A Villan Wears the Crown

            Jeff Carter is an agitator. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke kicks himself each time the Ontario-born center tallies. The Philadelphia front office seethes when it catches wind that the man who ruined their “dry island” experiment is two games away from drinking from Lord Stanley’s Cup. Then there’s Blue Jackets who recall how Carter immaturely pouted his way out of Columbus.

            In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Jeff Carter continued his agitation by scoring the overtime winner to give the Los Angeles Kings a 2-0 series advantage. The goal led many to the assumption that if the Hockey Gods are real, then Carter must have convinced them to take a few days off, something he’s pretty familiar with doing.

Photograph By: Jeff Gross, Getty Images

Toronto

            The Maple Leafs have been under fire in the past several years for their struggles to make the postseason. Burke, in his fourth year with the Toronto, has been given the task of trying to turn this team around.   

            During the 2012 trade deadline, Burke opted to steer clear of acquiring Carter because of his heavily front-loaded contract and the Leafs desire to hold onto their younger prospects. Next season, Carter will have 10 more years remaining on his contract along with a full no-trade clause that extends to 2014-2015.

            Burke’s option to stay away from Carter was supported, though it’s a hard sell to a fan base that hasn’t hosted a Stanley Cup parade since 1967. For the record, Jeff Carter has 10 points in 16 playoff games, the Maple Leafs have zero.

Philadelphia

            Part of the Flyers’ offseason overhaul included parting ways with two players that grabbed as much attention on the ice as they did away from it. Carter and Mike Richards, whom he has since been reunited with in Los Angeles, presumably spent time engaging in the sorts of extra curricular activities that could land somebody in the sin bin for a bit longer than two minutes.

            When the rest of the team signed a petition to abstain from alcohol, Carter did not write his name alongside his teammates’. Stories about Philadelphia’s failed experiment with the “dry island” leaked to the Internet and added to speculation that Carter was not much of a team player.

            GM Paul Holmgren’s decision to move Carter looked solid until the New Jersey Devils abruptly halted the Flyers’ run to the Cup. In retrospect, Holmgren undoubtedly got the better end of the deal, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch Carter’s beard grow longer and the cheesy grin on his face widen as he draws closer to the Cup.

Columbus

            When a team makes the playoffs once in eleven seasons and still considers the acquisition of one player to be one of its most egregious mistakes, that is saying something.  When a team offers complimentary jersey nameplate changes after trading that same player, that is saying something on an entirely new level.

            Jeff Carter was not well received in Columbus. Following the offseason trade, GM Scott Howson and Rick Nash had to fly to Philadelphia to pull Carter away from his week of sulking. Perhaps it would had been better to leave Carter there, he would have been just as effective.      

            During his time in Columbus the former All-Star managed 15 goals in 39 games and never developed chemistry with Nash. To top it off, he spent the majority of his post-game interviews incessantly sniffing, leaving everyone to question if he was using drugs or he had actually gotten sick of his own inadequacy.

            As a Blue Jackets fan, the most demoralizing part is to see Carter score huge goals for a potential Stanley Cup winning team when his efforts in Columbus wouldn’t have landed him a spot on the Future Jackets who play cross-ice games during intermission.     

             

Because It's the Cup

            It has been 120 years since Lord Stanley of Preston presented hockey with its most storied trophy. Astonishingly, the Stanley Cup has kept its shine despite visiting places such as Niagara Falls, a Kandahar war zone, and the bottom of Mario Lemieux’s pool; its shape, however, has been altered.

            The Cup was the size of a cereal bowl when it was originally donated. It was used as a “challenge cup,” which meant that it changed ownership only when the team in possession lost the next year’s league title or a champion from another league won a formal challenge.

Wikipedia

            Engraving the Cup was the responsibility of the winners. Teams would literally etch their name into history. But as the criteria for winning the Cup changed, space became limited and changes needed to be made.

            In, 1893 and 1909, two base rings were added and teams continued to engrave the Cup.  Some winners put only their name and year of victory on the trophy, while others added more detail such as the date and score of the Cup clinching game.

Wikipedia

            In 1927, when the National Hockey League became the owner of the Cup, it made engraving the trophy an annual tradition.  A new band was added to the bottom of the Cup each year. People began to refer to the trophy as the “Stovepipe Cup,” because of its elongated shape.

Wikipedia 

            Following World War II, a trustee to the league recognized the ugly and cumbersome shape of the trophy and recommended that the Cup be re-designed. It was suggested that a new base be made with a receptacle for a “golden book,” which would hold the name of the previous Cup winners. Luckily, the NHL did not like this idea.

            Eventually a thicker, more barrel shaped Cup was created. The names of the previous winners were still engraved on the trophy though there was more room for future victors. Teams began engraving the names of its players on the Cup along with the names its of coaches and managers.

New England Magazine      

            There are five bands on today’s cup and further expansion has been halted. When there is no more room to engrave names, the top band of the Cup is retired. Two bands have been retired and they currently reside in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The next band will likely be removed following the 2016-2017 season.

Re-Positioning in Rick Nash Derby

            As the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils prepare for game two of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, the rest of the NHL is trying its hardest to act as though it has no idea what is going on in the league.

            Some teams have taken to the NHL 13 EA Sports Cover Vote to help ease their sorrows. Others, such as the Columbus Blue Jackets, have responded to tweets with snarky answers to keep its fans entertained.          

            But, as always, it was the efforts of the players themselves, namely Tim Thomas and Marian Gaborik, who provided despondent fans with the best distraction from the Final.

            On Friday afternoon Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli confirmed rumors of Thomas’ plans to sit out the 2012-2013 season. This news broke around the time the National Hockey League reported that New York Rangers forward Marian Gaborik would undergo surgery for an injury he sustained in the beginning of the playoffs.

            Back in Columbus at the Rick Nash Derby, the positions at the starting gates shifted. Boston moved to the outside lane and New York stole the inside track.        

Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images

Bruins

            Boston is considered a viable destination for Nash because of its depth in goal and the Blue Jackets’ desire to replace Steve Mason.

            Thomas earned the majority of the starts last year, but it is a well-known fact that Tuuka Rask is close to taking his place.  If the Bruins were to trade one of their masked men, it is unlikely that they would release the 25-year old Rask and keep the 38-year old Thomas. The difference in skill is minimal.

History predicts that Columbus would have taken Thomas in part of a deal had Chiarelli not confirmed the rumors. The Blue Jackets have never shown a reluctance to acquire players in the twilight of their careers (i.e. Sergei Fedorov, Adam Foote).

However, with Thomas’ announcing of the uncertainty of his return he is also diminishing the chances the Bruins will be selling Nash’s jersey at TD Garden. Without putting a goalie in the package, Boston is unlikely to strike a deal with Columbus.

Rangers

         

          The Blueshirts are after Nash. During the trade deadline, they were one of the most active teams in trying to land him and add him to their already lethal band of forwards.

          Gaborik’s injury will only add to the Ranger’s persistence. Last season, the forward notched 41 goals and 76 points playing under the often-critical eye of coach John Tortorella.  His torn labrum surgery will keep him off the ice for up to six months.

          In trade talks, New York and Columbus have reportedly thrown around names such as Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan McDonagh, and Michael Del Zotto. Chris Kreider is apparently off the table, though with Gaborik’s setback, the Rangers may be forced to reconsider.

          Nash and Gaborik are each right-wingers and New York is in dire need of a power forward who can put the biscuit in the basket. It’s a recipe for a trade.

          

Final Bow: Lidstrom Retries

            Hours before Nicklas Lidstrom took a seat in front of the Detroit media to announce his plans for retirement, the Detroit Red Wings tweeted this:

            The purpose of the link was to show the length of Lidstrom’s tenure with the organization and the league; however, the song the link lead to was much more significant. Neither commissioner  Gary Bettman nor Detroit general manager Ken Holland can accurately describe Lidstrom’s career, but Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch can. In a lyric, “It’s such a GOOD VIBRATION.”

The 12-time NHL All Star defenseman finished with four Stanley Cups, seven Norris Trophies, and one Conn Smythe Trophy. Internationally, the 42-year-old won gold medals in the Olympics and World Championship. Lidstrom broke several records for the league and several more for the Red Wings but more importantly, he garnered respect from teammates and opponents for the way he carried himself on and off the ice.

            In 20 seasons, Lidstrom was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy six times. The Swedish defenseman accumulated a mere 514 penalty minutes in more than 1,500 regular season games.  The captain’s “C” that he wore on his sweater for his final six seasons could have also stood for “class,” something he never left home without.

            His teammates referred to him as the “perfect human.” Off the ice, the 42-year old made one of the most difficult transitions appear as seamless as one of his breakout passes from the defensive zone.  In 1991, when Lidstrom arrived in Hockeytown, he was forced to acclimate himself with a new culture, new language, and new team. He did it, as he did everything, to perfection.

            Now, the most decorated defenseman of his era must adjust to a new lifestyle yet again. Detroit, on the other hand, is forced with the equally challenging and nearly impossible task of finding a player to fill Lidstrom’s void.    

            Regardless of who takes Lidstrom’s locker stall and fills his position in the lineup, the Red Wings will never completely replace him. And for as long as Joe Louis Arena stands, good vibrations will resonate to the rafters where his revered #5 will undoubtedly hang beside the numbers of the greatest players to ever play the game.  

Mustaches and Holtby

            For one month in the year, I felt powerful. I felt as though men and women alike were caught in my web of seduction. Then December 1^st came and I shaved off my half-inch of mustache hair. After taking a few selfies, I took a glance in the mirror and was faced with a harsh reality. I was powerless without the ‘stache. And although I could still hang out in front of the weight room and sell tickets to the gun show, nobody would be willing to buy them as long as my upper lip shadow wasn’t there to serve as a reminder that I am, deep down, essentially a clone of this man.

Fantastic photo of Ron Burgundy taken from woldfitness.com

This analogy encapsulates my feeling about certain players in the NHL playoffs. Much like Max Talbot did a few years ago with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the occasional “average” player will put on an exhibition in the playoffs and send a hoard of fans rushing to the team store to buy their jersey. Unfortunately, these are the same fans you see years later hanging out in the arena concourse leaning against the wall trying to hide the fact that they dropped $200 on the jersey of a player who has been scratched (but not necessarily sniffed) more than a lottery ticket. 

With that, I would like to introduce to my candidate for the player who I believe will burn out after the 2012 NHL playoffs and spend next season riding the pine.

If only for one more game, my vote goes to Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. In my opinion, the 22-year old goalie is a playoff form of Steve Mason. He’s sweet for the moment, but by next season, he will join the ranks of the burnouts. Here are some statistics that reflect his performance in the regular season compared to the playoffs:

Regular Season:

Games Played – 7

Save Percentage - .922

Goals Against Average – 2.49

Playoffs:

Games Played – 13

Save Percentage - .935

Goals Against Average – 1.95

            Needless to say (but I’m going to anyways because I believe if I continue to use hip language I’m basically a lock for first-pick in my next game of playground basketball), this guy is “turnt” up right now.

            Maybe it’s the beard that is propelling this guy forward or perhaps he is still riding the adrenaline rush that comes with playing in the NHL. Either way, I find it hard to believe his parents will be buying season tickets at the Verizon Center next season. In fact, I think their reaction to learning their son is headed back to the minors might look a lot like this. 

            The chances are that as Holtby plays more, opposing teams will learn and exploit his weaknesses just like they did with Mason.  Holtby makes ill-advised decisions when coming out to play the puck. Playing against a team that likes to dump the puck, such as the New York Rangers, it’s a dangerous style.  Another huge weakness is his rebound control. Holtby gives up so many “juicy rebounds” that Pierre McGuire salivates each time the puck comes into the zone. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is crazy good right now, but I don’t think he will be as sweet as the hockey nation seems to believe.

           With this I bring you back to my mustache. Similar to the popularity I encountered in November with the 'stache, Holtby is experiencing an equally awe-striken month. However, the heavy hammer of reality cannot linger at the bottom of the toolbox. Eventually, Holtby will fade away into a crowd of average players. So when the Capitals' run for the Stanley Cup draws to a close and Holtby shaves his beard, what will be left is the face of a young goalie who just took the ride of his life. If he wishes to ride again, Holtby must clear some pretty tall expectations. 

           

Emphatic Ending

Blue Jackets 7, Islanders 3

Individual wins and losses are often obscured by the bigger picture of an 82-game season. Saturday night was the exception.

            The entertainment factor was high even if the game’s implications were not. From Rick Nash’s pregame introduction to Sean Hunwick’s two-minutes of stardom, the Blue Jackets recovered the attention they jettisoned earlier in the year.

            Still, through the first portion of the game it appeared Nationwide Arena would host another unpleasant spectacle. 

            Missed passes and poor skating marred the opening period. Steve Mason was to handle the majority of the breakdowns with a few acrobatic saves. Columbus rarely advanced into its own offensive zone, and when it did, the ensuing shots posed little threat.

            Then, a stroke of good fortune overcame the Blue Jackets. Amid a pile of sticks and bodies, Rick Nash sneaked the puck over the goal line in the final minute of the period to give the team a much-needed but undeserved spark.   

            Cam Atkinson made it 2-0 in the second period when his wrist shot from the left faceoff circle beat Al Montoya.

            The Islanders recorded their first goal of the night three minutes later. New York then struck again following a tally from R.J. Umberger to make it 3-2 late in the period.        

            It was at this point that the momentum shifted completely. The Islanders took a pair of overlapping penalties and Columbus scored twice on the power play.

            The Blue Jackets continued to dominate in the third period with two more goals to New York’s lone tally. Hunwick then replaced Mason in the final two minutes in a decision coach Todd Richards accredited to his players.

            As Hunwick stood idle on one end of the ice, Columbus worked diligently on the other end to feed Atkinson who was one goal away from his second-consecutive hat trick game. The minor league call-up finished with two goals and one assist.

          

Jackets Eliminate Avalanche

Blue Jackets 5, Avalanche 2

Fueled by a pair of scraps and a hat trick, the Blue Jackets sent the Avalanche reaching for the golf clubs prematurely on Thursday night in the Pepsi Center.

Cam Atkinson put Columbus on the board at 6:35 of the opening frame. The rookie forward caught a long lead pass from Darryl Boyce as he entered the offensive zone, then deked Semyon Varlamov to notch the night’s first goal.           

David Jones evened the score for the Avalanche near the midway point of the period, but Rick Nash’s rebound tally at 17:29 gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes.

In the second period Colorado tied it again. Early into a four-minute power play, Paul Stastny beat Steve Mason for his 21^st goal of the season.

The Blue Jackets took their third lead of the game less than five minutes later when Rick Nash buried a close in shot during the waning moments of a five-on-three man advantage.

At 11:51 of the period, Columbus expanded its lead to 4-2. Cam Atkinson swept in from below the goal then chopped a shot that sneaked past Varlamov on the far side of the net.

The Avalanche picked up its play in the third period as the team found itself two goals away from postseason elimination. However, Mason continued his success in the crease despite a few bizarre plays.

First, Mason took a rising shot to the mask. Then, a Colorado forward railroaded him into the cage. The latter of the plays resulted in a pair of disputable calls. Jack Johnson was issued a two-minute minor for interference and Vinny Prospal, an assistant captain, was given a 10-minute misconduct.

Prospal appeared to be asking for clarification on the play when he was sent to the sin bin. Regardless, he was benched for the half of the period.

Tempers continued to flare late in the final minutes of the game when it was clear Colorado would lose its playoff bid. Gabriel Landeskog and Jamie McGinn each took penalties at 13:58 of the period.

Later, with the net empty, the Blue Jackets capped their successful night with an crafty play. Cam Atkinson chased the puck to the goal line, battled to jar it free from the defenseman, then tucked a no-look shot between his legs to record his first NHL hat trick.

Columbus closes its season at home against the New York Islanders on Saturday night.