hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
Five Factors: The Islanders are the Scariest Team in the NHL
Over the last month, the New York Islanders have revived a season that seemed absolutely doomed. The team has a 9–2–2 record over their last 13 games, starting with a 4–0 win in Boston which would prove to be Jack Capuano’s last game behind the bench with the team.
By TJ Ragusa8 years ago in Unbalanced
End of the Line for Iginla and Doan?
The longer a veteran player goes unsigned during an offseason, the more the retirement talk ramps up. And unless your name is Jaromir Jagr, this offseason has been no different. For seasoned veterans Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan, the questions about their possible retirement have flown around in recent days. So what will happen to these great players? Have we seen the last of them?
By Kyle Vandenberg8 years ago in Unbalanced
Brent Burns Is Better Than You
Forget everything I said. In an article published back in January, I made the case that Connor McDavid should be considered the favorite to win the Hart Memorial Trophy for MVP. I suggested that he should at least be considered in the same category with Sidney Crosby given his performance through the first half of the year. With where things stood at that point in the year, that’s a pretty easy point to stand by.
By Kyle Vandenberg8 years ago in Unbalanced
Why The NHL’s Response To Charlottesville Should Worry You
View on Twitter This was the statement issued by the Detroit Red Wings following the incidents surrounding the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA over the weekend. A strong, almost threatening statement from one of the league’s most prolific franchises, and one that clearly states where they stand on the issues at hand. Following this statement was one issued by the league, saying,
By Kyle Vandenberg8 years ago in Unbalanced
Devils At the Deadline
There was a lot of back-and-forth discussion in the Devils community about what New Jersey’s trade deadline approach would be. On the one hand, they don’t seem good enough to be a serious playoff contender. On the other hand, the playoff race in the East has been open, and even with just 62 points the Devils sit seven back of Toronto for the second wild card spot. There could be solid arguments for either buying or selling.
By Kyle Vandenberg8 years ago in Unbalanced
Where Does Pittsburgh Rank Among All-Time Teams?
For the first time in nearly two decades, the NHL has a repeat champion. Not since the 1998 Detroit Red Wings has any team lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup in back-to-back years, until now. And while the sight of Sidney Crosby and his pre-pubescent facial hair lifting the greatest trophy in sports for a third time in his career is nauseating to some, the point has to be made that this sort of thing is supposed to be damn near impossible in the salary cap era. Even with the addition of a 31st team this offseason, Pittsburgh still has the best chance to win in 2018, according to odds makers. So just how good is this team?
By Kyle Vandenberg8 years ago in Unbalanced
Ben Bishop Traded to LA, for Some Reason
Well, it finally happened. Though I must say, I’m surprised about the destination. Ben Bishop has been on the trading block since at least last season. His contract is set to expire this summer. He’s a good goalie, and the Lightning knew this, but they have Andrei Vasilevskiy waiting in the wings and many other expensive contracts to worry about.
By Steve Smith8 years ago in Unbalanced
Nashville’s Stanley Cup Craze
As the Nashville Predators have tied the Stanley Cup Final series at 2–2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city of Nashville gets more and more into the sport of hockey. Hockey has been a big thing in Nashville in the past couple of years, but now with the hometown team in the biggest stage of the sport, it’s getting even wilder. I drove up to Nashville for game three and lucked out with getting a ticket the day before the game.
By Stone Strankman8 years ago in Unbalanced
P.K. Subban Should Be the Face of the NHL
The NHL’s culture of disliking anyone going against the grain is one major reason why it struggles to keep up with the other three leagues in the “Big 4” leagues, and there is no better evidence of this toxic mindset than the treatment of P.K. Subban by those associated with the game.
By Steve Smith8 years ago in Unbalanced
A New Sport and a New Love
The Nashville Predators have taken this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs by storm, which means there are going to be bandwagon fans that take some heat for being obvious bandwagon fans. Include me in that group. I grew up in Huntsville, Alabama — which is about two hours from Nashville. Hockey is a strangely popular sport in Huntsville, and my high school won something along the lines of five state championships in six years. Hockey is sort of relevant in Huntsville, but I never caught on until about a year ago.
By Stone Strankman8 years ago in Unbalanced
