AGRI Biz

Zach Parise is the simplest pick on this US team destined to go to Vancouver for the Olympics. Who else will or shouldámake up this team and how will they fare? Goaltenders Thisáis theástrongest set of US goalies ever available for any US international team. This may be the first time since the 1996 World Cup with Mike Richteráthat the US is entering an international tournament with the best goaltending in the ...

I'm a big fanáof general managers in hockey who are trying to get it done. I lived through the 80s in Calgary where there was a constant push to make the team better. They needed to compete with the 1980s Edmonton Oilers, arguably one of the best teams in hockey, and they always tried to do that. I also lived through the Craig Button, Doug Risebourough, and Al Coates 90s where ...

Central Division á Last but not least is what was the best division in hockey last year. Chicago stepped forward to be among the league's elite last year. á St Louis and Columbus made the playoffs. Only Nashville was on the outside looking in last year and they made it close. á It will be tough for this competitive division to produce four playoff teams again next year, but IÆll almost guarantee three. á á á Detroit Red Wings á Detroit had ...

he Northeast division had the second best winning percentage in the league last year at .561. Like the Northwest, theyÆre catering to some of the more rabid fan bases in hockey and so tend to spend and at times overspend every year. When Montreal, Toronto, or Ottawa donÆt have a big new free agent signing by July thereÆs some screaming going on. Boston has gotten into the same boat and has ...

Atlantic Division á The Atlantic produced the Stanley Cup champion and four Eastern Conference playoff teams, yet only managed to have the third-best winning percentage in the league at .561. á The New York Islanders are apparently really that bad. HereÆs a look at the teams from the Atlantic in the order they finished last year. á á New Jersey Devils á New Jersey won the hard-fought division by seven points. They then lost a first-round, seven-game series ...

á Pacific Division ááá The third weakest division in hockey last year was the Pacific Division. The .548 winning percentage was brought about by a decline from Dallas and no compensating improvement from LA or Phoenix. á HereÆs my look at how these teams finished last year ,what changes they made and how they should do in the coming regular season. á IÆm looking at the teams in the order they finished last year. á á á San Jose Sharks á San ...

The shortest offseason in pro-sports is over and hereÆs my look at how I think the Northwest division is going to fair this year. IÆm looking at them in the order they finished last year.áá á á Northwest Division á What was once considered one of the toughest divisions in hockey has devolved into one of the weakest. The divisional .538 winning percentage was better then that of the Southeast division by only the thinnest ...

The shortest offseason in professional sports is over and itÆs time to try to figure out what went on in the offseason and how itÆll effect whatÆs happening going forward in the NHL this year. IÆm starting with last year's worst division in hockey: the Southeast. IÆm looking at the teams in the order they finished last seasonáand predicting how theyÆll finish in the division and the Eastern Conference this year. á SOUTHEAST ...

Montreal suffered through a year of exaggerated expectations. They snuck into the playoffs past a mediocre Florida team on the basis of having a better record against them in the regular season. They were then swept by arch-rival Boston in four games. This all happened after a first place finish in 2007-08 and a trip to the second round of the playoffs. The fans were anticipating another first place finish and a ...

It was the summer of 1978 and the Montreal Canadiens were the greatest organization in hockey. Fresh from winning their third Stanley Cup in a row and their 21st Stanley Cup ever, they were arguably the best run organization in professional sports. Sitting at the helm guiding the team was the single best General Manager in Montreal Canadiens history, Sam Pollock.  Sam was in his last of 14 years and was winning his ninth Stanley ...