When the NHL announced that it was to create the All-Star teams for the Annual Classic by a live draft, the first thought in most peoples' minds was:
"Who will have the shame of being the last standing"
To soften the blow to the 6th goalie and the last defenceman taken, the league put in some rules to ensure these were picked by an earlier deadline. (They also softened the blow to the least deserving forward, er defenceman, when they made him an assistant captain with exemption from the draft)
But guess what. someone will still have to be picked last. What's more, with the use of cunning and guile we can all figure out who the last defender and goalie picked were anyway.
As Canadiens fans, we don't have the luxury of being from a city in the US where the NHL is really trying to promote itself right now, so we only have on representative at the game.
Carey price nearly won the write in ballots, but the always humble Penguins fans stuffed the boxes for their goalie before Christmas when his stats were so Un-Star. Carey made it anyway, either on merit or because every team has to have one representative -- you tell me.
In any case, what this all means is that just about the only reason to watch any of the festivities this weekend for the hardcore Habs fan is to see where Carey price will be selected. It should give a new barometer on Price -- what opposing players think of him.
Mock draft results
Ahead of the actual draft, one of the most popular things to do for people with 3 minutes to spare is to do a mock draft and publish it in their newspaper or on their web page. In these drafts, the columnists either pick who they'd select (credible?) or pretend to be Staal and Lidtsrom and pick that way (less credible?).
In order to get an idea of the odds for Carey, I had a browse through about 9 mock drafts to see where he stood (NHL I, NHL III, TSN, Cgy Herald, Can Press, SI, SN, Broadstreet Hockey).
At this point, I'd have to say that Carey Price is the odds on favourite to be selected with the very last pick of a goaltender. The chips seem to fall mostly this way:
1) Cam Ward
Those pretending to be Staal all took him first. Given that Staal is the one picking, it seems plausible that he might go for Ward.
7 first, 1 second, 1 fourth (never after Price)
2) Tim Thomas
The best goaltender in the league this year (and over the past few years) gets relegated by Ward, but no further.
2 first, 4 second, 3 third (once after Price -- TSN)
3) Jonas Hiller
The best save percentage over the last few years, a solid and consistent bet is recognized as such.
1 second, 3 third, 2 fourth, 3 fifth (twice after Price)
4) Marc-Andre Fleury
Having to earn a selection without an internet vote may prove harder for MAF. The pundits knock him down the few notches his career stats deserve.
3 third, 3 fourth, 2 fifth, 1 sixth (twice after Price)
5) Henrik Lundqvist
Lidstrom is Swedish, and Lundqvist is pretty reliable to a standard.
2 second, 1 fourth, 4 fifth, 2 sixth (thrice after Price)
6) Carey Price
One big fan in Darren Dreger, but also openly mocked by some fantasy drafters. He was the clear last choice form the limited selection here.
1 second, 2 fourth, 6 sixth
On form
On form alone, Carey would probably fare a bit better.
This season, he is tied for fifth among the All-Star goalies in save percentage, with 0.920, good for 13th in the NHL (tied with Ward). Carey's been good, but the league standard has gone up. He's been better at keeping the goals down, as he's 9th leaguwide in that regard (2.36) and better than both Hiller (2.50) and Ward (2.70). So let's say if this game wasn't in Carolina, then Carey would be well ahead of Cam. Then again, if it wasn't in Carolina, how would Shanahan explain Ward over Pavelec or Rinne?
If we take a regular season only view and remove playoff accolades and blushes, then Carey is also slightly better than both Ward and Fleury for a career.
Sorry folks, but unless this game is suddenly moved to a different venue, it looks like GAA numbers won't be enough to save Carey's uneasy stand until the 10th round of this draft.
If there's something we've learned about Carey in his short career, however, it's that thinking he has something to prove is a better mode than thinking he's proved something already. As far as the Habs go, it may be good for Price to add a little chip to his shoulder for the next time he faces Staal, or Richards, or St. Louis.
Showing posts with label All-Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label All-Star. Show all posts
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Canadiens As All-Stars
Montreal Canadiens have figured prominently since the modern NHL All-Star Game began in 1947. In the early years, when the game was a contest between the league stars and the Stanley Cup Champions (wow, I wonder how they could create more interest in the modern All-Star game?), it was the Canadiens as a team 8 times from 1953 to 1967.
1968 was the last using this format, as expansion meant the league had twice as many players to choose from.
Since the 1969 game (the first after expansion), the game has been staged 36 times (this year being the 37th edition). And since that time, there have been 96 players associated with the Canadiens taking part in the game proper and 100 taking part in the weekend. PK Subban, with his replacement selection will be the 101st Montreal Canadien to take part in the modern All-Star Game -- a game taking place in the very symmetrical 101st Montreal Canadiens season.
The most times in the Habs sweater
96 times since 1969 players have represented the Montreal Canadiens.
The most players the Canadiens ever sent to a post-expansion All-Star game was 7 in 1978, when Ken Dryden was accompanied by Serge Savard and Larry Robinson, together with forwards Lafleur, Shutt, Cournoyer and Gainey. Nobody probably batted an eye at the time because the Habs were setting points records, piling up Cups and sending at least 6 to the All-Star game every year anyway.
The most times that any one player has represented the Habs since expansion is Larry Robinson. The standard he set of 9 games looks virtually untouchable, especially when one considers the next closest are no great slouches: Patrick Roy (6), Guy Lafleur (5), Yvan Cournoyer (5) and Ken Dryden (5). Carey price is on the right path, with two selections at this early stage. But 8 more to surpass Robinson is asking a Hall of Fame career from him.
The most appearances by a Canadiens alum
If we count games where a Habs alum skated, regardless of which team he was on, the numbers change. In all, Former, Present and Future Habs have played in 246 games (96 Present, 95 Former, 55 Future).
The players of note here are Patrick Roy and Chris Chelios. Both appeared in 11 All-Star contests over their careers. Robinson is next, with 10 (he had one honourary skate around with the Kings). They're followed by two players at 7 (Mark Recchi and Denis Savard) and a big group at 6.
The most consecutive appearances
There's a lot to be said for consistency. Consistent selection to the All-Star game is Hall of Fame stuff.
The most consecutive selections to a post-expansion game by a former, present or future Hab was 8. Chelios achieved this from 1990 to 1998. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, 7 of these appearances came after the famous trade to Chicago.
The most consecutive appearances by a player at the time he was with the Habs was 5 selections. This was done by Patrick Roy and Guy Lafleur.
All-Star traded away
It happens, to get you have to give. Chelios is mentioned above. But one hops that in trading an All-Star calibre player, one might at least just it at the tail end of a career.
The most All-Star seasons after leaving the Habs is a dubious record which is held by Chris Chelios at 9. You'd be wrong in thinking that Roy was next. His 5 were painful to watch, but Carol Vadnais and Tony Esposito both had 6 All-Star appearances after leaving Montreal.
At least Patrick also had some All-star years in Montreal. Neither Vadnais or Esposito did. Nor did John Leclair or Red Berenson, who each went to the All-Star game 5 times after leaving Montreal.
Bringing in an All-Star
Getting stars in the yes, it's happened to us all. We all dream up trades. Some people make a website empire out of it.
The perils of trading an All-Star can be balanced with getting an All-Star, if timed just right. Players who later became Habs dressed in 55 All-Star games since 1968.
The best acquisition here has to be Frank Mahovlich. He appeared in the first two post-expansion All-Star games as a Red Wing before being brought in to Montreal. Following that acquisition, he suited up for 4 more games, all consecutive from 1971-74. The next best is possibly Mark Recchi, who was three times an All-Star in Montreal before Rejean Houle discharged him for the sake of profit margins.
Other than Recchi, only Kirk Muller, Pierre Turgeon, Denis Savard and Alexei Kovalev ever replicated their All-Star form after being brought in to help the Habs.
Aging vets
At the last Stanley Cup parade, I had Gary Leeman sign his hockey card. As if to show his teammates that he once wore All-Star colours, he passed that card around the whole float to show his 51-goal season.
Unfortunately for Habs fans, Leeman wasn't the only star to ever be brought in after his All-Star days were behind him. 19 players in all fit this bill. There's still time for some (Hamrlik and Gomez among them).
Prospects lost
In the expansion era, losing prospects was an inevitability. Losing All-Stars too. But what's the excuse for GMs now? Ribeiro, Streit and Robidas are all recent alums that have gone onto recognition in other towns.
Years of shame
Someone was commenting the other day on Dadonov as the only Florida player at this weekend. They have no representation in the game itself. The Habs came mighty close this year too, with price the lone Canadien at the game proper.
Twice, though, 2001 and 2003, the Habs sent no one at all to the All-Star game. At least, Koivu was selected in 2003. 2001 was just a horrid year to be a fan of this team.
1968 was the last using this format, as expansion meant the league had twice as many players to choose from.
Since the 1969 game (the first after expansion), the game has been staged 36 times (this year being the 37th edition). And since that time, there have been 96 players associated with the Canadiens taking part in the game proper and 100 taking part in the weekend. PK Subban, with his replacement selection will be the 101st Montreal Canadien to take part in the modern All-Star Game -- a game taking place in the very symmetrical 101st Montreal Canadiens season.
The most times in the Habs sweater
96 times since 1969 players have represented the Montreal Canadiens.
The most players the Canadiens ever sent to a post-expansion All-Star game was 7 in 1978, when Ken Dryden was accompanied by Serge Savard and Larry Robinson, together with forwards Lafleur, Shutt, Cournoyer and Gainey. Nobody probably batted an eye at the time because the Habs were setting points records, piling up Cups and sending at least 6 to the All-Star game every year anyway.
The most times that any one player has represented the Habs since expansion is Larry Robinson. The standard he set of 9 games looks virtually untouchable, especially when one considers the next closest are no great slouches: Patrick Roy (6), Guy Lafleur (5), Yvan Cournoyer (5) and Ken Dryden (5). Carey price is on the right path, with two selections at this early stage. But 8 more to surpass Robinson is asking a Hall of Fame career from him.
The most appearances by a Canadiens alum
If we count games where a Habs alum skated, regardless of which team he was on, the numbers change. In all, Former, Present and Future Habs have played in 246 games (96 Present, 95 Former, 55 Future).
The players of note here are Patrick Roy and Chris Chelios. Both appeared in 11 All-Star contests over their careers. Robinson is next, with 10 (he had one honourary skate around with the Kings). They're followed by two players at 7 (Mark Recchi and Denis Savard) and a big group at 6.
The most consecutive appearances
There's a lot to be said for consistency. Consistent selection to the All-Star game is Hall of Fame stuff.
The most consecutive selections to a post-expansion game by a former, present or future Hab was 8. Chelios achieved this from 1990 to 1998. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, 7 of these appearances came after the famous trade to Chicago.
The most consecutive appearances by a player at the time he was with the Habs was 5 selections. This was done by Patrick Roy and Guy Lafleur.
All-Star traded away
It happens, to get you have to give. Chelios is mentioned above. But one hops that in trading an All-Star calibre player, one might at least just it at the tail end of a career.
The most All-Star seasons after leaving the Habs is a dubious record which is held by Chris Chelios at 9. You'd be wrong in thinking that Roy was next. His 5 were painful to watch, but Carol Vadnais and Tony Esposito both had 6 All-Star appearances after leaving Montreal.
At least Patrick also had some All-star years in Montreal. Neither Vadnais or Esposito did. Nor did John Leclair or Red Berenson, who each went to the All-Star game 5 times after leaving Montreal.
Bringing in an All-Star
Getting stars in the yes, it's happened to us all. We all dream up trades. Some people make a website empire out of it.
The perils of trading an All-Star can be balanced with getting an All-Star, if timed just right. Players who later became Habs dressed in 55 All-Star games since 1968.
The best acquisition here has to be Frank Mahovlich. He appeared in the first two post-expansion All-Star games as a Red Wing before being brought in to Montreal. Following that acquisition, he suited up for 4 more games, all consecutive from 1971-74. The next best is possibly Mark Recchi, who was three times an All-Star in Montreal before Rejean Houle discharged him for the sake of profit margins.
Other than Recchi, only Kirk Muller, Pierre Turgeon, Denis Savard and Alexei Kovalev ever replicated their All-Star form after being brought in to help the Habs.
Aging vets
At the last Stanley Cup parade, I had Gary Leeman sign his hockey card. As if to show his teammates that he once wore All-Star colours, he passed that card around the whole float to show his 51-goal season.
Unfortunately for Habs fans, Leeman wasn't the only star to ever be brought in after his All-Star days were behind him. 19 players in all fit this bill. There's still time for some (Hamrlik and Gomez among them).
Prospects lost
In the expansion era, losing prospects was an inevitability. Losing All-Stars too. But what's the excuse for GMs now? Ribeiro, Streit and Robidas are all recent alums that have gone onto recognition in other towns.
Years of shame
Someone was commenting the other day on Dadonov as the only Florida player at this weekend. They have no representation in the game itself. The Habs came mighty close this year too, with price the lone Canadien at the game proper.
Twice, though, 2001 and 2003, the Habs sent no one at all to the All-Star game. At least, Koivu was selected in 2003. 2001 was just a horrid year to be a fan of this team.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Vote Tim Thomas: A Vote For Montreal
Two seasons past, Canadiens fans embarrassed themselves and their city by voting Mike Komisarek onto the starting lineup of the All-Star Game. Komi was one of four Canadiens voted to the line-up that year, only one was without question deserving.
That same year, Carey Price was voted to the mid-winter "Classic". He was deserving of a look at the time, though perhaps not deserving of eclipsing Tim Thomas in his sensational Vezina campaign.
Well, karma it seems doesn't take kindly to being cheated by Montreal voters. Following their All-Star appearances, Price, Kovalev and Komisarek (the usurpers) all tailed quite drastically. Kovalev was benched; Komisarek managed to use those months to lose the team's and city's confidence, and Carey price couldn't stop a first period shot for a while.
I'm a bit of a superstitious fellow. And to see Carey Price go from second year unquestioned reliability to such depths right after the All-Star game didn't sit well with the less logical of my hemispheres. The moment that sticks is his dismantling at the hands of Blake Wheeler high shots during the All-Rookie game - an effective sign post for the rest of the league.
Here we are again in 2010.
Just today, I was going to write about the blessing in disguise that was Carey Price's omission from the All-Star ballot. It was to be no distractions, no unwanted ego trips and an All-Star appearance that he was set to earn at the behest of the Eastern Conference coaches.
Instead, the afternoon brings news of thousands of Price fans who have so much unbridled passion for this guy that they've been writing in votes for the past 2 weeks.
Price is a most deserving candidate, that's true. And in any other year, he's the most deserving candidate. But this year, Tim Thomas has had a start for the ages. The Vezina winner who never got his start at the game is currently harbouring obscene statistics on his profile page. Yet Thomas sits at third in voting behind two write ins and barely ahead of the undiscerning Pittsburgher choice of Marc-Andre Fleury.
If you vote, rather than priming your pen for paper, I suggest Tim Thomas.
This will be good for karma. It will be good to deflect from the fact that many Montrealers are blatant homers. It will recognize Thomas' standard. And most importantly it will mean that Price, if he is an All-Star will have earned his selection this season.
A vote for Thomas would be doing the Habs a favour in so many ways.
Plekanec write ins
While we're at it. Do people realize that Crosby, Ovechkin and Stamkos have this thing locked up. Not only are they already the fan favourites, they all three are also having amazing starts.
Save your writing hands people. While Pleks must be flattered, he's not one to require this kind affirmation. If he plays like he does, he'll be an All-Star, but not because you voted for him, but rather because he is one of the 9 forwards selected by the coaches.
That same year, Carey Price was voted to the mid-winter "Classic". He was deserving of a look at the time, though perhaps not deserving of eclipsing Tim Thomas in his sensational Vezina campaign.
Well, karma it seems doesn't take kindly to being cheated by Montreal voters. Following their All-Star appearances, Price, Kovalev and Komisarek (the usurpers) all tailed quite drastically. Kovalev was benched; Komisarek managed to use those months to lose the team's and city's confidence, and Carey price couldn't stop a first period shot for a while.
I'm a bit of a superstitious fellow. And to see Carey Price go from second year unquestioned reliability to such depths right after the All-Star game didn't sit well with the less logical of my hemispheres. The moment that sticks is his dismantling at the hands of Blake Wheeler high shots during the All-Rookie game - an effective sign post for the rest of the league.
Here we are again in 2010.
Just today, I was going to write about the blessing in disguise that was Carey Price's omission from the All-Star ballot. It was to be no distractions, no unwanted ego trips and an All-Star appearance that he was set to earn at the behest of the Eastern Conference coaches.
Instead, the afternoon brings news of thousands of Price fans who have so much unbridled passion for this guy that they've been writing in votes for the past 2 weeks.
Price is a most deserving candidate, that's true. And in any other year, he's the most deserving candidate. But this year, Tim Thomas has had a start for the ages. The Vezina winner who never got his start at the game is currently harbouring obscene statistics on his profile page. Yet Thomas sits at third in voting behind two write ins and barely ahead of the undiscerning Pittsburgher choice of Marc-Andre Fleury.
If you vote, rather than priming your pen for paper, I suggest Tim Thomas.
This will be good for karma. It will be good to deflect from the fact that many Montrealers are blatant homers. It will recognize Thomas' standard. And most importantly it will mean that Price, if he is an All-Star will have earned his selection this season.
A vote for Thomas would be doing the Habs a favour in so many ways.
Plekanec write ins
While we're at it. Do people realize that Crosby, Ovechkin and Stamkos have this thing locked up. Not only are they already the fan favourites, they all three are also having amazing starts.
Save your writing hands people. While Pleks must be flattered, he's not one to require this kind affirmation. If he plays like he does, he'll be an All-Star, but not because you voted for him, but rather because he is one of the 9 forwards selected by the coaches.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)