Hockey Trade Rumors

The top 9 high pressure positions in hockey, I couldn’t figure on a 10th, so complete the list if you like. I had it in a toss up between Wayne Gretzky as coach and Marc Denis in Tampa leading a team who’s coach will call his players out and potentially with the potential of ruining their confidnece and reputation. 1. Roberto Luongo – For a goalie that has never made the playoffs and only has 1 season with a winning record, Luongo’s asking price of 6.75 million, and the richest goalie contract post-lockout, stated that he feels is not only one of the best goalies in the league, but one of it’s best players – he has placed huge pressure on himself. Vancouver is without a doubt the hardest city to play Goal in, in the World, not just the NHL. Canucks fans are a different breed, they eat their goalies alive and the post game call in shows could probably get the radio station sued for slander. Canucks fans are merciless on their goalies, Felix Potvin was basically chased out of town for Back-Up Bob Essensa – and the abuse Potvin took is nothing I have ever seen or heard of for any athlete anywhere, they insulted his family, his heritage, his looks, everything about him got dragged through the mud. Cloutier suffered the same fate but was much more protected by Burke. Luongo who has played in hockey obscurity in Florida will have to an extra thick skin if Vancouver falters at all. If his first game is a dud and the team falters, he’ll forever be questioned in Vancouver. Nonis’s job is ridding on Luongo. If Luongo doesn’t get his team into the playoffs, a Canucks fan MAY eat one of his children, they are that passionate about the Cup. Without a doubt the highest pressure job in the NHL.

2. Andrew Raycroft – Let’s just say Leafs fans are holding their breath on this guy. His past success and Rookie of the Year award mean nothing in Toronto; he has to win over skeptical fans by winning games. Leaf supporters that are on his side now will jump ship and be asking for JFJ’s head if Raycroft isn’t solid. With an improved Defense and a new defensive approach, Raycroft better stand up and be a solid last line of defence or he’ll feel very small playing in the ACC. Leaf fans have enjoyed a decade of spectacular goaltending from The Eagle and Curtis Joseph stealing games, they may not tolerate an average goalie. JFJ barely survived keeping his job after he assembled a non-playoff team, and he is far from a fan or media favorite. Raycroft is the biggest piece of JFJ’s puzzle, he traded away a potential great in Rask, and the two better be good for each other. If Luongo’s kids weren’t under threat from cannibalism by rabid Canuck fans, Raycroft may be in the #1 spot. His only saving grace is his contract could make him an affordable back-up if he falters. Everybody knows the coach is solid, so there are no excuses, Raycroft has to win however he can.

3. Chritobal Huet – After letting in a goal that most QMJHL goalies would save (stick in the way or not) Huet will be under the spotlight and the book on this guy has not been written. The Habs most people would agree have a team that can make the playoffs if they stay healthy, they are solid on D and O, good coach and management, lots of leadership and speed. Huet has a big contract for a goalie that has a 32-31-15 record and he is the go to guy in Montreal. Montreal is a pressure city, it’s that simple. You can’t fool the fans, they demand nothing short of excellence, not just to make the playoffs and try hard, but work 120%, strive for excellence every game and end the Stanley Cup draught the franchise is in. Habs fans haven’t really embraced Huet as one of their own, and if teams find a weakness in his game, the fans will be out for blood. Maybe year in and year out, starting goalie for Montreal is the toughest job in sport. Huet has a lot to prove.

4. Sidney Crosby – Everybody in hockey is watching you, you have been labeled a cry-baby by the VP of the players association, you are labeled as the next Great thing, Don Cherry doesn’t like you, Gretzky said you could be the Captain of Team Canada in 2010 Olympics, your franchise is for sale and the value of it is at an all-time high because of your presence, you are the face of a million sponsors, a huge amount of hockey fans hate you because they like Ovechkin more, your owner is the greatest hockey player ever to lace up the skates, seasons ticket sales depend on you and you only, and you are 19 years old. Fans are dieing for a playoff game, you want nothing more than to win a Stanley Cup and every player in the league is gunning for you. You take more sticksto the face and uncalled penalties than any player in hockey. You are Sidney Crosby.

5. Daniel Alfredsson – You guaranteed a Cup win, and than qualified it by saying you never guaranteed it that year. You said you’d defeat Toronto when down by 2 games in 2004 and lost badly in game 7. As Captain of the most underachieving playoff team in the NHL, many question his leadership and attitude. Alfredsson is quickly becoming one of the most hated players in the NHL, he is booed in the ACC – the only player in the league that is, and many Sens fans want the ‘C’ given to Fisher, Phillips or Redden. The last time Alfie was on the ice, he looked a little arrogant thinking Pommeville would give up on the play. He led a group of players that begged Hasek to start in place of a brave and proud Emery. After last seasons meltdown, no betting man should ever pick Ottawa to ever win the Cup again. But realistically the Sens will be a playoff team and an early season Cup favorite, and no matter what Alfie and the Sens do in the regular season, they will be judged only on their amount of Playoff victories. Alfie is 16 wins away from a place in NHL history, and only 4 loses away from being forever being considered a goat and tarnishing all the hard work he has put in during his NHL years. He is getting on in age and doesn’t have that many shots at the Cup left. He needs to produce this season and everybody knows it.

6. Marty Turco. A $5.7 million contract and an 8-14 playoff record, including only 2 wins and an .860 Save % in the past 2 playoff runs on a solid and favored Dallas team. Turco is now regarded as the biggest fold goalie in the league. Nobody doubts his talent and drive, but with 4 years at $5.7 million left on his contract, Turco has to produce playoff results. The team is solid again this season, they added lots of veteran leadership and consider themselves Cup contenders. The spotlight will be on Turco big-time if they make the playoffs, he’ll have to handle the skepticism and answer the bell with some playoff wins. Management, fellow players and Turco himself expect great things. He is under the spot light no doubt.

7. Zdeno Chara. Chara’s reputation with fans is somewhere between “he’s the best to he’s overrated.” Once considered a top 10 defencemen in the league, he is now the leagues highest paid post lockout player. He struggled against the speedy and small Sabers in the playoffs and has shown that he can’t handle players like Sundin who have the dynamics to play a speed and small guy game. Chara is best when he is up against a Jagr or Forsberg, players he can lean on and play physical against. Against the Briere’s and Drury’s of the NHL, he struggles, and for 7.5. million he wasn’t hired to push Jagr around, he was hired to push EVERYBODY around. The Northeast division is filled with small speedy players in Montreal and Buffalo, and Ottawa has the big line. Chara was brought in to carry the Bruins to the playoffs. How he will work outside of great team talent like he had in Ottawa and a great partner in Phillips remains to be seen. He’ll be a fan favorite with his attitude and work ethic, but results are what count. Chara needs to get back to the top 10 from he displayed in spurts in Ottawa.

8. Ollie Jokinen. Florida expects to make the layoffs next season, and when Mike Keenan is you GM and has handed you a massive contract and traded for a power forward in Bertuzzi to give you the skills to make you better and let you shine, you have to perform and be great. Jokinen is the Captain, he’s the face of the franchise, Florida is done rebuilding and is now in search of some playoffs and in the new NHL – with their depth and great coaching, a Cup finals may be on the mind of some in the franchise, why not, lots of other team have done it in the past, why not the Panthers? Jokinen is my early season pick for MVP, but if he can’t find magic with Bertuzzi and get the Panthers into the playoffs, it will be considered a failed season. He held out for large money, now he has to go and earn it.

9. Ken Hitch*****. Big playoff meltdown last season and whispers he may be cut loose for a new voice, Hitchchock’s job in Philly is on the line this season. His post-season Hissy fits against Lindy Ruff and Martin Havlat are getting old and a little strange, and it makes his team look weak and desperate. He has had no real playoff success since taking over a dominant team one many favoured to win the Cup year after year. He’ll coach in the NHL for as long as he wants, but he was hired to win in Philly. If his team falters and stumbles out of gates, there will probably be calls for his head and a new offensive minded coach to come in. Defensive minded coaches who play boring hockey are tolerated by hockey-wise fans in markets like Philly for one reason and one reason only – to win the Cup. With the team losing and no playoff success likely it’ll be time for a change. Fans will be tired of seeing boring, defensive hockey and if the team isn’t winning, you might as well play exciting hockey for the fans. There is nothing worse as a fan than paying $100 a ticket, and not only see your team lose, but see a boring hockey game. Needs to get off to a good start to secure his job.