Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Dunseith

A Decade of Disappointment? Reflecting back on NHL Draft Day 1999

Dave Dunseith — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:51:52 -0500

June 26th 1999 will go down as a day of Infamy in NHL history, as it was on this day that many NHL General Managers probably lost their jobs...or set the stage to do so. The floor of the Fleet Centre (TD Bank North Garden as it's known now), was one where dreams where made for many young men, but the lingering nightmares will forever remain for many franchises. On Draft Day...everyone is a gambler, and just like Vegas, those who think they have the "Sure Thing" end up the biggest losers in the end.

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Will All Be Fine in 2009? Things Are Looking Up in LA LA Land

Dave Dunseith — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:09:37 -0400

(Ryan Smyth Trade was announced after article was published. I am so excited to announce the addition of Captain Canada to the Kings lineup)

As a fan of the Los Angeles Kings for over 20 years, I must say I haven't been this excited for the puck to drop in quite some time. I have watched this team from it's high point ('93 Cup Run) to it's low point (man, there have been too many), but this year I feel the winds of change in the air.

Since being hired over three years ago as President and General Manager, Dean Lombardi has made it clear he intends to follow a blueprint to build from within using the draft and developing prospects instead of relying on "quick fix" solutions. He has organized a team around him in the front office to deliver on this plan, and is hopefully now putting the finishing touches in place on the ice to help make this dream a reality in bringing respectability and excitment back to the failing franchise

In missing the playoffs for the past seven seasons (including the lockout), the Kings have played their way to an abundance of high draft picks, in the same vein that have made franchises such as the Chicago Blackhawks and 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins so competitive. By not giving into the pressure of needing to "making the playoffs" (see Atlanta), and sticking to the plan, this gamble appears to be ready to start paying out some large dividends.

July 1st came and went, and Lombardi once again stayed the course and resisted at making the "sexy" pick up from the list of current high powered (and high priced) free agent crop, deciding not to go toe to toe in bidding wars that would saddle his team with contracts that he feels would hinder rather than contribute toward team success. Going into the 2010 season, the Kings are currently stocked with loads of explosive young talent (mostly 25 and younger) at all ends of the ice:

Goaltending: The Kids are Aright? Lombardi has stated he will not acquire a veteran goalie and feels that he is solid between the pipes with his trio of 'tenders. Jonathon Quick was a pleasant surprise last year, playing well in stretches which allowed the Kings to deal away Jason LaBarbera to the Canucks, alleviating the logjam. Along with a solid backup in Erik Ersberg and (heir apparent?) Jonathon Bernier, the Kings first Round selection (11th overall) in the 2006 draft.

Last week's draft saw the Kings add yet another in JF Berube (fourth Round, 95th overall) to give them even more organizational depth between the pipes, something this team has not had for a very long time. Hopefully this year either Quick will build on his success to become a Hollywood leading man, or one of his understudy's will work their way from supporting role to the spotlight.

Defense: The Kings are loaded with an embarrassment of riches on the back end that are quickly becoming the envy of the league. Even though they lost all world players Lubi Visnovsky (Via Trade to Edmonton) and Rob Blake (via free agency to rival San Jose), this group elevated it's play to make an astonishing jump from 28th in Goals Against Average (3.2) and 30th in Penalty Kill Percentage (78%) in 2007-08 to finish seventh and 11th respectively in 2008-09.

Stacked with impressive offensive and defensive talent, this group is anchored by Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson (if re signed) who along with the impressive Kyle Quincey (a steal from the Red Wings, now dealt to Colorado with Tom Preissing for Ryan Smyth), the rock steady Matt Greene, and veteran Sean O'Donnel will be joined this year by 2009 Stanley Cup winner Rob Scuderi, the Kings lone free agent acquisition to date. Along with 2009 Canadian World Junior gold medal winners Thomas Hickey and Colten Teubert, 2008 2nd Rd pick Viateslav Voinov and 2009 third Rd pick Nicolas Deslauriers.

The blue line is currently a little crowded, but with this group, it's a problem a lot of GM's would love to have.

Forwards: With a lineup that boasts five First Round Draft Picks including 2008 All Star and Captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Justin Williams (who sat on the shelf for most of last year), and the newly acquired Ryan Smyth.

Those talents along with face off specialist Jarret Stoll, Raitis Ivanans, Michael Handzus and sophomores Wayne Simmonds, Teddy Purcell and Oscar Moller is a great mix of speed, grit and skill. Outside of Brown and to a degree Stoll, (and now Ryan Smyth)the forwards desperately lacked that "sandpaper" which the Kings hope they addressed in 2009 first Round Pick (fifth overall) Brayden Schenn and second Rounder Kyle Clifford.

2008 fifth Rd pick Andrei Lotkionov was an offensive force all of last year for the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires , who along with 2006 first rounder Trevor Lewis should get a good look at upcoming training camp. (Veterans Derek Armstrong and Kyle Calder most likely will not be with the team when they hit camp.)

The Kings have a lot of question marks going into the 2009-10 season. Will the goaltending question finally be answered? Will the kids continue to progress and develop long term chemistry? Will Doughty build on his outstanding rookie season and along with the other second year players avoid the dreaded sophomore slump? Will the carefully concocted blend of youth and experience, grit and goals, speed and skill be the recipe for success? Will Jack Johnson be signed? Will Terry Murray be able to hold it all together behind the bench? Will Lombardi exchange some of his vast youth or depth or dip into free agency (RFA or UFA) to provide the Kings with that elite game breaker they have lacked for so long?

With years of patiently waiting, and carefully constructing, this team seems to be finally readu to turn the corner that seperates "pretenders" from "contenders". Lombardi must be very proud to sit back and watch as the pieces of the puzzle of his "master plan" start to finally fall into place. With all the talent on and off the ice, the very bright future of the franchise appears to be in great hands, to kindly reward the long suffering, dedicated fans of hockey in Hollywood.

Open Letter to the Stanley Cup "Non Winners"

Dave Dunseith — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:40:33 -0400

With the conclusion of more than two months of grueling battles on the ice finally being settled Friday night, the new war is one of words—a war of words being waged in the the media. With the daily reports that keep seeping out of Detroit, it seems the Red Wings are not as gracious in defeat as they are in victory.

The biggest flap with the Wings is that Crosby was not a "gracious" winner, and as captain disrespected Lidstrom and the Wings by "taking his time" to shake hands at the conclusion of the game.

Well, looking at the above picture, I see the newly crowned champions (Crosby with Cup raised), standing at centre ice with the rest of the victorious Penguins with not a Red Wing to be found.

I must admit it's a sweet sight to see the 2009 Champs celebrating on the symbol of excellence of the past decade in the NHL. I am neither a Wings nor a Penguins fan (but fan of Crosby and the Canadian Content on the Penguins), but I have always praised the Red Wings organization for being the "Class" of the League.

With a recent history of players such as Yzerman, Shanahan, and Lidstrom on the ice, and the personnel of Kenny Holland, Jim Nill, and Scotty Bowman off the ice, this team has demonstrated nothing but the highest level of excellence, and earned the respect of the league.

But after losing to the upstart Penguins on home ice Friday night...they have taken on the identity of "Spoiled Brats" of the NHL, with Kris Draper and Henrik Zetterberg being vocal about "handshake gate."

Mike Babcock was quoted as more or less saying the Penguins' play was just "part of the equation" to them winning the championship and that they didn't as much "beat" the Red Wings as much as the Wings due to injuries and other obstacles just weren't up to winning.

This to me is Babcock's twisted way of saying that the Penguins were not the better team, just that the Wings were a victim of timing and circumstance.

(Hey, Mike, Gonchar was hurt since the Washington series, and Crosby missed half of Game Seven...didn't stop them!)

So, in the end, maybe if Detroit had been able to snipe as often on the ice as they are now doing off the ice after the fact, they wouldn't be in the position they are.

Penguins-Red Wings: Sidney Crosby Looks to Step into History

Dave Dunseith — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:42:14 -0400

"This is a tough one. Getting this close and not winning the cup...I never wanna be in this photograph again"

These are sombre words uttered by No. 87 in a commercial launched by the NHL for a new marketing campaign to start the 2008-09 season.

In the spot, Crosby comes to life out of a still photograph taken after the crushing defeat to the Detroit Red Wings in last year's Stanley Cup final.

Now, with Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final on the horizon, Crosby has the opportunity to turn his bold statement into a reality.

With a hockey resume that already boasts an impressive list of accomplishments, it's as if Crosby just does not know how to fail. In Juniors, his trophy case included a CHL Top Scorer, Top Player and Top Rookie of the Year, a World Junior Gold Medal and a Quebec Major Junior Championship.

Then in 2005, after returning from World Junior Glory, he set his sights squarely on the Holy Grail of Canadian Junior Hockey—the Memorial Cup. But, fate would deal Crosby a cruel hand, as his one shot at Memorial Cup glory would be in the same year as the explosive and incomporable London Knights.

The depth of the Knights, led by coach Dale Hunter, was just too much, and they shut down the Explosive Rimouski team for over five periods of hockey over two games en route to the Championship. For the first time, No. 87 was left empty handed knowing he would not get another shot at this coveted prize.

Then upon his arrival in the NHL, the winning continued with a 100-point rookie season, being named to the NHL All-Star Team, the Hart, Art Ross, Lester B. Pearson, and being named Team Captain of the Penguins. Even more impressive is that at the ripe old age of 21, Crosby is the youngest player in NHL history to achieve all of these honors.

For most, this would be a careers worth of accomplishments, but not for Crosby. People knew it was a matter of time before the Penguins took flight, and in 2008—ahead of schedule—they escalated their game to new heights, blazing through the playoffs to capture the Eastern Conference for a date with the ever dangerous Detroit Red Wings.

But, just as the Knights did in the Memorial Cup, the Wings had the answer for Crosby and his teammates, effectively shutting them down in six games to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in front of the Penguins and their home crowd.

Fast forward to today. Exactly one year and one week after the "infamous" photograph. No. 87 with his supporting cast of impressive talent have again led a March of the Penguins through the Eastern Conference to force a sudden-death Game Seven against the incomparable Red Wings team.

But unlike the Memorial Cup that eluded him, Crosby has a second chance at Lord Stanley with his team one year older, one year stronger, one year wiser, and one game farther than last year. Will it be enough to accomplish the mission of fulfilling the childhood dream of Crosby and many of his Penguin teammates,? Or will they come up short again yet again and be subject to the nightmare of being "that close."

In the end, Crosby's ultimate hockey legacy may indeed rest on this one game.