By:
On:
In: Central Division, NHL
With: 0 Comments

With the NHL season nearing its end, the draft and free agency are fast approaching. What’s generally a whirlwind to begin with will be imbued with the frenetic energy of a Doc Emrick goal call. It’ll be made all the more intriguing given the difficulty many teams will have adhering to the salary cap. More than any season since 2005-06 they’ll have to get creative moving forward. Some big names may be in new places before the puck drops on 2020-21. Embed from Getty Images   With that in mind, one team to watch is the Colorado Avalanche. A formidable group with a solid mixRead More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 0 Comments

2020 has been unpredictable and challenging for all of us, so it’s nice to know that the Leafs, after ending yet another season with a collapse, are attempting to provide us with a sense of normalcy in these trying times. After a five game loss in the play in round, GM Kyle Dubas once again has a plenty of decisions to make, and questions to answer. So where does he go from here? And who’s left standing when all’s said and done? The Big Four The Leafs’ roster starts and ends with the big four up front. Their core forwards are among the best (andRead More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 0 Comments

With the Dallas Stars looking to make their first trip back to the Stanley Cup Finals since losing to New Jersey in 2000, here’s a look at the front runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy should they claim Lord Stanley’s Cup. Embed from Getty Images Front runner: Miro Heiskanen: There really has to be one consensus pick at this point for Dallas. The young stalwart has shown why the Stars were reticent to move in him in a potential deal for Erik Karlsson and his play has many believing he’ll likely join him as a Norris Trophy winner before long. Already in the conversation withRead More →

By:
On:
In: Atlantic Division, NHL
With: 0 Comments

The Florida Panthers made huge waves last off season landing one of the most prominent UFA’s in goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The general perception was, despite the high cap hit and lengthy term that, at least for the foreseeable future, the former two time Vezina winner would be a significant upgrade. Like so many things in 2020, they didn’t see this coming… Embed from Getty Images What We Thought: After establishing himself as one of the best in the game with Columbus, and coming off an impressive first round upset over the heavily favoured Lightning, Bobrovsky was a coveted free agent and the Panthers seemed anRead More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 0 Comments

Goal Greats With Alex Ovechkin hitting the 700 goal mark, passing another legend on seemingly a nightly basis, the only question left seems to be if/when he’ll catch the Great One? Whether or not he breaks Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals, many consider Ovi the greatest goal scorer ever, and there’s a solid argument to be made. Goaltending and defensive systems have come a long way since Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe and ‘Rocket’ Richard were blasting pucks past netminders. Ovi moved ahead of names like Lemieux, Yzerman and Messier of late, but let’s take a look at some of the other less talked aboutRead More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 0 Comments

The world of sports lends itself to all manner of water cooler debate: Which player would you rather have? Who’s the greatest of all time? How exactly are the Patriots cheating this week? And if you could change one rule, what would it be? Generally speaking the NHL’s done a decent job with theirs. You may get the odd fan grumbling about a puck over the glass resulting in a delay of game infraction or the infamous instigator rule, but by and large, it’s not a book fans want totally rewritten. However, if there’s one rule the NHL has right now that’s so incredibly irritatingRead More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 1 Comment

Dustin, is he Byfuglien-or-out? Can the Jets soar above a competitive Central Division, or will they find themselves grounded. With more aircraft puns wrapped in a season preview, let’s see what we can expect from Winnipeg: Notable Players In: Nathan Beaulieu, Mark Letestu, Anthony Bitetto, Embed from Getty Images Notable Players Out: Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, Dustin Byfuglien (?) Brandon Tanev, Ben Chiarot, Joseph Morrow, Marko Dano,  First Key Game: Oct. 3rd @ NYR – The Jets will face former teammate Jacob Trouba right out of the gate as they begin the season on a 4 game Eastern swing. Odds to win the division 5:1Read More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 1 Comment

The San Jose Sharks of recent seasons were a team that looked like cup contenders, but that image has started to slide. This off season has brought in a lot of personnel changes, with that, let’s preview what this season could look like: Notable Players In: Dalton Prout, Tim Heed Embed from Getty Images Notable Players Out: Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi, Gustav Nyquist, Tom Pyatt First Key Game: Vegas Golden Knights – October 2nd Odds to win the division 17:4 (t-2nd overall) (via Betway) Is this a bet worth taking? The Sharks are among the favourites in the Pacific but are swimming in treacherous waters.Read More →

By:
On:
In: NHL
With: 1 Comment

The Houston Ottawa Senators are approaching 2019-20 in a new light, while looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2018-19 season. With proper hockey not far away, let’s take a fresh look by previewing what the team’s season might look like. Notable Players In: Ryan Callahan (LTIR), Ron Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev, Tyler Ennis, Connor Brown, Artem Anisimov, Jordan Szwarz Embed from Getty Images Notable Players Out: Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Mike Condon, Cody Ceci, Zack Smith, Magnus Paajarvi, Stefan Elliott, Brian Gibbons, First Key Game: New York Rangers – October 5th Odds to win the division 300:1 (8th overall) (via Betway) Is thisRead More →

By:
On:
In: Central Division, NHL
With: 1 Comment

The Nashville Predators were favourites to go all the way to the 2019 Stanley Cup final, but surprised everyone by falling to the Dallas Stars in round one. Hoping to avoid a repeat this season, some big personnel changes have been made. Let’s preview what the Preds 2019-20 should look like: Notable Players In: Matt Duchene, Daniel Carr Embed from Getty Images Notable Players Out: P.K. Subban, Kevin Henderson, Wayne Simmonds, Brian Boyle, Cody McLeod First Key Game: Minnesota Wild – October 3rd Odds to win the division 17:4 (t-3rd overall) (via Betway) Is this a bet worth taking? The Preds are deep and aRead More →