blank'/> THE PUCK REPORT: 2014

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Manny Malhotra Interview - 2014 NHL Awards

Last month we caught up with Masterton nominee and Vancouver Canucks fan-favorite Manny Malhotra at the 2014 NHL Awards to discuss his gruesome eye injury, return to the NHL and brother-in-law Los Angeles Laker Steve Nash. These are his stories.

Q: How many operations have you had on your eye since the injury on March 16, 2011?
A: That's not something I get into.

Q: Are you continuing to have operations or is that behind you?
A: No, I've been healed for a couple of years now. It is what it is. I'm just moving forward.

Q: Are there any exercises you do to help maintain or improve your vision?
A: There are things you can do. Things that are often undervalued in training are eye-hand coordination type of exercises. It is something that can be improved.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in your comeback to the NHL after being shutdown by GM Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks?
A: I think the biggest thing was having to prove to teams that I was healthy and I was able to contribute. A lot of things were said in the media, as far as my health was concerned, that were inaccurate or didn't reflect the way that I felt. So, I think just getting over a lot of those hurdles was probably the biggest part of it.

Q: Do you think a visor would have prevented the injury given the deflection of the puck and angle it approached your face?
A: It's hard to say.

Q: Do you live with the thought that it could have been prevented if you were wearing a visor?
A: No, I don't live with that. It's gone.

Q: You returned from a potentially career-ending injury to play in the Stanley Cup Final in just three months.  Describe the experience of returning to the ice and skating in a Stanley Cup Final.
A: It was an incredible experience that season, from being told that the season was over for me to working my way back into the lineup to get to the Cup Finals. Every boy dreams of playing in the Stanley Cup Final so to have that opportunity ... I can't speak enough about the city [Vancouver] and how passionate the fans were. It's a feeling you can't describe playing in front of rabid fans like that during the Stanley Cup. It was definitely one of the highlights of my career.

Q: Your former coach Alain Vigneault recently remarked that the New York Rangers were closer to winning the Cup in the 2014 than the Vancouver Canucks were in the 2011, noting "we had so many injuries and there wasn’t much left in our tank". When you returned to the lineup, did you see a depleted and exhausted team compared to when you last played with them in March?
A: Obviously we had our fair share of injuries and suspensions, and what not. Obviously it didn't allow us to function as the team that we did in the regular season, but that's just the war of attrition that every team goes through in the playoffs. 


As far as what that team was, I think we were still an incredible team even though we had all of those injuries and suspensions. It was the team concept, the team focus that we had. We didn't focus on individuals ever, in or out of that series. It was a real team effort. That concept never went away.

Q: Talk about the feeling after the Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins.
A: It's not something you can really put into words. It's just utter disappointment that you didn't achieve the goal that we set out at the beginning of the year ... to build and get better on a daily basis, to build our team concept, to get better systems and to get better team-wise. We felt that we got to that point and we reached the pinnacle, but we just weren't able to make that last step to win a Cup.

Q: You played the entire 2011-2012 regular season but were shut down by Vancouver Canucks management just 9 games into the 2012-2013 season. Tell me about conversation with management that resulted in that decision.
A: At the end of the prior season [2011-2012], Mike [Gillis] had voiced his concerns about my health and safety out on the ice. He said that I would be given a chance the following year to prove that I was healthy and safe out there. I felt that I did that. I was feeling much better on the ice after a summer of training more on the ice and doing some more vision training stuff. I felt like I was trending towards being more like myself and being "normal" out there, but he didn't see it the same way. 


Again, you can't really describe the feeling when someone tells you that you are not allowed to do what you've done since you were seven years old ... "that's the end of the line" kind of thing. In my head, I knew I still had the ability to play and I knew that I had the ability to contribute while being healthy and safe on the ice. Waiting for that opportunity was a long time coming that summer.

Q: Did you skate with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2012-2013 season? Did you hang out with the team that year?
A: I was around the team a little bit. In and out. I continued to train. I continued to skate. Like I said, I didn't feel like it was time for me to hang them up. I felt good on the ice. So for me it was lonely being away from the team and from that team atmosphere. Seeing the guys on a daily basis, training with them, traveling with them. It was a tough year to be away, to be so close to the team but not a part of it whatsoever.

Q: How many teams approached you for your services at the end of the 2012-2013 season?
A: We had a few talks with a couple of teams. Obviously nothing came of it. Nothing to in-depth or serious. Carolina was the one team that was willing to give me that opportunity to be on the ice and to prove myself. I keep telling everybody that I was very grateful for the opportunity that they gave me.

Q: Talk about the day you were called up from the Charlotte Checkers to the Carolina Hurricanes.
A: We were on the road, we had a game that  night. I went to the rink in the morning. My agent was trying to get through to me. I finally picked up the phone and he gave me the news. He said that Jimmy [Ruthford] wants to talk to you, you 're being brought up. It was such a happy time because there were really no guarantees going to Charlotte.  


It was a 25 game contract with no guarantees that I was going to go to Carolina, so to get that call to say that I was going to be given a shot to go back to the NHL, I was so happy. I went back to the hotel, packed up my bags and I was off on a flight for a game the next night. It was just such a happy feeling. I made the call to my wife and my parents to let everyone know that I was going back up. It was a great time.

Q: And in your third game back in the NHL, you scored the game winning OT goal against the Philadelphia Flyers.
A: Yeah, the first couple of games just being back and being in the league playing games was just a fun experience. I was just so hoped up on adrenaline. But in game 3 when I scored that OT winner, it was such a great feeling for a couple of reasons. As a team we were on a bit of a slide. We were talking about playing the right way. We went down a goal late in the game and stayed resilient, stuck to our game plan, got a tying goal late and then to win it in OT we were rewarded for playing the right way, which is great as a team. Personally, everybody always loves to score so it was fun to be able to contribute on the offensive side of things. It was a good crowd in Carolina that night and it was a big game for us. It was just such a good feeling to be able to contribute and have that feeling that you're back in the league.

Q: Do you keep in touch with anyone on the Canucks?
A: Quite a few of the guys. Dan Hamhuis lived a few blocks from us, our wives got along and we had similar aged kids, so we hung out quite a bit. Daniel and Henrik [Sedin]. Kevin Bieksa. Chris Higgins is skating this summer with us. Periodically I check in with certain guys but for the most part those are the guys I keep in touch with most often.

Q: Are there is any coaches that you keep in touch with?
A: Not really, not on a regular basis. Playing with Kirk [Muller] in Dallas and then having him as a coach is a different kind of relationship than I've had with other coaches. But it's more so keeping in touch with trainers and players than coaches.

Q: Who are some of your favorite linemates thus far in your NHL career? I remember you had a good thing going with Jannik Hansen and Raffi Torres in Vancouver in 2011.
A: Yeah, I really enjoyed playing with those two guys. I played with Jason Chimera in Columbus. He was fun to play with. Again, we were very good friends and our wives got along, so it was fun playing with him. And we played together for a couple of years. It's nice when you have that chemistry with someone on an ongoing basis. But yeah, coming back to Raffi and Jannik, that was a really fun line to play with. Both guys contributed.

Q: Who are some of the more influential coaches you've had in the NHL?
A: My experience with Hitch [Ken Hitchcock] in Columbus was a real career defining experience for me. I learned a lot from him. We had some great conversations about the game and what's expected from me personally in my own game. He's such a tactical coach that you learn alot about the game of hockey. Then moving on to San Jose, Todd McLellan was an incredible communicator and very good tactically. You always knew where you stood with him. So, I really enjoyed playing for Todd and his staff. You pick up little things from every coach that you play for, but those guys really helped me along.

Q: Proudest hockey accomplishment? Is it the comeback?
A: Yeah, that would be up there. Personally, I never refer to it as a comeback in my head I was never gone. I was always being told I wasn't playing any more, that I wasn't going to play for this organization.  But, in my head, I was continuing to train as though I was playing the next year. The more I look at it, making it in the NHL is such a big accomplishment. To do it twice? You look how hard it is and how you have to make the most of every situation. I think just being here is an accomplishment in itself.

Q: Where is home for you
A: Vancouver. We live in Vancouver. My wife's from the west coast.

Q: What's your favorite hockey road city?
A: So many unique experiences everywhere. Montreal is fun to play. Toronto, friends and family. New York, the most famous arena. You know, the list goes on. Chicago, the noise. San Jose, the noise. There's so many things you like about each city it's tough to say which city is the best, aside from your favorite restaurant here and there.

Q: What's your record on the Grouse Grind?
A: 37 or 38 minutes.

Q: Your brother in-law is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. Who's better at soccer, you or Steve Nash?
A: I'll say Steve, out of respect, because he plays more. But I play the physical game with him and he couldn't keep up.

Q: Are you playing in Steve's charity soccer Showdown this year?
A: Not this year. It's too far to travel.

Q: Have you watch Steve Nash's ESPN production "The Finish Line"?
A: Yes.

Q: Did that series documenting Steve's injury and struggle to return to the Lakers resonate with your plight to continue your career in the NHL?
A: There were a few episodes that he had that kind of detailed what I went through. Not this past season but the year before [2012-2013] when I was pushed aside and told they were shutting me down. So I could definitely relate to a lot of things that he touched on.

Q: Did you speak with Steve about that connection?
A: A little bit. When we were in LA, I had the chance to go to lunch. We both had practice days so we went for a lunch and discussed it a little bit. We keep in touch sending texts here and there, but we both kind of bounced ideas off each other and what it was like to go through. I can pick his brain when it comes to training. He's obviously found the fountain of youth. To be playing at 40 years old at the level he is, is pretty impressive.

Q: What is your training regime in the summer?
A: I don't lift weights and I don't ride the bike.

Q: What's left, skating?
A: A lot of on-ice work. A lot of body weight circuits, core expands, that kind of stuff. I've found that the older you get, the more that speed, quickness and agility comes into play as opposed to hitting the gym and lifting weights.

Q: Who do you train with?
A: Myself quite often. I skate quite often with Jeff Tambellini. He runs a hockey program in Vancouver called Factory Hockey. I'll go to his gym to work out with them once in a while and skate with them twice a week. I'll also rent the ice for myself twice a week with my skating coach. Being on the ice four times a week and hitting the gym from time to time to do body weight circuits is what I found works best for me.

Q: Given the recent changes with the Canucks organization, including the departure of GM Mike Gillis, would Vancouver be at the top of your wish-list of teams to play for next season?
A: You never know. The fit has to be right with both parties. I did really enjoy my time in Vancouver. It's fun to play where you live. But you never rule out any possibilities. There's positives and negatives to every team. Once the time rolls around when we're UFAs, and this time we can talk ahead of time, we'll see where the best fit is for us, hockey and family wise.

Q: Will your family move with you?
A: Oh yeah. It's tough being away from them for too long.

Q: What training tips do you have for adult beer-leaguers who hit the ice once or twice a week?
A: Have fun. If you're playing rec hockey, you're having fun. Just go enjoy yourself.

Manny signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 1, 2014. The 34 year old center will earn $850,000 next season.

Many thanks to Manny for speaking with us. Best of luck next season.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Jon Cooper Interview - 2014 NHL Awards

Last month we caught up with Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper at the 2014 NHL Awards to discuss lessons learned at law school, life as a diehard Vancouver Canucks fan, and his uncanny likeness to Michael Keaton. These are his stories.

Q: What is it about your coaching style that has made this team better?
A: I get that question all the time. It's hard for me to answer. I don't want to even try. You'd have to ask the guys that. I'm sorry, it's a tough one for me to answer.

Q: You said earlier that, from a team perspective, you feel like you 'belong' in the NHL. At what point of the season did you feel that way?
A: I would say that the Stamkos injury was a defining moment for our team, myself included.

I'll be honest, I doubted what was going to happen after that. I think I put on a strong face, but really deep down inside you're doubting a little bit what can really happen. I think that was a defining moment for all of us. When we handled that, I felt that we could handle anything. And then eventually we had to handle more, but I think that was probably the point when I thought we belonged.

Q: Why did you decide to go to law school?
A: Because I was going to get into the agent business. That's basically what it was.

Q: How did law school prepare you for what you are doing now, if at all?
A: I've been asked that question a couple of times. The only way I can really probably define it ... a couple of reasons. Doing what I'm doing right now, you had to do that in law school quite a bit. You have to speak in front of people, you have to convince people. Especially when I address our team. It's no different than addressing a jury. You've got to convince them of your case. In a way, it's the same in hockey. You've got to convince your team to play for you, to play the style and to believe in it. A lot of what I've kind of crafted in my head and how I approach things, when I look back now, I did a lot of the same things in law school. So, I think that's probably the best correlation I can make.

Q: I understand your father is here with you in Las Vegas. What role has he played in terms of the way you are, the way you communicate and the way you coach?
A: My father's a good dude. Probably all the good things I do in my life, I probably pulled those from him. I don't know that's a tough question for me.

Q: Are there any current coaches that you consider role models?
A: I'll be honest, two guys that I got to know fairly well when I was coming up through the ranks that offered a little advice were probably Babs [Mike Babcock] and Q [Joel Quenneville]. Those two guys. I've just really respected what they've done. I got to know them for various reasons before I got to the NHL. And I took it upon myself when I was in need to call those guys and they were really helpful for me.

Q: Did you grow up a Vancouver Canucks fan?
A: I did.

Q: Are you still a Canucks fan?
A: I am. Western Conference, so why not. I'm just not a Canucks fan in June. No, it's hard not to be a fan. I'm from Prince George. I'll never forget 1982. I was in New York in 1994 and I remember it being heartbreaking because all my friends were New York Rangers fans. I've always cheered for the Canucks so it's hard for me not to.

Q: Does having a Vezina nominee on your team help with the Jack Adams nomination?
A: I think there's a direct correlation.

Q: Two out of the three Jack Adams nominees (Roy, Cooper) this year have Vezina nominees from their team (Varlamov, Bishop).
A: Yeah, there is a direct correlation. Goaltenders can make coaches look really good ... and really bad.

Q: Do you ever hear that you look like Michael Keaton?
A: You're probably like the 1000th person to say that ... "I'm Batman" [Michael Keaton impersonation]. Yeah, I was a big Courtney Cox fan too and I remembered that he dated her 20 years ago. No, I get that a lot ... the Michael Keaton.

Many thanks to Jon for speaking with us. Best of luck next season.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Ben Bishop Interview - 2014 NHL Awards

Last month we caught up with Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Ben Bishop at the 2014 NHL Awards to discuss childhood hockey heroes, current goalie mentors, and playing for head coach Jon Cooper and GM Steve Yzerman. These are his stories.

Q: At 6'7" you're one of the tallest players in the NHL. Talk about the advantages of being tall and playing goalie in the NHL.
A: I like to think my height is an advantage because I take up more net. But I've been tall my whole life, so I don't really know anything different. I try to think of my height as an advantage with no disadvantages.

Q: What sports did you play as a kid and how did you end up focusing on hockey?
A: I played every sport growing up. I played basketball, football, soccer, baseball, tennis, everything. It just came down to liking hockey the most. I have no idea why. It didn't run in the family. My dad didn't play. I just kind of stuck with it and enjoyed it. And it worked out.

Q: Who were your hockey heroes growing up?
A: Being from St. Louis, I loved Curtis Joseph. He was the man. Brendan Shanahan and Brett Hull, those guys too. They were definitely who I loved to watch growing up.

Q: Who are the current goalies in the league that you look up to (or down to)?
A: Obviously you look up to guys like [Martin] Brodeur and [Roberto] Luongo. Guys that have been around for a long time and had a lot of success. You watch them and hope your career can last as long as theirs ... or even half as long as theirs. You look at guys like that with long careers and you admire that.

Q: Are you excited to have Roberto Luongo in Florida next year?
A: Yeah, it's going to be different next year. We play against them [Florida Panthers] quite a bit. We usually have our home opener against them and we will this year. It'll be a little bit of a different look with him down there next year instead of [Tim] Thomas and [Jacob] Markstrom last year. It'll be fun to see him.

Q: Different personalities, Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo.
A: Yeah, exactly. I've never met Luongo or even played against him, so it'll be fun to get to go against him this year.

Q: Talk about head coach Jon Cooper and what he brings to your team?
A: He's a very smart guy. He's a lawyer. Intelligent. He's relaxed. He doesn't get too uptight. He's good with the young guys. He started out at the bottom. I used to play against him in Juniors, so it's fun to see someone who work their way up. He's a good guy. He's there for a reason. He's been successful in every league he's coached in. I think he's won every championship. He knows what he's doing and hopefully we can win a championship in this league.

Q: What does it mean when they say he's a player's coach?
A: I think in the league now there's more and more of that. He can talk to you. If you sit down and have a conversation with him you're not going to be worried about what you say around him, or be worried when he walks in the room. He doesn't want to be one of the guys, but he can easily fit in. He can be very personable and have a conversation with them. The guys like that.

Q: Talk about putting up these incredible regular season numbers, earning a Vezina nomination and not being healthy to skate in the playoffs?
A: It was almost like this season was incomplete. To get there and a week before it starts to have that injury ... it wasn't fun. You work all year to get there and then you can't play. It stinks. But I'll use that as motivation for next year and hopefully get back and be able help the team out at that time of year. 

Q: Talk about your relationship with goalie partner Anders Lindback?
A: He's a great guy. One of the nicest guys that I've ever met. And he's a great goalie partner. Nothing but good things to say about him. Anyone that's met him knows that he's a great guy, very caring. He's a good goalie. Hopefully he gets a chance wherever he is next year. I know he'll do well wherever he is.

Q: What's GM Steve Yzerman's level of interaction with the players on the team? Is he in the dressing room on a daily basis?
A: He kind of stands in the background. He won't be in the dressing room unless it's a very important game or something. He's a good guy. He's been around for a longtime and he's been in almost every situation you can think of. He's a good guy to talk to. He's the type of guy you can go in his office, ask him a question and he'll give you an answer. So he's really helpful for our players.

Q: Was he a Norris Division nemesis of yours growing up?
A: Yeah, he crushed my dreams a few times when he used to beat the Blues every year. It's different now that he's my boss, but he's a great guy.

Q: Tell me about the legend of John Tortorella in Tampa Bay?
A: I've only been there for a year. But I know that I went to Maine and he went to Maine, so he's obviously got to be a good guy.

Q: What do you do in the off-season? Where do you live? 

A: I've been in Tampa until last week doing rehab on my wrist. I had surgery a couple of months ago. Now I'm back in St. Louis for the next couple of months and hopefully be ready for training camp. 

Q: Who do you train with in the summer?
A: There's a few guys in St. Louis. The hockey market there is starting to get a lot bigger. Chris Wideman, a guy who plays in the Ottawa [Senators] system, and a couple of other guys that play in the league.

Q: Do you skate with other goalies?
A: I won't start skating until August. Mike McKenna, and then the Blues goalies will come back. We have a pretty good skate in St. Louis.

Q: Who's the goalie coach in Tampa?
A: Frantz Jean.

Q: Is it difficult to adjust to a new goalie coach when you join a new team?
A: Yeah. But at this level, once you're here, you're here for a reason. It's more about having someone in your corner to pick you up when you're down. He's a great guy and we had a good year together. Everything works well.

Many thanks to Ben for speaking with us. Best of luck next season.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

2014 NHL Individual Awards Winners

When it comes to the NHL Awards, a handful are earned on statistical achievement while the rest are won through votes cast by various organizations depending on the award. The chart below shows the award winners for the 2014 NHL season.

NHL Award              Winner 
Conn Smythe Trophy                              Justin Williams
Art Ross Trophy Sidney Crosby
Maurice Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin
Plus-Minus Award David Krejci
Hart Trophy Sidney Crosby
Ted Lindsay Award Sidney Crosby
Selke Trophy Patrice Bergeron
Norris Trophy Duncan Keith
Vezina Trophy Tuukka Rask
Jennings Trophy Carey Price/Corey Crawford
Roger Crozier Award Josh Harding
Calder Trophy Nathan MacKinnon
Jack Adams Award Patrick Roy
GM of the Year Bob Murray
Bill Masterton Trophy                        Dominic Moore
Lady Byng Trophy Ryan O'Reilly
King Clancy Trophy Andrew Ference
Foundation Award Patrice Bergeron
Messier Award Dustin Brown

2014 NHL First All-Star Team honors went to Rask (G), Keith (D), Chara (D), Crosby (C), Perry (RW) and Benn (LW). The 2014 NHL Second All-Star Team roster was Varlamov (G), Weber (D), Pietrangelo (D), Getzlaf (C), Ovechkin (RW) and Pavelski (LW).  

The 2014 NHL All-Rookie Team was comprised of newcomers Frederik Andersen (G), Torey Krug (D), Hampus Lindholm (D), Tyler Johnson (F), Nathan MacKinnon (F) and Ondrej Palat (F).

* See also 2019 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2018 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2017 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2016 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2015 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2013 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2012 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2011 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2010 NHL Individual Awards Winners.
* See also 2009 NHL Individual Awards Winners.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines

The time-honored tradition of NHL playoff combatants shaking hands upon the conclusion of a series is among the greatest displays of sportsmanship in professional team sports today. Seconds after the horn sounds at the end of a series, players and coaches from both teams convene at center ice to celebrate each other's efforts.

The videos below capture the final moments of play in each series-ending game to date in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs along with the ensuing traditional team handshake line, sorted by round and series end date.

FIRST ROUND

The Canadiens eliminated the Lightning in Game 4 on April 22, 2014.


The Bruins eliminated the Red Wings in Game 5 on April 26, 2014.


The Blackhawks eliminated the Blues in Game 6 on April 27, 2014.


The Ducks eliminated the Stars in Game 6 on April 27, 2014.


The Penguins eliminated the Blue Jackets in Game 6 on April 28, 2014.


The Rangers eliminated the Flyers in Game 7 on April 30, 2014.


The Wild eliminated the Avalanche in Game 7 on April 30, 2014.


The Kings eliminated the Sharks in Game 7 on April 30, 2014.


SECOND ROUND

The Rangers eliminated the Penguins in Game 7 on May 13, 2014.


The Blackhawks eliminated the Wild in Game 6 on May 13, 2014.


The Canadiens eliminated the Bruins in Game 7 on May 14, 2014.


The Kings eliminated the Ducks in Game 7 on May 16, 2014.


THIRD ROUND

The Rangers eliminated the Canadiens in Game 6 on May 29, 2014.


The Kings eliminated the Blackhawks in Game 7 on June 1, 2014.


STANLEY CUP FINAL

The Kings eliminated the Rangers in Game 5 on June 13, 2014.


In an age of results reigning over respect, it's encouraging to see such sportsmanship in professional sport, albeit with notable exceptions (Milan Lucic 2014), abstention (Martin Brodeur 2008Derek Boogaard 2007, Chris Chelios 2007Darren McCarty 1997, Ed Belfour 1995Billy Smith, Gerry Cheevers) and disdain (Dino Ciccarelli 1996) in recent years.

* See also 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.
* See also 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.
* See also 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.
* See also 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.
* See also 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.
* See also 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Handshake Lines.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Olympic Gold And Stanley Cup In Same Year

Among the rarest of feats in hockey is to win an Olympic Gold Medal and the Stanley Cup in the same season. American Ken Morrow was the first to turn the trick, doing so in 1980.  Since then, only eight players have added their names to this exclusive list.

Year       Player      Olympic Team / NHL Team     
1980 Ken Morrow United States / New York Islanders
2002 Brendan Shanahan      Canada / Detroit Red Wings

Steve Yzerman Canada / Detroit Red Wings
2010 Duncan Keith Canada / Chicago Blackhawks

Brent Seabrook Canada / Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews Canada / Chicago Blackhawks
2014 Jeff Carter Canada / Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty Canada / Los Angeles Kings

The unofficially dubbed "Big Double Club" consists of three defensemen and five forwards. Of the exclusive eight, there are seven Canadians, one American, and three Triple Gold Club cardholders (Shanahan, Yzerman, Toews). No goalies or coaches have yet to crack the club.
Aspiring Big Double Club members will have to wait until the Olympic Winter Games reconvene in South Korea in 2018 to rekindle their quest.

* See also The IIHF Triple Gold Club.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

2014 NHL Draft Lottery Results

Tonight Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly presented the NHL Draft lottery results live on TSN, with the top overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, to be held on June 27th and 28th of 2014 in Philadelphia, being awarded to the floundering Florida Panthers.
The actual lottery is typically conducted 30 minutes earlier at NHL Headquarters in New York City. This video from 2013, featuring NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman offers a detailed explanation of the process.
Designed to guard against teams purposely losing regular season games to improve their draft position, the weighted lottery system implemented prior to the 1995 NHL Entry Draft provides weaker teams with a greater chance of a higher pick without any guarantees for poor performance.

Until 2013, only the league's five worst regular season teams were eligible for the top overall pick, allowing teams to advance up to four spots and fall only one spot in the lottery. That changed in 2013 with all non-playoff teams eligible for the top overall pick albeit with their statistical likelihood directly tied to their final regular season standing. A team can still only fall one spot in lottery position.

For the third year in a row, the top pick went to someone other than the statistical favorite with the last place Buffalo Sabres edged out by the lottery winning Panthers. The win gives Florida their second top overall pick in franchise draft history since they selected defenseman Ed Jovanovski first in the 1994 Draft.

Other than Buffalo and Florida trading places, the remaining clubs placed as predicted by their statistical probabilities. The chart below shows final draft position by team and their accompanying odds of having won first pick overall in the lottery.

Draft Position        Likelihood of 1st Pick
1. Florida  
18.8%
2. Buffalo
25.0%
3. Edmonton
14.2%
4. Calgary
10.7%
5. New York*
8.1%
6. Vancouver
6.2%
7. Carolina
4.7%
8. Toronto
3.6%
9. Winnipeg
2.7%
10. Anaheim**
2.1%
30. New Jersey***              
1.5%
11. Nashville
1.1%
12. Phoenix
0.8%
13. Washington
0.5%

*     New York Islanders
**   Anaheim received pick from Ottawa for Bobby Ryan trade
*** New Jersey to pick 30th despite final standings and lottery outcome ------- owing to Ilya Kovalchuk's contract cap circumvention penalty.

Remaining NHL Entry Draft positions are set after the playoffs with the Stanley Cup champion and runner-up picking 30th and 29th, respectively. Conference finalists (28th, 27th) as well as division winners and wildcard teams (26th through 15th) are then ordered among their respective subgroup based on regular season standings, positioning teams with better regular season records to pick later than their peers.

* See also 2018 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2017 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2016 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2015 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2013 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2012 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2011 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2010 NHL Draft Lottery Results.
* See also 2009 NHL Draft Lottery Results.

Friday, January 10, 2014

2014 Olympic Hockey Rosters By NHL Team

Earlier this week 300 players were named to the 12 teams participating in the 13 day tournament to be held at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Of the 300 players set to represent their country, 150 are currently skating in the NHL.

The chart below shows all 2014 Olympic players sorted by NHL team.

CHI (10): Handzus, Hjalmarsson, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Kruger, Oduya,
                    Rozsival, Sharp, Toews
DET (10): Alfredsson, Datsyuk, Ericsson, Franzen, Gustavsson, Howard,
                    Jurco, Kronwall, Tatar, Zetterberg
STL (10): Backes, Berglund, Bouwmeester, Halak, Oshie, Pietrangelo,
                    Shattenkirk, Sobotka, Steen, Tarasenko
MTL (8): Budaj, Diaz, Emelin, Markov, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Price, 

                  Subban
ANA (7): Fowler, Getzlaf, Hiller, Perry, Selanne, Silfverberg, Vatanen
NYR (7): Callahan, Hagelin, Lundqvist, McDonagh, Nash, Stepan, 

                  Zuccarello
PIT (7): Crosby, Jokinen, Kunitz, Maatta, Malkin, Martin, Orpik
VAN (7): Edler, Hamhuis, Kesler, Luongo, D. Sedin, H. Sedin, Weber
LAK (6): Brown, Carter, Doughty, Kopitar, Quick, Voynov
TBL (6): Filppula, Gudas, Palat, Panik, Salo, Stamkos
BOS (5): Bergeron, Chara, Eriksson, Krejci, Rask
CLB (5): Anisimov, Bobrovsky, Gaborik, Nikitin, Tyutin
MIN (5): Granlund, Koivu, Niederreiter, Parise, Suter
PHI (5): Meszaros, Raffl, Streit, Timonen, Voracek
PHO (5): Ekman-Larsson, Hanzal, Korpikoski, Michalek, Smith
BUF (4): Enroth, Girgensons, Miller, Tallinder
COL (4): Duchene, Landeskog, Stastny, Varlamov
NJD (4): Brunner, Elias, Jagr, Zidlicky
NYI (4): Grabner, Tavares, Vanek, Visnovsky
SJS (4): Marleau, Niemi, Pavelski, Vlasic
WPG (4): Frolik, Jokinen, Pavelec, Wheeler
CAR (3): Faulk, Ruutu, Sekera
DAL (3): Benn, Lehtonen, Nichushkin
EDM (3): Belov, Hemsky, Marincin
TOR (3): Kessel, Kulemin, Van Riemsdyk
WAS (3): Backstrom, Carlson, Ovechkin
CGY (2): Berra, Smid
FLA (2): Barkov, Kopecky
NAS (2): Josi, Weber
OTT (2): Karlsson, Michalek

This year, each NHL team pledged at least one player to the Olympic Men's Ice Hockey tournament with Calgary, Florida, Nashville and Ottawa offering the fewest (2) and Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis loaning the most (10), for a NHL team average of five olympic athletes.

Similarly, each Olympic side has one NHL player on their roster.  Canada (25) and USA (25) lead the field filling every spot with NHL players, followed by Sweden (24), Czech (17), Finland (16), Russia (15), Slovakia (14), Switzerland (8), Austria (3), Latvia (1), Norway (1) and Slovenia (1).

The chart below shows 2014 Olympic players by NHL team and country.

CHI (10): 3 Canada, 3 Sweden, 2 Slovakia, 1 Czech, 1 USA
DET (10): 6 Sweden, 2 Slovakia, 1 Russia, 1 USA
STL (10): 3 USA, 2 Canada, 2 Sweden, 1 Czech, 1 Russia, 1 Slovakia
MTL (8): 2 Canada, 2 Russia, 1 Czech, 1 Slovakia, 1 Switzerland, 1 USA
ANA (7): 2 Canada, 2 Finland, 1 Sweden, 1 Switzerland, 1 USA
NYR (7): 3 USA, 2 Sweden, 1 Canada, 1 Norway
PIT (7): 2 Canada, 2 Finland, 2 USA, 1 Russia
VAN (7): 3 Sweden, 2 Canada, 1 Switzerland, 1 USA
LAK (6): 2 Canada, 2 USA, 1 Russia, 1 Slovenia
TBL (6): 2 Czech, 2 Finland, 1 Canada, 1 Slovakia
BOS (5): 1 Canada, 1 Czech, 1 Finland, 1 Slovakia, 1 Sweden
CLB (5): 4 Russia, 1 Slovakia
MIN (5): 2 Finland, 2 USA, 1 Switzerland
PHI (5): 1 Austria, 1 Czech, 1 Timonen, 1 Meszaros, 1 Streit
PHO (5): 2 Czech, 1 Canada, 1 Finland, 1 Sweden
BUF (4): 2 Sweden, 1 Latvia, 1 USA
COL (4): 1 Canada, 1 Russia, 1 Sweden, 1 USA
NJD (4): 3 Czech, 1 Switzerland
NYI (4): 2 Austria, 1 Canada, 1 Slovakia
SJS (4): 2 Canada, 1 Finland, 1 USA
WPG (4): 2 Czech, 1 Finland, 1 USA
CAR (3): 1 Finland, 1 Slovakia, 1 USA
DAL (3): 1 Canada, 1 Finland, 1 Russia
EDM (3): 1 Czech, 1 Russia, 1 Slovakia
TOR (3): 2 USA, 1 Russia
WAS (3): 1 Russia, 1 Sweden, 1 USA
CGY (2): 1 Czech, 1 Switzerland
FLA (2): 1 Finland, 1 Slovakia
NAS (2): 1 Canada, 1 Switzerland
OTT (2): 1 Czech, 1 Sweden


In terms of NHL team leaders by country, Detroit sent six Swedes, Columbus relegated four Russians, Chicago consigned three Canadians, New York Rangers and St. Louis acquiesced three Americans, New Jersey conveyed three Czechs, New York Islanders assigned two Austrians, and four (Anaheim, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay) forwarded a pair of Finns while two (Chicago, Detroit) passed a pair of Slovaks.  No team shared more than one player to Latvia, Norway, Slovenia or Switzerland.

Breaking it down by conference, 72 Olympic skaters play in the West (48%) with the East offering 78 (52%).  By division, the Atlantic leads all others contributing 40 players, followed by the Metropolitan (38 players), Central (38 players) and Pacific (34 players).

The opening match of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games is February 12th, with the Bronze Medal tilt set for February 22nd and the Gold Medal game scheduled on February 23rd. Barring another agreement between the NHL and IIHF, this 5th Olympiad featuring NHL athletes may be the last.

Let the Games begin!