Apparently, the NHL has done everything in its power to create a schedule that takes all the momentum out of a teams, and their fans, sails. For what seems the 100th time this season the Sabres have a break after a Friday night game until Wednesday. While the rest certainly never hurts I think this is part and parcel to the team's struggles right now. Like any sport a team needs to find its rhythm. This is something they seem to have struggled with a ll season.
They are hardly alone. There has been numerous instances where teams around the NHL have had 1 game in a 11 day period. I believe this has interrupted their flow as well. It is harder to stay focused and practice becomes stale, it also robs intensity from games. This leads to boring games. Also, and this is my opinion, the more practice time you have the more work a team can do on its defense. I don't think it is coincidence that scoring is down as teams have been able to be far more organized defensively early in the season. It will be interesting to see if this theory bears out when the schedule tightens up after Christmas and they start playing 4 times a week.
Maybe the league could consider tightening up the schedule by 2-3 weeks and eliminate these gaps. There has to be a better way than this.
20 November 2007
Schedule Tomfoolery
12 October 2007
Boulerice in and Boulerice out...simple as that!
29-year old enforcer Jesse Boulerice has been suspended 25 games by the National Hockey League for his striking hit on Canucks forward Ryan Kesler's face last night in Vancouver.
The suspension bodes nicely with prospect Steve Downie's out of training camp on Ottawa's Dean McCammond (he got 20 games).
But as for Boulerice, he's in and out.
Signed October 3rd as a free-agent to a 1-year contract, Boulerice was expected to assure a depth role on the Flyers checking lines this season.
But one week and two days into his Flyers tenure, the Plattsburgh, New York native gets slapped with the longest single-season ban in NHL history.
Jesse Boulerice, PHI October 2007, 25 games
Marty McSorley, BOS Februaru 2000, 23 games
Gordie Dwyer, TAM September 2000, 23 games
Dale Hunter, WAS May 1992, 21 games
Steve Downie, PHI September 2007, 20 games
Todd Bertuzzi, VAN February 2004, 20 games
Tom Lysiak, CHI October 1983, 20 games
Brad May, PHO November 2000, 20 games
"This was more than a careless and reckless play," Colin Campbell said. "It was senseless."
Paul Holmgren expected nothing less than that from Campbell on this situation.
"Is 25 the worst?" he said. "It's pretty close to what I expected."
Boulerice isn't new to massive suspensions, in fact, he was suspended one entire year in 1998 by the Ontario Hockey League for his newfound fondness for "stick-swinging", something Habs fans can remember Alexander Perezhogin for during his short-lived Bulldogs stay
The following year, now in the American Hockey League, Boulerice didn't get the nod to play until mid-November, when he was ruled "eligible" to return to action.
He will be eligilbe to be reinstated to the Flyers active roster December 13th against the Montreal Canadiens; but one can wonder if he'll ever suit up for the Flyguys ever again.
It's unlikely, in my opinion, that Boulerice gets a second chance for his infraction and if anything he'll salt the rest of the season down on the farm with the Flyers' AHL affiliate Phantoms.
It's not as if he was ever good or effective in his role to begin with.
-BBeR
08 October 2007
BBeR's Standings and Leaders predictions for the 2007-2008 season
Close, but no dice.
Gritty prediction: The Habs will get their revenge in the final game of the season, with both teams inching for the final playoff spot, against the Leafs in Montreal and earn the 8th seed.
Hey loyal readers and hockey fans!
I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I can assure you the wait and the drought for hockey is now over, the season is about a week old and it's to no one's surprise that fans all around the nation are going crazy.
Well, I went crazy a few days before the Ducks and Kings dropped the puck in the UK, crazy making up predictions for the coming season.
Yes, I also know that the season's started and I'm a little late, but hey, who really cares except the people who insist over useless details?
Feel free to speak your mind or bash me to your heart's content.
- New York Rangers
- Ottawa Senators
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Buffalo Sabres
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Montreal Canadiens
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Florida Panthers
- New Jersey Devils
- Washington Capitals
- Boston Bruins
- Atlanta Thrashers
- New York Islanders
- Detroit Red Wings
- San Jose Sharks
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Calgary Flames
- Anaheim Ducks
- Vancouver Canucks
- Los Angeles Kings
- Minnesota Wild
- Nashville Predators
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- St. Louis Blues
- Edmonton Oilers
- Phoenix Coyotes
- Chicago Blackhawks
Eastern Team Leaders (PTS):
Bruins -- Savard
Canadiens -- Koivu
Capitals -- Ovechkin
Devils -- Parise
Flyers -- Briere
Hurricanes -- Staal
Islanders -- Comrie
Lightning -- St. Louis
Maple Leafs -- Blake
Panthers -- Jokinen
Penguins -- Crosby
Rangers -- Jagr
Sabres -- Roy
Senators -- Alfredsson
Thrashers -- Hossa
Western Team Leaders (PTS):
Avalanche -- Sakic
Blackhawks -- Ruutu
Blue Jackets -- Nash
Blues -- Kariya, P.
Canucks -- Sedin (pick one)
Coyotes -- Doan
Ducks -- McDonald
Flames -- Igingla
Kings -- Frolov
Oilers -- Hemsky
Predators -- Dumont
Red Wings -- Datsyuk
Sharks -- Thornton
Stars -- Morrow
Wild -- Gaborik
-BBeR
(P.S. -- look for a redesign soon!)
02 October 2007
2007-2008 NHL Predictions
I'm back for my first full season on the BBeR, hoping to give some solid insight around the league.
I'll start simple, by posting my predictions for the upcoming season.
I decided last year, that it's not worth going through the trouble of discussing why I predict what I do, because in actuality there is no real science to doing this. No one will completely agree with everything anyone says. I'll just put a quick comment next to each team.
EAST:
1- Ottawa Senators -- best team in a weaker division.
2- Florida Panthers -- last year's team looked like they're getting it together
3- New York Rangers -- spending money shouldn't hurt them this time around. Sather does it his way.
4- Pittsburgh Penguins -- not worse, but an ultra-competitive division may leave them stagnant in the standings.
5- Carolina Hurricanes -- got hit with injuries hard last season, and a healthy team should bounce back.
6- Philadelphia Flyers -- looked a lot better towards the end of the season, but they will take some time to gel.
7- Tampa Bay Lightning -- still a solid team, but lack of depth will still be a concern.
8 - Buffalo Sabres -- lost a lot in the offseason, but don't forget who they still have.
9 - Toronto Maple Leafs -- Still just miss, but as long as the pipeline develops, will rise to the top again.
10 - Atlanta Thrashers -- did nothing while almost everyone else got better.
11 - New Jersey Devils -- transitioning team forced to watch off-season happenings.
12- Washington Capitals -- improving team, but still a lot to prove.
13 - New York Islanders -- mediocre team that went for it all in one year when they shouldn't have.
14 - Boston Bruins -- a team that has to prove they can get it right. A poor season will lead to another front office house cleaning
15- Montreal Canadiens -- I just don't see much good this year.
West:
1- Detroit Red Wings -- once again, strong team in a weakened division
2- San Jose Sharks -- the talent has always been there
3- Calgary Flames -- most people are critical of Keenan, but he and this team will be good for each other
4- Anaheim Ducks -- might be a Cup hangover, but should be in full gear for the playoffs
5- Vancouver Canucks -- Luongo is back of course, the team will go where he can take them.
6- Columbus Blue Jackets -- my surprise in the west, Ken Hitchcock will have this team playing hard, and playing to win
7- Colorado Avalanche -- up only two spots from last year, but it's a testamant of the division they're in and they're an improved team.
8- Minnesota Wild -- 4 teams from the Northwest? The Wild are a team that is built for the playoffs, the problem will be getting there.
9- Los Angeles Kings -- kills me to have them just miss, but they will take solace in the fact that the team is not that far away.
10- St. Louis Blues -- still transitioning, but the future isn't far away
11 - Nashville Predators -- not sure how you improve when you lose great players
12 - Dallas Stars -- were good enough to make the dance last year, but didn't keep pace. Still won't score.
13 - Chicago Blackhawks -- still not ready to make noise. Not yet.
14 - Edmonton Oilers -- I just don't see a mix of players that can compete consistently at this level.
15 - Phoenix Coyotes -- a new regime in the desert, it will take some time.
13 September 2007
Presenting your 2007-2008 NHL uniforms...
- Added new NHL 08 Atlanta Thrashers jersey screenshots.
A big thank you to Sherry, who did a wonderful job while I was away, be sure to check out her awesome Senators blog over at Scarlett Ice.
Check out NHL Tournament of Logos if you are dying for more logo and RBK jersey talk.
If I have missed one or you have one (confirmed, unconfirmed or speculated) you'd like to submit, email me at mailto:mbbrblog@gmail.com or leave a comment!
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Dallas Stars (?)
Detroit Red Wings Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Nashville Predators Ottawa Senators -BBeR
Edmonton Oilers
(Original post)
Los Angeles Kings
(Thanks to Life in Hockeywood)
New York Islanders
(Thanks/merci Xordok)
(original story)
OTT jersey update:
Philadelphia Flyers
Phoenix Coyotes
(from an XBOX gaming magazine)
-click here for a hi-res version-
Pittsburgh Penguins
(View official slideshow here)
St. Louis Blues
Tampa Bay Lightning
(view entire logo changes here
TAM jersey update:
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Washington Capitals
