The WHL's Hottest Panel Show!
Anna Kournikova:	"Hello everyone! Welcome to another issue of Big Hitz! Today's guests will include regulars Jim Rome (covers the Icedogs), Mike Woods (covers the Dropkick), Michael Landsberg (covers the Bulls), and Tony Gallagr (covers the Voodoo). Lets get to it! - We've waited eight months to find out who this year's Cyber Cup finalists would be, and to know ones surprise the Vancouver Voodoo will be facing the Oakville Bulls. Now we have a lot of topics to get through today, so we will come back to this later, but my first question to you guys is how much is another Canadian powerhouse finals hurting the WHL television ratings in the USA? - because two years ago the TV ratings in America dropped, but yet, last year's TV revenue increased with the Chi-Town Krushers appearance in the finals."
Mike Woods:	"Well if the league really wants the WHL to be a force in the US market they're in for disappointment. Hockey is a fringe sport down there...and it's been especially bad since the Dropkicks moved to Calgary. I mean, the Hawks are the only team to watch in the New England area, a hockey hotbed if there is one in the U.S. Let's face it people, if most Americans are given the choice between watching NASCAR and the Boston Hawks it's Dale Earnhart Jr. all the way. Hell, if it's watching the Hawks and watching a Liza Minnelli telethon it's a close race."
Michael Landsberg:	"The WHL is a predominantly Canadian league in all of its aspects, but having said that the future success of the league will eventually need outside revenue. It's important to have a product that appeals to all of North America first and foremost, and from there the league will branch its way out further, and much of this will be discussed with the new collective bargaining agreement this summer... Furthermore, out of the nine or so American based clubs in the WHL only two or three have been successful franchises, and it's no secret that winning brings out the fans, so a cap will also help the league's popularity in places like Boston and Harrisburg when they can actually ice a competitive club."
Tony Gallagr:	"Well considering that every team in our league currently has exactly the same payroll, charges exactly the same thing from everything from parking to popcorn, and has complete revenue sharing, I don't think the television ratings are a relevant topic."
Jim Rome:	"Who gives a damn about the American T.V ratings? Really hockey is a Canadian game. The Americans don’t give a damn about hockey they’d rather watch baseball or golf. The WHL should wake up and stop approving any moves from Canadian cities to American cities. How the WHL can allow the Oakville Bulls who have a great fan base to move to Las Vegas is just crazy. The WHL won’t be making any money in Las Vegas the only people making money there is the god damned casinos."
Anna Kournikova:	"Alright, so lets take a look at some of the big clubs (like the Stallions, Icedogs, and Dropkicks) that were expected to challenge for the Cup this year, and discuss what their organizations will look like come next October."
Michael Landsberg:	"Well, I'll start off with the Icedogs. Here's a team that was assembled purely for a Conference final appearance this year, but was bounced rather easily by the Corinthians in the opening round. I expect their management to continue overhauling their roster in the hopes of drafting Ovechkin in this year's entry draft and possibly Crosby the following year. Look for all the overachieving veterans like Zhamnov, LeClair, MacInnis and Brind'Amour, amongst others, to be playing elsewhere come next season. As for another top team this year, I expect the Dropkicks to make some big moves as well. Possibly the worst kept secret of the last few months has been the rumour that players like Owen Nolan and Derian Hatcher are on their way to a club like the Raiders. If this were to happen you'd have to hope the Raiders would be hanging onto their fourth overall selection for those injury ridden vets, but expect the Dropkicks smooth talking GM to land it anyhow, along with some youth like Marc Savard to play with Heatley and Kovalchuk."
Tony Gallagr:	"The Stallions will look exactly the same. Just all their players will be a lot worse as they get older. The Icedogs and Dropkicks will have the same cores, but could have a lot of different faces to make up the rest of their teams."
Jim Rome:	"I’ll start with the Stallions. This is a veteran organization. Everyone is old in the organization, the owner Brian Howe sports a freaking 80’s mullet. He’s the last of the mullets. The way I see this organization won’t change much, they will always rely on veterans. You will still see Joe Sakic and Eric Lindros in Toronto. Curtis Joseph might be the only veteran that the Stallions shop this offseason. The only changes that will be made here is that the Stallions will move their draft picks to bring in more old farts and Brian Howe’s mullet will double in size as he tries to make up for all the people that have finally realized the mullet might be the worst hair dew ever. The Dropkicks, they will more then likely move some of their veterans out and rely even more on the young stars like Heatley, Thornton and Kovalchuk. That’s not a bad three guys too rely on as they are all very young and will be around for a long time. The Kicks didn’t quite make it to the Cyber Cup this year, but they gained a ton of experience from this years playoff run and I expect to see them playing for a cup in the next couple years for sure. As for the Icedogs expect for sure to see Alexei Zhamnov and Rod Brind’Amour being shipped out of town. They will be building around Frolov as he is the young guy that they are expecting will carry this team in the future. The Icedogs also hold right now the first pick overall in the draft and it’s a given if it remains that way the Icedogs will draft Alexander Ovechkin who at 18 years old has been added to Russia’s world cup of hockey team. This guy will be competing on the International stage against the very best players in the world. He’ll be the youngest player in the tournament by at least 2 years."
Mike Woods:	"Well I'd be surprised to see too many big changes in Toronto aside from a change at goaltender, but the Icedogs will make some changes, especially to some of their higher paid players. As for the 'Kicks the core will remain but that said I've heard that two of their highest paid guys are already Almont Raiders and another couple of guys could be moved as well. Lumme is expected to retire and take a job in the organization and Marty McInnis may also hang em' up too. It'll be interesting."
Anna Kournikova:	"Before we head to break we need to do our 'Future Stars' section of the show. For this week's draft eligible prospect we will be taking a look at possible first overall selection Alexander Ovechkin. We all assume he'll be picked in the top three of this year's draft, but there's been rumblings the past couple of weeks that the kid could turn into a locker room cancer with his arrogance - what do you guys think of Ovechkin?"
Tony Gallagr:	"Bar none, no kid has come into the league with this much talent since Mario Lemieux, until next year when a kid named Crosby will be the best since a guy name Gretzky joined the league."
Jim Rome:	"Alex Ovechkin has remarkable skill. As I said earlier the kid is going to be by far the youngest player in the world cup of hockey tournament. The guy is far from arrogant he’s a leader. Alex is very competitive, he wants to win and he’ll do everything in his power to win. He’ll out work you on and off the ice. He isn’t afraid to go into the corners or go to the net, he’s a tough kid. He can shoot, pass and unlike most young kids coming in from Europe he’s not afraid to back-check. I’m willing to bet Ovechkin is a future Hart trophy winner."
Mike Woods:	"I've heard nothing of arrogance about Ovechkin...in fact I've heard quite the opposite. I think any team would be pleased to get his name on a contract. I think he's the top guy in the draft but there are a handful of WHL ready players like Michael Ryder, Patrice Bergeron, Marek Zidlicky, John Michael Liles and even some gems like Jiri Hudler and Matthew Lombardi. I think more teams will be adding guys that can step in and play this year than any other in recent memory."
Michael Landsberg:	"I think Anna used to babysit Alexander, so maybe that's why she said he's arrogant (*laughs*). Ovechkin is going to be a very dominant player in this league. His offensive arsenal, combined with the increased importance he's placed on his physical training will make him stronger then the average rookie. He's very similiar to Ilya Kovalchuk, but with a much stronger puck presence. He has all the tools to be a future Art Ross winner for sure, and who knows possibly a Hart down the road."
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Anna Kournikova:	"Alright, seeing how this is the Cyber Cup finals edition of 'Big Hitz!', lets analyze some of the matchups and how you guys see them playing out; first up, Forsberg vs Lemieux."
Jim Rome:	"Personally I think Forsberg can out play Lemieux any day. Mario just isn’t the same Mario he was even two years ago. Mario is a great leader and I’m sure he will rally the troops in Oakville and the Bulls will play their best in this series as they try to win their 3rd straight cup. However, Forsberg is a better player now. Forsberg is very skilled and he’s more then willing to play a physical game despite the fact he’s injury prone. Forsberg isn’t the leader that Mario is, but I think on the ice Peter can out perform Mario."
Mike Woods:	"Lemieux is unstoppable."
Michael Landsberg:	"This is such an intriguing matchup. Both are amazing and have proven that they are capable of elevating their games to levels that many can only dream of. Forsberg's physical play and potential penalty trouble will determine Mario's success. Many still underestimate Lemieux's speed simply because of his back problems and the fact that he's so big that it doesn't look like he's moving that fast, when in reality, he's always one of the faster players on the ice. So Forsberg will also have to have an eye out for Mario who will be more then able to keep up with the leader of the Voodoo machine. Mario isn't leading the playoff scoring race for nothing."
Tony Gallagr:	"I think that this will be one of the keys to the series. Forsberg will be a nuisance for the Bulls defense on the forecheck, and Lemieux will be nowhere around to help out. However, on the opposite end, Lemieux will cause fits for the Voodoo D, but atleast Forsberg will be around to help out."
Anna Kournikova:	"Then there's the battle of the power forwards and the opposing defensemen; Bertuzzi vs Mezei, and Iginla vs Jovanovski/Redden."
Michael Landsberg:	"Todd Bertuzzi has still yet to show his true abilities in this year's playoffs, and this series will be his last chance too showcase himself as a top powerforward this season. And I think he will. Oakville will more then likely try and matchup late season acquisition Branislav Mezei against big Bertuzzi, as he has been phenomenial thus far in these playoffs. But expect him to have his hands full this time around. As for the Voodoo potentially matching Wade Redden against the best player in the game today, Jarome Iginla, it will be nothing new to Iggy. All playoff long team's have focused on him and he's contributed in more ways then just the score sheet, but he will have to control his hatred of the Voodoo players this round because Jovocop and Redden will both be in his face."
Tony Gallagr:	"Branny Mezei is in over his head against Bertuzzi. However, Bert comes into the series injured. Iginla and Redden is going to be a great matchup. They should provide plenty of entertainment in this Cyber Cup Final."
Jim Rome:	"Bertuzzi vs Mezei in my opinion is no contest. If Bertuzzi can keep his cool and not do anything stupid then he should physically dominate and out play Mezei. In my opinion Bertuzzi has to be the man for the Voodoo in this series if they are going to win. If he gets shut down by Mezei then it’s over for the Voodoo. There is no way a player with Bertuzzi's size, strength and skill, should be getting shut down by anybody let alone Mezei. Iginla vs Redden again this is a battle that Jarome Iginla should win. Redden is a great dman but he’s just not in the same league as Iginla. Jarome might be the best player in the world today; he can skate, he can hit, he can pass, he can fight. Really there is nothing that Jarome can’t do. It’s time for Iginla to take the reigns and become the new leader of the Bulls organization, because the clock is ticking on Mario."
Mike Woods:	"I think both forwards will overpower both defenseman. Who is Mezei?"
Anna Kournikova:	"Next up, the battle of the silent snipers; Bure vs Mogilny."
Tony Gallagr:	"Pavel Bure has been one of the main reasons the Voodoo have gotten this far. If Bure continues his play, what Mogliny does is irrelevant."
Jim Rome:	"This is no contest. Bure can score goals at will, but he has no heart and no desire. I’m willing to bet that Bure will be pretty well shut down in this series. Oakville will have a player stuck to Bure all series and they will be sure to get Bure off his game which shouldn’t be hard as he doesn’t like the physical stuff at all. Mogilny isn’t as good a sniper as Bure but he has more heart. Mogilny will shy away from the physical stuff but he won’t put himself out of position to make sure he doesn’t take a hit. Mogilny, unlike Bure, will actually back-check and play a sound defensive game."
Mike Woods:	"This is Bure's last hurrah, he's playing like a man posessed right now."
Michael Landsberg:	"Both of these players are elite scoring machines. Both are speedsters. But only one is capable of playing great defensively, and making timely hits: Mogilny. So I expect Mogilny too continue playing a larger role then Pavel Bure. However, look for Bure to generate retaliation penalties to give his club some powerplays; somewhere he's even more effective."
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Anna Kournikova:	"To finish up on the match ups, of course we have the battle of arguably the league's best goalies to discuss; Brodeur vs Khabibulin."
Jim Rome:	"I hardly think that these are the two best goalies. Personally I think Nikolai is an over rated stopper. He’s not consistent enough to be considered the leagues best. Brodeur is far superior to Khabibulin. Martin has more big game experience and I’d argue he might be the best goalie in the world, however that is very debatable as well. As I wouldn’t pick either goalie to be my goalie in a game 7. However if I had to pick between these two I’m taking Marty Brodeur and I’m not even thinking about it."
Mike Woods:	"Well all I can say is Brodeur won game 7 of the conference final singlehandedly in Vancouver after a few terrible games...if he can play a more steady game the Voodoo have a chance, if not watch out for the three peat."
Michael Landsberg:	"This is a hard one to predict. Historically both are amongst the top of their class, but this year both have not dominated or stole a series as expected. Marty and Khabby have, however, made the big saves at key times to help give their team the edge, but overall I see Khabibuhlin being the more consistent goalie in this series because the Bulls were able to get into Brodeur's head this season. But based on this series, and knowing what we do, I'd be going with the "Buhlin Wall", and not even thinking twice about it (*laughs*)."
Tony Gallagr:	"Marty is the main reason Vancouver got past Calgary. He is one of the leagues best and despite his team having a harder time in getting here, he is still better than Khabibulin. The 'Bulin Wall' hasn't had to be great so far, so it will be key for him to step up in this series."
Anna Kournikova:	"Unlike the first Cyber Cup finals matchup in WHL7 where the Bulls entered as big underdogs to the Voodoo, and rightfully so as they dug themselves into 0-2 hole only to come back and win... My question to you all is with so many players having spent time in both franchises, will the systems be so scouted that special teams will be a non-factor making Bulls/Voodoo II a low scoring final?, or will the complete opposite happen?"
Mike Woods:	"Give me a break. This series will be a shoot out, there's too much firepower on both sides."
Michael Landsberg:	"I think fans will get their money's worth this year. It's not always about the goals, even though I expect their to be a lot scored in this round still, but rather the rivalries present between the players and these clubs will definitely see some sparks fly. A perfect example to watch will be how the Voodoo come after their former locker room leader Paul Kariya, who's quietly had one of the best playoffs of his career in Oakville this year... But ultimately, Oakville's penalty killing versus Vancouver's powerplay is a draw as both have been great in this postseason. The Bulls powerplay versus the Voodoo's penalty killing units will be something to watch however."
Tony Gallagrr:	"I think, it will be a test for the pk's. Both teams have unbelievable fire power on the power plays. It will really come down to how the penalty killing is for both teams."
Jim Rome:	"I think it’s possible that the first period of game one will be scoreless as the teams feel each other out, but as soon as one of the two teams nets a goal the defensive play will be out the window and we will see some great end to end action. I’m expecting to see the lowest scoring game have seven goals in total. "
Anna Kournikova:	"Okay, before we go off the air I want everyone's final prediction for the Cup..."
Michael Landsberg:	"I'll stick with the Bulls in six games. They are playing for the fans of Oakville who have supported them the past few years, and would like nothing more then to bring them one more championship before relocating to Las Vegas next season. This motivation alone could propel them to victory."
Tony Gallagr:	"Bulls in 6."
Jim Rome:	"While the Voodoo have the superior goaltending, I think the Bulls have more leadership and more heart and desire. The Bulls will get their third straight Cyber Cup. Jarome Iginla will win the playoff MVP and it’ll be over in 5 games."
Mike Woods:	"Bulls in 6. Sorry Darren."
Anna Kournikova:	"And with that we're almost out of time for today - I'm Anna Kournikova thanking everybody for today's special Cyber Cup edition of 'Big Hitz!'"