Guide to the Internets: Hockey Thoughts and Links

Every Wednesday, I'll post a collection of thoughts and worthwhile links from the week. And you will enjoy it, damn it.

• Watching the Boston - Buffalo game, Ryan Miller is one of the most technically sound goaltenders in the game today. In contrast, Tim Thomas' style makes about as much sense as this commercial for Japanese noodles. Speaking as a one-time goalie who relied (very) heavily on things like positioning and, you know, always facing the puck.. I prefer Miller. 

• Duncan Keith blames his skates for sucking post-olympics. lolol

• Florida Panthers video technology is still stuck in 1998. It actually makes old school Youtube look like Blu Ray ... Trying to follow the puck kind of explains why hockey still isn't catching on down south.

• Shane O'brien's general attitude and misconduct pissed off the Canucks coaching staff, and O'Brien has been temporarily(I hope. Oh, god do I hope) replaced by a people-shaped pylon Andrew Alberts. He won't even be practicing with the team for the next week. I suspect that he is also sitting in a corner wearing a dunce cap and thinking about ugly girls at the Roxy. Ed. Note: Yes Alberts was decent last night, but it'll take more than one game to remove the fear from my heart.

Who's got your Hart?

There are 5 names being tossed around as potential Hart Trophy winners these days. Alex Ovechkin, Henrik Sedin and Sidney Crosby are the three skaters in the mix, while Ryan Miller of the Sabres and Ilya Bryzgalov of the Coyotes make their cases from the crease. Ovechkin could be taking home both the Art Ross and Maurice Richard trophies despite injury and suspension. He’s 3 points off the points lead and sitting in a 3 way tie for the lead in goals, putting up a league high 1.53 PPG and has helped the Capitals to a sizable cushion atop the East.

Henrik’s likely led the Vancouver Canucks to another division title, setting career and franchise records for assists with 7 games to go. He excelled even when his brother went down with a foot injury, not missing a beat and helping the Canucks to keep winning.

Crosby has shown a sniper side we hadn’t seen in the NHL for a full season, tied with Ovechkin and Stamkos for the league lead in goals. As always he’s putting up assists, and as always he’s a big reason why the Pittsburgh Penguins are competitive, even sans Evgeni Malkin.

1-2-3 in league scoring, and the 3 skaters who are in contention for the Hart trophy. Here are a few stats to try and get a handle on exactly what each of these superstars means to their team.