SB Nation - Dan Boyle

Around The Pacific: Sharks Threatened by Surprising Kings

Brandon Worley — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:09:33 -0000

More photos » by Karl B DeBlaker - AP

When this season started, what would you have bet if I told you that the Los Angeles Kings would not only start off the season on fire but continue to play at a level and threaten for the Western Conference lead nearly halfway through the season?

Yeah, I wouldn't have taken that bet either.

Like Brad G wrote about earlier this week, the Dallas Stars are frustrating for sure, but they've been able to at least hold their ground in the West. Not playing for three days could hurt a bit as they've been passed up by Detroit and Phoenix since Saturday night, but the good news is that at least the Stars have some games in hand on those above them in the standings.

After the jump, we'll take a look at the teams around the Pacific...

Pacific Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
San Jose	34	19	8	7	45
Los Angeles	35	21	11	3	45
Phoenix	33	19	12	2	40
Dallas	32	14	8	10	38
Anaheim	32	12	13	7	31

(updated 12.15.2009 at 8:50 AM EST)

I'm just going to say this; the Dallas Stars have been frustrating as hell to watch all season long, and we've been mired in the depressed 'how good are they really' attitude for a couple of weeks now...but they are still just seven points out of 1st in the West, with at least two games in hand. A good winning streak, some luck and for goodness sakes some head-to-head wins against the Kings and Sharks and our tune could drastically change fairly soon.

The San Jose Sharks; 1st in the Pacific, 1st in the West:

The Sharks are just 4-3-3 in their past ten games, but have five straight losses including three in overtime or the shootout. From Fear The Fin:

In general I think it's good practice to avoid falling back on the venerable criticism of "lacking effort" when examining a losing streak as it may not always apply, but if it's good enough for the Captain then I guess it's good enough for me. Whether or not we're dealing with the kickback of a heavy road schedule to start the year or a case of subconsciously resting on the laurels of that early season success, it's hard to assert and defend the notion that San Jose has come out to play for sixty minutes a night. There's been waves of good, and waves of opposing teams imposing themselves on the Sharks for extended chunks of time-- if we consider this team one of the theoretical top-dogs in the Western Conference (which we obviously do), that's not a bright spot.

Joe Thornton is a world-class player, but his decision making with a minute remaining against Phoenix stuck out as a microcosm of the Sharks current ailments. Carrying the puck into the offensive zone he pulls up at the blueline, only to have the Phoenix defenseman do what any player worth a grain of salt would do-- pressure the puck carrier. Vulcanized rubber gets coughed up, cleared, and the Sharks don't have another chance the rest of the game. As much as the desire to hedge bets and state it's the product of a "puck-possesion" style, the fact of the matter is Thornton has to get that puck deep so the Sharks can use the extra man (Greiss was pulled around the 1:15 mark) to load up on bodies down low and win a puck battle. San Jose will never be able to emulate Detroit, at least with their current makeup of North American players. There's not nearly enough individual creativity on the roster to pull that style of play off. When the wins aren't coming you have to go back to the basics of a North-South game by chipping it in and engaging physically.

Sharks Schedule

Next 5 Games

Anaheim	Thu 12/17	9:30 PM CST
@ Dallas	Mon 12/21	7:30 PM CST
@ Chicago	Tue 12/22	7:00 PM CST
Anaheim	Sat 12/26	9:30 PM CST
Phoenix	Mon 12/28	9:30 PM CST

Last 5 Games

@ Phoenix	Sat 12/12	L 1 - 2
Dallas	Fri 12/11	SO - L 2 - 3
Los Angeles	Wed 12/09	OT - L 4 - 5
Calgary	Sat 12/05	L 1 - 2
St. Louis	Thu 12/03	SO - L 2 - 3

San Jose Sharks Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Dan Boyle	other-excused	12/13/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jody Shelley	other-excused	11/10/2009
Brad Staubitz	other-excused	11/16/2009

The Los Angeles Kings; 2nd in the Pacific, 4th in the West:

The Kings briefly held the lead in the West over the weekend before falling last night to Vancouver. Connie at A Queen Among Kings had this to say:

The Kings are currently sitting at the top of the Pacific Division and, more importantly, top of the Western Conference. This is a rare feeling for me that hasn't really set in. I can't remember the last time I felt this feeling of bliss. That being said, I will definitely loathe the day when the Kings are no longer at the top, but for now I am happy as a clam about how the Kings are performing game in, game out.

They play tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, tomorrow veresus the Edmonton Oilers, and the Calgary Flames are up on Thursday. Any evening of games could surely alter the standings, and these next three will definitely be a big test for the Kings in all aspects of their physical and mental play since they will not face another team until after Christmas on Saturday, December 26th against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Kings Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Edmonton	Tue 12/15	8:30 PM CST
@ Calgary	Thu 12/17	8:30 PM CST
@ Phoenix	Sat 12/26	8:00 PM CST
Minnesota	Mon 12/28	9:30 PM CST
@ Calgary	Wed 12/30	8:30 PM CST

Last 5 Games

@ Vancouver	Mon 12/14	L 1 - 3
Dallas	Sat 12/12	SO - W 3 - 2
Phoenix	Thu 12/10	SO - W 3 - 2
@ San Jose	Wed 12/09	OT - W 5 - 4
Calgary	Mon 12/07	W 2 - 1

Los Angeles Kings Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Andrei Loktionov	shoulder	11/26/2009
Ryan Smyth	other-excused	11/18/2009
Brandon Segal	knee	12/02/2009

The Phoenix Coyotes; 3rd in the Pacific, 7th in the West:

The Coyotes have gained points in seven of their last eight games and seem to have rebounded from a slight bump in the road in early November. On top of that, it appears that the Coyotes might actually have a real buyer. Five For Howling breaks down the myths surrounding Ice Edge:

MYTH: Ice Edge is proving that hockey will not work in Arizona by needing to play games in Saskatoon.

FACT: Ice Edge is indeed hoping to play up to five regular season home games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but not for the long term. In fact, the proposed Saskatoon games are a short-term "subsidy," as Ice Edge's Anthony LeBlanc described it, to buttress the team's bottom line while the ownership group assesses the team's financial outlook and rectifies the mess left over from the previous administration. Certainly, if the plan was to play five "home" games in Saskatoon or another Canadian city in perpetuity, it would be a different story. But IEH principals are adamant that their idea for Saskatoon is intended to be a win-win for everyone - bringing NHL hockey to a hockey-mad Canadian city that is simply too small for an NHL franchise, and pumping operating capital to help solidify the franchise's finances in the short term.

MYTH: Ice Edge's Anthony LeBlanc is planning to flip the franchise in a couple of years and relocate it to Canada.

FACT: Ice Edge is planning to assume the original lease with Glendale established when the team moved from downtown Phoenix - a 30-year lease that has 26 years remaining on the term. Ice Edge does plan to negotiate with the city to make the lease conditions more favorable financially to the franchise, but the lease duration has never been part of those negotiations.

Part of the reason why this myth has been spread is that LeBlanc previously worked for Research in Motion (RIMM), the Blackberry-manufacturing corporation whose CEO is Jim Balsillie, the man who attempted to purchase and move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. LeBlanc spent 8 years at RIMM as the Vice President of Global Sales. Some pundits and fans believe that LeBlanc is keen on finishing the job his former boss started - some of the more tinfoil-hatted theorists believe that Balsillie is, in fact, one of Ice Edge's silent investors. However, LeBlanc has been very public in his statements that his connections to RIMM are coincidental with regards to his interest in the Coyotes. Common sense would further indicate that it would be a true measure of his business acumen - and a jab at his old boss - if he were to be a part of a successful Coyotes salvage when Balsillie claimed that the team could not be saved.

Coyotes Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Toronto	Wed 12/16	6:30 PM CST
@ Columbus	Thu 12/17	6:00 PM CST
@ Anaheim	Sat 12/19	3:00 PM CST
Columbus	Mon 12/21	8:00 PM CST
Anaheim	Wed 12/23	8:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

@ Detroit	Mon 12/14	L 2 - 3
San Jose	Sat 12/12	W 2 - 1
@ Los Angeles	Thu 12/10	SO - L 2 - 3
Minnesota	Mon 12/07	W 2 - 0
Ottawa	Sat 12/05	W 3 - 2

Phoenix Coyotes Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Kurt Sauer	head	10/07/2009

The Anaheim Ducks; 5th in the Pacific, 15th in the West:

The Ducks have just two wins in their past eight games, but have at least secured points in their last five games. One of their wins was over the Stars and it seems as if Anaheim is starting to gain some steam, led by none other than Dan Sexton:

Dan Sexton's NHL career is off to an eye-popping start. With goals in his last three games, the half-pint forward is serving crow to his naysayers, including your blogger (who short sold Sexton's ability to perform in a physical, defensive system but should have short sold Murray's desire to maintain a defensive system in the first place).

Big Sexy is doing something truly special for the Ducks, but eventually Teemu Selanne will come back. At that point, Sexton may have to play on a line with more physical responsibility, an assignment that usually defeats Anaheim's small forwards (Shannon, Ebbett) and even some regular-sized ones (Christensen). Daniel, is Dan Sexton playing well enough to stay in the lineup, maybe even the Top 6, when Teemu Selanne comes back from injury?

Ducks Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Vancouver	Wed 12/16	9:00 PM CST
@ San Jose	Thu 12/17	9:30 PM CST
Phoenix	Sat 12/19	3:00 PM CST
@ Colorado	Tue 12/22	9:00 PM CST
@ Phoenix	Wed 12/23	8:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

@ Columbus	Sat 12/12	W 3 - 1
@ Detroit	Fri 12/11	OT - L 2 - 3
Dallas	Tue 12/08	OT - W 4 - 3
Ottawa	Sun 12/06	SO - L 3 - 4
@ Minnesota	Fri 12/04	SO - L 4 - 5

Anaheim Ducks Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Mike Brown	other-excused	12/14/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Joffrey Lupul	leg	12/14/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Teemu Selanne	hand	12/04/2009
Ryan Carter	foot	11/12/2009

Dan Boyle Possibly Injured; Updates To Follow

FTF Staff — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:34:32 -0000

[UPDATE, SUNDAY] WTC Reports that Dan Boyle's injury appears to be nothing serious. The Sharks official pagesays the same. H/T to Megs and sharks in oc for the tip.

[UPDATE, SATURDAY] Per Dave Pollak at WTC, McLellan says it's too early to tell how serious Dan Boyle's injury is. For those of you waiting up for news, looks like you'll have to wait for tomorrow.

At the end of the San Jose Sharks 2-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday, Taylor Pyatt checked Dan Boyle into the boards with roughly 5 seconds remaining in the game. Following the play Boyle was slow to get up, taking nearly a minute to get off the ice, and had to be helped off by two teammates.

Updates and video will follow.

Tampa Bay Lightning Game 30: versus the Edmonton Oilers

Cassie McClellan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:22 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

Browse more photos »

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Edmonton Oilers 3-2.

On a night where the team lost its two top goal scorers, Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos (both with unknown injuries at the time of publishing), for who knows how long, the Tampa Bay Lightning found something perhaps even more important: their pride.

Tocchet finally put Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis back together – and not just for the power play. On their first shift, Vinny set up Marty with a beautiful pass, and Marty put it home to put the Lightning up 1-0. The only questions that remain are these – why didn’t they get put together far sooner than December, and how long will they play together for? Tocchet likes mixing up lines constantly and is not apparently a patient man. So I wouldn’t expect them to stay together if they go a couple of games without a goal between them.

It was one of the better nights for both players. They were both flying. I think that psychological boost they got from it boosted up the rest of the team as well. When your leaders are happy and playing well, then the rest of the team tends to play well.

Vinny had an outrageous faceoff winning percentage for the game, too. He won 20-9, which is a 69% winning percentage. Zenon Konopka’s winning percentage was better – he won 4-1 (80%) – but he didn’t take anywhere near the number of faceoffs that Vinny did. As a side note, Stamkos has not done very well in the faceoff circle for the past couple of weeks.

Victor Hedman scored his second goal in three games, which is fantastic for a defenseman. He’s been joining the rush more – while not putting the team in jeopardy defensively – and putting in shots. He’s still having some problems with turnovers in the neutral zone, but he’s playing pretty well otherwise. Last season with Modo in the SEL, he scored seven goals in 43 games, so he’s capable of becoming more of an offensive defenseman. I’m not sure he’ll ever become a Mike Green or a Dan Boyle, however. He did have five shots on goal for the game, however.

The second period was sloppy and not played very well. Had the Lightning played the second like they’d played the other two periods of this game, they probably would’ve won it. But they let Edmonton back in with a couple of goals in the second period.

So even if they did lose their top two goal scorers, they found their top players were playing well - together.

Next game is Friday, 11 December, at the Colorado Avalanche. Game time is 9 pm Eastern.

The Copper & Blue [SB Nation Edmonton Oilers site]

Oilers vs Lightning coverage [SB Nation]

Oilers vs Lightning recap [TSN]

Oilers vs Lightning boxscore [TSN]

Who Should Be Canada's Olympic Defenders?

Chemmy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:29:45 -0000

The question is simple; who are your seven guys to play defense for Team Canada at the Olympics? The defenders invited to the Canada camp are:

Francois Beauchemin, Jay Bouwmeester, Dan Boyle, Brent Burns, Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Dan Hamhuis, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer, Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Robyn Regehr, Stephane Robidas, Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal, and Shea Weber. Click a player's name for stats.

I discussed my picks with Godd Till of Zambonic Youth and PPP, check out our picks after the jump.

Chris Pronger

#20 / Defenseman / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 6-6

Weight: 214

Born: Oct 10, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Chris Pronger	4	14	18	9	41

Pronger can score points, shut down talent even at age 35 and has a documented mean streak. Pronger's the grit and the jam that dominant teams need to make playing against them no fun at all.

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Shea Weber	6	9	15	-4	4

Nashville's Shea Weber is an excellent defender in his own end who can also put up points. He hits as hard as your January credit card bill and isn't afraid to drop the gloves.

Duncan Keith

#2 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 196

Born: Jul 16, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Duncan Keith	5	18	23	6	16

Fresh off of inking a lifetime deal that was well earned Duncan Keith is having a fantastic season. Another guy who can put up points and plays well in his own end Duncan Keith is an obvious lock for this team along with...

Brent Seabrook

#7 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 218

Born: Apr 20, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brent Seabrook	3	10	13	8	15

... his defensive partner Brent Seabrook. In addition to being an excellent player on his own, having Keith's defensive partner will give Canada an elite d-pairing that are familiar with each other. This is a huge advantage in a tournament where players are hastily thrown together.

Robyn Regehr

#28 / Defenseman / Calgary Flames

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225

Born: Apr 19, 1980

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Robyn Regehr	0	10	10	5	23

The definition of defensive defenseman, Regehr hits good hockey players hard and often. He's on this team to hit Ovechkin, Kessel and Parise.

Dan Boyle

#22 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 12, 1976

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Dan Boyle	6	19	25	4	20

Dan Boyle's our pick for puck mover / PP specialist on the back end. If you'd prefer Bouwmeester or Mike Green go ahead, I'm not too concerned with any of the three.

Drew Doughty

#8 / Defenseman / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 211

Born: Dec 08, 1989

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Drew Doughty	7	15	22	9	18

Is Drew Doughty the seventh best Canadian defender in the league? Honestly he might be, but what's important here is the future. Doughty will be the seventh guy and only see action if guys get hurt. Obviously you could do a lot worse than Doughty as an injury fill in which speaks to Canada's enormous depth at defense.

I picked Doughty looking forward to 2014. Doughty will be 25 and about to hit his prime. He got an invite to Olympic camp this year based on his ability as a player and I think bringing him along to Vancouver would be a big step for a young kid in the NHL. Let him have a taste of the team he's going to need to be a big part of in four years.

Those are our picks, let us know yours in the comments.

Off the Post - December 7th

Conico do Mayo Miracle — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:37:44 -0000

1941 - Never forget. And don't forget what happened on Dec. 8th, 1980, while you're at it.
[NEW UPDATE] - Manny Malhotra will be signing autographs for free at the Sharks Store, Tuesday Dec. 15th, from 4:30 - 6pm. Be sure to slip a few greenbacks in the change jar - homeboy's only pulling in 6 figures.
[UPDATE] - McGinn and Vesce get reassigned... place yer bets on whether or not they'll be back by Wednesday.
TCY examines Patrick Marleau's potential price tag after this season, while Ivano27 investigates what Igor Larionov (and his hottie daughter) has been up to lately.
Devin Setoguchi answers questions from the masses, including the perrenial "Whose kitchen are you raiding this season?"
Dany Heatley, Dan Boyle, and Patrick Marleau (plus a 4th Shark TBD) will be signing autographs for a cool $169 per 2 persons @ Dave & Buster's, on January 31st. Reservations required.
A look at former Sharks defenseman Christian Ehrhoff as an Olympic hopeful.
Is Peter Laviolette the right replacement for John Stevens in Philadelphia?
The city of Edmonton begins preparations for the end of Rexall Place.
Size does matter for Gary Bettman - and he likes 'em small and boisterous.
For those that missed the Habs' 100th anniversary celebration, please consult Habs Eyes on the Prize (recommended).
Die by the Blade believes Andrej Sekera is the Sabres' Dan Boyle.
Signs your teammate is trying to kill you (big chuckle on the first one, huge groan on the last one).
Kris Versteeg gets an eyeful.

Scott Reynolds at Copper & Blue has been producing tweaked Bible verses for game day, and his latest for the Oilers victory over the Stars is a gem.
Speaking of the Stars (whom we play on Friday), Defending Big D examines the current state of the Dallas fanbase.
Buddha at Hockey Wilderness, on "He Who Shall No Longer Be Mentioned" (and no, it's not Gaborik).
With Cam Ward returning, the Canes have a goaltending decision to make.
Behind the Net debunks the argument that goalies need to see action in order to stop shots.
St. Louis Game Time has utterly corrupted Bart Simpson.
Hockey bigamy, as Vince Vaughn (a Blackhawks / J.R. fan) invades the Phoenix locker room.
On the off chance you haven't seen it in detail, Miikka Kiprusoff's save on Scott Nichol is (tragic? heart-breaking? nauseating?) destined for highlight reels for years to come.

Andrej Sekera Resembles Dan Boyle

Rafal Ladysz — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:12:24 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

2 months ago: Buffalo Sabres' Andrej Sekera (44) battles for the puck with Phoenix Coyotes' Matthew Lombardi (15) during the second period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

Browse more photos »

Trying to follow in the foot steps of someone can be a fitting procedure for setting goals. Learning from the highs and lows of others is priceless because it provides an idea of what possibly lies ahead. While matching the accomplishments of someone you model yourself after may be a little too much to ask, it's the similarities in style that often present themselves.

Dan Boyle is 33 years-of-age, a Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning and remains one of the supreme offensive defensemen in the NHL. Ten years younger, Andrej Sekera is just scratching the surface in his career as a member of the Buffalo Sabres. They may be at different points in their lives but the correspondence is unmistakable.

Rich Peverley has earned comparisons to Mike Richards. Tyler Myers is literally being sized up alongside Zdeno Chara. It's Sekera's turn to be put under the microscope revealing just how equivalent the Slovakian is to the veteran defender.

Dan Boyle

#22 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 12, 1976

Before Boyle established himself, he was a smaller rearguard climbing into a full-time position. Undrafted and signed by the Florida Panthers in 1998, 35 games is all the big club offered him in two seasons. Following those moments spent mostly in the AHL, he was presented as a regular in 2000.

Recording 22 points in 69 games, Boyle was sent to Tampa Bay the next year in exchange for a fifth-round pick (Martin Tuma) who hasn't received an NHL debut; talk about a steal. Things really took off for the Ottawa native with the Lightning where he exploded for 253 points in 394 games during six campaigns of service.

Now in San Jose, Boyle scored 16 goals and 41 assists in his debut with the Sharks last season. A two-time All-Star, his fluent movement, vision and presence on the powerplay have him totaling points that most forwards wish they could grasp.

Andrej Sekera

#44 / Defenseman / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-0

Weight: 197

Born: Jun 08, 1986

Sekera was actually a few years younger when he starred in an NHL contest compared to Boyle. Having played 39 games in two years with the Sabres to get his foot through the door, it sounds akin to his counterpart's beginnings on Florida.

If that doesn't ring an alarm, this will: both players played 69 games in their third year compiling totals within range of each other (Boyle had 22 points, Sekera 19). With five points in 15 matches, the young blue-liner is on pace for 23 points this season. In his fourth season, Boyle contributed 26 points and really came into his own as a fifth-year pro with that first 53-point outburst.

To recap those massive correlations, here are the numbers.

Seasons 1 and 2: Boyle (35 games played, three goals, eight assists, 11 points). Sekera (39 games played, two goals, six assists, eight points).

Season 3: Boyle (69 games played, four goals, 18 assists, 22 points). Sekera (69 games played, three goals, 16 assists, 19 points).

Season 4: Boyle (66 games played, eight goals, 18 assists, 26 points). Sekera (on pace for 72 games played, four goals, 19 assists, 23 points).

Sekera also uses his speed to get out of trouble like Boyle and reacts calmly to unpredictable situations. Continuing to grow in his role on the powerplay, he too can set-up teammates or pinch in with the puck. If their parallel methods aren't convincing enough to indicate the similarities, the numbers don't lie.

To repeat what I stated earlier, Boyle didn't have a gigantic offensive year until season five. From the looks of the statistics, the 23-year-old Sabres defenseman has duplicated his approach. Should it continue, maintain a watch on Andrej Sekera in 2010-2011 because it could be his break-out campaign.

San Jose Sharks 2010 Olympic Hockey Preview: Part Two

Mr. Plank — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:01:53 -0000

Imagine a gold medal game on a frozen pond-- of course it would never get past the IIHF competition committee, but I'll be damned if it wouldn't be one helluva experience.

View full size photo »

The 2010 Games in Vancouver are fast approaching, with final rosters set to be announced in late December. SB Nation has been running a network wide preview series chronicling the likelihood of individual players making their respective country's roster, and pocket aces dropped today-- it's Fear The Fin's turn to make our grand entrance onto the big stage.

As I see it, the San Jose Sharks have a couple locks and a smorgasbord of remaining hopefuls that boast a myriad of different skills; these hopefuls will either need to elevate or hold their current level of play in order to make their inclusion later this month the right choice for their country.

Make the jump for evaluations of Greiss, Boyle, Pavelski, and Murray.

PACK YOUR BAGS, JACK

Thomas Greiss, Team Germany

#1 / Goalie / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Jan 29, 1986

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Thomas Greiss	6	286	3	2			14	2.94	143	129	.902	0

Although Thomas Greiss has seen all of four starts for the San Jose Sharks this season, Germany's pool of available goaltenders makes it a near certainty that Thomas Greiss will start in net for his national team, with former San Jose Shark Dimitri Patzold making a bid for the backup role.

Germany will have a tough time competing with the Big Seven, and the lack of a relatively strong defensive core could highlight Greiss' tendency to heavily challenge shooters and sometimes find himself out of position for the follow up opportunity. The hope is that the move from a six team two pool format into a four team three pool format (with all teams advancing to single elimination) can give Team Germany an opportunity to get hot at the right moment and do some damage.

Unfortunately, that doesn't look very likely.

*****

ON THE FRINGE

What a show

Dan Boyle, Team Canada

#22 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 12, 1976

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dan Boyle	29	6	18	24	4	20	3	0	1	0	69	8.7

Boyle is an interesting case when it comes to Team Canada, and although he is one of the best offensive defenseman in the game today, you have to wonder how they are going to approach the blueline. There's a lot of firepower amongst the forwards; it stands to reason they're considering putting a little extra muscle in the defensive zone because of it. I wouldn't call San Jose's number one defenseman a slouch in his own end by any means, but he's definitely no world beater-- do you go with a guy whose skating ability could elicit a tear from even the notoriously callous Scott Stevens, or do you go with a guy who plays like the aforementioned wall of steel? It's a question that doesn't have a clear cut answer, but with Jay Bouwmeester, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, and Duncan Keith already locks for the team, the road to a starting spot in Vancouver for Boyle may not be as smooth as it currently seems.

That leaves us with two starting spots left on the roster. Drew Doughty has raised a lot of eyebrows around the league*, with some circles calling for him to make the team-- others have Seabrook penciled in to play with Keith considering the familiarity they have with one another-- this could pay off dividends since the teams have a very short time to practice together.

*We're talking Patrick Marleau eyebrows here.

Beyond that you have Shea Weber, Robyn Regehr, and Dan Boyle. Regehr may warrant some attention as he and Bouwmeester could be considered in the same boat as Keith-Seabrook. Dion Phaneuf probably has some supporters somewhere, but I'd be very surprised if he is even getting a second look from the Canadian brass-- very subpar in the defensive zone, and although an Olympic team won't be hampered by his overpaid contract, taking a flyer on him based off reputation alone is not a recipe for success.

So where does that leave us? With five worthy defensemen fighting over two starting spots and the healthy scratch. If I'm Steve Yzerman I take Weber, Seabrook, and Boyle, with Seabrook pairing with fellow Blackhawk Duncan Keith, Pronger and Niedermayer obviously going together, and Weber/Boyle pairing with Bouwmeester depending on the night. It gives you a good combination of firepower throughout your pairings, and anchors one of the lines with a great defensive defenseman.

No matter which way you cut it, Canada is stacked in this department. Here's to Dan Boyle getting cracking the first Olympic roster of his career without the whole team alternate situation rearing it's head again.

Joe Pavelski, Team USA

#8 / Center / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 195

Born: Jul 11, 1984

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Joe Pavelski	14	3	9	12	8	8	1	0	0	0	49	6.1

Joe Pavelski runs into the same situation as Dan Boyle to a degree in that the Americans, while not nearly as deep as the Canadians, do boast a decent crop of forwards that can put the puck in the net. That being said, he impressed a lot of folks during the orientation camp this summer and has played for head coach Ron Wilson before as well as playing against GM Brian Burke when he was with Anaheim. His injury to start the year didn't help his bid, but his noteworthy play after returning has proved that he is not hampered by any lingering issues in his foot.

Like Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski will be able to play an excellent two way game and help shore up the United States penalty kill. With Team USA mainstays Scott Gomez and Chris Drury having fairly porous outings this season, the opportunity is there for him to jump into the starting rotation as either a center, or play on the right wing. An enticing possibility would be for him to play with fellow American Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks in a shutdown role-- Team USA has very little hope of being able to outgun the likes of Russia, Canada, and Sweden once they advance out of pool play, and establishing a physical game with an influx of young players might be the best route to take considering the strength of the goaltending class and what's shaping up to be a surprisingly above average top six defensive unit.

Ron Wilson, as we are well aware of, has been known to favor a defensive style of play. Pavelski has been a winner at every level he's played at and can bring intangibles to the squad's run at avenging Salt Lake in 02. For that reason I think he gets the nod.

Just don't pencil him in quite yet.

Douglas Murray, Team Sweden

#3 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 240

Born: Mar 12, 1980

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Douglas Murray	28	1	3	4	4	31	0	0	0	0	25	4.0

Going into this season there was no indication Douglas Murray would be anything but a stretch when talking about a strong Swedish roster, but with Nicklas Lidstrom extending his blessing earlier this year (a blessing that must be akin to a kiss from the Pope), speculation on whether or not Murray would crack the starting lineup has ramped up considerably.

That being said, there's still a fair amount in his way.

Nicklas Lidstrom, Mattias Ohlund, and Alexander Edler are the locks here, and after that you get into some gray area-- Niklas Kronwall is currently out for 4-8 weeks with a sprained MCL in his left knee, and while that doesn't necessarily write him out of the top six for the Swedes, it does open up the playing field for some other notables to make their bid. On this short list we have Victor Hedman (whose inclusion would likely be welcomed by the country at large along with an opportunity to play with Lightning teammate Ohlund), Johnny Oduya (who has taken a step back in his game from last season, Anton Stralman (a member of the 2009 World Championship team who has played well this season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and could help quarterback the power play), along with numerous other notables from the NHL such as Tobias Enstrom, Nicklas Grossman, Jonathan Ericsson, among others. There's a slew of players from across the pond who I am admittedly not all too familiar with, but it's a deep class for the third best IIHF team going into the tournament.

There's three aspects of this year's Olympics that benefit Murray-- the aforementioned blessing from Lidstrom, the fact that his grandfather is a hero in Sweden for his international accomplishments, and the Games being played on an NHL sized rink. His physical play would be an asset in this arena, and as long as he is paired with an offensive minded defenseman, the hope is that they will be able to compliment each other such as the current pairing of Boyle-Murray has done for San Jose.

It's going to take one helluva performance to crack the top six, but I'm sure Murray will at least make the team as an alternate. Beyond that I'd have to chock this one up to a coin flip.

*****

Devin Setoguchi, Rob Blake, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic are three notable San Jose Sharks who will not be making the trip to Vancouver. If Setoguchi and Vlasic continue to progress and grow their games (in the defensive and physical categories respectively), a date in 2014 could be in the cards.

Until then, and until December, it's just going to be a game of wait and see.

Go ~~Sharks~~ Team USA.

Sharks 4 Canucks 2 In A Snoozfest

Sean Zandberg — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:23:41 -0000

It was hard to give the Canucks much hope of winning this game against a superior team and in a back-to-back game scenario. The Canucks started well but started mentally breaking down after the first period. That was quite evident in period 2, where they offered the Sharks 3 consecutive (lazy) penalties in the first 7.5 minutes: hooking, hooking and holding by Samuelsson, Edler and Daniel Sedin respectively. Damned Swedes! (haha) Dan Boyle scored the go ahead goal on the Edler penalty, and the Sharks went into a defensive shell after that. They outshot the Canucks 15-4 in that period.

Canucks were 0-for-4 on the PP. Yes their power play looked lame.

Sharks were 1-for-5.

Lots of turnovers, bad passes, and inability to get the puck to the net by the Canucks after that. If I could single out one player, I'd say that Mathieu Schneider did not look good out there.

On the positive side, the game was close until the 17:25 mark of the 3rd when Manny Malhotra put the Canucks out of their misery. I thought Kyle Wellwood and Jannik Hansen looked especially good tonight. Wellwood scored a goal and an assist and was a team-best +2. Hansen scored once, had 3 shots, and was an even +/-. There was a brief stint where Hansen played with the Sedins and looked good. Might be worth giving him a chance on line 1, AV.

The Big 3 Sharks players (Marleau, Thornton and Heatley) were limited to 1assist (Thornton) and 5 shots.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: The crowd at GM Place sounded lifeless. At one point I swear to God I could hear a Wellwood bowel movement. Sure, there was a wave and a short-lived "Go Canucks Go" chant with less than 10:00 left in the 3rd, but that doesn't cut it, boring game or not. The team was in need of some form of boost and the crowd could have offered that.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard"

BOXSCORE

HIGHLIGHTS

MY 3 STARS:

1. DAN BOYLE. 24:34 played, 4 shots, 1 goal, a PP freak

2. JOE PAVELSKI. 2 assists and 5 shots.

3. KYLE WELLWOOD

Edmonton - San Jose post-game: Movember can't end soon enough

Bruce McCurdy — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:09:44 -0000

More photos » by John Ulan - AP

19 days ago: Edmonton Oilers' Sheldon Souray, left, battles with San Jose Sharks' Dany Heatley, of Germany, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)

Browse more photos »

Well, shit. What a crushing day. We lost Hemsky for the season, and we lost a game we should have won. Not just a game, but The "Dany Heatley Game". Played well enough to titillate, but in the end, handed the Sharks the freaking game on a silver platter in a particularly discouraging manner.

It was a good game and I have few (but specific) complaints. A good friend I don't see often enough got a pair of freebies and was kind enough to phone me, we hit the Thanh Thanh for some excellent Vietnamese cuisine en route, and by anthem-time found our seats on Row 31 overlooking the faceoff circle in the Sharks end, players' bench side. Funny thing, the last year I had season tickets I moved up to Row 31 from Row 14 to reduce the per game damage from $31 to $17. Now it's 17 years later and those $17 seats now bear a sticker price of $107! Which is why I rely on generous friends and occasional good luck to get to my handful of games a year ... ducats are simply out of range.

31 rows is a long way from the ice, but not too far to see some of the wide open spaces in several of the Movember 'staches on display even after a month of "growth". That little visual brought home the fact that this was a battle of boys against men

The anti-Heatley sentiment peaked early, with one leather lung letting rip a harsh "You suck Heatley!" while Paul Lorieau paused for a breath in the Star Spangled Banner, which certainly brought home the fact that this was another Canadian** hockey star who had bolted stateside, turning his nose up at two Canadian teams in the process. So the loudmouth's timing was appropriate or classless or both depending on one's viewpoint.

(** Canadian unless you believe the photo caption, which I have left in its raw, AP form. For whatever reason they always identify non-North American players by what country they're from.)

After that the booing was more perfuctory than anything, more noise than anything heartfelt. The cheers rang when Sheldon Souray knocked Heatley on his overpaid butt 5 minutes in, but quickly died out when Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau instantly took advantage of the large hole Souray had left behind in the process to put the Sharks up 1-0. The lead held past the midway mark of the game and I began to wonder if the Oilers would ever score again. Out of the blue though, Ryan Potulny made a nice steal from Dan Boyle, outraced a half-hearted Thornton backcheck and went in alone to deke Evgeni Nabokov. The Oilers carried the 1-1 score to the intermission, another tight defensive struggle not dissimilar from Wednesday's affair vs. the Kings. Unexpectedly, the third period was the bipolar opposite...

What a period it was. Dustin Penner scored early on a Gilbert Brulé rebound, then Penner returned the favour with a goal mouth feed that Brulé swatted home. Two-goal lead in the third, our first chance to be home and cooled out. Instead it lasted exactly two shifts of the Marleau-Thornton-Heatley line, both of which ended with the puck in the back of Jeff Deslauriers' net. 3-3. Back and forth the game went for several pulsating minutes, with my pick to score the game winner, Ladi Smid, actually having a great chance only to be beaten by Nabokov's glove. Undeterred, Smid later served as the middleman between Ethan Moreau's determined rush and Potulny's finishing shot which put the Oil up once again, 4-3 with 5 minutes to go. Turnaround for what happened in the Kings' game Thursday. We just had to see it out.

The best/worst thing about it was that for the next 3½ minutes the Oilers played perfect hockey. They forechecked like demons, hemming the Sharks in their own end, consistently winning races to and battles for loose pucks, cycling, making crisp changes while still maintaining puck pursuit. It was a joy to watch. Until, of all things, Oilers forced a Shark mistake, a penalty with 1:40 to go.

Well that should have been it. Instead, the Oil fell completely asleep. The powerplay which had done nothing all night, did much less than nothing when it mattered most, allowing three great San Jose scoring chances and the tying goal on a completely broken play. Hard to believe that you can win a draw in your own end 5-against-4 and within 4 seconds have the play end with the opposing centre completing his hat trick from the edge of the crease without anybody around him including the goalie. Gagner broke or dropped his stick winning the draw and let Marleau go, Staios and Souray got crossed up, Thornton won a race to the loose puck and JDD went fishing for the pokecheck only to look silly when Thornton fished the puck to Marleau for the tap in. A complete fustercluck, with the game completely on the line. Stupid, stupid, stupid hockey.

Oilers conspired to give up another odd man rush on the same powerplay, very nearly losing the game in regulation. There was no further scoring in overtime either, despite a very entertaining 101 seconds of the ultra-rare 3v3. From there it was a shootout, and the only surprise was that it wasn't Dany Bloody Heatley who dropped the guillotine on another loss, perhaps the most disappointing, frustrating, and discouraging one to date.

The thing of it is, if you hang around long enough, there's not much new under the sun and no matter what happens, chances are you've seen something like it before. I remember three years ago almost to the day, attending The Chris Pronger Game in which the Oil blew a two-goal lead, the Ducks tied it with the goalie out and won it in overtime, prompting very similar emotions. I also recall the Oil blowing a game in the Boston Garden round about 1986 or so when they had the lead and the powerplay in the last two minutes, conspired to retreat all the way to their own end with the puck, and then Paul Coffey tried a long slow diagonal pass right through the middle of his own zone which the Bruins picked off and promptly put in the net. Then they won it in overtime. That time I was so mad I could spit ... tonight it was shocking in one sense but in another it was just another disaster in a disastrous season. Bad news always carries the day, so what's new?

***

Jacques - Horcoff - O'Sullivan
This threesome along with Staios and Souray was hard-matched against San Jose's big unit (Marleau-Thornton-Heatley-Murray-Boyle). They weren't up to the task judging by the -3 each of the three posted. Funny, cuz they did lots of things right. JFJ led the Oilers in hits (6) and POS in shots (also 6). Horcoff worked his tail off and made lots of excellent small plays, such as the second period sequence where he fended off heavy Sharks forechecking by two guys and finally worked his way out of the zone, only to have Souray inexplicably miss his soft breakout pass with the Sharks instantly turning it into a 2-on-1 the other way. Lots to like in JFJ's game, but defensive presence is not one of those things

Penner - Gagner - Brulé
Solid night's work from the trio, consisting of two former hot shot draft picks and the big man who took a very circuitous route to the bigs. They connected for two third period goals and showing some chemistry especially between Penner and Brulé who had it going earlier in the year. Brulé is no Hemsky obviously but I'm starting to think we might have an Actual NHL Player™ on our hands. He's showing some real intensity to go with a nose for the net and a quick release. As he has done most of the season, Penner gave the Sharks defenders fits with his bull-in-a-china-shop routine

Moreau - Potulny - Cogliano
Lots to like here. The trio generated 10 shots among them in a strong effort from all three men. Potulny too is doing a convincing impersonation of an Actual NHL Player™ and is getting stronger as his ice time and confidence grows. He notched a pair of goals with some real strong finish, threw his body around with some abandon, and contributed solid time to both special teams. Cogliano appears tp be finally emerging from the coccon that had enveloped his early-season play, skating hard and really getting his competitive juices flowing. The goals aren't coming yet, but he's been an effective player of late. Moreau too put in an excellent efffort, contributing a number of strong rushed including the one that led directly to what should have been the winning goal. He remains way too inclined to shoot from absolutely anywhere that he actually gets control of the disc, and the element of surprise is long gone.

McDonald - O'Marra - Stortini
A creditable performance from the young trio, who held their own in brief appearances (~5 minutes TOI). Stortini (4 hits) did a solid job chaperoning his inexperienced mates (combined 1 NHL GP before this one). O'Marra with a couple of nice hits, although for some reason he skirted a guy he seemingly had in the trolley tracks in the third. Guys like him need to hit at every opportunity to be successful. The raw rook McDonald had a couple of giveaways mixed in as he had a little trouble with NHL speed. I loved one sequence where all three of them consecutively hammered various Sharks who were trying to break out.

Souray - Staios
An awful night for the two vets, who were not so much hardmatched as overmatched against the "Olympic Line". Both ended the night with a sorry -4, burnt for three even strength goals with 22-10-19 and then the less forgivable SH goal that tied things at the end in which the two experienced defenders completely got undressed in front of their own goal. Souray had 3 giveaways and 2 bad penalties mixed in on a night where he seemed completely out of sorts, out of synch with himself and almost out of phase with the game. Everything he did was a split second ahead or behind the play. Staios got some time on the PP which spent more time allowing odd-man rushes against than creating anything in the good end.

Smid - Visnovsky
Solid night's work saw both post a +2. Smid delivered a tenacious effort which included contributions in the O-zone, as he forced a fine save from Nabokov minutes before he set up Potulny for the 4-3 goal. Visnovsky looked small and overmatched on a couple of occasions, and like a master in complete control much of the rest of the time.

Strudwick - Gilbert
Another pair with a sparkling +2 rating against lesser comp. One of Strudwick's stronger games in a while. Gilbert had a couple of horrendous giveways which led directly to glorious chances for the Sharks, but otherwise was looking more like his old self than I've seen for a while, using his smarts to win possession and his legs to rush the puck with authority.

Deslauriers
A number of decent stops to bail out various Oiler breakdowns, but I was less than impressed with his overall body of work. Seems to have a hell of a time tracking the puck, and allows rebounds in unexpected directions. He had his usual puckhandling misadventures (3 GV for at least the third time recently), freezing the puck much more often than necessary, especially given Oilers' issues on the dot. (See: tying goal against.) His attempted pokecheck on that faceoff situation was the exact wrong play, and led to Marleau having a wide open net to dunk the puck. Does not inspire confidence in this observer.

Columbus Blue Jackets 2010 Olympics Preview

Mike MacLean — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:30:34 -0000

View full size photo »

SBNation is doing a series of Olympic Previews, taking a look at each team and which of their players may be suiting up for their countries in Vancouver. As a baseline, we are going to give an indication of their chances of making their team by using these arguments: "Pack Your Bags", "Nearly a Lock", "Fairly Safe Bet", and "In a Battle". The Jackets have a few players who could become Olympians, here's a look at them:

Rick Nash (Canada) - Pack Your Bags
There is almost no way, outside of injury, that Nash will not be a member of Team Canada. In fact, he is penciled in by most as the man riding shotgun to Sidney Crosby. Nash has plenty of international experience in his young career, including being a member of the 2006 Olympic Team, which failed miserably. He is a more mature and complete player now, and will look to be an offensive leader for the Canucks at home in Vancouver. My favourite Nash goal at an international tournament didn't take place at the Olympics, it was at the World Championships, but here it is anyway:

Steve Mason (Canada) - In a Battle
At least he was at the beginning of the season, that is. Before the start of the regular season this year, many experts thought that when it came to Canada's goaltenders, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur were locks. The battle was for who the third goaltender was going to be. The three main contenders were Mason, Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward. With Ward's injury, that made it a two-horse race. The problem is, Mase never showed up. His play this season has been downright awful. I'm not a believer in sophomore slumps, but the proof is in the pudding here. Look for Fleury- who is coming off of a Cup win and is playing great right now-to get the third goalie nod.

Kristian Huselius (Sweden) - Fairly Safe Bet
The man we call Juice may not be on the top of the list of skilled Swedish forwards, but he is a strong candidate to be on the Swedish team. His last international exoerience was at the 2002 World Championships, where the Tre Kroner won the bronze medal. He has never played in an Olympics, but he is on the Swedish short-list for 2010.

Samuel Pahlsson (Sweden) - Nearly a Lock
Sammy will almost definitely be on the Swedish team in 2010. He helped the Swedes win the Gold Medal back in 2006 in Torino, playing on a line with Freddy Modin (more on him in a minute). A dedicated checking center like Pahlsson will be very important this time around, with the Olympics being in Vancouver, the games will be played on NHL-sized ice, meaning tighter checking.

Fredrik Modin (Sweden) - In a Battle
I saw that Freddy is in a battle, not necessarily with other players trying to make the team, but with his own body. After being lauded for his amazing durability, the last couple of seasons have been near write-offs for Freddy as he has been hit with injury after injury. That said, if he is healthy I can't imagine him not playing for the Swedes, even in a fourth line role. He is after all, one of the very few players who are a member of the Triple Gold Club.

Anton Stralman (Sweden) - Nearly a Lock
Stralman is off to a great start since joining the Jackets, putting up good point totals. He is one of the main reasons the Jackets' powerplay has gone from last in the league a year ago, to best so far this season. He has played in three straight World Championships for Team Sweden, from 2007-2009. The Swedish defensive corps are a talented group, with Anton fitting in nicely. With the injury to Kronwall, Stralman may see top line duty with Nick Lidstrom.

Jakub Voracek (Czech Republic) - Nearly a Lock
The Czechs are a team that always seems to surprise at international tournaments. Look no further than the '98 Olympics, where they took home the Gold based on the amazing play of Dominik Hasek. In 2010, the Czechs are a good team, and Voracek should be a member. He likely will play a third or fourth line role, with the top six wingers likely being Jagr, Hemsky, Prospal and Hejduk/Havlat.

Rostislav Klesla (Czech Replublic) - In a Battle
Rusty is a fringe player in terms of the Olympic team. He does have international experience, but he is in tough this time around. He has to beat out the likes of Kaberle, Kubina, Rozsival, Hamrlik, Spacek and Kuba. It's not completely impossible though, and with the smaller ice a rugged player like Rusty could shine.

Jan Hejda (Czech Republic) - In a Battle
Like Rusty, Jan is fighting for a spot. He's defense-first, which may help him because the guys he is fighting for a spot against are generally puck-moving types. He has international experience, his most recent was at the 2008 Worlds. Given the play of Jaro Spacek, one of Hejda or Klesla could make the squad.

Fedor Tyutin (Russia) - Nearly a Lock
The Russians have scary forwards, plain and simple. They are the most dynamic group in the world, hands down. That said, they don't have spectacular defense. A hybrid defenseman like Tyutin will fit in very well on the Russian squad, and he could see powerplay duty with Sergei Gonchar.

Nikita Filatov (Russia) - In a Battle
Filatov wasn't at the Russians Olympic came this past summer, but he is no doubt still very much on the radar of the National Team. With his recent return to Russia, his stock has certainly risen, but he is still in tough to make the squad, given their amazing talent and depth up front.

R.J. Umberger (United States) - In a Battle
I wanted to include Umby mainly because I believe that it is wrong that he wasn't invited to the Team USA camp. He is a much better player than a handful of guys who did get the invite, but it all has to do with his history with USA GM Brian Burke. Umby didn't sign with Vancouver, who drafted him in the first round when Burke was the GM. This led to bad blood, which has clearly carried over to the Olympics. RJ's play hasn't done much to convince Burke otherwise either.

To finish things off, being a Canadian I am excited as hell to have the Olympics here in my home country. After the disappointment of Torino, I, like every other Canadian, want to see the Gold come back to Canada. Here's my prediction of the Team Canada Olympic Roster:

Rick Nash - Sidney Crosby - Jarome Iginla
Dany Heatley - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Brendan Morrow - Mike Richards - Shane Doan
Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Martin St. Louis
Steven Stamkos

HM: Jonathan Toews, Jeff Carter, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards

Chris Pronger - Scott Niedermayer
Dan Boyle - Duncan Keith
Shea Weber - Jay Bouwmeester
Drew Doughty

HM: Brent Seabrook, Mike Green, Stephane Robidas

Roberto Luongo
Martin Brodeur
Marc-Andre Fleury

HM: Marty Turco