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Olympic Finale, as Habs Get Back to Business |
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The culmination of the men’s hockey tournament exemplified what was so great about the two-week exhibition we should all be thankful to have witnessed. It was high drama and furious pace of play; beautiful goals, devastating hits, game-breaking saves and the elation of winning versus the despair of losing.
Without further ado, here are my thoughts, before we address some very important Canadiens matters.
3 Reasons NHLers belong in the Olympics:
1. In a tournament full of championship-caliber teams, two emerged; a favorite Canadian team, and an underdog American team. Neither team had a single player from the KHL, but all of them play in the National. Regardless of their presence in the finals, the two games played between Canada and USA were easily the most exciting of the tournament. It was hockey at its best, played on an NHL ice surface, with mostly NHL rules. In the end, the NHL’s best player scored on the NHL’s best goaltender, in overtime, to win the tournament.
2. Both teams had surprisingly young compositions. Both countries have other young players that could fill the shoes of veterans who played in this tournament but won’t be able to participate next time around.
To think that players like Crosby, Toews, Getzlaf, Perry, Richards, Keith, Seabrook, Doughty, Weber, Kane, Parise, Ryan, Backes, Stastny, Suter, J. Johnson, E. Johnson are all younger than 26…it’s truly ridiculous! Then think about the players who didn’t make the team, but fall in the same age-category. And what about those that played for World Junior Gold over Christmas? All mentioned, and all others you should be thinking about are, or will be, National Hockey League stars.
Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic and Slovakia had another great showing, in terms of their ability to compete with the super powers of hockey. But what will happen to their hockey programs with players like Lidstrom, Forsberg, Alfredsson, Ohlund, Holmstrom, Koivu, Selanne, Lehtinen, Timmonen, Peltonen, Salo, Zednik, Palffy, Stumpel, Vishnovsky, Satan, Demitra, Jagr, Elias and Vokoun unlikely fit to play in 2014? How will these nations compete with Canada, USA and Russia?
Speaking of Russia, there was little doubt as to who the best players were on their team and tremendous doubt about whether choosing as many KHL participants as they did was a good idea.
Knowing this, and knowing that the players from all three countries are what has enabled the NHL to grow post-lockout, it seems ridiculous to argue that the best opportunity for future growth of the game would be to keep NHLers from participating in Sochi.
3. Speaking of ridiculous: If NBC could’ve done a worse job of providing proper coverage of the men’s hockey tournament, I’m sure they would’ve. But regardless of their stupidity, the ratings for the Gold Medal game were beyond exceptional. NBC earned a 17.6 overnight Nielsen rating for yesterday's Canada-U.S. hockey game. The ratings were up 45.5% from the 2002 Gold Medal game.
Two conclusions that can be drawn from this: That Canada-USA in 2002 had a large impact on growing viewership in the US. And that Canada-USA in 2010 will have a large impact on growing viewership in the US.
According to ESPN’s John Buccigross, Sunday’s game drew a higher rating than every World Series game since 2004, every NBA Finals telecast since 1998, and every NCAA Final Four game since 1998.
Yesterday’s ratings have captured everyone in the hockey world’s attention, but the ratings for games played in the National Hockey League as we enter the season’s stretch drive should be the ones that everyone focuses on. They will reinforce how crucial it is for the NHL to participate on the world-stage, in best-on-best competition.
Gary Bettman may be one of the world’s best business men (something I’m sure would be vehemently contested by many) but he’s no politician. His oppositional stance, be it as a champion of the owners’ cause in seeking proper compensation in relation to the 2-week shutdown of NHL operations, or his posturing in CBA negotiations with the NHLPA—dangling the Olympics overhead as if it were an apple for the players to bite into, or in a continuation of his fight with the Russian Hockey Federation and the Kontinental Hockey League —is anything but a viable political strategy. The negative rhetoric spewing from Bettman, throughout the most positive experience the game has ever witnessed is embarrassing, to understate it. His refusal to lean towards a cooperative attitude (at least rhetorically) is not what’s best for anyone, let alone for the people he works for.
On the game of all games:
- I’ve never watched a tighter one. Not at this level. It was a physical war, and the attention to detail on both sides was something to marvel at.
- Some suggested the Canadians took their feet off the gas, and backed up until the Americans tied it. Because there isn’t a simpler way to explain it, that conclusion is generally accepted. I have a different view of things.
In preliminary action, Canada looked for perfect goals and risked far too much offensively against USA. They gave an incredibly skilled American team too many looks at quality chances, and it resulted in 4 goals past Martin Brodeur (whether he was championship quality, or nothing better than average) and an unforgettable 5th into an empty net.
But when it mattered, in a game of highest-stakes hockey, Canada tightened and managed to take a 1-goal lead to the 3rd period. They banged posts, and they tried to take advantage of any opportunity born from an American mistake, but weren’t able to increase their lead. We all would’ve liked to have seen them continue to push, but on instinct, they refused to make the kind of plays that would leave them vulnerable in the defensive end—against an American team they knew could take advantage. Their efforts in that style of play were exceptional until the Americans managed to tie the game, based on their own exceptional efforts. From that point forward it was Canada all the way.
- If there was a difference between these two teams, it was Sidney Crosby, and needless to say he proved it in OT.
- First thing I thought about after Gold was won was how incredible it is to remark the personal growth of the players who benefited from the experience. Just playing in this game had an immediate impact on the future of each player.
- I thought about Toews scoring the all-important first goal of the game—a tournament played that served as foreshadowing for Toews becoming the next Joe Sakic or Steve Yzerman for Canada.
- I thought about Pat Kane showing us sides of his game we never gave him credit for. His effort to stop Sidney Crosby’s breakaway opportunity was unexpected and incredible.
- I thought about Rick Nash’s shift from an offensive to a defensive role in the tournament, and about his increasing stature as one of the game’s very best.
- I thought about Zach Parise’s ability to score clutch goals.
- I thought about how Ryan Miller has cemented himself as the game’s best goaltender.
- I thought about the ages of Doughty, Keith and Weber, and about how at this pace (regardless of the stats) they may become the greatest defensemen the game has ever seen.
- I thought about the fact that Ryan Kessler was one of the game’s best players at both ends, and though we knew how well-rounded his game was, we could’ve never expected he’d deliver under such massive pressure.
- And then I thought about the vets.
- Scott Niedermayer, the captain, in his native province, winning Gold. He was the best player in tournament play for Canada—and hands down the best in the Gold Medal game.
- Boyle and Pronger brought the composure and experience that might have pushed the Americans over the edge in this tournament. If they started off poorly, they finished as strong as anyone on Canada did.
- Roberto Luongo can now prove what everyone should’ve known and admitted about him long before yesterday: He’s a champion.
- Joe Thornton never had to be the difference maker in this tournament, but he and his San Jose linemates were a massive part of Canada’s success at the Olympics.
- Patrick Marleau entered this season on the heels of many playoff failures, and his captaincy stripped. He’s been among the NHL’s very best this season, and was one of Canada’s top 3 forwards.
- If Martin St. Louis, or Steven Stamkos, or Vinny Lecavalier, or anyone else was skating in Brenden Morrow’s place, perhaps Canada never even makes it to the final. After he was placed with Getzlaf and Perry, the three combined to form Canada’s best line in tournament play.
- Brian Rafalski put himself in a class aside with his performance at these Olympics. Already known as one of the game’s best, he entered the realm of Leetch, Lidstrom, Niedermayer etc…with the inspiration he provided to his teammates.
- The resolve of Jamie Langenbrunner shouldn’t be discounted. His determination and leadership was palpable with every shift, and every net-crash.
- To the people who mocked Chris Drury’s selection: Eat crow. He was an unsung hero for the Americans, and willed himself into a prominent role when it was thought he’d be the team’s 13th man. His shot blocking, his penalty killing, his faceoff prowess and clutch goal-scoring ability played a big role in propelling the Americans to the finals…Unscathed, I might add.
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On the Habs,
It had to be disappointing for Jaroslav Halak to lose in such dramatic fashion, but the young Slovakian willed his nation to the best finish they’ve ever had at the OIympics. He should be beyond proud of this accomplishment, as the hockey world agrees his performance was only outdone by Miller and Luongo.
To think he may still have to battle for his place as the Canadiens’ number 1 netminder this season is laughable, at best. And yet, nothing’s assured, and who knows what both of Montreal’s goalies will provide between now and season’s end? I’ll gladly predict that no decisions are immediately imminent regarding the long-term status of either goalie, as it pertains to the Habs.
Everyone’s back at practice, except for Bergeron and Cammalleri. Cammalleri remains on the shelf for at least the next two weeks, and Bergeron’s condition is less clear.
Tom Pyatt’s been recalled from Hamilton, for the time being.
The Habs play a big week on the road. They have Boston tomorrow, the Sharks on Thursday, and the Kings and Ducks on Saturday and Sunday.
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A couple of players the Habs are potentially looking at:
-Brad Boyes and Paul Kariya of the St. Louis Blues.
A list of players that could move between now and Wednesday:
-Sergei Kostitsyn, Maxim Lapierre, Paul Mara and Glen Metropolit.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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