Jim Coleman Conference Prelim Round - Baltimore Blades vs. U of A Nanooks

[Sturminator]

Baltimore Blades

Head Coach: Pat Burns

Cy Denneny-Bobby Clarke (C)-Rod Gilbert
Dean Prentice-Adam Oates -Peter Bondra
J.P. Parise-Brent Sutter-Dirk Graham
Ryan Smyth-Jonathan Toews-Milan Hejduk

Spares:Gerard Gallant (LW), Alexander Almetov (C)

Tim Horton (A)-Jan Suchy
Craig Hartsburg-Red Horner (A)
Steve Smith-Phil Russell
Spares: Doug Bodger (D), Dave Langevin (D)


Roy Worters
Evgeni Nabokov

Special Teams:

PP 1: Cy Denneny-Adam Oates-Rod Gilbert-Jan Suchy-Peter Bondra
PP 2: Ryan Smyth-Bobby Clarke-Milan Hejduk-Craig Hartsburg-Tim Horton

PK 1: Dirk Graham-Bobby Clarke-Tim Horton-Red Horner
PK 2: Dean Prentice-Brent Sutter-Jan Suchy-Phil Russell​

vs.

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS NANOOKS


Head Coach: Tommy Ivan
Assistant Coach: Dave Tippett

#22 Steve Shutt - #7 Norm Ullman - #10 Guy Lafleur
#62 Patrik Elias - #26 Peter Stastny (A) - #6 Harry Hyland
#9 Murray Murdoch - #91 Steven Stamkos - #18 Vladimir Vikulov
#21 Don Marcotte - #25 Keith Primeau - #15 Harold "Mush" March
#8 Peter McNab, #19 Jason Arnott

#44 Chris Pronger (C) - #3 Ehrhardt "Ott" Heller
#5 Mike Ramsey (A) - #2 Harry Cameron
#55 Vasili Pervukhin - #28 Kjell Samuelsson
#14 Mattias Norstrom

#20 Ed Belfour
#34 Miikka Kiprusoff

PP1:
Stamkos - Stastny - Lafleur
Pronger - Cameron

PP2:
Shutt - Ullman - Elias
Pervukhin - Heller

PK1:
Marcotte - Murdoch
Ramsey - Pronger

PK2:
Primeau - March
Samuelsson - Heller

PK3:
Ullman - Elias
Ramsey - Pronger​

Click to read more...

 

[tony d]

Best of luck to Nik and the Nanooks, looking forward to a spirited playoff series.

 

[tony d]

Let me do this again, had a big post typed out but it got erased before I could post, so here we go again:

Line 1:

Cy Denneny-Bobby Clarke-Rod Gilbert vs.
Steve Shutt-Norm Ullman-Guy Lafluer

Comments: I think both of us built our 1st lines in a very similar way. The goal scoring left winger, the glue guy at centre and the pretty boy at right wing. Both Denneny and Shutt were drafted to score goals and I think they should do that a plenty given their line mates. In reading up on both guys I see they both played a decent defensive game, probably not defensive enough to make much of a difference in this series but still good nonetheless. Clarke is one of the better centres of all-time. Guy could do it all on the ice, score points and play a good defensive game. Norm Ullman was the same way, I think Clarke vs. Ullman should be a very interesting 1st line matchup. Guy Lafluer is one of my favorite players of all time so you made a good selection in picking him, Rod Gilbert obviously is not as good as what Guy Lafluer was but he will still play a decent game. I expect Clarke to keep Gilbert in line should Gilbert get sidetracked.

Here's how I see this battle:

Denneny > Shutt
Clarke > Ullman
Gilbert < Lafluer

Line 2:

Dean Prentice-Adam Oates-Peter Bondra vs.
Patrik Elias-Peter Statsny-Harry Hyland

Comments: Again our 2nd lines were built similarly. You got glue guys in Prentice and Elias, playmakers in Oates and Statsny and the goal scorers in Bondra and Hyland. I think Elias has more of an offensive game than does Prentice which will work well on a 2nd line. The real battle here between these 2 lines will be between the dynamic duos of Oates and Bondra vs. Statsny-Hyland. I think Oates and Bondra could be one of the better playmaker-goal scorer 2nd lines in the draft while Statsny (A player I've always liked) and Hyland are no slouches either. Should be a good battle that may be in nik's favour due to the fact his guys are more 2 way that mine.

Here's how I see it breaking down:

Prentice < Elias
Oates = Statsny
Bondra > Hyland

Advantage: Slight one to the Nanooks.

Line 3:

JP Parise-Brent Sutter-Dirk Graham vs. Murray Murdoch-Steven Stamkos-Vladimir Vikulov

Comments: We built our 3rd lines differently. While I think Murdoch is the epitome of a 3rd line checking forward and should provide quite a battle for Parise I think that Sutter and Graham should provide to be quite the matchup for Stamkos and Vikulov. As talented as Stamkos is I don't know what he is doing in the ATD based upon his career thus far especially on a 3rd line. All he does is score goals, maybe he would be better served as a really good offensive spare but as a 3rd line centre I got to think Brent Sutter and Bobby Clarke will have a field day with him. Vikulov is much the same way, great offensive player but I don't think he's tough enough to be on a 3rd line. Dirk Graham and other 3rd line right wingers should have a field day with him.

Here's how I see it:

Parise < Murdoch
Sutter > Stamkos
Graham > Vikulov

Line 4:

Ryan Smyth-Jonathan Toews-Milan Hejduk vs. Don Marcotte-Keith Primeau-Mush March

Comments: Your 4th line was built the way a 3rd line should be built in that all 3 guys are decent 2 way guys. I anticipate a good battle between Smyth and Marcotte. Smyth was always good in front of the net. Be an interesting battle for sure between those 2. Toews and Primeau are 2 high draft picks in real life that are known more for their defensive game than their offensive game. Primeau was an imposing figure during his career but his injury history alarms me and he is sure to miss some games for you especially in a series that includes guys like Bobby Clarke and Red Horner for my team. Hejduk vs. Marsh is a battle between an offensive guy and a good 2 way guy that should be an interesting battle.

Here's how I see it.

Smyth < Marcotte
Toews > Primeau
Hejduk = March

Advantage: A slight 1 to the Blades

I'll compare the defensemen tomorrow and would hope that nik offers a rebuttal.

 

[tony d]

Time now to compare the defensive pairings:

Defensive Pairing 1:

Tim Horton-Jan Suchy vs. Chris Pronger-Ott Heller

Comments: I think Horton and Pronger are 2 guys who belong next to each other on any all time defenseman rankings. Pronger had the ability to dominate a game all by himself, much of the Oilers' 2006 run to the Cup finals is credited to him. Such a solid player and it's unfortunate to see his real career possibly ended by a serious injury. Horton also could dominate the game and he was considered the ultimate defenseman of his time, look forward to these 2 battling. Jan Suchy will be the offensive guy on this pairing for the Blades, not to toot my own horn but I think him and Horton could be one of the better pairings in this draft given their prowness on the defense. Ott Heller seems to be a guy who was more defensive than he was offensive. I think because of this your 1st pairing is dragged down a little.

How I see the pairings:

Horton=Pronger
Suchy>Heller

Advantage: Blades.

Defensive Pairing 2:

Red Horner-Craig Hartsburg vs. Mike Ramsey-Harry Cameron

Comments: I think that both of us went with the same idea for our 2nd pairing with a defensive guy (Horner and Ramsey) and offensive guy (Hartsburg and Cameron). I drafted Horner partly to protect some of my smaller players and think he'll do a good job in protecting Hartsburg. I expect Horner and Ramsey to be a good battle and they should protect the front of their net quite admirably. Both Hartsburg and Cameron come with issues. Hartsburg's injury history and Cameron's attitude. I expect Red Horner to protect Hartsburg enough to keep him from injury and Tommy Ivan to get the most out of Cameron.

Here's how I see it:

Horner>Ramsey
Hartsburg<Cameron

Advantage: A slight 1 to the Nanooks

Pairing 3:

Steve Smith-Phil Russell vs. Vasili Perkuvin-Kjell Samuelsson

Comments: I don't think either 1 of us went for the classic shutdown pairing but what we have are 4 guys who will keep opposing teams honest and have the ability to protect a lead late for their teams. I think Smith and Perkuvin will be the offensive guy on the 3rd pairing for our teams. I like Smith's physical game a bit more than Perkuvin's though. Russell and Samuelsson will be the defensive guy for both pairings. Samuelsson did nothing it seems but play a good defensive game so he works here on a shutdown pairing, Russell is much the same as Samuelsson.

Here's how I see this matchup.

Smith>Perkuvin
Russell>Samuelsson

Advantage: Blades

I'll compare the goalies, coaches, special teams tomorrow and hope nik offers up a rebuttal tonight.

 

[tony d]

Time to look at the goaltending battles for each team.

Roy Worters and Evgeni Nabokov vs. Ed Belfour and Mikka Kiprusoff

Comments: Much like Statsny Belfour was a guy I strongly considered for my team so good pick there. I think him and Worters are almost equals and the only thing that holds Worters back is the fact that he was on a lot of poor teams. Belfour was no slouch either. It should be a terrific goalie matchup. Nabokov and Kiprusoff are both excellent backps but I don't think either will see much time in net. 1 thing I will note though is that aside from the magical 2004 run Kiprusoff wasn't much in the playoffs, never leading Calgary out of the 1st round. Nabokov doesn't have a finals appearance to his name but he did lead San Jose past the 1st round 5 times.

So here's how I see it:

Worters = Belfour
Nabokov = Kiprusoff

Comments: Our goalies are almost equal, I think it's a true toss up.

Be back later to debate the coaching and special teams, hope nik chimes in soon about how the Nanooks plan to get past the Blades.

 

[tony d]

Coaching:

Pat Burns vs. Tommy Ivan/Dave Tippett

Comments: The 3 coaches in this series are good fits for their teams. Both Burns and Tippett seem to get the most out of their clubs. Tommy Ivan was also a good player's coach. Coaching is a strength for both teams and it should be a great coaching battle.

How I see it:

Burns = Ivan/Tippett

Comments: I'll give a slight edge to the Blades here but as I said coaching is a strength for both teams.

Special Teams:

Actually for the sake of people who are voting here's my new power play:

PP 1: Cy Denneny-Adam Oates-Rod Gilbert-Jan Suchy-Peter Bondra
PP 2: Ryan Smyth-Bobby Clarke-Milan Hejduk-Craig Hartsburg-Tim Horton

(So if a mod can change that it would be appreciated)

Putting Stamkos on your 1st power play is the best way to use Stamkos. Statsny will get the most out of him. I like mine a bit better as you have Oates there with goal scorers Denneny and Bondra to be the beneficiaries of his passes. I probaly would have used Hyland on one of your power play units as well. Penalty killing looks good for both teams, don't know if I'd have Pronger out on 1 power play and 2 penalty killing units.

Comments: Advantage to the Blades on special teams

Final thoughts: Would have loved for nik to have came in and debated, oh well still some time left, this should be a good series and I look forward to seeing who wins.

 

[Sturminator]

Baltimore defeats the University of Alaska in seven games.