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Simmer's 9 - ANOTHER one; new and improved |
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1) Based on a tweet exchange between a Jets fans and Bob McKenzie of TSN; it is actually pretty wild if you think about it. The Coyotes never won a playoffs series since coming from Winnipeg, and now that Winnipeg has their Jets back, the Coyotes win one. Curse lifted, as the fan put it. Pretty cool. (Keep in mind, the original team wasn't exactly lighting it up in the postseason when it was still in Manitoba.)
2) Just 1 game tonight (Tuesday)!? And only 1 tomorrow night!? And maybe only one on Thursday … always lame when the first round winds down. Even more painful, and thin, when the second round starts to subside.
3) The Coyotes get home ice in the second round against Nashville, by virtue of winning the Pacific Division. The Predators finished the regular season with 7 more points than Phoenix.
4) Depth at D will be the difference in the St. Louis/Los Angeles series. Minimizing mistakes. St. Louis has the edge there and in special teams.
5) Three NHL teams had a pair of defensemen in the top-15 in overall League scoring by blueliners. Can you name the 3 clubs (and the 6 guys)? Answers at the bottom.
6) American Red Wings Justin Abdelkader and Jimmy Howard have joined Team USA for the World Championships in Helsinki scheduled for May 4 to May 20. Their first game is against France. The next day they play Canada.
7) Oh, what the heck: If Boston, NYR, and FLA win their series, the Flyers would play New York. If Boston, NYR and NJD win their series, the Flyers would play Boston. If Boston, Ottawa, and FLA win their series, then Philly would play Florida. If Boston, Ottawa, and NJD win their series, then the Flyers would have home ice and play the Devils. If DC, NYR, and FLA win their series, then the Flyers play Florida. If DC, NYR, and NJD win their series, then Philly would play the Devils, again with home ice. If DC, Ottawa, and FLA win their series, then the Flyers would have home ice and play the Caps, and if DC, Ottawa, and NJD win their series, then Philly would have home ice as long as they won in the conference and they'd play Ottawa in the 2nd round. Happy to clear that up.
8) As a follow-up to my Columbus Blue Jackets draft summary last time out, here is the same treatment for their expansion brothers, the Minnesota Wild. Columbus has played a grand total of four playoff games in their existence, and except for the "Wild" run of 2003 to the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota hasn't fared much better. They were ousted in the first round their two other appearances (2007, 2008), the second time as the division champ.
As a reader pointed out, its not all about the draft, its also about player development, but there is no question the Wild have had better 1st rounds. Here's the gallery:
Under GM Doug Risebrough: 2000 (3rd overall) - Marian Gaborik. The main man in the offense for almost a decade, he left for NYC in 2009. Gr-gr-groin injuries hurt him along the way, but the speedster had four 30-goal seasons and a 40-goal season in St. Paul. 2001 (6th overall) - Mikko Koivu. Can't complain about finding a homegrown Captain. 100+ total goals over seven seasons. An All-Star with six years left at about 7 mil-per. (but like the next guy listed, not really a #1 center) 2002 (8th overall) - Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Exciting and effective when healthy, recently that hasn't been the case. PMB was knocked out of hockey for 13 months with concussion symptoms in 2010 and is sitting out again. Long term questionable. 2003 (20th overall) - Brent Burns. Big, tough, strong all-around, also had concussion problems ('09). He and a 2nd round pick went to SJ for a 1st round, youngster Charlie Coyle, and Devin Setoguchi. 2004 (12 overall) - AJ Thelen. Not so much. Minnesota native D-man fell short. Plus, yet another concussion victim. Spent four years in ECHL, quick taste of AHL. 2005 (4th overall) - Benoit Pouliot. Hasn't lived up to fourth overall at all, but the big wing is being used effectively and showing flashes as a role player for Claude Julien in Boston.
2006 (9th overall) - James Sheppard. 4th liner with 11 goals in 224 GP for Minny, sidetracked his humble career by getting into an ATV accident just before camp in 2010. Missed that season and has been an AHLer with San Jose since. 2007 (16th overall) - Colton Gillies. Uh oh, former high pick was a waiver pick-up this season by …. the Columbus Blue Jackets. Third straight first-round big forward taken by Wild, third straight pffftttt. 2008 (23rd overall) - Tyler Cuma. Played for "Killer" in Ottawa so he's got that going for him. Only 22-years-old, playing the toughest position to learn, getting AHL seasoning. Picked up his first NHL game this season; look for him out of camp. Transition summer from Risebrough to Chuck Fletcher: 2009 (16th overall) - Nick Leddy. I don't know the story here honestly. Politics? New regime? Local kid, (Eden Prairie), played at "the U", I remember interviewing him when he was drafted. Him and team pumped. Was sent the next deadline to Chicago with Kim Johnsson for Cam Barker. Yeah, I know. Leddy meanwhile is 21, and has already played 120+ games on the blueline for Chicago. 2010 (9th overall) - Mikael Granlund. Fun with Finns. Sick hands. Still growing. 3 seasons in Finnish Elite League. Has played in recent Worlds and World Juniors for his country. OK, now get your butt over here. 2011 (10th overall) and 2011 (28th overall, from San Jose) - Jonas Brodin, Swedish Defenseman and Zack Phillips, who won a Memorial Cup with Saint John, is still playing in the Q, and has signed his entry-level deal with Minny.
9) Answer from above: Shea Weber (49 pts) and Ryan Suter (46) from Nashville, Alex Pietrangelo (51) and Kevin Shattenkirk (43) from St. Louis, and Alex Edler (49) and Kevin Bieksa (44) of Vancouver.
Enjoy the action! All the best.
twitter: @simmerpuck
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