TUESDAY QUICK HITS
* Ever since the Boston Bruins swept the Flyers in the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals, I have had a lot of respect for the way the Bruins play hockey when they are on top of their games. They can beat you with their size and strength. They can beat you with their smothering defense and goaltending. They have players such as Brad Marchand who can beat you with their speed. They play in-your-face hockey, they have good depth and they are relentless. When the Bruins are clicking, they can make even quality opponents look bad while exposing every flaw.
That's what they are doing right now to the Pittsburgh Penguins. For all of the offensive firepower they've assembled on their roster, these Pens are in deep, deep trouble. Their inconsistent commitment to team defense, which got exposed by the Flyers in the playoffs last year, has also been exploited by Boston. Just as happened to the 2011 Flyers, Pittsburgh has no defensive answers for the line of David Krejci, Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic. Pittsburgh's overreliance on stretch passes and aggressive puck pursuit has been turned against them, creating transitional chances galore. The goaltending has been pedestrian (and made to look worse by porous defense and good shooting).
The Bruins stumbled a bit during the stretch drive this season, and that carried over to first-round inconsistency against Toronto. Since that time, they've gotten back to playing the sort of hockey that wins Stanley Cups. You may not like the Bruins, but you have to admire the way they've been playing.
* Update on Modo goaltender Bernhard Starkbaum, who has reportedly drawn interest from the Flyers, Predators, Canadiens, Oilers and Sabres: It was
reported today in Austria via the player's agent, Patrick Pilloni, that while there been discussion with all of the aforementioned teams, no formal contract offers have been presented as of yet. However, several KHL teams have put forth offers. If Starkbaum wants to play in North America, he will have to accept a two-way contract and put in time in the American Hockey League. The 27-year-old would make considerably more money in the KHL than the AHL but it would also probably mean giving up his dream of ever playing in the NHL. The player has until June 15 to make a final decision.
* Former Flyers prospect Joacim Eriksson is another Elitserien goalie drawing interest from NHL clubs. Eriksson, who backstopped Skellefteå AIK to the Swedish championship on the heels of a magnificent playoff run (10-0 record, 1.06 GAA, .952 save percentage, 3 shutouts including two in the finals). He was a split-time starter during the regular season, posting moderately better stats (1.67 GAA, .931 GAA, 5 shutouts in 30 stars) than his fellow SAIK goaltender Markus Svensson (2.04 GAA, .920 SV%, 3 shutouts in 27 starts). Eriksson told Aftonbladet that he his agent has had contact with
several NHL teams. Although Eriksson would not specify which clubs, it has been rumored that the Flyers are among the teams with interest.
* Here's something to keep an eye on after the first round or two of the 2013 NHL Draft: Will any of the Draft re-entry players from the 2011 Draft be selected again? In particular, there are two defensemen from the 2011 class who either could not come to contract terms with their original drafting organization or were not tendered entry level contract offers. Both stand a good chance of being selected again this year at some point of the Draft.
Brenden Kichton, an Islanders 5th-round selection in 2011, is re-entering the Draft this year after a huge overage season. New York made a decision not to extend another offer to the defenseman after he previously rejected a contract offer from the club. Kichton, a 20-year-old offensive specialist, posted 22 goals and 85 points for the WHL's Spokane Chiefs this season.
Zach Yuen, a Winnipeg 4th round selection in 2011, is also going back in the Draft pool. The Jets originally traded a pair of picks (133rd and 194th overall) on the second day of the 2011 Draft to be able to move up to the fourth round to take the puck-moving Tri-Cities defenseman with the 119th overall pick. Yuen had an outstanding 2011-12 season for a powerhouse Tri-Cities team (12 goals, 38 points, +45) but was not as effective this year (9 goals, 43 points, -1) with somewhat pared-down talent around him.
With both players being 20 years old, they are eligible for immediate play in the American Hockey League in the 2013-14 season. Both have gained all they are going to get from junior hockey and are pro ready. Yuen turned 20 in March. Kichton, who eligible for unselected in the 2010 Draft, will soon turn 21.
The benefit of drafting a somewhat older prospect, which the Flyers did with a soon-to-be 20-year-old Tye McGinn in the fourth round of the 2010 Draft, is that they have longer track records at the junior level and it is a little easier to tell if they have a realistic shot at making careers at the professional level. The drawbacks are that: 1) you are expending a Draft pick on a player who might be available as a free agent signing shortly thereafter (assuming the risk of waiting pays off and they go undrafted) and 2) while there are certainly some notable exceptions who go on to be good NHL players, there's usually a reason why these older re-entry or undrafted players are still out there at age 20.
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