What Happens in Helsinki... Episode 10: Invaasio!
by Jamie Kellner on Oct 5, 2010 8:22 PM EDT
in What Happens in Helsinki - 2010 Compuware Premiere
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Radisson hotel lobby invasion (via flickr)
Helsinki will never be the same, folks. At least 300 Caniacs are reported to have invaded this beautiful city on the Baltic. The strongest surge appeared around 2:00 pm when there were enough Caniacs in the Radisson Blu lobby to completely eclipse the sun. A few stragglers found their way in later this evening. Despite rain, switched flights, checked carry-ons, surly US Air gate agents, cavity searches (okay I made that part up) and miscellaneous other delays and side stories, all parties now appear to be present and accounted for.
Today most newcomers spent their time unpacking and settling in, strolling around to take a first look at the city, sauna, dinner, and an early night. Those who came in early and are past their jet lag mainly spent the day sightseeing, I know a few groups have been over to Tallinn, if anyone has photos they're willing to share I'll make sure to ask for a link or post one on their behalf. Everyone seems to be trying the reindeer and finding it delicious!
Tomorrow we start activities with the team, practice at 11:00 am at Hartwall Areena and a team luncheon afterwards.
Speaking of Hartwall, I had a chance to stop by today. After reading online that there's a Jokerit store in the arena, we decided to do a little advance shopping. Well, we arrived to find the building locked, but in true Finnish can-do spirit, a kind security guard let us in, walked us to the Jokerit counter, let us pick out our merchandise, and escorted us downstairs to pay. He's one of the guards on duty tomorrow for the practice and is looking forward to seeing our enthusiastic faces. On the way out, I snagged a shot of the Compuware Premiere banner that's adorning the building. If you have a chance, click the link here and check it out in full resolution, I don't think the previous version that was tweeted over the summer showed that Joni is actually in the banner as well, beneath the main picture of Tuomo and Jussi (Antti Miettinen also represents for the Wild to complete the Finnish six-pack).
Finns are flying sky-high in more ways that one at Hartwall Areena (flickr)
Speaking of the Wild, there are about 120 of their fans here and they were sighted out and about town as well. I talked with several on a side trip to Suomenlinna today, and RF and Cyn ran into a group walking around town. From what I've heard, their team luncheon today was fabulous, their players didn't skate and were well-rested and very engaged with the fans, making for a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Now, I'm not sure that with 321 Caniacs (as of last count) our lunch setting is going to be quite as intimate, but knowing some of our players, I have no doubt it will be quite entertaining. JR will speak, along with a local dignitary, and it should be a treat for all.
Helsinki is abuzz with Compuware Premiere media events, HMof2 posted several links and photos from earlier today, since her press, Paul Branecky has weighed in with an update (Canes Make it to Helsinki), along with accompanying photo gallery. This afternoon was the player-only trip to Sauna Island, very curious that we've heard nothing at all regarding that little excursion. Oh well, you know what they say about what happens in Helsinki...
I have a few (but not many) new photos posted on flickr, mainly sightseeing, and I'll continue to post new ones as schedule permits, because now it's time to get down to serious business with some Canes hockey! Hyvä Canes!
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Thanks for the update!! Hope y’all are having a blast!
"That’s what happens when you suck" - Tim Gleason
He hit the wall hard on Monday. Others on the trip can vouch though, he’s wide open and non-stop now. Thanks for asking!
Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU
by Jamie Kellner on Oct 6, 2010 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions
So excited to hear this. Can’t wait for pictures of the luncheon. And I sure as hell hope you’re asleep now.
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Oct 5, 2010 8:34 PM EDT reply actions
Way to go LTD
Loved the photos and blog. Keep it up. Hope the weather holds for you all. Go Canes…
Here in Helsinki
We got in to Helsinki around 5 p.m.; and when we got to the Hotel it was indeed a Caniac invasion. Helsinki is a fantastic city. LTD and family were there representing CC and the Caniacs. I am very much looking forward to watching the team practice and the team luncheon. I can’t promise Helsinki will ever be quite the same again after the Caniacs have visited. The Finnish people seem to be extremely patient and nice from what I can tell.
Good morning!
After 3 hrs of sleep, I’m ready to rock this city. Once I get my coffee.
Twitter @ ivyleager
Ditto on all counts!
Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU
by Jamie Kellner on Oct 6, 2010 2:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Totally Awesome !!
gee times zones suck in a way huh ?? Thank you all & 36 thumbs up for LTD & others contributing here & on twitter…Loved the shots of the crowd the caniac nation at the practice…and RF’s video clip of the goalie drill with sound…makes me ohhh sooo jealous…but hey..someone had to stay home and protect the home front !!! Thanks again LTD!!!
Everytime you write off the Hurricanes,
They make You Look Bad!!
This is unrelated, but Eric Staal was ranked #24 in TSN’s Top 50 Players. He was the only Cane ranked. To me there were a few surprises in the rankings, but it was probably pretty accurate if you heavily weight last year’s stats.
It appears JR has gone out and added a POS for Staal's LW!
Agreed, I just looked at, it would be nice to know how they put the whole together. I almost think you need 2 categories: above 300 and below 300 games. I don’t know that if I was to put something together I’d put Eric Staal that low but who cares what I think.
Yeah, I would have probably put Eric in the high teens area. I would probably have him in the 16 to 18 range. Doughty is a very nice player, but #8 seems very high to me. I also think Toews at #3 is too high. He’s a very good all-around player, but #3? And Rick Nash at #14; he’s one hell of a scorer, but I would say at least 10 players ranked below him are better.
It appears JR has gone out and added a POS for Staal's LW!
Toews at #3 is too high, but as they said being the youngest current NHL Captain and winning the Cup last year helps his rank. Many people think Doughty is the next Lidstrom, we don’t really get to see him that much so I couldn’t say… But if he is considered the best D in the league top-10 is fitting.
Nash at #14 is a total reach (especially if they put Staal at #24)… I don’t know what kind of crack they are smoking but I’d take Staal over Nash any day, I think most would. I’d probably put Staal around 15ish. Although for what he’s paid, I expect him to be top-10 by the time he is making $9+ million a year.
But I do realize that this was all Canadian driven. Crosby is a GREAT player, but I don’t see him as #1 over OV. And the Canadian media loves certain guys; like Towes, Nash, Weber, etc. They are great players, but they also get a lot of hype. I think it was interesting that Jeff Carter was ranked below Mikko Koivu and Daniel Alfredsson.
It appears JR has gone out and added a POS for Staal's LW!
Very good point.
Although I honestly don’t get the hype surrounding Ryan Miller. I agree, he is an elite goalie, but he isn’t THE ZENITH that everyone seems to make him out to be. Yes, he won the Vezina and had an amazing year last year, but honestly that was one year. Trending back using averages over the past 3 years, he really isn’t that amazing.
It seems a common problem with goalies… The second that one has an amazing year they suddenly turn into the best goalie ever. If I had to pick one goalie, I’d go with Lundqvist every time. 3 seasons ago he had a season that blew Miller’s last season out of the water.
Agree there is a bias, but when you compare Crosby’s linemates, his overall game, and his defensive responsiblities I think it’s pretty clear who the more valuable player is. If you take Backstrom off of Ovie’s line I think you’ll see a significant drop in his point output. How many play-making forwards (Crosby’s been a pass first guy for his whole NHL career) can decide over the summer they want to shoot the puck more and end up winning the Rocket Richard Trophy (Crosby is also 2 years younger).
The problem with a list like that is how do you differentiate or value players that play on good teams versus the guys that play on bad teams. What kind of player would Rick Nash be on a team like Chicago or Detroit. I’m not sure where I’d put Toews and Doughty exactly but I’d definitely put them in the top 15, both are game changers, especially Toews. Toews, M.Richards, Backstrom, Datsyuk, and Crosby are definitely the best centers in the game.
Yeah, good players on bad teams are really hard to judge. I read an article a week or so ago how the Carolina and Columbus organizations are doing a disservice to Staal and Nash by not getting them another top tier player to play with. It basically said their talents were being wasted by shouldering so much of the load. That’s a debate that could and will probably be had multiple times this year. But the question is interesting; how would Staal and Nash be with another top flight player? Would Staal become more of a distributor with another top scorer? Would Nash challenge OV for the goal scoring lead with a good playmaker at his side?
It appears JR has gone out and added a POS for Staal's LW!
To be fair, I don’t think Nash is all that better of a scorer than Semin. He is way more physical and tries about 95% harder (assuming Semin is usually giving about 5% effort), but I think it would be similar. Which brings up the other side of the point, how good would Semin or Backstrom be without Ovi?
I think the article you read has it’s merits. Generally, the Superstars of the league (potential 100+ pointers) have a smaller Star to play with and take the pressure off. Ovi/Backstrom/Semin, Crosby/Malkin, Thornton/Heatley, Sedin Sisters, Kane/Toews, etc. A real good test subject for that theory may be the combining of Parise/Kovalchuk this year, and I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if one/both of them broke 100 points this year.
Obviously Staal doesn’t have a compliment right now. Skinner looks promising, but he wouldn’t become anything near that for a while. The big name UFA’s next year are Joe Thornton, Alex Semin, and Brad Richards. Richards or Thornton makes Staal a 40+ goal scorer and 100+ point scorer. Obviously it won’t happen, but the point remains.
That’s my point, it wasn’t until Backstrom got to Washington that they started winning games. You’ll also notice that Ovie’s +/- gets much better as well. You definitely get more value out a centermen than a winger, wingers don’t contribute as much defensively. I hope Skinner’s the guy that solidifies our top 3, I think whats been missing is someone to clean up Staal’s rebounds who has some finishing touch. I hope they try Skinner-Staal-Jokinen or Skinner-Staal-Cole.
I am all for a Skinner-Staal-Jokinen line! Yeah, that line doesn’t have a rough guy like Ruutu, but I think the skill (especially 5 on 5) would more than make up for that.
If that was the line, then you could have POS-Dalpe-Cole could be a good 3rd line. POS and Dalpe seemed to have some chemistry in the preseason and Cole could be the power forward/crash the net guy.
But we are talking about Paul Moronice; he will probably try every other line combination except these. He did the same thing last year, when everybody just wanted to see Staal and Sutter together. See how that might work out and the only time I can think he tried it was on the PK.
It appears JR has gone out and added a POS for Staal's LW!
Does anyone know if the game tomorrow is going to have an internet stream? I’ll be stuck at work with no TV access :(
Versus probably won’t. But sometimes you can find less than authorized streams online.
"What Carolina really has going for them is Brandon Sutter. When that kid first showed up, he looked like a skinny little thing that wouldn’t last two weeks. But he’s turned into a real star."
Let’s hope we can!!
:fingers crossed
Want. Hockey. Now.
by Andrea's evil twin on Oct 6, 2010 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Checkers Tickets Came Today!
You wanna see the Troll?
Be in the Queen City on the 15th, baby.
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