Avalanche Hockey

JooktVideo asked:

Robby Nichols is yet another star of the Colorado Thunderbirds. His talent and drive led him to leave his home in Dallas, Texas and come up to play for this elite team. His trade offs seem to be paying off. Nichols is a sure college prospect and is looking to head out to Michigan after high school. … colorado hockey michigan nhl nichols prospect puck robby select talent thunderbirds

LEONEL

Asher Mcshane asked:


Blurred vision, a sense of disorientation, and a serious loss of equilibrium… in spite of the symptoms, I hadn’t spent an extended session warming a barstool, I was simply drunk on snow. My senses were not clouded by booze, but by some seriously un-Colorado-like weather.

Touted as a destination which offers 300 days of sunshine per year, it seemed just my luck that I managed to arrive in the small ski town of Crested Butte on one of the 65 ’snow dump’ days.

And dump it really does. I had arrived in the midst of one of the storms which gives the ski area its legendary powder snow. Up on the peaks, the winds picked up to freak speeds of up to 60mph, the white stuff zipped across the slopes horizontally, and it was cold. Bitterly cold.

But none of that matters when you are used to winters in the north of England, especially when there is acre upon acre of untouched powder just begging to swallow up a set of skis. With little more than a clack of my poles and a swoosh lost among the raging winds I was off – enjoying the best snow conditions that North America has to offer.

This was my first ski trip for about six years, so my confidence was a bit on the shaky side. ‘Don’t worry’ everyone kept telling me. ‘It’s like riding a bike’. Having skied after a prolonged gap, I can emphatically state that skiing is nothing like riding a bike. Six years is plenty of time to forget how to ski.

A leisurely morning ski had me panting like a St. Bernard and sweating profusely under my long-johns. Thankfully, Crested Butte’s slopes were close to deserted, making them ideal for re-acclimatising at my own pace.

However, a couple of days is all it takes to get back into the swing of skiing and pretty soon I was starting to find my legs. It’s remarkable how fast confidence comes and goes on the slopes.

To ease the physical burden on the unaccustomed skier, resorts in the ‘States have apres-ski down to a fine art. Crested Butte in particular offers ski-in, ski-out hotels with the cosiest of bars, friendliest of waitresses, and on the town’s sweet snowdrift-lined high street – more restaurants than you could eat at in a month.

After a tough day of skiing you find yourself longing for those endless coffees, cokes and snowboard-sized steaks that the Americans pride themselves with, so the apres-ski options in Crested Butte really hit the mark.

Celestial timing has never been more perfect than when it was time for me to leave the resort. Ever at the mercy of sod’s law, moments after returning my rental skis and checking out of the hotel, the grey skies swept away and were replaced by the clearest and most beautiful day I have seen in quite a while. For the first time, I could see the real reason why this little known resort is such a hit with ski-savvy Americans. It’s astonishingly pretty.

Steamboat, while not as attractive at base level as Crested Butte, benefits from a much larger ski area which seems to open up more and more the higher you climb. Because of this, there is a great deal more variety in the terrain, and it caters superbly for beginners.

The resort itself is arguably more user-friendly than Crested Butte. There are more shops and services, and it’s easier to reach. BA already flies three times a day to Denver and from there its just a short hop to Steamboat.

From the 31st of March United Airlines will also fly direct – quick tip: avoid US public holidays and you should beat the brunt of the crowds.

Once you are up the mountain, close to 3,000 acres of pistes await and there are several lodges to choose from, serving everything from diner-style American fare to much posher, sit-down nosh.

The scenery and skiing in Steamboat are as good as it gets. While not as dramatic as the peaks in the Alps, the mountains in Colorado roll away endlessly to form the perfect background to compliment the superb skiing.

My Steamboat experience was made even more enjoyable by going on their ‘first tracks’ programme. Pay extra (about £20) and you can get up the mountain for half an hour’s skiing before the crowds arrive. Accompanied by a guide, you can ski some freshly pisted runs or carve your own path through the most recent snowfall. It’s a treat that’s definitely worth the extra cash.

For non-skiers, there’s also plenty on offer. In Crested Butte, I had a snowmobile trek lined up, but that had to be cancelled due to avalanche danger (an occupational hazard, apparently). My other non-ski activity, a trip to Strawberry Park hot springs outside Steamboat, was in equal measure revitalizing and bracing. And, owing to the ‘clothing optional after dark’ policy – mildly disturbing.

The evening trip to the hot springs cost $35 including hotel pick up and was a great way of perking up my legs after a tiring day’s skiing and recharge me fully in advance of my flight back to the UK.

Skiing in Colorado was such a joy that I’m heading back as soon as I can. It’s nice to be greeted every morning by genuinely friendly and helpful lift staff. It’s nice to be able to ski without fighting your way through crowds just to get a place on the lift. It’s nice to have my coffee re-filled without having to catch the eye of a listless waiter who doesn’t want to be there.

Having skied a lot of Europe when I was younger and very little of North America, I’m officially a convert. The customer is key in skiing and in the USA they know it. For ski service with a smile and not a scowl, head to Colorado.

Travel facts

United Airlines will be offering a daily service to Denver from London Heathrow starting 31 March 2008. The airline also serves Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco daily from London Heathrow. For the latest everyday low fares, visit www.unitedairlines.co.uk or call 0845 8 444 777.

Asher McShane stayed at Elevation Hotel & Spa at Mt. Crested Butte, www.elevationhotel.com. For more information on Crested Butte Mountain Resort visit www.skicb.com

In Steamboat Springs, Asher stayed at Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel, www.steamboatgrand.com. For more information on Steamboat Springs visit www.steamboat.com.

To find out more about visiting Colorado log on to www.colorado.com or call 08456 020 574 for a FREE destination guide.



TRENTON

maria.walker asked:


Boston Bruins belongs to one of the six original teams of NHL.  NHL franchise was bought by Grocery magnate Charles Adams for $15,000 in 1924. Yellow and brown color of Bruins team was like those of Brookside grocery stores. Bruins had a bad first season with a depressive 6-24 record. Hockey fans in Boston were hopeless until 1928 when Boston Gardens opened. Boston Bruins were a strong squad for Stanley cup in three years time of their start. They played their first final against Ottawa Senators in 1927 and lost. But team’s struggle continued and they played against New York Rangers and defeated them to win Stanly Cup Championship.

Bruins missed many games in early 1960s. A strong passionate 37 year old Harry Sinden who never played in NHL took charge in 1966-67. Bruins started to twist the corner when their future celebrity defender Bobby Orr qualified for NHL. Orr changed the conventional defense strategy by top attacks and set of goals. He played 11 seasons in NHL and won a Calder trophy as rookie of the year in 1966-67. Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito provided the strong leadership that made it possible for Bruins to change their 29 year Stanley Cup terrible history. They played against St. Louis Blues, won four consecutive games, and made unforgettable history in NHL history. Bobby Orr scored the Stanley Cup winning goal against Blues defender Noel Picard. Sinden left because of a salary argument but team continued its top performance. In a seven game sequence they played against Montreal Canadiens and lost in the first round. This defeat proved to be a motivation for Bruins and they placed themselves at first position in 1971-72 season.

In 1990 Bruins had a chance to recover when they played against Oilers in Stanley Cup finals. They won one game this time but there was no contest for Mark Messier and Bill Ranford led Edmonton Oiler team. Boston missed contests in 1996-97 season that resulted in a change of coaching lines and Pat Burns was hired. Bruins were on their feet again under his rigid defensive format and young stars as Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov before they lost against Washington Capitals in a six game contest. Bruins traded Ray Bourque to the Colorado Avalanche. In 1990s they were the seventh winning team by qualifying for a Stanley Cup final and three conference finals.

Allison, Guerin, Thornton and Samsonov made Bruins a younger squad in 2000s. Allison and Guerin left due to financial issues and also a new coach Robby Ftorek was hired. Bruins sustained heir performance but had not enough resources to get profound in NHL contests.

 For more information you can visit: Boston Bruins Tickets

 

 



JAVIER

RonKnab asked:

Both the University of Colorado Varsity and Junior Varsity Hockey Teams are preparing for nationals. Ron Knabenbauer has more.

NELSON

Marcus Robbins asked:


Power Rankings for this week.  A special thanks to, BlueJacketsHockey

1. San Jose Sharks (26-4-3) 55 points

Yes, I know they lost twice this week and once to the Blue Jackets, but as of now I still think, by a slight edge they are the best in the NHL right now.

2. Detroit Red Wings (22-6-4) 48 points

Yea, they were one of the teams that beat the sharks last week and I know I’ll have some angry Bruins fans, but they beat the best team in the NHL, they gotta be here.

3. Boston Bruins (24-5-4) 52 points

Don’t get me wrong Bruins, I think you are a great team and that you will someday be 1 or 2, but the Wings beat the Sharks last week and I don’t think it’s fair to make the Sharks move from 1 to 3 when right now, they are still the best team in the leauge, but I think that the Bruins may be number 1 in a few weeks to come.

4. Chicago Blackhawks (18-6-7) 43 points

Can you say on fire? I’m not sure the Blackhawks can’t beat anyone right now there on a 7 game win streak right now, and I don’t care who you beat 7 games in the NHL is impressive, and Toews and Kane are two guys that can make things like that happen for you, also great goaltending by Nikolai Kabibulin, and Cristobal Huet.  That’s the game to watch this week friday night, Flyers and Hawks.

5. New York Rangers (22-12-2) 46 points

They look solid as always, and yes I am taking into account that they have played alot more games than every one, but even if you let people catch up they are still doing just about as good as the Flyers or Caps. Even without Jaramir Jagr they have been able to consistantly put up points and that is the key to success.

6. Philadelphia Flyers (18-8-7) 43 points

With an impressive 7-1 win against the Caps this saturday I think they Flyers have hit a hot streak and they are still without Breiere.  I think when he comes back, you will see an extremly effective offense and an underrated goaltender blosum in Antero Nittymaki.

7. New Jersey Devils (19-9-3) 41 points

Speaking of hot, is there anyone who can beat the Devils? (BlackHawks) This team is 7-1-1 this month and they can prove there selfs this week if they can beat the Bruins, Pens, and Rangers.  I think if they can take 2 of those 3 then more people will start to notice the Devils are for real, even without Brodeur.

8. Washington Capitals (20-11-3) 43 points

They are playing good hockey right now, problem is alot of teams are playing better hockey, they need to start getting a little more effective in the defensive end, especially in the slot area, and I still think it’s a misstery why they sent down Simeon Varlamov, he was 2-0 with a GAA of 1.50 and a save % of .953. Also known as alot better than Jose Theodore, but hey, maybe that’s why I’m here doing this and I’m not in the front office.

9. Montreal Canadians (18-9-6) 42 points

After being cold for a while, a win against a solid Sabres team has put them back on track, If there injuries heal up any time soon they could make a run and get in good playoff position by the break.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins (17-11-4) 38 points

They have been playing sub-par latley, and just got thromped by a not so impressive Maple Leafs team.  Malkin keeps puttin up points, but what does it matter if your falling out of the playoff picture.

11. Calgary Flames

12. Vancouver Canucks

13. Anaheim Ducks

14. Buffalo Sabres

15. Carolina Hurricanes

16. Phoenix Coyotes

17. Minnesota Wild

18. Nashville Predators

19. Florida Panthers

20. Toronto Maple Leafs

21. Colorado Avalanche

22. Columbus Blue Jackets (14-15-4)  32 points

The Columbus Blue Jackets had a overtime win over the previously only 5 time beaten, San Jose Sharks 2-1 in OT. On the very next night they played the Dallas Stars and put in their goalie that just came off the injury list, Pascal LeClarie. He gave up 5 goals in the 3 periods though the Blue Jackets also answered with 5 goals. In the shootout stars won 2-0. CBJ this week, 1-2

23. Edmonton Oilers

24. Ottawa Senators

25. Los Angeles Kings

26. Dallas Stars

27. Atlanta Thrashers

28. St. Louis Blues

29. Tampa Bay Lightining

30. New York Islanders

My Top 3 Contendors for MVP

1.Evgeni Malkin- He has been so efficent on the powre play this year at the point and it seems that when ever I see the Pens on a power play on TV they score and if it’s an assist or a goal he is always in on it, and he is similar to last years MVP (Alex Ovechkin) In that he bring alot of energy to the team, and who wouldn’t love to play with that

2. Alex Ovechkin- He had an average week, but week in and week out Malkin always has great weeks, Ovechkin has been a goal scoring machine latley, but not so much this week, I think he should get right back into the swing of things against the Rangers.

3. Jeff Carter- He has been great this year, and I’m not sure anyone could have called this season, he is first in the NHL in goals (25) and 6th in points (39) he also plays great Defense and forces alot of turnovers, and most importantly his team is successful right now.  If the Flyers keep winning, and he keeps putting pucks in the back of the net, I think he might stay on this list, and even climb up it.

My Top 3 Contendors for Defensiveman of the year

1. Dion Phaneuf- The guy just continues to play physical hockey and never let’s so much as a pop corn vendor go by him, he is also contributing on the offensive end with 20 assists.  i think it will be a while before someone knockes him of this list.

2. Zdeno Chara- He plays the boards so well and now in the NHL it is hard to cut threw teams so when you have a big body like him who understands his size, and what his limitations are, you have an unstoppable force on defense, which creates a good offense.  And that’s why the Bruins are playing so well right now.

3. Mike Green- Skates like a center, toe drags like a winger and hits like a Defensman.  If he had the smart of the two guys above him, and didn’t have the injury problems, he might be first on this list, he throws tuns of open ice checks, which you don’t get from D guys as much these days.  I think if he can stay health he might go up this list.

My Top 3 Contendors for goaile of the year

1. Henrick Lundqvist- He is playing great hockey right now with a record of 18-10-2 with a stagering save % of .913 just a little bit better defense and that record might look a lot better and there power ranking might go up a little bit too.

2. Evgeni Nabokov- He hasn’t played as many games as he’s liked this year because of injury, but he’s 18-3-2.  it’s hard to argue that, if he gets healthy he might be number one and the Sharks might beat everyone they play.

3. Roberto Luongo- He’s still hurt and I think this might be his last week on this list for a while.  He has 5 shut outs and his defense is not all that great he’s 11-5-2, and it would be better if he was a bruin, or a shark.  I hope he can get healthy so he can keep making great saves, and giving offenses fits.



ALFRED

Jeremiah Logemann asked:


As a back country snowboarder I have mixed feelings when I hear of tragedy on the mountain. I do feel sorry for the victims because sometimes very experienced people get caught in freak situations. I also feel angry about the number of inexperienced people that venture off where they shouldn’t be without the proper training. I would like to work toward a safer sport by advocating back country safety programs like Friends of Berthood Pass, and CAIC, Colorado Avalanche Information Center. By getting people educated we can reduce fatalities on the mountains we love. Here I will discuss the three basic factors that contribute to avalanches. They are terrain, snowpack, and weather.

The first step in avalanche safety is to be able to recognize avalanche terrain. Most avalanches occur on slopes between 30 and 45 degrees, but can occur on slopes from 25 to 60 degrees depending on other variables. Another factor is the slope’s aspect. In other words the direction the slope faces. Is the face on the windward or leeward side, is the snow sun baked or in the shade. The last factor is the features of the slope. Are there trees or outcroppings that would break up an avalanche lane of travel? What is the shape of the slope?

The second factor in the cause of avalanches is the snow pack. Snow builds up on a mountain in layers with every weather event. To study the layers to determine the safety of the slope, cut a column of snow with a snow saw. The dense, dark, strong layers consist of small round snow grain that is well bonded. The “sugary” or loose layers that are lighter in color and are poorly bonded are the weaker layers. If the dense layer is on the bottom with the light sugar layer on top then have fun. If the sugar layer is below the dense layer it will not be able to support the dense layer. One track by a snowboarder may then cause the slope to slide.

The effect of weather on a slope is the third factor that causes avalanches. Snow that falls very quickly puts much more stress on a slope than it may be able to handle. Another less obvious variable is wind. Wind can redistribute large amounts of snow. Temperature can also play a large part in the cause of an avalanche. Warmer temperatures can produce a stronger snowpack, but if the temperature increases too quickly the snowpack will become too heavy for lower layers to support it.

The main ingredient in a back country snowboarding fatality is YOU. Snowboarders attempting back country recreation need to understand the above mentioned factors, but also be equipped with the right tools and know how to use them. Never enter the back country alone. Always ride with other experienced back country riders. Wear and understand how to use tracking beacons, probes, saws, shovels, and avilungs. Let’s all do our part to make the mountains a safer place. For more info about avalanches check out these sites: www.tetongravity.com/forums/ and www.fsavalanche.org/basics/weather



NESTOR

matt boudwin asked:


Inflation in the NHL?

This year there has been an increase in the need for defenseman.  This differs from every other year because the focus is now on an offensive defenseman, or a puck moving defenseman.  Because of increased need for offense, the salaries are beginning to increase more and more for these defensemen and forwards.

            To examine what the basis for these salaries are, I ran a regression and included the number of games played, goals, assists, points, and the player’s plus/minus rating.  Since the game is being played in an offense concentrated way, these statistics were the best for understanding why the salaries are raising and the players are demanding more.

            After running the regression, all the r-squares were fairly low, but points and assists were the highest of all the categories.  This would make sense because this is what many of the general managers are looking for in the players.  What strikes me as odd is the r-squared of the plus/minus.  This is the lowest of all the categories.  Since the plus/minus is the best way to understand how a player is on both sides of the puck (when only looking at statistics), one would think that this r-squared would be the highest.  There are quite a few players who are making a large amount of money and have a very low plus/minus rating.

When just looking at the numbers, it is clear which players are producing the most offense.  Brain Campbell (defensemen) and Marian Hossa (right wing) were the top two free agents on the market.  Because of their offensive abilities, they were both able to command over seven million dollars in salary.  They both are among the leaders in all categories except plus/minus.  Campbell has a decent plus/minus at eight, but Hossa is at negative fourteen.  This number presents the question, are you really willing to gain a player for offense if he is going to be a defensive reliability?

Where basing salaries on offensive abilities becomes a problem is when a team signs an unproven defensemen to a large salary.  The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Jeff Fingers to a contract worth 3.5 million dollars a year.  Last year Fingers played for the Colorado Avalanche.  During the regular season, he had a good plus/minus, but his offensive production was nowhere near 3.5 million dollars worth.  This increase in salary is driving up numbers, and it is making it hard for other teams to sign there restricted and unrestricted free agents. 

The deal Toronto gave Fingers looks ridiculous when comparing it to other defensemen near his production levels.  Randy Jones at 2.75 million and Brookes Laich at 2 million are both making considerably less money.  Both of these defensemen were able to put up over thirty points and were signed for less money.

The NHL needs to be concerned able these rising salaries.  Player’s salaries are inflating fast and if they are not careful, they are going to start to lose players to the KHL (an international hockey league).  Many times, it is a result of one player being sign for more then he his is worth, such as Jeff Fingers.  Once one player receives this bump in salary, everyone else believes they are worth the same.  If the player’s salaries keep inflating, the NHL is not going to be able to sign star players and they may lose them to international leagues.  This will not help a league which is already lacking the support it needs.  With increased salaries and the decline in the value of the dollar, many players many start to look overseas to play hockey. 

 

To stop the salaries from increasing, it is on the General Managers.  Many managers, such as Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia) and Ken Holland (Detroit), have done a great job in spreading the salary and signing the necessary players.  Others are thinking too brash and are signing players to large contracts, which the player has not earned nor has he shown the potential for.  This needs to change.

This issue is going to make it harder for the NHL to survive.  General Managers need to be more careful with how they are spending their money and where they are spending it.  In my opinion, it would be smarter to look are plus/minus to get a better idea of the player’s offensive and defensive abilities.  Then, after this is examined, look at the players other statistics to see how they can produce for the team.  This will help teams spend wisely and create more space for up and coming prospects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008 NHL Free Agents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GP

G

A

P

 +/-

Avery

LW

3,875,000

57

15

18

33

6

Bertuzzi

LW

1,950,000

68

14

26

40

8

Blake

D

5,000,000

71

9

22

31

-19

Campbell

D

7,142,000

83

8

54

62

8

Carter

C

5,000,000

82

29

24

53

6

Commodore

D

3,750,000

67

3

11

14

-7

Cooke

LW

1,200,000

78

10

13

23

1

Demitra

LW

4,000,000

68

15

39

54

9

Ehrhoff

D

3,100,000

77

1

21

22

9

Fedorov

C

4,000,000

68

11

30

41

-5

Fedotenko

RW

2,250,000

67

16

17

33

-9

Finger

D

3,500,000

72

8

11

19

12

Foote

D

3,000,000

75

1

15

16

2

Gaustad

C

2,300,000

82

10

26

36

-4

Gorges

D

1,500,000

62

0

9

9

0

Green

D

5,250,000

82

18

38

56

6

Hagman

LW

3,000,000

82

27

14

41

4

Hainsey

D

4,500,000

78

8

24

32

-7

Holik

C

2,500,000

82

15

19

34

-14

Hossa

RW

7,450,000

72

29

37

66

-14

Huselius

LW

4,750,000

81

25

41

66

10

Jones, M.

D

550,000

45

0

2

2

-13

Jones, R.

D

2,750,000

71

5

26

31

8

Kalinin

D

2,100,000

46

1

7

8

-7

Kostitsyn

LW

3,750,000

78

26

27

53

15

Laich

C

2,033,333

82

21

16

37

-3

Laraque

RW

1,500,000

71

4

9

13

0

Liles

D

4,200,000

81

6

26

32

2

Malone

RW

4,500,000

77

27

24

51

14

Mara

D

1,950,000

61

1

16

17

1

Miettinen

RW

2,333,333

69

15

19

34

4

Morrison

C

2,750,000

39

9

16

25

-3

Naslund

LW

4,000,000

82

25

30

55

-7

Nolan

RW

2,750,000

77

16

16

32

6

Orpik

D

3,750,000

78

1

10

11

11

Perry

RW

5,320,000

70

29

25

54

12

Recchi

RW

1,250,000

72

14

34

48

-18

Redden

D

6,500,000

80

6

32

38

11

Rolston

LW

5,062,500

81

31

28

59

-1

Ryder

RW

4,000,000

70

14

17

31

-4

Salvador

D

2,900,000

64

1

10

11

12

Satan

RW

3,500,000

80

16

25

41

-11

Smith

D

2,600,000

77

1

9

10

-4

Stajan

C

1,750,000

82

16

17

33

-11

Streit

D

4,100,000

81

13

49

62

-6

Stuart

D

3,750,000

82

4

4

8

2

Tucker

RW

2,250,000

74

18

16

34

-8

Vrbata

RW

3,000,000

76

27

29

56

6

Walker

D

600,000

43

1

1

2

-3

Weight

C

4,300,000

67

10

15

25

4

Witt

D

3,000,000

59

2

5

7

-8

Wolski

LW

2,800,000

77

18

30

48

10

*Number gained from www.hockeybuzz.com

 

 

 

 

*This list does not include all free agents for various reasons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slope

 

 

56272.12

61283.99

80900.58

49416.22

40876.22

Intercept

 

 

-695754.07

2591953.28

1648200.63

1695907.73

3347784.14

R-Squared

 

 

0.16

0.15

0.38

0.35

0.06



CYRUS

NHLVideo asked:

Ryan Smyth has signed with the Colorado Avalanche. For complete off-season coverage visit NHL.com

RORY