Roy Eyes NHL Headcoaching Job

Rumor has it that Patrick Roy is interested in a headcoaching job in the NHL RIGHT NOW. How Roy would be as a coach at the top level no one really knows but it would be a lot of fun. His personality as a player added a flashiness that was uncanny. Generally speaking Roy’s affinity for the spotlight in showtime did not interfere with his on ice play; in fact it probably caused him to raise his game. Imagine that same pizzazz and energy behind the bench. A glimpse of that was seen in his endeavors as a coach at the junior level but with some controversy. At the NHL level that style will in all likelihood create little if any controversy to the extent it did at his junior gig. In fact, that style will probably energize players and fans alike leading to some very entertaining nights whether it’s midseason or in the thick of the playoffs. Roy will probably coach in either Montreal or Colorado and no matter which city he lands in there will be storylines-a-plenty. If he ends up in Montreal the media will have a field day with the return of a living legend to where it all started for him in 1986. A love-hate relationship with the fans and media in Montreal will surely develop as the hockey crazed city that defines success by two words and two words only “Stanley Cup.” Roy will know what to expect in that situation and I think he’ll thrive on the pressure that will definitely be placed square on his shoulders. So between the fans, the media, (not to mention the unceremonious way in which he left the team as a player)and all of the ghosts of the old forum that are bellowing in the hallways of the Bell Centre, Patrick Roy in Montreal would be anything but dull.

Patrick Roy in Denver would also work out quite well. With the energy he’ll bring to the bench (as discussed above) he can reinvigorate a city that has been an unbelievable hockey town since they moved there from Quebec City almost 15 years ago. The team did not have a good year and for the first time in a long time some of the seats at the Pepsi Center remained unoccupied. Putting Roy behind the bench will certainly put fans back in the seats and give the Avalanche some much needed national attention (from both Canada and the U.S.). Of course it wouldn’t only be the fans who would be excited about Roy’s return to Denver but also the players who would feed off of Roy’s fire and passion for the game. And last, but not least, is the hype that would inevitably be created leading up to the four meetings between Patrick Roy and Wayne Gretzky. Two living legends leading their teams against one another is sure to add an extra intangible element to that match-up. As of right now there is really no rivalry between Colorado and Phoenix but with these two guys behind the bench, their respective competitive natures are sure to spill over onto the ice which is a very exciting prospect.

Love him or hate him no matter where Roy ends up his presence will have nothing but a positive effect on his team, the city, and the league as a whole.

NHL Stretch-Run a Wild Ride

It’s time again to sweep around the league to talk about a few of the stories developing as the playoffs inch closer and closer:

1. Number one Story of the night is the Marty Brodeur has surpassed Patrick Roy in wins to take the all-time lead at 552. There is not much more to be said about Brodeur at this point after the article dedicated to his tying of the record. If you missed it you can click here or on his name above.

2. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in the midst of an eleven game point streak which catapulted them from 10^th into a tie with Philadelphia in fourth position in the Eastern Conference. The acquisition of Kunitz and Guerin has been golden so far as both have contributed majorly on the scoreboard as they play the respective wings next to Crosby on the top line. Roughly 20 games ago many people suspected the Penguins were very likely to miss the playoffs or do little damage even if they managed to scrape by to get in. But now not only are the Bylsma led Penguins in decent playoff position by some of those same people feel they can not only make it to the playoffs but make yet another run at the Stanley Cup. Oh and don’t forget about that Malkin guy who scored his 100^th point Tuesday night, they tell me that’s kind of a big deal or something.

3. The Montreal Canadiens have been in a virtual free-fall for weeks now. Carey Price has been struggling mightily, Alexi Kovalev has been subpar all season long and Guy Carbonneau has been fired and replaced by GM Bob Gainey who does not have them in much better position. It was supposed to be a celebration in Montreal this year with it being the 100^th anniversary of the franchise with allegedly their best team in a long time. Now the Habs are in 7^th position and barely hanging on with Carolina, Florida, and Buffalo hot on their trail.

4. In the West the LA Kings all the way down in 13^th place still have a legitimate shot at qualifying for the playoffs. Only six points separate eighth from 13^th as the teams play “musical chairs” with playoff positioning almost nightly. Also, the Columbus Blue Jackets have surged as of late and really separated themselves from the lower pack in the West led by rookie sensation Steve Mason. Meanwhile the Chicago Blackhawks—who were once considered to be a shoe-in—have been struggling as of late and risk surrendering the 4^th spot and the first-round home-ice advantage that comes with it

All-in-all there have been a lot of surprises over the last two months and the league continues to entertain. Things you thought you knew just a short time ago have completely changed and that’s the beauty of the sport. As fun as the last two months have been they are sure to be topped in the next few weeks. So hang on to your seats hockey fans because as great as it has been thus far you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Brodeur Ties Record; Devils Eye Bruins

Saturday night, with Patrick Roy in attendance, Martin Brodeur tied the all-time wins mark for a goalie and is now even with the aforementioned Roy with 551 wins. Brodeur has already accomplished just about everything else a goaltender can accomplish and now the all-time wins record will soon be his as well as the shutout record. He’s won championships and broken records with nothing but class and dignity. All those who know him whether in the media or on the ice (perhaps except Sean Avery) have always had nothing but high praise for the way he handles himself in every aspect of life. And if all of that weren’t enough, his New Jersey Devils have a very good team assembled in front of him. The Devils will certainly make a lot of noise come playoff time, but meanwhile they are in prime position to overtake the once high-flying Boston Bruins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. So not only can Brodeur claim two major records—after being out for most of the season only to return to the ice in top form—but he may be able to add another division title, regular season conference title, and most of all perhaps another Stanley Cup. Whether you’re a fan of the Devils or not, watching Brodeur operate is a real treat for hockey fans everywhere. And as he goes on to break the all-time wins record and soon thereafter the shutout record, appreciate that you’re watching a very special player, the type that doesn’t come around every day and one we may never see again.

Devils Roll, Canadiens Tumble

The New Jersey Devils downed the Boston Bruins Thursday night 4-3 in overtime despite blowing a 2-0 third period lead. That makes seven in a row for the Devils increasing their Atlantic Division lead to three points over the Rangers and allows them to slip past Washington for second in the East. This win streak is probably not an indication of what New Jersey will do in the playoffs but it says a lot about their team. When future hall-of-fame goalie Martin Brodeur went out for the season with an elbow injury early in November many wondered how the Devils would react to such a major loss. Scott Clemmensen has been quite impressive after a bumpy start to life without Brodeur in which the Devils lost 5 of 6 including a 4 game losing streak. Fans in New Jersey are now saying “Marty who?” well, not quite but so far so good for the Devils, but what happens in the playoffs is what matters.

On the other side of the spectrum are the Montreal Canadiens who, despite all the good will created from the all star game festivities this past week, are losers are 4 in a row and have questions about second year netminder Carey Price. Price has made three starts after returning from injury and has loss three games yielding 5 goals in each of those starts. The Canadiens and Price had some high expectations coming into this season, and many of those expectations can still be reached but it will take a much better effort from Price and from their once dominating power play. It is important to remember, however, that Price is just a second year player and not every goaltender can have the success so early in his career the way Patrick Roy did; but don’t tell Canadiens’ fans.

Roy, Clark Honored; Luongo Injured

Let me start by saying how great the respective ceremonies were honoring Patrick Roy and Wendel Clark. The Canadiens (Roy) and Maple Leafs (Clark) paid tribute quite appropriately to two guys’ who each left different marks on the game but both will have a positive impact on the world of hockey for many years to come. In other news it was a showcase day for the original six teams who were all on TV nationally in Canada on CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada and on the NHL Network in the U.S. with four of the six matching up against each other—Montreal vs. Boston and Chicago vs. Toronto. Both games were extremely entertaining as they each had one team come from behind late in the game to force overtime with the former being decided in a shootout. Although both home-standing teams lost I think it was fitting that two players were honored on a night that ended in a very exciting manner. The rest of the schedule was entertaining with six games being decided by one goal five needing overtime/a shootout to decide a winner. All-in-all it was a great day to be a hockey fan; the one low point however came in Vancouver’s 3-1 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the first period netminder Roberto Luongo left the game with what appeared to be a substantial injury. We may never know what exactly is wrong with him due to the league’s new ridiculous nondisclosure policy but nevertheless it does not look good for one of the league’s best and most exciting goaltenders.