Manny Malhotra, Aaron Rome, and Moneypuck
Cam Charron
September 30 2011 09:27AM
Confused as to why Aaron Rome gets so many minutes? Check your spread-sheet.
In the summer of 2010, Mike Gillis and the Vancouver Canucks had a big decision to make. After finishing tied for 11th in the National Hockey League in goals against, the Canucks needed to find away to improve that aspect of their game. While they had strong defenders in Alexander Edler and Kevin Bieksa, along with an eventual Selke Trophy winner Ryan Kesler up front, what the team lacked defensively was the difference between being a "good" team and a "great" team.
Player types: The defensive liability
Cam Charron
September 25 2011 10:56AM
Earlier, I introduced on The Nations Network a new way of looking at a player's plus/minus rating, specifically to do with on-ice shot differential, in an effort to learn more about teams and players.
This month, somewhat regularly, I will break down types of players and teams in an effort to localize player talents and figure out exactly what certain teams need. There's definitely more to a hockey player than simply being "good" or "bad" and by how much, so today I will profile the defensive forward.
(Previous: The two-way forward, the defensive forward, the offensive liability and the no-way forward)
We move today into the higher event category for players. Remember, high-event players are the ones who drive and allow a lot of shots at both ends when they're on the ice. In short, some of the most exciting players in hockey fit into these next two categories. The first we'll deal with is the Defensive Liability.
Roberto Luongo and postseason breakdowns
Cam Charron
September 20 2011 08:12AM
We are just three days into training camp, and already the 9-5 media is filling time on sports talk radio with a made up Vancouver Canucks goaltending controversy. The Kurtenbloggers, fresh in the noontime spot on Vancouver's TEAM 1040 radio, discussed at length whether Roberto Luongo was capable of winning a Stanley Cup, and whether or not Cory Schneider should be given a chance to compete for the starting job.
Player types: The no-way forward
Cam Charron
September 19 2011 02:51PM
Earlier, I introduced on The Nations Network a new way of looking at a player's plus/minus rating, specifically to do with on-ice shot differential, in an effort to learn more about teams and players.
This month, somewhat regularly, I will break down types of players and teams in an effort to localize player talents and figure out exactly what certain teams need. There's definitely more to a hockey player than simply being "good" or "bad" and by how much, so today I will profile the defensive forward.
(Previous: The two-way forward the defensive forward, and the offensive liability)
While players in some of the other player categories may cause one to blink an eye, I think there will be a little more consensus agreement in this section of the series dealing with the "No-Way Forward".
The Buffalo Sabres are spending a lot of money
Cam Charron
September 17 2011 09:21AM
Terry Pegula came to Buffalo, bringing along money and a vested ownership interest in seeing the local hockey team win. The issue here is whether the Sabres are spending it in the right places.
