As a massive gooner (I mean in support, not in regards to my girth) I am just so exhausted. Every team has to deal with player issues so I’m not whining about the fact that we have them too (I say “we” because I feel with the amount of money I spend on Arsenal gear I should have part ownership of the team). But the on-and-off again affairs of its stars is just too much for my body to handle. I’m waking up in cold sweats, my eyes are bloodshot from having read every stupid report on the Internet that claims to have some inside information, and I now have clubbed thumbs from having tweeted on the issue ad nausea. Theo Walcott, as of the end of this article I am done with concerning myself with whether you still stay or go, as you have left my pint half empty.
Unless you are a supporter of that other North London team (yes, there is more than just Arsenal in North London, unfortunately), you will no doubt either feel sympathy or pity for Gunner fans at what has happened to us over the last couple of years. I’ve described losing Cesc Fabregas as a kick in the groin on a cold February morning, and I stand by that, but what caused the pain was the months of agony leading up to the decision. Is he gonna go? What can we do to keep him? And then there was the year’s worth of goading from the Barca players who all but committed the Spaniard to play for the Catalan club, as if they were in on the negotiations. Actually, maybe they were? That actually angered me. Samir Nasri left at the same time, but I don’t want to waste words on him.
And who could forget Robin van Persie not wanting to re-sign for the club in the months leading to his departure? We all kinda knew what that meant, but didn’t want to admit it. I knew he was going, and most other Gooners did as well. While we understood Cesc leaving to play where he grew up, RvP was a different animal – he turned his back on the club despite all it had done for him. The club – its manager and fans, supported him through all his difficulties with injuries and underachieving. So when he finally turned into the player we knew he’d become, he bolted. I hate guys like that as naive as it sounds.
But Theo Walcott is different. Wenger found him very early in his soccer career at Southampton, and brought him to the club. The potential was over-the-top, not only for AFC, but for England as well. It is debatable (for some, not for me) that he has not reached his potential yet, and for much of his career has not lived up to the hype, but still Arsenal have supported him. And now, as a 23-year old, he will likely have two big contracts that will take him through his best years as a footballer – perhaps one that will take him through about 27 years old, and one after that might see him through late 20’s and early 30’s. He has time on his side, still.
Despite that, Theo Walcott has refused to sign an extension with the team that has seen him through thick and thin, instead hoping to garner interest elsewhere. As one Arsenal fan on Twitter correctly tweeted, his value on the market might be 100k per week, but his Arsenal value might be 80k per week. That is, there are many teams willing to overspend on players (ahem, Man City, Chelsea, PSG, etc) but Arsenal are not one of them.
It is a precarious situation for Arsene Wenger to be in. On one hand he has been told by management that he has 10’s of million to spend now that the club is financially very, very stable. On the other hand, Walcott knows this and is demanding Wenger to spend more than he thinks the winger is worth. And that’s the other issue – Walcott has been used as a winger, but insists on playing centrally. While he has had some success this year at putting the ball in the net, there is no evidence of sustainability in that department to warrant being the featured central striker.
Anyway, I’ve said what I’ve needed to say. I no longer care to discuss whether he will stay or go as I value my blood pressure and stress levels. I hope he stays and signs long term, but I won’t fret if he parts company with Arsenal.
The Day is nearly here, the Pre-Tournament Games are done, and its time for the World Juniors. In October I did early looks and predictions on what the rosters might look like, but I think its time to update them now, as teams are being set, and the tournament is ready to go. If you want to see any of my previous articles you can find a complete listing of my them here.
Over the Next two days I will give you are preview of Each Team in the Tournament, highlighting the key players to watch, their strengths and weaknesses, and what to look forward to in the Tournament. Today, we’ll look at Pool A, which features defending champ Sweden, the impressive Finns, the always dangerous Czech Republic, a team that is no stranger to upsets in Switzerland, and an underrated team from Latvia.
So lets move on to the Czechs, Latvians, and Swiss, three underdogs in Group A.
Team Latvia
Not a medal contender, Latvia will be quite content if they can avoid relegation in this tournament. That said, they are getting strong all the time and will feature some intriguing names to watch in the tournament.
Teodors “Teddy” Blugers, Centre/Left Wing: The second round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in June’s NHL Entry draft, Blugers is a freshman for the Minnesota State – Mankato Mavericks: He’s started out very well at the NCAA level with 12 points in his first 18 games. Blugers played in the World Juniors last year, and scored 1 goal and 3 points in 6 games in the tournament. Blugers should be better this year as he will have one year more development to draw from. He put up incredible stats at Shattuck St. Mary’s famous hockey prep school last year, but the level of competition he faced should be questioned when looking at the 88 points in 51 games he scored. This season we can see a good skater who seems to be more of a playmaker, with his really good passing and vision. He also has a decent shot. Expect him to get huge minutes in this tournament. With Buffalo refusing to release Zemgus Girgensons to play in the tourney, he’ll be Latvia’s main offensive weapon.
Team Switzerland:
Switzerland lacks the big names that Latvia has, but I give this team a better chance to upset one of the Czechs, Finns, or Swedes and find themselves in the top 3 of the pool and in a playoff spot. Don’t get me wrong, they are still a long shot to get out of the pool stage, but the Swiss always come to the World Juniors with strong team play and a well defined defensive system. This system frustrates opponents, keeps games close, and allows the team to compete. If you give the Swiss a lead late in a game, its tough to come back.
credit: OHL Images
Tanner Richard, Centre/Left Wing: Richard played on the 2012 team and had an excellent tournament scoring 4 points in 6 games. The third round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning is playing for the Guelph Storm this season where he has posted 3 goals and 36 assists in 29 games so far. Clearly with numbers like those its not hard to see that Richard is more of a playmaker than a finisher. He shows good vision and passing skills at the OHL level. Richard could use some work on his acceleration and top end speed, but he’s well balanced on his skates, and tough to knock off the puck. He also is a good stickhandler and is able to extend plays to allow his teammates to get open.
Richard is solid defensively and like Girgensons, i expect him to be not just the best offensive player on his team, but also to be asked to shut down the oppositions top lines.
Team Czech Republic:
The Czechs are the best of these three teams on paper, and have a lot of known players and NHL draft picks this year. The team should advance past the pool stage and finish in the top 3. Questions about depth and goaltending remain though and this keeps them from joining the other true medal contenders
David Musil, Defence: Recent traded from the Vancouver Giants to the Edmonton Oil Kings, David Musil is also the son of former NHL defenceman Frantisek Musil. He was picked by the Edmonton Oilers with the the the first pick of the 2nd round in the 2011 draft, Musil is playing 25+ minutes per game in the WHL this season and has shown 15 points in 27 games.
The offensive numbers are impressive, but Musil is a big, rugged, defence first defenceman. He is strong on the boards and overpowers opponents to win battles and come away with the puck. He also works effectively down low and keeps the front of the net clear so his goalie can see the puck. His positioning and footwork are at an advanced level for his age, and this should come as no surprise as he’s probably had 19 years of teaching from his father. Musil knows how to wait for the opportunity and pick his spots so he doesn’t get caught out of position often, but he does like to throw a big hit if its available. Expect him to continue to need to rely on his strong endurance and to be used 25-30 minutes per game by the Czech coaches.
Radek Faksa, Centre: Faksa has had a bit of a slow start in Kitchener this year, but has picked it up in late and now has 25 points in 29 games. Last season Faksa led all OHL rookies with 66 points in 62 games and this led to his being drafted by the Dallas Stars in the first round of the NHL draft.
Faksa pairs outstanding hockey sense and offensive instincts, with his very good vision and passing skills to be an excellent playmaker. He also has a good wrist shot with an excellent release. Faksa is an above average skater, with good speed and strong balance which makes him difficult to knock off the puck. He isn’t afraid to go into traffic and to take hits to make plays for the Rangers. For these reasons we believe Faksa will be a top 6 centre at the NHL level. At 6’3, 202lbs Faksa has the great size down the middle and uses that size effectively to protect the puck, to establish position in the offensive zone. He’s also an excellent defender who will be used in all situations for the Czechs.
Tomas Hertl, Centre: The first thing that jumps out at you when you watch Tomas Hertl, is his very unorthodox skating style. The best way to describe it is “herky-jerky”. However despite the fact that its not pretty, it is still reasonably effective. While Hertl is by no means a fast skater, he’s not a slow one either. This unorthodox stride gets him where he’s going, and his good hockey sense and instincts keep him heavily involved in the play. The San Jose Sharks first pick in the latest NHL draft, Hertl is a big, strong, versatile forward. He is capable of playing both centre and wing. He has good passing skills and vision, and is more a playmaker than a scorer. He is at his best playing a puck control game, working the boards and cycling in the offensive zone. He can effectively protect the puck, and then pass to an open teammate. Without the puck he is able to find open spaces and has good hockey sense and instincts. He’s not a huge hitter, but he uses his size and strength to win board battles. Hertl could use work on his shot and his release, which are below average and so should be a playmaker on this team. Hertl is also an excellent two way player. He can be very effective on faceoffs and is a key penalty killer on the squad, showing good positioning and instincts in the defensive zone. He is a conscientious backchecker who uses his size, strength and active stick to keep defenders to the outside. .
Martin Frk, Right Wing: Frk skipped this tournament last season, in a surprise move. However the Czechs are happy that they can get the Detroit Red Wings draftee back in their lineup this year. He’s started the season strong with 38 points in 28 games for the Halifax Mooseheads, helping the team to reach first place in the QMJHL. When Frk is on his game, he’s impossible to miss on the ice. He is one of the best agitators or pests in the QMJHL and marries that chippy play with a high skilled power forward’s game He has good size and strength and uses those to throw hits, win board battles, and get to the dirty areas of the ice. He also possesses impressive offensive skills. He has a hard and accurate shot and an excellent release. Frk is also a skilled stickhandler and adept at dangling past opponents or protecting the puck from them on the cycle game. He goes hard to the net and knows what to do when he gets there. Frk also has a knack for finding open spaces on the ice and unleashing his excellent one-timer. He needs work on his defensive game and will need to be paired with the good defenders on this squad, as he is wildly inconsistent in his own end of the rink.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to join Max Vasilyev and I on Wednesday Nights at 11:00pm when we host the hockey radio show, “Puckheads”, on the Last Word Radio Network. You can listen in live or to our past podcasts by clicking here, or by searching for us on iTunes.
Welcome Back to The Sports Savant’s Weekly NFL Picks, Week 16 Edition!
Before we look at my picks for Week 16, let’s take a look at how last weeks picks shaped up and my overall records for the 2012 NFL season…
*WEEK 15 RESULTS*
Winner: 11-5
Winner w/ Spread: 10-6
Over/Under: 5-11
———————————————
Trifecta: 4
Strikeouts: 3
Perfect Team Score Predictions: 1 (Miami)
Perfect Game Score Predictions: 0
___________
*2012 Overall Record*
Winner: 143-80-1 (.641)
Winner w/ Spread: 112-107-5 (.511)
Over/Under: 114-103-7 (.525)
——————————————– Trifecta: 56
Strikeouts: 41
Perfect Team Score Predictions: 26 [Week 1]:New England [Week 2]: Indianapolis, San Francisco [Week 3]: Chicago, Washington, New York(A) [Week 4]:Cleveland, Philadelphia [Week 5]: Green Bay, Seattle, San Diego [Week 7]: St. Louis, Tampa Bay[Week 9]: Miami, Tennessee, Green Bay, Arizona [Week 11]: Detroit, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis [Week 12]: San Francisco [Week 13]:Chicago, Houston [Week 14]: Detroit [Week 16]: Miami
Perfect Game Score Predictions: 2 [Week 9]: Arizona @ Green Bay [Week 11]: Carolina v. Tampa Bay
NOTE: The team with a negative number in parenthesis “(-3)” next to their name is the favorite to win the matchup and the number represents how many points the favorite has to score more than the underdog to count as a winning bet. The over/under for the game is represented by a number in parenthesis with the letters o and u “(o/u 46)”. The number represents the amount of points you are wagering whether or not the two team’s combined score will be in excess of or short of. Official betting lines courtesy of www.footballlocks.com
LOCKS: Games that have a “*LOCK*” logo next to the score are my spread lock picks of the week. I choose four games each week that I feel will be a lock to win the spread bet. If I have an underdog winning against a favorite and it is a *LOCK* pick, it means it is a lock that the favorite will not cover the spread, not a lock that the underdog wins the game.
Don’t forget to visit therealsportssavant.blogspot.com to check my game picks or right here on lastwordonsports.com at The Sports Savant channel. And now for my Week 16, NFL picks…
Detroit v. Atlanta(-3.5) (o/u 50.5) Savant Spread Pick: Atlanta and the pointsto win ~ 24-17 Over/Under Pick: Under
Tennessee @ Green Bay(-12.5) (o/u 44.5) Savant Spread Pick: Green Bay and the pointsto win ~ 35-17 Over/Under Pick: Over
Oakland @ Carolina(-8.5) (o/u 46) Savant Spread Pick: Carolina and the pointsto win ~ 26-13 *LOCK* Over/Under Pick: Under
Buffalo @ Miami(-4.5) (o/u 41.5) Savant Spread Pick: Miami and the pointsto win ~ 23-16 Over/Under Pick: Under
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh(-3.5) (o/u 41.5) Savant Spread Pick: Pittsburgh and the pointsto win ~ 20-14 Over/Under Pick: Under
Jacksonville v. New England(-14.5) (o/u 50.5) Savant Spread Pick: Jacksonville with the points;New Englandto win ~ 30-16 Over/Under Pick: Over
Kansas City v. Indianapolis(-7) (o/u 41.5) Savant Spread Pick: Indianapolis and the pointsto win ~ 31-16 *LOCK* Over/Under Pick: Over
New Orleans @ Dallas(-2.5) (o/u 52.5) Savant Spread Pick: New Orleansto win ~ 31-27 Over/Under Pick: Over
Philadelphia v. Washington(-6.5) (o/u 45) Savant Spread Pick: Philadelphia with thepoints;Washington to win ~ 27-21 Over/Under Pick: Over
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay(-3) (o/u 44) Savant Spread Pick: Tampa Bay and the pointsto win ~ 20-13 Over/Under Pick: Under
Baltimore v. New York(N)(-2.5) (o/u 47) Savant Spread Pick: New York and the pointsto win ~ 23-20 Over/Under Pick: Under
Minnesota @ Houston(-7.5) (o/u 45) Savant Spread Pick: Minnesota with the points;Houston to win ~ 26-20 Over/Under Pick: Over
Cleveland @ Denver(-12) (o/u 44) Savant Spread Pick: Cleveland with the points;Denver to win ~ 28-16 *LOCK* Over/Under Pick: Under
Arizona v. Chicago(-6.5) (o/u 36.5) Savant Spread Pick: Chicago and the pointsto win ~ 17-10 Over/Under Pick: Under
San Francisco @ Seattle(-1) (o/u 39.5) Savant Spread Pick: San Francisco to win ~ 24-21 *LOCK* Over/Under Pick: Over
San Diego @ New York(A)(-2.5) (o/u 37.5) Savant Spread Pick: San Diego to win ~ 14-13 Over/Under Pick: Under
The Day is nearly here, the Pre-Tournament Games are done, and its time for the World Juniors. In October I did early looks and predictions on what the rosters might look like, but I think its time to update them now, as teams are being set, and the tournament is ready to go. If you want to see any of my previous articles you can find a complete listing of my them here.
So lets get started with Team Finland, who were very impressive in beating both Canada and the United States in pre-tournament action.
Team Finland:
Finland is a strong medal contender after finishing 4th in each of the last two tournaments. There is a strong core this year for the Finns and the team will be heavily scouted bringing in 2013 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect, Sasha Barkov. This team is very well-rounded and will have strong offence, strong defence, and strong goaltending. They are a legitimate medal threat, and while maybe not a top contender for the gold medal, they are a darkhorse that you shouldn’t sell too short either. This team is strong enough to provide a major challenge to anyone in the tournament. The biggest issue with the team is that they will be amongst the youngest of the medal contenders, and the lack of experience may work against the Finnish Club.
The Forwards:
credit: Wikipedia Commons
Joel Armia, Right Wing: A 2011 first round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, Armia is a natural goal scorer, pure and simple. He craves goals, and putting on a show, such as when the young Finn rode his stick on his way past the Swedish bench at the 2012 World Juniors. An outstanding stickhandler, his hands are quick and he is able to dangle past opposing defenders and goalies. Combine this with a hard accurate shot and quick release, and he is a nightmare for opposing goalies. It is very hard to tell if Armia will let the shot go, or make one more move, and before a goalie knows it, the puck is in the back of the net. He is absolutely lethal on breakaways and shootouts. Armia does have some playmaking talent, but his main skill is as a sniper.
A capable and willing backchecker, expect to see the Finnish coaches feel comfortable using this offensive weapon in any situation. Last year, Armia had 5 goals and 7 points in 7 games in the tournament. Expect more of the same type of scoring this year as he plays in his third World Junior.
Teuvo Teravainen, Centre: A first round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks this past June, Teravainen has incredible hockey sense and vision, and is an extremely creative playmaker. He will attempt passes that most forwards don’t even dream about, feathering pucks through sticks and legs and putting them on the tape of his teammates.
The young Finn controls the play in the offensive zone often preferring to be a setup man working off the half boards. Teravainen also possesses a very hard and accurate one timer and often unleashes it from the top of the circle. He is especially effective on the Power Play. Blessed with good top end speed, Teravainen has made great strides in improving his first step, acceleration and agility, making skating ability a huge strength in his game.
A little undersized, Teravainen has shown that he is willing to work on the boards, get to the front of the net, and take a hit to make a play, despite the fact he is often facing larger opponents. He’s been excellent for Finland at previous international tournaments including the Under 18s, the Ivan Hlinka, and the Five Nations. Finland will be hoping he translates that success to the World Junior level.
Markus Granlund, Left Wing: The Calgary Flames 2011 2nd round pick, was a point per game player in last year’s tournament where he played on a line with his brother, Michael. Markus is back this year, but it will be a solo run for him as his older brother is no longer eligible for the tournament. He gets overshadowed by Michael, but Markus is a talented player in his own right. He’s got very good stickhandling, protecting the puck well and extending plays to allow his teammates to get open. He is also a good passer able to set them up when they do. Expect Granlund to once again be a key contributor on the score sheet for Finland. He’s been very impressive in pre-tournament games, especially on the Powerplay. Markus Granlund is a real threat on this team, and he’s no longer just Mikael Granlund’s little brother.
Alexander “Sasha” Barkov, Left Wing/Centre: As a 16 year old Barkov played in the 2012 World Juniors for Team Finland and became the youngest player ever to score a goal in the tournament. He followed that up with an impressive performance for Team Finland at the U18s.
Already 6’2″ and 205 lbs, and just 17, Barkov is a force on the boards. He creates offence by winning battles and then using his passing skills to find open teammates. He has excellent vision and hockey sense and almost always makes the smart play. He also has outstanding hands and stickhandling ability, and has even been compared to Pavel Datsyuk by some analysts. He does need some work on his skating as could improve his speed and quickness.
With 28 points in 32 games for Tappara, he’s scoring at a near point per game pace in the SM-Liga, very impressive considering this 17 year old is playing against men. He’ll be one of the most scouted and watched prospects at the tourney as he’s fighting to be a top pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Defence: The Finns feature a mobile and talented defence core who can be relied upon for heavy minutes in all situations. The experience these players got last year, will be extremely valuable to this year’s squad.
Olli Maatta, Defence: A first round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Maatta returns to the World Juniors looking for a better experience than last year. After making the Finnish Team Maatta took a hard hit in the team’s first game, was injured, and did not play again. Playing for the London Knights right now, Maatta has shown improvements in his second season in the OHL and currently has 16 points in 17 games. He is a good puck mover who starts the rush with a hard and accurate first pass. Maatta is a also turning into a good powerplay point man who is poised with the puck and has a hard and accurate shot. Blessed with good size and excellent defensive instincts, Maatta is adept at reading the play and has excellent positioning in the defensive zone. While not a big hitter, he is very good at using his size to take opposing forwards out of the play and separate them from the puck. Maatta is also a good shot blocker, and anticipates well to cut off passes making him a key penalty killer for the Knights, and he should play that role for the Finns as well.
Ville Pokka, Defence: When Maata was injured last year, Pokka proved to be a solid defender when he stepped in seemlessly to Maatta’s spot on Finland’s top defensive pair. Offensively Pokka plays a simple, but very effective game. He has great vision and hockey IQ which help him to quarterback the powerplay. A very good passer, Pokka can make effective tape to tape passes to teammates both from the blue line in the offensive zone and in his own zone to start the breakout. Pokka’s slapshot needs work, as it lacks both power and accuracy, however he does possess a good wrist shot, and can often be seen sneaking in from the point on the PP in an attempt to recieve a pass and unleash it. Defensively, he is very difficult to beat off the rush as he uses excellent positioning and good quickness to always keep the opposing forward in front of him. He has a quick stick and is good at pokechecking opponents. Pokka has shown that he can be physical and throw a hard hit if he catches a forward in a vulnerable position. He is also willing to battle hard in the corners and in front of the net, however Pokka is sometimes overwhelmed by bigger, physical forwards. A New York Islanders draft pick, expect him to once again play huge minutes and be a key to the Finnish defence in this tournament.
credit: Ivo Dostál
Rasmus Ristolainen, Defence, TPS Turku, SM-Liga: A November 1994 birthdate, Ristolainen is a little more mature, and has already been a player on the international stage as he played in last season’s World Junior Championship and the last two Under 18 World Championships. After the injury to Olli Maatta in last year’s tournament Ristolainen was given far bigger minutes and far more responsibility than was expected of him before the tournament. He performed admirably, and given that experience much will be expected this year.
Ristolainen a very good skater and mobility, acceleration, and agility help him to have a strong two way game. Offensively he moves the puck well both through skating and passing. Defensively, he uses his size effectively and has a definite mean streak in his own end of the ice. Expect him to be a key Finnish defenceman at the World Juniors and his all-around game will allow him to play all situations.
A 2013 NHL Draft eligible player, Ristolainen will attempt to put his rare combination, of size, skating and skill on full display. A good tournament could make scouts salivate, and make Ristolainen another early 1st round draft pick. Goaltending: Like the other “elite 5” medal contenders, the Finns have a goalie who is capable of getting hot and stealing games at any time. At his best Korpisalo can compete with any other goaltender in this tournament. It will be a matter of who gets hot during this short tourney.
Joonas Korpisalo, Goaltender: The key to any team’s chances in this tournament is goaltending, and the Finns have a good one in Korpisalo. The third round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Korpisalo is a big goalie who takes up a lot of net, and cuts down shooting angles very well. A very athletic goalie he has good lateral mobility and puck tracking as well. He has quick legs and takes away the bottom of the net, as well as a decent glove hand. Korpisalo could use work on his rebound control, however.
Feel free to leave comments below and follow me on twitter @lastwordBKerr, and look for my last preview on Team Sweden coming soon.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to join Max Vasilyev and I on Wednesday Nights at 11:00pm when we host the hockey radio show, “Puckheads”, on the Last Word Radio Network. You can listen in live or to our past podcasts by clicking here, or by searching for us on iTunes.
The Day is nearly here, the Pre-Tournament Games are done, and its time for the World Juniors. In October I did early looks and predictions on what the rosters might look like, but I think its time to update them now, as teams are being set, and the tournament is ready to go. If you want to see any of my previous articles you can find a complete listing of my them here.
So lets get started with Team Sweden, last year’s gold medalist and the Defending Champions.
Forwards: The Swedes have a ton of depth up front and while the loss of Zibanejad is pretty big, they should be able to mitigate it somewhat through promoting some of their other talented centres.
Erik Karlsson, Centre, Frolunda: No Ottawa fans, not THAT Erik Karlsson. This Erik Karlsson is a Centre, drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 4th round of this June’s NHL draft. Given the Senators decision with respect to Zibanejad a door to play on an offensive line may have opened up for Karlsson. He may be a bit undersized, but Karlsson is offensively talented with good skating and a good motor. He is a high energy guy who always keeps his feet moving. Karlsson is strong on the puck and likes to hit, but needs more size to be effective. Look for Karlsson to be a pass first type of player, and his skills definitely lead to him being more a playmaker than a scorer. It looks like he will start the tournament on the Swedes top line.
Elias Lindholm, Centre: Lindholm is a top prospect for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently looking like a sure-fire top 10 pick, and possibly even a top 5 player. He was very impressive in helping Sweden win a silver medal at the 2012 Under 18 World Championships. Lindholm is an excellent skater who is more of a playmaker than a goal scorer. He has great stickhandling ability and uses it to deke past defenders and protect the puck. With his excellent vision and ability to feather a crisp pass through a maze of sticks and skates he should be able to rack up assists especially with the talented wingers on this Swedish squad. He is also a gritty forward willing to start the forecheck, and to battle down low and play a puck possession game on the cycle. It appears that Lindholm will centre Sweden’s 2nd line.
credit: Resolute, Wiki Commons
Victor Rask, Centre, Calgary Hitmen: The Carolina Hurricanes second round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry draft was recently returned to the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, where he scored 33 goals and 63 points in 64 games last season. After a short audition with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL (5 points in 10 games), he now has four points in six games with Calgary. Rask is a strong two-way player, and will now be leaned on for much of the ice time that the Swedes were counting on getting from Zibanejad. He is a big and strong centre who can score goals due to his great puckhandling skill, and good shot and release. He also has decent vision and playmaking ability especially when working down low in the offensive zone. Rask may be a downgrade from Zibanejad, but he is still a very good player who will help fill that hole at centre for the Swedes. He will certainly find himself flanked by talented wingers, as that is no doubt the strength of this squad. Sweden should be able to produce three scoring lines.
Filip Forsberg, RW/LW: The 11th overall pick of the Washington Capitals in this June’s NHL Entry Draft, Forsberg was part of the gold medal squad last year. He’s started the season strong with 9 goals and 19 points in 22 games for Leksand in the Allvenskan, surpassing the totals of 8 goals and 17 points he posted last year in 43 games. Considering the lack of success most 18 year olds have in the Allvenskan, and the strength of the league this year as it has been improved with the signings of several locked out NHLers this is quite remarkable.
Forsberg is a versatile forward, capable of playing either wing position. He plays a power forward’s style, as he is very willing to hit opponents, throw his body around, and drive the net. He could stand to add some muscle to his frame to make this power game more effective though. Forsberg is not all power though, as he is also extremely skilled. He’s got an excellent shot with a very quick and deceptive release that often fools goalies. He’s also a very talented passer and is able to complete a number of difficult passes, threading the needle through sticks and skates, and making crafty saucer passes at times. He is also a talented stickhandler and adept at using his body to protect the puck.
Defensively, Forsberg is a hardworking, willing backchecker. He’s got good defensive awareness and is effective in all three zones on the ice. He understands defensive positioning and is a willing shot blocker and is able to effectively cut down passing lanes as well as an opponent’s time and space. Forsberg played a 3rd line role with limited minutes last year, however it would appear that he will be on Sweden’s top line this year.
credit: flamesnation
Sebastian Collberg, RW/LW: Collberg was also part of the Gold Medal Winning Swedish Club last season, and even scored a huge shootout goal for the club in the Semi-final victory over Finland. He outperformed Forsberg in the tournament, and was a key cog for Sweden last year, scoring 7 points in 6 games. Collberg started the season with Frolunda in the Elitserien. However he was often deployed as the 13th forward or a fourth liner at best. This meant extremely limited minutes for the Montreal Canadiens’ prospect. Collberg was recently loaned to Orebro in the Allvenskan, and has thrived with more ice time scoring 6 goals and 8 points in his first 15 games with the club.
The first thing you notice about Collberg’s game is a very heavy wrist shot and his lightning quick release. He is especially deadly with one timers. Collberg is also a great stick handler, and not afraid to go to the dirty areas to score goals. He’s great on breakaways, and has shown that he can beat the goalie in the shootout. In short Collberg is a natural sniper. Collberg is also an above average skater and has very good vision and passing ability, which gives him the added dimension of becoming a good playmaker too. There are some concerns about his size, and defensive game, but I expect that Collberg will continue to be a key offensive contributor for the Swedish Team this year, and should be deployed on the second line, as well as being a key contributor on the powerplay.
Defence: The Swedish defence has taken the biggest blow with the news that OscarKlefbom and Jonas Brodin are injured and cannot play in the tournament. The two players are basically irreplaceable in terms of talent level and importance to the team. That said, the Swedes are deep on defence, and hope that the following players can fill those voids.
Hampus Lindholm, Defence: The surprise pick of last year’s draft, Lindholm shot up the draft board and was taken 6th overall by the Anaheim Ducks. Lindholm is an excellent skating defenceman. He is particularly impressive in his backwards skating which is extremely fast. He is rarely beat to the outside by forwards off the rush. Lindholm is already an excellent defender. He has size and is willing to use it to hit opposing forwards. He is generally a defensively responsible player, with good instincts, and an ability to read the play, however he can make youthful mistakes, and get himself out of position looking for the big hit at times. Lindholm is also good offensively. He has great hockey sense and instincts and picks good times to join the rush, and to make pinches at the blue line. He’s a good playmaker, with vision and creativity. Lindholm also possesses an accurate shot from the point and good velocity, however this is something he definitely needs to utilize more often. With his excellent two way play, expect Lindholm to be a key defender for Sweden.
Ludvig Bystrom, Defence: A second round pick of the Dallas Stars, Bystrom has international experience for Sweden at the Under 18s and the Ivan Hlinka tournament. Bystrom is an offensive defenceman, he is a good skater who loves to join the rush and is extremely creative in the offensive zone. He is a great passer with excellent vision, and is very good at distributing the puck, especially on the PP. One criticism is that he doesn’t shoot the puck enough to keep opponents guessing. Despite this he is still an excellent set up man on the powerplay. Defensively Bystrom relies on his skating, good positioning and an active stick to stop opponents.
Mikael Wikstrand, Defence: A seventh round pick of the Ottawa Senators, it looks like Wikstrand will be given a key role on this year’s club. Wikstrand has a cannon of a point shot, and will be an important part of the Swedish power play in this tournament. He’s not a great puckhandler, or passer, but his sizzling one-timer makes Wikstrand an excellent choice as a trigger man at the point.Based on the two pre-tournament games against Canada and the United States, he may even be given first unit power play time. Defensively, Wikstrand is mobile and plays a solid positional game.
Goaltending: The Swedes have been producing great goalies for years, and this year is no different. If he gets hot, Dansk can play as well as any goaltender in this tournament.
Oscar Dansk, Goaltender: A second round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dansk is playing for the Erie Otters in the OHL this season. The numbers in Erie don’t look great, but this is more a function of the weak team in front of him than it is Dansk’s play. He is a tall athletic goalie who plays the traditional butterfly style. Dansk has good athleticism, and quick reflexes. He moves well laterally and slides quickly from post to post and is able to make some very nice saves as a result. He is also extremely strong down low, and covers the bottom of the net effectively. He is great at stopping the first shot and is rarely beaten on a clean opportunity. Dansk has an excellent glove hand though he could use some work on his blocker side. A good puckhandler, Dansk is always coming out of his net to play the puck. Even with all those skills, in a short tournament like this one, Dansk’s most valuable attribute may be the cool and calm demeanor he displays in net. He recovers quickly from goals against and plays with a quiet confidence, something that will help the Swedish team as they look to repeat as World Junior Champions.
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Thanks for reading, and be sure to join Max Vasilyev and I on Wednesday Nights at 11:00pm when we host the hockey radio show, “Puckheads”, on the Last Word Radio Network. You can listen in live or to our past podcasts by clicking here, or by searching for us on iTunes.
The 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship is set to start on December 26th. This year’s tournament is destined to be a bit more exciting because of the NHL Lockout. The lockout has given some of the younger NHL talent a chance to participate instead of playing for their NHL/AHL squads in somewhat limited roles. Team Canada has benefited the most from this as their roster is filled with NHL drafted players. That said, teams from Russia, USA, Finland, and Sweden are all capable of winning as is the case in any elimination tournament. So, I wanted to highlight some of the games you should check, record, wake up early for, and or stream on the internet.
Russia vs Slovakia may seem like a one-sided affair, but do not underestimate the mighty Slovakians. The fact is that the hockey program in Slovakia has improved, as it has in most parts of Eastern Europe, due to KHL exposure and overall improvement in the economies after the Soviet era. While Russia will be able to ice Mikhail Grigorenko, Nail Yakupov, Danil Zharkov, Kirill Kapustin, Nikita Kucherov upfront and some awesome goaltending in Makarov and Vasilevski, we can’t dismiss the Slovakian team’s talent. While having only one NHL drafted player, Peter Ceresnak of NYR, this team does carry lots of speed. The issue here is to be able to contain all the offense Russia has and preventing the turnovers. Russia can win this one 5-1, but just as easily it can be close. Regardless, it’s still worth waking up early so see!
One of the tournament favorites, Team Sweden took a bit of a blow when it lost a few of its top players. Mika Zibanejad was not given permission to play and Jonas Brodin and Oscar Klefbom will be out due to injury. This is still a helluva squad and is the defending champion. While, me being from over there and “there” being Eastern Europe, I may have a slight bias for these kind of games, but still, we know that Czechs can play hockey. This one is similar to the Russia vs Slovakia contest because of how one-sided it can go, but can also be a highly competitive game. To me the Swedes are not as good as they were last year and this could make for an interesting game. Wake up nice and early to catch this one!
Look, it’s not the Soviet era type of a rivalry, but come on! Russia vs USA in Russia? This is as good as it gets, and we may even catch Rocky Balboa and Ivan Dragon in attendance. Team USA is the underdog here, but it is still a good team. USA always plays with pride, but playing vs team Russia in Russia is going to be rough. Pride, history, and lots of talent on display during this game. I will be up and watching this one for sure! Alexander Galchenyuk was part of the Soviet Squad in 1987 in Piestany, and now his son Alex (born in Milwaukee Wisconsin) looks to be a key player for the Americans.
“If I can change, and you can change, everyone can change!” ~ Rocky Balboa
Well this is going to be another good one. While Canada is usually the punchline to a joke for most American sport fans, when it comes to hockey, Canada really likes to remind USA who the joke really is. A competitive game that will most likely have team Canada as the victor, but not without a few scraps. This is a true battle between two teams that have been bred to play that North American hockey style. No doubt, this will be one of the most entertaining games of the tournament. It is a very unfortunate time slot, but just keep on drinking until the game starts!
Finland and Sweden are two of my favorite countries to visit. I love the cold weather and just how nice people from Finland and Sweden seem to be. Well one of these countries is slightly better at Hockey than the other. While Sweden has been fairly more dominant the past few years, there is always going to be healthy competition between neighbouring countries. This is always an intense rivalry. While there might be less violence, compared to the USA and Canada game, this is one of those you want on your calender, and at least the time it airs is reasonable!
Here – we – go! This is the game everyone is really waiting for. Who can forget the Yakupov interview last year when Russia beat Canada 6-5. This year they are playing in Russia and expect this to be a mad house in the stadium. I almost planned a trip there myself for this game, but Hurricane Sandy put a damper on those plans as my car decided to be a submarine for the weekend. Anyway, what do you want me to say that won’t already tell you why your ass should be out of bed at 9 am? It will be a highly watchable game, and the game time is favourable, so if you can’t drag yourself out of bed for this one, please stop calling yourself a hockey fan. Oh, and… GO RUSSIA!!
These are my picks, but maybe you think I missed a good one. Please leave a comment below!
Like most Canadians, I have spent my share of Saturday nights watching Hockey Night in Canada, having a pint with friends in the playoffs and being crushed when my team is beaten out of the playoffs. The majority of my winter revolves around my favourite winter sport, from October to May.
For the second time in eight years (and the third time in under twenty years), the highest level of my favourite sport has been locked out. There is no NHL for likely, the rest of this season.
My first instinct is to blame someone. And since I always trust my instincts, let’s go with that.
Gary F****** Bettman, Bill Daly and The Greedy Owners
The easy way out is to lay this all at Bettman’s feet. This is the third lockout he has presided over as Commissioner. THIRD. The other major sports have had three lockouts/strikes COMBINED in the same timeframe (NBA has two, both of which were shortened seasons; MLB has one, costing the 1994 season and the Expos a World Series pennant… but I digress.) So, with that in mind, it’s very easy to call for Bettman’s head for this lockout as well.
The second-in-command for the NHL and Deputy Commissioner is Bill Daly. A lawyer in every negative stereotypical sense of the word, Daly is a vulture in negotiations and will not back down from anything Bettman and his overlord owners suggest.
Both Bettman and Daly however, serve at the owners’ pleasure. The owners clearly have absolutely no issue with Bettman’s tactics. Despite losing two and a half seasons worth of revenue, in the long run, the NHL has posted record profits. Would you have a problem with Bettman if you were them?
Donald Fehr, The Players and Their “I Hope This Works Out” Attitude
Donald Fehr refuses to budge. And looking back at the past lockouts and what NHLPA has given up, personally, I really can’t blame him. However, the players are now out of half-a-season’s worth of revenue, with the prospects looking grim for the season to ever get started.
However, it has taken until Christmas for the players to finally realize that the only way to move this nonsense forward is to dissolve their union and file anti-trust lawsuits against the NHL. Think about that timeframe: officially, the lockout began on September 15, 2012. The writing was on the wall well before this date, but for the sake of argument, let’s say September 15th. Three and a half months. It took them three and a half months to even CONSIDER dissolving the union. If I took three and a half months to do something that didn’t involve a backhoe, my wife would kill me in my sleep.
So, Who To Blame?
Everyone. The players, the NHLPA, the NHL owners, the Commissioner, and the Deputy Commissioner: they are all to blame. The percentage of blame matters not, for they are all at fault. And until we, as fans, stand up and walk out of this three-ring circus, we will always play second fiddle to the interests of everyone else.
When Major League Baseball came back after their strike in 1995, attendance (and therefore revenues) plummeted from their pre-strike levels.
With record profits, skyrocketing salaries and the ability to fill any seat in an arena North of Jacksonville, all of the parties at fault have no incentive to change their ways.
I am therefore taking a stand. When (if?) the NHL comes back, I refuse to be a part of the sideshow. I won’t hang my Habs flag, I won’t watch Hockey Night In Canada and I sure as hell won’t be crushed when my team is eliminated.
I am putting all of my stock in my local hockey team (for me, it’s the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs). I will attend their games with glee, buy their merchandise, cheer for them during the playoffs. I highly recommend to any NHL fan reading this that you do the same, or else in ten years, we could be having this discussion for the fourth time.
Today in our Bowl Preview Series I bring you a look at the Bowl featuring all the funny cow commercials, the Chick-fil-A Bowl. (I’m sorry, I love those cows). It’s a good old-fashioned Tiger Fight, as LSU takes on Clemson.
When LSU Has The Ball: Quarterback Zach Mettenberger had a rocky start to the season before putting together an excellent game against Alabama in early November. He followed that up with two more quality starts before backsliding somewhat in the season finale against Arkansas. The improved late season play has to inspire some confidence in the LSU faithful.
After some injury turmoil early on with players in and out of the lineup, LSU’s offensive line really came on late in the season as well. This has really helped the running game, and passing-wise, Mettenberger generally has time in the pocket; he needs to make good decisions and make accurate throws.
LSU has the luxury of not leaning on their quarterback the way some teams do, because the Tigers’ run game is excellent. Jeremy Hill, Kenny Hilliard, Michael Ford, and Spencer Ware have all had big games over the course of the season. Fullback J.C. Copeland is an excellent blocker and a scoring threat himself in the red zone and is very difficult to stop in short-yardage situations.
Clemson’s defense, which is on the young side, has their work cut out for them. Coach Dabo Swinney has to be concerned with LSU’s run game in particular, as Clemson ranks just 61st in the nation against the run. They’ve also been susceptible to big plays in the passing game, giving up 44 passes of at least 20 yards; to avoid that, they’ll need good coverage on LSU’s wide receiver tandem of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. The one area where Clemson’s Defense is top-notch is in the red zone. Again, watch for the 6’1”, 280 lb. bulldozer known as J.C. Copeland here.
When Clemson Has The Ball: Quarterback Tajh Boyd is responsible for a whopping 43 Touchdowns this season – nine rushing and 34 passing. Boyd has a heck of a receiving corps at his disposal, led by DeAndre Hopkins with 1,214 yards and 16 Touchdowns. Brandon Ford, Sammy Watkins, and Martavis Bryant combined for another 1,424 yards and 15 Touchdowns. Their chief running threat, Andre Ellington, just completed his second 1,000-yard season and was named first-team All-ACC. This offense will provide LSU the stiffest non-conference test they’ve faced this season by far.
LSU’s secondary, with a couple of freshman starting, will have a tough time shutting down Clemson’s entire receiving corps. Luckily, they have two terrific pass rushers, albeit ones who have had fewer sacks than many expected this season, in Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery. Even if they aren’t getting the sacks, they can pressure a quarterback and rush him into making inaccurate or ill-advised throws. The run defense has been above-average all season, with linebacker Kevin Minter finishing third in the SEC in tackles and being named LSU’s MVP. Depth at defensive tackle is a strength, with several capable players to rotate. This helps LSU to clog the middle and tie up offensive linemen, keeping Minter free to roam the field and due what he does best, make all those defensive stops.
Prediction: I expect a high-scoring game, with LSU struggling somewhat to contain Clemson and Clemson having a hard time stopping LSU’s running game. Eventually, I think the purple-and-gold Tigers will prevail over the purple-and-orange Tigers. LSU 45, Clemson 42.
World Junior Hockey Fans in North America got their first taste of action yesterday as both the United States and Canada were in action in exhibition games against Sweden and Finland respectively. Both games ended 3-2 with the Americans beating the Swedes in Overtime, and the Finns taking down the Canucks.
A common trend in both games was the number of penalties called. The Americans gave the Swedes nine powerplays in their game (including two 5 on 3 powerplays), while Canada gave the Finns ten powerplays (including an amazing four 5 on 3’s in one game). Canada quite literally spent one out of every three minutes playing with a man down. Many analysts, bloggers, tweeters, and message board posters have been quick to blame the refereeing for being too “whistle happy” and calling too many chintzy penalties.
Guess what folks – you better get used to it!
IIHF Refereeing is notoriously strict, and calling every penalty (and even some non-penalties) by the book is a regular feature of IIHF tournaments like the World Juniors, World Championships, and Under-18. There isn’t much that the players on the Canadian and US teams can do about it other than to suck it up and play more disciplined. These aren’t the same guys who work CHL and NCAA games and they don’t ref on the same standards. Expecting them to suddenly change and call a more North American style of game is not going to happen.
Just remember, this is something that Canadian and American teams have had to deal with since the origins of this tournament. They have to adjust to international refereeing standards. The good news though is that over the years, many teams have done so successfully and played an extremely disciplined game. They’ve also built strong penalty killing units that have been able to deal with the inevitable penalties they take.
And so this is what coaches Steve Spott of Canada and Phil Housley of the US squad must do before games start for real on December 26th. They need to work on having their players play a more disciplined game in anticipation for the tournament, and work on their penalty killing units. Putting together a strong powerplay should also be a priority for both clubs because they should have a good many of those as well. For both teams the talent is certainly there, and now its up to the players and coaches to perform.
There quite simply is no other option for these teams, you cannot give quality European opponents multiple 5 on 3 powerplays in a game and expect to win on a regular basis. This is what the fans should be focused on as well, because complaining about IIHF refs has gotten us nowhere in the last 40 years.
