Harvey Robb: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Reim Time: How James Reimer has the Leafs thinking playoffs

He's a tall goalie; a presence in the net that shrinks the options for shooters. Some nights he's unbeatable. Other nights he stops the shots his team needs him to stop. But most of all, his stellar play as a rookie reinvigorated a season that was slipping down the standings. What once was talk of next season became talk of the postseason.

That was Sean Burke in 1988 for the New Jersey Devils, dragging a team that didn't seem predestined for the playoffs into the final seed with a remarkable 10-1 record in 13 games. His debut between the pipes changed the dynamic for his team. His confidence permeated through the lineup. His play gave them a chance to believe.

James Reimer was born during that Devils' playoff push. Now, he's doing much the same thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs ... although not in the truncated schedule Burke did it in and standing two inches shorter.

The 6-2 Reimer is 10-4-2 with a 2.24 GAA and a stellar .931 save percentage, which would place him second in the NHL behind Tim Thomas had he played the 20 games minimum for leaderboard eligibility. (Tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins is expected to be his 18th appearance.)

Canadian Readers: Click here to watch Hockey Night in Canada on Y! Sports Canada, featuring the Penguins and Leafs (7 p.m. ET), the Hurricanes and Canadiens (7 p.m. ET), the Flyers and Senators (7 p.m. ET) and the Bruins and Canucks (10 p.m. ET).

The term "rookie sensation" is tossed around as commonly as any hockey label, but Reimer fits the suit. The Leafs are six points out of the No. 8 seed beginning play tonight, thanks in large part to the man they call Optimus Reim.

"Optimus" being derivative of "Optimist," it's a fitting moniker. There's sanguinity around the Leafs that no one thought could appear this late in the season back when Toronto was hapless and the Boston Bruins thought they had a top 3 pick in next summer's draft.

But through that adversity, and the shedding of big-name players like Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin and Kris Versteeg in the last few weeks, there's hope. From the Globe & Mail, here's Joffrey Lupul:

"Now that we're closing the gap, you start getting that belief more and more everyday," Lupul said. "We play two games this weekend, and I've already heard guys saying around the [dressing] room, if we win two games, we could be, theoretically, sitting tied for a playoff spot on the day of the trade deadline.
"So that's quite a turnaround from where we were 14 or 18 days ago."

Reimer's been a key part of that turnaround. His first start was a Battle of Ontario win on Jan. 1 at the Ottawa Senators, 5-1. He's given up two goals or less in 10 of his 15 starts. On Thursday night, in a wild game against the Montreal Canadiens, he surrendered four but was there when the Leafs needed him. Eight of his 10 wins have come on the road.

The Toronto Sun, in their assessment of 10 keys for the Leafs in this playoff push, wondered if Reimer can keep this up:

In order for the Leafs to continue their strong playoff push, he may have to.
Upon further review, who else is there? Veteran J-S Giguere's roller-coaster season has been a tale of on-again, off-again hip/groin problems, while Jonas Gustavsson tries to regain his lost confidence as he recovers from a third heart procedure.
Indeed, the fate of the Leafs - at least in the immediate future - seems to be in the young hands of the unflappable Reimer, who already has been given the nod by coach Ron Wilson to start against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and in Atlanta against the Thrashers on Sunday.

The Sun wonders if Reimer is "a flash in the pan." Burke, after his lightning-in-a-bottle start for the Devils in 1988, played 18 seasons of varying degrees of success. Others who started strong like Jim Carey and (painful as this may be) Andrew Raycroft failed to recapture that excellence again.

Reimer? What's the point of looking down the career path now? He's rescued the Leafs goaltending from injury and inconsistency. He's backstopped them into playoff contention. Leave the 'goalie of the future' for the future; right now, James Reimer is leading a Leafs team that has Jim Hughson quoting Hamlet and Toronto checking the standings for the right reasons again.

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Listen to Puck Daddy Radio for Elliotte Friedman, Kovalev trade

It's a Thursday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Special Guest Star: The great Elliotte Friedman of CBC Sports on the trade deadline and press box cheering.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins get Alexei Kovalev for ... a seventh rounder?

• Updates on Zherdev, Svatos, Rivet and others dropped on waiver wire.

• The Dan Ellis trade for the Anaheim Ducks.

• Dallas denies Richards' trade price tag.

• Question of the day: Do homer announcers make the hockey world a better place? Yes or no and why?

• Moller Madness, and your chance to qualify for our Friday game show.

• Puck Headlines.

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here:

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President Obama likes the Bears over the Packers, 20-17

The president is a Chicago Bears fan, and has already committed to attending the Super Bowl if the Bears get there be beating the Packers on Sunday.

Friday, he busted out a prediction for the game, too. From the Chicago Tribune:

Obama’s guessing the Bears win, 20-17, according to White House spokesman Matt Lehrich.
Why?
“The difference in the game: the crowd and venue of Soldier Field,” Lehrich quoted Obama as saying.

Seems reasonable enough. Home teams have won five of the last six NFC Championship games, and the Chicago crowd figures to be as rabid as it's ever been. President Obama also likes a low-scoring game, which would probably favor the Bears.

Should the Super Bowl come down to Jets vs. Bears, I'm going to have to root for the Jets. Only because I want to hear Bart Scott yell at President Obama.

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Saturday's Three Stars: Lucic returns home; Goligoski impresses

No. 1 Star: Milan Lucic, Boston Bruins

Lucic returned to Vancouver where he was born and played junior hockey and broke a 1-1 tie late in the third with his 27th goal to help give the Boston Bruins a 3-1 victory over the Canucks. Capping off his three-point night, Lucic assisted on Nathan Horton's tying goal and Patrice Bergeron's empty-netter to give the Bruins their fourth win in a row. Tim Thomas made 27 saves for his 28th win of the season. Boston has now won the first four games of their current six-game road trip.

No. 2 Star: Alex Goligoski, Dallas Stars

The newest Dallas Star had a heckuva third period. He scored his first goal for the Stars to tie the game at 2-2 and then 10 minutes later helped setup Loui Eriksson's game-winning power play tally in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. After watching New Jersey win the game on Tuesday from the penalty box, Goligoski contributed a postitive memory for Stars fans thanks to a fortunate bounce:

No. 3 Star: Erik Condra, Ottawa Senators

Condra's first two NHL goals paced the Senators to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers went up 1-0 and outshot Ottawa 15-3 after the first period, but goals from Condra and Nick Foligno in the second gave the Senators the lead for good. Playing in potentially his final game as a Senator, Chris Phillips scored his first goal of the season. Making 30 saves, Craig Anderson won for the third time in four starts since being dealt to Ottawa.

Honorable mention: Mike Knuble and Alex Semin scored 3:17 apart in the third period as the Washington Capitals came from behind to edge the New York Islanders 3-2. Brooks Laich added a goal and an assist as the Capitals won for the sixth straight time on Long Island ... The Islanders announced attendance was 16,250, their first sell-out of the season ... Blake Geoffrion become the NHL's first fourth-generation player when he made his debut for the Predators ... Andrei Kostitsyn's power goal with 3:53 to go in the third period was the difference as the Montreal Canadiens got by the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec each recorded two points and Alex Auld made 28 stops for the win ... The Los Angeles Kings built up a 4-0 lead and hung on as the Colorado Avalanche launched a late comeback to win 4-3. Anze Kopitar scored his 20th of the season and Drew Doughty tallied his 10th. Ryan Smyth recorded his 400th career NHL assist. Los Angeles improved to 8-0-0 when Doughty scores this season ... Alexei Kovalev scored his first goal in his second tour of duty with Pittsburgh and then potted the shootout winner as the Penguins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5. Kris Letang led all skaters with 32:47 of ice time and Mark Letestu scored and added an assist in his return to the Pittsburgh lineup ... Toronto forward Joffrey Lupul scored twice to give him 11 goals in 17 career games against the Penguins ... After Pavel Datsyuk went backhand and beat Buffalo Sabres Ryan Miller in the first round of the shootout, Hudler followed suit to clinch a 3-2 comeback win. Detroit fell behind 2-0 in the first period before a Datsyuk goal in the second period cut the lead in a half and then Hudler tied things with 58 seconds remaining in regulation. Mike Modano returned to the Detroit lineup after missing 41 games with a wrist injury.

Did you know? "Plekanec is the first Canadiens player to have five consecutive 20-goal seasons since Stephane Richer had six in a row from 1985-86 to 1990-91." (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Nashville dropped their fourth in a row ... Brian Boucher's four-game win streak came to an end ... Brian Elliott has allowed nine goals in his first two starts with Colorado.

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T.O. diagnoses Bengals entire organization as 'not right'

Terrell Owens, the Bengals leading receiver in 2010, isn't mad at Carson Palmer for wanting out of Cincinnati. In fact, he thinks it says more about the Bengals' shortcomings than Palmer's.

In the NFL Network studio with Solomon Wilcots and Warren Sapp, Owens got honest about the state of the 4-12 Bengals. And yes, if you want to, you can see it as Owens selfishly shoving his team into a woodchipper, but to me, nothing about it feels malicious or me-first. I see only a guy being honest and making a lot of sense.

The highlights:

"If you have your franchise quarterback who is supposed to be that guy for your team [and he's] trying to get out of there, that’s kind of telling the organization something, and that’s telling a lot of people out there something as well."
"Even before I got there, they said the owner was a little different. Obviously, I saw that. You start with the head coach, and then you start with the staff on both sides of the ball."
"Offensively, we really didn’t have the coaching that we really needed to muster what we had on the offensive side of the ball."

In summary, the things holding back the Bengals organization are the two small matters of the front office and the coaches. Anyone want to tell him he's wrong?

Owens will be a free agent this summer, and could end up, just like last summer, scrambling for a job.

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02/12 (Very) Quickie

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Interview with Edward Golden of Right Angle Sports

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In James Neal, has Ray Shero found his winger for Sidney Crosby?

While you were out today celebrating Presidents' Day or Family Day, a pair of NHL GMs were continuing the recent trend of trading young stars who are signed through next season.

After the rumor appeared on The Dreger Report this morning, TSN's Bob McKenzie broke the news this afternoon that the Dallas Stars had traded James Neal and Matt Niskanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Alex Goligoski.

Before you reply "and what else was involved?", let me paraphrase McBain from The Simpsons: that's the deal.

From the Stars:

Goligoski, 25, has appeared in 60 games for Pittsburgh this season, scoring nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points. Averaging 20:45 minutes of playing time per game, he shares the Pittsburgh lead for plus/minus rating (also Sidney Crosby) with a +20, and has a +34 rating for his career. Goligoski leads the Penguins in game-winning goals this season with four. A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., he was Pittsburgh's second round selection (61st overall) at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

"We're very excited to add Alex Goligoski to our hockey club," said Nieuwendyk. "Alex is a legitimate top-four defenseman who will have a positive impact on our entire crops of blue-liners. He has averaged over 20 minutes per game and can play in all situations."

For the Stars, they get an offensive blueliner in Goligoski who's can help bolster their defense, work on their power play and is currently on pace for a career year in production. He's also signed through next season at a $1.833 million cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent. The Stars also freed up some money in the process (Brad Richards extension, anyone?) as Neal's salary next season will jump from $2.25 million to $3.5 million. His cap hit will remain at $2.875 million, per CapGeek.

So has Ray Shero finally found a guy that can be consistently productive next to Sidney Crosby?

Neal's posted 20-plus goals in each of his first three seasons in the NHL and already Penguins fans are salivated at the thought of him playing alongside Crosby. If Neal could put up 20 goals playing next to Brad Richards, who's to say 35 isn't in reach next to a healthy Crosby?

While Penguins fans are excited at the deal, Brandon Worley of Defending Big D believes Neal has regressed (from this morning before the trade was announced):

Let's not kid ourselves, either. James Neal has shown himself to be more of a one-dimensional forward than we ever thought. He's not exactly the best backchecking, defensive forward the Stars have and when you play the system the Stars do, the ability to backcheck is more important than ever. If Neal were much more consistent a goal-scorer and more able to create offense on his own, then those shortcomings could be overlooked. He's not, so it's impossible to overlook what he's not doing and as of now all we have is talk about his "potential".
All of this isn't to say that Neal is not a good player. He's a very good forward and he's certainly a top-six forward in the NHL.
Right now, however, his value is still high around the NHL based on two years ago and the potential everyone says he still has. Teams would love to have a hard hitting, power forward with sniper abilities on their team -- especially if they have a capable center to pair him with.

While Neal may not have developed into what some thought he'd be when he was drafted in 2005, his trade to Pittsburgh could turn into a "change of scenery" deal where he becomes that player. Only time will time, but in the meantime, the overwhelming opinion is that the Penguins won this one and Nieuwendyk must have taken a headshot in Saturday's Heritage Classic Alumni Game.

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Friday's Three Stars: Calvert, Bishop with firsts; Clowe's heroics

No. 1 Star: Matt Calvert, Columbus Blue Jackets

In his 20th NHL game, the Blue Jackets rookie tallied a natural hat trick and added an assist in their 5-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. He scored a power-play goal, as the usually underwhelming special teams unit converted three times. But this goal in the second period was the highlight, in which Calvert tipped the puck to himself before batting it home.

No. 2 Star: Ben Bishop, St. Louis Blues

The 6-foot-7 goaltender posted his first career shutout with a 39-save effort, as the St. Louis Blues defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 5-0. Chris Stewart scored another two goals for the Blues, and Patrik Berglund scored goal No. 17.

No. 3 Star: Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks

Sometimes, the nightly Three Stars are more about impact than about big stats. And it doesn't get more impactful than Ryane Clowe scoring the game-tying goal at 17:26 and then the winning shootout goal in impressive fashion. The Sharks topped the Calgary Flames, 4-3, thanks to this skills competition tally:

Honorable mention: Erik Christensen (2 G, 2 A) and Henrik Lundqvist (35 saves for his NHL-best eighth shutout) both deserved stars for their performances in the New York Rangers' 6-0 thumping of the Washington Capitals. The last time the Capitals lost by six or more goals at home was Nov. 2006. ... Erik Cole had a goal and an assist, while Cam Ward made 33 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-1. ... The Canes win combined with the New Jersey Devils' 2-1 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning put the Devils 11 points out of the No. 8 seed. Martin St. Louis and Simon Gagne had the goals. ... Jochen Hecht scored the go-ahead goal and Thomas Vanek iced it with his 23rd into an empty net as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators, 4-2. Craig Anderson had 35 saves in the loss. ... Earlier today, Steve Bernier passed through waivers. On Friday night for the Florida Panthers, he scored the winning goal in a six-round shootout against the Atlanta Thrashers. Tomas Vokoun made 45 saves in regulation for Florida, which won 2-1. ... Pierre-Marc Bouchard ended an entertaining overtime with a breakaway goal on Dan Ellis (28 saves) as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2. Jose Theodore stopped 46 shots. Francois Beauchemin tied the game for the Ducks with 2 minutes left in the third.

Did you know? The Lightning ended a 12-game homestand with a 7-3-2 record. The California Golden Seals, who went 4-7-1, are the only other NHL team to play 12 consecutive home games. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Eric Staal was checked hard by Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen before leaving for the dressing room. He's day-to-day with an upper body injury. ... Alex Kovalev skated 19 minutes for the Penguins, but didn't tally a point while taking four penalty minutes. ... John Carlson was a minus-3 for the Capitals. Andrew Cogliano and Jim Vandermeer were minus-3 for the Oilers. Sammy Pahlsson was a minus-3 for the Jackets. ... Ondrej Pavelec left the game for the Thrashers after the first period with an undisclosed injury. ... Atlanta is winless in 16 of its last 19 games.

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LeBron James and NBA player power | Nicolaus Mills

James's move to the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade heralds a new era. Now sport stars create their own teams

As someone who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, I understand the anger of Cleveland fans over the decision of the city's superstar basketball player, LeBron James, to leave Ohio in order to join the Miami Heat. Cleveland's great institutions ? the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Art Museum, the Cleveland Clinic ? evoke pride but not much joy. Pro-sports are what make the news and unite Clevelanders.

When I was in junior high school, students were allowed to skip class and go to the opening day baseball game of the Cleveland Indians. All we had to do was show our teacher that our parents had bought us a ticket. Supporting the team, like paying local sales taxes, was looked on as a civic duty.

What is hard to understand in the case of LeBron James is the rage of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. "As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier," Gilbert wrote in an open letter to Cleveland fans. "This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown 'chosen one' sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn."

All this rage is coming from a man who regularly buys and sells players. On the surface, it seems little more than the hypocrisy of a businessman who had a deal fall through. But behind Gilbert's rage is more than hypocrisy. What infuriated Gilbert was that his money wasn't enough to retain the services of LeBron James. James and two other friends from the American Olympic basketball team, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, decided that they wanted to become the nucleus of the best team in professional basketball.

Driving the three players was a perfectionist's view of the game itself. Their combined salaries ? each will receive more than $100m over the next six years ? were actually $15m less than they might have got through maximum deals with separate teams.

In basketball, as in most professional sports, it is owners working with general managers who are traditionally responsible for assembling a team. James, Bosh and Wade, in remaking the Miami Heat, were, in effect, saying that idea is old hat. Owners are not the only ones who can put together a great team. Talented players can do the same job just as well.

In one of the few businesses in America in which workers have greater name recognition than the executives who pay them, the result has been a sports revolution. Owners such as Dan Gilbert have now been warned: the old formula for making a profit based on fielding mediocre teams and charging high ticket prices is in jeopardy. Players who want to see their sport played at the highest level can create their own teams. The example set by James, Bosh and Wade can be duplicated by others.

Nicolaus Mills

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NBA great Shaquille O'Neal signs for the Boston Celtics

? The 38-year-old played Cleveland Cavaliers last season
? O'Neal has been named NBA most valuable player three times

NBA great Shaquille O'Neal has signed for the Boston Celtics. The 38-year-old, 7'1" centre signed as a free agent after playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season.

O'Neal, who was the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic, is a three-time NBA Finals most valuable player (in 2000, 2001 and 2002) and was NBA MVP in 2000.

He has won four NBA Championship titles - in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with the Los Angeles Lakers and 2006 with the Miami Heat - and was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996, when aged 24.

"I am honoured to be joining the Celtics," O'Neal said on the team's official website, http://www.celtics.com. "I cannot wait to get to Boston to get started in pursuit of another championship."

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

In defense of Jay Cutler

"Quitter" is about the worst label you can put on an NFL player. It's a culture where toughness is lionized and valued above all else -- if you're "tough," you're accepted, and if you're not, you have no one's respect.

After what happened Sunday, Jay Cutler is probably stuck with the "quitter" label for the rest of his career. At the very least, it's a question mark that'll follow him around for a long time.

And it's ridiculous.

The notion that he quit Sunday doesn't make sense. Cutler was playing poorly, so he wanted out of the game? He was taking a beating, so he didn't want to play anymore?

Like Jay Cutler has never played poorly or taken a beating before. As a matter of fact, if there's anything that Jay Cutler has proven in his career, it's that when he's throwing interceptions, he is absolutely willing to stay on the field and keep throwing interceptions. It's his defining trait.

Never once has Jay Cutler gotten gun shy. He has never been accused of not believing in his own ability, as evidenced by his constant willingness to make low-percentage throws into tight windows. No one ever said before Sunday, "Boy, playing poorly really seems to embarrass and affect Jay Cutler."

And if he was embarrassed and just didn't want to be in the game anymore, why would he stay on the sidelines in full view of everyone in the stadium? Wouldn't he just go hide in the locker room?

Leaving the game because he was taking a physical beating is even more absurd. Cutler took 52 sacks this year, 12 more than anyone else in the league, and missed one game due to injury (a concussion in Week 4 after the Giants sacked him nine times - yes, nine times -- in one half). Only 12 quarterbacks in the NFL played all 16 games this year. Cutler gave the Bears 15, despite taking more of a beating than anyone else.

The "but if he's healthy enough to stand on the sidelines, he's healthy enough to play!" rationale is ridiculous, too. I'd be willing to entertain that thought if it came from an orthopedist who performed a full exam on Jay Cutler's knee right after the injury.

No one knows what Cutler was feeling. No one even knows the exact nature of the injury yet. There are knee injuries that allow a man to stand, but still prevent him from doing other things.

It's not like he pulled out of a mini-golf contest here. He needs to plant that foot into the ground and throw. He needs to run. I do not accept "if you're physically capable of standing, you are physically capable of playing quarterback in the NFL" as truth.

There's no way he quit Sunday. He's not dumb -- he knows that all eyes were on him, and he knows that he doesn't want the stigma of a quitter. There's no way he'd invite that on himself unless he knew he couldn't play effectively. No part of "Jay Cutler quit" makes sense.

Cutler's always had a persona that's seemed aloof and detached. Perhaps, to some, that makes him unlikable. That's fine. No one has to like Jay Cutler, and any criticism he gets for playing poorly Sunday is well-deserved. He was a disaster.

But to call him a quitter is a completely different thing, and it's unfair to do it because you don't like the look on the man's face. His demeanor might not be the most enthusiastic, but there's nothing in his history that suggests "quitter." Nothing.

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2011 NFL Draft: Top 10 Outside Linebackers

Outside Linebackers can be huge difference makers for NFL teams—especially in the 3-4 where they blitz a lot.

4-3 outside linebackers are more valued for their coverage skills on tight ends, and running backs also supporting the run.

A good outside linebacker has great strength and acceleration to the football; good instincts and awareness; and they should be able to shed blocks and play with a solid base.

They also play sideline to sideline—being relentless, attacking the ball, and making big plays.

Pittsburgh's James Harrison and Green Bay's Clay Matthews are big reasons why their teams made the Super Bowl.

Here are my Top 10 Outside Linebackers for the 2011 NFL Draft.

Begin Slideshow

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Fantasy: Late-season scoring machines; rolling with Hedberg

(Note: Our friends at Dobber Hockey are back for some fantasy fun. All stats are through Wednesday night's games; this feature will be found on Thursdays here on Puck Daddy.)

Finishing strong matters to poolies - it can be the difference between a forgettable middle-of-the-pack finish and taking home championship hardware.

With that in mind, many fantasy hockey GMs have taken notice of the recent scoring by teams like the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues (second and sixth respectively in scoring since the All Star break), neither of which had been lighting it up this season.

Are trends like these flukes? Are they only the result of particularly savvy late season trades? Can they last?

Some might argue that a late season scoring inversion can take place as the best teams look ahead to the playoffs, whereas those teams on the bubble fight tooth-and-nail to earn a place in the post-season.

Here's a breakdown of the top 10 teams for post-Olympic scoring last year:

2009-10 Season	Post-Olympic Break Goals (GPs)	Final Total Goals (League Placing)
VAN	77 (21)	268 (2^nd)
CHI	71 (21)	262 (3^rd)
WSH	70 (20)	313 (1^st)
DET	68 (21)	223 (14^th)
BUF	68 (22)	231 (10^th)
COL	64 (21)	237 (6^th)
NYI	62 (20)	214 (20^th)
STL	61 (20)	218 (17^th)
PIT	61 (20)	249 (5^th)
CAR	61 (21)	226 (13^th)

The top three scoring teams in the league last year finished strong, but the list also contains some surprises, including non-playoff bound squads like the New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, and Carolina Hurricanes. And while the San Jose Sharks were the fourth highest scoring team last year, they were 15th overall in their final 20 games (not shown).

Some of these performances were easier to predict (like the Red Wings' recovery from a bevy of injuries), while others were more difficult. But one thing is clear - scoring isn't static in the NHL, and poolies cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they hope to survive the final quarter of the season.

All positions as listed in Yahoo! Sports, with ownership percentage in parentheses.

Goals

Devin Setoguchi, RW, San Jose Sharks (25%)

In case you missed his hat trick last Saturday against the Avs (his first ever), Setoguchi chalked up another two goals Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Even better, the 24-year old has put up 14 points in his last 13 games. This streak is making believers out of some of Setoguchi's detractors. The best description of his questionable value until late belongs to Matt Taylor at Fear the Fin, who wrote, "the uber-talented prospect was much like your once valuable collection of Pokemon cards. Years ago, you wouldn't trade them for anything. Now, you're selling your whole binder at a yard sale for $3.50, packaged with a frisbee your dog bit through." Now Taylor believes things have changed, and while we can't condone the collecting of Pokemon cards under any circumstances, we think he's onto something.

Dan Cleary, RW, Detroit Red Wings (31%)

If you've ever been to Newfoundland, you probably have a soft spot for the first Newfoundlander ever to have his name carved into Lord Stanley's Cup. Despite a broken wrist Cleary is healthier than he was last year, and has already set a new career high of 21 goals in a season. With four goals and two assists in the last week, he's looking to finish strong. The 18 shots he's racked up over the past seven games isn't to be overlooked either. And BTW, Newfoundland is pronounced such that is rhymes with ‘understand'. Not that this explains why the locals make visitors drink horrible rum called ‘Screech' and then kiss a puffin's ass (Ed. note: WTF?).

Andy McDonald, C/LW, St Louis Blues (32%)

Now supposedly healthy after suffering a concussion last December, McDonald has four goals and two assists in the past week. Some observers have argued that he and new linemate, Chris Stewart, have developed an "instant chemistry", and he clearly is fantasy-relevant again having notched 12 points in the 10 games since his return.

Assists

Jiri Hudler, RW, Detroit Red Wings (8%)

Ah Mr. Hudler, we all wondered how long it would take you to readjust to North American hockey -- and for many you took too long. However, we can't ignore your six-game point streak (which includes eight assists), and to be fair, we should acknowledge that your turnaround got going in mid-January. In the 16 games since then, you've picked up an impressive 17 points. And as long as Hudler is playing with Pavel Datsyuk and Cleary, the points should keep flowing.

T.J. Oshie, C, St. Louis Blues (22%)

After returning to the Blues' lineup on January 18, Oshie took a few games to return to form in terms of contributions measured on the scoreboard. But he's only been held pointless in two of 10 games in February, and he is currently on a three-game multi-point scoring streak (five assists, three goals, and 13 shots).

Shots-on-Goal

Tyler Kennedy, C/LW, Pittsburgh Penguins (13%)

Fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins can't really be pleased, but with their top guns out due to injury, Kennedy is earning first unit power play time. With 15 shots in his past three games, it's making a difference to his stats. And believe it or not, Kennedy is also the Pens' active goal-scoring leader. The Pens' losses might be your gain.

Plus/Minus

Andrew Ference, D, Boston (2%)

Ference is on a three-game point streak, and is a plus-five over the course of the past week. Not sure how this relates to his comments earlier in the month about his team's ‘hypocrisy' with regards to blindside hits, but its awesome to see a guy with courage who said what a lot of other people were thinking go out there and back it up on the ice.

PIM

Travis Hamonic, D, New York Islanders (12%)

Hamonic led the way over the past week with 33 minutes in the penalty box. In fact, he's earned 65 minutes in the seven games since February 11^th. As a defensemen, the opportunity cost of grabbing him for PIM is lower than a forward, plus he's picked up six points and been a plus-four since his recent reign of terror began on the 11th. It's hard to argue that he's just a cement-head.

Goalies

When the top-three goalies for the past seven days are owned in one third or fewer of all Yahoo! leagues, it makes you wonder. Isn't everybody desperate for goaltending? Maybe not.

Johan Hedberg, G, New Jersey (32%)

With four wins, a minuscule GAA of 0.75, and 84 saves, Hedberg was the best of this unloved lot over the past seven days. The 37-year-old journeyman who's making some ask the question, ‘Marty? Marty who?', earned two shutouts last week and even with Martin Brodeur healthy you have to think that Devil's coach Jacques Lemaire won't squander the lightening-in-a-bottle that he's captured in Hedberg.

James Reimer, G, Toronto Maple Leafs (33%)

We've mentioned him before, but it's worth pointing out that he's now gone 9-4-2 on a Toronto Maple Leafs' squad that is 26-27-7 on the year.

Al Montoya, G, New York Islanders (9%)

The most available of the three goaltenders, Montoya's is admittedly the least attractive due to the fact that he's wearing a New York Islanders sweater. However, the 26-year-old is making the most of the trade that brought him to Long Island from Phoenix, and with two wins, a nifty 1.11 GAA, and with 93 saves made in the past seven days he might help you out.

Middle-of-the-Pack Jack says:

Last year was messed up because of the Olympics - it wore out all the good players. Plus, it was the extra time off that allowed crappy team like the Islanders to jump up in the scoring. Weak teams don't normally finish strong. I just ain't buying it.

We say: The 2010-11 season certainly wasn't the only year when stronger teams lost a step, while weaker teams stepped it up leading up to the close of the regular season. Since the 2004-05 lockout, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a habit of it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are lots of cases of strong teams flattening out - like the (President's Trophy and Stanley Cup-winning) Dallas Stars that went 11-7-2 in their final 20, or Colorado (also President's Trophy and Stanley Cup-winning) in 2001 that went 13-7 to round out the season. And as far as the Olympics tiring out the good players, consider the 2002 Stanley Cup-winning Red Wings who had no fewer than 10 Olympians on their (yet again, President's Trophy and Stanley Cup-winning) team, or the fact that there were 11 Olympians playing in last year's final.

***

It's hopefully not news to you that the NHL is a dynamic league, and the final 20 games are certainly no exception. If past seasons are an indication, then by no means is the recent increase in scoring by teams like the New York Islanders necessarily temporary. And for those looking to take some risks in the final quarter of the season, it might be worthwhile to get on board in the hopes of finishing strong.

If you're looking to test out some more specific theories about who scores when, check out the Frozen Fantasy tool available here.

Brent Lemon enjoys sharing his thoughts on hockey, good, bad, or outrageous. Somewhat surprisingly, his work has appeared in several places, including USA Today publications, and his fantasy hockey column, Lemon Aid, appears every so often at DobberHockey.com

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The Shutdown 40: #2 - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

With the 2010 NFL season in the books, it's time to turn our eyes to the NFL draft, and the pre-draft evaluation process. Before the 2011 scouting combine begins on Thursday, we'll be taking a closer look at the 40 draft-eligible players who may be the biggest difference-makers when all is said and done.

We continue our series with Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley. After missing out on his first shot at Auburn due to academic restrictions, Fairley came out of junior college before the Tigers' 2009 season and started to heat up in the second half of his first year there. Still, few were prepared for the season Fairley put up in 2010 -- he amassed 11.5 sacks (nine solo), 21 quarterback hurries and 21 tackles for loss -- all at defensive tackle, and all with his status as the undeniable focus of every opposing offensive line.

That got him the Lombardi Award, and Defensive MVP Award in Auburn's BCS Championship win over Oregon, and the possibility of a first overall pick. According to the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers, possessors of the No. 1 selection, have already been doing background calls on Fairley. A solid combine could put him at the top of a draft class in which every single player seems to have at least one, "yeah, but..."

Pros: Fairley is explosive off the snap, and he's always looking for a gap to push through and get to the quarterback or ballcarrier. Bulls back single blockers with alarming strength and can split double-teams with that same strength as well as an effective series of hand moves. Slants very quickly off blocks in front of him and can push past blockers at an angle.

Fairley has the size and disruptive ability to be a very effective three-tech in a four-man front, but he's also stout enough to play straight over center in a three-man or hybrid front, making him a potential franchise player in just about any defense. Engages only as long as he has to -- even before he's winning strength battles on plays, he's always looking upfield. As a one-tech, forces the flow away from him and draws double-teams. Has a great inside roll to the quarterback; starts in a straight line and closes in very well. Sure tackler with violent intentions.

Cons: Has had frequent and well-documented issues with an inability to play inside the rules; he's developed a reputation as a cheap-shot artist. He's received multiple penalties for late hits and has a tendency to get nasty after the whistle. Can be drawn offside, and his aggressiveness can be used against him in a general sense. His after-throw quarterback hits, while legal and unflagged at the NCAA level, will likely draw him some flags and fines in the NFL, especially if his rep travels with him. Questions about his work ethic will have to be put to rest.

Conclusion: Fairley isn't quite the Warren Sapp-type player who demolished offenses when he was in Tampa Bay, but he reminds of the Sapp who played a bit more upright in Oakland from 2004 through 2006 and started to allow an "illegal" side to his play. That's not to say that Fairley doesn't have the talent to be elite at that level, but he'll have to clean up his act on the field before he can take that next step. The interview portions of his scouting combine week will be crucial; it may be that he's just a severe Type-A guy who needs that aggression corralled by the right kind of coaching. If that happens, look out, because a properly directed Nick Fairley could be a very dangerous individual ... in all the right ways.

NFL Comparison: Warren Sapp, Oakland Raiders, 2004-2007

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LeBron James announces his move to Miami Heat: in pictures

NBA star LeBron James has announced he will move to Miami Heat in a deal that could earn him over $100m

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NBA confirms London dates for regular season fixtures

? Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets meet in March
? Move part of plan to develop basketball for London 2012

The NBA will play two regular season games in London next March, part of a push to bring professional basketball to the city before it hosts the 2012 Olympics, the NBA commissioner David Stern confirmed today.

The matches, to be held on 4 and 5 March, will feature the Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets and will represent one home date and one away fixture for both teams.

"The staging of our first regular-season games in Europe is a milestone for the NBA and the ongoing development of basketball in the region," said Stern. "By bringing these two young and exciting teams to London, we are fulfilling our commitment to schedule a regular-season game in the UK prior to the 2012 Olympics - a natural progression given the overwhelming response to the many friendlies we have played to sold-out crowds over the years."

The league has played a handful of regular season games outside North America since holding its first in Japan in 1990.It follows the example of the NFL, which has staged annual gridiron fixtures at Wembley Stadium since 2007.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Saturday's Three Stars: Lucic returns home; Goligoski impresses

No. 1 Star: Milan Lucic, Vancouver Canucks

No. 2 Star: Alex Goligoski, Dallas Stars

No. 3 Star: Erik Condra, Ottawa Senators

Did you know? "Plekanec is the first Canadiens player to have five consecutive 20-goal seasons since Stephane Richer had six in a row from 1985-86 to 1990-91." (AP)

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2011 MLB Wins Over/Unders

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02/04 Quickie: Super Bowl Eve Eve

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Charlie Davies Ready to Prove Himself as Player and Person With D.C. United

Filed under: MLS, U.S. Men's National Team, D.C. United

Charlie Davies is ready to be a grown-up. He's ready to be a role model.

The man whose life changed forever when he skipped out on national team curfew (less than 48 hours before a World Cup qualifier) and got into an SUV with a woman who'd been drinking now wants to be the player to whom others turn for guidance.

He's hoping to get that chance with D.C. United, which is trialing the 24-year-old striker in Florida. If Davies can demonstrate that he's able to contribute, the MLS club will acquire him on a year-long loan from Sochaux.

Naturally, he hopes those contributions show up on the scoreboard.

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Documents show owners planned for lockout in TV contracts

INDIANAPOLIS -- While most of the NFL is focused squarely on the talent on the hoof at the scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, the back-story with legs is happening across the street at the Indianapolis Convention Center. That's where agents and the NFLPA were to be meeting Friday morning to discuss several issues related to the possible impending lockout, and the issues that could affect how long -- and if -- that lockout actually happens.

Key among these issues is the recent decision by Special Master Stephen Burbank that the NFL owners would be allotted the $4 billion due to them for television contracts in the 2011 season, despite the fact that there's no guarantee any games will be played. The NFLPA wanted a decision that would have put that money in an escrow account until a new collective bargaining agreement could be put in place, and the Players Association also alleged that the owners negotiated new TV contracts in bad faith, essentially taking slightly less money upfront (affecting gross revenue on both sides) in order to guarantee the payment of that money.

Now that certain documents from the case heard by Burbank have been made public (albeit in redacted form), we know that some extended TV deals had "lockout clauses" -- specifically, deals with DirectTV, CBS, NBC and FOX. According to Burbank's ruling, the CBS and FOX contracts had pre-existing provisions that would require the networks to pay rights fees in the event of a work stoppage of any kind. The most interesting revelation about this in the Burbank decision is the notion that "the parties would negotiate a refund in good faith." In other words, there was no specific timeframe in which owners would have to return the money, and those conditions were not set out. The owners then added work stoppage language to the extended ESPN and NBC deals; both of those deals were signed in 2010.

Burbank's ruling splits letter and spirit -- he talks about the NFL's responsibility to use best efforts and good faith in the negotiations of TV contracts to be "terms of art" under law. He then states that there is no specific provision in the CBA that nails down what those terms mean in the negotiation of any contract. In other words, guys, the owners may have sacrificed some of the revenue you're supposed to receive in the interests of filling their own coffers after locking you out. But because the agreement you signed doesn't spell out what best efforts and good faith mean, there's no real boundary.

Burbank's ruling seems to hinge on the notion that the NFL can somehow act in the best short-term interest of the players (actually, both parties) and its own long-term business interests at the same time. A specious notion at best, but that's what we're left with at this time. What the NFLPA can't seem to prove at this time is the crux of its case -- that the owners willingly and specifically went out of their way to deny players revenue. Without that proof, the notion of lockout insurance becomes a bit more reasonable, if not entirely palatable.

In other recent labor news ... in a recent column in the Washington Post, Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia -- the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation -- advocated that the league open its books in the interest of full financial disclosure.

What I'd like to see from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners is a simple display of good faith: Show the union your books. Don't keep secrets. If there are financial pressures that keep you from agreeing to the revenue-sharing plan proposed by the players, let's see the proof.
Ask a neutral third party to review your financial data, redact anything sensitive and prepare an unbiased bottom-line assessment of the league's finances.
Certainly, some owners make significant investments while managing a professional sports team and I don't want to play down their long-term expenses and obligations.
But the players deserve a good-faith effort to demonstrate that these expenses are real and not just an excuse.

A Senator espousing the idea of the league opening its books, at the same time the NFLPA is looking to decertify in order to bring possible antitrust action against the NFL? Stay tuned, folks. This labor stuff is once again about to get very interesting.

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