49ers Open Practice 2017: The First Look of the 2017

By Niners Faithful

Ever since 2003 the Niners have held their training camp at team headquarters in Santa Clara, they tired one year to have multiple open practices and it just didn’t work out. So they hold one a year.

Like in 2014 this year it was held at Levis Stadium with the added bonus of free food at drinks (and they weren’t kidding they had people walking around handing people food). It was a hot day in a Stadium known for being hot so the fact that the Niners didn’t to do what most teams would do and charge an arm and a leg for drinks says a lot. With an announced 25,319 fans on hand there was defiantly energy and excitement in the building. I noticed right away there seemed to be more attention to detail than last year under Chip Kelly the tempo was not as high as Chip Kelly’s training camp, but there was a nice tempo and you got the feeling that everything had a purpose.

Practice stared out with live field goals Robbie Gould didn’t miss one and hit one from as far as 52 yards. The punt returners during that part of practice were mainly Trent Taylor, DeAndre Carter and DeAndre Smelter with Trent Taylor looking the best. Next came 1 on 1 drill. I spent most of my time watching the receiver’s vs the cornerbacks I did see a little bit of the o line vs the d line and running backs vs linebackers. Trent Taylor’s shake and bakes was a site to see and kept getting reactions from the fans. Victor Bolden Jr had the lone deep ball of the period and new comer Tim Patrick showed some nice hands. Rashard Robinson had a few PBU’s and forced a few incompletions.

The running backs vs linebackers had a few plays that are worth mentioning. Rookie running back Joe Williams lined up agents NaVorro Bowmen and you could tell that Bow had trouble keeping up with Williams’s speed and if the ball wasn’t over thrown it would have probably been at TD. Rookie linebacker Ruben Foster had a PBU vs Carlos Hyde but Hyde did have a few catches also. Undrafted rookie running back Matt Breida make a great play and possible the catch of the day when he laid out Superman on a wheel route. 1^st round pick Solomon Thomas seemed to have trouble working through double teams but did flash a few times.

I would say the “move the ball” period was the longest period of the day. The offense moved the ball well but was only able to score twice. K’Waun Williams had a sack on a cornerback blitz and Dekoda Watson and Tank Carradine split a sack. Camp star Marquise Goodwin had the top if not second catch of the day when Brain Hoyer under through him going up the right side line Goodwin made the adjustment and caught it falling out of bounds with Donate Johnson in good coverage. Matt Barkley had a nice touchdown to Aldrick Robinson who was falling forward vs rookie Ahkello Witherspoon. Then Brain Hoyer led his own long TD drive when he hit a pretty open Logan Paulsen in the end zone. The big play on the drive came when Hoyer hit Pierre Garçon near the left sideline on play action.

The best part of practice was towards the end when the team did the two minute drill. The physicality of practice picked way up right away when Eric Reid cracked Aldrick Robinson when he caught a pass and cut up towards the middle of the field. Matt Breida had a nice run up the middle where he showed off is speed. Ruben Foster had what would have been a sack but the refs decided to count the catch that happened after.

Quinton Dial had a nice run stop he had an unbelievable get off the ball and knifed though the line. Goodwin had another chunk play on a crossing route from left to right when Brain Hoyer rolled to his right off of a play fake and led Goodwin up field. The first team Defense ended their day when Brain Hoyer’s hail marry has intercepted by Eric Reid, but Hoyer recovered the next play but hitting Marquise Goodwin in the back of the end zone to end the practice. Overall I think the Defense showed that it’s going to be improved and surprise some people with the offense will not be elite I think there is reason for hope that we’ll put up some points and we have the right GM and head Coach in place to bring us back to glory.

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15 Hall Of Famers and Counting: Who are going to be the next Niners in the Hall Of Fame?

By Niner Faithful

Thirteen players(Joe “The Jet” Perry, Y.A. Tittle, Joe Montana, Steven Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Dave Wilcox, Charles Halye, Fred Dean, Hugh “The King” McElhenny, Bob St. Clair, Leo Nomellini and, Jimmy Johnson) one coach(Bill Walsh) and one Owner(Eddie D) are inducted as Niners in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Ten more players(Larry Allen, Richard Dent, Chris Doleman, Kevin Greene, Bob Hayes, Rickey Jackson, John Henry Johnson, Deion Sanders, O.J. Simpson and, Rod Woodson) in the Hall have played at least a year for us. That’s tied for 6^th among all NFL teams. The latest being Owner Eddie DeBartolo who went in August 2016. With the Hall Of Fame ceremony happening this Sunday I have decided to go over some Niners that I feel should be in the Hall Of Fame either already or will soon be eligible that should go in when they are.

Terrell Owens: In his prime there was no better receiver in the game than T.O. He used his rare combination of size and speed to torch defenses. He had the power to change the way a defense would play whatever team he was on. You better have your popcorn ready, because at any moment from any spot on the field he could make a play. His Touchdown celebrations either pissed you off or made you love him even more (I was the latter) but no matter what it got you to watch you just had to see what he was going to do. He’s 2^nd all-time in career yards with 15,934 8^th all-time in receptions with 1078 and 3^rd all-time in receiving touchdowns 153. It’s not The Hall Of People Who Were Choirboys it’s The Hall Of Fame  numbers are what get you in and when your number 2 in most Niner record books as far as receiving  you needs to be in The Hall Of Fame.

Patrick Wills: When you think of Niner Linebackers you think of P Wills. He was the most feared hitter in the game in his era. He even hit someone (Brad Smith) so hard they threw up on the field. He was the player that gave the pregame speeches and would get the crowed fired up when he would walk out the tunnel. I could still close my eyes and see the play ageist the yams when he not only ran down a player that looked like he was gone but also punched out the football. In his 7 full seasons he was selected to the Pro Bowl every year and was a First Team All Pro 5 out of 7 years. He led the Niners in tackles the first 4 years of his career and was second every other year and was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2007. He also stated every game he played in since his rookie year in 2007. He finished his career with 950 tackles 20.5 sacks 16 Forced Fumbles 8 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. All numbers that few players in his era put up. He’ll probably not get in in his first year of eligibility (2020) but should get in one day because he truly was the best linebacker in football in his prime. 

Frank Gore: Frank The Tank whatever you say about #21 will still be an understatement for what he meant to this franchise. He is the Niners all-time leader in rushing yards (1173) 100 yard games (39) most rushing yards in a season (1695) rushing yards in a game (212) 1,000 yard seasons (8) and Second in rushing touchdowns (64) For most of his career HE WAS the Niners offense. Teams would put eight in the box to stop him all the time close all the running lanes and Frank would squeeze through and still make a play (I still think if we would have given the ball to Frank we would have won the super bowl). He is the NFL leading active rusher and with 108 rushing yards he will pass Tony Dorsett for the eighth most rushing yards in NFL history. And with 1,037 yards will pass Curtis Martin for 4^th all-time. Whenever Frank deices to hang up his cleats he should be a first ballet fall of famer 5 years later.

Roger Craig: Roger Craig famous for his unique high knee running style changed the position of running back forever. He was the first player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing (1,050) and receiving (1,016) in the same season in 1985. He finished his 11 year career with 8189 yards and 56 touchdowns rushing and 566 catches and 17 touchdowns receiving. He is a 3x Super Bowl Champion (84, 88, 89) 5 x Pro Bowler (85, 87, 88, 89) and was a First Team All Pro in 1988. He was the first player to score 3 touchdowns in a Super Bowl (Super Bowl 19). He was been snubbed the past few years and need to go in.

Bryant Young: In my mind when I think of Niners D linemen I think of “B.Y.” He played 14 years all for the Niners was a 4x Pro Bowler, All Pro (1996), Rookie of the Year in 1994, and a Super Bowl Champion. He was leading the entire NFL at the DT position in sacks with 9.5 prior to his season-ending injury suffered in week 13 of the 1998 season having a metal rod put in his leg. Then year after in 1999 he had 11 sacks winning Comeback Player Of the year. He finished he career with 89.5 sacks 11 forced fumbles 6 fumble recoveries 29 passed defensed and 3 safeties. He ranks 4^th all-time in sacks by a DT trailing Trevor Pryce(91), and Hall of Famers John Randle(137.5) and Warren Sapp(96). I think he was snuffed a lot of years for the Pro Bowl. If you look and he overall career and what he meant to the Niners  and his comparable numbers to  Hall Of Famer Warren Sapp he needs to be in the hall.

I know there are many more players that I could have named, but to me these are the ones that should be slam dunks.

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49ers Training Camp 2017: Players to watch

By Niner Faithful

Training camp is almost here the team reports Thursday with the first practice taking place Friday. There has been so much roster turnover this year (52 new players) everyone will be exciting to watch. Here are just a few that I wanted to highlight in this week’s blog.

George Kittle: The rookie tight end (5^th round 146 overall) impressed both head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch during this year’s offseason program. He has great hands only dropping one ball on his 48 receptions during his 4 years at Iowa. He has the size (6’4 247 lbs.) to be a red zone threat one on one something the team has been lacking. Where he’s value is going to be though is he blocking. Iowa is a running team and George Kittle was their best blocker and loves doing that being quoted saying “he takes pride in it” and “moving a man point a to point b ageist his will is the greatest feeling you’ll ever feel”. During the teams off season he got the loins share of reps with the ones showing that the coaching staff thinks highly of him. Now it’s time for him to do it with the pads on and I can’t wait to see it.

Trent Taylor: Trent Taylor was Kyle Shanahan’s draft crush. The 5’8 wide receiver may not be the biggest player, but has the separation skills and play making ability in space to play in the slot he can catch the football and was moved all over the field during OTA’s. He’s a smart receiver and has the ability to read defenses fast. He has shown that he can produce at least in college (136 receptions 1,803 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in 2016) and did a little bit of return duty as well (482 yards on 58 returns). He probably won’t start over Jeremy Kerley this year but has too much upside to risk losing him to try and put him on the practice squad and his punt returner potential make him someone I’m dying to see during camp and the preseason.

Arik Armstead: In camp last year he was pointed out by Joe Staley as someone who could have a brake out year. His shoulder injury ultimately put him on the IR and we never really got to see if that was true. This year he’s slimed down to better fit the “Leo” position he’ll be playing in our new defensive scheme. He will no longer have being a first round pick status to keep him on the roster with their being a new GM and Coaching staff he will have to go out and earn it. He isn’t the Idea size for a “Leo” but his athleticism and unique size make his an intriguing player to watch in training camp this year I can’t wait.

NaVorro Bowman: The Mon5t3r is the heat and soul the defense. We all know the story of his injures in 14’ and then last year and what his absence did to the defense. There are questions about whether or not he can comeback from another devastating injury and return to his former Pro Bowl self or even a NFL starter. The Niners themselves have to have some concern about his ability to come back going out and signing Malcolm Smith and drafting Reuben Foster. From all accounts he’s healing just fine and will be full go for training camp and the Pre-Season but that was before pads went on so well see how it holds up. I have faith that the Mon5t3r will be back to his old self sooner than latter especially with Foster and Smith pushing him for his spot. They say pressure makes diamonds and I can’t wait to see him shine in training camp this year.

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Kirk Cousins: Is he worth what it will take to get him

By Niner Faithful

Monday at 1pm PST was the deadline for Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins to come to terms on a long-term deal. That deadline has come and gone so he’ll play out the 2017 season under the franchise tag and make $23.9 million doing so.

Now what about next year? Well Washington could use the franchise tag again for the third year in a row, but is Washington going to pay him the $34,478,784 doing so would cost? They could use the transition tag that would only cost $28,732,320. Unlike the exclusive franchise tag Cousins could negotiate with other teams but Washington would have 7 days to match any offer from any team and then could keep him at the term the other team negotiated with Cousins. If they refuse the offer then Kirk Cousins would become a free agent and Washington gets nothing for him (unlike the nonexclusive franchise tag where the team that signs him would have to give up 2 first round picks).

They could trade him either before this season or after, but the problem with that is Washington has no leverage teams know that Washington won’t pay use the franchise tag again so, they can just wait to see if Washington uses the transition tag or if Washington just lets him walk next year. And that brings his trade value down. Both sides have said they are both open to a long-term deal but it has been 3 years and they are still so far apart and Cousins has come out and said he wants to reunite with Kyle Shanahan. But is he worth what it would cost to get him to play in red and gold?

Kirk Cousins is entering his 6^th season and has been Washington’s full time starter for the last two seasons posting a 17-14-1 record and a 0-1 record in the playoffs. He’s completed 785 out of 1149 passes (68.3 completion percentage) for 9083 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Not bad numbers I think Niner fans would take those numbers over what we got the last 2 years.

The story with Kirk Cousins goes beyond the numbers Washington was underperformed the last 2 seasons. Football is a team came but franchise quarterbacks (at least ours) overcome that and find a way to get it done. I’m not saying that he wouldn’t be a welcomed improvement, but if you look at what we would have to pay him (look at Derek Carr’s contract) that’s a lot of money for a quarterback that has only made it to the playoffs once despite having loads of offensive talent on his team.

I’m the type of person that judges a quarterback on when it counts the most and you have the ball in your hands with a chance to win the game do you come through.  He does not he seems to shrink in the big light most of the time. I’d like to see what he does this year with far less talent and the pressure of knowing that he might be show casing for a new team. With all the Niners have to get him. They have given Kyle Shanahan a 6-year contract. They are invested in the long-term future of the team has a lot to do with him. He believes in Kirk Cousins he wants him so like Bill got Joe and Steve you must give Kyle Shanahan he guy.

The Niners are in a good position they have Brain Hoyer under contract for this year and next year plenty of draft picks in next year’s draft and plenty of cap space. They were smart not to give away the farm to get him this year. Not when they can play Hoyer this year draft someone next year and try and get him next year with no draft compensation attached. My guess is the Niners Sign him to a contract next year Washington decides that it’s not worth the headache anymore and let him walk because he has little trade value. Or worse case Washington matches the offer Hoyer is our quarterback one more year and he becomes a Niner in 2019 but I don’t see that happening. I just hope Kyle Shanahan is right. How he’s looked on as a Niners coach will depend on it.

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Off Season Not Kind to the Pittsburgh Penguins

By Kim Dunning

The NHL off-season has not been kind to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It wasn’t unexpected that the Pens would lose players during the off-season. The Pens had quite a few free agents unlike last season. Losing key players and the reason the club managed to win back to back cups, hurts.

With the Vegas expansion draft, the Pens knew they were going to lose at least one member of its team. That player was lifelong Penguin Marc-Andre Fleury. Fans expected Fleury to be the player to go to Vegas. With a younger talent Matt Murray, he was cheaper and logical to keep. When the expansion draft happened and the reality of losing Fleury set in, it was emotional. This is a decision that could come back to haunt the Penguins for the upcoming season.

Why will losing Fleury come back to haunt the Pens? If you did not watch the Penguins in the first two rounds of the playoffs, you missed a lot. Fleury was an intricate part of the Penguins success. He managed to keep a struggling non-productive first period team in games. Letting one or two goals in at the most and making incredible saves. Fleury stood on his head so that the Pens high-powered offense woke up.

Watching the Pens offense in this playoffs was like watching your favorite old car. It was slow to start but once they started going, they were unbeatable.

Without Fleury, there wouldn’t have been back-to-back Cups. Matt Murray sustained an injury that kept him out of the first two rounds. Few teams could lose a starting goaltender and have the proven backup the Pens did this season. Fleury became the hero of the Washington Capitals series with his shut out in Game 7. Many Pens fans believe that without Fleury, Pittsburgh would not have made it out of the Columbus series. More believe that the Capitals would have had a better chance to win in the second round.

The Pens have also lost what most considered to be their strength down the middle. The Pens have lost their third line center, Nick Bonino to Nashville. Fourth line center, Matt Cullen, is still deciding between retirement and another season. Cullen is interesting. As the fourth line center and 40-years old, Cullen was still playing at a very high level. Credible sources have Cullen going back home to Minnesota to finish his career.

Pittsburgh’s ability to dominate down the middle of the ice is now compromised. They had incredible depth at center on all four lines. Now, as the off-season turns, the Pens aren’t so intimidating and deep on all four lines. This is a big part of how they were able to win back to back Cups.

Then there is Chris Kunitz. The winger who scored the goal on Crosby’s 1000th point. A good friend, teammate and the hero of the Game 7 double overtime game-winning goal. A veteran presence both on the ice and in the locker room. Kunitz is the only active player with four Stanley Cups. This is a veteran presence that is already missed, both in the locker room and on the ice.

Losing players is part of the salary cap era of the NHL. Loyalty is few and far between now and money talks. Great teams overcome obstacles.  This upcoming season will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can once again rise and defeat the obstacles or if this is the year it finally gets to the team.

 

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Niners training camp competitions: Iron sharpens iron

By Niner Faithful

 

Competition it’s a word being thrown around Niners headquarters these days. Both Head coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch have said there is competition at every spot on the roster no one is going to be handed anything. So, as we get ready for training camp later this month I thought I would break down some of the key position battles that I think are worth keeping an eye on in training camp.

Tight End: Probably one of the spots that has the most Competition is tight end. The Niners went out and sign veteran Logan Paulsen drafted Gorge Kettle signed undrafted free agent Cole Hikutini and still have Blake Bell, Garrett Celek and Vance McDonald from last year’s team. Gorge Kittle has been a name that has been getting a lot of attention in the Niners OTAs and different minicamps. He was singled out both by GM John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and some point this offseason. John Lynch saying on an interview on KNBR last week that the rookie “really flashed” and that he “catches the ball extremely well.” (I believe that was a shot at Vance McDonald) and said he could possibility be a “play maker near the red zone” something that the team didn’t have till he was drafted. It’s hard for this position to get worse so I expect improvement from last year in my opinion.

Defensive Line: Pass rush was a big problem for the Niners last year they tied for 19^th in the league with 33 sacks. The Niners have spent the last three drafts on the D-Line they drafted Solomon Thomas with the 3^rdoverall pick this year to go along with Deforest Buckner (7^th overall last year), and Arik Armstead (17^th overall in 2015). Returning from last year’s team are Aaron Lynch, Ronald Blair, Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial, and Chris Jones.  We signed Earl Mitchell, Elvis Dumervil, and Noble Nwachukwu in free agency while drafting D.J. Jones, and Pita Taumoepenu to go along with Thomas. They say that the biggest jump a player makes is from year one to year two so, with Buckner entering his second year and Armstead basically playing his second year I expect the picks we have spent on the D-Line to start paying off. Add that to the fact that it’s a contract year for Lynch and Carradine. We have a staff that understands 1008 snaps for Buckner is too much and Dumervil has a lot to prove after a subpar year last year I expect the pass rush to make great strides over last year.

Linebackers: Last year the season turned when NaVorro Bowman went down in week 4 he is our best defensive player and looked to fully recovered from his devastating knee injury in 2014. Besides losing Bow we lost Ray Ray Armstrong (IR week 3) and Shane Skov (IR week 12) which forced players who shouldn’t have been starters to start. This was one of the positions in need of an upgrade the most.  Besides NaVorro Bowman the Niners have brought back Ray Ray Armstrong, Ahmad Brooks, Eli Harold, and Aaron Lynch (although he’s moving to the D line). We signed Malcolm Smith, Brock Coyle, And Dekoda Watson in free agency. We Drafted Reuben Foster (I believe the steal of the draft) with the 31^st pick overall along with Pita Taumoepenu (although he is also going to move to the D line). We also signed undrafted rookies Donavin Newsom, and Jimmie Gilbert. It’s clear that John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan saw this as a position of need and addressed it. As with most of the team I fill this is a position that can only improve over 2016. And Thank God that got rid of Nick when my friend Mary can see you suck it’s time for you to go. You can’t keep 10 linebackers so the competition for spots on the 53 is going to be intense with a big factor with must players being can they play special team. These are just a few of the battles that will be going on in training camp this year and it’s going to be fun to watch.

 

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The Empire Strikes back: The belief in something special coming

BY Niner Faithful

The last game of the 2016 season ended like so many others for the Niners with a loss. A 25-23 loss to rival Seattle to be exact. Trent Blake had already been fired (which was known because of another leak coming out of the building) and soon after Chip Kelly would be out the door as well. The search had already begun to rebuild not only the team but the image of this storied franchise. Jed saw the planes flying over the stadium that he had worked so hard to build and he didn’t like it. It was clear from pretty much the beginning that Trent and Chip wouldn’t work well together. Chip wanted to go full speed all the time and didn’t care about time of possession were Trent wanted to run the ball grind out the clock and keep his defense off the field. The two couldn’t have had more opposite football philosophies. So, it was clear that he needed two men who shared the same views or at least work well together. Would he go with youth or experience? Who would want to work with him? After his firing of Jim Harbaugh and hiring of yes man Jim Tomsula he’s credibility was shot with fans before this year now he had none. On January 2^nd, the day after the season ended he gave his yearly press conference and it seemed like the last few season took their toll. He seemed humbled. He gave a short opening statement in which he apologized to fans and gave the normal we are going to bring back a championship culture speech. Little did we know that this time he might get it right. Right away Jed went to work interviewing Anthony Lynn, Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean McVay, Tom Cable and Sean McDermott for the head coaching position and interviewing Eliot Wolf, Brian Gutekunst, George Paton, Jimmy Raye III, Brandon Beane, Louis Riddick, Terry McDonough, Trent Kirchner, Scott Fitterer and John Lynch for General Manager ultimately deciding on John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to be our new GM and Head Coach. Step one complete.

Now I’m not going to set here and pretend that I was sold on the John Lynch hiring right away. After all the people who we had years of experience we went with a man who spent the years after his retirement from football in a broadcast booth. It’s one thing to know football it’s another to be able to spot talent, hire the best coach, pick a roster, and run a draft. Then I heard him talk and more than that I saw who he hired and the fact that he wasn’t scared to put people who had more experience around him to help guide him in teach him in what he doesn’t know. Now this was done before Kyle Shanahan was hired as the head coach, all though once Josh McDaniels withdrew his name it was clear who they were going to hire. So, we get to the day where the Niners have John Lynch’s and Kyle Shanahan’s interdictory press conference. And you could just feel the energy in the room changing. These men had a plan, a vision for how they wanted to build our roster, what kind of players they wanted and, the best part about it was they both had the same plan. They laid it out all right there on the table for everyone to know something that I felt lacked in the past. So, began the journey to get us back to respectability. In previous years, free agency has been generally a bore only 23 players though 2013-2016. There was a lot of worries if anyone would want to come play for us coming off a 2-14 season with a GM who just a few months ago was working with fox? Those people witch I was not one of were quickly quitted when in just the first few days of free agency 7 different players of note signed with the Niners.  Stating either that our GM was a player or that being a part of Kyle Shanahan’s system being a factor in signing here. Then there was the Draft. To say that the feeling was anticipation is an understatement. The number two pick was the highest we have drafted since 2006 when we took Vernon Davis with the 6^th overall pick. John Lynch had been pumping up the pick pretty much since her was hired. Any chance he got he would say how it was a blessing and how the Niners were “open for business” when it came to trading the pick. Draft day the deal is done John Lynch in his first draft commitments highway robbery getting the 3^rd overall a 3^rd rounder number 67 overall a 4^th rounder number 111 overall and a 3^rd rounder in next year’s draft. All that just to move up one spot and to get the player we had number two on our board (Myles Garrett was number one) this trade set the tone for the rest of the draft. Because of this trade alone we could get Solomon Thomas, Ruben Foster and Adrian Colbert along with a 2^nd round and 3^rd round pick next year. In all there was ten players were picked two picks were added to next year’s draft and six trades were made. (one away from a Niners record) not bad for a self-proclaimed “pretty conservative guy” with no experience. With the draft, over with hit the undrafted free agent market and picked up 18 players bring the total of new players added to the roster to 49. Step two complete.

The vibe all throughout the offseason program has been one of high excitement and energy. Many reporters have said that hasn’t been felt around team headquarters since the first year of Harbaugh. Joe Staley said in an interview during mandatory minicamp that he “hasn’t felt like this in a long time” and that “the energy is back in the building”. To a man pretty much every player echoed the same thing. You can bring in Bill Walsh from the grave to coach the team if the players don’t buy in it means nothing and so far, it seems like they have. From the reports coming out of minicamp the defense has made great strides” winning” most reps at practice but that is to be expected this early especially without pads. Training camp is a little over 3 weeks away with the first preseason game set for two weeks after that, so we have awhile until we can see if any of the changes will get results this year. But one thing is sure there is reason for hope not just I have faith in my team hope no real hope that can be backed up with facts and logic and that is more than we can say at any point in the last 2 years.

 

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NHL Round 2 Preview: Western Conference Preview

By Kim Dunning

The Western Conference Semi-Finals begin on Wednesday Night. Four teams that vaulted their way into the series all in different ways.

Two teams swept their first round opponents. The other two pulled what some experts believe to be major upsets.

So without further ado, here is the Western Conference Round 2 Preview.

Western Conference

Blues vs Predators

The St. Louis Blues defeated the Minnesota Wild to seal their second round bid. Goal tender Jake Allan was on fire during the series.

The Nashville Predators pulled off the sweep of the favorite Chicago Blackhawks. They Predators held Chicago to three goals in four games.

Goaltending is definitely going to be the way of this series. Both Allan and Predators goalie, Pekka Rinne was lights out against the Hawks. The Hawks have a high powered offense.

This series will be low scoring and full of defensive battles. Actually, it will be a typical Western Conference playoff game. Expect lots of hitting, little scoring and goaltending to boot.

Should both these goaltenders play the way they did in Round 1, this will be a defensive battle. The nod should go to the Preds as they did knock off the favorite.

Ducks vs Oilers

The Aniheim Ducks swept the Calgary Flames to advance to the second round. The Oilers defeated the defending Western Conference Champion, San Jose Sharks, to advance.

Edmonton has a young but good team. They also have this kid named Conor McDavid who is something special. If you don’t watch this series for anything else watch it for him and admire the youth movement in the NHL.

The Ducks have experience and have been resting for longer than the Oilers. Sometimes rest can be bad for a team, but for the Ducks it gives their star player Cam Fowler time to heal.

If Edmonton can come out and play the Ducks like they did the Sharks, this could be a 7-game series. Otherwise, look for the Ducks to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Playoff hockey is the best time of year. If you aren’t watching you should be! Anything can happen, as we saw in the first round. Enjoy the second round and good luck to your club.

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NHL Round 2 Preview: Eastern Conference Preview

By Kim Dunning

The NHL playoffs started on April 12, 2017 this year. It has been a wild ride. Round 1 was unforgettable this season. To the surprise of many hockey fans, some clubs did not move on as expected.

We started roughly about two weeks ago with 16-teams. We are down to eight left, all vying for the coveted title of Stanley Cup Champions.

The Chicago Blackhawks were the team to beat. After getting swept out of the first round, there is no clear cut favorites now, except Pittsburgh.

So without further ado, here is the Eastern Conference Round 2 Preview.

Eastern Conference
Rangers vs Senators

For only the second time in playoff history, The New York Rangers will play the Ottawa Senators. The last time these two teams played each other, New York won the series four games to three. Both teams defeated their opponents in the first round four games to two.

When you think of Ottawa you think of Erick Karlsson and his stellar defensive play. Karlsson played the first round with fractures in his foot. He still managed to get a lot of ice time and performed very well.

When you think of the Rangers, you think of their four line rotation. New York has added to their speed game during the off-season. They roll four lines well and do not have a true first line.

Goaltending for both clubs evenly matched. Henrik Lundqvist for the Rangers has found his niche and played excellent in the first round. Craig Anderson also played well in the first round and has become an emotional leader to the club.

This series will come down to how well the Senators defense matches up to the Rangers four lines. The nod should go to the Rangers because they are playing well on the road. The Rangers are looking like the defending Champs last season.

Penguins vs Capitals

This exciting series is a rematch from last season. The Penguins defeated the Capitals in six games to go on to win the Cup. This could be the most exciting series of round two, at least in the Eastern Conference.

For the tenth time, these two will meet in the playoffs. These two clubs are arguably the best two in the NHL.

In the first round, the Penguins advanced with a 4-1 series win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Capitals had a bit of trouble with a young Maple Leafs team and won their series 4-2.

Washington has a history of second round bounces, but they have a different feel to them. The Penguins have a history of beating the Capitals in the playoffs, having won 8 out of 9 meetings.

The Capitals are a dominate club building their team around beating the Penguins. The question is: Can Washington get over the mental block that seems to hit them when they play the Pens?

This series should go to seven games. This will be a hard fault battle between two good quality hockey clubs. The edge would go to Pittsburgh because this club has been there before. Washington seems to have a curse when it comes to the second round in the playoffs. Not to mention, they struggled with the speed and youth of the Leafs and Pittsburgh has the same type of club.

Should be an interesting match-up and the winner of this series will be the favorite for the Cup finals.

The Eastern Conference is shaping up to be a fun, interesting and exciting series. For those who have a horse in the race still, hang on to your seats and good luck to your club!

 

Stay tuned for the Western Conference preview.

 

NHL Round One Breakdown

By Kim Dunning

The National Hockey League finished up the regular season on Sunday.  There are 16 teams that are vying for the most coveted professional sports trophy: the Stanley Cup.

The fun thing about the NHL playoffs is that no matter who gets into the playoffs, you can pretty much guarantee, the winner of the Stanley Cup is usually the least likely suspect, unless it is the Chicago Blackhawks.

Last year, no Canadian team made it into the playoffs.  This is only the second time that has happened.  This year, all Canadian teams except two made it in.  These young Canadian teams are dangerous now but with the young talent they have, they will become even more dangerous as the years continue.

The first round starts on Wednesday night and airs on NBCSN and USA networks.   Let’s take a look at the teams who have made the playoffs, this year.

The Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference boasted one of the most dominate divisions this year in the Metropolitan Division.  Four teams in the Metro had over 100 points.  Sadly, because of a flawed playoff system, at least one 100+ point’s team will have a first round exit.

The Washington Capitals once again took the President’s Trophy for having the most points in the NHL, they had this last year and were considered the favorite for the Stanley Cup.  This year, the Capitals will square off on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Leafs are very lucky to have a playoff berth this year.  They clinched the final playoff spot with 1 game left to go in the season.  While most feel that the Caps will dominate the Leafs, there is a chance that these young kids like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will step up big and pull an upset.  The thing about Toronto is they are a very young and unpredictable team.  If the Leafs pull an upset, it will be nothing unusual for Washington to have an early post-season exit after a dominating regular season.

One of the more intriguing matchups of the first round is the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Pens finished second, slightly ahead of the Jackets.  The Penguins are also the defending Stanley Cup Champions looking for a repeat for the first time since Detroit did it back in 1997/1998.  The Jackets are a very physical young team with a veteran coach in John Tortorella.   The Penguins are based upon speed, power plays and offense.  They have a young net minder in Matt Murray who has struggled at times during the playoffs.   This series could go either way.  Pittsburgh may have a slight edge with having home ice advantage, but Columbus isn’t a team to be taken lightly.  Columbus has playoff inexperience and Pittsburgh is the veteran team coming into this.  This game could quite possibly go to 7-games.

The fourth and final Metropolitan team to start their first round is the New York Rangers.  The Rangers surprisingly have struggled at home and have become the “road warriors” of the NHL playoffs.  They will face the Atlantic Division winners, Montreal Canadians.   This match-up has two great goaltenders in Cary Price (for Montreal) and Henrik Lundqvist (for New York).  Both goalies can step it up and carry their team if need be.  The Canadians made a mid-season coaching change and that seems to have complimented their team more.  The Rangers have been bit in key positions with injuries.  Montreal can be hot and cold and with them having home ice, the nudge should go to the Rangers in this series.

The final Eastern conference matchup features the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators.  The Bruins are back in the playoffs after a brief hiatus and the Senators are the home ice favorites in this one.  The Bruins have the talent to keep up with Ottawa and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them take the series in less than 7-games.   The Senators swept the Bruins in the regular season, but the Bruins have talented veterans in David Backes, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand that can step it up when the playoffs call for.  This matchup seems kind of on the drab side, however this could be more exciting than the average hockey fan imagines.

The Western Conference

While the Western Conference during the regular season seemed to just coast along, there is a bigger difference than the Eastern Conference.  The Western conference did not have as many ties as the top teams in the East did.  The Western Conference road to the Stanley Cup is never boring nor is it ever disappointing.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Central division and will play the Nashville Predators.  Every NHL fan that isn’t a Blackhawks fan wants this upset.  Chicago is a team that will coast through the regular season and turn it on hot when it comes to the post season.  With Chicago getting bounced out in the first round last year, they will be looking for redemption on their way to the Cup that you can almost feel sorry for the Preds.  The Predators aren’t a push-over team but they’ve been hot and cold all regular season.  They are also looking to get further after their second round out courtesy of the San Jose Sharks.

The Minnesota Wild will start their first round quest against the St. Louis Blues.  The Blues were the team that everyone thought would go to the Stanley Cup final last year after they knocked off Chicago.  Both the Blues and Wild are looking to advance further than last year.  The history between Minnesota teams and the Blues is still ingrained in the minds of the Wild and Blue fans and these teams do not like each other.  Minnesota boast one of the top defenses in the league and the Blues came on strong after their fired their head coach.  Mike Yeo, the interim coach for the Blues, has ties to Minnesota as well.  So this series isn’t just for the advancement but maybe for bragging rights.  Minnesota should be able to handle the Blues but this is one of those series you shouldn’t bet money on.

The Pacific Division winner Anaheim Ducks will face the Calgary Flames.  When these two teams met in their regular season finale, fireworks were everywhere.   Flames defenseman Mark Giodano’s knee-on-knee hit sidelined the Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler.  This may have a carry-over into the playoffs as each team will be running high on emotions.  The Flames have a younger group of guys that their veteran goaltender in Brian Elliott may have to pick up the slack for a game or two.  They also have the very dangerous rookie, Johnny Gaudreau, that when he gets the puck you never know what’s going to happen.   The Flames have struggled at the Honda Center, so with the Ducks having home ice advantage in this could spell a one and done for the Flames.

The final first round match-up is the defending Western Conference Champion, San Jose Sharks against the very young Edmonton Oilers.   This series is a must watch because Conor McDavid is really that exciting.  McDavid at only 20-years old won the Art Ross Trophy (for most points by a player in the entire NHL).  This series is the young versus the old.  San Jose is stacked with veterans who are hungry to go back and win the Cup that the Penguins stopped them from winning last year.  Edmonton is looking to get back to the “glory days” when Wayne Gretzky played for them and took them too many championships.   During the season, the Oilers owned the Sharks 3-1-1, and this again does not translate to the playoffs.  The Sharks are not only older but they have a few key injuries in Joe Thorton and Logan Couture.  This series may go to six or seven games but with the health and age of the Sharks, Edmonton could move on to the second round and once again have a very young, unpredictable team to watch.

The NHL playoffs are set for the first round.  This is the most exciting time in the NHL as they are presented on the bigger stage with NBC and their affiliates covering the entire playoffs.  Hockey playoffs are always non-stop action and so much can and will happen.  Happy Playoff Hockey and Good luck if your team happens to be one of the 16.