NHL

NHL and other hockey related posts.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Finals recap

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Better late than never. My stats got a major boost as I went two for two on my Conference Finals predictions. I really enjoyed the two series. I thought San Jose could give the Canucks more of a test, but Vancouver’s talent really came to play in the WCF. There was a long period of time when I thought the Lightning were going to steal that ECF from Boston. The Bruins managed to grind out the series victory, but it certainly wasn’t as easy as many expected.

#3 Boston Bruins defeat #5 Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3

This was quite the back and forth series as both teams received stellar and porous goaltending, from the same guys. Dwayne Roloson showed some serious signs of fatigue as he had carried Tampa through the first two rounds. He was pulled and replaced by Mike Smith. Smith kept the Bolts alive and ultimately it was the inability to score that killed Tampa, not goaltending. However, a few key saves would have closed the series in six, maybe even five games for Tampa. Continue reading →

Jetting back north

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It is official. The announcement that the Atlanta Thrashers had been sold by the Atlanta Spirit Group to True North Sports and Entertainment took place yesterday at noon. True North has every intention to move the team to Winnipeg, despite the fact that the Thrashers were still selling season tickets at 11:00 AM, Tuesday.

This is not an official logo. But like New Coke, the New Jets need a face.

I am on the fence as to what this deal means for the NHL, hockey fans in Winnipeg and hockey fans in the United States. Atlanta shouldn’t have to suffer through losing a franchise. It is the second time they lost a hockey team, maybe the NHL should have kept that in mind when they awarded the franchise to Atlanta in 1999. Still, the few dedicated fans they have don’t need to lose their team. Still, the franchise was poorly run and suffered from day one. Continue reading →

A very interesting article on Seattle and the NHL

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Came across this gem while surfing the net as I attempt to recover from a mild case of sun poisoning.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/report-seattle-group-interested-in-nhl-team/article2035939/

Seems as if there is some interest in NHL hockey up in Seattle. Is it a rumor with any teeth? Would the city stay interested for more than five minutes? At the end of the day is it a city you would want to move the Panthers, Islanders or Coyotes to? Is the Seattle arena situation going to work for an NHL team? All of those questions need to be raised and answered before this gains any steam. Still, seems like an alright idea for a franchise, especially if some of the weak franchises continue to flounder.

Another game seven, just what the doctor ordered

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I am not a fan of the NBA. This is no secret. I am no fan of over-extended seasons (Super Bowl in February, World Series in the snow) either. However, I feel it is better press for the NHL to finish the marathon second. That means I am really pulling for a quick finish for the NBA playoffs while a drawn out, dramatic end for the NHL.

As the NFL and NBA potentially head toward a work stoppage the NHL needs as much solid press as it can get. Even Jim Rome is talking hockey. This is a good thing. To capture more casual fans the NHL needs to hit a broader audience. Hell, even the bandwagoners down in Tampa are selling out the arena. The Canes couldn’t pull the same feat in the 2006 Conference Finals. Continue reading →

Save of the season, check

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Tim Thomas made the save of the season on Steve Downie tonight. Observe:

Thomas said after the game it was more luck than anything else – it was the booze dancing, I suppose. But still, just a nasty save by Thomas. Could turn out to be a major point in this series. If Downie ties it up there, who knows where that game ends up. The Bolts had been pressing hard the entire third, I feel like they had the competitive edge for the final 20. But Thomas robbed Downie and sent the series back to Tampa 3-2. Now Tampa has a lot more to worry about.

Credit to Mike Smith for a beauty on Chara at the other end. I thought he was toast when I watched it live, best back-to-back saves I have seen in some time.
Stick tap to Wysh @ Puck Daddy for getting the video uploaded so fast.

Thrash on the move? Atlanta in talks with True North

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The eyes of Winnipeg are affixed firmly on the Atlanta Thrashers. After the City of Glendale dropped an additional $25 million to keep the Coyotes for another season, the Winnipeg spotlight turned east.

The Coyotes are safe for another season and the Thrashers are drowning in debt. So much so that their owner is looking high and low for prospective buyers. However, most sources have identified True North Sports and Entertainment as the group that will step in to purchase the Thrashers. Now it appears as if it is only a matter of time before hockey returns to Winnipeg.

This entire situation is tough to digest. On one hand I thought the poetic justice would have been perfect had Phoenix gone back north. Not to mention the fact that the Coyotes are struggling so much in the desert. I also have  a similar opinion on the Thrashers. They have no fan support and are just draining money from the league, it is time for a change. However, you hate to see any of the 30 teams struggling, no matter how silly their location is.

So, as Winnipeg prepares to embrace the return of the NHL I feel at ease with the situation. It is a city that should never have lost their team to begin with and well suited to support an NHL franchise (at least from a fan perspective). The lack of corporate sponsors is an issue, but I hope it is something that can be overcome. If hockey is to return to Manitoba, I am ready to applaud the move. The next question is, who fills the vacant spot in the east? Continue reading →

2ITB NHL Conference Finals predictions

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One thing that is safe to assume about the NHL Conference Finals, you will see two very different series. The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning both think defense first most of the time. While the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks are both deep with scoring depth.

It is also probably safe to assume both series will go at least six games. The rusty vs. run-down debate will probably run rampant. However, both teams out East have had long lay-offs while only San Jose has really no chance to settle down.

#3 Boston Bruins vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning


Boston has the ability to push the Lightning around. The Bruins are deep on defense and are long on big, angry forwards. Tim Thomas has also been spectacular throughout the playoffs. Tampa has gotten great goaltending from Dwayne Roloson and their grinders have been extremely effective. If it comes down to goaltending I would lean towards the Bruins. Thomas has been too good to bet against. In addition he has played bigger as the situation has become more tense. The Bruins forwards are good. Their top two lines are great scorers and their grinders have been excellent. Chris Kelly has been an x-factor of sorts as he has found ways to score big goals in both rounds. Zdeno Chara is the easy guy to point out on defense but Dennis Seidenberg has been stellar all playoffs. He may be the best defenseman the Bruins have right now. Continue reading →

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round two recap

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I was 50% with my second round picks, that leaves me at 8/12 for the playoffs thus far. The second round wasn’t nearly the epic that came with the first eight series. However, the Western Conference managed to provide a few decent moments before the conference semi-finals wrapped up. Otherwise, two sweeps left most wanting more out East.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#5 Tampa Bay Lightning defeat #1 Washington Capitals 4-0


I was fairly certain that Dwayne Roloson and the Lightning weren’t capable of continuing their magic from the first round. However, Washington reverted back to form from early in the season. Alex Ovechkin was a ghost and Michael Neuvirth was average. Tampa Bay has found scoring from their big guns in addition to their role players, namely Sean Bergenheim. They face a steep climb against the Bruins, probably the most physical team in the 2011 Playoffs. Turning point: Tampa’s 3-2 overtime win in game two. Took first two games in Washington. MVP: Sean Bergenheim – 4 goals, has 7+1 through 11 playoff games thus far. Continue reading →

Interesting development in the Coyotes situation

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I haven’t been doing too much reading about the Coyotes pending sale recently because I simply stopped caring. It became very monotonous to read the same thing over and over. So, I waited until something concrete developed. Finally, something did. I will defer to the TSN article for all the details.

I’m not sure if the city council vote could be viewed as a “Judgement Day” of sorts, but it is certainly a big step for the Coyotes future in Glendale. All signs seem to be pointing towards a positive vote. That means the city will give the NHL $25 million more to keep the team in the Desert for another year. Thus giving them another 365 days to figure out a sale agreement with a potential buyer, no matter who that may be.

The fact of the matter is that this is nothing more than a band-aid. The city is going to give away millions to keep a team that loses millions every season. It is time to face facts, there is a small number of passionate fans in that city, but there aren’t enough to support a NHL franchise. I understand that moving a team for the second time isn’t the solution to all the problems. However, it seems as if the Phoenix experiment has failed and it is time to evaluate a new future for the franchise.

On to game seven

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When I said Detroit would take San Jose in seven games I envisioned a back and forth series, not a wild three-game comeback by the Winged Wheel.

The Sharks were 16 minutes away from locking up the series in game six last night. Funny, the Sabres were about that far away in game six as well. No matter, the Red Wings scored three unanswered goals and sent the series back to the Golden State for a seventh game. The Sharks also had a pair of two goal leads erased on Sunday, at home, in game five. Continue reading →