Taylor Hall got his name called to the draft day podium first but Tyler Seguin laughed last and longest, celebrating a Stanley Cup victory with an original six franchise while Taylor iced the sprained ankle that likely cost him the Calder Trophy. So who wins?
A month in to their sophomore season the Taylor Vs. Tyler debate still rages.
Seguin's Bruins have stumbled out of the blocks in a Stanley Cup hangover haze but thanks to a stellar start from Seguin they're back on track. The second year pivot has 15 points through 13 games which leads the Big Bad Bruins in scoring.
Hall's Oilers shot out of the gates at 8-3-2, taking a firm hold on the Northwest Division lead and employing a classic Tom Renney defensive system. Hall has only 9 points in 12 games for the low scoring Oil, whose impressive 22 goals against in 13 games is by far the lowest in the league. Hall finds himself taking a backseat to the Oil's most recent first overall pick, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
It's early in their careers but you have to wonder who ended up with the better player, Boston or Edmonton?
Hall is an explosive winger who was the consensus first overall pick for 2010 while leading his Windsor Spitfires to their first of back-to-back Memorial Cup Championships. Seguin, a well-rounded centre stormed almost out of nowhere to tie Hall for the OHL lead in scoring in their draft year and eventually userp the Central Scouting ranking of first overall.
For now it looks like the Bruins came out on top using one of the first round picks they obtained from the Maple Leafs in the Phil Kessel deal to draft the top rated player in the 2010 draft second overall.
You can't blame the Oilers for taking the long-favoured Hall with the first overall pick. The Bruins were almost in a more favourable position since either player was a slam dunk - all they had to do was call the name that wasn't yet on the board. The Oiler's were hamstrung, no one in their right mind could not take a two-time Memorial Cup MVP first overall; maybe that's why they tried to acquire the second overall pick that year from the Bruins in a deal that was rumored to include Jordan Eberle.
The debate is far from over.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Down on the Farm: Sebastian Erixon
Under Mike Gillis the Canucks have made a commitment to both professional and amateur scouting that has yielded the talents of Alexander Sulzer, Kellan Tochkin and Eddie Lack, to name a few, all without making a trade or using a draft pick. The ability to identify overlooked talent and acquire it without losing any assets is vastly important in the salary cap system.
Following the lost season the NHL re-emerged with a few key rule changes that have produced a faster, more fluid game. With a crack down on obstruction smaller players with high skill level began to flourish on the open ice. The abolition of the two-line pass put further emphasis on the break-out. Teams began to see the puck-moving benefits of defenseman once thought too small to clear the crease; something they could no longer do without being penalized anyway. Ever since the likes of John-Michael Liles, Brian Rafalski and Brian Campbell have excelled and NHL talent scouts have looked high and low for the next diminutive defenseman.
Sebastian Erixon went undrafted despite starring on the 2009 World Junior Challenge silver medal winning Swedish team, a group which featured star goaltender Jacob Markstrom and four soon-to-be NHL defenseman: Tim Erixon, David Runblad, Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson. The Swede’s allowed just three goals in four round robin games and lost the final game to host-team Canada in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa.
After the WJC Erixon returned to Sweden to finish his first full season with Timra of the Elitserien, the same team his father Staffan had starred for in the early 80’s. Sebastian would total seven points in both his first and second seasons with Timra but broke out in a big way last year scoring 20 to lead his team in points by a defenseman. It didn’t take long for Canucks Associate Head Scout Thomas Gradin to take notice and soon Sebastian signed with the Canucks.
“It was a big year for me, leading d-men on our team.” Sebastian says of his break-out 2010-11 season. “Then the Canucks told me they had a contract and I signed, so, it was a fun year.”
The younger Erixon is considered small by NHL standards (listed at 5’10” on hockeydb.com) but uses a high hockey IQ to his advantage.
“I think I can carry the puck pretty good and make a good first pass.” He answers when asked to describe his game. “I see the ice pretty good.”
Sebastian’s coach with the AHL Chicago Wolves agrees. In his first year as head coach with the Canuck’s farm team Mac-T has been impressed by the young Swedish blue liner heaping praises on him in an interview with Gordon McIntyre of The Province saying: “He’s got incredible composure out there. Even walk by him in the room and he’s totally at ease. I don’t think he rushes anything.”The level of admiration between player and coach is mutual says Sebastian.
“He had a long career and he knows what to do. He’s a good coach.”
MacTavish will be charged with the duty of transitioning Erixon to the North American game but he isn’t the only one with helpful advice. Sebastian can rely on the years of experience his father Staffan accrued as a pro hockey player in Sweden.
“He knows what I need to do.” Sebastian says of his father.
Former Timra teammate Anton Lander is in his rookie season with Canucks division rival Edmonton and the two have stayed in touch this season.
“We know each other from when we were little kids.” Sebastian says. “He says it’s pretty tough.
He says The Speed is a little bit higher; you need to make the right choice all the time.”
Sebastian can also draw on the experiences of defense partner Adam Polasek, a young Czech blue liner who, like Sebastian, is in his first year with the Wolves. Polasek played two years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and is very comfortable on the smaller ice surfaces of North America.
“He’s a good d-man, good with the puck and makes it easy for me.” He says of Polasek.
Playing in the pre-season Young Stars tournament in Penticton and attending his first NHL training camp helped introduce Erixon to pro hockey in Canada. He’s now played eight games in the second best professional league in North America in a major American city.
“I feel more and more comfortable.” He says. “The first game was pretty tough.”
Shooting Stars
Of all the surprise success stories in this young NHL season the Dallas Stars could be considered the unlikeliest.
I know. I know. How could the Stars, not too far removed from cup-contender status be considered a bigger surprise than the Senators in full rebuild or the Baby Oilers?
Consider this: Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk spent the offseason handcuffed by ownership issues in Big D while the two superpowers of the Pacific Division stepped it up in a big way. San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson added a top-pairing d-man in Brent Burns as well as forward Martin Havlat in separate deals with the Wild. In Los Angeles Dean Lombardi did the near impossible landing a top line centre; that makes the Kings one of a select few teas to boast a pair of capable first unit centremen. Nieuwendyk dipped in to the free agent market to land Michael Ryder, Vern Fiddler and Radek Dvorak.
It looked like Dallas had already written off 2011-12 at last year’s trade deadline when they shipped budding power forward James Neal to Pittsburgh for Alex Goligoski. Goligoski, considered an underrated power play quarterback, didn’t seem like a fair return for a scoring threat of Neal’s caliber and the optix weren’t good. They were even worse when the Stars felt they had to reach out to former 20-goal D-Man Sheldon Souray who spent last season in the AHL.
Fast forward to present day and the Stars are not only sitting in first place in the Pacific but in the Western Conference, Souray and Goligoski combining for 18 points through 13 games.
Incumbent blueliners Stephane Robidas, Nicklas Grossman and Trevor Daley bring a rugged brand of hockey to the Stars’ D-corps, but despite the new-found defensive depth the Stars are allowing the most shots against per game.
When Ondrej Pavelec made former second overall draft pick Kari Lehtonen expendable in Atlanta Nieuwendyk scooped the oft injured puck-stop for an overdue prospect and a pick. Lehtonen did little to shake his reputation for being brittle in his first year in the Lone Star State but then logged 69 starts for the Stars last year and has started 11 of 13 games this season posting a sparkling .936 SV% and losing just one of his starts thus far.
Up front the consensus most underrated player in the league, Loui Eriksson, and Wunderkind Jamie Benn are tied for the team lead in scoring with 15 points. Eriksson and Benn are joined by a host of players previously considered to be good second line forwards: Ribiero, Ryder, Morrow, Dvorak, all of whom are experiencing varying levels of success this seaon. But it’s not the bigger names that are making the difference in Dallas but the depth forwards like Steve Ott, Adam Burrish and Fiddler who are providing great secondary scoring as well as plenty of sandpaper.
The scary thing is that when Morrow, Ribiero and Ryder hit their stride this team could really take off. Nieuwendyk and Co. are looking like geniuses for trusting the core they had assembled while picking up undervalued talent like Souray, Lehtonen, Goligoski and Ryder. It’s not quite Money-Puck but the Stars have done an awful lot with an underrated group so far this season and I don’t see them fading out.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Trade thoughts
An NHL GM is always open to ways of improving their team. A roster may look set or a cap-crunch too restraining for any movement but then a miraculous trade is pulled off. Last year we saw the return of the player for player trades made by teams who could mutually improve their rosters in the now, like the Colorado/St.Louis swap last season.
So who has what the Canucks need right now in ample supply, and what do we have to offer?
I could see Lou Lamoriello inquiring about either of our goalies and Keith Ballard when the playoffs get out of reach for NJ and he realizes that not even the captain's C is enough to keep Zach Parise in the swamp.
How would that break down?
Ideally the Canucks could rid themselves of two bad contracts in Ballard and Luongo in return for Parise, Johan Hedberg and Anton Volchenkov. I know, it's a pipe dream, not even Mike Gillis is that good, right? Well, hold that thought. Volchenkov for Ballard is a saw-off. The Canucks could use Volchenkov's shot blocking and physical play and New Jersey desperately need someone on the back end who can carry the puck. Luongo's lengthy deal might actually be a good thing as Jersey might actually appreciated having a player commited long term, and Lou might waive his NTC to go to a team that's not too far from playoff contention and situated in the Eastern time zone. Hedberg needs to be moved to offset the crease shuffling on both sides, and his professionalism and work ethic would be nice for Cory Schneider to work with. Martin Brodeur is a UFA next season and is looking like he may have held on too long. They have to be looking for a succession plan in net in NJ.
Parise and Volchenkov for Ballard and Lou might sound lopsided to Canuck fans but consider that there's a risk Parise walks at season's end as a UFA, and if you think you're disappointed in Ballard's performance check the NJ message boards for their thoughts on Volchenkov.
Lamoriello's hands might be tied right now because of Jersey's financial issues but this looks like one of a couple places Gillis might be able to offload Luongo and there's no way both Canuck goalies can stay past this season.
So who has what the Canucks need right now in ample supply, and what do we have to offer?
I could see Lou Lamoriello inquiring about either of our goalies and Keith Ballard when the playoffs get out of reach for NJ and he realizes that not even the captain's C is enough to keep Zach Parise in the swamp.
How would that break down?
Ideally the Canucks could rid themselves of two bad contracts in Ballard and Luongo in return for Parise, Johan Hedberg and Anton Volchenkov. I know, it's a pipe dream, not even Mike Gillis is that good, right? Well, hold that thought. Volchenkov for Ballard is a saw-off. The Canucks could use Volchenkov's shot blocking and physical play and New Jersey desperately need someone on the back end who can carry the puck. Luongo's lengthy deal might actually be a good thing as Jersey might actually appreciated having a player commited long term, and Lou might waive his NTC to go to a team that's not too far from playoff contention and situated in the Eastern time zone. Hedberg needs to be moved to offset the crease shuffling on both sides, and his professionalism and work ethic would be nice for Cory Schneider to work with. Martin Brodeur is a UFA next season and is looking like he may have held on too long. They have to be looking for a succession plan in net in NJ.
Parise and Volchenkov for Ballard and Lou might sound lopsided to Canuck fans but consider that there's a risk Parise walks at season's end as a UFA, and if you think you're disappointed in Ballard's performance check the NJ message boards for their thoughts on Volchenkov.
Lamoriello's hands might be tied right now because of Jersey's financial issues but this looks like one of a couple places Gillis might be able to offload Luongo and there's no way both Canuck goalies can stay past this season.
Booth and the Twins?
Alex Burrows looked great on a line with Chris Higgins and Ryan Kesler in last night's loss in St.Louis. It was a real kick in the teeth for Canucks fans to finally see some chemistry forming on a line that doesn't feature a Sedin only to have it taken away when Burrows left the game with back spasms resulting from a collision with Blues' power forward Chris Stewart. After the innitial sting of losing a heart and soul player like Burr wore off I realized this might be a blessing in disguise. Jannik Hansen didn't perform well in Burrows usual spot on the wing with the twins. The lineup shuffle had demoted David Booth to third line duty, but with Hansen continuing to underperform AV might be forced to play the 4.25 million dollar man on the top line with the Twins in Sunday's grudge-match with the Hawks and it might just be the fit they've been looking for.
Booth has 20 hits this year, good for fourth amongst Canucks forwards. His speed and forecheck bare a resemblence to Burr's, and he is expected to play top-six minutes. It isn't ever going to work out with Ryan Kesler on the second line, and when Burr is back and healthy he should experience continued success with Kess and Higgins. Without Burr getting injured it's questionable whether AV would have ever played Booth with the twins but now is his chance, he's got nothing to lose and no better option.
Booth's offensive statistics since joining the Canucks aren't great. He has no goals and is a minus-3 in six games. He's well aware of the pressures that come with playing in a Canadian hockey market, so much so that he even engaged in fist-to-cuffs with veteran tough guy Scott Nichol last night, respectably scoring the take down. It's in the Canucks best interests to find him some chemistry and fast before his grace period with the rabid Canuck fanbase is up. The tolerance of Canuck supporters for high priced talent eating up valuable cap space and not fitting in with the team make-up is all but worn thin after the Keith Ballard acquisition. It's time the Canucks invested some money in a good fit and Booth has the potential to rejoin the 30 goal ranks if they can find a place to play him. He isn't going to live up to the price tag fighting fourth liners and playing third line minutes.
Booth has 20 hits this year, good for fourth amongst Canucks forwards. His speed and forecheck bare a resemblence to Burr's, and he is expected to play top-six minutes. It isn't ever going to work out with Ryan Kesler on the second line, and when Burr is back and healthy he should experience continued success with Kess and Higgins. Without Burr getting injured it's questionable whether AV would have ever played Booth with the twins but now is his chance, he's got nothing to lose and no better option.
Booth's offensive statistics since joining the Canucks aren't great. He has no goals and is a minus-3 in six games. He's well aware of the pressures that come with playing in a Canadian hockey market, so much so that he even engaged in fist-to-cuffs with veteran tough guy Scott Nichol last night, respectably scoring the take down. It's in the Canucks best interests to find him some chemistry and fast before his grace period with the rabid Canuck fanbase is up. The tolerance of Canuck supporters for high priced talent eating up valuable cap space and not fitting in with the team make-up is all but worn thin after the Keith Ballard acquisition. It's time the Canucks invested some money in a good fit and Booth has the potential to rejoin the 30 goal ranks if they can find a place to play him. He isn't going to live up to the price tag fighting fourth liners and playing third line minutes.
The Metamorphosis
****NHL REF KELLY SUTHERLAND. LEO'S LINEMAN JESSE NEWMAN. NUX CHAT WITH BRIAN WIEBE of Q101. Click the Link: http://soundcloud.com/josh-statham/epi4complete *****
After an uneasy offseason the Canucks have awoke (or not) to find themselves transformed into a gigantic Rocky 6-like disappointment. What has changed? Slow starts aside this team doesn't even look like a shadow of its old self. The team, its fans and management, all seemed to think the losses of Raffi Torres and Christian Ehrhoff wouldn't affect the on-ice performance, after all they had Chris Tanev, now in the AHL and injured, and Cody Hodg-slug to replace them. The only problem is Ehrhoff was the lynch-pin of the Canucks greatest asset, their powerplay, and Tico set the pace physically.
I feel the Canucks are at a crossroads: Do they try to recreate last year's team identity with new parts or do they carve out a new one?
Unfortunately for AV and Co. I don't feel today's league with its parity and loser-points allows for a team to work its way through an identity change at this stage of the season, that's what the pre-season is for. I truly feel the coaching staff and management need to reflect on what made the Canucks a dominant force last season and recreate it with new personnel.
So what made the Canucks so good last season that is missing now?
1 - Energy Line: The Sutter brothers introduced us to the idea of an "Energy Line", usually the third unit, which featured speed and physicality. Traditionally the Energy Line plays a chip-n-chase style forcing opposition d-men to retrieve pucks tactically placed in the corners as offensive wingers strike with speed. The biggest benefit was not felt by this line but by others who capitalized on the mistakes the opposition make in their own end knowing they need to rush the play to avoid a crushing hit. How do they address this? Promote Aaron Volpatti (the new Raffi Torres?) and Max Lapierre to third line duty. They are one-two in hitting amongst Canuck forwards. Give diminutive Andrew Ebbet a look on this line. His play-making ability will maintain a level of scoring threat on a line that will play about 15 minutes a game.
2 - Mobility on D: The Canucks d-corps were lauded in last year's playoffs for stymying the opposition forecheck by moving pucks quickly out of their own zone. Keith Ballard was relegated to the press box despite the expectations that his pay scale and the package of prospects given up to acquire him suggested. For the team to play their best they need to play the best options, and right now that doesn't include Kevin Bieksa. If this team is to recapture the magic of last season then they need that level of puck movement that is sorely missing with the departure of Christian Ehrhoff. Lucky for them they have great pro scouting and acquired Alex Sulzer in the offseason. He might be the best passer on the backend and he was the only Canuck d-man to finish with a plus rating last night despite playing just 15 minutes. The team can't afford to let Bieksa work through this rough patch playing 20+ minutes, he's too much of a liability right now. Bump Kevin back to third pairing with whomever they settle on back there. Sulzer can pair with Hamhuis while Bieksa rebounds, the spot beside Alex Edler vacated by injured Sami Salo can be filled temporarily by Keith Ballard, not that he has earned it.
3 - Great Goaltending: The Canucks duo of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider won the Jennings trophy for lowest GAA last season. Lou was a Vezina candidate and Schneider a blossoming rookie. This year the tables are turned. Lou isn't getting it done and Schneider is looking like the better goalie. Like Bieksa, Lou can't be afforded the luxury of working through this slow start. Cory Schneider needs to continue to get more starts.
Last year the secondary scoring took a big hit. Mason Raymond had an off year and Mikael Samuelson failed to reach the 20 goal mark. Raymond is out with injury and Samuelson was part of the trade that brough in David Booth, this leaves Cody Hodgson to find a place on the second line, but when Burr and Raymond are healthy again there won't be room for him in the top six and he needs to be playing meaningful minutes, if not in the NHL then in Chicago with the Wolves. He can't be expected to develop in to a top six player bouncing around positions and lines with the Canucks.
If the Canucks don't learn from the past they won't get a chance to repeat it. The Northwest is a lot tougher than most hockey pundits felt it would be and the Nux don't have the flexibility to play .500 hockey through November. If I were AV my line-up card for Sunday's game in Chicago would be as follows:
Sedin Sedin Booth
Higgins Kesler Hodgson
Volpatti Lapierre Ebbett
Weise Malhotra Hansen
Hamhuis Sulzer
Edler Ballard
Bieksa Alberts
Schneider
Luongo
CANUCKS and LIONS PODCAST: http://soundcloud.com/josh-statham/epi4complete
"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect-like creature."
-The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
After an uneasy offseason the Canucks have awoke (or not) to find themselves transformed into a gigantic Rocky 6-like disappointment. What has changed? Slow starts aside this team doesn't even look like a shadow of its old self. The team, its fans and management, all seemed to think the losses of Raffi Torres and Christian Ehrhoff wouldn't affect the on-ice performance, after all they had Chris Tanev, now in the AHL and injured, and Cody Hodg-slug to replace them. The only problem is Ehrhoff was the lynch-pin of the Canucks greatest asset, their powerplay, and Tico set the pace physically.
I feel the Canucks are at a crossroads: Do they try to recreate last year's team identity with new parts or do they carve out a new one?
Unfortunately for AV and Co. I don't feel today's league with its parity and loser-points allows for a team to work its way through an identity change at this stage of the season, that's what the pre-season is for. I truly feel the coaching staff and management need to reflect on what made the Canucks a dominant force last season and recreate it with new personnel.
So what made the Canucks so good last season that is missing now?
1 - Energy Line: The Sutter brothers introduced us to the idea of an "Energy Line", usually the third unit, which featured speed and physicality. Traditionally the Energy Line plays a chip-n-chase style forcing opposition d-men to retrieve pucks tactically placed in the corners as offensive wingers strike with speed. The biggest benefit was not felt by this line but by others who capitalized on the mistakes the opposition make in their own end knowing they need to rush the play to avoid a crushing hit. How do they address this? Promote Aaron Volpatti (the new Raffi Torres?) and Max Lapierre to third line duty. They are one-two in hitting amongst Canuck forwards. Give diminutive Andrew Ebbet a look on this line. His play-making ability will maintain a level of scoring threat on a line that will play about 15 minutes a game.
2 - Mobility on D: The Canucks d-corps were lauded in last year's playoffs for stymying the opposition forecheck by moving pucks quickly out of their own zone. Keith Ballard was relegated to the press box despite the expectations that his pay scale and the package of prospects given up to acquire him suggested. For the team to play their best they need to play the best options, and right now that doesn't include Kevin Bieksa. If this team is to recapture the magic of last season then they need that level of puck movement that is sorely missing with the departure of Christian Ehrhoff. Lucky for them they have great pro scouting and acquired Alex Sulzer in the offseason. He might be the best passer on the backend and he was the only Canuck d-man to finish with a plus rating last night despite playing just 15 minutes. The team can't afford to let Bieksa work through this rough patch playing 20+ minutes, he's too much of a liability right now. Bump Kevin back to third pairing with whomever they settle on back there. Sulzer can pair with Hamhuis while Bieksa rebounds, the spot beside Alex Edler vacated by injured Sami Salo can be filled temporarily by Keith Ballard, not that he has earned it.
3 - Great Goaltending: The Canucks duo of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider won the Jennings trophy for lowest GAA last season. Lou was a Vezina candidate and Schneider a blossoming rookie. This year the tables are turned. Lou isn't getting it done and Schneider is looking like the better goalie. Like Bieksa, Lou can't be afforded the luxury of working through this slow start. Cory Schneider needs to continue to get more starts.
Last year the secondary scoring took a big hit. Mason Raymond had an off year and Mikael Samuelson failed to reach the 20 goal mark. Raymond is out with injury and Samuelson was part of the trade that brough in David Booth, this leaves Cody Hodgson to find a place on the second line, but when Burr and Raymond are healthy again there won't be room for him in the top six and he needs to be playing meaningful minutes, if not in the NHL then in Chicago with the Wolves. He can't be expected to develop in to a top six player bouncing around positions and lines with the Canucks.
If the Canucks don't learn from the past they won't get a chance to repeat it. The Northwest is a lot tougher than most hockey pundits felt it would be and the Nux don't have the flexibility to play .500 hockey through November. If I were AV my line-up card for Sunday's game in Chicago would be as follows:
Sedin Sedin Booth
Higgins Kesler Hodgson
Volpatti Lapierre Ebbett
Weise Malhotra Hansen
Hamhuis Sulzer
Edler Ballard
Bieksa Alberts
Schneider
Luongo
CANUCKS and LIONS PODCAST: http://soundcloud.com/josh-statham/epi4complete
Friday, November 4, 2011
Who you callin' Back-Up?
Never has the plight of the "back-up" goalie been more apparent than in Vancouver this season. Roberto Luongo, the former Captain, is one year in to a retirement contract while up-and-comer Cory Schneider is in the final year of his RFA deal. Despite the contradiction in contract status it's Schneider who is playing a better game right now sporting a respectable .917 SV% vs. Luongo's .883.
Even if the lines between the starter and "back-up" are blurred by performance I don't think it's fair to label one goalie the #1 and the other a "back-up".
In baseball a five man starting rotation may have an Ace, but that doesn't make the other four back-up pitchers. Just like the Ace of a pitching rotation doesn't start every game neither does the starting goaltender.
So what is Roberto Luongo when he doesn't start? He's been tabbed the starting goalie but he's barely taken half the starts so far this season. I don't see why you have to hang a label on either of the goalies. The guy between the pipes at the beginning of a given game is the starting goalie regardless of his paycheque or stats.
I'd like to see the label back-up removed from the hockey vernacular entirely. If we can rid the game of terms such as "New NHL" and "Monster" then we can certainly help achieve equality for goaltenders.
Even if the lines between the starter and "back-up" are blurred by performance I don't think it's fair to label one goalie the #1 and the other a "back-up".
In baseball a five man starting rotation may have an Ace, but that doesn't make the other four back-up pitchers. Just like the Ace of a pitching rotation doesn't start every game neither does the starting goaltender.
So what is Roberto Luongo when he doesn't start? He's been tabbed the starting goalie but he's barely taken half the starts so far this season. I don't see why you have to hang a label on either of the goalies. The guy between the pipes at the beginning of a given game is the starting goalie regardless of his paycheque or stats.
I'd like to see the label back-up removed from the hockey vernacular entirely. If we can rid the game of terms such as "New NHL" and "Monster" then we can certainly help achieve equality for goaltenders.
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