Olympic Hockey This Year

There are seventy-seven days until the puck drops in Sochi Russia. Among the favorites to win a medal are U.S.A, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic. I am going to evaluate all of these teams and their players.

Russia should have a good hockey team this year. They will host the Olympics in 2014. This means they will have a home team advantage. The fans in Russia will expect their team to bounce back from a disastrous run in 2010. Russia is very strong up front. They have Alexander Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Nail Yakupov. However, this team doesn't have a strong defense, and in order to succeed, Slava Voynov needs to be very good. Semyon Varlamov is an important piece to this Russian team. So far, he has been fantastic this season.With their dynamic offense and strong goaltending Russia is a good contender for a gold medal.

Semyon Varlamov robbing Alex Semin

Alexander Ovechkin 

Sweden is one of the favorites to win a medal in Sochi. They have a young and mobile defense that can score. Henrik Lundqvist is the backbone of this team. If he plays well, Sweden will go far. This country has a very high powered offense. Gabriel Landeskog is going to be very helpful to his team in 2014. He has sixteen points this season and is a +7. The twins, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin have the potential to be very dangerous on the bigger ice. In order to win a gold medal, Sweden needs their key players to perform.

the Sedin twins

Lundqvist in Winter Classic

The Czech Republic probably won't receive a medal in Sochi. The last time the Czech Republic won gold was in 1998. The team was lead by the legendary goalie, Dominik Hasek and forward, Jaromir Jager. This year, they are strong down the middle. They have two of the top center-men in the league. Their wing and the defense is the weak spot of this team. Tomas Vokoun should be the starting goaltender if he's healthy. At this point, I don't think the Czechs will medal.

Jaromir Jager

The coaches of team Finland have many players to choose from. They could go with a team full of veterans, depend on young talents, or even have a mix of the two. Alexander Barkov could be a very important piece to Finland in February. They arguably have the best Olympian hockey player of all time. The Finnish Flash, Teemu Selanne, will be competing in his sixth Olympic tournament. He holds the record for most points in the Games at 37. Not many teams have prime goaltenders like Finland. Pekka Rinne and Tuukka Rask will be battling for the number one spot on this dynamic Finnish roster.

Teemu Selanne 

Tuukka Rask stretching to make a save

The United States of America looks to bounce back after a devastating loss to Canada in Vancouver. In contrast to last year, they are expected to win Gold. This team is just an all around solid hockey group. The U.S. has a strong blue line. All of the defensemen can score as well as protect their zone. When it comes to goalies not many teams come close to Finland in terms of talent. The United States is an exception. Johnathan Quick will probably be the starting in net for this team. Jimmy Howard and Ryan Miller are going to be close second. The forwards are going to need to perform to their full capability in order to defeat the stronger teams.

Two American studs Zach Parise and Ryan Suter 

The gold medal champ, Canada, is looking to defend their successful tournament run in Vancouver. This team has the strongest offensive unit in the Olympic Games. Their biggest offensive threat is Sydney Crosby. He is also the favorite to win the Hart Trophy. Carey price of the Montreal Canadians and Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyote's will be competing for the number one job in net. P.K. Subban  is going to be the best blue liner for team Canada. The former Norris Trophy winner has 19 points this season. Canada has a good chance to win it all again this year.

Carey Price and P.K. Subban celebrating after win

Overall, this is going to be a great tournament. Each team has a strong point and a weak spot. I'm going to predict that the U.S. will win gold, Canada will earn silver, and the Finnish will defeat Russia to win bronze. Every team has a chance to medal or come close to it. 

Downie Traded for Talbot

The Colorado Avalanche announced a trade yesterday morning. They have acquired Max Talbot from the Philadelphia Flyers at the cost of Steve Downie. Both of these players have a big adjustment to make in order to succeed with their new team. Talbot will be going to a winning team where as Downie will find himself with a loosing group.

Talbot and Downie

Steve Downie is on the last year of his contract in Colorado. He was a top line forward with the Avalanche along with Matt Duchene and Ryan O' Reilly. Downie has had his share of penalty minutes this season. He has 36 penalty minutes; thats the eighth most in the NHL.  Steve has played for the Flyers before. He had twelve points as a rookie Flyer. Downie was drafted by the Flyers in 2005.

Max Talbot has won a Stanley Cup and is known as one of the best penalty killing forwards in the game. Although he doesn't have as many points as Downie, Max is a better defensive player. Head coach, Patrick Roy has announced that Talbot will be in Dallas for the game friday. Talbot will play with Nathan Mackinnon and Jamie Mcginn on the third line. It will be interesting to see how Talbot gets along with his new team.

Both of these forwards are very talented as well as experienced. I think it is a fair trade for both teams. The Flyers will receive much needed offense and the Colorado Avalanche will have an even stronger penalty kill.

Avalanche's Hot Start

If you were to look back on last years standings, you would find the Colorado Avalanche sitting in last place in the Western Conference. This year is completely different. The Avs are ten and one and have a goal differential of +19. What is the difference?

P.A. Parenteau battling the Maple Leafs

Coach Patrick Roy has made a big impact on the team this year. His passion has changed the franchise for the better. Coach Roy has demanded success this year, and that's what he has received. He even picked legendary goaltending instructor Francois Allaire, who managed to train J.S. Giguere and Semyon Varlamov into elite goalies.

Coach Roy defending his players

Rookie, Nathan Mackinnon, seems to be a solid forward who is an excellent playmaker. He has the fifth most points on the Avalanche at seven. The rookie leads his team in assists and has participated in every game his team has played. 

Rookie Nathan Mackinnon

Matt Duchene is an even better player. He is the Avs' leading scorer. He leads his team with nine goals. That ties the record for most goals in the month of October. He joins Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg,  and Chris Stewart for most goals in October. Duchene keeps getting better as seasons pass, and he doesn't show any signs of stopping. 

Duchene after goal

Another reason for the Avalanche success is the goaltending. J.S. Giguere has the best GAA and save percentage in the league. Starting goalie, Semyon Varlamov has one of the best save percentages in the NHL.

Giguere and Varly

The Avalanche seem to have established themselves as a competitive team in the NHL. Unlike last year, they are good on all sides of the puck. They have killed fourteen penalties in a row. They show signs of being a playoff team or even Stanley Cup contenders.

My Playoff Predictions #1

Here are the teams that I think will make the playoffs.

Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks

2. Chicago Blackhawks

3. Anaheim Ducks

4. Colorado Avalanche

5. L.A. Kings

6. St. Louis Blues

7. Phoenix Coyotes

8. Vancouver Canucks

Eastern Conference

1. Pittsburgh Pens

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

3. Boston Bruins
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Montreal Canadian
6. Ottawa Senators

7. Carolina hurricanes

8. N.Y. Islanders

All 30 NHL teams

The Eastern conference is the toughest to play in at the moment. There are many teams that could slip into the seventh and eighth seeds. The Tampa Bay Lightning may have a decent shot at the playoffs if they do the right things. They still have more to prove before you can predict them making it to the postseason.

Another interesting team is the Washington Capitals. If they can string some wins together, they might be a solid contender. Alex Ovechkin has had a good start to the season with seven goals and three assists.

Alex Ovechkin after a goal

The Western Conference seems to be easier to play in. Every spot is pretty clear, except when you reach the eighth slot. Nashville, St.louis, Phoenix, Vancouver, or Minnesota could stumble into the playoffs.

Nashville Predators vs Minnesota Wild

The Colorado Avalanche might have a chance to finish higher if they play to their full capability. In order to play to their full potential, Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere must be solid in goal. The Avs offense needs to produce more shots if they want to finish higher than the fourth seed. So far this season, the defense has been good. They have only allowed 12 goals in nine games. 

The Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog 

The Pens are skilled on all sides of the puck, and if their starting goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, returns to his old form they should grab the number one seed in the easter conference. They might just happen to win the Presidents Trophy (for most points in the NHL.)

The Toronto Maple leafs are making a statement this season. They have six wins and only three losses. The Leafs goal differential is a +8. This leads me to believe that they will be a higher seed this year.

Carolina has been very good so far. However, I don't think their hot start will continue. They will make it but not very far. I believe this because their goal differential is a negative four. Two key players are Eric Staal and Cam Ward. Eric Staal must contribute at least fifty points this season, so that the Hurricanes will get some offense. Cam Ward has to be solid in goal this year and avoid injuries. 

Eric Staal

Goalie Analysis #1

Well, there have certainly been some surprises around the league in terms of goaltending. The biggest has been the Avalanche goaltender. Semyon Varlamov has opened the season with a .950 save percentage and GAA of 1.68 - pretty impressive numbers. If he keeps this up he should be a Vezina trophy contender.

Varly and his team after a win

Antti Niemi has picked up right where he left off. He leads the league in wins and games played. Antti also has the best team in the NHL so far. The San Jose Sharks have not lost a game in regulation. 

    

  

 Antti Niemi's mask for the 2013-2014 season 

Unfortunately, Henrik Lundqvist has been a disappointment. So far, he only has two wins. However, the Rangers' bad start isn't all his fault. He isn't the Vezina contender we have seen for the past few years. King Henrik has given up twenty goals in his his seven games. That is the fourth most in the NHL. I believe that the new pad sizing rules are affecting him. Before the rule was placed he seemed to have oversized pads. That being said, he is an excellent goaltender that is just going through a slump. 

Henrik Lundqvist.

Another goalie making his mark is Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier. In the time that his goaltending partner, James Reimer, has been injured, he has stepped up and proven that he can be a starting goaltender in the NHL.

 

Jonathan's huge glove save against the Oilers

Hello!

Hello there. My name is Brock. Welcome to my blog.  I am a goalie in Colorado who enjoys the game of hockey. I created this blog so that I could write about my passion. From the NHL to the junior leagues, I will cover it all.

As a goalie, I learn a lot every time I hit the ice. I will be sharing my day to day ups and downs with you as well.