Micheal Aldred
Ed. Note: Ultimately a rather minor roster move; Burke doesn't like the inconsistent intensity he's seen so far from the Buds so he turns to a familiar face in the 6'1, 205 pound Brad May, who has followed Burke wherever he's gone. After a quick/lazy look into 6th round success, there is a 12 percent chance that a sixth rounder plays more than 100 NHL games based on the six drafts between '95-'00. The pick is also conditional, so there's no knowing whether or not it'll actually change hands (as Alex Tran points out, it could very well be compensation should the Leafs re-sign May). As for Kulemin, this is likely a move made in order to avoid the Tlusty situation of last season. Kulemin's had his moments, but needs the ice-time he wasn't earning with the Leafs in order to gain confidence and consistency in his game.
Brian Burke made his first two moves as general manager of the Maple Leafs today. First, he assigned Nikolai Kulemin to the AHL - not a bad decision; this allows the youngster to get acquainted with more ice time and the smaller ice surface. He is provided the opportunity to dominate and gain more confidence at a lower level.
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When Team Canada went for the third straight Gold Medal, they were ruled “too small and lacked the necessary talent†to win. They proved them wrong. When Team Canada went for the fourth straight Gold Medal, they were ruled as “an underdog team with potential but not enough skill†to win. They proved them wrong. This year, Team Canada went for the fifth straight Gold Medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship. They were ruled as “too small†and we’re slated to win nothing more than silver. Again, Canada proves them wrong. How can you rule out the Hockey Capital of the World?
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On the eve of the biggest game in their major junior careers, team Canada prepares for a rematch with Team Sweden in the Gold Medal game. The event will faceoff John Tavares and Victor Hedman for "round 2" in a two round event - Tavares took round 1. They have 2 things at stake: both are competing for top prospect and both are competing for the gold.
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Quick question: Does anyone still have their fingernails? Wow. Only a few words can really sum this whole thing up: Exciting, Thrilling, and What the [more…]
This is it. One of these two teams will be singing “I’ve got a golden ticket†in the dressing room. A win means a trip to the gold medal game; a loss is a trip for the bronze. Dustin Tokarski will get the start for Canada, and while some feel Pickard should have gotten the game, it’s hard to argue the way Tokarski held his own after the penalty-stacked opening 10 minutes of the Canada/USA game.
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John Tavares ties the most goals ever by a player in the World Juniors with 12 but managed to do so in 1 less game than Jeff Carter, and 13 less games than Eric Lindros, and the tournament isn't even completed; although, after that performance, it really felt like the Gold medal game. It's hard to top that one.
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Canada is ready to face-off against their second opponent in the World Juniors round robin, team Kazakhstan. Della Rovere, arguably Canada’s grittiest player on the roster, suffered a slight leg injury after blocking a shot against the Czech Republic Friday night, but will play regardless. Shows a lot of heart.
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The school break for Kindergarteners to University students; holiday vacation time for the employed; Christmas celebrations; and finally, the start of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. December never feels the same without it.
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Overview:
Canada did all the right things in tonight’s game. They played a great cycling game in the offensive zone and have gotten more creative in their passing plays. They continued their crash-the-net tactics and even moved the puck out for some big point shots. On the defensive side, they played the 1-2-2 trap system the Fins used Sunday night, and applied an aggressive attack in the defensive end to completely shut down Richard Panik and the Slovaks.
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It’s their final exhibition matchup of the pre-tournament and Canada looks to apply the same pressure they’ve produced in their first two meetings. Sunday night’s game against Finland showed that this team can in fact change on the fly, and I’m not talking about the lines.
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