A big part of the issue is the significant time difference between North America and Sochi which will drastically decrease the impact that having the NHL’s best on the Olympic stage will provide. Unlike the 2010 games in which nearly every game was broadcast in primetime and the impressive run by the US turned the eyes of the nation to the sport of hockey, Sochi is eight hours ahead of the East coast and that will cause major issues for televising games in North America.

The eight hour difference isn’t nearly as big of an issue as the potential locations for the next two Winter Olympic sites. Pyeongchang, South Korea will host in 2018 and there are no North American bids for the 2022 games either. That means that another European or Asian country will serve as host thus putting the next two Olympic games on a significant time difference from North America. With that in mind, I wonder if the 2014 games will be the last time the NHL provides the athletes for hockey at the Olympics – that is until another North American city hosts.

With that in mind, I have a strong feeling that the 2016 reiteration of the World Cup of Hockey will be more significant that a one-off of the event that was so well received (in hockey circles)in 1996 and 2004.

While the 2016 event will be the first reincarnation of this tournament, I’m curious to see how it progresses in the future. One thing to keep in mind is the number of parties who need to collaborate on such an event. The NHL will obviously have a major say in the tournament – as they will all but be a silent partner in the venture – along with the IIHF and other international bodies. The actual logistics of planning and carrying out the tournament will be rather complicated.

There should be no debate that the tournament should take place in late summer just as NHL training camps are set to begin. By staging the tournament in August or September, the NHL stars that are participating would get a nice warm up for the season while the tournament itself would serve as a primer for the next year that was set to begin.

The NHL has the opportunity to run this event on a four or two-year cycle as a way to showcase the league’s elite players on an international stage. If this is to truly serve as a replacement to NHL participation at the Olympics, the organizers will have a few options. What the NHL and the actual organizing body of the World Cup need to determine is how badly they want to piss off the IOC.

If the league and organizers are really looking to burn some bridges this could be run on a two-year cycle which would have the potential to run in direct competition with the Olympic games – unless it was run on odd years which would keep both events separated.  I personally love the idea of a two-year cycle running on odd or even years. This is the type of tournament which can be kept fresh and will always be relevant due to the international flavor associated with it.

Just imagine having the opportunity to watch the likes of Crosby, Stamkos, Kane and Quick rolled out every other year in their countries colors. It would be an event hockey fans starve for (if it isn’t already) and it could certainly grow with each passing year. The real key would be the ability to recycle major NHL talent more often than you get with a four-year cycle. While most players would get a maximum of three kicks at a four-year tournament, your main stars would be fixtures in at least five tournaments under this format.

Practicing a four-year cycle (opposite the Olympics) might make the most sense, however. Starting in 2016 you could run the tournament in 2020, 2024 etc. on a two-year cycle with the Olympic games. Not only would this appease the IOC, it would leave the door open for Olympic participation if the games are in a television friendly location. Of course, the IOC isn’t a group to be held hostage by such a situation.

The crux of the four-year plan is less about the Olympics and more about the prestige of the tournament for me. By spacing this out over a longer period of time could help to increase the prestige of the tournament itself. If there’s anything I’d like to see come away from the World Cup of Hockey it is to be a widely respected international event that people actually care about. By making the tournament itself prestigious, you gain additional notoriety.

That final part of the plan is probably a little harder to execute than anything else. You can’t just will people to like a certain sport or event. Lacrosse is an incredibly popular sport in various pockets of the nation but the professional game – both indoor and outdoor – has yet to take off. Much in the same respect, this tournament will be a difficult sell to the casual fans to begin with. One thing that could accelerate the interest in the tournament would be hosting exclusively in North America.

This isn’t some anti-euro, jingoistic desire either. A standalone hockey tournament would not carry the same clout of the tournament when associated with a worldwide event like the Olympics. Ensuring prime viewing hours would be vital to ensuring maximum fan interest; and when you consider the demographic that would be interested by a tournament such as this – hint: it is nearly the same group captivated by the 2010 Olympics – the importance of making it readily available to them is vital.

The 1996 and 2004 World Cup played games in the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and Sweden thus increasing exposure on a world stage. Ultimately this is an international tournament and does deserve to be made available to those fans overseas, but from a logistic and marketing stand point, North America just makes the most sense. After all, this is nothing more than a made-for-TV international tournament for the NHL and the NHLPA.

I’d assume that NBC would be the first network to get a crack at this particular event although teaming up with ESPN wouldn’t be a bad idea. While the NHL could support the event itself, there would be nothing wrong with that actual World Cup organizing body deciding to have ESPN as the television rights provider. Whether or not NBC or ESPN is the better choice would be hard to determine but the fact that ESPN is in more homes, bars and hotels than NBCSN would point towards the “Worldwide Leader” as a decent host for the World Cup.

The goal for the World Cup of Hockey isn’t to surpass what the Olympics or the actual World Cup have become. Those are true international events that are unlike anything else. However, the World Cup of Hockey can serve as an unparalleled tool for the promotion of the sport if it is executed properly. It all starts with establishing a regular schedule for the tournament to occur and ensuring that schedule remains unfettered as the tournament continues to grow.

The 2016 tournament will probably be small potatoes. The same goes for 2018 (if they use a two-year cycle). This will never surpass the World Cup or Olympics. But it can develop a firm foothold as a tournament and for the sport moving forward. The key is ensuring this tournament runs more often than every 12 years.

Tim Thomas probably won’t be part of the conversation this time around after a year away from the game in his bunker in Colorado – or however he actually spent the year. Ryan Miller will certainly be considered for a roster spot while Jonathan Quick will probably graduate from third to first string for the 2014 games.

Quick is the guy I’ve tabbed to be my started with Cory Schneider and Jimmy Howard to follow in behind as his backups.

Your starting goaltender for the 2014 Olympics.

Quick is an easy and obvious choice for the US starting job. He’s one year removed from a Conn Smythe and serving as a Vezina finalist. He’s crafting another stellar playoff run which proves his worth as an extremely effective goaltender in a tournament setting. Not only is he at the peak effectiveness in net, Quick has also exhibited the ever valuable quality to perform in a tournament setting.

Schneider slots in as my primary backup for a couple of reasons. First, he went on a great run over a short stretch this season that saw him roll up a dozen wins. Second, he has history of success in short, high pressure tournament play thanks to his time at Boston College. Finally, he should step in as Vancouver’s starter next season and see the majority of work during the year. That playing time will further cultivate his play heading into Sochi.

Jimmy Howard is listed as my third string keeper in this case although he and Schneider could easily interchange roles in behind Quick. In fact it really doesn’t matter what the depth chart order is behind Quick considering he’s all but assured the starting job for the tournament.

Howard has a strong resume early on in his career and is more than capable of carrying a team for long stretches – a product of Jonas Gustavsson serving as your backup. He’s technically sound and resembles Schneider’s style of play in many ways. Both play with a high level of technique and do an excellent job of steering rebounds and controlling their area. They’re both steady options that would provide honest support if they’re called upon.

Obviously I’ve left Ryan Miller off this list. I did it because he’s struggled a bit behind an ever growing porous defense in Buffalo and the improved play of other American goaltenders in the NHL. One thig to bear in mind about Miller is that nothing gets him going better than the Olympics. Two of his most impressive seasons came in 2006 and 2010. After being passed over for the 06 team, Miller helped lead the Sabres on an impressive run to the Conference Finals. 2010 is well documented as Miller’s Vezina run was complimented by his MVP performance in Vancouver.

While I don’t have him on this particular roster, Miller’s play next season may make it impossible for anyone to ignore him. He gets up in Olympic years and he could certainly do the same this season.

Craig Anderson is another goaltender who deserves a serious look for Team USA. One thing that I wonder about Anderson is his ability to perform in a tournament like this. He’s proven himself to be a stellar regular season goaltender but I question how he will hold up in a short tournament like the Olympics.

Anderson’s play in this year’s playoffs will likely do a lot to prove his worth for the Yanks moving forward. One thing I know for sure is that he won’t find himself any higher than second on this roster as Quick will be the unquestioned starter.

The 2010 US team had to replace a pair of defensemen late in the year as Ryan Whitney and Tim Gleason were last minute replacements for Mike Komisarek and Paul Martin. Not only do I not see any of those four players (particularly Komisarek) getting any consideration for the US roster, there will also be holes left by Brian Rafalski (retirement) and basic roster turnover.

Both Erik and Jack Johnson will be left off my roster leaving only Ryan Suter and Brooks Orpik as the returning defensemen from the 2010 Olympics.

Both Suter and Orpik were major contributors in 2010 and will fill an equally important role when they reach Sochi. For this exercise I have them anchoring each of the top two pairings on my roster while accompanied by two equally impressive new comers.

Ryan Suter is a primary holdover from 2010 and will eat major minutes in Sochi.

One thing I juggled was placing Suter with Keith Yandle and allowing Orpik and Ryan McDonagh to form a traditional shutdown pairing. However, given the bigger ice surface I figured giving each pairing a nice mix of defensive play and mobility was the best way to move forward.

While Suter is the incumbent veteran who will enter the tournament with high expectations, there is a good chance that his partner serves to be the Americans’ best defenseman. McDonagh is a do-everything talent who is going to be able to impose his will on the top lines of each opponent throughout the tournament. Pairing him with a world class two-way defender like Suter will not only provide the pairing with a little more offense, but a quality mobile threat on the breakout.

Much of the same can be said of Yandle’s effect on his partner. Yandle is crazy mobile and crazy versatile as he will be able to handle big minutes and should serve as a fine compliment to Orpik’s stay-at-home style. Yandle is one of three serious offensive threats that I kept around and he and Suter will likely end up as a power play pairing. At even strength Yandle’s ability to join the rush is going to be incredibly valuable.

The third pairing is where I ran into some tough decisions. Kevin Shattenkirk’s development has been nothing short of impressive and he was a shoe in for my pretend roster. Shattenkirk will certainly be packing his bags for Sochi next winter as his two-way play has made him a fixture in the top four of the St. Louis lineup. I wrestled with who served as the best fit for his partner as the battle between a gritty, stay-at-home type ended up being outweighed by mobility and two-way effectiveness.

John Carlson is a minute eating machine and is adept in the offensive end. His ability to chip in offensively was ultimately what pushed him into the top six over a more defensive option. What is most appealing about Carlson is that he is steady in his own end and can still be counted on to play significant minutes when needed. Pairing him with Shattenkirk gives the third pairing two players cast from a very similar mold.

Justin Faulk slots in as my seventh defenseman as something of a power play specialist. Much like the role I see Derek Stepan filling, Faulk should be able to eat up some quality minutes throughout the tournament while providing a majority of his contributions on the extra man unit. Faulk was a player I was on the fence about due to the presence of Carlson, Shattenkirk, Suter and Yandle on the roster. Effective powerplay point men certainly won’t be at a premium here but having a specialist such as Faulk is a terrific luxury.

While Carlson and Faulk were the final two players I penciled onto my blueline, I see one of the two having the opportunity to provide the same type of contribution that Drew Doughty and Dan Boyle brought for the Canadiens in 2010. Both are offensively gifted and didn’t slot into a traditional pairing as some of the others did. While Carlson and Faulk may not fit into the puzzle perfectly, their offensive prowess could serve to be incredibly valuable throughout the course of the tournament.

A couple of the guys I ended up leaving off were Paul Martin, Mark Stuart, Matt Greene and Dustin Byfuglien. Each would fill a nice little niche but they just didn’t fit the exact mold that I was searching for. Byfuglien is a nice option as an extra forward or defenseman due to his history in the league while Martin would be another complimentary two-way defender. I’m a big fan of Stuart and Greene and they’d be a great addition if the team needs more grit along the blue line.

Ultimately I decided on a more mobile blue line that still had roots in steady in-zone play. On the big surface I think this will prove to be vitally important for the tournament.

Watch List:

Cam Fowler: He’s young and still developing but could easily slot in as the seventh defenseman if the start to his year is strong. Like Alex Galchenyuk he’s someone who will get a lot more attention if he has a strong start to the season.

Jake Gardiner: Crtl-C, Crtl-V the above paragraph. Gardiner is highly touted and could certainly raise some eyebrows if he has a good start to the 13-14 season. He’s worth keeping an eye on although I feel like he probably won’t be seriously considered.

I took the time to lay out the roster that I think the Americans will bring with them to Russia and what should be a gold medal contender. I’ll begin with the forwards and move to the defensemen and goaltenders over the next two days.

One thing that the 2010 roster had was an interesting mix of veteran and up-and-coming talent. Olympic and NHL vets like Chris Drury, Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Rafalski offered loads of international experience to an unhearalded roster. While all three of those players have since moved on, a majority of the players who made their US Olympic debut in Vancouver are all four years older as they prepare for Sochi.

With Drury and Langenbrunner both out of the picture, I also didn’t include Ryan Malone on my roster. Otherwise, the forward ranks are full of holdovers from the 2010 roster.

If there is one Achilles Heel of the US roster it is down the middle. While there are a number of fine choices at center for the US, they cannot compete with the likes of Towes, Stamkos or Crosby. You’ll see that I have JVR listed as a center above based on his versatility and the promise of sparking chemistry with his teammate, Phil Kessel. There are a few interesting defensive options that I left off this list; namely Brandon Dubinsky, Paul Gaustad and Nate Thompson. Should the US be looking for a true gritty forward to win faceoffs (think Joel Otto), Gaustad or Thompson could fit the bill. For my team, however, two-way skill was the name of the game. On the big ice there won’t be a reason to roster too many battleships, particularly at pivot.

Joe Pavelski’s maturation since 2010 puts him at the top of the US roster entering Sochi.

Backes has the ability to center a line, I suppose, but I love him on the wing with Kesler and Ryan Callahan. While it’s technically a fourth line, this is a trio made up of three players with Selke qualities and they can contribute offense here and there as well. In a tournament with Crosby, Stamkos and Ovechkin, a dynamic checking line is a necessity. Just remember how important a role Mike Richards and Towes filled in Vancouver.

Joe Pavelski is the crown jewel of this center group and playing on the big surface in Russia will allow dynamic players like him to thrive. Throwing Kane on his left side gives him a pure sniper to feed while Dustin Brown offers a phenomenal mix of grit and offense to ride shotgun with the other two. Brown also brings a nice bit of defensive responsibility to this line.

The Pacioretty-Stastny-Ryan trio is easily the least heralded of these three lines but it is made up of a quality playmaking center between two big bodied scoring wingers. Don’t discount these three, especially when the Pavelski and JVR lines are getting most of the attention.

Meanwhile Bakes, Ryan Kesler and Paul Stastny offer quality two-way talent through the rest of the lineup. Statsny’s quality play at this year’s World Championships has me considering him for another vital role on this squad. Kesler’s health will be a major focal point to track. If he isn’t at 100% entering the tournament I wouldn’t be surprised to see a player like Dubinsky take his place. Again, effective two-way players was paramount in my selection of centers.

Derek Stepan was my choice as the extra forward as his development continues to skyrocket and having another offensive threat to compliment Pavelski either on the wing or at center will be key. He’s a great offensive weapon and adds one more asset to the offensive arsenal both down the middle or at wing. Given that he’s a strong offensive center is even more important considering the center group is light in some areas.

The depth and talent on the wing is what puts the Americans on par with the other nations in this tournament. I expect the talent down the wing to make up for the relatively shallow depth at center.

Callahan and Backes are tremendous defensive talents with offensive upside while Brown brings the same type of skillset. Meanwhile Kane, Kessel and Parise are part of the NHL’s elite scorers – both in pay rate and on-ice results. Pacioretty and Ryan end up as the forgotten two in this entire group and when Max Pacioretty and Bobby Ryan are being overlooked on your roster that’s not a bad thing at all.

Exactly how these lines will be used will be interesting to consider. With the way I’ve structured things, the Kesler line would be a true checking line dedicated to matching whichever menagerie of all-stars the other countries trot out. I suppose the Stastny line would be capable of contributing in a two-way role as well. Neither of the three are complete liabilities in their own end and both forwards can crash and bang effectively.

If there’s one line that won’t be considered for any defensive matchups it’s the JVR line. VanRiemsdyk is a phenomenal talent but neither he or Kessel are necessarily the most reliable options in their own end. Putting them with Parise should provide some defensive support, but not much.The top line I laid out here doesn’t have any glaring holes when it comes to defensive play and Dustin Brown should offer solid support to help keep the trio on the right side of the plus/minus column.

There should be no question about which forwards get letters. Ryan Callahan is basically Chris Drury 2.0 and I fully expect him to be wearing the C in Sochi. I’d give Backes an A as St. Louis’ power forward sports the C for the Blues and went on a fighting spree against Canadian Olympians prior to the 2010 games. There are plenty of great leadership options on this roster but Backes and Callahan rank at the top of the list for me.

Both Pat Kane and Dustin Brown should feature prominently for the Americans in Sochi.

Naturally there were a number of very gifted forwards left off this list. T.J. Oshie, Jason Pominville and Blake Wheeler to name three in particular. Should a player like Ryan Kesler suffer through additional injury woes, he’d be an obvious player to replace. Otherwise, this is a very deep and talented roster. Aside from Kesler as a marginal question mark due to his health, only Paul Stastny and Derek Stepan are players who I could see swapped out.

If there is a noticeable decline in any one particular player’s performance, the players on the “Watch List are going to be worth taking a look at.

Watch List:

TJ Oshie: The last “cut” from my pretend roster. Oshie is a solid talent who plays a steady two-way game. He has gamebreaking potential and would mesh well in any number of roles on this team. He’s going to be under heavy consideration and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the final roster.

Alex Galchenyuk: Just as I penciled in Stepan as that x-factor extra forward (the role played by Jonathan Towes in 2010 for the Canucks), Galchenyuk could be this player for the Yanks. If he has a breakout campaign next season I could see him as a late addition filling that extra forward’s role.

Brandon Dubinsky and Blake Wheeler: Both of these guys are more of an injury replacement kind of consideration. Their both quality talents and Wheeler has enjoyed impressive success the past few years. If the US is looking for another power forward, he’s their man. Dubinsky is on my list in the even that a checking line center is needed. I’m not sure if he’s high on the list for USA Hockey but I like his game and I think he’d fit well.

While I swung and missed on my Cup Finals prediction, I managed to guess most of the second round participants and I’ll now provide my predictions for the second round series.

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

This will be a very interesting series to follow. The main storyline is the Penguins struggles in net but this will really come down to Pittsburgh’s firepower matching up against Craig Anderson and Ottawa’s ability to defend. Pittsburgh has a deep offensive lineup that would create ugly matchup choices for an All Star team, let alone the seventh seed in the playoffs. If Paul MacLean can work his magic and Anderson stays hot, this will be a long series.

Why Pittsburgh will win: Firepower is the name of the game for the Penguins. They outscored their way to the second round with little more than average goaltending supporting their back legs. This is an offensive juggernaut which also has a pair of bottom six lines capable of mixing offense and defense quite nicely. Goaltending will obviously be an issue and the hot button issue until Tomas Vokoun proves he can carry this team.

Why Ottawa will win: The Senators have continuously proven that they’re capable of overcoming and they did a fine job of that all year. They certainly weren’t overmatched by the Canadiens but I feel they will be in many ways during this series. However, if they can find offensive success they should have little issue being very competitive against this team

Outcome: Penguins in six

Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers

A nice, tidy Original Six matchup between a pair of teams that had the hell beaten out of them over two lengthy seven-game series. Both squads have top guns who aren’t performing (see: Seguin, Nash, Richards) while other heroes have emerged. For me, this series is all about how the Bruins handle Henrik Lundqvist and if the Rangers will be able to score goals. The Rangers advanced to the Conference Finals last year on the strength of timely – but not overwhelming – offense and terrific goaltending. If the Bruins are stymied by Lundqvist it will be a quick round.

Why Boston will win: What scares me about the Bruins is the sudden rash of injuries on the backend and the dwindling list of players to fill those spots. Zdeno Chara is good but I don’t think any human is capable of continuing to see the minutes he’s being given. Then again, there’s a good chance he’s not human. Boston has the firepower to exploit matchups and I expect them to collect plenty of chances. Whether or not they find the net is yet to be seen.

Why New York will win: Lundqvist is this team’s savior. They put together a couple of high-scoring games against the Capitals but they haven’t gotten consistent scoring from anyone on their roster. Rick Nash and Brad Richards have been invisible and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them kept quiet by line matching. But if Lundqvist continues to stand on his head, the Rangers will only need a goal or two per game. Also keep an eye on Boston’s fatigue, that could give New York a decided advantage.

Outcome: New York in six

Western Conference

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings

Another Original Six showdown with far different  circumstances. I’m sure you will hear plenty of guys wax poetic about the termination of this glorious rivalry as if the Wings are moving to the AHL. This will provide a nice backdrop for the Chicago/Detroit Western Conference rivalry to fizzle out with, but these teams will still play. It really isn’t that big of a deal.

Why Chicago will win: Like the Penguins, the Blackhawks just have too much talent. Their power play looks like one you would see at an All Star game, they have two world class lines and a third set of forwards who can all play. Defensively they’re crazy deep as well. This is a good team that will be very tough to beat.

Why Detroit will win: Despite his success in the first round, I don’t necessarily trust Corey Crawford and I feel that Jimmy Howard is the more capable netminder. However, the Wings will need to match lines well and play phenomenal defense to ensure that they stay competitive with the Hawks.

Outcome: Chicago in six

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks

If there is any series that is a total toss up, I’d say it’s this one. The Bruins/Rangers series could go either way but there are still some obvious factors that can lean that series in either direction. This one is between two teams with strong goalies, impressive scoring depth and quality coaching.

Why Los Angeles will win: If the Kings start scoring they’ll be nearly impossible to stop. The issue is that their offense has been very hit and miss and that kept their first round series far closer than it could have been. There’s no doubt that Jonathan Quick will keep the Kings competitive, it is up to their offense to power the train.

Why San Jose will win: Despite all the claims that the Sharks were done, their vets have awoken and their budding stars are producing on a consistent basis. San Jose has four legitimate threats to score on a nightly basis and a handful of role players who will chip in equally at both ends. Antti Niemi may not be the best goalie in the series, but he can really prove his worth with a massive performace over the rest of these playoffs.

Outcome: San Jose in seven

Strictly speaking I felt the gameplay in NHL 13 was sluggish. The new skating engine, while based on real-life physics was just a little too slow in some areas and it misses the mark badly in its attempt to create the same skating environment found in NHL arenas. I’m not too worried about the skating and general gameplay faults from this past year; these are things that EA will most certainly tweak heading into NHL 14 and beyond. What I want to see are some more peripheral additions made to the game that not only will improve the game experience, but increase authenticity.

While NHL 14 is probably in the final stages of production, I would love to see some of the items on my wishlist considered for NHL 15 and beyond.

1. AHL Roster control: For the love of God allow users to alter the rosters on their AHL affiliates in Be a GM mode. Every year you play Be a GM piles of injuries require a number of roster moves that typically result in your AHL affiliate becoming overloaded with players. Since you can’t send players anywhere beyond the AHL, these rosters end up with roughly 76 players and it just becomes a huge mess. How about EA Sports adds a small little feature that allows the GM to “send” players to the ECHL? They don’t need to include the teams or stats, just simply have a feature that sets the player as an ECHL designation which will lighten the AHL roster significantly.
2. Prospect Development: I know EA made sweeping changing to the player development features in this year’s game but I’d like to see a little more. I’ve always felt that drafting players in the game ends up being a complete mystery because of the low ratings the players start with.  Perhaps they add some sort of GM control that allows for more monitoring of players who are still in junior and the AHL. This way the Be a GM mode allows for more of a hands on player development of draft picks.
3. Get all the jerseys right: As a Sabres fan I see this nearly everytime I turn on the game. The numbers and lettering on the Sabres uniforms aren’t even close to being right and I feel like Buffalo is not the only team to suffer from this issue. This is the pre-eminent NHL video game and you should see an accurate depiction of each team’s look. As a side note, the game continues to have the Sabres wear all blue gloves on the road with their typical navy and gold gloves with their home uniforms (I may be the only person who notices that).
4. Update the All Star game: The changes made to the NHL All Star Game were brilliant. The fantasy draft brings far more relevance to a game that few care about. Institute the fantasy draft into the All-Star game feature in the Be a GM and Be a Pro mode. It doesn’t need to be video of each player being picked. Just use the same engine as the Entry Draft and just split the chosen players for the ASG as the teams are picked.
5. ASG Part II: In addition to building in a simple Fantasy Draft to the ASG it would be pretty cool to set up a simple rotation of the ASG in different cities. No need to have a new All Star logo but simply allow for each team to host (in Be a GM mode) to add a little more authenticity. Again, this doesn’t seem like something that would be too difficult to create.
6. ASG III: One of the coolest features of the 2K series was that they had a Skills Competition feature. In fact, you could play the Skills Competition prior to the All Star game if you felt the desire. EA Sports already has all of the Skill Competition games built in the game (just test equipment in Edit Player), why not put it all together into the Skill Competition? It’s a small feature that most people would likely ignore, but it would not only be an authentic addition, it would make for a great party mode type of addition.
7. Winter Classic: EA finally put the Winter Classic into the game for NHL 12 and added to it this season. But why don’t they have Wrigley and The Ralph in there? Why don’t they have the previous Heritage Classic sites in there either? Seems like a pretty simple connection to make. Once the Stadium Series wraps up this season EA could potentially have the template for enough stadium templates to actually run the Winter Classic in the Be a GM and Be a Pro modes if they wanted.
8. Goal Masks: A few years back EA obtained the artwork for Rick DiPietro’s mask. This year Marty Brodeur’s actual mask art is used in the game. Why can’t we get the rest of these guy’s artwork? A vast majority of NHLers use Dave Gunnarsson as their artist. Even obtaining a license from him alone would ensure that a major chunk of the league was represented accurately. In fact, the agreement with him could provide an opportunity for him to redesign the “stock” team designs that look like the masks I tried to draw in third grade. This really can’t be as difficult of a task as it would seem. Get someone to work with the major mask artists to come to a licensing agreement so the real masks end up in the game.
9. Arena Layout: This is another thing that I notice because I play with the Sabres quite a bit but the benches are on the wrong side of the ice at FNC. This is probably more because of the layout of FNC compared to anywhere else, but it’s still annoying. Another small request, maybe look into the team locker rooms and hallways to add to that portion of the teams walking out to the ice. Oh and get the FNC goal horn right, the one they’re using now isn’t even close.

These are just things that I’ve noticed and wish were added to future editions of the game. If EA wants to hire me as their goal mask art consultant I’d be happy to join the team.

The Penguins sat through two-straight first round exits in which Marc-Andre Fleury just wasn’t good enough for them (particularly last year). Their first round series with the Islanders was heading off the tracks before Vokoun was inserted and notched a pair of wins that sent the Penguins into the second round. However, Fleury is Pittsburgh’s five million dollar man while Vokoun is the emergency chute signed last summer as insurance for the Pens’ Cup winning netminder.

This year’s flame out marked the third-straight first round series in which Fleury’s save percentage didn’t rise above .900. It also gives Fleury 57 goals against (on 453 shots) over just 17 games these past three years. Vokoun has only played a pair of games behind the Penguins this post season but the solution for Blysma should be simple; play the hot hand.

When it comes to goaltending the key is playing the goalie who gives your team the best opportunity to win. As of right now, Fleury is not that player for the Penguins. Some debate will proceed over what a prolonged benching will do for his psyche but I wouldn’t be concerned with that currently. This is a team that served up a hefty ransom to obtain a trio of deadline pieces that would elevate them to a Cup Finals appearance. If Vokoun gives this cast the best opportunity to win then it shouldn’t matter who he’s replacing.

There is no reason to spin yourself (as the hypothetical Penguins’ bench boss) in circles over hurting Fleury’s psyche or starting a backup. Just like Vizzini, don’t overanalyze. Vokoun has just won your team two hockey games and is playing with confidence. Fleury was nothing short of a tire fire in three of those games and didn’t show any signs of improving. Sure the Penguins could go back to Fleury, but I’m not sure if they want to.

The only true precedent for such action came in 2006 when the Hurricanes entered the playoffs with Martin Gerber as their starter, went to Cam Ward after two games in the first round and subsequently flip-flopped on a starter all the way through to the Cup Finals.

Of course the 2006 example is slightly skewed since it ultimately served as Ward’s coming out party as a starting goaltender and pushed Gerber out of Carolina. However the logic is there. Gerber wasn’t winning games for the Hurricanes and the net was turned over to Ward. Yet the Canes weren’t afraid to go back to Gerber (who got them a key shutout win in the Conference Finals) before finally settling on Ward to guide them to the Cup. Whether or not a goalie who didn’t start the playoffs or earn the faith of his coach throughout deserves the Conn Smythe is an entirely different argument.

Unless Vokoun loses both games in shocking fashion he’ll likely be in net for game three as well. The luxury here is that the Penguins have the opportunity to go back to Fleury if necessary. Any damage done to Fleury’s ego was done by his play, the benching may be the cherry on top but it certainly isn’t the whole sundae. Much like with the Canes in 06, the Pens could throw Fleury back into the fire if falters badly enough. And they could do so with the confidence that Fleury can tend goal at a level of an average NHL goaltender. Well, hopefully.

Vokoun has earned the right to start the first two games against the Senators and there’s no reason not to start him.

One key for the Sabres will be finding partners as they search for options to swap out certain players. There have been specific mentions of the need to find more offense from media members in Vancouver, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Nashville. These came from either interviews or game broadcasts on the NHL Network station on XM Radio. Obviously these aren’t confirmed rumors, but the need for more established offensive weapons on certain teams isn’t a difficult conclusion to draw.

Vancouver’s second-straight first round exit have some asking if they need offensive help.

Vancouver’s sweep at the hands of the Sharks has many asking if Alain Vigneault will be back for the 2013-14 season after his team again struggled to score in a first round series defeat. The Canucks aren’t short on elite talent. The Sedins’ production has begun to tail off lately but I’d say their struggles to find talent beyond their top line has been a major issue for them. Identifying more scoring help would immediately improve the overall depth of their forward ranks.

A similar situation has been illustrated with the Kings despite the acquisition of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter last season. The Kings top six is very impressive, yet they were tied to a number of scoring forwards during the year. While the roster is deep, they continue to win close, low-scoring games on the strength of their goaltender and defense. While I don’t see where they would place a top-six forward, I can certainly understand the connection drawn to improve their offensive potency.

The Blues and the Predators immediately spring to mind for me when I think of offensively challenged Western Conference teams. However, the Blues roster would indicate anything but that. Oshie, Schwartz, Berglund, Tarasenko. This list goes on for a while and forms a youthful, talented core which has the potential to be lethal. The Blues just happen to play a measured, defensive style and don’t allow too many shots. Perhaps they need a certain $6m goaltender. But probably not.

The Preds are actually a curious case. They have two big money players (Rinne and Weber) and made moves at the 2012 deadline to find more offense. However the second Kostitsyn and Alex Radulov didn’t do the trick and now they have retooled a bit with the acquisition of Filip Forsberg. Finding another piece to add to their top six would be extremely helpful towards finding more offense for the Preds; especially after missing the playoffs.

There is a market out west for scoring forwards, there is no denying it. Perhaps the e4s and #CONFIRMEDD tweets and blog posts aren’t flying yet, but media members are looking at the teams they cover and are saying they’re in need of offense.

It just so happens that the Sabres have pieces to offer in this scenario. Specifically Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis. That doesn’t mean all three should be traded, but they’d be at the top of my list of players I was trying to shop this summer. There are also other factors to consider when discussing moving such players, but in a vacuum there is good reason to consider moving all three.

Stafford has really fallen into ill favor with fans and probably some media members as well. He seems to go in and out in terms of interest and if there’s anyone on the roster who is in need of a change of scenery it is him.

There were rumors that he was shopped hard at the deadline although the trigger was never pulled. While most fans likely think he’d only be worth a bag of pucks, there is certainly a market for Stafford across the league. He is a big, talented forward who has 30-goal potential. Whether or not he can realize that potential in Buffalo seems unlikely at this point. Simply getting him out of town to remove a hole on the roster is enough reasoning for me. If a trade helps to reignite his career, then it will be a mutually beneficial split.

Vanek’s story is played out at this point. He’s not interested in sticking around for an elongated rebuild and has all but indicated that he’s interested in a change of scenery. He is a tough player to lose. Vanek is Buffalo’s most talented player and carried the team for long stretches this season. I’m comfortable saying that he would be exponentially more effective if he was able to stay healthy through and entire year and playing with a potent linemate on a consistent basis (think of the returns the HPV Line put up early in the year).

Offering Vanek up to a team like Vancouver or Nashville who would most definitely benefit from adding a pure scorer. Of course, both teams have cap issues (Vancouver in particular) but Vanek is certainly the type of player that a team looking to find offense would jump at. Just think of Vanek on the wing with the Sedin twins full time. I’d certainly think that would improve Vancouver’s offensive output.

Personally, I think Nashville would be a perfect landing spot for Vanek if they’re serious about upgrading their offense. As to who they’d send back is anyone’s guess.

The hiccup surrounding Vanek is his salary. Any cap-strapped team heading into the summer will struggle to fit him onto their roster below the cap. Another issue could be regarding the return required for him. If Jason Pominville can fetch a pair of high draft picks along with a pair of impressive prospects, Vanek could be expected to fetch at least that much.

While he may not be the first choice, Tyler Ennis may be one of Buffalo’s best trade options.

I don’t love the idea of moving Vanek. In fact I don’t love the idea of moving Vanek or Miller. However, if they’re not going to re-sign they best move them while there is some sort of market available.

For me, Ennis makes a lot of sense to shop to teams searching for help up front. While his talent is undeniable, a few decisions on his future need to be made. The first determination that needs to be made is if he is going to be a winger or center moving forward. Either way he is part of a burgeoning crop of forwards along the left side and at center. The second question that needs to be answered is if he is truly going to be part of this team moving forward. The answer to the second question probably can be answered by analyzing the first question.

Whether at wing or center there are a number of current a future options under contract. Thomas Vanek and Ville Leino are both viable options on the left side (no matter how questionable their future may be) and top prospects Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson could end up on the wing as well. This doesn’t mean that Ennis isn’t an option, it just means that there may be other options besides Ennis in the organization.

The same goes for the center position. While Girgensons and Larsson are options on the wing, they’re natural centers. Add in Mikhail Grigorenko and Cody Hodgson (plus the assumed acquisition of a veteran) and center ice is suddenly crowded too. Like on the wing, this doesn’t mean that Ennis is the one that will be squeezed out, it just illustrates the options available and the potential conundrum facing the hockey department regarding his future.

Ennis has the talent to be a top six forward but if he doesn’t have a spot here moving forward then his skillset should be leveraged for more talent.  I’m sure any number of teams seeking scoring help would leap at the chance to acquire Ennis. In fact, his salary may make him more attractive than Stafford and Vanek.

The rebuild is just beginning and any one of these three players could kick the process into high gear if a willing trade partner is found. Exactly what would be coming back the other way is yet to be seen.

Darcy Regier has tabbed Rolston as the man to lead the Sabres for at least the 2013-14 season as they begin to retool and rebuild a roster that carried the organization to the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft. While Rolston isn’t the sexy choice to fill the role as permanent head coach, he isn’t necessarily the wrong choice – which is what many Sabres fans out there likely believe.

Rolston’s skillset is that of a teacher. He led the USNTDP team for a number of years before coming to the Sabres organization to coach and develop young talent in Rochester. Lindy Ruff’s firing put him in a bad spot as his time as interim coach came with muddled success and a roster that did not meet the standards of a competitive NHL team.

That last point is the one that happy, apathetic and angry fans need to focus on. A flawed roster not only helped lead to the firing of Lindy Ruff, but gave Rolston a weak hand to play during his time as the interim head coach. Rolston was kept on as head coach by the man who made the decisions to build this roster and that man is still in charge. Darcy Regier hasn’t lost his Teflon coating just yet and is preparing to lead a rebuild that will kick into high gear at the draft. Whether or not Regier is the right man for the job is the more pressing question and should be of greater concern than who is going to be behind the bench this season.

The debate over Regier’s effectiveness and whether or not he deserves to still have a job at One Seymour H Knox III Plaza is a lengthy one and is slowly but surely filling towards the negative. Realize that Rolston, who was ultimately chosen by Regier, isn’t necessarily the worst person for this job.

Bear in mind that his skillset is in developing young players and it is a safe assumption that he will have plenty of those on the roster next year. Mikhail Grigorenko will likely enjoy an expanded role next year and there’s a good chance that Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson also make their Sabres debut during the 13-14 campaign. In addition, Tyler Myers, Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb will all have the opportunity to have Rolston as their coach for a full season. For three players who could use some developmental help in various capacities, this isn’t a bad thing.

Not to mention that this isn’t something that should surprise anybody. Regier is a balanced, methodical general manager who rarely makes a shocking decision. All of his decisions are thought out well in advance and it isn’t as if Rolston was a shot in the dark hire. Regier hired Rolston prior to the 2011-12 season to cultivate the organization’s young talent and obviously he sees enough out of Rolston to allow him to move forward with the Sabres. While many fans are probably pissed because he isn’t a big name and isn’t a coach who is the assumed answer, understand that he not only built a strong enough resume over the last month or two of this season with the Sabres, but also with the Amerks over the past two seasons.

In addition, if Rolston is here to begin the rebuild there isn’t anything out there that confirms that he’ll be here long-term. I don’t mean Lindy Ruff long-term, but I mean that he isn’t guaranteed to be the coach who will be in place when this process is completed. For all we know he will be part of the plans for the next year or two and perhaps a new GM is brought in over that time period and that GM decides to replace Rolston with a coach of his choice. What Rolston is here to do is grow the young talent and get this process headed in the right direction. For those tasks, he isn’t a poor choice.

One other thing that Rolston seemed to bring out was some fire from certain players. Ville Leino was probably the most noticeable –albeit he only played in eight games. Still Leino, was far more active and effective in his very brief appearance this season and many of his quotes indicated that he wasn’t too disappointed in Lindy Ruff’s departure. If that sentiment is felt beyond just one or two players, perhaps Rolston isn’t as horrible of an addition as some think.

Rolston also seemed to have a much better feel for what he needed to do with his goaltenders. Aside from the meltdown against the Rangers, both Miller and Enroth appeared to be handled quite well and I think that speaks well for the approach Rolston takes. Also take into account the chance that Ryan Miller could be moved this summer which opens the door for Enroth to split time with Matt Hackett in the Buffalo crease. Good goaltender management will be crucial when operating a platoon such as that.

My main concern – and something that I hope is brought up at Rolston’s press conference – is who will be chosen as his assistant coaches. As much good that James Patrick and Kevyn Adams have done, it seems like their time behind the bench needs to end. I specifically look at Tyler Myers and wonder which of his issues stem from the tutelage he’s gotten from Patrick.

Either way, Rolston needs to go out and find his own assistants. Patrick and Adams were Ruff’s guys and Rolston should have the opportunity to select a pair of assistant coaches who will not only compliment his coaching style but will aid in improving the special teams units (which struggled mightily under Ruff and Rolston) along with offering additional support to a roster which will probably be rife with young talent.

I don’t fancy myself to be a game presentation guru, I like to leave that expertise to Eric at 3rd Man In as he has a much better grasp on what it takes to put together a successful game presentation approach. However, I do enjoy spitballing ideas and seeing if they make any sense (this is how I come up with all of my brilliant patent pending ideas.

One thing that I’ve maintained for some time is that the atmosphere in that building does not rest solely on the shoulders of the game presentation staff. While some things they do could certainly be improved, I strongly believe that the fans carry a great deal of the responsibility. Most of the time it seems like the fans are just waiting for something bad to happen so they can jump down Tyler Myers’ throat or boo the players off the ice. Perhaps it is because of their overflowing #hockeyIQ that so many fans act like this. I’m not quite sure. But that’s not the point of this post.

One thing I picked up on this season at the few Sabres games I attended is that there is simply too much going on during pre-game. There’s just too much substance for the fans to pay attention to and, ultimately, to get riled up with. On an individual basis these are all quality ideas. The flag, the kids skating over to the bench doors, pump videos. Each one of these ideas works in their own right. Unfortunately there are too many of these things happening at once for them to have their desired effect. Perhaps, in this case, simpler is better.

What I’d like to see is the team to scale back on a few of these ideas – I’d probably begin by cutting the big flag and I’d probably replace the kid flag bearers too. Basically I’d want to bring the sole focus of the fans on one singular entity. And 350 words later I’ve finally gotten to my main point.

I am a huge fan of the Capitals’ Unleash the Fury video it just works on so many levels. I’d like to see the Sabres try to take a page out of that book – and since that press conference told me money isn’t an issue (or something) I want to pull out all the stops. I’d love to see the Sabres roll out a single pump video for next season that will be the singular focus of everyone in the arena prior to the game beginning.

First step would be to find a solid, hard rock song to set the video to. No more fiddling with the Alt Nation lineup. Find a fast-paced, energetic song that is good to set hockey highlights to. I don’t even care if you backtrack to songs that might be considered “typical” based on their use at every level of the sport. If it works, it works.

The second step is where this gets loopy. I’d find a way to get Kurt Russell to come to Buffalo to reproduce the Miracle speech in the Sabres locker room. As ridiculous as that sounds I don’t think there’s a more goosebump-inducing speech in a movie that I’ve ever seen.

It wouldn’t be completely necessary to have him do the entire speech, but maybe setting the full speech over highlights and piecing the song into that mix could carry some serious clout. Personally, I think it would be cool to start him in somewhere around the “…this is your time…” portion through to the end of the speech. I envision the final portion of the highlights fading to Russell in the locker room, standing over the Sabres logo, giving an ad-libbed version of the closing line that would sound something like “tonight the Buffalo Sabres are the greatest hockey team in the world. Now let’s go out there and take it.”

My train of thought here is to have the video come to its zenith just as the team takes the ice, thus creating the opportunity for a more explosive moment for the fans and team. I also think it would be cool to go with the college football look and have a single skater emerge from the tunnel with a large team flag just as the Sabres are about to emerge. This way the team flag thing and the flag bearer theme remains but with a more intense, vigorous look and feel without distracting anyone from the video, which should be the primary focus for all in the arena.

Maybe this is a horrible idea, I’m not sure. Obviously getting Kurt Russell to come out to Buffalo to redo a speech that’s owned by Disney is possibly the most unrealistic idea I’ve ever come up with, but I think it would be pretty awesome if they could pull it off.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

UPDATE: When I first came up with this idea I threw it out on Twitter. Kevin Snow said it would be better to just use Kate Beckinsale. I approve of that message.