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Thanks for the Blowouts

Nov 28

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By Matt Valentine

Thanksgiving, probably my favorite holiday of them all. I get to sit at home eat, drink, and watch some good old fashioned American football.

Just one problem with Thanksgiving circa 2008…every single game was a blowout. Let’s begin with the first game on today , Detroit and Tennessee. While most of us were dining on some finger foods, chips n’ dip , and perhaps a few adult beverages we were all “treated” to watching the worst team in football take on one of the best and of course hilarity ensued.

Why are the Lions even on national TV at this point? The team is 0-11 and very likely headed for an  0-16 season. They are a complete disaster to watch and outside of Calvin Johnson have no players that inspire enthusiasm.

So basically unless you are a Titans fan the game was a complete bust to watch. In fact, I’m betting that most Titan fans didn’t even watch the entire game and witness their teams 47-10 drumming of the hapless Lions.

I moved past the tragedy that was the first game in the NFL’s Thanksgiving day lineup, filled myself up with some delicous turkey, stuffing, mashed potatos, and more adult beve’s and tuned in for the second game, the Dallas Cowboys and the Seatlle Seahawks.

Love em or hate em the Cowboys are an interesting team to watch and while the Seahawks have been pretty dismal this year I had my fingers crossed for a tight game. So much for crossing your fingers. The Cowboys scored on their first three drives, quickly ending any notion that this game would be even remotely competitive. I’d like to say that I watched the entire game but, I didn’t and it was probably for the best because 34-9 doesn’t exactly sound appealing.

Ahh, but there was hope yet, the Eagles and Cardinals we’re coming on and this game had to be a good one! I mean what are the chances of three blowouts in a row? Apparently pretty damn good! This game was pretty much over at half time and the score was surprising even to myself. The Eagles and their much malinged QB Donovan McNabb simply dominated the game leading by 24-7 at the half. I actually did stay tuned in to this game, but only because Westbrook is on my fantasy team and I’m fighting for a first round bye. Once Westbrook left the game, so did I.

The games were a bust, but at least the food and drinks we’re enough to satisfy.

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Fantasy Football Start Em: Running Backs

Oct 17

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | 1 Comment

Week 7 is fast approaching and for most leagues this marks the halfway point in thir fantasy season. Hopefully by now you’ve solidified your position as one of the league’s strongest GM’s, but even if you haven’t theres still plenty of time to get back into contention. Maybe this list will help you make the best choices in your lineup calls for week 7.

1. Chris Johnson vs. Kansas City

Kansas City is a pretty dismal team right now. Larry Johnson wants to be traded, Tony Gonzalez wanted to be traded and the team has absolutely no shot of being a contender this season. Which is great news if you’re one of the lucky people who own Chris Johnson this week.The K.C. defense surrenders 182.2 rushing yards a game and Johnson has been averaging 90 total yards a game so far this year. Lendale White is suffering from a shoulder injury at the moment which may give Johnson some more goal-line chances. Look for Johnson to have a nice fantasy week this week.

2. Dominic Rhodes vs. Green Bay

Rhodes disappeared off the fantasy radar for a while when he went to Oakland (as most people do). However, hes back in Indy and both Joseph Addai and Mike Hart are sidelined this week with injuries making Rhodes a very serviceable option. The Packers have been struggling with their rush defense allowing 153 yards per game. Rhodes should get plenty of touches and could find the end zone. A nice start here, especially if you’re an Addai owner.

3. Mewelde Moore vs. Cinncinatti

Moore is most likely available in a number of leagues and can be a nice pick up n’ play this week against a struggling Bengals defense. With Willie Parker sidelined for another week due to injury Moore is once again Pittsburgh top rusher. The Bengals rush defense is giving up 156.8 yards per game so Moore has a chance to go off. He gave a solid performance in his first start and should follow it up nicely with this favorable match up.

4. Thomas Jones vs. Oakland

Ah just when you were about to give up on Jones he comes up with a huge performance. Jones scored three times last week (2 rushing, 1 receiving) surpassing his total from all of last season. This week Jones is facing off against an Oakland defense that’s surrendering 115 rushing yards and 1.6 rushing touchdowns per game. With Oakland’s offense unable to muster much production the Jets offense should have plenty of chances to score and Jones could be the primary beneficiary.

5.  Steve Slaton vs. Detroit

At first glance this may not look like the best match up especially considering what Detroit was able to do to Adrian Peterson last week, but Houston has a much better QB then Minnesota and Schaub should open up the field with his ability to throw the long ball to Andre Johnson. With a deep passing threat established Slaton could find plenty of open holes and could have a nice fantasy day.

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Cowboys Get Roy Williams

Oct 15

Posted by admin in American Football, Dalls Cowboys, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Football, Pro Sports, Roy Williams, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Star, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community, position, receiver, star, trade, trade deadline, wide receiver | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

In a last minute trade at the seldom used NFL trade deadline the Dallas Cowboys added WR Roy Williams to their roster.

Now, the only problem will be finding someone to throw him the ball the first three weeks while Tony Romo is sidelined with a broken pinkie for 4 weeks.

Roy Williams is now a Cowboy.

Roy Williams is now a Cowboy.

The move upgrades the Cowboys at a position that already has plenty of depth with receivers Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and Sam Hurd. Hurd went down with an injury in the Cowboys loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but Miles Austin has progressed better then expected and has developed into a solid receiving option, with 8 receptions for 186 yards and 3 TD.

Williams should presumably be the successor to the T.O. throne in Dallas, with Owens nearing the age of 36. Though Owens shows no signs of becoming a less then elite option in the near future, the time will come when he will have to pack it in and Dallas has made steps to prevent a major drop off at the position.

Williams was a Matt Millen draft pick,one of the few good ones that Millen made, and has been productive with some very mediocre quarterbacks in the past. In his career Williams has 262 receptions for 3,884 yards and 29 touchdowns.Williams’ best season was 2006, when he went to the Pro Bowl after catching 82 passes for 1,310 yards and seven touchdowns

The trade came as a surprise to some seeing as the Cowboys could most likely use help on the defensive side of the ball, with the recent suspension of corner back Adam Jones and numerous injuries in their secondary leaving them depleted at the position.

Also, its my opinion that Cowboys gave up far too much for Williams. Perhaps the new GM in Detroit actually has a plan for the future and is doing so by stock piling draft picks at the Cowboys expense. The Cowboys gave the Lions a first, third, and sixth round pick in 2009. Detroit gave the Cowboys a seventh-rounder as well as Williams.

The addition of Williams will only heighten the Super Bowl expectations of the Cowboys who now trail the Giants by one game in the NFC East. Though at the moment the Cowboys have plenty of other things to worry about before they even think about getting to a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys will play their next three games without star QB Tony Romo who suffered a broken pinkie on his throwing hand during the teams loss to Arizona. During that stretch the Cowboys will Saint Louis, Tampa Bay and the Giants. Backup Brad Johnson has been named the started in the interim, but the Cowboys face trouble if they lose any of these games especially their match up against the Giants.

While in the long run the trade may prove to be beneficial for the Cowboys who now have one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. The trade may not pay immediate dividends with Brad Johnson throwing them the ball.

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NHL Season Set to Begin Abroad

Oct 3

Posted by admin in Europe, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Hockey, NHL, NHL in Europe, Opening Night, Pre-season hockey, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, ice hockey, online sports community | No Comments

Will Detroit repeat? NHL season kicks off soon in Europe.

Will Detroit repeat? NHL season kicks off soon in Europe.

By Matt Valentine

Yes, its true.  Yes, I understand most of you could probably care less . Yes, that bothers me. Either way, whether you love it or hate it the NHL season will begin and it will begin sooner then you think.

In fact, the NHL is taking a page from MLB and the NBA in doing something that it has never done before… opening its regular season in Europe.

The opening games of the NHL season will take place as a double-header of sorts with games to beplayed in the Czech and Swedish capitals. It is something that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says Europe should get used to, ” We are hopefully ushering an era of a more permanent presence for the league (in Europe).”

That seems to indicate that the commissioner would at some point like to setup a franchise somewhere in the European market, but that day is still a long ways away and for now the NHL is content to give the European fans of hockey just a small sample of itself.

Like Bettman said the NHL is creating, “a program where we’re coming back on a regular basis to satisfy and address the interest that we know is in our game here.

One of the matchups featured in the double header will take place between two Eastern Conference teams on the rise, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers. Both teams have undergone some significant roster changes and look to start the season off on the right skate. The game will take place in the Czech capital city of Prague.

The other game in the double-header will feature a match up between last seasons Stanley Cup finalist Pittsburgh Penguins and the underachieving Ottawa Seantors. This game will be played in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

Originally the NHL had planned just two games overseas to both to be played by the Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings in London for the opener but expanded their overseas schedule to the current four games.

The Europeans fans have proven themselves to be excellent hosts showing great enthusiasm for the games and the players. In fact, over 8,000 Czechs turned out just to see a Rangers practice session something that is completely unheard of back in the USA.

The players have also enjoyed their trip overseas though they have admitted that the travel can be tiring, they also enjoy having the opportunity to play in front of their home crowd. Such was the case with Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival a Czech who said he was thrilled to play in front of a home crowd.

Considering the amount of knowledge and enthusiasm Europe has for hockey it makes sense for the NHL to market their brand there and to continue to expand their presence in the European market. Next year the destination seems likely to be Germany, another country will a strong enthusiasm for the game.

If only there was such enthusiasm for the game at home.

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It’s About Time: Lions To Fire GM Millen

Sep 24

Posted by admin in Detroit, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, Ford family, Lions, Matt Millen, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, draft, fired, front office, let go, online sports community | No Comments

After years of futility, poor draft choices, losing seasons, and owning the NFL’s worst record over the last 7 years at 31-84 the Lions are reportedly going to fire GM Matt Millen.

How this did not happen years ago when it was more then obvious that the only place Millen would be taking this franchise was straight into the ground is a question that i don’t think many people in the NFL, or especially in Detroit can even begin to answer.

Look at Millen’s tenure and you have what could be one of the worst front office moves in the history of any sport. Since his arrival in Detroit in 2001, the team is 53 games below .500.  They have lost 9 or more games in every season. From 2001-2003 , the Lions did not win a single game outside of Detroit going 0-24 on the road until they opened the 2004 season with a win at Chicago. Overall, their road record stands at a dismal  8-50 under Millen.

Millen was a controversial selection in the first place, being taken out of the broadcasting booth and thrown into the front office despite having absolutely no prior player development or front office experience.

Yet, that’s not even the worst part about Millen’s tenure, I mean, you can’t really fault a guy for how his players perform on the field , but you can fault him for making some of the worst personnel moves in league history. Let’s face it, Matt Millen is the worst drafter/evaluator of talent in NFL history. As a matter of fact, I’ve seen six year old’s string together better drafts in Madden then this guy has ever put together. So here is a nice look at some of Matt Millen’s busts…keep in mind this only the first round picks.

Let’s start with the cream of the crop Matt Millen’s 2002 selection of Joey Harrington…need I say more? Probably not, but I’m going to anyway. Harrington has posted a 13-37 record as a starter for the Lions. He has posted some historically bad seasons, in 2002 and 2003 Harrington posted the two worst yards per attempt seasons in the NFL or AFL since 1960 among QBs with 425 attempts in a season. Only once during his Lions career did he pass for more then 3,000 yards or throw more TD (19) then interceptions (12) and that was in 2004. Since he left Detroit in 2006 he has played for several other teams never becoming a good player and he now is the Saints third string QB.

As bad as the Joey Harrington selection turned out to be perhaps Matt Millen’s worst picks came in the following season when he selected Charles Rogers second overall in 2003. Rogers started just 5 games before breaking his collarbone, before his expected return in 2004 Rogers broke his collarbone a second time and was sidelined for the season. In 2005 Rogers played in just 9 games racking up 14 receptions for 197 yards and 1 TD. He was released by the Lions in 2006 after he broke the leagues substance abuse rule for the third time in hi career. All in all Rogers caught 36 passes for 440 yards and 3 TD in his NFL career, not exactly second overall material. Oh did I mention that 2 time pro-bowl WR Andre Johnson was selected right after Rogers?

Besides for Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson perhaps one of Millen’s better picks was the 2004 selection of Kevin Jones. Jones had a very productive rookie season rushing for 1133 yards and 5 TD. However, injuries sidelines Jones and he never again started every game of the regular season, or come even remotely close to replicating his rookie season.  He was released by the Lions after the 2007 season and is now in Chicago.

Finally we come to Mike Williams another Matt Millen stud. Williams was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He currently resides, like many of Millen’s other selections, on the waiver wire. During his short career as a Lion, Williams caught 37 passes for 449 yards and 2 TD despite having played in 22 games.

All of these first round busts would be one thing, but the real problem comes when you look at all the talent that Millen has passed on to take these players. The Lions passed on such talents as Demarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Deangelo Hall, Terrence Newman, Roy Williams(the safety), John Henderson, and Dwight Freeney in favor of players like Mike Williams and Charles Rogers. Maybe Millen’s problem was that he was drafting on the wrong side of the ball all the time.

Now a new era can dawn in Detroit and no matter who they bring in it really can’t get much worse then Matt Millen can it? I’m sure Packers fans and everyone whose not a Lions fan are sincerely upset at Millens departure, hell it was almost a gauranteed win every year. But, at least Lions fans have some semblance of a future to look forward to, a future without Matt Millen.

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Girl Fight! WNBA Brawl

Jul 25

Posted by admin in Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized | No Comments

The WNBA may not be a mirror image of the NBA when it comes to the play on the court, considering it makes headlines when a woman basketball player dunks, but it has reflected the image of the NBA when it comes to brawls.

A league which has been seeking to capture the attention of the sports viewing audience has finally gotten it, but for all the wrong reasons. The brawl took place Tuesday night between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock and involved some 10 players and an assistant coach.

In fact, so many players were suspended by the league, that they were forced to levy the suspensions in alphabetical order. Among those suspended by the league were Shock assitant coach Rick Mahorn, who tried to breakup the fight, but instead ended up shoving Sparks star Lisa Leslie and Shock forward Plenette Pierson who received the harshest penalyt, a four game suspension, for initiating and escalating the brawl.

The brawl began moments after Sparks forward Candance Parker and Detroit’s Cheryl For had to be seperated after Ford fouled Parker. On the ensuing possession, Parker and Detroit’s Plenette Pierson got tangled up and Parker fell to the ground. Pierson stood over Parker who then pulled Pierson to the ground. Parker was then tackled by the Shock’s Deanna Nolan. The teams benched cleared and players and coaches from both teams joined in on the fight. Rick Mahorn said he got involved simply to separate the players and put an end to the brawl, but at some point he pushed Leslie to the ground which resulted in Los Angeles’ Delisha Milton-Jones pushing and punching Mahorn in the back.

WNBA Brawl

At the end of the brawl Ford left the court in a wheelchair having torn a ligament in her knee trying to restrain Pierson and will miss the remainder of the season. The rest of the players involved in the brawl all received suspensions and fines which ranged from $500 to $1,500 for Pierson.

So what does the brawl say about the WNBA? Well, it says a lot of different things actually. First, it says that women can be every bit as bad as men when it comes to restraining their emotions on the court. Second, it says that these women play the game with passion and fire which can be taken as a positive. Third, It further demonstrates the competitive spirit that all these women possess. However, the WNBA cannot be happy about the fact that the only buzz this league can generate is when there is a bench clearing brawl, not exactly a strong PR campaign for the league.

Also of note, how ironic is it that this brawl took place at the same exact arena that the infamous brawl between the Pistons and Pacers took place? They should seriously consider getting some extra security at The Palace to prevent this type of thing from becoming a trend.

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NHL Announces 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field

Jul 17

Posted by admin in 2008 NHL Draft, Coaching Staff, Eastern Conference, Hall of Famer, NBC, NHL, NHL on NBC, Playoff hockey, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, coach, commissioner, defense, ice hockey, online sports community, playoffs | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Wrigley Field is no stranger to blustery, cold conditions with the stiff winds coming off Lake Michigan giving Cubs fans each year.

Yet, Wrigley is due for an even further drop in temperature on New Years Day 2009. That’s because Wrigley has been chosen as the site of the NHL’s next Winter Classic, the second installment of the annual outdoor game.

The first Winter Classic was played last year in Buffalo and featured the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. A heavy snow fell on the stadium, but the crowd of 71,217 still saw a great game in which the
Penguins defeated the Sabres 2-1 on Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal.

Last season was not the NHL’s first outdoor game. The idea actually came to fruition in 2003 when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens. The event also featured an old-timers game in which former greats Wanye Gretzky, Gordie Howe and others played a charitable exhibition game.

The Red Wings and Blackhawks are the NHL’s most storied rivalry having met in a league leading 701 regular season contests. Wings fans often make the trip to the Windy City to see their team take on the Hawks. The historic matchup is a perfect fit for the historic setting of Wrigley Field, one of the most storied stadiums in baseball history.

The game will begin at noon Central Time and will be televised nationally by NBC.

The Winter Classic has become a great venue for the NHL to attract attention to itself and has drawn the largest crowds in NHL history. Though the game has stiff competition from the numerous college bowl
games that are traditionally played on New Years Day, the NHL and NBC are not concerned with a hit to their potential ratings. Last year’s Winter Classic was the highest rated regular season game in more than a decade, capturing a 2.6 overnight rating and a 5 share.

Brian Walker a spokesman for NBC had this to say about the game “It’s a great event that stands on its own. It exceeded our wildest expectations last time and we expect to build on that success at a great venue with two Original Six franchises,” Walker said. “You can’t ask for anything better. Hopefully we’ve started a new tradition. The ratings were extremely healthy last year and we fully anticipate them
to improve.”

The game should also help the Blackhawks draw attention to their long sagging franchise. The Blackhawks popularity in Chicago has slipped significantly since the team has made just one playoff appearance in the last 10 seasons. The Hawks do have a talented young nucleus of players led by of the Year Patrick Kane and may be a playoff contender by the time the Winter Classic rolls around.

The NHL is still trying to negotiate a deal that would set up a Winter Classic in the new Yankee Stadium in the heart of the Bronx. The NHL has attempted to negotiate a Winter Classic in the current Yankee
Stadium, but the old field was ill-equipped to handle the strain of the ice surface.

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Hockeytown Opens Its Arms to Embrace Another Stanley Cup

Jun 5

Posted by admin in College Sports, Eastern Conference, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, GAA, Hockey, NBC, NHL, NHL on NBC, Playoff hockey, Pro Sports, Rules, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, USCHO.com, Uncategorized, Western conference, comissioner, commissioner, ice hockey, instant replay, online sports community, playoffs, red light, slapshot, update, wrist shot | No Comments

For the fourth time in 11 seasons the Stanley Cup will spend the off season nesting in Detroit

Thats because the older,and more experienced Detroit team once again outplayed the young rising stars of the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, securing their place as the NHL’s best team of the past decade.

(Detroit Red Wings celebrate their 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.)

The Wings jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when hometown boy Brian Rafalski netted a power play goal just 5:03 into the first period. The goal seemed to deflate the Penguins team and their home crowd leaving the Penguins unable to muster any significant scoring chances for the rest of the period.

Detroit went up 2-0 when Valtteri Filppula put home the rebound of Mikael Samuelsson’s slapshot from just inside the blue line 8:07 into the second period. Pittsburgh stepped up the pressure with about 6 minutes remaining in the second period, but Gary Roberts was denied t

wice by Chris Osgood just outside the crease.

Pittsburgh finally got on the scoreboard during a power play when Evgeni Malkin ripped a slapshot from just inside the left faceoff circle past Osgood, notching his first goal of the series and closing the deficit to one goal.

Detroit recaptured their 2 goal lead when Conn Smythe winner Henrik Zetterberg made a nice move to open up a shooting lane and took a wrist shot that trickled through Fleury’s legs eventually finding its way to the net when Fleury moved to secure the puck.

The Penguins fought their way back to within one when Marian Hossa scored a power play goal with just 1:37 remaining in the third, giving hope to the Pittsburgh faith

ful that another miracle comeback may be on its way. The Pens came close when captain Sidney Crosby took a backhander from the slot that bounced off Osgood’s shoulder and trickled toward the outside of the post. Marian Hossa came streaking in and with just one hand on his stick poked the puck, sending it just wide of the net and across the crease as time expired.

Many of the fans at Mellon Arena applauded their teams valiant effort and stayed to watch the awarding of the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe trophy from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

The Conn Smythe was awarded to Henrik Zetterberg who was tied for the league lead in post-season points (27) and goals (13), and scored the Cup clinching goal. Then the commissioner called over Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom, the first European born player to captain his team to a Stanley Cup, to receive hockey’s ultimate prize. It was Lidstrom’s fourth Stanley Cup, and he was joined by some other 4 time Stanley Cup winners including: Darren McCarty, Kris Draper, Tomas Holmstrom , and Kirk Maltby. Dominik Hasek (2), Brian Rafalsk(3), Pavel Datsyuk(2), Chris Chelios(3) and Chris Osgood (3) have all hoisted the cup multiple times as well.

In traditional fashion the cup was passed from player to player and skated around the rink while the fans, players, and coaches allowed the moment to sink in. This marks the 11th Stanley Cup victory for the Detroit Red Wings leaving them third all time behind Toronto(14) and Montreal (24).

Perhaps most noteworthy is that this team is comprised largely of European players, who prefer to play a puck possession game as opposed to the dump and chase game that has been widely employed in the NHL.

Whatever the style of play the outcome is all that matters and for Hockeytown its now time to welcome back an old friend in Lord Stanley’s Cup.

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Ultimate MVP: Conn Smythe Contenders

May 23

Posted by admin in College Sports, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, High School Sports, Hockey, NHL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, Uncategorized, ice hockey, playoffs | No Comments

Now that we’ve seen the contenders from the Red Wings, lets take a look at the Conn Smythe contenders from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

1. Sydney Crosby

Any conversation about the Penguins needs to start with their captain and face of the franchise, Sydney Crosby. Crosby has accomplished a lot in his three short years in the NHL, capturing the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award. Now, Crosby has the chance to add two new trophies to his mantle, Lord Stanley’s Cup and the Conn Smythe. Crosby has always been a team oriented player and has demonstrated that by his terrific defensive play and his ability to set up his talented teammates posting 17A in the playoffs so far. He’s tallied only 4 goals to date but I’m expecting him to step his goal production for the finals. We all know he is an extremely gifted, and talented player and it only helps that Detroit won’t be able to focus all their attention on him given the depth of the Penguins offense.

2. Evgeni Malkin

Malkin is big, strong, physical, an excellent stick handler, and pure scorer, too bad he can’t speak a spit of English otherwise he could be the face of this franchise if Crosby is unavailable. Actually, in a way he did become the face of the franchise when Crosby went down with an ankle injury during the regular season. Malkin carried the Pittsburgh offense during that stretch and the team never missed a beat. Malkin has been streaky in the playoffs this year going on mini hot streaks and then disappearing for a game or two at a time. Despite that he’s still second on his team in scoring and is tied for third in the league with 19 pts (9G-10A). If Malkin can remain consistent throughout the series and if his team captures the cup then he could be hoisting two trophies that night.

3. Marc-Andre Fleury

There have been a lot of factors that have made Fleury a more complete goalie this year, and the most important one is his increased willingness to play the puck. Fleury used to avoid the puck like it carried the plague. Now, his outlet passes have taken pressure off his defenseman and created offensive chances. Fleury also has to credit an optometrist with an assist when he informed Fleury that his yellow pads made him extremely visible to opposing players, he made the switch to white pads, and his game has truly seemed to benefit from the change. Fleury has blossomed in the post-season leading the league in shutouts with 3, save percentage (.938) and is second in GAA (1.70). Fleury has a daunting task ahead of him in shutting down the Wings offense, but if he pulls it off it will be hard to argue against him winning the Conn Smythe.

4. Marian Hossa

Far and away the best trade deadline move made in the NHL this year was the Penguins acquisition of Marian Hossa. Hossa has tallied 9G and 10A for a total of 19pts this post-season and is a threat to score every time he takes the ice. Playing with some of the leagues most talented players doesn’t exactly hurt his stat-line either. This may be the last games Hossa plays in a Penguins uniform and taking home the cup and the Conn Smythe are well within reach for this superstar.

5. Ryan Malone

Malone is a veteran presence for this young team and really seemed to catch fire in the last series against Philadelphia notching 6 points in five games (3G-3A). He has 15 points so far in the post-season with 6G and 9A, and has continued to elevate his game from series to series. Malone is defintely the dark horse candidate to take home the Conn Smythe, but if he continues to elevate his game like he has throughout the playoffs he could be the one taking home the hardware.

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Ultimate MVP: Conn Smythe Contenders

May 22

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, High School Sports, Hockey, NHL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, Uncategorized, ice hockey, online sports community, playoffs | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

With the puck due to drop on Saturday at 8pm for the dream Stanley Cup matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings let’s take a look at the legitimate contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Detroit Red Wings:

1. Chris Osgood

Osgood is like the red headed stepchild of Stanley Cup winners. The critics like to say that Osgood is literally the worst goalie to ever win a Stanley Cup and attribute his victory to the elite talent playing in front of him. Well, Osgood could become the worst goalie to win the Stanley Cup twice and take home a Conn Smythe Trophy to boot. He has posted some gaudy numbers since he took over for Hasek, leading the Wings on a nine game winning streak and posting a 10-2 record with a 1.60 GAA. Osgood still has the elite talent playing in front of him, but he’s facing an elite offensive unit that will create more scoring chances then being Brad Pitt’s wingman. If Osgood shuts down the offensive juggernaut that is the Penguins then expect him to capture the Conn, if not he’s merely given more fuel to his critics fire.

2. Pavel Datsyuk

Though he has an oddly shaped head and a Donald Trump hair cut, he still may be the most talented (if not the best looking) player on an extremely talented team. He’s second on his team in scoring accumulating 19pts (9G-10A) through 16 games and has demonstrated a knack for two-way play. If Datsyuk continues to produce at his current clip he could easily capture the Conn Smythe. In years past he had earned a reputation for disappearing in big playoff series, that hasn’t been the case this year, but it is something to keep an eye on.

3. Henrik Zetterberg

The prettier half of the “Pav and Hank show” is also one of the leagues most underrated players. Zetterberg is a jack of all trades, he excels in every area of the game and should be considered the best all around player on his team and perhaps in the league. He finished second in scoring on the team behind teammate Datsyuk with 92pts. He is tied for the league lead in post-season scoring with 21pts (11G-10A) and leading the league in plus/minus at +15. Add to that, the fact that he’s dating smokin’ hot Swedish model Emma Andersson and he should automatically be considered for some type of trophy.

4. Johan Franzen

Reportedly, Franzen suffered a concussion sometime during the Colorado series but continued to soldier on and play through the pain. Franzen’s offensive explosion in the playoffs has been a pleasant surprise for the Wings especially considering that it came from a player who posted just 38pts (27g-11A) in the regular season. Despite having missed every game since Game 2 of the conference finals he is still leading the league in post-season goals with 12 and is third on his team in scoring with 15pts. If Franzen returns at 100% from his concussion he could be a real force in the finals I’m not too sure if will continue to produce like he did though, especially since he’ll be a little rusty.

5. Nicklas Lidstrom

Lidstrom is the teams captain, a three time Stanley Cup winner, a five time Norris Trophy winner and pretty much the best defenseman in the world. If you could measure a hockey players IQ Lidstrom’s would fall somewhere in the realm of Einstein. He is the most intelligent, positionally sound player in the league today and has been for quite some time. He hasn’t posted huge numbers this post-season with 2G-8A, but that’s not really his job and everyone knows it. His job is to lead his team and he does it by example. Lidstrom is always in consideration for some kind of accolades, and this year it could be a hat trick with the Norris Trophy, the Stanley Cup, and the Conn Smythe all within his reach.

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