American hockey is in good hands.
Despite our young Yankees’ disappointing 2-0 loss to Finland in the quarterfinals of the World Championships on Thursday in Germany, signs of promise abound. Mostly, that lies in the youth on the roster, a lot of it localized.
The Rangers sent Brady Skjei, 23, and Kevin Hayes, 25, both of whom arrived after the Blueshirts lost to the Senators in the second round of the playoffs last week. The Islanders, who missed the playoffs, sent Anders Lee, 26, who was second on the team with five goals in eight games, as well as 25-year-old Brock Nelson, who was an alternate captain.
Those coming from the Hub of Hockey in Boston were also big-time contributors. The never-ending stream of players out of Boston College to play for Team USA was led by the Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau, who was by far the team’s best player the whole tournament. In the final group-stage game, it was a Boston University kid, Sabres star Jack Eichel, making a play to Gaudreau, who found Lee in front for what would be the game-winning goal against Russia, giving the Americans first place in their group.
Of course, that play by Gaudreau had to make Hayes, a proud Golden Eagle himself, smile. And despite a natural rivalry with Boston University, there was no denying the bright future for three BU kids who have been together since the US Developmental Team and have played twice on the international stage in the past five months. That starts with defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who joined the Bruins during the playoffs and was immediately playing over 20 minutes per game (mostly due to injuries); and includes Clayton Keller, whom the Coyotes took with the No. 7 overall pick last June, and Jordan Greenway, a second-rounder for the Wild.
“Oh, man, it’s always such a blessing for myself every time that USA Hockey asks me to come and play,” McAvoy told NHL.com. “It’s always something that perks me up right away. Any time I get the opportunity to represent my country, I don’t think twice. It’s given me so many amazing things, wearing this jersey. I try to give back when I can.”
Speaking of Boston, anyone seen Chris Kreider, who hasn’t donned the Red, White and Blue since 2011? Yes, the Rangers have played a lot of playoff games in the interim, but at 26, is he over the hill? And it was much-needed rest for another Ranger, rookie Jimmy Vesey, the Harvard kid who is turning 24 on May 26 and just played almost as many hard-hitting NHL games in a eight-month span (92) as he had in the previous three years combined in college (101).
With the NHL’s incredibly short-sighted approach to not going to the 2018 Olympics — for now — this World Championships seemed quite a bit more important. Just ask Henrik Lundqvist.
And yes, the Americans lost to Finland, which meets Lundqvist and Sweden in the semifinals, while Russia takes on Canada. And there is no impending overthrow of the Canadians in world dominance.
But the US is in good hands going forward, and it’s good to see.
Headshots in playoffs
Turns out, the officiating and supplemental discipline didn’t just turn a switch and get better when the playoffs started. Who could’ve guessed? As the on-ice officials continue to alter the rules with each drop of the puck, the NHL Department of Player Safety has gone dark. That allowed Dion Phaneuf to bury Bryan Rust. Even if Rust has the puck and is skating with his head down, are you now allowed to target the head? And apparently the Ducks’ Ryan Kesler is just allowed to do whatever he wants, especially to the Predators’ Ryan Johansen. That includes this gruesome elbow to the face, along with so much more. Good for Johansen coming out and saying, “I don’t know how you can cheer for a guy like that.”
“I’m just trying to go out there and play hockey,” Johansen added, “and it sucks when you’ve got to pull a stick out of your groin every shift.”
Well, I’m sure someone’s looking into it. (Cricket, cricket …)
Classic Kessel
I’ve always found it hard to dislike Phil Kessel, and he proved why in this 64-second clip. He goes to the bench, completely winded, then screams at Evgeni Malkin — a Conn Smythe and Hart Trophy winner — for apparently not passing him the puck. Then Kessel goes out and scores the only goal in a 1-0 win over the Senators in Game 2 of their conference final, tying the series.
And you wonder why people name their children after him?
Capital confusion
see also
The Capitals have tried everything — except trading Ovechkin
The knee and hamstring injuries through which Alex Ovechkin soldiered…
Enough rightfully has been written about another second-round exit by the Capitals, and more will be in the coming months — especially if Alex Ovechkin is on the trade market. And it actually makes sense the general manager Brian MacLellan wants to wait to speak to reporters, as he goes through a “thorough evaluation.”
There’s a lot on the table on Washington, and change is a-comin’.
Stay tuned …
… for all-time postseason moments, more of which are surely coming up. There is a clear downtick in star power in the playoffs — really, who besides Sidney Crosby is must-watch television? P.K. Subban comes closest, but he might be the third-best defenseman on his own team behind Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis, the latter having a breakout postseason for those who didn’t know him before.
But rest assured, there will be moments that capture a young kid’s heart, just as this one did to me as a 12-year-old in 1996.
Parting shot
So there was Merkle’s Boner of 1908, and now maybe we have Egger’s Boner of 2017? This own-goal by Italian defenseman Alexander Egger in the World Championships has to be the worst play of the year in any sport.