Derian's plight
When pen was finally put to paper, and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified, it not only brought hockey back to us, but it also introduced a new set of rules and guidelines that would change the game we knew forever.
For some the transition was easier than others. Players who's game was based on speed and skill blossomed. Those who thrived on the clutching and grabbing of the pre-lockout era, found the adjustment more difficult, and those unable to adapt, have begun to fall by the wayside.
The Philadelphia Flyers, a team that was always built on physical size, punished and intimidated opponents. Now, the former strength of the organization has become it's greatest weakness. Their once treasured physical dominance is now being exploited by smaller and much faster teams. The result is 3 wins, and a Flyers team that sits dead last in the league.
The poster boy for the Flyers failure this season has been Derian Hatcher. Acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers just days after the new C.B.A was signed, Hatcher has been the model example of larger defencemen who have had difficulty adjusting to the new NHL rules. While not entirely his fault, Hatcher's stats this season become progressively worse as the season goes on. He has yet to record a point in 16 games thus far and is a -16. I felt sorrow for the former Stanley Cup Champion on Saturday evening as he was easily skated by the Buffalo Sabres Paul Gaustad so badly that Hatcher looked like Van Damme on the ice following the goal. The Flyers downfall can't be blamed on just Hatcher however. The entire team has underachieved (or perhaps played to the best of their ability?) and has been a shocking dissapointment to just about everyone. Rany Robitaille leads the team in +/- with a +2. That pretty much says it all.
Has the new NHL passed Derian Hatcher and other players of his mold by or is there still a place for them? Have the new NHL rules crashed threw the roof of the Wachovia Center like a smouldering meteor and brought about the extinction of Hatcher and the rest of these lumbering giants?
Quick Shave:
The St. Louis Blues stopped their three game losing streak at the expense of the Edmonton Oilers on a pair of Martin Rucinsky goals to win yesterday afternoon 5-3. The Oilers just snapped their 4 game losing streakFriday evening against Columbus. While the Chicago Blackhawks have had difficulty scoring without their all star forward Martin Havlat, one goal was all they needed last night. Brian Boucher who has replaced the injured Khabibulin made 28 saves to lift the Blackhawks to a 1-0 shutout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. After losing their first game in regulation to the Calgary Flames Friday, the Anaheim Ducks bounced back into the win column by defeating the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Scott Niedermayer scored the game winner on the power play. The rumor mill has already begun in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Flyers have plenty of teams vying for the services of Peter Forsberg. The Red Wings are one of the teams interested. For a bunch of really interesting trade rumors check out TSN.ca.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at Carolina 7:00 PM
REMATCH! Buffalo's taken the first two, but I have a feeling the Hurricanes are going to be ready this time. The Sabres have been very soft defensively early as of late, but have been ridiculously strong later in games. Cam Ward has been playing his best hockey for the Canes and that's why you have to watch this game. It's a homework assignment! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Comments
Yep yep yep. Canes v. Sabres should be a dandy. I'm with you in thinking the Canes should be the favorite going into tonight's game, but I will be surprised if either team wins by more than a goal. Ward will have to be huge but I'll put the spotlight on Erik Cole - he's been on a tear of late and is likely the fastest player on the Hurricanes. If he can lead the way again it will be a big boost for the squad. All that said, I'll probably watch the Pens-Flyers on Versus instead.
Speaking of, I don't really buy the inability to adapt to the new NHL as the reason the Flyers suck this year. The new NHL was last year and last year this team made the playoffs. This year is the new NHL part two and like most sequels it sucks for the Flyers. Any team with Forsberg and Gagne should be better than this one. I think at the end of the day it's probably a matter of chemistry and some of those intangibles you can't really predict or explain (or resolve). On paper the Pens should have been good last year (Recchi, Palffy, and Gonchar are fast offensive-minded players, too - not like they added Nolan and Roenick...); on the ice though, they sucked.
You just have to throw up your hands with these things and try to get through it. If the organization is wise they will not make a move for a big name player and instead rebuild from the bottom up. They have some good young talent and now's the time to add to it and prepare for the future when it will be their team instead of Forsberg's. It makes all the sense in the world to trade him, but I don't think the Flyers' fans will like what they get in return. If they could somehow get Schneider from Detroit what would that solve? He's mobile yes, but he's also 37 years old. This team needs to make deals that prepare them for the possibility of not making the playoffs for the next two-three years.
Posted by: Stache | November 13, 2006 11:57 AM
I think Holmgren should attend the Brian Burke school of GM. He needs to trade the high money talent and let the younger players show what they got. Granted defense is priority #1 in Philly, they also neeed to get as much as possible in return for the players they have. In my opinion Knuble should be first one gone to the highest bidder, followed by Forsberg (injury prone players don't help teams on a slump).
Posted by: Paul | November 13, 2006 01:30 PM
The Penguins were last season's 1998-2004 NY Rangers. This season it's the Coyotes. Adding large quantities of UFA's doesn't help....ever. Look at Buffalo, they added one this season in Jaroslav Spacek...and they rock.
Yeah Philly was good last year, but did you remember how they got skated by the Sabres in the playoffs....that was the beginning of the end for this team. I think Gagne, and Knuble are hurt, and Forsberg is far from 100%....along with reclaimation projects like Nedved and Sanderson....And a sleu of giant defensemen that resemble parking cones.....really, there isn't much of a surprise.
Posted by: Captain Bosh | November 13, 2006 01:32 PM
Well, well, well. All this talk of Philly and trades must have inspired them. They just picked up Todd Fedoruk from the Ducks.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=184177&hubname=nhl
Hope somebody in Philly is working on those Stanley Cup parade routes because they're going to need it now that Fedoruk's in town!
(If Fedoruk gets a "glasses trick" tonight against the Pens I'm hacking this site and erasing above sarcasm, btw)
Posted by: Stache | November 13, 2006 02:40 PM
Just because Stache mentioned something... I think Fedoruk will join the HTC, you know when his face recovers from the beating from boogard
Posted by: Paul | November 13, 2006 02:49 PM