Now that all the wheeling and dealing of the NHL offseason has more or less wrapped up, it’s time to start naming the top contenders for the 2012 Stanley Cup. We’ll name two favourites and one sleeper from each conference.
Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins – The Pens were a win away from advancing past the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs this spring, despite missing two of the best hockey players on the planet in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. While they didn’t make any major moves in the offseason – though signing Steve Sullivan to a small deal was smart – bringing back their All-Star scorers should immediately return them to the top of the NHL standings.
Washington Capitals – The Caps made a disappointing second-round playoff exit after a season in which they became one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league. Their goaltending was inconsistent, though, and they didn’t get elite production from their best offensive players. The offseason acquisition of Tomas Vokoun – on the cheap, no less – was borderline miraculous and should immediately take pressure off the defence. Roman Hamrlik and Joel Ward should boost the offensive production on the blue line and the defensive grit up front, respectively. If Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin can bounce back, the Caps could have a real shot at capturing the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
Sleeper: Buffalo Sabres – New owner Terry Pegula told Sabres fans that he was fully intent on building a Stanley Cup winner in upstate New York, and judging by the way he opened his wallet this offseason, he wasn’t kidding. The Sabres added up-and-coming forward Ville Leino and defenceman Christian Ehrhoff and Robyn Regehr to a team that took the defending Eastern Conference champion Flyers to seven games in Round 1. A healthy Derek Roy should work wonders for the offence, and if the new pieces can fit in quickly, the Sabres could surprise people.
Western Conference
Vancouver Canucks – Their disappointing no-show in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals notwithstanding, the Canucks enjoyed a pretty tremendous 2010-11 season, winning the President’s Cup and coming within a game of their first championship. Other than scoring defenceman Christian Ehrhoff, most of the pieces are still in place from last year’s squad, and Ryan Kesler seems to only be getting better. The duo of Daniel and Henrik Sedin still scores as much as any pair of linemates in hockey, and they’re still in their prime.
Detroit Red Wings – Like the Canucks, the Red Wings didn’t make any major moves this summer, content to let their talented veterans take another stab at a Cup. When that group includes Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom and Johan Franzen, it’s hard to argue with that strategy. There’s no reason to believe the Red Wings won’t be right in the thick of it as always.
Sleeper: Los Angeles Kings – Over the last few years, the Kings have been gradually assembling some of the best young talent in hockey, and by adding Mike Richards and Simon Gagne they might now have the veteran forwards to bring it all together. There will be a lot of pressure on 25-year-old goaltender Jonathan Quick, but if he can continue to improve the Kings might end up winning the Western Conference.
Now that the Stanley Cup Finals have wrapped up and most of the fires in the streets of Vancouver have been put out, the hockey world now turns its attention to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. It might not be an event with the grandeur of the NFL Draft or the hilarity of the NBA’s, but it’s just as crucial to the future of the league’s 30 teams as any other. The Pittsburgh Penguins won a championship thanks in huge part to the top draft choices of Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury and Evgeni Malkin.
This year’s class may not have a franchise-changing superstar of that caliber, but does feature a deep crop of talented forwards who should become first- or second-line contributors in the very near future.
After a frustrating season, the Edmonton Oilers will pick first, looking for another star to put beside last year’s top selection, Taylor Hall.
Here are a few players who will likely come off the board in the first few picks on June 24th.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Red Deer Rebels
Ranked as the number-one North American skater by the NHL’s Central Scouting bureau and the best overall prospect by International Scouting Services, Nugent-Hopkins is a consummate playmaker with great hands. One scout allegedly claimed the Burnaby native has the best vision of any player since Wayne Gretzky. He’s not a big, physical guy, but he plays both ends and plays them well. If he ends up in Edmonton, the plan would be obvious: Nugent-Hopkins makes the plays, Taylor Hall scores.
Adam Larsson, D, Sweden
Larsson is the best international skater in the draft, and was a consensus number-one pick entering the 2010-11 season. Playing in the Sweden’s top pro league, he’s been an effective contributor at the young age of 18 years old, an impressive feat that bodes well for his pro career in North America. Edmonton needs a defenceman more than anything, and would be well-served to pick the big Swede, a fast skater who can play with skill, speed, and power.
Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Kitchener Rangers
Landeskog is an extremely well-rounded forward with good size and good speed. Coaches rave about his leadership and work ethic, and most scouts see him as a guy that probably won’t become a top scorer, but could be a team captain early in his career.
Jonathan Huberdeau, C, Saint John Sea Dogs
After leading the Sea Dogs to Atlantic Canada’s first Memorial Cup championship, Huberdeau has shot up draft boards. He took over the QMJHL in the second half of the season, and is suddenly a top prospect. He’s a versatile forward who’s disruptive in his own end and is capable of both setting up and scoring on the attack.
Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener Rangers
Murphy is a game-breaking defenceman who has modeled his game after the Washing Capitals attacking d-man Mike Green. He’s an undersized skater, but has an unmatched ability to jump into the rush, evade defenders, and put the puck in the net.
It’s not often that an NHL team has the luxury of keeping the second overall pick resting on their bench while they make a run to the Conference Finals.
It’s even less common for that young player to be suddenly plugged into the line-up and immediately take over the game on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
But that’s exactly what has happened for the Boston Bruins and budding star Tyler Seguin.
The 19-year-old centre from Brampton, Ont., was a healthy scratch through the first two rounds of the playoffs, as Bruins coach Claude Julien stuck stubbornly to his plan to “bring Seguin along slowly.” Goaltender Tim Thomas stood on his head through 11 playoff games and Boston’s veteran forwards provided enough offence to get past Montreal and Philadelphia.
Julien’s hand was forced, however, when playmaking second-line centre Patrice Bergeron suffered a mild concussion at the end of the Flyers series. Seguin was put on a line with Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly and instantly changed Boston’s offence.
He had a goal and an assist in Game 1, but it wasn’t until the second period of Game 2 that he really made his presence known. In that one 20-minute period, he accumulated two goals and two assists, a dazzling display of offence that left most observers gaping in wonder.
His scores came on a deft breakaway deke that left Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson searching for his jockstrap and a sharp wrist shot off of a pass from Nathan Horton. The four-point playoff period put him in elite company – the feat has been accomplished by the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, but neither did it as teenagers, like Seguin just did.
His speed through the neutral zone is something that’s typically been missing from the Bruins’ offence, better known for big, bruising forwards than flashy playmakers. Inserting a player with his rare mix of speed, skill and scoring brings a level of dynamism the B’s previously lacked.
He failed to add any points to his tally in Games 3 and 4 in Tampa Bay, but between his emergence and Bergeron’s return, Boston suddenly has a glut of skill players that should keep them near the top of the NHL standings for years to come.
And if the rookie becomes the player his coach thinks he can become, they’ll have a perennial All-Star anchoring their top line.
Eastern Conference Finals: Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
That didn’t take long.
Not even two weeks ago, NHL news headlines were all about whether the Bruins would overcome the trauma of their epic collapse against the Flyers in 2010 and if the upstart Lightning had a chance against the powerhouse Capitals after barely squeaking Penguins?
After a pair of 4-0 series sweeps, we have our answer.
The Bs forced the Flyers to take a long look at their goaltending situation and the Lightning might have just ended the Bruce Boudreau Era in Washington.
Now the two are set to face off in an Eastern Conference Finals few would have predicted.
Both teams feature veteran goaltenders on top of their games. Tim Thomas has carried his Vezina-caliber play into the postseason for the Bruins while 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson has rediscovered the form of his Stanley Cup run with the Oilers in 2006. The netminders have the best and second-best save percentages and goals-against averages in the playoffs.
Roloson will have to keep his rebounds in check against the Bruins’ bruising front line of David Krejci, Nathan Horton, and Milan Lucic. (Lucic finally broke out of his postseason long slump with two scores in Game 4 to close out the Flyers.)
Thomas will have to contend with the Lightning’s three star forwards – young phenom Steve Stamkos, veteran scorer Vincent Lecavalier and Hart candidate Martin St. Louis. The Bolts are quick on the counterattack and can really jam the crease with big bodies like Lecavalier.
Boston has a clear advantage on the back line. Zdeno Chara is one of the most imposing figures in the NHL, and Andrew Ference and Johnny Boychuk have had very strong post-seasons. Tampa Bay doesn’t have standout stars on defence, and relies on stopping opponents from breaking into their zone with a 1-3-1 zone. If they’re unable to keep Boston on the other side of the blue line, Roloson will have to be even better to give the Bolts a chance.
Both teams are relatively healthy, but the Bruins were struck once again by the concussion bug when playmaking centre Patrice Bergeron skated unsteadily off the ice in the third period of Game 4. Bergeron, three years removed from a severe concussion at the hands of then-Flyers defenceman Randy Jones – now with the Lightning – has been diagnosed with a mild concussion, and given how concussions have dominated NHL hockey news this season, he could be held out of the entire series as a precaution. Veteran forward Chris Kelly will take his place on the second line between veteran Mark Recchi and speedy Brad Marchand.
Prediction: The Bruins are the deeper, better-rounded team, but having won seven straight playoff games, there’s no hotter team in hockey than the Lightning. This one should go seven, with the Bruins taking Game 7 at home thanks to a raucous crowd and Tim Thomas.
Western Conference Finals: Vancouver Canucks vs. ??????
Hard to give a detailed preview of a match-up that has yet to be decided – the puck drops on Game 7 between the Red Wings and Sharks in San Jose tonight – but based on the similarities between the Canucks’ two possible opponents, let’s try.
Regardless of which team makes it through, Vancouver is going to have a clear edge in net. Antti Niemi and Jimmy Howard have each had their moments, but Roberto Luongo is one of the best netminders in hockey and is coming off a strong series against the Predators.
The Canucks have been led by Conn Smythe front-runner Ryan Kesler, whose fierce two-way play has compensated for the relative ineffectiveness of twin Art Ross winners Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who were stifled in Round 2 by Nashville’s dynamic defensive pairing of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.
The twins should have an easier time in the conference finals, however, as neither the Red Wings – despite the presence of perennial Norris candidate Nick Lidstrom – or Sharks have a pairing on the level of the Preds’ duo.
Prediction: The Sharks and Red Wings are both deep, skilled teams and should pose a greater test for the Canucks defence than Nashville did, but Vancouver should be up to the task. The Canucks, after winning their first President’s Trophy by finishing atop the NHL standings, should win an exciting series in six games and make their way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
After a wild first round in the NHL playoffs, let’s take a look at how the remaining eight teams stack up.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning – After barely sneaking past the Sidney Crosby-less Penguins in seven games, the Lightning now face a well-rested, powerful Capitals squad that rolled the through their first-round series in five games. The Bolts can put up NHL scores, as they proved with an 8-goal game in round 1, but they’ll face a tougher test with the Capitals much-improved defence. They can hang their heads high after a nice bounce-back year, and have to be excited about the continued emergence of Steven Stamkos, but the probably don’t have more than five or six games left in this 2010-11 season.
- Philadelphia Flyers – The defending Eastern Conference champions got a nice first round from Danny Briere and Claude Giroux, who combined for 16 points in their seven-game series against the Sabres. Their offence looked strong, averaging over three goals a game despite the presence of stud goalie Ryan Miller between the pipes for Buffalo.
But the it’s a small miracle Philly got through a long, tough series with the mess they have in net. Three different goalies saw the ice for the Flyers throughout the series, with only Brian Boucher having any success at all. They’ll need better consistency from their masked men if they hope to make it past Boston.
- Boston Bruins – The B’s have to feel good that they were able to come back after dropping the first two games of their series with the arch-rival Canadiens at home. Entering the raucous Bell Centre and taking two games is no easy feat.
Goals should be much easier to come by against Brian Boucher and co. than they were against the Habs’ Carey Price, but it remains to be seen whether the Bruins will have enough left after a long, tough series that featured three overtime games.
- Vancouver Canucks – After a riveting – some might say horrifying – first-round series with the Blackhawks, the Canucks are entering round two either with their confidence destroyed or their demons exorcised. It’s hard to be confident in a team that barely got past a deeply-flawed Chicago team, even though they finished the regular season at the top of the NHL standings.
Still, they have to be encouraged by the production they received from Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows, so if the Sedin twins can get rolling and find a way to beat Pekka Rinne, the Canucks dream season might just continue.
4. Nashville Predators – After cooling off the NHL’s hottest team in round one, the Predators are rewarded with a series against the NHL’s top team in the regular season. Who, to be fair, backed their way into round two as much as a team can back their way into anything. If the Preds top defensive pair of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter can keep the Sedins in check, Nashville might be able to string together two playoff series wins after never winning one in the first 11 years of the franchise.
3. San Jose Sharks – Like the Canucks, a team with some long-time playoff woes to overcome. They can put up NHL scores in bunches, but Antti Niemi had a shaky first-round, so unless he can come around – or Antero Niittymaki can fill in effectively – they’ll be in tough against the veteran Red Wings.
- Detroit Red Wings – The Wings did themselves a favour by sweeping the Coyotes in the first round – possibly sending them back to Winnipeg – giving their older players time to rest in advance of what is sure to be a high-speed series with the Sharks.
- Washington Capitals – These aren’t your daddy’s Washington Capitals. A team that has typically been handicapped in the Ovechkin era by a weak back end suddenly has one of the league’s better defenses and a hot goalie in Michal Neuvirth. This might just be their year.
Oh boy.
At this time last week, the Vancouver Canucks were sitting very pretty, seemingly having vanquished all the demons of their past playoff failings, on the verge of sweeping the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Goaltender Roberto Luongo had silenced those who doubted his playoff pedigree. The team’s offense was rolling. Everything had fallen into place for the team who finished atop the NHL standings to make a deep playoff run.
But then 7-2 happened. Just one game, they figured, nothing to worry too much about. Then 5-0. Suddenly, their dominant goaltending had disappeared, and they were heading back to Chicago with a very tenuous hold on the series lead.
And it only got worse.
Sunday night’s 4-3 overtime loss capped off the Canuck’s week from hell with possibly the most devastating blow yet, not only forcing a do-or-die Game 7, but reawakening every fear, every worry and every nightmare the team was fighting as they entered the playoffs.
A look at the NHL scores doesn’t tell the whole story. Sure, it was only a one-goal OT loss on the road against a defending Cup champion, but really, it was so much worse.
First on everyone’s mind was Canucks’ coach Alain Vigneault game-time decision to bench Vezina candidate Luongo in favour of rookie Cory Schneider, a move that reeked of panic and a lack of confidence in equal measure. Schneider had an excellent season, and Louie is a classy, mature player, but benching a guy whose self-confidence has flagged from time-to-time is hardly the best way to manage your stars’ psyches.
In Vigneault’s defense, Schneider did look sharp – aside from one mishandling of the puck that cost Vancouver a goal.
Still, the puzzling decision became even stranger when Schneider’s right leg cramped violently on an attempted save of Michael Frolik’s penalty shot. The puck snuck over his pad, and he fell back in visible pain. And so the WWE-style tag team in the Canucks’ net switched places again, with Luongo entering the hostile United Center ice cold.
The early reports on Schneider’s injury suggest he could be available for Game 7 on Tuesday night, but Vigneault wouldn’t comment on who will get the call. Whoever it is, they’ll find themselves tossed into a pressure cooker of a game.
The Blackhawks will step onto the ice at Rogers Arena all the momentum and nothing to lose. They backed their way into the playoffs, and after dropping three quick games to the powerful Canucks, their eulogy had already been written.
The Canucks, on the other hand, have everything to lose. They’re on the cusp of becoming only the fourth team in NHL history to lose a playoff series after going up 3-0. They’re one loss away from being eliminated by the Blackhawks for the third straight season. They’re one bad game away from wasting the best season in franchise history.
How’s that for pressure?
Given that sports betting is a losers game in the first place, why not try to win big? Sure, 20 bucks on the Canucks to win the Stanley Cup at 9-5 odds seems like a reasonable wager, but why not swing for the fences?
Online sportsbooks offer futures on each playoff team’s chances to take home the trophy, so let’s quickly rank the most intriguing options on the board.
Montreal Canadiens (20-1)
A hot goalie can carry a team a long ways, and Carey Price just finished a Vezina-worthy campaign for the Canadiens. They’re a fairly deep team, and the energy of their home crowds could be a big help in making a cup run.
The Habs are locked in a tight series with their longtime division rivals from Boston, but if they can take a commanding 3-1 lead with a win Thursday night at a raucous Bell Centre, they might be able to walk out of this series with a lot of confidence.
Anaheim Ducks (25-1)
Despite a goaltending situation that remains in flux, with Dan Ellis, Jonah Hiller and a reborn Ray Emery all putting in time, the Ducks entered the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in hockey, winning 15 of their last 20 to climb the NHL standings in the Western Conference from 11th to fourth and making plenty of NHL news in the process. They have a Hart Trophy candidate in Corey Perry, the league’s only 50-goal scorer this season, anchoring their dangerous top line and the ageless Teemu Selanne coming off a remarkable 80-point season behind him.
It’s not the same veteran, defensive squad that won the 2007 Cup, but their best players are almost all holdovers from that team and know what it takes to make a deep playoff run. At 25-1, they’re definitely an interesting bet.
Chicago Blackhawks (80-1)
Yes, they backed their way into the playoffs. Yes, you can make the case they don’t even deserve to be in the discussion. And yes, they immediately sunk into a 3-0 hole against a phenomenal Canucks team.
But these are the defending Stanley Cup champions, and they’ve had Vancouver’s number over the last few years. There’s still a lot of they can stage a miracle comeback – like the Flyers did in last year’s playoffs – they’d roll into the second round with a ton of momentum and the rest of the NHL would have to start getting nervous.
And, really, at 80-1, you’re not asking for much.
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Zdeno Chara
At 6’9 255 lbs, Chara is the biggest man in the NHL and the player no one wants to get hit by. Chara is a good skater for his size, so he is often in ideal position to slam forwards who carry it into the Bruins’ zone. Every player circles the date with Boston on the schedule, knowing that Chara’s massive frame lurks at the blue line. Chara can flatten players who would normally be considered big, so that gives him the credentials to be named the league’s top hitter. Fee-fi-fo-fum.
- Chris Pronger
Not only is Pronger big (6’6), he’s dirty. Prongs has no qualms about nailing someone from behind when the referees aren’t looking or using his stick to get players off balance before lowering the boom. Pronger is also the type of player who seeks out the opposition’s best or toughest, just to let them know he’s on the ice, which makes him perfectly suited for the ruthless Philadelphia Flyers. Pronger’s most devastating hit came against Detroit in the 2006 Western Conference playoffs. An Edmonton Oiler at the time, Prongs waited for Dan Cleary in the corner, and then sent the winger vertical with a flip of his elbow. Pronger is a grimy, hard-nosed guy who looks like he should be smashing beer bottles in the back of a bar, so it is no surprise that he provides NHL results.
- Dustin Brown
The only forward to make this list, Brown is an aggressive forechecker, who sets off like a missile for any defender handling the puck against the boards. Brown is a big power forward who has great speed, so once he gets you lined up, it’s over. The best thing about Brown is that he is also a skill player, so he can turn his hit-induced turnovers into scores. His best hit? Brown blindsided infamous pest Matt Cooke, a check that was praised as Cooke finally getting a taste of his own medicine.
- Niklas Kronwall
Kronwall has become a youtube sensation for his hits which flip opposing players on their backs. With the Red Wings again at the top of the Western Conference in the NHL standings, expect to see a great deal of Kronwall’s blasting checking style as the year goes on. The other Niklas, Lidstrom, may get ink for his complete game, but this Nik makes NHL news for delivering the type of hits that shake your television at home.
- Dustin Byfuglien
The playoff hero of a year ago makes his living irritating the opposition with trash-talk then backing it up with seismic body checks. Byfuglien is a big body who, whether he’s playing defense or forward, licks his chops at the chance to give out concussions. Byfuglien can also respond to any sort of retaliation with his fists. Byfuglien’s best hit came against Pronger in the Stanley Cup Finals last year, as he knocked the defender who was intended to be his shadow onto the ice handily, much to the delight of the Chicago crowd.
Red Wings
Detroit is deep, experienced, well-coached, and a prime candidate to maintain poll position in the NHL standings.
- Capitals
Semyon Varlamov was impressive in the team’s latest win, and the Caps are doing pretty much as well as they were expected to.
- Canadiens
Talk about a surprise: Carey Price has been phenomenal, and the Habs are suddenly the top defensive team in the league.
- Flyers
Despite losing to the lowly Devils, the Flyers are still one of the most exciting teams to watch because of their ability to score.
- Blackhawks
Finally, the real Blackhawks have come to play. Chicago has won two big games in a row.
6. Penguins
Crosby has overtaken Stamkos for the league lead in points, with 40.
- Canucks
Consistency is still an issue for Vancouver, but all the pieces for success are there.
- Coyotes
The winners of seven straight were humbled by the Ducks on Saturday.
- Blue Jackets
Despite a recent drop-off, the Blue Jackets have been playing good hockey.
- Thrashers
Wins over Montreal, Boston, and Detroit prove that Atlanta can play with the big boys.
- Kings
Back-to-back losses to playoff teams don’t bode well for L.A.
- Bruins
The Bruins also wish they could forget the past week, after absorbing losses to Atlanta and Carolina.
- Avalanche
The Avs have been struck by injury after a promising start to the season.
- Stars
The Stars continue to scratch and fight their way back to respectability.
- Sharks
The shots are there for the Sharks, but the goals have been harder to come by.
- Blues
St. Louis and their prized netminder are allowing opponents to put up some big hockey scores.
- Lightning
Stamkos can only do so much for a mediocre team.
- Hurricanes
If one thing can be said for the Hurricanes, it’s that they play their opponents tough.
- Rangers
14 wins is more than most teams have at this point.
- Predators
Nashville has stumbled of late, and their schedule doesn’t get any easier with Phoenix and Columbus looming.
- Wild
Minny just can’t put any sort of streak together.
- Ducks
The Ducks can improve once they get healthy.
- Sabres
Frustration is mounting in Buffalo.
- Senators
Beating Toronto was nice, but Ottawa’s season is still a huge disappointment.
- Maple Leafs
The Leafs’ promising start is definitely in the books.
- Flames
Iginla is on fire, but could this be an extended audition?
- Panthers
Too many youthful mistakes, which is to be expected from this Panthers team.
- Devils
Last in the league in goals per game, and Kovalchuk has a whopping ten points to his name.
- Oilers
Opponents are feasting on the Oilers, who allow nearly four goals per contest.
- Islanders
A win was vital for the poor Islanders, but it’s only a matter of time before the losing starts again.
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Alexander Semin
Many fans who logged on to the NHL’s website to cast their vote were sure Semin’s absence on the ballot was some sort of joke. Semin has been the Capitals’ best player in November, helping Washington to seven wins in eight games before the team’s recent three-game slide. Semin is fourth in the league in points, and third in goals with 14 in 22 games played. Leaving Semin off the ballot is a travesty, but he’s playing so well that the league will likely have no choice but to find a way to get him in.
- Claude Giroux
Giroux has been sensational for the Flyers this season, using his speed and technical skills to outwit defenders and help his team post big hockey scores. The third-year winger out of Ontario has racked up 23 points in 22 games, and looked like a shoo-in for the All-Star ballot-if not the game itself. The good news for Giroux is that he’s still young and is on pace for a very impressive career. This latest snub by the NHL should provide him with the motivational fuel to finish the season as one of the league’s leaders in points.
- Patrick Sharp
Chicago’s center has been a consummate professional his entire career, but it must have been difficult even for him when he checked the hockey news and found out that he wasn’t on the ballot. Sharp is Chicago’s leading point-getter with 22 and has been keeping the Blackhawks afloat as they struggle to dust off the championship hangover that they’ve been suffering this season. Sharp is putting the puck on goal every chance he gets, and he’ll continue to do the same whether or not he makes it to All-Star game.
- Carey Price
Of all the success stories in sports this year, the resurgence of Carey Price has flown under the radar. After a miserable campaign in 2009-10 in which Price faltered under pressure and eventually lost his spot to Jaroslav Halak during the playoffs, the Vancouver native is finally starting to tap into his vast potential on a nightly basis. Price has put together a great statistical season so far, and the Canadiens have been one of the better teams in the NHL. Price is allowing only 2.05 goals against, and his .932 save percentage is by far the best of his career.
- Jimmy Howard
The Redwings’ netminder has only one loss on the season compared to 11 wins. In other words, Howard has been a fantasy gem and one of the most important cogs in Detroit’s championship-caliber team. Howard has turned aside scores left and right this season, which makes it all the more puzzling that his name was left off the All-Star ballot. Like Giroux, though, Howard still has many years left in his career to make the game and cement himself as one of the NHL’s premier goalies.
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