My NHL Blog

Kovulchuk In A Blackhawks Sweater …

Posted on January 7, 2010 by admin

Rocket race, Kovy’s future and loonies
By Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun
ESPN.com

We are midway through the 2009-10 season, so what should puckheads keep an eye on in the second half? Here are 10 burning questions from our experts:

1. Which of these teams will most likely fade out of the playoff picture: Colorado, Phoenix or Nashville?
Burnside: I’m not sure any of them will, but I think the Preds are most susceptible to falling just below the Mendoza Line when the dust clears in mid-April. They currently are dealing with the loss of team goal-scoring leader Martin Erat and historically have struggled to score.

LeBrun: Keep an eye on the Avs. Hopefully I’m wrong, because I love the way coach Joe Sacco has this team playing, but I worry about the durability of 18-year-old centers Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly. Sacco’s system asks a lot of the centers. Craig Anderson’s numbers have dipped a bit after a torrid opening two months, and I think it’s because he’s been a little overtaxed. The rest during the Olympic break should be beneficial to him.

2. Who will win the “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals?
Burnside: Ilya Kovalchuk. We’re not sure with which team (see below), but we’re looking for a big second half from the big Russian not named Ovechkin.

LeBrun: Alex Ovechkin. He’d be running away with it at the midpoint had he not gotten hurt and suspended. He’ll leave everyone in the dust by April and collect another Rocket, which means another trip to Las Vegas for the NHL awards show. Fun times!

3. Who is your dark horse to win the Hart Trophy?
Burnside: Henrik Sedin. The Vancouver Canucks forward hit the halfway point tied with San Jose’s Joe Thornton for the NHL lead in points and proved he can play without his twin brother, Daniel. He is the straw that stirs the Canucks’ drink.

LeBrun: Marian Gaborik. Look at the true definition of MVP and ask yourself whether the New York Rangers would have won a single game this season without the NHL’s leading goal scorer.

4. What jersey will Ilya Kovalchuk be wearing at the end of the regular season?
Burnside: We’re guessing now it won’t be an Atlanta Thrashers jersey, so we’ll go with a dark horse, the Philadelphia Flyers. Second choice? Chicago Blackhawks.

LeBrun: Just for kicks, how about the Montreal Canadiens? They’re a surprising eighth in the East at the midway point, and GM Bob Gainey was ready to sell the farm for Vincent Lecavalier last season. Why not Kovalchuk?

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