More blogs from which to choose

We're trying to make it a little easier to access blogs from other NHL writers around the league. Next time you read an entry on this blog scroll down and look along the right rail. There you will find blogs concerning some other teams. We're trying to get permission from writers from all 30 teams to post their blogs. It's a work in progress, but it's a start.

Comments

[Steve R]

Don, while our roster has pretty much stayed the same, the Caps are adding a healthy Nylander and Clark back into the mix. Nyls missed 1/2 of last year and was healthy for a lot less than that & Clark played 15-20 games between the groin injury & the Ov slapshot to the head.

Agreed, you guys should be much improved.

The Canes? It comes down to Ward in my opinion.

[Don in St. Pete]

Steve, I've got to say we have some serious rivalries with all the teams in the SE. I love watching our divisional games the best. The key this year is that we got better and you and the Canes pretty much stayed the same but many of the other teams lost some ) Philly and Ottawa ) or a lot ( Pitt and NY ).

[Steve R]

You know Don, three teams from the SE making the playoffs would be great just to shut up the nay-sayers. You guys and the Canes win the Cup and still no respect. Hope the worm has turned for the SE (though Atl is dysfunctional & Fla makes some baaaddddddd trades) and we start pounding he@@ out of everybody else (especially the teams from PA - the swine).

[Don in St. Pete]

Steve, We both suffered from poor goaltending in the beginning of the season, though Huet picked it up for you all. In my book we start at an even keel this year although Theodore has more experience. O'Brien was one of the worst at taking penalties for us. Overall if we both get adequate goaltending, both teams are deep enough to challenge the sHABS for the best record in the east. Boudreau is smart in how he uses hid defense, witness Green only plying 45 minutes on the PK last season. Tort's should have done the samre with Boyle.......anyway, the sHABS aren't all that, everyone is saying thwey played over their heads last year and that it will be a war this year. I expect 4 teams to be fighting for the best record in the conference entering the last week of the season and 6 teams fighting for the remaining 4 slots. I see the sHABS, Flygirls, Bolts and CrAPS in the hunt for the top spot and the Devils, Pens, Bruins, Canes, Sens and Rangers fighting for the remaining 4 spots.

[Steve R]

Don and coach Bill, most welcome, happy to share. That was posted at Japer's blog a couple of weeks ago. I found it surprising that both the Bolts and Caps D were ranked as high as they were, especially for the Caps with Erskine being on the leader board amongst the most crappy d-men.

And you're right Don, the goal keeping really killed you guys last season. We'll see how Olie does mentoring the kid for y'all.

[coach bill]

Thanks, steve. We owe ya'. Great post!

[Don in St. Pete]

Steve, Thanks for posting that link. Seems the guy does a credible job of evaluation while taking circumstances into account. Funny how the Lightning were in the upper half of the league in all categories ( including defense ) and we finished dead last. His expanation was that our goaltending was non-existant.

[Hockey Chic]

Great work DC,

I know that the fellow bloggers throughout the NHL will appreciate it. NTM the people that call Florida their home during the season.
Good idea.

Go Bolts!!

[Steve R]

Anyone into stats and such might find the attached an interesting read.

PD, check out page 19. Mats is kind of far down the list.

http://www.hockeyanalytics.com/Research_files/2008_NHL_Review.pdf

[Todd]

Two words: Kukla's Korner

[Don in St. Pete]

Impressive undertaking DC! I sincerely hope you're successful with this endeavor.

[PD]

Excellent Idea!