Tag Archives: Chicago Blackhawks

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Oilers Post Game Report, NHL

BLH Post Gamer G15 Oilers vs. BlackHawks: Panarin’s Good

Artemi Panarin killed the Oilers toniight...
Photo Courtesy of Bill Smith

Well that’s how she goes! You can’t spot a team like the Chicago Blackhawks 2 goals in the first period and expect them to let you back in. I mean that 2nd period… WHOA! 20 minutes of sustained pressure versus the reigning Stanley Cup Champions? Who does that? The New Era Edmonton Oilers do! Unfortunately for them Corey Crawford saved the BlackHawks’ asses and the Oilers couldn’t carry the momentum into the 3rd period which ultimately lead to Patrick Kane driving the final nail into the coffin for a Chicago win. I don’t count that last second goal by Anisimov… The Oilers were set at 2000% offense there and had zero interest in stopping a goal that late.

As you can see in the chart above, the numbers support the eye test tonight. And even though the Oilers lost I think you can be rest assured it wasn’t a bad lost and that had Crawford not been playing lights out, the Oilers might’ve been able to win this one.

I’d say that the Oilers top line whether it’s Hall/Draisaitl/Eberle or Hall/Nugent-Hopkins/Draisaitl or Hall/Nugent-Hopkins/Eberle were a dominating force in the game as they’ve been in every game since Draisaitl was called up.

Hey, how about that Eberle guy anyhow? Got himself a goal and had a CF% of 70.97 on the night! Photo Courtesy of Bill Smith

As for the defence, it didn’t get exposed too much but all everyone’s CF% was sub 50 apart from Sekera and Fayne. Klefbom being the worst at 39.39. Then those couple of shifts in the 3rd when they were hemmed in their own zone for well over 2 minutes was both disconcerting AND amazing. The Oilers who were on the ice must’ve been past their breaking point but they held on and the Hawks, who had their best players on the ice, could put one past Talbot.

Speaking of Talbot… I’m not goalie nor a goalie coach but could he not have been a bit better positioned on those two goals by Artemi Panarin? Tough couple starts for Cam Talbot and the Oilers fans are already getting on his case, even going so far as to predict Ben Scrivens will make his return at some point… I don’t know about that. But we might see more of Anders Nilsson than we expected.

WALTER FODDIS’ POST GAME SHOOTING METRICS

There’s not much more to say about tonight’s game apart from they lost it in the 1st period. Looking ahead the Oilers have the Ducks and Coyotes on back-to-backs this Thursday and Friday. They’re 4-6-0 in they’re last ten games and they’re 1-2 in November so far.

As for the Ducks, they’re starting to heat up as they’ve won 4 games in a row and have picked up 11 pts out of a possible 20 in their last ten games. I expect this one to be a tight affair but another tough loss for Edmonton.

The Max Domi lead Coyotes are sitting at .500 (6-6-1) but are having a tough time lately coming off of losses from Vancouver, Boston, and the Rangers. They did beat the Avs in the last week though. I think the Oilers can pull it off versus Arizona. I mean they have to right? Another season can’t be lost in November again.

Our Oilers are back in the basement of the Pacific after Calgary and Anaheim picked up wins this weekend…. I for one can’t wait for McDavid’s return but am soooo bloody glad we’ve got Leon Draisaitl. This team would be F’ed without the German.

I read very disturbing story on Twitter this evening about Connor McDavid. The story goes as such, apparently Connor and his family were at a local establishment having dinner and some fans noticed him and requested a photo to which he politely declined. I guess this didn’t sit well with said fans and they were overheard by the teller of the story saying he was an asshole.

Now this kind of attitude grinds me gears a bit. Why do professional athletes have to do everything a fan asks them to? If they don’t they’re assholes. I mean come on, give your head a shake. They play the game for themselves because they love it and if you/we weren’t even there to see them; it wouldn’t matter. When I read or hear of this sort of low class BS it disturbs me greatly. What makes someone so entitled to think just because they ask, they should get?

I mean what’s the motivation for getting a pic anyhow, so you can show your friends or family who you met? Then what? What comes after that? You’ve got a pic you can stare at… Honestly… Or maybe it’s a money thing. Either way it comes down to ego.

You know what you do when you see an athlete or celebrity in public? You greet them with a nod or simple hello and if they greet you back and feel like having a chat you shake their hand, tell them they’re doing a wonderful job and leave it at that. Now if they’re eating, leave them the f*ck alone… They’re eating for Christ’s sake. How’d you like it if you were eating and someone asked you for a pic or autograph each time. If they offer to take a pic with you, then you accept. Don’t be going around expecting they’ll cater to your every desire. Be classy because they’ll remember it, you’ll remember it, and most importantly it’s the right thing to do.

Have a good one folks!

BLH

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

BLH’s 2015/16 NHL Predictions

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Well here we are again! Another NHL season is upon us and it can’t come fast enough for me. So I thought I would toss out some predictions for this upcoming season to pass the time until the first puck drops in the Leafs/Habs game (Go Leafs!).

I’m going to steal my format directly from Sports Illustrated and Sportsnet because I’m not original enough to come up with anything on my own at the last second here. Well that’s not true, I might have a category or two related to beer…

PLAYOFF TEAMS

WESTERN CONFERENCE

  1. Anaheim – Way too good and got better in the off season.
  2. St.Louis – One last dance for Hitchcock and Backes but Tarasenko is a legitimate superstar in the making.
  3. Chicago – Come on. It’s the Hawks. Toews/Kane/Keith/Seabrook/Crawford… Nuff said.
  4. Nashville – Not a lot of flash and dash but a very solid roster anchored by Weber and Rinne.
  5. Los Angeles – They’re back and with a vengeance! Lucic has been brought in to take care of biz!
  6. Calgary – They’re defence is too much to overlook, add Frolik and Sam Bennett. Sheesh!
  7. Dallas – Seguin/Benn, the return of Nichuskin, adding Sharp. But the goaltending… Can it hold up?
  8. San Jose – There’s still a very good veteran squad here. Questions on defence and in net though.
  9. Minnesota – Dubnyk returns to form… Scoring continues to suffer.
  10. Winnipeg – This is a heavy team. That defence led by Byfuglien and Trouba is scary but Pavelec…
  11. Edmonton – Juuuuust outside. McLellan and McDavid lead, everyone follows them up the standings.
  12. Vancouver – The Sedins are good but not THAT good. Virtanen will be the next Corey Perry.
  13. Colorado – Woof! What a dog’s breakfast this lineup has turned into. Watch out for Rantanen though.
  14. Arizona – Auston Matthews already has a street named after him in Glendale.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

  1. Tampa Bay – The young depth on this roster is mind boggling. Drouin emerges this season.
  2. New York – The Rangers are far too good on defence and in the net.
  3. Washington – This is the year Kuznetsov makes everyone forget about Nik Backstrom.
  4. Pittsburgh – When’s the last time the NHL had multiple 50 goal men on the same team?
  5. Brooklyn – Tavares and Co. continue their ascension whilst giving Matt Martin meaningful minutes.
  6. Columbus – Injuries killed them last year. Healthy bodies = playoffs and a nightmare for their opponents.
  7. Florida – The return of Jagr’s mullet and Ekblad’s mystical beard propels them into the playoffs.
  8. Montreal – Price/Subban can only do so much but scoring will be an issue as always.
  9. Philadelphia – That defence is staggeringly bad. Good thing they’ve got Giroux and Voracek.
  10. Boston – Speaking of bad defences… I feel for Rask. Chara is breaking down like an old pinto.
  11. Detroit – This ain’t Babcock’s boys anymore. Kiss the 25 year run of playoffs goodbye.
  12. Buffalo – Ginger Jack will have this team climbing the ranks but Lehner will be the ball and chain.
  13. Ottawa – Let’s be honest, last year was a fluke but Karlsson, Turris, Bobby Ryan and Mark Stone are nice…
  14. Carolina – I really want to say it’s about time these guys took a step but sadly they’re still horrible.
  15. Toronto – Well Babcock did say there was going to be painful times ahead… #FreeNylander
  16. New Jersey – Has a team ever scored less than 100 goals in a non-lockout season?

STANLEY CUP FINALS

It is so hard not to take Anaheim from the West. So much depth and experience at every position makes me want to choose them. My wildcard out the Western Conference is the Calgary Flame. Skill, grit, and a defence that rivals any in the league.

Out of the East I would like to go back to Florida. If Tampa can stay healthy in net then they should make it back to the Finals. My wildcard in the Eastern Conference will be Columbus. I like their style and team makeup. Very similar to Calgary.

I’ll take the Ducks to win it all. Boy I hope they don’t burn me in the 1st round like St.Louis did last year.

BREAKOUT PLAYER

In the West I think that defenceman Justin Schultz (EDM) will be the breakout man. Good timing too as he’s only on a one year deal. He’s gonna get some fat cash and he’d better give Todd McLellan his cut because he’ll be the man solely responsible for it.

Notable exclusions: Nail Yakupov (EDM), Markus Granlund (MIN), Alexander Burmistrov (WPG)

In the East I like Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS) to be the breakout man because he’s been marinating for a couple years now biding his time and now with regular Ovechkin center Nik Backstrom sidelined for the beginning of the season, Kuznetsov is primed to get some cherry minutes alongside his fellow countryman.

Notable exclusions: Jonathan Drouin (TB), Jonathan Huberdeau (FLA), Morgan Reilly (TOR), Jeff Skinner (CAR)

PUKE AND RALLY!

Who is going to resurrect their career this year? Names like David Clarkson (CLB) come to mind, Jacob Markstrom (VAN), Alex Semin (MTL), and Sam Gagner (PHI) as well. But there are two guys who I’m really looking to get back on track.

Both TJ Oshie and Dion Phaneuf should benefit from the changes that have taken place in their careers. With Oshie, it’s the move to Washington and a chance to play in a much more offensive Eastern Conference. For Phaneuf it’s the opportunity to play for a coach that knows exactly how to use him to his advantage. For the love of Pete, Babcock was trying to trade for him while he was in Detroit. So that should be enough of a sign right there that there’ll be an uptick in the stats department for Phaneuf… Not sure about the +/- though…

PUMP AND SLUMP

Who is going to hit the skids this year? I don’t want to say Taylor Hall because I shat on the guy a lot but I do wonder if his ego can handle having McDavid on the team. It’d be easy to pick on a sophmore like Johnny Gaudreau, Aaron Ekblad, or Filip Forsberg but I’d like to go with Jarome Iginla. I think his time has come and playing for an underachieving Avs team will start to take it’s toll on his body and his stats.

TOP 10 ROOKIES

  1. Connor McDavid – He’ll lose out to Eichel in the Calder race due to being in the Western Conference.
  2. Jack Eichel – He’s going to be the Ricky Bobby of the NHL. Pisses excellence every morning and loves the way his kids talk to you.
  3. Sam Bennett – Little Gilmour is about to take the NHL by storm and everyone is going to love him except the ones that play him.
  4. Artemi Panarin – It never hurts to play on a line with either Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane…
  5. Sergei Plotnikov – He’ll prolly have his stats padded a bit playing alongside Malking… Probably?…
  6. Nik Ehlers – The Danish Selanne. Lightning fast moves and a shot release that’ll have fans drooling.
  7. Max Domi – Flash and dash and a mouth to boot! He’s not gonna have fun losing all year but he’ll be a joy to watch.
  8. Noah Hanifin – Remember Aaron Ekblad? This guy might be better.
  9. Dylan Larkin – First teenager to make the Red Wings since Gordie Howe? He was a monster for the Univ. of Michigan and at the World Juniors last year.
  10. Jake Virtanen – As I said above, he’s the new Corey Perry. He’s so mean and strong, he can skate like the wind and he’s not afraid to get mucky.

TROPHIES

Hart: Steven Stamkos (TB)
Art Ross: Sidney Crosby (PIT)
Norris: Duncan Keith (CHI)
Vezina: Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Calder: Jack Eichel (BUF)
Adams: Todd McLellan (EDM)
Rocket: Alexander Ovechkin (WAS)

I hope you enjoyed reading my gawd awful predictions for the upcoming season. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

A few things before I let you go though:

 

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Rumors

Trading Kane

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Is Kane gonzo?

So little Patty Kane has drunk himself into another hole that the Chicago Blackhawks are going to have to dig him out of. Is he our generation’s version of Derek Sanderson? Troubled NHL star with addictive tendencies and seems to attract the wrong kind of people due to his inability to control himself.

The trade rumors have been swirling all week since this article was posted. Apparently teams aren’t scared off by the PR debacle that Kane has made for himself. Well what if you put all of that aside for a moment. I know its hard to do that but let’s concentrate on Kane the hockey player not Kane the douchebag.

Is this a player that would benefit the Edmonton Oilers? Keep in mind, we’re forgetting about all the off-ice stuff. Starting with his HERO chart.

HERO chart courtesy of http://ownthepuck.blogspot.ca/

He’s elite… There’s no doubt about that but he’s not a team player. His linemates seem to suffer from his lack of a defensive game but nobody really cares because his offense is so good.

Now this is the part where I say forget about what I said earlier because we’re going to talk value. Given his history off the ice it must certainly be something that has to be considered when discussing trades. His contract is another albatross that would factor in greatly. Another thing will be his punishment IF he’s convicted and there’s reports online that he’s as close to guilty as one can be found before a trial. I mean think about it, there has been nothing out of his camp to suggest he’s innocent. So will he be suspended by the league? If so, how long? A season? More?

Kane is only 26 years old so even if he were shut down for a season it wouldn’t affect his on-ice career greatly.

If I were to trade for Pat Kane and I’m the Edmonton Oilers. I’d find a way for them to eat that contract and take Nail Yakupov. That is the base from which I would work from. I imagine tossing in some prospects like Jordan Oesterle, Tyler Pitlick, or Iiro Pakarinen would also be part of the plan. But there’s no way I’d be taking more than half of that contract and keeping Yakupov.

Patrick Kane is Stanley Cup winner in the most purest of senses. He scored the OT goal to win a Stanley Cup and not many players can say that. He’s also a Conn Smythe winner so we know he rises to the occasion (no pun intended).

Seeing him on a line with Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall might just destroy what is left of humanity. And don’t tell me, “Oh he’ll be bad for the kids!”

Look. The Oilers have plenty of good characters on the team that could show the youngins how to behave as professional hockey players not only that but let’s not take away from the young players themselves. Not every player under the age of 20 is prone to Peter Pan Syndrome.

But this is something we’ll never see. Just some musings from a Beer League Hero.

I hope you enjoyed the read. Let me know in the comments below if you think you’d trade for Patrick Kane.

Don’t forget to check out all the new t-shirt designs at the BLH Merch Shop! We’ve got Yak, McDavid, Hall, Talbot, Nurse, and Ranford up for 30% off right now! And if you really want there’s a Patrick Kane one as well!

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Take Care!

-BLH

Lindsay Ryall, NHL

No Rush to Crown Blackhawks a Dynasty

Credit: USA Today

When it comes to major hockey moments a bit of time to gain perspective is often required.  So it was a little surprising to hear a unanimous rush to grant the 2014 – 15 Chicago Blackhawks the elite status of dynasty, a term afforded to only 9 teams (six franchises) over 95 years in the NHL’s lengthy history.  To be clear what makes a dynasty, definition can be drawn from the small number of teams recognized as such by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Based on the franchises that have been awarded this lofty status there are a few standout criteria items.

-Need to have one two cups back to back over the dynastic period.

-Must have won a minimum of four Stanley cups.

-Clearly have dominated other opposition during their period of greatness.

When matching this criteria to Chicago Blackhawks that one it’s first cup in 2009, the windy city franchise clearly does not match up.  They haven’t won back to back cups, they haven’t won four Stanley cups, and they really haven’t been the clear dominant franchise during their dynastic period.  So why is media, NHL executives and hordes of fans rushing to declare them a dynasty?  The reasons have less to do with facts and more to do with marketing and a desire by all to feel they are watching hockey that is truly special.

Gary Bettman Says So . . .

When the cup was awarded, the NHL Hockey boss said he believed the Chicago Blackhawks were a dynasty and took advantage of one of those rare moments when he wasn’t showered with boos.  It must have made Gary feel warm and fuzzy to be the good guy on this occasion, however, that good feeling was likely a far distance from his true motivation.  Bettman’s real motive, the one he holds near near and dear to his heart, is selling the sport of hockey in the U,S, and making as much money for the league and himself in the process..  Chicago is one of the top markets in the US and while he doesn’t need to sell hard to this storied franchise, it doesn’t hurt.  Additionally, while the spot light was in Chicago all the U.S. could bask in the afterglow.  Do you think that may help sell some tickets?  It certainly wouldn’t hurt.

The issue I have with Bettman’s statement is that I don’t believe he is equipped to make any blanket statements with respect to the sacred sport of hockey.  I honestly believe if he was hooked to a lie detector and and asked to recount his top ten hockey memories he might get to 7 before machine went beserk as he went into the fabrication zone.  So to believe Bettman’s cheerleading legitimizes a Blackhawk dynasty is pure folly.

What About The Media?

Somewhat surprisingly the hockey media generally rushed to support the notion that Chicago should be crowned a dynasty.  Even established vets like Bob Mckenzie agreed that the cup victory legitimized a new dynasty.  The real question that needs to be asked is why?  Especially when the Hawks’ victory totals clearly did not stack up to any previous dynasties.  The straight answer to that is the media was really just doing it’s job and spinning the most interesting angle following the Stanley cup victory.  To some degree that perspective of the media can be appreciated albeit the claim remains inaccurate.  Especially when you couple the media’s natural drive for the biggest story out there with a push for something to make our hockey time that much more significant.  This push isn’t new.  As long ago as 2000 the HHOF had been feeling pressure to recognize something truly elite comparable to other great hockey eras.  Elite players have arrived but no real elite teams, at least no dynasties.

But They Did It Under The Salary Cap so . . .

A very valid point all those who support the Hawks’  claim to dynasty status is that the salary cap that has been in place since 2005 – 06 has made it all but impossible to assemble a four cup team, so a three cup one spread out over five years should suffice.  But is that really the biggest obstacle to another dynasty team?  As challenging as the cap is the continuing influx of teams over the past 20 years that have diluted the talent available as well as competition from other leagues for high level players have sapped the talent pool.

Based on that ongoing challenge, a team like the Detroit Red Wings of the mid to late 90’s that won three cups over five years should have received equal consideration for dynasty status, but never did.  The reason the push is on now has less to do with the Blackhawks actually being a dynasty and more to do with all parties associated with the NHL wanting something that special to happen during their time watching hockey.  As for Blackhawks actually being a dynasty there is one last significant reason that disqualifies them:  During their ostensibly dynastic period they did not dominate from start to finish.

When you look at past dynasties, specifically ones like the 1920’s Senators or 1950’s Detroit Red Wings that did not win their cups consecutively, they were still clearly the dominant team of their dynastic period.  The Chicago Blackhawks by comparison only have one more cup than dynasty rival, the Los Angeles Kings.  Indeed, if the Kings were to somehow rebound next year they would have won as many cups as Chicago and would also incorrectly challenge for dynasty status.  So would that be realistic?  No, it would all be high level wishful thinking.

Now, what if the Blackhawks were to pull off yet one more win in the 2015 – 2016 season?  Would that be enough to do it?  Well, actually I would have to say yes.  They would have won four cups over a relatively short period of time including back to back wins and would clearly have been the best team during their dynastic period.  So until that happens, lets not rush to make any excessive claims of grandeur but simply label the Blackhawks for what they are: an excellent team of their era comparable to the Detroit Red Wings or Colorado Avalanche of the 90’s.  But are they a dynasty?  Not quite yet.

Thanks for reading but before you go, head on over to the Beer League Heroes T-Shirt Shop and pick yourself up something nice to represent your love for the Edmonton Oilers and The Beer League Heroes! Every dollar received helps keep this dream alive! Thanksand Happy McDavid Day!!!

-BLH