On July 1, 2008 The Blackhawks made a huge splash in the hockey world and signed free agentdefenseman Brian Campbell. The cost for Campbellwas steep, an eight year contract with an approximate $7.1 million salary cap hit per season. This was a bold move and was done for a couple of reasons.

The Hawks were becoming arelevant sports story again in 2008 and the resurgence was due in part tomarketing guru John McDonough who was hired in November of 2007. Shortly after McDonough arrived there were rumblings the Blackhawks would pursue Campbell.

Back then the word goingaround indicated two main reasons the Hawks desired to sign Campbell.

First they wanted to make abig splash to let fans and players around the league know the Blackhawks wanted to be serious Stanley Cup contenders. Up until then free agents often shunned Chicago and when they didsign here a bad team premium had to be paid. Campbell was in the right place at the right time in a soft free agent market and GM Dale Tallon had a fat check book.

Campbell was also viewed as avaluable on ice commodity as he fit into the fast paced, transition game theHawks sought.  No doubt Campbell was overpaid but he became animportant member of the Stanley Cup winning squad. What may have begun as amore of marketing/media splash worked out on the ice as well.

Now rumor has it the Hawksare very interested in upcoming UFA defenseman Ryan Suter. This sounds very similar to the Campbell whispers aroundin late 2007 and the summer of 2008. Rumblings indicate the Hawks want to makeanother big splash and blow away some of the stink that has surrounded thefranchise this summer.

There is bad optics toovercome, starting with Patrick Kane’s shenanigans and a front office mentioned to be in disarray on Canadian TV.  So farthis must be a spring from hell for McDonough who has to be concerned with preserving the image of his resurrected Blackhawks.

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Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard is a possible candidate to play for Team USA in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Photo by MPR529.

Jimmy Howard and the rest of his Detroit Red Wings’ teammates were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, but that hasn’t stopped Howard from continuing his season by representing his country.

Howard is currently the number one man between the pipes as a member of Team USA in the 2012 IIHF World Hockey Championships, which is held in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden.  He has back stopped the Americans to five wins (four in regulation, one in overtime) in the tournament and has a 2.16 goals against average and a .918 save percentage, including an 18-save performance in a shutout win against the defending champions, Finland this past Sunday.

Before he missed three weeks with a broken left pinky on February 2, Howard was among the top three goalies in the NHL and was having an all-star season, possibly on his way to a Vezina Trophy nomination (31 wins, 2.03 gaa, .924 save percentage in 44 games). However, his game went a tad south when he returned. Howard still finished the regular season with more than respectable numbers: 35-17-4,  2.12 goals against average, .920 save percentage and six shutouts (five before the finger injury).

Since the US has advanced to the quarter-finals (starting with a rematch with Finland tomorrow morning), Howard’s next games in the tournament will help further his resumé in the international hockey scene. If Howard and the rest of the Americans take home at least a bronze medal this weekend, Howard could better his chances of receiving a ticket to Sochi.

He has looked good during the tournament and is getting a small sample size of what it will be like against the world’s best in the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics, which is only 21 months away and will be held in Sochi, Russia. That is, if there is a new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL, NHLPA and the IIHF (the current CBA expires September 15), but I’m going to assume that all parties will work something out, which is why I’m writing this blog.

As of  right now, Los Angeles Kings’ goaltender Jonathan Quick is making a case as the best goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If he takes the Kings to the Cup Finals and makes life difficult for either the New Jersey Devils or New York Rangers, he could end up winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP. As for regular season hardware, he’s my choice for the Vezina Trophy, and he’s got the numbers to show it (35-21-13, 1.95 gaa , .929 sp, 10 shutouts).

Since teams in the Olympics are required to carry three goalies, another name who could also be given a ticket to Sochi is Cory Schneider of the Vancouver Canucks. His spectacular play this past regular season (20-9-1, 1.96 gaa, .937 sp, 3 shutouts) is forcing the hand of the Canucks’ front office to ship Roberto Luongo out of Vancouver.

Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres is another American-born goalie that shouldn’t be counted out. It was over two years ago when he played the best hockey of his career and everyone took notice when he played at the Winter Games in Vancouver. Even though the US lost to Canada in overtime, Miller backstopped his team to a silver medal and was the MVP of the tournament. His numbers in Vancouver were jaw-dropping: 5-0-1, 1.35 gaa, .946 sp.

The downside on Miller is that there were two different players wearing #30 for the Sabres last season. The first #30 was 5-6-0 in 11 games with a 2.86 gaa before suffering a concussion when he had his bell rung by Boston Bruins’ forward Milan Lucic in early November. After he returned to the lineup, he eventually tightened his game and played like the Ryan Miller that we’re accustomed to seeing and finished with a record of 31-21-7 with a 2.54 gaa, .916 sp and six shutouts. Two knocks are against him—his inconsistent play last year and his age (he’ll be on the south side of 33 by the time the 2014 Olympics will start).

Now, I’m not saying that being 33 is old for a hockey player. It’s not, but Howard, Quick and Schneider will be 29, 28, and 27 respectively by the time the Winter Games start. By then, they’ll still be in the prime of their of their careers.

I would expect Howard to return to pre-injury mode for the Red Wings next season. And if he has another all-star season, his stock will soar even higher for making the cut as one of the three goalies headed to Sochi. If USA Hockey decides to select three out of Howard, Schneider, Quick or Miller, they will have an advantage over the rest of the teams (including Canada) when it comes down to goaltending.

Imagine being a fly in the wall inside the room where the selection process will take place. If he returns as general manager of Team USA, Brian Burke will have some very difficult decisions to make. The goaltending situation will be the most tasking.

Red Wing fans, whether he starts or is behind the bench, what do you think of the idea of Jimmy Howard representing the US in 2014?

The teams which are left standing in the NHL post season play a consistent style and they look very comfortable doing so. That is probably why they are still alive in the quest for Lord Stanley. When the going gets tough they stick to their systems for the most part. Players on each club trust each other and don’t try to do too much. The same can’t be said about the Blackhawks over the previous two seasons.

Some are quick to point out that hockey isn’t a complicated sport. There aren’t as many set plays as in football or basketball and that can’t be argued. In some ways hockey is a simple game, but make no mistake, it is difficult to play consistently well. The Kings, Coyotes, Rangers and Devils all have very good goalkeeping and they have players which fit their style.

Each playoff survivor has a roster which meshes well. Each team can hide weaknesses and exploit strengths. For the Blackhawks to make a long playoff run they need to have a more defined style and a roster which allows them to excel.

Currently, it is difficult to know exactly what the Blackhawks strength is, although goal scoring would come to mind first. Last season when Joel Quenneville got his club to be more responsible on defense the scoring dropped off. Averaging two goals per game in regulation over the final two months against playoff caliber teams doesn’t scream explosive offense.

The normal course of business for NHL clubs concerning changing coaching personnel is to do so quickly once their season ends. The biggest reason is so coaches who won’t be retained are not in involved in making plans for the following season. In that way, strategy and off season wish lists are kept in house.

In Blackhawk land things can be different.

Mike Haviland was fired after exit interviews and organizational meetings were conducted. Quenneville mentioned GM Stan Bowman gave him permission to make coaching changes following the playoffs, but yet he waited. Actually, Quenneville waited so long he gave Haviland the bad news over the phone, after he had gone back home to his family.

Those wanting to connect the dots have reason to believe there was a verdict reached by Rocky Wirtz which led to releasing Haviland. It appears the Montreal head coaching vacancy may have pushed Hawk management to give Quenneville his wish to have two handpicked assistants. Wirtz could have been caught between a rock and hard place and decided keeping Quenneville was the best option for the Hawks.

Sacrificing Haviland, who had been well thought of in the organization couldn’t have been easy, but Quenneville is a proven head coach. Haviland “might” be an outstanding head coach someday and whispers indicate he was stunned when he got the news from Quenneville. As far as this summer is concerned, Haviland’s dismissal won’t be the only change for the Blackhawks.

Scuttlebutt is Hawk players aren’t happy Haviland is gone. Many times an assistant is the buffer between players and the head coach. Quenneville may have been bothered Haviland was close to many players but his dismissal is not likely to make remaining assistant Mike Kitchen any more popular.

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New Jersey Devils' forward Zach Parise will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Photo by rubyswoon

The first day of NHL free agency begins on July 1, which is just weeks away, and expect the Detroit Red Wings to be in the middle of it all. Without a doubt, this will be the most crucial off-season in some time. The last time that the Red Wings struck it rich was in the summer of 2001 and we all know what happened.

The Red Wings added more talent to their already star-ladened squad when they went “Stanley Cup or Bust,” trading for All-World goalie Dominik Hasek and signing free agents Brett Hull and Luc Robitalle. The end result: the 2001-02 Red Wings, who are among the greatest teams in NHL history, skated their way to their third Cup in six seasons.

Now I’m not saying that they they will go for players that have the talent of Hull and Robitaille, whom are both Hall of Famers (Hasek will be elected in his first year of eligibility). Times have changed since 2001, especially with all 30 teams under the salary cap. The Red Wings have plenty of cap room and are in line to land two or three key free agents.

New Jersey Devils forward and team captain, Zach Parise, should also be on the Red Wings’ radar. Parise will be the head of the 2012 free agent class as he will be on the open market July 1. He would be a more-than welcomed addition to any NHL club.  Besides, imagine Parise playing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk; not a bad one-two punch, eh?

As much as I want to think that Parise will come to Detroit and play for the Red Wings, there is a red flag. The problem is that his Devils are in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers. His stock has risen dramatically in the playoffs, especially against the Philadelphia Flyers, where he excelled on both sides of the ice. If he leads the Devils to the Stanley Cup, I see the chances of him signing with the Red Wings between slim and none. Slim will leave the building if Commissioner Gary Bettman tells Parise to come and get the Cup. If the Devils are eliminated by the Rangers, expect the Red Wings’ front office to open up the checkbook and say to Camp Parise, “How much?”.

This will be a crucial off-season for Red Wings’ general manager Ken Holland. Team Captain Nicklas Lidstrom remains undecided if he will return for his 21st NHL season and it’s Holland’s job to not start a domino effect if Lidstrom retires. Whenter or not Lidstrom comes back, if Holland signs Parise and makes serious pitches to Ryan Suter and maybe Alexander Semin, the Red Wings are back in business to make a run at another Stanley Cup. What do you think?

Here is the leader-board through the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs:

1) Woodward –> 9-for-12

2) Philp –> 6-for-12

3) Levin –> 2-for-4

4) Muscat –> 6-for-12

5) Cohen –> 5-for-12

Eastern Conference

(6) New Jersey Devils vs. (1) New York Rangers

Cohen– Rangers win in 7 . X-Factor –> Devils’ Record-Breaking Penalty Kill vs. Rangers’ Lifeless Power-Play

Philp– Devils win in 7. X-Factor –> Martin Brodeur

Muscat– Rangers win in 7. X-Factor –> Rangers’ Third Line

Levin– Devils win in 7 . X-Factor –> Adam Henrique

Woodward– Rangers win in 7. X-Factor –> New York’s Power-Play

Western Conference

(8) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3) Phoenix Coyotes

Cohen–  Kings win in 7. X-Factor –> Mike Smith vs. Jonathan Quick: Who Cracks First?

Philp– Coyotes win in 6. X-Factor –> Mike Smith

Muscat– Kings win in 5. X-Factor –> Jonathan Quick

Levin– Kings win in 6. X-Factor –> Drew Doughty

Woodward– Kings win in 6. X-Factor –>Mike Richards/Jeff Carter Line

Stanley Cup Finals

Cohen (Edit #2)– Rangers Over Kings

Philp (Edit #2)– Devils Over Coyotes

Muscat (Edit #2)– Rangers Over Kings

Levin–                    Devils Over Kings

Woodward (Edit #1)– Kings Over Rangers

Conn Smythe Award

Cohen– Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)

Philp– Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils)

Muscat– Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)

Levin– Ilya Kovalchuk (New Jersey Devils)

Woodward– Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)

Let’s start off with some good news which came out of Tuesday’s media conference call after the firing of assistant coach Mike Haviland.

For all those worried about Joel Quenneville being dismissed as head coach to take the same position in Montreal, that’s not happening. Quenneville stated he wants to finish out the final two years of his contract with the Blackhawks. So Quenneville is about as secure as a head coach can be, for now.

Evidently Blackhawk management is all in on Quenneville. GM Stan Bowman determined the root of the problem last season to be some dysfunction in Quenneville’s coaching staff. Following their playoff elimination, according to Quenneville, he was given the opportunity to replace any of his assistants.

Mike Haviland, who wasn’t an original hire of Quenneville, was fired Tuesday. Interestingly, Haviland was thought to be in line for the Hawks head coaching spot once Quenneville was gone. Some would say that’s the main reason Haviland is no longer around. Others believe Quenneville deserved to pick his own coaching staff and never had the chance. Then there are some who think there was going to be a fall guy and Quenneville was never going to dump his close friend and assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Blackhawks fans can determine for themselves or take one of the reasons above as to why Haviland was shown the door. What was certainly apparent Tuesday is Quenneville spent a great deal of time defending Kitchen.

The power play and penalty killing units were both bad last season. The power play especially was consistently awful throughout the campaign. Many had the view Kitchen was the one who designed the power play and led practices. Quenneville admitted the same and maybe that’s why he felt a compulsion to defend his buddy.

Quenneville mentioned Haviland started out directing the power play for the first 15 games. At that point, the Hawks ranked last in the league in power play efficiency and Quenneville gave the assignment to Kitchen. That means through the next 67 regular season games and six in the playoffs, it was Kitchen who was mostly responsible for the power play. That would be mostly accountable for the power play of the assistants, because head coach Quenneville is ultimately responsible for everything.

The Blackhawks power play, except for a brief period ranked close to the bottom of the league. For the regular season, the Hawks ranked 26th out of 30 teams. They scored only one time out of 19 opportunities during the postseason. Maybe that’s why Quenneville spent much of the time defending Kitchen on Tuesday citing that his character shouldn’t be questioned.

Quenneville was bothered by the criticism Kitchen has taken from fans and media alike during the season. That’s understandable but measured on performance, Kitchen could easily be taken to task.

Quenneville was careful not to lay the blame completely on Haviland. That was wise considering Haviland apparently was only chiefly responsible for the power play for 15 games. Quenneville did make one admission, and he would have been wrong not to do so. He admitted he stuck with the same players too often on the power play. Quenneville seems to be implying that some entitlement has entered into the thinking of certain players.

It sounds good to say power play should be earned. It also makes sense for Quenneville to share the blame because no matter how much his assistants had to do with designing the power play structure it is Quenneville’s job to put the players on the ice. Although it is not Quenneville’s job to create the roster, that’s on GM Bowman.

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Part I –> Top Six Forwards

Part II –> Bottom Six Forwards

Part III –> Defense Group

Part IV –> Extra Skaters/Call-Ups

Part V –> Goalies

Part VI –> Coaching/Management

Each day over the next week, I will update this blog with the addition of one player (in numerical order). For the bottom six, I will start with Gregory Campbell.

#11 Gregory Campbell

Age: 28

Contract Status: $1.100 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2012

Regular Season Stats: 78 GP, 8 Goals, 8 Assists, 16 Points, -3 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points, -2 Rating

– Duplicating a career season is a tremendously difficult task and one that players throughout the sports world often fall short of achieving. After falling just a goal or an assist shy of reaching the thirty-point mark (13G/16A) for the second time in his career during the 2010-’11 season, Campbell saw his offensive production sliced nearly in half this year (8G/8A). However, as anyone who has watched even a minute of Bruins’ hockey over the past few seasons would tell you, the true value of the 28-year-old London, Ontario native comes in the form of his unmatched grit and intangibles. Surpassing the century mark in the hit column and blocking over fifty shots whilst eating up valuable minutes on the penalty kill, the second-year Bruin’s contributions can not be overlooked. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, along with fellow bottom-six forwards Daniel Paille, Benoit Pouliot and Chris Kelly, Campbell will likely seek a slight raise from his last contract, which paid him $1.1 million dollars each year. In all likelihood, the Bruins will bring back just one of the two centermen with expiring deals (Campbell and Kelly). If that is the case, General Manager Peter Chiarelli will face a tough decision in determining whether Kelly’s ability to produce offense on a more consistent basis is worth the presumably hefty difference in the price tags of the two Canadian pivots.

Final Grade: B

#20 Daniel Paille

Age: 28

Contract Status: $1.075 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2012

Regular Season Stats: 69 GP, 9 Goals, 6 Assists, 15 Points, -5 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 1 Point, -1 Rating

– After struggling to find a spot in the Boston lineup for much of the 2010-’11 regular season — seeing action in only 43 of 82 games –, Paille looked to be the odd man out once again as the 2011-’12 campaign began. With former first round draft choice Jordan Caron — who plays a similar style to Paille — waiting in the wings, it seemed as though the former-Buffalo Sabre would once again become a press box regular. However, the 28-year-old left wing began the season with a strong training camp and earned his spot alongside Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton on the Boston fourth line. The Welland, Ontario native went on to enjoy another solid season for the Black and Gold, picking up nine goals and six assists, while seeing time on the B’s top penalty-killing unit. With his contract set to expire on July 1, and a pair of youngsters in Anthony Camara (3rd Round (81st Overall)/2011 Entry Draft) and Lane MacDermid (4th Round (112th Overall)/2008 Entry Draft) ready to take on a bottom-six role with the big club, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Paille pulling on a different sweater come October of 2012.

Final Grade: B-

#22 Shawn Thornton

Age: 34

Contract Status: $1.100 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2014

Regular Season Stats: 81 GP, 5 Goals, 8 Assists, 13 Points, -7 Rating

Playoff Stats: 5 GP, 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points, EVEN Rating

– Since arriving on the scene in the summer of 2007, Shawn Thornton has met and exceeded everything that was expected of him by fans, coaches and the Boston Bruins organization. Fresh off a Stanley Cup championship with the Anaheim Ducks, the 34-year-old veteran brought with him the type of toughness and attitude that demands respect throughout locker rooms across the league. His personality, style of play and commitment to the city of Boston have made the Oshawa, Ontario native an ice hockey staple in the Hub. The 2011-’12 campaign was nothing out of the ordinary for Thornton, chipping in with a handful of goals — the most remarkable being his back-hand roof-job against Winnipeg’s Ondrej Pavelec on a penalty shot — while collecting over 150 penalty minutes and dropping the gloves whenever the situation called for it. After sealing a brand new two-year pact in March, Thornton will remain in Boston for at least the next two seasons, earning $2.2 million dollars over the life of the contract.

Final Grade: B

#23 Chris Kelly

Age: 31

Contract Status: $2.125 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2012

Regular Season Stats: 82 GP, 20 Goals, 19 Assists, 39 Points, +33 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 3 Points, +1 Rating

– General Manager Peter Chiarelli‘s prized acquisition from the 2011 trading deadline, Chris Kelly went far and above expectations in his first full season with the Black and Gold. Posting career-bests in goals, points and plus/minus during his contract season, Kelly has set himself up to sign a lucrative (and well-deserved) new deal on July 1. The hero of Boston’s game one overtime win against the Capitals in the first round of the postseason, Kelly was also one of the few Bruins’ forwards that fully lived up to his playoff expectations in 2012. While Kelly’s increased offensive production (20G/19A) in 2011-’12 came as a surprise to many, the six-foot Toronto-native once again lived up to his billing as a defensive zone stalwart, winning a number of key draws for the Bruins and posting the league’s third highest plus/minus rating (+33). Unfortunately for B’s fans, Kelly may have just played his way out of Boston. After a career year in 2011-’12, Kelly will undoubtedly be looking for significant raise on the deal that’s paid him $2.125 million dollars over the past two seasons. It will be interesting to see if Chiarelli is willing to offer Kelly the type of deal he signed fellow third-liner Rich Peverley to last fall (3 years/$3.250 MIL per).

Final Grade: A

#49 Rich Peverley

Age: 29

Contract Status: $3.250 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2015

Regular Season Stats: 57 GP, 11 Goals, 31 Assists, 42 Points, +20 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 3 Goals, 2 Assists, 5 Points, EVEN Rating

– Despite missing nearly the entire second half of the season after suffering a torn MCL, Boston’s most versatile forward was still able to surpass the 40-point mark for the second time in his career. In the absence of the concussed Nathan Horton, Peverley did an admirable job filling in on the Boston top line, and was solid in his role at center — after the Patrice Bergeron injury — during the B’s first round series with the Capitals. Peverley’s five points (3G/2A) in seven playoff games was good for first on the team as number 49 was without doubt the most consistent producer amongst the Boston forward group in the 2012 postseason. Signed to a brand-new three year contract extension (worth a total of $9.75 million dollars) in October, it is evident that the 29-year-old Ontario-native is a major part of GM Peter Chiarelli’s long-term plan for the success of the Bruins.

Final Grade: B+

#67 Benoit Pouliot

Age: 25

Contract Status: $1.100 MIL Cap Hit/ Restricted Free Agent On July 1, 2012

Regular Season Stats: 74 GP, 16 Goals, 16 Assists, 32 Points, +18 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points, -1 Rating

– In more ways than one, Benoit Pouliot’s first campaign in a Boston Bruins’ uniform produced eerily similar results to what the B’s came to expect from the man no. 67 replaced: Michael Ryder. In two of his three seasons with the Black and Gold, Ryder hovered around the 30-40 point mark — which is right where Pouliot fell in 2011-’12 — while leaving B’s fans frustrated at his streaky tendencies. At times this season, Pouliot showcased the type of top-line skills that made him the fourth overall selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. However, there were also periods in which the Alfred, Ontario native seemed to resort to the type of on-ice behavior that saw him banished to former head coach Jacques Martin‘s doghouse during his time with the Montreal Canadiens. Coming to the Hub by way of a one-year, $1.1 million dollar contract, Pouliot was the epitome of a low risk/high reward-type off-season signing by general manager Peter Chiarelli. Picking up 32-points (16G/16A) in 74 games this season, Pouliot more than earned his salary, but never truly found the type of consistency that Chiarelli and the Bruins had hoped to see from the former Sudbury Wolf.

Final Grade: B-

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When players don’t perform adequately the results are obvious and there is little mystery. When a team’s shortcomings are brought about by mismanagement the cause of problems isn’t as apparent. In the NHL when a head coach and GM aren’t on the same page and a plan of action appears scattered, eventually on ice results suffer. In this case, bickering may have already led to poor results.

For teams already eliminated from the NHL playoffs, this should be a time to look ahead for better days. The best scenario is when fans can easily ascertain a definable plan for the future so they can stay engaged in the process. Today, Blackhawk fans should be looking ahead with optimism, but that is easier said than done.

Currently, the Blackhawk franchise isn’t beaming with confidence and gushing with enthusiasm. It stands to reason fans which pay close attention are having doubts, and some must wonder if this strong core of elite talent will ever win another Stanley Cup. If reports are accurate, Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman aren’t seeing eye to eye.

On Sunday night in front of a large hockey audience, the Hawks front office was exposed as being in disarray. The word of apparent turmoil was relayed on the CBC Hotstove telecast. That’s not the place to have a franchise image sullied. A comparison would be to have a Fortune 500 company receive negative press on 60 Minutes.

Owner Rocky Wirtz and others in the Hawks front office must have cringed. Those who have watched things unfold, or who speak to contacts close to the situation, couldn’t have been surprised. That said, if scattered management prevents this club from achieving on-ice success it would be a waste. Many won’t realize how good the collection of talent presently assembled is until we speak of current players in past tense.

Instead of Blackhawk fans looking toward the June Entry Draft and the July 1 free agent signing period as hope for improvement, there is uncertainty. It will take more than skillful players to win another Stanley Cup, it will take a well-structured team. Without coaches and the front office following the same script, long playoff runs will be unlikely.

As was written here about a week ago, this is the time for Wirtz to be a true leader. He must end the disputes and stifle the criticism that will harm the Blackhawks brand. It’s not as if Rocky isn’t familiar with dysfunction, red ink, sparse crowds and a lack of media attention. Wirtz knows how awful it is to be connected with a franchise that is the subject of constant criticism and failed expectations.

Wirtz must try to get the Hawks back in balance and under the current structure that won’t be easy. Every misstep could cost Wirtz financially and he already has done his share of eating bloated contracts.

At first blush, to have the strong voice of the legendary Scotty Bowman on board sounds like a great idea. Although when the GM and the club’s chief advisor always side together, the head coach could be in a more difficult spot. Battling a father and son duo isn’t an easy task.

During the Hotstove telecast on Sunday night, the possibility of Quenneville leaving the Hawks and becoming the next Canadiens head coach was discussed. On the surface, this option seems like a quick-fix to the Quenneville-Bowman saga and a way to save some money for Wirtz.

The cost savings would involve Wirtz not having to eat the last part of Quenneville’s contract, which is two more years most likely. New Montreal GM Marc Bergevin and Quenneville are friends, so it is natural for dots to be connected.

These days in the NHL there couldn’t be a player or other compensation sent to Chicago if Quenneville jumped ship to Montreal. Simply, the Hawks would have to fire Q. and then he would be allowed to take the bench boss job in Montreal.

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Now a week and a half removed from Boston’s game seven loss at the hands of the Washington Capitals at TD Garden last Wednesday, it seems we’ve reached the perfect time to begin my six part series of Bruins’ postseason report cards. The order will look like this:

Part I –> Top Six Forwards

Part II –> Bottom Six Forwards

Part III –> Defense Group

Part IV –> Extra Skaters/Call-Ups

Part V –> Goalies

Part VI –> Coaching/Management

Without further ado, I present to you part one, detailing and grading the 2011-’12 seasons of each of the Bruins’ top six forwards.

#17 Milan Lucic

Age: 23

Contract Status: $4.083 MIL Cap Hit/ Restricted Free Agent On July 1, 2013

Regular Season Stats: 81 GP, 26 Goals, 35 Assists, 61 Points, +7 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 0 Goals, 3 Assists, 3 Points, +2 Rating

– For the second straight season, Boston’s resident power forward posted a solid sixty-point campaign whilst easily exceeding the century mark (135) in the PIMs category. Lucic’s 2011-’12 regular season was very much on par with what we’ve come to expect from number 17 on a year-in/year-out basis. However, also for the second straight season, his postseason performance left a lot to be desired. In an NHL playoff series, its awfully tough for any team to come out victorious without even a single goal from their top-line left wing. It may all shake down to the fact that even at his best, Lucic isn’t a true first line player in this league. That is by no means a knock on the 6’4″ bruiser but merely a recognition that his playing style is best suited for a second line role, where he isn’t expected to produce 70-point campaigns.

Final Grade: B-

#18 Nathan Horton

Age: 26

Contract Status: $4.000 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2013

Regular Season Stats: 46 GP, 17 Goals, 15 Assists, 32 Points, EVEN Rating

Playoff Stats: Missed Postseason Due To Post-Concussion Syndrome

– Without doubt, Nathan Horton is the toughest to assign a grade of any of the Bruins’ top six forwards simply due to his absence from the lineup for nearly the entire second half of the season. Number eighteen was able to recover from a poor start to the 2011-’12 campaign (five points in twelve games) by picking up 15 goals over the course of the next 34 games he participated in before suffering a concussion in Philadelphia on January 22. It’s tough to gauge where the Bruins will go from here in regards to their 2011 playoff hero. In the same way he declared that Horton would be back before the season ended this year (at the trade deadline), general manager Peter Chiarelli proclaimed last week that he expected the Welland, Ontario native to be ready to go by the start of the 2012-’13 season. However, as anyone with a working knowledge of concussions will most certainly tell you, it is near impossible to predict the return to normalcy for anyone suffering from post-concussion syndrome with complete accuracy.

Final Grade: C+

#19 Tyler Seguin

Age: 20

Contract Status: $3.550 MIL Cap Hit/ Restricted Free Agent On July 1, 2013

Regular Season Stats: 81 GP, 29 Goals, 38 Assists, 67 Points, +34 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points, +3 Rating

– Boston’s sophomore phenom came out with guns blazing in 2011-’12, leading hockey pundits everywhere to believe that number nineteen had reached the level of the player he’d drawn so many comparisons to during his final season of junior hockey in Plymouth, Michigan: Steven Stamkos. Picking up twenty-four points (12G/12A) over the first two months of the season (23 games), it looked like the Brampton, Ontario native had already reached superstardom. However, things slowed down for Seguin as the season went along and he ran into a few bumps in the road, including the infamous Winnipeg alarm clock situation that made headlines in Boston last December. Over the course of the entire campaign, Seguin emerged as a consistent force on the Boston front line, often flaunting the amazing skill and speed that made him the second overall selection in the 2010 Entry Draft. As the dawn of his third season in the NHL approaches with training camp this coming September, it’s clear that the 20-year-old Seguin is well on his way to becoming a true superstar in this league.

Final Grade: A-

#37 Patrice Bergeron

Age: 26

Contract Status: $5.000 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2014

Regular Season Stats: 81 GP, 22 Goals, 42 Assists, 64 Points, +36 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points, EVEN Rating

– Twenty goals, sixty points, a league-best plus-36 rating, a 59% success rate in the faceoff dot and a Selke nomination. Sounds like a pretty phenomenal season, right? It would be for a number of players in the NHL. Yet, all of it was simply business as usual for Boston’s incumbent alternate captain who enjoyed the most consistent season of any forward in the Bruins’ top six forward group. The Quebec-native once again proved himself invaluable to the B’s in 2011-’12, leading the team in both assists and plus/minus while facing the task of shutting down an opponent’s top line on a nightly basis. It’s impossible not to feel good for the oft-underrated Bergeron who is finally receiving the recognition that he’s deserved for many years with his first career Selke nomination. After playing through a debilitating oblique injury and posting only two points in seven games during the Bruins’ opening round defeat at the hands of the Capitals, Bergeron made no excuses, taking full responsibility for his uncharacteristic lack of production. Just another likeable trait that makes the 26-year-old pivot one of the classiest players in the game today.

Final Grade: A

#46 David Krejci

Age: 26

Contract Status: $5.250 MIL Cap Hit/ Unrestricted Free Agent On July 1, 2015

Regular Season Stats: 79 GP, 23 Goals, 39 Assists, 63 Points, -5 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 3 Points, EVEN Rating

– While David Krejci’s sixty-two point season in 2011-’12 was nothing to balk at, it sure made me look awfully silly after predicting the Czech-born centerman to surpass the 80-point mark in one of my many pre-season blog entries. This year’s campaign can all be boiled down to one word for No. 46: Inconsistent. During the months of December and March, Krejci looked like the top line pivot that Peter Chiarelli hoped he would eventually become. However, in October, February and April, he was nothing but a passenger, collecting only three goals and three assists in 24 games. After competing for the Conn Smythe – eventually won by Tim Thomas — in 2011, Krejci’s playoff performance fell off a steep cliff in 2012. Following up a 12-11-23 line during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup with a pedestrian 1-2-3 output during this season’s playoffs, questions about Krejci’s reputation as a clutch player have began to come to the surface. Don’t get me wrong, Krejci is a phenomenally skilled player — one that any team would be lucky to have on their roster — but much like Lucic, seems to have reached his ceiling (20G/50-65 Points) when it comes to offensive production.

Final Grade: C

#63 Brad Marchand

Age: 23

Contract Status: $2.500 MIL Cap Hit/ Restricted Free Agent On July 1, 2013

Regular Season Stats: 76 GP, 28 Goals, 27 Assists, 55 Points, +31 Rating

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points, -1 Rating

– Boston’s favorite agitator did nothing but improve in 2011-’12 after a breakout rookie season last year. Falling just two tallies short of the 30-goal mark, Marchand reached fifty points for the first time in his young career whilst taking on an expanded role with both special teams units. Admittedly, his two-point effort this postseason was nothing to write home about, the Halifax-native’s overall performance this season has cemented his place in the Boston lineup – alongside Patrice Bergeron –  for many years to come, as a sturdy two-way forward that head coach Claude Julien can rely on in any situation.

Final Grade: B+

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Blackhawk fans looking for some real change may enjoy this summer. For the first time since the 2010 Stanley Cup parade there appears to be a solid chance a core player will be dealt. If my source is correct, and he has been frequently in the past, third line center Dave Bolland is on the trading block.

It isn’t a big shock Bolland is the one made available out of the untouchable seven (Bolland, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Sharp and Toews). My view has been it will be unlikely any of the core group will be traded unless there are going to be major changes on West Madison Street. It would seem unlikely trading Bolland alone would be enough to cure the Hawks woes. Actually losing his experience could create other issues.

If Bolland is traded there would be a sizeable hole to fill and it isn’t a lock anyone on the current roster could excel in his role. Marcus Kruger may continue to improve or maybe not. Highly thought of prospect Phillip Danault is very young and unproven at the NHL level. Trading Bolland is risky but the Hawks will have to give to get. At this point it is unclear what GM Stan Bowman is trying to get in return.

Dealing Bolland for a second line center makes some sense, although Bowman appears to have Patrick Kane penciled in for that role. Maybe that isn’t so and Bowman was only posturing at his recent press conference. It also seems logical the Hawks will have to sweeten the pot if they are in the market for a proven pivot.

Bolland will be a sought after because of his ability to shut down top offensive players, but quality second line centers don’t grow on trees. Maybe the end game for the Hawks is to strengthen a couple of positional needs or to open up more salary cap space to pursue free agents.

Bowman can go in a few different directions. If Bolland is dealt for a defenseman, maybe the Hawks don’t pursue free agent Johnny Oduya. Possibly Niklas Hjalmarsson or Viktor Stalberg will be included in a trade package as Bowman might want to make a bigger splash.

It is early, actually earlier than usual for these types of trade rumors. It appears Hawk management realizes first round exits are failures and now there is some urgency. Maybe trading a popular player like Bolland will lead to a major free agent signing. There are a couple of big name, unrestricted free agents that could help many clubs.

Early speculation has the Blackhawks in the (b)Ryan Suter(b) sweepstakes, and he would be a huge acquisition.  Nashville will want to retain upcoming UFA Suter who is normally paired with Shea Weber to form one of the best defensive duos in the league.

If the Suter-to-Chicago rumblings are true, Hawk fans may feel like they are about to enter the twilight zone.

Brian Campbell was traded to Florida last summer in a transaction that can be simply defined as a salary dump. Campbell is a $7.1 million salary cap hit and is signed through 2015-2016. Suter will probably get similar money and should want at least a five year commitment if he leaves Nashville.
 
Call me cynical but that puts the Blackhawks in a similar cap position as they were in before Campbell was dealt. No doubt Suter is a better all-around defenseman, but Campbell was a nice fit here considering his puck rushing ability.

Maybe Blackhawk management finally realizes Campbell’s departure left too big of a hole on the blue line. If so, this summer they may commit a sizable amount of cap space to fix the problem. Beyond roster changes a Suter acquisition could mean the Hawks are going to look to play a more conservative system.

There are two overriding questions concerning Suter’s future in Nashville. Will the Predators want to have three $7 million players on their roster? Does Suter actually want to stay in Nashville?

The answer to question one is probably yes, Weber is up soon for a big raise and Pekka Rinne has already signed a lucrative contract extension. My gut feeling is the correct response for question two is Suter will want to move on. Possibly if the Preds make it the Stanley Cup Finals Suter will be more likely to stay. Then again, maybe he is already set on looking for a big market home and there are reasons Chicago could be his choice.

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Photo taken seconds before the Rangers are told they don't get paid extra for overtime.

I’ve loved the game of hockey for over 40 years. Yeah, I’m old. But there have been a lot of times, particularly in the late nineties/early aughts that I felt the love was unrequited.

Then there was last night in the Verizon Center.

This was a game that really didn’t decide anything – it was Game 3 in a best-of-seven. Hell, there’s still every chance that the New York Rangers may go home after this series is over, despite winning last night’s epic triple-overtime game against the Washington Capitals.

And, in the record books websites all that will be in the final tally of the postseason series will be:

NYR 2 WSH 1 – 3OT

Is that fair? There is a romance to having some exalted status for games like last night, some way to let people know years and decades from now that there was something special that happened last night. Maybe an asterisk, or a larger font. Stars around it or something.

Instead, we’ll have to look elsewhere to be able to tell people about the sheer will of Ryan Callahan. Somewhere, someone will have pictures of Brian Boyle and Dan Girardi’s sweaters with blood stains. Mike Knuble looked like he had been bobbing for french fries after he was patched up. Heretofore unknown Braden Holtby and Vezina finalist Henrik Lundqvist looked like they were going to stop pucks for all eternity. A game in Nashville both began and ended while this one was going on.

NYR 2 WSH 1 – 3OT

Sure, there are things that will be there for statistical perusal. Ryan McDonagh played 53:21 of this game. Marc Staal played 49:30. But those are cold numbers. Shouldn’t there be some way for a box score to scream, “Holy crap, these guys were on the ice for almost an hour!”?

NYR 2 WSH 1 – 3OT

There were a combined 95 shots on goal in this one – 49 for Washington and 46 for New York. 92 of those pucks were stopped. For those of you keeping stats, that’s a combined .968 save percentage for Holtby and Lundqvist. That doesn’t even include the 41 shots that Rangers skaters blocked, or the 40 by Caps skaters. I guess the combined 105 hits can give some indication to the type of game that occurred, but in the end, it will still be:

NYR 2 WSH 1 – 3OT

As if the Hockey Gods knew what was in store, these teams get a little extra rest before they meet again, getting until Saturday afternoon before locking horns again in a series that is far from decided.

Fortunately, they gave us an incredible amount of hockey to hold us over until then.

The last time the Maple Leafs selected a forward with a top five pick in the draft, was in 1989. The Toronto Maple Leafs took Scott Thornton with the third overall pick. Before that, it was Wendel Clark, first overall in 1985.

Of course, The Maple Leafs do not have to take a forward. They could very well select a defenseman with the 5^th overall pick, assuming they don’t trade it. The last time they took a defenseman, they selected Luke Schenn, at number five. The young defender has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout his young career, and will be looking to bounce back in his 2012-2013 campaign, whether it is with the Leafs, or another club.

Outside of who many believe is the consensus number one pick this year, in Nail Yakupov, the draft seems to be quite open. Many scouts have different top 10s, which is expected. There are plenty of talented players available, but the real questions surround team need. You can certainly make the case that the Edmonton Oilers could, and should trade the first overall pick. In which case, many Leafs fans would be salivating at the opportunity to draft Yakupov. However, a first overall pick hasn’t been traded since 2003, and while the Oilers will likely be more open to listening to potential offers on their pick, it just doesn’t seem likely they’d move it.

Brian Burke has made his fair share of draft day trades. Whether it be making a trade to select the both Henrik and Daniel Sedin in 1999 while with the Vancouver Canucks, or most recently moving up to grab Tyler Biggs with the 22^nd overall pick, in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Burke has already come out and talked about how he expects the team’s biggest moves in the offseason to come via trade, and likely not free agency.

Going into his final year of his contract as President and General Manager of The Toronto Maple Leafs, one would think Brian Burke will be feeling the pressure to get things done this upcoming year. With so many question marks surrounding the team, you have to think something is going to get done. The time for waiting until the right deal comes along is over. The pressure is immense, and everyone, including Brian Burke, know it.

Pavel Datsyuk will play in his fifth IIHF World Championship tournament. Photo by Patxi64.

The Detroit Red Wings’ season ended a couple of weeks ago, but it won’t stop them from taking a trip to Europe. No, they won’t be taking a Griswold Family Vacation, but they will be lacing up the skates once again in the upcoming  IIHF World Championship to be held in Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland.

Several Red Wing players will play for their respective countries in the tournament, which starts this Friday and concludes with the semifinals and medal round games in Helsinki on May 19-20.

Playing in the tournament is the next best thing for the players who aren’t currently in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For some of the Red Wing players who will take part, the opportunity to play for their country at this time of the year doesn’t come that often.

Valtteri Filppula hopes to continue his play from the regular season as he represents Finland, who are the defending champions. This is the first World Championships for Filppula, who represented his country in the 2002 World Under-18 Championships and is also a two-time participant in the World Junior Championships (2003, 2004).

Pavel Datsyuk is arguably one of the best all-around players in the world. Not only has Datsyuk displayed his skills for the Red Wings, he has also showcased his talents by playing for his home country, Russia. Datsyuk played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and is a three-time participant of the Winter Olympics (2002, 2006, 2010).  In 29 World Championship games, Datsyuk registered 10 goals and 13 assists and will make his fifth appearance in the tournament.

Even though Tomas Tatar is only 21 years old and a top-five prospect in the Red Wings’ organization, this will be the second time that he will play for Slovakia in the World Championships. He looks to improve his stats from last year’s tournament, where registered two goals in six games.  Tatar has also participated in the World Junior Championships in 2009 and 2010, where he netted a total of 10 goals and seven assists in 13 games played. Tatar is projected to be a top-six forward and his stock could rise over the next few weeks.

As for last year’s runner-up Sweden, the additions of  Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and Niklas Kronwall bolster their chances to reach the finals once again. Zetterberg and Kronwall, along with Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom and then-Red Wing Mikael Samuelsson, were the team’s version of the Swedish Fab Five that captured the Gold Medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Zetterberg began representing his country in the final European Junior Championships in 1998 and captured the Gold Medal in the process. He also took part in the 1999 and 2000 World Junior Championships as well as the Winter Olympics in 2002, 2006 and 2010. This will be the sixth time that Zetterberg will take part in this tournament. In 44 career games in the World Championships, Zetterberg tallied eight goals and 21 assists.

Like Zetterberg, Kronwall has had his fair share of international experience. The two were teammates in the final European Junior Championship as well as the 2000 World Junior Championships. Kronwall once again represented Sweden the following year for the World Juniors in 2001 and then reunited with Zetterberg at the World Championships in  2003 and 2005. His coming-out party was at the ’06 tournament, where he got two goals and eight assists in eight games, helping Sweden capture the Gold Medal, and raising some eyebrows among the Red Wing brass.

Franzen will participate in the tournament for the third time. During the 2004 and 2005 tournies, he found the net only once and had three assists in 13 games for Sweden.

Since he retired from international competition in 2010, Lidstrom will not take part in the tournament, but another Red Wing will take his spot. Jonathan Ericsson will play in his second international tournament as a member of Team Sweden.

Even though he’s not with the Red Wings just yet, Jarnkrok will get a small sample size of what the pro game will be like when he plays alongside many of the NHL’s best. Jarnkrok, the 51st overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, had a stellar season with Brynas of the Swedish Elite League, scoring 16 goals and adding 23 assists in 50 games. He is no stranger to international competition, representing Sweden in the 2009 Under-18 World Championships and in the 2011 World Junior Championships. Expect Jarnkrok to sign with the Red Wings and start his pro career with the Grand Rapids Griffins this fall.

Jimmy Howard will be between the cage for the U.S  for his first World Championship tournament. Howard played for the U.S. National Team’s Developmental program in the 2000-01 season and also represented the Red, White and Blue in the World Under 18 Tournament in 2002 as well as the World Junior Championships in 2003. Abdelkader will take part in the upcoming competition, but this won’t be the first time that he played for the U.S. as he represented his country in the 2007 World Junior Championships.

For those who are suffering from “Red Wings Withdrawal,” this will be the perfect remedy to see some of the team’s top players in international play over the next two weeks. They may not be playing for the Stanley Cup, but playing for their country is just as good. The tournament starts this Friday as the U.S. plays France at 5:15 am Eastern Time. Note that all of  Team USA’s games will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.

Possibly expectations were too high last season and now my judgment is clouded with disenchantment. Maybe, but it seems the Blackhawks wouldn’t be the current favorite out of recent winners to hoist the Cup again the soonest.

Little was made clear at last week’s post-mortem media day when Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville commented on the failed season. The picture painted was cloudy. The GM pointed his finger at coaching and the head coach threw unnamed players under the bus. What remains to be seen is who owner Rocky Wirtz finds at fault.

As presently constructed, the Blackhawks are stuck in the middle. It is apparent leadership with a specific plan needs to surface. The Hawks are somewhat in a state of flux and Wirtz might have to be the one to put the franchise back on a Stanley Cup course.

What should happen before one free agent is signed or a trade pulled off, is for management to establish what kind of team they want to become.

The Blackhawks were not good enough to play air tight defense and consistently win low scoring games. If the Hawks concentrate on shoring up defensive shortcomings their offense seems to suffer. At least that was the case against Western Conference playoff teams in the final two months of the season.

Nashville and Los Angeles win during the regular season and in the playoffs by playing low scoring games. It is more difficult to win in the postseason by relying on outscoring opponents like Philadelphia does, but they are doing fine this year. Washington has transformed itself into a defensive oriented team from their high flying, gamble and score often mentality.

Different styles of play can work but what doesn’t do well is when a team can’t stay consistent. Unfortunately that describes the 2011-2012 Blackhawks, unable to bring the same type of effective effort game after game.

Quenneville seems as if he doesn’t want to change very much, but then again he does waiver. GM Bowman needs to acquire players who complement each other, but a specific direction must be defined.

Bowman and Quenneville need to get on the same page or not much will be accomplished this summer. For now, it appears neither is able to admit any wrong doing. That leads us to Wirtz who can’t be too happy and like most of us must be a little confused.

Many Hawk fans are bewildered but maybe the best hope is Rocky will be more anxious to admit mistakes than either Quenneville or Bowman. After all, the biggest loser is Wirtz if playoff disappointment keeps happening and the Hawks buzz goes quiet.

The Blackhawks may not have to fight as hard next season for Chicago media attention after the unfortunate injury to the Bulls Derrick Rose. The Bulls disappointment shouldn’t mean the Hawks front office will be content with recent results. Those who want to believe the wait list for season tickets is endless and the United Center will be sold out for decades have short memories.

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Next article will be out on Friday.

Once the finalists were announced, it was obvious that Malkin was the prohibitive favorite to win the award. The social media world exploded with opinionated outbursts claiming Stamkos didn’t deserve to be a finalist, mainly because his Lightning team failed to make the playoffs. One of the most boisterous was yours truly. I was full of snarky comments like this:

I set out to prove this point After crunching the numbers, I found myself shaking my head over my previous, uneducated rant. The numbers don’t lie. They show just the opposite.

Steven Stamkos is as deserving a Hart Trophy finalist as Evgeni Malkin.

*For the sake of this discussion, I am not including goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Comparing a goaltender and a skater is a research project for another time.

The Malkin File

Won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in points with 109.

First player since 1995-96 to score five points in a game four times.

Finished second in the NHL (behind Stamkos) in goals with 50.

The Stamkos File

Won the Maurice Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals with 60.

First player since 2007-08 to score at least 60 goals.

Finished second in the NHL (behind Malkin) in points with 97.

Led the NHL and set a league record with five overtime goals.

Led the NHL with 48 even strength goals – The most since 1992-93.

Side By Side Comparison

*Goals Created-Calculated by adding goals scored to 0.5 times assists, then multiplying by team goals divided by team goals plus 0.5 times team assists.

Analysis

Stamkos played more games, had more goals, more game winning goals and a much higher shooting percentage.

Malkin had many more assists, points and shots, but a lower shooting percentage.

Stamkos was the more physical player, outhitting Malkin by 80 hits. Malkin blocked more shots.

Malkin had many more takeaways, but also gave away the puck 28 more times than Stamkos.

Both players dominated the bad teams (Maple Leafs, Islanders, Canadiens, Oilers and Blue Jackets). Malkin scored more goals and Stamkos had more points versus the playoff teams.

Stamkos scored more overtime goals (5) than anybody in the history of the NHL

Malkin dominated Stamkos in +/- rating.

The two were virtually even in faceoff percentage, penalty minutes, power play goals and average time on ice.

The competition is just as close in the area of “percentage of team” statistics. Stamkos has a slight advantage as he scored a higher percentage of his teams goals, power play goals and points, while Malkin had a higher percentage of his teams assists.

Both the Lightning and Penguins sorely needed the duo to appear on the score sheet. When Stamkos didn’t have a point, Tampa Bay’s record was 5-15-2. When Malkin didn’t have a point, the Penguins went 5-9-0.

Certainly this exercise proves beyond a shadow of doubt, that Steven Stamkos deserved a Hart nomination. Does he deserve the award?

If you look only at the numbers and base your decision solely on the individual statistics and the players worth to his team…The answer is yes, he deserves it just as much as Malkin does. If you look at the team results, Malkin wins the award easily as he led his team to a fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski put it this way:

In the end, I believe Stamkos is a worthy finalist and it would be hard to argue if he won the award, based on his numbers. But the fact that the Bolts finished out of the playoffs cannot be ignored.

Given the choice between Malkin and Stamkos, Evgeni Malkin is your Hart Memorial Trophy winner.

*Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com and NHL.com.

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Photo: Flickr

After the celebration of the 2011 “break up day” last June, the Boston Bruins were quickly snapped back to the harsh reality of what normally constitutes a locker clean out day for most NHL squads. During which, the B’s brought to light the injuries that hampered them throughout the postseason as well as their reflections on both their first round exit and the 2011-’12 season as a whole.

While the most prominent emotion echoed throughout the locker room on Friday was of shock and disappointment, there also seemed to be a bit of collective “relief” in the fact that they’d now get the chance for some time to recuperate and re-energize after partaking in 196 games over the course of the last eighteen months.

“As players, we need to take full advantage (of the extended off-season), to get our rest and get focused and geared up for next year.” – Milan Lucic

“It’s been a long couple of years and right now I think the best thing to do is just rest.  We have to use it to our advantage.” – Brad Marchand

“If there’s one positive to take out (of the long off-season), it’s that everyone can recover.” – Dennis Seidenberg

After eighty-two regular season games in 2010-’11 followed by twenty-five playoff contests en route to the team’s first Stanley Cup championship in nearly four decades, the Bruins had the benefit of only two-and-a-half months of summer before returning to training camp in early September. Couple that with the eighty-two games that comprised this year’s slate and the seven playoff meetings with the Washington Capitals and the B’s seem to have been playing nonstop hockey for nearly a year and a half. Milan Lucic even compared it to the type of grind baseball players endure on a yearly basis while playing through an extraordinarily long 162-game schedule.

“It almost felt like one long season. It was almost like a baseball season.” — Milan Lucic

Tasting first round defeat for the first time since an April evening at the Bell Centre when they were the eighth seed in 2008, there is little doubt that the Bruins came up far short of what they expected to achieve this season. Workhorse defenseman Dennis Seidenberg described the thought of being eliminated so early as leaving him “with an empty feeling” — an emotion that’s likely uniform around that locker room.

An old adage that’s become commonplace in sports is that “you have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win”. As any fan of the Black and Gold will attest, the Bruins have certainly been dealt their fair share of heart-wrenching defeats. The most obvious of which being the historic collapse of May 2010 against the Philadelphia Flyers. In a sense, the Bruins had to endure the hardships of losing playoff series’ in the manner they did in order to learn exactly what it would take to bring home the Stanley Cup, as they did in 2011.

Now, after another crushing game seven home-ice defeat — their third in the past four years –, the Black and Gold squad will look to use their early exit this spring as added motivation to fuel their attempt to re-capture Lord Stanley in 2012-’13.

“In the future it definitely gives you that extra drive, that extra motivation to get back to where we were (in 2011). It makes you appreciate more and more what happened here last year. It gets that fire boiling inside.” — Milan Lucic

“Watching those games (the remainder of the playoffs) makes you want to be there next year. It makes you want to be part of it and be playing for the Cup again next year. It definitely helps us to get that hunger back.” – Dennis Seidenberg

Successfully repeating as Stanley Cup champions is arguably the most difficult task in all of sports. Especially with the league’s increasing parity and competitiveness. An astonishing statistic to consider? 29 of the NHL’s 30 teams — sorry, Toronto — have qualified for the postseason at least once since the completion of the 2004-’05 lockout. Couple that with the pure exhaustion — that no hockey player will ever admit to — caused by playing in so many games in such a minimal time frame and it becomes near impossible to even come close to retaining the title.

With nearly their entire roster under contract for at least next season and a full off-season to recover from the wild whirlwind ride that’s encompassed these past two years, there is no reason to suggest that the Boston Bruins won’t be right back in the thick of things next spring, competing to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back to Causeway Street in 2013.

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Eastern Conference

(7) Washington Capitals vs. (1) New York Rangers

Cohen– Rangers win in 7 . X-Factor –> Marc Staal

Philp– Capitals win in 7. X-Factor –> Capitals’ Penalty-Kill

Muscat– Rangers win in 7. X-Factor –> Rangers’ Third Line

Levin– Rangers win in 7 . X-Factor –> Michael Del Zotto

Woodward– Rangers win in 6. X-Factor –> Dan Girardi

(6) New Jersey Devils vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers

Cohen– Flyers win in 6. X-Factor –> Ilya Bryzgalov

Philp– Flyers win in 5. X-Factor –> Philadelphia’s Prolific Power-Play

Muscat– Flyers win in 6. X-Factor –> Ilya Bryzgalov

Levin– Devils win in 7. X-Factor –> Patrik Elias

Woodward– Flyers win in 5. X-Factor –> Martin Brodeur’s Ability To Overcome Father Time

Western Conference

(8) Los Angeles Kings vs. (2) St. Louis Blues

Cohen–  Blues win in 7. X-Factor –> David Perron

Philp– Blues win in 6. X-Factor –> The Blues’ Defense

Muscat– Blues win in 7. X-Factor –> T.J. Oshie

Levin– Blues win in 6. X-Factor –> Jamie Langenbrunner

Woodward– Kings win in 7. X-Factor –>Mike Richards

(4) Nashville Predators vs. (3) Phoenix Coyotes

Cohen– Predators win in 6. X-Factor –> Mike Fisher

Philp– Coyotes win in 6. X-Factor –> Mike Smith

Muscat– Predators win in 5. X-Factor –> Alexander Radulov

Levin– Predators win in 5. X-Factor –>Patric Hornqvist

Woodward– Predators win in 6. X-Factor –> Phoenix’s Secondary Scoring

Stanley Cup Finals

Cohen (Edit)– Rangers Over Predators

Muscat (Edit)– Blues Over Rangers

Philp (Edit)– Capitals Over Coyotes

Woodward (Original)– Rangers Over Predators

Steven Stamkos’ 60-Goal Season – An infographic by the team at TampaBayLightning.com

Pavel Datsyuk was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the fifth straight year. Photo by JPowers65.

It’s been a week since the Detroit Red Wings’ season ended with an early playoff exit, but one of the team’s best players is up for an award.

Red Wings’ center Pavel Datsyuk is one of three players nominated for the Frank J. Selke which goes to the NHL’s top defensive forward. The other nominees are Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and David Backes of the St. Louis Blues.

For the fifth straight season, Datsyuk is a finalist for the Selke Trophy and joins Bob Gainey (1978-82) and Guy Carbonneau (1986-90) for the longest streak. The award was first given out in 1978, which Gainey won and took home the award three more times before the Boston Bruins’ Steve Kasper snapped the streak by winning it in 1982. Carbonneau won the award two years in a row from 1988-89.

In the 2011-12 regular season, Datsyuk scored 19 goals and added 48 assists in 70 games, but other parts to his game were instrumental of being one of the top two-way players in the game. He had a plus/minus rating of +21, posted 97 takeaways, which ranked third in the league, and was the team’s top faceoff player with a 56.2 percentage.

Datsyuk had won the Selke Trophy for three straight seasons (2008-10), but the Vancouver Canucks’ Ryan Kesler snapped the streak by winning the award last year. If  Datsyk were to win, he would join Gainey as the only other four-time winner of the award.

Backes, who was nominated for the first time, was tied for the Blues’ scoring leader with 54 points (24 goals, 30 assists) and posted a plus/minus rating of +15, but playing for head coach Ken Hitchcock, playing a defensive game is a top priority. He led the team with 72 blocked shots and 226 hits, ranked second with 50 takeaways and even though he led the team in faceoffs, he won 48.6 percent of them.

This will also Bergeron’s first time in the running for the Selke. He was second in team scoring with 64 points (22 goals, 42 assists) and led the NHL with a +36 rating and was second in the league with a 59.3 faceoff percentage. If he were to win, Bergeron would join Kasper as the only other Bruins’ player to win the Selke Trophy.

The winner will be announced June 20 at the 2012 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Photo: Flickr

It was their 196th game in the past eighteen months. Their power-play was once again unproductive, scoring at only a 14% (3-for-23) clip. They’d lost three out of the four playoff games on home ice. The unproven opposing goaltender posted an otherworldly (for a rookie) 2.00 goals against average. Yet, through all that, the Boston Bruins still came within inches of winning their first round series against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday evening.

Less than thirty seconds into the overtime period of game seven, Boston’s sure-handed alternate captain Patrice Bergeron wound up with the puck on his stick while staring at an open Washington goal and a chance to send the Bruins to round two for the fourth consecutive season. Unfortunately, hampered by an upper body injury, Bergeron just couldn’t settle the puck, sending the rubber disk eight inches wide of the yawning net and into the corner.

Only two minutes later, the Capitals would make the Bruins pay for their missed opportunity when fourth line cog Joel Ward backhanded the puck past Tim Thomas to lift Washington to it’s first road victory in a game seven in franchise history.

“It happened so fast, again, as you said, but I knew he was going to take the puck to the net.I was just trying to follow it up just in case there was a puck loose that squirted or a rebound. I just kind of saw it and then gave it one of the hardest whacks I’ve ever given a puck.” – Joel Ward

Becoming the seventh defending Stanley Cup champion in the last nine years to bow out in the first round, summer has commenced on Causeway street much earlier than the Bruins had hoped.

“We we’re used to going you know, all the way. And to be done now it’s like, it’s kind of hard to even understand. It’s like you can’t even believe it’s over right now.” – Johnny Boychuk

For Boston, was it a disappointment? Yes, of course. But was it a choke? Nope.

Let’s call it for what it was: the Washington Capitals deserved to win the series. Their dedication, commitment and desperation far exceeded that of what looked to be an understandably burnt-out Boston squad. In every facet of the game you could logically give the advantage to Washington over the course of the entire seven game set. In a sense, the Capitals beat the Bruins at their own game: they rolled four lines with success, rode timely goaltending, turned their opposition’s mistakes into goals and collectively bought in to their head coach’s strict defensive system.

From top to bottom, the Capitals outplayed the Bruins. It was evident from puck drop in game one. Washington’s top-six forwards (Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Laich, Johansson, Brouwer) produced ten of the team’s sixteen goals on the series and added eleven assists. Spearheaded by Russian uberstar Alex Ovechkin and underrated pivot Brooks Laich, the Capitals’ top forwards elevated their play in this series in the way all superstar players should.

Boston’s top two lines (Krejci, Lucic, Seguin, Peverley, Bergeron, Marchand) were a shell of their former selves, picking up only seven goals and nine assists. Perhaps more telling was that the two players who produced the most out of the aforementioned six were a 20-year-old in his sophomore season (Seguin) and a player who was only given a top-six spot in the absence of the injured Nathan Horton (Peverley). Combining for only three goals and eight points in seven games, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand and David Krejci seem to have lost some of the luster that regarded them as “big-time playoff performers”.

Much in the same mold as Boston’s fourth unit in 2011, the Washington grinders proved themselves invaluable in this series, picking up two goals — including Ward’s series winner — and adding four assists whilst continuing to hold their own in the defensive zone as head coach Dale Hunter relied on them to preserve leads late in games. The production and dependability of the Caps’ fourth line (Ward, Keith Aucoin, Mike Knuble) provided Hunter the opportunity to line match and wear down the Bruins over the course of the series — something Claude Julien rode all the way to a Stanley Cup championship just one year ago –.

Boston’s defense corps were strong all series long. The German-born tank that is Dennis Seidenberg once again proved how truly valuable an asset he is for the Black and Gold, holding Ovechkin to only a five point series. The Johnny Boychuk — Andrew Ference pairing did a formidable job while consistently being matched up against the dynamic duo of Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom. Even the oft-scratched Mike Mottau impressed in games six and seven while filling in for an injured Joe Corvo. However, what shocked many — including myself — and made the real difference in this series was the strong defensive play of Washington’s blueliners. The surprisingly efficient play of Roman Hamrlik, Mike Green and John Carlson, amongst others, is what allowed the Caps to nearly completely shut down the Boston top-six.

Entering this series, the Bruins were thought to have the greatest advantage in this series between the pipes. It was Capitals’ rookie Braden Holtby — who had only seven games of previous NHL  experience — against the reigning Vezina and Conn Smythe trophy winner Tim Thomas. That’s why they play the games, folks. The 22-year-old Saskatchewan native bested Thomas on the stat sheet in every meaningful category — 2.00 GAA to Thomas’ 2.14; .940 SVG % to Thomas’ .923; and of course wins, 4-3 — and by most accounts was the better goalie in this series.

The players in that Bruins locker room deserve tons of credit for how they handled things after being sent home in the first round for the first time since 2008. They were asked about lingering injuries, a shortened summer, a questionable non-call (for goaltender interference) on the game-winning goal, and  missing important pieces of their roster (Horton, Adam McQuaid). The Bruins were given every opportunity to make excuses. They wanted no part of it. And they deserve an immeasurable amount of credit and respect for that.

At the end of the day — for as cliche as this may sound — it’s time for the city of Boston to “give the Devil his due” and recognize the fact that the Washington Capitals were the better team in this series and deserve to be moving on to round two.

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For the second straight season, Weber has been nominated for this award, an acknowledgement of the quality and consistency of his game. Weber finished second in the voting last season to Nicklas Lidstrom of Detroit.

Weber was 6th among defensemen in scoring with 49 points (19G-30A). He tied with fellow nominee Erik Karlsson for most gaols by a defenseman. Weber was a team leading +21 and ranked 5th in average ice time with 26:09 per game.

The strength of Weber’s game is that he plays in all situations. His 10 power play goals led all NHL defensemen, and he was third among Predators defensemen in shorthanded time on ice at 2:16 per game (Klein 2:18; Suter 2:20).

Zdeno Chara is a Norris finalist for the fourth time in the past five season. Chara led all NHL defensemen with a +33 rating a nad had 52 points (12G-40A) this season. Chara averaged 25:00 per game in ice time.

Karlsson led all NHL defensemen in scoring with 78 points (19G-59A) and in blocked shots with 261. Karlsson had a +16 rating and averaged 25:19 in ice time.

The award will be presented at the NHL Awards show in Las Vegas on June 20th.

Some Hawk fans are disgusted with another first round playoff exit and are looking for big changes. Quite a few have seen enough of Corey Crawford and are looking for different coaches and maybe a new GM as well. Others feel the team needs a few additions but nothing major and better days are to come. That’s the great thing about sports, everyone can have an opinion.

Back in the summer of 2010 many around the league thought the Hawks would keep Antti Niemi and most likely trade either Patrick Sharp or Dave Bolland. Some may remember Bowman called an impromptu press conference to say Sharp was not going to be dealt.

Hardly ever will a GM respond in that way over the summer. In this case it was a nice gesture to Sharp as he was about to get married. Sharp had heard the rumors and Bowman put his mind at ease and also stopped his own phone from ringing.

Earlier that summer a source told me the Blackhawk front office identified the following as their core and all would be back for the 2010-2011 season. I called the group the untouchable seven and they were; Bolland, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Sharp and Toews.

The chances of one of the core being traded are higher now than before, although still likely. My view is all will be back next season and when Blackhawk management mentions the core, those are the players they are referencing.

GM Stan Bowman – Joel Quenneville

My criticism of Bowman’s summer signings goes back for months. To take it a step further, Blackhawk pro scouting needs to improve as the so called “core” can’t do it alone. Bowman banked on Dan Carcillo and others to turn the personality of the Hawks into a tough team to play against. What actually happened is the Hawks became a tougher team for fans to watch as they had an inconsistent campaign.

Joel Quenneville didn’t have the best of years but roster issues made his job a more difficult task. Coach Q. wasn’t very flexible and it appeared at times he and the Hawks front office might be on different pages. There is no way to tell how much Quenneville had to do with some of last summer signings. Certainly he has more input than many head coaches and has the resume to back his opinions.

Bowman without question will be the Hawks GM come October, winning a Stanley Cup adds security, and Quenneville should be back as well. The head coaching leash on Quenneville could be shorter than in the past but he is not in a bad spot.

If the Hawks start off poorly, Quenneville could be reassigned to serve out the remainder of his contract. If Quenneville is stripped of his head coaching position and would want to leave Chicago he wouldn’t have to wait long for another job offer. Quenneville has his detractors but in a difficult season the players didn’t quit on him.

Bowman as well as Quenneville need to figure out a style of play for the Hawks. After listening to comments my feeling is they are somewhat conflicted. They both like the current team but realize changes need to be made. Bowman admitted the team is built to skate pucks over the blueline rather than to dump and chase. It could be time to acquire players who can do both.

The Blackhawks have a lot of high end talent but lack size and grit. There needs to be a blend, and Bowman and Quenneville must decide on a design and acquire players to fit into the group. Right now it is difficult to tell the extent of changes to come this summer. It wouldn’t be a shock if Bowman or Quenneville don’t yet know the exact course of action.

Corey Crawford

No doubt Corey Crawford must be better. His playoff performance reflected the entire season for the team. Crawford’s efforts were scattered, he held his own with Mike Smith until two soft goals in overtime of Game 3 and Game 4. Some will conclude Crawford lost the series because of those two softies.

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For the first time in four seasons, the Boston Bruins were unable to advance past the first round of the playoffs, becoming the second straight defending Stanley Cup champion to fall in the first round of their title defense.

It was former-Nashville playoff hero Joel Ward who would strike the dagger into the heart of the 17, 565 Black and Gold clad fans on hand at the TD Garden on Wednesday evening with his first goal of the postseason at the 2:37 mark of overtime. Ironically enough, it was former-Bruin Mike Knuble who would block a Benoit Pouliot dump-in attempt and proceed up the ice to create a scoring chance for Washington. The 31-year-old Ward would make no mistake about it, ending the Bruins’ season with one back-handed flip of the puck into an open Boston goal.

“I went for a change and Knubs (Mike Knuble) made a big block there and I assumed we had a little bit of a break up ice so try to take a chance and I knew he was going to take it to the rack and I just tried to follow it up as best as I could. You know, I just saw the puck laying there and I just took a whack at it and it went in.” – Joel Ward

Things didn’t get off to the start the Bruins had hoped for after a Milan Lucic defensive zone turnover would lead to an open chance from the point for John Carlson. The Natick, MA native fired a wrist shot through a crowd that would be deflected by another former-Bruin, Matt Hendricks, into the Boston net.

In typical Boston fashion, the Black and Gold would not go down without a fight. Late in the second period, it would be game six hero Tyler Seguin who would push home the game-tying goal after diving for a loose puck that had slipped through Washington goaltender Braden Holtby and pushing it into the net.

“I tried going in front of the net and I actually fell and Johnny (Boychuk) shot. I kind of saw the puck laying there so I just dove in and whacked it with my stick.” – Tyler Seguin

After a third period in which the B’s were out-shot 12-6 and the city of Boston held it’s collective breath with each Capitals’ shot, the defending champions were served a gift on a silver platter. With just 2:26 left in regulation, Jason Chimera was banished to the penalty box for holding, and the Bruins had themselves an opportunity to end the series with a power-play goal.

“When you talk about tonight, that’s probably the most frustrating part of our game, was that power play that could have ended the series and the game……. Your power play can win you hockey games, and tonight it didn’t.” — Claude Julien

If there was ever a position in which a struggling power-play could erase all it’s previous woes, it was right then and there. Unfortunately for Boston, the man advantage was once again ineffective, producing zero high quality scoring chances throughout the entire two minutes.

Just one minute into the overtime period, the B’s had yet another chance to end the game – and the series – on their terms, when a loose puck bounced directly onto the stick of Patrice Bergeron who was staring directly at a yawning Washington goal.

“It kind of exploded – just rolled on my stick and the puck was bouncing I just tried to go quick because obviously there wasn’t a lot of time and the puck wouldn’t settle.” – Patrice Bergeron

Uncharacteristically, number 37 sent it wide of the net, allowing the Capitals to convert on a scoring chance of their own just ninety-seven seconds later. The loss marks Boston’s third home-ice defeat in a game seven over the past four seasons as the 2011 Champions have been sent to summertime much earlier than they had envisioned.

“It’s hard to swallow, tough to understand right now. I think obviously it’s going to take us a couple of days to sink that one in, we obviously weren’t ready for being done right now.” – Patrice Bergeron

My Thoughts

– I’ll be back on Thursday and Friday with more fallout from this series and a disappointing end to the Boston season. Locker clean-out day is slated for Friday morning. Be sure to check back then for player reaction and analysis.

Ben’s Three Stars:

1) Joel Ward (1 Goal/Plus-1 Rating)

2) Tyler Seguin (1 Goal/7 Shots)

3) Braden Holtby (31 Saves)

Series:  Washington WINS 4-3

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Here are the appearances that each team had in the national prime time spotlight:

Detroit Red Wings 16

New York Rangers 16

Pittsburgh Penguins 16

Boston Bruins 15

Philadelphia Flyers 12

Chicago Blackhawks 12

Washington Capitals 11

Buffalo Sabres 11

Tampa Bay Lightning 11

Minnesota Wild 10

Colorado Avalanche 9

St. Louis Blues 9

L.A. Kings 7

Dallas Stars 7

New Jersey Devils 7

San Jose Sharks 6

Anaheim Ducks 6

Montreal Canadiens 6

Carolina Hurricanes 4

Phoenix Coyotes 4

Vancouver Canucks 2

Toronto Maple Leafs 2

Columbus Blue Jackets 2

Nashville Predators 2

Winnipeg Jets 1

New York Islanders 1

Florida Panthers 1

Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary did not have an appearance on a national broadcast in the States.

Notice anything here?

Three of the top four teams in number of appearances are out of the playoffs. Detroit, Boston and Pittsburgh are gone.

Chicago is gone from the playoffs in the first round. Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota, all teams with double digit national appearances did not make the playoffs.

And this is a problem.

Not for the fact that these teams are gone from the playoffs- or didn’t even get into the playoffs. No, the problem lies with the parochial nature of the NHL’s television coverage.

It seems that those in charge at NBC think that fans of the game are only interested in watching some teams play. By overexposing some teams, the network is vesting their interest in those particular teams not only making the playoffs, but going deep into the playoffs. The familiarity of those teams to the casual fan will be enough to entice them to watch the coverage the network provides.

There is a concern that with some of the “big name” teams out of the playoffs, viewer interest may wane and there will be fewer eyes on Conference finals or the Stanley Cup Finals.

There is some legitimacy to that concern. Having a team like Nashville in the SCF means that there is a team from the 30th largest U.S. television market, and this obviously means that the viewers in a market like, say New York, will not be as interested as they would be if the Rangers were playing. Every TV in Nashville could be on the game and it would not generate the interest that it would if the local New York team was playing.

Ratings are integral to NBC. They should be.

That fact is undeniable.

Ratings alone should not solely drive the television coverage, though.

Two of the Western Conference semi-finalists combined for 6 national appearances, less than half of the top 4 team, of which 2 have been eliminated. Two of the teams going to a game 7 in the Eastern Conference combined for 1 national appearance.

As a hockey fan, am I to believe that these 4 teams did not play some compelling, interesting, and exciting hockey, especially in the second half of the season as the playoff races were coming into focus? As a fan, was watching a Minnesota or Tampa Bay, well out of the playoffs late in the season, must see hockey?

It would seem that the League,in partnership with NBC, would want to cultivate broad interest in the game. Obviously, that would mean showing the games of the storied franchises. They are good for ratings. It should also mean giving exposure to smaller market teams that are playing good hockey, that have an interesting match up or story line. Those games, too, would be good for ratings and broaden the exposure of the League and its teams. Showing a game that has no bearing on the standings or does not have a compelling story is…boring.

The over exposure of certain teams leaves the network- and the League- vulnerable when those teams are eliminated early, as several have been this playoff season. Vulnerable to suddenly having to generate interest from the casual fan for a team that has had little to no exposure during the course of the regular season.

The serious hockey fan is watching the game even if their team is out of the playoffs.

Broadening the interest in the game from the casual fan involves cultivating interest and story lines in more teams throughout the season, not just in the playoffs.

With the salary cap and parity in the League, the potential for this problem will be with the League for the foreseeable future.

And it needs to change.

Just a quick hit to get you all ready for Game 7 tonight at the TD Garden. If you’d like my full write up on tonight’s pivotal match-up, you can read my “Five Predictions For Game 7″ piece.

Series: Tied 3-3

Location: TD Garden

Time: 7:30 P.M. (EST)

TV/Radio Info: NBC  Sports Network (Emrick, Olczyk, McGuire)– 98.5 The Sports Hub (Goucher, Beers)

Tonight’s Lineup (Subject To Change):

FORWARDS:

Marchand–Peverley–Bergeron

Lucic–Krejci–Seguin

Pouliot–Kelly–Rolston

Paille–Campbell–Caron

DEFENSE:

Chara–Seidenberg

Boychuk–Ference

Zanon–Mottau

GOALTENDER:

Thomas

Rask

Scratches– …… Joe Corvo, Shawn Thornton, Andrew Bodnarchuk, Anton Khudobin

Injuries:

Nathan Horton (Concussion) – Boston’s top right winger was officially ruled out of the 2012 Playoffs by General Manager Peter Chiarelli during a press conference last Wednesday morning.

Adam McQuaid (Upper Body) — In what’s become one of the more unpredictable injuries of the season, Boston’s dependable blueliner will again be absent from the lineup on Wednesday.

Opposing Goaltender: Braden Holtby (6 GP/1.60 GAA)

Prediction:  You can find my full Game 7 written prediction here. I hope you all enjoy.

This will be the ultimate test of will for a Boston club that dealt with and survived an extreme amount of adversity throughout last year’s postseason. Today we will see what the 2011-’12 Boston Bruins are all about in a do-or-die, winner-take-all situation.

Capitals 2, Bruins 3

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