Karl Goehring on Coaching College

In college hockey, you have a lot of goalies, most carrying three goalies just in case. For University of North Dakota's Karl Goehring it's an interesting season for him. With transferring Clarke Saunders and rookie Zane Gothberg complimenting the senior stalwart Tate Maris-- it's been quite the juggling act.

Goehring has done a great job with goalies in his previous three seasons with UND and has kept it going with his troops this year, adapting what he can to the style of play that these goalies bring to the program.

"You got to apply it to the individual and make sure your message is appropriate of who you're talking to."

Of course, Goehring himself brings a lot of experience to the team. A graduate of UND, Goehring guided the then Sioux to a National Championship in 2000 and to the title game in 2001. On top of holding a lot of records for UND in wins (80), shutouts (15), and win percentage (.765)-- Goehring also spent time in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch (whom he also coached) and other various spots along the minor league path.

While some guys don't have the ability to actually move behind the bench, Goehring sees it as a learning experience.

"It's always an interesting transition as a player . You think you know a lot of things, then you go behind the scenes and do them. At least for myself, it opens your eyes. It's a blast. I've been very fortunate to have the opportunities I've had."

In the one-on-one below, Goehring talks about his team, coaching in a three-goalie system, the role of the third goalie, and the transition of playing into coaching.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Emile Francis

While last instalment had the last of a breed, this week's AGM was the first of a breed in equipment. Not only did he get fed up with what he had, he was surprised at the outcry against it to begin with. He stuck by his guns and was able to help get it worked into the goalie lexicon, which I'm sure many of the goalie fraternity are indebted for. This week, the profile of Emile Francis.

Francis first started his journey with the North Battleford Beavers in the North Saskatchewan Junior League in the 1941-42 season, playing in four games, all losses. The 1942-43 season had Francis play eight games with North Battleford (no record given).

A move east is what happened next for Francis, as he would join the Philadelphia Falcons for the 1943-44 season, playing in 14 games in the Eastern League, while he would spend the 1944-45 season with the Washington Lions in the same league, taking home league MVP honors for his stellar play in the 35 games there.

Francis was called for military duty, but would play the 1945-46 season back in the Saskatchewan Junior League, this time the South Division playing for the Moose Jaw Canucks and going 18-0-0 in 18 games, helping the Canucks move to the Memorial Cup, where he would go 4-4 in eight games of tournament play. Francis also spent time with the Regina Capitals, though he would play only one game with them.

Francis would be in Regina for the start of the 1946-47 season, but with a bit of a newer look. During the end of the 1945-46 season, Francis took a piece of his other favorite sport-- baseball-- and worked into the hockey lexicon, but using a first baseman's mitt and adding a wide cuff to it as a catching glove rather than using the same gloves his teammates wore. It helped Francis that next season in Regina, playing in 32 games, while then getting picked up by the Chicago Blackhawks, playing in 19 games and finishing with a 6-12-1 record.

The bulk of the 1947-48 season, Francis played with the Blackhawks-- posting a 18-31-5 record in 54 games, but he would also spend time with the Kansas City Pla-mors of the USHL-- going 3-2-2 in seven appearances.

Before the 1948-49 campaign, Francis was traded with Alex Kaleta to the New York Rangers for Jim Henry. Francis would only spend two games with the Rangers that season (2-0-0) and spend the bulk of his time in the AHL with the New Haven Ramblers, finishing with a 15-27-7 record in 49 appearances. The 1949-50 season had Francis back in New Haven, playing in 68 games and putting up a record of 22-36-10; all while losing the only game he played for the Rangers that season.

The Rangers changed AHL affiliation in the 1950-51 season to the Cincinnati Mohawks, where Francis would put up a 20-26-7 record in 53 games, while going 1-1-2 in five appearances for the Rangers. The 1951-52 season was much better for Francis in Cincinnati, as he would go 24-22-5 in 51 games and then 3-3 in six playoff appearances; as well as going 4-7-3 in 14 games for the Rangers.

Francis moved to the WHL in the 1952-53 season, playing of the Vancouver Canucks for 70 games, posting a 32-28-10 record, then going 4-5 in nine playoff games. For the 1953-54 season, Francis left the WHL and signed onto the AHL's Cleveland Barons, going 37-28-0 in 65 games and went 7-2 in the playoffs, as the Barons won the Calder Cup. Francis returned to Cleveland for the 1954-55 season, putting up a 28-26-3 record in 57 games and then 1-2 in three playoff games.

With the 1955-56 season, Francis would return to the WHL, but with the Saskatoon Quakers-- where he would go 27-33-8 in 68 games and 0-3 in the playoffs. Francis moved out west to the Seattle Americans in the 1956-57 season, posting a 35-26-7 record and 2-4 in six playoff games. The Victoria Cougars took Francis's services for the 1957-58 season, where he finished with an 18-47-2 record in 67 games. For the 1958-59 and 1959-60 season, Francis was playing for the Spokane Spokes, going 25-37-6 (1-3 in the playoffs) and 19-46-3 in those respective years. Francis was also loaned out to the Seattle Totems for a game in the 1959-60 season, winning that game. After that season, Francis would retire from playing.

Francis didn't stay away from the game long, as he would be the head coach of the OHA's Guelph Royals before the New York Rangers would hire him as head coach from the 1965-66 season until the 1974-75 season and would coach the St. Louis Blues in the 1976-77 season and parts of the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons, finishing his coaching career with a 388-277-117 record. Francis was also the GM of the Blues from 1976 until 1983 and GM of the Hartford Whalers from 1983 until 1989.

Francis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1982 and has a trophy named after him in the AHL for the champion of the North Division.

While his NHL career lasted only 95 games, the innovation he brought to the goaltending position was a great leap forward and probably staved of injury for future generations coming up through the ranks. Add that to his ability to work in the front office, Franics's legacy stretched out further than his playing career could have imagined.

Will Past Players Cure Caps' Present Woes??

First, it was Dale Hunter. He left and then Adam Oates stepped in. In addition, Calle Johansson just got hired there to assist Oates. Add in Olaf Kolzig to the mix; you've got yourself a nice roster from the 1998 Washington Capitals Eastern Conference Championship team. However, this has been the coaches for the Capitals in the past 12 months (though Kolzig has been there longer as the associate goalie coach).

Is this a good step for the Caps?? It's great for the fans, as the nostalgia keeps on coming from the olden days when the Caps were all about hype, but never having the playoff success for the long-term. While reliving the olden times is something that may be good to some, this whole thing could be a smokescreen for the re-tooling and tinkering that the Caps have been going through for the past couple of seasons.

The fact that Oates is the fifth straight first-time NHL coach for the Caps could be a cause for alarm, regardless of how highly touted he is for the job. That said, there wasn't too many coaches out there on the open market that would have fit what the Caps needed; therefore it seems that Oates was the best candidate with what has out there...at least, that's what most fans are hoping.

While Johansson did assistant coach in Sweden for a season, that was over five seasons ago and may not translate into the NHL game as well as many would hope. The good part about him coming, however, is the learning experience that the Caps defensemen will be able to get it. The guys that could get the most out of it may be the pairing of Karl Alzner and John Carlson-- though Alzner more than Carlson since his game is a more stay-at-home, which Johansson is renowned for in the Capitals folklore.

But I return to the smokescreen reference. It's almost as if the Caps are just parading out the old stars from happier times to lessen the blow when it comes to the performance of the team. While that could just be a wild thought process I'm having-- the excuse of, "Oh, it's a first year coach in his first job and he still has to work out the kinks to his players working in his system" is built in and may be more than some Caps fans to bear if there's a disappointing end to next season.

If this were all work out, it would be a great thing for the organization and the fans; but it's hard to get over the fact that the Caps have been on the cusp of something big-- but something just hasn't been able to get over that last hurdle. The inclusion of first-time coach after first-time coach may not be the thing that gets the team over the top. There's a time for rebuilding and tinkering around with a team's philosophy and to try out new thing. It's not typically the right route for a team who is only a few years removed from being the top of their conference and a President's Trophy winner.

Are The Sharks Circling For McLellan??

After the San Jose Sharks were eliminated, you knew that Todd McLellan was going to be on a short leash if he was retained. Well, with McLellan being retained, but his assistants not-- the question was whether or not the coaches hired would be those of help or possible competition. This time, it could be a little of both.

This past week, the Sharks have hired Stanley Cup winning coach Larry Robinson as their new "associate" coach, while former interim coach for the Phoenix Coyotes and defensive specialist Jim Johnson was hired on Tuesday as an assistant coach. The only thing that would make these hirings more damning for McLellan would be the dreaded "vote of confidence" being given. 

It's a shame that McLellan has to feel this heat, especially after he's appeared it the Conference Finals two of the four seasons he's been at the helm, though the other two playoff appearances have been first round exits. Granted, the additions could help out McLellan-- Robinson helping guide him on the right path to actually make him a coach that can get over that hump the Sharks have seemed to be stuck on. Johnson could be able to even out the penalty kill that was pretty craptastic during the season. This could definitely be a nice little motivator for him with no underlying tone to it.

Yet, it won't stop people like me from speculating on it all, especially when previous coaches in the past haven't been able to get to that next level. Ron Wilson and Darryl Sutter were eventually fired because of bad performances in the playoffs, but you have to believe that McLellan is a guy who has done a lot with this team-- but is it him that's not getting the results or the team not being able to knuckle-down and get the results that are needed to not only make the coach look good-- but make their franchise not look like walkovers. 

But it's the old adage of "you can't fire the players, so you fire the coach." For a team like the Sharks, it's a matter of getting over that seemingly eternal mental block that this team has had when it comes to getting to the Stanley Cup finals. While it's a tough task to accomplish, the reality of the situation is that the Sharks have been overvalued when it comes to being a dominant player for the Stanley Cup. They have a good team, but it's not one that should be given the praise that they have been given over the past couple of seasons. That will be there downfall-- not the coaching, not the players-- it's the hype. 

Why Does Brent Sutter Hate His Job??

With his season on the line, with little margin for error-- Brent Sutter went into Vancouver's Rogers Arena knowing that he needed to win-out to even had a chance. Who else would he turn to but his only hope in net-- Henrik Karlsson.

Wait, what??

Sure, in the end, Karlsson was solid and they did pick up a point in the overtime loss; the fact remains that this is a continuation of the follies that has happened during Brent Sutter's tenure as the Calgary Flames head coach. Sutter has been behind the Flames bench for three seasons, each of which he did not qualify for the second-season. With not playing the starting, franchise goalie in a must-win game, combined with a few weeks ago not putting in his top scorers in the shootout-- you have to wonder if Sutter is doing this all on purpose or not. While a lapse in judgement is possible, the fact remains that some of these decisions are head-scratchers and makes many wonder if he was possessed or not when making these moves.

While some "experienced" scribes believed that Sutter may deserve a contract extension because of the team's second half surge (then going on TV that same week and say he could be going to Edmonton to coach there); the results when all is said and done, Sutter shouldn't be behind the Flames bench. I don't know who should, but I know that Sutter probably isn't the guy if he can't get anything out of this team for three seasons. Plus, he isn't GM Jay Feaster's guy-- which could make a bumpy ride for Sutter when he eventually goes out the door.

It's quite interesting on how Sutter was able to succeed (relatively speaking) with the New Jersey Devils, but when he moved closer to home and with family-- and possibly a better forward roster-- Sutter hasn't been able to get much of anything out of the the Flames or when he does....it's far too late to make up the ground lost. The awful part about this is that Sutter can't play the game, which doesn't help the slumps and injuries that have happened-- but at the same time; there's plenty of points that the team left out there and since you can't fire the players or grill them all the time, you have to look higher-- which is Sutter.

The start of this tenure seemed like a match made in hockey heaven-- the brothers Sutter combining to give the Flames a spark and bring back the mucking-and-grinding glory that propelled the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. Coming back to his home Province and only 90 minutes south of where he built a Major Junior empire with the Red Deer Rebels, bringing along players like Cam Ward and Dion Phaneuf-- Brent would be the guy to help the veterans stay hungry and develop the youngsters to be like the seasoned vets.

Even so, it ended in the brothers not talking, then Darryl getting fired, then just a downward spiral from that point forward. The players should be held accountable, but the fact that Brent couldn't get the motivation needed for the crucial time of the year, it says more about the leadership behind the bench rather than those on the ice.

In a mere couple games, this whole dream could become a nightmare that many fans would want to forget. So much promise, so much miss opportunities. So much for "Every Game Matters," eh Flames??

Where Will Wilson Land??

With his firing, Ron Wilson becomes the belle of the coaching ball and there's plenty of upcoming suitors that will be going after his services. Yet the big onus could be on putting him into the right position in order to have success with any team. Even with that, the playoff success is one that is another question-- especially for a team who may or may not want to actually want to advance further than they have. Wilson has been to the Cup Finals once and Conference Finals once, but other than that-- if his team makes the playoffs, it all ends after round two; which for some teams, won't be enough.

One place that has been under fire for coaching has been the Washington Capitals, a team that Wilson has coached before and took to the Stanley Cup. While Dale Hunter is still learning the ropes as a NHL coach, the demand from the fans and upper management may not fit what Hunter has to offer-- even if given a full off-season to get a game plan going. I tweeted a tongue-in-cheek line about the Caps bringing an old coach back; but apparently-- a buddy of mine at the 5-0 Caps loss to the Devils, said that there was a "We Want Wilson" chant in the Verizon Center.

Now, I don't know if it was in frustration or in jest from the many fans who remember Wilson's tenure-- or just hatred of Hunter's tenure-- but a return to Washington may not be a bad idea in the front, but the playoff issues are of a concern. That said, if Wilson would let the stars of the team be as free-wheeling as they were before the huge system change under Bruce Boudreau-- the odds of being successful could very well be fantastic for the Caps. However, that also buries Hunter and his legacy in DC, making everyone in the situation look horrible.

If not DC, then the other option would possibly be Columbus and the Blue Jackets. While Todd Richards has done a respectable job in the interim as coach, the ability to seize someone like Wilson and help him guide a team like the Blue Jackets may be fantastic for the organization and possible coax Rick Nash to want to stay. Though, Columbus may not be the best fit for Wilson and he may not want to actually be in that market with so many question attached to their future and ability to get players onto the team via free agency.

Two Canadian teams that could go after Wilson may be Montreal and Edmonton. The thing that hinders Wilson for the Canadiens is his possible lack of French, which would make people rise-up in an uproar, despite being the best candidate for the job. Edmonton may be a little more realistic, as Tom Renney could be on his last legs there. The fact that Wilson would inherit a great young core of forwards, he may fit in well with the pick-up of some defensive assets. One final destination could be the New York Islanders, but it seems Charles Wang and Garth Snow could be keen on keeping Jack Capuano behind the bench for the long-term.

While the reality of the situation is that maybe two of these teams would be very interested in having Wilson as a coach, odds are he may not be out on the open market for long. With his coaching abilities and decent track record overall, added to his technological advances behind the bench-- it could be great for a younger team that is on the cusp. Yet, with his inability to get the Maple Leafs over the hump could show that a once great coach could have let the game pass him by and he may not be a fit for any team, regardless of the history that he has.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Derek Wilkinson

While you always hate to see a goalie have his career cut short due to lack of opportunities, the fact that this week's AGM was able to make it to the show and then make a solid name for himself after his playing days is always a good thing. This week, the profile of Derek Wilkinson.

While he first busted on the scene in the 1989-90 season in Junior B and C hockey with the Windsor Bulldogs and Belle River Canadiens respectively, he broke out a bit in the 1990-91 season in Junior B with the Chatham Micmacs Jr. team, playing in 24 games with a 3.61 GAA in that year.

Wilkinson moved up to the OHL for the 1991-92 season with the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors, where he would play 38 games and go 16-17-1 in the regular season, with a 3-2 record in seven playoff appearances. The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Wilkinson in the 1992 Entry Draft in the 7th Round. The 1992-93 season had Wilkinson in Detroit with the newly named Jr. Red Wings, going 1-2-1 in four games before getting traded to the Belleville Bulls-- playing in 59 games and finishing with a record of 21-24-11, then 3-4 in seven playoff games. Returning to Belleville for the 1993-94 season, Wilkinson went 24-16-4 in 56 games and then 6-6 in 12 games of the playoffs.

Moving up to the professional ranks in the 1994-95 season, Wilkinson spent the year in the IHL with the Atlanta Knights, playing in 46 games and finished with a 22-17-2 record, then going 2-1 in four playoff games. Wilkinson had the bulk of the 1995-96 season spent in Atlanta again, playing in 28 games and compiling an 11-11-2 record, then getting called up to Tampa Bay; playing in four games and posting a 0-3-0 record.

The Bolts changed affiliates to the Cleveland Lumberjacks in the 1996-97 season, where Wilkinson would be for most of the year-- playing in 46 games with a 20-17-6 record, then going 8-6 in the playoffs. Wilkinson got the call to Tampa Bay again, this time going 0-2-1 in five games. The 1997-98 season had a bit of a split, as Wilkinson only played 25 games in Cleveland (9-12-2) and then appeared in eight games with Tampa Bay (2-4-1). Wilkinson had another split year in the 1998-99 season, playing in Cleveland for 34 games whilst finishing with a 10-15-2 record; then moving up to Tampa for five games with a 1-3-1 record.

The 1999-2000 season had Wilkinson as a free agent, which he would serve the bulk of the season with the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers, playing in 31 games and finishing with a 11-13-2 record. Wilkinson would also play a game with the IHL's Chicago Wolves, were he would get a tie out of it. Wilkinson got signed by the Belfast Giants of the British Elite League for the 2000-01 season, playing 23 games there before hanging up his pads for good at the age of 26.

While he had his career ended early, Wilkinson was able to land on his feet afterwords, getting hired by the Charlotte Checkers as an assistant coach in the 2002-03 season, then moving to head coach in the middle of the 2003-04 season. Wilkinson would be the head coach in Charlotte until they moved into the AHL, in which he took over the role of Senior VP of Business Operations of the Checkers. He remains the winningest coach in Checkers history at 237-182-42.

It was a long road and it seemed that Wilkinson wasn't able to find his niche in the NHL, Wilkinson made his mark in the minors and then parlayed that into a coaching role and making a very successful run for himself. It was short and sweet, but he'll last forever due to this post.

The Psychology of Guy Boucher

Say what you will about his tactics, say what you will about his motive, say what you will about the idea in general-- but the mind games that Guy Boucher, head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been playing with his playoff opponents are fantastic.

In almost a "Kill 'em with kindness" sort of way, Boucher is using self-deprecation in a way that we may not have seen before, especially against the Washington Capitals, and while it may or may not have an effect on the Caps-- what he's saying could be a lingering effect should this series go a long way.

And the best part is that his team his buying into it.

Going into the series, Boucher pretty much said that he didn't expect his team to win this series and that it was Washington's series to lose because of their experience, then after a Game One victory said that he expects Washington to come out guns a-blazin' and they'll be outstanding in Game Two.

No pressure, Caps-- you'll just have to play the best you've ever played to show Boucher and the Bolts that they should be careful what they wish for.

And that's just it-- to put the high expectation on the other team, it throws them for a loop. Look at the Penguins' series; every press conference he gave, he always stated that he thought that Sidney Crosby would play in the series and it could be that game. Sure, that's good to actually prepare for a player of his caliber to come back, but to go on public record about it, very openly, shows that he wants the reporter to maybe go back to the other side and pester them about something he knows is false.

It's one thing to have a coach say this to relieve the pressure, but when you have your team actually getting into it and following the lead of their coach by being self-deprecating and to give all the credit to the Caps-- it's something that you normally don't see too often. Sure, you'll have a captain or veteran guy back-up the coach's statement-- but the Bolts seem like, to a man, they're following the coach's demeanor off the ice and taking it in stride. Boucher has really "hypnotoad'd" the Lightning and it could be the best thing that's ever happened to him.

While it's a bit of a snub for Boucher to not get nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy for best coach in the NHL; there's going to be a time where he will actually have his hands on it, posing for pictures in Vegas at the Awards Show. The way he's got the Bolts playing, it'll be hard-pressed for any team to beat them easily, mostly because they play a frustrating brand of hockey and capitalize frequently on teams trying to change up their game plan without actually having a "Plan B" to go to.

Say what you will about the team, you have to respect a coach who is able to not only throw off the game of the opposition off-the-ice, but also to pass it along to his team without getting them down or throwing them off their own game. Whether it wins another playoff game or series this season remains to be seen, but the head games are something that's Boucher has mastered in under a year in the NHL.

On the Topic Of Playoff Psychology

Is he in the game or the press box?? Will this guy start or will the back-up start?? The psychology of playoff hockey is alive and well, especially late into the series. Yet, at the same time-- does it ever work??

We've seen this kind of carousel before with the whole "upper/lower body injury" gimmick and it seems to have moved onward to trying to make a guessing game out of which goalie or player will start. While it make mess with the opposition, I don't know how well it works as we get into the elimination games.

There's plenty of times where the goalie switch and personnel switch happens in the first couple of games in order for motivate your own team and maybe give them some more jump to the team, as well as throwing a possible wrench in the opposition game plan. However, it seems a bit counterproductive for a team to still be playing this kind of game while the series drags on if it's not injury related. There comes a time where it's no longer a point to get a jump into a team, but starts to become a distraction and maybe shows the lack of confidence in the team, thus bringing the room down if players don't get motivated by it late into a series.

Not only that, but by the time the opposition has got a groove going, the odds are that you could throw any kind of gauntlet into their direction with roster changes and they would still be able to figure it out and overcome it; thus sending the team that made the change in for a loop and then second-guessing the decision making all around. The same thing to spark the team could also be the downfall of the team as well.

We'll see if these late-series gambles actually pay off, but even if it does-- wouldn't the cast of doubt start to linger on. Sure, it worked the first time and maybe a second time-- but if you go to the well too many times, it'll dry up and then you're stuck with nothing.

Critiquing the Caps

Ever since I saw my first game on February 3rd, 1989 when Bengt Gustafsson scored the only goal against Mike Liut of the Hartford Whalers (on Gustafsson "shirsey" night, no less), I was a Caps fan. And when being a Caps fan, heartache seems to happen all the time. Lest we forget the Patrick Division playoffs when the Penguins always came back from being down 3-1 to win, but it just comes with the territory.

Yet, with all the history of heartache, why are the fans taking this eight-game losing streak so hard and why is the second guessing of everything and everyone associated with the Capitals organization??

Is the coaching of Bruce Boudreau finally reached its peak and it's time to move on??

Everyone loves Boudreau, which could make it hard to fire him and could cause a wave of backlash. However, if it seems to have reached its cresendo; you have to make a move. I don't think that it's at that point yet, but the first guy to go will probably be Boudreau since coaches are more easily expendable than anything else. As it seems that the Caps are trying out a new system of play, there's going to be some leeway; but at what point does Boudreau abandon the new style of play??

The idea of the new system of defense is something that will take time to get used to, especially since this is a team that's been a run-and-gun team for the past couple of seasons, so the adjustment will be a noticeable one, especially when they've been know to play the old firewagon hockey style. The players won't be as dynamic, the play will not be as exciting, and the team will show off their weaknesses when it comes to trying to adhere to the new system, but not knowing how to blend one style into another. They seem to be too concerned with sticking to the defensive side, they completely forgot about the offensive side of things. They just need one break, though.

Speaking of offense, the one big thing is the lack of offense from Alex Ovechkin. Many have even called for Ovechkin to either give up or get stripped of his captaincy for not being a leader. Before I go ahead, I'll say always that the team's best player doesn't need to be the captain, because they may lack a leadership quality. It's not a bad thing for the best player to not have the captaincy. In any case, Ovechkin seemed to do well with the captaincy when he got it after Chris Clark was traded to the Blue Jackets. The Caps and Ovechkin did an amazing job that first year, why are people calling for Ovechkin to not have the "C" anymore?? Are there any better leaders on that team?? Maybe, but at the same time-- those are the folk-hero players that fans like for one reason or another and probably won't do better than what Ovechkin is doing. It's just a bad run of luck for the team and they need a break-- especially Ovechkin, Nick Backstrom, and Alex Semin.

If nothing else the idea of the team buying into their own media hype that's killing them. Green is in National TV commericals, Ovechkin's got his own DVD and clothing line, Boudreau had his own book-- the fact people picked them to go all the way maybe had them buy into the fact they don't have to play the season now and will have things handed to them. Add the hype to the system change, to the bad breaks-- recipe for disaster.

In the end, there has to be an end to this streak one of these days and it could spark the Caps into the big run that'll help them get back into their old ways. However, Jonny P said on the December 15th Show that it's better to have this losing streak and system change now, rather than late in the season when they're trying to gear up for the playoffs. If there's a time to come up and stick with a New Year's Resolution, it's for the Caps to snap out of these losing ways and actually become the team every pundit and fans thought they could be this season.

Friday Five: Off-Ice Clamoring

It's another week done and it's time for the F5, which is what we do every week-- but what a week.

1. Colin Campbell doesn't seem to get email-- should he have some clue??

You would have hoped that a high-level NHL executive would understand the concept of email and how it works, but it doesn't seem that way. The fact of the matter is that he could have had some idea that maybe he could be bit in the ass by something like this; but he took a chance and had to respect that. That said, you have to think that Campbell is the Teflon Don in the NHL offices, mostly because he can run his mouth like this and preside over the league discipline like he does and not get fired or knocked down. The latter part, which is his job, should be definitely focused on and the inconsistency he has shown is the reason why he should be knocked down a peg.

One last thing about the emails, he did claim it was locker room talk and he probably didn't think they would be exposed like they were due to the Dean Warren lawsuit, but it's probably a lot easier to pick up a phone to actually get it done. It's much harder to get caught, unless the other person has bugged the line. Emails are far too easy to access in this age of technology, so it's probably the most dangerous form of communication.

2. How much further can the Islanders sink in the court of public opinion??

The pulling of Chris Botta's credentials are a big blow to their already diminishing appeal, but they have that kind of call. That said, they shouldn't be shocked at the revolt they are currently experiencing from fans and onlookers a like. This is a team in turmoil and the tail-spin doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. The fans have a right to revolt and I think they should be doing much worse when it comes to supporting this team. They need to do something huge to put them in the good graces of the Long Island sports fans, but with what has happened in the recent past; it's very doubtful it'll happen any time soon.

3. Is there any way of stopping Steven Stamkos right now??

Stamkos shows that Barry Melrose really doesn't know what he's doing. This kid is showing his natural scoring talent and is playing with a team that has a lot of experience and a lot different backgrounds to help the kid deal though all sorts of obstacles thrown at him. He's a great personality for the game, but he hampered in a market that is hot and cold to hockey and won't get the mainstream press like other teams. Stamkos will shine through one way or another and could bring the Lightning back to the Cup Finals sooner rather than later.

4. The Flames seem to be doing some moving and shaking, plus rumors about Jarome Iginla won't go away-- what can we expect next??

I think the next move has to be Jay Feaster taking over the GM role if things don't change. While the Sutters seem to run this town, but when Feaster got hired this past summer as the assistant GM; you knew that the heat was going to be on Darryl Sutter to improve this team or else he'd be usurped. As it stands right now, the Flames are 14th in the West, 27th in the league, and don't seem to be ready to rebound any time soon. If Feaster doesn't get the job by the end of the year, it'll be a shock to me.

5. Mark Messier got his first taste of coaching in Europe. How long before he's in a similar position or higher in the NHL??

Messier went 2-1-1 in his games over in Europe coaching Team Canada the exhibitions, but I think the true test for him will be when he's coaching the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland at Christmas time. As far as the NHL goes, I don't know if coaching is the right line of work, but I could see him in a front-office position over anything else. There's something about great players and coaching that doesn't usually seem to blend; but front office positions are another story. We'll see what happens in terms of the international events, but Messier will have a spot in some organization sooner rather than later after these tournaments are done.

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So that's what's up. We're done another week and if you didn't like the topics, email me to get your voice heard at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com therefore you can make the next F5.

Short Changing the Coach Due To Short Bench

While this whole thing with the Devils only suiting up 15 players is definitely something that is going to bring a lot of heat to Lou Lamoriello and his mismanagement of the salary cap; which it should. For a guy to do all he did in order to get Ilya Kovalchuk under contract; he deserves this mess he's gotten himself into. He sacrificed the team for one player.

Yet, there's one person to feel bad for in all of this and it's head coach John MacLean. Here's a guy who has clawed his way to this spot in the coaching ranks, being passed over for the head coaching job a couple times and when he finally reaches the pinnacle...he has to deal with this mess. It's hard to coach in this league in the simplest of times, but to have a literally shortened bench because of it all-- what a rough issue for a rookie head coach to be put into.

That said, the good side to all of this is that he doesn't have to put out his fourth line because...well, he doesn't have one. He can actually play the top guys and know he'll be getting the most out of them. The downside is that the other team knows they won't have much energy late in the game if they power them with a dump-and-chase game early. It's hard for MacLean to coach from an advantage, even if they go up early-- because if they "blow their load" (I expect to be suspended for that one) early in the game; they'll be tired and be susceptible to a late-game comeback. If they lay back and get down early-- they may not have the juice to get back into the game.

It's one thing to have a mass of talent in order to justify the team having a rough time filling out the roster and staying under the salary cap; much like the NBA's Miami Heat. It's another thing to be like the Devils who have almost $32M tied to six players-- four of which have no-movement clauses-- and have issues trying to get a full team for another 12 players for $28M, especially since these guys had contracts prior. This is the backlash and almost karmatic result for the whole Kovalchuk situation.

It's obviously taking it's toll, as the Devils are 0-2-1, already short players via injury and not having the cash, and it seems Martin Brodeur is off his game, letting up 11 goals in three games and a .857 save percentage to boot. But, like I said during my post yesterday-- it's Chicken Little stuff right now. The bigger problem is what can be done to fill an entire team and actually win. They'll have to trade someone or shoot them in order to have the money in order to fulfill an entire roster and give MacLean the chance to actually coach a full team and show that the Devils should have hired him sooner rather than later.