Constructing a Stanley Cup Champion in the Salary Cap Era

stanleycupbannerSince the lockout in 2004-05 the NHL has seen a lot of change. While attendance and television ratings have risen, the salary cap, which was introduced to control spending and balance opportunity,  has also steadily increased each year. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) set to expire this fall we could be in for even more change that can impact the way organizations choose to structure their franchises.

This infographic examines how Stanley Cup winning teams have been constructed since the cap was introduced.
For each team, notice the progression/regression of their farm team affiliate leading up to and following their Championship year. There are some interesting trends. Perhaps most notable is that Carolina is the only team of the lot to not make the playoffs in the following season while simultaneously having to transition their farm team to a new city. Coincidence? Maybe. We’ll let you decide. The other 5 teams have maintained strong organizational depth from bottom to top and reap the benefits of repeated playoff appearances.

Only one team, Chicago, did not have their oldest players (on average per position) on defense. Detroit and Pittsburgh had the oldest defensive corps yet the Penguins had by far the youngest offence.  Also of interest when it comes to the Pens is that each of their Centermen were products of their own drafting/farm system. Only the Red Wings had more overall players on their squad through drafting than the Penguins.

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Source: http://www.silveroakcasino.com/blog/entertainment/constructing-a-stanley-cup-champion-in-the-salary-cap-era.html

Where to Ice Skate this Winter

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Photo courtesy My Big Walk

It’s skating season. Here’s where to hit the ice—remember to cross your fingers for only a few falls.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza pop-up in Tacoma is the only covered, open-air rink in that town, and it has killer theme nights. On December 5, skate with the Thunderbirds Hockey Team, or enjoy live music on December 16 starting at 6pm. Wear your most hideous cardigan for Ugly Sweater Night on December 23 to receive $1 off admission. Open November 25–January 2.

Highland Ice Arena in Shoreline is a traditional indoor skating rink—open year-round—with a staff of professional figure skaters. Sign up for a seven week course of lessons that starts in early January.Sundays are Family Days, with a $15 rate covering the immediate clan from 1:30pm–close (rentals are $3 each).

Winterfest Ice Rink in Seattle Center is another temporary skate spot. Maybe we’re just suckers for twinkly lights, but this indoor venue is the ideal date spot for an old-fashioned couples skate. Open November 25–January 1.

Magic Season Ice Arena in Bellevue is another outdoor covered, open-air skating rink (chilly!). It hosts Free Skate Mondays and Stroller Skate on Thursdays (yep, you can bring the Bugaboo on the ice). Our personal favorite is the heated hut where you can warm up and sip hot cocoa. For an extra dash of holiday cheer, catch the Nutcracker on Ice performance on December 15. Open November 25–January 8.

Capitol Hill Ice Rink won’t open until December, kicking off what is expected to be an annual pop-up tradition. Located in Cal Anderson Park (over the basketball courts in the southwest corner), the rink will be open-air but under a tent. Open December 6–24.ice-hockey-skates

Top 5 Superstitious Hockey Players

5. Pelle Lindbergh

Former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender, Pelle Lindbergh, use to wear the same orange t-shirt under his equipment during each hockey game. The t-shirt was never washed and when it would start falling apart, he would have it sewn up. During intermissions, he would drink a Swedish beverage called ‘Pripps’. He would only accept the drink if it had two ice cubes, was delivered by a certain team trainer and as long as it was in his right hand. Lindbergh’s quirky habits helped him on the ice with a record of 87 wins, 49 losses and 15 ties in 157 NHL regular season games. Unfortunately, Lindbergh died as a result of a devastating car crash at just 26 years of age.

4. Brendan Shanahan

Known as a great power forward, Brendan Shanahan had some pretty quirky superstitions during his NHL career. He would wear old shoulder pads that dated back to his days in junior hockey. He would also listen to Madonna on game days. Obviously the ‘Material Girl’ and ancient shoulder pads worked in Shanahan’s favor, as he recorded 1,354 points in 1,524 NHL regular season games.

3. Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby could very well be the most superstitious player currently in the NHL. He will not call his mother on game days, as some of his past injuries occurred after he was talking to her. If he’s travelling with his team on a bus, he will lift his feet and touch the glass when they go over railroad tracks. If his team is playing on the road, he’ll only use tape that’s provided by the home team for his sticks. And when he’s done taping his sticks, nobody is allowed to touch them or else he’ll have to re-tape them. Crosby must be doing something right, as he’s one of the best hockey players to ever play the game. He has won numerous awards, including the Stanley Cup in just his fourth NHL season.

2. Patrick Roy

Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy had a long list of superstitions. He would never talk to reporters on game days before he played. During pre-game warm-ups, he would skate to the blue line, stare at his net and picture it shrinking. He would also never step on the blue or red lines. Prior to the games, he would lay out his goalie equipment on the locker room floor and dress himself in a certain order. Then during intermissions, he would juggle with a puck and bounce it off the ground. And if those weren’t bad enough, he would quite often talk to his goal posts, claiming “they are my friends”. Apparently, his goal posts were extremely loyal friends, as he holds numerous NHL records and won many trophies during his incredible career, including four Stanley Cups.

1. Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky is one of the most superstitious players in NHL history. He wouldn’t get his hair cut while his team was on the road because one time when he did, his team suffered a major loss. During practice, he would start off by shooting a puck to the right of the net. He would then drink a Diet Coke, a glass of iced water, a Gatorade and another Diet Coke in that exact order. As for his uniform, he would always put the left side on first and he would always tuck in the right side of his jersey. Also, he would put baby powder on the blade of his hockey stick. He most definitely lived up to his nickname “The Great One”, as he holds a large amount of NHL records, won many trophies and averaged almost two points a game during his illustrious career (2,857 points in 1,487 games).

Hockey Fights By The Numbers

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Who Is Following NHL Clubs on Facebook?

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Who Follows NHL Clubs on Twitter?

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Who Is Following NHL Clubs on Facebook?

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Hockey in Seattle

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Taken in 1932 at Broadway Playfield (now Cal Anderson Park). Notes with this photo read: “Skate hockey, the reason that tennis courts were made of concrete.