dave-O Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Hell hath frozen over? Obviously this means that the Sens will choke in the first round. again. From the Toronto Sun These are the guys to watch By DON CHERRY -- Courtesy of the Toronto SunDon Cherry submits his picks for the upcoming NHL season. With the NHL's parity, almost every team has a chance to win the Cup. There are no powerful flagships. It comes down to injuries and luck. Only a fool would try to pick winners. So here are my picks this year: East finalists Ottawa, who I will talk about later, and Philly. Bobby Clarke has done a fine job getting the Flyers ready. Getting Forsberg was a smart move and if he can stay healthy for a season -- something he hasn't done for a long time -- he will be a force. Playoff deluxe guy Keith Primeau will be there. Smooth-skating Simon Gagne and young guys Jeff Carter and Mike Richards make the Philly team one of the favourites. Their big defence will adapt. Their goalie -- Robert Esche -- concerns me. When eight players on your team make more money than your goalie, it tells me something. Philly will make the East final, but Hasek will make the difference for Ottawa. West finalists Calgary and Vancouver, but beware the lurking Shark. Quietly, Doug Wilson has built a powerhouse from within. Most of the Sharks are from their organization. It tells you something about scouting. Vancouver: I feel sorry for Cloutier. Every year the question is, "Sure, he had a great season, but how far can he take us in the playoffs?" It must be tough on the kid. Unfortunately, it is also true. The Canucks have to pick it up on the scoring -- 235 goals does not cut it. Markus Naslund is 35 goals in the bank every year. Todd Bertuzzi had just 17 goals in 69 games (before being suspended), which is not enough. They can't afford him in dreamland because of what happened with Steve Moore. Brendan Morrison will be there with his 22 goals. The Bobbsey Twins (the Sedin brothers) have to step up. Come on! They have a big defence in Ed Jovanovski (6-foot-2), Mattias Ohlund (6-foot-2), Salo (6-foot-3), a good Canadian boy from Kingston in Bryan Allen (6-foot-4), and Brookbank (6-foot-4). But a lot of work is going to fall on Jovanovski and Ohlund. The rest really have to have career years. Calgary: I just love what Darryl Sutter has done. He kept everybody that he wanted, added McCarty, Amonte, Langkow and Hamrlik. Look out for the next Pronger in Dion Phaneuf, the top rookie defenceman to come along in a long time. Calgary is big and tough, led by Chris Simon, a tough guy who can score. They still have Kiprusoff, who was dynamite in the 2004 playoffs. And they are led by a coach who has the touch. Olympic gold Surprise, I pick Canada. We could send three teams over there and end up winning gold, silver and bronze, no contest. In the last Olympics we could have played the U.S.A. 20 periods and still smoked 'em. The hardest thing for coaches to do in this one is pick the players. Canada in a breeze. Art Ross Trophy Jason Spezza. Dany Heatley, Spezza and Brandon Bochenski is the best young line in hockey. Spezza is another guy who paid his dues in the AHL. He could have gone to Europe and had a vacation in the Ice Follies but instead he rode the Iron Lung and won the scoring title in a tough league. Could be the first guy to win the scoring title in both leagues and do it in a row. Norris Trophy This is a toss-up between Rob Blake and Chris Pronger. Both play the game the way the game should be played. Two big guys who can move and who will be able to adapt to the sweetheart rules. I'll flip a coin and take Pronger this year. I wish the guys who vote on these awards, whoever they are, would remember that it's about playing defence. Offence is okay, but you have to have a little muscle. Bobby Orr had 46 goals, 89 assists and was plus 128 the last year he played. He also played the game mean. Imagine what Bobby would do with these darling rules. It boggles the mind. Jack Adams Trophy People must remember the coach that wins this is not the coach with the most points, but the guy who gets the most out of what he's got. Chicago's Trent Yawney is a guy who does that. Last year in the AHL he never had an assistant coach. His wife did the videos for him, he helped clean the dressing room and was chief bottle washer. The Chicago Blackhawks have a guy who came up the hard way. He's a player's coach and I hope he wins it. Maurice Richard Trophy Jarome Iginla. This guy is an old-time hockey player. Not only is he a 50-goal scorer, he drops them on occasion, makes plays, blocks shots and hits a ton. Let's face it, most of the 50-goal scorers are honeys. Jarome does it all. Calder Trophy Brandon Bochenski. Brandon learned the game the right way, like Spezza. He played in the AHL and paid his dues with hours on the bus. He appreciates the show now and is hungry to stay there. His opportunity was not given to him on a silver platter. It really bothers me when I see young kids given the job and they say, "Here, the job is yours to lose." Not Brandon. He did it the hard way and he is my winner, with Phaneuf runner-up. Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy Boy, wait 'til the good ol' boys down at my gas station read this -- am I in for a tough time. For some reason, some people hope Dominik Hasek fails. I admit he has bailed a couple of times and the way that he treated Joseph in Detroit did not thrill me, but when he is in a groove and in gear, none are better. The problem that Bryan Murray will face will be keeping him in gear and in that groove. I'm betting Murray can. I know Hasek sometimes looks like a seal after a fish when he makes a save, but he gets the job done. He looks sharp this year and he's on a mission, so that's why I'm making him the MVP and Vezina winner. Forgive me, boys. Stanley Cup champion The Ottawa Senators. Bryan Murray will make the difference with a new attitude. John Muckler has done a good job keeping most of the guys he wanted except Marian Hossa, who scored 36 goals. But how can a guy score 36 goals and be only a plus-4? Daniel Alfredsson will have another good year and maybe a better year now that his hair is cut, which should cut down on wind resistance. I hope they keep McGratton. He will straighten out a few guys who take runs at their sweethearts. If he is not there, Neil will do the job but it would be nice to have some help. Ottawa is solid on defence, led by Chara, who had 16 goals, 25 assists and was plus-33. Redden scored 17 goals with 26 assists and was a plus-21, and the underrated Philips gives the Senators a nice blend. And, of course, they have Hasek, who is out to prove everybody wrong. I mentioned Murray's attitude. He looks to me like a principal I used to have and butter would not melt in his mouth, but he likes tough, aggressive hockey and he is a proven winner. 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badams Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Wow!!! He really went out on a limb there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Awesome Badams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badams Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 I love Don but the game has passed him by. His Pro Canadian Anti European have to be a tough guy is getting old. That being said I can hardly wait to see him Saturday night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 The Sens are all Europeans, and yet Cherry is endorsing this team? His senility has come full circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 It sure has Badams. It sure has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 The sens are all Europeans??? are you kidding me...Heatley...Born in Germany, grew up in CanadaPhillips, Redden, Spezza, Pothier, Kelly, Schaeffer, Eaves, Mcgratton, Emery, Bochenski, Fisher, Vermette, Neil. I think that's the most North American team Ottawa has ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 You may have a point RD. I was thinking more of the top guns on the team which happen to be European... Havlat, Alfredsson, Hasek, and Chara are all pussy visor-wearers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothedShredder Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Chara... visor... I think they call that the glass at the end of the rink. And picking on a goalie for wearing a mask... clearly not a well thought out argument. Wow, Cherry's on board... what DOES that say about the Leafs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Don Cherry is a huge Leafs fan and a smart hockey man.My theory is he said all that to jinx the Sens.Almost worked for last night's game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Hahahahahhaa, he said Hasek!Good eye smoothshredder. I dont pay close enough attention to Low Rollers foolish ramblings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I was making a clever connection between the topic, the subject of the topic, the main protagonist, and his views on European players. Hence I did not knock Hasek for wearing a visor/mask/whatever, rather I was saying that he was European. If this kind of literary causality is too highbrow for you bunch, I can try to dumb it down to pee pee and caca jokes (mainly for Booche's sake). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badams Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Lets get back on topic.The Leafs suck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Sure you were Roller..........sure you were.The influence Jaimoe has had on your life is rearing her ugly head.The Leafs suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peipunk Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I think "caca" is spelled "ka-ka" (hyphen may be optional). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Leafs are pee pee caca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I think "caca" is spelled "ka-ka" (hyphen may be optional).Booche could settle this issue for us. Then again we are making the assumption that he can spell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave-O Posted October 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I bet Sundin wishes he was wearing a visor last night.The "pussy visor-wearer" is such a weak, old-fashion Don Cherry, male machismo argument. If I was getting paid millions to play hockey, damned right I'd protect my eyes too.Especially coming from a Habs fan, who coincidentally iced 8 Europeans (as opposed to Ottawa's 5) last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolarGarlic Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 "Daniel Alfredsson will have another good year and maybe a better year now that his hair is cut, which should cut down on wind resistance."Thats gold, Jerry, GOLD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakis Posted October 8, 2005 Report Share Posted October 8, 2005 "Alferdsson again promises a stanley cup but again fails to make it past the leafs" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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