WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS ?

The Washington Capitals fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night by a stunning score of 7-1.  The Maple Leafs have been decimated with key injuries and yet the Capitals failed to take advantage.  It is fair to say that Washington was  MIA as a group when they were pounded by Toronto's snipers .  This latest loss should give Bruce Boudreau reason enough to revisit his game plan and coaching style if he does not want to lose his team this early in the season.   There is something simmering under the surface in Washington.  This kind of blowout is a sign of a problem for such a talented group as the Capitals.

We had the DC boys earmarked as Stanley Cup champs but the latest turmoil in Washington has us scratching our heads. The team seems to go through prolonged slumps when the media pressure builds because expectations are not being met. 

Washington has shown their inability to deal with pressure with their performance in the last two playoff years.  The squad is very talented but it seems that it is lacking in character.  The European profile of the team might be the issue.  Don Cherry is infamous for not liking the European work ethic on the ice and the Capitals are showing us why his argument may hold water.  Europeans are flashier and more play oriented that their North American counterparts.  The team nature of the NHL game means that everyone needs to give it at the rink every night.  The Caps need to play as a team every night.  Period.  End of discussion.  Even if they don't win they won't get blown out.

Ovechkin should be the starting point for any serious discussion in Washington.  The guy has talent that is being under used this season.  He seems to have an ego.  Unfortunately so does his coach.  Hopefully the ego clash will not fester much longer.  If Boundreau can get Ovechkin back on track they might be able to resume their quest for the Cup.  If not; the NHL might be witnessing the start of the senseless implosion of a talented team looking for someone to blame.  Either way this time next year; we will be saying good bye to Ovechkin or Boudreau in Washington.  This kind of drama and flip flopping is not good or needed at the professional level.      

NHL 2011-2012 - Don Cherry and the other talking heads will be buzzing

The new hockey season is going to have the commentators jabbering for sure.  The Habs are sucking in pre season, the Leafs have gambled everything on their goalie, and young teams like the Kings and Oilers look set to surprise. Stalwarts like Dallas and Detroit look strong again and Chicago is working hard to get back on top.   

The King of hockey coverage is without a doubt ; Don Cherry.  His rants about Europeans have made a legend out of him and his love of all things Leafs and Bruins make him the target of derision throughout the rest of the NHL.   Cherry should be on his horse this year pushing a repeat by the Bruins and some sort of second coming from the Leafs.

Unfortunately for NHL fans most of the hockey coverage comes from Toronto. The talking heads which come out of Toronto are predictable Maple Leaf cheerleaders and this year should be no exception.  With their new boy in nets; the Leaf faithful have the next whipping boy lined up for the eventual slid into the basement.   

Real hockey lovers and commentators will be focused on the arrival of the Jets into Winnipeg.  A good showing by these boys in the frozen north could lead to other teams relocating to Canada. This Jet squad is young , aggressive and well coached. A strong showing should be a given.

Of course, the NHL will be keeping an eye on fighting by the tough guys.  The tragedies in the off season have put the focus on why so many enforcers died off the ice.  Is there a problem ?  What might it be ? For the sake of hockey we hope they find out before someone else has to die.

All in 2011-2012 will be a heck of season in the NHL. Lock and load boys and girls and enjoy.   

SUMMER HAS GOT US ALL LONGING FOR HOCKEY - 2011-2012 IS GOING TO BE CRAZY !!!

The  Bruins are champs, Luongo is a joke and the NHL season looms large for NHL diehards.  Last season was crazy !!!  I am going nuts listening to the NFL and NBA strike BS and I want the NHL's best back on the ice. The Hawks and Flyers'  final from the previous year set us up for a great season and the Bruins versus Canucks final had everyone glued to their seat till the last game of the year.

The summer holiday has been good to NHL fans.  Jets drama was finally resolved with the Thrashers moving north.  Winnipeg is going to compete and the fans in the coldest city in Canada are going to give the ex Thrashers the royal treatment.

We also went through the draft and free agency.  The realignment of sides has not been very dramatic if you leave out Philly.  The Broad Street Bullies looked desperate and got rid of some serious firepower on the front line.  This was the price to pay in order to get decent goaltending.  We remain unconvinced that European goaltending will be the answer for the Flyers.  Don Cherry would probably agree with us.  If goaltending remains a problem for Philadelphia; look for panic and seismic changes behind the bench and on the ice.

It was sad to see the Habs and Leafs so quiet this post season.  The fans in both cities are taken for granted by their home teams.  Something needs to change.  fans need to vote with their dollars.  Vancouver and Boston showed us last year that you have to spend dollars and make moves in order to win.    

Don Cherry's Kiss of Death Claims O'Brien

After months of speculation as to just how the Vancouver Canucks would get under the cap and which defenseman of the 20 the Canucks had on the team would be traded, the proverbial axe finally fell on Shane O'Brien and his $1,600,000 salary. On Tuesday, O'Brien and Dan Gendur were sent to the Nashville Predators for fellow blueliner Ryan Parent and Jonas Andersson.

Kevin Bieksa must be sighing a breath of relief, although he should take note that this move merely serves as a vote of confidence for Andrew Alberts at the expense of O'Brien on the part of Canucks management as the two were reportedly battling it out for the much sought-out right to call themselves the team's fringe defenseman for the year.

O'Brien will never be confused for a star, but he did seem to understand his role of having to drop the gloves once in a while. Now the onus still falls on Bieksa to understand his a little better,and score some points instead of fighting and getting injured all the time. One thing he doesn't need to worry about, though, is Don Cherry's kiss of death, as the CBC broadcaster can't seem to get the poor guy's name right, as illustrated in the clip below from the Canucks' game-five win against the Chicago Blackhawks in last spring's second round.