The Philadelphia Flyers are one of the best teams in the NHL. I've given an entire post to the season they are having, if only because they are quite possibly the most complete team in the league.
They have skill, grit, physicality, intelligence, experience and goaltending. All of these are requirements of a cup team, and they could very well be on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Philadelphia is stacked with talent, having stars such as Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux and Daniel Briere bless the team with their goal-scoring and two-way play. Complemental elements such as Ville Leino, Scott Hartnell, young James vanRiemsdyk and recently acquired Kris Versteeg add to the immense depth that the Flyers attack their opponents with. Their defense corps is arguably the best in the league, headlined by Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and Brayden Coburn. Matt Carle, Andrej Meszaros and Sean O'Donnell round out the group. In net, veteran Brian Boucher and rookie Sergei Bobrovsky are splitting starts. They have both been excellent, but come playoff time coach Peter Laviolette must choose between the two. The third option is to acquire a true starting goaltender by trade.
The Flyers have already acquired their main acquisition for the season in Kris Versteeg. He has slid onto a line with captain Mike Richards and winger James vanRiemsdyk to form a strong second line. As I said before, the Flyers could look for an upgrade in net but may also choose to play their hand instead. As seen in recent years past, goaltenders like Antti Niemi and Chris Osgood can backstop teams to the championship. One rumor circling around is that enigmatic Nik Zherdev is on his way out of town. Certain sources say that he could be placed on waivers while others say that he will be straight up traded. His value is not very high as even with double-digit goals he cannot avoid the press box. It truly looks like the Flyers have an excellent shot at winning Lord Stanley's Cup, and this team has the ability to do it.
The Pittsburgh Penguins can define their season easily. They are playing a game of survival until their captain and leading scorer Sidney Crosby comes back from a concussion suffered during the Winter Classic. Evgeni Malkin has succumbed to a knee injury that has ended his season and he will not be available for the next six months. In the mean time, the Penguins must rely on forwards Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz, Tyler Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis to lead the team as they go towards the playoffs without their stars. Pittsburgh is by no means easy to beat, however, as they still have an excellent defense and their team can score by committee as well. Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski move the puck well, while Zbynek Michalek, Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik provide a good mix of leadership, defensive play, grit and puck-moving as well. Marc-Andre Fleury was dreadful to start the year, yet has found his form during the stretch drive. He is their established starter going into the post-season.
Rumors have circulated that the Penguins are interested in Edmonton's Ales Hemsky and Dustin Penner, which is understandable considering the loss of both Crosby and Malkin. This is their opportunity to acquire a skilled winger that will stay past this season, as the only superstar winger to play with Crosby has been Marian Hossa who played for a stretch run and playoff before leaving for Detroit. Alex Goligoski is the Penguins' strongest trade chip, as he is a valuable commodity as a puck-moving defenseman. He could fetch a significant return, and combined with a pick could be the package to acquire a top-6 player.
I could go on and on and on some more about the Rangers, but I promise I will refrain myself for the purpose of this post. The Rangers are middle of the pack yet again this season and are in a group of teams fighting for the last two playoff spots in the East. I personally believe that moves should not be made in an effort to bolster a playoff run, however GM Glen Sather may see things differently. The Rangers are a team built around second and third line players and happen to have a superstar without help on the first line. Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov have had a coming out party as the established second line for the Rangers and are currently the leaders on the ice. Brian Boyle is tied for the team lead in goals and has emerged as a great third line center. Brandon Prust is a gritty grinder that plays well on the penalty kill and on the third line with Boyle. The issue with the Rangers is that Marian Gaborik has not meshed with any players, while to add to the issue the team has not built around their superstar player. Alex Frolov was the attempt to find Gaborik a compliment, yet he did not work. Wojtek Wolski has fit in much better on a line with Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello instead of playing with the Slovak sniper. The Rangers need to acquire a player to play with Marian Gaborik, whether that be at the deadline or in the off-season. On defense, the Rangers have a young group headlined by two rookies and two second year players. Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer play beyond their years yet are both in their first NHL seasons. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi have been solid, while Gilroy and Del Zotto have struggled at times. Henrik Lundqvist continues to be the superstar in net that the team relies on night in and night out.
The team is not going to sell, as when on the border of the playoffs it is not Glen Sather's style. The Rangers could go after players such as Florida's Bryan McCabe or Ottawa's Filip Kuba or Chris Campoli. The team has several identifiable needs in a shot from the point and a powerplay quarterback. The Rangers also need to acquire a first line center but may wait until the summer when Brad Richards is available. The Rangers have picks to spare, including an intriguing Washington 2nd rounder in the upcoming 2011 draft. If the Rangers hold their course, then in my opinion at least they will be better off in the future.
The New Jersey Devils are back to playing the style of hockey that Jacques Lemaire has employed two previos times in tenures with the team. Ilya Kovalchuk has been on fire, scoring his 21st goal against the Rangers tonight. He is creating chances and is also playing defense, which is very unlike Kovalchuk in his past. He can be seen visibly back-checking hard to aid the defense on a rush. He utilizes his speed to get back in the play from anywhere on the ice. Patrik Elias leads the team in points, as he usually is among the leaders on the ice for New Jersey. Travis Zajac has rebounded to become a two-way threat, while veterans Jason Arnott, Dainius Zubrus and Brian Rolston provide leadership and scoring as well. Young players such as Matthias Tedenby and Nick Palmieri have also contributed to the team in it's reversal of fortune. Zach Parise is still injured, but he hopes to come back by the end of March and if the team is in a position to get into the playoffs, he will be a much needed boost for post-season play. On defense, Anton Volchenkov, Colin White and Henrik Tallinder provide gritty play while hitting and blocking shots. Underrated Andy Greene moves the puck out of the zone well, while young players such as Mark Fraser, Matthew Corrente, Mark Fayne and Anssi Salmela get a chance to prove themselves. Martin Brodeur has fallen down to earth, no longer the elite goaltender that he has been for so many seasons. It could be age, injuries or the change in systems but all we do know is that he is not the constant he once was. Johan Hedberg has filled in admirably. He is one of the main factors that has turned this team around.
The Devils could be buyers at the deadline, though they traded their captain Jamie Langenbrunner earlier in the year to the Stars. They have younger players that they could trade away for immediate help, though their team is attaining success with the players they have. GM Lou Lamoriello is not afraid to make shrewd moves (see: Kovalchuk, Ilya) and the Devils could see a new face or two in the coming weeks. An additional scoring threat would be welcome, as would a veteran defenseman. Could the Devils make a splash and trade for Bryan McCabe or convince Chris Phillips to leave Ottawa?
One has to feel at least a little remorse for this lost Islanders season. Marc Streit and Kyle Okposo are hurt in training camp, and the defense continues to face injury woes as players such as Milan Jurcina and Mark Eaton also have suffered injuries. John Tavares headlines the group that may get yet another top-5 draft pick to add to their prospect pool, yet he has been surprisingly productive with 23 goals already on the year. Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau round out the top line for the Islanders and they have contributed well. Moulson signed a three year extension, while Parenteau inked a one year deal with the club for next season. Michael Grabner burst on to the scene (both literally and figuratively) with his blazing speed that has enabled him to jump into the rookie scoring race. The speedy winger leads the team with 25 goals, also leading rookies in the NHL. Frans Nielson has emerged as a two-way threat for the team, and Kyle Okposo continues to develop as a skilled forward after recovering. Without Marc Streit, the Islanders have had to rely on "veterans" Andy MacDonald and Milan Jurcina. These two players have taken the brunt of the ice time for a team that needs players to step up and fill in roles. Travis Hamonic has been a nice surprise in his rookie year, forming the first pair with MacDonald. Jack Hillen continues to make strides using his speed and vision to create plays. Here is where it gets interesting on Long Island. Six different Islanders goalies have a win on the season. Rick DiPietro, Kevin Poulin and Nathan Lawson have suffered injuries during the year after all having parts as the starter. Dwayne Roloson was traded to Tampa, while Al Montoya was brought in to tend the net while the goalies recover. Big Mikko Koskinen also made his first NHL start and faired quite well against tough opponents.
The Isles have already traded away Dwayne Roloson and James Wisniewski earlier in the year. That trend could continue to make deals and acquire assets to build for the future. Players such as Zenon Konopka, Frans Nielson, Blake Comeau and Milan Jurcina could attract suitors from around the league looking for a bolster to their team. Isles GM Garth Snow may be a little reluctant to let go of his young talent, but there is no expectation to win now for the Islanders and they are taking their time rebuilding around young players such as Tavares, Moulson, Hamonic and prospects like Calvin de Haan and Ty Wishart. Kevin Poulin is also a promising goalie, while Al Montoya has not looked out of place in limited action so far.
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That's it for tonight, folks. Philadelphia is the serious threat from the Atlantic. They are possibly the most complete team in the entire NHL. The Penguins are playing the survival game until Crosby returns and could acquire additional help at the deadline. The Rangers are on the border, and are sure to make a move or two before the deadline passes on the 28th. The Devils have had an amazing resurgence, and are forcing themselves into the playoff picture though they have a long way to go. The Islanders will continue their rebuild and trade several more players before this deadline is complete. Alright everybody, I need to get to bed! AW over and out.
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