SENS-ational Swede - Erik Karlsson Norris Trophy winner ?

During a week where the Ottawa Senators traded a defenseman drafted 9^th overall (Brian Lee)  for a player who is a pending UFA this year (Matt Gilroy). You would think that I would be writing an article talking about how the Ottawa Senators scouts clearly do not have a good eye for d-men, due to the fact that they picked a bust like Lee in the top 10. However, trading up to draft Erik Karlsson in 2008 more than makes up for the Lee mistake. In fact with the way he is playing, the Senators could have every 1^st round pick be a bust for them for a decade, and I still might give a vote of confidence to them just because of the Karlsson pickup.

How often is it that an Ottawa Senators player is the talk of the league? Zdeno Chara was great in Ottawa, but didn’t reach his peak until Boston, culminating in the 2009 Norris trophy. Daniel Alfredsson was always a great leader, but never a true NHL SUPERstar. Jason Spezza is currently in the top 5 in NHL scoring, however, is never mentioned in the same breath as players like Malkin or Giroux. Erik Karlsson in his 3^rd year might do something that nobody else has ever done for the Ottawa Senators, and that is truly be the best in the league at his position. It is crazy to say it but Erik Karlsson with what he has accomplished in his young career, might just end up being the best thing that has ever happened to the Ottawa Senator. However, if that is too much of a stretch for you, then there is no doubt he is on pace to put up the single best individual season Ottawa has ever seen.

Karlsson currently has 15 goals and 66 points in 63 games, and is on pace for 19 goals and 86 points this season! Before we discuss the significance of those numbers and why they might be some of the best the league has seen in a long time, let’s look at how his stats compare to the rest of the league this season. Karlsson leads D-men in goals, assists, and points! But what is most impressive isn’t that he has the most points, it’s how far ahead of the rest of the pack he is. He is simply in his own class right now, as he has 23 more points than the next closest d-man Brian Campbell. When you look at d-men producing offensively this season, there really is no comparison to the young swede, as he truly is in a league of his own.

Karlsson has been great all season long, but recently his stats have been off the charts! His production dropped after the All-Star break, but after being held off the scoresheet for 4 consecutive games, Karlsson reached a new level in his game. He is currently in the midst of an 8 game point streak, in which he has 7 goals and 18 points. In fact, 6 of those 8 games have been multi-point efforts, which is just unheard of for d-men. He is one of the main reasons that the Senators have climbed their way back into contention and have a very strong hold on a playoff spot right now.

Not only is Karlsson leading all blueliners in points, he is also tied for 6^th in overall points regardless of position. The only players with more points than him are Malkin, Stamkos, Giroux, Kessel and his teammate Spezza. It is incredibly rare for a d-man to be this high in the scoring race, yet Karlsson hasn’t seemed to let that slow him down a single bit, as he is keeping pace with even the best scorers the league has to offer.  If that still doesn’t impress you, compare his stats to the stats of d-men in recent years. With 2 more points he will tie last year’s leader in blueline scoring Lubomir Visnovsky with 68 points. In the last 3 seasons, 60 points has been surpassed by a defenseman only 6 times, and yet Karlsson has already accomplished that with 19 games left in the year! Post-lockout the most points put up in a season by a defenseman was 80 points, which was a career high put up by Nicklas Lidstrom, the man who has won the Norris trophy an incredible 7 times! Karlsson is currently on pace to surpass that total by 6 points. I don’t think I need to stress how impressive it is to be able to do something from the blueline that Lidstrom hasn’t been able to do. Even Mike Green who had some of the greatest offensive seasons in recent memory, was never able to eclipse the 80 point plateau. Green put up 76 and 73 points in back to back seasons, but wasn’t able to win a Norris trophy, as he was the runner-up both years. This will be the year that an offensive defenseman other than Lidstrom wins the Norris.

Last season Karlsson put up 13 goals and 45 points which was very impressive, but his -30 kept him off of everyone’s radar. This year he is much improved in that category as he is a +15 so far this year, helping solidify his Norris campaign. For those of you that think all he does is put up points, and don’t count +/- as a legitimate stat, thus need to be a little more impressed to consider him Norris worthy. How about the fact that he chews up a ton of ice time for the Senators? Karlsson is 10^th in the NHL when it comes to time on ice (TOI) as he plays just over 25 minutes a game. He has played over 25 minutes 32 times this year, and has played over 30 minutes 4 times. Having a defenseman who could play those type of minutes is a huge asset for a team, as that means the 3^rd pairing isn’t leaned on to play many minutes. The kid is an absolute stud, and considering he is only in his 3^rd season and already one of the best at his position proves that the sky is the limit for him.

The only thing preventing Karlsson from being the guaranteed Norris winner is the fact that he plays in Ottawa. If he played for a market like the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers or even teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Montreal Canadiens, he would be the talk of the league. However, despite the fact that he isn’t getting the credit he deserves league wide, the Senators won’t be complaining as his stellar play has them relevant again when it comes to the playoff race, and it looks like he will be a fixture on their blueline for years to come! Some say he isn’t good enough defensively to win the Norris, and will suffer a fate similar to Mike Green, however, I think the critics are wrong as Karlsson will be hoisting the Norris trophy in the air at the NHL awards ceremony this season!  If you don’t know Erik Karlsson, or haven’t had the pleasure of watching him, I suggest you do, because he truly is one of the best young players in the NHL, and will only get better with age.

- Grant Robinson

This week is the Going Deep Trade Deadline Special!

Here is the new podcast. http://grantrobinson.podbean.com/2012/02/28/going-deep-nhl-trade-deadline/

Grant recaps all of the trades that happened before the deadline, and also discusses what else happened in and around the NHL throughout the past week during the “Headlines”.

He then discusses the 5 main topics of the day

1)      The Jeff Carter trade to LA, for Jack Johnson & a 1^st. And why he believes the Jackets didn’t get enough for him. (30 minutes-39:30)

2)      Steve Downie in the 3 way trade that sent him to Colorado, Quincey to DET, & a 1^st rounder to TB. And why he believes the trade should have never happened. (39:30-46)

3)      Andrei Kostitsyn being reunited with his brother in Nashville, and whether or not the combination will work. (46-53:30)

4)      Hodgson being shipped to Buffalo for Kassian, and why it’s a big risk for the Canucks. (53:30-57:30)

5)      The trades we expected that never happened and why they didn’t.

-          Rick Nash: why teams were wise to stay away (57:30—61:30)

-          Steve  Ott & other big names: why they werent moved (61:30-62:30)

-          Why Burke was smart to not make a big move for the Leafs, and how the true winners of the deadline were the teams that stayed away from the high prices, and showed self-restraint (62:30…)

If you have any suggestions for next week’s podcast feel free to tweet Grant @TheSportsGrind

Enjoy the show!

Check out Grant Robinson and his take on the Red Wings, the Blackhawks, Nash , and much more

This week on Going Deep, Grant discusses all of the headlines in the NHL, and which players or teams have been hot and which have not. Including forwards Malkin, Giroux, Kovalchuk, Spezza, Stamkos, Pacioretty, and goalies Smith, Brodeur, Halak, etc.  After he makes his observations about the past 2 weeks in general around the NHL;

Grant focuses on 5 main topics.

1)      Detroit’s NHL record 23 consecutive home wins

2)      The Blackhawks 9 game losing streak

3)      The career of Mats Sundin & why he is a surefire HOF’er

4)      How underrated the STL Blues and both their goaltenders are.

5)      Why Rick Nash might be the most overrated superstar in the NHL

If you have any suggestions for future podcasts or comments feel free to leave them below or tweet Grant (@TheSportsGrind).

Be sure to check back next week for the Trade Deadline special!

Till then enjoy the podcast @  

http://grantrobinson.podbean.com/2012/02/20/going-deep-nhl-roundup-feb-20th/

The NHL season has been crazy good and Grant's podcast picks out the highs and lows of your favourite NHL teams and stars.

GetRealHockey , thehockeywriters.com, and Grant Robinson - What a team !!!

We want to send a shout out to thehockeywriters.com for the mention of our article on Evgeni Malkin.  Thehockeywriters.com is a must read for all hockey fans and we were real pleased to see that they posted a link to our story.

http://thehockeywriters.com/evgeni-malkin-man-on-a-mission/

The story in question can be found on our blog at this link.  It is an in depth look at the Pens star. 

http://www.getrealhockey.blogspot.com/2012/02/mvp-most-valuable-penguin.html

The author of that article is none other than our resident hockey guru (nut); Grant Robinson.  Grant loves the Maple Leafs, the NHL, and his hot new girlfriend (probably in a different order, LOL).

Grant covers all kinds of teams and players for GetRealHockey and he will be one of our featured writers once the new GetRealHockey.com site is launched.

http://getrealhockey.blogspot.com/2012/01/getrealhockey-gets-ready-to-move-ina.html

In the meantime enjoy Grant's podcast @

http://www.getrealhockey.blogspot.com/2012/02/check-out-grant-robinson-and-his-take.html

and his article on the Ilya Kovalchuk and the NJDevils @

http://www.getrealhockey.blogspot.com/2012/02/ilyas-devils-contract-no-longer-looking.html

Check out Grant Robinson and his take on Gagner, Malkin, Kovalchuk, and more

Cant get enough NHL? Check out our writer Grant Robinson's podcast in which he discusses what is going on around the NHL! Click the link below!

http://grantrobinson.podbean.com/2012/02/09/going-deep-nhl-roundup-feb-8th/

 

This week’s episode of Going Deep is focused solely on the NHL. In the intro Grant comments on what has been going on around the league, and which players and teams are hot and cold. Grant has got some great insight that you have to check out. The 5 main subjects of the show are:

1) The record-breaking performance of Sam Gagner (Starts 16 minutes in)
2) Evgeni Malkin being the front-runner for the Hart trophy thus far (24)
3) Ilya Kovalchuk & how he has made the Devils the league’s hottest team (29)
4) Potential trade deadline targets: Grabovski & Nabokov (36)
5) The playoff chances/odds of the Habs & Leafs (45)

Hope you enjoyed the podcast, if you have any comments, suggestions, or topics you would like covered next week, feel free to leave a comment or tweet Grant @TheSportsGrind

Ilya’s Devils contract no longer looking like a contract from hell!

All I have heard since Ilya Kovalchuk was signed, was that the Devils mortgaged the future by signing him to a 15 year/100 million$ contract. After his 1^st season with the Devils, many said that he wasn’t worth 6.6 million a year, let alone having him under contract until he is 42 years old. Kovalchuk still managed to score 30+ goals last season, so if fans were upset with his performance even when he scored 31 goals it shows just how much of a superstar he really is. But nonetheless, fans weren’t happy with Ilya’s performance, and they weren’t shy about letting him know. I guess he read the headlines and took all of the criticism to heart, because he has been playing with a HUGE chip on his shoulder this year. So far this season in 47 games, Kovalchuk has scored 22 goals and put up 50 points! Well over a point per game, and reminding us more and more of the player who has twice scored 50 goals in a season and reached 90 points. What’s makes his season so far even more impressive is that he averages nearly 25 minutes per game! He averages the 16^th most time on ice (TOI) in the NHL for all skaters. What makes that so impressive is that he is the only forward in the top 60, as he averages nearly 2 and a half minutes more than any other forward in the NHL! A large reason for that is that Ilya contributes in all aspects of the game, he is dominant at even strength, lethal on the powerplay, and very dangerous shorthanded (which he has shown with his 3 shorthanded goals and 5 SH points). All of that has reminded us all why he got the contract in the first place and that he is worth every single penny of that 100 million $ contract!

However, despite having a great season all year, Kovalchuk has managed to elevate his game to an even higher level lately. The Devils have been on fire and it is largely due to Ilya who has 10 goals in his last 13 games leading the Devils to a 9-3-1 record over that span. But the last 3 games Kovalchuk has been flat out unstoppable, as he has posted 3 straight games with at least 3 points, and has played an incredibly key factor in each of those games. If those stats don’t prove to you that Kovalchuk is playing his absolute hardest, and putting everything he has on the line for the Devils, than look no further than his fight with B. Schenn. Kovalchuk came to the defense of teammate Z. Parise after he was give a slewfoot from a Flyers player after the whistle. Ilya Kovalchuk hit Schenn with one of the best right hooks I have seen outside of the UFC or boxing in a very long time, and helped send the message that Kovalchuk is and will continue to be an absolute force to be reckoned with for the Devils! And as long as he plays at this level, the Devils will continue to be a tough opponent night in and night out, and will continue to climb the standings. Not only that, but that 100 million $ contract will begin to look like a bargain if he keeps this up! In the case of Ilya Kovalchuk, the saying “making a deal with the Devil(s)” may have just turned out to be the start of something great.

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

MVP: Most Valuable Penguin?

In a season where the Penguins have been absolutely decimated by injuries, with key players missing significant time such as Crosby (45 games), Letang (23 games) and Staal (19 games) respectfully; you wouldn’t expect much from the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, they currently sit in 5^th place in the Eastern Conference standings, and are 1 of the NHL’s hottest teams recently. How is that possible without not only the NHL’s best player but the world’s best player in Sidney Crosby, and the answer is simple…Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin has been an absolute force this season, and at this point he is the league’s most valuable player at this point in the season! He has 29 goals and 61 points in only 46 games played this season, if you pro-rate that to an 82 game season, he would be on pace for 52 goals and 109 points! Malkin has been the epitome of consistency all season long, not being held off the scoresheet for more than 2 games in a row yet. But his play as of late is what has really had him running away with the Hart trophy, as he has been on fire! In Malkin’s last 14 games he has scored 14 goals! Scoring at least 1 goal in 11 of the last 14, he has been contributing every single game, and is one of the biggest reasons that the Penguins are 9-2-1 in their last 12 games, after losing 6 games in a row.

The Penguins were plummeting in the standings, as during a 6 game losing streak they managed to score only 6 goals! But don’t blame those losses on Geno, as he had 3 goals and 4 points on those 6 goals. However, with the season hanging in the balance, Malkin put the Penguins on his back and dominated each and every single game since getting the Penguins all the way back up to 5^th place in the East. During the 9-1 Penguins run, they managed to score 4 or more goals in 6 out of 10 games, in large part due to the all-star forward. But it’s not only the amount of goals and points Malkin put up during the winning streak, it’s the timing of his goals that impressed me even more. In those 10 games, he scored 3 Game Winning Goals; one vs Fla, one in OT vs the Capitals and one of which included a natural hat trick in the 3^rd period vs TB. But the key goals didn’t stop there, during those 10 games Malkin also scored 3 game winning goals in the shootout that didn’t count on the scoresheet. He scored the exact same goal in 3 straight shootouts, which is a perfectly placed shot 8 inches off the ice blocker side in off the post. He seems to have perfected it, and that kind of shot is a goalie’s worst nightmare, which is largely why he went 3/3 with that move! So in total Malkin’s goals were the difference in 6 out of 10 games. And that’s not even counting the fact that he scored a late 3^rd period goal to get to overtime against Montreal, and scored with 6 seconds left to go to overtime vs the Leafs. Malkin has been without a doubt the most clutch and dominant performer in the NHL over the past few weeks! In fact, Malkin has been so good that the question isn’t “is he the best player playing right now”, it’s “will he be the league’s best player even when Crosby comes back”? Malkin, when healthy, has played without Sidney Crosby for a significant amount of time twice in his career now. The first time was in 2007-08 when Crosby missed 22 games. During those games, Malkin scored 14 goals and had 36 points! That is almost 2 points per game! This season, in 8 games with Crosby, Malkin had 10 points. But without him in 38 games he has 25 goals and 51 points. It seems as if Malkin produces more when Crosby is out. The reason for this is because when Crosby is out, Malkin is given true #1 center opportunities, and he seems to respond extremely well to the pressure. 1 year ago, if anybody asked hypothetically if the Penguins had to choose between Malkin and Crosby, who would they keep? It would have been no-contest Sidney Crosby, but now if you combine the level Malkin is playing at with Crosby’s injury issues; I think you would get a very different answer.

For those of you who will argue and say that a few good months from Malkin, doesn’t erase what Crosby has done, you are completely right. But Malkin hasn’t only had a few great months. He has been great his entire career! He started off by winning the Calder trophy in his rookie season, he then was the runner up for the Hart trophy 2 seasons in a row, won the Art Ross in 1 of those 2, and also won the Conn Smythe trophy on his way to becoming a Stanley Cup champion. Well on his way to winning his 1^st Hart trophy this year, there isn’t much more Evgeni Malkin could accomplish in the NHL. The only reason he hasn’t been fully noticed, is because he was playing in the shadow of Crosby. Malkin is no longer in the shadows, he is front row center, and in the spotlight for all the right reasons. The Penguins will only get better when Crosby returns, but even without him they are a force to be reckoned with, because even when the Penguins are missing the best player in the world (Crosby) to injury, they still have the best player in the world (Malkin) playing for them! One thing is for certain, Geno is here to stay, and the questions of whether or not he was a true #1, have subsided, as he has went above and beyond what was expected of him when he was drafted 2^nd overall behind fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin; who is another NHL superstar who has taken a backseat to Evgeni Malkin this season! Get used to it

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

Check out my podcast www.grantrobinson.podbean.com

Quack Quack ...Ducks Headed North !!!

Usually Ducks migrate south in the winter, however, the Ducks of the NHL have been doing the exact opposite, as they have been heading North in the NHL standings. They haven’t been using  tricks like the “Flying-V” or “knuckle-pucks”, the Ducks are simply using the combination of an explosive attack, and timely goaltending. That combination has made the Ducks the hottest team in the NHL since the holidays.

Just over 2 weeks ago, the Ducks were in a state of complete disarray, they were in the basement of the NHL standings, and reports were rampant that the Ducks superstars were available for trade, after the owner said the only untouchables were those with NTC’s. Just when it seemed almost certain that either Getzlaf or Ryan were going to be shipped off before the deadline, this team completely changed directions. Since Jan 6^th, the Ducks have played 9 games, and have collected 17 out of a possible 18 points by posting a record of 8-0-1! In those 9 games, they have outscored opponents 36-16, that means they have scored 4 goals a game and allowed less than 2 goals per game, so not only have the Ducks been winning, but they have been doing it in convincing fashion. Selanne has continued his great play this season, as he has been one of the only Ducks to not have a down year. Jason Blake has come back from injury and paid immediate dividends putting up 4 goals and 6 points in his last 5 games. But what has really been the key of this recent tear Anaheim has been on, is the re-emergence of  the Ryan/Getzlaf/Perry line as one of the NHL’s most lethal trio’s. In the last 9 games the three have combined for 15 goals, 13 assists and 28 points! Apparently trade rumors was exactly what the Ducks needed, because ever since the team’s stars found out they were expendable, they have done their very best to show management why they were considered the cornerstones of the franchise just a few months ago. When you combine the great play of the top line, with the incredible effort that they are getting from Hiller on the backend, there is no reason to believe that this run will not continue. Hiller has played in 8 of those 9 games, and has allowed only 11 goals over that span! The Ducks have been scoring plenty so they could have afforded some poor goaltending performances; however, Hiller has still managed to shut the door during those games. Last night’s 3-2 win over the Avalanche was perhaps Hiller’s best performance as he saved 43 out of the 45 shots he faced, and essentially stole 2 points for the Ducks, as they were outshot 45-18! Whenever you see a team that could steal 2 points with great goaltending, and also manage to score 4 goals a game in other contests, it is a very good sign of more wins to come. The Ducks are firing on all cylinders, and the recent dominance they have showed is reminding me a lot of the New Jersey Devils run last season. Although the Devils came up short despite being nearly unbeatable to close out the season, the Ducks might have a better chance because they started this run earlier. They currently sit 11 points behind the 8^th place Avalanche, however, the Ducks also have 3 games in hand, so that ground may be easier to pick up than it seems. Whether they can get back into the playoff race remains to be seen, however, if the Ducks keep this up, or continue to play even close to the level they are playing now, they will definitely have a shot at the playoffs. And they would be the 1^st team in NHL history under the current playoff system that would make the playoffs despite being 10+ points out at the All-Star break. One thing is for certain, the Ducks will be fun to watch for the rest of the year, and the way they are playing nobody would want to play these guys in the 1^st round if they managed to pull off a miracle and squeeze into the playoffs.

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

The Price Hasn’t been right!

Carey Price has been considered the only real bright spot on a struggling Canadiens team that has been surrounded by turmoil and controversy all season. Much of the year, this would have been an understatement, as Price has kept the Habs in games they had no place being in all season long, and showed why he is considered an elite goaltender in the NHL. However, recently Price’s play hasn’t been so hot. Ever since the holidays were approaching Price just hasn’t been the same as since December 15^th, in 13 starts before the Leafs game on Saturday he was only 3-9-1. Before that point he had a record of 12-8-7, which wasn’t great, but when you consider how the team was playing in front of him, it was very impressive. At 3-9-1 in the last month, the wheels have clearly fallen off in Montreal. But as bad as Price’s record has been, I can’t blame him for that, as I believe that has a lot to do with the team in front of him. So the win/loss record is forgivable. What should be giving Habs fans some thought however, is the fact that Price has allowed 3 or more goals in 8 of those 13 games. His stats over that span shows a 2.92 GAA, and an abysmal .883 save%. When you compare those to his season stats of 2.41 GAA and .914 save%. It becomes clear that his play has noticeably slipped recently. When you see how many goals Price has been letting in recently, a stat that really surprised me is that Montreal gives up the 6^th least shots against per game in the league, which you would assume would help Price out. However, the stats only show so much, and there is no questioning that Price has been hung out to dry by his D-men on more than one occasion. Price’s game against Toronto on Saturday could have been a big turning point for his season, as he stopped 32 of 33 shots and led the Habs to a win in a game that was HUGE for Montreal’s dwindling playoff hopes. Whether Price could slingshot that game into a streak of sorts remains to be seen, but Habs fans everywhere are desperately hoping for it.

The one concerning stat with Price’s season in my eyes, is how he has played at home in front of the Bell Centre crowd. On the road Price has been great, going 9-9-1 on a losing team, and posting a 2.26 GAA and a .927 save%. However, when you look at his performance on home ice this season, the numbers drop significantly. Price has posted a 7-8-7 record at home, which is a far cry from his wins and losses on the road. While allowing 2.55 Goals per game, and a .899 save%!!! Carey Price and a save% under .900 is something you just don’t hear too often, so when you do hear it, you know there is something wrong. Carey Price is one of the most talented and promising goaltenders in the league, and the Bell Centre when things are going good is by far the loudest arena in the NHL. However, when things are going bad, the fans aren’t shy to voice their opinions, or boo the team, and perhaps that is what has Price playing poorly on home ice. And for those of you that think there isn’t something wrong with Price, and that he has been just fine. Consider this last concerning fact…Budaj’s last 3 starts have come against the Penguins, the Rangers and the Blackhawks. 3 of the hottest teams in the league, each littered with all-star forwards. It makes sense that the Habs played Budaj around those times, because each of those games were parts of a back-to-back. However, in each of those 3 games the Habs decided to give Price the easier start, and make Budaj face the tougher opposition. When Budaj played the Blackhawks, Price played the Jets. When the Rangers were the opponent, they started Price vs Ottawa. And instead of playing Price vs Malkin and the Penguins, they let Budaj face them. Clearly the organization has noticed what I have in Price’s play, and are trying to get him going.

I know it might seem like I am trashing Price in this article, but that really isn’t the case. There is no doubt in my mind that Price is the key to this team, and by far has been it’s brightest star this year. There is no doubt in my mind that the Habs have done a horrible job of helping out Price this year, and that the blame in no way shape or form should rest on his shoulders for the lack of success this year. However, Price isn’t playing up to his own level, and when he does get going and playing the way we know he could, the Habs will be a much tougher team to play. The win against Toronto was a good building block, perhaps this is exactly what both they and Price needed. Habs fans out there, don’t be too worried, as Price has shown in the past he could bounce back from slumps. After an incredible rookie season, he had 2 subpar years, before re-emerging last year as one of the top goalies in the NHL. He will inevitably get out of this funk and begin to dominate once again, the question is only when. And will it be too late for the Habs already slim playoff hopes.

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

Josh Georges is Off to a Great 2012

Wow - What a way to start a New Year in Montreal !!!

If the 1^st day of 2012 is any indication of how the rest of the year is going to play out, then Josh Gorges is going to have an INCREDIBLE year! Not even 12 hours after celebrating for New Years, Gorges got what I could essentially guarantee was the best gift he has ever gotten. 23.4 million dollars is a pretty tough gift to beat, but that is exactly what Gorges received from the Canadiens yesterday in the form of a 6 year extension worth 3.9 million a year. But this gift didn’t come unearned, as he has given his heart and soul to the Habs organization throughout his entire tenure in Montreal.

Josh Gorges isn’t very flashy, he isn’t the best skater, doesn’t have the hardest shot, and doesn’t exactly rack up the points. In 277 games played with the Habs, he has only scored 9 goals, and put up 59 points, that is an average of 17 points in a full season. When you look at those numbers you might wonder why the already  Salary Cap-strapped Montreal Canadiens would offer such a lucrative contract to Gorges. This must look like a horrible contract, however, that is not the case. Despite not putting up many points, or being dangerous offensively, Gorges brings a lot of intangibles to the table. First off he is an assistant captain, and if Brian Gionta needed to be replaced as captain, there is no doubt in my mind that Gorges would be named as his successor. Not only does Gorges provide leadership in the locker room, but he also leads by example on the ice. He is one of the only Habs players that gives 100% every single game, and puts his body on the line for the CH on his chest. If an opponent drives the net hard, or takes advantage of one of his teammates, Gorges is always the first; sometimes the only; player to get in his face and defend his teammates/goalie. The Canadiens don’t have a lot of tough guys, and although he isn’t the most intimidating player at 6’1, 200 pounds, he won’t back down from anybody! Right there that’s 2 qualities; leadership and toughness; that he provides that cannot be measured by stats. But let’s look at the stats that do measure how valuable he is.

Time on Ice: This season Gorges has played under 19 minutes in only 2 out of 39 games. And as the season has gone on, his ice time has went up, as he has played 21+ minutes in each of the last 16 games (including 4 of 25+ minutes). When it comes to total time on ice, Gorges is in the top 50 in the NHL. But most other players in the top 50 get significant powerplay (PP) time as well. Gorges rarely gets PP time, as he only averages 39 seconds a game on the PP. Time on the powerplay is a luxury, players love to be on it, but those aren’t the minutes he gets, he gets most of his time without the man advantage. In fact, Gorges has played the 13^th most even strength minutes in the NHL, and his nearly 149 minutes played shorthanded is the 3^rd most in the NHL. This is a large reason that you don’t see him contributing goals and assists, because he isn’t an offensive player, he is the shutdown guy on the blueline. His TOI combined with his PK expertise make him almost worth the 3.9 million alone.

Hits/Blocked shots: What makes Gorges so effective as a shutdown guy and as a penalty killer is his dominance in the area of hits and blocked shots. Gorges has blocked 101 shots so far this year, which is the most by any player in the NHL, that’s 101 shots that Carey price hasn’t had to face because Gorges sacrificed his own body to help out the team. And when it comes to hits, his 60 hits so far on the year ranks him in the top 50 d-men. What is really impressive however, is the fact that he is 1 of only 9 players in the NHL to have both 50+ hits and 75+ blocked shots!

Plus/Minus: Gorges has been a minus in only 1 of his 4 seasons in Montreal. And this year he currently is a +6, good enough to lead the team. What’s even more impressive about that is the fact that nobody else on the team is better than +2! Only 6 players aren’t a minus on the Canadiens and not a single one of them is a defenseman who has played significant time this year! So when you consider that, clearly Gorges is the most responsible player on Montreal’s blueline.

Those are the reasons why Josh Gorges became a fan favorite almost immediately as soon as he came over from San Jose, and he has gained popularity every single season. He only made 2.5 million last year on a 1 year contract, it was the way he responded once given a bigger role due to the injury of Markov that earned him the extension. 3.9 million is a lot of money for a guy who doesn’t contribute offensively, however, for the reasons listed above, Gorges is definitely worth it.

The only problem I have with the signing is that the Habs were already in cap trouble. After they made the Kaberle trade, they now had 38 million dollars spent on 7 players for each of the next 2 seasons. Add Gorges contract to that, and the Habs have 42 million committed to 8 players that will make up the core of this team for the next 2 seasons. Those 8 players are Gomez (7.4), Cammalleri (6), Plekanec (5), Gionta (5), Cole (4.5), Markov (5.75), Kaberle (4.25) and Gorges (3.9). That is hardly the core of a Stanley Cup contending team. Teams like the Penguins who have stars like Malkin, Crosby, Letang, and Fleury pay around the same amount for their core. The problem isn’t just one contract (although if it was it would be Gomez), the problem is the Habs have too many bad contracts which add up. Over the next 2 seasons the Habs will have 22 million to fill out the rest of their roster. The scariest part of that is the fact that after this season the Habs have many key RFA’s that will be expecting big raises. Carey Price will be expecting a HUGE raise, PK Subban although underachieving should expect a big bump in pay as well, the team’s leading hitter Emelin, and young Lars Eller’s contract is up as well. And in 2 seasons, the team’s most explosive offensive weapon in Max Pacioretty will be up for a new contract. When you look at all those upcoming RFA’s there just isn’t enough money to go around for everyone. You have to ask yourself, was it worth trading for Kaberle and re-signing Gorges, if it means having less money to work on deals for Price, Subban, Pacioretty and other potential free agents…? That is a question that Pierre Gauthier will be asked all summer if he isn’t able to find a creative way to get rid of some cap space.

But the Montreal salary cap problems are not due to Gorges, he is worth what he is getting, it’s the teams higher-paid forward that really just aren’t living up to the contracts they were given. The Gorges signing was great news for Habs fans in the short-term, but a storm could be brewing in the near future in Montreal as problems definitely lie ahead.

Grant Robinson  (@Thesportsgrind)

www.grantrobinson.podbean.com

Milan Lucic: The Big Bad Bruin!

Milan Lucic might not be the flashiest player on the ice, he will never lead the league in scoring, and he will never challenge for any of the major awards in the NHL. However, that does not change the fact that he can completely take over a game as good as anybody, and that he is one of the most dominant players in the NHL in his own right. That statement will be a very tough pill to swallow for many NHL fans, as Lucic is far from one of the most popular players in the league. In fact, he is probably one of the most hated. The reason for that is simple, he is a player that any team would love to have, but hate to play against because of how dominant he could be.

If you aren’t sold on him yet, and don’t want to take my word for it then let’s look at the stats. Last year Milan Lucic was the leading goal scorer on the Bruins netting 30 goals on the season, and was tied for the team lead with 62 points as well. Leading a team might not be all that impressive as some teams aren’t that great, however, he happened to be the leading scorer of the Stanley Cup Champions! What makes his 30 goals even more impressive is the fact that 25 out of his 30 goals came at even strength, while only 5 came on the powerplay, showing his ability to dominate the game while 5 on 5. More importantly 7 of his 30 goals happened to be game winning goals, showing his ability to score at the right times. With his 8 goals and 16 points thus far this season, he is on pace to match last season’s goal and point totals, so consistency isn’t a problem.

As impressive as Lucic’s goal scoring and point production isn’t what makes him one of the most dominant players in the league, what does that is the physical aspect he brings to the game. Last season, he had 121 PIM’s ranking him 30^th in the league in that category. However, only 1 player on the list above him in penalty minutes had more than 15 goals (S. Hartnell). Most of the league’s top “pests” aren’t able to produce at that high of a level offensively. Of those PIM’s Lucic served, not many of them were dumb penalties, in fact many of them happened to be fighting majors or misconducts. These might sound like bad penalties, but almost every single time Lucic is involved in a fight or an altercation, it translates into a gigantic momentum shift in the Bruins favor. We all remember when he fought Mike Komisarek and essentially ended his run of dominance on Montreal’s blueline, or his countless other fights that have been on the highlight reels. But even in a moment like the “collision” with Ryan Miller a few weeks ago, which result in opponents coming after him, he still finds a way to turn it into the Bruins favor. Gaustad attempted to drop the gloves with Lucic to teach him a lesson, but what ended up happening was him getting a beatdown himself. That’s the kind of player Lucic is, he does what he wants, and doesn’t really care if the opponents like it or not, because he knows that he is tough enough to take on their biggest and toughest. Milan Lucic has had 38 career NHL fights in the regular season and playoffs, and according to fan voting on www.hockeyfights.com his record in those fights is 26-8-4. That means he has convincingly won almost 70% of his fights. If you watch hockey then you know, that the more convincingly you win a fight the more momentum your team is given. Lucic manages to change the momentum of a game not only by dropping the gloves, but also by laying the body on people. One of the most important aspects of his game is his hitting. Lucic ranked 50^th in the league last year in hits with 167. Now although that number might not seem all impressive, it isn’t the number of hits he has that stands out, it is the power of each and every one that matters. Lucic uses all of his 6’4, 223 pound frame when he lays his body into an opponent, and when he does they go to the bench feeling it every time, trust me…just ask Mike Van Ryn about the time he put him through the glass.

The bottom line is every time Lucic laces up his skates and goes out onto the ice, he makes the Bruins a better team. It’s not a coincidence that he has found success at every level of his career. There is a reason that he won the Memorial Cup in 2007, and won the tournament MVP. There is a reason that he was named Captain of the Team Canada Juniors in the Super Series. There’s a reason he made the Bruins at the age of 19 despite being a 2^nd round pick, and there is a reason why he has won a Stanley Cup as well. The reason is simple, Lucic does all of the things that you can’t teach or practice. He has that x-factor, and it comes naturally to him, he has done it at every single level and is showing no signs of slowing down. Milan Lucic might not be the most talented NHL player, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is one of the most dominant. Every time he drops the gloves, crashes the net, hits someone, or even gets under the skin of an opponent… his teammates and the Bruins fans in attendance rally around him and are given an instant boost of energy. Lucic might not show up on any awards, or at the top of the stat sheet every single night, like most other superstars, but every single opponent that the Bruins face take notice of him you could count on that.You could hate him all you want or call him a Gutless piece of **** like Ryan Miller did, but as the Sabres learnt it’s not that easy to teach Lucic a lesson. As long as the Bruins continue to win with that style of play or until somebody is able to physically stop them, Lucic and the Bruins will continue to play the physical in your face brand of hockey that they have become famous for. So like him or not, Milan Lucic is a name we should all get used to, because neither him nor the Bruins are slowing down any time soon!

Grant Robinson

Follow me on twitter (@thesportsgrind) or check out my podcast www.grantrobinson.podbean.com