Down the Frozen River

Tag: NHL

  • NHL Power Rankings: First Edition

    Here at Down the Frozen River, we always try to keep things fresh. For your viewing pleasure, we will begin bringing you a weekly rendition of our staff’s NHL Power Rankings. Hockey is a funny game, in that winning streaks, slumps, and hot players are constantly changing. We will bring you our humble opinions on the top ten best teams in the league, based on the previous week’s performances. Sure the overall record is what matters most at the end of the season, but as sports writers, we like to pick at the details along the way. Without further ado, here is our first edition of Down the Frozen River’s NHL Power Rankings!

    1. Tampa Bay Lightning (52)

    Current Record – 24-6-2

    Last Ten Games – 8-2-0; Streak – W7

    Well, it makes a lot of sense for the Lightning to be our top team this week. When you win seven in a row, it isn’t really a question. They could have cooled down after their fantastic start, but they continue to be one of the league’s top teams. They are four points ahead of the three teams tied for second in the NHL, including three games in hand on the Blues and Kings. It will be interesting to see if Steve Yzerman makes a move as the trade deadline draws closer. Either way, consider this team a lock for the playoffs.

    2. Washington Capitals (48)

    Current Record – 21-12-1

    Last Ten Games – 8-2-0; Streak – W3

    The only team as hot as Tampa Bay in the last ten games are the upbeat Capitals. For a couple weeks there, Washington seemed to be losing their identity, falling behind in the Metropolitan race. Riding off the backs of Alex Ovechkin and Braden Holtby, this team has won eight of their last ten and are tied with New Jersey for the division lead. It’s never a good idea to bet against the Capitals, at least during the regular season.

    3. Philadelphia Flyers (47)

    Current Record – 14-12-7

    Last Ten Games – 6-3-1; Streak – L1

    Keep in mind these rankings are based on the previous week’s play, in which the Flyers were riding a six-game winning streak. They did lose 1-4 to a the Kings last night, but we’ll let that one slide. After going ten games without a victory, the Flyers look like they have put their puzzle back together. They could have been the next team to be unofficially knocked out of the playoffs, but they kept themselves in the picture. Although they are still four points out of contention, there is plenty of hockey left to be played.

    4. Nashville Predators (37)

    Current Record – 21-7-4

    Last Ten Games – 7-1-2; Streak – W3

    Earlier in the season, the Predators seemed like an average hockey team. After a momentum swing and a big trade in their favor, they are streaking through the month of December. One guy doesn’t make a team, but he sure can make a big difference. Nashville is 13-2-2 after trading for Kyle Turris, who has 4 goals and 13 assists with his new team. Keep an eye on this team as they continue to perform well every night.

    5. Vegas Golden Knights (35)

    Current Record – 21-9-2

    Last Ten Games – 6-3-1; Streak – W2

    Everyone surely thought the Golden Knights would be here at this point in the season, right? Absolutely not. Vegas continues to silence the critics and shock the hockey world as they just keep finding ways to win. Last week, their 2-1 win over Pittsburgh was impressive, but they went on the thump Florida 5-2. With the return of Marc-Andre Fleury in net, the NHL’s newest team is cruising towards 90+ points, which would likely be enough for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. They have two very tough contests against the Lightning and Capitals, which will really test the strength of this team.

    6. Chicago Blackhawks (31)

    Current Record – 17-11-5

    Last Ten Games – 5-3-2; Streak – W5

    The Blackhawks are in a similar situation to Washington. They start losing some games, fans begin to write them off, and then the team shifts into overdrive and rattles off five straight wins. Patrick Kane has played a big role in this resurgence, but he isn’t the only one. Since returning from injury, Corey Crawford is a prefect 5-0. Not to mention, he is 9-0-2 in his last 11 games played. In his recent streak, he hasn’t allowed more than two goals against. What we’re saying is, this dude is doing that hockey and doing it well. With Crawford in net, the Blackhawks are a winning team.

    7. New Jersey Devils (25)

    Current Record – 19-9-5

    Last Ten Games – 5-4-1; Streak W2

    The sneaky Devils continue to be a force in the Metropolitan Division. Currently, they are tied with Washington for the top position. They had two big wins over the Kings and Stars last week, as well as a 5-3 victory over the Ducks just last night. The gears in Ray Shero’s head have to be turning as the team pushes towards the post-season. Short of a complete breakdown, the Devils should have no issues heading into the new year. Their next game is an important divisional matchup against New York.

    8. Winnipeg Jets (13)

    Current Record – 19-10-5

    Last Ten Games – 4-4-2; Streak- W1

    What should you make of Winnipeg? They are currently sitting in the third and final playoff spot in the Central Division, but are being heavily pursued by the Blackhawks. They have slowed down a bit, only winning four in their last ten, but just had a huge 4-0 win against the Blues, a fellow divisional opponent. After their split of the two-game series, it doesn’t get any easier for the Jets. They head to Nashville to take on the Predators. Expect this team to recover, even if they have been up-and-down as of late.

    9. Los Angeles Kings (12)

    Current Record – 21-10-4

    Last Ten Games – 7-2-1; Streak – W1

    The Kings are quietly returning to their dominant form. They have lost three of their last four, but they still remain atop the Pacific Division. The Kings’ success really fall onto the shoulders of Jonathan Quick. If he performs well, they have a chance to win. They recently ended Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak, which also ended their own three-game skid. There should be nothing to worry about in Los Angeles, as the Kings face the Avalanche and Canucks in two of their next four games.

    10. Carolina Hurricanes (10)

    Current Record – 14-11-7

    Last Ten Games – 4-3-3; Streak – W3

    The Hurricanes have been all over the board, but have recently picked up the pace. Their three-game steak has them back in the playoff discussion and trending in the right direction. In their last game, they proved that great goaltending and solid defensive play can win hockey games, as they defeated Columbus 2-1. They look to take advantage of the struggling Maple Leafs in their next tilt.

    How We Picked ‘Em

    Jordan – #1 Tampa Bay Lightning, #2 Washington Capitals, #3 Chicago Blackhawks, #4 Philadelphia Flyers, #5 Nashville Predators, #6 Vegas Golden Knights, #7 Los Angeles Kings, #8 Pittsburgh Penguins, #9 New York Rangers, #10 St. Louis Blues

    Cap’n – #1 Tampa Bay Lightning, #2 Washington Capitals, #3 Nashville Predators, #4 Vegas Golden Knights, #5 New Jersey Devils, #6 Chicago Blackhawks, #7 Philadelphia Flyers, #8 Winnipeg Jets, #9 Carolina Hurricanes, #10 San Jose Sharks

    Nick – #1 Tampa Bay Lightning, #2 Philadelphia Flyers, #3 Nashville Predators, #4 Washington Capitals, #5 Vegas Golden Knights, #6 Los Angeles Kings, #7 New Jersey Devils, #8 New York Rangers, #9 Winnipeg Jets, #10 Chicago Blackhawks

    Peter – #1 Philadelphia Flyers, #2 Tampa Bay Lightning, #3 Vegas Golden Knights, #4 Washington Capitals, #5 New Jersey Devils, #6 Nashville Predators, #7 Winnipeg Jets, #8 Chicago Blackhawks, #9 Anaheim Ducks, #10 Carolina Hurricanes

    Colby – #1 Tampa Bay Lightning, #2 Washington Capitals, #3 Nashville Predators, #4 Philadelphia Flyers, #5 Chicago Blackhawks, #6 Vegas Golden Knights, #7 Winnipeg Jets, #8 Los Angeles Kings, #9 Carolina Hurricanes, #10 New York Rangers

    Connor – #1 Philadelphia Flyers, #2 New Jersey Devils, #3 Chicago Blackhawks, #4 Washington Capitals, #5 Anaheim Ducks, #6 Carolina Hurricanes, #7 Vegas Golden Knights, #8 Tampa Bay Lightning, #9 Nashville Predators, #10 Dallas Stars

  • Down the Frozen River Podcast #84- What’s the Problem, Senator?

    Down the Frozen River Podcast #84- What’s the Problem, Senator?

    Nick and Connor discuss the hullabaloo regarding the fallout of the Ottawa Senators and whether or not they should trade Erik Karlsson (thereby tanking and rebuilding). A quick look around California reveals contenders and pretenders, while All-Star talent and rookies are also reviewed.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and/or on Stitcher.

  • DTFR Overtime: Seattle Shockwave

    Connor and I went long about why Seattle would be an exciting venture for the NHL on the most recent Down the Frozen River Podcast. I was going to write something like this before recording, until the league went ahead and spilled the beans a little earlier than expected (keep reading, you’ll see what I mean) and well… This is DTFR Overtime– go ahead and pour yourself a fresh cup before we dig in.

    Something’s brewing in Seattle and it ain’t just another cup of Starbucks.

    Last Monday, the Seattle City Council approved a deal for a $600 million renovation of KeyArena that just might put Seattle on the map of NHL cities– let alone mean that there’s hope for everyone wishing the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics were a thing again.

    Los Angeles-based Oak View Group (OVG) expects to complete the renovations by October 2020, which would be just in time for a possible NHL team to take the ice for the 2020-21 season.

    Before anyone gets their hopes up, as per the proposal, OVG does not need a team in place to go through with KeyArena’s renovations and has pledged $40 million in a transportation fund for the city to address traffic and parking problems around the arena. An additional $20 million will go from OVG to local charities.

    Here’s the kicker out of The Seattle Times report: the NHL is expected to make an announcement by July (2018, for those of you who haven’t realized next year is almost here) regarding a franchise in Seattle via expansion or relocation.

    And by last Thursday, the league made an announcement. Seattle can begin the expansion process after formally receiving authorization to file for an application for an NHL expansion team.

    This time around, the expansion fee would be $650 million (up $150 million from when the Vegas Golden Knights went through the expansion process two years ago).

    Though every sign points to Seattle becoming part of the NHL’s brand, there’s no guarantee the league will expand to the Emerald City. Relocation could be an option (though league commissioner, Gary Bettman, denies that any current team will be moving) and the NHL still has a lot of homework left (feasibility studies and a season ticket drive– run by OVG– to gauge interest) before the final exam (expansion to Seattle).

    The NHL sees green (as in the other 31 teams see about $21 million in expansion fee payouts, not just the Emerald City):

    If you’re thinking, “would an NHL team in Seattle be a good idea?” the answer is yes. Don’t be stupid.

    Seattle is known for their boisterous Seahawks and Sounders fans (where you at in decibels Mariners fans), as well as their SuperSonics fan base that never died– despite the NBA franchise relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008– but the city’s played a larger part in hockey history than most people might know.

    The Seattle Metropolitans– not the New York Rangers– were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup. The Rangers, of course, can lay claim to the fact that they were the first American NHL club to win the Cup in 1928, but the Metropolitans were technically the first American hockey team to win it back in 1917. The Metropolitans were members of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and appeared in three Stanley Cup finals (1917, 1919 and 1920).

    Seattle defeated the Montreal Canadiens, then members of the National Hockey Association, three-games-to-one in 1917. The 1919 Stanley Cup Final featured a rematch of the Metropolitans and the Canadiens– now members of the National Hockey League since its inaugural season of 1917-18– was cancelled after five games due to the outbreak of the Spanish Flu with the series tied, 2-2-1. In 1920, the Metropolitans were defeated in the Final in five games by the original Ottawa Senators.

    The feasibility of an NHL franchise sustaining itself in Seattle is very high, given the diehard fan base that already exists in all of the other major league sports in the city, let alone the historical significance of hockey in the region. Plus, who wouldn’t love a Pacific Northwest rivalry between neighbors, the Vancouver Canucks and whatever Seattle would be known as (it has to be the Metropolitans or else).

    Instead of “can a team last?” the better question would be “can a team move in while renovations are ongoing, a la how the Rangers dealt with Madison Square Garden’s improvements a few years ago?”

    The timeline (now through 2020) within the overarching timeline (2020 and beyond), if it even exists, might be crucial to navigating what the looming NHL announcement might be (relocation or expansion). Though given last Thursday’s league statement, it’s (probably) going to be expansion and the Seattle [TEAM TO BE NAMED] will begin play for the 2020-21 season.

    And now for something totally inspired by the works of Dave Lozo:

    How relocation would work for Seattle if a Western Conference team were on the move:

    There are two primary candidates for relocation to Seattle from the NHL’s Western Conference and both of them are already in the Pacific Division, which would negate the need for yet another division realignment this decade. And the candidates are… the Arizona Coyotes and the Calgary Flames.

    First up, the Coyotes.

    They’re an annual source of relocation rumors, their ownership group has met with people in Seattle before and they don’t have a lease deal in place (technically speaking) with Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes aren’t wanted by the local government in Glendale and their ex (Phoenix) isn’t looking to get back together anytime soon; given the lack of a joint proposal for a new stadium downtown to be shared by the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the NHL’s Coyotes.

    Would it be easiest to move Arizona to Seattle? Certainly, if you’re a hockey traditionalist who doesn’t think that the mere existence of the Coyotes in Arizona had anything to do with the fact that Auston Matthews is wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater right now (and totally beating Connor McDavid in the McDavid vs. Matthews argument).

    Does it make sense to move the Coyotes? Yes. Out of Glendale at least. The league has been committed to the desert since the franchise jettisoned from Winnipeg in 1996. Even more so now with the existence of “local” rivals, the Vegas Golden Knights, also sharing that desert theme.

    So if you’re thinking the Arizona Coyotes could relocate, it’s not going to be to Seattle. Can Vegas be home to two teams? Just wondering.

    But what about the Calgary Flames?

    The City of Calgary and Calgary Sports and Entertainment are in a standoff over the use of public funds for a new arena to replace Scotiabank Saddledome. The city has made it clear that they won’t spend one penny on even a pile of dirt for a new home for the Flames, while the Flames have threatened to leave if they don’t get what they want.

    We’ve heard this before (hello, NFL’s Los Angeles Rams vs. their former home in St. Louis) and professional sports franchises have moved before because their owners don’t want to finance things privately.

    So it’s more than likely that if a team is coming from the Western Conference to Seattle that it’ll be the Flames, which, come to think of it, could make for a killer flaming “S” logo. Why waste the moniker that stuck with the team from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980? Just copy the “C” and paste it upside down and there you have it. I’ve already taken the liberty of creating the logo for you, Flames fans in Seattle.

    Screen Shot 2017-12-07 at 2.20.59 AM.png
    “To begin, draw an ‘S’ for ‘snake’ [or Seattle]” – Strong Bad
    Should Calgary lose their NHL team over a temper tantrum? No, but crazier things have happened. I mean, we’re talking about the city that hosts Calgary Stampede every year.

    How relocation would work for Seattle if an Eastern Conference team were on the move:

    Hear me out on this one. *It would have worked until the purchase agreement announced last Thursday included a seven-year stipulation that Carolina will not be relocated.*

    Peter Karmanos screws Hartford over one more time by giving them the finger while seated in a private jet as the Hurricanes fly over Connecticut’s capital en route to Québec’s capital city. *But we now know this part, at least, won’t be happening, since the purchase agreement calls for Dallas billionaire, Tom Dundon,– who’s buying a majority stake of the Hurricanes– to not relocate the team for seven years (conveniently the length of time remaining on Carolina’s PNC Arena lease. #Québec2024).*

    Thanks to the Houston Astros for finally putting the United States’s fourth most populated metropolitan area on the map with their World Series title this year, the Florida Panthers begin to wonder if they could actually win a Cup by moving to a real sports city– that sports city being the WHA hockey hotbed of Houston, of course.

    The Panthers relocate and replicate Major League Baseball’s outlook on the State of Texas, whereby Houston is part of the American League and would be part of the NHL’s Eastern Conference for no other reason than not to disturb the finally balanced conferences after Seattle joins as the 32nd team in the league (because that makes sense).

    Finally, the New York Islanders abandon all hope in the Big Apple when it becomes apparent that nobody’s loved them since the 1980s and John Tavares will lea[f]e them for the 6ix in the offseason.

    Because of their great relationship with Bridgeport, CT (home of the Islanders’s AHL affiliate, Bridgeport Sound Tigers) and now Worcester, MA (home of the Islanders’s ECHL affiliate, Worcester Railers HC), the Islanders choose to put themselves “between” their farm clubs and successfully bring back the Hartford Whalers (while also continuing to struggle for a new arena, but in Hartford now– shouts XL Center).

    Or consider this curveball *which, again, cannot happen as a result of the purchase agreement, pending Board of Governors approval of the final sale of the Carolina Hurricanes*:

    The Carolina Hurricanes relocate to Seattle and the NHL finally accepts the deferred expansion bid Quebecor submitted back in 2015 and welcomes Québec City as the 32nd team in the league (welcome back, Québec Nordiques). The conferences are kept in-tact this way and everybody’s happy because the Hurricanes really need to leave Raleigh for an ownership group that will actually love them (along with some fans).

    As for Florida and the Islanders, well, they’re on their own in this hypothetical curve.

  • Down the Frozen River Podcast #83- What’s Brewing In Seattle?

    Down the Frozen River Podcast #83- What’s Brewing In Seattle?

    Nick and Connor address the latest potential-expansion news regarding Seattle, recap the process thus far and speculate about many hypothetical relocation possibilities. Charlotte is better than Raleigh, another Subban was traded and— oh yeah— there’s games on the schedule this weekend.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and/or on Stitcher.

  • Numbers Game: Count Your Quarters

    It’s December 1st which means all 31 NHL teams have passed the quarter mark of the regular season. Some teams have played almost 30 games while others have barely passed the 20.5 games required for the “quarter of the way through the season” moniker.

    In the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers are bad, the Colorado Avalanche are okay, the Vegas Golden Knights are good and there’s a very real chance that the Arizona Coyotes barely surpass Colorado’s 22-win 2016-2017 season benchmark of “worst team in the Salary Cap Era”.

    Meanwhile in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning are thundering their way back into dominance over the rest of the league, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the real deal, the Montreal Canadiens are turning a corner after stumbling out the gate and the New Jersey Devils are good– too good.

    Oh and then there’s the fact that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins are quietly in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

    So with everything in mind, let’s use Microsoft Excel to help us predict the rest of the season, shall we?

    Unlike my standings projections before the first puck dropped on the season, I haven’t added any Gut Feeling 2.0 to these predictions. There’s going to be some surprises and there’s going to be some things that are way off, considering the fact that an equation cannot predict injuries, streaks or things of that nature. What might look insane now, will look different (hopefully) in another 20 games or so.

    Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to do another round of this around the All-Star Game.

    The moral of the story here is that if you’re off to a bad start, like Edmonton, and you’re running up against a tight salary cap moving forward, it’s never too early to start counting your quarters and figuring out what assets you’ll be able to lose by the trade deadline.

    If you’re a good team, like New Jersey, then it’s the perfect time to assess how far you think you’ll go and determine who might be right the addition at or before the deadline that’ll push you further than expected and maybe all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.

    2017-2018 Projected Standings after Two Months

    Eastern Conference

    Atlantic Division

    1. y-Tampa Bay Lightning, 101 points (25 GP so far)
    2. x-Boston Bruins, 98 points (23 GP so far)
    3. x-Toronto Maple Leafs, 94 points (27 GP so far)
    4. Montreal Canadiens, 92 points (27 GP so far)
    5. Detroit Red Wings, 89 points (26 GP so far)
    6. Ottawa Senators, 88 points (23 GP so far)
    7. Florida Panthers, 78 points (24 GP so far)
    8. Buffalo Sabres, 67 points (25 GP so far)

    To keep things short, the Lightning and the Maple Leafs are still the best picks coming out of the Atlantic Division if you have your eyes set on trying to predict which teams might have a deep playoff run in 2018.

    The Boston Bruins have been battling injuries all season long and while they’ve kept the pace with their youth-infused lineup, they still have a lot of development to go before they can reach a conference finals run, let alone Stanley Cup Final run. Ottawa’s decline continues to be one of the biggest surprises in the weakest division in the Eastern Conference. Other than that, nothing else is really groundbreaking here.

    Metropolitan Division

    1. z-Pittsburgh Penguins, 102 points (26 GP so far)
    2. x-New York Islanders, 98 points (24 GP so far)
    3. x-Washington Capitals, 98 points (26 GP so far)
    4. x-Columbus Blue Jackets, 97 points (25 GP so far)
    5. x-New York Rangers, 97 points (25 GP so far)
    6. New Jersey Devils, 94 points (24 GP so far)
    7. Philadelphia Flyers, 90 points (25 GP so far)
    8. Carolina Hurricanes, 84 points (23 GP so far)

    In the Metropolitan Division the Pittsburgh Penguins look to regain their top-notch form as they’ve had a difficult time adjusting to life after Marc-Andre Fleury (and have especially struggled with a decimated defense from the offseason).

    The Columbus Blue Jackets are likely to climb in later projections, based on their current performance, but again, since this is only based off of a formula in Microsoft Excel… Columbus will be just fine. They should be an underdog or a dark horse for Stanley Cup contention this season. This division will continue to be the tightest battle all season long, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see New Jersey inside or outside of the picture come April.

    Western Conference

    Central Division

    1. p-St. Louis Blues, 107 points (25 GP so far)
    2. x-Chicago Blackhawks, 100 points (25 GP so far)
    3. x-Nashville Predators, 98 points (25 GP so far)
    4. x-Winnipeg Jets, 97 points (25 GP so far)
    5. Dallas Stars, 93 points (25 GP so far)
    6. Minnesota Wild, 93 points (25 GP so far)
    7. Colorado Avalanche, 85 points (23 GP so far)

    As exciting as the battle for the Metropolitan Division should continue to be this season, the Western Conference’s Central Division has plenty of counterpoints to offer for top-notch divisional battles and Stanley Cup contenders. This is the season for the St. Louis Blues (to at least make a run for the President’s Trophy).

    Whether or not St. Louis can go further than their 2016 Western Conference Finals trip went and make it back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970, only time can tell. Between the Blues, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets, it’s safe to say one of your Stanley Cup finalists will be from the Central Division.

    Pacific Division

    1. y-Vegas Golden Knights, 106 points (24 GP so far)
    2. x-San Jose Sharks, 101 points (23 GP so far)
    3. x-Los Angeles Kings, 99 points (26 GP so far)
    4. x-Anaheim Ducks, 98 points (25 GP so far)
    5. Vancouver Canucks, 90 points (26 GP so far)
    6. Calgary Flames, 89 points (25 GP so far)
    7. Edmonton Oilers, 73 points (26 GP so far)
    8. Arizona Coyotes, 65 points (28 GP so far)

    In the biggest surprise this season, the Vegas Golden Knights are not only tracking for a postseason appearance– they’re on the rails to a Pacific Division winning season. Yes, the Los Angeles Kings are the only other hottest team in the Pacific, but there’s something to be said for the San Jose Sharks experience the last few seasons.

    Just like the Central Division, Vegas, Los Angeles or San Jose would be safe bets for a deep playoff run. The Anaheim Ducks could make things interesting as they have always done, but there’s really nothing else that looks promising to make a surge in the standings and/or postseason. Sorry Oilers fans.

    Need a reminder of what things looked like early in November? Here it is:

  • Down the Frozen River Podcast #82- Baby It’s Cole Outside

    Down the Frozen River Podcast #82- Baby It’s Cole Outside

    Nick and Connor analyze the Sami Vatanen–Adam Henrique trade between the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils, recap the standings at the end of November and talk what’s next for the Pittsburgh Penguins with Matt Murray out week-to-week. Connor also breaks down the potential scenarios for Ian Cole and the Penguins.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and/or on Stitcher.

  • NHL Awards Projections (Part 1)

    Well NHL fans, we are roughly at the quarter-mark of the season (slightly past that actually… my bad). It has been very interesting to say the least. There have been quite a few surprises, but there is plenty of hockey left to be played. I wanted to take a moment to give you my humble opinions on some of the (potential) regular-season award winners at this point.

    President’s Trophy

    Tampa Bay Lightning

    I’m going to overrule the St. Louis Blues and go with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although currently just one point ahead in the number-one spot in the league, they have been playing lights-out (pun intended) hockey. The revival of post-injury Steven Stamkos has rocked this team. The goal support coming from Nikita Kucherov has also been a pleasant surprise. These players lead the league in points and both have top spots in assists and goals respectively. If their goaltending remains strong and their offense can continue producing, there is no reason to doubt that they are capable of winning this award.

    Hart Memorial Trophy

    Steven Stamkos

    I was very close to arguing Sergei Bobrovsky, but most people would quit reading the article at that point. In all seriousness, if Stamkos continues his dominant play and the Lightning continue being one of the best teams in the league, he is destined to win this award for a pretty simple reason. This honor is intended to go to the most valuable player, meaning that without this player, the team would be completely different. With the absence of Stamkos for most of last season, the Lightning earned just 94 points and missed the playoffs entirely. In his return, they are on pace for 100+ points and a top finish in the league. Sure there were other changes to this team, but having Stamkos is one of the biggest.

    Calder Memorial Trophy

    Brock Boeser

    This may be been the toughest choice so far. Do I think Boeser is the best first-year player this year? Honestly, I’m still not sure. The difference between Boeser and other rookies is that he is playing on a team with limited talent, so he gets the opportunity to shine. This is the same reason why I consider Clayton Keller and Alexander Kerfoot top candidates. At the end of the day, this specific award doesn’t go to the best first-year player, it goes to the one who displayed their talents in terms of statistics. When you’re buried on a 3rd or 4th line playing limited minutes, it is difficult to make a huge impact right away. While some rookies are still developing on their respective clubs, Vancouver has thrown Boeser into the fire and he has responded well. The Canucks are playing pretty good hockey right now and Boeser (11-11-22) has a big role in that success.

    Vezina Trophy

    Sergei Bobrovsky

    Alright, now it’s time to talk about Bobrovsky. The Columbus Blue Jackets are currently first in the powerhouse Metropolitan Division and the goaltending department is a key reason why. The offense is still working out the kinks and the special teams units have been struggling (most notably the power-play). Bobrovsky has the capability to win a game by himself and he has done so several times this season. He leads the NHL with a 1.92 GAA and a 0.935 SV%. Pair that with his league leading four shutouts and second-place 14 wins overall and you can see my case. He arguably owns both the save of the year and the runner-up to the save of the year as well. If Bobrovsky can continue his great play, he should repeat as the Vezina Trophy winner.

    James Norris Memorial Trophy

    Alex Pietrangelo

    So who should I pick here? Brent Burns? No. Erik Karlsson? No. Alex Pietrangelo? Sure, why not? This is an interesting year in terms of defensive play. Many of the typical candidates for this award have struggled and may be on the outside looking in at the end of the season. Pietrangelo has taken the league by storm (although many people still don’t know who I’m talking about). In my opinion, this award winner must play both ends of the ice, meaning they have strong offensive and defensive play. Pietrangelo is leading defenseman in goals (7), tied for second in points (20), and also tied for second in the +/- category (11). While his isn’t the best pure defensemen, he has the best overall game, which should give him this award if he can continue his strong play.

    Jack Adams Award

    Gerard Gallant

    Last, but not least, this is the part where I get to to discuss the unexplainable wonder that is the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Gallant was actually a finalist for this award with the Florida Panthers. Now in his first season behind the bench in Las Vegas, he has turned what should have been a train wreck into an incredible story. The question of if this story will continue will likely dictate if he is considered for this award once again. The Golden Knights are now 15-7-1 and still hold first place in the Pacific Division. Even if they falter and simply squeak into a playoff spot, one would imagine Gallant gets the nod here. Honestly, this will probably be a tossup along with New Jersey’s John Hynes and Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, but anything can happen between now and the post-season.

  • Numbers Game: Vegas Through 20 (2017-18)

    By now I’m sure you’re all tired of hearing and reading what I have said and written about the Boston Bruins, so let’s check out how some former Bruins– Colin Miller, Reilly Smith and Malcolm Subban— are doing.

    The Vegas Golden Knights have redefined what it means to be an expansion team in the modern NHL. They’re leading the Pacific Division at the American Thanksgiving mark, you guys. Clearly this means they’ll be the 2018 Stanley Cup champions and all of my work will be for nothing.

    But seriously though, part of me thinks the Golden Knights will for sure make the playoffs. As for how far they’ll go, well, let’s just save us all the surprise of the potential postseason for when it gets here. How’s that sound?

    Now without saying too much more, keep in mind my degree is in communication– not math– so blame anything that looks strange on Microsoft Excel instead of me, thanks.

    Remember that sometimes what you see below is pure speculation, pure “potential” (*ahem* Alex Tuch) and a bunch of nonsense that all relates to how much a player has played thus far in their career combined with how they’re tracking through the first 20 games the team in Sin City has played.

    Here’s a look at how every player in Vegas should pan out over the next 62 games remaining in the 2017-2018 regular season.

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    Vegas Golden Knights Projections Through 20 Games (62 Games Remaining)

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    Without any real surprises from Jonathan Marchessault, James Neal, David Perron and Reilly Smith, the Golden Knights biggest surprise at forward has been William Karlsson. Karlsson’s hot scoring hands look to continue throughout the season, setting what should be career highs in goals, assists and points (of course).

    Tomas Nosek should be fun to watch if you’re into depth scoring.

    It’s safe to say that we all expected Colin Miller and Nate Schmidt to emerge as high caliber defensemen, but what’s even more incredible is that they’re doing so while the rest of their teammates on the blue line are also contributing immensely to the assist column.

    Sure, it’ll be great to see Deryk Engelland put away a few more pucks in the back of the net than he did last season, but consider the scoring potential of Shea Theodore now that Golden Knights general manager, George McPhee, has done the right thing in regards to calling him up and giving him a go. Clearly Gerard Gallant knows what he’s doing with this one.

    Though it wouldn’t hurt to recall Jason Garrison and send Griffin Reinhart to the Chicago Wolves (AHL). Especially since Garrison could actually contribute to the team, while Reinhart sits in the press box as a healthy scratch from night-to-night.

    In addition to the pleasant surprises we’ve seen from all of the skaters, consider the impressive depth in the crease the Golden Knights have stockpiled behind the eventual return of Marc-Andre Fleury to fortress in front of the twine.

    Malcolm Subban’s settling into a NHL career, while Maxime Lagace— albeit a non-competitor for the backup job currently– should pan out just fine in future years. What a find, Vegas.

    If Oscar Dansk can ever make it back to dancing with the NHL level of the game, don’t be surprised to see a few heads turning around the rest of the league and some trade offers being made. Vegas is in good shape to have a plethora of established youth in goal, considering the injuries the Montreal Canadiens are currently facing and/or the potential future goaltender injuries for other teams.

    Vegas just might make the playoffs as they continue to stake their claim as “the greatest expansion franchise in league history (if not all major North American professional sports)”.

    Oh, and their Corsi is pretty good too, but I digress.

    If you’re interested in seeing what was expected before a puck dropped this season, check out my initial projections for the inaugural Vegas Golden Knights season.

  • Numbers Game: Boston Through 20 (2017-18)

    The 2017-2018 regular season is rolling along as American Thanksgiving is once again upon us and everyone’s freaking out about some of the teams that are in playoff position (like Vegas) or not (like NYR) and all that stuff about “teams that are in the playoff picture by Thanksgiving traditionally make the playoffs based on stats”.

    I’m as much of a stats fan as the next guy, but in today’s NHL, parity is unpredictable. There are some false positives in the playoff picture right now as there are equally some teams that we all thought would be dominating the Pacific Division currently– I’m looking at you, Edmonton Oilers.

    Alas, the Boston Bruins find themselves in fourth place in the Atlantic Division as they are about to chow down on some turkey, quinoa and whatever else I’m sure Zdeno Chara is probably cooking up for them because if you haven’t already heard, his diet is better than Tom Brady’s*.

    *I don’t actually stand by this claim, Mr. Brady. You’re still the GOAT.

    Boston is one point away from tying the Detroit Red Wings in points, but would leap over them for sole position of third place in the division if the B’s tied Detroit, given the Bruins have a game-in-hand on the Red Wings currently. Likewise, if Boston added two points outright, they’d surpass Detroit (because that’s how the whole “2 points for a win, 1 point for an overtime/shootout loss and no points for a regulation loss” thing works).

    Please remember that my degree is in communication– not math– so any miscalculations are Microsoft Excel’s fault.

    Without further ado and to give you something to talk about at the dinner table while you stuff your face with sweet potatoes, here’s a look at how every player on the Bruins should pan out as the team has now played 20 games this season.

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    Boston Bruins Projections Through 20 Games (62 Games Remaining)

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    Keep in mind, young guys like Anders Bjork, Matt Grzelcyk and others will even out in some of their individual stats with more games under their feet. Bjork probably won’t have 15 points on the power play, but that’s just what the formula in Microsoft Excel shows until he gets another 10 or 20 games in his system.

    Guys like Grzelcyk and Rob O’Gara, while they’ve played games over a couple of seasons, are like Bjork according to the formula in that their total number of career games means just about the same as one season (or more accurately, 16 games so far) of Bjork. And obviously Tommy Cross is Tommy Cross.

    Like Jordan Szwarz, Cross doesn’t have a huge sample of career games played and there haven’t been plenty of appearances since his last game at the NHL level (though Szwarz actually filled in for nine games while David Krejci, Ryan Spooner and David Backes were out with injuries).

    Thankfully Spooner is back and can start racking up assists, while Krejci can settle in with Jake DeBrusk pulling his weight as a rookie.

    Hopefully Peter Cehlarik continues to be making claim for a longer stay with the big league club instead of going back to the Providence Bruins like he did last season after making his NHL debut, because his play with and without the puck has certainly been impressive– aside from the clear chemistry he has with David Krejci.

    Patrice Bergeron has improved since his lower body injury forced him out of the lineup, but he’s still looking at an “off” year for the next 62 games ahead. That’s right, a bad year for Bergeron is still worth 60 points in scoring.

    Whenever Brad Marchand returns from the IR, he should be just fine.

    And it should be rather transparent, but David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy are incredible stars on this team. So there’s that.

    Finally, there’s no goaltending controversy with the black and gold. Tuukka Rask should rebound, but you’d be crazy not to ride the back of Anton Khudobin while he’s been on fire lately.

    Rask is best kept between 45 and 58 games in a season, so if Khudobin can keep up his current play for another 10 games or so before returning to his usual backup status, that should buy Rask plenty of time to recover from overworking the last three seasons (or more, probably more). Play Khudobin until he burns out, but hope he can take off almost 30 games from Rask’s workload compared to the last couple of seasons.

    If you’re interested, here’s a look at how the Bruins should have been doing entering the 2017-2018 regular season.

  • Down the Frozen River Podcast #81- Turkey Day 2K17: As Gudas It Gets

    Down the Frozen River Podcast #81- Turkey Day 2K17: As Gudas It Gets

    Nick checks in with Colby Kephart and Frank Fanelli (of Student Union Sports) on Radko Gudas’s suspension, the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Chance The Rapper’s SNL skit for the ages. Also discussed, the overabundance of outdoor games featuring teams that are obviously stuck in a revolving door of outdoor games.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and/or on Stitcher.

    And be sure to check out our newest extension of the product, DTFR Overtime, this week where Nick retroactively wrote about a topic from last week’s episode.