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Inspired by the rumours that PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino was returning to manage Spurs (now debunked), this got me wondering how many NHL head coaches had been rehired by their former teams, and whether or not they found success second time around. I know the head coach merry-go-round is very active in the NHL, but it turns out that a lot of coaches have been given a second bite of the cherry, so in this irregular series, I’ll be taking a look at some of those coaches to see if it was better second time around. Randy Carlyle – Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Anaheim Ducks. EmbedRead More →

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In episode #336, Carl and Nick asked if the Conn Smythe Trophy has ever been awarded to a player who wasn’t top goal/point scorer or goalie with best save percentage? Great question! The Conn Smythe is awarded to the player deemed most valuable for his team in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and in all but five occasions, has gone to a player on the winning side. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association vote to decide who wins. Is it a foregone conclusion that the player who lifts the trophy will also be top of the stats chart? Let’s take a look: Assuming I finishRead More →

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Alright Washington Capitals fans, put away your pitchforks and call off Tom Wilson! I am not saying Alex Ovechkin will leave D.C. However, I feel there is a good argument here. This season marked Ovi’s 16th season with the Capitals. Washington will do everything in its power to lock their captain down for life. You get the sense that Ovechkin is probably keen for this to happen as well. Last season unfortunately saw yet another early playoff exit and this is where a certain doubt starts to creep in. Embed from Getty Images This question begs a big discussion and Joe Martini and I willRead More →

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In episode #329 of The 4th Line Hockey Podcast, the boys are discussing Connor McDavid‘s amazing tally of 100 points in this shortened season. Stevie Nick says this: …would McDavid be putting up this amount of points if he had to play every other team in the league? It’s a good question, and before the Edmonton fanbase starts waving their pitchforks, we all know that McDavid is absolutely the best player in the league. No argument there. Has he been helped by the fact that he’s only playing against six other teams? We’ll never know the answer for certain, but we can compare his unbelievableRead More →

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Brodie’s Thoughts In the illustrious words of Homer Simpson “That was fast…” With the soccer world up in arms over the proposed Super League, comprised of six power house British Premier League clubs and a number of vaunted European squads, the guys recently discussed its incredibly tumultuous, and rapid demise. It did however yield some positives: the intriguing question of should North American sports adopt the relegation format of European leagues? It’s an entertaining prospect to think of, though ultimately about as pragmatic as wearing running shoes to play in the NHL. As the old adage goes, “The answer to all your questions is money.”Read More →

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When the Tim Peel news broke, my immediate reaction was one of shock and surprise. Not that game management and make-up calls happen, but that this was somehow a surprise to a lot of people. Game management by officials has been part of the sport for a long, long time and while there’s an argument that it shouldn’t be, there’s a stronger argument that it should. Embed from Getty Images In a sport where every game is televised, officials are more under the microscope than ever before. Slow motion, multi-angle replays allow every call/missed call to be analyzed in minute detail. Often conveniently ignoring theRead More →

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When I heard that The Mighty Ducks would return as a sequel, I was worried. The original Mighty Ducks and Mighty Ducks 2 were a formative part of my youth. My sister and I wore out our copy of D2 so much we had to buy another one. The original Mighty Ducks were one of the reasons I got into hockey, and for one I didn’t want that rose colored image of my youth squandered for big bucks and branding.    Now, I understand, this is Disney, they’re all about the big bucks and the branding, but I just felt like I wanted to protectRead More →

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When Taylor Hall signed for the Sabres last offseason it raised eyebrows. Sabres fans believed a new revolution was here. This surely was the team’s statement of intent to bring King Jack his first cup. However, to most fans outside of Buffalo, this deal seemed bizarre. Hall’s prior trade to Arizona was an expensive rental, but this deal seemed too good to be true. Sadly, it appears that Sabres fans will be once again left in despair as it appears a messy divorce is looming. Embed from Getty Images Since arriving, Hall has gotten 11 points, but the Sabres have been a mess. Dead lastRead More →

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There’s an old adage: If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry…and that may well be the essence of Sens Sickos. Faced with a lengthy rebuild, and a season in which their point percentage would make an impressive batting average, the Sens fan base has turned their pain into humour and embraced the madness. Encapsulating everything that is the tumultuous nature of rooting for this team, it’s become an online sensation (no pun intended…). Started by Brochenski on Twitter (Check him out, one of Sens Twitter’s finest) the movement gained steam this season to the point where the team, players and coaches alike have embraced it, evenRead More →

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NHL hockey is back, and at time of writing has yet to be postponed/cancelled. With the divisional shakeups, we wanted to look at what the most exciting match-up is in each division. Which series of games will be most entertaining to watch? Which old rivalries have been reignited? Let’s take a look: North Division Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames The Battle of Alberta is the most fierce of all hockey rivalries, in Alberta. Since October 1980, the Edmonton Oilers have been duking it out with the slightly more westerly Calgary Flames. For the record Calgary have the edge historically, and mostly battered the Oilers lastRead More →