I haven't even blogged since my picks for last round!!!!
Game 1 is literally starting while I write this but it won't change my picks. I'll make this brief.
Previous rankings:
Randy: 13
Matt: 11
Aaron: 10
Mike: 9
Jeff: 8
After this past round:
Randy: 19
Matt: 17
Aaron: 13
Mike: Well I'm not sure how to score Mike. He didn't really pick an East winner....he just picked the Kings to win it all.....
Jeff: 14
This round is worth 4 points....which means Jeff and I can't win....and maybe not Mike.....reminder for next year....I want the Cup Finals to be worth more points....which is what I wanted for this year, but didn't do it. NOTE!
CUP FINALS
I've been telling people that whoever won the West would win the Cup. HOWEVER....I don't want the Kings to win. I just have a weird bias against them. I just think they're cocky. I don't like Dustin Brown. I want the Rangers to win. I like the Marty St. Louis story line. I want King Lundqvist to win the Cup....he's the best goalie in the game right now I think. The Kings have also played 3 game 7's....can they keep that going for another series? I don't know....but I need to take the Kings anyway.
Kings in 6
Showing posts with label Hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hockey. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
NHL Playoffs: Conference Finals
I think I will create another blog post tackling all the story lines and my takes on it, that come out of this round. So much cool stuff.
So before we get to my picks for the next round, let's see where all our participants stand. After Round 1 our leader board looked like this:
Randy: 7 points
Jeff: 6 points
Aaron: 6 points
Matt: 5 points
Mike: 5 points
Remember that this round all wins are worth 2 points. So let's see how we did this round.....Randy went 3-1. So he gets another 6 points for a 13 point total. (Randy's blog is down so he secures his picks via Facebook with us...which Matt also did for Round 2). Matt also went 3-1 in round 2 for 6 points and an 11 point total. Jeff went 1-3 for 2 points and 8 points total. Mike split down the middle going 2-2 for 4 more points and 9 points total. I also went 2-2 and now have 10 points. So the new leader board looks like this:
Randy: 13
Matt: 11
Aaron: 10
Mike: 9
Jeff: 8
This next round is worth 3 points per game. That may or may not change things. So here are my picks.
EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS
Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Rangers
I definitely wouldn't have believed you if you told me these two teams were coming out of the East. This is another "Original Six" matchup...which is fun for hockey buffs. You'll hear a lot about old time hockey....and probably all of Montreal's Cups (which I don't believe should count). Montreal stood tall against Boston, who I thought would win the East outright. The Rangers looked tired, but Lundqvist was the man in net. These teams are very similar in their make-up. I could make a good case for either of them winning. Really hard to pick. I'm just gonna go out on a limb and pick the Rangers in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Los Angeles Kings vs. Chicago Blackhawks
These are two powerhouse teams that are very different from each other. The Hawks took care of business with Minnesota. Did anyone expect differently? The Kings have been trying hard to lose for a few weeks now. I know that LA has been near the top of the league for a few years now, but I'm struggling to pick them.....against the defending Stanley Cup champions who are in their stride. The only way LA wins is if Jonathan Quick becomes the Quick of two years ago. Blackhawks in 6
Thursday, May 01, 2014
NHL Playoffs: Round 2
Some great surprises in Round 1. I watched a lot of hockey. It is remarkable to me how I forget from year to year how tired I get staying up watching 4-5 games a night. Luckily we've reached the second round where the number of games is less.
Happily surprised with the Wild winning in overtime last night of game 7. They gave the Avs all they were worth and now will be an interesting matchup for Chicago (more on that later). I predicted the Kings would win, and they did.....but I in now way saw the colossal collapse that occurred by San Jose. I'm so glad that I was wrong and the Flyers lost. Would that series have been different if Mason has started the first couple games....maybe.
So we need to go over the points that all the participants received in Round 1. Remember that each round has a weighted points system. Round 1 gets one point per win...which is easy to calculate.
Matt went 5-3 so he now has 5 points.
Mike also went 5-3 and has 5 points.
Jeff went 6-2 in the first round so he now has 6 points
Randy doesn't have a functional blog at the present time but locked his picks in with us via Facebook before Round 1. Amazingly Randy went 7-1 in Round 1 and is the current points leader with 7 points.
Yours Truly went 6-2 in the first round (which might be the best I've ever done). I have 6 points.
Enough of that. On to round 2. Points are doubled. 2 Points per correct pick.
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
This is the matchup to watch. These teams HATE each other. There is bad blood between these teams dating back before the current rosters were alive. Each time these teams meet, it's physical. I can't wait to see this series unfold. Montreal swept Tampa in round 1 and made it look easy. They've been sitting around since then. Will that hurt them? They're a little smaller than Boston. You also have two of the best goalies in the game going at it. Boston has grit and finds ways to win when they shouldn't. I think it'll be a good series. I've picked Boston to win the East....so I'm sticking with them. Boston in 7
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
I know I'll get killed by my Penguin fan friends, but this is the easiest series to pick. Penguins are going to lose. Not that I want them to, but they won't beat the Rangers. The Penguins just don't have the right group of people to win a Cup this year. They were up on Columbus in game 6 and played to "not lose" rather than to win, and almost let Columbus come back to tie. Fleury has been predictably bad in the playoffs costing them game 5. The Rangers are just the better all around team. Rangers in 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings
This should be a good series. I can't believe how badly LA lost the first 3....granted they came back and won the series....but that wasn't good. This is one of those series where I could make cases for each team. I watched each of them play. It's hard to bet against LA. I'm gonna pick the Ducks purely for sentimental reasons of hoping Selane gets another shot at the cup.....and I don't like Dustin Brown. Ducks in 6
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
Wild surprised most everyone. They continued to battle even when people wrote them off. I turned last nights game off when they went down 2-1. They're definitely a feel good story. HOWEVER....how can I not pick Chicago? They were rocky early, but then realized they were the Chicago Blackhawks and started winning. I'm going Chicago in 5
For the record Randy already has his picks for Round 2.
here we go for round 2. Boston over Montreal, New York over Pittsburgh, Chicago over Minnesota, Los Angeles over Anaheim
Happily surprised with the Wild winning in overtime last night of game 7. They gave the Avs all they were worth and now will be an interesting matchup for Chicago (more on that later). I predicted the Kings would win, and they did.....but I in now way saw the colossal collapse that occurred by San Jose. I'm so glad that I was wrong and the Flyers lost. Would that series have been different if Mason has started the first couple games....maybe.
So we need to go over the points that all the participants received in Round 1. Remember that each round has a weighted points system. Round 1 gets one point per win...which is easy to calculate.
Matt went 5-3 so he now has 5 points.
Mike also went 5-3 and has 5 points.
Jeff went 6-2 in the first round so he now has 6 points
Randy doesn't have a functional blog at the present time but locked his picks in with us via Facebook before Round 1. Amazingly Randy went 7-1 in Round 1 and is the current points leader with 7 points.
Yours Truly went 6-2 in the first round (which might be the best I've ever done). I have 6 points.
Enough of that. On to round 2. Points are doubled. 2 Points per correct pick.
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
This is the matchup to watch. These teams HATE each other. There is bad blood between these teams dating back before the current rosters were alive. Each time these teams meet, it's physical. I can't wait to see this series unfold. Montreal swept Tampa in round 1 and made it look easy. They've been sitting around since then. Will that hurt them? They're a little smaller than Boston. You also have two of the best goalies in the game going at it. Boston has grit and finds ways to win when they shouldn't. I think it'll be a good series. I've picked Boston to win the East....so I'm sticking with them. Boston in 7
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
I know I'll get killed by my Penguin fan friends, but this is the easiest series to pick. Penguins are going to lose. Not that I want them to, but they won't beat the Rangers. The Penguins just don't have the right group of people to win a Cup this year. They were up on Columbus in game 6 and played to "not lose" rather than to win, and almost let Columbus come back to tie. Fleury has been predictably bad in the playoffs costing them game 5. The Rangers are just the better all around team. Rangers in 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings
This should be a good series. I can't believe how badly LA lost the first 3....granted they came back and won the series....but that wasn't good. This is one of those series where I could make cases for each team. I watched each of them play. It's hard to bet against LA. I'm gonna pick the Ducks purely for sentimental reasons of hoping Selane gets another shot at the cup.....and I don't like Dustin Brown. Ducks in 6
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
Wild surprised most everyone. They continued to battle even when people wrote them off. I turned last nights game off when they went down 2-1. They're definitely a feel good story. HOWEVER....how can I not pick Chicago? They were rocky early, but then realized they were the Chicago Blackhawks and started winning. I'm going Chicago in 5
For the record Randy already has his picks for Round 2.
here we go for round 2. Boston over Montreal, New York over Pittsburgh, Chicago over Minnesota, Los Angeles over Anaheim
Monday, April 14, 2014
NHL Playoffs: Round 1
It's time. The time of year where every night I'm watching hockey from 7pm-really late. When you see me, you should buy me a coffee because I'll need it. I LOVE this time of year. This is the second season of hockey....where players step up...or are labeled chokers. Every year a group of friends and I make our picks round by round. I usually give a lot of personal analysis....which in the past has been worthless because my picks have been horrible.
As with last year, our picks will be weighted with points. So in this first round all pick wins will get one point. In round 2 they will be worth 2 points....and so on. Last year this worked nicely and gave those who picked poorly in round 1 a chance to make it up in the following rounds.
I believe last years crew will be back making their picks again this year. Matt is now in Ohio, Mike is in Virginia, Jeff is in Titusville PA, and Randy is in Toronto Canada. If you would like to be part of this years picks, you need to get them up before Wednesday when the playoffs begin.
I will preface my picks with this.....as always I've watched way more East Coast hockey than I have West. HOWEVER....I've tried the past few weeks catching some west coast teams.
I also have certain teams that I just want to lose. I struggle to pick them to win, even when it makes sense. I'm going to try hard this year to be rational...not biased. I'll try to note those things as they happen.
OK let's get to it.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings
I've gotta be honest here and say that I've been watching a lot of Bruins hockey. I wish the Sabres were more like the Bruins. They're tough, have good goaltending, and scoring from all 4 lines. They were dominant all year long. They never went more than two games this season with loses. HOWEVER the RedWings are the RedWings. They have had massive injuries this year and still made the playoffs with mostly AHL players. They are one of the most fundamentally sound teams in the league. They've been playing playoff hockey for weeks now....which could go either way for them. They also one the regular season series with the Bruins 3-1. That all being said, I'm taking BRUINS in 6
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
I have loved what Columbus has done this year. They worked hard and ground it out game after game and made the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history. They have one of the best goalies in the league. If Bob is hot, look out. HOWEVER...they have to face Pittsburgh in the first round. Normally I'm talking Pittsburgh up...this year not as much. I don't think they're tough enough to win the Cup this year. But I think they have enough talent and leadership to make it past Columbus. Pens in 5
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens
This is one of the more intriguing matchups of the first round. I don't know how I feel about this one. As of this moment we're not sure if Ben Bishop (Lightning goalie) will be able to play in the first round. That's a big factor. He's what got them this far. They have a good backup....but he's a backup for a reason. Montreal is small....but fast. Tampa won the regular season series 3-0-1. I'm still going to pick Montreal in 7.
New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Now this is the one everyone will be watching. This series is going to be a slugfest. I don't know if it'll be the best pure hockey, but it'll be a great series. Both teams are gritty and ready for the playoffs. As much as I hate the Flyers and thought that Craig Berube was a joke of a pick for coach, he's turned their season around and they're going to be hard to beat in the playoffs. The Flyers biggest weakness as always is goaltending....but Mason has been playing pretty good down the stretch....though he did leave yesterdays game with an injury...not sure how serious that'll be. This is where I say that I want desperately for the Flyers to lose....but I need to pick them. Flyers in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars
Anaheim on paper should win this matchup. They've been good all year. They have been at the top all year. HOWEVER Dallas has been surprising teams left and right. They seem to find ways to win. I don't have strong feelings about either team. I'd love to see Dallas coach Lindy Ruff win (ex-Sabres coach). I'd also love to see Teemu Selane lift the Cup. Ducks in 6
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild
I have an anti-Colorado bias here. I haven't had one until this year....when Patrick Roy became their coach. I've never like him. I've always thought he was too cocky....I still hold to that. However I can't argue with what he's done with the worst team in the league last year...making them a powerhouse. He's gotten the best out of young players and a goalie that other teams sat on the bench (Washington). I've always like Minnesota. I don't think they have the goaltending to be a threat. Avs in 5
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blues have been at the top of the league for most of the year.....and then the last few weeks happened. They saw the chance of a President's Trophy (best record in the league) go bye bye and they couldn't even win their division. And that's AFTER adding better goaltending than they already had in Ryan Miller. They also had some pretty big injuries in the final weeks. This last month has been BAD for the Blues. I want more than anything for the Blues to win for Miller's sake......but they're playing the defending champs, who last I looked still have some pretty big guns. Hawks in 6
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
This is the best matchup in the West. This is what the Flyers/Rangers series is to the East. This one will be a slobber-knocker. These two teams know each other very well...and they're not super friendly. The other thing about these two teams....they're really good. Much like the Flyers/Rangers I could see this one going either way. Historically it's like this.....the Sharks choke in the playoffs....and the last few years the Kings have been dominant in the playoffs. Until that changes, I'm sticking with it. Kings in 7
Thursday, April 10, 2014
NHL Playoff Preview
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and not boys. It's almost time for the NHL playoffs. Who's excited? This guy.
So each year here on my blog I post predictions of each round. I have had a group of friends who also blog their predictions and we have a friendly competition to see who wins. I have never won. Could this be the year? Maybe.
Last year my friend Mike joined our group and blogged his predictions. Would you like to join us this year? We'd like to have you. Please contact me soon so we can include you in the first round. There is a weighted points system which I'd like to explain to you. There's no prize.....but maybe I should consider getting one......
How have I never seen this one? So good.
So each year here on my blog I post predictions of each round. I have had a group of friends who also blog their predictions and we have a friendly competition to see who wins. I have never won. Could this be the year? Maybe.
Last year my friend Mike joined our group and blogged his predictions. Would you like to join us this year? We'd like to have you. Please contact me soon so we can include you in the first round. There is a weighted points system which I'd like to explain to you. There's no prize.....but maybe I should consider getting one......
How have I never seen this one? So good.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Dream
This is my dream.
A dude who works for the Sabres, got a one day contract to be the back up goalie because they traded their goalie (Ryan Miller) away and didn't have time to call anyone up from their AHL team. So a guy who works in an office (plays rec league hockey) gets to suit up for the Sabres. I know it's corny but I got all emotional watching this video.
A dude who works for the Sabres, got a one day contract to be the back up goalie because they traded their goalie (Ryan Miller) away and didn't have time to call anyone up from their AHL team. So a guy who works in an office (plays rec league hockey) gets to suit up for the Sabres. I know it's corny but I got all emotional watching this video.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
How I Spent My Night
It's Wednesday night. For me that's hockey night. I go play pick-up hockey every Wednesday night in Jamestown (a town 35 minutes north of here). No big deal. Normal Wednesday right?
So when I left my house, my phone was at 36%. I always call my friend Wheeze on the way to hockey to chat, so I figured I was good to go. So I leave for hockey and do just that. I'm talking to Wheeze and driving along when things start wobbling funny. I pull over literally ON the state line.
Flat tire. Crap. OK. No problem. My dad taught me to change a tire when I was a boy. I can do this. I find all the gear I need and set to work. Since it's the front passenger side and I"m in the middle of nowhere I have to occasionally use the flashlight app on my phone as I do this. Soon a guy pulls into the turn around and puts his headlights on my work. Nice.
HOWEVER.....I soon realize that my four-way flashers have drained my battery (probably bad battery). So after I change the tire, I go to start the car and it's dead.
No problem. I'll just call AAA. (I didn't want to call Marjorie because it was 8:30 and all the boys were in bed when I left the house). So I call AAA and as I do I realize I now only have 8% battery on my phone. Literally in the middle of my call for help, my phone dies.
So to recap.....I'm in the middle of nowhere. My car is dead. My battery is dead.
I stop to think things through for awhile and realize I need to flag someone down for help. I then also realize that my coat is black. My jeans are dark blue. My long sleeve T-shirt is dark blue. My normal T-shirt is dark grey. So I want people to see me....and everything I"m wearing is dark....in the middle of the night. Awesome.
So I'm standing outside looking up at the stars (which were gorgeous because I was in middle of nowhere, it was dark, and it was clear).....I started talking out loud to God. "OK God. I have to flag someone down. In this day and age that's not gonna be easy, even in day light. You need to send someone that's gonna help"
Then I started my sociological experiment. How many cars will pass by without stopping for a guy dressed all in black (and a looking a bit rough around the edges) in the middle of nowhere at night?
Answer? 19. Sort of.
Most cars saw me. Hit their brakes...then kept going. One car even almost came to a complete stop....then sped up and left.
Finally I saw a car drive past, hit their brakes and go to turn around to come back. BUT just as that happened a Sheriff's car pulled in. So the other car just slowed down and then drove on. (Thank you whoever you were)
Now on to the Sheriff......
HIM:"How you doing tonight sir?"
ME:"Well I've had better nights."
HIM: "what seems to be the problem?"
ME: (I explain everything I already told you)
HIM: So you just need a jump? Cause I have cables.
Me: That would be awesome. Thank you so much.
HIM: Aaron right?
Me: Yes......um.....
HIM: (he introduces himself....I don't want to use his name here without his permission) HOWEVER.......we were in boy scouts together 25 years ago.
So the guy that came to my rescue....is someone I knew ages ago. How CRAZY is that? So when I tell God that he has to send someone to stop for me.....he sends an old friend. Seriously? Tell me that's random chance. Tell me that all of that happened for no reason and it was just coincidence. NO DANG WAY!
So when I left my house, my phone was at 36%. I always call my friend Wheeze on the way to hockey to chat, so I figured I was good to go. So I leave for hockey and do just that. I'm talking to Wheeze and driving along when things start wobbling funny. I pull over literally ON the state line.
Flat tire. Crap. OK. No problem. My dad taught me to change a tire when I was a boy. I can do this. I find all the gear I need and set to work. Since it's the front passenger side and I"m in the middle of nowhere I have to occasionally use the flashlight app on my phone as I do this. Soon a guy pulls into the turn around and puts his headlights on my work. Nice.
HOWEVER.....I soon realize that my four-way flashers have drained my battery (probably bad battery). So after I change the tire, I go to start the car and it's dead.
No problem. I'll just call AAA. (I didn't want to call Marjorie because it was 8:30 and all the boys were in bed when I left the house). So I call AAA and as I do I realize I now only have 8% battery on my phone. Literally in the middle of my call for help, my phone dies.
So to recap.....I'm in the middle of nowhere. My car is dead. My battery is dead.
I stop to think things through for awhile and realize I need to flag someone down for help. I then also realize that my coat is black. My jeans are dark blue. My long sleeve T-shirt is dark blue. My normal T-shirt is dark grey. So I want people to see me....and everything I"m wearing is dark....in the middle of the night. Awesome.
So I'm standing outside looking up at the stars (which were gorgeous because I was in middle of nowhere, it was dark, and it was clear).....I started talking out loud to God. "OK God. I have to flag someone down. In this day and age that's not gonna be easy, even in day light. You need to send someone that's gonna help"
Then I started my sociological experiment. How many cars will pass by without stopping for a guy dressed all in black (and a looking a bit rough around the edges) in the middle of nowhere at night?
Answer? 19. Sort of.
Most cars saw me. Hit their brakes...then kept going. One car even almost came to a complete stop....then sped up and left.
Finally I saw a car drive past, hit their brakes and go to turn around to come back. BUT just as that happened a Sheriff's car pulled in. So the other car just slowed down and then drove on. (Thank you whoever you were)
Now on to the Sheriff......
HIM:"How you doing tonight sir?"
ME:"Well I've had better nights."
HIM: "what seems to be the problem?"
ME: (I explain everything I already told you)
HIM: So you just need a jump? Cause I have cables.
Me: That would be awesome. Thank you so much.
HIM: Aaron right?
Me: Yes......um.....
HIM: (he introduces himself....I don't want to use his name here without his permission) HOWEVER.......we were in boy scouts together 25 years ago.
So the guy that came to my rescue....is someone I knew ages ago. How CRAZY is that? So when I tell God that he has to send someone to stop for me.....he sends an old friend. Seriously? Tell me that's random chance. Tell me that all of that happened for no reason and it was just coincidence. NO DANG WAY!
Saturday, January 04, 2014
I want to be Canadian.....sort of.
Unbeknownst to most of the United States there is a major hockey tournament going on. It happens every year actually. It's the World Junior IIHF Championship. Why is this a big deal? Well if you're a hockey fan....the kids who play in this tournament will be in the NHL in a year or two.
If you like hockey this is PURE hockey. These kids are all trying to prove themselves. They skate harder and faster than a normal NHL game. They all want to make their mark. These kids fly.
Since hockey isn't a recognized sport in this country (because ESPN doesn't have a contract with the NHL.....don't get me started on that), it doesn't get much air time. The USA actually has a team in this tournament....or they did.....they were eliminated yesterday by Russia. So what? Well after the last Russian goal one of the US players put his stick in the Russians face because he was taunting them. That was cool.
ANYWAY....I'm watching this tournament.....because I like hockey.
So what? Well nothing really.
HOWEVER....since we don't have TV, I've been watching Canadian feeds on the internet.
CANADA loves hockey. They view this tournament as relevance in the world. It was a national disaster that they didn't medal last year. And since this year is also the Olympics, Canada is hyping up Canadian hockey.
I don't really want to be Canadian.....but I'd like to be from a country that loves hockey like Canada does. Check these commercials out. If you don't want to be Canadian you're not human.....or you don't like hockey.
If you like hockey this is PURE hockey. These kids are all trying to prove themselves. They skate harder and faster than a normal NHL game. They all want to make their mark. These kids fly.
Since hockey isn't a recognized sport in this country (because ESPN doesn't have a contract with the NHL.....don't get me started on that), it doesn't get much air time. The USA actually has a team in this tournament....or they did.....they were eliminated yesterday by Russia. So what? Well after the last Russian goal one of the US players put his stick in the Russians face because he was taunting them. That was cool.
ANYWAY....I'm watching this tournament.....because I like hockey.
So what? Well nothing really.
HOWEVER....since we don't have TV, I've been watching Canadian feeds on the internet.
CANADA loves hockey. They view this tournament as relevance in the world. It was a national disaster that they didn't medal last year. And since this year is also the Olympics, Canada is hyping up Canadian hockey.
I don't really want to be Canadian.....but I'd like to be from a country that loves hockey like Canada does. Check these commercials out. If you don't want to be Canadian you're not human.....or you don't like hockey.
Monday, November 04, 2013
SHUTOUT
I just got a SHUTOUT!!!!
OK it wasn't against the best team in the league....but it's still a shutout.....which I haven't had in YEARS. Our league isn't known for it's 2-1 games.....more like 5-6. So I'm pretty fired up. The best part is that I wasn't even the best player on our team tonight. We have a new guy on our team that had a hat trick and was putting the puck in these little windows of open net. CRAZY. So fun to watch it happen.
OK it wasn't against the best team in the league....but it's still a shutout.....which I haven't had in YEARS. Our league isn't known for it's 2-1 games.....more like 5-6. So I'm pretty fired up. The best part is that I wasn't even the best player on our team tonight. We have a new guy on our team that had a hat trick and was putting the puck in these little windows of open net. CRAZY. So fun to watch it happen.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Best Stanley Cup Commercial
I stayed up last night for triple overtime of game 1 of the Cup finals. Maybe I'm tired. But this commercial gets me all emotional.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
NHL Playoffs: Stanley Cup Finals
So here we are. The Finals. At the beginning of this ride, I would've guessed one of these two teams...and made a strong case for the other. The Finals are always a sad time for me.....because it means I can't watch hockey for another 3-4 months. That's dumb.
So let's start by checking where all our competitors are at. Remember the last round was worth 3 points per prediction.
Mike came into this round leading with 14 points. He was 1-1 so Mike currently has 17 points.
Jeff had 13 points prior to the Conference Finals...he also went 1-1 so Jeff now has 16 points
Randy had 12 points before this round and went 2-0 predicting that the Bruins would upset the Pens. He now jumps into first place with 18 points.
Aaron (me) had 12 points....I also went 1-1...so slide down to 4th place with 15 points.
Matt is having a rough year and came into this round with 8 points...and then went 0 fur...so still has 8 points.
Randy 18
Mike 17
Jeff 16
Aaron 15
Matt 8
So on to my Finals picks. Also note that this round is worth 4 points.
STANLEY CUP FINALS
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins
At this point you can make a case for both teams. They didn't get here by accident. Chicago was suppose to be here. Lots of international prognosticators had them winning it all before the playoffs began. I've always said that if I were an NHL coach I wouldn't want to meet Boston in the playoffs...they're gritty and tough and built for this time of year....and they're showing it. You have a high scoring machine verses a defensive shut down team. How'd that work out for Pittsburgh? I don't really know....but I have to pick....so I'm saying Boston in 6.
Randy's picks: "I will hopefully retain my title by picking Chicago to defeat the Bruins."
Matt's picks: "Boston wins in 6"
Mike and Jeff also have Chicago
ALSO: We are in agreement that we like the points set up. I think we'll tweek it a bit next year.
So let's start by checking where all our competitors are at. Remember the last round was worth 3 points per prediction.
Mike came into this round leading with 14 points. He was 1-1 so Mike currently has 17 points.
Jeff had 13 points prior to the Conference Finals...he also went 1-1 so Jeff now has 16 points
Randy had 12 points before this round and went 2-0 predicting that the Bruins would upset the Pens. He now jumps into first place with 18 points.
Aaron (me) had 12 points....I also went 1-1...so slide down to 4th place with 15 points.
Matt is having a rough year and came into this round with 8 points...and then went 0 fur...so still has 8 points.
Randy 18
Mike 17
Jeff 16
Aaron 15
Matt 8
So on to my Finals picks. Also note that this round is worth 4 points.
STANLEY CUP FINALS
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins
At this point you can make a case for both teams. They didn't get here by accident. Chicago was suppose to be here. Lots of international prognosticators had them winning it all before the playoffs began. I've always said that if I were an NHL coach I wouldn't want to meet Boston in the playoffs...they're gritty and tough and built for this time of year....and they're showing it. You have a high scoring machine verses a defensive shut down team. How'd that work out for Pittsburgh? I don't really know....but I have to pick....so I'm saying Boston in 6.
Randy's picks: "I will hopefully retain my title by picking Chicago to defeat the Bruins."
Matt's picks: "Boston wins in 6"
Mike and Jeff also have Chicago
ALSO: We are in agreement that we like the points set up. I think we'll tweek it a bit next year.
Saturday, June 01, 2013
NHL Playoffs: Conference Finals
As I start this, game 1 is already 2/3's done....but all our picks are already in, even though they're not already blogged. I'm gonna try to make this short and sweet as I'm short on time tonight....and I want to watch hockey more than I want to talk about it.
Recap of 2nd round. (remember that a right prediction in round 2 was worth 2 points)
Randy was perfect in round 1 for 8 points and went 2-2 in round 2 for an additional 4 points and now has 12 points total
Mike finished round 1 with 6 points and was perfect in round 2 for an additional 8 points. He now has 14 points total
Matt had 4 points at the end of round 1. In round 2 he went 2-2 for an additional 4 points he now has 8 points total
Jeff ended round 1 with 5 points. He was perfect in Round 2. So he has 13 points total
I finished round 1 with 6 points. I went 3-1 in round 2 for an additional 6. I now also have 12 points total
So as of now
Mike 14
Jeff 13
Randy 12
Aaron 12
Matt 8
Remember round 3 is worth 3 points each (we should've made this round 4 points to even things out....but this is what we agreed to so I'm sticking with it.....next year!)
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins
I'll make this short. I love the way the Bruins play. I still think the Pens are just too deep this year. They're getting scoring from everyone. They made a good goalie in Anderson look like a rookie in the last round. Unless the refs call zero penalties in this round, the Pens win. PENGUINS IN 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Los Angeles Kings vs Chicago Blackhawks
This is the series to actually watch. I picked the Kings via Facebook yesterday, but the more I've thought about it over the last 24 hours, I have a feeling the Hawks are going to win. I think I picked the Kings because the Blackhawks would be more of a challenge to Pittsburgh in the Finals then LA would. So if any of the boys are reading this...you can decide.....I'll stick with my Kings pick if you want.....but I'm calling Chicago in 7
Randy's picks for this round:
My Picks are Chicago over Los Angeles and Boston to upset Pittsburgh.
Matt's picks (until he can blog them)
Los Angeles in 7 (they have the look of last year again), Pittsburgh in 6 (Boston is sitting too long to maintain their streaky offense)
Recap of 2nd round. (remember that a right prediction in round 2 was worth 2 points)
Randy was perfect in round 1 for 8 points and went 2-2 in round 2 for an additional 4 points and now has 12 points total
Mike finished round 1 with 6 points and was perfect in round 2 for an additional 8 points. He now has 14 points total
Matt had 4 points at the end of round 1. In round 2 he went 2-2 for an additional 4 points he now has 8 points total
Jeff ended round 1 with 5 points. He was perfect in Round 2. So he has 13 points total
I finished round 1 with 6 points. I went 3-1 in round 2 for an additional 6. I now also have 12 points total
So as of now
Mike 14
Jeff 13
Randy 12
Aaron 12
Matt 8
Remember round 3 is worth 3 points each (we should've made this round 4 points to even things out....but this is what we agreed to so I'm sticking with it.....next year!)
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins
I'll make this short. I love the way the Bruins play. I still think the Pens are just too deep this year. They're getting scoring from everyone. They made a good goalie in Anderson look like a rookie in the last round. Unless the refs call zero penalties in this round, the Pens win. PENGUINS IN 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Los Angeles Kings vs Chicago Blackhawks
This is the series to actually watch. I picked the Kings via Facebook yesterday, but the more I've thought about it over the last 24 hours, I have a feeling the Hawks are going to win. I think I picked the Kings because the Blackhawks would be more of a challenge to Pittsburgh in the Finals then LA would. So if any of the boys are reading this...you can decide.....I'll stick with my Kings pick if you want.....but I'm calling Chicago in 7
Randy's picks for this round:
My Picks are Chicago over Los Angeles and Boston to upset Pittsburgh.
Matt's picks (until he can blog them)
Los Angeles in 7 (they have the look of last year again), Pittsburgh in 6 (Boston is sitting too long to maintain their streaky offense)
Friday, May 17, 2013
MUST Watch Video of the Day
There was a photoshopped picture that appeared a year or so ago of Darth Maul with a two bladed hockey stick. Again...not real. Until recently. Watch the stick handling at the end. Crazy fun.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
NHL Playoffs : Round 2
So here we are in Round 2 after a fabulous first round of hockey. Man I forgot how much less sleep I get when there's good hockey to be had. I tried seeing at least a little bit of every series. So now it's on to Round 2.
Before we get to my picks we have some house keeping things that we need to take care of.
First, we have an addition to our crew of seers. My friend Mike added picks to his blog prior to Round 1's first games, so we're going to include him in our official score keeping this year. That's awesome. Welcome Mike.
Now that Mike is added, let's see how everyone did in Round 1. Remember that each correct pick in the first round is worth 1 point.
Randy was a freak of nature and picked EVERY WINNER...going 8-0 so he now has 8 points total.
Aaron went 6-2 (probably my best outing ever in the first round) so I now have 6 points
Mike went 6-2 so he has 6 points total
Jeff went 5-3 so he now had 5 points total
Matt split at 4-4 so he has 4 points total
Also remember that in round two each game is worth 2 points. So it's possible that someone could make a jump if they pick the upsets the right way.
One of the things that I love and hate about the second round is that it's so much harder to pick winners and losers. I could make a case for each team winning in this next round. Some of my picks might come down to personal interest or gut. NOW on to my Round 2 picks.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
This is a tough one. The Pens got pushed hard in round 1 by a speedy Islanders team. They also had some goaltending problems. The Sens handled Montreal. Craig Anderson is playing some crazy goal between the pipes. Spezza is practicing...not sure about his return time table yet though. You also have the Matt Cooke story line as well. My gut tells me the Sens are going to win. I just can't pick them though. I don't WANT them to win. So my official pick is Aaron's Pick: Penguins in 7
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins
I'm looking forward to this series more than any other in the second round. These are two gritty teams that were pushed to game 7 in the first round. I think this is going to be a slugfest. Lundqvist comes into this series with back to back shutouts. Rask has been playing pretty darn good. The goals he's let in have mostly been defensive breakdowns. As of this moment there is no word on Dennis Seidenberg's leg injury which would be a huge loss for the B's. Again this series is so hard to call. Will Nash and Richards actually show up? Will Tyler Seguin or anyone OTHER than the top line show up? So tough to call. Aaron's Pick: Bruins in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit RedWings
Old rivalries renewed. This would've been a better Conference Final, but this is how it is. I loved Detroits grit, determination and veteran power to win out over the Ducks. They really started to handle themselves. However....The Hawks are just too dang good. They didn't even hit their stride versus Minnesota. I don't thing the Wings pull this out. Aaron's Pick: Chicago in 5
San Jose Sharks vs. LA Kings
This is the series to watch out West for me. This is the Ranger v. Bruins of the West. Grit. Tough. Hitting. That's my guess. The Sharks squashed a very good Vancouver team. The Kings struggled out of the gate, but pulled it together to send the Blues packing. The Kings were here last year....but the Sharks have been here almost every year. I like the Kings, but I don't think they're last years team, even though they're basically last years team. Aaron's Pick: Sharks in 6
Here are Randy's picks for this round:
Ottawa Senators to upset the Pittsburgh Penguins.
New York Rangers to upset the Boston Bruins.
Chicago Blackhawks to defeat the Detroit Redwings.
Los Angeles Kings to upset the San Jose Sharks.
Matt said he'll get his up but probably not by tonight so here are his official picks and then you can check his blog later for details.
Pens over Sens in 7
Rangers over Bruins in 6
Blackhawks over Red Wings in 7
Sharks over Kings in 6
Before we get to my picks we have some house keeping things that we need to take care of.
First, we have an addition to our crew of seers. My friend Mike added picks to his blog prior to Round 1's first games, so we're going to include him in our official score keeping this year. That's awesome. Welcome Mike.
Now that Mike is added, let's see how everyone did in Round 1. Remember that each correct pick in the first round is worth 1 point.
Randy was a freak of nature and picked EVERY WINNER...going 8-0 so he now has 8 points total.
Aaron went 6-2 (probably my best outing ever in the first round) so I now have 6 points
Mike went 6-2 so he has 6 points total
Jeff went 5-3 so he now had 5 points total
Matt split at 4-4 so he has 4 points total
Also remember that in round two each game is worth 2 points. So it's possible that someone could make a jump if they pick the upsets the right way.
One of the things that I love and hate about the second round is that it's so much harder to pick winners and losers. I could make a case for each team winning in this next round. Some of my picks might come down to personal interest or gut. NOW on to my Round 2 picks.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
This is a tough one. The Pens got pushed hard in round 1 by a speedy Islanders team. They also had some goaltending problems. The Sens handled Montreal. Craig Anderson is playing some crazy goal between the pipes. Spezza is practicing...not sure about his return time table yet though. You also have the Matt Cooke story line as well. My gut tells me the Sens are going to win. I just can't pick them though. I don't WANT them to win. So my official pick is Aaron's Pick: Penguins in 7
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins
I'm looking forward to this series more than any other in the second round. These are two gritty teams that were pushed to game 7 in the first round. I think this is going to be a slugfest. Lundqvist comes into this series with back to back shutouts. Rask has been playing pretty darn good. The goals he's let in have mostly been defensive breakdowns. As of this moment there is no word on Dennis Seidenberg's leg injury which would be a huge loss for the B's. Again this series is so hard to call. Will Nash and Richards actually show up? Will Tyler Seguin or anyone OTHER than the top line show up? So tough to call. Aaron's Pick: Bruins in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit RedWings
Old rivalries renewed. This would've been a better Conference Final, but this is how it is. I loved Detroits grit, determination and veteran power to win out over the Ducks. They really started to handle themselves. However....The Hawks are just too dang good. They didn't even hit their stride versus Minnesota. I don't thing the Wings pull this out. Aaron's Pick: Chicago in 5
San Jose Sharks vs. LA Kings
This is the series to watch out West for me. This is the Ranger v. Bruins of the West. Grit. Tough. Hitting. That's my guess. The Sharks squashed a very good Vancouver team. The Kings struggled out of the gate, but pulled it together to send the Blues packing. The Kings were here last year....but the Sharks have been here almost every year. I like the Kings, but I don't think they're last years team, even though they're basically last years team. Aaron's Pick: Sharks in 6
Here are Randy's picks for this round:
Ottawa Senators to upset the Pittsburgh Penguins.
New York Rangers to upset the Boston Bruins.
Chicago Blackhawks to defeat the Detroit Redwings.
Los Angeles Kings to upset the San Jose Sharks.
Matt said he'll get his up but probably not by tonight so here are his official picks and then you can check his blog later for details.
Pens over Sens in 7
Rangers over Bruins in 6
Blackhawks over Red Wings in 7
Sharks over Kings in 6
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
2013 NHL Playoffs: Round 1
It's my favorite time of years friends. Playoff time. Along with that comes my round by round predictions. As always I have a few friends who will be predicting with me what's gonna happen. I've been horrible at this in the past....I think I over-analyze.
So this year our predictions will be weighted. Because there are 8 match-ups in the first round, someone could do well in that round and just OK in the other rounds and still win. So this year the first round match-ups are worth one point each. The second round are worth 2 points and so on. So that the later rounds are worth more and getting them right could right your ship. We'll see how it works...or doesn't work.
I have 3 friends that will be joining me this year. Last years winner was Randy who lives in Toronto. He no longer uses his blog so he will be submitting his picks to me via Facebook. I will try to include them here so they are up for all to see (see bottom of post). Matt lives in Kansas City. Jeff lives in Titusville PA. If you'd like to join us in predictions this year, let me know and I"ll include you, but for now these are the powerhouses.
Before I give you my picks, I want to say that the shortened season hasn't given me much of a chance to see enough hockey to make great picks this year. So I'm already making excuses for losing.
Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders
The Penguins are loaded for bear this year. At the end of the season they took on a bundle of players in trades. Even without Crosby they went 8-4 down the stretch. Next to no one has the Islanders beating the Pens in this match-up....and neither do I. Crosby is still questionable. I think the Pens win this even if he can't go. I like the Isles and am glad they made it this far this year. They're young and will be here again....this isn't their year. My pick: Pens in 5
Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
I don't have a dog in this fight. I could make arguments for either team winning this one. I like that Erik Karlsson has made his way back from a crazy Achilles injury. That gives them some firepower they've been missing most of the year. I'm just going to roll the dice on this matchup. My pick: Sens in 7
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
I know who I want to win. I don't know if it'll go that way. I've never liked Ovechkin. I think he's a pouter. I think he's turtled during the playoffs again and again. I'd like to believe this year will be the same. At the same time they've played lights out down the stretch while the very talented Rangers have faded. I think New York is the more talented team. I just don't know about this one. My pick: Rangers in 7
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
This should be an interesting series. These two teams don't have much history together....or rather they only have HISTORY together. The Maple Leafs haven't seen the playoffs for 9 years. (Cool aside is this is the first time all original six teams have made the playoffs in 17 years.) Boston started the year very tough and have softened up as the season has gone one...mostly due to injury. Toronto has also been a bit of a surprise but have stayed consistent most of the year. I don't have strong feelings on this one. I really like the way Boston is made up....tough and gritty...made for the playoffs. My pick: Bruins in 6
Western Conference
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
The Wild snuck into the playoffs. The Hawks clinch a spot weeks ago. People have been predicting Chicago to win the Cup since the beginning of the season. They're tough. I wouldn't be shocked if they at least made the Conference Finals. I would like to see Jason Pominville play well since he got traded on deadline day to the Wild though. My pick: Hawks in 4 or 5
Detroit RedWings vs. Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim has been the quiet amazing team this year. Pittsburgh and Chicago have made the noise and the Ducks have flown (pun intended) under the radar. The Wings snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. They're just not the wings of old. This should be a great series though. It could go either way. I'm gonna stay safe and say My pick: Ducks in 6
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks
It's hard for me to pick the Nucks here. They've been on the decline in general I feel. They're not the team that went to the Cup Finals two years ago. I don't really like San Jose's game, but I think they will bring enough to take the Canucks....particularly if Luongo is in net (Schneider is still uncertain for playoffs though is practicing). My pick: Sharks in 5 or 6
St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
Kings have been streaky. Will they be streaky at the right time? I have really liked watching the Blues this year. I really have loved watching their goalie Elliott come on strong in the last couple weeks. If he plays like that, this series is going to be awesome. Also....announced just today is that T.J. Oshie is going to be in the line-up after missing significant time to injury. Knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champs isn't going to be easy. They're still a highly skilled team and they now have experience to boot. This is another one that I could argue both sides of. My pick: Blues in 6
RANDY'S PICKS
Pittsburgh over New York
Ottawa to upset Montreal
New York to upset Washington
Boston over Toronto
Chicago over Minnesota
Detroit to upset Anaheim
San Jose to upset Vancouver
Los Angeles to upset St. Louis
So this year our predictions will be weighted. Because there are 8 match-ups in the first round, someone could do well in that round and just OK in the other rounds and still win. So this year the first round match-ups are worth one point each. The second round are worth 2 points and so on. So that the later rounds are worth more and getting them right could right your ship. We'll see how it works...or doesn't work.
I have 3 friends that will be joining me this year. Last years winner was Randy who lives in Toronto. He no longer uses his blog so he will be submitting his picks to me via Facebook. I will try to include them here so they are up for all to see (see bottom of post). Matt lives in Kansas City. Jeff lives in Titusville PA. If you'd like to join us in predictions this year, let me know and I"ll include you, but for now these are the powerhouses.
Before I give you my picks, I want to say that the shortened season hasn't given me much of a chance to see enough hockey to make great picks this year. So I'm already making excuses for losing.
Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders
The Penguins are loaded for bear this year. At the end of the season they took on a bundle of players in trades. Even without Crosby they went 8-4 down the stretch. Next to no one has the Islanders beating the Pens in this match-up....and neither do I. Crosby is still questionable. I think the Pens win this even if he can't go. I like the Isles and am glad they made it this far this year. They're young and will be here again....this isn't their year. My pick: Pens in 5
Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
I don't have a dog in this fight. I could make arguments for either team winning this one. I like that Erik Karlsson has made his way back from a crazy Achilles injury. That gives them some firepower they've been missing most of the year. I'm just going to roll the dice on this matchup. My pick: Sens in 7
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
I know who I want to win. I don't know if it'll go that way. I've never liked Ovechkin. I think he's a pouter. I think he's turtled during the playoffs again and again. I'd like to believe this year will be the same. At the same time they've played lights out down the stretch while the very talented Rangers have faded. I think New York is the more talented team. I just don't know about this one. My pick: Rangers in 7
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
This should be an interesting series. These two teams don't have much history together....or rather they only have HISTORY together. The Maple Leafs haven't seen the playoffs for 9 years. (Cool aside is this is the first time all original six teams have made the playoffs in 17 years.) Boston started the year very tough and have softened up as the season has gone one...mostly due to injury. Toronto has also been a bit of a surprise but have stayed consistent most of the year. I don't have strong feelings on this one. I really like the way Boston is made up....tough and gritty...made for the playoffs. My pick: Bruins in 6
Western Conference
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
The Wild snuck into the playoffs. The Hawks clinch a spot weeks ago. People have been predicting Chicago to win the Cup since the beginning of the season. They're tough. I wouldn't be shocked if they at least made the Conference Finals. I would like to see Jason Pominville play well since he got traded on deadline day to the Wild though. My pick: Hawks in 4 or 5
Detroit RedWings vs. Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim has been the quiet amazing team this year. Pittsburgh and Chicago have made the noise and the Ducks have flown (pun intended) under the radar. The Wings snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. They're just not the wings of old. This should be a great series though. It could go either way. I'm gonna stay safe and say My pick: Ducks in 6
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks
It's hard for me to pick the Nucks here. They've been on the decline in general I feel. They're not the team that went to the Cup Finals two years ago. I don't really like San Jose's game, but I think they will bring enough to take the Canucks....particularly if Luongo is in net (Schneider is still uncertain for playoffs though is practicing). My pick: Sharks in 5 or 6
St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
Kings have been streaky. Will they be streaky at the right time? I have really liked watching the Blues this year. I really have loved watching their goalie Elliott come on strong in the last couple weeks. If he plays like that, this series is going to be awesome. Also....announced just today is that T.J. Oshie is going to be in the line-up after missing significant time to injury. Knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champs isn't going to be easy. They're still a highly skilled team and they now have experience to boot. This is another one that I could argue both sides of. My pick: Blues in 6
RANDY'S PICKS
Pittsburgh over New York
Ottawa to upset Montreal
New York to upset Washington
Boston over Toronto
Chicago over Minnesota
Detroit to upset Anaheim
San Jose to upset Vancouver
Los Angeles to upset St. Louis
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
NHL Realignment Revisited
Last year the NHL proposed realignment. It seemed like it was a done deal. Gonna happen. Then the players union said, "um...hold on.....we get a say in this." And then vetoed it.
The NHL this weekend proposed a new realignment structure, that is similar to the old system, but not the same. Here are my thoughts on it. (for my thoughts on the last realignment go here and then here).
So let's start with talking about why we would want to realign teams anyway. Basically there are teams like Columbus, who have no business in the Western Conference. They're flying to Vancouver, LA, Phoenix, Edmonton. And you have Winnipeg who's still playing in the East because they used to be in Atlanta. So they're flying to Boston, Tampa, Washington. Silliness.
They're also trying to go from each conferences having 3 Divisions to there being 4 Conferences and no Divisions. OR you could look at it like there are now going to be two Divisions in two Conferences.....but it's not going to be called that. They're not East and West Conferences...just loose collections based on geography. The reasoning here is to create some rivalries and continue to foster rivalries that have existed.
OK so what's that look like. Here are the proposed new Conferences.
East Side (Not Eastern Conference) West Side (not a Conference)
Conference 1 Conference 2 Conference 3 Conference 4
Carolina Boston Chicago Anaheim
Columbus Buffalo Colorado Calgary
New Jersey Detroit Dallas Edmonton
NY Islanders Florida Minnesota LA Kings
NY Rangers Montreal Nashville Phoenix
Philadelphia Ottawa St. Louis San Jose
Pittsburgh Tampa Bay Winnipeg Vancouver
Washington Toronto
There's lot to be ironed out. The Players Union could still say "no" to the new realignment. But here are my initial thoughts.
It makes tons of sense for Columbus to move East. Detroit has been clamoring for years to move East as well....I don't really care either way....except we're going to lose that Chicago vs. Detroit rivalry, which as a hockey purist, is disappointing. HOWEVER, as a Sabres fan, I love that Detroit and Buffalo would be in the same Conference.
You'll notice the Conferences in the East have 8 teams and those in the "west" only have 7. This messes with the playoffs. There's a report that the top 3 teams in Conference 1 and 2 would get in and then two wild card teams from the remaining 10 teams would get in. In Conference 3 and 4 it'd be the same thing but 2 wild cards would come out of the remaining 8 teams. (At this point it would be a fine time to point out that the league had talked about adding another team in Toronto and a team in Quebec...which would make 32 teams and be divisible by 4...though would need some new realignment since they'd both be in the east. UGH)
Conference 1 is going to be SICK. Philly, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Devils, and to a lesser degree Washington. Crazy good hockey. Conference 2 will reunite a bunch of the Original 6 teams, which will fuel TV broadcasts.
The biggest thing you'll see is that it "centralizes" hockey. If you're a fan of one particular team, you're going to be seeing a lot more teams that are closer to you geographically. I mean you can look at those Conferences and visualize a map and it goes from the East Coast directly across to the West Coast by Conference.
It's safe to say I don't like change. Hate it actually. At the same time, the NHL always seems to be a step behind the NBA or NFL on keeping up with the times. This would be a step in the right direction. Bring on Detroit!
The NHL this weekend proposed a new realignment structure, that is similar to the old system, but not the same. Here are my thoughts on it. (for my thoughts on the last realignment go here and then here).
So let's start with talking about why we would want to realign teams anyway. Basically there are teams like Columbus, who have no business in the Western Conference. They're flying to Vancouver, LA, Phoenix, Edmonton. And you have Winnipeg who's still playing in the East because they used to be in Atlanta. So they're flying to Boston, Tampa, Washington. Silliness.
They're also trying to go from each conferences having 3 Divisions to there being 4 Conferences and no Divisions. OR you could look at it like there are now going to be two Divisions in two Conferences.....but it's not going to be called that. They're not East and West Conferences...just loose collections based on geography. The reasoning here is to create some rivalries and continue to foster rivalries that have existed.
OK so what's that look like. Here are the proposed new Conferences.
East Side (Not Eastern Conference) West Side (not a Conference)
Conference 1 Conference 2 Conference 3 Conference 4
Carolina Boston Chicago Anaheim
Columbus Buffalo Colorado Calgary
New Jersey Detroit Dallas Edmonton
NY Islanders Florida Minnesota LA Kings
NY Rangers Montreal Nashville Phoenix
Philadelphia Ottawa St. Louis San Jose
Pittsburgh Tampa Bay Winnipeg Vancouver
Washington Toronto
There's lot to be ironed out. The Players Union could still say "no" to the new realignment. But here are my initial thoughts.
It makes tons of sense for Columbus to move East. Detroit has been clamoring for years to move East as well....I don't really care either way....except we're going to lose that Chicago vs. Detroit rivalry, which as a hockey purist, is disappointing. HOWEVER, as a Sabres fan, I love that Detroit and Buffalo would be in the same Conference.
You'll notice the Conferences in the East have 8 teams and those in the "west" only have 7. This messes with the playoffs. There's a report that the top 3 teams in Conference 1 and 2 would get in and then two wild card teams from the remaining 10 teams would get in. In Conference 3 and 4 it'd be the same thing but 2 wild cards would come out of the remaining 8 teams. (At this point it would be a fine time to point out that the league had talked about adding another team in Toronto and a team in Quebec...which would make 32 teams and be divisible by 4...though would need some new realignment since they'd both be in the east. UGH)
Conference 1 is going to be SICK. Philly, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Devils, and to a lesser degree Washington. Crazy good hockey. Conference 2 will reunite a bunch of the Original 6 teams, which will fuel TV broadcasts.
The biggest thing you'll see is that it "centralizes" hockey. If you're a fan of one particular team, you're going to be seeing a lot more teams that are closer to you geographically. I mean you can look at those Conferences and visualize a map and it goes from the East Coast directly across to the West Coast by Conference.
It's safe to say I don't like change. Hate it actually. At the same time, the NHL always seems to be a step behind the NBA or NFL on keeping up with the times. This would be a step in the right direction. Bring on Detroit!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Random Saturday: NHL/hockey edition
Since we had a Henrik Lundqvist video...I have to put this up. If this doesn't get your blood pumping, you don't love hockey.
Best goals between from the LAST lockout to this one.
You might need to watch this one a couple times because it goes by fast.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
End of the Lockout
My favorite quote so far is "this is what it must've felt like when prohibition was lifted".
Players are to report to training camp by the end of this coming week. We're looking at a 48-52 game "mini" season and then playoffs....which if you go 7 games in each round could be more than another half of the mini-season.....
As you may have guessed I am ecstatic. Some of the details are still coming out about what the deal actually entails. Here are my thoughts on what we know, and what it means. I might update further as we know more.
-One of the big things the league wanted to do was limit the length of players contracts. A few teams signed guys to ridiculously long contracts that they didn't really expect the players to finish out. So the end result was that the longest player contract is 7 years. HOWEVER if a player re-signs with their team, they can sign for up to 8 years. To me this is fabulous. I'd have loved them to even do smaller contracts. There are far too many guys who sign long deals who then aren't worth it. In an ideal world (though not one we live in), you get paid by how well you play...sliding scale....have a good season and you get 5 million...have a bad season and you get 1.5. Oh well.
-There is a lower salary cap number. That's a win for the NHL. There is a higher cap floor. That's a win for the players. This forces more theoretical parody in the league. Teams now can't intentionally be too crappy.
-The big loophole that the NHL wanted to close was salary variance. Basically some of the longer deals were like this 6 year deal worth say 35 million dollars. HOWEVER, year 1 was 10 million, year 2 was 9 million, year 3 was 7 million, year 4 is 5 million, year 5 and 6 are each only 2 million each. Another term for this is front-loading a contract. The league had hoped to have only 5% variance in the contracts. The end result is a max 35% variance with no greater than 50% drop. So if the top year is 10 million...no year in the contract can dip below 5 million. This is good for a variety of reason. Some of the really long term deals were so front loaded and long that the teams really didn't even expect the player to make it to the last couple years of the contract. It was cap circumvention. That loophole has been closed.
-There was talk yesterday of allowing teams 2 player buy-outs per season. Basically this gives teams the ability to walk away from deals that they screwed up. I have heard conflicting reports on where this ended. One says it won't come into affect until next year. One says right now. Either way teams would need to pay the players like 3/4 of the remaining salary, so it's not an easy out. It does eliminate teams sending their contracted players down to the minors to just get rid of them. I think teams will still be hesitant to buy out players in this fashion because most of the teams that would think about it, have money problems to begin with.
Ultimately....we're gonna see hockey. That'll be nice. Game on.
I leave you with Stompin Tom Connors.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
NHL Playoffs: Stanely Cup Finals
What really needs said at this point? Few of the logical choices
were winners. We have a 6 and a 8 seed playing for the CUP. I
guarantee NO ONE had these two teams picked for the Finals.
MATT was 6-6....he is now 7-7
RANDY was 8-4....he is now 9-4
JEFF was 5-7....he is now 6-8
I am total crap because I picked the "right" teams to win each round. I was 4-8. I am no a very miserable 4-10.
Another great year of hockey. What am I going to do when the Finals are over?
My take on this series.
STANLEY CUP FINALS
New Jersey Devils vs. LA Kings
You can make a case for either of these teams. Very similar playing styles. Some tough gritty teams. Great goaltending. Good upfront. I think LA is a bit tougher. I kind of don't like them. I think they cross the line a bit. Goaltending.....both guys are crazy. I've said that the West is going to win the CUP. I just can't pick LA. I would love to see Marty Brodeur with the Cup again. It doesn't make sense but....Aaron's pick: Devils in 6
MATT was 6-6....he is now 7-7
RANDY was 8-4....he is now 9-4
JEFF was 5-7....he is now 6-8
I am total crap because I picked the "right" teams to win each round. I was 4-8. I am no a very miserable 4-10.
Another great year of hockey. What am I going to do when the Finals are over?
My take on this series.
STANLEY CUP FINALS
New Jersey Devils vs. LA Kings
You can make a case for either of these teams. Very similar playing styles. Some tough gritty teams. Great goaltending. Good upfront. I think LA is a bit tougher. I kind of don't like them. I think they cross the line a bit. Goaltending.....both guys are crazy. I've said that the West is going to win the CUP. I just can't pick LA. I would love to see Marty Brodeur with the Cup again. It doesn't make sense but....Aaron's pick: Devils in 6
Saturday, May 12, 2012
NHL Playoffs: Conference Finals
Well we're on to a new round. I have no idea what's going on. This has to be the least predictable year. I've even watched professional sports writers predictions....everyone is wrong this year. It's bad for predictions, but man has there been some great hockey.
So lets see how our blogging predictors have done.
Matt finished round 1 5-3. In the Semi's he went 1-3. Matt is now 6-6
Randy was also 5-3 in round 1. In the Semi's he went 3-1. Randy is now our leader at 8-4.
Jeff was 4-4 in round 1. Jeff went 1-3 in the Semi's. He is now 5-7.
Basically I'm crap at this. I was 3-5 in round 1 and also went 1-3 in round 2. Which brings me to 4-8. Awesome.
Let me just say a few things to close out the Semi's before I make my predictions.
-THE FLYERS LOST!!!! YIPEE!!!
-The West is amazing.
-Is there really a point in me making picks? I clearly have no idea what I'm talking about even though I watch a ton of hockey all year long and have watched almost every game of the playoffs. Honestly I'm the least sure of the picks of this round. You could make a case for any of these four teams making it to the Cup.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Phoenix Coyotes vs. LA Kings:
I didn't see either of these teams getting this far. AND both teams played amazingly. Both teams just flat out dominated their Semi-round match-ups. Why? Their goalies. Jonathan Quick and Mike Smith are the reasons their teams are winning. Who is going to continue to play like that and who's going to let up some bad ones? No idea. You could make a case for both teams. I think probably LA has the advantage at forward...but Phoenix wasn't bad either. I'm just gonna go with who I'd LIKE to see win. I'm going with Phoenix in 7. No reason other than I'd like to see Shane Doan raise the Cup.
So lets see how our blogging predictors have done.
Matt finished round 1 5-3. In the Semi's he went 1-3. Matt is now 6-6
Randy was also 5-3 in round 1. In the Semi's he went 3-1. Randy is now our leader at 8-4.
Jeff was 4-4 in round 1. Jeff went 1-3 in the Semi's. He is now 5-7.
Basically I'm crap at this. I was 3-5 in round 1 and also went 1-3 in round 2. Which brings me to 4-8. Awesome.
Let me just say a few things to close out the Semi's before I make my predictions.
-THE FLYERS LOST!!!! YIPEE!!!
-The West is amazing.
-Is there really a point in me making picks? I clearly have no idea what I'm talking about even though I watch a ton of hockey all year long and have watched almost every game of the playoffs. Honestly I'm the least sure of the picks of this round. You could make a case for any of these four teams making it to the Cup.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils:
What happened to the Devils? They played some seriously tough hockey in the Semi round. They just imposed their will against the Flyers. Brodeur, for the most part looked like his younger self. They were impressive. The Rangers went to Game 7 with Washington. Either of those teams could've won that series. I really like the Rangers. I think that Lundqvist is an incredible goalie. The Rangers have a bunch of young speedy guys and a good bundle of grinders. As much as I don't like their coach because of his mouth, he knows strategy and can motivate his guys. I'm gonna go Rangers in 6. I"m not sure I have a good reason for this pick. The Devils proved they can shut down stars.WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Phoenix Coyotes vs. LA Kings:
I didn't see either of these teams getting this far. AND both teams played amazingly. Both teams just flat out dominated their Semi-round match-ups. Why? Their goalies. Jonathan Quick and Mike Smith are the reasons their teams are winning. Who is going to continue to play like that and who's going to let up some bad ones? No idea. You could make a case for both teams. I think probably LA has the advantage at forward...but Phoenix wasn't bad either. I'm just gonna go with who I'd LIKE to see win. I'm going with Phoenix in 7. No reason other than I'd like to see Shane Doan raise the Cup.
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