It has been a while since I have been on here, so first off I apologize. So here are some of the things that have captured my attention as of late.

Who is the NHL’s  best pure goal scorer, Ovechkin, Crosby or Stamkos?

Right now this a tough question to answer. Two seasons ago hands down Ovechkin was hands down the best pure scorer. However Sid the Kid decided to put more of an emphasis on goal scoring and a young Stamkos has emerged onto the scene. If I had to choose, Stamkos right now is the game’s best pure shooter and goal scorer. Here are some numbers to help bring some perspective as to where I am coming from.

2009-2010                              Shots                               Shooting %                       Goals

Ovechkin

368

13.6

50

Crosby

298

17.1

51

Stamkos

297

17.2

51

2010-2011                              Shots                               Shooting %                       Goals

Ovechkin

80

12.5

10

Crosby

76

17.1

13

Stamkos

69

23.2

16

What separates Stamkos from Ovechkin is that he is does not need as many shots to be as an effective goal scorer. I view Ovechkin as more of a shooter than a sniper. What separates Stamkos from Crosby is that Stamkos scores a lot of his goals from a further distance. Nothing wrong with garbage goals but when you are able to score from the distances that Stamkos is shooting the puck from, it makes what he is doing more impressive. Stamkos without a doubt right now has the best shot in the game. It reminds me a lot of Brett Hull when he was in his prime when he was scoring 70-80 goals a season. You know that big shot is coming but you just cannot stop it. That is a sign of an elite sniper. What makes Stamkos scarier is that he is only 20 years old at the moment. If Stamkos continues the pace that he is going at over an 82 game season, he will score between 72-73 goals. When all said and done, do not be shocked if Stamkos ends up between 55-65 goals this season.

Why are the Leafs struggling after their hot start?

I have narrowed it down to 2 main reasons. The first reason is that the production they are getting from their top 2 center has been sub-par. If you want to be a legitimate playoff contender you need solid production from the center position. Between Mikhail Grabovski and Tyler Bozak, they have combined for 6 goals, 12 assists, 18 points in 34 games. That is not going to cut it especially when you have a lot of team’s #1 centers with more points than the Leafs top 2 centers combined. If the Leafs expect to make the playoffs, production from the center position will need to increase dramatically.

The second reason is the lack of leadership. When Colby Armstrong and Dion Phaneuf went down with injuries, the Leafs began to struggle.  People have knocked Dion Phaneuf’s play but simply put the Leafs are a better team with him in the lineup. Phaneuf is an intense competitor and his presence rubs off on his teammates on and off the ice. Also you always have to be aware of where Phaneuf is at all times when he is on the ice since he is a heavy hitter and possesses a big time shot. As for Armstrong he provides grit, size and solid two-way hockey the Leafs miss at the forward position. The Leafs penalty killing was ranked above average with him the lineup and now has dipped to 26th out of 30 teams. If the Leafs want be a tough team to play against, they need these 2 guys healthy and in the lineup.

Props to Carey Price

I have been rather critical of Carey Price’s play in the past but right now the guy is playing like an all star goalie and a Vezina Trophy nominee. The main differences in his game up to this point is that his positioning looks a lot more sound and he is playing with tremendous confidence. For a guy that was probably under the most intense pressure to produce, he has more than delivered the goods so far. Price is the biggest reason why the Canadiens are currently 3rd in the Eastern Conference. I am glad that Canadiens fans are appreciating what he is doing and remember this if Price hits a short rough patch.

Headshots

A hot topic in the NHL at the moment is the enforcement of the headshot rule. The biggest problems I have with the rule if a tall player nails a shorter player with a shoulder in the head or what is the definition of a blindside hit. That was the case with Joe Thornton on David Perron. Thornton received a five minute penalty a game misconduct and a 2 game suspension for the hit. You be the judge, did Thornton deserves less, more or did the punishment fit the crime if there was one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJr33aaE_MM

One school of thought is that Thornton saw Perron in a vulnerable position and did not let up.   The rule is the rule. You got the flip side saying, what do you expect when your head is turned, looking down skating through the neutral zone with the puck around your stick, you deserve to get hit. I understand both arguments but what concerns me is that you are going to take some of the physical aspect of the game away while allowing players not suffer the consequences when they skate with the puck when they have their head down.

Who is the NHL’s most underrated player?

Lots of worthy candidates but the guy that stands out to me is Dallas Stars center Brad Richards. Last season Richards finished seventh in points with 91 and this year he has 21 points in 16 games. Richards is one of the league’s best playmakers, has the capability of playing solid 2 way hockey and the ability of quarterbacking a powerplay. Not too shabby for a guy that flies under the radar. Richards could be a hot commodity at this season’s trade deadline due to the ownership concerns in Dallas and becoming an UFA at the end of the year. I wish Stars GN Joe Nieuwendyk the best of luck on what to do with Richards.

 Other players that are worthy of being mentioned are Paul Stastny, Derek Roy, Mikko Koivu, Stephane Robidas

** Other rants**

  • Niklas Lidstrom and the Detroit Red Wings looked like they hit the Coke Zero time machine because they have been outstanding so far. Expect the Wings to be a solid contender this year

  • The NY Islanders were cute for the first little bit of the season but they remembered they were the Islanders. That prompted them to go on a 10 game losing streak and getting head coach Scott Gordon fired. I feel sorry for John Tavares because I believe his talent could be wasted if something is not done on Long Island. The Islanders use to be a proud franchise but now are the symbol of what you do not want to be in the NHL today.

  • Dear Calgary Flames, when are you going to give Jerome Iginla a legit #1 center? Quick, name me the best center Jerome Iginla has played with on Calgary? Well they had a decent winger named Mike Cammalleri that played with him but he went to Montreal due to Oli Jokinen’s hefty contract. Calgary should be a soap opera this season. I wonder if Dion Phaneuf is going to make a guest appearance.

  • Dear Pittsburgh Penguins, when are you going to get a top notch winger to play with Sidney Crosby?   It amazes me how this guy continues to produce with 2nd and 3rd line wingers around him. I believe he is the best player in the game today

  • Someone in Jersey should send out a search party to find where the Devils are hiding. Wow what a mess this team is at the moment.

Ryan’s Top 10 Teams

  • Detroit

  • Washington

  • Philadelphia

  • Los Angeles

  • Vancouver

  • Montreal

  • Boston

  • San Jose

  • Pittsburgh

  • St. Louis

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