Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Kennedy

Dallas Stars Looking Ahead: Many Questions Await Answers

Ryan Kennedy — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:41:15 -0400

The Dallas Stars, two seasons ago, made fell to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference final. Last season, the Stars failed to even qualify for the playoffs. An offseason of changes has presented us with an interesting situation for the future of this team. The Dave Tippet era ended, and Marc Crawford was brought in as the new head coach.

Joe Nieuwendyk replaced Les Jackson and Brett Hull as the General Manager. Many questions surround the future of this team, but first, let’s take a look at what we have already learned about this new Stars team so far from the very young '09-'10 season

Ten games into the '09-'10 season, the Stars have played just about how their fans have expected, okay. The Stars sport a decent 4-3-3 record, ahead of only Anaheim in the Pacific Division standings. Many fans entered this season pessimistic of the idea of this club making the playoffs, but I beg to differ.

This Stars team, when healthy, is definitely capable of making the playoffs. However, I don't by any means think this lineup if capable of making a run at the cup.

Thus far, the Stars haven't shown us anything we didn’t already know. We knew they had a balanced attack spread out across their top three lines. We knew the defense would be the teams Achilles' heel. And we knew the goaltending would be anywhere from decent to stellar.

The Stars may have one of the best top nine in the entire league. Only recently has the offence began to slip with injuries to super-pest Steve Ott, franchise leading scorer Mike Modano, and former Selke trophy winner Jere Lehtinen. During the first couple games, these three skated as Dallas's third line.

Add a recent grown injury to second line center and former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards, and you have four of Dallas stronger forwards and best leaders missing from the lineup. Thankfully, none of these forwards is expected to miss significant time.

But there have been plenty of positives. Captain Brendan Morrow has thus far remained healthy and looks to be in top form after missing all of last season to a knee injury. Brad Richards was scoring at a point per game pace before his injury.

Rookies Jamie Benn and Tom Wandell have been pleasant surprises in the early going, with the former seeing mostly top line minutes. James Neal shows no signs of hitting the dreaded "sophomore slump."

Fabian Brunnstrom, although he has yet to get hot offensively, has played adequately in a mostly third line role. The Stars have a very balanced attack, and should they remain healthy for the rest of the season will have no problem putting the puck in the net.

It’s keeping the puck out of the net that will likely be an issue.

The Stars lack a true No. 1 defenseman. However, the Stars have some decent top four defenders. Trevor Daley leads the team in ice-time and plays in just about every situation, as does veteran Stephan Robidas.

Youngster Nicklas Grossman has solidified himself as a top four defensemen in the league and currently leads the NHL in plus-minus with a plus-11. Outside of these three, the blue-line lacks either consistency or talent.

Matt Niskanen has all the tools to become a good offensive defenseman, but so far this season has struggled. Mark Fistric is still young and a big part of this team moving forward, but has yet to turn the same corner Grossman has. Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woytwitka have never been known as top defenders, but thus far have provided great depth to the defense core.

Overall, the Stars defense is not bad. It's solid but lacks that x-factor that so many other teams in the league have; someone who controls the flow of the game when he’s on the ice. Montreal has Andrei Markov. Nashville has Shea Webber. Philadelphia has Chris Pronger. This team needs a true No. 1 defender and a powerplay quarterback in the worst way.

What this team doesn’t need to worry about, is their goaltending. Marty Turco has re-emerged as a number one goalie this season. He has yet to blow anyone’s socks off, but he’s playing much more like the Marty Turco we all are accustomed to as opposed to the one we saw last year.

Pushing him in the backup spot is Alex Auld, who so far has also played well. Both goalies are going to have to take their games to the next level if this team wants to make the playoffs. With the defense they have in front of them, Turco will need to steal a few games for the Stars this season, and Auld will have to be a brick-wall with the starts he does get.

Seventy-some-odd games remain on the schedule, and thus far many Stars’ fans realize that the team that made it to the Western Conference finals two years ago is no longer here. This organization has been entirely revamped with a new coach and a new general manager, and has many questions that await answers. How far can this team go with its current lineup? Are the playoffs a possibility?

A better question, what does management do when the trade deadline rolls around? If the Stars are in the seventh-ninth spot, do they make a move for a defensive upgrade and try for a playoff run? Or do we wait around another year, get another high draft pick, make some free agent signings, and come out guns blazing for 10-11?

This Stars team is not far off from being cup worthy. When healthy, this forward unit has a fantastic mix of scoring, size, toughness, and experience. However, the Stars have some great vets on the team that are getting up there in age. Do guys like Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen have another year in them?

Brendan Morrow, although much younger then Modano and Lehtinen, isn’t getting any younger. He is in the prime of his career, and is an absolute animal come playoff time.

But if the Stars find themselves in 10th place or lower around the trade deadline, then what? The Stars have several key RFA’s this offseason. Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, and Steve Ott will be UFA’s, as will both goaltenders. The Stars have some cap flexibility, and should be able to resign most of their RFA’s to new deals. But what about their mostly veteran UFA’s? Do they trade guys like Lehtinen or Auld at the deadline?

Does Steve Ott get a long-term deal? Do they extend Turco, or ship him off to a playoff team? Mike Modano, the former face of the franchise, will likely retire after this season or sign on for one more. If Modano wants to win another cup, and the Stars aren’t in playoff position, they owe it to him to send him to a legitimate contender. Modano will likely retire a Star, but should he asked to be moved, Mr. Nieuwendyk will happily oblige.

There is still plenty of hockey to be played this season. Some of these questions may be answered in the coming weeks, and some may be answered at the draft this summer.

By season’s end, the Star’s could get hot and finish a top their division and be in the playoffs, or finish dead last and find themselves in the Taylor Hall sweepstakes. The only question that may not need answering is whether it’s going to be a fun ride along the way.

Because I sure think it’s going to be. What about you?

A Breakout Performance: The Northeast Division

Ryan Kennedy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:00:16 -0400

While I continue to work on some other articles which should be up in the next few days, here is the next edition of Breakout Performance. I present to you, the Northeast division!

Andrej Sekera

Arguably the best puck mover on the Sabres roster, Sekera has all the tools to lead Buffalo back into the playoffs.

A smooth skater, Sekera has good speed and puck handling skills. His crisp passes are his best attribute. In 69 games in 08-09, Sekera finished with three goals and 19 points.

By no means are those heart-stopping numbers, but with some minor injuries healed, Sekera will return in '09-'10 with much more responsibility. His ice time should increase with the loss of Jaroslav Spacek to free agency, who handled most of the offensive duties from the blue line last season.

Sekera's unattractive minus-11 suggests that he could still use work in his own end, but Sekera has also shown promise defensivley. Because the puck moving and scoring talent on the Sabres' blue line is limited, Sekera will likely be paired with Craig Rivet to help ease some of the defensive responsibility off the young Slovak.

Sekera will likely run the first powerplay unit, skating nightly on the man advantage with the likes of Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy. Sekera's ceiling at present is unknown, but Sabres management hope he can, at the very least, turn into a solid 40 point defensemen.

For a breakout performance, I'll say 11 goals and 42 points.

Milan Lucic

The powerhouse British Columbia native posted career highs in all areas in his sophomore campaign: finishing with 17 goals, 42 points, and a plus-17 rating.

Lucic is an enigma. At first glance, one would notice only his devastating checks and toughness. But given a second look, Lucic has good mobility, soft hands, and a natural ability to bury goals.

Lucic is the perfect power forward. He uses his size to his advantage very well and is one of the most feared players in the NHL.

Bruins management are aware that part of this guy's game is being very nasty and physical, but they also know his offensive contributions don't end at 42 points. Lucic is easily capable of 30 goals or more, and dare I say 80-plus points?

Armed with a hard shot and dangerous hands (and by that I mean stick handling), Lucic is actually a very gifted passer and has the on-ice vision to set up his teammates consistently with ease.

With two seasons now under his belt, Lucic has gained lots of experience that should translate into an increase in offensive production. Armed to the teeth with top six forwards, the Bruins hope next season Lucic takes that next step towards being a real offensive weapon.

Managment by no means expect this to be Milan's offensive ceiling, but 25 goals and 62 points would be an accurate prediction of a breakout campaign for the former 50th overall pick.

Guillaume Latendresse

The Montreal Canadiens have almost an entirely new roster for '09-'10 as compared to this past season.

One of the few returning faces is winger Guillame Latendresse. Montreal selected the young Quebec native in the second round of the '05 draft with the hopes that he would turn into a budding power forward.

So far, Latendresse has only shown he is a capable NHLer. Latendresse oozes talent, and was actually on his way to a career year last year had injuries not limited him to 56 games.

With a new team, a new coach, and high expectations, Latendresse is one of those guys that will need to be better if the team wants to be better. He will be given a legit shot at cracking the team's top six, but there will be no room for error.

If Latendresse fails to produce, he could lose his spot to youngsters Mac Pacioretty or Sergei Kostitsyn and be yet again stuck on the third line. Latendresse has all the tools to be a scoring power forward at hockey's highest level.

He moves well for a man that is 6'2" and 230lbs, and has good offensive instincts and a good shot. All thats left is for Guillaume to put it all together and finally prove he's more than a third liner.

Although still only 22 years old, Canadiens fans are begining to grow tired of waiting for this young man to blossom.

With a new coach and some new talented linemates, I think this will be Latendresse's year. Latendresse is capable of around 65-70 points, but I think management and fans will be happy with 26 goals and 54 points—for starters, that is.

Nikolai Kulemin

Nikolai Kulemin is a player some hockey fans may have never heard of. In his rookie season this year with the Maple Leafs, Kulemin posted 15 goals, 31 points, and a minus-8 rating.

The young Russian winger showed flashes of brilliance in his first year, but was inconsistent. Kulemin has deceptive speed and is a great skater. Combined with his soft hands and accurate shot, he has all the tools to be a good top six forward in the NHL.

General Manager Brian Burke has already begun reshaping the Leafs roster this offseason, and for now Kulemin appears to be apart of the team's future. However, Kulemin lacks some size and is from overseas, two things that don't make him a prototypical Brian Burke player.

However, based on potential alon,e Burke should hold onto Kulemin. After dominating the larger rinks overseas, Kulemin hopes to return to that status this season with a year of North American hockey under his belt.

There will be no room for error though. With youngsters like Christian Hanson and Tyler Bozak looking to crack the Leafs' top six, Kulemin will have to prove he belongs and post career highs.

Kulemin doesn't project to ever be a game-breaking forward like fellow countryman Alex Ovechkin, but 60 or 70 points seem very possible for the 23-year-old at some point in his career.

Kulemin really is a player that I think will blossom this season; 24 goals and 53 points sounds about right.

Ryan Shannon

Ryan Shannon hopes he's finally found a home in Ottawa. After bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the AHL with the Ducks and Canucks, Shannon was traded last season to the Sens in exchange for D-man Lawerence Nycholat.

After failing to mimic the offensive production he saw in college, Shannon finally posted decent numbers at the NHL level. In 35 games with the Sens, Shannon scored eight goals and 20 points.

Not bad at all for a guy who's 5'9" and only 173lbs. Shannon's size has always been a question mark, but the 26-year-old Conneticut native has plenty of intangibles.

For most of his career, Shannon has been strictly an offensive talent. After spending time in the AHL, Shannon shored up his defensive play, and in return, it has helped him produce offensively.

Shannon has a dangerous shot and very skilled hands, and has the typical blazing speed you would expect from a smaller forward. Shannon doesn't have the luxury of youth that some of these other potential breakout players have, but it could be possible that he is just a late bloomer.

Shannon is by no means a potential point per game guy, at least so far he hasn't shown it. But if someone as small as Brian Gionta can almost score 50 goals, I don't see why Shannon isn't capable of 60 points or so.

For the sake of the helping out the Senators very weak top six, I'll say 18 goals and 56 points.

Matt Hunwick

The Boston Bruins have quite the dilemna on their hands. They have a Norris trophy winner in Zdeno Chara who needs tons of ice time. They have one of the better two way defensemen in the game in Dennis Wideman.

This offseason, they sent out Aaron Ward, but signed Derek Morris. Andrew Ference is a veteran shut-down guy and Mark Stuart is a geat defensive defensemen who has been working this offseason at being a more offensive threat.

Throw in AHL defensemen of the year Johnny Boychuk and you have five guys that could possibly be in the Bruins top four. Throw in Matt Hunwick you have six defensemen all capable of handling a decent amount of minutes.

Hunwick exploded last year, scoring six goals and 27 points in only 52 games while maintaining a plus-15 rating.

Known more for his offensive ability and great skating, Hunwick proved he is no liability in his own zone and can play both sides of the rink. Hunwick has all the tools to be a great top four defensemen in the NHL, but he will have to play well to earn more ice time.

He is a lock to make the team for '09-'10, and should challenge Dennis Wideman for a spot alongisde Zdeno Chara on the first powerplay unit.

Hunwick hopes to fit into the B's top four alongside either Ference or Stuart. He has proven he can play strong in his own zone. All thats left for the young Michigan native to breakout is continuing to produce on the powerplay.

No doubt starting the year in the NHL will see Hunwick pass his rookie numbers. Hunwick could realistically hit 50-plus points at some point, but for this season I see nine goals, 43 points.

Honorable Mentions

Nick Foligno (OTT)—21-year-old is still very young and will fit into the Sens top six. Has 20 goal potential.

Jonas Gustavsson (TOR)—the most coveted free agent to never play an NHL game signed with Leafs this offseason. Swedish net minder will see at least 30 starts backing up Vesa Toskala, but could breakout should Toskala slip up or miss time with injuries.

Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn (MTL)—Neither of the Canadiens Belarusian tandem have exploded offensively yet. Andrei is capable of 30 goals while Sergei could score in the upwards of 60 points.

Up next, the Southeast division!

Breakout Performance: The Atlantic Division

Ryan Kennedy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:50:09 -0400

Over the next few weeks, I will go through each division of the NHL, analyzing players who I think will have breakout performances in the '09-'10 campaign.

We begin with the Atlantic division.

Ryan Callahan

Callahan enjoyed a breakout year already in '08-'09, setting career highs in goals, assists, points, games played, and penalty minutes. However, many believe that Callahan has just begun.

Under new coach John Torterella, Callahan was seemingly the best player night in and night out for the Rangers, leaving much optimism that his offensive numbers this year were no fluke. Callahan not only scored 22 goals and 40 points this year, but he finished with a plus-seven rating while coming in fourth in the league in hits.

He's not a point per game guy, but he will certainly fit into the Rangers top six while still providing tons of energy and physical play night in and night out. Realistically, Callahan could score 30 goals. He doesn't posess the playmaking skills to get any more than 25 or 30 assits. He's a safe bet this season to score anywhere from 50-60 points, or at the very least, mimic the 40 points he put up this year.

Claude Giroux

Claude Giroux has already become a fan favorite amongst Flyers' faithful. A midseason call-up, Giroux was able to put up decent numbers alongside Danny Briere, while playing third line minutes during the regular season.

He was the Flyers' best offensive weapon in their first round playoff exit to Pittsburgh. Big things are expected of Giroux come this season, as he's expected to help pick up the slack left by Mike Knuble and Joffrey Lupul.

Giroux will no doubt see his ice time increase this season, and will play on the top two lines alongside either Mike Richards or Jeff Carter. Giroux showed good chemistry with both Danny Briere and Simon Gagne at points last year, but Giroux is not a player who needs amazing line mates to make things happen. He is a very talented player and can make the players around him better.

He has fantastic offensive instincts, and even though he's generally considered a playmaker, Giroux is an underrated shooter and finisher. Point per game totals wouldn't surprise many, given Giroux's talent, but I would expect 70 points or so from the 21-year-old Ontario native.

Alex Goligoski

Although Goligoski only saw two games during the Penguins' cup run in this year's playoffs, the young Minnesota native turned in a fine regular season.

Goligoski was called up from the baby Pens to help Kris Letang provide some offense from the blue-line because veteran quarterback Sergei Gonchar was out most of the season with an injury.

In just 45 games, Goligoski posted six goals and 20 points, along with a plus-five rating. Goligoski has all the offensive tools of a powerplay quarterback, but he's also fairly responsible in his own end. He will likely start the year with the big boys, playing on the third, pairing with veteran Jay Mckee.

With Letang and Gonchar running the first powerplay unit, Goligoski will likely get most of his points running the second unit and setting up guys like Jordan Stall and Chris Kunitz. Goligoski may have to adjust some more to Dan Bylsmas-style of play, but with the ice time he's expected to see, he's more than capable of five goals and 30-plus points. Those numbers will increase, should Gonchar or Letang go down with an injury at some point during the year.

Kyle Okposo

Currently, most Islander fans are too excited about the debut of first overall pick John Tavares to even remember who Kyle Okposo is.

Okposo led the NHL's worst team last year in goals, with 18, and was second only to defensemen Mark Streit in points, with 44. Not terrible numbers for a player's first full season to begin with. Okposo missed 17 games due to injury.

This year, big things are expected of the St. Paul native, who is still only 21. He will likely skate on the top line with John Tavares, who, like him, is a multi-dimensional offensive talent.

Okposo has the passing ability to find teammates anywhere in the offensive zone, but also possesses great shooting ability and knows how to put the puck in the back of the net.

Okposo, along with Tavares and center Josh Bailey, is a huge piece to Islanders during their current rebuilding phase. Many have compared Okposo to Jarome Iginlia. While Okposo could stand to play a bit more physical like Iginlia, that comparison isn't very far off.

Okposo is another player capable of putting up point-per-game totals or better. But for a breakout year, 30 goals and 70-plus points seem adequate for the former seventh overall pick.

Matt Carle

Some may argue that Matt Carle already had a breakout season with the Sharks in '06-'07, which saw him post career highs with 11 goals, 42 points, and a plus-nine rating.

However, I think Matt Carle is capable of putting up numbers even higher than that. After being traded during the '07-'08 season to the Lightning, Carle was traded again at the begining of the '08-'09 season to the Flyers.

Carle is one of the better young puck-moving defensemen in the game today, and at 24 -years-old, still has room to improve. Now settled in Philadelphia and 64 games into coach John Stevens' system, Carle will hopefully put up numbers similar to his '06-'07 campaign.

Carle figures to fit into Philadelphia's top four, along with Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen, and Braydon Coburn. Timonen and Coburnhave have proven to be a solid pairing for some time now, so realistically, one can assume Carle will be given a shot alongside Pronger.

Carle has fantastic offensive instincts, but could use some improvement in his own end. Playing with Pronger will do wonders for Carle's defensive game.

With top four minutes, Carle should at least be able to put up 30 points or so. The real question of whether he can break out depends on his powerplay time. Center Mike Richards plays the point often on the powerplay. Whether that will continue now that Chris Pronger is in town remains to be seen.

Either way, any powerplay time Matt Carle sees will likely be on the second unit. But with such a deep Philly attack, the idea of Carle putting up 40-50 points remains a strong possibility.

Honorable Mentions

Matt Gilroy (NYR)—college standout who should make the Rangers' squad out of training camp and provide them with a solid two-way presence. For a rookie season, Rangers' fans should look to Gilroy for a plus-rating and about 30 points.

Dan Girardi (NYR)—having honed his already solid defensive game alongside partner Marc Stall, Girardi can focus on providing more offense to the Rangers' blue-line. Having scored 10 goals before, Girardi is capable of around 40 points, and is one of the better young, two-way defensemen in the game.

David Clarkson (NJ)—third-line, spark plug David Clarkson set career highs this past season with 17 goals and 31 assists. Although not loaded with offensive ability, Clarkson has found a home in front of the net, banging in rebouds and deflecting shots. With Brian Gionta moving on via free agency, a window for improvement has opened for Clarkson to score around 20 goals and 40 points.

Next up, the Northeast division!

Props To GM Garth Snow: Why Marty Biron's Contract Is Genius

Ryan Kennedy — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:09:37 -0400

NHL Veteran goaltender Martin Biron signed on with the New York Islanders for a one-year deal worth $1.4 million.

Now, Ill get straight to the point. We all know that earlier this offseason the Islanders signed Dwayne Roloson to a two year deal worth $5 million. We also are very aware of the financial commitment the Islanders have already made to first overall pick Rick DiPietro in the form of a 15-year-old contract signed in 2005.

So, three No. 1 goalies? What gives? General Manager Garth Snow said it best when asked of his new found depth at the netminding position best.

"We now have three-bonafide number one goalies." While that statement would be true if your talking a shared talent level between the three men, this signing tells me one thing and one thing only.

The Islanders may have "three bonafide No. 1 goalies", but only two of them are healthy. Rick DiPietros hip problems are clearly worse then we all thought. Recently we were told that DiPetros will begin skating in August and will hopefully be ready for training camp.

While that is good news, I am almost 100 percent certain (and this is just my personal opinion) that DiPietro will not be on the Islanders opening night roster.

I foresee him either going on the IR and further resting his injuries right before camp, or coming to camp and maybe playing a pre-season game and then going on IR because he doesn't feel he is ready for full-time action just yet.

This is where Biron comes in. Everyone thought signing Roloson was genius just because we all know DP's situation. Roloson, although no spring chicken, has proven that he is a capable NHL starter and signed a relatively cheap, short term contract.

To most, the idea of a DiPietro-Roloson tandem, or at least just Roloson as a starter with an named back-up would be enough to help the Isles move up in the standings from last years disappointing last place finish.

Enter Marty Biron. Biron, another capable NHL starter, played very well the past two seasons as the Flyers starter, and was spectacular in the 2008 playoffs, leading Philadelphia to the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Penguins.

The signing of Biron is genius. It gives the Islanders a 1-2 punch in goal. Not that the Islanders have cap issues to begin with, but the fact that Biron is signed to such a cheap deal makes this signing genius. When I first heard of this signing, I immediately though of one thing.

To me, this shows all Islanders fans that this organization is commited to winning. Yes, I know that they need upgrades upfront and on the back end as well, probably before they needed to add another goaltender. But not signing any long term deals and overpaying guys is a good move on Garth Snow's part.

Signing Marty Biron to me, is genius on Snow's part. This cheap, one year deal is strictly an insurance policy should DP not be ready to go. What others aren't aware is that the Islanders are a very, very young team.

Having Biron, even for a half a season, will do them wonders. He's an amazing character guy and great in the locker room. A true gentlemen in this great sport, someone you would have to meet (which I have) to truly understand what I'm talking about.

So lets assume DP is not ready to go. Lets say Roloson and Biron basically split the games 50/50, and barring any injuries to the two, whoever plays better gets a couple more starts in the end. This gives the Islanders time to figure out where DP sits in the long run. Should he go on LTIR, or an absolute worse case scenario being early retirement, they can resign Biron next off-season to a long term deal.

Roloson would back him up one more season, then likely retire. The back-up role could be filled via free-agency or from within the organization. Or who knows, maybe DP can pull a Steve Sullivan and with enough time to heal return one hundred percent, leaving us with a DP-Biron tandem.

But what if DP is ready to go? Whether it be at training camp or at some point during this season? The good thing is Biron's contract is trade friendly. A low cap hit based on Birons talent level, and no lengthy commitment attached.

Biron, I belive, will be traded to a team that needs a goalie by mid-season, whether it be because another teams number one is injured or just playing poorly. That is, if DP is ready to go at some point this year. If that is the case, it makes almost no sense not to deal Biron at the trade deadline.

A team looking for a solid veteran insurance goalie for the playoffs could scoop Biron from the Islanders, and no matter what the return the Islanders get, they really win.

So to those baffled by the signing of Biron, I hope I have shed some light on why this contract could do nothing but good not only for the Islanders organization as a whole, but for Biron himself.

To me, this is just another step in the right direction for the Islanders organization. With the debut of first overall pick John Tavares coming this season, this signing of Islanders fans says that one thing they will not have to worry about is goaltending.

Props to you Garth. Props to you.

Destination Promise Land: Islanders' Journey Begins with John Tavares

Ryan Kennedy — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:03:00 -0400

The most exciting thing a young NHL prospect could hope for is being a projected first-round draft pick.

Going first overall is just about the only thing that tops it.

That is the likely future for one John Tavares, the offensive dynamo of Canadian junior hockey.

Tavares began his OHL career early at the age of 14 after being considered "exceptional" enough to start his junior career early. Tavares went on to break one of Wayne Gretzky's records for goals in a season that year.

Since then, Tavares has only gotten better. He is slowly but surely becoming a more complete hockey player. Tavares has world-class offensive skills, both as a playmaker and a goal scorer.

One of the only knocks against him is his skating, believed by many to be what will ultimately separate him from the Sidney Crosbys and the Alexander Ovechkins when he breaks into the NHL.

The New York Islanders currently hold the first overall pick for this year's draft. There has been speculation that they may trade down. Other rumors have them picking giant defenseman Victor Hedman of MoDo hockey in Sweden.

They would be fools to do anything other than pick John Tavares in this draft. Naturally, he's No. 1 for a reason—his natural talent. But there's something else that puts him over everyone else.

He gets it.

Tavares wants to win Stanley Cups. He wants to be better. He wants to be a winner no matter what.

Speculation led the hockey world to believe for a while that Tavares wants nothing to do with the Islanders organization. Tavares himself put those rumors to rest recently by uttering the words "I want to be an Islander."

General Manager Garth Snow and owner Charles Wang actually went to see Tavares play at one point during the year. That spoke volumes to Tavares about how much this organization cares for its players.

It didn't end there. Tavares stayed with Garth Snow for three days recently during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and even had breakfast with Islanders center Doug Weight.

It seems like a match made in heaven. Tavares wants to be an Islander. The Islander organization seems to like Tavares. What is most important is the city wants Tavares.

This organization needs a franchise name like Tavares to watch every night. Bringing Tavares to Long Island will give this team new life, and hopefully get the Lighthouse project finally underway.

"But wait!," say skeptical Islanders fans.

"The Islanders need a big name defenseman just as much as they need a high scoring forward, right? Tavares is a weak skater anyway. Go for Hedman."

Wrong.

Tavares understands what he needs to do. He wants to become a better skater. He wants to be just as good defensively as he is offensively.

Tavares wants to be the total package for this Islanders team. It's almost as if he loves the idea of starting this franchise from scratch, himself being the starting point.

"Yeah, that's all fine and dandy, but I watched Tavares in the playoffs. He wasn't great. He was just good," they say.

So Tavares had a less than stellar playoffs? Big deal.

Brian Burke of the Maple Leafs said it best.

"If his playoff performance is going to turn teams away from choosing him and ultimately see him fall a few places at the draft, that's totally fine with me," said Burke.

Any GM with the opportunity to draft Tavares would be silly to pass on him.

The Islanders need Tavares. From a professional standpoint, I think when Garth Snow and Islanders management say they're "looking at all their options for the draft," that's just what they have to say.

Deep down, I don't think there's any doubt that John Tavares is their guy.

There's no doubt in my mind the Islanders need other pieces to move forward, but this all begins with John Tavares.

Drafting this young man will bring new life to this once-great, now-dying franchise.

They have some pieces with winger Kyle Okposo, center Josh Bailey, defenseman Mark Streit, and hopefully (if healthy) goalie Rick DiPietro. Adding John Tavares, to me, seems like adding four pieces to the puzzle at a time.

Adding John Tavares, and maybe some other minor additions and changes, and this Islanders franchise will be a playoff contender once more and finally return this former dynasty to the promise land.

Besides, who doesn't want to see a power play line of Bailey, Okposo, and Tavares?

To Be Or Not to Be: The Future Of Danny Briere in Philadelphia

Ryan Kennedy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:34:21 -0400

If you ask any general manager in the National Hockey League, they would love to have anywhere from five to seven million dollars in salary cap flexibility heading into this summer. With the salary cap expected to go down within the next two years, teams that are tight up against the cap will be making phone calls day and night to not only create salary room now, but plan for the future. A team like the L.A. Kings may be willing to take on some of the large contracts many GM's are looking to get rid of, while a team like the New York Rangers will be one of the teams looking to move one of those large contracts.

The Philadelphia Flyers fit the mold of the latter.

The Flyers are right up against the cap. With the hopes of icing and improved squad defensivley and in goal for next season, General Manager Paul Holmgrem will look to the trade route for answers to his intense salary cap dilema. Trading two out of three contracts in defencemen Matt Carle and Randy Jones or scorer Joffrey Lupul would ideally give the Flyers enough room to address their issues in net as well as on the blue-line. However, finding a new home for center Danny Briere could do all of that in one shot.

Danny Briere is a top-end NHL talent, who had a dissapointing second season with the Flyers decimated by injuries. In his first season with the Flyers, Briere didn't exactly perform as expected. While finishing almost a point per game, Briere finished with a career worst minus-22. After a few surgeries, the most recent a minor corrective eye surgery, Briere hopes to return to the Flyers next season healthy and ready to be a contributor once more.

But do the Flyers want him? Or better yet, can we afford to keep him?

Briere is a dynamic offensive player. He performs his best on the power-play, and should the Flyers keep him, that's where he's likely to do his most damage. Realistically, the Flyers could afford to trade Briere due to the emergence of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter last season as a one-two punch at center, as well as rookie Claude Giroux who can also play the pivot if needed. Briere developed chemistry with Giroux towards the end of the season and in the play-offs. Giroux figures to see increased ice time next season. Behind Carter, Richards and now Giroux, there's only so much ice time for Philadelphia's top-six forwards to go around. Throw in Scott Hartnell, who plays a lot along side Carter, and Simon Gagne, who plays a lot with Mike Richards, and it becomes a numbers game. Where does Briere fit into all of this? Does he fit into it at all?

Keeping Briere would do wonders for the Flyers power-play. If Briere was kept in a third line five on five, first line powerplay type role, he could ideally still hit around 60 points. Also, having a talent like Briere would be huge should Carter or Richards go down with a lengthy injury at any point during the season. Briere also has a strong, but suddle veteran prescence to contribute. Keeping Briere around could end up doing wonders towards the development of Claude Giroux as a premiere NHL scorer. But Does Danny Briere want a limited role on this team?

Trading Briere wouldent be at all a simple task. He carries with him a cap hit at over 6 million dollars for the next few seasons, as well as a no trade clause. So not only would Philadelphia have to find a team willing to take Danny, but they would have to find one Danny would be willing to go to. The Florida Panthers are a team looking for a number one center, but lack the cap space to take on Briere. If a trade were to happen with Florida, the Flyers would have to take salary back as well. The Flyers have been interested in defencemen Jay Bouwmeester for quite some time, and also lack a starting goaltender. Could the Flyers trade Briere, Joffrey Lupul, and Matt Carle for the rights to Bouwmeester, Thomas Vokoun, and Gregory Cambell? Maybe not the exact trade, but the idea of sending Briere and another player in Lupul, Carle, or Jones in return for Bouwmeesters rights and Thomas Vokoun is intrigueing.

Whether or not Briere is tradeable is one question. The more important question is whether or not the Flyers can adress their issues this off-season and still keep Briere. Ideally, the Flyers would love to keep Briere. Briere is a premiere power-play talent, who a long with Kimmo Timmonen run the Philadelphia power play. Briere is also a top-six forward on any team, and is a point per game player or better if he's playing 20 minutes a night. Now, due to Philadelphias depth, 20 minutes a night just isn't realistic. Not reguarly, that is. But should the Flyers be able to keep Briere, they will continue to be quite possibly the most offensivley dynamic team in hockey.

Ask 10 Philly fans, more then half arent ready to give up on Mr. Briere. But if we want a realistic run at the cup, trading Briere may be our only option. Keeping Briere would ensure us a power-play in the leagues top 10 next season, and no doubt be able to pick up the offensive slack should guys like Richards or Carter get hurt or hit slumps.

But if it means upgrading our blue-line or find a starting goaltender, Danny Briere may have already played his final game in a Flyers uniform.

An Offseason with Minor Tweaks: Proposed Changes for the Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Kennedy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:19:34 -0400

The Philadelphia Flyers' 2008-09 season was equally exciting as the previous season, in which the Flyers returned to the playoffs, except this year the Flyers went out in the playoffs two rounds earlier.

Some fans want to blame it on goaltending. Others want to blame it on the coach. Some are convinced our top players were just too gassed and had too many injuries to go the distance.

I don't think any of these are the main reason.

This team is not yet balanced. This team lacks what Derian Hatcher and Jason Smith brought to this team in 2007-08. We need a physical, shot-blocking, defensive defenseman on our blue line.

The Flyers also lack a defensive centerman, someone who can win key faceoffs. Faceoffs were a huge problem, not just in the playoffs, but throughout the entire season for the Flyers. Finally, we need to refresh our options in goal. Its time to let go of Marty Biron and Antero Nittymaki and look for other options in net.

This all must be accomplished by still staying under the cap, which the Flyers are already dangerously close to. Salary will need to be shed to make all of this happen, but it can be done.

Many fans look for a quick fix and just want to trade Danny Briere. Although that would give the Flyers a lot of cap flexibility, trading a contract like Briere's is no easy task. With a cap hit of over $6 million and many years left on Briere's current deal, moving Briere is much easier said then done. Not to mention he has a no-movement clause and is coming of an injury-plagued season. Danny Briere will be a Flyer next season.

As far as moving salary goes, it comes down to three players who could potentially be moved. Ideally, two out of the three would have to be moved for the Flyers to have a fresh look for next season. Those three players are Joffrey Lupul, Matt Carle, and Randy Jones. Mike Knuble is assumed gone, not just for cap reasons but to create roster space for emerging youngsters.

Joffrey Lupul is a player with tons of offensive instincts and great skill. However, he lacks consistency and ice time here on a Philadelphia team loaded with scoring talent. If Lupul was scoring 60-plus points a year, it would be much harder to let him go. We can afford to lose Lupul and his $4 million contract, especially with the emergence of Claude Giroux as a versatile scoring forward.

Carle is a very talented, young puck-moving defenseman who I would love to see the Flyers keep. However, with a salary at over $3 million, the idea of keeping Carle is looking less and less likely. By trading Carle, we open up a roster spot for a big, physical d-man.

I'd like to see the Flyers keep Jones. His contract isn't nearly as bad as most people make it out to be, and he's a solid two-way contributor on the blue line.

So, lets say hypothetically we trade away Carle and Lupul.

We could send Lupul to the Montreal Canadians, a team with some salary space and a team looking for some new options as far as scoring goes up front.

Then, we send Carle to the Buffalo Sabres, a team looking for some youth and puck movement on there blue line.

From Montreal, we could ask for the rights to Mike Komisarek and a second-round pick. Komisarek could be signed to a three-year, $13 million deal ($4.125 million, $4.125 million, and $4.5 million, for a $4.33 million cap hit). The Flyers also get a second-round pick, something they don't have this year or next year.

From Buffalo, we could trade for Paul Gaustad. Gaustad is a physical, defensive centerman who can win key faceoffs. Carle for Gaustad straight up seems lopsided to some, but Buffalo considers Gaustad as part of its team moving forward, and we need to shed salary. Gaustad carries with him a $2.3 million cap hit for a few more seasons.

The Flyers will more then likely have to dip into free agency for a goaltender. The Flyers have already signed goalie Johan Backlund to a one-year deal. Backlund should be the backup for next season and see hopefully around 25 to 30 starts.

As for the starting position, I say the Flyers go after Craig Anderson. Anderson was an absolute rock the past two season for the Florida Panthers and is looking for playing time elsewhere this offseason. At times, he actually outplayed starter Thomas Vokoun in the sunshine state. A two-year contract worth $3.5 million ($1.5 million and $2 million, for a $1.75 million cap hit) would be a nice raise for Anderson on a team where he would be the starter and see around 45 to 50 starts.

Simply for depth reasons, I think the Flyers should also sign Lasse Kukkonen to a one-year deal at $1 million.

This leaves the Flyers with a lineup next year of ...

Gagne-Richards-Briere
Hartnell-Carter-Giroux
Powell-Pahlson-Nodl
Carcillo-Ross-Asham
-Cote

Timonen-Coburn
Sbisa-Komisarek
Jones-Parent
-Kukkonen

Anderson
Backlund

All of this would leave the Flyers with just under $1 million in cap room. The end result is a team much more balanced and harder to play against. Mind you, this roster will rely on youngsters like Powell, Nodl, and Sbisa to take on full-time rolls, but given their performances this season, they give us plenty of reason to be optimistic their up to the task.

The Flyers this season were a team known for their scoring ability. Next season, hopefully we can be known as a team not just for our offensive capabilities, but as a physical team that can play shutdown defense.

Florida Panthers: Returning to The Postseason

Ryan Kennedy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:39:36 -0400

The 2006-07 season produced some very memorable hockey. The 07-08 season so far has been just as enjoyable, that is, unless you live in Florida.

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lighting both missed the playoffs this year.

The Tampa Bay Lighting have already begun rebuilding with the acquisitions of two way forward Jeff Halpern, shoot-out specialist Jussi Jokinen, and new number one goaltender Mike Smith at the trade deadline.

With Kari Ramo showing enough strength to be a reliable backup goaltender, and the almost inevitable arrival of future first overall pick Steven Stamkos, Vincent Leclavier and Martin St. Louis just might have a team behind them for the 2008-09 season.

Could the same be said for the Florida Panthers?

Possibly. Depending on what Panthers management decides to do during the offseason, I predict a return to the post-season for the franchise that guys like Pavel Bure and Roberto Luongo once called home.

In the closing weeks of the season, the Panthers actually made a last-minute push that almost saw them clinch a playoff birth.

This season saw the return of a number one goaltender to the franchise in Thomas Vokoun, who arguably carried the team through its darkest hours this season and kept their faint playoff hopes alive.

Captain Olli Jokinen saw a 20-point drop from last year, but he was still Florida's best forward. Jay Bouwmeester once again carried a very weak blue line. But take the following into consideration, and you may find that the Florida Panthers are not very far off from returning to the postseason...

Offense

More than anything, the Panthers need chemistry between their forwards. An offseason acquisition of a secondary scoring winger will complete a strong offensive Florida team.

If the Panthers can get continued development from guys like David Booth and Stephan Weiss, they wont have to rely on guys like Nathan Horton and Olli Jokinen to carry the team offensively.

However, the Panthers will need the return of the Olli Jokinen who had 91 points only a season ago and another strong season from Horton.

With the eventual return of forward Richard Zednik, the Panthers will have six or seven solid scorers up front, juggling Zednik and youngster Rostislav Olesz between the second and third lines.

But this Florida team wont be complete without strong play from two-way guys like Kamil Kreps and Greg Campbell. Look for Jozef Stumpel to assume a type of "Jeremy Roenick" role as a third or fourth line center.

Defense

Without question, this is where the Panthers need the most improvement. Jay Bouwmeester and Bryan Allen carried their blue line, and need some more consistent help other then the surprising resurgent Jassen Cullimore, who was better than great for them down the stretch.

Expect an offseason acquisition of a more offensive minded defensemen to compliment Bouwmeester and maybe a No. 6 or 7 defense men to share time with guys like Karlis Skrastins and Steve Montador.

Goaltending

Don't fix what isn't broken. With a stronger defensive group, expect a great season from Thomas Vokoun and a breakout season from Craig Anderson. He earned extended playing time next year with his back to back 50 save shutouts this season.

As insurance in case of a season-ending injury, the Panthers' organization should investigate the whereabouts of one Robert Esche, who could be looking for the type of role Brian Boucher had with Philly for most of this season.

Putting it all together

In the offseason, the Panthers need a stronger blue line. An offensive minded defenseman who can move the puck and a two way defenseman who can play power play and penalty kill should be No. 1 and 2 on the Panthers shopping list.

Also, a secondary scoring winger who can be juggled between the first two lines to play with either Jokinen/Horton or Weiss/Booth.

Filling Expectations

More importantly, the Panthers youngsters need to produce. David Booth's speed and ability to finish this season leaves him with the expectations of a 25-30 goal season next year.

Stephan Weiss needs to return to the 20-goal mark after only lighting the lamp 13 times this season and finish somewhere in the 55-60 point area.

Finally, Bouwmeester needs to remain healthy and Florida's best defenseman.

If he can quarterback the Panther power play somewhere into the top 10 or 15 in the league and keep a strong penalty killing unit together with guys like Greg Campbell and Rob Globke, the Panthers should have no problem reclaiming their place in the post season.

There's no question the Florida Panthers have talent. Whether it be strong performance night after night from Thomas Vokoun, the speedy youth of David Booth, or the combination of grit and skill that makes Nathan Horton a goal scorer, the Panthers are definitely talented.

All that remains is taking this talent and molding it into a solid unit. The Florida Panthers have some of the important tools to be a Cup contending team by next season.

If the Panthers can band together, and receive the proper backing from their management, their fans just might be rewarded with a return to the post-season.

And who knows, maybe an introduction to Lord Stanley himself.