The NHL’s 24-team tournament this summer promises to be one of the most unpredictable — if not fascinating — postseasons for hockey ever. The paused season due to the coronavirus pandemic provided significant extra time for injured stars to mend, and there are a number of intriguing lineup decisions that could have an outsized impact, […]
Continue readingIt wasn’t just that the lowly Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators lost out on the No. 1 pick. Everyone must cope with the fact that “Team E” — a squad that plays in the NHL’s 24-team postseason — gets the chance to draft No. 1 prospect Alexis Lafreniere. The eight losers in the qualifying […]
Continue readingThe most frustrated I’ve ever been with the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee was 10 years ago, when its members snubbed coach Pat Burns. He was dying of cancer. “I know my life is nearing its end, and I accept that,” Burns said in April of that year. The Hall of Fame chose not […]
Continue readingIf only there were a formula that could determine Hall worthiness … Well, three years ago, we created one. It’s a simple four-quadrant test that one can apply to prospective Hall of Fame candidates to see whether they have the stuff of legends, and here it is: 1. Individual production: This encompasses a player’s statistical […]
Continue readingThis isn’t meant to be a “Jeopardy!” answer to “This National Hockey League team has had six head coaches, four general managers and zero playoff appearances since 2011,” although that would be applicable. This is a legitimate question: Who are they? What style do they play? Is the roster built for a hard-checking strategy or […]
Continue readingIt has been 81 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 season because of the coronavirus pandemic. As the cancellations and postponements around the world of sports continue, there also have been continuous nuggets of new information regarding the potential resumption of the season, the draft, the playoffs and how it […]
Continue readingIt’s created by a coach attempting to mesh three players together into a cohesive unit; it’ll stick around for anywhere from a few periods to a few games; and then it’s either broken up, with the spare parts added to different lines, or it passes the chemistry test, living on for months or perhaps for […]
Continue readingToday’s game: Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs, played on Saturday, Feb. 22. It’s a “Hockey Night in Canada” telecast for a Saturday night game between the Canes and Leafs. Both of these teams have playoff aspirations, had a few bumps to start the season, but found themselves in decent shape for this tilt. This […]
Continue readingPeter Tripi is a passionate Buffalo Sabres fan, something increasingly rare for the moribund franchise. The kind of fan who shouts “Buffalo’s on the rise!” because it fires up other people, and because it’s what he inherently believed about his team. His family used to have season tickets before the resale market dried up like […]
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