z-Archives (other articles)

A change of scenery can often be the catalyst for improved production among NHL players. There were several young forwards that changed addresses at the deadline this season, and a few of them in particular stand to benefit. Players coming up through the ranks with certain teams often get caught up in a numbers game, and can find it difficult, if not impossible, to break through to the NHL. As well, young forwards are often put into defensive, checking roles without ever being given the opportunity to play consistent minutes on a scoring line. It is tough to show what you can do with less than 10 minutes of ice time per night, and the following players can probably attest to that.

As the NHL season came to a temporary halt for the 2010 Olympics, Pavol Demitra was looking like another former star fading into obscurity. He missed the majority of the season while recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, taking his time to ensure he was 100 percent before returning to the Vancouver line-up. Demitra looked sluggish and physically overmatched in his 11 games after returning, scoring only once. However, as soon as he pulled over the blue, red, and white jersey of Slovakia, he played like a man possessed. Demitra was arguably the most dangerous forward in the Olympics, above the likes of Sidney Crosby, Tore Vikingstad, and Alexander Ovechkin. He finished the tournament with three goals and seven assists in only seven games, and was flying each and every single night at Canada Hockey Place.

Who is the real Pavol Demitra? Is he the slow, soft player we saw in January? Or is he the offensive superstar that we saw for the past two weeks in Vancouver? The answer lies somewhere in between...

Since we’re transitioning from the Olympic aftermath to the onset of March Madness, today’s lecture will reflect on a number of goaltending dynamics that were revealed to me over the last two weeks. I think these trends will not only affect how your fantasy goalies play this week, but if the Olympics were any indication of what the NHL’s playoff push will be like, they could impact your goalie’s long-term potential as well.

It took just 30 ticks for Martin Brodeur to mishandle a puck behind his net and 11 more for him to needlessly go paddle-down on a routine Brian Rafalski slap shot. A tiny redirection sent the puck just over Brodeur’s blocker and like a sudden slap in the face, Team USA struck first for an early 1-0 lead in both team’s final preliminary game.

The NHL and European's highest leagues may be on hold for two weeks, but the rest of the hockey world continues to turn during the Olympic Break. In the shadow of the world's biggest winter sport showcase, who is jumping up the mock draft chart with standings frozen in place?

As of today, it’s no longer about the goalie with the most wins, saves or shutouts. It’s not even about the goalie with the most experience or the fastest reflexes. As of today, it is only about the goalie with the most focus, confidence and situational awareness. Finally, the long-awaited 2010 Winter Olympics and ice hockey tournament is here and I’m excited to be tracking the men’s goaltending every single step of the way.