Inevitably, they will require, despite the current scoring problems, help on the back end if they are going to be a championship team. Remember, too, it was the grit they developed midway through the season when they added Sean Avery and got healthy that made them a difficult team to play against.
Never mind that the Maple Leafs might wind up with John Tavares in a couple of years the old-fashioned way, there is no chance they will sign him to a long-term contract to play with the American Hockey League Marlies, avoid the NHL draft and become a free agent and sign in Toronto. It just isn't going to happen. To perhaps play one season in Toronto while he awaits the draft is a possibility if the AHL were willing to amend its rules and grant a special exemption. But the bottom line is it's even doubtful that would happen and Tavares, though a great player, is not going to put fannies in seats around the AHL. He might not even do it in Toronto.
The benefit of Tavares playing in the AHL for a season before being drafted into the NHL is that potentially it could help his development as a player, it wouldn't hurt the Marlies to have him on the roster and it might help sell a few tickets locally. Might.
CANUCKS' STYLE DRAINING
Folks have been wondering what is wrong with the Vancouver Canucks, who before last night's business in Washington had given up 32 goals in 10 games, had one win at home and generally were not very good. Bottom line is the Canucks struggled until Christmas last season, then found a system that worked, had all-world goaltending from Roberto Luongo, and most nights outworked the opposition. Those close to the team suggest it was and continues to be such a grind to have to win 2-1 every night, that they have had trouble finding the same energy level to get it done. And it is hard for players to work that hard, night in, night out, to win. Markus Naslund has suggested of late their style of play of dumping the puck doesn't allow for, or inspire, much offensive play and he is right. But there are no guarantees changing the way they play will make them successful.
DUCKS HIGH ON HILLER
The Anaheim Ducks sent goaltender Jonas Hiller to the minors this week, but that won't be a permanent demotion. The Ducks are trying hard to move Ilya Bryzgalov. Sources say the logical return would be a second-round pick, or a conditional pick if the pending unrestricted free agent signs with his new team. The Ducks are high on Hiller, a 25-year-old from Switzerland, who they promised would be no worse than a backup in the NHL. Now, they just want him playing until a deal is arranged.
FORSBERG: BUSINESSMAN
Wherever Peter Forsberg winds up if he returns to the NHL this season, money won't be the motivating factor. Or it shouldn't be. While he is working out and trying to sort out his foot and skate issues, Forsberg also is involved in a few lucrative business ventures in Sweden. According to reports, Forsberg owns the Swedish distribution rights to the Croc footwear. He also is on the verge of launching an airline.
SCHEDULE SETUPS
Early indications are, when the NHL governors convene at the end of next month to decide on a new schedule format, they will resist the temptation to do anything bold and will revert to the format that was in place prior to the lockout, meaning teams will play each team in the opposite conference at least once, but likely not more often. That means, rather than seeing teams in the other conference once every three years, you now will see them once every two years, which hardly seems like a solution to what ails. There is a core group of teams pushing for a home-and-home every year, but they are unlikely to rule the day.
There was also a push, supported by the likes of Detroit and Toronto, to have an 84-game schedule and a reduced pre-season schedule, but that is considered more of a potential long-term scenario. The idea was, add two regular-season games and eliminate two pre-season. In most cases, season-ticket holders are required to buy exhibition games and this would give them more value for their dollar. It would also easily allow for playing the other conference two times. Alas, it is not going to fly.
KICKED ONTO INJURED LIST
Virtually every team in the NHL has a handful of players who partake in a playful game of soccer, or a form of it, to loosen up before games. The players essentially form a circle and kick the ball around, with variations on the games they play. Whatever the benefit, of late teams have discovered the downside. Last Saturday, for example, Carolina forward Erik Cole suffered a foot/ankle injury before his game against the Flyers. Last season, Flyers forward Scott Hartnell missed several games because of an injured foot, while Buffalo forward Maxim Afinogenov also was a casualty. Teams might want to rethink how their players warm up.
