Yesterday, Huw posted his mock for the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft and today we publish my take on how the first round will go. I wrote this mock without having a peek at Huw's, so it's very interesting to see just how different our takes on how the first round will shake out are -- and should also be a testament to just how impossible it is to really guess what these crazy NHL teams will do once the picks are being made.

1st Overall: Edmonton Oilers
Their selection: Ryan Murray D Everett Silvertips
The Oilers have a decision to make: go for what many consider the best overall player in the draft or fill the glaring need for a #1 defenseman who can also help a struggling power play team that is struggling with point production from the blue line. Ryan Murray is the best defenseman in the draft, one of the rare blueliners who does everything and does it all extremely well.

2nd Overall: Columbus Blue Jackets
Their selection: Nail Yakupov RW Sarnia Sting
The Blue Jackets get over their frustration of losing the lottery and find the top player in the draft fall into their lap. Yakupov is coming off an injury and has a few red flags but he's also the most gifted player in this draft and someone a rebuilding team would love to have as the cornerstone of their franchise.

3rd Overall: Montreal Canadiens
Their selection: Alex Galchenyuk C Sarnia Sting
The Canadiens jump at the chance to pick up a supremely talented forward and center prospect, bolstering an underwhelming depth of forwards in their system and likely providing an instant offensive boost next season once Galchenyuk is fully healthy and back on the ice.

4th Overall: New York Islanders
Their selection: Filip Forsberg C Leksand
The Islanders are the first team to go after a European skater, lured by the goal-scoring and playmaking prowess of Forsberg. They also draft a much-needed leader in the locker room, someone who can step in and lead by example on the ice.

5th Overall: Toronto Maple Leafs
Their selection: Morgan Rielly D Moose Jaw
It could be argued that Rielly should have been the top defenseman in this draft, but a torn ACL has bumped him down a bit in the draft. He's the most creative blueliner in the draft and also the most cerebral, and provides the Maple Leafs with the legit blue-chip prospect they desperately need.

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tl;dr - Blackwater was awesome. Discuss.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend. We went to Austin for the weekend, had an absolutely incredible time. Got home late last night and the first thing I did as soon as the kiddo was in bed was to watch Blackwater -- an episode of television that I haven't anticipated seeing so much since the finale of Lost.

I was not disappointed.

I have felt that Season 2 was a bit aimless at times, something I that I understand was an issue with the book as well. What's really interesting about this season (and about this particular episode) is that it has a decidedly "Two Towers" vibe to it, as if this season season and ACOC is merely a very detailed bridge between AGOT and ASOS and that certainly carried over to to this season's series as well.

A lot has happened but it never felt like there was something substantial to really hold on to. It felt like pawns in a chess match were slowly being moved and placed, very slowly, over eight episodes -- setting up for what I assume is going to be an incredibly active Season 3 and 4. But so far, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion and there just wasn't enough actual "action" taking place.

With everyone spread out across Westeros and only Littlefinger apparently able to travel from one place to the other, sometimes it seemed the different locales and characters we've spent time with this season weren't as connected as they should have been, or at least it didn't feel that way.

There have still be some great moments and some really great episodes but after watching Season 1 again last week, I realized what the difference between the two really was -- momentum. Season 1 was constantly building toward something, there was a growing doubt and unease as the season progressed and Ned Stark came closer and closer to uncovering the truth about Robert Baratheon, his bastards and who Joffrey really was.

This season, while there has been plenty of talk about impending battles -- we have yet to ever see one and the thought that we'd get a truly momentous battle to really wrap up everything this season never really occurred to me. As someone who has not read the books, of course I had no clue what The Battle of Blackwater Bay was all about and just how incredible the battle could really be. Even those that have read the books, I'm sure, were worried that this battle would not be portrayed like it deserves.

Ladies and fellas, we were treated to one of the absolute best hours of television I have ever seen. Where to begin?

I realized just how much of a treat we were in for when Neil Marshall's name came up as Director during the opening credits. I don't read any news during the week about the upcoming episodes for fear of spoilers (I don't even watch the "next week on" segments) so I had no clue about the drama behind how Marshall was hired. But I do know that he is one of the best at staging action and combining VFX with traditional filming methods and more than anything -- he knows how to work with a limited budget.

That really came through in this episode. Marshall's fingerprints were everywhere, especially when it comes to the gore we were treated to this week. Blackwater had everything that makes GoT so incredible, including some nice sexposition, but it was absolute satisfying on so many levels to finally see some real, no holds-barred action for almost an entire episode.

This really did feel like a medieval "Saving Private Ryan" and you can see how they were influenced by Spielberg and Peter Jackson in how they filmed this season. Hell, the Two Towers comparisons for this season even carry over to the "Helms Deep" way in which this battle took place.

Here are some very specific thoughts on such a great episode of television.

• What made this episode so great, and something I think they need to do more of, is that they never left King's Landing. The episode stuck with this very particular storyline for the entire hour and I think it worked for the best, especially in allowing the growing dread and anxiety of the coming battle to build and build. Hopefully they'll write more episodes like this, instead of ones where we are treated to six different storylines in six different locations.
• I love how, from the very start, there was the building anxiety of what was to come. It's one of those very interesting things about wars and pitched battles -- you know what is coming and there is little surprise to what is on the way. Everyone in King's Landing knows they are about to be attacked and they are just waiting for the moment when it all begins.
• Has The Hound now become the best character in the series? He's certainly rivaling Tyrion for that top spot. He's such an evil, brutal man but at his heart is a sense of honor -- in a way -- that makes you want to see more and more of him. It was also great to see vulnerability there, in how he reacted to the fire and the burning water and how he basically "NOPED" his way right out of that war. Fuck the King, indeed.
• Wildfire. HOLY. FUCK. I can't remember the last time I verbally shouted like that at the television when sports wasn't involved. Now we see where the budget has gone. Wow. I don't even know what to say about that.
• Just when I thought that Cersei could not get any more evil, she takes it too a brand new level. Lena Headey may be an incredible woman in real life, but she makes me want to punch her square between the eyes everytime I see her face.
• Really love Sansa's character arc this season. She was such a despicable, spoiled girl the first season but the trauma of being prisoner in King's Landing has brought her down a few notches. The way she stepped up to try and help calm the frightened women in the hold was really great to see. Of course, now we have to wait to see if she decided to go with the Hound. I sure as hell hope so -- that's a road trip I want to see.
• Tyrion is one of the best characters ever created and each episode he gets better and better. Love the juxtaposition between how Stannis and Joffrey "lead" their troops, and how Tyrion overcomes his fear of battle to lead his own troops against Stannis. Ingenious motivations, of course. "Don't fight for the king, fight because those other guys want to kill you and rape your women!" Also -- it was great to see his strategy go so well, but it would have all been for naught had Tywin not shown up.
• During the battle, I was openly rooting against Stannis. I want to see all the Lannisters dead, but Tyrion made me root for his side.
• Is there any doubt that Tyrion is alive? Duh.
• Finally -- my one gripe about the episode is the rushed ending. I recognized that Loras Tyrell showed up with Tywin's forces -- it makes sense for him to go against Stannis -- but what I didn't get was the panic over HOW he showed up. Apparently he was dressed like Renly in battle and it freaked everyone out, thinking the Ghost of Renly was come to kill everyone or something. That wasn't really that apparent.

What did everyone else think?

Every year I ask this question when the Finals are about to start, but this year that this is the hardest decision for Dallas Stars fans to make yet. The New Jersey Devils take on the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals, as the NHL and NBC hope and pray that the LA area is finally aware they actually have a hockey team -- despite being there in some fashion for the past five decades or so.

I had been hoping for a Devils and Coyotes series, mainly because I would have loved to see all the squirming and complaining about how the ratings would be. I'd also have loved to have seen Dave Tippett and Mike Smith make it that far, but alas their good fortune ran short against the mighty Kings. I also wanted no part of the New York Rangers to make it that far in the playoffs, for multiple reasons.

So now that we have the Devils and Kings facing off, who to root for?

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The 2012 NHL Awards take place next month in Las Vegas but until then, the SB Nation hockey crew decided we were going to vote on the awards ourselves. After all, we're much more qualified to make such decisions compared to the PWHA, general managers and owners....right? Each day this week and into next we'll announce one winner, continuing today with the Masterton Trophy.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner, according to SB Nation, is...

Max Pacioretty, Montreal Canadiens

Second place: Joffrey Lupul, Toronto Maple Leafs

Third Place: Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators

Pacioretty, as you should recall, was the victim of a devastating hit by Zdeno Chara last season that left the forward with a fracture to his C4 vertabra and a severe concussion. He recovered and went on to have a career season with the Candiens, posting 33 goals and 65 points in 79 games. Joffrey Lupul also had a career year, with 67 points in 66 games for the Maple Leafs after a severe infection following surgery kept him off the ice for nearly a year.

My ballot: (1) Joffrey Lupul, (2) Max Pacioretty, (3) Kari Lehtonen

Why Lehtonen? He's a Dallas Star and I thought he deserved a vote. He's overcome severe injury issues and has become one of the dominant goaltenders in the West.

There are a few very interesting storylines surrounding the Dallas Stars this summer, as the team heads toward the NHL draft and free agency focused on vastly improving a roster that needs more than a few key pieces. The excitement and uncertainty of the future is centered on owner Tom Gaglardi, who represents hope and progress after so many years of stagnant mediocrity.

Part of this uncertainty is due to not knowing just what sort of approach the Stars will be taking this summer, even with a new owner. The Stars have been so financially strapped the past three years that the notion of being able to actually be proactive in free agency is one that is completely foreign to fans that follow the team.

Last week, Tom Gaglardi wason Sports Radio 13010 The Ticket and was asked about free agency and the Stars' strategy heading into a very vital and crucial period for the franchise. Both Gaglardi -- and later CEO Jim Lites -- would confirm that the Stars basically have no budget heading into the summer and are willing to spend whatever is needed to improve the team.

This notion instantly evokes thoughts of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, two teams that went all-in last summer and had their high-spending ways blow up in their face. The team the Jackets put together has already been picked apart and might find more pieces moved this summer. The Sabres overvalued several players and with a sky-high payroll failed to make the playoffs.

The good news is that, according to Gaglardi, while the Dallas Stars are certainly willing and able to open up the checkbook this summer -- the team will be smart about how they spend their money.

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The 2012 NHL Awards take place next month in Las Vegas but until then, the SB Nation hockey crew decided we were going to vote on the awards ourselves. After all, we're much more qualified to make such decisions compared to the PWHA, general managers and owners....right? Each day this week and into next we'll announce one winner, continuing today with the Calder Trophy.

The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." This year's winner, at least according to SB Nation, is....

Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche

Second Place: Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils

Third Place: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers

This was the easiest award to vote for. Landeskog was easily one of the most impressive forwards in the NHL, not just as a rookie. What impressed me the most was how he always seemed so mature as a player on the ice, playing like a seasoned veteran instead of a true rookie.

My ballot: (1) Gabriel Landeskog, (2) Jake Gardiner, (3) Matt Read

As we move through these awards it's obvious that either a) I have no clue what I am doing here or b) I prefer to use metrics that most don't. For me, it's not just about point totals it's about the total package and I felt that both Gardiner and Read had tremendous seasons for their teams -- and that's why I voted for them.

The 2012 NHL Awards take place next month in Las Vegas but until then, the SB Nation hockey crew decided we were going to vote on the awards ourselves. After all, we're much more qualified to make such decisions compared to the PWHA, general managers and owners....right? Each day this week and into next we'll announce one winner, continuing today with the Lady Byng Trophy.

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability". The winner, according to SB Nation, is...

Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers

• Second Place: Matt Moulson, New York Islanders
• Third Place: Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers

Be sure to check out SB Nation to see how the voting worked out. This award was tough to nail down and many, many players were nominated. Once again, we see that Loui Eriksson was completely left off the list. He only received one First Place vote. Who could that have been from?

My ballot: (1) Loui Eriksson, (2) Brian Campbell, (3) Jordan Eberle

Obviously, we all know this vote was a sham. Eriksson was robbed.

The 2012 NHL Awards take place next month in Las Vegas but until then, the SB Nation hockey crew decided we were going to vote on the awards ourselves. After all, we're much more qualified to make such decisions compared to the PWHA, general managers and owners....right? Each day this week and into next we'll announce one winner, continuing today with the Norris Trophy.

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."The winner, according to SB Nation, is...

Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Second place: Zdeno Chars, Boston Bruins

Third Place: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

Here is my ballot for the award: (1) Alex Pietrangelo, (2) Zdeno Chara, (3) Erik Karlsson

Once again, the ultimate winner of this award was completely left off my ballot. Why did I not believe Shea Weber even deserved a vote? I believe in the ultimate spirit of the award, that the Norris belongs to the best all-around defenseman -- not just the one that scores the most points or has the best offense. Weber is a great defenseman and one that we'd love to have in Dallas, but I didn't feel that he had his best season and certainly not better than the three I had on the ballot.

I feel like this award is many times a reputation award as well. I think that, when it really boils down to it, Alex Pietrangelo had the more impressive season out of any defenseman in the NHL. And that is why I voted how I did.

The 2012 NHL Awards take place next month in Las Vegas but until then, the SB Nation hockey crew decided we were going to vote on the awards ourselves. After all, we're much more qualified to make such decisions compared to the PWHA, general managers and owners....right? Each day this week and into next we'll announce one winner, starting today with the Vezina Trophy.

The Vezina is handed out each season to the top goaltender in the NHL. According to SB Nation, the winner is:

Jonathan Quick

Quick postsed a 35-21-13 record this past season with a stellar 1.95 GAA and .929 save percentage. He was the primary reason the Kings were able to get to the postseason, as he buoyed a team that struggled with offense for most of the season. Quick is certainly a worthy winner of the award.

Henrik Lundqvist came in second, with Mike Smith coming in third in the voting.

Let's take a look at my ballot for the award:

1. Henrik Lundqvist
2. Mike Smith
3. Pekka Rinne

Wait...what? That's right, I left Quick off my ballot. The only argument I can see being made is that Quick should have made the ballot in place of Rinne, but in my mind Smith and Lundqvist both had superior regular seasons compared to Quick.

What say you? Was I completely off my rocker with this ballot?

From the very moment that Tom Gaglardi was officially announced as the new owner of the Dallas Stars the big question has been "how much is he going to be willing to spend on the roster?" For the past few seasons the Dallas Stars have had one of the lowest payrolls in the NHL, forced to cut back on spending when Tom Hicks found financial trouble between his three sports franchises.

Hicks famously said a few years ago that freely spending on hockey in Texas was a losing model and whoever was going to become the new owner would learn this right away. What was interesting was the Stars had been a high-spending team through the 1990s and into the 2000s; it wasn't until Hicks Sports Group entered into financial trouble that freely-spending became an issue.

It was known that whoever did come in to own the team would be facing a significant financial loss almost immediately, and likely through the first few years as the franchise fought to get back on track. It was estimated that the Stars were looking at a $30 million loss for the 2011-12 season and likely that same figure exists for the 2012-13 season as well. This was one of the reasons that Chuck Greenberg passed on making a bid on the team in bankruptcy court.

This is why fans were skeptical about what Gaglardi would be willing to spend, especially considering the Stars needs. When Gaglardi purchased the Stars he told the local media that he makes his money elsewhere and that he bought the Stars to win, intimating that he's not going to be as frugal as many fans feared. Now that the Stars are gearing up for the first big free agency period in a few years for the team, those questions are being raised again: just how much are the Stars willing and able to spend?

"We are kind of without budget," says Dallas Stars CEO & President Jim Lites. "As crazy as that sounds. We're restricted really only by the CBA and the need to fit short and long term inside that structure, which is a little bit up in the air."

This can't be true. Let's take a closer look at Lites' and Gaglardi's comments from last week about the budget for this summer and more importantly -- what they feel are the needs of the team moving forward.

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On June 20, the NHL will host their annual NHL Awards show -- with Nickelback, of all the bands on this planet, opening up the show. During the show the awards for the Hart Trophy will be handed out and debate about the subjectivity of the awards and who got snubbed instantly raging across the hockey universe.

Those of us here at SB Nation Hockey, while exceptional in our ability to remain as subjective as possible, were not asked to vote on these awards. As such, SB Nation bloggers voted and we will be naming our own winners of the awards, to be announced one day at a time starting on Monday. Here is the schedule:

Monday, May 21: Vezina Trophy
Tuesday, May 22: Norris Trophy
Wednesday, May 23: Lady Byng
Thursday, May 24: Calder Trophy
Friday, May 25: Masterton Trophy
--
Monday, May 28: Selke Trophy
Tuesday, May 29: Hart Trophy

Each day I'll post the winner of the award and my own ballot, and will attempt to justify why I voted how I did.

What I would like to hear is how DBD feels the winners should go. This is not based on the finalists named by the NHL: any player you feel is worthy of the award should be named.

Part 2: Quality Is Just As Important As Quantity

In Part 1 of our in-depth breakdown of the Dallas Stars draft history of the past ten years we looked at how the trading away draft picks in the first three rounds affected the future of the Dallas Stars. The Dallas Stars showed a willingness to trade valuable high draft picks to pick up a higher quantity of picks later in the draft, as well as trading draft picks for NHL players.

At the time the trades were being made the Stars were at the height of their success and attempting to maintain that level of success by constantly re-tooling the NHL roster and using draft picks as currency. While the decisions at the time may have seemed prudent in order to keep the Stars fighting for the Pacific Division title, the ramifications on the future of the franchise were more severe than anyone ever thought possible.

The past four years the Dallas Stars have felt the sting of these decisions, as financial difficulties kept the Stars from being as active in the trade and free agency markets as we had become accustomed to. The farm system, with the exception of a select few, was void of players ready and able to step up the NHL and make a significant contribution to the NHL team.

For the Dallas Stars, over the past ten years, what stands out the most about the players selected is not the amount of players that became NHL regulars -- but the overall quality of the players actually selected. This is what we look at in Part 2...

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What: Team USA vs. Finland

Where: Helsinki, Finland

When: 10:30am CDT

TV: NBC Sports Network

In the first big upset of the tournament, at least up north, Team Canada fell 4-3 to Slovakia earlier today. Michal Handzus scored with 2:32 left in regulation to break a tie, with Slovakia moving on to play Russia in the semifinals (if the current score stands).

Jamie Benn didn't register a shot on goal and played just 12:50 of total ice time.

Alex Goligoski and Team USA look to take on Finland once more, although Kari Lehtonen won't be in net. The Stars netminder has a minor knee injury and Petri Vehanen will be between the pipes for Finland -- who represent a tough opponent for the Americans.

USA has had a few questionable performances this tournament but the past few games the team has played much better. The winner of this game will face the winner of Sweden and Czech Republic in the semifinals

Part 1: The Dangers of Playing the Game of Trades

When we started to plan out the coverage of the upcoming NHL Draft, an interesting question came up regarding the overall success of the Dallas Stars drafts the past decade or so -- especially comparing Joe Nieuwendyk's drafts with Doug Armstrong's. The general feeling has been that Armstrong failed to draft successfully, with the Dallas Stars currently paying the price for years of draft day failures.

Huw came to the conclusion that overall, the Stars' drafts under Armstrong should not be considering "failures," because the Stars were able to find some gems that are very important to the current team. It was a very interesting exercise and while I thought that Huw presented a very good argument, I still maintain that the drafting while Armstrong was GM was decidedly poor.

This opinion is based upon the overall draft history of the Stars since 2002, not just regarding the players that were actually drafted. Huw was focused solely on the players that were actually drafted and after the conversation that stemmed from that post, I thought it would be prudent to take a look not just at the players drafted but the overall approach by the Stars during the draft over that time.

I believe that it's important to look at history to help make decisions about the future. While I don't think that history shows us exactly what is going to happen with any amount of certainty, it allows us to at least address the mistakes and successes that led the present we are currently enjoying. I think this is important in all areas of life and it's especially important in sports.

In Part 1, we're going to kick off this historical breakdown to look at the strategy of the Dallas Stars regarding draft picks as assets in trades and how this has negatively affected the franchise since 2002...

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There are a few names at the top of every fan's wishlist this summer as the NHL heads to free agency, with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter leading the way. For the Dallas Stars, who are now apparently willing and able to once again be not only active but proactive in spending during free agency to improve the team, the tendency of the team might be to want to sign the biggest "splash" available. This would be in order to not only raise the level of talent on the roster but to also bring more attention to the Stars from around the Dallas market.

There are multiple issues with going after the biggest names available, the least of which is going to be the asking price involved. Some of the top players hitting the market have red flags that will make any team think twice about making a significant investment and when it comes to free agents with a laundry list of issues heading into the summer, Alexander Semin tops the list.

Semin has been the focus of intense ire by Captials fans and media over the past few years, as his considerable talent level and production early in his career began to be overshadowed by accusations of lazy play and a lack of heart. Three years ago these issues weren't considered a major problem as Semin put up 40 goals and 84 points; the past two seasons, however, Semin's productivity has dropped off considerably despite making a considerable amount of money.

What sort of option does Semin present to the Dallas Stars and would he be worth the investment? There's also the fact that it's not entirely clear whether Semin even wants to test NHL free agency this summer. Let's take a closer look after the jump.

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When Tom Gaglardi purchased the Dallas Stars back in November, discussion started about the job security of General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk. Hired in 2009 as one of the final decisions made by previous owner Tom Hicks, Nieuwendyk's Stars have failed to make the postseason the past three years -- and past four years overall -- and with the Stars fighting for relevancy in the tough Dallas/Fort Worth market there was even talk that his job was in danger if the Stars didn't make the playoffs this season.

Now that Gaglardi has full control of the franchise and CEO and President Jim Lites is back with the Stars, we've already seen a significant amount of turnover in the front office. Several high-ranking management personnel are moving on and there's been turnover in several departments inside the organization as well, as the Stars look to move forward after three years of basic stagnation within the franchise itself. It's unfortunate that anyone has to lose their jobs but it's just the nature of ownership changes in sports.

The debate that exists now -- especially moving forward through this summer -- is whether Nieuwendyk is on the proverbial "hot seat" now that Gaglardi owns the team and expectations are going to be extremely high as the team attempts to improve. This notion has been brought up a few times the past few months, but Kevin Sherrington decided to blow it wide open during a chat on DMN last week:

Comment From Burton ... If Joe Nieuwendyk were the GM of any of the other Dallas teams, wouldn't he be out of a job, especially with Dave Tippett and Ken Hitchcock's success this season?

Kevin Sherrington: We were just discussing that over lunch yesterday. He fired Tippett and could have had Hitchcock back. Things are not looking good for Joe, especially with a new owner. I'd say he's on a very short leash.

There is so much to discuss from the sentences above. Let's get started...

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WARNING: THAR BE SPOILERS IN DIS HERE DISCUSSION THREAD. THIS IS FOR DISCUSSION OF THE TELEVISION SHOW ONLY -- NO BOOK SPOILERS~!!!!

"A Man Without Honor" is the seventh episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The episode is written by series co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed, for the second time in this season, by David Nutter. It will premiere on May 13, 2012.

The name of the episode comes from Catelyn Stark's assesment of the Kingslayer: "You are a man without honor."

The cable television series closely follows the multiple storylines of the A Song of Ice and Fire series,[3] and author Martin has stated that the show's pilot script was very faithful to his work.[4] Set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Game of Thrones chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the kingdom's noble families for control of the Iron Throne; as the series opens, additional threats from the snow and ice covered region north of Westeros and from the eastern continent across a narrow sea are simultaneously beginning to rise.[2]

WARNING: THAR BE SPOILERS IN DIS HERE DISCUSSION THREAD. THIS IS FOR DISCUSSION OF THE TELEVISION SHOW ONLY -- NO BOOK SPOILERS~!!!!

The United States, after needing overtime to dispatch Kasakhstan on Friday, secured a spot in the quarterfinals today with a big 5-0 win over host Finland. Kari Lehtonen, after starting the tournament so strongly, allowed five goals against the Americans after allowing four goals against Canada in the previous game.

Unfortunately, the risks of playing internationally made themselves well known today. Alex Goligoski took a vicious boarding call dished out by Finland's Anssi Salmela, although it appears that Goose should be alright -- he returned to play the full third period. Be warned -- this is one of the worst boarding incidents you'll see.

(h/t to Puck Daddy)

The other bad news is that Lehtonen appeared to injure himself late in the game when an American player colliding with him heading into the net. No word yet on the severity of the injury.

In other news:

Jamie Benn and Team Canada crushed Kasakhstan 8-0 on Saturday, with Benn registering two shots on goal and one assist in the game. Benn played with Teddy Purcell and Alex Burrows and appears to continue to play a primarily defensive role for Canada.

Loui Eriksson saw his goal-scoring lead in the tournament disappear, with one assist and two shots as Sweden easily shut down Italy 4-0.

Philip Larsen continues to be the workhorse for the overmatched Denmark team, playing over 27 minutes in a 2-1 loss against Germany.

Richard Bachman was in net against Kasakhstan for Team USA on Friday, although neither goal allowed could really be counted as his fault.

Tonight the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals meet for Game 7 of their series, with the winner moving on to face the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series between the Rangers and the Capitals has been an extremely entertaining one, perhaps the best of the playoffs so far (I'll explain why in a bit), but what has been really interesting is how the series -- and the remaining teams -- has created a narrative that the NHL is right back in the think of the "dead puck era."

The Kings and Coyotes, in particular, seem to be a target of such frustrations as these are two teams that are using incredible defense and goaltending to fuel two unexpectedly deep runs in the postseason. Both teams are allowing the fewest goals per game of any team in the playoffs and are riding two extremely hot goaltenders on what they hope to be the road to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The fact that these two defensive-minded teams have beaten out Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, Nashville and other top ten regular-season scoring teams seems to have fueled this notion that the NHL is back to the "boring days" before the NHL lockout.

While it is true that scoring across the league is down overall since 2005-2006, just because teams have found a way to adjust defensive strategies and parlay that to successful hockey does not mean that hockey is boring once again. In fact, one could argue that hockey is at it's most exciting when teams are able to withstand hard-charging offenses and when two defensively-strong teams meet, it has the makings for some extremely entertaining hockey that makes every coaching decision, every penalty and every shot all the more exciting.

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We're wrapping up our 2011-2012 Dallas Stars season analysis this month here at Defending Big D. As part of our wrap-up, we're trying something a little unique and different to end the season. Over the next week or two, each of the DBD staff members will be writing a personal perspective on the season that was. It's going to be cathartic, sometimes witty, sometimes funny, and hopefully won't include anymore almost-arrests like Taylor had this season.

This past year has been very interesting for me, personally. It has been a year of major changes, of big steps forward and a few steps back and times when I felt the stress and upheaval of everything that was going on around me would become too much to handle. Through it all, however, I had the Dallas Stars and the joys, triumphs and disappointments of another season that was over much too quickly.

This time last year I was on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, working in an environment I hated at a job I wasn't good at and only two things kept my hopes for the future high: the girlfriend I loved so dearly and the website and team that have become such a big part of my life. For many, my presence on the oil rig was but a humourous footnote but for me personally, it was an experience I'm glad I had but will never go through again. It was a job that paid well, but it also took me away from my family and those I cared about and after 10 years in the Navy, I knew that this was not what I wanted for my life.

Since then, I've since moved to Ohio, back to Houston and then moved from one place in Houston to another. I've started going back to school full time. I got married to my wonderful girlfriend and I gained a daughter in the process. Just over a month after the wedding, we learned that we would be expecting another come October. I have already purchased the infant onesie and cap from the Dallas Stars store.

For many reasons, this past season for the Stars was incredibly memorable for those of us that follow this team so closely. Through all the changes and upheaval in my life, I always have my fanaticism and dedication to fall back on and it's something I cherish and hold dear. What do I remember most about this past season and what will I never forget?

Where do I start?

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Yesterday the Dallas Stars made the first "splash" of the 2012 offseason when it was reported that Bob Gainey is expected to be hired as a consultant for the team, with CEO and President Jim Lites confirming the report. A formal announcement is expected soon, as details of the deal are still being finalized, yet it is clear that the Stars intend to hire the former GM and coach in something that appears to be a fairly significant role.

For those that have been long-time Dallas Stars fans, Bob Gainey holds a somewhat legendary status because of how he built the Stars into a Stanley Cup winning team just six years after coming to Dallas. Gainey was originally hired as the head coach of the North Stars in 1990 and then became the General Manager in 1992.

Three years after the Stars moved to Dallas, Gainey hired Ken Hitchcock and stepped down as coach to focus on his GM duties. Over the next three years he would make several shrewd decisions en route to building what would become one of the most consistently successful franchises in the Western Conference.

Since leaving Dallas in 2002, Gainey has had a tough road in Montreal and has worked the past two seasons as a consultant there after stepping down as General Manager in 2010. When it was announced that Gainey would no longer have the consulting position after this season, it seemed that the possibility of coming to Dallas was merely a pipe dream for those of us that remember his time here fondly.

What does this hiring mean, however? And what sort of role with Gainey have the Stars? Let's take a quick look after the jump.

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Ever since the Chicago Blackhawks were knocked out of the first round the NHL playoffs rumors swirled regarding the coaching staff. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, and subsequently having to blow up the team, the Blackhawks have struggled with high expectations for two seasons in a row and have lost in the first round in the past two postseasons.

There were rumors that head coach Joel Quenneville might be headed to coach in Montreal but after a few days of speculation Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman and Quenneville himself denied the reports. However, change was needed and instead of a major coaching change in Chicago the team decided to part ways with assistant coach Mike Haviland, in what appears to be a somewhat controversial decision.

By some accounts, there was dysfunction in the coaching staff and between the coaches and the players. Haviland was already an assistant in Chicago when Quenneville was hired, who brought his own assistant to the team by the name of Mike Kitchen. It's well established that Kitchen and Quenneville are good friends and the fact that Haviland was not "his guy" is likely the reason for the change, which appears to be Quenneville's decision and backed by Stan Bowman.

What is interesting about this is that Kitchen is not considered by many to be a very good hockey coach, while Haviland is considered one of the top assistants in the country and likely had a good chance at the head coaching spot in Chicago had Quenneville left.

If Haviland doesn't get one of the head coaching positions that are bound to be available this summer, he could represent a very intriguing option for the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach who could undoubtedly help the team moving forward.

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Last summer Defending Big D began an in-depth 'investigation' into local youth hockey in Dallas and how the relationship with the Dallas Stars had changed over the years. It was disturbing to hear from parents and players who were so upset and dissatisfied with how things have changed. We talked to people at multiple levels of youth hockey and everyone had the same thing to say: the Stars had basically abandoned the system they had created.

When the Stars had first come to Dallas in 1993, Jim Lites and his front office made a commitment to building interest in an NHL team in the area by forging a relationship with the local youth. The Stars created several local hockey leagues, built the Dr Pepper Starcenters around the area and players could routinely be found participating in camps and appearing at local tournaments.

For those that remember, the NHL Breakout tournaments in the area were incredibly popular as well, with Stars players having their kids participating as well. By the time the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999, the youth hockey scene was swelling with popularity. I remember playing games throughout the week then rushing to the television during intermissions to see the score of the Stars games. Getting the chance to play for the Junior Stars at any level was considered an honor.

But as the 2000's progressed and Tom Hicks' sports empire collapsed, the team's relationship with the local hockey players diminished. I don't want to get into the specifics of how bad it got or repeat what was reported to DBD, but it's enough to say that by the time the franchise was sold to Tom Gaglardi the relationship was at an all-time low.

We didn't write our article on the situation last summer because it became clear that those responsible for the issues were gone and those still with the Stars were unable to correct the situation until the sale of the franchise was complete. It wasn't fair, at the time, to report on something that no one currently with the team had any control over.

Now, with the sale to Gaglardi complete and Jim Lites back as CEO and President, the Stars are focused on rebuilding interest in the team and the best way to do that is to replicate what the team accomplished in the 1990s. With the formation of a brand new youth travel league, the Stars are taking the first steps towards repairing a very rocky relationship.

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The Texas Tornado, after defeating the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Monday night, will be playing for Robertson Cup tonight in the championship game in Frisco. Back in May of 2010 the Tornado franchise was turned over to new ownership and since then, the NAHL team has continued to take significant steps in maintaining its position as one of the premiere development programs in the nation.

The NAHL is a great league for developing talent before they reach the collegiate level, and the Texas Tornado are one of the top franchises in the league. Texas won three consecutive national championships from 2004-2006 and seven North American Hockey League division titles from 1990-2007, developing over 80 players into NCAA and professional leagues.

Here's the info for tonight's game, from Nick Crimmons:

The Texas Tornado have advanced to the 2012 Robertson Cup Championship Game! The game is Tuesday, May 8th at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. The game starts at 7:30pm against the St Louis Bandits.

Tickets are $5 in the Fan Zone and are available either by calling the Tornado office at 972-335-9800 or by coming by the box office.

Come out and support the Texas Tornado as they try and claim their 5th Robertson Cup Championship!

Go Tornado!

If I wasn't in Houston, I'd be at the game tonight. It's a great chance to see how hockey development in North Texas can work so well.