Hawks Re-Sign Versteeg, Keep Young Core Intact for What Could be a Great 2009-10 Season

The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed 23-year old forward Kris Versteeg to a 3-year, $9.25 million deal. Recently rated 21st best franchise in sports today by ESPN, the Hawks have kept their young team mostly intact. The Hawks have drafted great young talent the last couple of years, and it has made hockey nation look at Chicago as a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.

After losing the Western Conference Finals to Detroit, Hawk fans are really excited for what next year could bring. Many more NHL teams and owners are taking this young Hawks team seriously now. While the Hawks have lost their season MVP, Martin Havlat, they did add a powerful scoring forward in Marian Hossa. The Hawks lost a great goaltender in Khabibulan, and leaving the team to Huet is a bit risky. Huet has shown he can be a great goaltender, but his inconsistent play has had Hawk fans questioning how good a deal it was to pick him up and at such a steep price.

The Hawks have really big expectations to fulfill this coming season, and nobody really can say for sure if this team is capable of going all the way next year. As young as the team is though, Chicago fans are at least positive that the Hawks could win a championship in the near future. While the future is bright, the players don’t need to feel like they have no room to improve. Their inexperience was exploited by the veteran Detroit team last year in the playoffs and Detroit seems to always have the Hawks’ number. Most of all, Detroit capitalized on every mistake the Hawks made, and the Hawks will have to limit their mistakes against the Red Wings moving forward.

One thing that made me mad was the hatred for the Hawks by Sports Illustrated. They never gave credit to the Hawks, even when they made it deep into the postseason. They said they would lose against the Flames and the Canucks. When the Hawks did win those two series, SI didn’t praise the wins, they just ignored them completely. Just recently Alan Muir has called the Hossa signing a bad one. Come on! They never give the Hawks credit for building a team that can win. Sorry for going on a mini rant, but that has always bothered me a lot.

With prospect camps currently ongoing, the Hawks could find another gem. Next hockey season will be a fun and interesting ride for the Hawks and their fans. As a fan, I can only wish for another playoff berth, and who knows, maybe even a Cup.

Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 Preview and Prediction: Red Wings-Penguins Play One Game to Decide It All

Whether you love Stanley Cup betting, watch hockey casually or live and breathe it, Friday night should be something special. The epic rematch between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings has lived up to the hype, treating us to a Game 7 this Friday night. Here are the particulars:

Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 Preview

• Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Date: Friday, June 12, 2009
• Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Time: 8:00 ET
• Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Location: Detroit, MI
• Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 TV: NBC
• Red Wings – Penguins Game 7 Odds: Detroit -1.5

So who will take the Stanley Cup?

Originally, we broke down the NHL betting matchup edges into offense, defense, special teams, goaltending and coaching. Have the edges shifted in any of these categories entering Game 7?

Stanley Cup betting lines for Game 7:
Penguins +160
Red Wings -190

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Preview: OFFENSE

The Penguins are not the same team offensively on the road. In Pittsburgh, they’ve forechecked hard, beating the smallish Detroit defenders to pucks in the corners and taking the body. Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy and Maxime Talbot have been particularly impressive. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were brilliant in two of Pittsburgh’s three home games but have done very little in Detroit – amazingly, Crosby has no points at Joe Louis Arena in this series.

Save for Game 5, the Red Wings’ offense hasn’t exploded but it’s been relatively steady. Pavel Datsyuk’s return to the lineup breathed major life into the team in Game 5 and should help distribute Detroit’s scoring in Game 7. Henrik Zetterberg is clutch, as is Johan Franzen, but Marian Hossa has disappeared off the face of the Earth. He looks uncomfortable with the physicality of this series and can’t be relied upon to bust out in Game 7.

Overall, since Crosby and Malkin have been neutralized on the road, the edge shifts to Detroit.

Original Edge: Penguins
Game 7 Edge: Red Wings

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Preview: DEFENSE

Both teams should be commended for their overall defensive efforts in Stanley Cup betting, though they go about their success in different ways. The Wings have relied on skill, speed and smothering positioning to take space away from the Pens forwards while the Penguins have used their size, brute strength and shot blocking to keep pucks out of the net. As courageous as the Pens have been, they’ve been more tentative and, more importantly, less disciplined on the road, so Detroit keeps its edge here.

Original Edge: Red Wings
Game 7 Edge: Red Wings

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Preview: GOALTENDING

Could this be the deciding factor in NHL betting lines for Game 7? So far, the matchup has gone just as it seemed it would on paper – Chris Osgood has been solid if unspectacular for the Wings and Marc-Andre Fleury has alternated scintillating and horrible performances. Fleury remains the more physically gifted netminder; he showed in Game 6 that he can singlehandedly steal a game as he stopped 13 Detroit shots in the third period and made some spectacular saves. However, Fleury has melted down on the road and Chris Osgood has loads of big-game Stanley Cup experience, as he’s seeking his third ring. Fleury still can’t be counted out as he’ll need to carry the Pens, but Osgood is oh-so-steady, so Detroit pulls even here.

Original Edge: Penguins
Game 7 Edge: Even

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Preview: SPECIAL TEAMS

Nothing has really changed here. We know the Wings power play is second to one and we know its penalty kill is brutal. The Wings showed in Game 5 that they will bury anyone who takes penalties against them, but the Pens’ PK has been brilliant aside from that game and its power play has been adequate. No real offshore sportsbook advantage here, but the Pens must stay disciplined.

Original Edge: Even
Game 7 Edge: Even

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Preview: COACHING

You have to hand it to Dan Bylsma; he guided the Pens from almost missing the playoffs to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and he found a way to instill confidence in them for Game 6 after the ugly Game 5 loss. However, Bylsma has never coached one deciding game with the equivalent significance of the Super Bowl. Mike Babcock has. He’ll be cooler under pressure, so the Wings get the edge for Game 7.

Original Edge: Even
Game 7 Edge: Red Wings

Red Wings-Penguins Game 7 Prediction:THE VERDICT FOR GAME 7

As you can guess based on the analysis above, I’m picking Detroit to win Game 7. My original online wagering prognosis – Penguins in 6 – was contingent on the Penguins being up 3-2 heading home. Back in Detroit, the defending champs are just too good and the Penguins haven’t shown that they can handle the hostile environment at Joe Louis Arena. Another factor to remember: the home team is 12-2 in Stanley Cup Game 7s all-time.

Stanley Cup betting pick: Detroit Red Wings -190

2009 Stanley Cup Finals Finals: Penguins-Red Wings TV Schedule and Spreads

If you are a regular reader of this site, you know that I do not write much about hockey; and by “much” I mean that I don’t write about it all. It’s not that I don’t “like” hockey or that I don’t appreciate the greatness and athletic ability of the players in the NHL, but I never played hockey growing up in Indiana and never developed the passion for it that I did for football, basketball, and baseball.

However, as a devoted sports lover, I enjoy watching any sporting event in which the best players in the world at their respective sport are playing with something great on the line. Certainly, when the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins take to the ice in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, some of the best hockey players in the world will be battling it out for something great on the line.

And I will watch. (Although, as we all know, hockey is much better viewed live. But I don’t think I’m getting out to Detroit or Pittsburgh anytime soon…)

——————–

Click Here for Great Deals on Stanley Cup Finals Tickets from StubHub

——————–

Maybe I won’t watch every game, but I’ll tune it for most of them. Or at least flip over during the commercials if the Stanley Cup Finals are played concurrently with any NBA games.

And here is the TV Schedule for the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, a rematch of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Last year, the Red Wings came out on top and won their first Stanley Cup since 2002. In addition to being the defending Stanley Cup winners, the Red Wings are the last team to win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons (1997,1998). Pittsburgh is looking to take home the Stanley Cup for the first time since they won it back-to-back in 1991 and 1992.

Yesterday, our good friends from BetOnline broke down the matchups and offered up a Red Wings-Penguins Stanley Cup Finals prediction. They picked the Pens to come out on top in 6 games. What do you think?

Who will win the Stanley Cup in 2009?

• Pittsburgh Penguins (25%, 51 Votes)
• Detroit Red Wings (75%, 153 Votes)

Total Voters: 204

 Loading ...

Penguins-Red Wings Stanley Cup Final Preview, Matchup Breakdown, Odds, and Prediction

Finally, it’s here.

No, not the Belmont Stakes odds, silly. With all due respect to horse racing, it’s a fleeting few minutes of excitement.

We’re talking about the Stanley Cup Final odds – the battle for the trophy many online bettors call the hardest to win in professional sports.

This year, we have a much-desired rematch between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Will history repeat itself or will the Penguins dethrone the champs this time?

Penguins vs Red Wings odds
Online sportsbook lines for series: Penguins +135, Red Wings -155

———-

Follow the link for NHL Hats and Apparel at Lids.com.

All your favorite teams in the latest syles!

———-

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: OFFENSE

It’s extremely tough to pick between two potent offensive units like these, but the difference will probably come down to health. The Kneejerk reaction for puck betting fans is to see the Red Wings offense as superior; with superstars like Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Hossa plus great depth players like Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom and Daniel Clearly, how could Detroit not have the edge? For one, Pavel Datsyuk is playing hurt; with just one goal in 13 playoff games, he’s so hobbled that he may as well be a different player at the moment.

The Penguins’ offense isn’t quite a two-man show, but it’s close, as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin do all the heavy lifting. But NHL odds followers shouldn’t underestimate the impact of having two of the top three offensive players on the planet on one team; they’ve both been men possessed in these playoffs, combining for 26 goals and 56 points in 34 Stanley Cup betting games so far this year. Head coach Dan Bylsma is also double-shifting the stars, almost creating the effect of three or four superstars in the lineup. Worse yet for the Wings, Datsyuk, the best defensive forward in hockey, can’t shut down Sid and Geno like he normally can because of his injuries.

Edge: Penguins

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: DEFENSE

Big advantage for the Red Wings odds here. The Pens’ group is comprised mainly of grinders, and Sergei Gonchar isn’t fully healthy. Youngsters Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski make too many mistakes. We know Nicklas Lidstrom is a legend but, even if he’s still banged up entering the Stanley Cup Final odds, the Wings have plenty of backup for him. Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart have made headlines laying out any forwards brave enough to cross the blueline and they’ll work hard to scare Crosby and Malkin early in the series.

Edge: Red Wings

———-

Click here to buy Stanley Cup Tickets at RazorGator

Use promo code MAYRG15 to receive $15 off any purchase through the end of May! (No minimum purchase required to use promo code.)

———-

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: GOALTENDING

Chris Osgood is a polarizing goalie in sports wagering circles; some think he’s an overrated coattail rider who gives up soft goals while others think he’s underappreciated, pointing to the fact that he’s 10th all-time in hockey betting victories. Well, I think the point is moot; whatever you think about Osgood, Fleury is still better. He’s younger, more athletic, and he seems to really enjoy playing under pressure. He’s also good enough to steal a game – something Osgood never does.

Edge: Penguins

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: SPECIAL TEAMS

Without a fully healthy Sergei Gonchar, the Penguins don’t have the booming presence from the point needed to really make their power play go. Detroit’s power play is absolutely terrifying; it led the league at 25.5 per cent in the regular season and has actually bested that number in playoff hockey betting at 25.7 per cent. The flip side of the coin; the Wings’ penalty killing is awful at just 73.7 per cent in the playoffs, largely because of Datsyuk’s struggles. The Pens have the edge there.

Edge: Even

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: COACHING

It’s easy to give the Cup-winning Mike Babcock the edge, but we’re talking about who’s better right here, right now. The Penguins are 30-8-4 since Dan Bylsma took over and he’s done a great job mixing up his lines to exploit matchups.

Edge: Even

Red Wings-Penguins Matchup Preview: THE PREDICTION

Think of the Red Wings as the New York Islanders of 25 years ago – a strong dynasty ready to pass the torch to a team it beat the year before. The Penguins are the Edmonton Oilers – a young team that learned from the previous year’s mistakes and that rides two all-world stars to glory. The Wings are banged up and the Penguins have been the best team in puck betting for three months. It’s their time.

Stanley Cup Final odds pick: Penguins in six