By Andrew Chong, Editor /
Playoff spots are being gobbled up, non playoff-teams are already thinking about changes, and NHL awards are close to being determined. Hockey Now’s resident ranter Danny Beck and I weigh-in with our prophetic thoughts on some questions that will soon be answered:
Who is ‘Canada’s team’ for the 2010 NHL playoffs?
CHONG: Vancouver. Roberto Luongo will figure things out. He has never had a bad playoff series and showed he can get the job done under immense Olympic pressure. On top of that, the Canucks are potentially looking at a third line injection of Mikael Samuelsson (30-plus goal-scorer) and Pavol Demitra (Olympic First Team All-Star) when they return – that assumes a Sedins-Burrows first line, and a Grabner-Kesler-Raymond second line. Pretty solid top nine anyway you slice it. Willie Mitchell may even return if the Canucks go deep.
BECK: Mitchell being hurt has made the Canucks better. Luongo has proven he is not an NHL playoff winner—he has a lot to prove. I don’t think he can do it. Their forwards are firing, but D and G questions are massive. I think Ottawa goes deeper than Vancouver.
Can someone other than Crosby or Ovechkin win the Hart Trophy?
CHONG: Henrik and Daniel Sedin have almost an equal points-per-game average, so it’s hard to say that Henrik is ‘most valuable to his team’ – though he did come up big when Daniel was out. At the same time, Ovechkin has Backstrom for a teammate and Crosby has Malkin for a teammate, so everyone’s sort of in the same boat. With the award’s definition in mind, it’s hard to think that any single player is more valuable to his team than Ryan Miller. Where would Buffalo be without him?
BECK: I think that Ovechkin is still the Hart winner. Remove him from Washington and they are nowhere near the same team. Buffalo has always had a solid goalie – Miller is good, but replaceable, and Hank is having a good year, but he is still a “sister.”
Was the Phil Kessel trade worth it for the Leafs?
CHONG: Time will tell. Kessel is a sure thing and the two picks are always somewhat of a risk – but the Bruins will likely get Hall or Seguin this year, and another blue-chipper next year. The Leafs could look back at the Kessel deal in about 2015 and have a lot of regret.
BECK: The Kessel deal is only being questioned because the first-rounders look like high picks. The deal was and is a good deal. He instantly made them better, Burke built a solid long-term D and G situation and got younger and cheaper up front. Add a couple of top-end forwards and the Leafs will be in the playoffs in 2011.
Can Calgary catch Detroit for possibly the final playoff spot?
CHONG: No. Detroit’s core of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Holmstrom, and Rafalski are too savvy, too clutch, and just too good. With multiple games against Columbus down the stretch, the Wings will be uncatchable.
BECK: No chance. The Flames have been toast for the last 10 games. Look at the standings 10 games ago. They’re done.
If they could, should the Edmonton Oilers risk trading their draft pick for a young star who is a little further along?
CHONG: Tempting, as it might speed up the process of re-building the Oil into a winner. But Washington, Pittsburgh, and Chicago exemplify how a top-end draft pick can transform a franchise from a loser to a winner. Keep the pick.
BECK: Edmonton might do well if they can find a suitor. They are loaded with young and need some veteran, properly-paid depth. They don’t need a team of Souray, Moreau and Horcoff plus 10 young, soft players. Edmonton is three years away no matter who they draft. The cupboard is bare of top-end stuff and the Veterans are way over-paid and injury-riddled. Ouch.
Are the Phoenix Coyotes for real?
CHONG: The Coyotes are where they are because of their goals against. But Phoenix is 26th in the NHL in goals for. When faced with the defensive gauntlet of a best-of-seven series, will the Coyotes have enough clutch firepower to break through? It seems almost every year a top-four seed goes down in each conference – Phoenix is that team in the West, this year.
BECK: Great story, but sorry, won’t cut the desert heat in the playoffs. Plus, there will only be about 5,000 fans and they will have only paid about $10 a ticket. If you are interested, Phoenix would be a good playoff road trip – it will be cheaper to fly and stay and go than to buy a Canucks, Habs, or Sens ticket – and park and eat out. Think about it.
Can anyone knock off Washington in the East?
CHONG: There’s always a chance Sidney can give a golden performance. So, yes – there is one team.
BECK: Ottawa. |