The Vancouver Canucks have had quite a ride with goaltending in recent years and
attempted to solve the problem by signing the number one free agent
puck-stopper.
Tyler Blackett Jersey UK . Numbers Game looks
into the Canucks signing Ryan Miller. The Canucks Get: G Ryan Miller. Miller,
33, was having a terrific season in Buffalo, posting a .923 save percentage in
40 games before he was traded to St. Louis. From there, Miller struggled down
the stretch, with aa .903 save percentage in 19 regular season games before an
.897 save percentage in the first-round playoff loss to Chicago. That finish
might have dimmed his star somewhat, but Miller has a repuation earned with a
save percentage of .919 over the past five seasons, during which no one has
registered more saves than Millers 8278. That rep isnt everything, though.
Miller is a 33-year-old who last made it out of the first round of the playoffs
in 2007 and his .925 even-strength save percentage over the past four seasons
ranks 22nd out of 43 goaltenders to play at least 4000 5-on-5 minutes. Following
their abrupt playoff departure, the Blues changed their goaltending approach,
retaining Brian Elliott with the expectation that they would add prospect
Jake Allen to the tandem for next season. Whether Miller is at the peak of his
game isnt necessarily the point though, because hes an upgrade in net for
Vancouver; more proven than Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom, and thats what
matters for the Canucks over the next three seasons. If they are going to remain
competitive for at least a few more seasons, then the Canucs cant be stumbling
around with question marks in goal, hoping that it will work out. New Canucks GM
Jim Benning was instrumental to the Buffalo Sabres decision to draft Miller in
1999, so its not altogether surprising that Benning would turn to Miller to help
the Canucks now. Miller doesnt guarantee success for the Canucks, but if he can
provide at least average, or ideally above-average, goaltending, then the
Canucks have had good enough possession numbers to compete for a playoff spot if
they get decent goaltending. Scott Cullen can be reached at
Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook.
Daley Blind Jersey UK .ca profiles each NBA
division before the first tip. TSN Basketball analyst Jack Armstrong also gives
his pick for division champ and a player to keep an eye on this season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Jersey UK . The 6-foot-3,
302-pound Maryland alum started 20 games over the past four seasons with
Dallas.NEW YORK -- For Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, seeing Deron Williams back
far outweighed seeing the Celtics again. Williams scored a season-high 25 points
in his return to the lineup, Brook Lopez added 24, and the Brooklyn Nets beat
Boston 104-96 Tuesday night in the first matchup for Pierce and Garnett against
their former team. "D-Will set the tone for how we were going to play tonight,"
Garnett said. Garnett had 11 points, just his third time in double figures this
season, and grabbed nine rebounds. Pierce finished with four points and seven
rebounds in his first appearance off the bench in six years after making a quick
recovery from a broken right hand. But the key was Williams, who had missed nine
straight games and 11 overall with a sprained left ankle, and hadnt been sharp
in the games in which he did appear. "Hes the head of the snake," Pierce said.
"I mean hes one of the most important pieces of what were trying to do here,
what were trying to build and trying to win a championship." The Nets won
consecutive games for the first time this season, a stunning stat for a team
that considered itself a championship contender after acquiring Pierce and
Garnett in a blockbuster that was agreed to on draft night. Both veterans had
struggled, with the 12.4 points per game and .368 shooting by Pierce easily the
lowest of his career before he was hurt on Nov. 29. The Nets had lost six
straight at home, their longest skid since moving to Brooklyn. "Were starting to
get whole and its definitely good to have everybody back," Williams said. "Even
though Paul didnt start, I thought he came in and gave us a big boost off the
bench. It seemed like our energy level was a lot better. More intensity on both
ends of the floor." Avery Bradley scored 22 points and Jeff Green had 19 for the
Celtics, who have been competitive after trading away two of their most
important players from their 2008 NBA championship team. Boston had a three-game
winning streak snapped and its Atlantic Division-leading record fell to 10-13.
"The players that they had come back tonight, I still feel like they were a very
good team. But obviously hhaving two of their leaders as in Deron Williams and
Paul, you know that definitely helps them out a lot," Bradley said.
Ben Davies Jersey UK. The Celtics had started
with 14-0 and 12-0 leads in their last two games, the latter eventually
ballooning to a 45-point bulge in a 114-73 victory over the New York Knicks on
Sunday that was the NBAs most lopsided game this season. Brooklyn got off to the
strong start in this one, pulled away again after Boston tied it, and put it
away when Williams, who came in averaging just 9.3 points, scored eight in the
final period. "They played great tonight. Played really hard, really together.
They took us out of what we wanted to do," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.
"Like I said, we werent playing the New Jersey Nets that played without D-Will
for those 10 games. That is their team and theyre a good basketball team."
Pierce was expected to miss two to four weeks, but sat out only four games
before returning to practice Monday. He received a nice ovation when he checked
in with a protective glove covering his hand midway through the first quarter,
no doubt aided by the many Boston fans that were noticeable all around Barclays
Center. He said hes still getting used to the glove, joking he might take it out
to the movies, and might have to get used to a new role. Coach Jason Kidd said
he would consider whether Pierce would remain with the second unit. Garnett gave
a pat on the head and a little hug before the opening tip to Bostons starters,
who go on to face former coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers on Wednesday. The
Nets led 31-20 after one, their largest lead after the opening quarter this
season, and 56-47 at the half. Boston quickly tied it at 60, but the Nets
responded with 10 straight points, going ahead 70-60 on Williams jumper, and the
lead reached 85-68 on Pierces free throw with 1:14 left. NOTES: It was the first
time Garnett played against the Celtics since March 4, 2007, for Minnesota. ...
Boxer Paulie Malignaggi was presented with the championship of Brooklyn belt by
Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark in the second quarter after beating fellow
Brooklyn product Zab Judah in a welterweight bout here Saturday.
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