Keeper Analysis 2011 – Part 5 – Behind The Mask

Los administradores del sitio salamehockey.com, en el transcurso de las próximas semanas, será echar un vistazo a lista de cada equipo y analizar los escenarios probables de los poseedores y los signos de nuevo para la próxima temporada 2011-2012.

 

DETRÁS DE LA MÁSCARA(BEHIND THE MASK) EL LUCHADOR RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ ESPINAZIO ALEJANDRO REINOSO GUTIERREZ RAMIREZ IGINLAREZ PLEKANEZ VIVA SENOR GOMEZ CH

 

GERENTE GENERAL: SENOR ROGER REINOSO, CA

 

ADELANTE

 

MANTENGAS

 

1. Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla, Flames – Iginla is a leader, a hard worker, and is 1/64^th Puerto Rican, on his mother’s side, 4x detached. After a rough 2009 season, where the prodigal son was thought of as slowing down with his 69 pt result, Iginla bounced back and shut everyone up with his 86 pts in 82 games. All this without a decent lineup to play with. He is a proven producer and very reliable, having now played four straight 82 game seasons and never having missed more than 12 games in a season since his beginnings in 1996. Expect anywhere from 80+ pts and onwards, and perhaps more if Iginla is dealt to a contender with offensive objectives.

 

2. Taylor Hall, Oilers – the 2010 first overall pick and young 1/32 Cuban Taylor Hall impressed in his rookie season, having come from the wicked streets of Calgary’s Cubano community to put up 42 pts in 65 games. However, upon his injury, Hall had just begun to find his stride and was likely going to break the 60 pt barrier, having scored the majority of his pts later in his shortened season. The dynamic scorer has the right speed, hands and size to develop into an elite scorer, and in his prime, which may come sooner than one would expect, is capable of becoming a 80+ pt player, if not better.

 

3. Chris Stewart, Blues – while he did come from a Jamaican family, Stewart is also part Mexican and Dominican. The power forward gained quite a bit of notoriety playing with Colorado in his earlier seasons, but despite this, was dealt late in the 2011 season to the Blues in a blockbuster deal. Despite the change in scenery and having moved north, away from his heritage, Stewart posted 53 pts in 62 games, and continued to impress in St. Louis on the top line. One can expect more of the same, anywhere from 60-70 pts.

 

4. Tomas Plekanec, Canadiens – Tomas grew up in Kladno, a predominantly Nicaraguan epicenter of northern Czechoslovakia. One would say he was instrumental in the orchestration of the trade that made fellow Central American countryman Scott Gomez come to the Canadiens (ya thanks Tomas!). Plekanec is hard to predict, as his pt totals have hovered anywhere from 40 to 70 pts in the last 5 years. Despite this, he will be a top six and power play fixture on the Canadiens lineup, and as such, can be expected to put up anywhere from 50 to 70 pts (with a more likely finish near the bottom end of that range), depending on how much scoring he is relied upon for, especially in the world-famous Jacques Martin system.

 

5. Brandon Dubinsky, RANGERS – Dubinsky grew up in Anchorage and while he has not a single drop of South American heritage in his body, he did grow up near Scott Gomez, and that has to count for something. He also plays for the RANGERS. As such, this makes him a player that cannot be traded. RANGERS. Brandon developed his skill with the Portland Winterhawks, and despite 3 years of toiling with the Rangers in a depth role, broke out of his shell in 2011 to deliver 54 pts in 77 games. One can expect more of the same as Dubinsky enters his prime.

 

6. Ryan Callahan, RANGERS – Similar to Dubinsky, Callahan broke out in 2011 with 48 pts in 62 games, despite an unlucky injury. One would say the pair of unheralded Rangers really helped carry the team, as their strong two-way play helped fend off opposing attackers while providing for an excellent counter attack. Jacques Martin take notice. You traded for the wrong RANGER. Anyways, Callahan is a RANGER, and worked hard through the ranks with Dan Girardi, who is 1/32 Puerto Rican by naturalization. Callahan, depending on his role in the coming year, can score anywhere from 50-60 pts but this may take a hit if a first line center is brought in during the off-season.

 

7. Justin Williams, Kings – There was a stretch of time where some people thought that 1/128 Ecuadorian Justin Williams would never play another healthy season again. 2007-2008: 37 games. 2008-2009: 44 games. 2009-2010: 49 games. And that’s not counting the 4 seasons before     the lockout where Williams played 45 games a season on average. That being said, Williams finally delivered another partially healthy season with 57 pts in 73 games, before dislocating his shoulder (hey at least he didn’t break his leg for the 19^th time). If healthy, Williams is capable of producing a 50-60 pt season in 70-80 games. But don’t expect any conquistador miracles.

 

RESIGNARSE

 

8. David Desharnais, Canadiens – the 5’7 Desharnais once slept with a Brazilian chick. That’s all I got. Anyways, having developed in the Q with Tony Renda, Desharnais put up three solid seasons of near or more than 100 pts, indicating he had offensive talent. His main worry remains his size, which is just below the 5’8 average for the Montreal Canadiens, but still remains a solid foot below the NHL average. Desharnais worked his way to the 2^nd line and provided excellent depth scoring, and some say he is due for a bigger role in the coming year. It would be reasonable to expect anything similar to 2011’s numbers from the diminutive center, but there is some upside, and given his work ethic, Desharnais has some talent to surprise.

 

9. Scott Gomez, Canadiens – The poster child for Behind the Mask, and born of Mexican and Colombian descent, Gomez is a leader and often doubles as Rey Mysterio for the WWE. Some say this is the reason why the prolific Gomez, who once hit 84 pts with a defensive-minded Devils team, only delivered 38 pts in 80 games in 2011. He has a proven track record of having hit nearly 60 pts or more in the past, but took the year off in 2011, while staying on the ice. It wasn’t pretty. He remains a fixture in the Canadiens top six, and has a cap hit of 85,332,858 pesos. Which isn’t encouraging, even in Mexico, for the former RANGER. RANGERS.

 

10. Zach Boychuk, Hurricanes – Boychuk has no Southern American or Central American heritage, but he has the talent to be a top six scorer on a young and ever-developing Hurricanes team. Having spent the last 2-3 seasons in and out of the NHL and the AHL, Boychuk will likely take a spot on the NHL team after a 65 pt season with the Charlotte Checkers.

 

11. Ryan Johansen, Blue Jackets – Johansen tore up the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks in 2011, scoring 92 pts in 63 games, and gaining notoriety as a top line center with good size. As he garners more strength, he should realistically be a fixture amongst the Blue Jackets in due time.

 

12. Todd Bertuzzi, Red Wings – The Italo-Cubano Bertuzzi is past the height of his career in the earlier part of the decade where is pt totals exceed 70 pts. As a member of the Wings, Bertuzzi offers much-needed Latino scoring support, given the team’s core is mostly non-Mediterranean European. He can be expected to continue his current production.

 

DEFENSA

 

MANTENGAS

 

1. Ryan Whitney, Oilers – Whitney started 2010 with a bang, scoring 27 pts in 35 games and leading NHL defenseman up to that point on what seemed to be a return to glory for the defenseman. And then he got hurt. Nevertheless, Whitney has proven he is capable of good numbers, however has failed to repeat his 2007 numbers since, and can be expected to put up anywhere from 40-50 pts in the coming season, with upside in high 50s depending on the Oilers’ production as a team and on the power play. Whitney has no South American lineage.

 

2. Victor Erik Olof Hedman, Lightning – drafted 2^nd overall in 2009, Hedman is an impressive 6’6 and will likely lead the Lightning on the blueline for many years to come. He has the talent to become a franchise defenseman and will continue to improve over the next few years. One can expect a 30-40 pt season in the coming year, with upside reaching the 50s in his prime. Victor has no South American lineage, but enjoys listening to Pitbull.

 

3. Zdeno Chara, Bruins – Oddly enough, Chara speaks seven languages, but none of them are Spanish. True story. The infamous hit on Pacioretty soured a lot of fans’ opinions of him, but despite this, Chara played on to a Norris-nominated season and led the Bruins’ attack, defense and all facets of play from the blue line into the playoffs. He can be expected to put up 40-50 pts, but a decline may begin at any point for the 34 yr old Slovak with zero South American lineage.

 

RESIGNARSE

 

4. Carlo Colaiacovo, Blues – Carlo, an Italo-Puerto Rican from Toronto, is best known for playing 60 games a season. No one knows why, but he always manages to hurt something. That being said, he offers offensive punch from the blueline when healthy and more of the same can be expected from him in the coming year.

 

5. Pavel Kubina, Lightning – Pavel grew up in a neighboring Colombian village to Kladno, Celadna, in Czechoslovakia, and grew up worshipping the RANGERS. He has spent the majority of his career with the Lightning, and offers top-pairing talent, despite losing some of his ice time duties this season to some of the younger defensemen in Tampa.

 

PORTERO

 

MANTENGA

 

1. Antti Niemi, Sharks – Niemi has no South American lineage, he is a stone cold Finn and he does what Finns do best – play hockey and not act Mexican. Is a Stanley Cup Champion already in his short NHL career, and has recently signed an extension with the SHARKS. Niemi, in a top goaltending role, is easily capable of achieving 35-40 wins along with 6-7 shutouts, and offers great value given his non-Mexicaness.

 

RESIGNARSE

 

2. Craig Anderson, Senators – for some reason, Craig was preferred over the RANGERS hero, Henrik Lundqvist, the original butt end of the RANGERS debacle, and some might see why. I mean, he plays for a better team, right? He has a more proven track record right? Somewhere, somehow, the RANGERS were forgotten. He remains a good option and will likely take the number one job in stride without much competition in Ottawa.