So Close, Yet so Far

So close, yet so far. (Click)


Stanley Cup Play-Off Thoughts:


1 - Is there any doubt that Jason Smith is the most underrated defender in the NHL. Observers of the Montreal-Philly match-up noticed that Canadiens players wouldn't go near the corners or the front of the Philly net when Smith was one the ice. And speaking of Smith, is there any doubt that Brooks Orpik is the new Jason Smith? 10 blocked shots in game five of the Finals should be enough to convince any detractors.


2 - Is there any doubt that Peter Forsberg is the most overrated player in the NHL? When the guy is healthy, he's a beast, but how often is he actually healthy? (Maybe four or five games a season, at most.) And why is everyone all of a sudden calling him 'Foppa'? Time to hang 'em up Pete, but hats off to a great career.


3- If Forsberg isn't the most overrated player in the league, then the honor must go to 'Jumbo' Joe Thornton, who, once again, managed to disappear when his team needed him most. If not for the heroics of Rob Clowe, Devin Seteguchi, and Evgeni Nabakov, the Sharks wouldn't have even made it past the Flames. Brian Campbell also failed to live up to expectations.


4 - Players I really started to like during the play-offs: Henrik Zetterberg, Gary Roberts, Max Talbot, Douglas Murray, Devin Setegochi, and, (I never thought I'd say this) Marien Hossa, and Hal Gill.


5 - In an earlier post, I publicly tarred and feathered Pens GM Ray Shero for aquiring Hossa and Gill at the trade deadline. In light of recent events, it should be obvious to loyal readers why Yours Truly is a mere university student, rather than an NHL GM. Hossa got off to a slow start, but as the play-offs progressed he played better and better. I thought he was the Pens best player in the Stanley Cup Finals, except for Game 1 where he would have had problems hitting Ohio from downtown Cleveland, never mind the Red Wings net. Wherever he goes, he deserves whatever he gets payed. As for Gill, well, he acquitted himself well, and although he struggled against the faster Red Wing forwards I actually kind of hope he sticks around Pittsburgh for a few years.


6 - If you think #5 is going to convince me to stop me from putting in my two cents on most Penguin deals, you're wrong.


7 - Players I already liked, but now like even more after the play-offs: Patrick Marleau, Jason Smith, Cory Sarich, Jaromir Jagr, Ryan Malone, George Laraque, Brooks Orpik, Valterri Filpulla, Mike Green, and of course, Sid the Kid.


8 - I couldn't figure out why Pens fans were booing Jagr in the Pens-Rangers 2nd round tilt. It's not like Jagr left Pittsburgh as a free-agent, or demanded a trade a la Chris Pronger. Jagr gave Pittsburgh the best years of his career, and for that, deserves at least a little respect.


9 - Only one thing to say to this head scratcher: lighten up Bob.


10 - One player I lost a lot of respect for during the play-offs is Chris Osgood. The guy took a few dives in the play-offs, which I don't actually mind goalies doing, and complains about the contact he faces in the Dallas-Detroit series. Then, Marc-Andre Fluery gets knocked over twice in OT, and suddenly Osgood has an epiphany:

Goalie Chris Osgood even said he doesn't mind a little contact and noted that it's
usually permitted during the regular season. He couldn't believe it was penalized in overtime during the Stanley Cup final.

"I don't think it's a penalty, especially at that particular time of the game," said Osgood. "It seems to me like there's such a grey area for that rule right now that it needs to be addressed."

There is no grey area as Osgood claims. If the goalie is inside the crease, and someone runs into him without being pushed, it's a penalty. Simple. The problem is with the archaic attitude that the ref should put away the whistle in the play-offs, and especially in overtime. If it's called in the first game of the season, it should be called in the last. (For the record, the goal crease includes the red stripe that circles the blue paint, so if a goalie is standing on the red, he's still in the crease.) Just because you're driving to the net with the puck doesn't mean you can brush the goalie either.


11 - On the subject of Detroits two goaltender interference penalties in overtime of game 5, I originally disagreed with the calls, simply because Greg Millen thought they were weak, and Millen has been know to defend even the most ridiculous goalie interference calls in the past. But after watching the replays a few times, I'm convinced the two calls were correct. Why? Fluery is inside the crease, and Zetterberg knocks him over without being pushed. Penalty. The Cleary call was a little sketchy, but the fact that Fluery was once again in his crease, and Cleary was not pushed makes me think that was the right call too. The only way you can't call these two penalties is if you think Fleury dove.


12 - I used to wonder how Mike Milbury could continually ice such terrible teams as GM of the NY Islanders. I chalked it up to bad luck, but after hearing Milbury's so called commentary during the play-offs on TSN, I'm starting to see bad luck had nothing to do with it.


Bonus World Hockey Championship Thought:

Pierre Lebrun wrote a column a few months ago wondering why Canadians don't love the World Hockey Championships as much as Europeans do. Speaking for myself, my dislike of the World Hockey Championships can be summed up entirely in this clip. Sadly, these types of mistakes are the norm for International hockey. Until the IIHF gets some competent refereeing, I'm going to change the channel.


P.S.


If anyone tells you the reffing in the Stanley Cup finals was the worst they've ever scene, you can assume they don't watch a lot of hockey.


M.O.F.



Next post:

A minor league baseball player gets traded for 10 bats, CFL news and views, and the annual 'Rumoured to be heading to Toronto' circus.