A Loser’s Case For The Conn Smythe

The Conn Smythe trophy is one often one of hockey’s most unpredictable awards.  At the outset of the playoffs it is nearly impossible to know which player will rise to the top over the course of the next few weeks.

There are some years when an unbelievable individual performance carries an unlikely team to the Stanley Cup finals. In those cases, such as it was with J.S Giguere and Ron Hextall, a player can win the Conn Smythe when his team loses the Stanley Cup.

This year, however, we have a unique situation in that there is really nobody on the Philadelphia Flyers that could earn that distinction in a losing cause.  Michael Leighton, although very good in the games that he played, has not played enough games or “stolen games” as yet.  I believe it would take a remarkable performance from Leighton (repeat of the Conference Finals with more ‘big game saving’ stops) in the finals in order for him to be considered for the Conn Smythe.

I would also argue the same for Chicago’s Antti Niemi. If Kirk McLean couldn’t win the Conn Smythe while making a record 761 playoff saves in a losing effort back in 1994, then neither of these goaltenders have a hope.

Could A Forward Win In A Losing Cause?

Jonathan Toews has to be the front runner right now when evaluating forwards who could possibly win the Conn Smythe if their team lost the Stanley Cup.  Toews is currently leading the playoffs in scoring with 26 points in 16 games. Leading all remaining players in faceoff percentage and his 5 powerplay and 3 game winning goals solidify his spot as a contender for MVP.

Mike Richards may be the player with the next best shot, leading the Flyers in scoring thus far with 21 points. However, of his 6 goals, he has just one Game Winner.  Danny Briere has 4 game winning goals and a total of 18 points, with a couple of game winners in the final, he could have an outside shot.

Ironically, the last (and only) time a non-goalie won the Conn Smythe it was a Philadelphia Flyer!

Reggie Leach won the Conn Smythe in a losing cause back in 1976 when he recorded an NHL record 19 playoff goals in 16 games.  He picked up the playoff MVP award despite his team being swept in the final by the Montreal Canadiens.

Many considered Ken Dryden a favorite to win the award, but no other Flyer had more than 6 goals that playoff year and Boston’s Jean Ratelle had the second most playoff goals with 8.

That is the kind of dominance it takes for a non-goaltender to win the Conn Smythe in a losing cause.

Will It Happen This Year?

Frankly, it will take an absolutely astonishing performance throughout a long series for any player to earn the Conn Smythe in a losing cause this season.  One of the three forwards mentioned would have to rack up a pile of points and score some very key goals to win.  I don’t think either of the starting goalies can win in a losing effort, regardless of what happens in this series.

I have purposely left out defenseman. One could make an argument for a defenseman such as Chris Pronger to win, but I think the possibility is extremely remote. If the Flyers were to win the Cup, Pronger should get some consideration the same light that saw Scott Niedermayer win in 2007 and Nicklas Lidstrom in 2002.

What do you think?

Who is your favorite for the Conn Smythe?

Leighton, Sharp Look For Revenge Against Former Teams In Cup Final

Prior to the 2010 NHL playoffs, many people suspected that the Blackhawks would be in the Stanley Cup final. However, anyone outside of Philadelphia that thought the Flyers would be playing hockey in June would likely have been referred for professional help.
(If you did pick the Flyers to be playing for the Cup, please contact me. I need some help with my PowerBall numbers)

That said, the stage is now set for the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2010 playoffs and there are two players who might just be looking forward to it more than anyone else.  Michael Leighton and Patrick Sharp are both facing off against the team that drafted only to traded them away.

Leighton Looking Sharp

Interestingly enough, these teams have some trade history between them that has impacted these playoffs and will certainly have  bearing on this series.

The Philadlephia Flyers are riding the back of goaltender Michael Leighton, who happens to be a former draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks picked Leighton in the 6th Round of the 1999 draft, 165th overall. Leighton played 42 games, recording just8 wins, with Chicago over the course of two seasons 2002-04.

The Blackhawks traded Leighton to the Buffalo Sabres in October of 2005 for Milan Bartovic. Never heard of him? I can’t say I blame you. Bartovic played just 24 games for Chicago that season and has never played in the NHL since.

Patrick Sharp Shooting For Cup

Patrick Sharp has been no slouch in these playoffs for the Blackhawks. While being overshadowed by a remarkable playoffs from Captain Toews, Sharp has quietly amassed 16 points in 16 games during these playoffs.

Sharp’s connection to the Flyers goes back to his draft year when he was selected in the 3rd Round, 95th overall, by Philadelphia out of the University of Vermont.

Sharp managed 10 Goals and 19 assists in 66 Games with Philadelphia before being traded to Chicago with Eric Meloche for Matt Ellison and a 3rd Round pick in the 2006 draft. At this point, it certainly looks like Chicago got the better of that trade.

Which One Will Laugh Last?

Which of these players will have the last laugh against the team that drafted them and subsequently traded them away for next to nothing?

Both can certianly take prid ein their performances this post-season and the odds on favorite would have to be Sharp and the Blackhawks. But, people have been counting out the Flyers from day one.

It should be a great series and regardless of the result, Mr. Leighton will be looking for a hefty pay raise come July.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers will face off for Game #1 of the final series on Saturday May 29, 2010 at 8:00 PM EST. The full schedule, including the television scheduleis here on NHL.com.

Authentic NHL Jersey Customization

Like many of you, I love my hockey jerseys and the more authentic the jersey, the better! So, when I got my Team Canada Olympic Jersey I was excited to get it customized.

Having purchased several jerseys that had already been customized, as well as being duped into buying a fake NHL jersey, I have become increasingly attentive to detail and the importance of quality and authenticity.

Being fairly active on Twitter and Facebook, many NHL Digest readers were able to chime in with some things to watch out for as well. Several readers had mentioned that the NHL Shop was now pressing numbers and letters on instead of using stitched tackle twill. While it seemed odd that the official NHL store would lack authentic customization, I decided to dig into it a little more.

What I found out from reading several hockey message boards is that what people were telling me on twitter appeared to be true.  But, according to the NHL Shop, there are different levels of customization depending on what jersey is purchased. If you don’t feel like clicking the above link, it basically indicates if you don’t purchase the most expensive jersey, you get screen printed numbers when you order customization.

After speaking with a couple of jersey retailers , I also learned that there are  about half a dozen NHLPA certified outlets to get NHL jerseys authentically customized. If you have a jersey already, or are wanting to buy a new one and get it customized, this what you should be looking for.

What Exactly Should We Be Looking For?

• Authentic hand-sewn customization with official ‘Z-stitch” – no screen printing or glue.
• Official pro twill materials used on actual the NHL jerseys.
• Officially licensed, authentic NHL fonts for all numbers and lettering.
• NHLPA licensed customization. Required for all truly authentic jerseys that bear names of NHL players.
• Precision cutting & accuracy to ensure all names and numbers are specifically cut and placed in the correct location on the jersey.
• Authentic customization as worn on-ice by the player, which is especially important with third and vintage jerseys that do not feature the numbering or font of the current jersey.

After discussing my request with the folks at Cool Hockey.com , a division of Silver Crystal Sports, I decided to send my jersey to their Toronto factory for customization.  And, I also asked them if they would be so kind as to take some video of the customization process so that I could share it with you on NHL Digest.

I sincerely hope that this makes you feel more confident and comfortable with the jersey customization process. I know that authentic NHL jerseys are expensive and the last thing any hockey fan wants is to have their jersey ruined with poor customization.

If you have any jersey tips, bad experiences with customization, or being duped with fake NHL jerseys please tell your story in the comments. Hopefully, we can all help each other to avoid getting ripped off!

If you’re in the market for a new jersey or jersey customization and you found this article useful, please consider using the NHL Digest Store powered by Cool Hockey.com. Thanks in advance.

Halak Chasing McLean’s Playoff Record For Saves

By now it is no secret that the Montreal Canadiens are the story of the 2010 NHL playoffs.  Much has been much written about Jaroslav Halak and his fantastic performances, backstopping the Habs to the third round. However, a lot of the focus on records has been on Mike Cammalleri chasing Reggie Leach’s 19  playoff goals.

While Cammalleri, who currently has 12 goals, could reach that record and it would be a great accomplishment, Jaroslav Halak is on pace to beat one the top 10 NHL playoff records of all time.

Most Saves In One Playoff Year

Prior to the first game of the conference final versus the Flyers, Halak had already registered 420 saves in 13 games during this playoff run.  Halak is averaging 32.3 Saves/Game and had 119 more saves than Chicago’s Antti Niemi heading into Sunday’s action.  At this pace, if the Canadiens play 11 more games in this playoff year, Halak will likely take over Kirk McLean’s record of 761 saves.

For Halak to reach this record, of course, means that the Canadiens must win the Eastern Conference and make it to the Stanley Cup Final. But, after knocking off the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins, beating Philadelphia seems like a definite possibility.

Even if we assume the minimum number of games that the Canadiens could play if they won the Eastern Conference (8), at an average of 32.3 saves per game, Halak would still record the most saves made in the playoffs with 678 since Olaf Kolzig recorded 696 in 1998.

Here is a quick reference of the playoff leaders in saves.

This is one of those records, like the most losses by a goaltender in a career, nobody really wants to break. But, the most saves in a playoff run is still a great accomplishment and underscores the effect that having a hot goaltender in the playoffs can still have.

UPDATE: As this post went to publication, Halak was just chased from the Montreal net in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final after making just 9 saves on 13 shots.

NHL History In The Making…Maybe

It is unlikely that this is in response to the accusations that the latest NHL History Will be Made videos outright neglected the Montreal Canadiens, but the NHL has continued with their series of promotional videos of historic NHL playoff events by adding a recent goal from Mike Cammalleri to their arsenal.

Cammalleri knocked a puck out of mid-air past a sprawling Marc- Andre Fleury in Game #2 of the Montreal vs. Pittsburgh series to seal the victory for the Canadiens.

A tremendous display of hand-eye coordination, coupled with the victory by the underdog and the simplicity of the production made for what was likely an easy decision by the NHL to release another video.

Will This Really Be Memorable?

Sure, Cammalleri’s goal was a great display of athleticism and propelled the underdog to victory, but this is Game 2 of a second round series. The History Will Be Made commercials leading up to the playoffs depicted pivotal events in hockey history. Now it’s Game 2 of the second round?

So, If the NHL is going down this road, what other moments in this season’s playoffs are just as deserving (or more) than Cammalleri’s goal?

Is it a slippery slope for the NHL to begin depicting which events from the current playoffs will “make history”?

P.S – I wonder how long we will see the History Will Be Made Parody videos continue to pile up on YouTube?

NHL Hats

Ever since Reebok started supporting the NHL, the style of hockey hats has become increasingly better.  As far as apparel goes, NHL hats and t-shirts are the most popular affordable items for hockey fans. Even though hats are not as easily customized as t-shirts are, they are often more consistent with respect to sizing. Although fitted hats are more popular, buying an adjustable hat solves all size related problems.

Other than Reebok, several other hat manufacturers, such as New Era and their 59Fifty line, Zephyr Graphics and 47 Brand have licensed NHL hats in production.  Most local sporting goods stores carry some of the Reebok hats, but they often don’t have the largest selection.  Stores specializing in sports apparel tend to have a larger selection and, of course, there are online outlets like lids.com and shop.NHL.com that have great selection as well. Some of the most popular hats are featured below.

Most Popular NHL Hats

The following is a list of the most popular NHL team hats by search volume:

1.)    Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Official Flex Fit Slouch Hat
Price: $17.99

2.)    Pittsburgh Penguins

Reebok Pittsburgh Penguins Stretch Fit Hat
Price: $17.97

3.)   Buffalo Sabres

Reebok Buffalo Sabres Official Stretch Fit Hat
Price: $17.97

Although I was somewhat surprised at the popularity of the Sabres hats, I was not surprised at the other two teams. Especially given the fact that the Bruins and Flyers had a special winter classic knit hats this year.

In addition, just like the vintage jerseys, there has been an increase in the popularity of vintage NHL hats.  Not only has there been an increase in retro hats for the existing NHL teams, but some non-existent teams from the past, like the Hartford Whalers, are still popular with hat wearing NHL fans.

As an NHL fan, do you wear a hat to top off your t-shirt or jersey when you attend games, or is a hat something you wear when you can’t wear your jersey?  Or, both?