I appreciate the feedback I've gotten from the talk I had with Kyle Woodlief. It's the kind of post that gets the juices flowing right before Thanksgiving as the weather gets colder and the hockey races heat up.
One question I did ask him was what he thought about the trade that sent Phil Kessel to Toronto for the high picks in 2010 and 2011. He didn't want to go into the psychology behind what motivated the Bruins to move Kessel other than saying that they obviously saw something about him they didn't like to trade a 22-year-old coming off of a 36-goal season, and one who, had he not been sidelined with mono at midseason, very likely would have potted 40 or more.
That said- Woodlief said that if Toronto's pick hovers around top-five, the Bruins will get a player of comparable value, because he sees the 2010 top-five as being very close in terms of upside to the class of '06, when Kessel was taken fifth overall. The real issue lies with how long it make take whomever the Bruins choose to make the team and have an impact. Kessel was in the NHL at 18, and although it took him until his third season to show off the consistent scoring we all know he brings to the table, he was someone who paid immediate dividends.
Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler all look like players who could be skating in the NHL a year from now, but beyond those guys, the crystal ball is a little cloudier.
In any case- it's an interesting discussion that is going to take years to play out before a definitive case for which team won the deal can be made either way. If the Leafs stay in the tank and the Bruins can land a skilled, talented player who is a little more socially adept and committed to the organization- a better fit overall than Kessel was- then I think they'll be happy.
Kudos to Kessel for how well he's played in Toronto so far, but he can only put the puck in the net or help his teammates to do so...he can't keep them out of his own net. Every point the Leafs lose in the standings pushes Boston closer to landing one of the real draft bonanza players in the 2010 class. Brian Burke, in going out and surrendering three high picks for Kessel, has essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul. It's a tough challenge for him to overcome this season, because he doesn't have a lot of tradeable assets he can use to make his team better with.
That's why I think this blog is going to continue to gain followers as the season rolls on...like 1997, this draft year will have more buzz for B's fans than any other in history.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Interview with Red Line Report Chief Scout Kyle Woodlief
Today I had the pleasure to have an extended talk with Kyle Woodlief, Chief Scout and Publisher of the Red Line Report, the premier independent scouting service for hockey. Kyle has been running the show at Red Line since 1998, and I've enjoyed getting to know him and his scouts since becoming a subscriber in 2000 and attending many of the NHL drafts each June.
Regardless of what you happen to think of Kyle's and his staff's opinions on players, you can be assured that they are seeing an enormous amount of hockey games across the globe and are in attendance at all major international tournaments as well as major junior, college, tier 2 and junior B, prep hockey games and so on. These guys leave no stone unturned, so there is always a wealth of information in every monthly Red Line Report bulletin.
I talked to Kyle about a variety of subjects today, so without further ado, here is the transcript of our chat:
Bruins2010DraftWatch: How is the Class of 2010 shaping up overall?
Kyle Woodlief: I think it's a pretty good crop, a fairly deep crop and I really like a few of the players at the top. (Center) Tyler Seguin is going to be a top forward someday with his outstanding two-way game and upside. (Taylor) Hall (LW) is a high-end skills guy who can score and bring a lot of speed and offense to any situation, and there's (Cam) Fowler if you're looking for a top defenseman who can do everything and run your power play, so this is a draft group that is as strong at the top as any in recent memory.
B2101DW: Like Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian, does Cam Fowler have the same kind of potential to be an impact NHL defenseman right away?
KW: Yes- absolutely. I think he does. In this class, I see Fowler as the only d-man I would compare to that crop of defensemen who came out in 2008. What I like about him, beyond his obvious skills and potential, is the fact that as a late '91 he played a full schedule with the U.S. NTDP last year, and this year, could play close to 90 games. You figure that he's going to get about 70 with Windsor in the regular season and I'd be shocked if they didn't at least reach the conference finals. If they win the OHL, then they'd play in the Memorial Cup, so between the regular schedule, the full slate of international tournaments he played in last year and then the games he'll get with Windsor this season, you're looking at about 160 games of high-level hockey in the past two years. I don't think he would need that extra year of major junior eligibility, and it's likely that depending on which NHL team drafts him, he'll be able to make the immediate jump.
B2010DW: Red Line has Tyler Seguin over Taylor Hall as the top player available in the draft;(Editors' note: So does Central Scouting, who released their midterm rankings today. More on that later) Why Seguin over Hall, who has certainly been a fan favorite to be the No. 1 pick in June?
KW: (Seguin's) just a smarter, better player overall. He's got the two-way game and is a tremendous hockey player who thinks the game as well as he plays it. Hall's skills are elite and he's more polished at this stage of his career, but in my opinion, Seguin does more to win hockey games on a nightly basis than Hall does. His developmental curve is a straight line heading upward right now, and I just really like his upside and potential to be a star performer at the NHL level one day.
B2010DW: What are your thoughts on Moncton's Kirill Kabanov (LW) and his upside? (Kabanov is ranked 4th overall on RLR's Nov. list)
KW:He's got a huge upside; his puck skills are ridiculous- his stick is like a magnet for the puck. He makes plays at top speed and will control the offensive flow of the play. He's got some filling out to do- he's only about 172 pounds right now, but when he does, I think you'll see something special because he's got incredibly soft hands and is unselfish with the puck. He's very creative and is silky smooth out there with the puck. He's got a funky-looking stride, but he's really fast and always seems to get to the puck first. I also like the fact that he plays with a chippy edge, even though he doesn't have the strength right now to really be able to get away with playing that kind of style. It will come for him when he adds the pounds to that 6-3 frame of his. One thing that is a bit of a problem for him right now is that he tends to let his emotions get the best of him at times. He's got to work on his discipline and not getting too involved emotionally when things aren't going well, but other than that, he's got a tremendous skill level, speaks English very well, and has really fit into that Moncton dressing room. He's a guy who missed the first month or so of the season while waiting for the IIHF appeal to go through, but he didn't miss a beat, and you can see his potential whenever he's on the ice.
B2010DW: You have Kingston (OHL) defenseman Eric Gudbranson ranked closer to 20th than 10th. Is it because of his injuries that he's fallen off a bit, or is there more to it
KW: No, it's because he's been hurt- he just hasn't played much this year. He's been out for three weeks or so, so that injury has held him back a bit. He's not quite the sum of his parts yet. He's a huge kid who makes a good first pass, but he hasn't fully asserted himself in the offensive end yet in the limited amount of time we've been able to see him, so when he comes back, we'll be looking at how he does in that regard. He certainly has the potential to climb above 20, and if he can come back strong and assert himself more, you might see that. But, he's not playing, and other guys are and have gotten off to good starts, so you have to put him down a bit when you have other players performing at or above expectations.
B2010DW: Who do you see as some of the biggest risers in this year's crop?
KW: I think Emerson Etem (Center- Red Line's 10th overall player for Nov.) is a real riser. He left the U.S. team to go to Medicine Hat of the Dub, and I thought it would take him a while to get used to the physical aspects of the WHL, but he's come through like a champ. He's scoring a lot of goals and competing hard, which is something I just didn't see him do a lot playing on the U.S. Under-17 team because he was more talented than a lot of the players he skated with and against. But, to his credit, he's been bringing a high effort level so far, and you're seeing it pay off for him on the scoresheet. Another player I really like as someone who has risen up the rankings is the Russian Alexander Burmistrov (C- 19th), who is off to an excellent start with the Barrie Colts (OHL). He's a little on the small side, so we wanted to see how he handled himself in the OHL and our early rankings reflected that, but he's played extremely well and really done a good job for Barrie, so I've been impressed with him. Probably the biggest surprise so far has been the play of another Russian in the OHL: Saginaw's Ivan Telegin (C- 28th), who, coming into the season was someone we saw as someone who had the tools, but lacked the scoring and finish to be a top-six kind of forward. We saw him last year in Russia, and we liked his skills except for the fact that he just couldn't seem to finish, so the question was- is he more of a third-line checking guy? But this year, he's been lighting it up with Saginaw (16 goals in 22 games) as a rookie, so given the tools he's already shown, it's very much a pleasant surprise to see him finishing as well as he has so far.
B2010DW: If the season ended today, the Bruins would be picking 2nd and 9th overall. Going by Red Line's rankings, they'd be looking at Taylor Hall (2) or Cam Fowler (3) and huge, skilled defenseman Derek Forbort (9) or Emerson Etem (10). Let's assume they were to pick Fowler 2nd and Etem 9th. In your opinion, what would the Bruins be getting with those two?
KW: In Cam Fowler, you have a defenseman who can come in right away and apprentice under Zdeno Chara, but not be the focal point of the defense for his team right away. He wouldn't have the kind of pressure of being a high pick and the team needing him to step up right away and run the power play and be everything to that back end, and plus- it's a pretty good situation for Fowler to learn the game from a someone who's a pretty fine defenseman in his own right (laughs). I think not having that added pressure of having to perform as a No. 1 d-man right away would be the right kind of environment for Fowler, and I would expect he'd respond to it pretty well. Etem wouldn't likely make the club right away and would go back to junior for one more year of seasoning, but the Bruins would be getting a guy who will add a lot of speed to the attack. He'd be a nice replacement for Phil Kessel's speed, although I don't know that Etem possesses the same kind of dynamic scoring ability that Kessel does. Still, he's an excellent prospect, and for Boston to get those guys would bode well for the team in the future.
B2010DW: Who are some of the players who might be flying under the radar a bit for you?
KW: A couple come to mind: Ryan Johansen (LW- ranked 47th) of Portland in the WHL was playing Tier 2 last year in the BCHL, but has made a seamless transition to the Dub and has impressed early. Another player I like is the big German defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser (42nd) of Halifax (QMJHL). He had a broken wrist early in the year and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, but came back in three, which shows me that he's got some real toughness and commitment to his team. He's quarterbacking the power play and has shown some good skills playing on a bad team. Again, I like the fact that he worked hard to get back into the lineup, which shows me he's a tough kid who really wants to play. That kind of thing matters to NHL teams, who are looking for dedicated players.
B2010DW: Looking ahead to 2011, how does that class stack up in the early going? Is it as weak as some have said it is?
KW: It's still pretty early in the season, and I haven't turned my attention to the '93s all that much yet. I probably won't focus on them until I go to Timmins, Ont. next month for the World Under-17 Challenge, but there are a few guys who have caught our attention: German forward Tobias Rieder is someone we'll be watching closely, and there are a couple of late '92s on the U.S. team who have some potential as well. Matthew Nieto, Nick Shore, whom I like better than his older brothers, and Michael Mersch are three forwards who represent some pretty good talent coming out of that program. Shane McColgan is speedy kid with a world of talent who is doing well in the WHL, and one more native Californian in a growing line of really talented players to come out of that state.
We also talked about Moncton defenseman Brandon Gormley, Red Line's 7th-ranked player and second defender after Fowler. Kyle saw him last night in the QMJHL vs. Russia game in Drummondville and was impressed with the former top bantam pick two years ago. Of course, the caveat to the assessment was that the Quebec team hammered the hapless Russians, and Woodlief said just about every player on the 'Q' squad stood out/had a good game (to include current B's prospects Max Sauve and Jordan Caron).
Here's how Woodlief sees Gormley as of right now: "He's a solid d-man with good hockey skills and sense. I don't think he has the mindset to be a shutdown, physical defender at the NHL level, but he'll be a solid two way guy who can put up about 50 points, but not a 60-70-point, shutdown type of player."
As always, I want to thank Kyle for being so generous with his time and free with his opinions and views on the players. As the season progresses, I'll talk to Kyle again, as well as some of his regional scouts, who are so integral to Red Line's rankings and final draft guide in June.
If you are interested in what Red Line has to offer, you can visit the website at: http://www.redlinereport.com/
I'll be back a little later with comments on Central Scoutings preliminary rankings once I've had a chance to digest them. Thanks for reading!
Regardless of what you happen to think of Kyle's and his staff's opinions on players, you can be assured that they are seeing an enormous amount of hockey games across the globe and are in attendance at all major international tournaments as well as major junior, college, tier 2 and junior B, prep hockey games and so on. These guys leave no stone unturned, so there is always a wealth of information in every monthly Red Line Report bulletin.
I talked to Kyle about a variety of subjects today, so without further ado, here is the transcript of our chat:
Bruins2010DraftWatch: How is the Class of 2010 shaping up overall?
Kyle Woodlief: I think it's a pretty good crop, a fairly deep crop and I really like a few of the players at the top. (Center) Tyler Seguin is going to be a top forward someday with his outstanding two-way game and upside. (Taylor) Hall (LW) is a high-end skills guy who can score and bring a lot of speed and offense to any situation, and there's (Cam) Fowler if you're looking for a top defenseman who can do everything and run your power play, so this is a draft group that is as strong at the top as any in recent memory.
B2101DW: Like Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian, does Cam Fowler have the same kind of potential to be an impact NHL defenseman right away?
KW: Yes- absolutely. I think he does. In this class, I see Fowler as the only d-man I would compare to that crop of defensemen who came out in 2008. What I like about him, beyond his obvious skills and potential, is the fact that as a late '91 he played a full schedule with the U.S. NTDP last year, and this year, could play close to 90 games. You figure that he's going to get about 70 with Windsor in the regular season and I'd be shocked if they didn't at least reach the conference finals. If they win the OHL, then they'd play in the Memorial Cup, so between the regular schedule, the full slate of international tournaments he played in last year and then the games he'll get with Windsor this season, you're looking at about 160 games of high-level hockey in the past two years. I don't think he would need that extra year of major junior eligibility, and it's likely that depending on which NHL team drafts him, he'll be able to make the immediate jump.
B2010DW: Red Line has Tyler Seguin over Taylor Hall as the top player available in the draft;(Editors' note: So does Central Scouting, who released their midterm rankings today. More on that later) Why Seguin over Hall, who has certainly been a fan favorite to be the No. 1 pick in June?
KW: (Seguin's) just a smarter, better player overall. He's got the two-way game and is a tremendous hockey player who thinks the game as well as he plays it. Hall's skills are elite and he's more polished at this stage of his career, but in my opinion, Seguin does more to win hockey games on a nightly basis than Hall does. His developmental curve is a straight line heading upward right now, and I just really like his upside and potential to be a star performer at the NHL level one day.
B2010DW: What are your thoughts on Moncton's Kirill Kabanov (LW) and his upside? (Kabanov is ranked 4th overall on RLR's Nov. list)
KW:He's got a huge upside; his puck skills are ridiculous- his stick is like a magnet for the puck. He makes plays at top speed and will control the offensive flow of the play. He's got some filling out to do- he's only about 172 pounds right now, but when he does, I think you'll see something special because he's got incredibly soft hands and is unselfish with the puck. He's very creative and is silky smooth out there with the puck. He's got a funky-looking stride, but he's really fast and always seems to get to the puck first. I also like the fact that he plays with a chippy edge, even though he doesn't have the strength right now to really be able to get away with playing that kind of style. It will come for him when he adds the pounds to that 6-3 frame of his. One thing that is a bit of a problem for him right now is that he tends to let his emotions get the best of him at times. He's got to work on his discipline and not getting too involved emotionally when things aren't going well, but other than that, he's got a tremendous skill level, speaks English very well, and has really fit into that Moncton dressing room. He's a guy who missed the first month or so of the season while waiting for the IIHF appeal to go through, but he didn't miss a beat, and you can see his potential whenever he's on the ice.
B2010DW: You have Kingston (OHL) defenseman Eric Gudbranson ranked closer to 20th than 10th. Is it because of his injuries that he's fallen off a bit, or is there more to it
KW: No, it's because he's been hurt- he just hasn't played much this year. He's been out for three weeks or so, so that injury has held him back a bit. He's not quite the sum of his parts yet. He's a huge kid who makes a good first pass, but he hasn't fully asserted himself in the offensive end yet in the limited amount of time we've been able to see him, so when he comes back, we'll be looking at how he does in that regard. He certainly has the potential to climb above 20, and if he can come back strong and assert himself more, you might see that. But, he's not playing, and other guys are and have gotten off to good starts, so you have to put him down a bit when you have other players performing at or above expectations.
B2010DW: Who do you see as some of the biggest risers in this year's crop?
KW: I think Emerson Etem (Center- Red Line's 10th overall player for Nov.) is a real riser. He left the U.S. team to go to Medicine Hat of the Dub, and I thought it would take him a while to get used to the physical aspects of the WHL, but he's come through like a champ. He's scoring a lot of goals and competing hard, which is something I just didn't see him do a lot playing on the U.S. Under-17 team because he was more talented than a lot of the players he skated with and against. But, to his credit, he's been bringing a high effort level so far, and you're seeing it pay off for him on the scoresheet. Another player I really like as someone who has risen up the rankings is the Russian Alexander Burmistrov (C- 19th), who is off to an excellent start with the Barrie Colts (OHL). He's a little on the small side, so we wanted to see how he handled himself in the OHL and our early rankings reflected that, but he's played extremely well and really done a good job for Barrie, so I've been impressed with him. Probably the biggest surprise so far has been the play of another Russian in the OHL: Saginaw's Ivan Telegin (C- 28th), who, coming into the season was someone we saw as someone who had the tools, but lacked the scoring and finish to be a top-six kind of forward. We saw him last year in Russia, and we liked his skills except for the fact that he just couldn't seem to finish, so the question was- is he more of a third-line checking guy? But this year, he's been lighting it up with Saginaw (16 goals in 22 games) as a rookie, so given the tools he's already shown, it's very much a pleasant surprise to see him finishing as well as he has so far.
B2010DW: If the season ended today, the Bruins would be picking 2nd and 9th overall. Going by Red Line's rankings, they'd be looking at Taylor Hall (2) or Cam Fowler (3) and huge, skilled defenseman Derek Forbort (9) or Emerson Etem (10). Let's assume they were to pick Fowler 2nd and Etem 9th. In your opinion, what would the Bruins be getting with those two?
KW: In Cam Fowler, you have a defenseman who can come in right away and apprentice under Zdeno Chara, but not be the focal point of the defense for his team right away. He wouldn't have the kind of pressure of being a high pick and the team needing him to step up right away and run the power play and be everything to that back end, and plus- it's a pretty good situation for Fowler to learn the game from a someone who's a pretty fine defenseman in his own right (laughs). I think not having that added pressure of having to perform as a No. 1 d-man right away would be the right kind of environment for Fowler, and I would expect he'd respond to it pretty well. Etem wouldn't likely make the club right away and would go back to junior for one more year of seasoning, but the Bruins would be getting a guy who will add a lot of speed to the attack. He'd be a nice replacement for Phil Kessel's speed, although I don't know that Etem possesses the same kind of dynamic scoring ability that Kessel does. Still, he's an excellent prospect, and for Boston to get those guys would bode well for the team in the future.
B2010DW: Who are some of the players who might be flying under the radar a bit for you?
KW: A couple come to mind: Ryan Johansen (LW- ranked 47th) of Portland in the WHL was playing Tier 2 last year in the BCHL, but has made a seamless transition to the Dub and has impressed early. Another player I like is the big German defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser (42nd) of Halifax (QMJHL). He had a broken wrist early in the year and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, but came back in three, which shows me that he's got some real toughness and commitment to his team. He's quarterbacking the power play and has shown some good skills playing on a bad team. Again, I like the fact that he worked hard to get back into the lineup, which shows me he's a tough kid who really wants to play. That kind of thing matters to NHL teams, who are looking for dedicated players.
B2010DW: Looking ahead to 2011, how does that class stack up in the early going? Is it as weak as some have said it is?
KW: It's still pretty early in the season, and I haven't turned my attention to the '93s all that much yet. I probably won't focus on them until I go to Timmins, Ont. next month for the World Under-17 Challenge, but there are a few guys who have caught our attention: German forward Tobias Rieder is someone we'll be watching closely, and there are a couple of late '92s on the U.S. team who have some potential as well. Matthew Nieto, Nick Shore, whom I like better than his older brothers, and Michael Mersch are three forwards who represent some pretty good talent coming out of that program. Shane McColgan is speedy kid with a world of talent who is doing well in the WHL, and one more native Californian in a growing line of really talented players to come out of that state.
We also talked about Moncton defenseman Brandon Gormley, Red Line's 7th-ranked player and second defender after Fowler. Kyle saw him last night in the QMJHL vs. Russia game in Drummondville and was impressed with the former top bantam pick two years ago. Of course, the caveat to the assessment was that the Quebec team hammered the hapless Russians, and Woodlief said just about every player on the 'Q' squad stood out/had a good game (to include current B's prospects Max Sauve and Jordan Caron).
Here's how Woodlief sees Gormley as of right now: "He's a solid d-man with good hockey skills and sense. I don't think he has the mindset to be a shutdown, physical defender at the NHL level, but he'll be a solid two way guy who can put up about 50 points, but not a 60-70-point, shutdown type of player."
As always, I want to thank Kyle for being so generous with his time and free with his opinions and views on the players. As the season progresses, I'll talk to Kyle again, as well as some of his regional scouts, who are so integral to Red Line's rankings and final draft guide in June.
If you are interested in what Red Line has to offer, you can visit the website at: http://www.redlinereport.com/
I'll be back a little later with comments on Central Scoutings preliminary rankings once I've had a chance to digest them. Thanks for reading!
It's Time to Pay Attention to Boston's Scoring Woes
Those of you who know me understand that I am not the typical knee-jerk alarmist, but after the Bruins dropped their game last night to the New York Islanders by a 4-1 score, the team's inability to find a consistent scoring presence is an issue. At the 20-game mark, the Bruins are a mediocre 8-8-4, and bear little resemblance to the team that won the Eastern Conference last season and came within a point of winning the President's Trophy for the best regular season record overall.
I know, I know- it's not breaking news. After all- we're six weeks into the season and the B's are in the bottom five for goals scored in the NHL. Luckily for them- they're in and around the top-ten for goals allowed (the biggest difference between the Bruins and Maple Leafs, IMO) right now, or they'd be down in the Eastern Conference basement as opposed to middle of the pack.
Losing Marc Savard has been a major blow; Milan Lucic's absence from the lineup has hurt as well, but it is Savy who is the straw that stirs Boston's scoring drink, and he's the only player close to scoring at a point-per-game pace, with seven points in as many games before his broken foot forced him out of action.
The fact of the matter is: David Krejci, Marco Sturm, Michael Ryder, Mark Recchi, Blake Wheeler and Dennis Wideman simply have not stepped up offensively this season. I'm not going to play the blame game and single out any one of those guys as being more deserving of the team's collective failure on the scoring front; all players to one degree or another, simply haven't been able to get it done.
Krejci has become the focus of opposition checking, and has not been able to muddle through it. He has recently gotten on the scoreboard, however: he tallied on Boston's 5-on-3 power play against Pittsburgh, then made a terrific move to set up Daniel Paille for the team's only score against the Islanders last night. But overall, he's not had the Midas touch he exhibited last season with just two goals and 8 points in 18 games.
Sturm is possibly the most disappointing of all: after missing much of last season with injuries, he has his speed back, and certainly looks physically capable of returning to form, but simply hasn't. His four goals and 9 points in 20 contests are a pittance compared to what he should be generating, and he's gotten plenty of ice time to produce. His 8 percent shooting percentage only tells part of the story: when I watch Sturm, I see his blazing wheels on display, but he takes an inordinate amount of shots from the outside at sharper angles, which translates into opposing goalies making routine saves. I don't see much movement into traffic by Sturm, nor do I see him playing in the dirty areas of the ice, two factors that I believe explain his lack of production.
Recchi is the frequent whipping boy by Boston fans, and while I've defended him in the past, there is no denying that he is not performing in a top-six role the B's require him to play right now. At this stage of his career, he's not able to generate the kind of consistent production and offensive flow that a top team gets from their top-two lines. At the same time, those who simply take the easy way out by blaming the 41-year-old don't get it, either. Recchi was never seen as a go-to guy for offense this season, he's simply been forced into the responsibility because of injuries. To hold him solely accountable for Boston's scoring woes is not seeing the forest for the trees...he's absolutely not getting it done, nor is he the one on whom you hang your team's hopes.. If you honestly came into this season counting on Recchi's offense to keep the Bruins in contention, then you didn't get it in the first place. In year 21 in the NHL, he's a complementary player and specialist, not a top-two line scorer...unlike the aforementioned and others like Wheeler and Ryder. What's their excuse?
Wheeler and Ryder have shown flashes of what they're capable of, but Wheeler has just 38 shots on net, while scoring on 13.16 percent of them. He's got to shoot the puck more and stop overhandling it in the offensive zone. Ryder got off to a good start, but has cooled considerably and has just seven points in 20 games. The B's are paying him way too much for that paltry a scoring load. True- he's always been a player who depends on a good center to get him the puck, but the Ryder we've seen over the past 15 games or so is a shadow of the player we saw dominating play against Montreal in the first round of the '09 playoffs.
Finally, Dennis Wideman has been a train wreck this year. His defense has always been subpar, but his offense was what made him a solid No. 2 in this league. This season, he's been lousy in both aspects. The defense is about where it was when he first came to Boston in the spring of '07 (read: horrific) and the offense has been virtually nonexistent (1-3-4 in 17 GP). Yes, he's banged up, but surely he can do better. Thank goodness for Derek Morris, who's tied with Zdeno Chara for the lead in scoring for defenseman with 11 points (good for third overall on the team behind Chara and Patrice Bergeron), but just think: where would Boston be if Wideman were actually contributing? He's not, and if he doesn't get it going, the B's are in big trouble this year.
Right now, the Bruins are sitting at 20 points, good for 10th in the conference. They're nine ahead of Toronto (who face Ottawa on the road tonight), but quietly slipping out of the playoff hunt. The Islanders are much-improved over last season, but what we saw last night from Boston was about as poor an offensive showing as you can get. Dwayne Roloson wasn't tested much, and the B's didn't show much of a sense of urgency in the game. When your leading scorer has just six goals in 20 games (Bergeron), then you're not getting it done, period. The Bruins should be grateful that they have the tandem of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask in net otherwise things would be far worse.
Make no mistake- things will improve when Savard and Lucic get back, but how much the team can turn it around depends on whether the team's higher-priced veterans and skill players can get things going. If they don't, then the Bruins won't sniff the postseason this year.
That's good news for draft fans, but terrible news for the state of this team, which is built to win now, but is doing anything but.
I know, I know- it's not breaking news. After all- we're six weeks into the season and the B's are in the bottom five for goals scored in the NHL. Luckily for them- they're in and around the top-ten for goals allowed (the biggest difference between the Bruins and Maple Leafs, IMO) right now, or they'd be down in the Eastern Conference basement as opposed to middle of the pack.
Losing Marc Savard has been a major blow; Milan Lucic's absence from the lineup has hurt as well, but it is Savy who is the straw that stirs Boston's scoring drink, and he's the only player close to scoring at a point-per-game pace, with seven points in as many games before his broken foot forced him out of action.
The fact of the matter is: David Krejci, Marco Sturm, Michael Ryder, Mark Recchi, Blake Wheeler and Dennis Wideman simply have not stepped up offensively this season. I'm not going to play the blame game and single out any one of those guys as being more deserving of the team's collective failure on the scoring front; all players to one degree or another, simply haven't been able to get it done.
Krejci has become the focus of opposition checking, and has not been able to muddle through it. He has recently gotten on the scoreboard, however: he tallied on Boston's 5-on-3 power play against Pittsburgh, then made a terrific move to set up Daniel Paille for the team's only score against the Islanders last night. But overall, he's not had the Midas touch he exhibited last season with just two goals and 8 points in 18 games.
Sturm is possibly the most disappointing of all: after missing much of last season with injuries, he has his speed back, and certainly looks physically capable of returning to form, but simply hasn't. His four goals and 9 points in 20 contests are a pittance compared to what he should be generating, and he's gotten plenty of ice time to produce. His 8 percent shooting percentage only tells part of the story: when I watch Sturm, I see his blazing wheels on display, but he takes an inordinate amount of shots from the outside at sharper angles, which translates into opposing goalies making routine saves. I don't see much movement into traffic by Sturm, nor do I see him playing in the dirty areas of the ice, two factors that I believe explain his lack of production.
Recchi is the frequent whipping boy by Boston fans, and while I've defended him in the past, there is no denying that he is not performing in a top-six role the B's require him to play right now. At this stage of his career, he's not able to generate the kind of consistent production and offensive flow that a top team gets from their top-two lines. At the same time, those who simply take the easy way out by blaming the 41-year-old don't get it, either. Recchi was never seen as a go-to guy for offense this season, he's simply been forced into the responsibility because of injuries. To hold him solely accountable for Boston's scoring woes is not seeing the forest for the trees...he's absolutely not getting it done, nor is he the one on whom you hang your team's hopes.. If you honestly came into this season counting on Recchi's offense to keep the Bruins in contention, then you didn't get it in the first place. In year 21 in the NHL, he's a complementary player and specialist, not a top-two line scorer...unlike the aforementioned and others like Wheeler and Ryder. What's their excuse?
Wheeler and Ryder have shown flashes of what they're capable of, but Wheeler has just 38 shots on net, while scoring on 13.16 percent of them. He's got to shoot the puck more and stop overhandling it in the offensive zone. Ryder got off to a good start, but has cooled considerably and has just seven points in 20 games. The B's are paying him way too much for that paltry a scoring load. True- he's always been a player who depends on a good center to get him the puck, but the Ryder we've seen over the past 15 games or so is a shadow of the player we saw dominating play against Montreal in the first round of the '09 playoffs.
Finally, Dennis Wideman has been a train wreck this year. His defense has always been subpar, but his offense was what made him a solid No. 2 in this league. This season, he's been lousy in both aspects. The defense is about where it was when he first came to Boston in the spring of '07 (read: horrific) and the offense has been virtually nonexistent (1-3-4 in 17 GP). Yes, he's banged up, but surely he can do better. Thank goodness for Derek Morris, who's tied with Zdeno Chara for the lead in scoring for defenseman with 11 points (good for third overall on the team behind Chara and Patrice Bergeron), but just think: where would Boston be if Wideman were actually contributing? He's not, and if he doesn't get it going, the B's are in big trouble this year.
Right now, the Bruins are sitting at 20 points, good for 10th in the conference. They're nine ahead of Toronto (who face Ottawa on the road tonight), but quietly slipping out of the playoff hunt. The Islanders are much-improved over last season, but what we saw last night from Boston was about as poor an offensive showing as you can get. Dwayne Roloson wasn't tested much, and the B's didn't show much of a sense of urgency in the game. When your leading scorer has just six goals in 20 games (Bergeron), then you're not getting it done, period. The Bruins should be grateful that they have the tandem of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask in net otherwise things would be far worse.
Make no mistake- things will improve when Savard and Lucic get back, but how much the team can turn it around depends on whether the team's higher-priced veterans and skill players can get things going. If they don't, then the Bruins won't sniff the postseason this year.
That's good news for draft fans, but terrible news for the state of this team, which is built to win now, but is doing anything but.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Bruins 2010 1st, 2nd Round Pick Position Updated Nov 16th
I'm back on the blog this Monday, the 16th, and I gotta tell you- still reeling at the way the New England Patriots lost last night to the mighty Indianapolis Colts. It was like watching a train wreck...couldn't take your eyes off it, even though you knew what was coming. Hat tip to Peyton Manning and the Colts on that one- they executed the big plays when they had to have them and stunned the Pats, who were reminded of how tough they've had it ('07 aside) in this recent rivalry after blowing a big lead like the 21-3 advantage they held in the 2006 AFCCG.
OK- enough about football. On to hockey and where the B's picks would be in Rounds 1-2 if the season ended today:
2nd- Toronto (11 points: Two consecutive losses and a major falter from the Monster on Saturday)
11th- Boston (20 points: Between the Pittsburgh and Indy games, just a crushing weekend for Boston sports fans)
32nd- Toronto
41st- Tampa Bay (20 points: One spot above Boston with one fewer win)
42nd- Boston
Coming soon: A comprehensive review of the 2010 Draft Class from one of the best in the scouting business, Red Line Report Chief Scout Kyle Woodlief.
OK- enough about football. On to hockey and where the B's picks would be in Rounds 1-2 if the season ended today:
2nd- Toronto (11 points: Two consecutive losses and a major falter from the Monster on Saturday)
11th- Boston (20 points: Between the Pittsburgh and Indy games, just a crushing weekend for Boston sports fans)
32nd- Toronto
41st- Tampa Bay (20 points: One spot above Boston with one fewer win)
42nd- Boston
Coming soon: A comprehensive review of the 2010 Draft Class from one of the best in the scouting business, Red Line Report Chief Scout Kyle Woodlief.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Now Playing in the Toronto Nets: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
So much for the Monster.
The Toronto Maple Leafs saw what great goaltending can do tonight firsthand, and unfortunately for them, the guy who put on a clinic was wearing white and red.
The Leafs lost to the Calgary Flames on home ice by a 5-2 score in a game they pretty much dominated (outshooting the Flames 40-22, limiting Calgary to just 4 in the second frame), but Miikka Kiprusoff showed off his 2006 Vezina Trophy-winning form on this night, stoning Toronto to the tune of 38 saves and a .950 save percentage.
The home fans were treated to a horror show in their net, though. Starting goalie Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson gave up two goals on the first two shots he faced, helping Calgary put up a 2-0 lead in the first 1:37 of the game. He was chased from the game after just 9:54, giving up three goals on five total shots (that's a .400 save percentage for you scoring at home- yeeouch!) with his team down, 3-1, meaning he also got tagged with the loss, dropping his record to 3-4-3...that save percentage and GAA will really take a hit.
Vesa Toskala came in and was better, but not by much when you really get down to it. He stopped 15 of 17 shots, but only faced four total in the second period and gave up a back-breaker on Jarome Iginla's second of the game (from almost the same spot on the outside, I might add) to make it 4-2, Calgary at 2:30 of the second.
Tonight, the goaltending lost the game for the Leafs, and this when they were a significantly better team than their opponent. This is important, because Toronto just isn't that good a club to begin with, so when they overachieve up front and on D, they've got to have their goaltending in top shape. It wasn't, and it cost the Leafs two important points that they can't have back to help them in the standings.
One more thing about Gustavsson: I know Leafs fans love him and all, but maybe some of them come back down to terra firma a bit after this loss. He simply Was. Not. Ready. To. Play. And that, my friends, is one unforgivable sin as a first-year player, nevermind on a team that can't afford to throw away any points.
HNIC play-by-play man Craig Simpson (who put a dagger in Bruins fans' hearts in 1988 and 1990 when he was a member of the Edmonton Oilers) related the story that Gustavsson blew off the optional morning skate today in Toronto. He made it clear that in his opinion, veteran players have earned the right to do that, but first year NHL goalies...not acceptable. Now, you can make excuses for him if you want, but I watched him on all three goals he gave up and they were just bad ones that not only put his team behind before the game was really underway, but sucked the life out of his players as well. Gustavsson, for whatever reason, opted not to skate, and I think it was a mistake. If you don't believe that might have played into Ron Wilson's quick hook of him in period 1, then give it another go. He's a taskmaster like coach, and even though his team was late getting in from Chicago, he undoubtedly expected Gustavsson to be there. Message sent. Question is- was message received?
The Monster was scary bad in net tonight...and let's rest assured he won't get the option to miss any more skates from here on out. In his first chance to show the coach he was ready to go out get a key win at home after the Leafs dropped a tough loss on the road to Chicago, he took the path of lesser resistance. And it was he who was the horror show instead.
Speaking of horror movies, what on earth was that abomination of an ending in Pittsburgh tonight? For a second there, I thought I was watching a remake of the Blair Witch Project, but alas, no- it was the surrendering of a sure point by Boston at the last second.
For those who missed it, Bruins are up, 5-4 after battling back from 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 deficits thanks to a Marco Sturm deflection of Big Z Chara's point shot in the third. With 9 seconds left and the Bruins hemming the Pens in their own end with goalie Brent Johnson pulled, Patrice Bergeron gets the puck at the point and shatters his stick, allowing the Pens an all-or-nothing jailbreak up the ice. Former Bruin Bill Guerin takes the perfect pass and blasts the shot off the post and into the net with- get this- 0.04 seconds left on the clock to send the game to overtime. Predictably, with all that momentum, a misplayed puck by Tim Thomas behind the net ended up on Pascal Dupuis' stick facing an open net for his 100th career goal and the game-winner in OT. 6-5, Pens and they were dancing at the Igloo tonight.
Just a brutal ending to what should have been two points for Boston.
Unlike the Leafs, the B's at least got a point (and while Thomas deserves the blame for the OT goal, he helped his team steal a point in regulation with some excellent saves, including Sidney Crosby on a shorthanded breakaway), but boy- this Olde Towne Teame just isn't getting it done with any modicum of consistency. Bergeron's broken stick was as confounding as it was unforgivable given the timing of it.
If I were a coach, I would outlaw composite sticks in the final minute of any game when leading and force the players to use wooden sticks. It's inconceivable that a veteran of Patrice's experience and stature would allow something like that to happen when all he needed given the time left on the clock was a soft dump to the corner instead of trying to wire it into the empty net, placing the kind of torque on the shaft which snapped it in two. Maybe the soft dump was what he was trying to do, but once again- we've seen one of these $100+ sticks shatter at a critical moment, and tonight, it contributed to costing the Bruins a point in the standings. These stick manufacturers ought to pay the NHL teams serious money when things like this happen. As Bill O'Reilly likes to say, "It just might be...ridiculous."
B's take the ice next on Monday against John Tavares and the resurgent NY Islanders, while the Leafs travel to Kanata to take on provincial rival Ottawa on Tuesday. Both clubs have some soul-searching to do between now and then.
I'll have the pick updates for you on Monday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs saw what great goaltending can do tonight firsthand, and unfortunately for them, the guy who put on a clinic was wearing white and red.
The Leafs lost to the Calgary Flames on home ice by a 5-2 score in a game they pretty much dominated (outshooting the Flames 40-22, limiting Calgary to just 4 in the second frame), but Miikka Kiprusoff showed off his 2006 Vezina Trophy-winning form on this night, stoning Toronto to the tune of 38 saves and a .950 save percentage.
The home fans were treated to a horror show in their net, though. Starting goalie Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson gave up two goals on the first two shots he faced, helping Calgary put up a 2-0 lead in the first 1:37 of the game. He was chased from the game after just 9:54, giving up three goals on five total shots (that's a .400 save percentage for you scoring at home- yeeouch!) with his team down, 3-1, meaning he also got tagged with the loss, dropping his record to 3-4-3...that save percentage and GAA will really take a hit.
Vesa Toskala came in and was better, but not by much when you really get down to it. He stopped 15 of 17 shots, but only faced four total in the second period and gave up a back-breaker on Jarome Iginla's second of the game (from almost the same spot on the outside, I might add) to make it 4-2, Calgary at 2:30 of the second.
Tonight, the goaltending lost the game for the Leafs, and this when they were a significantly better team than their opponent. This is important, because Toronto just isn't that good a club to begin with, so when they overachieve up front and on D, they've got to have their goaltending in top shape. It wasn't, and it cost the Leafs two important points that they can't have back to help them in the standings.
One more thing about Gustavsson: I know Leafs fans love him and all, but maybe some of them come back down to terra firma a bit after this loss. He simply Was. Not. Ready. To. Play. And that, my friends, is one unforgivable sin as a first-year player, nevermind on a team that can't afford to throw away any points.
HNIC play-by-play man Craig Simpson (who put a dagger in Bruins fans' hearts in 1988 and 1990 when he was a member of the Edmonton Oilers) related the story that Gustavsson blew off the optional morning skate today in Toronto. He made it clear that in his opinion, veteran players have earned the right to do that, but first year NHL goalies...not acceptable. Now, you can make excuses for him if you want, but I watched him on all three goals he gave up and they were just bad ones that not only put his team behind before the game was really underway, but sucked the life out of his players as well. Gustavsson, for whatever reason, opted not to skate, and I think it was a mistake. If you don't believe that might have played into Ron Wilson's quick hook of him in period 1, then give it another go. He's a taskmaster like coach, and even though his team was late getting in from Chicago, he undoubtedly expected Gustavsson to be there. Message sent. Question is- was message received?
The Monster was scary bad in net tonight...and let's rest assured he won't get the option to miss any more skates from here on out. In his first chance to show the coach he was ready to go out get a key win at home after the Leafs dropped a tough loss on the road to Chicago, he took the path of lesser resistance. And it was he who was the horror show instead.
Speaking of horror movies, what on earth was that abomination of an ending in Pittsburgh tonight? For a second there, I thought I was watching a remake of the Blair Witch Project, but alas, no- it was the surrendering of a sure point by Boston at the last second.
For those who missed it, Bruins are up, 5-4 after battling back from 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 deficits thanks to a Marco Sturm deflection of Big Z Chara's point shot in the third. With 9 seconds left and the Bruins hemming the Pens in their own end with goalie Brent Johnson pulled, Patrice Bergeron gets the puck at the point and shatters his stick, allowing the Pens an all-or-nothing jailbreak up the ice. Former Bruin Bill Guerin takes the perfect pass and blasts the shot off the post and into the net with- get this- 0.04 seconds left on the clock to send the game to overtime. Predictably, with all that momentum, a misplayed puck by Tim Thomas behind the net ended up on Pascal Dupuis' stick facing an open net for his 100th career goal and the game-winner in OT. 6-5, Pens and they were dancing at the Igloo tonight.
Just a brutal ending to what should have been two points for Boston.
Unlike the Leafs, the B's at least got a point (and while Thomas deserves the blame for the OT goal, he helped his team steal a point in regulation with some excellent saves, including Sidney Crosby on a shorthanded breakaway), but boy- this Olde Towne Teame just isn't getting it done with any modicum of consistency. Bergeron's broken stick was as confounding as it was unforgivable given the timing of it.
If I were a coach, I would outlaw composite sticks in the final minute of any game when leading and force the players to use wooden sticks. It's inconceivable that a veteran of Patrice's experience and stature would allow something like that to happen when all he needed given the time left on the clock was a soft dump to the corner instead of trying to wire it into the empty net, placing the kind of torque on the shaft which snapped it in two. Maybe the soft dump was what he was trying to do, but once again- we've seen one of these $100+ sticks shatter at a critical moment, and tonight, it contributed to costing the Bruins a point in the standings. These stick manufacturers ought to pay the NHL teams serious money when things like this happen. As Bill O'Reilly likes to say, "It just might be...ridiculous."
B's take the ice next on Monday against John Tavares and the resurgent NY Islanders, while the Leafs travel to Kanata to take on provincial rival Ottawa on Tuesday. Both clubs have some soul-searching to do between now and then.
I'll have the pick updates for you on Monday.
Leafs Drop Previous Pair, Kessel Scoring and Carolina is Reeeeeally Bad
The good news for Boston fans is that Toronto lost consecutive regulation games for the first time since the second week of the season. The bad news is: So did Carolina (er- they've actually lost 14 straight not including overtime/shootouts; they haven't actually won a game since October 9th against the lowly Florida Panthers), and they're resembling the proverbial one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest these days. Sorry, 'Canes fans- I'm not telling you anything you aren't already aware of.
First up is the post mortem on the Leafs, who are now 3-9-5 on the season, good for 11 points and second-to-last place overall.
They lost an important game to the Minnesota Wild, 5-2 on Tuesday of last week. It's important because the injury-decimated (and talent deprived) Wild will compete with the Leafs all season for lottery status and positioning, so to gain two points on the Leafs was important for the standings watch.
It was a lousy game in net for Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson, whom many Toronto fans have ludicrously dubbed a franchise savior in his first year. He stopped 26 of 30 shots for an .867 save percentage, bringing him back to earth a little bit after an admittedly impressive run over Tampa Bay, Carolina and Detroit. However, before we pencil him in for the Vezina Trophy, even with his excellent SEL pedigree, he's still seeing his first North American action on what is a mediocre team at best. He's going to have some more rough nights this season, so before Leafs fans proclaim him the second coming of Henrik Lundqvist, let's see how he looks at mid-season before we place any stamps on his endorsement.
On Friday, the Leafs lost to Chicago by a 3-2 score, with Phil Kessel scoring both Toronto goals, giving him 4 on the season. He's doing a great job for them offensively, but he simply doesn't have enough help up front or on the back end to maximize his scoring potential, I'm afraid. Vesa Toskala was in net for Toronto and if I'm not mistaken, it was the first game that he posted a save percentage above 90% this season (.912). Unfortunately for him, it wasn't enough to get his first win of what has been a horrific season. Toskala is posting an .836 save percentage and last night's start was his first action since Halloween.
Speaking of scary, is Carolina really this bad? The answer: Uh, yes, yes they are. They've lost the two players they could ill afford to: Eric Staal and Cam Ward, and the subsequent free-fall has been predictable. Last night, they got torched by John Tavares and the improving Islanders, who scored his 6th and 7th goals on the season, while Kyle Okposo got the winner in overtime. Veteran journeyman goalie Manny Legace was a horrorshow in net, and if he keeps playing like that, 'Canes fans have nothing to hope for this season. The team is bad enough as it is- if the goalie plays like garbage, then it's like getting a kick to the crotch.
The most telling stats: Carolina is 29th in goals for, and 30th in goals against, which tells you the story of the season thus far.
Even if Toronto goes into a tailspin, they're not likely to sink as low as the Hurricanes, so B's fans can only hope that the Leafs will continue to stay behind Florida, Minnesota and Anaheim for the time being. Expecting them to fall below Carolina's horrific Mason-Dixon line is the proverbial bridge too far.
I'll be back Monday will updated pick slotting for rounds 1-2. Also working on lining up several interviews with scouts about the 2010 player talent, so stay tuned. The latest Red Line Report came out this past week and I'd love to get Kyle Woodlief on record about a few things.
Keep checking back and thanks for reading the blog!
First up is the post mortem on the Leafs, who are now 3-9-5 on the season, good for 11 points and second-to-last place overall.
They lost an important game to the Minnesota Wild, 5-2 on Tuesday of last week. It's important because the injury-decimated (and talent deprived) Wild will compete with the Leafs all season for lottery status and positioning, so to gain two points on the Leafs was important for the standings watch.
It was a lousy game in net for Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson, whom many Toronto fans have ludicrously dubbed a franchise savior in his first year. He stopped 26 of 30 shots for an .867 save percentage, bringing him back to earth a little bit after an admittedly impressive run over Tampa Bay, Carolina and Detroit. However, before we pencil him in for the Vezina Trophy, even with his excellent SEL pedigree, he's still seeing his first North American action on what is a mediocre team at best. He's going to have some more rough nights this season, so before Leafs fans proclaim him the second coming of Henrik Lundqvist, let's see how he looks at mid-season before we place any stamps on his endorsement.
On Friday, the Leafs lost to Chicago by a 3-2 score, with Phil Kessel scoring both Toronto goals, giving him 4 on the season. He's doing a great job for them offensively, but he simply doesn't have enough help up front or on the back end to maximize his scoring potential, I'm afraid. Vesa Toskala was in net for Toronto and if I'm not mistaken, it was the first game that he posted a save percentage above 90% this season (.912). Unfortunately for him, it wasn't enough to get his first win of what has been a horrific season. Toskala is posting an .836 save percentage and last night's start was his first action since Halloween.
Speaking of scary, is Carolina really this bad? The answer: Uh, yes, yes they are. They've lost the two players they could ill afford to: Eric Staal and Cam Ward, and the subsequent free-fall has been predictable. Last night, they got torched by John Tavares and the improving Islanders, who scored his 6th and 7th goals on the season, while Kyle Okposo got the winner in overtime. Veteran journeyman goalie Manny Legace was a horrorshow in net, and if he keeps playing like that, 'Canes fans have nothing to hope for this season. The team is bad enough as it is- if the goalie plays like garbage, then it's like getting a kick to the crotch.
The most telling stats: Carolina is 29th in goals for, and 30th in goals against, which tells you the story of the season thus far.
Even if Toronto goes into a tailspin, they're not likely to sink as low as the Hurricanes, so B's fans can only hope that the Leafs will continue to stay behind Florida, Minnesota and Anaheim for the time being. Expecting them to fall below Carolina's horrific Mason-Dixon line is the proverbial bridge too far.
I'll be back Monday will updated pick slotting for rounds 1-2. Also working on lining up several interviews with scouts about the 2010 player talent, so stay tuned. The latest Red Line Report came out this past week and I'd love to get Kyle Woodlief on record about a few things.
Keep checking back and thanks for reading the blog!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Honoring Veterans
Today is Veterans Day. In Canada, it is called Remembrance Day to honor those brave Canadian souls who have made the ultimate sacrifice in battle, some of the most bloody and vicious in history.
This day is just one out of 365 which honors those men and women who have served their nation(s) with pride and determination, often sacrificing a great deal so that their fellow citizens can live free.
It's an honor to be a part of it, and I'll never forget those who came before me to help establish this country and preserve our way of life.
Thanks to all veterans, past and present, who served the country in peacetime and in war.
And thank you, Canada, for being our strong friend to the north for so many years.
This day is just one out of 365 which honors those men and women who have served their nation(s) with pride and determination, often sacrificing a great deal so that their fellow citizens can live free.
It's an honor to be a part of it, and I'll never forget those who came before me to help establish this country and preserve our way of life.
Thanks to all veterans, past and present, who served the country in peacetime and in war.
And thank you, Canada, for being our strong friend to the north for so many years.
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