The pre-game show included player highlights from the regular season.  One particular highlight was a play by Dan Boyle against the Minnesota Wild.  During a 5-on-3 power play Boyle skated past all three Wild defenders and managed to get the puck past the Wild goaltender.  The video of the play is here:

During the celebration Boyle skates to the corner of the rink.  That’s when I saw it.  In the above video you can see it during the replay and not when it’s happening live.  Do you see it?

Dan Boyle and a San Francisco Bulls fan

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To be fair I had limited expectations when I heard the ECHL was expanding into San Francisco.  Growing up and living in a region flooded with top level professional sports can skew one’s expectations of what exactly the ‘pro’ in ‘pro sports’ means. But as the Bulls season progressed and the team grew (not in size but in experience) attending games at the Cow Palace became more ‘home’ than just ‘home ice’.

To the front office staff - You folks have been great, not just to me but to almost everyone I talk to. Your hard work is well documented.  You always make us feel like guests and not just customers.  Enjoy using your vacation time - you’ve certainly earned it.

To the hockey players - Although we tell ourselves it’s not always about winning or losing, I’ve been told that as professional athletes you take it that it is your job to win.  I’m sure it hurts to have your season end early but please note that your performance in the playoffs has not gone unnoticed.  For me it’s always about playoff hockey.  The regular season is fine and all but it’s the playoffs where we see what you boys are really made of.  Your performance in the playoffs was some of the best hockey I’ve seen in a quite a while.  Your effort was relentless and unwavering.  Rest assured you can, without a doubt, tell your family and friends you played your best. Thank you for calling San Francisco your home.

To Coach Curcio - Thanks for always being gracious and available to the fans.  Thanks for the access to the team.  Thanks for choosing San Francisco.  Thanks for dinner.

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Many are disappointed over the negative comments associated with the Sharks’ announcement that the San Francisco Bulls will play a regular season game at HP Pavilion on December 17th.  I know it’s rough to be sitting in San Jose with no hockey, but to snob and snub this opportunity for the Bulls is absolutely embarrassing.

I know it’s not NHL hockey but you know what - the Bulls never claimed to be NHL hockey.  In fact the players that I’ve talked to know exactly what the ECHL is - it’s a feeder league for the AHL and indirectly the NHL.  That means these kids are responsible for making the NHL (and our beloved Sharks) better. And once in a while a player from the ECHL makes it all the way to the NHL (like say, Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Quick or one of another 400+ players.)

How did players like Logan Couture and Jason Demers get to the NHL?  They had talent but somehow that talent had to be developed. Turns out it got developed in the AHL.  Where does the AHL gets its players from?  One source is the ECHL.  Players move between the ECHL and the AHL the same way players move between the AHL and the NHL.  So the better the ECHL players, the better the competition at the AHL level.  And the better the competition at the AHL level, the stronger the environment to develop your soon-to-be NHL players.

Speaking of developing players, how many goalies do you think the Sharks have in their system - 1, maybe 2?  How many goalies do you play in a game?  Last I checked the the answer was 1.  So what do you do if you have 4 or 5 goalies in your farm system?  Where do those extra goalies go to develop their skills? Well you send some to the ECHL.  And in the case of the San Jose Sharks, that affiliate is THE SAN FRANCISCO BULLS!

See those sharks on that mask? That is Thomas Heemskerk, San Jose Sharks prospect and ECHL 'Goalie of the Week' for late November 2012.

So by supporting the Bulls and giving those kids the best possible environment to mature and develop you’re ultimately supporting the Worcester and San Jose Sharks.  I think you get my point.

And by the way Sharks fans, how do many of you make your living?  Where do you get all that extra income to be able to afford NHL hockey?  Since San Jose is pretty much one corner of Silicon Valley I’m going to bet your company, which pays your salary, which pays for Sharks tickets, is most likely either is a start-up, was a start-up or uses products or services developed by a start-up.  Do you use an iPhone to stay in touch with work?  Are HP or Cisco products essential to your company’s workflow?  Do you leverage social media to promote your products?  Does your company provide services to a tech company? Did you know that the San Francisco Bulls are one of the THE start-up success stories to hit the area in the last year? You can read more about the Bulls start-up story here.

In the end I know not all Sharks fans are snubbing the Bulls, they’re probably the same troublemakers that cause all the trouble in sections 209 and 210. If these people would take the time to watch these kids play, especially when they play 3 games in 48 hours or 4 games in 5 days, maybe they’d think twice about criticizing a group that sometimes plays a more physically demanding game than their NHL counterparts.

I know the lockout is frustrating - don’t get me started - but if you’re really a hockey fan how can you honestly say you’re not interested in hockey unless it’s only at the NHL level?  If you don’t think the Bulls are worth your time fine, stay away from HP Pavilion on December 17th.  Let the REAL hockey fans into the building.  Let us watch some kids that some day, if they’re lucky, just might return to HP Pavilion down the road. But next time maybe they’ll be trading their San Francisco Bulls sweater a San Jose Sharks sweater.

He seems to be enjoying Bulls hockey just fine.

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San Francisco Bulls taking care of business at the Cow Palace

If you haven’t already heard the weekend marked the return of Devin Setoguchi and Ryane Clowe to Bay Area hockey, Clowe as a Bull and Setoguchi as a member of the Reign. For more details on the weekend see my supplemental post on Brash.com.

Ryane Clowe behind the bench for the San Francisco Bulls

Devin Setoguchi taking it all in at the Cow Palace

SJ Sharkie protecting the net

BFFs SJ Sharkie and Rawhide

No matter what the outcome the Bulls continue to be prove that a night of professional hockey at the ECHL level is incredibly fun and an outstanding value. And if you live in San Francisco and have spent time at HP Pavillion watching the Sharks in person you’re going to find getting to and from the Cow Palace, as well as navigating the Cow Palace itself, just so much easier and relaxing. And if you can drive to the Cow Palace tickets can be purchased at the box office during regular business hours. Doing so will save you about $9 per ticket versus using Ticketmaster. Contact the Bulls at 415-469-9843 and tell them penaltykill.net sent you!

Devin Setoguchi as an Ontario Reign

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The failure to reach an agreement is not the only reason I decided to cancel my tickets, and in fact it wasn’t even the last straw. It was a series of events that led me to make this decision. The first sign of trouble was last season’s deadline trade of Jamie McGinn. The Sharks had two generally accepted reputations. First was the general manager Doug Wilson makes very thoughtful moves that are not motivated by external pressures or public opinion. The second is (unfortunately) that the Sharks had over the years depleted their farm system in order to make the free agent trades necessary to try and get the team ‘over the hump’. The Sharks traded McGinn to try and salvage a very poor season but it didn’t take a hockey expert to know that last season’s team was not a contender for the Stanley Cup. Two consecutive deep runs into the playoffs had taken a physical toll on the team and the signs of wear and tear were everywhere. The move looked desperate and out of character for a GM known for not panicking. The trade also drained one of the latest promising hockey players to come out of the Worcester Sharks. McGinn exemplified everything the farm system represents. Over the past 3-4 years he evolved from a kid with potential to a very physical, hard working NHL starter. His trade left me feeling like there was no loyalty for McGinn’s hard work.

The next straw was the aforementioned early departure from the playoffs. The messaging from the San Jose Sharks is that they are in this thing every year to win a championship. I still believe that is the organization’s goal and I believe that they will continue to build toward that. However I don’t believe this upcoming season will have those results. I just don’t believe there is enough evidence to justify making an advanced commitment by buying season tickets.

And with the CBA disaster I downgraded my Sharks ticket purchases from a ‘buy’ to a ‘wait and see’.

But the final nail in the coffin came with the arrival of the San Francisco Bulls.

I had a conversation with a friend about going to a Bulls game this weekend and I mentioned that the team was on a horrible losing streak. It is quite possible that the Bulls are slumping right now and we might not see a very good hockey game. But interestingly enough, we were in agreement when we decided that it didn’t matter - it was still going to be fun going to the game.

That’s the key difference.

When you’re the San Jose Sharks and you try to build a champion you put yourself in a problematic situation. On the one hand my loyalty to the team is based on management wanting to win and not just fill seats. But when you consider the 2+ hours it takes to get to and from a game, the just-raised ticket prices, increasingly unruly crowd and the lack of promise that the team will be improved this year over last, I can’t justify the cost. I don’t think they can play up to the standard they’ve set.

On the other hand the San Francisco Bulls are a team doing exactly what they set out to do - bring professional hockey back to San Francisco. When I go to a Bulls game I expect to have a good time with other fans expecting the same. Do any of us expect they will win the Kelly Cup in their first year of existence? Probably not. Do we expect to be entertained in a small venue? Sure do. I believe I’ll get more bang for my buck watching the San Francisco Bulls scrape together a few wins than I will watching the San Jose Sharks make another run for the Stanley Cup.

Don’t get me wrong. If the NHL & NHLPA get their acts together and salvage a season I’ll be purchasing single game tickets and sit along side the 17,000+ plus fans at HP Pavilion cheering on the Sharks. But between those days I’ll be sitting at the Cow Place along side 3,000+ fans supporting a bunch of 20+ year old kids putting everything on the line for a shot at the big stage and $600 a week.

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To qualify that statement the difference is in the atmosphere.  The Cow Palace is obviously a much more intimate venue, and in an era of social media where everyone wants to have a voice your voice counts more in a building with and estimated average attendance of 4,000 than the larger confines of HP Pavillion.  And recently the Sharks fans at HP Pavillion have become much more hostile and verbally challenging than in the past, so much so that management has acknowledged ongoing issues in some sections.

The vibe at the Cow Palace was much more relaxing than anything I’ve recently experienced at Sharks games.  And the kids on the ice, while no where nearly as talented as the players in the NHL, play with heart and energy that doesn’t go unnoticed.

If you want your hockey fix and are as frustrated as I am with the NHL labor dispute I strongly encourage you to check out your local AHL or ECHL franchise. I hope you’ll be as surprised as I was at just how entertaining that experience can be.

Team Captain Jason Bowers prepares to be introduced to the crowd.

The Cow Palace dresses up nicely to welcome hockey back to San Francisco.

Hockey - enough said.

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I freely admit that the NHL labor issues have been causing me so much stress that I’ve actually been indifferent to the idea of watching hockey this winter.  The San Jose Sharks have suspended all business so as a season ticket holder we do not know when our next ticket payments are due.  With no access to the tickets we also cannot put our extra games up for sale.  And since the season can start without any warning we might not have enough lead time to successfully sell some of the earlier games.  Granted these are the risks when you make this kind of commitment, but as a customer I don’t feel I should have to take on any extra financial burdens.

But over the weekend we went to watch the Bulls practice and I’ll tell you, seeing the Bulls skate on that ice got me excited all over again.  And being able to drive to the Cow Palace in 15 minutes is a benefit of a magnitude I can’t express with words.  Frankly I couldn’t care less if the NHL cancels the whole season because there’s another game in town and they wear orange, black and gold!

The boys gathered around the coach.

From the dressing room to the rink.

The Bulls expect a to play at least a handful of Sharks.

In case you forgot, this is what hockey tickets look like.

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I have been, however, disappointed in their coverage of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.  Most of the discussion has been of the variety you’d expect between typical fans and not the media.  Although they talk about the core issues, the never talk about what those core issues mean to the business of hockey.  For example we know that a core issue is revenue sharing and helping out struggling teams, but they never talk about what teams are struggling and how exactly revenue sharing works.

Last week, and I apologize for not remembering who, a guest on one of the programs went on a rant about exactly what the issues are, what the state of the game REALLY is and what each side (union versus owners) is trying to protect.  The rant was so honest and so concise that it threw the show’s hosts off guard.  It was also so well received that portions of the interview were replayed over the next few days.  The interviewee works for one of the sports websites and is also an ex-NHL head coach.  His rant inspired me to start digging, and here’s what I’ve found.

First please keep in mind I’m not a lawyer, a union rep or any kind of financial or business insider, so take my opinion for what it is.

According to forbes.com, of the 30 NHL teams only 12 are making money.  And of the teams making money not all are necessarily the teams that perform well on the ice.  Case in point, while ranking just 16th in overall revenue ($96MM) the Edmonton Oilers are the 5th most profitable team ($17+MM). The Oilers are more profitable than the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.  The NHL is a league where 60% of their franchises are losing money.

The players currently get 57% of revenue.  The owners proposed dropping that share to 46%.  Like the NBA and NFL, speculation is that a 50/50 split between players and owners would be fair.  Last year the NHL pulled in $3.3 billion.  If everything remained the same and the revenue split went from 57/43 to 50/50 the shift in revenue from the players to the owners is $230 million.  Divide that between the 30 teams and it comes out to an average of about $7.6 million.  If each team kept an additional $7.6 million we go from a league with 12 profitable teams to a league with 24 profitable teams.  Of the remaining 6 teams losing money, 4 of them lose less than $1 million per season.

If you’re the owners that makes the best business sense possible for ensuring the health of your business.  However I realize it’s not that simple.  In the NHL, as opposed to other sports, most of each team’s revenue is generated by each team individually, meaning it’s revenue is from ticket sales, local TV deals and related local income.  The league itself doesn’t make a whole lot of money.  Everyone was excited that the NHL inked a television rights deal with NBC for $1 billion over 10 years.  That sounds great until you really look at the numbers.  Do you know how much money the NFL will generate in revenue under their new 9-year TV contract starting in 2013?  The NFL will make $3.1 billion EACH year.  If you do the math the NHL’s TV contract comes out to approximately $3.3 million per franchise per year.  In the NFL that number is just under $97 million PER FRANCHISE PER YEAR!

The union thinks the burden for helping struggling franchises should be shouldered by the owners and not the players.  My understanding is that they’ve proposed some kind of revenue sharing scenario.  Confused about just what revenue sharing means I went to the interwebs and did some research.  In baseball, and I’ll use baseball as the example since NHL Union Executive Donald Fehr ran the baseball players union when they implemented revenue sharing, 31% of each teams revenues are put into a bucket.  That bucket of revenue is then distributed evenly among all the teams.  It doesn’t take a genius to see that teams making a lot of money are subsidizing teams that aren’t.  Why baseball owners agreed to this is beyond me, but at the time the New York Yankees had just (bought) won 4 out of 5 World Series Championships.  The thinking was that by distributing revenue smaller market teams would now have the money to increase player payroll and become more competitive.

The problem with applying this formula to the NHL is that financial health is not tied to competition.  In the NHL teams that missed the playoffs but are healthy financially are Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Colorado, Ottawa and Calgary.  Teams that made the playoffs but lost money are Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Nashville, San Jose, New Jersey, Florida and Washington.  The other problem with revenue sharing is that teams may take their new found revenue and pocket it as profit.  We know the stories - pro sports are littered with profitable losing teams.  These owners have no financial incentive to produce a winning product.

As a fan I’m starting to get fatigued over the start/stop nature of the NHL.  The union wants a 4 year deal which, in my opinion, is insane.  As a fan I want stability.  I’m also not happy that, as a season ticket holder, I have to put my schedule in jeopardy because I can’t accurately plan around the hockey season.  But with the San Francisco Bulls spinning up operations this year at least I have some outlet for pro hockey.

Until the NHL is back up and running I’m finished with all the static around the CBA negotiations.  Being a fan isn’t supposed to be this much work…

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I’m in my second year of owning a pair of full season tickets to the San Jose Sharks.  I also have an additional 3 seats by way of Sharks 10-Game SharkPaks (I often to go games with a few family or friends and need the additional seats). I also have 4 12-Game Mini-Plans to the San Francisco Bulls. This means I have 66 game days out of 81 total home games for both teams (44 full SJS + 10 partial SJS + 12 partial SFB out of 44 SJS home games + 37 SFB home games). I love hockey but not that much.

So to reconcile it all I put on my obsessive compulsive hat and create the 2012-2013 Hockey Ticket Spreadsheet of Doom.  First I put down every home game for the Sharks.  Then I add a column for each of the games included in the Sharks 10-Pack I hope to get.  Then I add the games from my Bulls 12-pack.  I end up with a spread sheet containing 56 rows and 7 columns.  Note that these tickets are co-owned by myself and my girlfriend.  Now here are the rules:

1. We go down the schedule and pick games we want to keep and games we want to put up for sale.
2. San Jose is 45 minutes away from where we live.
3. The Bulls play 5 minutes away from where we live.
4. Priority is given to weekend Sharks 10-Packs when we can possibly take my nephew and/or her son.
5. Priority is given to weekend Bulls games when we can possibly take my nephew and/or her son.
6. Consideration is given to Sharks opponents we want to see (division rivals, Minnesota, Boston, Detroit).
7. The most we can typically handle is one game a week.

We were able to put this together rather easily and as long as we can sell the majority of the games we put up for sale everything will go smooth as silk.  The problem is the NHL.  If there’s any alteration to the season, either due to a lockout or a strike, this entire thing goes out the window.  Between our schedules, two school calendars, joint custody issues, vacations and other various commitments, the threat of changes to the NHL schedule adds a degree of stress that I don’t feel we should endure.  The hockey season is six months long.  Is it fair that your customer has to put organizing a half a year of their life on hold while you sort out who’s going to get what part of billions of dollars?!

The shining star here is the San Francisco Bulls.  Not only do I get to submit a list of the 12 games I want in my 12-Game Mini Plan, there is also a small degree of flexibility during the season should something come up with one of my games.  And right now anyone can give the Bulls a call and create any ticket plan they want - from a single group ticket to a handful of games.  If you’re interested in Bulls tickets I suggest you contact Jason Lockhart at 415-469-9843 or jasonl@sfbulls.com. Tell Jason Penaltykill.net sent you!

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I thought it quite risky when the Sharks traded Andrew Murray and a low draft pick for the unrestricted free agent despite Wilson’s statement he was confident he could get the player signed. Given the state of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Stuart’s leverage in the situation and Stuart’s potential on the open market, I TRUSTED that Wilson wouldn’t make the deal unless he already had a tentative contract in place. Turns out he probably did.

Is that legal under the current CBA? Can you have something in place with a player before you take action to acquire him? Is that even what happened? It has to be, no one is going to take million dollar gambles recklessly.

Whatever the details I’m very happy to see the proven penalty killer come back to San Jose, and I’m glad to see that Wilson - once again - is working to tweak the team to fill needs that hopefully will return us to a run for The Cup.

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As a full season ticket holder I know for a fact that even the originally printed tickets are not always guaranteed to get you in to a game. One of the features of being a full season ticket holder to teams using Ticketmaster as their ticket management agent (which I think is most if not all professional sports franchises) is the ability to ‘forward’ tickets. This means I can log into the ticket management system and email another copy of the tickets to someone else. Once I do that the bar codes on my original tickets are deactivated. If I forward them again, then the previously forwarded tickets’ bar codes are also deactivated, and so on. There’s nothing stopping someone from reselling the original tickets even though they don’t work any more.

Some suggestions to avoid these scams is to buy only from a guaranteed reseller. One of course is StubHub. StubHub takes a credit card from the seller to cover any problems with the tickets. Ticketmaster’s own reseller site is also a safe place. If you look for tickets on Ticketmaster and the event is sold out they’ll often offer you an opportunity to buy from TicketExchange, their reseller marketplace. Sometimes TicketExchange is ‘rebranded’ by the franchise that issues the tickets, but as long as you link directly from the team’s website or from Ticketmaster you should be okay.

Otherwise torturedkingsfan said one strategy is try and take a picture of the seller standing next to their car showing the license plate. If they’re not willing to do that, walk away.

Anyone else have suggestions on how to avoid scams?

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Ok that is an exaggeration. But I think you are starting to get the idea that I couldn’t go to Game 1 of the Phoenix Coyotes vs LA Kings Western Conference Final last night. So what’s a Coyotes fan to do? You could find a sports bar in the area that is playing the game but then you might have to deal with the state wondering why you brought a 10 year to a bar.

Instead of risking that sticky investigation follow the simple PuckGal method of “Whiteout at Home”:

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General Manager Doug Wilson was heard commenting the other day about the San Jose Sharks’ inability to kill penalties, and whether or not the failure was systemic or personnel.  Of course he gave no answer other than they’re evaluating everything.  When it came to the Sharks’ penalty kill, as well as every other aspect of their game with the exception of the power play, I feel like it’s safe to say that the Sharks system has become ‘predictable’.

For example when the Sharks are on the penalty kill you know the Sharks are not going to press you if you camp out behind their net.  If you cycle along the boards they’re not going to challenge you.  When playing 5-on-5 if a Shark camps out behind their own net waiting for a line change, you know if you fore check the puck handler there’s a good chance you can get a turnover.  If the Sharks are in their own zone and you take away the middle, the default exit strategy is a pass back behind the net along the boards.

Again I’m no expert in hockey but when I can see what’s coming I’m sure the other team can see it.  This used to happen during the Mike Singletary days of the 49ers.  If I could predict what the next play was (Gore up the middle) I’m sure the other team’s defensive co-ordinator could see it coming too.

What’s my point?  To answer for Doug Wilson I think the problem with the Sharks is the system, and that system has been decoded by the opposition.  That explains the poor passing, untimely turnovers, poor penalty kill and lack of puck possession (which is important if you’re supposed to be a puck-possession team).  And unfortunately the responsibility for the system is the coach - Todd McClellan.

I like Coach McClellan and I’m sure he’s more than qualified to coach in the NHL but I feel like if he’s going to stay on as the Sharks coach it’s time to adopt a new system.  I must admit - I’ve been watching the playoffs and other teams’ offensive systems - entering the zone, rushes, attacking the net - is quite different than the way the Sharks execute.  And sadly I must report it’s more exciting to watch.

The next question is if we have the right pieces to change tack.  I think we do but I also think we took a step backwards this season.  I feel like it’s going to take some time to get back to the level of talent we had before the start of the 2011-2012 season.

When the Sharks acquired Dany Heatley there was a lot of talk about what the trade meant to both the Sharks and the Ottawa Senators.  But through all the excitement one national pundit on XM Radio’s NHL Home Ice stated very clearly that Heatley had worn out his welome at every stop along his NHL career and the Sharks would be no exception.  I think everyone can agree that Heatley, and his contract, needed to be moved out of San Jose if we were going to move forward.

Sending Devin Setoguchi along with Heatley to Minnesota was a disappointment to many - I haven’t run into a Sharks fan who said they weren’t going to miss him - but I think the timing of the trade was very un-Wilson like.  When your company memos are saying one thing but your company’s actions are saying another you usually pick up on the difference.  Signing Setoguchi, and making all the public statements about his future with the team, then immediately trading him was one of those situations.  I think we all get what was going on but it still didn’t sit right.  It felt like the team was willing to forego loyalty and professionalism for the betterment of the books (and unloading Heatley’s huge cap hit). But that was just one move and I think we all were able to move on from there.

But then there was the Jaime McGinn trade.

Moves at the trade deadline are usually reserved for either picking up one or two final pieces for an already stocked and loaded roster poised for the playoffs, or clearing the books for a lost season and preparing your team for the next.  Even Wilson himself said he’s not a huge fan of trade deadline moves as a vehicle for changing the direction of a team.

So when Jamie McGinn was traded to Colorado it felt like a desperation move.  The Sharks were in no way the dominating team they had been the last two seasons and there was no way one or two acquisitions were going to solidify their playoff run.  Not only did the trade feel like a desperation move but it was another example of the company memo not matching the company’s actions.  For all I’ve been told hockey is about working hard at becoming better, and Jamie McGinn (along with Marc Edouard Vlasic), were the only two Sharks were I could see their game improving year over year.  When the knock on your team is that you’ve depleted your farm system and your draft pool, and then you trade one of the few young players that have actually worked to become a legitimate NHL top six forward, you’re sending some bad juju into your dressing room.

I don’t know if my opinions are based on hindsight filtered through a disappointing season, or maybe it’s just a few bad moves all in the same year instead of spread out over time, but whatever the case I’m not all Negative Nancy.  I’m happy to have Martin Havlat and Brent Burns on the roster and I liked what I saw in Thomas Greiss and Justin Braun.  We also have lots of cleared cap space to navigate the summer without a Collective Bargaining Agreement in place.  But I feel like were sitting at a true crossroads where we have to re-stock our farm system cupboards while taking advantage of the core we do have and make that push to The Cup.

If the team is evaluating everything then I look at this next season as a true test of Doug Wilson and Todd McClellan’s abilities.  It’s easy to produce a winner when you have lots to spend, but it feels like the Sharks are both literally and emotionally ‘out of cash’ and now have to tread into that territory where you have to be your best during trying times.

For now it’s all about the Pacific Division in the playoffs…

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You can see and feel the difference everywhere. From the more upbeat media attention surrounding the win to the legions of happy fans that met the plane for the returning Coyotes on Tuesday afternoon.

Even my trip to the Coyotes Den at Jobing.com arena yesterday was different. Normally my daughter and I would have the place to ourselves to browse the Coyotes gear. But it was a different scenario this time. On a Tuesday afternoon, not even 24 hours after our entry into Round 2, we weren’t alone by a long shot and the phone to the store was ringing off the hook. According to shop personnel it had been that way all day and they couldn’t keep the Mike Smith garb from flying off the hangers. Nice change of pace.

Everyone in there was holding some piece of merchandise, Mike Smith-wear or not, and I myself succumbed to 3 tshirts and hat. Playoff wear for the boys and every girl (or PuckGal) needs a sassy black v neck. Girl first..hockey fan second. Sorry.

The hockey gods love commerce and with the fever pitch growing with each and every post season game, just imagine if we actually made the finals…

Mike Smith jerseys all around!

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I’ve speculated all year that the two previous runs deep into the playoffs took a physical toll on the team and that for the most part the team was never healthy.  I know that playing through injury is a part of professional sports, but there’s a difference between playing hurt and playing injured.  Hopefully the next few days will reveal just how injured this team was.

The other problem has been the inability to kill penalties.  I believe it started with the loss of Mike Grier, continued with the loss of Rob Blake and the final straw - losing Scott Nichol.  We’ve gone an entire season and have not shown any improvement on the special team’s weakness that doomed us against the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 Western Conference Finals.

And if you go back to those finals, the Sharks have won 2 out of their last 10 playoff games.

But misery DOES love company.  Also eliminated from the first round of this years playoffs are the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and the aforementioned Canucks.  I think it’s safe to say that there is more than one new sheriff in town and that is how the west will be won.

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I am also right in predicting that once again we would hit overtime. It just seemed inevitable from the drop of the puck to the second Coyote goal that Chicago would somehow come back and sure enough they did. These two teams just can’t seem to get enough of each other. Even though they want to beat each other up in the process, Shaw and Smith, Torres and Hossa and Bissonnette and Bolliger have all gotten some major action including games suspensions, misconducts and  a disciplinary hearing that Torres will face on Friday. Surely Tyson Nash regrets his “clean hit” comment as much as I did when I concurred.

Phoenix comes home for Saturday’s take all game and I wouldn’t dare make any predictions on it except to say that I am geared up for a bumpy, and possibly long, ride. And so far I can’t be wrong.

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After tonight’s OT win in Chicago, making the series 3-1 in the Coyotes favor and Mikkel Boedker a Phoenix hero, it appears that the Phoenix Coyotes  and Chicago Blackhawks are working hard to give their fans their money’s worth and to make this series as exciting as possible. Either that or they just don’t want to get off the ice because all four games have gone into overtime. You heard me right, FOUR games. And as exciting as it is, it has also proven to be detrimental to my health. This is why OTwill never be FDA approved:

- It causes extreme heart palpitations

- Has the uncanny ability to bring on an extreme case of terrets (I called 2 Blackhawk fans “lucky sons-of-b*****s” during game 2)

- Insomnia due to all the adrenaline coursing through your veins and the extra period (s)

- Not to mention poor performance at work due to the lack of sleep. I have said it once and I will say it again..Stanley Cup Playoffs should be recognized as a national holiday.

- Anxiety during the last few seconds of the game where, as this series is proving, anything can happen (let’s talk about Chicago’s late in the game goal scoring) 5.5 seconds..5.5 seconds!!

- Causes bad decision making, mealtimes in front of the TV and bad language in front of my 10 year old.

If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t do anything..you’re a real fan!

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Bad penalty kill, ineffective power play - whatever the the immediate problem it looks like the underlying problem with the Sharks is a lack of jump in their play.  The Sharks seem to be playing a lazy, lethargic brand of hockey that looks and feels uninspired. Unfortunately this perception is where the frustration is generated.

During the post game show after the Sharks’ last regular season loss against the Phoenix Coyotes there was a heated exchange between Ray Ratto and Drew Remenda.  Ratto made the comment that the Sharks just don’t care and Remenda took exception to that comment.

The gist of Ratto’s argument is that all the analysis and all the rhetoric needs to be put aside and the Sharks just need to go out and win games.  From the look of things they just don’t seem to care.

The gist of Remenda’s argument is that it’s easy to make such comments when you’re in a television studio (or sitting at home in your living room) and not down with the team.  He contends that the team does care and the idea that they just need to ‘go out and win the game’ is exactly what the team is trying to do.

I hate to say it but I side with Ratto on this one.  I’m a paying fan.  I pay for my season tickets and I pay for cable.  Unlike Remenda I don’t have access to the dressing room or access to the team plane/team bus.  All I get to go on is the play on the ice.  What I see on the ice looks ‘lazy’.  I’m going to guess that everyone is playing hurt - REALLY hurt - but again, unlike Remenda I don’t have access to that information.  Not that it should matter.

I trust that the team cares and that they want to win, but judging by what I can SEE is they’re not playing championship hockey.  And that’s really too bad.

But still we’re just down two games to one at this point and I’m finally at that place where I’ve adjusted to the emotions of the ‘win or go home’ mentality of the NFL to the ‘wave riding’ required to navigate a best-of-seven series.  I get to go to the game on Thursday and I’m hoping for something a little more ‘inspired’.

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I can’t think of a more appropriate word to describe Game 2 in the Phoenix Coyotes vs Chicago Blackhawks series. It bore a striking resemblence to the first game of the series. Lots of white, lots of energy, great defense and Mike Smith making all the big saves. All of that is good dejavu, in fact give me some more of that going forward.

The bad juju?

Radim Vrbata getting taken out and not returning having only 42 seconds of ice time.  Having just a one goal lead going in to the end of the game. Then of course allowing the Blackhawks to tie the game with just 17 seconds left in regulation.

The Coyotes did rebound however and took the game during the one period of OT.

Fast forward to game 2 and that sinking feeling you have seen this game before. Still the same great energy, lots of white (although 2 red and black jerseys were sitting RIGHT behind me..annoying) Radim Vrbata is back but Mike Smith is victim to a nasty hit to the head by Shaw. The fans had to endure a few nervewracking moments waiting to see if he would recoup…with Jason Labarbera warming up in the wings. Smith got up, played brilliantly and the Coyotes scored a nice power play goal as a result of the 5 minute major. Once again all good.

Then the bad juju..

Empty net, 6 attackers, only a one goal cushion and a mad scramble to the net. It’s 6 seconds till the period ends.  I am gathering up my purse, collecting the whiteout pom poms and downing the last of my beer when…those 2 red and black jerseys behind me starting cheering. At 5.5 seconds left in the game.

5.5 seconds.

NOOOOOO! This cannot be happening again. This is so devastating, so frustrating, so infruriating that I cannot even help myself. In an uncharacteristic rage, I whip around and scream at the 2 red jerseys “you guys are the luckiest sons-of-b*****s”! Oh yeah, I did that. In front of my daughter, stepsons and husband. So classy.

But how could this be? Again? How could the Coyotes let this happen TWICE..in TWO games! Purse goes back on the floor, pom poms flutter madly and we settle in for OT.

And the bad juju continues..

Coyotes lose it in the OT tying the series at 1. Pom poms wilted, daughter exhausted and the rest of the family disillusioned we wearily head for the exit. Let’s hope the next 2 games in the Madhouse will reverse the juju in our favor.

As for Game 2? As the French say.. C’est la vie.

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Yes I know but you haven’t heard it told like this.

Ray Whitney’s nickname is “the wizard” (yes, I know you know that too, indulge me) but it occurred to me how much this “wizard” had in common with another famous “wizard”, Harry Potter. Just go with me on this.

- Just like the wizards and witches in JK Rowling’s tales, Whitney is now in an elite group as well. Only 79 players have achieved this particular glory before.

- While he doesn’t battle Voldemort, Whitney does go toe-to-toe with other vile creatures such as Sharks, Ducks and Canucks (don’t tell me that the Sedin twins don’t make a horrific two headed fantasy figure!)

- He may not have the lightning bolt scar but he does have the most adorable dimples.

- And just like his fictional counterpart Ray is also humble having been quoted as saying “I’m glad it’s over with, because in the end what we’re doing right now is something more important than 1000 points..we’re trying to get in the playoffs.

- He can fly. Defy me, I dare you.

- As in HP sequel after HP sequel, Ray Whitney’s work is never done. A mere 40 seconds after scoring his 1000th he goes for 1001.

So you can see this isn’t as farfetched as you might have thought. His next feat however will likely rival Potter’s final battle with Voldemort..getting past round 1 of the playoffs. Now THAT would be magical..

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The good news is the next three games are at home. The bad news is it starts off tonight against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins (I’ll be at the game by the way, probably rocking back and forth in my seat like I’m waiting for the psych unit to start the intake process).

The problem I have with this season’s less than stellar performance is what I’ve learned about hockey. I never pretended to know what it takes to win an NHL game, build an NHL team or evaluate an NHL player. I’ve also not relied on the press for insight because they’re in the business of ‘selling papers’ so they say what they need to say. But after meeting Coach Pat Curcio of the San Francisco Bulls and picking his brain on what it takes to win hockey games, the difference between talent and hard work, and what it takes to win a championship, I’ve been contaminated with the idea that the Sharks are just not willing to put in the effort to win hockey games. The exception of course is if they’re injured. Or if they are playing with all their heart then we lack the talent to compete at a championship level.

It’s hard to stay positive. I think I was better off before – ignorance is bliss.

Whatever the problem all I know is if the Sharks miss the playoffs I’ll save a ton of money on playoff tickets, money I’ll pump into season tickets for the San Francisco Bulls. For now it really does come down to one game at a time starting tonight against the Bruins. When I bought tickets to this game it looked like a great opportunity to see how well we’ll match up going into the playoffs, but now it’s shaping up as a game to see if we can even compete at a championship level.

Just win please…

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Fortunately I’ve built a few relationships with the folks in the Bulls’ front office and they’ve always been very generous and gracious with me despite my creepy over-zealous fandom. So when I got invited to this event the last thing I wanted to do was embarrass myself, this blog or the team. Searching for some insight on what to expect from an event like this I turned to The War Room on Sirius/XM’s NHL Home Ice.

Peter Berce offered up the following:
1) Don’t touch the other reporters (actually that was something I came up with).
2) Talk with the people who invited you and try to get some information to report.
3) Take pictures.
4) If they’re giving away free stuff take it.
5) If they’re giving away free food eat it (but not too much or they won’t ask you back).

I can handle that.

Item #1: I didn’t get too creepy when meeting all the reporters I’ve grown up watching on TV. ‘No inappropriate touching’ was a success.

Item #2: Luckily I knew some of the Bulls staff as well as the local radio personality who was the event’s Master of Ceremony. I was able to pass the time with some lively conversation while waiting for the event to start. It wasn’t totally awkward standing there amongst all the cameras.

Item #3: See below.

Item #4: Since I’m not a dignitary (the mayor of Daly City was in attendance as well as representatives from the San Francisco mayor’s office) or a regular media personality I didn’t get a bag of swag. Maybe next time.

Item #5: There was food but the line was too long.

The Cow Palace

Lamont and Tonelli from 107.7 The Bone - Your Hosts

Pat Curcio, President and Head Coach

The Media

The Mascot - Rawhide

The Ice

The Food

I think I need a better camera…

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Today the Bulls revealed what the boys will be wearing at the Cow Place come this October. The story goes when thinking of a name for the team they considered the history of hockey in San Francisco - The WHL San Francisco Seals, The Shamrocks, The Spiders, The Sharks (when they played at the Cow Palace). When observing the seals at Fisherman’s Wharf someone pointed out that a male seal is called a ‘bull’ - bull, seals - a connection was being made. But then upon returning to the office someone realized the team was going to play at the ‘Cow Palace’ - you know, cows - bulls, hence the term ‘bulls’ went from ‘bull seals’ to ‘bull cows’. The San Francisco Bulls was born. And the team colors are orange and gold - orange from the San Francisco Giants and gold from the San Francisco 49ers (’Bridging the Divide’ if you will).

And by the way, the home opener is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 13th.

And here you go:

ECHL rules apparently dictate that the dark sweater be worn at home for half the season and the white sweater the other half of the season.

And they won’t be on sale for another 3 months.

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I was at Saturday’s game where we lost to the St. Louis Blues. The Sharks ended the second period on the power play. That power play was so bad I don’t think they got a single shot on goal (compared to St. Louis who got at least one). They also spent the majority of the time in the defensive and neutral zones unable to even get into the Blues’ zone let alone control the puck. Down 3-1, mustering only 2 shots on goal for the entire period and playing the worst I’ve seen them since the Florida Panthers came to town, the boos came down in mighty fashion – you would have thought the other team had just taken the ice for the pre-game skate.

Hoping history would repeat itself I was hopeful to see what kind of energy the Sharks would come out with to start the 3rd period. While you could see that they were trying, the Sharks were still flat, slow and unable to dictate any part of the game. It was really hard to watch.

I think everyone is injured. I think the only healthy top-6 forward might be Patrick Marleau. And because we can’t kill penalties we can’t retaliate when opposing teams take liberty on our players (like Philadelphia pounding on Logan Couture).

If this is what it is then this is what it is. The only thing I would regret is trading Jamie McGinn and our prospects. If the team is in such bad shape that NO trades can salvage the season, then the trade deadline deal may have been a real waste.

The question is, if we’re barely going to limp into the playoffs should we just miss the playoffs entirely?

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Or so I thought.

If you think about the landscape of American culture there is an aspect of it where fashion meets sport. And that’s the sports logo. From the simple baseball cap to the team jersey, from your rural high school football team to your favorite European soccer club, the wearing of sports merchandise is probably just as ubiquitous in America as designer fashion. In some places it even trumps designer fashion.

How many pieces of sports gear sit in your closet? How many pieces of designer clothing do you own? And since being a fan is fanaticism, you probably own several pieces of your team’s merchandise. Nothing shows your allegiance better than wearing something with your team’s logo on it.

Well kids, next week history will be made. The San Francisco Bulls are going to unveil their new sweater at a media-only event and yours truly has been invited to be there. That’s right, The ‘Net is all growd up and we’re heading to the Cow Palace to get a look at what hopefully will become a fixture in the San Francisco cultural landscape. Tune in next week to see if I can take any pictures worth a damn. In the mean time since I know you’re all peeing all over yourselves in anticipation I’ve created this ‘artist rendering’ to hold you over. Enjoy.

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One of the primary reasons I wanted the seats was access to inexpensive playoff tickets. Last year I went to Round 2 Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings, sitting right where my current seats are, for about $50 a ticket. I was easily spending over $100 a ticket for first round games through Ticketmaster, so I jumped on the chance to have that kind of access.

But I knew the chances of going to a third consecutive Western Conference Finals, let alone get past that round, was going to be highly unlikely. The physical toll had to be mounting, and emotionally I can imagine it would be tough to push through another the regular season.
The evidence on the ice suggests I may have been right.

The Sharks have just come off their worst ‘SAP Open’ Road Trip in several years. Although a long trip the players have always said road trips allow them to ‘bond’ as a team. If they’re bonding it doesn’t seem to help the way they play. Now the Sharks are staring at that 17 game March leading right up to the playoffs. How are they going to get to get their new teammates acclimated, fix their penalty kill, heal up, rest guys for ‘the grind’ AND squeeze at least 34 points out of their next 21 games?

Speaking of new teammates, the only way I feel about the team’s trades is ‘depleted’. Back when we acquired Dany Heatley the talk on NHL Home Ice was that the Sharks farm system was being depleted from all the high draft picks we’d been giving. They said at some point it would all catch up with us. Is that time now? This season and last the Sharks tried to rely on their prospects to fill the lower lines and both times they’ve failed. Help had to be brought in at the cost of more picks and personnel.

I was explaining to someone that in sports there are ‘buyers’ and ‘seller’ and it all depends upon what you’re trying to do with your team that season. The Sharks have been buyers for years, but anyone with a budget knows you can’t keep buying without eventually going broke.

As I understand it a team like the Sharks plays poorly partly due to mental fatigue. A hockey season can get really routine and really boring and you have to find ways to get yourself mentally ‘up’ for each night’s game. If you can’t find a way to get up for a game you’ll get run over by a better prepared opponent. Maybe with the playoff door visible on the horizon the Sharks will find something to latch on to and start playing the way we all know they’re capable of playing. I just hope it’s enough to overcome the physical fatigue.

Otherwise I’m REALLY going to save a lot on playoff tickets this year.

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For a reality check I defer to John Buccigross who posted his Top 10 Cup Contenders today. The San Jose Sharks are on the list (I won’t spoil it by telling you where we fell). His assessment is that the loss of Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley has put a dent in our offensive firepower. I suppose that’s a pretty accurate, simple assessment. Our defense is better this year, we just have trouble scoring. So what do we do?

Let’s take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks. Dropping like a rock, they’re in the middle of a 9 game losing streak. On of their problem, according to Barry Melrose (and others on XM’s NHL Home Ice), is goal tending. Chicago needs a goaltender, the Sharks need more offense.

Jeremy Roenick says the Blackhawks could and should consider trading Patrick Kane. What if, just if, the Sharks acquired Patrick Kane in exchange for Antero Niittymaki and one other defensive prospect? Would the Sharks Nation be interested in that kind of deal?

What about Kane’s reputation for drinking too much? Would a change of scenery help? How about if that scenery came with someone you trust? How about Pat Curcio? My sources tell me (I like the fact that I can finally say that!) that Coach Curcio (of the San Francisco Bulls) and Kane (whom he coached) are pretty close. Perhaps having someone trusted - who was there before all the fame - could help provide some well-needed personal perspective.

Hey Coach - can you text Patrick and see what he thinks, maybe we can work something out!

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However one commercial, perhaps the best one this past Super Bowl, wasn’t shown here in the United States. Instead it was only shown in Canada. Enjoy:

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The San Francisco 49ers just finished their season on what can be argued was either a high point or a low point. No one expected the NFC Championship Game to be played at Candlestick Park, so even though they lost you can pick your outcome – glass half empty or glass half full. The question is how did a team who couldn’t put together a winning record over the past 8 years make it that far in the playoffs, and how did they do it with basically the same players but a new head coach?

When I asked Coach Curcio who the most talented teams in the NHL were he mentioned a few teams in the East. If the Sharks aren’t the most talented team why are they consistent playoff contenders – the last two Western Conference finals not withstanding? He said talent alone doesn’t win.

‘Talent alone doesn’t win’ certainly applies to the 49ers. The 49ers are definitely a talented team but I don’t think anyone is going to accuse them of being the most talented team in the NFL. Therefore one conclusion is that the 49ers proved to be one of the top 4 teams in the NFL because of their hard work and team effort.

Here we sit at the NHL All-Star break and the Sharks sit at 13th overall against all teams. They sit first in the weakest division in hockey. Dropping out of first place in the division drops you to 7th in the West. The team is 17th on the power play, 28th on the penalty kill, and 13th in scoring. In the one category where ‘last is best’, the Sharks have played the fewest games in the NHL (47) and have, on average, 3 games ‘in hand’ against the top 8 of the teams in the Western Conference.

In other words, the team is average.

If you watch the team on any regular basis can you honestly say everyone on the team is working hard and the team as a whole is putting forth that great team effort? Is this a team that could achieve more with more work and more effort? If not then we’re in trouble, because I don’t think what we have can go deep in the playoffs – the team feels ‘shallow’ to me. I don’t know if we could outwork another top 8 team over a 7-game series.

The Sharks have key injuries. One could argue that not all of their summertime acquisitions are working out as hoped. But what happened to General Manager Doug Wilson’s statement that he wouldn’t wait until this late in the season to make moves if the team wasn’t performing up to par? Is the fact that we’re division leader despite our average performance good enough to keep moving forward with what we have? Have we ‘maxed out all our credit cards’ and just can’t afford to trade away anymore high draft picks and/or prospects to shore up the team? Have we already traded away too much?

If the playoffs are ‘the grind’ then the Sharks are about to embark on ‘the grind before the grind’. During the last 6 weeks of the season (starting mid-February) the Sharks will only have a two-day break only twice. The rest of the time it’s either every-other night or back-to-back games.

And if you’re interested in asking Coach Curcio your own questions the San Francisco Bulls are running another ‘night out with the coach’ contest. Just one favor, if you win tell him I sent you!

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For context I grew up watching the San Francisco 49ers starting back when they were 2-12 the first year after they hired Bill Walsh. For the next 17 years I watched them win 5 championships. But after recent years of futility and searching for a winner I found I sought out the San Jose Sharks.

The hardest thing about embracing hockey after years of a football-only lifestyle is adapting to the seven-game playoff format. ‘Pittpen’, a former contributor to The ‘Net, was also a football convert and echoed the same sentiment. I used to shun the best-of-seven series as a technique the ‘other’ sports used to generated revenue, that a true playoff is one where you either bring it or you go home. Pro football, college football and March Madness all use the one game format and because of such, I would argue, they generate the most fan excitement. The exception of course is the ‘Game 7’ scenario which, I again argue, is the same as just having on one game playoff.

I’m getting distracted.

The problem with converting from one game playoff to a best of seven is the emotional roller coaster. When you watch football the gratification is instant. If you win you celebrate, if you lose you begin to grieve and find closure. The thrill of victory is really high and the disappointment of losing is incredibly low. The emotional ‘swing’ spans a very wide chasm.

The first year I started watching hockey I took that emotional swing into the playoffs. It was an incredibly exhausting and frustrating experience because I would grieve as if my season was over if the Sharks lost a game, and I would be equally excited when they won. Back and forth, day in and day out. It was tough.

But after several years of San Jose Sharks playoff hockey I’ve managed to temper my emotions within the context of a seven game series. I’ve learned to enjoy the playoff atmosphere as part of the experience.

And now the 49ers are back. We’ve won just one playoff game and we’re just one win away from the Super Bowl…two wins away from a 6th Super Bowl championship. I’m not saying they’re as good as won it all, I’m just saying that I can’t wrap my head around just how close we are after just one playoff game. I now find myself UNDERESTIMATING the significance of each 49er playoff game. I even forgot that you don’t make plans on the weekends when the playoffs start. I had to listen to the 4th quarter of the 49ers game because I was driving to an event, and I’ll be in the car driving once again next Sunday because of previous plans.

Super Bowl Sunday is February 5th, I need to keep that date open if we beat the New York Football Giants…

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Enter the Bulls, San Francisco’s new ECHL hockey team. When I first heard that we were getting a new hockey team two thoughts ran through my head. The first was how excited I was to be able to go watch a small-venue professional hockey team right here in my own back yard. The second thought was that I needed to make sure I got in to see them their first season because I doubted they’d last more than one year.

Despite a thriving sports climate (NFL x2, NBA, MLB x2) the immediate San Francisco area historically seems like the kind of place where people want to start new sports franchises but fail to remain viable. It is this history of failure that I judged the viability of a new hockey team. This has nothing to do with the Bulls management or investors but everything to do with the area’s apparent inability to support new sports franchises.

But it was my good fortune to win an evening of San Jose Sharks’ hockey with the head coach and some staff of the San Francisco Bulls and I have to tell you we had a great time. Talking with Coach Curcio hasn’t turned me into a hockey expert but I’ve learned a thing or two about the business of hockey. It’s also reaffirmed the notion that hockey is still a pretty closed club and it’s that club that owns and operates almost everthing related to the professional sport.

Unlike the past endeavors to expand the sports landscape here in San Francisco, the Bulls might actually stand a chance. Based on some of the things we talked about as far as sustainability of the team, comparing the draw the Spiders had back in the 90’s, the Bulls have attendance targets that are very attainable. Add in my perception that interest in hockey has increased since the days of the Spiders and we could be looking at pretty full barn.

On the hockey side of things the ECHL has a natural churn built into the system so year over year teams, for the most part, have mostly new rosters. This will allow the Bulls to start off on as close a level playing field with other teams as is possible. At the end of the day the success of the team is going to come down to winning, and starting on par with the talent of other teams should prove invaluable towards that. The standard is too high around here. If you don’t win people won’t come out.

Desipite my dreams of sticky floors, drunk mascots and fights in the stands the San Francisco Bulls instead appear poised to become a viable, sustainable fixture on the San Francisco sports landscape. The only question left in my mind is, will it be ‘Let’s Go Bulls!’ or ‘Go Bulls Go!’

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Believe it or not I - The Ref - won a contest to go to tomorrow’s San Jose Sharks game with the coach of the Bulls Pat Curcio! Interestingly enough he’s also the team’s President and General Manager. We’ll be out there sporting our San Francisco Bulls swag promoting the new team and I’ll be asking a ton of questions of Coach/President/GM Curcio about managing and coaching a hockey team.

One problem - Coach Curcio is friends with the coach of the Washington Capitals so for him it’s ‘Go Caps Go!’. Best way to quiet a Capitals fan is a Sharks win!

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The good news is the Sharks have played the fewest games in the NHL with 35 and have anywhere from 3 to 6 games in hand on the top 8 teams in the Western Conference.

The bad news is they make up those games in a hellacious March where the Sharks only have one 2-day break, play back-to-back nights three times and play every other day the rest of the month. Throw in the last half of February and that changes to just two 2-day breaks, play back-to-back nights four times and play every other day the rest of the time.

One story floating around last season was the Sharks were tired entering the playoffs because they had to push hard to at the end of the season to get a high seed in the playoffs. This year, seeding notwithstanding, the Sharks are probably going to be tired just by the nature of the schedule.

Right now would be a great time to pull off one of those monumental runs where the Sharks win or get points in 18 or 19 of the next 20 games as they need to be able to rest some guys entering the last third of the season. The Sharks have shown over the last 4 years that such things are not out of reach but the inconsistent play this year suggests such a feat less likely than possible.

Does anyone else think the last 6 weeks of the season combined with the extended seasons the last two years is going to take a physical toll on this team, a toll they might not be able to overcome?

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Feb. 28, Flyers at Sharks:

While the first half of the season will have plenty of major home matchups featuring prominent Western Conference teams, the Sharks will have lots of opportunities to play with the best teams in the East in the second half. One such game will be against Philly to wrap up the month of February, a game that will show a lot about how good the Sharks actually are as we head down the home stretch.

Mar. 1, Sabres at Sharks:

The Buffalo Sabres once again have one of the stronger teams in the league this year, and the Sharks will be really tested after a physical matchup with the Flyers just a couple days earlier.

Mar. 22, Bruins at Sharks:

A late-season matchup featuring the defending champion Bruins and the Sharks will be enough get Sharks fans off their couch. Can the Sharks consistently beat some of the better teams in the league?

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One of the things he addresssed was the Sharks slow start to the 2010-2011 season. After watching the Sharks struggle for two months through December it wasn’t until January that Wilson started making moves to improve the areas of the team he felt were lacking. After those moves, sometime in January and definitely after the All-Star break, the Sharks got back to their winning ways and made a strong push to the playoffs. However Wilson felt it may have been that strong push that wore down the Sharks and contributed to their running out of gas in the Conference Finals. If faced with the same situation again, where the team was struggling early, Wilson indicated he wouldn’t wait that long again to make the tough moves to improve the team.

So my questions are what is Wilson’s definition of a struggling team and how much sooner is ’sooner’? The San Jose Sharks haven’t exactly been lighting it up lately and they sit 11 points out of first place in the Western Conference. And it’s mid December. For reference the Sharks have a record of 15-10-2 with 32 points through 27 games. This time last year the Sharks were 14-9-4 with 32 points through 27 games.

Maybe Mr. Wilson is working the phones as we speak?

And has anyone given any thought to the idea that, as ‘genius’ as it is that Wilson is able to sign players like Patrick Marleau, Joe Thronton, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski to short term deals with home town discounts, it also makes those players easier to trade? Not saying it’s going to happen, but then again look at what happened to Devin Setoguchi.

The next few weeks will be interesting. Hopefully the Sharks will go on another one of their locally infamous 15-20 game runs and propel themselves back into the top of the Western Conference. Nothing silences speculation like winning…

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The first time I heard the word ‘parity’ I hated it. For me parity was the league’s way of trying to spin the idea that mediocrity was a good thing. What?!? A little history…

I was a San Francisco 49er fanatic during the 80’s and 90’s which meant I watched my team dominate for 15 years - a true dynasty in the sports sense of the word. The team’s owner Eddie DeBartolo spent whatever it took to acquire talent and win championships. In reaction to Eddie’s spending ways the NFL instituted a salary cap – also known as ‘The Eddie DeBartolo Rule’. This meant that talent could not be hoarded and talent was distributed amongst all the teams. The NFL pitched the salary cap as a way of promoting parity. My recollection of the time was that the quality of play initially suffered. I hated ‘parity’ because it was obvious play was suffering and the salary cap meant owners were guaranteed certain revenue. I felt like I was being sold on bad play and more profits.
I now feel that what I was watching was the league adapting. Because players moved around and couldn’t be kept for years on end, many teams’ systems no longer worked. You couldn’t have an offensive and defensive system that took weeks to learn because you didn’t have that kind of time to develop a player. Eventually teams created systems where players could easily be replaced – an adaptation to the new reality. And that new reality was that offensively and defensively most teams played basically the same 2 or 3 schemes with individual twists put in here and there. The quality of play then got better and parity, which used to be a marketing spin for mediocrity, now evolved into the true reality.

Once the league matured under the new system you have more competition, tighter playoff races and faster franchise turnarounds. Take the aforementioned 49ers. In one year, this year, the team went from afterthoughts to playoff contenders. With true parity it no longer takes years to rebuild, it can happen in a season or two. Unfortunately there are some detractors from the idea of parity, and that usually comes from fans whose teams dominated under the old system (like say, myself). But in the end you build history of different champions from year to year, spreading the sports love around the league and bringing more hope to fans in every corner of the league.

When it came to the discussion on the radio this morning the question ‘do you like the style of play in today’s game’ stems from the idea that most teams run the same system. If you look at hockey it has gone through the same kind of evolution. The lock out, the salary cap, the adjustment and now parity. How else do you explain Minnesota, St. Louis, Toronto and Florida sitting in the top of their conferences after failing to make the playoffs last year? If you think about it even further the same pattern occurred in the NBA and in college football (after they limited the number of scholarships a university can offer).

When I decided to write this post my topic was going to be how San Jose Sharks went from 3rd in the Western Conference to 9th in a period of one week. The answer is parity, and it took me 500+ words to get here.

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Devin Setoguchi Returns To HP Pavillion

First let me make it perfectly clear that I’m not an overly emotional person to start and I completely understand the business of sports. I wear a sweater with my name and number on it because I know players come and players go and I’m not one to collect $100+ jerseys every year to keep up with roster.

But watching Setoguchi come out for the warm up skate definitely felt funny – nay emotional – to say the least. Over the years I’ve gone done to ice level to watch the boys warm up before the game. Mostly I do it for the kids, trying to build that connection between the players and my nephew - no other sport provides an up-close and personal experience like hockey does. I never pay too much attention to it.

But watching Setoguchi warm up last night I realized a visible difference in his routine. I could actually see something of a difference in his body language that wasn’t quite as confident and felt a little shy. Not so much with Heatley but he’s gone through this before.

So what was the crowd reaction? During the announcement of the Wild’s starting line-up Setoguchi got a big cheer and Heatley got a combination of cheers and jeers. And the final confirmation of the mood at the Shark Tank was when they continually booed Heatley whenever he had a puck during a 3rd period power play.

All I can say is this, just like I know players come and players go and that’s the business of sports – we may not have seen the last of Setoguchi in a Sharks sweater.

Dany Heatley as a Minnesota Wild

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The Red Wings took the bull by the horns, and posted a 5-0-0 record, the best start since 1972-73, where Detroit posted 6-0-0, but failed to make the playoffs come the post season, with Montreal defeating Chicago in the 1973 final, by 4 games to 2. Maybe I heard the stats more since I was actually in the USA at the time the Red Wings beat the Blue Jackets 5-2, and upon leaving the Joe Louis Arena, the radio was full of excited commentators and phone-in fans waxing lyrical about the amazing season that was in store for Detroit, and how with 5 wins from 5 we were looking unstoppable.

In all fairness, they were right. We DID look unstoppable. The non-existent powerplay had been 0 for 18, until that night, where Johan Franzen scored twice, and Lidstrom tallied in the 3rd to go 3 for 5 with the man-advantage. Suddenly, the powerplay issues were over, and Detroit would head to Washington full of confidence motivation, and a defence that was as stingy as they come, with just 7 goals conceded in 5 games, and 2 shutouts among their results.

Wrong. A 7-1 pummelling at the Capitals opened the floodgates and everyone was trying Detroit on for size. Losses were piling up and being beaten by the Caps was just the start. The Wings found themselves losing to Columbus, San Jose, Minnesota (twice) and Calgary, scoring just 6 goals in 6 games. The free-scoring, tight defence Red Wings were suddenly the no scoring, slack defence Red Wings, and after posting 5-5-1, the fans and media were getting restless.

Someone needed a good thrashing. We needed to play tight defence, slick offence and give some poor unsuspecting team a thorough stuffing. Enter the Anaheim Ducks.

Mike Babcock has only so much tolerance. Apparently, his coaching techniques become more aggressive as his frustration grows, and the Red Wings looked not only determined, but a little bit terrified when they took to the ice to face the Ducks. However, the team did was they needed to do. A solid defence performance resulted in Howard’s second shutout of the season, and the forwards did their job, potting 5 times to leave the Ducks in disarray.

The stats which had lauded the Red Wings for so long were coming back to haunt them. They went from best start since 1972, through to losing 6 straight for the first time since February 08, and acording to the Elias Sports Bureau, they were also the first team in League history to start a season 5-0-0 then follow it with a winless skid of six games or more.

I honesty, it didn’t matter who we played, the thirst for revenge meant that the Wings would play fast, hard hockey. Poor Jonas Hiller was on the receiving end, being peppered with 45 shots before being pulled in place of Dan Ellis, with Detroit forcing a total of 50 shots on goal by the final horn.

So what have we learnt from this? In Detroit’s case, we’ve learnt that winning is habitual, but so is losing, and it’s much easier to break the winning habit than it is the losing habit. I think one thing that’s key here though, is that when you break the losing skid, it’s best to do it with a big win over a top goalie, rather than scraping an OT or SO win over a backup netminder. There’s much more confidence around the Detroit camp now, and despite the failures we’ve already covered, there is still an air of expectancy. 6-5-1 isn’t great, but at the same time, considering the way we’d been playing during that 6 game losing streak, and the lack of goals we were scoring, I think any win is going to be a boost, let alone a big win and a shutout.

The other thing learnt is that when you’re winning, you want to hear all the stats you can about how great the team is, but when you’re losing, you really want those commentators to shut the hell up…

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You have to feel bad for the likes of Rick Nash, Jeff Carter, RJ Umberger, Derek Dorsett and Jackets goalie Steve Mason among others. There is definetly a change waiting to happen with the Jackets. I understand the GM said the coaches are staying and have no worry of losing their jobs. I for one don’t believe that.. The owner will only put up with that for so long. One bright thing about losing a game to such a lopsided score is simply it magnifies the issues at hand. Rich Nash is an awesome player, but they were so out of sync on the ice that Nash at one point went end to end with zero help from teammates. Give Derek Dorsett credit for engaging Wayne Simmonds in a fight to get his team’s blood flowing. This is a fight he decidedly lost too. Cody Bass of the Jackets fought Zac Rinaldo and was seen animatedly calling his team out to get them going, even enough that he hit one of his teammates on the bench on his way up the tunnel. It was just too little too late. The score only amplified the issues the Jackets are having. Being a good NHL fan, I can only hope that change will come sooner, rather than later. I’d never wish anyone out of a job, but change is definetly needed here. The Jackets have only made the post season one time in their 10yr(or so) existence. Time for some changes so pride can be built back into this team.

Some Flyers highlights and lowlights from the game. Highlights have got to be Jake Vorachek having a great showing against his former team and former coach, who came out with some negative comments about Vorachek after they didn’t make the playoffs last season. Vorachek had a goal and two assists. He kept his comments to himself when asked if it felt great to beat his old team and his former coach. He said he’s done commenting on his former coaches comments and he was glad his team won. Probably the biggest lowlight the last few games is the cement hockey stick Matt Carle has been playing with lately. Yes, he scored on a nice backhander to the penthouse, but his passes up the middle and turnovers are so uncharacteristic of the former Hobey Baker award winner. I think when his partner Pronger comes back he will settle down. The other lowlight is how many times we have had goals scored on us by way of oddball deflections off our own players.

Kick Saves…
Flyers captain Chris Pronger was medically cleared for practice, on the condition he wear a visor. He has been wearing a visor and recently joined his teammates in full practice. He’s expected to play Wednesday against Tampa Bay Lightning.

Flyers scored a power play goal last night. They also seemed to do better on defensive faceoffs. Bryz looks much more at ease in the crease than he had previously. I like that he gets angry when scored on, he cares…

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There were only a few bright spots for the Flyers tonight. Zac Rinaldo scored his first NHL goal and followed it up with a breakaway that was stopped by Devils goalie Johan Hedberg. Of course the Giroux, Jagr, Hartnell line looked good. The pass across the Devils goal mouth from Jagr to Giroux, with Hartnell screening both the defense and goalie, was a sight to see. The play ended with Giroux roofing the puck for a goal. Sergei Bobrovsky cannot be blamed for this loss, Bob made some really nice saves tonight, but with lackluster play in front of him he really had no chance to win this one. Maxine Talbot’s penalty shot goal was brilliant. Talbot started out slow swinging wide right crossing the blue line, then skating right to left across the front of the goal, pulling Hedberg with him across the crease when he put the puck between his pads for a goal. The Flyers squeaked out a point in this one, so its not a total loss.

Kick Saves….

Patrick Kaleta suspended 4 games by NHL for hit on Flyers Jakub Voracek.
Remember my whine about Patrick Kaleta of Buffalo running around hitting late and being his typical dirty self? Well Brendan Shanahan must have seen what I saw. Philadelphia’s Jakub Voracek was along the boards in a fight with Kaleta for the puck. Kaleta backed away took a couple steps ducked his head and came up with a serious head butt to Voracek. Now you’ll be shocked to know neither of the refs saw what happened and there was no penalty on the play. Here’s to the NHL getting this one right, regardless of the refs.

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Courturier, Van Riemsdyk and Hartnell opened the scoring in the first period and chased Ryan Miller from the net by 6:23 of the first. Replacing Miller was Jonas Enroth.

As for our goalie, Bryz, I see definite improvements in his game right now. He still seems uncertain at times and still launches rebounds but he looked more confident handling the puck behind the net. He looked completely like himself stopping Thomas Vanek, in the last minute of the game, in close on two shots. These were not easy shots to stop either.

Supporting my theory the refs should not be noticed, they only called one first period penalty to the Flyers. This trend continued with the Flyers being called for three minors and Buffalo being called for none (Not including the fights at the end of the second period). The Sabres were not called for a minor penalty during the game until 3:26 of the third period. Nice job refs, you must not have seen Patrick Kaleta running around hitting people after the play and trying to catch Giroux well after he released the puck. Or Nathan Gerbe slashing everyone in sight.

Please NHL, remove one of the on ice refs and rescind the instigator penalty. You will see a better flow to the game and less serious injuries resulting from guys trying to run guys over with no fear of retaliation. I liked the officiating so much better when I was a kid. One more thing I tend to harp on, the refs were in the way all game long last night.

Kick Saves……
Scott Hartnell continues to impress with his new linemates, Giroux and Jagr. Hartnell has 10pts in his last five games. There is some real chemistry between Giroux and Jagr but Hartnell is fitting into that chemistry very well right now.

Typically defenseman log the most minutes per game, however Giroux lead the Flyers in TOI with 25:01 last night.

Courterier took 6 faceoffs and only lost one. He also opened the scoring in the game. I for one, am glad the Flyers kept him with the big club. I can’t believe he’s 18yrs old.

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And speaking of home I’m now experiencing some of the dynamics of being full season ticket holder. First is the ‘what could have been’ factor. When the schedule came out tonight’s hockey game conflicted with another event so I sold the tickets. And since Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were both out at the beginning of the season I felt giving up this game was not too big of a deal. Well that event I had scheduled got cancelled and the Pittsburgh Penguins are 8-3-2 so there’s certainly a bit of ‘what could have been’ creeping into my mind.

I am however going to three of the 6 games during this home stand and it would really disappoint if they lost on the nights I went but won on the nights I don’t. I’m not trying to be a Negative Nancy here but I think it only natural that my conversion to full season ticket holder come with such thoughts. I am curious to see how it feels to go to three games in 10 days – since I live an hour away from HP Pavilion every game is like a road game for me…

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As for Bryz, he played a much better game than the previous couple. He made some good saves when we needed them and his confidence looked fine to me. In fact, the only goal he did allow was not really his fault at all. During Canes pressure in the Flyers defensive zone the Canes managed an in close shot which Bryz stopped with no problem. However, on the same play it looked like Hartnell was trying to help out sliding by the crease and he slid right into Bryz taking him out of the play completely with no chance for Bryz to get back to the crease. Jussi Jokinen scored into an empty net. That was more of us stepping on our own feet and probably trying to do too much around Bryz (knowing his confidence was a bit low). Instead it put the Canes on the board to tie it up at 1-1 3mins into the second period. Bryz looked solid after that goal though. There are two things they need to work on, his rebounds at times are long and communications with the defense must get better. Flyers fans can rest easy though, there is no goalie controversy in Philadelphia like there has been for the last 10yrs, Bryz is a top flite goalie. I’ve watched him in Phoenix for the last couple years and he is THE reason they even made the playoffs.

Has everyone noticed there is no one wearing the “C” while Pronger is recovering? The Flyers have been rotating an additional “A” among the players. Max Talbot was wearing the extra “A” last night. Talbot has been a great addition to the Flyers. He was a guy we hated when he played for the Penguins but the guy you’d love to have on your team. I am glad he’s a Flyer, he’s a defensive expert too. Wayne Simmonds is another great pick up that’s been playing well. He’s another player I’ve watched over the last couple years and told everyone they would like having him here as a Flyer.

KICK SAVES……(additional comments)

The Flyers did a nice job of avoiding the stupid penalties last night. They ended up with three minor penalties for the game. Personally, I think this has a lot to do with the officiating of any given game. The refs should not be “noticed” during a game and sometimes they make numerous weak calls and are noticed. This disrupst the flow of a game and doesn’t allow a team to gel and get into a groove for the game. The officiating in the NHL, in general, needs to be better. Two improvements would help the NHL, remove the instigator penalty and reduce the refs to one per game with two linesman. Too often, like last night, you see the refs getting in the way of the play and disrupting a potential pasing play along the boards.

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The Sedin brothers are one of the best pairs out there, yet when it comes down to it where are they? Playoffs last year they slacked off and were nowhere to be seen, a major cause of their team’s failure. This year they have been playing a lot better again, now that the pressure is off, but are they really leading the team? Do they need to take a course on leadership and example setting?

Also, Luongo. Schneider has been playing way better than you have. He did during the playoffs and he is again. You are being paid a lot of money and are a top notch goalie, why aren’t you playing at your skill level? And don’t give me that crap about having a bad October, that is just superstitious crap that you have convinced yourself of. If you believe you are going to have a bad October, of course you are going to play bad. You have no good excuse, play better! You are better than you are showing us; make the saves!

As I sit here and watch the Vancouver game against Washington, I can celebrate because they have finally gotten a first goal and have scored another on their first power play. But they have ended up in the penalty box early on once again, and shortly after it ends they let in a goal. If you spend a majority of the game in the penalty box with lazy penalties that should never have been taken, it is really hard to win games. Your players are tired, goalies overworked, and the other team just has too much room to work with. Stay out of the box! Don’t take stupid penalties!

Defensively they have been kind of weak as well. Not enough leg movement happening. You can’t stand in front of the net waiting for things to happen, make things happen! Put on the pressure and don’t give the opposing team any room to work with.

Offensively, where is the finish? They are getting the shots, but don’t seem to be finishing the plays. Follow up and get those rebounds! Be like Kesler; get your butt in that goalie’s face. Don’t be afraid to get hit by that puck. Redirect shots and don’t give the goalie a clear line of site nor any room to work with. Get in there!

Hopefully as the season progresses things will improve, but this has been a terrible start to the season! Rant over…

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It’s not easy to watch your hockey players run into each other and pass the puck to the other team. The good news is, unfortunately, I’ve seen these guys play like this before so I know this ‘ship can be righted’. It’s just a matter of sooner rather than later.

On the upside I really like the effort of Torrey Mitchell and Tommy Wingels, however their lack of size seems to cancel out their speed and push. I also like consistent effort of Michal Handzus and I wouldn’t be surprised if he moved up a line or two.

And if Handzus did move up a line or two it might be because of the somewhat disappointing play of Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture. Clowe looks like he’s off to another slow start similar to two seasons ago, and really I didn’t expect Couture to come out and repeat his feats from last year. Clowe doesn’t seem to have is physical game and Couture seems to be one second behind.

Can someone answer me this: Is Brent Burns trying too hard or is that just his game? I like that he’s always handling the puck and taking shots – almost like he wants the puck and wants the shot – but is that ‘leadership’ or just ‘trying to impress’? I wish I could watch video of him in Minnesota.

But not to fear as the Sharks are now off on a two week 6-game trip to the east coast. I don’t know what it is but hockey players always talk about how road trips help the team come together. I don’t know if I like the idea that, despite all the skill, stats and physics, the success of a team sometimes comes down to a fraternity-like road trip. But if the team doesn’t win more games than it loses on this trip I’m curious to see just what action General Manager Doug Wilson takes. It was he that said the team would take swifter action than it did last season should the team start to fall behind.

But then again we are behind, is 4 games too soon?

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As you will probably know, my team is the Detroit Red Wings. I’m sure, however, that these experiences are not limited to my team only, and are shared by all NHL fans around the globe. One of the few things that we all have in common are those “Huh?!” moments when you can’t quite take in what just happened. It’s not uncommon for a complete fantasy moment (your star forward netting a shootout win over a playoff rival, meaning you are secured a playoff berth), can be ruined the next day by a total facepalm moment (aforementioned star forward injuring his hand by getting it wedged in a Pringles tube…these are examples and unlikely to happen unless you’re the rotund Kyle Wellwood, or glassjaw Peter Forsberg).

Logic goes straight out of the window. Teams you expect to win without breaking sweat, drop points, and teams you expect to roll over and die, win by several clear goals. Players whose careers should be over, reach big numbers, and those who are expected to be star players, stumble and underachieve.

So what’s the best way to deal with it? What gets you through the season? How are you meant to keep your sanity when you lose to the St Louis Blues, allowing 10 goals, but then in the following game, destroy a team that’s a playoffs shoe-in? I mean really?

Surprises vary in their degree of severity. Small surprises are fine. Fabian Brunnström being one of these. One of only 4 players to score a hat-trick their debut NHL game, Brunnström never really got going in Dallas, and as such, found himself in the AHL, and then a free agent. However, since joining the Red Wings for pre-season, we’ve seen a huge leap forward from the 26-year old Swede. Goals aplenty, and points coming out of his ears (not literally, as although this would be handy, I can’t imagine it would be comfortable) in a manner which must frustrate Dallas fans. It’s OK that it annoys you. We think similar things about Kyle Quincy and Ville Leino. Did very little in Detroit, but go on the bigger and better things elsewhere. Admittedly, Brunnström is yet to show that he can carry his pre-season abilities into the NHL, but you have to be upbeat about a player that’s worked with Franzen and Bertuzzi all pre-season and come out one of the top point-scorers on the team. Also in the category of small surprises is the retention of Jiri Hudler. Last season Hudler performed below his expected points projection. He seemed to be on another planet a lot of the time and found himself a healthy scratch on more than one occasion.

Medium surprises are manageable, but not appreciated. It’s was expected that Osgood and Draper would hang up the skates, no big shock there, since Draper was the same age as the NHL, and Osgood had about as many flaws. However, it is a bit disappointing since Draper was the owner of one of the truly great playoff beards. What ranks as a medium surprise is the retirement of Brian Rafalski due to his continued knee problems, and then the replacing of him with Ian White, a decent and reliable D-man, who was a big reason that Detroit failed to progress in last season’s Playoffs. I’m happy with the replacement, don’t get me wrong, but the medium surprise is definitely the simple fact that it was needed.

Big surprises are hitting one extreme or the other. They can be “SURPRISE! Your team just signed Alex Ovechkin, Steve Stamkos and Sidney Crosby for a combined $9.50 because they decided they liked you as a fan so much, they wanted to play for your team!”, which is the kind of big surprise that only happens in the dreams of Ottawa Senators fans, or in publications by Eklund. They can also be “SURPRISE! Your franchise player has been released to free agency and he’s going to join your most hated rivals for one season, where he’ll most likely win the Cup, and everyone outside of your team will forget he ever played for you!”, which let’s face it, was a very real possibility for Dallas Stars fans last season for some considerable time. Usually, these take the form of trades to dump salary cap (Calgary, step right up!) where you ditch some of your best players due to contract issues, or trades for players you never expect to leave/arrive. The trade of Brett Lebda and young prospect Robert Slaney for Lombardi and Franson must have had Toronto fans hitting the F5 key repeatedly, waiting for the typo’s to be corrected. Lebda is as much use as a one-legged cat trying to bury poop on a frozen pond, whilst Lombardi and Franson are quality additions with both a young defenceman, and an experienced forward. I don’t quite know what Nashville fans did to deserve this.

However, all jokes aside, the loss of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team in Russia early in September, with the deaths of all the players and staff on board, was the biggest, and most upsetting surprise of the post-season. The deaths of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak also put a sombre mood over the summer. All three NHL players were enforcers for their respective teams, and investigations are underway to see if there was anything the NHL management could change to avoid such sad and serious losses to the hockey community in the future.

It usually takes teams about 6-7 games to settle a roster and lines. Then you can start to see definite links emerging between specific players. You’ll find that when the opposition’s top forwards or out, your coach will ice Players A and B all the time, but it takes a few games to figure out that Players A and B are appropriate for that role. With this in mind, nobody ever really believes their divisions take shape until the 10-15 games mark, but let’s face it, nobody will be complaining if your team is top of the Conference come 15 games in!

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1. Full season tickets: CHECK
2. Sweaters washed: CHECK
3. 10-Pack: CHECK
4. Extra games for sale: CHECK
5. Found places to park for free near the arena: CHECK
6. Found an independent way to get to the arena on public transportation: CHECK
7. Identified all the new food vendors including ice cream locations: CHECK
8. Emotional fortitude to withstand another playoff run: WORK IN PROGRESS

From what I could see way up in the roof of the building Thomas Greiss looks really good.  He definitely has quick legs - the quickest I’ve seen of any goalie in a quite some time (he’s young and well rested but, whatever).  The defense also looks much more ’solid’ which it should given the trades made this year. Hopefully this means we’re going to ‘get’ exactly what we traded for - shut down defense when needed.  And offense looks good but is really going to require some younger guys to step up if we want the kind of depth we had last year (but that’s stating the obvious).  I feel like Jamie McGinn has to make his mark this year as he’s spent the better part of the last two years doing the Worcester shuffle, and Tommy Wingles is showing some serious speed which could be helpful.

And speaking of speed - Martin Havlat was missing again last night (he was also missing from the ‘Teal & White’ event).  I’ve been anxious to see if this guy is as fast as advertised by haven’t seen hide nor hair of him.  Injured?

It also got really chippy last night.  There were 3 fights and a pair of un-sportsman-like conduct penalties all within the last 3 minutes of the second period.  It looked like some kind of mma workout program out there last night!

I sat there during the pre-game and looked at all those ‘Pacific Division Champion’ banners and asked myself when we’re going to stop collecting just PDCs and start collecting shiny silver things.  Maybe this year!

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