All-USA vs All-Russia

Thanks to whatifsports.com

GAME 1	HOME	AWAY
PERIOD 1	USA	RUSSIA
Goal scored by Adam Deadmarsh assisted by Brian Leetch and Brett Hull	1	0
Goal scored by Phil Kessel assisted by Joe Mullen and Mike Modano	2	0
Goal scored by Alexander Ovechkin assisted by Sergei Fedorov and Andrei Markov	2	1
Goal scored by Alexander Semin assisted by Sergei Makarov and Sergei Gonchar	2	2
Goal scored by Keith Tkachuk assisted by Drew Doughty and Patrick Kane	3	2
PERIOD 2
Goal scored by Phil Kessel assisted by Joe Mullen and Brian Rafalski	4	2
Powerplay - Goal scored by Keith Tkachuk assisted by Brian Leetch	5	2
PERIOD 3
Sergei Fedorov shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Alexander Mogilny	5	3
Goal scored by Alexei Zhitnik assisted by Alexander Semin and Sergei Nemchinov	5	4
Sergei Fedorov shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Sergei Zubov	5	5
OVERTIME 1
Goal scored by Ryan Kesler assisted by Pat LaFontaine and Brian Rafalski	6	5
GAME 2	HOME	AWAY
PERIOD 1	USA	RUSSIA
Goal scored by Pat LaFontaine assisted by Brian Rafalski and Adam Graves	1	0
Goal scored by Keith Tkachuk	2	0
Joe Mullen shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Mike Modano	3	0
PERIOD 2
Goal scored by Alexander Mogilny assisted by Sergei Zubov and Sergei Gonchar	3	1
Joe Mullen shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Phil Kessel	4	1
Goal scored by Brian Rafalski assisted by Keith Tkachuk and Adam Deadmarsh	5	1
PERIOD 3
Phil Kessel shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Joe Mullen	6	1
Goal scored by Alexei Kovalev assisted by Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Fedorov	6	2
GAME 3	HOME	AWAY
PERIOD 1	RUSSIA	USA
Goal scored by Joe Mullen assisted by Brian Leetch and Phil Housley	0	1
Goal scored by Alexander Mogilny assisted by Alexei Kovalev	1	1
PERIOD 2
Goal scored by Alexander Ovechkin assisted by Ilya Kovalchuk and Sergei Fedorov	2	1
Goal scored by Pat LaFontaine assisted by Adam Graves and Brian Rafalski	2	2
Sergei Fedorov shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Alexander Mogilny	3	2
Goal scored by Sergei Fedorov assisted by Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Ovechkin	4	2
PERIOD 3
Goal scored by Sergei Gonchar assisted by Sergei Zubov and Sergei Nemchinov	5	2
GAME 4	HOME	AWAY
PERIOD 1	RUSSIA	USA
Goal scored by Phil Kessel assisted by Brian Leetch and Joe Mullen	0	1
Goal scored by Brian Leetch assisted by Gary Suter	0	2
Goal scored by Brett Hull assisted by Keith Tkachuk and Adam Deadmarsh	0	3
PERIOD 2
Goal scored by Pat LaFontaine assisted by Drew Doughty and Ryan Kesler	0	4
Goal scored by Brett Hull assisted by Brian Leetch and Keith Tkachuk	0	5
PERIOD 3
Alexei Zhitnik shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Sergei Nemchinov	1	5
Brian Leetch shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Mike Modano	1	6
GAME 5	HOME	AWAY
PERIOD 1	USA	RUSSIA
Goal scored by Phil Kessel assisted by Joe Mullen and Brian Leetch	1	0
Goal scored by Pat LaFontaine assisted by Drew Doughty	2	0
Ryan Kesler shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Pat LaFontaine	3	0
Goal scored by Ryan Kesler assisted by Adam Graves and Drew Doughty	4	0
PERIOD 2
Goal scored by Phil Housley assisted by Mike Modano and Patrick Kane	5	0
Goal scored by Ilya Kovalchuk	5	1
Goal scored by Sergei Nemchinov assisted by Sergei Gonchar and Alexander Semin	5	2
PERIOD 3
Goal scored by Alexander Mogilny assisted by Alexei Kovalev and Sergei Fedorov	5	3
Goal scored by Alexander Mogilny assisted by Sergei Fedorov and Vladimir Konstantinov	5	4
TEAM USA WINS
MVP: Brian Leetch (2G, 6A)

We're Back!

After a long hiatus, The Sin Bin Hockey is going to be back! Keep checking back for updates!

KHL to NHL stats

I'm a little bit through my research of the KHL, and I've found that, according to behindthenet.com, the NHL is given a difficulty level that basically calculates to a player's stats being 63% of what they were in the KHL. For example, if a player scored 20 goals in 54 games in the KHL, he should expect to score about 13 goals in 54 games in the NHL. Alexander Radulov is one of the top scorers in the KHL, and, had he played in the NHL, he would have registered 24 goals and 36 assists in 76 games played (the equivalent of his 50 games played in the KHL). Quite good, actually, but not superstar status like he achieves playing in the KHL. Another player that could be of great value to a team in the NHL is Kevin Dallman. In fact, I will go so far as to say he would make the first All-Star Team in the NHL if he were to play here. Playing an 82 game season in the NHL, he would have played 80 games, had 22 goals, and 36 assists. All-Star? Yes, he is a defenceman. A defenceman scoring 22 goals in the NHL would be quite an accomplishment! A good rule of thumb for calculating stats in the KHL is this: in a 54 game season, The number of goals, assists, for points a player gets will be about the same number he would get playing 82 games in the NHL. For example, if a player scores 10 goals in 54 games in the KHL, he would score around 10 goals in the NHL in 82 games.

KHL Scores 10/1/12

Here are your KHL scores for the day, along with notable NHL players stats, if they had any points.

Avangard 2 - 1 Sibir in OT
Barys 3 - 1 Amur
Yugra 4 - 3 Metallurg Nk
Avtomobilist 3 - 5 Lev (Christensen had 2 goals)
Traktor 3 -1 Slovan
Metallurg Mg 1 - 2 CSKA in SO
SKA 5 - 2 Ak Bars (Bobrovsky has 2 assists (!), Kovalchuk with 2 assists)
Dynamo Moscow 5 - 1 Neftekhimik (Ovechkin scores 1 goal and has 1 assist)
Dynamo Riga 2 - 3 Salavat Yulaev in OT

Вот ваши KХЛ баллов за день, наряду с заметным игроков НХЛ статистика, если у них одного очка.

Авангард 2 - 1 Сибирь в овертайме

Барыс 3 - 1 Амур

Югра 4 - 3 Металлург Нк

Автомобилист 3 - 5 лев (Christensen было 2 гола)

трактор 3 -1 Слован

Металлург Мг 1 - 2 ЦСКА в SO

СКА 5 - 2 Ак Барс (Бобровский имеет 2 передачи (!), Ковальчук с 2 передачи!)

Динамо Москва 5 - 1 Нефтехимик (Овечкин оценки 1 гол и имеет 1 передачи)

Динамо Рига 2 - 3 Салават Юлаев в овертайме

Star of the Day 9/27/12: Evgeni Malkin

Today's SOTD is Evgeni Malkin. He led his team to a convincing 6-1 Victory today with 1 goal and 2 assists. The fans cheered loudly whenever Malkin touched the puck, and he seems to be very welcome on KHL's Metallurg, his team during the (hopefully temporary) NHL Lockout.

Goal of the Day: Nikolai Zherdev, KHL

In Lieu of the NHL...

This blog was originally created to follow the NHL. However, due to the lockout, in lieu of the NHL, this blog will be following the KHL, AHL, OHL, WHL, and QMJHL instead. I will switch off as I see fit, but MAINLY I will follow the KHL and AHL, as those are the two leagues I prefer. I hope you continue reading!

Playoff Predictions: VERY EARLY!

Here are the predictions for the playoffs if they were to happen with my predicted NHL standings:
WEST
1st ROUND

1. Vancouver
8. Colorado

Vancouver's depth overwhelms young Avalanche team and wins in 5 games.
 Winner: VAN
2. St. Louis
7. Nashville

St. Louis' goaltending and solid Defense stymies the Nashville Predators for the full 7 games.
 Winner: STL

3. San Jose
6. Chicago

Chicago's star power overwhelms San Jose and players like Stalberg and Bickell step up, this series goes 6 games.
Winner: CHI

4. Los Angeles
5. Detroit


The reigning champs and their stunning offense and goaltending outmatch the aging Red Wings in 5 games.
Winner: LA

 2nd ROUND

1. Vancouver
6. Chicago

The home ice advantage is no plus to Vancouver as the Road Warriors take the series in 7 games with the help of superstar Jonathan Toews.
Winner: CHI

2. St. Louis
4. Los Angeles

This goaltending duel between Halak/Elliot and Quick comes to a head in the 7th game, which sees Quick reign supreme.
Winner: LA

3rd ROUND

4. Los Angeles
6. Chicago

In a thrilling 6 game series, Chicago's offense overwhelms Los Angeles and win the series.
Winner: CHI

EAST:
 1st ROUND

1. Pittsburgh
8. Buffalo

Buffalo shows real heart taking the series 6, but Pittsburgh's outstanding star power and offense gets it done.
Winner: PIT

2. Winnipeg
7. Washington

Ovechkin has his way with the regular season surprise Jets, and Washington wins in 7.
Winner: WSH

3. Boston
6. Toronto

Tuuka Rask shows he is playoff ready, and this Original Six matchup goes 5 games as Boston is victorious.
Winner: BOS

4. New York Rangers
5.  Carolina

The much-improved Hurricanes take this series to game 6 with the Staal brothers, but Nash and Company win the series.
 Winner: NYR

2nd ROUND

1. Pittsburgh
7. Washington

In a surprise upset, Ovechkin and Holtby/Neuvirth take center stage and thwart Pittsburgh, winning the series in 7
Winner: WSH

3. Boston
4. New York Rangers

In an Origianl 6 matchup, the solid depth of the New York Rangers will outlast the defense of the Boston Bruins, leading to a 7 game series victory for New York.
Winner: NYR

3rd ROUND

1. Pittsburgh
4. New York Rangers

The New York Rangers will move to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994 with this surprisingly short 5 game victory over the Penguins.
Winner: NYR

FINALS

6. Chicago
4. New York Rangers

In an epic O6 matchup, New York's supreme goaltending and stellar depth will overcome Chicago's massive amount of starpower in 7 games, leading to their first championship since '94.
STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS: NEW YORK RANGERS

Top 5 Captains in the NHL Today

5. Sidney Crosby: Possibly the most talented on this list, he led his Penguins to their first cup since '92 and became the youngest captain in history to win the Stanley Cup in 2009.
4. Jarome Iginla: One of the best players in the game, he has scored over 500 goals in his career, which has been based entirely in Calgary for the Flames organization, leading his team to the Finals for the first time since 1989.
3. Ryan Callahan: Always willing to go down to block a shot, take, or give a hit, he leads his team by example, and is a great role model in terms of playing style and energy.
2. Shane Doan: Shane Doan is the spark for his team, the Phoenix Coyotes, and he never says die. He has played for the same organization for his entire career. He has led his team to the playoffs (an accomplishment for the Coyotes) multiple times and last year led them to the Western Conference Finals. He always plays hard and is a great leader.
1. Jonathan Toews: "Captain Serious" is the heart and soul of Chicago, especially after leading the before hapless Hawks to the Stanley Cup for the first time in 49 years. He is all business, plays as hard as he can every shift, drops the gloves, scores goals, racks up points, blocks, assists, hits, and is one of the takeaway leaders in the league. He leads by example and will speak up in the lockerroom to get his team riled up. The number one captain in the league today.

Luongo Says Trade to Florida "Makes Sense"

Roberto Luongo, who was recently found skating in the Florida Panthers practice facility (he made sure to leave before Jose Theodore arrived there) was quoted in saying a trade to Florida "makes sense". Is he trying to force a trade to Florida? It is obvious he wants the majority of starts for his club and since he no longer holds the number one job in Vancouver, Florida seems to be a good fit for him. The Florida Panthers already have a history with Luongo, whom they traded to Vancouver years ago.

Landeskog Named Captain

Gabriel Landeskog has been named captain of the Colorado Avalanche, at the age of 19 years, making him the youngest captain in NHL history. This is certainly an interesting move by the Colorado Avalanche, and we will have to see how it plays out next season.

Jordan Eberle Signs Big Deal

Jordan Eberle has signed a six year, $36 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Congrats to him,  will say!

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS PREDICTIONS ARE HERE!

After many hours of analysis and formulas and statistics, here are the predictions for the Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh	111
Winnipeg	106
Boston	105
NYR	102
Carolina	104
Toronto	93
Washington	91
Buffalo	89
Ottawa	88
Montreal	87
Philadelphia	84
New Jersey	78
Tampa Bay	69
Florida	68
NYI	59

Beast of the East (Offense): Steven Stamkos
Beast of the East (Defense): Erik Karlsson
Beast of the East (Goalie): Henrik Lundqvist

Update To Previous Predictions

With my analysis, I am finding that some of my predictions are going to be rendered invalid. Therefore, please disregard the predictions of the 2012-2013 season, and only pay attention to last post's predictions and the upcoming Eastern Conference Predictions, as well as new MVP Predictions, Vezina Predictions, Selke Trophy Predictions, etc.

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS PREDICTIONS FOR 2013 ARE HERE!

Here are the long-awaited Western Conference standings predictions that I have made, after much careful analysis of every player in the league and a couple of special formulas:
1. Vancouver Canucks: 115 Points
2. St. Louis Blues: 110 Points
3. San Jose Sharks: 110 Points
4. Los Angeles Kings: 104 Points
5. Detroit Red Wings: 102 Points
6. Chicago Blackhawks: 99 Points
7. Nashville Predators: 91 Points
8. Colorado Avalanche: 91 Points
9. Phoenix Coyotes: 91 Points
10. Minnesota Wild: 91 Points
11. Calgary Flames: 89 Points
12. Dallas Stars: 88 Points
13. Anaheim Ducks: 79 Points
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: 74 Points
15. Edmonton Oilers: 72 Points

Best of the West (Forward): Jordan Eberle will be the Best of the West next season
Best of the West (Defense): Shea Weber will be the Best of the West next season
Best of the West (Goalie): Mike Smith will be the Best of the West next season

NEWS: Taylor Hall Receives Contract Extension

Taylor Hall has received a 7-year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

Predictions coming in about a month!

I will have my season predictions in about a month. I am busy analyzing statistics and making sure every single player in the league is accounted for.

Who's Better? Howe or Hull?

I am now going to discuss two Original Six era players: Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, and try to answer the question: Who's Better?
Gordie Howe, superstar for the Detroit Red Wings in the Original Six era of the NHL, scored 801 goals, 1049 assists, and 1850 points during his incredible 26 year career. He had a GPG of .45 and an APG of .59, and a PPG of 1.05. He has 747 Goals Created, and a .46 GCPG over his entire career. His point shares are as follows: 186.6 OPS, 30.5 DPS, 217.1 PS. Per season, they average to 7.17 OPS per season, 1.17 DPS per season, and 8.35 PS per season. Over 157 playoff games, Gordie Howe amassed 68 goals, 92 assists, and 160 points. This means he had a playoff GPG of .433, a playoff APG of .585, and a playoff PPG of 1.01. He won 6 point scoring titles, led the league in goals 5 times, 3 times led the league in assists, and won 4 Stanley Cups during his career.
Bobby Hull, Chicago Blackhawks hero, scored 610 NHL goals and racked up 560 assists for 1170 total points during his career. He had 485 Goals Created as well. Over the course of 16 seasons, Bobby Hull recorded a GPG of .57, and APG of .53, and a PPG of 1.10. He also had a GCPG of .46, identical to Howe's. Bobby Hull's Point Share statistics are as follows: 115.9 OPS, 19.7 DPS, and 135.7 PS. This, per season, is 7.24 OPS per season, 1.23 DPS per season, and 8.48 PPS per season. Over the course of 119 playoff games, Bobby Hull scored 62 goals and had 67 assists for 129 points. This gives him a playoff GPG of .52, a playoff APG of .56, and a playoff PPG of 1.1. He won 3 point scoring titles, led the league in goals 7 times, and won one Stanley Cup during his career.
But what does this all  mean? Looking at all these statistics, we can see that Bobby Hull, although he did not score as many goals as Howe, had a higher GPG than Howe did. If Bobby Hull had played as many seasons as Howe did, he would have been likely to pass up Howe in total goals scored. However, Howe does have the assist advantage over Bobby Hull. The PPG advantage goes to Hull. Hull beats Howe in 2 of those 3 categories. In terms of Point Shares Per Season, the two are very close. Howe's 7.17 OPS falls short of Hull's 7.24, but only by .07. Hull has a higher average DPS per season as well as a higher PS per season, winning all 3 categories, albeit by slim margins. Looking at playoff performance, we see that Hull averages more goals and points than Howe, but not more assists, very similar to the regular season. Statistically, Hull seems to have the advantage over Howe from a per game and per season standpoint.
Now, something needs to be said of Gordie Howe's longevity. The man played 26 NHL seasons, as well as 6 WHA seasons. That is 32 professional hockey seasons. He retired from pro hockey at the age of 51, the oldest NHL player in history. He still managed to score 15 goals and have 26 assists at age 51, which is simply incredible. This being said, Hull's 16 seasons are nothing to scoff at. Howe also won 3 more Cups than Hull, but again, just like Crosby vs Ovechkin, it takes a TEAM to win the Stanley Cup, not just one player.
THE WINNER:
Gordie Howe. This one was tough. I was thinking about Bobby Hull due to his higher averages, but then I noticed: the two have the SAME Goals Created Per Game at .46. This means that over 26 seasons, Gordie Howe was able to create the same average of goals per season as Bobby Hull did over 16 seasons. This clearly show's Howe's unmatched consistency and longevity in a tough league. His 4 Stanley Cups and assisting abilities also helped him win this round, although again it was very close.

Daniel Alfredsson Returns For Another Year

The Ottawa Senators have announced that Daniel Alfredsson will return for thr upcoming season. Alfredsson scored 27 goals and added 32 assists last year in 75 games for his Senators. He had 23 Goals Created (a stat I discussed in my last post) and an Offensive Point Share of 5.7, as well as a Defensive Point Share of 1.8 for a total Point Share of 7.5. Alfredsson has 416 Goals and 666 Assists in his career. He also has 408 Goals Created, a career OPS of 97.4 and a DPS of 27.8 for a total PS of 125.2

Who's Better? Ovechkin or Crosby REVISED

Who's Better? Ovechkin or Crosby

While the debate has been going on for years, I still think it is relevant in today’s game, and I will attempt to dissect the two players and let YOU decide who is better. Let’s start with goals. Ovechkin, in his career, has never dipped below thirty goals, has dipped below 40 only twice, and has hit 65 in one season. He led the league in goals twice in a row, with 65 and 56. He has 339 career goals in 553 career games, giving him a GPG of .613, placing him at number 6 all-time, and ahead of Wayne Gretzky. Crosby has dipped below thirty goals, albeit only twice, and both times he was injured for at least 29 games. He scored 51 goals in 2010, giving him that year’s scoring title. Crosby has scored 223 goals in 434 games, for a GPG of .513, making him 18th all-time. Now let’s move to assists. Ovechkin has only dipped below 40 assists one time, when he had 27 last year. He has never led the league in assists. He has 340 assists in 553 career games, giving him an APG of .614, 52nd all-time. Crosby has dipped below 40 assists twice, but he was injured for at least half of the season when these drops occurred. Crosby has hit 84 assists in one season, but has never led the league in assists. He has 386 assists in 434 career games for an APG of .889, good for 5th all time. Points wise, Ovechkin has broken the 100 point barrier 4 times in his career, his highest being a league-leading 112 points, the only time he has led the league in that category. He has 679 points in 553 career games for a PPG of 1.23, good for 13th all-time. Crosby has broken the 100 point barrier 4 times as well, his highest being 120 points, which led the league. This is the only time he has led the league in points. He has 609 points in 434 career games, giving him a PPG of 1.40, good for 4th all time. Given these statistics, it is hard to say who is the better player. While Ovechkin scores more goals than Crosby by a wide margin, Crosby also racks up more assists, by a wider margin, giving him a higher PPG than Ovechkin. But is that a clear indicator that Crosby is better? Let’s try another statistic. This one is called Goals Created. Goals created is a statistic calculated by adding goals  to 0.5 times assists, then multiplying by team goals divided by team goals plus 0.5 times team assists. It is a helpful tool in determining how valuable a player is to their team. When looking at these two players’ GC’s, we see that Ovechkin has led the league in Goals Created 3 years, all of them in a row, with 48, 45, and 43 goals created. He has 278 Goals Created in his career in 553 career games, giving him a GCPG of .503. Crosby has never led the league in goals created, and has 222 in his career in 434 games, for a GCPG of .511. Crosby has a slight edge over Ovechkin in this regard as well! In addition, Ovechkin has never won the Stanley Cup, while Crosby has (Although keep in mind it takes a whole team to win the Cup, not just one player!) Crosby has reached the Finals twice, while Ovechkin has not made it past the second round. Again, the same thing applies, it takes a whole team to win the Cup, not just one player. Let us now look at playoff performance from these two players. Ovechkin has 30 Goals in 51 Playoff games, for a Playoff GPG of .588, while Crosby boasts a .485 Playoff GPG. However, we see again that Crosby leads in APG and PPG even in the playoffs, with .838 and 1.32, respectively to Ovechkin’s .568 and 1.16, respectively.
There are a few final statistics we can utilize to see who is the better player. These are called Point Shares. There are Offensive, Defensive, and Total Point Shares. A Point Share is best described as an estimate of the number of points contributed by a player, due to their offense, defense, or both. Visit here to learn about how to calculate a point share. To make things quick, here are the Offensive, Defensive, and Total Point Shares for each player:
Ovechkin: OPS=75.8, DPS=14.5, PS=90.3
Crosby: OPS=61.2, DPS=12.6, PS=73.8
Here, we see that Ovechkin is better in all three categories!
So who is the the better player? That is for YOU to decide!

Matchup of the Day: 2008 Red Wings vs 1997 Red Wings

Two Stanley Cup winning Red Wings teams go head to head in this whatifsports.com matchup. Here's who comes out on top:

GAME 1	1997	2008
Powerplay - Goal scored by Pavel Datsyuk assisted by Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom	0	1
Goal scored by Valtteri Filppula assisted by Brett Lebda and Matt Ellis	0	2
Johan Franzen shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Tomas Holmstrom	0	3
Goal scored by Darren McCarty assisted by Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan	1	3
GAME 2	1997	2008
Goal scored by Vladimir Konstantinov assisted by Darren McCarty and Igor Larionov	1	0
Powerplay - Goal scored by Brendan Shanahan assisted by Darren McCarty and Viacheslav Fetisov	2	0
Henrik Zetterberg shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Pavel Datsyuk	2	1
Goal scored by Steve Yzerman assisted by Darren McCarty and Brendan Shanahan	3	1
Goal scored by Brian Rafalski assisted by Mikael Samuelsson and Pavel Datsyuk	3	2
GAME 3	1997	2008
Goal scored by Nicklas Lidstrom assisted by Johan Franzen and Brian Rafalski	0	1
Goal scored by Sergei Fedorov assisted by Bob Rouse and Vladimir Konstantinov	1	1
Goal scored by Jiri Hudler assisted by Brian Rafalski	1	2
Goal scored by Sergei Fedorov assisted by Viacheslav Fetisov and Tomas Sandstrom	2	2
Goal scored by Mikael Samuelsson assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg	2	3
Goal scored by Henrik Zetterberg assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Stuart	2	4
Goal scored by Henrik Zetterberg assisted by Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom	2	5
GAME 4	1997	2008
Goal scored by Bob Errey assisted by Igor Larionov and Martin Lapointe	1	0
Goal scored by Pavel Datsyuk assisted by Mikael Samuelsson and Henrik Zetterberg	1	1
Goal scored by Henrik Zetterberg assisted by Chris Chelios and Brad Stuart	1	2
Goal scored by Brendan Shanahan assisted by Vladimir Konstantinov and Tim Taylor	2	2
Powerplay - Goal scored by Pavel Datsyuk assisted by Tomas Kopecky and Henrik Zetterberg	2	3
GAME 5	1997	2008
Goal scored by Henrik Zetterberg assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Daniel Cleary	0	1
Goal scored by Sergei Fedorov assisted by Viacheslav Fetisov and Tomas Sandstrom	1	1
Goal scored by Daniel Cleary assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg	1	2
Goal scored by Mikael Samuelsson assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom	1	3
Shorthanded - Goal scored by Brendan Shanahan assisted by Vladimir Konstantinov and Nicklas Lidstrom	2	3
Powerplay - Goal scored by Pavel Datsyuk assisted by Henrik Zetterberg	2	4
THE 2008 RED WINGS WIN THE SERIES 4-1
MVP: Henrick Zetterberg with 5 Goals and 6 Assists

Matchup of the Day: 1972 Bruins vs 2011 Bruins

Today's matchup pits the two most recent Stanley Cup winning Bruins teams against each other to see who reigns supreme. Here are the results:

GAME 1	1972	2011
Powerplay - Goal scored by Bobby Orr assisted by Fred Stanfield and Ed Westfall	1	0
Blake Wheeler shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Tomas Kaberle	1	1
Goal scored by Rich Peverley assisted by Zdeno Chara	1	2
Goal scored by Milan Lucic assisted by Nathan Horton	1	3
Goal scored by Patrice Bergeron assisted by Tomas Kaberle and Milan Lucic	1	4
Goal scored by Wayne Cashman assisted by Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge	2	4
GAME 2	1972	2011
Goal scored by Carol Vadnais assisted by Phil Esposito	1	0
Brad Marchand shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Shawn Thornton	1	1
Goal scored by Zdeno Chara assisted by Tomas Kaberle and Nathan Horton	1	2
Goal scored by Ed Westfall assisted by Garnet Bailey	2	2
Goal scored by Phil Esposito assisted by Ken Hodge and Wayne Cashman	3	2
Goal scored by Mike Walton assisted by Garnet Bailey and Bobby Orr	4	2
GAME 3	1972	2011
Goal scored by Bobby Orr assisted by Reggie Leach and Mike Walton	1	0
Goal scored by Derek Sanderson assisted by Dallas Smith and Bobby Orr	2	0
Goal scored by Tomas Kaberle assisted by Zdeno Chara and Blake Wheeler	2	1
Powerplay - Goal scored by Ivan Boldirev assisted by Bobby Orr and Dallas Smith	3	1
GAME 4	1972	2011
Dallas Smith shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Phil Esposito	1	0
Goal scored by Gregory Campbell assisted by Mark Recchi and Chris Kelly	1	1
Goal scored by Mike Walton assisted by Reggie Leach and Don Awrey	2	1
Goal scored by Wayne Cashman assisted by Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais	3	1
Shorthanded - Rick Smith shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Don Awrey	4	1
Goal scored by Phil Esposito assisted by Carol Vadnais and Wayne Cashman	5	1
GAME 5	1972	2011
Goal scored by Gregory Campbell assisted by Tomas Kaberle and Zdeno Chara	0	1
Powerplay - Goal scored by Tyler Seguin assisted by Nathan Horton	0	2
Goal scored by Milan Lucic assisted by Tomas Kaberle and Nathan Horton	0	3
Goal scored by Phil Esposito assisted by Ken Hodge and Wayne Cashman	1	3
Goal scored by Carol Vadnais assisted by Phil Esposito and Ed Westfall	2	3
Goal scored by Brad Marchand assisted by Shawn Thornton and Blake Wheeler	2	4
GAME 6	1972	2011
Powerplay - Goal scored by Tyler Seguin assisted by David Krejci and Nathan Horton	0	1
Goal scored by Milan Lucic assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara	0	2
GAME 7	1972	2011
Goal scored by John Bucyk assisted by Bobby Orr and Terry O'Reilly	1	0
Goal scored by Andrew Ference assisted by Mark Recchi and Chris Kelly	1	1
Goal scored by John Bucyk assisted by Derek Sanderson and Dallas Smith	2	1
Goal scored by Mark Recchi assisted by Dennis Seidenberg and Chris Kelly	2	2
Goal scored by Zdeno Chara assisted by Tomas Kaberle and Blake Wheeler	2	3
Empty net goal scored by Matt Hunwick assisted by Dennis Seidenberg and Rich Peverley	2	4
THE 2011 BRUINS WIN THE SERIES 4-3
MVP:Tim Thomas with 4 Wins and a Shutout

Matchup of the Day: 2009 Penguins vs 1992 Penguins

 My whatifsports.com matchup of today showcases both Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby in an epic showdown between two very offensively powered Penguins teams. Who will come out on top?

GAME 1	1992	2009
Shorthanded - Mario Lemieux shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Kevin Stevens	1	0
Powerplay(2) - Goal scored by Sidney Crosby assisted by Alex Goligoski and Evgeni Malkin	1	1
Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Kevin Stevens and Rick Tocchet	2	1
Goal scored by Ron Francis assisted by Ulf Samuelsson and Gordie Roberts	3	1
Goal scored by Larry Murphy assisted by Joe Mullen and Phil Bourque	4	1
Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Kevin Stevens and Rick Tocchet.	5	1
Goal scored by Petr Sykora assisted by Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin	5	2
Goal scored by Petr Sykora assisted by Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin	5	3
GAME 2	1992	2009
Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Rick Tocchet and Gordie Roberts	1	0
Powerplay - Goal scored by Sidney Crosby	1	1
Powerplay - Goal scored by Evgeni Malkin	1	2
Powerplay - Goal scored by Max Talbot assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby	1	3
Goal scored by Ulf Samuelsson assisted by Kevin Stevens and Rick Tocchet	2	3
Goal scored by Petr Sykora assisted by Chris Kunitz and Brooks Orpik	2	4
Goal scored by Chris Kunitz assisted by Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik	2	5
Powerplay - Sidney Crosby shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Evgeni Malkin	3	6
Goal scored by Joe Mullen	3	6
Goal scored by Evgeni Malkin assisted by Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang	3	7
Goal scored by Kris Letang assisted by Miroslav Satan	3	8
Goal scored by Evgeni Malkin assisted by Petr Sykora.	3	9
GAME 3	1992	2009
Goal scored by Joe Mullen	1	0
Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Larry Murphy and Grant Jennings	2	0
Goal scored by Chris Kunitz assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Hal Gill	2	1
Jordan Staal shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Miroslav Satan	2	2
Shorthanded - Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Kevin Stevens	3	2
Shorthanded - Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Kevin Stevens and Ulf Samuelsson.	4	2
Goal scored by Mark Recchi assisted by Larry Murphy	5	2
Goal scored by Petr Sykora assisted by Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin	5	3
Goal scored by Kevin Stevens assisted by Mario Lemieux	6	3
Goal scored by Bill Guerin assisted by Ruslan Fedotenko	6	4
GAME 4	1992	2009
Goal scored by Kevin Stevens assisted by Mario Lemieux and Gordie Roberts	1	0
Goal scored by Jordan Staal assisted by Miroslav Satan and Brooks Orpik	1	1
Powerplay - Goal scored by Mark Recchi assisted by Gordie Roberts and Bob Errey	2	1
Powerplay - Evgeni Malkin shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Sergei Gonchar	2	2
Goal scored by Mario Lemieux assisted by Kevin Stevens and Gordie Roberts	3	2
Goal scored by Grant Jennings assisted by Mario Lemieux and Rick Tocchet	4	2
Kevin Stevens shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Paul Coffey	5	2
Powerplay - Goal scored by Evgeni Malkin assisted by Sidney Crosby and Alex Goligoski	5	3
Goal scored by Chris Kunitz assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora	5	4
Goal scored by Joe Mullen assisted by Paul Coffey and Phil Bourque	6	4
GAME 5	1992	2009
Goal scored by Miroslav Satan assisted by Kris Letang	0	1
Goal scored by Petr Sykora assisted by Chris Kunitz	0	2
Goal scored by Evgeni Malkin assisted by Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang	0	3
Goal scored by Larry Murphy assisted by Kevin Stevens and Rick Tocchet	1	3
GAME 6	1992	2009
Goal scored by Joe Mullen assisted by Larry Murphy	1	0
Goal scored by Kevin Stevens assisted by Mario Lemieux and Rick Tocchet	2	0
Goal scored by Chris Kunitz assisted by Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik	2	1
Kris Letang shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Evgeni Malkin	2	2
Goal scored by Jordan Staal assisted by Matt Cooke and Mark Eaton	2	3
Goal scored by Rick Tocchet assisted by Kevin Stevens and Gordie Roberts	3	3
Goal scored by Phil Bourque assisted by Ulf Samuelsson and Bryan Trottier	4	3
Empty net goal scored by Bob Errey	5	3
THE 1992 PENGUINS WIN THE SERIES 4-2
MVP: Mario Lemieux with 8 Goals and 3 Assists

Matchup of the Day: 1961 Blackhawks vs 2010 Blackhawks

Using whatifsports.com and their NHL simulation, I set up a matchup between the 2010 Blackhawks and the 1961 Blackhawks, two Stanley Cup winning teams. Here is how the 7 game series played out:
GAME 1 1961 2010 Stan Mikita shoots and scores on the rebound 1 0 Goal scored by Ron Murphy assisted by Dollard St-Laurent and Ed Litzenberger 2 0 Goal scored by Troy Brouwer assisted by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Andrew Ebbett 2 1 Goal scored by Duncan Keith assisted by Brent Seabrook and Kris Versteeg 2 2 Goal scored by Jonathan Toews assisted by Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith 2 3 OT 1 GAME 2 1961 2010 Goal scored by Jonathan Toews assisted by Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith 0 1 Goal scored by Dustin Byfuglien assisted by Cam Barker and Brian Campbell 0 2 Jonathan Toews shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Patrick Kane 0 3 Powerplay - Goal scored by Patrick Kane assisted by Duncan Keith and Kim Johnsson 0 4 GAME 3 1961 2010 Goal scored by Kenny Wharram assisted by Ab McDonald and Stan Mikita 1 0 Goal scored by Patrick Kane assisted by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jonathan Toews 1 1 Goal scored by Troy Brouwer assisted by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Andrew Ladd 1 2 Powerplay - Patrick Sharp shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Patrick Kane 1 3 Powerplay - Goal scored by Stan Mikita assisted by Kenny Wharram and Moose Vasko 2 3 Powerplay - Goal scored by Jonathan Toews assisted by Patrick Sharp 2 4 GAME 4 1961 2010 Goal scored by Pierre Pilote assisted by Tod Sloan and Moose Vasko 1 0 Goal scored by Patrick Sharp assisted by Brian Campbell and Patrick Kane 1 1 Powerplay - Goal scored by Patrick Kane assisted by Jonathan Toews and Brian Campbell 1 2 Ab McDonald shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Stan Mikita 2 2 Powerplay - Jonathan Toews shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Patrick Sharp 2 3 Goal scored by Colin Fraser assisted by Brian Campbell and Cam Barker 2 4 THE 2010 BLACKHAWKS WIN THE SERIES 4-0 MVP: Antti Niemi with 4 wins and a shutout

Breaking News: Weber stays with Preds

The Predators have matched the offer sheet from the Flyers and keep Shea Weber, according the NHL.com

Rick Nash To Rangers!

Rick Nash has been traded to the New York Rangers for Anisimov, Erixon, Dubinsky, and a First Round Pick. My first reaction to this trade is FINALLY! The Rick Nash Saga has gone on long enough in my opinion and it is about time that he got traded. I'm going to break down the trade for you so that you realize just how much each team got.
Rangers: The New York Rangers pretty much knew what they wanted out of Rick Nash: A strong, powerful winger who can finish plays and rack up some goals for their squad. Look for Nash to get more goals AND assists this year, as he is playing with more competent players in Richards and Gaborik to form perhaps the best line in the Eastern Conference. Nash will bring a great offensive presence to the already powerful New York team and now New York might be my Cup favorites (we will have to see)
On the other side of the coin, Columbus gets a great deal for Nash. Sure, they had to trade their franchise player, but in return they got Anisimov, who I see being a possible 30 goal scorer in the future, with all the ice time he will get in Columbus, Erixon, a capable defenseman with room to grow and mature, and Dubinsky, a very strong hitter and a player who contributes both offensively and defensively, and a 2013 First Round Pick, which, if the Blue Jackets are lucky, could be a great player in the future, as draft picks are hard to judge sometimes.
The Winner in the Deal: It's tough to see any clear winner here. I think each team benefits in their own way, but I have to go with the Rangers here, because they got exactly what they needed in Rick Nash, and the fans will love his strength and his powerful style of play. While the Blue Jackets picked up some great young talent, I believe the immediate winner will be New York on this one.

Don't Be Shy!

Hello everybody! I just wanted to say this: DON'T BE SHY! I love when you comment on my posts. I'll take any input you give and I'll read every comment! Please do comment, share, +1, anything! Thank you!

Vezina Winner Prediction

I want to start this off by saying that goalie performance is incredibly hard to predict. I have based my predictions of of a formula that I created for judging the value of a goalie to his team. Judging by my formula, I predict Brian Elliot to win the Vezina trophy next year.

Weber Signs Offer Sheet With Flyers

Shea Weber, superstar defenseman for the Nashville Predators, has signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers for 14 years and $110 Million. The Predators now have seven days to make up their minds on whether or not they should, or even could, match the offer the Flyers have presented. There are a few interesting questions raised with this occurance. The first is obvious: Will the Predators match the offer that the Flyers have given Weber? Here's where the question gets interesting: Should the Predators choose to let Weber go to the Flyers, they would receive about 4 first round draft picks. Those are FIRST ROUND draft picks. The Preds have a decision to make. Second, if Weber does end up in Philly, do the Preds make the playoffs without him? They already lost Suter to Minnesota. If they did make the playoffs, would they go very far? In my opinion, the Predators are going to have to match this offer. They can't afford to lose Shea Weber, as they have already lost Suter. If they want to be where they were last year or better, Shea Weber has to stay in Nashville.

Predictions: Art Ross, Norris, and Selke Trophy Winners

Hey everybody! This will change some of my earlier predictions, but due to my statistical analysis of the players in the NHL, I predict the following trophy winners:
Art Ross: Sidney Crosby
Selke: Pavel Datsyuk
Norris: Kris Letang

The Rick Nash Saga: Where Will He Go?

Well, first of all, I want to say sorry for my lack of posting as of late. I am currently working on my predictions for the upcoming season and am working hard to make a decision on where each team will rank next year. Second, I want to say that this whole Rick Nash thing is very similar to the Ilya Kovalchuk decision 2 years ago. The same hype, not much known about the situation, and a big name player moving (or not moving). This time it is different, however, because Nash is to be traded and he will not be on the same team as he was last season, unlike the Kovalchuk signing, in which he signed with the same team as the previous year, the New Jersey Devils. Commenting on Rick Nash, I'm going to go right out there and say he is the best power forward in the game today. He may not have performed as well as he could have last year, but imagine him on a team like Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Jose, Boston, or the New York Rangers? It would really boost his scoring total playing on a line with other very skilled players, especially ones like Crosby, Datsyuk, or Thornton, all three being brilliant playmakers. I cannot comment on where he will go, but I will say this: Wherever he DOES go, he will make an immediate impact with his big body and scoring ability. I want to see Rick Nash in the playoffs again, because I think he can do some real damage.

Happy 4th of July!

BIG NEWS: Parise and Suter to Minnesota!

What's up readers? I got the news earlier that Parise AND Suter were headed to Minnesota,  both on 13 year contracts. My first reaction was disbelief. I had no idea Minnesota could get so good so quickly. Look at their roster now. Parise, Suter, Koivu, Setoguchi, Heatley, and Backstrom. This is a playoff roster for sure. I truly believe that Minnesota could have a chance at the CUP, with this radical aquisition. Just prepare, because the West is about to become the WILD West.

Jaromir Jagr Traded to Dallas Stars!

Mike here with some breaking news: Jaromir Jagr has been traded to the Dallas Stars, with a 1 year, $4.5 million contract. In my opinion, if I'm Jagr, what was I thinking choosing the Stars? Are they a playoff contender? I'm assuming he wants to win a Stanley Cup. Doesn't he want to go to a team with a better chance than the Dallas Stars? Nothing against the Stars, mind you, I like them, but I don't think they have a real chance to win the Stanley Cup. (I DO miss their old jerseys. Both the one with the big star on it and the old North Stars jerseys, but I digress). The point is Jagr perhaps wants a bigger scoring role on the team. In addition, would I pay $4.5 million for a player who was once perhaps the best in the game, but now is getting too old and isn't the player he once was? No. I would not. Same with Brodeur. It would be hard for me to fork over that much money for someone who is that old.

Goal of the Day 7/1/12: Patrick Kane vs Minnesota

Patrick Kane's shootout goal over Minnesota is one of the best I have ever seen. His arsenal of dangles is almost unmatched and he has a flare for the creative and the over-the-top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukvoxs3Foto

Happy Canada Day!

Hello out there! Just wanted to wish any of my Canadian readers a happy Canada Day! Have fun and stay safe!

Hockey: the Last Honest Game

Hello there, readers! It is my belief that hockey is the last honest sport left out there. Baseball was wrecked by steroids, as well as other performance enhancing drugs. Basketball is filled with money-grabbing prima donnas who care only about themselves. Soccer is full of diving players, players who fake injury to get calls, and football has the bounty: injure a player and get money. Sports is corrupted, but there is a hero, and that is hockey. There is no controversy here. Fighting is used to protect teammates, and they don't allow fighting in other sports because they wouldn't be responsible and honest about it. Fighting in the NHL is never about personal vendettas. Rather, it is to pump up the team or the crowd, to defend a teammate, or show an opposing player he is stepping over the boundary towards dirty play. Hockey is truly the last honest sport out there. Players are not overpaid, there is no referee game-throwing, only good, sportsmanlike competition.

AHL to Test No-Touch Icing Rule

Hey everybody! Today brought some strange news in that the AHL, under orders by the NHL, will be testing the no-touch icing rule this upcoming season. This rule is pretty self-explanatory in that it now no longers a player to touch the puck after it passes the red line for an icing. While nearly every league has this no-touch icing rule, the NHL does not, and I am strongly against it. If they abolish touch icing, then the game will change. No more racing to beat out the icing call. no more close calls of that nature. While it may seem like just a minor change, it is a rule that has been in the NHL for a VERY long time, and I want to keep the traditional rules as much as possible. On the other hand, I see where the NHL is going with this rule: they want to prevent injuries that result from a player racing in from behind on another player while trying to get the puck. They want to prevent that dangerous situation, but honestly, it's part of the game! You can't baby your players, they play hockey! Come on! Play the game and stop babying the players. They make millions of dollars a year, they better be willing to get hit once in awhile.

Long-Term Contracts in the NHL

It seems that recently, there have been a bunch of long term, high priced contracts being formed in the NHL. A few years ago it was Marian Hossa, with his 12 year, $62.8 Million contract. There was Duncan Keith, with a 13 year, $72 Million contract. There was Roberto Luongo, the shaky and frankly undeserving goaltender from Vancouver with a 12 year, $64 Million deal, the whopping 15 year $100 Million deal that kept Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey. Now, there is Sidney Crosby with a 12 year, $104.4 Million contract and Jonathan Quick with a 10 year, $58 Million dollar extension. I believe that these long-term deals are actually good for fans. It takes you back to the early days of the NHL, when guys like Richard, Hull, Howe, Mikita, and Orr stayed in one place and didn't really move from team to team. It brings fans a sense of security: they can start to love these players because they don't really have to fear them leaving anytime soon. The players can also settle down and not have to worry about leaving (unless their massive contract gets traded) so they and their families can relax about that. On the other hand, many of these deals are front-loaded, meaning they pay the majority of their money the first maybe 5 or 6 years of the contract and then in the last few years dwindle down to maybe a million dollars or so. This allows the cap HIT to be less, allowing the player to be signed under the salary cap restrictions that many teams are faced with. So, in a way, it is like cheating, which isn't good, and the NHL will have to eventually say enough is enough with the front-loaded contracts because it gets around the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. But for now, as long as teams are able, they seem to be wanting to snatch up their star players with huge, long-term contracts and big money.

Why Wasn't Brendan Shannahan Inducted Into The Hall of Fame?

Why the Blackhawks will Make the Finals in 2013

The Blackhawks will make the Finals in 2013 not simply because they are the most talented team in the league, but because they will play more physical in 2013. I predict Seabrook and Hjalmarsson will be among the top 10 hit leaders in the NHL, and Hjalmarsson will end up being a shot-blocking machine. Toews could seriously win the Selke trophy for top defensive forward next year, and their bigger forwards (like Bickell) are going to step into their roles more. Now, as for their talent, NO other team has their talent. Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Keith, Sharp, Hossa, Hjalmarsson. Look at all those names! Toews is probably the second best player in the entire Western Conference, and Kane and Hossa could be rated top 5 in the West as well. Their puck possession style of play may be becoming a lost art in the playoffs, but NOBODY does it as well as the Blackhawks, who are going to prove that this style of play still works and works well. Crawford is going to become a good goaltender, better under pressure and more consistent, which was part of his problem last year: he was too hot-and-cold. The Blackhawks are going to take the West by storm and make the Finals next year.