Archive for May, 2010

Capology and the Pittsburgh Penguins

Posted: 19th May 2010 by Matt Junker in NHL
If the Pens are going to improve next season and not be subject to the same foibles of weak wing play and iffy defense, then Ray Shero will have to work within a few boundaries: the salary cap, and available personnel. Writers keep asserting that it's devilishly difficult to keep Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal together. Here's your chance to see for yourself. First, here are the players set to ...
Legendary rocker Pete Townsend is celebrating his 65th birthday today. While Townsend didn't write the song, "Won’t Get Fooled Again" about fellow birthday boy Michael Leighton, the title certainly applies to the 29-year old's recent hot streak. The journeyman goaltender is turning heads, by standing on his, in the Conference Final against Montreal. Two games, two wins, and two shutouts have answered what many of us wondered before this series began. Could ...

Fantasy 202: Three Young Guns To Watch Next Year

Posted: 19th May 2010 by Todd Cordell in NHL
Though their are many promising young players in the NHL today, these are three young players who I feel, will make a huge impact both for their NHL team and for your fantasy teams. Peter Mueller (Colorado) Mueller has never been questioned about his skill level, it has always been about his heart and will to play the game. However, that question has been answered by the play of Peter Mueller after ...
Writer's Note/Disclaimer: I ran out of medication and this unmedicated brain creates more questions than answers. Hopefully comments and Zoloft will bring clarity to my state of un-mind. This disjointed diatribe rails against the ticket purchasers in attendance for Game Two of the Western Conference Finals. I use "ticket purchasers" in lieu of "fans," because I don't want to offend true San Jose Shark fans. Of course, TibKids don't act like ...

Flyers vs. Canadiens: A Game 2 View From the Press Box

Posted: 19th May 2010 by Bill Sudell in NHL
On a cold, damp night that made it feel like November instead of playoff time, the Flyers took down the Canadiens 3-0 in Game 2. Maybe it was the weather, but the atmosphere wasn’t nearly as charged as it was for Game One on Sunday, and neither were the Flyers. Despite being outplayed for the majority of the first period, Danny Briere’s power play goal sent the Orange and Black to ...
When one looks at the line of Phil Hughes' start Monday night against the Boston Red Sox, they see five innings pitched, six hits, five earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. The big stat, however, was the two home runs, a solo job to David Ortiz and a three-run jack to the newly-rejuvenated J.D. Drew. Ortiz was almost on the unemployment line in early May until he started to get ...
In the summer of big free agent possibilities, it is often forgotten that not just teams with salary cap space can be contenders for the best free agents available. Free agents in the midst of their NBA careers who can command maximum contracts have little reason to join another team’s decimated roster and hope management can build a contender around them. Sorry, New Jersey and New York, but one of the big ...
Genius, mastermind, and guru—all three are words of strong association to those at the peak of their game when associated with the world of sports. Only the highest of NFL coaches and general managers are assumed to assess the athletes of their sport at the highest level, and subsequently gain the best of their abilities out of them. However, oftentimes these labels continue, even after success turns to failure, even when the ...
In 2007, David Wright had one of the best seasons in Mets history, hitting .325 with 30 HRs, 107 RBI, and 34 steals. That season, Wright only had 115 strikeouts in 160 games (an average of 0.72 a game). Fast-forward two-and-a-half years later to the 2010 season. In 40 games, Wright has accumulated 55 strikeouts (1.38 a game), and has batted only .262. It seems apparent that David Wright is not the player he ...

2010 NHL Playoffs: Sharks & Habs In Tough Down 2-0

Posted: 19th May 2010 by Eric Warren in NHL
Peter Laviolette has figured out how to beat the Montreal Canadiens and make it look so easy that both Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, and Penguins bench boss Dan Bylsma are probably smacking themselves in the forehead wondering "why didn't I think of that?" The magic formula doesn't involve out working them, and out hitting them is of little consequence. Out shooting them?, you're getting warmer. No, in fact the magic ...