This and That / Canadian NHL Preview

With the NHL season quickly approaching us, I will discuss the NHL to some length later. Prior to that, there are a few sporting related notes I want to bring up.

The Wild Card weekend of the NFL Play - off's was for the most part a bust. THe Divisional Round was everything I love about football. With the exception of the 2nd half of New England's victory over Houston, there were three fantastic games.

Saturday's games were spectacular. Baltimore were 9.5 point underdogs to the Broncos. All week the talk was essentially the anticipation of the AFC Championship game between Peyton and the Broncs and Brady and the Pats. Nobody, including this guy, gave the Ravens a chance. Well, the Ravens played great, Manning threw two costly picks and a horrendous decision by the Bronco's safety in the final minute all adds up to the Ravens going to New England to play for a berth in the Superbowl.

What stands out for me in that game was the play of Champ Bailey. He has forver been a shut down corner who can run neck and neck with any WR in the league. Champ showed his age on Saturday as Torrey Smith made him look slow, and well thirty something.

I am still miffed as to why the Broncos elected to take a knee with thirty seconds left in the game. While it argubaly won't cost John Fox his job and very well could have nothing to do with the outcome of the game, it still makes no sense to me.

Heading into this week, I will not write the Ravens off. They are a team I see playing for Ray Lewis as he continues his swan song with the only team he has ever known. They will pressure Tom Brady up the middle all day, and if Joe Flacco plays the way he did on Saturday, I would not at all be surprised to see the Ravens win at Foxboro.

For much of the last two months 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has been asked about his teams situation at QB. After Saturday those questions have been muted. Colin Kaepernick is the real deal, he is the QB of that team today, tomorrow and well into the forseeable future. He was simply outstanding against Green Bay. I expect the Falcons and 49ers clash to be a tremendous football game but give the edge to the 49ers simply because I think their defence is better than Atlanta's.

In review, give me the 49ersby four and the Ravens by a point. The Harbaugh family home will be a very difficult place to be on February 3rd as they will watch one son hoist the Lombardi trophy while another is forced to swallow that bitter pill of defeat on football's greatest stage.

The NHL season is less than four days away with the season officially getting underway on Saturday in a 48 game sprint to the finish. Clearly I lost some interest in hockey with the lockout looming this summer. When did Mike Ribeiro end up in Washington, and furthermore, when did the Derek Roy for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy deal take place? Honestly, I am ashamed that I was unaware of this.

I would like to make a long winded, elaborate preview of each division but know I will be way off, so instead I have chosen to provide you with what I think will pan out in regards to our seven Canadian teams.

Before that though, the Oilers, my team whom I will always support and cheer for regardless of the situation made a decision today that has left me to scratch my head. In naming the captains and alternate captains today, the Oilers did a couple of things I am unsure of how to respond to. Justin Schultz, the prized off season signing who tore up the AHL but is yet to play in an NHL game has been given an 'A', a role he will share with Taylor Hall. I am not questioning the ability of Justin Schultz but is it really fair to give a kid who has yet to play a game a letter? Sure the Oilers are young, and the future is bright but don't you want some veteran leaders taking on the responsibilities of alternate captain. Shawn Horcoff remains the 'C' but to give Schultz, Hall and Eberle an 'A', veterans Ryan Whitney and Ales Hemsky will be without a letter this year. Time will tell but I think Whitney is a guy who should have a letter. Schultz will have a letter down the road but what about someone like Ryan Jones who proves night in night out that you can count on him to give 110%? Just my thoughts.

And now.....

MONTREAL -- The Canadiens are a team who I really feel will struggle to score this year. Their top line with the likes of Brian Gionta and Thomas Plekanec will provide some punch, but get past that and David Desharnais is penciled in as the #2 Centre. A team with a lot of sandpaper and grit with guys like Travis Moen, Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong will make life miserable for the opposition, but a one line team such as this doesn't instill a whole lot of fear into the opposition.
On the backend, so long as a deal can be struck, PK Subban anchors a blue line who with the exception of Andrei Markov (health permitting) which is young and unproven. Carey Price could be in for some long nights in le belle province.

TORONTO -- I love to watch the Leafs struggle. However with Brian Burke gone, success for the Leafs will be a little easier to swallow. The biggest question in Toronto remains in net. James Reimer in my opinion is NOT a guy you can depend on night in night out. Trading for Luongo makes sense but at what cost? Burke mortgaged a lot to try and improve a team who well, didn't get any better. Names I hear bantered about in a potential deal include Bozak, Kadri and Gardiner. It is those guys who this team will need to build around as they move forward so Dave Nonis may have a really tough decision to make. The pressure to win in Toronto is great so he may be forced to make a deal he would really rather not complete. If the chips fall as they may, the Leafs may just be young enough to get into the second season. You can count on one thing for sure; you will be held accountable in Toronto so long as Randy Carlyle is behind the bench.

WINNIPEG -- The honeymoon still lingers in Manitoba's capital as their Jets enter the second season of their return north. There is no question in net as Ondrej Pavelec was great last season and I expect much the same again. Dustin Byfuglien leads a young team who is on the cusp of breaking through. Evander Kane leads a group of forwards who brought in Olli Jokinen and Andrei Ponikarovsky for some veteran leadership. The Jets will be in the hunt all year and could very well be lacing them up in May.

OTTAWA -- Last year to me as an anomaly for the Senators; a team who shouldn't have been there got there, largely on the strength of great goaltending and out of this world play by Erik Karlsson. Karlsson will not be as good as he was last year, and let's fact it this team is getting old. Daniel Alfreddson is 40 and Jason Spezza is getting up there. Milan Michalek will not be a repeat of the guy he was last year. I don't see play - off hockey in the nation's capital this season.

CALGARY -- I hate the Flames, I hate the Flames, I hate the Flames. They are old, not quick, and really not going to be a factor in the west this season. This is a team who while they are getting older really lack a lot of depth in the organization. You don't need to watch too many Abbotsford Heat game to realize this team is moving in the wrong direction. That being said, spending money on guys like Dennis Wideman and Jiri Hudler convince me that Jay Feaster and the gang in Cowtown think they have a shot this year; they don't. If they are smart, come April the likes of Iginla, Tanguay and Bouwmeester go on the block in order to replenish a weak farm system with depth and a hope for the future.

VANCOUVER -- Arguably the only team I dislike more than Calgary, the Canucks will once again be a force in the West. Corey Schneider is the man however I question his ability to perform seventy nights a season. That being said, a 48 game season is probably a blessing for the Canucks as they won't have to worry about the stress of a long season on a moderately unproven goalie. Up front they will have two lines that can score with anybody and great depth and grit as you move down the depth chart. While aging on the blue line, Bieksa, Salo, et al are good enough to lead the Canucks to yet another President's Trophy. Schneider is the X - factor; his play will determine their position come play - off time.

EDMONTON -- You have to love the looks of this team. An embarrasement of riches up front who at any given time could have the last three first overall picks on the same line with Yakupov, Nugent - Hopkins and Hall. Jordan Eberle is their best player and will be looked to help fill the net. The same issue remains for the Oilers and that is on the blue line. While they certainly possess the talent to score lots, they lack that shut down pairing many other teams have. Whitney is the leader back there defensively while they will look to Justin Schultz to QB what could be a lethal PP. From what I have read Schultz is also solid in his own end of the rink.. Devan Dubnyk played really well in the Spengler Cup and has shown flashes of being a very good goalie. The sprint to the finish will help these young legs. They won't be at the top of the league but they almost certainly will be much closer to the elite than they will to the bottom feeders. A play off berth is in my opinion very likely for a team who on most nights will be a treat to watch.

All said and done, I see two teams who missed the play - offs last year being right there in the end this year, the Wild and the Hurricanes.

My Stanley Cup pick at this moment would be the Rangers coming from the East to take on the Kings. There will be no repeat champion as Tortorella and the blue shirts will drink from the mug come June. What do you think?

Lastly, something very special is brewing in the Norquay Curling Rink. In tonight's final draw of the Regular Curling season prior to the Bonspiel blitz, the Evan Rostotski rink, which includes yours truly at third look to cap off a magical season. With a victory, 7 - 0, the perfect season will have been accomplished. Honestly, I am shocked we were not invited to participate in last week's Continental Cup of Curling; we are THAT good.

Later,

HM