MOCK!! YEAH!! DRAFT!! YEAH!! 2013 Edition

As we await the rest of the Awards and Game Two to start, we must be reminded that we're just two weeks from the annual NHL Draft. While it's only one day this year, many say it's the DEEPEST DRAFT EVER!!! They also say that about every other year, but that's besides the point. Because of the organizational depth, what's on the board, what's on the rankings, and some comments made by prospects about wanting to only play in the NHL, it could cause some havoc after the top three picks.

Now, I will make a note of this-- these picks are how I think some things will play out if the draft board is to remain the same. With the Blue Jackets and Flames carrying THREE first round picks, you can bet they will barter a deal here and there in order to get rid of them and get some roster players to fill out their team. Also, with picks 29 and 30 still undetermined because of the Stanley Cup still going on, I'll put out what the team will do rather than the positioning.

1. Colorado: Seth Jones
2. Florida: Nathan MacKinnon
3. Tampa Bay: Jonathan Drouin
4. Nashville: Elias Lindholm
5. Carolina: Aleksander Barkov
6. Calgary: Darnell Nurse
7. Edmonton: Sean Monahan
8. Buffalo: Valeri Nichushkin
9. New Jersey: Curtis Lazar
10. Dallas: Alexander Wennberg
11. Philadelphia: Ryan Pulock
12. Phoenix: Adam Erne
13. Winnipeg: Max Domi
14. Columbus: Robert Hagg
15. NY Islanders: Andre Burakowsky
16. Buffalo (From Minnesota): Nikita Zadorov
17. Ottawa: Bo Horvat
18. Detroit: Mirco Mueller
19. Columbus (From NY Rangers): Josh Morrissey
20. San Jose: Hunter Shinkaruk
21. Toronto: Samuel Morin
22. Calgary (From St. Louis): Anthony Mantha
23. Washington: Kerby Rychel
24. Vancouver: Rasmus Ristolainen
25. Montreal: Ian McCoshen
26. Anaheim: Jacob De La Rose
27. Columbus (From Los Angeles): Michael McCarron
28. Calgary (From Pittsburgh): Ryan Hartman
--. Boston: Frederik Gauthier
--. Chicago: Zachary Fucale

So there's that. All purely speculative and shows I could have as good a chance as any to pick them all right. The crazy thing is that with most teams, you won't be able to figure out their mindset from some picks (Mark Jankowski at 21st over anyone??), but I think this year could be very straight forward with many team playing by the book at least in the first round.

On the Topic Of the Colorado Avalanche 1st Overall Pick

 There's something to be said about the top three prospects in the NHL Draft all playing in the 2013 Memorial Cup Finals, which lead to the Halifax Mooseheads beating the Portland Winterhawks 6-4. Nathan MacKinnon had a hat-trick and two assists, Jonathan Drouin with five assists, and Seth Jones with only a goal to show.

With the joy of Twitter, it made people wonder whether or not the Colorado Avalanche will shy away from what they need most in Seth Jones's defense prowess for Nathan MacKinnon's scoring touch or even Jonathan Drouin's passing ability. Yet, if the Avalanche don't go for Jones-- then maybe they really should look at another rebuild of their front office after a couple of seasons because of it.

There is no denying that MacKinnon and Drouin are going to be studs wherever they land and it looks like it'll be Florida for MacKinnon and Tampa Bay for Drouin. However, when you look at the Draft, it should be more about necessity rather than desire of player to get. Jones is the player that the Avalanche need. They have little to nothing on defense now and they have a stockpile of forwards already. While Adrian Dater of the Denver Post is playing the "Who do you pick??" game with the stats on one game, the broader scope of things should have all signs point to Jones.

Though, with the changes that the Avalanche have made this off-season, bringing back a lot of former legends to make this team a force again-- there's always that off chance that the Avs would go for someone who's much more explosive and will garner a lot more attention than a solid defenseman like Jones. Scoring will always get people talking rather than a solid two-way game, which could sway the Avalanche's thoughts.

Even with all of that-- if the Avalanche don't pick Seth Jones with the #1 Overall Pick, they better make the playoff with MacKinnon in the first year or else they will be kicking themselves for not going with a defensive prospect who wants to play there and who could actually be the keystone to fix their defense.

Colorado will not outscore many teams, so while getting pucks in the net is great in theory-- they'd also have to find a way to keep them out, too. For a team who has let up an average of three goals a game in the past three seasons; it should be clear that the Avalanche need to get someone on that blue line to help out Semyon Varlamov keep the shooters at bay and maybe support in their own end a little bit.

Neither Jones or MacKinnon or Drouin will be the quick fix for the Avalanche. They are long-term project players who will be able to be an asset in time-- some quicker than others. However, if you need defense on your roster and you have a defenseman who is highly touted on the board-- why would you choose otherwise?? Sure, the one-on-one was a bit lopsided, but one game over an eight-month season does not a prospect's worth make.

Last-ing Impression

While the buzz after last night's All-Star "Fantasy" Draft is all about the last pick, Logan Couture, it made me wonder about the other last picks of drafts, and I don't mean Phil Kessel's delve into the last pick from last season's edition of this.

I'm talking about the NHL Entry Draft, which "officially" started in 1979, as it was called the Amateur Draft prior to that. In that time span, only 10 last picks have played at least one game in the NHL, with the top-end player playing 739 games in the NHL.

It's started off in the 1979 Draft, where Blair Barnes was picked in the 6th round, 126th overall by the Edmonton Oilers-- playing in only one game in the 1982-83 season with the Los Angeles Kings. That next draft, the 1980 Draft-- Andy Brickley was the last pick in Round 10, 210th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers; then playing 385 NHL games with the Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, and Winnipeg Jets. Brickley finished with 82 career goals and 222 points.

There was a quite the gap, but we got back-to-back last picks playing starting in the 1987 Entry Draft with Edmonton again pick last, this time Igor Vyazmikin with the 252nd overall pick, leading to a four-game stint with the Oilers, for only one goal in his career. In 1988, Edmonton's provincial counterparts, the Calgary Flames, picked last at pick 252 and took another Russian in Sergei Pryakhin-- who was the first Russian who was allowed by the Soviet government to play in the NHL-- and put up three goals and 11 points in 46 career games. Pryakhin was the first Russian-trained player to receive a Stanley Cup ring, as well, but not engraved on the Cup.

A small gap before yet another back-to-back last pick. The 1993 Draft has the Pittsburgh Penguins pick in the 286th slot, using Hans Jonsson for their pick, where he'd lead a solid career over 242 games with the Penguins, compiling 10 goals and 48 assists on the blue line. Another blue liner was picked last in the 1994 Draft, when Kim Johnsson was pick by the New York Rangers and would lead the way for the last picks-- playing in 739 games with the Rangers, Flyers, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks, finishing with 67 goals and 284 points.

The Boston Bruins picked last in the 1997 Draft, using the 246th pick to choose Jay Henderson, would only put up four points in 33 games with the Bruins.

More recently, the most active players on the chart include Jonathan Ericsson, currently playing with the Detroit Red Wings, who drafted him with 291st pick in the 2002 Draft. Currently, Ericsson has 10 goals and 42 points in 213 games-- with a Stanley Cup ring to boot. Also in the Central Division, Patric Hornqvist of the Nashville Predators was picked last in the 2005 Draft and has put up 67 goals and 129 points in 236 games with the Preds.

Keeping with the All-Star, Brian Elliott almost made this list, even with him being an All-Star-- but he was picked second-to-last in 2003 with the 291st pick by the Ottawa Senators, currently having career record of 76-58-18 over 165 games, with this year being his best on record.

While it's not horrible to be picked last, regardless of the fact, the success rate isn't always there....which I guess is why you're the last to be picked.

Logos Aplenty

That logo above is for this year's Thanksgiving Showdown. To me, not only does it give the Bruins/Red Wings game a title, but it shows that the NHL love logos. They'll make a logo for any kind of event and will often make reasons to have their design team come up with something.

With that in mind, and the fact we're awaiting the player draft logo for this year's All-Star Game, a list of my favorite event logos that the NHL has rolled out with-- in no particular order, of course. (Thanks to SportsLogos.net for all the logos anyone could ever ask for.)

-Draft Logos 2001-2009: The reason these stand out is because there's not templated design like we see now. The identity of the teams were well represented in these logos, which gave it a personalized feel for the events in terms of the host city and allowed plenty of freedom for designers. Now, with the templated work they have now, it's basically just adding small elements of the host city in the already made main logo.

-2009 Winter Classic: While many of the Winter Classic logos do have elements of the host city into it, the iconic use of the Wrigley Field scoreboard helps set this one away from the rest. Plus, it's the only logo in the Winter Classic cluster that is tilted to give a three-dimensional appeal to it rather than just being flattened.

-1994 All-Star Game: New York City is one of, if not the most, iconic city in the world. Their skyline is one of the most memorable, so when you combine that with an All-Star logo, you're basically yelling for it to be a fantastic one. While the jersey selection disappointed, the logo itself is one of the more fantastic logos of any ASG.

But, I couldn't let the NHL have all the fun....

-1999 ECHL All-Star Game: Sure, it's not the NHL, but the incorporation of the coast line and the lighthouse element is pretty damn fancy for the ECHL.

-2011 AHL All-Star Game: Where to start-- the Bear slapping a Hershey's Kiss; the HersheyPark roller coaster coupled with the Hershey's chocolate factory, coupled with the Giant Center in the top silhouette; the team logo inclusion-- it all makes for a fantastic event logo.

Though, you always have to have a logo to show during the breaks and to promote a product (read: All-Star Fantasy Draft), some times it's a bit overkill....like this game and the event I mentioned in parenthesis. Yet, at the same time-- logo nuts like me will clamor for something like these to come out because we enjoy the aesthetics of it all.

Long Line Change: Dropping Teams, Raising Age, Blowing Up

Long Ling Change is the gimmick done to talk about the stories that have been tackled in the past, which makes me not add anything more that what's already been added from the others on the 'net or not enough to actually make a separate post for.

Columbus and Ottawa Make Case for Relegation

Yes, we are young into the season, but it looks like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators aren't going to get any better this season. If anything, they are really making a case to have a relegation factor put into the NHL. Sure, we won't see it because of how the affiliations work these days, but at the same time-- it's a nice idea to have if you split the divisions and make a "loser's bracket" playing for a promotion to play for the Stanley Cup.

While the idea of having a 14-team relegation league for the Ziegler Cup would be interesting-- no one will go for it. That said, with about how awful these teams have come out of the gate, you have to wonder how much longer before not only the team is blown up through trades, but the management who got them into this mess is blown up. The Senators have had issues since Bryan Murray took over as GM and the Blue Jackets have off-ice mess that seems to holds them back, as well.

It'll be a long season for the fans of these teams, but at the same time-- maybe it's going to take a horrific season to fix things for the better....or to keep extending the misery.

Bob Nicholson Wants Older Draft

The head of Hockey Canada said that the Draft age in the NHL should be upped one year to 19, rather than 18-- but would maybe thinking about an "exception" clause for 18-year-olds who dominate the CHL.

While this does come on the heels of some pretty stellar junior players coming into the NHL and making their teams at 18, I can see where Nicholson is trying to protect his leagues so that they aren't completely cropped of talent by guys making the jump a bit too early. Yet, at the same time-- it's not like the CHL would be hurting with talent as it seems to pop up constantly through they years of development.

One year may or may not make a difference, but I can understand why Nicholson wants the age limit raised-- and it could have some reason to deal with the World Juniors, as some of the better players have been taken from Hockey Canada because they stuck with their NHL squads and it could have made the different in that tournament. Sure, it's far-fetched, but it's not out of the realm of possibility to have him think about that side of things.

While it may or may not happen-- this is a debate that many people have been taking up here-and-there for a couple years now. It's just something that's going to have to be worked out in the new CBA. Personally, I think if a guy is ready at 18, then they're ready-- but it's not for everyone.

Blowing Up Teams

Stop panicking, people. This is worse than the preseason-- I mean there's some teams that deserved to be blown up (like mentioned above), but for teams in an early slump; just seems to be throwing the baby out with the bath water-- like the Canucks and Bruins. These teams will find their way, but may need to work on the chemistry and shake off the rust for the first month. While points may be lost, it's not like a season can be lost just in the first two weeks.

Things will right themselves in time. However, if it gets to US Thanksgiving and your team is still struggling-- that's when the panic should set in and meltdowns abound.

On the Topic Of Mascots

As the Draft is being revealed as heading to Pittsburgh for June 2012, there needed to be some shuffling of scheduling for the Consol Energy Center. One of which was a "Furries" Convention that needed to be pushed a week earlier. If you're not familiar with the "Furries" craze....then read up on it at the link.

Not only is that kind of amusing to me, but it made me wonder about mascots and how fun it would be if the mascots actually picketed outside during the FanFest wondering where the convention was and why they weren't notified.

In any case, since it's August and not much is going on out there-- this is a post on mascots that are my favorite-- sans Boomer, because I've already done something about him before.

1. Harvey the Hound-- You always got to love the first in any movement and Harvey is the first mascot in the NHL. Introduced in 1983, Harvey has been most noticeable for having his tongue ripped out by then Oilers' coach Craig MacTavish. Plus, the fact they use-- I guess-- a rescue dog for the Flames and he doesn't have a shirt on.....makes it even more interesting. Good on Harvey for being the first and most unusual-to-the-team-name mascot.

2. Badaboum-- This was the mascot of the Quebec Nordiques and it almost seemed like the starting for the Quebecors to actually have crazy muppet-esque mascots for their representation. Sadly, Badaboum did not make the trek to Colorado and could make a comeback (doubtful) if there's a team that relocates to Quebec City.

3. Youppi-- To continue with the Quebec theme, the Canadiens' mascot could be the most versatile, as Youppi was the iconic mascot of the Montreal Expos; but when they moved to Washington, DC-- the Habs picked up the pieces and kept the tradition of the Expos alive. They have the retired Expos numbers in the rafters and brought over Youppi in order to kept that tradition alive.

4. Stormy-- A hog shouldn't correlate with a hurricane, but it does in Raleigh. You see, the Hurricanes could have been called the Ice Hogs because of the all the hog farms in North Carolina. Yet, it still makes me laugh that a hog is the mascot of the Hurricanes-- but it's probably better than anything they could have come up with otherwise.

5. Nordy-- While I did say once that he was an odd looking mascot-- you have to respect the Wild's mascot. Not only is he half-bear, half-fox, half-man (ManBearFox??), but he has a mullet. Any mascot that can rock the mullet is alright in my books, even if they look freaky as hell and make people cock their heads to the sides wondering what it is.

That's my five-- and while these choices aren't like the NHL Guardians, it's a little more family friendly and unique to the team at each turn. Some have a lot to do with the team, some do not-- but the ones that do not are the best because of the guessing game of why they actually exist.

For Your Consideration: Edmonton, Alberta

Every year around TV/Movie awards time, some talent agencies have been known to send out reminders to the voters about their clients nomination; or even locations saying to choose there town to shoot a movie. With Free Agency around the corner, I couldn't resist trying to sell some of the markets that could use a big name player. This installation-- Edmonton, Alberta and the Edmonton Oilers

Sure, the Edmonton area has been seemingly snubbed with the past dealings of Chris Pronger, Dany Heatley, and other prominent free agents and possible traded players not liking the area for some reason or another. There's a lot to be intrigued about when it comes to Edmonton, and here's a few reasons why.

Team of Hype and Hope: This is a team that has the past two 1st Overall Picks in the NHL Draft and if not for a late-season injury to Taylor Hall, they may not have been in that spot. In any case, why wouldn't someone want to play in a line-up where there's a lot of attention on the young guys and you could actually guide them to the promised land a be looked at as a savior....so long as Ryan Smyth doesn't come back, of course.

New Arena Fever: Sure, when someone signs there; they'll be playing in one of the oldest buildings in the league, but there's relief. If someone signs a multi-year deal, said signee could be playing in the new home of the Oilers in their own little mini-city that owner Daryl Katz is proposing. It's like you're playing in Edmonton, but not. Plus, they'll have longevity there as the arena deal keeps the team there for 35 more years.

Hockey Weather Year Round: If you need hockey weather to get yourself more into the game, you'll want Edmonton. Sure, the wind chill can get to -40 at night and sure there's more snow than Rick James ever saw during his partying years-- but it's a great atmosphere and keeps your focus on the game and on the team. You won't have the annoyances of not wanting to play because it's too nice out and there's a beach inches from your arena-- you'll be dialed in with the weather.

On The Shoulders of Giants: Each and everyday you'll look up at the rafters or look around the arena and see what you've got to live up to. With the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr plastered all over the place, Kevin Lowe in the front office, and a bevvy of other Oilers legends that will undoubtedly have their uniform number retired or re-retired or some kind of thing to delay the game for 10-15 minutes-- you'll have no choice but to gain that winning feeling for your team.

Granted, there's a lot of work for the Oilers, as they have finished 30th for the second straight season; the fact remains there's nowhere to go but upward. With a full season with the young guns that the Oilers are sure to have, this could be a great situation for many free agents.....just so long as Steve Tambellini doesn't give a player who's over-35 a crazy, long-term deal like so much Nikolai Khabibulin.

Friday Five: Weekend Finale

It's the last weekend of the regular season, and while there are still some teams in the hunt for the second season, there are many who know their fate and go about preparing their game for the playoffs or preparing their swing for the course.

1. The Senators announced that Bryan Murray has signed a three-year extension to stay on as GM. What does this mean for the team as a whole??

It's something that was definitely unexpected and you could probably bet that maybe Cory Clouston could get another year done behind the bench; but other than that-- you would think they would want to move into another direction with the team. While Murray is probably not the best option, you could see something like what the Flames did and sign a former GM to be the heir-apparent to the GM position, but I doubt owner Eugene Melnyk will do that, as it would seem to undermine his front office. For all the people saying that it would be a huge overhaul for the Sens, looks like they were disappointed once again.

2. The consolation of some players is the World Championships. While it may not mean a lot to the casual fan, how much is it worth paying attention to??

Obviously, a lot of the hardcore patriotic fans will follow their country and enjoy the game play-- but odds are, if you're team is in the Stanley Cup playoffs; you won't pay much attention to it all. And to be honest, it's not a horrific thing not to pay attention, as the games will air somewhat early (Slovakia is ahead by seven hours on Eastern time)-- but you should keep an eye out for it as the Cup Playoffs start to dwindle down the teams. There's a lot of NHLers who are out of it that'll attend, so you could have a lot of those fans watching-- but I doubt they'll lose sleep if they miss a game or seven.

3. The Draft Lottery is being held on Tuesday. Is there a chance that it's not going to go to the Edmonton Oilers??

They have a 48% in the lottery to get the first pick, but it would be the first time since the 1995 and 1996 Drafts that a team would have back-to-back 1st Overall Picks. This could be a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to how you look at it. The Oilers haven't been much for talent and to be honest-- it could be a rush for a young player to automatically get into the line-up from juniors; but at the same time-- best to get them in the games early and let them adapt naturally rather than baby them through the motions.

4. What does the play of Jhonas Enroth bring to the Sabres and what could it mean for Ryan Miller??

What this could finally mean is that the Sabres don't have to overwork Miller. Enroth probably won't make a play for a #1 or even 1b spot, but it gives the Sabres another solid option and are able to give Miller a rest every now and again because they have a solid guy who could come in and actually perform well, especially in the clutch. Enroth will get another deal, as he is a RFA this summer, but I don't think he'll challenge for Miller's spot right now....but in a couple years, maybe.

5. Will there be any big surprise to come out of this weekend??

I don't think so. There won't be a big time comeback or dramatic finish-- because I think some of those seeds are out of steam by now and probably couldn't pull one more rabbit out of their hat. If there's one thing that could happen is that this is going to be the most dramatic Hurricanes/Rangers games outside of any playoff situation there could be. The "win and you're in" scenario is something that's enticing, but probably not going to be enough to really rally the troops to watch a game, especially if you're team is already in.

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That's it this week and we're getting around to playoff time and who knows if this thing will keep going in the playoffs-- we'll see what the first round brings and go on from there. If you have topics, Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com is the place to be dialin'.

Friday Five: Spoilers Or Busts

Thanks to the 'Net-less Thursday, it's now time for Friday Five-- huzzah!! We're inching closer and closer to the final day of the regular season and many teams have clinched-- so now it's time to see who's going what and where.

1. While there's a lot of teams who have clinched, at what point do they start to rest their star players, if they even do it at all??

You see the Capitals have done this with Alex Ovechkin, but when it comes to some teams-- you probably won't see that until one or two games left in the season, not eight or nine. With the Canucks, who have already clinched the Northwest Division, you probably won't see the Sedins rested too much because they're also in some personal accomplishments in the league, as well. It could be all discretionary on the team and players-- but I don't think we'll see anything epically happen when it comes to resting guys.

2. You have teams like the Canucks and Bruins being dominate down the stretch again-- but is this a red herring to their fans or could they be on a collision course of the Cup??

It depends on the expectations for the teams. When it comes to the Canucks, it seems like it's Stanley Cup or Bust-- which could be a huge set-up for a letdown, especially coming out of the Western Conference, where it'll be a rough road. When it comes to the Bruins-- they could be fueled by the disappointment of last year's outcome, but they are looking pretty solid-- even though the B's have to get over the Flyers or Capitals to get to the Cup Finals.

3. As the herd thins out, who can be the team who plays the role of spoiler for these teams in contention??

Out East, it doesn't seem like any particular team could be spoiler, as many teams have their destiny in their own hands. Out West, Edmonton has a good chance to spoil the Flames chances (for good, that is), as they play them twice, as well as playing Minnesota twice-- though both teams the Oilers play are in a solid free-fall themselves. Not too much to spoil, but at the same time; put the nail in the coffin of divisional rivals.

4. With Zach Parise coming back-- is this to actually help out the Devils who are nine points out of 8th with nine games to go or is it to display himself for his impending free agency??

It's very doubtful that he's doing this in order to actually bring some hope to the dwindling playoff chances the Devils have, so it's probably to put himself out there for display when it comes to his free agency. He probably want to be out there in a game situation with his surgically repaired knee and show that he can keep up and he won't have to wait until summer to get back into any kind of game situation. It's highly unlikely that the Devils could be able to re-sign him, but if we've learned anything from Lou Lamoriello it's that he's the only guy to get this thing done.

5. As we look forward to the Draft for the teams out of a playoff spot-- where in the Draft does the talent pool start to get dicey??

I think if you're not picking within the top-10, then you're going for a crapshoot in terms of, not so much the talent, but the time it'll take in order to get the Draft pick to the big club or even into the organization. It's not the deepest draft, but many thought this year's ago because of the lull of development of kids sticking to the game. We saw it in 1999 and this could be something like that all over again-- some stars, but many guys who just get bounced around; though I'm sure time will prove it all wrong.

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That's it for the week, so enjoy. Email me at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com if you have questions or topics you want me to tackle.....or not.

Friday Five: The Playoff Push

It's been another week in the NHL, the trade deadline has come and gone and many of the traded players have paid off immediate dividends for their new teams. Of course, that's assuming they got their paperwork in order so they could play. So, time for the F5.

1. Of all of the tradees, Jason Arnott seems to be giving a lot in his first games with the Capitals. Is this a pace Caps fans could expect for the rest of the year??

Considering that Arnott's goal and assist in two games equals his output with the Devils in the last 14 games of his tenure there; you could say it's because he's playing with better players. That said, while this is a great pace-- I don't expect it to completely stay this way. While I have to say that it's great he's taking control of the room and address what's wrong; I don't actually know if this is just a honeymoon phase or if this the reality of the rest of the year. Yet, early returns are all that matters right now and he's got the leg up on everyone.

2. With the non-moving, is it a sign teams are content with their team or couldn't afford to bring in a premier player??

It could be a little from column A and a little from column B. It also could be column C, in that they were waiting for their counterparts to make a move and it never happen, so they could have lost out, too. It's doubtful that actually happened, but still an option. More often than not, it's the fact that teams are happy with the team they have for the cost they have; they didn't feel like giving up any of their guys and didn't feel like taking up or giving away anymore salary.

3. The Glendale/Goldwater/Coyotes situation won't end-- how much more posturing can we expect??

While the Goldwater Institute hasn't issued any action yet, you can bet that they'd do it if the City of Glendale does approve their use of bond money to give the team to Matthew Hulsizer; they'll come down on the city hard. And while they have many skeptics about the motives behind the Goldwater Institute possibly challenging it; the fact remains that they're going by the book and probably will do what they can in order to make sure nothing illegal happens...at least in their eyes.

4. The Oilers and Senators have been on quite a run, while the Colorado Avalanche are tanking at an exceptional rate. Are the Oilers and Senators acting crazy by winning and getting a chance at the top pick??

While the art of tanking is something many fans are pandering for, especially when the Draft is as shallow as this year's is. Yet, at the same time-- you want to have your fans look forward to something when they come for these late season games when the attempt at the playoffs has long but gone. It gives hope to some fans who may be down in the dumps about the season and brings about a great outlook should the younger kids be the future movement many teams want to have, but never normally try out.

5. TheNewToy.com came out saying they'll have an old-school kind of hockey game coming out in the spring. What hockey theme toys are remembered from your childhood??

While we all know about the art of bubble hockey, a couple of games stand out for me. Most notably, Radio Shack's Electric Ice Hockey is one that really stood out for me, mostly because it was probably the first version of rod hockey I had. The VCR NHL Hockey was another game I had, but I couldn't get into it. I mostly used the rink and nets for playing with my Lil' Sports Brats because I had a big imagination......and lonely childhood. Well.....that took a depressing turn, didn't it??

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That's another week down and closer to the playoffs. If you've got anything for me to tackle, by all means-- email Scotty.Wazz@gmail.com to send in your questions or topic suggestions.

Should They Stay or Should They Go??

While it's not time to panic about the season just yet, it is time to panic when it comes to what to do with some of the junior-eligible players. You see, the rule is that the junior eligible players can play up to ten games in the NHL without their contract going into effect. However, if they do play that 11th game, they will have their entry-level contract "activated," while after 40 games, the player will have one-season under their belt and be closer to UFA status down the road.

This isn't so much a question about Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, both whom are pretty much guaranteed to stay up with their NHL club, it's more a question on whether guys like Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes, Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks and Nino Niederreiter of the New York Islanders will stay up with the club after that 11-game mark is achieved.

For a case like Niederreiter, I think it's a case of him being kept up because he does have the ability to stay with the club, he has the skill-set to stick in the NHL, plus-- injuries to many forwards on the team is something that helped rush his arrival in the NHL. While the Islanders seem to have the worst luck this year, you have to see the long-term goal of it all. If you keep a kid like that up for the entire year, can he contribute for the whole season or is the fact he's healthy and can play very well going to shade the fact he's still 18-years-old and may need time to season?? The Islanders are a wild-card team, so you never know what's going to happen over there.

When you talk about guys like Skinner and Fowler, it's definitely a different scenario. Reports on Skinner are that unless something goes horribly wrong, Skinner will stay in Carolina for the entire season.

With Fowler, he has been playing big minutes on a very thin Anaheim defense. If they continue to look as bad as they have been, do you want to keep a kid up on the roster, getting burned out on a team when he could be playing in juniors and keep getting better. Fowler is a case where the AHL age restriction is something that is idiocy for NHL teams. Fowler is too good, so to speak, to play in the OHL and it could be a hinderance than a help; but the NHL game could burn him out in his first season if the team around him continues to be craptastic and if he carries too much weigh on his shoulders in his rookie season. If he could get to the AHL, he may not get as burnt out on the workload, learn the system of the team more, and not be a big fish in a small pond. In the end, I think the Ducks will keep him around, but it may not be the ideal situation to be in.

This could be a class of junior players who could have a great output when the end happens. While you have the top two, the deeper picks could be the ones making the most noise and being closely looked at more than what Hall and Seguin are doing. The only way they should stick with the main club is when the development of the players is good enough and they're able to fit into the team dynamic without changing their style of game. If they can't do that now-- they shouldn't be up in the NHL and develop more elsewhere.

On the Topic of the NHL Going Green

Have you heard about the NHL Green initiative?? If you haven't, you probably aren't alone because I just heard about it today when surfing around trying to find something to write about. I don't know if it's just me, but I find this whole thing a bit odd for the NHL; but I'll touch on that later.

The NHL promoted a lot of the Green thing during the Draft. In their press release, they touted that many of the teams were staying in hotels within walking distance to the hotel (which is usually the case in most drafts), that most of the signage was made of recycled materials, there were recycle bins on the Staples Center concourse, and unsold, prepared food was donated to a food bank. Granted, using those stats when it come to LA is a bit odd, mostly with all the smog created. If you were on the I-405 like me, you know that there were many people not going "green" at all. What can you do?? Yet, it's a good ideal for the NHL to promote and with all that signage the NHL Draft carries, it's solid to tout that.

That said, the NHL was been doing some features about how some of the players were doing their own thing with the Green initiative; like Martin Brodeur using energy efficient light-bulbs and Scott Niedermayer using a zero-emissions car. Yet, at the same time-- there's only so much you can promote before it gets stale. Like with the arena features they're doing-- it's the same story, but different city and a slight change here and there; but it's the same gimmick over and over again. Sure, a noble cause-- but something that will lose its shelf life sooner or later and people will get it very easily.

The interesting part that I see in all of this is the fact that the NHL probably uses the most energy in regards to the other sporting leagues, sans NASCAR, because of the engines and stuff there. Still, the ice surfaces uses a lot of chemical and a lot of energy to keep the rink cool and to keep the people in the stands warm-- a rough balance. Plus, the arenas have to use more energy the deeper a team gets into the playoffs thanks to the seasonal changes, which is probably something that's counterproductive to the whole cause. Plus, you have those Sunbelt teams who have to use a lot of energy because of the climate location where they are at, but that's something you could probably assume from the start. It seems that a lot of these things, coupled with the stuff on the concourse and people driving to the events, roadtrips or otherwise; you're not really doing too much for the cause. Plus, when it's really tucked away into the NHL interweb sphere; the message isn't really getting out there and putting that message of going Green to the masses.

While it's a good idea to have this cause put out there by the NHL, the fact they aren't pushing it too much and haven't really thought of the counterbalance that is produced in the arenas makes you wonder if this is just for show or if the league is actually looking at some things to really reduce their "carbon footprint." Maybe making the schedule shorter and having more outdoor games are the answer....the latter happen twice this coming season; the former probably never happening. Good on the NHL for putting forth the effort to make the league more eco-friendly, but unless they keep it up and do something more than just the PR push-- it's an empty gesture.

As least we know that Dion Phaneuf is this plan, right Sean Avery??

First Round Friday: Shock and Dull

If there's nothing else to sum up the first round of the NHL Entry Draft this week, it was uneventful. For a lot of people, no one knew what was going to happen, which definitely showed in the selections after the first two picks. Even with a lack of trades, the almost four hour first round didn't provide too much electric in the crowd. If nothing else,the move of Keith Ballard to Vancouver for Steve Bernier and Michael Grabner was the highlight of an otherwise uneventful trade situation. Some bulletpoints to point out from the first day.

-The soundtrack for the Anaheim Ducks is probably going to be "Feel Good Inc." as they were able to steal not only Cam Fowler at the 12th pick, but traded for the 29th pick and took Long Beach native Emerson Etem, all of this with the haze of Scott Niedermayer's retirement still looming over-top of him. If nothing else, the Ducks should use their dropping stock for motivation in their development and maybe show some teams what they missed out on. Of course, you have to have the right players for that (read: not Angelo Esposito), but I think the mentality of these guy will fit perfectly for the vengeance angle.

-For a Draft that was suppose to be defense-heavy, only two were picked in the top-10 and eight in the first round overall. While it's a heavy debate that defensemen usually take more time to develop their game (always a case-by-case, see Doughty, Drew); the ability to have these players rights should hold more value than what some people think. If you could have someone like Cam Fowler in your system and then track his development, you have two years in order to decide if he was worth the high pick or not. Odds are, he is-- but still-- it's better to have them and not need them than to let them go by the wayside.

- If there was any doubt about hockey development in the US, the 11 players picked that were developed in the US really show how well the country is developing wanted players. Sure, the fact they haven't played a NHL game yet makes it a tad presumptuous in terms of saying that USA Hockey is getting better-- it's a good sign that they have brought them to this point and have been able to give them the chances to move onto the next level. Sure, there's some places that might not be as strong in others, but the US is a big country population-wise and you'll have a few misses here and there.

-You've got to love taking shots at an old team, especially after retirement. According to who you listen to and how you take things, that's what Mark Tinordi did when he questioned the Washington Capitals fanbase after his son Jerred was picked by the Montreal Canadiens 22nd overall. Elder Tinordi said that with them living in Millersville, Maryland (about 40minute from the old Capital Centre); Jerred didn't know about fan support and will learn it when he gets to Montreal. It's one thing to pump-up the fanbase in Montreal (like they need it), but it's another thing to knock down an organization that actually enjoyed your play during your tenure there. To each their own though and Mark will think what he thinks, but it's in bad taste to take a shot like that during the best time in your kins life.

-To say the crowd in LA was somewhat dormant would be an understatement. While some of the picks got more fanfare than others; the overall feeling of the Los Angeles crowd was stagnant. Granted, the crowds was very mixed between every kind of support, mostly with Edmonton supports, who came down in droves to see the Taylor Hall pick. Granted, the Kings pick and the selections of hometown boys Beau Bennett (20th, Pittsburgh) and Etem (29th, Anaheim) got the loudest roar; the fans were very reserved and underwhelming coming off the energy of Montreal a year prior. Granted, there's probably nothing that would match the Montreal electricity, but you'd hoped they try. Minnesota should be interesting, mostly because it'll be the US equivalent of Montreal for support.

That's all I have, because I've got nothing. In any case, we'll be doing our show, which will be coming to a YouTube near you-- probably before any shows get updated prior to that. We know, we know-- got it loud and clear.

Quick Draft Check-In

Just checking in from the Media Risers in the NHL Draft. The best bet is to check my Twitter page for insight, TwitVids, and random silliness that is...well...me. Check it out:

Twitter.com/ScottyWazz

There you go. A lot of buzz for a lot of nothing, aside from Keith Ballard going to Vancouver, mostly because he couldn't take Tomas Vokoun off the books by decapitating him.

When Listening is a Waste

According to TSN's super sleuth Darren Dreger, Oilers GM Steve Tambellini is listening to offers for the first overall pick in the Entry Draft. As of yet, Tambellini hasn't heard the right deal to trade for. In the end, there probably won't be any deal that's good enough for a rebuilding team like Edmonton to move the first pick and have their pick of the litter in order to be a cornerstone to the rebuild.

Let's be honest, though-- the kind of deal will have to be extreme for the Oilers to actually move the pick. It's a deal that most sane teams probably wouldn't do mostly because the asking price will be way too much for a young kid who probably won't hit his full potential until a few years after he's drafted. Plus, any supporting cast that he may have had would be traded the other way in order to get him. It's detrimental for the team trading the roster players for the pick because you're going off on possibility rather than reality. Plus, it's not like Edmonton is the most desirable place for players to play, as I have pointed out before. Who's to say many of the players traded would actually play to their potential if they aren't happy with the trade-- another risk that the Oilers would have to deal with in trading the pick.

The thing that I don't get is why would anyone be willing to trade away the first pick overall. Rather than tease other teams, why not just shut it down after the lottery saying you won't move it because the return probably won't be worth it unless it's for two of the top-ten in points the season prior. In fact, the last two times the first overall was moved was by the Florida Panthers in successive years and they were for the third overall pick both in the 2002 (which was Rick Nash for Jay Bouwmeester) and 2003 (Marc-Andre Fleury for Nathan Horton); both of which were Mike Keenan drafts and definite losers on both accounts.

While you did have instances like the pick being traded on the trade deadline; not knowing about the pick being the first overall, like 1998, Vincent Lecavalier's rights traded twice, then 1982 when the picks was traded in July of 1981 between the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies; that actually turned out better for the Colorado franchise (which moved to New Jersey) when Ken Daneyko at the 18th pick was better than Gord Kluzak. Once more in 1980 between Montreal and Colorado, where the deal was done in September of 1976 of all times.

In fact, the last time roster players were traded for the first overall pick was in 1975; when the Philadelpha Flyers traded Bill Clement (energy vampire), Don McLean, and the 18th overall pick for the first overall; which the Flyers used to pick Mel Bridgman. The Caps picked Alex Forsyth with the 18th pick and played exactly one game with the Caps; his only NHL game.

As history tell us, there's little to no chance that the Oilers will trade this pick and for them to say they are entertaining offers is a bit off the deep end and just something for people to talk about during the time from the end of the Stanley Cup Finals and the Draft...or maybe the awards show. While it's nice of Tambellini to throw people that bone, in my mind-- it's just mindless talk to get the crazy rumor mill going which will produce nothing by idiocy from all over the internet. It will take too much in order for the Oilers to give up the pick-- which is something little to no teams would do-- though I'm sure someone will come up and amaze me by doing that. Though it would make people forget the time span until the season actually starts.

Making a Mockery Draft

The past few years I've been doing the NHL Mock Drafts and really turning out to be a craptastic prognosticator. But, it's all in good fun, so why not try it out yet again. Maybe this year, I'll actually have some success, but even still-- I can't get into the minds of the NHL general managers; which makes it all the more challenging, but all the more fun to look ahead, as well.

While I won't explain in the main post why I picked who I picked where, I'll do what I can't explain if you question it. I will make this assumption though-- Taylor Hall will be the first overall pick because he has been consistently talked about and consistently good during his time in Windsor. Tyler Seguin kind of shot up the charts, but the Oilers need goal-scoring in a hurry and Hall will provide that more over Seguin.

DRAFT ORDER

1. EDM-- Taylor Hall, Windsor (OHL)
2. BOS (via TOR)-- Tyler Seguin, Plymouth (OHL)
3. FLA-- Brett Connolly, Prince George (WHL)
4. CBJ-- Cam Fowler, Windsor (OHL)
5. NYI-- Erik Gudbranson, Kingston (OHL)
6. TB-- Nino Niederreiter , Portland (WHL)
7. CRL-- Brandon Gormley, Moncton (QMJHL)
8. ATL-- Alex Burmistrov, Barrie (OHL)
9. MIN-- Nick Bjugstad, US High
10. NYR-- Derek Forbort, US Development Program
11. DAL-- Ryan Johansen, Portland (WHL)
12. ANA-- Mikael Granlund, Finland
13. PHX (via CGY)-- Jack Campbell, US Development Program
14. STL-- Austin Watson, Peterborough (OHL)
15. BOS-- Mark Pysyk, Edmonton (WHL)
16. OTT-- Vladimir Tarasenko, Russia
17. COL-- Quinton Howden, Moose Jaw (WHL)
18. NSH-- Evgeny Kuznetsov, Russia
19. LA-- Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat (WHL)
20. PGH-- Riley Sheahan, Notre Dame (NCAA)
21. DET-- Jarred Tinordi, US Development Program
22. PHX-- John McFarland, Sudbury (OHL)
23. BUF-- Tyler Pitlick, Minnesota State (NCAA)
24. ATL (via NJ)-- Alex Petrovic, Red Deer (WHL)
25. VAN-- Jeffrey Skinner, Kitchener (OHL)
26. WSH-- Brock Nelson, US High
27. MTL-- Jaden Schwartz, Tri-City (USHL)
28. SJ-- Calvin Pickard, Seattle (WHL)
29. ANA (via PHI)-- Dylan McIlrath, Moose Jaw (WHL)
30. CHI-- Charlie Coyle, South Shore (EJHL)

Odds are I won't do any well; mostly because I either went too on the line with some picks and too far out of reach on others. It's always a mind game, which I stink at more often than not. I'll be there in person, so if you hear about a guy yelling at each pick like a lunatic-- odds are it'll be me.

Jordan Eberle and Edmonton's Past Prospects

While the buzz about Jordan Eberle and his clutch performance during the World Juniors is well-deserved, the fear that some may have is whether or not Eberle's performance in junior could be left there when he finally does decides to turn pro. It seems to be habit of those who have been drafted by the Oilers in the past, where the performance and hype that they created before getting onto the Oilers is often left where they came from.

Just looking up and down the past hopes of the Oilers who had a lot of buzz around them, they have never really seemed to pan out as the Oilers fans and organization had hoped. The likes of Rob Schremp, Jani Rita, Jesse Niinimaki, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, all the way back to Tyler Wright and Jason Bonsignore-- they all had promise in terms of turning the team around, but never really panned out to be the savior many had thought they would become. Even when looking at the past-- there hasn't been many first round superstars for the Oilers. Only Ryan Smyth and Ales Hemsky could be consider successful first round picks in the past 15 years for the Oilers.

While Eberle's numbers are fantastic this season with the Regina Pats of the WHL (29 goals, 31 assists in 28 games), who's to say it'll translate to the pro game. Especially since Eberle really hasn't been the big time scorer in the past, it could be just a big build-up to a let-down when he converts to the professional game, even though he held his own in the AHL for the nine games he was down there at the end of 2008-09 season (3 goals, 6 assists). Even with that, it seems like he's going the Rob Schremp route with the Oilers, a somewhat menial junior player, exploding into a star in juniors after he was drafted, but not good enough to make the big club. The true test is next season, to see if Eberle can make the roster or put back as an overager in Junior to see if it's exactly like Schremp.

The bigger question is whether or not the Oilers' management is doing or has done a good job when it comes to their prospects. You wonder if through the years if there are some guys who should have been held back, but had a good year and were brought along too quickly. Conversely, if there's a time where a player had been held back when they should have been brought up to the next level; but since they were held back, it shot their confidence down and made them tank the way they did. There's plenty of questions when it comes to handling that have to be thrown into the equation.

But the pressure may now be on for Eberle to perform as clutch-esque in Edmonton as he did in the past two World Junior Championship. How much will be put in his shoulders when he actually get up to the pros and how much time with the fans give him before they start to give up hope and want him traded away to get something better?? Yet another question is whether or not the Oilers will bring Eberle right up or let him settle in the AHL for a while to make sure he's the real deal, even if he is good enough to be on the third line in Edmonton?? How the Oilers treat Eberle and how Eberle responds to the treatment will be the big litmus test to see if he will be a solid professional or lose his confidence and be yet another "What could have been/Where did he go" story for the Oilers draft history.

To Live or Die in LA

(I know, I butchered the movie/song title, but deal with it)

It was leaked, sort of, by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and seconded by Rich Hammond of Kings Insider, who learned by Red Line Report's Kyle Woodlief that the NHL Draft this June will be held in Los Angeles. Hammond reports that it will be announced in December, but it has yet to be determined if it will take place at the Staples Center or the Nokia Center.

For those who don't know, the Nokia Center is where they hold the American Music Awards every year and is an amplitheatre kind of gimmick. The issue I have with this is that it will turn out to be something like the NFL Draft gimmick, which I think is the worst way to hold a Draft. Especially for the NHL, which has been using the arenas for better part of two decades, the ability to have the fans in the same setting they'd have for a game is what they want. Plus, it almost feels like you're closer to the "action" that happens in the draft because the fans are surrounding the team tables, which is where it all goes down. The NHL Draft is unique and if they do this-- who knows what precident this will set.

In any case, the main point is whether or not LA is the good choice for all that is going down. When I mention setting of places, you obviously think Canadian cities, but fact of the matter is that the draft need to be in a place where it'll get the majority of attention. It's easy for this event to get lost in a place like LA, as the MLB season is in full swing and LA....well, it's LA. Even a place like Anaheim could be a better place than LA for the draft to be at. You have to wonder what a turnout would be like to this in terms of LA. Would it be an attraction enough for people to come from all over to see the Draft?? Maybe it's me, but I don't think it would be a good thing to hold it in LA because it would probably get lost in everything that is LA.

Of course, I could be wrong and it could be a great thing for the Draft host city and be the best Draft on record in terms of turnout. I just don't think that the appeal will be there, especially with the distance it is from a lot of the East Coast people who have often made the trip up and down the seaboard in order to get in on the action. The flights and hotel cost could make it unattractive to those who may be looking to come from out of town. Counterpoint, the West Coast can be represented in fashion, with people coming from all around to enjoy it-- because I know a lot of people have shown interest in going from the West Coast and they'd get a taste without paying an arm and leg to fly out to the East Coast.

For me, I couldn't care less because I'm there regardless. I'm just trying to think of the bigger picture in terms of turnout, especially if it's at the Nokia Center. If it's the Nokia Center, I think the intimate appeal will go down, the uniqueness will be compromised, and the other cities will try to repeat it because of cost cutting measures. I'm a pessimist, can't you tell??

It is what it is and the final word won't be until December. I just hope whoever hosts the Draft will be ready for the outsiders coming in and know how to harness the spirit of the thing and make the event as big as it has been in the past.

Entry Draft Site Fight

As I mentioned on last night's FOHS, the NHL Media site showed that the NHL has yet to pick the site of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, which is a hinderance to the media people and some fans who want to plan their summer vacations in tune with the Entry Draft, since it really is a big event for fans to congress.

Of course, the delay could be due to the whole Phoenix fiasco and since they don't know where the team will be from week-to-week, you can't really make the commitment to having something there in June. There's been other rumors abound with the location such as Chicago, Minnesota, Anaheim, and Philadelphia. Yet, while they are places many would like to go to-- I'd want to throw out my idea for places for the NHL Draft for 2010 or future years.

1. Las Vegas, Nevada: While it's a hackney concept, Vegas makes sense in this instance. This is due to the Awards show being held there (date TBA, of course) and it'll cut down on the trips that are needed to be made from Vegas to one of these out places that are not Vegas. Granted, the Draft should be right after the Awards or else you'll have plenty of players, GMs, and executives losing their salaries and cap space on the craps table.

2. The NHL Store, New York: What a better way to mix commerce and new ideals than to hold it in the NHL's own store and introduce the kids to a big swarm of people in the media capital of the USA. Plus, in addition to that-- you bring about a new concept to the player, where as they are picked by their team; they go on a shopping spree with their family to get the merchandise of their new team. Fantastic idea, if I say so myself.

3. Kansas City, Missouri: They have a big, beautiful arena that's probably not going to have anything else there in June, and it'll expose fans from other places to the allure of the Kansas City. Some people may not think it's a hockeytown, but when the Draft comes around, it'll show people why there is such a buzz when it comes to relocating a franchise there over a Canadian city.

4. Jim Balsillie's Backyard: We mentioned this on FOHS, where Jim Balsillie has enough cash to hold this big NHL event in his literal backyard, because god knows his compound is probably big enough to hold 20,000 people, including prospects and their family. And be honest, your Blackberry reception is probably the best it'll ever be in your life time.

5. Washington, DC: If nothing else-- I'd like to go back home and use a vacation week to make a big deal out of this.

While this is all just me, something has to be done in order for people to get their flight information, hotel information, and bar-crawl maps set-up-- we need to know where to be in order to get all prepared for it. Since it's a big deal with people coming from all over North America (and some cases Europe), needing to know this information is vital, especially with putting in for days off....and then making up excuses for why you're just trashed come that Monday.

Regardless of what's going to happen with this, god knows that the FOHS crew will have a story. Whether it be random, psycho hotels or telling someone to play in traffic or making reservations 12 hours before arriving to the location or even blacking out on the shore of the Ottawa River-- there's always a story to tell.....even if we have to piece it together.

Is A Hockey Reality Show Needed, Wanted??

While I was surfing the channels on my off-day, I came across a show on Rogers' Sportsnet and there was a show that peaked my interest. No, it wasn't another poker show, which is always fantastic, but it was a show from the MLB Network called "The Pen," which follows the bullpen of the Philadelphia Phillies and their daily lives on and off the field. While I'm not one for baseball, the human aspect of things was what brought about the intrigue.

It also sparked my mind on to whether or not the NHL Network could get onto this racket and make it work. Of course, the NHL Network has the "Day in the Life" show, but that just one day and while it's nice to see how a player preps for game day, a part of me wants to get more on the inside of the organizational happenings and player's lifestyle. Everyone likes to be on the inside of things, and with hockey fans-- you have to believe that this inside look at the happenings goings on will make fans of whatever team salivate for more.

For the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Comcast SportsNet in Washington were following around the Washington Capitals for the draft weekend and gave the inside wheelings and dealings that surround the Entry Draft weekend (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4). From trying to trade picks to prospects interviews, it was a great watch and make me want more inside like that. I also remember ESPN following around the Detroit Red Wings a few years back, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it or if it was ESPN, but I know it was the Wings and TV because it was the first taste of Sean Avery to the world by him being on the show going back and forth from the NHL to the AHL. Plus, let's not forget CBC's then Global's "Making the Cut" where players would go and try out for contracts with some teams out there, or at least show their wears to those watching. That created drama and showed the process on how scouts deal with players on a case-by-case basis.

As much as I would like to believe something like this will happen in the near future, the fact of the matter is that some GMs may not be as willing to let cameras delve into their organization in that kind of matter. While, it could create great TV, a whole season, or even half a season could be too much for some teams to deal with and some players to deal with, in terms of cameras being on at all times and having to mind their P's and Q's in all of this, which could throw some guys off their game. Sure, that could be far-fetched, but it's always an option.

Yet, in a time where reality TV is the capavating norm and where people can get drawn into it; this could be the thing that the NHL needs in terms of possibly gathering a wider market than those who are already enthralled with the sport. Granted, what network to put it on and how to market it would be need to be tackled hard, but there needs to be an actual show to take place in order to go for it. Plus, if the NHL markets itself as a league for the fans and wanting to get the fans connected to the sport-- why not have something like this?? The drama of who's going to stay up with the big club, who's moving down to the minors, how a team will bounce back with a big injury or trade that happened-- it just writes itself for the fantasticness that could come from it all.

Of course, with my lack of research and dumb luck-- something like that is already happening and I just feel like the fool now for not knowing more. Ah well-- food for thought.