The Russians are here

I’m almost too fidgety to even write this blog. The game tonight is scrambling my brain. The Sid/Ovie storyline is interesting but miniscule in the grand scheme of this tournament. Tonight is Russia vs Canada, on our home turf. Seriously, what else could we ask for? Canadian victory obviously. Pretty much everyone who has a brain will be watching this epic tonight, and I really do not expect it to disappoint. In fact, I think if the Russians let Canada grab momentum early, this game should go exactly as planned for the Canadian squad. Simply put, I’m picking Canada because I’m Canadian probably.. but I actually have more reasons than that alone.


1) Mike Babcock should be able to out-coach Bykov, despite Russia having home-ice

2) Russia in their defensive zone is completely laughable

3) Russia aren’t as good as everyone thinks they are

4) If Nabokov starts, Canada could rattle him early

5) It’s still early in the tourney and Canada has had more games, they SHOULD be ready to go

6) Canada has completely dominated and out-shot every opponent so far. The States and Switzerland were trouble, but only on magnificent goalie performances. I don’t know if Nabokov has the ability to do that tonight. Plus, maybe it’s now time that Canada gets a steal from Luongo.

I can’t wait for this. Everyone have a great night and enjoy the game. The other games will be fantastic too. Go Canada Go!



MSU

Take it easy already

Well now that the weeping and ugly hangover from the Canada/USA game has finally subsided, I guess it’s on to something new; the next game(s). You know, I actually heard bone-headed, shameful, so-called Canadians saying “Oh that’s it, Canada is done” or “Now how are they going to come back from this”. What are you insane? IT’S ONE GAME! Not to mention, that ONE GAME that resulted in ONE LOSS resulted in Canada being put in the god awful, hopeless, no-way-out position of… get ready for it… ONE EXTRA GAME! But one extra game you say? No way, there’s no way that Canada could ever survive this tournament with an extra game to play. How could they ever handle it? Their gas tanks will be on empty! How could they ever take on the Russians with a game against Germany on the previous night? It can’t be done. They’re finished. The one loss has completely killed them and with an extra game to play in order to qualify for the quarters, there’s surely no way in hell this team can win. It’s impossible. Sixty extra minutes, the Russians next, who knows what after that… my god, it’s over. The tournament is finished. Turn off your TV sets.


Alright, that’s my dumb attempt to be funny with sarcasm, back to reality now.

NHL players work out pretty much every day. They have nutritionists, trainers, personal doctors that are better than our doctors. When was the last time you were off work for 4 weeks after surgery on your broken finger? Uhhh… never. Now I won’t get in to any tasteless drabble about athletes being paid too much because it’s played out and redundant. But in all seriousness, for a player like Sid the Kid, Iginla, Nash, or any other of Canada’s all-star lineup, 20-25 minutes a game should be a cake walk, and that’s just the forwards. Everyone on this stacked roster play enormous minutes 3-4 times a week in the NHL and they travel all the time. The guys right now have been in Vancouver for a little while and aren’t going anywhere (hopefully) in the next six days. To think that Canada’s game against Germany is somehow going to cripple them to any degree is utterly foolish. If the squad cannot manage to pull through and win the next 4 games and they are stopped, then they lost to a better team (or goalie) on that particular night. But the loss to the USA isn’t going to be the straw that broke the camel’s back and that’s for sure. In a game completely dominated by Canada from start to finish, the States are the guys who should be worried. Sure, they scraped out a win, but how bad is Ryan Miller’s back hurting after carrying an entire team on it? Can he actually do that for three more games? Maybe, but definitely not likely.

I’m really not trying to be biased at all and I don’t think I am. I would be extremely worried about Canada if they had gone into that game and were completely outplayed for 60 minutes, but they weren’t and a couple gaffs cost them the win. But how could anyone watch that game and not see that Canada should win 8 or 9 out of 10 times against our neighbors. Canada wins that game 9/10 times. The States managed to snag that one other game on Sunday, but don’t expect it to be the same should they meet again. It was purely an upset win and luckily it only means an extra tune up game for Canada against an underdog German squad. Is that really so bad?

Obviously it is time for Canada to pull up their socks and put away some teams, but that will come. Playing confident in front of Luongo tonight and (possibly) for the remainder of this tourney should lead to good things. I truly believe that. For people who don’t believe and think that the loss on Sunday was the be-all end-all, you’re simply reading in to it way too much.



MSU

TSN becoming untouchable

So far in the Olympic games, every game has been covered by a combination of Bob Mackenzie, Nick Kypreos, Panger, Millard and the usual James Duthie. The commentary duos have been a combo of Gord Miller, Peter Maher, and Chris Cuthbert on play by play, and Pierre McGuire, Ray Ferraro and John Garrett providing color. Well, if there's two things to take from this Olympics, it's this... 1) John Garrett reminds me of Al Strachan but a little less negative, and 2) Nick Kypreos is getting exposed by TSN's quality broadcasters.

Now let's not freak out. I was just like the rest of most Canadians when the hockey shift started from CBC, over to TSN. The torch has passed, TSN carries way more games and has taken the reins in regard to the NHL. Though they still don't really hold a stick to CBC's commentary of Jim Hughson and Bob Cole, two household names in Canada, they're starting to close the gap. They're in-game analysis is as good or better than CBC right now. Mackenzie is the main reason for TSN's good game analysis and league news, but it's really starting to show now that the Olympics are in full swing. Take, for example, Nick Kypreos... from Sportsnet. Funny I know, I shouldn't be picking on Sportsnet, it's too easy... Ever watch one of those commercials on Sportsnet when Kyp and Maclean pop up and say stuff about breaking trades and how exciting it is? Man that's hilarious. I can't remember Sportsnet ever breaking a real trade.. call me ignorant, but come on.

I'm not trying to pick on Sportsnet, I'm just stating the obvious. I still watch HockeyCentral at Noon because they talk about the Leafs a lot, so they're fine in my books. But I have to say wow, Nick Kypreos getting ripped up at the Olympics. He was in the middle of some speal in the first game and in the middle he started to trip up in his words a little and ended up wrecking the whole point. "Oh god, I'm not talking on Hockey Central right now, there's actually millions of people watching this" had to be what was running through his mind. Panger kind of did the same thing but persevered and came back better afterward. Kypreos on the other hand is getting ripped on national television by TSN's obviously superior staff.

Last night Kyp made some point about how the Finns weren't big enough to compete with the Swedes because despite they're physicality, they were too small considering Sweden's larger players like Kronwall, Ohlund, Franzen, etc. Then Mackenzie reeled off a good point about something or other, didn't really rip Kypreos or counter and destroy his point, though he has many times so far in this Olympics. So the third starts and then McGuire completely destroys Kyp's point and completely counters with the exact opposite. Right after that, he commends Mackenzie on how awesome his little tidbit was during the intermission. Pure hilarity.

___________________________________________

Tomas Kaberle has looked great in these Olympics eh? Same with Kessel. I think any Leafs fans checking out the games should be liking what they see. Tough to see the American team and think that Komisarek could be on that team. The USA has shown a grit and intensity in each game that has been spectacular. Quickness and physicality have been their bread and butter so far. Add Kommo to that mix and bodies would surely be flying. We'll hopefully see him in suiting up for the States in Russia 2014.

Enjoy the games over the weekend. Tomorrow is a triple header of the best hockey possible. Make yourself comfortable for almost 12 hours of craziness.

MSU

Pending Free Agents Create Quite the Jigsaw

With ten, count 'em, TEN free agents pending for the Maple Leafs this summer, it's easy to assume that the club could look very different taking to the ice next season. One could compare the situation to the arch-rival Canadiens last year, who underwent one of the most drastic off-season overhauls in recent memory. However, the caliber of NHL'ers who walked away from Montreal were the core of the team at the time. The Habs let go ties with Kovalev, Koivu, and Komisarek without blinking and quickly signed a boat-load of free agents to replace them and go forward. Cammy, Gionta and Gomez were brought in to bring the skill up front, while the back end was patched up with free agents Gill, Spacek and Mara. For the Buds, the scene looks a little different.

Players who wrap up their contracts with the blue & white after this season are as follows:

Restricted Free Agents: Nik Kulemin, Jonas Gustavsson

Unrestricted Free Agents: Garnet Exelby, Mike Van Ryn, John Mitchell, Rickard Wallin, Wayne Primeau, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Lee Stempniak, Joey MacDonald


Let's start with the RFA's:

Pretty simple formula for both Gustavsson and Kulemin... re-sign both. The Monster has only a year in the league at a manageable salary. For him to ask for a raise would be a major surprise and at the current going rate of 2.5 million, he should be extended for at least a year or two. For Kulemin, a raise could be in order but not anything substantial. Kuli's cap hit right now is about 1.5 million per season. I would expect him to be extended at about 1.8-1.9 million. He is an excellent defensive forward and it seems like Wilson is a pretty big fan of his. This could be a player that in two years turns out to be a real gem, and it would be a very nice tribute to Wilson for him to become a solid NHL'er exclusively under his coaching. Keep them both for at least another 2 years, it's a no-brainer.

Now, on to the UFA's :

Exelby - Will be shopped at the deadline for ANY type of return. Likely will not see free agency. If he does? Let him go. It sounds harsh, but he was only brought in because the trade took Kubina's 5 mill off the books.

Van Ryn - Finally, his salary will be off the books this summer. The once promising, but oft-injured d-man came over in the trade when Toronto fans ran Brian McCabe out of town a couple seasons ago. Van Ryn is an excellent play with pure hockey sense, but known by most Leafs fans as the guy who got put through the glass by Lucic in Boston. It's a shame that injuries ruined his career. Can anyone believe that the LEAFS gave up an ADDITIONAL PICK to Florida in that swap? Hopefully he gets healthy and another team gives him a chance and he can revive his career. I don't think Van Ryn will ever play another game in a Leafs uni.

Mitchell - Not sure if he's being shopped for a deadline deal. If so, expect a late round pick (5th or 6th round). If Mitchell gets to free agency in the summer, he could be re-signed but I wouldn't bank on it. JM only makes half a million dollars, so expect him to want a raise that he doesn't deserve. Personally, I'd let him walk. Too inconsistent.

Primeau - At his current rate of 1.4 million he should be extended for a year or two. I doubt he'll be looking for much of a raise. Primeau is a solid two way forward who can forecheck, lay the body and pot the occasional tally. If the Buds let him go, they'll only try to sign another guy to fill his role. It's just as well to keep him because he plays his game very well.

Wallin - is a poor man's Wayne Primeau. Love him or hate him, Wallin plays the defensive game well. Only problem is, that's absolutely ALL THAT HE DOES. With Primeau you get a great defensive center with a major physical upside. With Wallin, you get a defensive center and that's all. There's no need to keep both. As Bozak and Hanson move down the depth chart at center (if the Leafs manage to grab a top line elite center, which should be a priority), Wallin should be pushed out and Primeau should keep his spot on the fourth line.

Ponikarovsky - Easily the most sought after Maple Leaf this season. Expect to see him in another jersey before the end of the season. Most likely headed to Pittsburgh, Montreal or Atlanta. I'd put Nashville and Chicago as long shots. The Penguins could definitely use his size and 25-30 goal output. He's a solid scoring winger and should bring in at least a second round pick, which is apparently the minimum asking price for #23. If he stays until the summer (very, very unlikely), expect him to want a raise. Poni will likely yield in the ball park of 4 million per season, around the same as his buddy Nik Antropov grabbed in free agency last summer. He'll be a good second line winger on any team going forward, Leafs included.

Stempniak - Probably won't have much of a return in the trade market going into March 3rd. If anything, maybe a 4th or 5th rounder coming back, but very doubtful. His cap hit of 2.5 mill is not really something any team is looking for. The only way Stempy stays in TO is with a pay cut, which is quite unlikely but not impossible. Expect him to walk in the summer.

MacDonald - Third in the goalie depth chart. Will continue to play for the Marlies and emergency call ups with the big club. Easily affordable. Likely staying around.

There's no question that the Leafs will look very different next year, especially with names like Kadri and Stefanovich in the prospect pool. The question is, what will Brian Burke add to the club to really get them over the top and in to Cup contention?

-MSU

Crazy couple of weeks coming up

Now that the Olympics are finally upon us, I guess it's time to do a little Olympic blog post. I actually thought of writing an assessment of the Leafs up to this point in the season, but with the blue & white sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, it doesn't seem all that interesting. The future is beginning to look very bright for the Maple Leafs but as for this season, the hole is dug much too deep. Instead I'll take a look at the Olympic tournament starting next week, which some Buds will be a part of.

No Leaf is part of the Canadian Olympic powerhouse. The only player to make a case for that type of honor is Dion Phaneuf, who in my own opinion, should be on the roster ahead of Drew Doughty. The LA Kings young star is an amazing talent for sure, but I really think Dion , along with Jay Bouwmeester should have been included on the roster over Seabrook, Keith, or double D. With possible games against Russia and other hockey powers like the States and Sweden looming in the next couple of weeks, it will be interesting to see if Canada's picks are exposed. I sure hope they're not.

The United States actually have a better team than most are giving credit for early on. With Leafs all-star sniper Phil Kessel and more elite talent from around the NHL, the USA could turn some heads in the next couple of weeks. Parise, Brown, Backes, Kane and many others can play at the highest level and succeed no doubt. Goaltending will be in the hands of Ryan Miller, who has cooled off recently but should still be able to carry the States through the tournament. Buds d-man Mike Komisarek was originally picked to represent our southern neighbors, but unfortunately season ending shoulder surgery ended his Olympic hopes.

Nik Kulemin has been added to the Russian squad, but will not likely see much ice. The obvious pick from the Buds was Tomas Kaberle, who will be an integral part of the Czechs bid for a medal. I would almost go as far as to say Kaberle is as good, if not better than most defensemen on the Canadian or Russian squad.

Right now I'm picking Canada to take down the gold, it's the thing to do. My prediction is Canada on top, with Russia in 2nd and the USA with the bronze. I really think that Canada could be better on the back end but at such a high level of talent, it's tough to take one guy over another. Up front, no team outside of Russia competes with Canada. The forward position is simply too deep for the Canadian club. When you have Toews, Marleau, Thornton, Heatley, Morrow and Richards populating your 3rd and 4th lines... well, that's depth.

First game for Canada is Tuesday at 4:30 Pacific. They'll be taking on Norway in the tourney opener. This is a weak team that will be routed by Canada, with only one current NHL player in Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. Former NHL'er and current KHL'er Patrick Thoreson will also suit up for Norway. Prediction? 9-0 Canada

Another blog coming before the Leafs vs. Blues on Friday.
Follow MSU on twitter at twitter.com/maplestirup

-MSU