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Yearbook 2014-15
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
FANTASTIC AND DYNASTIC
THE LOS ANGELES KINGS WERE UNKILLABLE en route to their second Stanley Cup in three years, coming back from a 3-0 series deficit, winning seven elimination games and prevailing in three overtime contests in the final. “We’re like cockroaches,” said playoff hero Alec Martinez, “we just don’t go away.” Coach Darryl Sutter has combined a puck-possession offense with an incessantly swarming defense that has brought Los Angeles two Cups in three years and put the big, fast and deep Kings on the brink of a cap-era dynasty. Best of all, 2014-15 features the return of every key player from the 2014 championship team. Forwards Adam Cracknell and David Van Der Gulik were signed over the off-season, but GM-president Dean Lombardi’s biggest move of the summer was getting Marian Gaborik to settle for…
AIMING LOW IN BUFFALO?
THE SABRES SPENT THREE years getting younger. Now they’ve decided it’s time for their prospects to learn from respected veterans. Buffalo, which still has its eye on winning the Connor McDavid lottery, was an unexpected buyer during the off-season. The last-place club spent wildly on former Montreal captain Brian Gionta, three-time 30-goal scorer Matt Moulson and defenseman Andrej Meszaros. The Sabres also traded for Canadiens blueliner Josh Gorges. The veteran forwards are expected to teach Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko and No. 2 overall pick Sam Reinhart how to be pros, while the blueliners will serve as mentors for Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov and Mark Pysyk. “Our kids are sitting at home going, ‘Wow’, ” said GM Tim Murray. “They watch the National Hockey League. They know the quality of the player.…
HOPING TO STAY HEALTHY
DESPITE AN INJURY-RIDDLED CAMPAIGN, the Detroit Red Wings were able to manage their 23rd successive playoff appearance, the longest active streak of any team in the four major North American sports leagues, though they were quickly dispatched in five games by the Boston Bruins. That simply isn’t good enough in this self-proclaimed Hockeytown. “On the one hand I’m proud that we’ve been a playoff team,” said Detroit GM Ken Holland, “but on the other hand I’m disappointed that the last three years we’ve only been able to win one playoff round. We’re working here to find a way to see if we can be a playoff team and go further.” The Red Wings’ searched for defensive help in the off-season, but their failure to land one of the top unrestricted free…
SHANNY’S SHINE NOT ENOUGH
ROUTINELY OUTSHOT AND OUTPLAYED, the 2013-14 Toronto Maple Leafs, for a short time, managed to defy everything we know about advanced stats thanks to Vezina-type goaltending from Jonathan Bernier, a stellar shootout record and opportunistic scoring from Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk. By mid-March, however, the law of averages caught up to them. They lost 12 of their final 14 games and plummeted from fifth place to 12th in the Eastern Conference. Brendan Shanahan was brought in at the end of the season as the team’s president, but aside from minor cosmetic alterations – adding Stephane Robidas, trading Carl Gunnarsson for Roman Polak and bringing back Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin – not much has changed. In other words, whether you watch hockey with your eyes or with a calculator in…
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