Shallow Frozen Water

Sunday morning armchair

the Bruins had 5 wins and an OTL before going into their game with the Thrashers yesterday.  they were the 2nd hottest team in the East over the last 10 games and they absolutely needed 2 pts against a Thrashers team that thought they had a shot at the playoffs at the deadline but well, i don’t see that happening for them.  i’m still trying to figure out how the Bruins have gotten this far (quite frankly).  i like their D, i’ve never been a fan of Tim Thomas despite the miracles he’s put up, and what sort of offense is really supposed to be headed up by Marco Sturm, Glen Murray and Chuck Kobasew (he says, completely ignoring the presence of league assist leader Marc Savard)?  the B’s got another 2 pts in a SO win over the Thrash.

Dennis Wideman and Zdeno Chara are doing everything for Boston right now, contributing across the board and carrying the load in ice time.

i just don’t see enough out of Phil Kessel that i’d pass on trading him for Jeff Carter … if money wasn’t involved.  Carter is going to cost a lot more but he’ll also produce a lot more and will contribute more on the defensive side too.  if the rumour that the B’s turned down that offer is true then i say that it was the wrong move, unless they wouldn’t have been able to sign Carter anyway.

speaking of Jeff Carter, the numbers seem to show that he can take some credit for the resurgence of Mike Knuble of late.  Knuble is bottom end fantasy rosterable but has been pocketing goals by the ton in February.

and another thing, whatever happened to the first R in February?  most people skip over it completely.  seriously, just listen to the new sometime, you’ll see what i mean.

i watched Pavel Kubina go off on a ref against Tampa on Friday after he took a holding the stick penalty in OT to lose the game for the Leafs.  well, you DID hold the stick and after a couple years of having that called why try to deflect blame on to a ref in that situation?  stand up and admit that your own boneheadedness probably cost your team a point.

Sergei Gonchar took a double minor against Ottawa to lose a game on Saturday.  i just don’t get it when a guy thinks, “well i’m going for 2 maybe i’ll try and draw 2 from them too” and he ends up going for 4.  that was the difference in the game.

Ottawa still doesn’t look ready.  i’m not sure that they’re going to be able to do much this playoffs.  i’ve got to think that Jersey might be the team to beat, i sure hope it isn’t going to be Montreal.

Malkin’s goal to put the Pens in reach of doing something late in the game never should’ve gotten past Gerber.  he’s gotta make that save.  Malkin was outside and contained, the rush was contained and a slapshot shouldn’t beat you from out there.  period.  i don’t care how good the shooter is, you have to make that save.

Martin Lapointe took 3 fugly penalties but scored a PPG for the Sens too.  he’ll be valuable if only to cuff a couple guys upside the head and get them to realize how good they have it in OTW.

Ty Conklin hasn’t exactly been a bright light the last couple games.  i pretty much think that MAF is and will be the guy for the Pens and i can’t believe that guys aren’t agreeing with me.  i’m expecting that MAF gets the next start and if he does like he can then we won’t see Conks for a long time.

im still not a believer in Ryan Malone but right now he’s making me look pretty bad by saying that he isn’t a keeper option in most leagues.  if he keeps playing like this i’ll have to change my mind, and i don’t like doing that, particularly if it means that i have to admit i was wrrrrrr …  wwrrrrr… mistaken.

it really pains me to say this but the Habs looked like a really exciting hockey team to watch last night.  they were up against the Devils whose only game plan was clog, clog, clog and yet they showed imagination, they moved the puck and they still threw chances around.  what i saw of the Habs game was very enjoyable.  now if you quote me on that i’ll deny it and if you throw down a link i’ll say that the Habs blogger on this site must’ve hacked into my account.

Mark Streit has 12 goals and my buddy Kouki is a loser.  now if only i can figure out a way to keep him from kicking my butt in our work pool (Kouki not Streit).

the Habs traded Huet because he’d be a FA and they’d get nothing for him.  Price could carry the load and he will carry the load.  Habs fans shouldnt be worried about this end and who knows what that Caps pick is going to get you?

that goal that Gionta scored was about as bad looking as any i’ve seen this season.  Price couldn’t find the puck sitting right under his blocker.

ok, Toronto has been playing well lately but the playoffs are more than a bit impractical folks.  yes it’s only a handful of teams but you have to jump over like 5 teams to get into the spot.  i’d rather have a lottery pick than a first round loss.

the CBC hotstove yesterday was saying that Mats would only want to come back next year for something like $7.5M over 1.  what?  that’s a sure way to retire if you ask me.  i still want Mats back next year but maybe for the same price tag as this year.

i’ll mention in my upcoming dobberaudit that i actually like Nik Antropov a bit down the road.  he’s parking in front of the net and becoming quite adept at the tip.  the hotstove also mentioned that they don’t think Nik is back next year, i don’t get that, somebody has to score something for them next year.

Alex Steen has been playing really well since he signed on the dotted line.  he’s serviceable and affordable.

i still say the SE will be won by the Caps but i don’t think the Canes believe that’ll be the case.  the Caps lost a game against a team they needed to beat and the Canes won a game against a team with a better offense and a new sparkly goaltender.  i still say it’ll be the Caps.

i thought the Hawks easily won the Ruutu/Ladd deal because Tuomo sucks.  he still sucks but it seems like most guys get a stat boost in their new situation as coaches try to figure out where he fits the puzzle best.  Tuomo will either slow down or get hurt again.

did you see Jack Johnson absolutely wallpaper Smyth into the turnbuckle last night?  ooooo, that’ll leave a mark.  i sure hope that Smyth is ok.  Laperriere went after JJ later but Rob Blake stepped in and played the peacemaker.  Blake was almost an Avs last week and i wonder how he’d feel if he were on the other bench last night.  apparently JJ was ready to drop the gloves when Blake stepped in with all his “use your words” crap.

Jose Theodore has certainly had himself a banner 2nd half.  told ya so.

Dan Cloutier’s mask is still ugly, just like his goaltending.

Dan Ellis is playing too much to make Chris Mason the projected decent goalie he’s supposed to be.  if you have Mason in a keeper then do all you can to trade him.  i’m very glad i never drank the Mason kool-aid.

Phillipe Boucher is back on the ice, played 22 mins and had zeros across his stat line last night.  that’ll get better, particularly when you consider that Zubov and Niskanen are shelved right now.

Brad Richards was -2 and Jere Lehtinen was even.  i thought they were going to play together, is Jere jumping off the ice on odd man breakouts or is Brad staying out there for double shifts?  i’m sorry Jere you’re going to have to do ALL the defensive work for Brad until the system kicks him upside the head.  i see a +/- resurgence for Richards like the one that happened for Ribeiro.

Brian Boucher got the start for the Sharks.  i had lost track of Bouche actually and it’s good to see him back.  i believe he set a shuttie record for the Yotes a while back (maybe i’m thinking of someone else) so a shuttie in his first game back is a good sign.  the Sharks should play him at home since they seem to be fine with winning on the road but need a kick in the butt at home.

Brian Campbell with a PPA.  look out.  i’m expecting the Sharks to burst open with all kinds of stats now that they have a real QB option on the point and one of the best assist guys on the half boards.

Brad Boyes signed a 3 yr deal yesterday.  that is an excellent move by the Blues.  i think there are 50 goal seasons in Boyes’ future.

did you see the stuff that preceded Shane Doan’s goal last night?  the Flames nearly snuck one over the line and were prevented by a great play by Jovanovski.  PJ Stock wouldn’t shut up about it in the intermission saying that the overhead shot is a tiny bit out of kilter from the line itself so that we can actually see the line clearly.  the puck didn’t go in PJ, and you’re annoying.

Craig Simpson is captain obvious amongst colour guys.  during the reviews of the Flames “no goal” there was some wannabe CBC talking head in the background without a mike screaming about how that’s a goal.  no it wasn’t nameless drone.

i still think that the Yotes have the potential to surprise somebody at the bottom end of the standings.  they could very well knock a deserving team right out of the playoffs.  they’re deserving too ya know.

Jarome Iginla hit 40 last night.  yeah, he’s good.

looks like the big guns carried the offensive load for the Flames last night and CuJo kicked out almost all that he saw.  he had no chance at Doan’s edge of the crease goal.