It’s been a few months since my last blog, but with the Hockey season around the corner I figured it’s time to do one for the upcoming season.
I would like to start off with sending my deepest condolences to the families and friends of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, and to all that that lost their lives in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air tragedy. Has a hockey fan since, god knows when, this summer has been the hardest I’ve ever witnessed, and I must say that I shed a tear for all those that were lost.
Since the start of the Pre-Season it’s been a fun couple of weeks. With Brendan Shanahan becoming the new disciplinarian in the NHL, he hasn’t shied away from sending a strong message that dirty hits to the head will be punished and he doesn’t shy away from the camera to explain his decision. This is something that every disciplinarian in every major league should do. His clear explanations and the use of videos to show the situation has been top notch. Some of penalties he’s handed out as included an 11 game suspension (pre-season and regular season total) to James Wisniewski, plus a 10 game suspension to Jody Shelley of the Flyers, are just a few of the unlucky players to face the new sheriff. The main question remains though, how will Shanahan deal when a star player, as in Mike Richards, Chris Pronger, Alexander Ovechkin and others do the same crime? Only time will tell.
Last night, following the pre-season game between the Rangers and Flyers, Avery went on ESPN NY radio station and accused Flyers Wayne Simmonds of calling him a derogatory word, that I shall not repeat in this blog. Now, I don’t agree with that word or a few other words that I shall not repeat either, being thrown around the ice, however when you are a grown man playing a man’s game and being one of the worst trash talkers (if we can call him that) in the game. You run and cry to a reporter that a player called you a bad named, my level of respect for the guy (Which was very low to start with) totally disappears. Avery had done much worst things on the ice, and I’m sure that he’s said much worst also, so grow up and be a man, or in Avery’s case grow a set of balls.
Now, time for my fearless predictions for the upcoming season.
--- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will begin the season in Edmonton, will lead all rookies in scoring and win the Calder season.
--- Ron Wilson will not finish the season as Head Coach of the Maple Leafs.
--- No local buyer will emerge to rescue the Phoenix Coyotes, and Gary Bettman will finally allow the sale and move of the Franchise to either Quebec or Hamilton.
--- The Montreal Canadiens will have two 30 goal scorers this season in Mike Cammalleri and Erik Cole.
--- The Winnipeg Jets will be a major success during the season and make the playoffs.
--- Sidney Crosby will return this season and finish in the top 5 in scoring.
--- Ottawa Senators will finally go an entire season without an injury to their starting goaltender.
--- Drew Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings will not come to a contract agreement, and the Kings will trade Doughty away in fear of losing him in the off-season for nothing.
--- Following another subpar season from the New Jersey Devils, Martin Brodeur will announce his retirement at the end of the season.
--- Boston Bruins will not repeat has Stanley Cup champions, they will be shocked in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets.
--- Tampa Bay Lightning will take on the San Jose Sharks for the Stanley Cup, with the Sharks winning their first ever Cup.
Thank you reading my latest blog, and I will return next week with my look and take on the 2011-12 Montreal Canadians.
No comments:
Post a Comment