How It's Made

Hello all! This post is to suffice while I wait for the Islanders to wrap up their game versus the Devils. I plan on having the playoff previews up tonight. Until then, school is in session. Here is a look at how some common hockey items are made.

How Hockey Pucks Are Made


How Hockey Gloves Are Made


How Hockey Sticks Are Made

Some interesting and informative videos. I like the hockey glove one. It shows the innovations that were specifically designed to make hockey gloves. That's all for now! See you later with "Teebz's Playoff Predictions". Until then, keep your stick on the ice!

Easier Said Than Done

The final weekend for NHL teams trying to make the playoffs is upon us, and most have been decided as of the time of writing this article. Honestly, it was some of the best hockey I have seen in a while, and it made for great hockey watching. As Europe sang, it was the final countdown for a few teams: the New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and the Colorado Avalanche. Who did what? Who is playing who? How far will my team go in the playoffs? All will be answered below.

Firstly, tomorrow's game between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders has the fate of two teams resting on the outcome: the Islanders themselves, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs eliminated the Montreal Canadiens from the playoff race tonight with a 6-5 victory. Montreal simply needed to win or gain a point, and they would have eliminated both the Islanders and Maple Leafs. However, if they lost in regulation, they'd have all summer to think about it. And what happened? Kyle Wellwood's deflection of a Tomas Kaberle point shot on the powerplay early in the third period was the difference. Now, if the Devils beat the Islanders in regulation, Toronto is in. However, if the Islanders win, the Maple Leafs are out. If the Devils and Islanders are tied after 60 minutes and the Devils win in overtime or the shootout, the Islanders and Maple Leafs would be tied, and we go to the NHL's tie-breaking procedures:

"If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:
1. The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
2. The greater number of games won.
3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
4. The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season."

Option One is out since both teams will have played 82 games. Option Two is a factor since the Leafs would have 40 wins to the Islanders' 39 wins if they lose after 60 minutes. With one point separating the teams, if the Islanders win, the Leafs are out. Therefore, the Leafs have to hope that the Devils win in any case. Otherwise, they are done like the Canadiens were tonight.

In other playoff battles, Ottawa clinched the 4th-seed in the East over the Pittsburgh Penguins by way of having more wins. Both teams finished with 105 points, but the Senators had 48 wins to Pittsburgh's 47 wins. Honestly, I am hoping that the Islanders win tomorrow to eliminate the Leafs so that Hockey Night in Canada carries this series. This one should be one for the ages!

With Tampa Bay losing 7-2 to the Florida Panthers last night and losing 3-2 in a shootout to Atlanta tonight, the New York Rangers clinched the 6th-seed in the East. Tampa Bay will square off in Round One against the New Jersey Devils, while the New York Rangers will travel to Atlanta to meet the Thrashers.

The Barney Rubble Hairpieces, who clinched home-ice throughout the playoffs and won Presidents' Trophy with a 2-0 win over Washington today, await the outcome of the Toronto-New York Islanders saga to see who they face.

In the West, Colorado's loss to the Nashville Predators earlier today eliminated them from the playoffs. Had they won and Calgary lost to the Oilers, tomorrow night's game would have been similar to the Toronto-Montreal game. However, that's all for naught since the Avalanche lost 4-2 to the Predators.

With this known, Detroit will welcome Calgary in the opening round of the playoffs at Joe Louis Arena.

Anaheim will welcome the Minnesota Wild to the Honda Center in the 2-vs-7 series.

Vancouver will welcome the Dallas Stars to GM Place in the 3-vs-6 series.

Nashville will entertain the San Jose Sharks at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in the 4-vs-5 series. This might be the series with the most Frequent Flier miles if it goes seven games.

And last year's Stanley Cup finalists, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers, will watch from the sidelines. This is the first time in NHL history that both finalists failed to qualify for the playoffs the following season.

Tomorrow, I bring you the first annual "Teebz's Playoff Predictions". It should be funny because I'm not going to beat around the bush on any of the series. I'll simply tell you who I think will win, why they will win, and in how many games. It should be a blast. Until tomorrow, keep your stick on the ice!

I Got "Julien'd"

I apologize for my lack of posts in recent days. I've spent more time in the new vehicle I purchased rather than in front of a computer. However, I am back to discuss my findings on the Claude Julien firing.

It's a safe bet to say that no matter what you think of the New Jersey Devils, they have been one of the best NHL teams over the last decade. Lou Lamoriello has made smart draft choices, signed key free agents, and swung many trades to bring in quality players. However, his coaches have not had the same luck at finding permanent employment. Robbie Ftorek, Larry Robinson, and Claude Julien have all been given their walking papers weeks or days before the end of the season. Why? Why does the man running the ship fire his first mate as the hurricane approaches? A ship that has sailed so well all season suddenly is launched into internal turmoil before the Stanley Cup playoffs. Why does this happen?

Make no mistake that the New Jersey Devils are Lou Lamoriello's team. His fingerprints are on everything. He has rebuilt the Devils into a Stanley Cup-calibre team each season despite facing salary cap limitations and holdouts. But his control on the Devils runs much deeper than that. As Alan Adams of Rogers' Sportsnet.ca writes, "[t]he thing about Lamoriello is that he is a control freak. The assistant coaches are prohibited from talking to the media. His PR staff is required to wear a shirt and jacket at all times on the road, even when they are visiting close friends in their homes for dinner. In the days before voice-mail, Lamoriello would read copies of the call messages his PR staff received from reporters asking them to call back."

How can anyone be comfortable having a dictator overhead? I'll be honest: Lou is a smart hockey man who understands the game better than anyone in hockey. Claude Julien had led the Devils to the second seed in the Eastern Conference despite the team being hampered with injuries and salary cap problems. He was tough with players, and demanded a better defensive performance from everyone night after night. Isn't this the kind of win-or-else attitude that Lamoriello would want behind his bench? It's hard to say why Claude Julien was fired as neither side is talking, but here are my three scenarios:

1) Lou Lamoriello wasn't happy with the mini-slump his team was in with ten games to go before the playoffs, and Lou took action in resolving it. As the popular saying reads "you can't fire your entire team", so Lou resolved it in the only way he could - fire the man leading the team. In firing Julien, he stepped in behind the bench as a reminder to the players that Big Brother Lou was watching, and will not stand for lacklustre efforts.

2) There were complaints regarding Julien's coaching tactics from the players, and Lamoriello made the change in order to get his star players back on track. Biran Gionta, John Madden and Scott Gomez have, of late, been in small scoring slumps, possibly adding to the Devils' mini-slump last week. There has been talk of Brian Rafalski asking for more offensive freedom which would go directly against Julien's defence-first approach. Patrik Elias leads the team with a paltry 67 points in 73 games. Rafalski is their highest-scoring defenseman this season with 54 points in 80 games. I understand that defence tightens up in the playoffs, but if can't score already, you better find a way to open it up a bit. This was the Devils' downfall last season, and Lamoriello made the change so that it wasn't a repeat of last season's playoffs. Clashing with the GM and players always will shorten a coach's career.

Don't forget that Julien had a similar problem in Montreal with general manager Bob Gainey in regards to his goaltenders and who was the starter. The tension was serious enough that it cost Julien his job in Montreal. If history repeats itself in terms of personnel and their playing time, Lamoriello took action before the big dance instead of after it. You either do what Lamoriello tells you when he tells you how to do it or you're watching games on television, contract or not.

3) There was a thought that the players inside the locker room had stopped listening to Julien as to their direction, and that Lamoriello was calling the shots through Julien. In that case, removing Julien as the middle man makes financial sense, but little else. Sending Julien off to the unemployment line, however, sends a message to the team that this is Lou's team, and you do what he says. Now that Lou's standing in the locker room, you better give 110% every night, or you may find yourself standing in the same line as Julien. What have you done for me lately plays no part in Lou's decisions, nor does winning a popularity contest.

The reality is that we may never know, and Lamoriello might be satisfied with that. However, the notes in the history books say that Lamoriello took over from Larry Robinson before Christmas in 2005 and profited from the return of a healthy Patrik Elias, but the Devils were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Taking over with three games left in the regular season is hardly enough time to change a system, so I assume that it wasn't the winning that was the problem.

My opinion is that it is a combination of the three scenarios. Is there a problem with that? Not really, but if it took 79 games to come to light, why not ride Julien's success into the playoffs where the Devils have an excellent chance at winning the Stanley Cup? The problem, as I see it, isn't with the fact that Julien was producing successful results. The problem seems to be that the firing had more to do with Lamoriello's controlling nature than Julien doing anything wrong. Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Hockey Players And Comedians

Honestly, hockey players and actors are basically a match made in heaven. Why, you ask? They produce hilarious clips. The "Inglewood Jack"? I couldn't stop laughing at that. Seriously, this clip always makes me laugh, and I thought I'd share it. I'd like to present to you Chris Chelios, and his favorite coach of all-time, Jules Winnfield.

I can't stop giggling at this. It make me laugh as I write this. Priceless.
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In case you may have missed it, Claude Julien was fired as the head coach of the New Jersey Devils today, and Lou Lamoriello has taken over the coaching duties. I am still collecting info on this, but I should have more later. Until then, keep your stick on the ice!

Guys With Heart

There's something to be said about the elder statesmen in the game of hockey today. The guys who are nearing 40 years of age, are already there, or have left that number behind are some of the most inspirational and gritty players there are. Honestly, some of these guys are willing their teams into the playoffs. Why do they provide this uncanny ability to seemingly do whatever is necessary to win? Is it because they know they don't have many years left? Is it because they want to win it all one more time before hanging them up, no matter what the cost? There are a couple of guys who have this heart, and this is a tribute to them.

Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers needs no introduction. The 38 year-old has won a number of Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, and is currently playing his in-your-face style on the ice of Madison Square Garden. Brendan is a goal-scorer, a leader, and is defensively responsible. These three things were evident when he missed a couple of weeks after suffering a concussion. However, now that he's back, the Rangers are pushing hard for a playoff spot, and they just might get it. Brendan is also known as a guy who can turn a tense locker room into one where players play hard. His sense of humour has never been lost, as seen below.

Brendan Shanahan does the "Ottawa interview" where guys in the Senators' locker room give interviews on stationary bikes. I couldn't stop giggling at this one.

Gary Roberts was brought in by the Pittsburgh Penguins to help guide a young team into the playoffs. The 40 year-old's leadership is unquestioned, and he has won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Calgary Flames. He brings grit and toughness to the ice, along with the ability to play in front of the net with soft hands. Listen to the announcers below talk about the value of Roberts.

Although this video end with Erik Christensen's highlights, the value of a guy like Gary Roberts cannot be overlooked.

Rod Brind'Amour was instrumental in Carolina's Stanley Cup run last season. The 37 year-old is the undeniable leader in the Hurricanes' dressing room, and always brings his A-game to the ice. Rod "The Bod" has been described as the "most fit player" in the NHL due to his off-season regiment, and is one of the most intense players to ever lace up the skates. However, he seems to be able to take a joke, as seen in the video below.

Erik Cole, Bates Battaglia, and Rod Brind'Amour talk about life and hockey with John Davidson. Erik Cole makes fun of Rod the entire time.

Can these guys make a difference? Undoubtedly. All three have won Stanley Cups, and all three have been captains of an NHL at some point. They can score, they inspire their teammates, and they demand excellence. I expect that the team that wins the Stanley Cup this season has one of this type of these guys on their team. Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!