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They say the secret to great jokes is timing. A few hours after deciding to write about how great it would be for the NHL to open the season with the Winter Classic, this was tweeted: NHL announces postponement of Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend. https://t.co/sOcHxLGDtz #WinterClassic #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/eYDzN8WBiC — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 22, 2020 Thanks a bunch NHL. To be fair, I hadn’t envisioned a Winter Classic full of fans (given the current circumstances), rather an outdoor game that was a celebration of the sport as a whole. An event that rather than glorify the excesses (one-time jerseys, I’m looking at you)Read More →

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After the tragic passing of Dale Hawerchuk, I went down a rabbit hole regarding the NHL’s all-time point leaders. In-particular it was with respect to guys like Hawerchuk, Peter Stastny Kent Nilsson, & Marcel Dionne (garnering a new appreciation for their incredible accomplishment) who are amongst the all-time greats, but perhaps because they never won (and played predominantly in the 80’s/early 90’s), don’t seem to be held in as high a regard, or perhaps more accurately, come to mind as readily, to many casual or younger hockey fans. This inevitably got me to thinking about Eric Lindros and where his reputation stands amongst the legendsRead More →

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Where the 1960s Amateur drafts were lacking, the following decade tried to make good. The 1970s would see four hall of famers drafted 4th overall (it’s poetic really) and a whole heap of names that we’ve actually heard of. The 1960s brought more teams to the league, and the subsequent drafts presented more opportunities for prospects to get serious ice time than before. The 4th overall pick is oft-forgotten but many found their name forever etched on the Stanley Cup. Let’s take a look at the 4th overall picks from the 1970s: 1970: Rick MacLeish Drafted by: Boston Bruins Embed from Getty Images 846 NHLRead More →

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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 →

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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 →

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The New York Islanders are a long way from their storied years four straight Stanley Cups, but this version of the Isles are hoping to add another chapter to that book. Looking to make their way back to the Stanley Cup final, they will need to beat a red hot Tampa Bay Lightning team, but with Barry Trotz’s system, they can extinguish that flame. Embed from Getty Images Front Runner: Mathew Barzal No John Tavares? No problem. Picking up the talismanic role of the franchise, Barzal has done just that in these Stanley Cup playoffs. From his skill and his skating to his leadership on theRead More →

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Looking to avenge their loss in the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks the revenge tour has brought the bolts against some familiar opponents. Remember the Lightning’s unceremonial ejection from last year’s playoffs against the Columbus Blue Jackets? Everyone remembers. Division rival and this year’s president trophy-winning Boston Bruins? Check. Now facing the New York Islanders this team will once again have to prove they have not forgotten the lessons of the past. Front Runner: Embed from Getty Images Andrei Vasilevskiy The big cat is on the prowl for some silverware. Known as one of the quietest players in the Tampa Bay LightningRead More →

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Vegas once again is the dark horse during the playoffs. We forget this team is less than three years old, yet they are firmly among the league’s elite. After seeing off the Canucks in seven games in the semi-final (still piecing my broken heart back together), the Knights will be a formidable showdown for Dallas. Embed from Getty Images Front Runner: Their standout performer by far has been blueliner Shea Theodore. Currently standing on 16 points from 15 games, Theodore has excelled at both ends for Vegas. Already coming off a career high 46 points in the regular season, the 25-year-old British Columbia native hasRead More →

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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 →

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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 →