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Kevin Allen’s Weekly Notebook. What You Need to Know Around the NHL |
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Who is the greatest NHL player of all-time? Gordie Howe? Wayne Gretzky? Bobby Orr?
Any time you rank athletes, in any sport, in any category, regardless of criteria, you create debate. Ranking players is entertaining. It makes us think.
Lists can also help us spot trends. That's what happened recently when the NHL Network published its list of the league's top 10 goalies. Some noticed immediately that Marc-Andre Fleury, now 37, is the only Canadian on the list. He is 10th. Three Russians are in the top five. The geography of the sport has changed. It's cyclical. Remember when Finnish goalies were all the rage?
But the NHL Network also reminded us of a reality that hasn't received much play: we have lost four historically important goalies to retirement over the past 14 months. The guys on the list today will get there, but only a couple are there now.
What I noticed first about the NHL Network was its shortage of 'Wow' performers. Where are the older guys with auras, the goalies with the pedigree, name recognition and reputation?
Is Juuse Saros really the third-best goalie in the NHL?
I know how well he has played since becoming the Predators' No. 1 goalie. When I analyzed the list, he should be No. 3. My only point is that we don't know the guys on the list as well as we have known the top goalies in previous years. We are always more comfortable with familiar faces.
The truth is we have lost four significant goalies to retirement in the past 13 months. Pekka Rinne retired 14 months ago. Henrik Lundqvist's made his exit 13 months ago. Tuukka Rask said goodbye six months ago. Just recently, Montreal general manager Kent Hughes suggested Carey Price is done.
Those are goalies with Stanley Cup Final appearances, Vezinas and impressive resumes. Those are are goalies we know like they are good friends. Plus, it doesn't look like Braden Holtby, 32, is going to be healthy enough to play this season. He has a Vezina, a Stanley Cup ring and the good resume. We might not see him again. That would be five big name recognition goalies gone.
How long before Fleury decides he has had enough?
The players on this season's NHL Network top goalie list are all quality netminders. For most of them, their best seasons are still to come. But that list reminded me how much I miss the recently-retired goalies.
This week's notebook:
2. On Sept. 15, 1987, exactly 25 years ago, Wayne Gretzky fed Mario Lemieux for the game-winning goal with 1:26 remaining in Canada's 6-5 win against the Soviet Union. That clinched the Canada Cup gold medal. It's considered one of the most memorable goals in hockey history.
3. Advanced statistics help us identify, or confirm, quality goalies playing for poor teams. For example, last season Ottawa's Anton Forsberg and Columbus' Elvis Merzlikins were the only two non-playoff goalies ranked among the top 15 NHL goalies in goals prevented above the average. According to IcyData.com, Forsberg was 11th in that category at +39.5 and Merzlikins was 15th at +33.20. Only six NHL goalies were above 50.
5. When the Nashville Predators signed former Chicago goalie Kevin Lankinen for one year to be Juuse Saros' backup, it created fallout. Talented Connor Ingram, 25, is presumably still in the plans. He is out of options. Yaroslav Askarov, the team's prize goalie prospect, is also in North America. If Ingram clears waivers and is sent to Milwaukee, how many games do Ingram and Askarov play. The Predators want to get Askarov acclimated to North American hockey.
6. Another issue for Nashville: Roman Josi, Ryan McDonagh and Mattias Ekholm are all left shot defenseman. Obviously none of those guys are playing on the third pairing. McDonagh can play the right side. If we put him with Josi, who does Ekholm play with? It's probably Alexandre Carrier who averaged 20.59 minutes per game last season. Dante Fabbro was a 2016 first-round pick, bu hasn't developed into the all-purpose defenseman the Predators hoped he would be. You could see the Predators shopping for another top four defenseman before the trade deadline.
7. North American players have not all declined to play in Russia even though that country is at war. After the first six games, Canadians Ryan Spooner (five goals, three assists), Brandon Kozun
(four goals, three assists) and Curtis Valk rank among the top 10 scorers. American defenseman Joseph Duszak (seven assists) is in 11th place. Former NHL player Cedric Paquette (four goals, two assists) is 14th.
8. For those keeping score at home, here are some notable players who will be NHL training camps on Professional Tryout Offers (PTOs):
Ottawa: Derick Brassard, Michael Dal Colle
New Jersey: Thomas Hickey, Zach Senyshyn
New York Rangers: Jimmy Visey
SJ: Scott Harrington
Seattle: Daniel Sprong
St. Louis : Tyler Pitlick
Toronto: Zach Acton-Reese
Vancouver: Danny DeKeyser
We could also see Jake Virtanen and PK Subban joining that list.
9. It's good to hear Kyle Beach, the former Chicago Blackhawks first round pick, accepted a position as an assistant hockey coach with Trinity Western University. Late last year, Beach reached a lawsuit settlement with Chicago Blackhawks. Beach, 32, sued after he was sexually assaulted by a former Chicago Blackhawks video coach in 2010. He never played for the Blackhawks. Beach finished his pro hockey career last season by registering 27 goals and 50 points for the TecArt Black Dragons in a German League.
10. The late Maurice "Rocket" Richard retired 62 years ago today. He won eight Stanley Cups in 18 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. He scored 50 goals in 50 games in 1944-45.
11. Multiple teams are said to be interested in offering Jake Virtanen a PTO to attend training camp. The former Vancouver Canucks forward was found not guilty of sexual assault this summer for an incident that occurred five years ago. The 2014 first-round pick last played for the Canucks in 2020-21. He played last season for Moscow Spartak in the Kontinental Hockey League. Virtanen netted 18 goals in his best Canucks' season.
12. Who landed the better goalie this offseason? The Edmonton Oilers with Jack Campbell or Ottawa Senators with Cam Talbot? I liked both acquisitions, but Talbot for Ottawa just feels right. Of course, Talbot won't face nearly the pressure that Campbell faces with a hungry Oilers team.
13. No news may not be good news for the Detroit Red Wings in their negotiations with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi. Both players can be unrestricted free agents next summer. Larkin is Detroit's captain and a hometown hero. It was assumed that negotiation would go smoothly, but training camp is around the corner. It is not done yet. There has been nothing to suggest that they are close to a deal.
14. A Zdeno Chara visit to the Boston Bruins' practice facility this week created some fun until the local media determined he wasn't there to sign with his former team. Chara doesn't have a contract for the upcoming NHL season.
15. Happy Birthday, Richard Brodeur. The former World Hockey Association and NHL goalie turned 70 today. King Richard, as he was nicknamed, played for the Quebec Nordiques in the WHA. He is remembered most for his eight seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. Brodeur played a major role in helping the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1982. The Canucks lost to the New York Islanders who were in the midst of a four-year run of titles. After retirement, Brodeur embraced another passion -- painting. He sells his work through his brodeurartist.com
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