National Hockey League, 2016-17

[TomSea]

NHL


I think it has started,

Toronto 2 2 Ottawa, end of the 1st period.

Blues Blackhawks, Calgary Edmonton,  Kings Sharks.

[jmyrlefuller]

Some big stories this year:

Auston Matthews, first overall draft pick, starts off his career with four goals in his first game tonight. (Matthews, by the way, is the son of a Mexican immigrant.)

Meanwhile, just a step down in Buffalo, their franchise star, Jack Eichel, whom the team's fans allegedly wanted the team to tank to get last year, is out for 1-2 months with a high ankle sprain he sustained in practice. Their first game is tomorrow.

[TomSea]

Edmonton scored 7 goals last night against Calgary who had 4. Some teams like Phoenix and especially Edmonton have been down forever with some pretty terrible teams, never mind that they had probably some of the best teams ever in the '80s; some Islanders teams were very good as well.

Edmonton has a new mascot, Hunter the Lynx.  I thought this was kind of cute.

https://thegatewayonline.ca/2016/10/hunter-lynx-mascot/

So, that result kind of jumped out at me.

No Canadian teams were in the playoffs last year, so perhaps, that will change.

The Maple Leaf who scored 4 goals last night is a rookie, it seems I heard something about that but Toronto still loss to the Senators.

[TomSea]

NHL bump, this forum advises one if a thread is more than 30 days old.

So, not much has really happened yet... except this.

Capitals' Daniel Winnik lost a piece of his ear while blocking a shot
He still came back to finish the game
http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/capitals-daniel-winnik-lost-a-piece-of-his-ear-while-blocking-a-shot/

Standings: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/standings

[TomSea]

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/standings

Just bumping the topic, looks like now, we are nearing about a 3rd of the season played.

Power Rankings: http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/page/powerrankings/nhl-power-rankings-new-york-rangers-reign-columbus-blue-jackets-make-big-jump

1. Rangers
2. Blackhawks
3. Bluejackets
4. Flyers
5. Penguins

See link above for the rest, the Columbus Blue Jackets are on a 9 game win streak, good to see them finally having a good years. The NHL certainly seems streaky. I was listening the other day and the Flyers back in '79-'80, went unbeaten 35 straight games.

http://proicehockey.about.com/od/hockeyhistoryfaq/f/Longest-Unbeaten-Streak-in-NHL-History.htm

So, a lot of these performances in the NHL especially in the post-season seems to favor those who are currently peaking. It's amazing how some teams can play very well and others can get into horrible slumps.
 

[TomSea]

Blue Jackets 7 1 Penguins, some impressive win and Columbus got John Tortorella as Manager, I think he use to be the Rangers manager and probably coached other teams as well.

[TomSea]

Columbus wins again,  over Winterpeg, Bluejackets have won 14 in a row, Minnesota has won 12 in a row.

Guess who plays who on New Years Eve, Saturday?

Winter Classic must be Detroit at Toronto on Sunday, 3:00 EST.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/scoreboard/20170101

Arizona lost again, this is now about 6 or 7 straight losses; I don't know if they've ever had a good team after the move.

[jmyrlefuller]

Did you check out yesterday's game? I caught the last period and overtime. What a game.

[TomSea]

Did you check out yesterday's game? I caught the last period and overtime. What a game.

@jmyrlefuller

Agreed, a good match and I only saw parts as well. If one gets NHL network, they always rebroadcast these games time and again.

[TomSea]

I thought the Caps or in the next game, the Rangers would present a real challenge to Columbus and they got hammered 5-0 by Washington tonight, so they had a 16 game win streak, pretty good all the same.

[TomSea]

Since the other place appears down.... all are welcome to discuss the NHL playoffs here. They've really been exciting.  I really like the center ice with all the red when the Senators are playing in Ottawa.  The Predators are the story of the post-season, finishing 4th in the Central; but I have a feeling the Ducks will be very stingy to get by.

Center ice in Ottawa looks something like this; but live on TV, it's really sharp.

[goatprairie]

I'm mostly a basketball fan, but so far the playoffs stink.  Cleveland and GS seem predetermined to meet in the finals again. The NBA greatly needs some teams to improve to contest those two. 
However, I enjoy watching the Stanley Cup because most games are close, and there are no clear-cut great teams.  Nobody in particular to root for (used to like the Red Wings), so I just enjoy the action. The air horns going off when the home team scores is the greatest sound effect in sports.

[TomSea]

One can also see if someone with connections to their homestate is playing. Born, University, origin, etc.  And whether they be Russians, Swedes, etc.; it's fun to watch the international players.

Phil Kessel for Pittsburgh was born in Madison Wisconsin, I think he is one of their top players, I watch the NHL when I can.  I see the Predators have a Craig Smith born in Madison. Some people know the NHL like many people know the NFL or MLB or the NBA for that matter.

Rosters of remaining teams:

Pittsburgh: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/PIT/pittsburgh-penguins

Ottawa: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/OTT/ottawa-senators

Anaheim: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/ANA/anaheim-ducks

Nashville: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/NSH/nashville-predators

[goatprairie]

One can also see if someone with connections to their homestate is playing. Born, University, origin, etc.  And whether they be Russians, Swedes, etc.; it's fun to watch the international players.

Phil Kessel for Pittsburgh was born in Madison Wisconsin, I think he is one of their top players, I watch the NHL when I can.  I see the Predators have a Craig Smith born in Madison. Some people know the NHL like many people know the NFL or MLB or the NBA for that matter.

Rosters of remaining teams:

Pittsburgh: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/PIT/pittsburgh-penguins

Ottawa: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/OTT/ottawa-senators

Anaheim: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/ANA/anaheim-ducks

Nashville: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/NSH/nashville-predators

I don't know how many American hockey players are in the league, but I remember the days when there were none. I also read about the exploits of John Mayasich, a Minnesota hockey player from Eveleth, Minn. who is regarded by many in the state as the greatest player to ever come out of Minnesota, a rabid hockey state.
It's interesting that after starring at the University of Minnesota  and making the 1956 and 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey teams, Mayasich never played in the NHL. He said in those days, the fifties,   no NHL teams would give an American player a chance. Times change, and it's good to see Americans in the league and playing well.

[TomSea]

I don't have high expectations for Ottawa on Thursday night, I will be cheering for them; but I notice, upon looking at their roster, they have 3 players from Illinois including their goalie, Craig Anderson.

Craig Anderson from Park Ridge IL has had an inspirational story this year, his wife has been suffering from cancer.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2017/02/11/senators-craig-anderson-returns-following-wifes-battle-cancer/97790180/



This time tomorrow, Thursday, the Senators will be playing the Penguins in the deciding 7th game in Pittsburgh.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/roster/OTT/ottawa-senators

The roster shows the Ottawa Senators in fact, have 3 players from Illinois on their active roster:

Craig Anderson from Park Ridge IL
Ryan Dzingel from Wheaton IL
Tommy Wingels from Evanston IL

So, I just thought I would mention this. 3 players from one state, maybe it has happened with some states before... I don't know but this is fairly extraordinary, the Senators really would be Illinois' team to cheer on with of course, the Blackhawks not playing.

@mystery-ak
@Lando Lincoln

And anyone else.

[Lando Lincoln]

Thank you @TomSea. I didn't know that. I watched the Senators spank the Pens 5-1 from a pub seat in the 'burgh. Super quiet 5 minutes into the first period. The pierogies and Yuengling were fine, though.

[TomSea]

Congrats to the Penguins, I thought they might be too strong for anyone.  Especially, once they got it rolling. Back to back Stanley Cups, thoroughly convincing.


Stanley Cup winners.

Congratulations to the Nashville Predators as well, they played a fine series and had a great postseason. I thought they might be able to do it and then, Pittsburgh really took it to them in that game 5.

OK, I said it, congrats to the Penguins.

 

 

Well, I've always had a soft-spot for the Pirates and some of the greats they have had.