Showing posts with label 2011/12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011/12. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Why I'd Like To See An NHL Team In Quebec

I last visited Quebec in 1995.

That was also the last time the NHL was played there.

Now, years later, with the return of Winnipeg (gone since 1996), can the team that they became, Phoenix, come to Quebec?

I would like to see it.

I can give you three good reasons:

1) Back in the day of 24 NHL teams (The way it should be now, btw), I liked it that 1/3 of the teams were Canadian. Now with 30 teams, only 7 are Canadian. One more team gives me the feeling that a Stanley Cup can be won by a Canadian team. The odds just will go up, slightly.

2) I sort of liked the old Nords, as they were called. My favourite player was Peter Stastny, who could skate pass and score with everyone not named Gretzky in the early 80s. He ended up recording seven 100 + point seasons in Quebec City. Stastny was just fun to watch, go watch a classic hockey game with him in it!

Plus also, one of my favourite "finishers" played with Quebec. Michel Goulet. Every time the Nords would score at home, the Quebec PA announcer would say,

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooulet!

It was good.

So getting to the point, imagine if Quebec gets a player with a name anywhere near that name. Every time they score a goal...

3) For you Habs fans who don't care, remember when the Nords had the resurgence in 92/93? That first round matchup, propelled the Habs to the Stanley Cup.

They had not won one since.

But I suspect another team, one that could rival the Canadians (it was quite the rivalry from 1982 - 1993) would push the Habs. A team you compete against for standings, playoff series, but more importantly, geographical bragging rights is always great for both teams, and the NHL.

2) Nothing against Seattle, I don't want to see a team there. Sorry, but the Seattle Metropolitans were the first non Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, the first sign that United States was taking over hockey. Also that year (1917) was the last hockey year before the NHL was established that fall.

'sides, the city couldn't even support the Supersonics. Gary Payton was one of my favourite basketball players (Hey, how could I not like him after holding MJ himself to 51-123, 27.3/5.3/4.2 in the '96 NBA Finals), so I got nothing against Seattle. Get an NBA back first before getting an NHL team.

1) It'll piss Bettman off, something that we all like! After all, despite missing the playoffs, haven't we all enjoyed Winnipeg's year this year (with one obvious exception). Quebec will be in the Eastern Conference, one more Canadian stop for Sid and Alex!

And perhaps, just perhaps, we'll have Patrick Roy behind the bench. And maybe, just maybe, we'll have in goal for Quebec against Montreal. How many of you Nords always thought that was just a dream?

Monday, February 20, 2012

What Lies In Store For Randy Cunneyworth


Worst job in hockey? Coaching the Montreal Canadians.

There are two rules to it:

1) You must speak French

2) You must win

Cunneyworth doesn't speak French, and his record after today's loss is 11-14-3. So, in theory, he has done neither.

Granted, nothing much has been expected from him. He was named interim coach after Jacques Martin was fired. Martin had compiled a pretty good record in almost 2 1/2 years in Montreal (96-75-25). He took the Habs to the Conference finals two season's ago, and pushed them to 44 wins, and a 7 game loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Bruins last spring.

His record this year was 13-12-7 at the time of his dismissal. Little harsh, eh? Such is the risk you take when you coach the Habs.

The Habs have actually pushed hard for the last playoff spot. Despite the loss to the Devils today, the team is 5-2-1. Two of the wins (plus one loss) have been in shootouts.

That seems to be the whole problem with the Habs. Even with those two wins, the teams record is only 3-8 in shootouts.

The Habs are only 6 points back of the Leafs for the last playoff sport, although the Leafs have a game in hand. But the Habs must pass the Leafs, and four other teams below them to make it.

But what about Cunneyworth? What lies in store for him?

It will be interesting to see if the Canadians make the playoffs, what happens to him?

Back in 1971, Al MacNeil, who didn't speak French, took over a struggling Habs team that had missed the playoffs the season before. But in the playoffs, they upset Montreal, edged Minnesota, then eked out a seventh game win over Chicago to take hockey's holy grail.

The win was attributed as a fluke, thanks in large part to superb goaltending from Montreal's Ken Dryden. But MacNeil was called, "The most incompetent coach I ever played for", by Hab veteran Henri Richard. Add that to the no-speak-French problem, MacNeil was "demoted" to coach the Nova Scotia Voyageurs  the next season. That would open to the door for Scotty Bowman, former St Louis Blues coach, to go on to the most successful coaching career ever in hockey.

But it should be noted, the last Hab coach to win the Stanley Cup, Jacques Demers, could neither read nor write.

I'd like to see Cunningworth succeed. He has vowed to learn French. I doubt he can by the end of the season, or even the start of the 2012-13 season.

So here is my guess on three outcomes for Randy:

Habs miss playoffs: leaves Canadians organization entirely

Habs make playoffs: demoted to stick boy of Hamilton Bulldogs

Habs win Stanley Cup: demoted to stick boy of Montreal Canadians


References


Irvin, Dick. The Habs: An Oral History Of The Montreal Canadiens, 1940-1980. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1991. Print.

Irvin, Dick. My 26 Stanley Cups: Memories of a Hockey Life. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2001. Print.

"Official Site Of The National Hockey League." NHL.com. The National Hockey League, n.d. Web. 20 Feb, 2012. <http://www.nhl.com>

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 20 Feb, 2012

Stubbs, Dave. "Canadiens Throw Randy Cunneyworth Under The Bus In Language Scuffle." National Post. Postmedia Network Inc., 04 Jan. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/canadiens-doing-randy-cunneyworth-no-favours-in-language-scuffle>.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Anyone Else Want Ties Back In Hockey?

That is what I used to like about hockey. Among my favourite sports, baseball, tennis, and golf, hockey is the only one that could end in a tie. At least, used to.

And only in the regular season.

I've been trying to think of a way to bring ties back.

Now, before you say, "You mean, get rid of the shootout? THE most entertaining moment in hockey?", hear me out or read me out.

I really enjoy 4 on 4 overtime. And the shootout is exciting too, although it is very gimmicky.

Actually, it becomes a gimmick as it drags on to 4th, 5th and 6th shooters. I can tolerate it up till there, but the reality is, often when you get past the first three shooters, you're bound to see some bad goals. That is because these are the last persons you'd expect to see in shootout. And what worse way to end the game then some bad goal by bad shooter. It has to happen, you know.

So I was thinking about the Blues/Pens game back on the 24th.

I didn't see all of it now. But that didn't stop me from watching the shootout. Okay, you want to know what I was doing all the time up until that very moment? I was in the basement of my parents place watching the Raptors/Suns game. Sorry, my hockey love does not extend to my parents or two brothers!

The shootout was awesome as both goaltenders stopped 2 of 3 shooters. I thought about how Oshie and Malkin had scored and how I'd seen enough. Both teams got the point, and so did the fans!

The Pens eventually won the shootout when the fourth shooter, Chris Kunitz, scored. I got to thinking that St Louis played the better game, having had all sorts of chances to win in overtime, how cruel it is that they lose. Yes, I know they still get a point. And yes, since it was against someone from the Eastern Conference, they can afford to lose it.

The same night, it was The Flyers the topped The Panthers 3-2, in another shootout, but that only had 3 shooters a side. That, to me, is okay. See, only six total shooters.

The Sabers beat the Devils in still another shootout that night, but this one went an extra round where you had Adam Henrique and Nathan Gerbe shooting. Not exactly shootout household names.

See my point is, you can have the shootout for 3 rounds. By why not, if at that point if the game is tied, let the game end. You'll have gotten everything you'd want to see in a game, and 3 best shooters go each side. That's enough for me

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Hockey Is Back...

...and I'm having difficulty putting it into my schedule right now.

But I did catch some of the opening game(s) on the season. Out driving, I caught some of the Canadians/ Leafs game. Basically, it was a case of a goalie (James Reimer) stealing a game for the Leafs. It will be interesting to see how he performs this year, especially if the Leafs make the playoffs. It is always fun watching the Leafs and the Habs, no matter where they are in the standings. Matt Lombardi had a fine game, and I'm glad to see him back from a concussion.

Speaking of which, I went to a bar to watch the next game. Well, the first two periods, anyway. It was the Pens and Canucks. Call me in the minority here, but I have a feeling that, even without Crosby, the Pens are going to be strong this season.

The Canucks looked step slower in the first, and Roberto Luongo really gave up a bad goal to James Neal. Matt Cooke somehow got left alone in front and made it 2-0. A late tally by Maxim Lapierre was sort of as bad as Neal's goal. 2-1 Pens after one.

The second period looked bad for the Canucks for a while. Cooke somehow notched his second goal shorthanded, and things looked mighty bleak for Vancouver.

But a great passing play resulted in a Keith Ballard goal. Henrik Sedin made a beautiful pass! This seemed to turn the tide as the period ended.

In the third the Canucks dominated, and tied the game as Daniel Sedin scored, with his brother drawing an assist. However, there was no further scoring and the game went into OT.

Vancouver seemed poised to win and had some good chances. They could not convert, however and the game went to overtime.

The Canucks elected to shoot first, with Mikael Samuelson fired a writst shot that Mark Andre Fleury made a save. But at the other end, Luongo could not duplicate that as Kris Letang scored.

When Alex Burrows came up empty, it was Evgeni Malkin with a chance to win it.

And he did just that by scoring on Luongo, as he waited for Luongo to go down, and flipping it over him.

Overall this was good game, with two fast skating and exciting teams.


References


“Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. 8 Oct. 2011. <https://www.nhl.com>.

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. Web. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. 8 Oct. 2011.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Songs They Should Play In Winnipeg Right Now

With the return of the NHL to Winnipeg (it is not known if they will be called the Jets) I thought I'd chime in to some music that all fans Winny would like to hear. And for those of you that don't know these, here are the lyrics.

Back in 1975, debuted a tv series called Welcome Back Kotter. Coincidentally, the show went of the air in 1979, the same year the Jets arrived in the NHL. Here's the theme song, for those unaware!


Welcome back, 


Your dreams were your ticket out. 


Welcome back, 


To that same old place that you laughed about. 


Well the names have all changed since you hung around, 


But those dreams have remained and they're turned around. 


Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya) 


Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya) 


Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, welcome back, 


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Then there is my favourite Nick Nolte movie, 48 Hours. It did more for Eddie Murphy, truth be told. Now, remember the song by the Bus Boys, The Boys Are Back?


We’ve been waitin’ for a long time



Yes, we’ve been waitin’ for a long, long time


We’ve been waitin’ for a long time


But we ain’t gonna wait no more


We’re getting’ ready to rock & roll


We’re gonna - 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3!



Well, there’s a reason everybody should be shakin’ in the house tonight


And you should grab your favorite lady and promise her you’ll do it right.


Tell Fat Jack to jump back and give you a shot of some booze


So you can party to some stomp-down, butt-bumpin’, rock & roll, rhythm & blues.



‘Cause the boys are back in town.


The boys are back in town.




I know that everybody when they hear the music will be doin’ it on the floor


Jump up and down they turn around and tell the band to play some more


‘Cause tonight you can dance and romance and do anything you feel like doin’


But don’t look surprised ‘cause you know what I like and tonight we ought to do it




‘Cause the boys are back in town.


The boys are back in town. Oh, yeah.




Well, there’s a reason everybody should be shakin’ in the house tonight


And you should grab your favorite lady and promise her you’ll do it right


Tell Fat Jack to jump back and give you a shot of some booze


So you can party to some stomp-down, butt-bumpin’, rock & roll, rhythm & blues.



‘Cause the boys are back in town.


The boys are back in town.


Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!


The boys are back in town.


And when the boys are back,


There ain’t no foolin’ around!