Ongoing - Elliott Friedman's 30 Thoughts (Wednesdays)

[manwiches]

I have seen very little talk about his weekly article on Sportsnet. As all of us know, he's one of, if not the best, in the business. I always look forward to this article on Wednesday's, and have always wanted to see other people's thoughts on his opinions, insights, and reporting.

I'll try to update this thread weekly with the link and any quotes I find interesting.

With that being said, here is today's

Jan 18, 2017

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...n-shattenkirk/

6. Is it possible St. Louis moves Kevin Shattenkirk, freeing up cap space to do something else?... Shattenkirk made it known he would not consider Edmonton long-term, but would he do it for a few months as the Oilers chase the playoffs? Why not? Montreal and Toronto would also make sense as teams that need a short-term burst.

This would definitely put advantage Oilers going forward... A bonafide top 2 for their core? Yikes...

22. Good line on the Hurricanes from another coach: “If there was an advanced stat for percentage of times a player is exactly where he’s supposed to be, they’d lead. Smart team.”

There's been a lot of lover directed towards Carolina lately, and rightly so. It's intriguing to read more and more about them, considering all I ever see is their highlight packages.

27. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly led a delegation to visit China, with potential pre-season games next season among agenda items. It’s been reported that Los Angeles and Vancouver would go, with one team setting up shop in Beijing and the other in Shanghai. One exhibition game would be in each of those cities. There’s some question about whether the players will want to do it if they don’t get to go to the Olympics, which makes my head want to explode. Someday, both sides will drop the politics and just do what’s best to grow the game. Anyway, no doubt that’s also part of Daly’s exploration — finding out what type of growth opportunities exist in the country.

I've been very vocal of my heritage on this board, but this really intrigues me. I hope to see the game grow significantly in China and other Asian territories. I know for a fact that there is an ice hockey league in Hong Kong, primarily (ok, almost exclusively) being played in with ex-pats. Outside of this (at least in Hong Kong), not many are interested in hockey, unless they have lived or are from Canada. One of my cousins is not as keen on it, however do follow from time to time, as her and her husband lived in Vancouver for 10 years. My other family and friends who live there could care less.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by manwiches

I have seen very little talk about his weekly article on Sportsnet. As all of us know, he's one of, if not the best, in the business. I always look forward to this article on Wednesday's, and have always wanted to see other people's thoughts on his opinions, insights, and reporting.

I'll try to update this thread weekly with the link and any quotes I find interesting.

With that being said, here is today's

Jan 18, 2017

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...n-shattenkirk/



This would definitely put advantage Oilers going forward... A bonafide top 2 for their core? Yikes...



There's been a lot of lover directed towards Carolina lately, and rightly so. It's intriguing to read more and more about them, considering all I ever see is their highlight packages.



I've been very vocal of my heritage on this board, but this really intrigues me. I hope to see the game grow significantly in China and other Asian territories. I know for a fact that there is an ice hockey league in Hong Kong, primarily (ok, almost exclusively) being played in with ex-pats. Outside of this (at least in Hong Kong), not many are interested in hockey, unless they have lived or are from Canada. One of my cousins is not as keen on it, however do follow from time to time, as her and her husband lived in Vancouver for 10 years. My other family and friends who live there could care less.

for a couple months...losing assets and then losing the player for nothing

Oilers gonna win the cup? highly doubt it

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by dino7c

for a couple months...losing assets and then losing the player for nothing

Oilers gonna win the cup? highly doubt it

Good point, I overlooked that point where he said he had no desire to go there long term.

They should do it then... give the old regime the reins for a day.

[CsInMyBlood]

These ones are Flames relevant, as I've seen people talk about trading Elliott back to St. Louis at the deadline:

Originally Posted by Elliott Friedman

8. Pretty funny last Friday night for about 30 minutes when a contingent of Blues’ executives showed up for Winnipeg/Arizona. “What are they up to?” “Who are they watching?” The organization was in town for its scouting meetings. But it shows you how someone showing up somewhere starts a brush fire.

9. One rumour that was shot down: St. Louis bringing back Brian Elliott.

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

These ones are Flames relevant, as I've seen people talk about trading Elliott back to St. Louis at the deadline:

Nice! I was keeping my eyes open for a Flames reference, but obviously missed this.

[SOMBRI2]

Originally Posted by manwiches

I have seen very little talk about his weekly article on Sportsnet. As all of us know, he's one of, if not the best, in the business. I always look forward to this article on Wednesday's, and have always wanted to see other people's thoughts on his opinions, insights, and reporting.

I'll try to update this thread weekly with the link and any quotes I find interesting.

With that being said, here is today's

Jan 18, 2017

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...n-shattenkirk/



This would definitely put advantage Oilers going forward... A bonafide top 2 for their core? Yikes...



There's been a lot of lover directed towards Carolina lately, and rightly so. It's intriguing to read more and more about them, considering all I ever see is their highlight packages.



I've been very vocal of my heritage on this board, but this really intrigues me. I hope to see the game grow significantly in China and other Asian territories. I know for a fact that there is an ice hockey league in Hong Kong, primarily (ok, almost exclusively) being played in with ex-pats. Outside of this (at least in Hong Kong), not many are interested in hockey, unless they have lived or are from Canada. One of my cousins is not as keen on it, however do follow from time to time, as her and her husband lived in Vancouver for 10 years. My other family and friends who live there could care less.

Agreed. Even the friends I have who follow the sport have lived in North America for quite sometime. You cannot just grow a "foreign sport" easily without some local grassroot development. The Canucks have done a few things (like summer camp) in China since 2012 I believe. The winter Olympics will certainly help but I am not intrigued about long term grow unless you have a NHL version of Yao Ming in the league. Time zone is another factor.

Also, correct me if I am wrong, ice hockey in most part of Asia, at the least in Hong Kong, plays the 4v4 format. There are local enthusiasts on top of ex Pat.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by SOMBRI2

The Canucks have done a few things (like summer camp) in China since 2012 I believe. The winter Olympics will certainly help but I am not intrigued about long term grow unless you have a NHL version of Yao Ming in the league.

I believe the time zones are actually somewhat better for Asia (who would be often tuning in during late morning) than it is for places in Europe (who would be waking up in the wee hours of the morning to tune in). In the ATL for the most recent Avalanche game, there was a Chinese national who mentioned watching it in his office at work in the morning.

Regarding exposure - it certainly is a big deal, since we don't have a Yao Ming. Maybe the Flames should try to trade for Andong Song since Snow is on the warpath.

[sureLoss]

Should be noted that the KHL already has a team in China (with dismal attendance), so you could say there is some grassroot development...

[SOMBRI2]

Brandon Yip was the closest, most recent. Need a Paul Kariya calibre. Interesting on the time zone observation, Gaskal.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

I believe the time zones are actually somewhat better for Asia (who would be often tuning in during late morning) than it is for places in Europe (who would be waking up in the wee hours of the morning to tune in). In the ATL for the most recent Avalanche game, there was a Chinese national who mentioned watching it in his office at work in the morning.

Regarding exposure - it certainly is a big deal, since we don't have a Yao Ming. Maybe the Flames should try to trade for Andong Song since Snow is on the warpath.

As any sport, home grown talent is huge, no matter the heritage.

I went to a Pats game the other day against Medicine Hat, and I was intrigued over one of their defencemen, Jett Woo (awesome name by the way). He's a local Winnipeg kid, 16 years old, and did not look out of place at all amongst his older peers. I did some research, and he's eligible for the 2018 draft, and has the potential to go top 30. He was drafted 4th overall in the WHL draft, which is pretty amazing.

The kid has a nasty streak too, which is noted in my research, as he models his game after Shea Weber. Watching him do the little things to aggravate or just hard nose plays during the game affirmed this.

He looks like a halfie, but either way, pretty cool. Funny story I read about him, is that his dad is the Chinese guy in Goon. Not sure if that's true or not, but if so, awesome.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=281813

[Gaskal]

Matt Belesky wrote a wonderful article about travelling with a couple fellow Bruins to coach a hockey camp in China that gave everyone else a lot of insight on the state of the sport in that country. I'll pull out all the relevant quotes but the entire article is a great read.

The Player's Tribune - Matt Beleskey: An NHL'ers Guide to China

On knowledge of the NHL and its players:

Obviously, the league isn’t televised or marketed very much in Asia, and hockey is really just starting to gain traction, so while the fans can name a handful of teams and the really big stars, I don’t think they knew exactly who we were.

At one point, right after we finished talking with the media and got a chance to mingle with fans, I looked back and saw some kids taking pictures with some members of the Bruins’ staff. I’m pretty sure the kids had mistaken them for hockey players.

On the facilities:

I wasn’t expecting much going into our first clinic. Hockey is still very new to the country so I was prepared for there to be some barriers. Still, when we arrived at the rink, one thing was for sure: They know how to build an athletic facility.

Wow. This place is nice.

Two ice surfaces, a dry-land training area, a baseball complex, two indoor soccer fields and a cafeteria. If I were still a kid, I would have loved this place. Scratch that — as a grown man I did love it.

On local youth development:

The Chinese kids would ask about what task they need to accomplish to reach the pros. They want to know, step-by-step, what tests have to be passed in order to get to the NHL.

The approach of kids in North America is more about dreaming from a young age, working hard and hoping for the best. It’s not that they weren’t hard workers in China, but it’s a much more defined idea of development. They want to know the specific task, pass it, and move on.

It’s not about the journey as much, it’s about the destination. They were a very goal-oriented group of boys and girls.

On the development of the game overall:

We talked about the development of the game in China — how we thought they could have a pretty decent team down the road. We could see the passion for the game in the kids, the same way basketball captured their hearts many years ago.

Hockey is starting to take root in Chinese culture, and I’d like to think that our group of Bruins had something to do with that.

[manwiches]

A day early!

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...diens-coyotes/

Flames notes:

4. Sam Bennett was a healthy scratch last Thursday, and Calgary GM Brad Treliving got his share of texts/calls about it. He told compatriots Bennett isn’t getting traded.

I see the hot and cold of this fanbase, but honestly, he's 20 years old. He deserves some slack, and I believe he will be fine in the long run. He's learning to be a pro.

23. Another player who had a similar response to Kadri's about coaching trust: Mikael Backlund. Calgary teammates say Backlund benefits from generally being left alone by head coach Glen Gulutzan. "It’s all about confidence for him," one Flame said. "Tell him what you need and leave him be."

Backlund’s having a terrific year. How many meetings has he had with his coach? "I think two," Backlund responded. "It was different with (Mike Keenan, Brent Sutter and Bob Hartley). But don’t forget I was younger then. I probably needed it more."

Thought it was interesting both Backlund and Kadri recognized youth as a reason, rather than taking shots at their previous coaches.

Nice insight into arguably our best player this season.

24. Argue all you want about plus-minus and whether it is a legitimate marker of a player’s ability, but there’s no questioning some believe in it. One is Johnny Gaudreau, who has never been a minus player over a full season. (Oldest results I could find dated back to 2010–11 with USHL Dubuque.) He’s at minus-17 this season and it bothers him — a ton. I think the Flames are trying to convince him to say, “Let’s work on it game-by-game, rather than getting overwhelmed by the big picture,” but it’s weighing on him.

Interesting note. I've heard and read lots of the Flames not caring etc. I think that's not a fair assessment of any NHLer. Every player cares, it's just how they show it. They're all snakebitten for the most part right now, and confidence is a huge factor, which in part affects body language. I can guarantee you they are pissed, but need some confidence injected into them.

25. Calgary’s Brad Treliving is the only NHL GM without a contract into next season. He won’t discuss it, and neither will the organization. One exec (from elsewhere) noted that the Flames are comfortable with the way they approach this and don’t consider it to be “ominous.” I suspect it’s because they’ve decided to fire coaches and don’t want too many extra salaries on the books. That’s fine, but in the NHL world, it’s weird. Before the season, Columbus gave two-year extensions to its management team, not wanting them going into this season on the ends of their deals. In Vancouver, it’s led to constant job speculation with Willie Desjardins. In St. Louis, there’s some question how it’s affected the Blues’ struggles because players know Ken Hitchcock is to be replaced by Mike Yeo.

Seems to be discussed ad naseum lately (at least on the Fan). If the Flames are comfortable with it, then that's what it is. My personal opinion is that Treliving should be given another contract here, as this year isn't his fault. Everybody thought they would take steps. The players (Re: Goalies) haven't played to par, which has been trickle down on the team.



League notes:

6. One story about Lehner: Last year, I worked a game of his in Montreal that Buffalo won. He was our interview post-game and he was terrible. This was odd, because anyone who’s ever dealt with him knows he’s normally the exact opposite. Then, another broadcaster came up to me and said, “He’s pissed at you.” That made sense and I knew exactly what it was. I’d talked about his injury issues, the fact his weight gain affected his health and play, which was true, but clumsily written. (Generally, I don’t like writing about conditioning, because my own is so bad.) So, I made a point that the next time I saw him, I’d bring it up. That was in training camp this season and we talked about it. We hammered it out very professionally. It’s not in the heat of the moment like last week was, but Lehner’s got that calmness in him.

I absolutely love Friedman's insights into his interactions and relationships in the business. This is a perfect example of why he is so well respected in the community, and his insights and interviews so thoughtful.

27. One of the more intriguing questions about the NHL’s trip to China? How much the league will help the country develop a successful hockey program and national team. At the 2004 Olympics, one of my coverage responsibilities was tennis. Li Ting and Sun Tiantian became the first Chinese to win a medal in the sport, taking the women’s doubles. It was a huge deal for that country, with one reporter saying not to underestimate how important it was to put on a good performance in every possible sport four years later in Beijing. As we move towards another trip to that country, I’m sure the attitude is no different.

More interesting takes on gaining traction in China. Very good point about putting on a good performance, as Chinese athletes typically don't accept anything less than perfection.

[The Fonz]

Calgary teammates say Backlund benefits from generally being left alone by head coach Glen Gulutzan. "It’s all about confidence for him," one Flame said. "Tell him what you need and leave him be."

Backlund’s having a terrific year. How many meetings has he had with his coach? "I think two," Backlund responded.

So... this is terrifying.

The only core/important player on this team that has seen improvement this season versus last, just so happens to be the player that is not being coached by Gulutzan.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by SOMBRI2

Agreed. Even the friends I have who follow the sport have lived in North America for quite sometime. You cannot just grow a "foreign sport" easily without some local grassroot development. The Canucks have done a few things (like summer camp) in China since 2012 I believe. The winter Olympics will certainly help but I am not intrigued about long term grow unless you have a NHL version of Yao Ming in the league. Time zone is another factor.

Also, correct me if I am wrong, ice hockey in most part of Asia, at the least in Hong Kong, plays the 4v4 format. There are local enthusiasts on top of ex Pat.

If the Flames ever played an exhibition game there I would have to go. Went to Shanghai in 2015 for a couple of weeks during the F1 and loved it.

[Northendzone]

^ I took this to mean that GG told Baks what he wanted him to do and Baks just did it rather than GG being all over him on a weekly basis

I did not take it as GG not coaching Baks

[calgarygeologist]

I don't think the Flames have the cap space for this move but I wonder if Bennett for Shattenkirk would work? I wonder if Shattenkirk would be interested in playing in Calgary? I really like him as a player and I would be very happy with a Bennett/Shattenkirk trade.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I don't think the Flames have the cap space for this move but I wonder if Bennett for Shattenkirk would work? I wonder if Shattenkirk would be interested in playing in Calgary? I really like him as a player and I would be very happy with a Bennett/Shattenkirk trade.

You would trade a 20 year old RFA future superstar for a good UFA defense man?

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I don't think the Flames have the cap space for this move but I wonder if Bennett for Shattenkirk would work? I wonder if Shattenkirk would be interested in playing in Calgary? I really like him as a player and I would be very happy with a Bennett/Shattenkirk trade.

Either Friedman or someone else said that Shattenkirk is open to playing in Canada for the playoff run only, but will sign with a US team in July....

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

You would trade a 20 year old RFA future superstar for a good UFA defense man?

Absolutely, in the case of Bennett for Shattenkirk (if Shattenkirk was willing to sign a contract in Calgary.)

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Either Friedman or someone else said that Shattenkirk is open to playing in Canada for the playoff run only, but will sign with a US team in July....

Apparently he fancies the Rangers.