Assorted Thoughts On This Nervous Night...

by SamFels on Apr 19, 2009 10:57 PM CDT

Just a few things rattling around on the off-day:

-Don't know how many of you caught this from Mirtle's article yesterday about the Sedins. In it, he shows why the twins are amongst the best even-strenght players in the league, and goes to list the top-20 in terms of Goals-For/60 minutes on ice. Here it is:

	NAME	TEAM	GP	QCMP	Pt/60	GF/60	GA/60	+-ON/60
1	B. WHEELER	BOS	81	0.02	2.43	3.88	1.78	2.10
2	P. DATSYUK	DET	81	0.04	2.91	4.28	2.30	1.97
3	A. SEMIN	WSH	61	0.03	3.21	4.10	2.24	1.86
4	M. HOSSA	DET	74	0.02	2.75	3.81	2.12	1.69
5	R. FEDOTENKO	PIT	65	0.03	2.58	3.27	1.75	1.52
6	D. SEDIN	VAN	82	0.06	2.97	3.40	1.94	1.46
7	T. ZAJAC	N.J	82	0.04	2.17	3.31	1.94	1.37
8	Z. PARISE	N.J	82	0.03	2.93	3.46	2.09	1.36
9	A. LADD	CHI	82	0.11	2.61	3.58	2.27	1.31
10	H. SEDIN	VAN	82	0.06	2.79	3.42	2.16	1.26
11	J. LANGENBRUN.	N.J	81	0.04	2.70	3.23	1.99	1.23
12	E. MALKIN	PIT	82	0.06	3.07	3.75	2.53	1.22
13	J. FRANZEN	DET	71	0.06	2.13	3.22	2.01	1.22
14	M. HAVLAT	CHI	81	0.05	2.89	3.77	2.57	1.20
15	J. CARTER	PHI	81	0.04	2.67	3.61	2.62	1.00
16	P. ELIAS	N.J	77	0.03	2.56	3.13	2.13	1.00
17	C. PERRY	ANA	78	0.02	2.50	3.49	2.50	0.99
18	J. THORNTON	S.J	82	0.04	2.33	3.07	2.13	0.94
19	A. BURROWS	VAN	82	0.04	2.44	3.23	2.32	0.91
20	D. SETOGUCHI	S.J	81	0.03	2.34	3.14	2.22	0.91

You see #9 there? That's Andrew Ladd. If you'll notice, his Qualtiy of Competition, i.e. the quality that is on ice against him all the time, is significantly higher than anyone else's on this list. From that, you could, could, make the argument that Andrew Ladd has been the best even-strength player in the NHL. You could. I won't. But I'm not here to tell you what to do. What you can't argue is that Ladd's numbers don't reflect just how effective a player he's been.

- From that, I'm giving Ladd his Committed Indian Nickname back, which was Nails, because that's what he's been all year. It's also time to give one to Dave Bolland, so I'll float Your Fabulous Weapon, in a nod to the Eagles of Death Metal Song "Don't Speak (I came to make a Bang!)".

"I'm too smooth, you never see me coming
I'm never in a hurry, I'm just movin' fast"

Sounds all right to me.

-Last reminder: The three stooges of this sight will be at Whirlaway tomorrow for the game. Come one come all, be there or be stupid, as said, McClure will be both.

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While all the analysts are quick to mention the youth of our team I feel that sometimes our young guns not named Kane or Toews often get overlooked. Ladd has been a beast this year and continues to improve, Bolland had 47 pts(!), Barker and Biscuit continue to mature into top defensemen, STEEGER had 53 pts. And thats not even mentioning up and comers like Hjalmarsson or Skille. The only potential problem seems to be the salary cap with all these young studs coming into their prime in the next few years. I like soupy but maybe its time rocky put out a hit on him after this season

First Four Picks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft: 1.Ovechkin 2.Malkin 3.Cam Barker 4.Andrew Ladd

by Aeacus on Apr 19, 2009 11:25 PM CDT reply actions

Speaking of nicknames...

My wife nicknamed the like of Kane/Sharp/Toews the Bobblehead Line. I like it, and that’s what I’m going with.

HOCKEENIGHT.COM...home of FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS and LEAVE IT TO BETTMAN...now with PODCASTING!!!

by Forklift14 on Apr 20, 2009 7:57 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

I like it...

The first Cubs game I took my girlfriend to was Soriano bobblehead night – from then on Soriano has only been referred to as “bobblehead”

Second City Hockey

by Killion on Apr 20, 2009 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions

Seconded.

by russellguldin on Apr 20, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

They spelled

Christ wrong.

You and I are gonna live forever

by Original Six on Apr 20, 2009 8:55 AM CDT reply actions

He often

Just goes by his middle name of Havlat to re-direct the masses and attention

by Roos-34 on Apr 20, 2009 9:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Nails

Bout damn time Ladd got his nickname back!

Block is off his rocker if he thought the Rutuu trade was a push. Nails is younger, cheaper, and produced juat as much playing a checking role witout any PP time.

We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.

by E Runs on Apr 20, 2009 11:51 AM CDT reply actions

I forgot what it means to be emotionally invested in the playoffs. I can’t believe I’m as nervous as I am, more now than I was before the first two games. I keep thinking the most current game is the key game, the one that’ll decide momentum for the rest of the series.

It may really help that a lot of the players know what it means to play in Western Canada; it’s a different beast there, for sure.

If we’re gonna win tonight, it’ll take a big game from our role players; Keenan likes to match lines as much as Q, and Toews, Havlat, Kane and Sharp will get tougher minutes tonight.

by ChicoMaki on Apr 20, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions

We won't have the faceoff advantages we had

in the first two games either. I don’t think Langkow has won a draw versus Pahlsson yet.

Got more soul than a sock with a hole.

by chrome on Apr 20, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions

That’s a good point; we’ve played well in large part due to this. I think we led the league in bench minors this year. Hope the coaches keep the boys focused on when to jump over the boards. Last thing we need (among many other last things) is an awakened Flame PP.

by ChicoMaki on Apr 20, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions