2014 MLS Cup Playoffs: FC Dallas Returns to the Postseason

Welcome back to the riffram soccer blog! While the majority of my posts are about international soccer, I'll occasionally highlight important events from the MLS. After all, soccer can't get more popular here if people don't at least casually follow the domestic league. Here's how the MLS playoffs work: 5 teams from each each conference qualify for the playoffs. The 4th seed hosts the 5th seed in a one game play-off with the winner advancing to face the #1 seed. After that, the conference semi-finals and conference finals feature a home and home where the team with the better aggregate score advances. FC Dallas finished this year with 54 points, and narrowly missed out on getting the third seed. Instead, Oscar Pareja's men get to host the Vancouver Whitecaps for the right to play the Seattle Sounders. It's a great achievement, considering most pundits predicted a finish close to the bottom of the conference. FC Dallas appears in the playoffs for the first time in three years and will seek to win their first playoff game since the 2010 Western Conference Finals.

The Matchup

This is a game that could get out of hand really quick. Tensions and emotions will be through the roof, and if history is any predictor, there may be some bad blood. The last meeting between the teams saw Vancouver's assistant coaches get in a shoving match with Oscar Pareja, resulting in fines for both parties. Later in that game, Vancouver goalie David Ousted got in Blaz Perez's face. Ousted stated earlier this week "I think this game will be a brawl". Past matchups between these two clubs have always been a little more physical and chippy, so expect something similar here. Head to head this season, the teams went 1-1-1, with FC Dallas getting the tie in Vancouver. Vancouver has a relatively poor record away from home, winning just three games, but recording nine ties. If the Whitecaps can take this game to extra time, the pressure will be on Dallas. On the flip side, FC Dallas has one of the best home records in the league, going 12-1-4 at Toyota Stadium this year. However, Vancouver hasn't allowed a goal in 4 matches, including a 2-0 defeat of FC Dallas earlier this month. The Whitecaps have the fourth lowest goals allowed in the entire MLS. FC Dallas finished tied for fourth in terms of goals scored. The teams clearly have a contrast in playing styles, which means the first goal in this game is monumental. If Vancouver scores first, FC Dallas are in big trouble because of the Whitecaps' excellent defense. They'll likely "park the bus", an extremely defensive strategy where a team puts 10 or 11 men behind the ball at all times. If Dallas scores the first goal, Vancouver will be forced to open up, meaning FC Dallas' high powered offense will get chances on the counter attack. The Whitecaps have never won at Toyota Stadium.

Vancouver Whitecaps' goalkeeper David Ousted, right, shouts at FC Dallas' Blas Perez after the two nearly collided during the first half of an MLS game in Vancouver on Oct. 4.

Prediction

Expect a closely contested game with plenty of physicality. I would not be surprised if someone sees a red card in this game. FC Dallas is a relatively young team and young teams generally feed on emotion. I think the combination of the first playoff appearance in three years, and the fact the game is in Dallas should be enough for the Hoops to grind out a win. Blas Perez scores and Tesho Akindele adds a second off the bench late in the second half.

UEFA Champions League 2014/15 Group Stage Predictions

If there is any event that has the same prominence as the World Cup, it's the UEFA Champions League. If you ask some players, they will tell you that winning the Champions League is just as important (sometimes more important) as winning the World Cup. For those unfamiliar with the Champions League, let me give you a quick run down. Basically, the competition is exactly what it sounds like: a league where the best teams in Europe compete to see who is the best. The format is somewhat complex at the beginning, but I'm confident you'll understand it better in the next few sentences. Fifty-three associations enter the Champions League. Different countries have different co-efficients based on past season performances of club teams from that country. That is why the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga have 4 teams in the competition. This is also why it makes sense for fans to cheer for other clubs from the same country, even if they are bitter rivals.  The lowest ranked countries begin a qualifying campaign in late July. There are four rounds of qualifying before lower ranked teams finally reach the group stages. Most of the teams you're familiar with enter directly into the group stage, which begins in September. That's the phase we're at right now: 32 teams sorted into 8 groups of 4. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stages, while the third place team goes to the Europa League knockout stages. Teams are also seeded for the draw, this time based on the individual clubs' past performances in European competitions. That is why Liverpool were in the third seeding pot, they didn't play in Europe at all last season. The most successful Champions League team of all time is Real Madrid, who have won the competition 10 times, including last year's title. Since 1992, when the current format was introduced, no team has defended their title. Without further ado, let's dive into this year's groups.


Group A
  
The first group features last year's runners up Atletico Madrid, and Swedish side Malmo FF, who make their very first Champions League appearance. Atletico will be favored to win the group, and their new signing Mario Mandzukic is already settling in very nicely. Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, and Thibault Courtois are big losses, but Atletico is a deep team. The group also features Italian champions Juventus, who will look for redemption after exiting in the group stages last year. Greek champions Olympiacos could be a dark horse in this group, after making it to the final 16 last season. Malmo will be lucky just to get a win or two, but the financial rewards will make up for it.

Prediction: Atletico, Juventus, Olympiacos, Malmo

Group B

This group features defending champion Real Madrid, who will look to be the first team to defend their title under the current format. The group also features Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad, who appear in the Champions League for the first time. The Bulgarian team made it to the group stages in dramatic fashion, when center back Cosmin Monti was forced to play goalie for the penalty shootout. Liverpool return to the Champions League after a 5 year absence, and have been handed a tricky draw. Basel famously ended Manchester United's Champions League run two years ago, and the Swiss champions will give Liverpool a run for their money. I also think Ludogorets could be a player, away games in Eastern Europe are usually very hostile. This could be a group where two teams finish in second tied on points. I'll give Liverpool the the slight edge.

Prediction: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Basel, Ludogorets Razgrad

Group C

This group is probably the most balanced, with all four teams legitimately believing they can advance. Benfica reached the Europa League Final last season, and set all kinds of records winning the Portuguese League. Zenit finished with only 6 points in last year's group, but still advanced to the final 16, they are currently in excellent form having won their first 5 league games. Leverkusen are also in good form in Germany, they'll look to build on last year's final 16 appearance. Finally, Monaco return to the Champions League for the first time since 2004, when they were runners up. They lost two huge players in Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez, but they still have enough quality to compete in this group. Honestly, it's a total toss up here, and if you want to watch drama and goals, this is your group.


Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen, Zenit St. Petersburg, Benfica, Monaco

Group D

For the second consecutive season, and 3rd in 4 years, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund are in the same Champions League group. Many experts agree that the two teams are actually very similar, slightly lower budgets, full of young talent, and always seemingly talking about the future. The other two teams in this group are certainly not pushovers, but it's not the group of death like it was last year. Because these teams aren't as deep as some of the elite in this competition, player fitness will play a huge role. I'm going to say that no more than one team goes to Turkey and beats Galatasaray...it's one of the most hostile environments to play in. Anderlecht are the defending Belgian champions, which is a bigger feat than you may think. They'll likely be fighting for a spot in the Europa League

Prediction: Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Galatasaray, Anderlecht

Group E

There isn't a true group of death this year, but this group is the toughest in my opinion. Bayern Munich and Manchester City have great teams, great coaching, and great depth. CSKA Moscow are also a solid team, and having to play in Moscow at this time of year means any weather conditions are possible. Then there's Roma, who return to the Champions League after missing out the past few years. They've enjoyed a fine start to their season and will look to shock people in this group. Unfortunately for them, they're up against two of the top ten teams in the world. I'm going to pick a small upset here as far as who wins the group.

Prediction: Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Roma, CSKA

Group F

This is the second hardest group, and like the one before it, there are two top ten giants. Barcelona will be favored to win the group, and they've been taking care of business in the league, despite not making huge splashes in the transfer window (I'm not counting Suarez because he hasn't played yet). PSG on the other hand made some questionable moves this summer (I'm looking at the 50 million they paid for David Luiz) and have started their domestic league with some shaky results. Ajax get another tough test, it seems like the Dutch feeder club can never catch a break with these draws. Also, don't overlook APOEL. They Cypriot team made the quarterfinals of this competition just three seasons ago (albeit from a weak group). I think you'll be surprised at how close this group may end up, and Ajax have a decent chance at finishing second if PSG doesn't find their form

Prediction: Barcelona, PSG, Ajax, APOEL

Group G

Another group with a team making it's debut, this time it's Slovenian outfit Maribor. Like the other debutants, the Slovenians are probably just looking to win a game. Chelsea should have this group wrapped up before the last game. They already look like a team in mid-season form, and it's only mid-September. I think the battle for second will be very interesting. Schalke will be favored, but Sporting also have some talented players. In the end, I think the Germans will prevail. I'm going to make a prediction here too: Chelsea will win all six games.

Prediction: Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting Lisbon, Maribor

Group H

The final group is a lot like Group C in that all 4 teams believe they have a chance. Porto always seem to do well in the competition despite being raided year after year by bigger clubs.  Shakhtar Donetsk fall into a similar category. The Ukranian club has a strong nucleus of players from Brazil and a few solid players from Ukraine, however, they're currently dealing with political unrest. Athletic Bilbao are also making their Champions League debut after impressively knocking out Italian side Napoli in the playoff round. This young Spanish team will score plenty of goals. BATE Borisov are no pushover either. The Belorussians have made the competition 4 out of the last 5 years, failing to make it past the group stage. They will surely see this as an opportunity to take the next step. This group is also a toss up, and I think the political situation in Ukraine will play a role. 

Prediction: Athletic Bilbao, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, BATE Borisov

As always, please let me know what you think and offer your own predictions if you wish!

Adam Bakiera

Follow me on Twitter for Champions League updates, analysis, and the occasional rant
@abakiera

TCU Riff Ram Recap – Game 1 – TCU vs. Samford

There were many questions being asked before the Horned Frogs kicked off against the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday evening. Which Quarterback would start, Trevone Boykin or Matt Joeckel?

What can we expect out of the new offense? How will the Offensive Line hold up in a fast-paced scheme? Well, the Frogs new Air-Raid offense led by Trevone Boykin came out blazing, mixing up the run and pass all evening en route to the 48-14 win in front of 40,000+ at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The final stats don’t even tell the whole story. Let’s look at the different phases of the game.

The Horned Frogs ran 96 plays on Offense, 44 rushes for 200 yards and 52 passes for 355 yards, but Boykin was sacked twice for negative 16 yards and 4 penalties against the Offensive Line for 45 yards that eliminated other chances in this game. Trevone Boykin wasn’t great, still struggling on crossing routes and missing on deep throws down the middle; twice over-throwing Kolby Listenbee and not seeing a wide open Deante Gray in the 3^rd Quarter, but was a completely different Quarterback than the one we saw in 6 starts last year. He was confident and was out there having fun; and most of all, he didn’t turn the ball over. Boykin finished 29-41 for 320 yards and 2 TD’s and ran for another 29 and a TD. Matt Joeckel didn’t even make his TCU debut until the 4^th Quarter and threw a 2 yard fade route to Kolby Listenbee for a TD on his first attempt as a Frog. The Offensive Line was shaky at times but they ran 96 total plays on offense and only had 4 penalties on a humid night so it’s hard to complain when they churned out 555 total yards. 

You can’t talk about TCU and not mention the Defense. The Frogs held Samford to 143 Total Yards and only 9 First Downs in the game. 46 of the rushing yards were on scrambles by Samford Starting QB Michael Eubank. Both starting Linebackers, Marcus Mallet 10 tackles (1 for loss) and Paul Dawson (9 tackles, 1 Pass Breakup, 1 INT) were stellar in this one. All five Defensive Backs were around the ball and had great coverage which forced Michael Eubank to have to scramble more than he would have liked and Redshirt Freshman Cornerback Ranthany Texada nearly had an interception in the 2^nd Quarter. While the Linebackers and the DB's were great, the Star of the evening on defense was Mike Tuaua. The Junior Defensive End finished with 7 tackles (3.5 for loss), 2 Sacks, and 2 Forced Fumbles. 

The Special Teams were great as Jaden Oberkrom was perfect on the night (6-6 XP, 2-2 FG) and boomed the kickoffs through the end zone both with and against the wind. Ethan Perry averaged 48.2 yds/punt with two inside the 20 and the lone touchback was shown on replay to have been a bad call by the official. He was kicking deep and high, which is a dangerous combo when you’re the man waiting for it to come down and have players the speed of TCU barreling down on you.

The biggest takeaway from this game was the amount of big plays by the new offense. 6 players had runs of 10 or more yards for TCU (Boykin, Gray, Catalon, Hicks, Green, Johnson).  Kolby Listenbee and Deante Gray showed off their speed on deep balls, while Ty Slanina and David Porter were great in the slot. Also, 13 different players caught a pass for the Frogs including Kyle Hicks, Trevorris Johnson, Emmanuel Porter and Desmon White who caught their first career passes.

Defensive End Josh Carraway, Right Guard Brady Foltz, Wide Receiver Kolby Listenbee and Cornerback Ranthony Texada made their first career starts, while seven true Freshman played for the Frogs: Defensive Tackle Chris Bradley, Safety Travin Howard, Cornerback Nick Orr, Wide Receivers Emmanuel Porter and Desmon White, Center Austin Schlottman, Linebacker Ty Summers. The Horned Frogs played 68 total players including first career game action for Wide Receivers Daniel Walsh, Charlie Reid and Phil Taylor, Quarterback Zach Allen, Defensive Backs Steve Wesley and Cyd Calvin, Linebacker Paul Whitmill, Running Backs Kyle Hicks and Trevorris Johnson, Tight End Bryson Burnett, and Offensive Linemen Matt Pryor and Joseph Noteboom.

Up next for the Horned Frogs is Minnesota on September 13^th at 3 pm at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Remember to White Out The Carter and #AmpItUp.

See you there and #GoFrogs!

Geoff Craig

@geoffrey_craig

Across the Pond: 2014-15 English Premier League Predictions

Welcome back! It's been a month since the World Cup ended, and just like that it's mid-August which means the major European leagues begin play. England starts tomorrow morning, and the rest of the leagues start a week after. I know these things are supposed to be "short" but you'll have to excuse the length of this one because I'm going to predict ALL 20 TEAMS! Keep in mind that the transfer window doesn't conclude until the end of the month, meaning a lot can still change. However, I will incorporate that into the predictions and I'll even speculate possible transfers. I'll have a blog devoted solely to transfers once the window closes. The teams will be listed in reverse order of finish.

Last Place (relegation): Burnley

Survival in the Premier League is getting easier for newly promoted teams, but Burnley haven't done much this off-season to convince me they can withstand the top flight. I do like the Steven Reid and Steven Ward signings. Sure, these probably aren't guys the average fan has heard of, but they're solid veterans on defense, something Burnley will need plenty of. They host Chelsea, play away to Swansea, and host Manchester United in their first three games...anything more than three points out of these should be considered a miracle. Two of the final three games will be against Hull and Aston Villa. If Burnley are still alive at that point, they'll definitely need points from those games.


19th (relegation): West Bromwich Albion 

West Brom have gone from being a yo-yo club (one that drops down and back up between the Premier League and the Championship) to consistent mid-table/lower table team. However, a questionable coaching change last year during the season almost got West Brom relegated. That coach was Pepe Mel, and he was let go at the end of the season. Albion hired a fresh coach with zero top flight experience, and their only notable signing was Joleon Lescott. West Brom start the season against Sunderland, Southampton, and Swansea. They NEED a good start if they are to stay up, but I just don't think they have enough this year.


18th (relegation): Swansea City

This is somewhat of a bold pick, but Swansea was already struggling last season. They lost their best player, Michu, to Napoli and their goalkeeper Michel Vorm. I also think Wilfried Bony, their leading scorer from last season, will be gone before the transfer window ends. That's a lot of players leaving, and though they did bring in Bafetimbi Gomis and Gylfi Sigurdsson, I think they lost more than they can handle. The Swans start the season away to Manchester United, where they famously knocked the Reds out of the FA cup last year. They'll have their work cut out for them in the spring, as their last three games are against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Crystal Palace, the last of which they'll likely be fighting relegation with.


17th: Southampton

I think this will be a VERY close relegation race between four or five teams, and while Southampton easily survived last season, they lost half of their starting eleven. It's very puzzling that the Saints would let so many players go and not bring in any players of quality. It's not like they have mountains of debt to pay off like other teams. On top of that, they lost coach Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham. Morgan Schneiderlin is also questionable to return after being linked with Tottenham. It would be very sad if Southampton were relegated after an 8th place finish, but they'll be battling it. Late October/early November will be when Southampton need to pick up points. They'll face Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United right in the middle of the season. They'll also be hoping that either they or Manchester City have nothing to play for on the last day of the season, though that seems unlikely.


16th: Leicester City

I mentioned earlier that staying in the Premier League is becoming easier because of the money involved in TV contracts. Leicester ran away with the Championship last season, but survival in the Premier League will not be as easy. The first five games are as follows: Everton (H), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Stoke City (A), Manchester United (H). It's not unreasonable to think they won't have a single point after that, but Crystal Palace faced a similar path last year. The good news for Leicester is their last nine games won't be against any team from last year's top 7, so even if they're in dead last after playing Tottenham, they'll have plenty of games to get back up. Marc Albrighton and Matthew Upson are good signings, and there's rumors that Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso is on the radar.


15th: Crystal Palace

I would've picked Palace to finish in the top half of the table, but just a few days ago the club announced it parted ways with manager Tony Pulis, the manager of the year last season. They also lost quite a few players in the transfer market, and it's speculated that Pulis and the owners disagreed over money available for new players. Martin Kelly, Brede Hangelland, and Scott Dann are key veteran defenders that will definitely help, but Palace's main issue last season was goal scoring. The key for Palace will be to appoint a manager that has experience in keeping teams up. Some say David Moyes may be a good fit, but I'm skeptical. The schedule makers weren't particularly kind to the Eagles, as three of their last four games include dates with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool.

14th: Aston Villa

I don't think Aston Villa are out of the clear when it comes to relegation, but I think they have enough to survive. They also won't be without a big chunk of their players this season, but most of them are on loan so they'll be back at Villa in the future. They brought in Colombian Carlos Sanchez, Kieran Richardson, and Phillipe Senderos. All three players should help Villa survive. The schedule at the beginning and end of the season is kind to Aston Villa, and I think they'll be safe before the final weekend.

13th: Queens Park Rangers

I'm picking QPR to finish higher than the other two promoted teams because I think they're the most ready team. They lose a few older players, but they also signed Mauricio Isla from Juventus, Steven Caulker (who was a shining star for Cardiff last season), and Premier League veteran Rio Ferdinand. Manager Harry Redknapp is a Premier League veteran, so expect him to have his guys ready to go. I think QPR will be safe before they play Liverpool at the beginning of May. If not, they'll need points from that game, and games against Manchester City, Newcastle, and Leicester City.

12th: Hull City

Most people picked Hull to be relegated last season, but the Tigers had other ideas. They were never really threatened with relegation, and even managed to qualify for their first ever European campaign by reaching the FA Cup final (and barely losing too). Lots of credit has to be given to Steve Bruce, who like Harry Redknapp, has been around the block a few times. Hull brings back Jake Livermore after his loan last season and also bring in Robert Snodgrass from Norwich. They did lose Shane Long to Southampton, but overall the Tigers should stay up this season. Hull also has a brutal end of season schedule, so they'd like to be safe before facing Arsenal in the first weekend of May. One thing to consider is if Hull makes the Europa League group stage (and maybe beyond), they'll have a lot more games on the schedule.

11th: Sunderland

How Sunderland escaped relegation last season is a miracle. They were dead last in mid-April after a home loss to Everton. With both Manchester teams and Chelsea still left on the schedule, it was all but over. Then, the Black Cats tied Manchester City, beat Chelsea, beat Manchester United, and beat two other teams to secure safety without worrying about the last game. Jack Rodwell is a decent signing, and if Sunderland can bring in Fabio Borini, they may challenge for a spot in the top half of the table. I also think Sunderland may go far in both the league and FA cups.

10th: West Ham United

West Ham comfortably survived their second season back in the Premier League, but they also had the fewest away goals, and only three away wins. It's actually common to see mid table teams have good to excellent home records and bad to downright abysmal away records. The ownership has made it clear they want more goals, but I'm not sure if Mauro Zarate and Enner Valencia will quench the goal drought. If Andy Carroll can stay healthy (and that's a big if), West Ham could be challenging for something more than the top half of the table. They could also be undefeated after 4 games which may give them confidence when they play Liverpool in game 5. A kind end of season schedule should mean West Ham won't have any problems with relegation.


9th: Stoke City

Stoke is now an established mid-table side and they even made a European appearance last year in the Europa League. Playing Stoke on the road is a considerable task even for the Premier League's top teams. Coach Mark Hughes installed a more attacking system, but Stoke's game is still about defense and physicality. The good news is Stoke didn't really lose anyone significant in the transfer window, while bringing in Fulham's Steve Sidwell and more notably Bojan Krkic, who was poised for a great career at Barcelona. Krkic is still only 23 years old, and this move may get his career back on track.  Looking at the schedule, Stoke may only have one loss heading into mid-November when they face Tottenham and Liverpool, but December will be brutal. Six fixtures, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Everton. Look for Stoke to make noise in one of the two cup competitions.

8th: Newcastle United

Newcastle were busy this off-season, after a disappointing performance the last two years. They brought in Siem de Jong (who City fans remember well) and Daryl Janmaat (a solid performer for Holland at the World Cup). Of course it wouldn't be a Newcastle summer if at least one French player wasn't brought in. Cue Emmanuel Riviere, a key player for Monaco last season and Remy Cabella, a young star from Montpellier. If Newcastle can beat Manchester City on opening day, they could go undefeated until late October when they'll play Spurs, or they could completely drop the ball and have to make up ground (much like last season). I think Newcastle will have a fine season, and they'll be challenging for a Europa League spot.


7th: Tottenham Hotspur

It was an unusually quiet summer for Tottenham, with the only big announcement being the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as manager. I like the Deandre Yedlin signing, but the American won't see the field except for maybe one or two cup matches. The good news for Spurs is that unlike the last two seasons, they didn't lose a big player (imagine if Luka Modric and Gareth Bale decided to stay). It's still a really good team, but others above them also improved. Early season clashes with Liverpool and Arsenal will be telling as to how good Spurs will be, but I expect them to challenge for a top four spot.

6th: Liverpool 

If I haven't gotten your attention yet, I'm sure I have now. Adam, how can you possibly pick Liverpool to finish 6th after they almost won the title?!?!?! Here's how: 1. They lost arguably the 3rd best player in the world to Barcelona, and easily their most important piece. 2. They'll be playing in the Champions League, and because they're in the 4th pot, they'll likely have a tough group. Even if they don't have a tough group, there will be more games on the schedule. 3. They brought in some new players, but they don't have anyone that comes close to replacing Suarez. 4. Steven Gerrard had a revival year last year, and he's now another year older. His blunder against Chelsea was key in Liverpool losing the title. Don't get me wrong, this is still a very good team, and they will challenge for the top 4, but having an extra game every Tuesday or Wednesday begins to take its toll. Oh and they open up the season with Manchester City and Tottenham in games two and three. Also, some weird intuition tells me Liverpool will face Barcelona in the Champions League at some point this season, and I hope that happens because it would be quite a story line.


5th: Everton (Europa League)

Now I've surely pissed off the Liverpool supporters. Adam, I think you're high...there's no way Everton finishes above Liverpool...how can you even fathom such a thing?!?! Here's the thing, I think Everton can realistically challenge for a top four spot. Remember, they were neck and neck with Arsenal for much of last season, and they only got better this summer. Romelu Lukaku, Christian Atsu, Gareth Barry, and Muhamed Besic are all very good signings that add depth, talent, and experience. I also am a huge fan of manager Roberto Martinez who must be in heaven right now. The key for Everton will be holding on to Ross Barkley, who is the future of the team, but already one of their best players. Hosting Chelsea and Arsenal in games 2 and 3 will be a good measuring stick for Everton. This is a dark horse team for me, I don't think they have enough to win the whole thing, but a top 4 spot is not an unrealistic goal.


4th: Manchester United (Champions League, playoff round)

The fan inside of me wanted to pick United to win the whole thing, but I'd lose any credibility I have if I did that. However, having seen what new manager Louis Van Gaal did in the World Cup this summer makes me think he can turn this thing around. United's biggest gap remains the defense, but I think they will sign someone before the month ends. The nice thing about having a rich history is that players are still attracted to your club even after one bad season. Luke Shaw is a good signing, but Arturo Vidal would shake up the whole title race (and I think United are closer to securing Vidal than the media is reporting). The schedule begins kindly for United, and they may well top the table going into October. The penultimate game against Arsenal could be for 3rd place and an automatic Champions League berth. Remember, United aren't in the Champions League, so they'll be more rested later on in the year (much like Liverpool last year). I'm also picking United to win one of either the FA Cup or the League Cup, again, because they don't have that many fixtures. 

3rd: Arsenal (Champions League, Group Stage)













Arsenal finally ended a ten year trophy drought, winning the FA Cup. This year, they'll have their sights set on challenging for the league. Remember, Arsenal spent the most time at the top of the table last year. In typical Arsenal fashion though, they crumbled after Christmas. The first item on the agenda is qualifying for the Champions League. The Gunners play a home and home against Turkish side Besiktas, a tie in which they'll be optimistic but should be weary of the Turks. The schedule will be jam packed at the beginning, and fans will be hoping the club can acquire the services of Sami Khedira. As far as new signing, I really like what Arsenal did. They brought in Alexis Sanchez for $60 million, but if they get everything the Chilean is capable of, he's worth the money. The question will be how long it takes Sanchez to adapt to the Premier League. Many experts hounded Arsenal for not signing a center midfielder, but I think Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are top level center mids (if they can stay healthy). I worry about the defense though. They lost Bacary Sagna and Thomas Vermaelen, and only brought in Mathieu Debuchy. I expect Arsenal to be in the title race a lot later than last year, but I don't think they have enough depth to win it all.

2nd: Manchester City (Champions League, Group Stage)

The defending champions return basically the same squad, minus Javi Garcia who departs for Zenit St. Petersburg. Because of Financial Fair Play, City were also limited in bringing in new signings. They're only notable one was French defender Eliaquim Mangala from Porto. Mangala adds depth to an already stout defense. Really, the only reason I'm not picking City to repeat is because Chelsea got better, and because I think City will put a higher focus on the Champions League. Four of the first five games will be against Newcastle, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea meaning City will get some of their toughest games out of the way before the Champions League starts up. A mid April encounter with rivals Manchester United should have more meaning for both teams. I expect City to be in the title race until the last few weeks of the season, but in the end, I'm going with Chelsea to win it.

Champions: Chelsea (Champions League, Group Stage)

Chelsea are in my mind the most improved team on paper from last year. It's not just because of the quality of the players, but the age. Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard depart, in come Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis, who are both direct replacements. Fabregas and Luis are not only better than the previously stated Cole and Lampard, but they're also investments for the future. They also brought in striker Diego Costa, which addresses a depth issue at that position. Fan favorite Didier Drogba returns, for what may be the final season of his career. Chelsea ended up parting ways with Romelu Lukaku, but they made the best deal of the summer by selling the overrated David Luiz for 40 million Pounds! Also, Jose Mourinho's second season in charge is usually his best. Chelsea will have a tough stretch at the end of April and early May when they play Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool. Chelsea's biggest enemy this season may be themselves. On paper they are the best team, they have an excellent coach, but they still have to find a way to not let the pressure get to them. Also, I expect to see Chelsea make a deep run in the Champions League, with the possibility of Jose Mourinho facing his former team Real Madrid.


I can't wait for this year's Premier League! The top 5-7 teams are closer than ever before, so expect to see a lot of very competitive games. Stay tuned for my predictions for the rest of the major European leagues, most of which begin play next weekend.

Adam Bakiera
@abakiera

Coaching changes ahead for Rangers?

The Texas Rangers have played 121 games thus far and stand with a record of 47-74, compared to the 70-51 record from just a year ago. To say this season was a failure would be an understatement, but who should take most of the blame for the failure? Now there have been a rash of injuries like never before seen on this club but injuries aside, there are two coaches who have had a negative impact on this team, Hitting Coach Dave Magadan, and First Base Coach Benjie Molina. Neither of these coaches has lived up to the expectations set by General Manager Jon Daniels and can only be viewed as failures.

 Dave Magadan was hired away from the Boston Red Sox because he preaches patience to hitters. Make the pitcher throw more pitches and be more selective as a hitter, thus leading to better pitches to hit. Magadan has to go for the simple fact that three of the Rangers major players are having career low seasons in Batting Average (AVG.), On Base Percentage (OBP.) or Home Runs, and I’m not including injured players such as Mitch Moreland and Prince Fielder. Elvis Andrus has a career low OBP and the second lowest AVG. in his 6 year career. Alex Rios has forgotten how to drive the ball having hit a career low 4 HR’s this season. The final nail in the coffin for Magadan is Shin-Soo Choo who was brought in to get on base and score runs. He has responded by posting career lows in both AVG. and OBP. And leads the Major Leagues in caught looking strikeouts with 49. Not good when you are the prototype of what the Hitting Coach supposedly preaches.

Benjie Molina was hired to help with the catchers and coach first base so Gary Pettis could go coach third base, where Dave Anderson had struggled the previous few years. While Benjie has made Robinson Chirinos one of the better defensive catchers in baseball, he was not in the plans to be the everyday backstop, that was supposed to be Geovany Soto, backed up by J.P.Arencibia. The reason I have to let Molina go is the decline in stolen bases and the huge increase in caught stealing. The Rangers have the Top 3 players in caught stealing; Elvis Andrus leads the league with 12 followed closely by teammates Leonys Martin and Alex Rios, each with 9. The Rangers has run themselves out of many scoring chances this season and much of the blame must fall on a player who has 3 stolen bases in 10 career attempts.

Maybe Bench Coach Tim Bogar can coach 3^rd Base next year and move Gary Pettis back to 1^st where he excelled. As for a hitting Coach, maybe they need to bring back their most successful Hitting Coach, Rudy Jaramillo.

The most prominent offenses in team history were under Rudy. He wanted the hitters to be aggressive and if they saw a good pitch to go hit it, not just sit and wait.

These are just suggestions from a life-long Rangers fan. If you feel the same as I do or disagree with these suggestions, give me your feedback. Leave a comment on this page or send me a message on Twitter.

Geoffrey Craig

@geoffrey_craig

2014 FIFA World Cup: Recap and Final Thoughts

As fast as the World Cup came upon us, it's now all over and I feel like crying. Well, maybe I'm not quite THAT sad, but this edition of the World Cup is one of the best...ever. It tied the 1998 World Cup for most total goals, 171 (though the record for most goals per match is 5.38! This happened all the way back in 1954. There were much less games back then). A record 32 goals were scored by substitutes, including the game winning goal in the Final (which I managed  to correctly predict). Germany also became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas. Europe has now won the last three World Cups, marking the first time any confederation has won three in a row (and a good chance for 4 since the next World Cup is in Russia). Overall, it was mostly a very entertaining month of soccer, and in my opinion Brazil did not disappoint as host nation.

Now about the final...It was actually a lot better than the scoreline suggests. I actually thought Argentina created the better chances in the first 90 minutes. Gonzalo Higuain's miss on a breakaway in the first half, and then his offside goal highlighted what could've been for Argentina. Even in extra time Argentina had a great chance that Rodrigo Palacio (the man with the rat tail) squandered. In hindsight, trying to chip a goalie like Manuel Neuer is usually ill advised, especially when side footing the ball into the corner was clearly the better choice. Let's not take anything away from Germany though, they were the best team throughout this tournament. Mario Goetze's elegant goal punctuated that. If you think about it, Algeria came closest to knocking Germany out, and may very well have if not for Manuel Neuer's heroics. Finally, after coming so close in the last three World Cups, Germany stands alone as the World Champion. 

My top 3 favorite moments (in no particular order)

1. The United States getting out of the group

Even though the U.S. suffered defeat in the first knockout round, they managed to get out of the toughest group at the World Cup. John Brooks' goal against Ghana was especially awesome, given both teams knew they had to win that game if they wanted to progress. The game against Portugal was one of the best performances I've seen in recent years from this side, and they fully deserved to win. The game against Germany wasn't a particularly great outing, but the U.S. knew they didn't have to win. Overall, the goal before the tournament started was to get out of the group. That goal was achieved, meaning Jurgen Klinsmann is (thankfully) going no where.

2. The Round of 16

Five of the eight games went to extra time, two went all the way to penalties. The Round of 16 was the closest any team came to beating Germany in the knockout rounds. It was also then that Brazil got yet another huge scare, this time from a resilient Chile side. The U.S. said goodbye to the tournament, but had a golden chance to equalize in extra time after going behind by 2. We saw more magic from Lionel Messi, who assisted Angel di Maria's goal in the 117th minute. A fun to watch Mexican side was denied first by Wesley Sneijder's equalizer and then by an extremely controversial refereeing decision. Costa Rica became the only CONCACAF team to progress past the round of 16. And finally we saw James Rodriguez take control of the golden boot race. 

3. The Rise of Colombia and James Rodriguez

As an AS Monaco fan, I know how good Rodriguez is. However, I didn't think he'd embrace the stage so much and lead his country to the quarterfinals. Assuming he stays at Monaco, we'll have the pleasure of seeing him play in the Champions League this year. I wonder what could have been had Radamel Falcao been fit for Colombia. Though Rodriguez was the cog in the machine, Colombia won their games as a team. Juan Cuadrado may be on his way to a big club after a great showing, and overall the Colombians can be very proud of what they achieved. I think they respected Brazil a little too much, and had they attacked them earlier on in the game, could've won that game. Still, they captured the hearts of many.

Low Points

1. Luis Suarez bite (again)

I seriously can't believe this happened again. For the third time in his career Suarez bit an opponent, which launched massive memes, gifs, pictures, etc of Suarez, portraying him as a cannibal. As a player, Suarez is currently the best striker in the world, but he has mental problems. For a guy that has so much money, you would think he could get the world's best psychologist/psychiatrist to help him. Suarez completed a massive 75 million pound move to Barcelona, but he's suspended until late October. I've always been a huge Suarez fan because he's extremely passionate and talented. I sincerely hope someone can help him, because it's sad to see all of this happen

2. Brazil getting embarassed

Usually when you get to a semi-final in a World Cup, your country sees it as a success. Not in Brazil though. Brazilians expect their team to win every single time, which is why the semi-final destruction by Germany hurts so bad. Many have called it the worst loss in the history of the World Cup. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the writing was on the wall though, from the very first game. I'm also puzzled as to why anyone would pay 50 million pounds to buy David Luiz (which PSG did earlier this summer). He made so many mistakes, and is a defensive liability. To be fair he wasn't the only one, the entire defense (including the usually reliable Thiago Silva) was abysmal for most of the tournament. Clearly Brazil couldn't shake off the semi-final defeat as the Netherlands easily beat them in a third place game that was supposed to help a nation forget. Instead, the wounds were just re-opened.

3. Flopping and referees falling for it

Many people have said for a long time now that something has to be done to address the issue of simulation, and this World Cup just confirms that. Fred's awful flop in the very first game was the only reason Brazil won. Arjen Robben's against Mexico might've been even worse. If you're a ref in the World Cup knockout rounds, and you make a call like that in stoppage time of a tie game, you better be 1000% sure it wasn't a foul. Given Robben's reputation, I can't believe that PK was given. Holland probably deserved to win the game, but that's not the point here. Then, in the third place game, Oscar was actually taken down, and instead of giving the penalty, the ref booked Oscar for diving. Overall, the refereeing as a whole was mediocre.  A few things have to be done: 1. fines for diving (like in the NBA) have to be implemented. Every time you get fined, the sum goes up too. I can guarantee that will help solve the problem. 2. Referees need to be constantly educated about diving and how to tell it apart. Yes, some players (Robben, Sergio Busquets, Mario Ballotelli) are very good at simulation, but if you start fining them and educating the refs, diving will go down. Also, pardon the elitism, but did they really have a ref from Algeria doing the third place game? This is the World Cup. Referees that aren't normally reffing in big leagues in Europe and South America should be carefully examined. At the World's premier sporting event, it only makes sense to have the very best referees. It's no time for PR and political correctness (which FIFA seemingly doesn't get).

4. The end of the Spain Golden Age

After winning three straight major tournaments, the Spanish dynasty crumbled courtesy of Holland and Chile. Give credit to Spain though, no team before them has ever won three tournaments in a row, and we may well have had the privilege to watch the best team ever assembled. However, the players in this tournament were considerably older, and teams began to figure out how to beat the Tiki-Taka. I'm not ready to condemn the system yet though. I want to see if the next generation can play Tiki-Taka and get the Spanish back to the top. Iker Casillas was poor in this World Cup, and Jose Mourinho now looks like a genius for benching him two seasons ago at Real Madrid. Fortunately, Spain have David de Gea to take his place. Expect to see a drastically different Spanish team when qualifying for Euro 2016 starts in September.


All in all, this goes down as my second favorite World Cup, behind only the 2006 edition. There were plenty of goals, plenty of drama, and fantastic games. A month of nothing but soccer is over, but hopefully you'll watch the English Premier League this coming fall (most of the games are on NBC networks every weekend). I also encourage you to watch the UEFA Champions League (basically the best teams in Europe playing one another. Those games fall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and can be seen on Fox networks). In just one more month, the club season begins, and soccer will once again be on TV. The next major tournament is the Copa America (South American championship) which is next summer. Then in 2016, France will host the European championship before Russia hosts the next World Cup in 2018. My next blog post will highlight some of the big transfers this summer, as well as my predictions for the major European leagues.

As always thanks for reading.

Adam Bakiera
@abakiera 

2014 FIFA World Cup: The Medal Round

Almost a month since the World Cup kicked off, and we're down to the final weekend. I can't move on before I address the Brazil game. No one could say they saw THAT coming. Sure, Germany winning isn't that much of a shock, I know I picked Brazil, but it's not like I said Germany had no chance. Many are saying that is the most embarrassing loss in the history of the entire World Cup. I've only seen four World Cups, and it's definitely the worst I've ever seen. My father, who has watched 10 World Cups, says this is the worst Brazil team he's ever seen. There are no words that can describe it...to be down 0-5 within 30 minutes on your home soil. The writing was on the wall though. You can make a very good case that Brazil didn't deserve to win games against Croatia, Chile, and Colombia. Neymar was a big loss for this game, but Thiago Silva's was even worse. The defense had absolutely zero organization and leadership. Let's be clear about something though: this is a game that happens once in a lifetime, we likely won't see a game like that again. Some people have asked me what a good comparison is, because the casual soccer fan has no idea how terrible this loss really is. The best I could come up with is LSU/Auburn beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa by 6 touchdowns in the college playoff this year (I know Tuscaloosa can't host a semi-final but that's the direct comparison). In contrast, the second semi-final may have been the most boring game of the World Cup thus far. There really weren't any clear cut chances for 120 minutes, and Argentina goalie Sergio Romero stepped up in the shootout. Even though the Netherlands lost, they shut down Lionel Messi, something the Germans will surely look at. Argentina booked their place in the final, and if you think Brazil losing is bad, you have no idea how much it would hurt Brazilians if Argentina lifted the trophy at the Maracana on Sunday.
I predicted 1 out of 2 semi-final games correctly, here are my final predictions for this year's World Cup.

Third Place Game: Brazil vs. Netherlands

The big question here is how much pride do the Brazilians have left? They get Thiago Silva back so there should be much more organization on defense, but there still isn't anyone that can score goals. It definitely won't be the same as winning the title, but winning this game will restore just a glimmer of pride for the world's most successful soccer team. In my eyes, the Netherlands have already overachieved. I never thought a team with such an inexperienced back line could go this far (watch out for this team in Euro 2016). Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin Van Persie were ineffective in the semi-final, and don't be surprised if coach Van Gaal shuffles his lineup for this game. Traditionally, third place games have more goals because both teams play with considerably less pressure. This one is really hard to call though because no one knows how much the destruction in the semi-final will affect Brazil. I incorrectly thought the emotion of playing for Neymar would lift Brazil past Germany. Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari may also shuffle his lineup, giving guys that haven't played a chance to show what they've got. Also, Arjen Robben's comments after the semi-final (calling the 3rd place match useless) seem to point this game means more to Brazil.

Prediction: Brazil 2 Netherlands 1 

The Final: Germany vs. Argentina

This is the game everyone is waiting for. Don't be surprised if this final shatters the record for most viewers of a television event. If you expect Germany to roll Argentina like they did Brazil, you're dead wrong. For one, Argentina is yet to allow a goal in the knockout rounds. Germany's biggest concern will be stopping Lionel Messi, and they have the players to do it. Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger will likely track Messi with others helping out depending on where on the field Messi is. As far as individual match-ups, Argentina's biggest task is stopping Thomas Mueller, who seems to pop up and score timely goals in every game. But don't be fooled, soccer is a team game, and it will take team efforts from both of these countries. People point out that Argentina's defense is the weak link, but as a team, they've played good defense in every game this tournament besides the Nigeria game in the group stages. Also, Germany's biggest weakness in the last few major tournaments is their mental strength. As a relatively young team, they may be a little overconfident after trashing Brazil. At the same time, Germany is the best team overall in this tournament, so as long as they don't suffer from mental lapses, they'll be the favorite to win. I think this game all depends on Argentina's approach. If I were coach Alejandro Sabella, I would sit back a little bit (sort of like what Algeria did, but not as defensive), and then try to hit on the counter with Messi, Lavezzi, and Aguero. Argentina will also play more physical than Brazil, and they may foul often to break up the German passing game. However, fouling too close to the goal may be costly, as Germany has a clear height advantage and Toni Kroos plays delicious crosses from set pieces. I expect a game similar to the last World Cup final: tense, low scoring, and physical. Who will win the World Cup: the team that's come so close or the best player in the world?

Prediction: I'm rooting for Argentina but I think Germany will take it Germany 1 Argentina 0 (after extra time)  

Green Machine Musings- GM Jim's Other Additions



Ales Hemsky skating for the Edmonton Oilers



              In Part I of this recap of the Stars' amazing week, I said that perhaps the best thing about the team's acquisition of Jason Spezza on July 1st is the fact that it wasn't even close to being the only substantial move involving Dallas this offseason.  No, Jim Nill was just getting started when he pulled the trigger on the deal that sent Alex Chiasson to Canada's capital in exchange for the superstar center.  About two hours or so after the news broke that Spezza was coming to Big D, GM Jim made another headline-grabbing move that would effectively complete the quest to build an NHL-caliber second line.

 

              30-year old Ales Hemsky (pronounced AL-esh HEM-skee), a lightning-fast right wing with a knack for crashing the net to slot the puck home from close range, was the first major free agent acquisition for the Stars this offseason.  A long-time member of the Edmonton Oilers, Hemsky was traded to the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline last season where he was put on a line centered by, lo and behold, Jason Spezza.  The two developed quite a chemistry in the 20 games they played together, as Hemsky put up 17 points (4 goals and 13 assists) during his time in Ottawa.  In fact, Spezza said in an interview shortly after the move was made official that he and Hemsky had been in communication throughout the offseason, anticipating where they might go and wondering if they somehow might take their chemistry to another city.  While their desire to play together elsewhere might not have been precisely what landed both of them in Dallas, there is no doubt that Jim Nill took their time together in Ottawa into consideration when deciding to acquire them.

 

               The Hemsky signing has been applauded by many in the NHL community as the Stars landed him at a very good term and price: 3 years/$12 Million.  This means that Dallas is not committing to a contract that could run beyond Hemsky's prime years nor one that pins the team against the salary cap of $69 Million.  The question now is: how much value can the Stars reasonably expect to get out of that investment?  To find Hemsky's best seasons points-wise, one has to go back a ways.  He put up 77 points during the 2005-2006 season with the Oilers, a campaign which saw Edmonton come within a game of winning the Stanley Cup.  More recently, though, his numbers have slipped.  Over the last five seasons, Hemsky hasn't reached the 50-point plateau and has not scored more than 14 goals in a single season.  However, one must take his scoreboard struggles with several grains of salt.  First of all, he was playing on one of the worst teams in hockey in Edmonton and was skating alongside line-mates that were either checking line role-players or young scorers who weren't always interested in setting up Hemsky for quality scoring chances.  Second, his health hasn't been the most cooperative recently.  In three of those five seasons, Hemsky failed to skate in at least 50 games, the worst of which saw him participate in just 22 contests in 2009-2010.  These two factors led many NHL experts to list Hemsky as a low-risk (money-wise), high-reward player that GMs would be wise to target.

 

                Right now, the consensus opinion among the Stars' community is that Ales Hemsky will skate alongside Jason Spezza on a scoring line that is more a "1B" line (behind the 1A of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Valeri Nichushkin) than a true "#2" line.  Hemsky would undoubtedly be relied upon to complement Spezza's stellar patience and decision-making abilities with some raw speed and goal-scoring prowess.  If Nill's instinct in signing Hemsky turns out to be right; look out, for the Dallas Stars will have one of the most feared scoring attacks in the Western Conference.  It'll be all about speed this fall in Big D, and in this league, speed kills.

 

 

Anders Lindback makes a save for the Tampa Bay Lightning

              I will admit that I initially missed another major signing for the Stars, as it was a move that quickly got lost in the Twitterverse of July 1st.  As I basked in the glory of the Spezza trade and Hemsky signing, I was alerted to the fact that the Stars had also addressed their need for a backup goaltender.  With prospect Jack Campbell about a year away from being NHL-ready, Dallas was looking for a solid backup that they could sign to a one-year deal.  This time, however, it appeared that someone younger than Dan Ellis and Tim Thomas was in order.  The end result: a one-year/$925,000 contract for 26-year old Anders Lindback, a 6'6 behemoth between the pipes who had fallen out of favor with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

 

             Lindback had long been among the favorites for the Stars' backup job.  A native of Sweden, Lindback came up through the Nashville system before spending the last two seasons with Tampa Bay.  In the lockout-shortened 2013 season, Lindback started 21 of Tampa Bay's 48 games and posted a 10-10-1 record and a 2.90 GAA.  Last year, while backing up starter Ben Bishop, Lindback made just 18 starts, posting a record of 8-12-2 with a GAA of 2.90 and a save percentage of .891.  However, he was thrust squarely into the spotlight come playoff time as Bishop was injured just prior to the end of the regular season.  Lindback started every game of the Bolts' first round series against the Montreal Canadiens, but he was, in the minds of many, the weakest link for Tampa Bay.  He collected all four losses in the series as his team was swept by the Habs in four games.  In two of those contests, Lindback was pulled in favor of Kristers Gudlevskis.  Thus, this guy is looking for a fresh start in a new city, and it appears that he is a good fit for Dallas while the Stars are a good fit for him.

 

There's only one thing keeping me from handing him the Stars' backup job...

 

Just when it looked like the Stars were set between the pipes...



                The equation appeared to be simple.  The Stars would have Kari Lehtonen be the starting goalie and Anders Lindback would back him up.  Jack Campbell would be the starter at the AHL level to get some more seasoning and Dallas would either find him a backup on the open market or promote a minor prospect from Idaho of the ECHL.  Well, on July 7th, that equation became a jumbled mess in a big hurry.

 

               Just six days after signing Lindback, the Stars signed Jussi Rynnas, a 27-year old Finnish netminder whose first stint in North America hadn't gone so well.  The terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed, so we all assumed that it would be a two-way deal that would make Rynnas the AHL backup for Jack Campbell.  Thus, we were in for a surprise when it was announced that Jim Nill had inked him to a two-year, one-way contract worth $1.125 Million.  This means that it was never Nill's intention to just hand the backup job to Lindback.  Instead, he wants his goaltenders to have an open competition to see who wants it more.  If you think about it, the pros of such a philosophy far outweigh the cons.  He who wins this backup job will undoubtedly be looking ahead to his starts with anticipation rather than fear, a trait linked to several of Dallas' last few backups.  In turn, we the fans will know that the Stars' front office will have done their due diligence in determining who is best suited for the job, and we probably won't be so swift to cringe whenever Lehtonen gets a night off.  The only downside to a one-way deal for Rynnas is the fact that, should he come up short in his bid to win an NHL job, he will have to clear waivers to be sent down to the Texas Stars.  I think that this is a risk that Nill is willing to take because few teams will be in the market for a backup goaltender after training camp, and thus, will not have incentive to claim Rynnas off the waiver wire.  The same policy applies to Lindback should he lose the competition.

 

                Rynnas entered the Toronto Maple Leafs system in 2010 after going undrafted and was released after the 2013 season.  He appeared in three NHL games over that span, which saw him spend most of his time with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.  He posted a career AHL record of 31-33-5 in 73 regular season appearances.  This past year he returned to his native country and Karpat of the SM-Liiga (Finnish Elite League), where he destroyed the competition, going 28-5-7 with a GAA of 1.51 and a stellar save percentage of .939.  His GAA and save % both were tops in the SM-Liiga.  His club won the league championship in 2014.

 

-All statistics courtesy of the Dallas Stars Hockey Club press release on July 7, 2014.

 

 

Patrick Eaves, son of University of Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves

 

                Now let's go back to July 1st.  Jim Nill rounded out day one of the free agent signing period with a most unimpressive acquisition.  The latest signee was Patrick Eaves, a depth player at right wing who spent last season playing for the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators.  This appears to be little more than the acquisition of a 13th forward, someone who will spend a fair number of games sitting up in the press box, as the Stars already have considerable depth at the position.  Valeri Nichushkin, Ales Hemsky, Ryan Garbutt, and Colton Sceviour appear as though they will have dibs on the right side, so Eaves doesn't really have a place in the lineup.  Thus, he will get his playing time mostly in the event of injury or a slump by one of the aforementioned players.  Why Nill decided to go with Eaves probably has something to do with Eaves' performance in Detroit, where Nill was the head of scouting for two decades.  Also, GM Jim probably did not want one of his prospects, notably Brett Ritchie and Scott Glennie being forced into a bench-warming role at the NHL level when their best interests lie in playing consistently with the Texas Stars.  He has made it clear that his prospects are going to have to force their way onto the NHL roster and that no one will be given special treatment in any phase of his development.

 

               The former first round pick (29th overall) of the Ottawa Senators in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Eaves has had a pretty lackluster career thus far.  His best seasons came early in his career.  In his rookie season, 2005-2006, he scored 20 goals in 58 games with Ottawa.  The following year, he potted 14 goals and put up a career-high 32 points in 73 games for the Senators.  After that, his numbers dropped off in a big hurry, as did the number of games he appeared in.  He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2007-2008 season and then on to the Red Wings in 2009.  Over the course of his time with those two organizations, his maximum regular season output was 22 points with Detroit in 2009-2010.  He put up 12 goals that year and 13 goals the next, but his low assist numbers have not warranted a lot of ice time.  He has also had injury problems that limited his playing time to just 10 games in 2011-2012 and just 30 games in 2013-2014.

 



For some reason, Vancouver coach Alain Vigineault couldn't

stop laughing when he saw Fidds do this.



               Vernon Fiddler.  Who woulda thunk we'd see this guy around Big D for another two years?!  It seemed almost certain that the wily veteran would be taking his talents elsewhere this offseason, but lo and behold, he's back!  His presence on the fourth line and on the first penalty-killing unit will be immense, and his attitude and outlook on the game will be extremely beneficial for a locker room that is quickly getting younger.  Plus, his antics both on and off the ice will continue to be most welcome to us the fans (note the "Angry Kevin Bieksa" charade depicted above).

 

               The Stars were initially reluctant to commit to the multi-year deal (three or so years) that Fiddler was seeking, as a one-year deal would have been better suited for advancing the center prospects into the NHL ranks.  Thus, Fiddler and his agent decided to test the waters of free agency and see what another club would be willing to give him.  Money was never the issue, so Jim Nill and his crew must have made it clear to him that he would be welcome back on the Stars if the price was wrong elsewhere.  Regardless, we all thought he had surely played his last game in a Dallas jersey.  Then on July 2nd, it was announced that Fidds had been inked to a two-year contract worth $2.5 Million.  Here was a completely unexpected deal that actually involved Fiddler taking a pay cut from his previous deal.  He made $1.8 Million per season on his three-year deal that had just expired while, on this deal, he will make $1.0 Million in 2014-15 and $1.5 Million in 2015-16 (cap hit calculates out to $1.25 Million/year).  His reasoning for accepting such a deal: "Honestly, I had better offers.  But I wanted to stay with this team and finish the job.  There is a real attraction to playing here and playing to win, and seeing this through.  I think this is going to be a really good team, and I want to be a part of that."

 

                That kind of attitude is a clear indicator that this franchise is headed in the right direction.  Returning players taking less money to stay with a club rather than taking a better offer elsewhere is something that you don't see in every NHL city.  Vern, like many others, sees something in this club.  Something that we should be VERY excited about as the new season approaches.  Two things are for certain in the wake of this amazing week of offseason NHL action: Jim Nill has done it again, and the Dallas Stars are in very good shape for both next year and beyond.

 

-Quotes courtesy of Mike Heika's blog on SportsDay DFW

 

 

I'll leave you with two great Fiddler moments from this past season:

 

Sheathing the Weapon

 

 

The "Oh (expletive)" Move

 

 

Christian Bussler

@c_buss15