Showing posts with label Rick Nash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rick Nash. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

NHL Mid Season Awards

With the NHL All Star Game this weekend, it is time to take a look at my mid season favorites for the NHL's major individual awards. So without any more waiting, here we go!

Hart Trophy (NHL MVP): Rick Nash: New York Rangers
Now although Rick Nash is not leading the league in the major individual categories, he has been the prime reason for the success the Rangers are having this season. Nash is 15th in the NHL with 43 points, tied for the NHL lead in goals at 28, and 10th in the NHL in plus/minus at a +18 rating. The Rangers are sitting third in the Metropolitan Division just five points back of division leader, and in state rival, the New York Islanders. It is easy to say Nash is the catalyst to the Rangers first half success and will continue being that for the Rangers as the season continues down the stretch towards the playoffs.

James Norris Memorial Trophy (NHL Top Defenseman) Mark Giordano: Calgary Flames
Well, I think it is safe to say nobody expected the Flames to have as much success this season as they are right now and much of that is due to the outstanding defensive play or Giordano. Not only is he a factor of keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard, his +21 rating shows that he is a force when it comes to scoring goals too. He leads NHL defensemen in points (39), third in assists (28), tied for fifth in goals (11) and is second in plus/minus, only behind teammate TJ Brodie. I think it is safe to say Mark Giordano has earned this honor at the mid season point. 

Vezina Trophy (NHL Top Goalie) Pekka Rinne: Nashville Predators 
Pekka Rinne has been amazing between the pipes for Nashville in the first half of the season. Although he recently has been sidelined with injury, he still holds four more victories than any NHL goaltender with 29 in 37 games played this season. He is also second in goals against (1.96), which is also the only other goalie in the NHL below a GAA of 2. Rinne is third in save percent (.931) and sixth in shutouts (3). The numbers speak for themselves, now lets see if he can keep it up once he returns from injury.

Selke Trophy (Top Defensive Forward) Jonathan Toews: Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are one of the top teams in the NHL once again this sesaon and their defense is one of the main reasons for their success, and Jonathan Toews is leading the defensive charge with all forwards. The Hawks as a whole are one of the top defensive teams in the league this season, just allowing 105 goals on the season. Captain Jonathan Toews, with a +15 rating always does the little things right and is not afraid to battle below the goal line and in the corners. He also is a top penalty killer for Chicago and a big part of that is because of his ability to win key faceoffs. 

Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year) Filip Forsberg: Nashville Predators
Forsberg leads every major category for skaters among all rookies. The kid has turned heads of the entire NHL and has instantly become a major part of the Nashville line-up. His 40 points have him six points ahead of Johnny "hockey" Gaudreau in Calgary. Forsberg is the future face of the Predators and will be among the top scorers in the NHL for many years to come if he can keep this dynamic style of play up. 

Jack Adams Award ( Coach of the Year) Peter Laviolette: Nashville Predators 
After the departure for the only coach in Nashville Predators history, Barry Trotz, Nashville was put up to the task of finding a replacement for the long tenured coach and Peter Laviolette was that answer. Last season, Nashville was one of the worst teams in the NHL, and with some off-season additions, or trades last year by gaining James Neal, the light at the end of the tunnel was near. Peter Laviolette has turned this ship around, at least for now, and has this team at number one in the NHL. Even with the falling of Pekka Rinne, the Predators continue to roll, and much of that is the players have the trust in Laviolette's system and trust him in his methods.

Monday, May 05, 2014

Henrik Lundqvist: Rangers Consistent Star when Struggling to Score

Well the New York Rangers will have their work cut out for them if they are able to surpass the offensive talented Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round, especially after the grinding seven game series against the Flyers. However, the Rangers do have one trump card in their hands, and that is goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

With the New York Ranger power play being terrible in these playoffs, not getting many scoring chances and giving up shorthanded rushes, Lundqvist has always been there to save the day. Hank is posting a 2.07 goals against average and a .926 save percentage, which are outstanding numbers in any league, but has a playoff record of 5-4 because the lack of offensive support for the annual Vezina Trophy worthy goaltender. 

So far in the series against Pittsburgh, two games, "King" Henrik has made 36 and 34 saves respectively only allowing two goals in each of those contests. The Rangers need to start to find ways to put pucks in the net to support their goalie, who is giving the Rangers chances to finish games in the win column every single night. 

As addressed briefly earlier, the Rangers are struggling putting pucks in the net, especially from their power play and big gun Rick Nash. Their power play has hit just three times out of 37 attempts, or at a 8.1% success rate. You can't get very far in the playoffs if you aren't scoring with the extra man.

Now for the struggles of superstar power forward Rick Nash not being able to find the net. Going into tonight, Nash lead the NHL during the playoffs in shots on goal with 37, but has yet to find the twine. One can only think that he will break through soon and open the floodgates, but will it be too little too late against the offensive powerhouse Penguins? Maybe, but if Sidney Crosby ends his goal scoring troubles before Nash, and the rest of the Rangers are able to find the net more, this series doesn't go more than five games unless Hank is able to steal the Rangers some victories. 

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Wednesday, October 09, 2013

NHL Hockey: Brad Stuart has hearing for hit on Rick Nash

Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart has a hearing for his brutal, dirty, and unneeded hit on Rick Nash. These are the kinds of hits that the NHL is trying to ban from the game of hockey. Also, Nash was suffering from headaches after the game. Again, there are some people that are appalled by fighting in the NHL, I am appalled by these types of hits.

NHL.COM -- San Jose Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart will have a hearing Wednesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety for an incident during a game Tuesday night against the New York Rangers at SAP Center.

At 2:32 of the first period, Stuart was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing after a hit on New York forward Rick Nash.

Nash played several more shifts in the first period, but did not return after the first intermission.Rick

The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: illegal check to the head. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.

San Jose won the game, 9-2
Here's my question; do you think that Stuart will be suspended for this hit? If so, how many games? I think this is going to be a 2-3 game ban.
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Monday, February 27, 2012

Trade Deadline: The Yawner 2012 (RW77)

NHL on the Fly's Trade Deadline Special was right when it said that the major news was the trade that didn't happen.

Rick Nash wasn't traded. He's the latest Joe Thornton, it appears. Apparently he was to be traded to the New York Rangers but the price was too high (which anyone could have told you that. Rick Nash IS the Blue Jackets. Without him, you basically have no team).

There were some intriguing trades though.

What do you all think of the Wild's trades? They acquire Steve Kampfer and Tom Gilbert for Greg Zanon and Nick Schultz. So, this probably means that Schultz and Zanon were UFAs after the season, right? Perhaps Gilbert and Kampfer were under contract a bit longer? Kampfer is alright and Gilbert is too, but this seems to be a lateral trade rather than an upgrade. They didn't even get any picks.

However, the BEST trade of the day was made by the Chicago Blackhawks. They got a 2012 5th round pick for boxer on skates John Scott. This is almost like (RIP, buddy) trading Boogaard for a 1st round pick. Chicago got WAY THE HELL MORE VALUE than Scott. Someone tell me that the Hawks wouldn't have settled for a 6th or 7th round pick or even a conditional 2013 5th rounder (with conditions that will obviously not be met) for Scott. It's almost like the Rangers GM was Glen Sather... oh wait. Ok, I get it now.

In the end, though, Chicago didn't get what they need: a goaltender, so they won't be there in the end. Detroit traded Commodore for another Dman who won't play.

In the end, believe it or not, the winner overall I think is Vancouver. Sure, they trade Hodgson away, but they got two good players in Kassian Sulzer, pick up Pahlsson and Gordon for depth. Win I say.

Buffalo comes in second.

Boston got this year's Mark Recchi in Brian "when I was a rookie, Crosby's parents were still in middle school" Rolston (which is younger than Mark "I played pond hockey with Moses" Recchi and Chris "I skated with Jesus Christ" Chelios... or perhaps Gordie "I was there when God told me he was having a kid with some chick in Bethlehem" Howe).

Former Sioux Mike Commodore and Brian Lee are now teammates with the Lightning.