Stanley Cup Final Prediction

The Los Angeles Kings are 4 wins away from being hockey’s salary cap era dynasty. They will have won 2 Stanley Cups in 3 years and the year they lost it was to the era’s other great team the Chicago Blackhawks and it was in Western Conference finals when the Kings were injured. I picked the Kings to beat the Blackhawks this year in what was maybe the greatest hockey ever played. Take that you bullshit Olympic purists. The Kings came from 3-0 down to beat a super talented but gutless San Jose Sharks and from 3-2 down to beat the super talented but BBQ Bruce led Anaheim Ducks. They trailed the defending Cup Champs Chicago in game 7. They won 3 game 7s on the road. Darryl Sutter’s men were undefeated when facing elimination. By contrast the Eastern Conference champs the New York Rangers took a much easier path to the Stanley Cup Finals. The beat the Flyers, maybe the toughest team they played, with their goalie Steve Mason injured. The Flyers had to play goalie Ray Emery, a gangsta thug who is lucky when the puck hits him. They beat the Penguins, a mess of an organization who let them off a 3-1 hook. The Rangers beat the Canadiens after they injured Montreal’s  Gold Medal winning goalie Carey Price in game 1. The Rangers road to the Stanley Cup was so easy it’s like they got a police escort.

So guess who I’m picking in this series….. Not yet. Let’s break it down.

The best player in hockey lately has been a choice of either Crosby, Toews, Getzlaf and Malkin. Well now you can put Anze Kopitar at the top of the list. I used to call Kopitar west coast Malkin but now that is an insult to Anze. Kopitar is superior. A Selke finalist ( defensive award)  who can flat out score. His linemates Dustin Brown (best captain in hockey) and Marian Gaborik ( best deadline deal in a generation) gives LA the best line in hockey. They ate up the Toews line when it mattered. The Kings second line, that 70’s line is as fast a line as you will ever see. The Kings are so loaded Mike Richards is their 4^th line center. The Rangers have some nice players ( St. Louis, Richards, Stephan) but they are tiny compared to the Kings. Rick Nash has size but he plays like Eric Lindros after all the concussions. soft.

The Kings have the best defenseman in hockey Drew Doughty and every other King’s top 6 defensemen would be in the Rangers top four defensemen after Mc Donagh, Girardi and Staal.

The Rangers do have an incredible goaltender in Henrik Lundvist. He may very well steal a couple games but he can’t steal a series. Jonathan Quick is also an incredible goaltender who always rises to the occasion. Even if the Rangers injure Quick I think they can beat the Rangers with back up Martin Jones in net.

KINGS in 5, let dynasty talk begin.  

My Reaction to Another Penguin Playoff Debockle

I’m not upset the Penguins lost to the Rangers in Game 7. Sure if Sidney Crosby played up to half his ability they win the series but it would have only prolonged the in evadible. Funny thing is everybody including Fleury played pretty well, except for a few folks I’m looking at you James Neal,

Knowledgeable Penguin fans, and I think deep down Sid and Geno knew this team was not good enough. Is Dan Blysma to blame? Absolutely, he has made some very questionable personnel decisions, he played favorites and ignored young talent but he can’t turn hamburger helper into a bone in rib eye.

I blame GM Ray Shero. He has mismanaged this team for the last 5 years. This team has gotten soft and easy to play against. Talk all you want about a skilled winger and a puck moving defensemen, hockey, especially the playoffs is about toughness and BALLS, and the Penguins roster lacked both of them. When Shero came to town he immediately made them a tougher team. Tougher in the corners, in front of the net and with the gloves off. In the 2007 regular season the Pens beat the Flyers all seven games and in the last game won every fight (I thought they should have put up a statue to coach Mike Therrien right there).

The Pens remained a tough team until they felt they embarrassed the league after their line brawl with the Islanders in 2011. Since then management has shipped out or not resigned big , tough , on the edge players and brought in finesse players, guys who stay on the outside of the fray, who never get their nose dirty. It’s bad enough to have finesse on your top two lines but the Penguins had those guys on their bottom two lines.

Shero retained too many 3^rd and 4^th liners. He let those players get comfortable. Chicago doesn’t do that and they won two Cups since the Penguins won theirs. I consider Shero’s retention of mediocre 4^th liners his second biggest offense, signing offensively overrated and defensively brain dead Kris Letang to a large, long contract is his biggest offense.

Both Shero and Blysma should and hopefully will be fired. The players will be fired too. Only Sid and Geno are safe and probably Letang because who wants a 8 million dollar stroke victim. Chris Kunitz looked tired in the playoffs and maybe the Olympics wore him out. James Neal needs to GO. He’s acts like he won a Stanley Cup, he has not won anything but rides Geno coattails. He’s a bum. Jussi will want too much money so bye. Sutter played well for a month , if he leaves oh well. As for every other forward don’t let the door hit you. If Craig Adams was a horse he’d be glue. Only forwards I want back are Sid, Geno, Kunitz, Pascal Dupius (get well soon Super Duper) and Beau Bennett.

For the Defense, I’m not as down on them.  I wish Blysma gave the kids a chance to play more in the regular season but obviously those regular season points were needed. I love Robert Bortozzo’s game and Simon Depres is an NHLer. Ollie Maata faded but he’s nineteen. Paul Martin played great this year. Love Paulie. Brooks Orpik, Derek Engelland and Matt Niskanan are gone. Rob Scuderi should be but his contract is another chain around Shero’s neck. I love Scuds but he looked like an orange traffic cone in the playoffs. The Pens have lots of kids in their minors with pedrigee so bring em up. Flower player B+ goal all year and to the surprise of most was not a problem.

All in all, a smarter tougher coach and six new forwards who COMPETE and the Penguins could be back on top and by on top I mean a Stanley Cup winner not racking up a bunch of regular season points.

ROUND 2

I went 7-1 in round one. The Wild took extra time but they stuck it to me. Here’s a look back at round one and a look ahead to round two.

Round 1 Recap –

Boston took care of business and handled the Red Wings in 5 games. They were helped by horrible call on Todd Bertuzzi (who never gets a call) but after a game one scare they were never really challenged. Milan Lucic absolutely imposed his will on the series. Detroit fans have to be happy watching their young guys compete and Zetterberg return. Detroit will be a lot to handle next year but Boston is looking like the beast of the East.  Montreal also took care of business sweeping overmatched Tampa Bay. After hearing Oh Canada sung in French the Lightning had no chance.

The Rangers beat the Flyers because they didn’t let Philly goadthem into their bullshit and make it a special teams game.The Rangers are and were the better team five on five Wayne Simmonds had a classic Simmonds hat trick , three feet from the net but was the Invisible man on game seven.

The Penguins got past Columbus after the Penguins specifically Geno had enough. The Blue Jackets made a big deal out of out hitting the Penguins but hitting means you don’t have the puck. Columbus had heart but not nearly enough talent. Marc Andre Fluery except for one flub had a strong series and seems too have shaken off his post season woes.

Out West the Kings showed their championship hearts with an historic comeback against the San Jose Sharks a franchise that never seems to have any heart. Goaltender Quick was hung out to dry in the first the games but the King’s defense tightened in the final four games and Quick looked like his old Conn Smythe self.

BBQ Bruce reared his clueless head for Anaheim by starting a goalie controversy before game one than healthy scratched the living legend Teemu Selanne but Anaheim Captain and possible league MVP Ryan Getzlaf,  puck to the face and all would not let Lindy Ruff’s overachieving Stars beat them. Lindy and the Stars will be back.

Minnesota and Colorado had the most exciting series in the opening round. Nathan McKinnon had a coming out party but putting up ridiculous Lemieux like numbers at home. Erik Johnson had a inspirational empty net save in game one but got caught up ice in game 7.

Chicago and St Louis played the most intense opening round series. St, Louis lost their Captain Backes to a questionable hit thrown by Seabook who was suspended for that hit. Steve Ott gave Duncan Keith a similar dirty hit but it didn’t stop the Norris trophy candidate form torturing the Blues. The Blues, who never score when it matters could not keep up with the Toews, Kane and Sharps of the world.

Round Two –

The West is very easy to pick. The Kings are rolling. They have four lines of scoring and grit and Quick between the pipes. It’s May so it’s time for BBQ’s chariot to turn into a pumpkin. The Ducks Dynamic Duo will win a few games though.  Kings in 6. The Blackhawks will have no problem with the happy to be there Wild. Blackhawks in 5.

Both East series are almost a pickem. Almost. Montreal is probably the second best built team in the East, the problem is Boston is the best built team in the East. Habs vs Bruins is hockey’s Jews vs Arabs so anything can happen but I say Boston squeaks by. Boston in 7. The Penguins and Rangers will play a fast, skilled and extremely entertaining series. The teams are pretty even so whichever team’s superstar wakes up will determine who wins this series. I’ll go with Sid because Nash has never woken up. Pens in 6.

2014 Playoffs Round 1 Predictions

Yes, the most wonderful time of the year is here, The Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 60 Day War for Lord Stanley’s Cup. I think the Cup is up for grabs this year more than any year since the Lockout. Last year I picked correctly picked the winner in every series except the Finals. This year I can only guarantee won one series, so let’s begin there.

The East-

 Pittsburgh vs Columbus- If the Penguins don’t win this series, the planet better be hit with a meteor because life as we know it will end in Pittsburgh. The Pens will have everybody healthy except Pascal Dupuis. Geno Malkin was flying before his injury and Kris Letang is rounding into shape. The Blue Jackets will be missing their only playoff tested guys in Nathan Horton , R J Umberger and Nick Foligno. I’m not picking Pens in 4 because I’m old school and that means revenge.

PENS in 5

Boston vs Detroit- The Bruins had a great regular season and did not deserve the Red Wings in round 1. Boston is the best team in the East and has the best goaltending but Detroit is fast and skilled. Detroit Mike Babcock will know how to make Zdeno Chara’s life hell but I think the B’s have too much size and depth up front to wear out the smaller Wings. If Wings Nyquist, Tatar and the old witch Datsyuk steal one in Beantown it could get interesting.

Bruins in 6

New York vs Philadelphia – This will be an absolute war. The Flyers have scoring depth up front but the Rangers have the advantage on defense. The Rangers big tough defensemen will not let the Flyers pull their usual bullshit around the crease and King Henry is the difference in this series

Rangers in 7

Tampa vs Montreal – Tampa has had a swell year over coming tons of drama but they will not overcome losing their goaltender Ben Bishop. Montreal has too much tradition and scoring for a back up to handle.

Montreal in 6

This leaves us with an amazing second round. Bruins vs Canadiens is hockey’s Jews vs Arabs and the Penguins would face one of their two biggest New York or Philly. In Pittsburgh losing to New York is equal to your fish dying, losing to Philly is your dog dying but we will save these predictions for the next round, onto the West.

The West -

Anaheim vs Dallas- I love the Stars. Lindy Ruff is a great coach and the power duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are exciting but the Ducks duo if Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have a better supporting cast. BBQ Bruce Boudreau will get exposed in the playoffs but not in round one.

Ducks in 5

Los Angeles vs San Jose – Both of these teams could be picked to win the Stanley Cup for a variety of reasons. Both teams have four lines of big, nasty men who can score, a sound defense and Cup winning goalies, so who do you take? I’ll take the Kings because of the goalies. Quick has been sharper than Niemi this year, plus Drew Doughty is just a beast on the Kings blue line.

Kings in 7

Chicago vs St Louis- Chicago was looking like a lock to win the West then their two superstars got hurt but now Toews and Kane are back so lookout West. Chicago DOES have the ability to turn it on and they will this series. St Louis is limping into the playoffs and always has trouble scoring in the playoffs. Ryan Miller is not enough to save their fate.

Blackhawks in 5

Colorado vs Minnesota- Colorado is missing scoring machine Matt Duchene but they still have enough to beat a goal tender that either belong in a hospital (Harding) or a mental institution (Bryzgalov) . The Avs kids came on strong and earned the right to take on the Wild. Roy won’t let them waste that good fortune.

Avs in 6

If you live in the East, stay up a watch LA vs SJ it could be the best series of the entire playoffs.

Crosby is the Best - MVP

Sidney Crosby is the best player in hockey. He is the NHL’s MVP and hockey fans and Sid haters just have to accept it. Sidney Crosby has almost lived up to all the hype bestowed on him at the age of thirteen by Wayne Gretzky no less when Wayne called him the Next Great One. Sid for the most part has lived up to that hype. The other MEGA stars who have are Jordan and Tiger. Sid never quit hockey to play baseball or has had a whore expose his life in US magazine. Sid has been not only the face of a team but the face of a league. Sid has only won one Stanley Cup, and there are many reasons why but that is another column and my personal hell. Sid has won two Olympic gold medals. Sid leads the league in scoring by over twenty points. It’s the first year Sid has been healthy in awhile and he’s tearing up the league. In Sid’s nine years in the league he’s led the league in points per game five times and never finished lower than sixth.

Now why do so many people HATE Crosby. It can’t be all jealousy and it’s not just people from Philadelphia. Haters say Sid is a baby. Sid did whine a lot his first year in the league, but he cut most of it out. Sid wears the C , so he is allowed and supposed to speak to officials.

 Sid plays a tough, grinding game and lives in areas most top scorers rarely find themselves in. Sid takes a beating , has no bodyguard and has never been called for a dive. Something Pierre McGuire’s blow up doll Claude Giroux can’t say.

 Sid’s reputation for whining came from caveman coach Ken Hitchcock in Philly AFTER Sid took a Derian Hatcher stick to the face , lost teeth THEN scored the game winning goal.

 Sid also got a bad rap for talking a second too long to shake hands with the Red Wings after winning the Stanley Cup. The criticism was not from Wings Captain and legend Nick Lindstrom but from 4^th liner Kris Draper. Sid should have raced to shake Draper’s hand because when Draper was a healthy scratch Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader was killing the Penguins. Draper comes back in game six and seven and the Penguins win the Cup.

There are many great players in the league. Stamkos, Tavares and the dynamic duos of Kane & Toews and Getzlaf & Perry. Sid’s Batman, Evgeni Malkin has missed plenty of games this season and as a team the Penguins have almost 500 man games lost and Crosby still led the Penguins to a Metro division title.

Go ahead and hate Sid out of jealousy, but never downplay his skill, heart or leadership and be grateful he’s the face of the NHL. Enjoy watching him because they haven’t found the Next Next one yet. Sid’s a humble man, who rarely talks about himself . He’s the Anti Lebron. If you hate Sid think how awful it would be if he had King James ego.

TRADE DEADLINE GRADES

EAST

Pittsburgh- B- , GM Shero did bare minimum to improve tam. Goc and Stempniak are upgrades for bottom six but they’re not big and tough and Sid still has no RW of pedigree. Moulson and McComick from Buffalo would have been perfect.

Boston - C, Wanted a D man and got Andrej  Meszaros from Philly. I think Boston’s own young D guys better than him . Remember Philly is weak in D and dumped him.

Philly- B, Dumped Mezsaros and picked up steady D Andy MaDonald.

New Jersey- B+, Picked up Tuomo Rutuu   and did not trade Franchise’s all time greatest player Brodeur.

Toronto – D, Did nothing good or bad, nothing, Hmm.

Montreal – A, Got Vanek , now serious player in East.D weaver will help too.

Islanders – D-, got nothing for Vanek and MacDonald.

Buffalo- D-, Didn’t get much for their whole team.

Rangers- B +, Paid a lot for St Louis but didn’t give Callahan a crazy contract.

Tampa- C-, Pissing off St. Louis was dumb, paying Callahan will be almost as dumb

Detroit B+, Legward is a great pickup, GM Ken Holland is the best

Ottawa- B , Hemsky’s offense never hurts

Florida – B, Bobby Loo moves the franchise needle up

Columbus - INC

Washington- A-, Finally got their goalie in Halak and Penner is a big playoff body/performer if they make it

Carolina- INC

WEST-

Kings- A,  Kings right back in Cup talk with Gaborik.

St. Louis- A-, Got your number one goalie Ryan Miller, now no excuses, Ott is this year’s overrated vet.

Chicago- B, Why mess up the champs.

San Jose – B, Why mess with the best we’ve looked in years.

Ducks- B, Love getting Robidas to sure up the D.

Dallas- C- , Gave up Robidas and brought in Tim Thomas.

Minnesota- B, Got Moulsen and McCormick still won’t win a playoff round.

Colorado – C, Respect staying coarse but a vet or two would be nice.

Calgary – B, They needed to trade overlord Burke.

Edmonton- C-, Gotta do something more significant than dumping Hemsky and adding another goalie when you stink

Winnepeg-  INC

Vancouver- F, Last year at this time had two number one goalie, now you have none and some vets who thought they were out but now dragged back in. Bad scene.

Nashville – D, Sad song about being broke

Phoenix- INC

Fallout from Sochi

The NHL stopped its season for three weeks to play what ended up being four, count em four good hockey games. It is now back but every team is in some form of disarray. Players are either tired from being in the Olympics or tired from partying on vacation. This last week of NHL game action has been choppy and backup goaltenders were used when they normally would not have been and these games count. They count in the standings which are used for seeding in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The trade deadline in this week and GMs around the league don’t know what kind of teams they have.

The Olympics handed the gold medal to Canada. The Canadians were expected to win and they did. They even brought their own officials to the games. It was like an election in Cuba. The NHL hierarchy is as childish s Russia’s Putin is if the whole reason they screw up their season is to prove Canada’s hockey supremacy.

We were told the Olympics were going to be a showcase for the game’s stars. It wasn’t. Most of the stars were shut down by stifling defensive systems. The bigger ice meant less offense not more. We were told the games were going to be awesome. Only four were. They were supposed to bring new fans. New fans? The games were on at four in the morning. Did the NHL get fans who were watching the Perfect Egg infomercial?

 The NHL played a prime time outdoor game on NBC Saturday and it was never promoted during the gold medal game even though all three goal scorers in that game were playing in the prime time game. If NBC isn’t going to help get the NHL acquire new fans why is the NHL sending its players to the Olympics, so old boy Canadians can pump their chests. It’s not a good enough reason. NHL players got injured in Socci. The NHL’s premier franchise The Detroit Red Wings, 23 straight playoff appearances, lost their Captain Henrik Zetterberg for the season. The best player in the biggest media market, Islanders John Tavares is also now out for the year. The league’s darling team the Pittsburgh Penguins lost their best defensemen Paul Martin for eight weeks after getting injured in Russia. The only team that appears to have benefited from the break is the LA Kings because they were slumping before the break now they’re on fire.  If helping a team in the number two market end a slum is reason for stopping the season for three weeks then the NHL won , I guess.