Brad’s Secret Sauce: How Does He Keep Signing Bargain Contracts?

Brad did it again. He signed Anthony Stolarts to a team-friendly contract. I have no idea how Brad does this, but he has been consistently on this in the off-season. Anthony signed a four-year deal worth $3.75 million per year.

Anthony might not be an elite goaltender quite yet, but as far as I see, he is in the upper echelon in the league. And what does an upper-echelon goalie get? To me, that puts him in the $5 million year bracket. Some teams that desperately need a goalie would be willing to go as high as $7 million, especially with salaries increasing as much as what seems to be a billion dollars. OK, I’m being a little facetious, but you understand where I’m coming from. I genuinely believe that with the salary going up, no team would have a problem meeting his demands if Anthony had gone the free agency route.

It looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs have decided to go with Max Domi on the front line. The Maple Leafs are hoping to revive Max to his earlier form, as in the 2022-23 season, he had 49 points in 60 games, including 18 goals and 31 assists. Quite decent numbers! Can he achieve them in Toronto? 

I am not saying we will get the Max of the past. However, we have seen that players given more responsibilities tend to respond positively. It has been a long time since Max was placed on the first line. This season, he has never been given the opportunity to play with a player as good as Auston Matthews, let alone  Matthew Knies. Max can be a physical force, making more room for Matthew and Auston to make plays. Max will have plenty of opportunities to get the garbage goals diving in for the rebounds in front of the net. 

I’m in the minority here. I genuinely believe Easton  Cowan is better off playing in the top six in the  AHL with the Toronto Marlies. My thinking is that Cowan has always been the man. Having him stay on the fourth line in Toronto might very well hinder his progress. He will not have the opportunities to use his skills on the fourth line. That’s all I’m saying. I am not saying he has not earned the shot at playing on the team. But I believe that you should not rush young players. I don’t want him to lose his skills, because he doesn’t have the chance to use them.

Big Save Dave: Hope or Hype for the Islanders?

There are still too many questions and insufficient answers in the New York Islanders’ camp. One thing seems certain: Semyon Varlamov is not returning anytime soon. What worries me about Varlamov is whether this could be a reoccurrence injury. We may not see him play very much this season if it is. In the ’60s and ’70s, a goalie could play the whole season. But in today’s league, that can’t happen. I spoke with a couple of my sources, and they informed me that the magic number for starting a goalie is typically around 50 games. Serokin could go up to 55 starts. If you ask him, he would probably say 70 to 80.

Common sense suggests that overworking a goalie during the season is a risky practice. If the New York Islanders become a playoff contender this season, we need Serokin fresh. Hmmmm, maybe New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche knew what he was doing after all. What I am referring to is the signing of Big Save Dave, otherwise known as David Rittich.

What you get in David Rittich

Never underestimate a positive influence in the dressing room. That is precisely what you get with Dave. He will be your biggest cheerleader. Dave is what he is: a serviceable backup goalie. Fondly remembered in Calgary as “Big Save Dave” because he’s capable and makes that big save when you need it most.

That being said, one of his major problems is inconsistency. He makes one big save, but in the next minute, lets in a weak goal. If you get the Dave he was in Calgary, the Islanders will be fine in goal. Dave is a stand-up goalie who covers his angles well. He should do well in filling in for Semyon Varlamov.

Matthieu had nothing to lose with the signing of David Rittich and everything to gain. Think about it: Nobody’s expecting the Islanders to do well. If they win, they make the playoffs. If they lose, the draft is even better than last year’s. How would players like Gavin McKenna and Viktor Fyodorov look in an Islander Jersey?

Bottom-Six Musical Chairs: Who Wins a Spot with the Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have more bottom-six forwards than I have had girlfriends in my lifetime. This means that this training camp could turn into a fire sale. Which Maple Leaf player will be sent down to the Marlies? When the waiver wire starts, who will be put on waivers and who will we lose? When the Maple Leafs made the trade for Marner and brought in Nicholas Roy, the days of Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf were numbered.

This is where my brain catches fire. Bobby McMahon, Nick Robinson, and others will fight for six spots. Actually, they are fighting for five spots, because you have to figure Roy has got one of them. They didn’t bring him in to send him down to the minors.  

LW Joshua Dakota - Centre Bobby McMann - RW Nicholas Roy

Roy would take the draws. I put him on the right because he can shoot right. McMann has to keep it up this year, and he is capable of doing that. If Roy matches his totals from last year, this line could succeed. Dakota scored 18 goals two years ago. If this line can score 50 goals between them, there will be dancing in the streets.

LW Steven Lorentz - Centre Scott Laughton - RW Calle Jarnkrok

The fourth line was hard for me to put together. It is almost a crapshoot. I love Laughton and Lorentz. They are excellent penalty killers. Jarnkrok is a feisty winger who can mix with the best of them. I suspect Nick Robertson will be dealt with sooner or later.

The Leafs have become a more complete team. With the addition of Dakota and Roy, the bottom six is definitely stronger, as I mentioned in the below article. They also bring in some extra offence. Will it be proven in the standings? Only time will tell.

No More Mr. Nice Leafs

And the Crowd Goes Crazy: Bob Cole’s Unforgettable Moments

Bob Cole

Let's talk some more about the voices of the game. One of my favourites was Bob Cole. There was nothing better than watching Bob Cole on Saturday night hockey night in Canada.

Bob's vocabulary - My three favourites

Oh Baby!

One of my favourite Bob Cole sayings was "Oh, Baby." It seemed to light up the room whenever I heard it. When you heard Bob say "Oh, baby," you knew it was something special. What made it so powerful was that he didn't use it for any play. He only used it at the most significant parts of the game; he was the perfect storyteller in every way.

Wow!

I love how he would say "Wow!" at the end of the play. It's the perfect way to describe a great save or a great goal. It was his tone that made it so good. You knew this was the most important part of the game. He's probably up in heaven announcing a legendary game as we speak, happy as ever. He was always talking to people. He loved the game. He loved the people who were part of the community in the game.

And the crowd goes crazy

"And the crowd goes crazy," sent chills down my spine. It would evoke either joy or sorrow, depending on whether the result was in my team's favor or not. The term was perfect for the atmosphere; it described exactly what was going on.

Bob's best calls

Joe Sakic's breakaway goal 2002

Has to be one of my favourites. Canada is trying to hang on. "They get a break. It's gonna be a break. It is Joe Sakic… scores! Jiiiiiiiiooooo Sakic scores!" All Canadians were hanging on his words.

"They are going home" from the 1976 Super Series in Philly

The epic call when the Soviet Red Army left for the dressing room. The Red Army Team was leaving after a controversial hit by Flyers defenceman Ed Van Impe. Bob's repeated call that "they're going home" was epic.

Final word

Bob was the fans' mouthpiece and representative for the game. He was the one who paved the way for announcers today. He set the standard. Bob was the master.

“Bernie, Bernie, Bernie”: The Goalie Who Could Do No Wrong

The hockey world lost another legend. The iconic Bernie Parent left us this weekend. He was the heart behind the Philadelphia Bullies in the 1970s. I did not meet Bernie, but from what I read, he is one of the most loved players in the NHL. People had nothing but good things to say about him.

When I was younger, I was ecstatic when the Toronto Maple Leafs made a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers and acquired the iconic Bernie Parent.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sent Bruce Gamble, Mike Shakey Walton, and a first-round pick back to the Flyers. With Bernie, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a dynamic duo in goal, with Plante being the other goalie. After two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, we lost Bernie to the WHA. Bernie returned to the NHL’s Maple Leafs and was immediately traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Parent became an elite goalie with the Flyers. Winning two Stanley Cups, two Vesna trophies, and finally two Con Smith trophies. He was the MVP of the Philadelphia Flyers, or should I say Philadelphia Phillies, during their Stanley Cup years. In those years, the Flyers were a rough team. He could do no wrong among the Philadelphia Flyers fans as they chanted “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie.” He was the immovable object in the net. The opposing teams had a hard enough time getting around the Flyers’ defence, but then they have to face Bernie in net. It would take a perfect shot to beat him.

In Parent’s final six seasons, his average was a sensational 2.32. The two years they won the cup were 1.89 in 1973-74. That year, he had a whopping 12 shutouts. In the second year, 1974-75, his average was 2.04, and he again recorded 12 shutouts.

Final Word

I remember the years when the Flyers won the Stanley Cup. I wondered how many cups the Leafs would have won with him in net. I wish we could have had him for a couple more years. The world is a lot sadder without him.

Randy

Giordano Hangs Up the Skates, Picks Up the Whistle

Mark has officially called it quits. He announced his retirement after accepting a position reportedly within the Marlies staff.

Primarily known as Gio Mark, he made his Mark (see what I did there?) with the Flames from 2008 to 2021. Mark won the James Norris Trophy in the 2018-2019 season. He was probably even better defensively than offensively. What made him so good was that he instinctively knew where the play was going on the defensive ends. His stick would break on 2-on-1 breaks, either by blocking the pass or defying the shots. Mark was constantly among the best shot blockers in the league.

Mark was also a leader in the dressing room. He won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award. The trophy awarded to him demonstrates leadership skills in his community and the dressing room. Mark and his wife were known in Calgary for their charitable work through the Team Giordano foundation. Team Giordano partnered with the Calgary Board of Education to provide resources for low-income schools.

Mark played in the 2015, 2016, and 2020 All-Star Games and was a first-team all-star in 2020. He ended his illustrious career with the last three years in Toronto, where he was indeed another coach on the ice. His best year for points was 2018, with 74 points. Gio's record for the most goals was 21 in 2015. The Flames lost Gio in the Seattle expansion draft and traded him to the Leafs.

Why this is a good hire for the Marlies

Michael will be great with the kids. He will teach them how to be defensive, responsible, and how to make it into the big leagues. With 16 years of experience as one of the most offensive responsible defencemen in the league, he will be a great coach for these kids. A great hire by The Mapleleaf organization. 

Blue Line Blues: Life After Dobson

To put it mildly, the New York Islanders’ defense is a complete mess. We don’t know exactly what we have. Let’s try to put it together one piece at a time, as if we were putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

Alexander Romanov

Alexander has to take over this team. He is the number one defenceman and has to play like it. He has to share the load of the offense. If he doesn’t, then the New York Islanders are in trouble. Bottom line, he is the man.

Adam Pelech

If Adam can stay healthy, he can be a key cornerstone of the defense. He is a good, steady, defensive defenceman. Any kind of offence from him will be a bonus.

Tony DeAngelo

Tony is what he is. He is a solid number four defenceman with some upside on the offense. He will be an asset on the power play. Tony has to compensate for some of Dobson’s losses. He has to add his offensive numbers, but do not put all of it on his shoulders. That would not be fair to Tony and would put undue pressure on him.

Ryan Pulock

I’m going to be straightforward with Ryan. We need to have the Ryan who scored 10 goals. Someone has to pick up the pieces after the loss of Dobson. I am not saying that Ryan has to do it all. I’m saying that we could use some more offense from Ryan. Remember that hard shot that he had on the power play? Can we have some more of that, please?

Matthew Schaefer

I have discussed Matthew enough of late. If he stays, he will be the number one defenceman on the power play. I would let him stay for the first nine games of the season and then send him back to Juniors. This is where I previously discussed Matthew.

Adam Boqvist

Adam is what he is. Adam is a serviceable number five defenseman. He is solid, nothing flashy, he knows his role and does it. Adam’s strength is that he rarely gets caught out of position. He might not be as athletic as the other defenseman, but he won’t give you any unnecessary grief.

Scott Mayfield

Scott has to play with a chip on his shoulder and be more defensively responsible. He is more viable than people think; he is a solid number-six defenseman.

Final word

The loss of Dobson cannot be put on one defenceman. The offence must come by committee. Everyone has to pick up the slack. We’re not talking 30 or 40 points each, but maybe an improvement of five points each. Dobson will be missed, but Romanoff, DeAngelo, and Schaefer can make it up. If everyone does their share, the Islanders might not be as bad as people think.