Bleacher Report - Articles by Mark Novak

Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Make Some Noise in The NHL Playoffs

Mark Novak — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:47:57 -0400

Huselius, Umberger, Williams, Brassard. These are not household names for many hockey fans, and yet they have the Columbus Blue Jackets poised to make a run in the playoffs.

Getting into the playoffs may seem like an accomplishment in itself for a team that has yet to make the playoffs.

But they won't stop there.

This team with one legitimate star, a no name defense, and a rookie goaltender is my early pick to cause a commotion in the playoffs. Think Calgary Flames circa 2004, Anaheim Ducks when they were still Mighty and not Stanley Cup Champions, or the 2006 Edmonton Oilers.

All were teams that preached sacrificing everything for the team, suffocating defense, and doing just enough to win games. Each of the aforementioned teams was led by one or two stars, a no-name defense, and a goaltender who could seemingly morph into a brick wall when their teams were in trouble. See a trend?

Columbus is a team that exemplifies all of these characteristics to the fullest.

Star Player

When you think of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the first thing that comes to mind is Rick Nash. After that, the mind tends to wander. Nash is the prototypical franchise player: big (6-foot-4-inches, 218 lbs.), skilled (34 goals), and a born leader.

The Flames had Jarome Iginla, who fought tooth and nail to take his team to the finals. The Ducks had a resilient and skilled Paul Kariya, and the Oilers rallied around grizzled veteran Ryan Smyth.

Rick Nash has to take on a similar role if his team is to go anywhere in the playoffs. Scoring is not enough; he needs to take on the other team's star player, lay big hits, and play a strong defensive game. If he can do that, his unknown but strong supporting cast should be able to pick up the slack when the going gets tough.

No Name Defense

No names really jump out at you when looking over the defense on the Blue Jackets, and that's the way they like it.Their style of play is based on a team defensive effort, and the load is not put all on the shoulders of one stud (perhaps since the Jackets don't have one).

Most of the Jackets' defenders have never even played a postseason game, and this inexperience could come back to haunt them in the playoffs. However, the experience and leadership of Mike Commodore (a member of that 2004 Calgary team) will be able to calm down a young group of rearguards.

The Jackets play a defensive style that is very similar to the teams that they follow behind. All of them rode solid team play and extraordinary effort to the finals, and the Jackets look to follow the trend.

It is this team-oriented defense that will help Columbus stay in every game they play in in the postseason. Needless to say, though, defense is not the concern for the Jackets; secondary scoring is.

Goaltending

Miikka Kiprusoff for the Flames, J.S. Giguere for the Ducks, and Dwayne Roloson for the Oilers were the most recent tenders of the tangled twine who have made a name for themselves in the playoffs, and Steve Mason looks to follow in their footsteps.

Mason is looking in fine form as he heads into the playoffs, and worries about fatigue have been brushed to the side as he has continued his stellar play. He leads the league in shutouts and his calm and collected style of play has left shooters taking back fist pumps all year.

If he continues his solid play, especially behind Columbus's solid defensive unit, Mason could steal more than a few games for the Jackets; think more along the lines of a few rounds.

The only question is, can this kid handle the pressure of the Stanley Cup playoffs? Playing a road game against the Flames in the notorious Saddledome is a much different experience than playing at the Nationwide Arena in a regular season game against the Blues.

That question and many more will be answered as the Jackets continue to build toward the playoffs and earn the respect and surprise of all who stand in their path to Lord Stanley.

The 10 Worst NFL Free Agent Signings of All Time

Mark Novak — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:18:11 -0500

The Offseason is a time of hope for every NFL team. A team can forget about the previous seasons failures and look ahead to the promise of a new, unblemished season. Every team feels as if they have a chance to compete, and that a good offseason can lead to a great season. Some teams make it to the next level by signing the big free agent, while others opt for the draft as their catalyst for a successful season. But Wait. Free Agents are not always what they seem to be. A bad free agent signing can ruin a teams season, and seriously hamper a franchise. Teams need to make wise choices when working the free agent market, but good descisions are not always made. There have been many bad free agent signings in the past, but I will only be looking at the 10 worst free agent signings of the modern era.

Begin Slideshow

A Legacy Of Greatness: Derrick Brooks

Mark Novak — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:32:42 -0500

Selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers, Derrick Brooks made an instant impact on the downtrodden franchise. An All-American at Florida State, Brooks brought an intensity and focus to the game that was hard to match.

Brooks quickly blossomed into a perennial All-Pro and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, but it was his conduct off the field that really set him apart from other players.

A man of Brooks' character is hard to come by in the NFL which has been recently plagued by players who display "me first" attitudes and have had run ins with the law.

A powerful, game changing linebacker on the field, Brooks made far greater changes in the lives of the children involved in the Brooks' Bunch; a group of inner city kids that Brooks has taken under his wing.

The importance of a good education is what Brooks preaches to these kids, and he shows them what this world has to offer by taking them all over the globe. Wherever they travel Brooks instills a desire to learn more about their surroundings and what new cultures have to offer.

Before heading to a club with a gun, players in the NFL should look at the example that Brooks set and realize that the power that they have been given as multimillionaires should be used properly.

He offers an amazing take on his role in the world when he says that "I think the Lord has put me in a position to help others." More players should take this point of view in their daily lives, not only off the field but on it as well.

Too often we see needless showboating and blatant cheap shots in the NFL. Brooks was intense on the field, but he never crossed the line. He used his passion for the game to mold himself into the best player he could be.

He became a great leader, and he was an inspiration to all those who stepped onto the field with him.

Respected by teammates, coaches, fans and opponents alike, it is sad to see Brooks leave Tampa Bay. However, with the legacy that he leaves there should and will be an inspiration to players and fans for many years to come.

Creating the Ultimate NHL Defenseman

Mark Novak — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:33:19 -0500

Needing size, speed, and intelligence to survive in the NHL elite defenseman are hard to find. From Eddie Shore to Dion Phanuef the policemen of the blueline have evolved drastically over the years, and by combining the past with the present a prototype defenseman is about to be formed. The possibilities are endless, the spin-o-rama of Denis Savard Paired with the bone crunching hitting ability of Chris Pronger, or the goalscoring ability of Mike Green, combined with the shot blocking skill of Karlis Skrastins. After writing an article on Creating The Ultimate Goalie I've been compelled to find out what would happen if I combined all the elements of a great defensemen together to form The Ultimate Defenseman. The elements that make up a great defenseman are Skating, Stick play, Physical Presence, Defensive Awareness, Offensive Awareness, Passing, Shot, Leadership, Size, Toughness and Durability. Choosing the player who was the best at each aspect of the game is nearly impossible, and without choosing Bobby Orr for every category here are my picks.

Begin Slideshow

Creating The Ultimate Goalie

Mark Novak — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:16:31 -0500

From stand-up to butterfly, goaltending technique has evolved greatly over the years. From playing without helmets and wearing waterlogged horsehair pads, like Terry Sawchuck, to wearing the high tech gear that is commonplace in the NHL today, equipment has evolved drastically as well. However, equipment and style are only two measures of a great goalie. Which is why I have decided to mash together all the goalies I think were the best at a particular aspect of the game in order to create the ultimate goalie. The skills that are essential in a goaltender and from which I will be choosing the best from are: Glove Hand, Lateral Coverage, Puck Handling, Rebound Control, Positioning/Angles, Desperation Saves, Poke Check, Size, Mental Toughness, Durability, and Speed. Although it is hard to compare today’s goalie to past defenders of the twisted twine I will be including goalies from all eras of hockey when considering who was the past at each particular skill.

Begin Slideshow

World Junior Championships: A Good Measure of a Goalie?

Mark Novak — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:45:38 -0500

It can be argued that Goaltender is the ultimate pressure position in sports, and the World Junior Hockey Championships are perhaps the biggest stage for young aspiring NHLers. A spectacular tournament can lead to speculation of an upcoming future as a starting goalie in the NHL, and a bad tournament can tarnish a young goalies reputation forever.

However, does a great tournament mean success in the NHL, or are the WJC's a poor barometer for how well a young goalie will fare in the NHL?

Successes

Marc-Andre Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury's Junior career was spectacular at times as he was named the Tournament MVP and Top Goaltender in 2003. Both tournaments that he played in ended in Silver medals, and without two brain cramps in the 2004 final he would have one gold as well.

Fleury's performance at the WJC's pegged him for stardom and so far he has delivered in the NHL. Already having led his team to the Stanley Cup Finals and putting up a valiant effort against a stellar Detroit squad Fleury has cemented his name among the top goaltenders in the league today.

Roberto Luongo

Roberto was anointed the next big thing in goaltending after he was named to the WJC All-Star team and the tournaments Top Goaltender in 1999. He has continued that success in the NHL.

After being an perennial All-Star mired on a defensively deficient Florida Panthers team for four years Luongo has moved on to Vancouver where despite a being supported by a pop-gun offense he has managed to lead them into the second round of the playoffs.

This year, Roberto was named captain and is considered by many to be the best goaltender in the NHL.

Failures

Justin Pogge

Justin Pogge was sensational at the WJC's in 2006. He put up remarkable numbers in the final three games of the tournament: a 1.00 GAA, three Shutouts, and a .933 S%. He was also named Tournament MVP and the Tournaments Top Goaltender.

Despite this Pogge has looked very shaky in his five games with the Maple leafs this year allowing 20 goals and posting a very poor .855 S%.

It would be unfair to write him off now as he is a young goalie playing on a horrible Leafs team, but his poor fundamentals and erratic style of play make it seem like he is not a good fit for the new NHL.

Mike Moffat

Mike was spectacular in the 1982 WJC's. He led Canada to a gold medal, was named to the Tournament All-Star team and was named the tournaments Top Goaltender. Unfortunately for Moffat, this early success did not translate into the NHL where he played 19 total games for the Boston Bruins over three seasons.

He never managed to record a shutout and he ended his career in AHL playing for the Nova Scotia Oilers. Mike is one of many goalies who have failed to parlay WJC success into the NHL.

Overall it is tough to say whether the WJC are an accurate depiction of how well a young goaltender will fare in the NHL. A gold medal does not always mean a Stanley Cup, and shooting a puck off your own defenceman and into your own net, a la Fleury, does not mean that you will be a dud in the crease in the big leagues.

I think that the team in front of you has a great deal to do with how well a goalie plays, and in Justin Pogge's case we can see that this is turning out to be true.

The WJC's allow young goaltenders the chance to showcase their skills, but in the end the tournament cannot make or break a career.