Friday, May 28, 2010

Mattias Modig



The Anaheim Ducks have traded Mattias Modig to the 2009 Stanley Cup Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Swedish goalie, who the Ducks drafted in the 2007 entry draft. Modig was Anaheim's 4th pick 121st overall within the draft. Modig played all four seasons with his home team Lulea HF of the Swedish Elite League. In the last two years, Modig played 74 games and had a 2.35 goals against average with a .913 save percentage, including six shutouts.

The Penguins signed the  23 year old (April 1, 1987) 6-foot, 163lb Swedish goaltender to a two-year entry level deal. In return, the Ducks  received a sixth round pick in the 2010 entry draft.


Ducks goalie Joey MacDonald, 30, (February 7, 1980) is an unrestricted free agent, he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs to a one year deal in exchange for 2011 Entry NHL draft pick.

The Anaheim Ducks signed center Brandon McMillian,20, (March 22, 1990). McMillian played in 55 games, he was a +11 and was 25-42=67 in the 2009-2010 season with the Kelowna Rockets.McMillian according to the NHL is a smaller player standing 5-11 and 185lbs. The Ducks have made a wise choice in resigning McMillian, a prospect who the Ducks and fans have high hopes for once he transfers to play with the big boys. Give him time to make a full translation to the NHL and he'll be a force with the Ducks.
McMillian Full Report 



Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Unlikely Match-Up



Something exciting has happened, something that is Ducks related. Bobby Ryan and the Ducks have resumed contract talk. A few fans had been complaining that Bobby didn't attend the World Cup; some believing he wasn't invited. Bobby had actually turned the offer down, which  is usual for a player who still has some business to take care of instead of playing their respective sport. In this case, Bobby still had unfinished contract talks with the team who drafted him. Though the talks don't yet involve Bobby directly just Don Meehan of Newport Sports Management. Mark Guy Bobby's agent and Ducks assistant manager David McNab and GM Bob Murray have also confirmed talks.

At the beginning of the playoffs. A majority of fans never even gave thought about the fact that the match up for the Stanley Cup Final would be Chicago vs. Philadelphia. Chicago hasn't lifted the Cup since 1961 and Philadelphia hasn't claimed it since they won it back to back in the 1974 and 1975 seasons. Chicago looks to end the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history.

The last time the Blackhawks made the SCF was in 1992 when Captain Serious: Jonathan Toews (born April 29, 1988) was only four years old Patrick Kane (born November 19, 1988) was also the same age as Toews  these are the supposed big two, who really helped turn the ever deflating hockey market in Chicago around, back to "Madness on Madison Street" the last time the Flyers made it to the Stanley Cup Final was in 1997.

Chicago swept San Jose in Chicago 4-0 and Philadelphia beat out the "Cinderella" Montreal in a 4-1 series in Philadelphia, one of the oddest most terrible goals was allowed by Jaroslav Halak when  defenseman and teammate Roman Hamrlik was out of position, fighting for the puck with Philadelphia's Mike Richards; Halak skated way out of his crease and collided with Hamlrik. The scene was nothing short of bizarre. First, Richards fell and Hamrlik tripped over Richards' legs. Hamlrik had his head down, watching the puck when he tripped over Richards legs. In came Halak colliding with Hamlrik and hard. Hamlrik laid on the ice. Halak's stick had slid down the ice back to near his crease. Halak was standing, when he watched helplessly has Richards threw in the empty net goal. Then he slid back into his crease, grabbing his stick preparing for the next onslaught of shots . Richards had quickly regained his footing, skated for the puck and tapped it in the wide open net. The Canadiens struck first, when Brian Gionta  capitalized on a turnover and shot it past Michael Leighton shortly into the first period.

But not only do the Flyers and Blackhawks serve as a unlikely match-up, but look at the boys in the blue paint. Antti Niemi suiting up for Chicago and Michael Leighton suiting up for Philadelphia. Both goaltenders have never played in the NHL playoffs in their lives until the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now they're in the Final. We know that the goalies are a huge part in a winning team. We also know they're the ones most and easiest to blame. Especially when you consider the fact that when a goal is scored a red light flashes behind them, in a visiting rink the horn sounds and the team celebrates in front of them (well same for both rinks). Then, there's the fans, chanting, tauntingly the last name of that particular goalie.

Taunt chants are definitely going  to be heard, not just for the goalies, obviously but for the skaters and the opposing team as a whole. It's the Final, what else do you expect? Both Niemi and Leighton have been impressive to say the least. Leighton replaced teammate Brian Boucher after he was injured. Niemi is a big reason why the Hawks are in the playoffs and so is t he team in front of him, who played well and rarely left him out to dry. One thing that both Leighton and Niemi struggle in is their rebound control. This is where a lot of their goals were scored on them.  The Goalie Guild updates The Beast Tracker at a fair and great pace during the playoffs.

Why not Philadelphia? The Blackhawks seem to be the favorite team to win the Cup, they're great contenders to win the Cup and that is basically one of the reasons they even made the SCF. But Philadelphia has been nothing short of impressive. Knocking out the offensively challenged Boston Bruins; who went 3-1 in the series Philadelphia never gave up, put nothing but pure heart into the series from every aspect on the ice and forced and won Game 7 at home in a raucous sold out Wachovia Center. If Philadelphia does win  the Cup, they may be the greatest story in  Philadelphia in sports history.

Philadelphia also has a goalie, who put up a wall helping his team shutout the Canadiens three teams, in the Eastern Conference Final. And Chicago? They have excellent young talent coming from Kane and Toews. Ben Eager, Kris Veersteeg  This SCF is going to be exciting, as always but especially given the history behind the two teams and their goalies. Both Niemi and Leighton have already been through tough career bumps. The thing is, the goalie who lets in that winning goal for the Stanley Cup is going to be absolutely devastated. Same with the rest of the team but a goalie standing in his crease, knowing he let in that goal. Nothing will prepare him for that. In the playoffs, for any sport the hardest thing is remaining on the ice, field, court. Watching as the opposing team celebrates their championship.

J.S. Giguere is one of many goalies who knows how it feels to come so far yet fall short of the most famous trophy in sports, the only trophy in sports that never is remade. Playoffs are emotional specifically for the players, at that point the money they're making doesn't really matter. Jonas Hiller was in tears when Detroit knocked out Anaheim in the second round. It's the adrenaline that finally will wear a person down. Once that's gone, your energy is pretty much gone and if you lose; you feel nothing but the emotion boiling over. But was it worth getting that far? There's absolutely no doubt about it. Competition is part of the human life. But these goalies, these players never give up. They're constantly searching for that feeling of victory lifting a 37lb trophy.


Evgeni Nabokov no longer a Shark?


                                                            


Evgeni Nabokov is an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's been the goalie face of the franchise for the San Jose Sharks, who drafted him in 1993. Nabokov has recorded impressive regular season stats, including 2 or 3 seasons with  40 wins in his name but for some reason; he falls short in the playoffs. Sure, the Sharks got to the third round this year and were swept by Chicago but they remain the only team in California to not of made the Stanley Cup Final and Nabokov has been part of quiet a few of those Sharks teams. This obviously means, he has never won the Cup. Nabokov had a $5,375,000 cap hit for San Jose in the 2009-2010 season. Another big name is Patrick Marelau according to The Hockey News they're (one pair of) two of the biggest UFAs possibly hitting the market July 1.

Nabokov is  probably the best goalie on the Market but he doesn't look like a a player who will end up back in a Sharks jersey again.  Other teams  with goalie issues are definitely interested in him. Nabokov was pretty good in the playoffs, even if his team was swept in the third round. He was more of the silent ninja for SJ. Marleau possibly will go back but he could possibly the on a different team. but he's more likely to sign with the  Sharks next season then Nabokov is.

Does Nabokov deserve a Stanley Cup? He certainly does but he needs to realize it won't be with San Jose; the Sharks could win the Cup in the future but it's just time for him to move on. To suit up in a different jersey that doesn't have a Shark swimming into a wood hockey stick breaking it. He needs a clean slate, new scenery start out fresh. Nabokov turns 35 on July 25. He still has at least a couple years in him and is deserving of having his name engraved onto the sliver god of trophies. So don't be surprised if you see him in a different sweater for the 2010-2011 season.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Not overrated

It's kind of hard to keep completely up with Ducks in the Crease, when the Ducks aren't playing any hockey, instead they hit the golf courses early. Other than that in the MVP issue of The Hockey News. Ken Campbell had written about goalies in the playoffs. He stated how they're overrated. Remember that save Marc-Andre Fleury made last year? On Niklas Lidstorm that save will go down in history, but at least the way Campbell is talking, he's making it as if it's an overrated save.. While he  realizes it will go down in history...he's making it seem as if only Fluery  won the Cup (hence, him making it seem as if his save was overrated) He said at some point in his article that the skaters in front aren't getting enough attention. Last I checked last year, Evgeni Malkin won the Conn Smythe (Most Valuable Player in the playoffs award) and before that Henrik Zetterberg  won the Conn Smythe. There have been four player's names added to the Smythe since the lock-out and only one goalie has won it.. Cam Ward won it when the Carolina Hurricanes lifted the Cup in 2006. Then Scott Niedermayer won it when the Ducks lifted the Cup in 2007. Before the lockout in 2003; J.S. Giguere won the Conn Smythe despite being on a losing team. Since the Conn Smythe was introduced in the 1963-64 season only ten goalies were awarded the trophy; three goalies winning it multiple times. Go here for the list


Campbell says that in today's NHL after the most recent lockout in his article he stated "Teams lose because of goaltending. They don't win because of it" while to an extent that is true, it's obviously not very true and I'm pretty sure goalies aren't a huge fan of this statement. Without goalies a team can't win. How could they? Campbell did state that they're the last line of defense, goalies have been known that for years. Certainly, the can lose games for a team, letting in too many goals and ones they shouldn't of let in like Campbell stated that goalies can lose games. But goalies are always blamed for the lost games so many times; skaters have not been factored into that loss at least not immediately but a goalie can most certainly win games. Bail his team out. 

Somewhere, some how I'm pretty sure Campbell would say Jonas Hiller was overrated when he helped take the Ducks past the San Jose Sharks, the President Trophy Winners and then to Game 7 against the Red Wings last year. Was his performance overrated? Was Hiller the only guy Anaheim and fans talked about? Most certainly not to all those questions. The skaters in front of him were highly regarded too. According to Campbell teams under appreciate everyone BUT the goalie. Campbell's article is rhetorical to say the least.

While goalies are obviously highly regarded, they're definitely not overrated, so not sure where Campbell gets off.  Annti Niemi  is getting tons of attention. Why? Because he's overrated? No, because he's good and the fact that he's some Finnish product. Finland cranks out some amazing products. Teemu Selanne,Saku Koivu to name the two Finns on the Ducks. Last time I checked they're not goalies, and they get as much if not more respect than Hiller. Niemi has been beast for his team to the fact that people have asked, if he's even human. But Niemi is most certainly not the only player talked about and he's not overrated. Niemi seems to be pulling a Hiller against the Sharks. Evgeni Nabokov seems to be struggling but for the first two rounds of the playoffs. Nabokov wasn't talked about a lot. It was always Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton (surprisingly), Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatly, Dan Boyle those aren't goalies. 

Jaraslov Halak has struggled as of late but Mike Cammalleri is talked about a lot. Scott Gomez. Not goalies. Marc-Andre Fleury played well before the Penguins were knocked out by the Habs. But he wasn't the only one, who was talked about. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz etc where talked about making huge contributions. 

Tuukka Rask had some great and amazing saves, a excellent performance. Such a young goalie, a rookie. Despite the Bruins recording the ultimate choke performance....and all this just the second round. Micheal Leighton came in to replace a injured Brian Boucher and Leighton has been outstanding in his performance. But like said for every other goalie, he's not the only player talked about and he's not overrated. Chris Pronger, Riley Cote, Ian Laperriere etc have been talked about making huge contributions

If you've watched the playoffs  you know that Campbell's assessments are wrong in so many ways about goalies. 

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Establish Space





One thing what I'd like to see from Jonas Hiller is for him to be more aggressive in net. A lot of times, he seems too passive when opposing players are in or near his crease. Most times, he just looks around the bodies,  but avoids contact with them. He was quite the opposite to his former teammate J.S. Giguere. Giguere would push bodies when they got too close to him or punch them in the head (which was really funny).

Another aggressive goaltender is San Jose Sharks Evgeni Nabokov; a goalie who is well known for clearing his crease to the point of moving to the top of the crease, when an opposing player comes anywhere close to his crease. He's even kept his own teammates out if they're too close.

There's obviously no denial that Hiller is a great goaltender despite some struggles down the stretch during the 2009-2010 season. The past season, he was a little shaky but also managed to win big games. As a whole, the team didn't do what was expected of them for many reasons. Other than that, a little more aggression needs to be seen out of Hiller not necessarily Nabokov type aggression. Just enough where, he "marks his territory" keeping other players including his own, out of his crease. Not withholding, he hasn't or doesn't do this on an occasion. He needs to be aggressive to the point where like said, to keep his territory. But he shouldn't be stupid aggressive. Which once in awhile is seen in veteran Tim Thomas such as  in the Winter Classic, when he pushed a Flyers player  out of the way but ended up letting in a goal shortly after because he was too focused on the players in front not the play or the puck. (Thomas is still a excellent goalie and to the fact he's on my Fantasy team) Though, that was just a little quirk and a bad one on Thomas' part....a little more aggression from Hiller could help dominate his game more.

One thing with aggressive goalies, they have to be smart aggressively. Like described from the Thomas mistake, one cannot be so focused on the player(s) in front that it ultimately distracts them from the play. Another thing which has to be taken into consideration is, the player is there merely to "block out the sun"  to make an attempt at making the goalie lose the sight of the puck in hopes of their teammate scoring. Sometimes, players will back up into the goaltender while trying to cut the line of vision from the goalie, another vital distraction to get under the skin of the gatekeeper. The attempt of blocking out a goalie isn't only physical; it's mentally too (::cough:: Corey Perry ::cough, cough::) a goaltender who loses his concentration on the play would at the end ultimately lose the play. It could go "Off the post" music to a goalie's ears, the puck could be "fanned on" "misfired" or  "go wide" but because of the loss of concentration, because he's too focused on the player in front the puck usually ends up in the back of the net of something he  should of stopped. Watch Nabokov play, he rarely makes those mistakes yet he's still one of the most aggressive goalies in the league. 

Hiller needs to push the players out of the way, the ones who butt up against him or say something more to them, (although it is fairly unknown how much he does say to a player in front) he just needs to tell them stay out of my crease. While he does show some aggression; he needs to show it more, establish his space.Even taking Jiggy's lead and poking the player in the back of the head....and get away with it. Somewhere, where, he should start being more aggressive is in practices with the team because being scored on, isn't as vital as it is in game time. Then, while practice and playing a game is different from one another; he can make the transition to the game. As said, he seems too passive in his crease a lot of the time. He also shouldn't be afraid to push his own players out of the way, who are interfering with him... are too close to him.

Just to the fact, your own teammates will get in your way not on purpose but because they're so focused on the play, trying to block a shot, they're not paying attention completely to their surroundings and there... is where you hear "his own player blocked him out on that one" (Not just for Hiller that statement is rhetorical, it's for every goalie)

To see some more aggression from Hiller would be great and it'd fit his style of play. With Hiller, that's just his personality, he's not an aggressive person and it shows in his position. Hiller's more of the quite kid in class, but can and will be aggressive when he wants or needs  to be. Definitely like to see more aggression from him, pushing players away.  Establish his space, make it known it's his space and only his. Be a little greedy in that part. Jiggy was aggressive during his play, which if the two had almost complete different styles of play. While at the same time, they did have similarities.  Which came from being with the same goalie coach for such an extended period of time: Francois Allaire had worked with Hiller since he was 16 and Jiggy, at least since he first came to the Ducks. And now Allaire and Giguere are reunited in Toronto. Ducks currently have  Peete Peters as goalie coach.

But like said in a previous post look for more improvement from Hiller he'll have less on his plate it'd be a clean slate. And the season schedule will be back to normal, as in we'll see the All-Star break back. Instead of  the Olympic break.

As a grade overall this is what I wrote in The NHL Arena
I'd give him a B this time around. He clearly was a bit shaky down the stretch at times. There were games where we knew this isn't the Hiller we're all used to seeing. But given Anaheim's goalie situation and the way Anaheim coaching staff handled it (Carlyle) there was a lot on his plate.

After the Olympics, he definitely struggled but but given the fact that he was mentally tired, somewhere he even said it was hard mentally after the Olympics. I hope we don't play him as much but where he still has consistent minutes of being a starter. Sure, it could be argued that there's goalies who have a huge workload such as Luongo and Nabokov...but Luongo has been struggling since the Olympics though he did play a great game, to keep his team in the series....Nabokov has been solid but he also struggled after the Olympics....overworking goaltenders is bad. Yeah...they're a professional so they should be used to it....well yes, they should be used to it but Nabokov, Luongo, Anderson , Hiller etc are all human they will wear down at one point....go on a skid. No matter how good they are /rant 



Also read this excellent article from The Goalie Guild School of Block


Hiller shall play as we see him which earned him the name "Hiller the Killer" but with a little bit more fiestiness, more aggression. Otherwise he's just fine in the way he plays. 

Friday, May 7, 2010

Goalie playoffs....

Watching the playoffs can be pretty painful if you're a Ducks fan (or any other team who usually makes the playoffs, but didn't this year or one that was eliminated within the first round) This blog hasn't been updated since the 15th of April not much has gone on with our big league goalies.

However, J.P. Levasseur was awarded "player of the month" and Igor Bobkov has won some sort of tournament in  Russia the MHL according to his Facebook pictures.

On the side of those two with the boys in the big leagues, there's absolutely nothing going on so far, expectingly though. As the Ducks did not make the playoffs and no trade talks and drafting etc will be talked too much about at least for the public eye to see, just yet. 

As much and amazing it'd been too see Jonas Hiller and it could been possible to see Curtis McElhinney in the playoffs, we just aren't seeing it. And the San Jose Sharks have taken a 3-0 series lead against the Red Wings, a team that is for some reason struggling with a rookie goaltender in net (which seems to be as if a majority of teams of gone with their less or unexperienced goalie for the playoffs) As talking with a friend yesterday, via Instant Messenger naturally the Red Wings/Sharks series was brought up.I was making the comment on how the Sharks are actually doing something in Round 2 and Joe Thornton  has two goals in this series. Giving out the information how Jimmy Howard Detroit's rookie goalie and who has never had any NHL playoff experience in his life until the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs is in net for the Red Wings. 

A joke was part forth "Maybe Anaheim should trade Hiller to Detroit ...give him up as a rental and then get him back, before next season begins" 

"Yeah, Hiller the Shark Killer!"  

so I made the little joke on part of the Sharks:
Sharks: "When did they get Hiller?"
        
Hiller: "I'm back, bitches!"

Sharks: "Those damn Swiss"

Joe Thornton: "Hey, Hiller please let me team win I'm begging you. I'm the one that helped you come into this league. I'm one of the biggest reasons your name is on the back of an NHL jersey. I'm begging you"

Hiller: Sorry Joe, I'll never do that"

Thornton: ::throws down water bottle::"Come on Jonas, please!"

Hiller: "No"

(Continued extended version for blog)

Sharks: "Did you persuade him, Joe?"

Thornton: "No, he wouldn't budge"

Sharks: "Man, we're going to get killed with this guy in net. Damn Swiss"

Pavelski: "Maybe I could score on him at least once. I did pretty welll against Howard lately and I did get one against Anderson?..."

Sharks: "Sure, Little Joe......only THAT MAN WILL EAT YOU ALIVE"

Thornton: "He will...it's true. Jonas eats Shark for breakfast every morning He even did it when we were playing on the same team in Switzerland...and at that time, I wasn't even a Shark I was a Bruin."
...........

Hiller: (To himself) I look terrible in this Red Wings crap of a uniform...but at least it's for killing the Sharks, which later, I could totally kill the Red Wings once I get back to the Ducks uniform .Where I won't feel like I'm burning from the inside out for wearing it.

Hiller: Hey, Jimmy I'll show you how to efficiently kill the Sharks then you can definitely take the reigns back from me and I can go back to what I truly am.....a Duck...A Shark Killer....and a Red Wing Killer.

Howard: Thanks, Jonas! There I'll pull a Hiller on San Jose which apparently Sharks fans have said. At least that's what I've heard once.

Hiller: Yup, you'll strike fear into their hearts of those  Sharks. I call that Hillerphobia.

Howard: Hillerphobia?

Hiller: Hillerphobia is when people fear other goalies are going to pull a Hiller on them, it comes from last season, when the Boys and I beat the Sharks out in the first round.

Osgood: Yeah, and took us to a Game 7 some excellent goaltending right there.




It's exciting though watching the other goalies compete against one another.

Marc-Andre Fleury vs. Jaroslav Halak
Tuukka Rask vs. Brian Boucher
Roberto Luongo vs. Antti Niemi
Evgeni Nabokov vs. Jimmy Howard


One thing which is interesting is the fact that it's such a mix  of rookie goaltenders and experienced goalies, even in between if  you count Boucher; who hasn't played in the playoffs for eight years, when he was with San Jose (is that right?) Goalies like Rask, Howard, Niemi and Halak have never had NHL playoff experience in their lives. Fleury has a Stanley Cup. Nabokov has consistently been in the playoffs with the Sharks as he's the goalie face of the franchise but has never won the Cup and neither has Luongo. In fact, Fleury is the only goalie out of the bunch who has won Lord Stanley.

Rask has been beyond amazing, while the goalie who is opposing him He's helped bring the Bruins to a 3-0 series lead. Yet Boucher has been good and has been there when he has been needed. He's also bailed out the team in front of him but so has every goalie. Howard helped the Red Wings prevent being swept by San Jose, when they won 7-1 and the series for the San Jose/Detroit series is now 3-1. Halak helped the Canadiens past the Penguins and Fleury last night. But Halak has also been an excellent goalie, while Fluery has struggled at times on an occasion but is there, when he is needed at times. On the other hand, Luongo is still seems to still be struggling since from the Olympics. He's letting in goals, he should of saved and while he is composed with the roughness in front of his net. He is complaining too much to the referees, which he should not be doing. If Luongo is more calm around the officials this will help him be more focused.

Niemi has been pretty good as well look the others, he's been there when he's been needed. The youth of some of the goalies and the inexperience is different since hockey fans are so used to watching all the older more experienced goalie with maybe the occasional rookie goalie thrown in there. But everyone needs to start somewhere, despite the come out for either team it still gives the goalies and young skaters experience that will help them in the future. The three goalies who have the experience will only improve their skills or keep them at the level; where they need to be.

Boucher has been very good and composed despite not winning a game for a goalie who hasn't played in the playoffs for eight years. This will give him further experience for the remainder of his career. The younger goalies, like Rask, Niemi, Halak and Howard this gives them tons of experience to take for their careers. This teaches them how things work in the playoffs so they're more prepared for the next time they're in the playoffs, and for the upcoming season. People learn from experience they'll never learn from just sitting and watching, and listening to plays. It has to be put into action with them because it's different from watching to actually playing. It's also different from practice to an actual game. Giving the young inexperienced goalies the ability to play for their team in the playoffs, no matter what and keeping them in as said, gives them the experience needed for the future.

(Though can't make too much of an assment as I've missed quite a few games but the games I have caught and watched it's been fun watching the mix of young inexperienced goalies with the more experienced goalies)

Experience is a vital part of life in everything.