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Do You Consider The Flames As The Favorite?
by Paul on 07/02/09 at 09:55 PM ET
Comments (4)
from Bruce Dowbiggin of the Globe and Mail,
Say this about the hockey media. They like busy.
Many of the hockey-panel shows and instant analysts in the blogosphere were quick to anoint the Calgary Flames as the early winners in the NHL rearmament race after the Flames signed defenceman Jay Bouwmeester to a five-year, $33-million (all currency U.S.) contract. “I think he’s the best defenceman out there,” Jay Feaster, former general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, said on TSN. “They got him. I think they’re the best defence in the West right now.”
These would be the same Flames who were anointed Stanley Cup favourites by the same voices at the trade deadline when they picked up “big centre” Olli Jokinen and mobile defenceman Jordan Leopold. Former player Matthew Barnaby was one of the few to point out Jokinen’s liabilities; on TSN he called the Finnish centre a “cancer”. Many other talking heads glossed over Jokinen’s fabled lack of industry, however.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Favorite? No. A 100% legit contender? Yes. Having Brent Sutter behind the bench with an actual defensive structure is only going to help Bouwmeester and Phaneuf. Dion simply needs to position himself better and especially stop looking for the big hit every shift. Jay should benefit just from being off a non-playoff Florida team. Regehr will remain Regehr. Those 3 could/should be a FORCE.
Posted by Jim Shorts from The ghetto's of Guam on 07/02/09 at 11:20 PM ET
Makes no difference...even if you have a crushing defense...if you can’t score you won’t win the cup...ever.
Posted by stoneman from Vegas on 07/03/09 at 01:49 AM ET
Defense is good but they still need to add some offense
Posted by Aaron from MI from Huron, MI on 07/03/09 at 06:33 AM ET
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Detroit and Chicago have the best d in the west. JBo is a good offensive dmen and a good skater but i dont think he is good defensively
Posted by Oilers Rock from Edmonton, Alberta on 07/02/09 at 11:08 PM ET