Curb Your Cynicism

LOS ANGELES – OCT 13, 2005 – Let's take a quick look at the transformed NHL and other goings on around the league.

"The fact that the worst offender for dragging the game down to its most muddy under the old rules, could flip a switch and suddenly outgun an offensive juggernaut that many predicted would pile up goals like free chord wood, is almost irritating." -- VANCOUVER CANUCKS MEDIA RELEASE, describing the Canucks' beating at the hands of the Minnesota Wild, one of the proponents of the now outdated "Trap" system of defense

You're out there. I can see you. You've been whining for years, calling the NHL "fifth amongst the four major sports." Making those nasty "NASCAR and TV poker are more popular" jokes. Joking about the television ratings. Sneering at Bettman, appalled at the players, the ticket prices, and mostly, the style of play that had developed over the years 1994—2004.

In so many ways, you were right. Hockey fans have had a right to complain, and often found themselves at the point of total cynicism. But now, even the most jaded hockey fan must set his sneer aside, and curb his cynicism.

The NHL finally got it right.

They've restored the excitement and flow of the game, and unleashed the skaters—not just the stars—to play hockey without the hooking and holding and in the last decade, tackling.

And it's about time. For the second consecutive time at the Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild racked up six goals on their way to a 6-0 pounding of the Canucks.

Over in Raleigh, it was Carolina 7, Washington 2.

Three goal leads aren't even safe. Also last night, the Nashville Predators (now 3-0), came all the way back, on the road in Denver vs. the Avalanche.

This is what we needed, for sure.

While Brendan Shanahan and others from the new Competition Committee share and deserve huge props, some credit must also be given to Gary Bettman's leadership for this change.

The new Director of Officiating, Steve Walkom, must be given huge credit for his ability to (so far) maintain a consistent standard.

RAFFI TORRES UPS THE ANTE
It's been an interesting three years for RAFFI TORRES, with whom we met at Staples Center in LA last week.

"I paid more attention to my off-ice work," said Torres, with regard to the advancements to his game during the lockout (he excelled in the AHL for the Edmonton Roadrunners (67GP, 21G-25A-46PTS)).

The extra attention to off-ice work has taken Torres to the level of play expected of him when the Islanders made him their number one pick (#5 overall, 2000).

Torres and JAROMIR JAGR share the current lead in power play goals with 3. Playing on the Oil's top line, Torres can be found with MICHAEL PECA and ALES HEMSKY. For this Islanders castoff (the Isles let the former 1st round pick go in 2003).

"Don't count us (the Oilers) out," says Torres of the Oilers.

Many around the league agree that the Oil are a cohesive unit that will likely challenge Vancouver and Anaheim (also Calgary) in the West.

Peca likes the chemistry, but the club is working too hard right now to take a break.

"We haven't had an opportunity to tear it up (yet)," laughs Michael Peca, who's been creating a lot of opportunities on the ice for his linemates.

PREDATORS INDEED: NASHVILLE QUIETLY EMERGES
Gotta love Coach Barry Trotz's crew.

They quietly steal STEVE SULLIVAN from the Hawks late in 2003-04, and then they quietly sign PAUL KARIYA. The NHL returns, and they quietly go 3-0 to start the season.

What's not so "quiet" about the Preds? Their penalty kill starts the season at 100 percent effectiveness.

While goalie Tomas Vokoun will get his share of credit for the start, Trotz rightly points out that in the changed NHL, special teams are more vital than ever.

"Certainly your best penalty killer is your goalie and Tomas [Vokoun] was good, but the six or eight guys we used on the penalty kill up front and the four or five defensemen we used on the back end have done a real good job of killing penalties. That's a big part of the game right now," said Trotz.

AFINOGENOV TO THE MAX
Three goals in four games for Buffalo Sabre MAXIM AFINOGENOV, who always seemed to have trouble finding room to skate in the old NHL. Trouble no more in the "New" NHL.

Afinogenov is on fire, early, and with some help from Daniel Briere is finally turning heads for more than his skating. Maxim spent the 2003-04 season with ALEX OVECHKIN, ALEX FROLOV, PAVEL DATSYUK and many other stars with the Moscow Dynamo (36GP-13G-12A-25PTS). Looks like a change of scenery may have been the best thing for this Russian returnee.

ROOKIE WATCH:
MAREK SVATOS (COL), PAVEL VOROBIEV (CHI) and ALEX OVECHKIN (WAS) are all pulling around 15-17 minutes per night and are fifth, sixth and seventh in NHL scoring as of October 13.

Svatos is tied with Daniel Alfredsson (OTT) and sophomore Eric Staal (CAR) at the top of the NHL with five goals apiece. Svatos impresses with his recent consistency (he's scored seven goals in his first seven NHL games (including this season's five games and two games at the end of 2003-04).

Buffalo rookie TOMAS VANEK is a welcome sight on the Niagara Frontier: A Sabre who likes to shoot the puck. It's less common than a Sasquatch sighting, but it does happen. Vanek, with eighteen shots in five games, provides some offensive punch to a franchise usually allergic to such things.

As OLN's NEIL SMITH pointed out recently, Alex Ovechkin will benefit from playing in Washington because the club "has no one else." Ovechkin is pulling down 16:07 worth of ice time. SID CROSBY is clocking in at over nineteen per (19:11).

Corey Perry

Where does that leave Hockeytalk's favorite, COREY PERRY?

At just 11:28, Perry will be hard pressed to keep pace in the Calder race (we have picked him here as the winner, long in advance of the season!), but…Perry is still averaging a point per game, and with a couple of recent losses, you might just see Perry on a line with SERGEI FEDOROV, who's been spending time on a line with Duck super sophomore JOFFREY LUPUL and new arrival JONATHAN HEDSTROM.

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