Bleacher Report - Articles by Eric Renkema

And the (2009 NHL Award) Winner Is ......

Eric Renkema — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:25:37 -0400

While most fans are predicting how National Hockey League teams will finish this upcoming year, I am going to predict the winners of the various awards. This is how I see the NHL Awards hardware being handed out after the 2008/2009 season:

Hart Trophy (most valuable player) - Alexander Ovechkin

Ovechkin will be involved in around 45 percent of his team's goals. The only thing that will stop this young man from repeating is if he gets injured—and given the way he plays, hitting everything in sight, that just may happen.

Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) - Mike Babcock

As I predicted before, he will coach his team to within one win of the Stanley Cup finals. Even so, Babcock will finally be recognized for his abilities to suit his coaching styles to the team—and he has been blessed with another great squad.

Selke Trophy * (best defensive forward) - Mike Fisher

Fisher plays on a high-scoring team—look at their first line! Someone has to play defense, and no forward will do it better then him.

Calder Trophy (best rookie) - Kyle Turris

Turris is one of a handful of rookies on a young Phoenix Coyotes team. He will be a standout not only on that team, but in the League as a whole.

Norris Trophy (best defenseman) - Niklas Lidstrom

Lidstrom will repeat, because he makes the position look so effortless. Honourable mention—and possible upset—goes to Zdeno Chara.

Jennings Trophy (lowest team goals against average) - Evgeni Nabokov and Brian Boucher

While Nabokov will carry the majority of the workload, Boucher will prove to be a backup who can hold (save?) his own.

Lady Byng Trophy (most sportsmanlike player) - Sean Avery (just joking!) Nicklas Lidstrom *

Lidstrom is a defenseman who plays the position so well he doesn't need to take penalties. That, and his personality, will mean he will be on stage accepting this award.

Vezina Trophy (best goaltender) - Evgeni Nabokov

Martin Brodeur narrowly defeated Nabokov last year. But this year will be Nabakov's, because of the much better defensive corps in front of him.

Rocket Richard Trophy (top goal scorer) - Evgeni Malkin

The Pittsburgh Penguins will score in bunches and Malkin will lead the charge—much like he did last year when Sidney Crosby was hurt.

President's Trophy (team with the most points) - Detroit Red Wings

Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference Champion) - Montreal Canadiens

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Western Conference Champion) San Jose Sharks

Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) - Evgeni Nabokov

Stanley Cup (every knows what this one is for!) - San Jose Sharks

* While I think this is a useless award (another topic for another time), it still needs to be handed out!

Gary Bettman, You're Out! Playing the Part of NHL Commissioner

Eric Renkema — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:21:25 -0400

In January of 2008, the Hockey News put out a challenge to its readers—what would you do if you were the Commissioner of the National Hockey League?

The following is my response:

LEAGUE STRUCTURE

Contraction: say good-bye to Nashville and Florida. 28 teams are still too many, but it's a start.
Dissolve divisions altogether, leaving two conferences only. The top eight teams would still make the playoffs.
Atlanta Thrashers move to Winnipeg and join the Western Conference.
Detroit Red Wings move to the Eastern Conference.
Regular season begins in mid-September, ends in early April.
Five pre-season games per team, with each team playing one game in a neutral-site city (ie. Seattle, Houston, Hamilton etc.).
Am 82-game regular-season schedule—each team plays their 13 conference opponents four times each, and a home-and-home series with the 15 other teams in the other conference.
Zero points for losing! Two points for a regulation win, and one point for a win in either overtime or a shootout.

TELEVISION

Don Cherry is fired, and Ron MacLean becomes a fan of hockey—not just the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Games televised on ESPN, Versus, and NBC.
Blackout policy abolished, so that, for example, an Oilers fan in Ontario can watch an Edmonton game on Sportsnet West.
A hanging-wire camera system over the ice, similar to what the NFL has for their field.
Put a microphone on every player, and play the good stuff (read: family-friendly AND entertaining) at the end of each commercial break.
Bring back the goaltender camera.
A radar gun to clock how fast the puck is shot from the point.

RULE CHANGES

No-touch icing rule adopted.
Visors made mandatory via grandfathering process.
Shootouts extended to five shooters a side. All skaters must take off helmet before shooting. A camera man will be on ice level, skating nearby for the up-close shots.
Goalie equipment shrunk by 20 percent, and/or custom-fitted in every area except skates and helmet.
Players must stay in the penalty box for the full length of the penalty, even if the other team scores.
"No-trade/movement" clauses can no longer be written into contracts—effective immediately!

DISCIPLINE

Random drug testing throughout the calendar year, not just during the season.
Hits-to-the head policy adopted, mirroring the OHL.
Any player guilty of applying two dangerous hits from behind is automatically suspended five games. Each additional incident caused by a player tacks on 10 more games to subsequent suspensions.
Teams are held accountable for their players' suspensions by losing draft picks in the upcoming draft. A 5-10 game suspension loses a sixth-round pick, a 10-15 game suspension loses a fifth-round pick, a 15-20 game suspension loses a fourth-round pick, and so on.
Establish a three-man independent committee—including Colin Campbell—responsible for handing out suspensions.
The Player's Association, for once, has someone represent players injured by one of their peers.

MISCELLANEOUS

White jerseys for all home teams
No rotation of team captains. Just pick one already!

Shawn Horcoff: Edmonton Oilers Cough Up to Re-Sign Forward

Eric Renkema — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:00:22 -0400

I know it has been a while since my Edmonton Oilers signed Shawn Horcoff to his six-year, $33 million contract, but I like to think about signings/trades before I comment.

Well, I have thought about it—and my thoughts are the same when I first heard about the signing. Basically, I like the length of the contract. Horcoff has been an Oiler for 480 games, and I have no problem with him playing here another 480. He is a heart-and-soul player who gives his all.

My problem is that the contract averages out to $5.5 Million per year. In my books, that is first-line center money. Shawn Horcoff, while I like him the player, is not a first-line center—and the statistics prove it.

Horcoff has 285 career points in 480 career games. That is only 0.59 points per game.

Horcoff has never has been a true first-line center, but he has been placed in that role on this team by default. Now he will be forced to play like a number-one center, because of the expectations placed on him based on the money he is now earning.

Can he handle that pressure and live up to these expectations? Only time will tell, but I believe in six years the Oilers will regret giving out this big money contract to Horcoff—especially if it hinders them from getting a true first-line center.

Only Brian Burke Causes Drama When NHL Teams Sign Restricted Free Agents

Eric Renkema — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:09:06 -0400

As of mid-July, there were two restricted free agents signed to offer sheets. The Vancouver Canucks first put in an offer sheet to St. Louis Blues forward David Backes, which the Blues soon matched.

A week later, the Blues put in an offer sheet for recently acquired Canucks forward Steve Bernier. The Canucks soon matched that as well.

Now, my problem is not that these offer sheets were extended to these restricted free agents. It is in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, so it is all on the level. They both were playing by the rules of the playground.

My problem is that there was no real hullabaloo in the media this time! There was no verbal bullying by one of the General Managers involved while the other General Manager was made to look like he broke the rules.

When Dustin Penner was given an offer sheet last year by the Edmonton Oilers, Brian Burke was livid. He used the media to tear Kevin Lowe a new one. Burke saw the move as "an act of desperation" by a GM "fighting to keep his job."

When Backes and then Bernier was signed, the media just commented along the lines of Larry Pleau (Blues General Manger) "getting back" at Mike Gillis (Canucks General Manager). Tit for tat.

There was nothing in the media about one "lashing out" (the term some Canadian papers used for the Burke/Lowe/Penner signing) at another. Was this the case because the practice of signing restricted free agents to offer sheets is expected?

"Oh, Backes was signed to an offer sheet. Ho-hum. What else is new in the sports world?" Was it because the offers were relatively small?? "Hey! It's only $2.5 Million. That's minimum wage in the National Hockey League!"

Or, is it because there was no hot-headed bully like Brian Burke getting poached of a player? If either Backes or Bernier had played for the Anaheim Ducks, then Brian Burke would have made this a story!

Signing a restricted free agent is only a story when Brian Burke is involved.

NHL in 2008-2009: 31 Surefire Predictions

Eric Renkema — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:19:03 -0400

Well, it's the quiet (ish) time of the NHL calendar again. The time between free agent frenzy and training camp. So, in my boredom I came up with 31 predictions for the 2008-2009 NHL season. There are 31 predictions—one prediction per team and one general prediction. I hope you enjoy.

Anaheim—Brian Burke will still flap his gums and be upset about something.

Atlanta—Don Waddell will be the first GM fired.

Boston—The Bruins will surprise no one this year, but they will still make the playoffs.

Buffalo—They will make every effort to re-sign Ryan Miller to a long-term contract—and will be successful.

Calgary—As much as it pains me to say this, Todd Bertuzzi will have a comeback year.

Carolina—Sergei Samsonov will continue to play as well as he did after his trade to the Hurricanes.

Chicago—Either Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews will have a sophomore slump. I am thinking it is Kane.

Colorado—The Avalanche will regret letting Jose Theodore go and will not make the playoffs.

Columbus—Rich Nash will be sick of being the lone star there and will demand a trade or walk away via free agency.

Dallas—The Stars will regret letting both Antti Miettinen and Niklas Hagman go.

Detroit—The Red Wings will not repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but they will take the eventual champions to seven games in the Western Conference championship.

Edmonton—The Oilers will challenge Nashville for the final playoff spot...and will make it because of the young guns and their recent trade pick ups.

Florida—The Panthers will regret signing Olesz to that contract.

Los Angeles—The Kings will have the fewest goals for AND most goals against in the Western Conference.

Minnesota—The Wild will finally remove the defensive chains from Marian Gaborik. Look out, NHL (if he stays healthy).

Montreal—Les Canadiens will lose in the Stanley Cup Final on their 100th anniversary. Look out, City of Montreal...and the police cars.

Nashville—The Predators will have more action off the ice than on it.

New Jersey—The Devils will learn from their mistakes and rest Martin Brodeur by playing him in one less game than last year.

New York Islanders—They will be in the running for Tavares or Hedman.

New York Rangers—They will miss Sean Avery more than Jaromir Jagr.

Ottawa—The Senators will make the playoffs, but falter due to a lack of secondary scoring.

Philadelphia—The Flyers will enjoy a healthy Simon Gagne.

Phoenix—Kyle Turris will be in the running for the Calder Trophy.

Pittsburgh—Marc-Andre Fleury will continue to prove he was worthy of being drafted first overall in 2003.

St. Louis—Steve Mason will out-duel Manny Legace and will be the new No. 1 goalie in a Blues uniform.

San Jose—This (honest) will be the year that the Stanley Cup will be swimming with the Sharks.

Tampa Bay—The Lightning will handily win the Southeast division and their first round series, but that is as far as they go.

Toronto—The Maple Leafs will be coached out of chance for Tavares or Hedman. Of course it'll be the coaching—look at their team!

Vancouver—Alain Vigneault will be the first coach fired.

Washington—Mike Green will prove to be a one-year wonder.

BONUS (tie breaking) PREDICTION—Mats Sundin will pull a Teemu Selanne or Scott Niedermaryer and not sign until part way through the 2008-2009 season.