Prust racking
This cracks me up. I respect Brandan Prust and kinda despise Brad Marchand. He's the one getting the ill-side of this act. But truly, he is one of those guys that gets away with so much cheap junk. Overall, I hope Brad and his jewels have no permanent trauma while I enjoy the temporal angst.
08 December 2015
Perspectives: Jarome Iginla
I love this guy. One of the best power forwards of his era (late 90s and into 2010s).
Here he is in five questions.
Funny to hear how guardedly hopeful he is. Colorado looked more than promising after their 2014 season (similar to what Calgary did last season). So clearly you can hear how unsure he is where and why this team is struggling to pull out those tough wins.
He's still a leader despite being on the downside of his career. He still can produce and does. But he gives no answers as to this teams' inability to get it done late in games.
It is not an easy thing - but most of the time it is a special mix between personnel and system. I think defensive depth and a forward like Anze Kopitar...even maybe just a Dustin Brown.
Here he is in five questions.
Funny to hear how guardedly hopeful he is. Colorado looked more than promising after their 2014 season (similar to what Calgary did last season). So clearly you can hear how unsure he is where and why this team is struggling to pull out those tough wins.
He's still a leader despite being on the downside of his career. He still can produce and does. But he gives no answers as to this teams' inability to get it done late in games.
It is not an easy thing - but most of the time it is a special mix between personnel and system. I think defensive depth and a forward like Anze Kopitar...even maybe just a Dustin Brown.
Thoughts: 8 December, 2015
Time time time...see what's become of...this blog.
I haven't had time really. I mean work is still work - but the real killer is...
FALLOUT 4. I can't hep it.
Here thoughts on tonight's games.
Patrick Kane watch: 23 straight games with a point? We'll see. I love this Chicago team. Kane is magical whether the points continue to fall or not.
Columbus Blue Jackets - tough game against the Kings tonight. 11-9-1 with Johnny Torts on the bench. Not impressive - but quite an improvement over their 0-7-0 start, right. Should be a good game to view both teams' strengths/weaknesses. Even in the losing streak at the beginning of the season, the Blue Jackets could test a defense.
Kings haven't lost in regulation in their last 6. This is what the better teams do - put strings like this together regularly throughout the season.
Detroit faces the Capitals. Detroit is one of the major surprises this season. They are playing really well and with Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the lineup, well, any game is in reach. This tandem ranks near Toews-Kane and Crosby-Malkin for sure. Detroit is 7-0-3 in their last 10. Impressive.
Washington is 8-1-2 in their last 11. They might have the most consistent team of the season. They are buying into the Trotz system and playing well on both ends of the ice. (Offense has MOSTLY not been a problem in the Ovechkin era anyway)
Florida and Ottawa - both have been playing well of late. Neither has that ability to dominate a game. Should be a fun game.
Shane Doan for the Arizona Coyotes might be back in the lineup tonight - he has missed the last seven and the Yotes have struggled - but winning is an overachievement for this team even with Doan in the lineup.
Dallas 7-1-2 in their last 10. Another reason for me to believe this team has entered the NEXT level. They could very well be in the Conference final in the West. Carolina has a two win 'streak'.
I haven't had time really. I mean work is still work - but the real killer is...
FALLOUT 4. I can't hep it.
Here thoughts on tonight's games.
Patrick Kane watch: 23 straight games with a point? We'll see. I love this Chicago team. Kane is magical whether the points continue to fall or not.
Columbus Blue Jackets - tough game against the Kings tonight. 11-9-1 with Johnny Torts on the bench. Not impressive - but quite an improvement over their 0-7-0 start, right. Should be a good game to view both teams' strengths/weaknesses. Even in the losing streak at the beginning of the season, the Blue Jackets could test a defense.
Kings haven't lost in regulation in their last 6. This is what the better teams do - put strings like this together regularly throughout the season.
Detroit faces the Capitals. Detroit is one of the major surprises this season. They are playing really well and with Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the lineup, well, any game is in reach. This tandem ranks near Toews-Kane and Crosby-Malkin for sure. Detroit is 7-0-3 in their last 10. Impressive.
Washington is 8-1-2 in their last 11. They might have the most consistent team of the season. They are buying into the Trotz system and playing well on both ends of the ice. (Offense has MOSTLY not been a problem in the Ovechkin era anyway)
Florida and Ottawa - both have been playing well of late. Neither has that ability to dominate a game. Should be a fun game.
Shane Doan for the Arizona Coyotes might be back in the lineup tonight - he has missed the last seven and the Yotes have struggled - but winning is an overachievement for this team even with Doan in the lineup.
Dallas 7-1-2 in their last 10. Another reason for me to believe this team has entered the NEXT level. They could very well be in the Conference final in the West. Carolina has a two win 'streak'.
24 November 2015
19 November 2015
Perspectives: Milan Lucic
Here's a guy - I love the way he plays hockey.
Milan Lucic gets personal.
My view of this guy:
Hard working, tough as nails, huge.
The type that does that play in that moment that sparks a team to victory or crushes the opponents' hope of victory.
The toughness and moment-awareness of guys like Rod Brind'Amour and Mark Messier - in that vein, of course, not as proven nor as great, but an important ingredient on any winning team.
There is a picture of Milan with Vlade Divac that when I first saw it I thought, 'wow, Lucic looks the same now as he did when he was a kid.' He isn't a kid in that picture. Vlade is a big friggin' man, cause Lucic is a monster. Crazy.
The Kings are going to be tough come playoff time and this Milan Lucic guy is going to be a big part of why.
Milan Lucic gets personal.
My view of this guy:
Hard working, tough as nails, huge.
The type that does that play in that moment that sparks a team to victory or crushes the opponents' hope of victory.
The toughness and moment-awareness of guys like Rod Brind'Amour and Mark Messier - in that vein, of course, not as proven nor as great, but an important ingredient on any winning team.
There is a picture of Milan with Vlade Divac that when I first saw it I thought, 'wow, Lucic looks the same now as he did when he was a kid.' He isn't a kid in that picture. Vlade is a big friggin' man, cause Lucic is a monster. Crazy.
The Kings are going to be tough come playoff time and this Milan Lucic guy is going to be a big part of why.
Seven Days: Dallas (Central 1st)
Coach Lindy Ruff is living up to the "Legend" status I thought of him in Buffalo, where he put together some really good teams despite no ability to keep players because of money/mgmt issues. Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn are still just great. Who is this defenseman? John Klingberg!? Where did he come from?
Record:
19gms 15 - 4 - 0, 15 ROW (projected: 18 - 4 - 0)
Injuries:
No major injuries.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday at Washington
Saturday Buffalo visits
Tuesday Ottawa visits
Washington will be a good test and the other two will be flukes if they lose.
6pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Win 6 - 3 Winnipeg
Win 3 - 2 (OT) Minnesota
Win 3 - 1 Buffalo
This seven days went as it should, if Dallas is all they need to be. Solid three wins.
Record:
19gms 15 - 4 - 0, 15 ROW (projected: 18 - 4 - 0)
Injuries:
No major injuries.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday at Washington
Saturday Buffalo visits
Tuesday Ottawa visits
Washington will be a good test and the other two will be flukes if they lose.
6pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Win 6 - 3 Winnipeg
Win 3 - 2 (OT) Minnesota
Win 3 - 1 Buffalo
This seven days went as it should, if Dallas is all they need to be. Solid three wins.
Seven Days: Nashville (Central 2nd)
The Predators are a good team. Lately, they have started to be even better. The defense is so solid and that is where they start. If the offense gets goals and a lead, this squad is one of the better teams in the league, easily.
Record:
17gms 11 - 3 - 2, 9 ROW (projected: 13 - 4 - 3)
Injuries:
No major injuries.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Friday at Columbus
Saturday at Minnesota
Monday at New York Rangers
Wednesday at Buffalo
Four games in six nights - that's some work there. None of these are easy and if they take Buffalo lightly they may not get any wins here. They should get a couple though, if they want to me more than just a hot good team.
5pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Loss 2 - 1 (SO) Toronto
Win 7 - 0 Winnipeg
Win 3 -2 Anaheim
Not a bad seven - actually, a very good one. Nashville seems to be in a winning groove.
Record:
17gms 11 - 3 - 2, 9 ROW (projected: 13 - 4 - 3)
Injuries:
No major injuries.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Friday at Columbus
Saturday at Minnesota
Monday at New York Rangers
Wednesday at Buffalo
Four games in six nights - that's some work there. None of these are easy and if they take Buffalo lightly they may not get any wins here. They should get a couple though, if they want to me more than just a hot good team.
5pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Loss 2 - 1 (SO) Toronto
Win 7 - 0 Winnipeg
Win 3 -2 Anaheim
Not a bad seven - actually, a very good one. Nashville seems to be in a winning groove.
Seven Days: St. Louis (Central 3rd)
St. Louis is a tough one to call. Coach Ken Hitchcock teams will play well. The personnel here are pretty good to very good, forwards and defense. The goalies are adequate. It's hard to know how good this team is though because of injuries. That said, the standings aren't a lie - the Blues are good.
Record:
19gms 12 - 6 - 1, 12 ROW (projected: 13 - 6 - 3)
Injuries:
This team is injury riddled!
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday Buffalo visits
Saturday Detroit visits
Monday at Buffalo
Depends who is in the lineup. The Blues are solid. They could get victories in all three of these.
4pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Loss 3 - 6 at New York Rangers
Loss 2 - 4 Chicago
Win 3 - 2 Winnipeg
Loss 1 - 3 at Columbus
The injuries may be catching up to them. They really needed a win in Columbus.
Record:
19gms 12 - 6 - 1, 12 ROW (projected: 13 - 6 - 3)
Injuries:
This team is injury riddled!
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday Buffalo visits
Saturday Detroit visits
Monday at Buffalo
Depends who is in the lineup. The Blues are solid. They could get victories in all three of these.
4pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Loss 3 - 6 at New York Rangers
Loss 2 - 4 Chicago
Win 3 - 2 Winnipeg
Loss 1 - 3 at Columbus
The injuries may be catching up to them. They really needed a win in Columbus.
Seven Days: Minnesota (Central 4th)
The Wild have not gotten better. They are still a tough team and in a seven game series could COULD beat anyone, but the top-tier teams will probably win in six. That is where they have been (even before goalie Devan Dubnyk arrived, by the way).
Record:
17gms 10 - 4 - 3, 10 ROW (projected: 12- 5 - 3)
Injuries:
Captain Zach Parise left wing - returning from injury soon.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday at Boston
Saturday Nashville visits
Wednesday Vancouver visits
They need to beat Boston and Vancouver. Three wins, or even a loss in OT/SO to Nashville and this seven days is a win.
4pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Win 3 - 2 (OT) at Carolina
Loss 2 - 3 (OT) at Dallas
Loss 3 - 4 at Pittsburgh
Splitting these three isn't terrible, especially without Zach Parise in the lineup.
Record:
17gms 10 - 4 - 3, 10 ROW (projected: 12- 5 - 3)
Injuries:
Captain Zach Parise left wing - returning from injury soon.
Next Seven (Nov. 19th - 25th):
Thursday at Boston
Saturday Nashville visits
Wednesday Vancouver visits
They need to beat Boston and Vancouver. Three wins, or even a loss in OT/SO to Nashville and this seven days is a win.
4pts
Last Seven (Nov. 12th - 18th):
Win 3 - 2 (OT) at Carolina
Loss 2 - 3 (OT) at Dallas
Loss 3 - 4 at Pittsburgh
Splitting these three isn't terrible, especially without Zach Parise in the lineup.
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