Friday Five

1.) Do you have a "secret weapon" store that is your go-to for basics?

2.) What subject in school gave you fits no matter how hard you worked?

3.) Do you carve pumpkins?

4.) Did you watch the World Series at all?

5.) Driving pet peeve?

The Only Thing Visible...Are Stars

The title of this entry is inspired by a Dallas Stars ad running on Fox Sports Network during games.  At the end, it says "Because in the darkest of night...The only thing visible...Are stars."  It's totally corny and ridiculous, and I can't help but love it.

First of all, I would like to apologize for being so absent lately.  Real life and the World Series have been eating at my time.  But here I am, to tell you all about the Stars!

I have to admit, at the beginning of the season, my high level of optimism was tempered with a heavy dose of "OHGODWHATIFMYTEAMSUCKS".  I have faith in Joe Nieuwendyk to put together a good team, but without an owner, his hands are tied a bit.  The ownership situation should be getting resolved soon, thankfully, but I have to admit, I'm quite impressed with the product Nieuwendyk has been able to put on the ice.  He was active in free agency, picking up six new players - Jake Dowell, Radek Dvorak, Vernon Fiddler, Michael Ryder, Adam Pardy, and the big name, Sheldon Souray.  I worried that quantity doesn't equal quality, but the new guys have seemed to fit in nicely with the players the team already had.

On top of all of those new players, there is also a new coach in town - Glen Gulutzan, the youngest coach in Dallas Stars history, was hired to coach in the NHL after having success coaching the Texas Stars.  I admit, I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that Crawford was let go, and found that it brought my love of hockey back.  According to Razor's blog entry about Gulutzan, he has the respect of the entire organization, along with possessing a good work ethic.  He seems to preach a system that is intuitive, and definitely is not afraid to shake things up according to what may be needed in the game.

Whatever Gully's system is, it's working.  The Stars are 7-2-0 to start the season (although they're trailing the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 as I write this), and although there were a few games at the very beginning of the season that appeared to be very sloppy in play, I feel like the October 15 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets was the turning point.  That was one of the best games I'd seen them play in this early season, and they've continued to impress.

Of course, I can't write about the fantastic early start without talking about Kari Lehtonen.  I read a quote from Stars goalie coach Mike Valley about Lehtonen, saying that he is one of the hardest working guys he's ever seen.  Lehtonen is taking care of himself, and working hard to keep the Stars playing strong.  Lots of shots are getting through to Lehtonen, and he's stopped almost all of them.  Stars games are tending to be low-scoring affairs, which is fine by me as long as they're the ones with more goals on the board.  Lehtonen has been named to the NHL's Three Stars of the Week, and sports an impressive 1.85 GAA and .955 save percentage, for third in the NHL.

All in all, I sincerely believe that barring any crippling injuries, the Stars have what it takes to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.  Where they go from there is anyone's guess, but making it to the playoffs is enough for this team's hungry fans.

Friday Five

1.) Do you plan on doing anything to celebrate Halloween?

2.) What kind of footwear do you absolutely abhor?

3.) Do you watch any TV shows regularly?

4.) Are you a patron of your local public transit system?

5.) Do you have a smart phone?

Random note: I learned a new word!  "Shanabanned" in honor of our resident butt kicking name taking new league disciplinarian.  It amused me greatly, has ring to it...

Friday Five

1.) How do you feel about the great outdoors?

2.) Favorite kind of candy?

3.) What band or bands have you gotten into recently?

4.) Do fun band-aids speed healing?

5.) Which player are you particularly entertained by? 

2011-2012 LA Kings Season Preview

The LA Kings season starts in less than 24 hours so I suppose I should write a season preview! This past off-season was probably the most productive one in years, which is why I am so excited for the season to start that I can barely keep it together. My excitement for the season does mean I have high expectations for the Kings. Anything less than a second round appearance (um, yeah, I'm already thinking about playoffs) will be a disappointment.

The Kings are solid in net. Jonathan Bernier was supposed to be the savior as soon as his name was called at the 2006 Draft, but somewhere during his development Jonathan Quick emerged as the front-runner. I'm not ready to give Quick the title of Savior, but he is the #1....for now. Bernier only started 22 games last season, but I think he'll get more this season. Also, it seemed like whenever he started, the team would crap out in front of him, thus making him look bad. Hopefully that doesn't occur on a regular basis again. I think Bernier has a shot at taking the #1 spot, but if not, then he'll be amazing trade bait in the future.

The defense is pretty much the same as last year, except Peter Harrold is no longer an option since the Kings opted not to re-sign him. Davis Drewiske will continue to be a regular on the pine. I'm still waiting for Thomas Hickey to get a shot in the NHL, I feel like I've been saying that every year since he's been drafted, but whose place would he take? And it's not worth keeping him up if he's only going to be the 7th defenseman, i.e. Davis Drewiske. I expect grand things from Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty, but then again, who doesn't? I keep waiting for JMFJ to show up so maybe 2011-2012 will be the season he makes an appearance. Drew seemed to be a little cocky and whiny last season so I hope the 56 million dollars also came with a side of maturity because he could use some this year.

And lastly there are the forwards where the Kings made the most changes. Dustin Penner supposedly worked his ass off during the summer to get in shape. My soccer coach from back in the day called those "attitude adjustment practices. running shoes only". Those practices sucked and it sounds like Penner had them all summer long. Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Trent Hunter, and Ethan Moreau were added to the lineup while Kings fan said 'Sayonara!' to Michal Handzus, Ryan Smyth, and Wayne Simmonds. I'm still broken up about losing Simmonds but just the addition of Richards and Gagne makes this team a lot better.

I can't help but get giddy when I think that our top two lines could be some combination of Penner-Kopitar-Williams and Brown-Richards-Gagne. I certainly hope this means the goals will come a little easier this season.

I've been talking up the team a lot here, but I don't expect them to win the Cup this year. I expect them to tighten up some aspects of their game (perhaps score PPGs on a consistent basis), finish the season strong (not whimper to a 7th place finish), and have a respectable showing in the playoffs (not have a complete meltdown and blow a 4-goal lead). I have confidence in the boys to do well this season and I'm very happy that HOCKEY IS BACK!

2011-2012 Philadelphia Flyers

Good evening, Gentle Readers!

Well, here we go! The NHL regular season starts tonight with pucks dropping from East to West. And just in time for that is my season forecast for my team, the Philadelphia Flyers.

To say there was a shake-up in the Flyers camp over summer is not an understatement. The team looks different, somewhat like when we rebounded from the basement season. But what to make of it all, now that we've finished the preseason?

For starters, it's a clean, different slate. The off-season moves have the possibility of shoring up the defense, plugging the sieve that has been a perpetual lack of anything resembling an elite goaltender, reformatting the front line with both the energetic contributions of younger blood combined with judicious wisdom on the part of several experienced players, and a change-up in the attitude supplying the C for the team.

It was major, and it's impact could be spectacular. Stability. Persistence. Speedy offense sacrificed for a stickier D. And the outlook for power plays may not have looked this good in the time I've lived in the city. (Dare I say we've had so many changes it borders on a personality transplant?)

It's still going to be a hard-hitting team. Make no mistake: even with the changes, the revamped Flyers are not the famed Broad Street Bullies from the club's early years. But, from Pronger on down to Bryzgalov, they sure will make another player think twice about tresspassing into the Philadelphia zone.

So here's my forecast: predictability can be highly overrated. The 2011-2012 Flyers are like the Lost cast - you've got no idea where it's going to go, who's going to be the hero, and you probably shouldn't even try to guess until you get a few episodes under your belt.

I think I might just a little bit in love with that.

Welcome home, hockey. I've missed having you here at Chez Nadine, and I'm glad you found my new apartment. I'll keep my eyes open for a new hockey husband and, if necessary, harem members.

I can hear the roar, so buckle up!
Nadine 

Friday Five!

It's getting towards fall in Minnesota, so I thought this week's edition would be season-themed

1.) Pumpkin...yay or nay?

2.) Favorite season?

3.) Best part about fall? 

4.) Has your perspective on the seasons changed from when you were a kid?

5.) How do you feel about Brendan Shanahan's new role in the league?

HLOG Questionnaire - Nadine (Philadelphia Flyers)

With the coming of the new season, we'd like to introduce you to the wonderful women who make up the staff of HLOG.  Today, get to know Nadine, writer for the Philadelphia Flyers!

1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.

We moved a lot when I was growing up, so I never know how to answer this. Here's the short version: I consider Akron, OH my home town. I live in Philadelphia, PA. My day job is in benefits administration, working in member education. It doesn't leave a lot of extra time, so I now only see the rare game in-person, and watch others on TV.

2.  Who is your favorite team? Why?

The Philadelphia Flyers! I've been a fan since I discovered hockey 20 years ago. (My brother started playing hockey and there was no turning back for my family.) What attracted me to the Flyers? Ron Hextall.

Since then, the Flyers have had other interesting and talented players. There have been great seasons and horrendous, nightmarish ones. And while there are other teams and players I like, the Flyers are the team I keep coming back to each year.

3. Who is your least favorite team? Why?

In reality, I enjoy watching hockey - full stop. However, I guess I have to say the Pittsburgh Penguins are my least favorite team. It's really only because they're in Pittsburgh. Living in Philadelphia, and growing up in the greater Cleveland area, Pittsburgh teams are simply verboten. And, "Battle of" rivalries are so much fun!

4. Who is your favorite current player? Who is your favorite all-time player? Why?

Current: Kimmo Timonen - He plays for the Flyers, he's wearing an A for us again this season, and he's been a pretty consistent D-man for us since he came to the team in 2007. Plus, he's Finnish. Only thing missing: he's not a goalie.

All-time: Jacques Plante - He had all kinds of goalie firsts, but he was the one who made the goalie mask a part of everyday equipment. And now we get to enjoy some fantastic artwork!

5. Who is your least favorite player? Why?

Must I pick just one? For me, the Crosby-Malkin partnership is very hard to break apart in my mind and each one is just as annoying as the other. It's not sour grapes; it's just that I don't care for them.

6. What do you hope to personally gain from joining HLOG?

I love hockey; I joke about it being my boyfriend during the season. But I've sadly neglected it in the last two seasons. I hope to get back to following the game like I used to do, to have a creative outlet away from my job, and to reconnect with my friends on this blog who love the game like I do, in much the same way that I do. (And who don't care that I rep a team that wears Halloween colors.)

7. What do you hope to bring to the HLOG table?

I think I'll contribute the "color commentary" through a dash of snark, a pinch of wit, and a heaping helping of love for the game.

To be honest, I'm not so big on numbers. We can talk stats if that's what you want, but I put more stock in seeing players in the system and organization to form my opinion. (My brother once joked that I should be a scout or a coach doing evaluations at camp.) After all, every one of us has seen players who - by the numbers - should have clicked with our teams, but didn't.

8. What role do female fans contribute to the game of hockey? What does female fan support do for the league/team/player she supports?

I believe female fans are more consistent and loyal. When we become a fan, we stay a fan. We usually even bring our friends - and our money - with us. As to the players, we place equal or greater importance on what kind of person that player is, than how good his stats are.

More importantly, we raise future athletes - in one way or another. We're their mothers, aunts, cousins, godmothers, sisters, mentors, best friends, muses, and acquaintances. We care about them being more than "that big guy" who hits really hard, scores a lot of goals, or stops a lot of shots.

9. Hockey just isn't the same without _________!

Ties. The old conference and division names. Stevie Yzerman v. Joe Sakic. Kerry Fraser without a helmet - unless you count the Aquanet one. Sami Kapanen. The Whalers W.

10. If you were trying to convince someone who had never been to a hockey game to attend, what would you say? Would your response change if you were talking to a female?

First, I'd point out that seeing a game at the arena is - for newbies - much more fun and exciting than watching it on TV, at least in the beginning. There's the fans, the announcers, the sounds, the smell of the ice... I'd have to pitch the speed of the game, how much stamina the season requires, and how great the rivalries are. I don't know that my response would be different if I was talking to a woman about the game.

The for real return of the Friday Five!!

Hey friends,

I had this thing called school...it got out of hand and ate my life, but I've mostly got it under control now, so the Friday Five will be back!  As before, please feel free to tweet/email me suggestions.

1.) What was the coolest thing you did this summer?

2.) Best bumper sticker you've seen recently?

3.) Mac or PC?

4.) Favorite place to be productive?

5.) Favorite meal of the day (second breakfast totally counts).

Goodnight, American Hero

As most of you probably know by now, Mike Modano officially announced his retirement from hockey today.  There was a press conference at 1pm Central Time, just in time for me to get home from work and watch.  I thought I'd talk a bit about Modano, and my personal thoughts on his career and retirement, not to mention a brief recap of the ceremony.

I was born in 1985.  Mike Modano was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars one month before I turned 3 years old.  In 2007, the year I started watching hockey seriously (rather than "Oh, hockey's on, might as well watch it"), Modano was 37 years old, and had been playing for the same club he was drafted to back in 1988.  He continued to play for the Stars until the 2010-2011 season (during which he played for the Detroit Red Wings, his hometown team as a child).  Within those 20 seasons as a Star (or North Star), he obtained 21 franchise records, including goals, assists, and most 30-goal seasons.

When the Stars moved to Texas in 1993, I don't think anyone thought it was going to work.  The Dallas Cowboys football team reigned supreme in the state, particularly in those early 90s years with players like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, not to mention back-to-back Super Bowl championships.  During today's press conference/ceremony for Modano, play-by-play announcer Ralph Strangis said that Modano was a huge reason why the sport managed to thrive in Dallas.  His all-American good looks, combined with skill and speed, made hockey fun to watch, even for the most die-hard football fans.  Youth hockey had no presence here in 1993.  Since then, it's grown to the entire metroplex, not to mention a few minor-league teams that weren't here before.  Players are drafted into the NHL that were born and raised in Texas.

I started crying about five minutes into today's press conference.  Ralph opened the event by talking a bit about Modano's records and impact on hockey.  Before Modano started to speak, a video played, narrated by Daryl "Razor" Reaugh, complete with heartwrenching orchestral music, as he spoke about Modano's skill, speed, and "sex appeal" (his words, not mine).  Then a montage of some of Modano's highlights.  And then...Modano got to speak.

At least, he tried to speak.  Mike Modano has always been an emotional guy.  I remember his tribute night, the tears streaming down my face matched his.  He took a minute to compose himself, and then began thanking people, and talking about his career.  He gave special thanks to Rick Wilson, Bob Gainey, and USA Hockey...And of course his parents.  A truly touching moment came when Modano's mother came up to the table and held his hand, and then came around to hug him while he sat, kissing him on the cheek and being very motherly.  His dad joined her, and there was a family moment, met with enormous applause from the people gathered there.

I know my thoughts here are kind of jumbled - I wanted to write this before I lost the emotion of the moment.  I didn't want this post to be super analytical, with lots of numbers and statistics.  I wanted to let you guys in on some of the emotions that I felt today, and how I feel about Modano in general.  I'll give you a hint - I once had a guinea pig named after him:

Mr. Mojangles.  He regretfully passed away a few years ago, but I brought in the box containing his ashes during Modano's retirement ceremony.  I know it's silly, but I'm a silly sort of person, I guess.

So, Mike Modano, enjoy your retirement.  Go get some good golfing in (weather's great for it in Dallas right now!).  Spend time with your wife.  Keep updating your Twitter, because it's hilarious.  Most importantly, never, ever forget that you've made a huge impact on so many lives here.  Be proud of what you've done, Mike Modano, because you?  Are awesome.