2016 NHL Draft Lottery Preview

         Today is the day many hockey fans have been waiting for! It’s draft lottery day! Today, the draft order for the 14 non-playoff NHL teams will be determined. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the best odds of getting 1^st overall at 20%. Many expect American born prospect Auston Matthews to be chosen first. Other notable prospects include Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Matthew Tkachuk.

        

         This draft lottery is unique because it’s the first time in NHL history that all 7 Canadian teams have been in it. It may also prove to be a very important draft lottery, as a first overall draft pick can change the fortune of a struggling team. This has happened with such players as Alex Ovechkin in 2004 and Sidney Crosby in 2005. I ran the draft lottery simulation and this is what I got:

1. Buffalo (likely Auston Matthews)

2. Toronto

3. Winnipeg

4. Edmonton

5. Vancouver

6. Columbus

7. Calgary

8. Arizona

9. Montreal

10. Colorado

11. New Jersey

12. Ottawa

13. Carolina

14. Boston

         For those of you (including me) who still don’t know how exactly the draft lottery works, I’ve got this for you. Have a happy draft lottery day!

Weekly Recap (April 29)

Weekly Recap (April 27)

         Happy Friday everybody! Here’s what’s been happening in the hockey world over the past week

Second Round Off to Good Start

         The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs officially began on Wednesday. Game 1 between the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning had a fast beginning and plenty of scoring. The matchups in the West were finally set when the Nashville Predators pulled off an upset at Honda Center, eliminating the Anaheim Ducks in a game 7 for the 4^th straight season.

         We haven’t seen any games of the western second round yet, but I’m most intrigued by the Blues vs. Stars series and expect a lot of scoring. Stars captain Jamie Benn is on a roll while Russian superstar Vladimir Tarasenko is expected to make his mark on the scoreboard.

         I predict the Sharks vs. Predators series will be a very physical one. The Sharks used their team strengths to their advantage in the Kings series. Not only did they wear down the Kings with their physical play, but their primary goal scorers, namely Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns, made timely contributions. Their biggest challenge will be matching up against the gritty style of Nashville and beating goaltender Pekka Rinne.

         Game 1 of the Capitals vs. Penguins series had plenty to offer as far as entertainment value was concerned. The game seemed to have a little bit of everything: physical play, speedy goal scoring, tight goaltending, and an overtime hat trick from TJ Oshie. Even with only one game in the books, it already looks like it will be a very entertaining series.

Ottawa Senators Closer to Downtown Arena

         Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has been given the right to negotiate with the National Capital Commission for a new downtown arena. In January, multi-billion dollar proposals were made to redevelop the LeBreton section of downtown Ottawa. The Senators organization now has a say in the development. The development plan features expanded residences, increased green space, and a public library.

How Close is the NHL to Expansion?

         Though The NHL executives are still debating expansion, they appeared to get one step closer to making it happen. According to Gary Lawless of TSN, “the NHL and NHLPA agreed upon rules of engagement for an expansion draft.” I personally am in favor of NHL expansion. I think it would be nice to see the hockey fanbase expand to harder to reach places like Las Vegas.

Should Boudreau Be Fired?

         It’s too early to make this decision, but I’m leaning towards yes. He’s a great coach who dug the Ducks out of a hole in the second half of the season, but I think something has to change in the Ducks organization in order to get them back on track in the playoffs. I’m sure it won’t be hard for him to find another coaching job elsewhere. I feel Ottawa could use someone like him to get back in the playoffs.

         That’s all for this week! If you have questions or requests on what to write about, I’m all ears. Just write a comment below. I leave you with a funny clip from last night.

Vezina Trophy: Who Should Win?

         The three Vezina Trophy candidates for best goalie are Braden Holtby 

(Washington Capitals), Johnathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings), and Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning). But, out of these three, who would you pick to win? While these three candidates are certainly top-notch goalies who no doubt deserve to be considered, I still think one stands above the other: Braden Holtby. Before you jump to any conclusions, let me explain my reasoning for my decision.

         First of all, I’m not a fan of any of these teams, but I strongly believe Holtby should win the Vezina simply because of his record. Holtby’s 48-9-7 regular season record tied Martin Brodeur’s record for most wins in a season (48) while playing 12 fewer games. Sure, he plays for the best team in the league, but on the rare occurrence that the Capitals struggle to score, he can be counted on to make saves.

         Holtby also has a few traits that I feel make an elite goalie. He’s very calm in net, which is quite a large advantage for today’s goaltenders. You can often spot a struggling goalie simply by his (or her) movement and positioning. Nervous goalies are often out of position and make even the most routine saves look tough. Holtby, I noticed, always seems to be relaxed because he’s always in the right spot to make saves, and rarely gives up second chances.

         Athleticism is also a trait elite goalies possess. Without athleticism, you won’t get very far as a goalie. In order to make saves and avoid injury, your body must be in good enough shape to handle the physical strain. Holtby is very athletic, allowing him to make any kind of save at any time in a game. He’s also very durable.

         Lastly, if any goalie hopes to last this long and do this well in the marathon of the regular season, they need to stay confident in their abilities. For goalies, confidence is often the issue that most affects their performance. If pucks consistently get by you, you will become frustrated and quickly lose your confidence. The lower a goalie’s confidence, the more pucks will get through, which will only make it worse. Goalies need mental endurance as well as physical endurance. Lacking one or the other usually leads to trouble.

         Holtby, along with the two other Vezina candidates, have all these elite goalie traits. However, for me, the big thing that sets Holtby apart from the other two is his growth into an elite goalie. I would consider Holtby to be the most improved goalie from last year. This improvement helped him become elite in my book. Not only did his skill improve, but he had a historic season that I would think captured the entire hockey world’s attention. One last thing, I think Holtby embodies the goaltending position quite well. This is another big reason why he should win the Vezina. In my opinion, there’s got to be something wrong if he doesn’t win.