Fantasy Hockey Coach - Hockey Pool and Keeper Hockey Advice - Coach Harling (Press Box and OHL)

  • Coach Harling (Press Box and OHL)

    by Published on 06-19-2011 13:26  Number of Views: 858 
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    The Vancouver Canucks 2010-2011 season was a success. Winning the Presidents Trophy as the top team in the regular season and going to game seven in the Stanley Cup finals only to lose on home ice to the Boston Bruins. So why does such a successful season feel like such a failure? How will GM Mike Gillis react? What is the next move for the Canucks?

    Looking ahead to the off-season and players with expiring contracts, Gillis has several key players to deal with. Three left-wingers will be UFA's: Chris Higgins, Raffi Torres and Jeff Tambellini. Key defensemen that will also be UFA's are Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo, Christian Ehnhoff, and Andrew Alberts.

    The hot topic since loosing game seven has been goaltending. Have the Canucks lost faith in franchise goalie Roberto Luongo? If they have, can they move his 11 year contract? If Luongo stays what happens to Cory Schneider? Schneider has proven himself to be worthy of a NHL starting role.
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    by Published on 06-07-2011 11:51  Number of Views: 540 
    ICON SMI

    The Vancouver Canucks are representing Canada in the Stanley Cup finals. They are the first team to make it to the finals since the Ottawa Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and the last Canadian team to win it all was Montreal Canadians in 1993. Given how the Canucks have presented themselves is Canada proud? Are the Vancouver Canucks Canada's team, or Canada's shame?

    One of the biggest story lines paralleling this series is Alex Burrows bite on Patrice Bergeron. Burrows took a bite on the finger of Bergeron in a post play scrum after Bergeron gave a little face wash to Burrows. The incident was surprisingly not suspended because it was ruled inconclusive. It was inconclusive because Burrows used his free hand to cover his mouth. This act may have allowed him to escape a disciplinary suspension but for some, it showed Burrows true colors. He may have bit in the heat of the moment. Perhaps it was a spontaneous reaction. But the act of concealing the bite shows he knew what he was doing, had time to think about it and recognize it was very wrong. Did it any way and successfully concealed the action.

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    by Published on 06-06-2011 10:24  Number of Views: 845 
    ICON SMI

    Brian Burke has slowly been rebuilding the Toronto Maple Leafs. This summer Burke's next move will be to add a star player or two and make a significant move to not only get a winning record, but to get back into the Stanley Cup playoffs and become a championship contender.

    Last season was a disappointment missing the playoffs but the team finished with promise. The Leafs were one of the best teams in the NHL over the last 33 games finishing with a strong 18-9-6 record. The team core is young and still not yet in their prime, lead by captain Dion Phaneuf, team leading scorer Phil Kessel, rookie sensation James Reimer and Luke Schenn. The supporting cast is formidable as well sporting a second line of Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin. Toronto also has several promising prospects in the system in Nazem Kadri, Joke Colborne, Jake Gardner, Keith Aulie, Brad Ross, Greg McKegg, Jesse Blacker, Marcel Mueller and Matt Frattin top the list.

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    by Published on 06-05-2011 14:33  Number of Views: 361 
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    The 2010-2011 season for the Ottawa Senators was a complete disaster. At the start of the season hopes were high, fueled by the promise of a healthy Pascal Leclaire and Jason Spezza to lead the team. The off-season free agent acquisition of Sergei Gonchar promised to make the power play lethal. The wheels came off early and the Sens were out of a playoff contention before the trade deadline. As a result GM Brian Murray who appeared to be under a mandate to dump salary purged the roster.

    The main reasons for the poor season were mainly poor goalkeeping from the oft injured Leclaire, inconsistent play of Brian Elliott and injuries to key players like Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and others. The nightmare season was capped off at the draft lottery where the Sens went from dreaming of a top three pick in this summers draft to slipping all the way down to sixth.

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    by Published on 06-05-2011 14:33  Number of Views: 421 
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    What is the Montreal Canadians franchise plan right now. Are they a team on the rise? Are they a rebuilding team? Do they think they are a team in contention?

    Montreal finished the season with a respectable 44-30-8 record. Good for sixth overall in the Eastern Conference, but went down in game seven to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs.

    Currently Montreal has six forwards, three defense and one goalie under contract with around $23 M in cap room to round out the roster. The core of the team starts in goal with star Carey Price who had a break out season to establish himself as an elite starter. The defense is anchored by P.K. Subban and the forwards are lead by Mike Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec and captain Brian Gionta. A good core, lots to work with there but no star power up front.

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