What a great Stanley Cup Final. Imagine not hating a player on either team.
The Colorado Avalanche are the best team in hockey. I can’t recall a team dominating the Tampa Bay defense and hemming them in their own zone for long periods of time. It’s been years since a team made Victor Hedman look like he’s not a 1st ballot Hall Of Famer.
Nathan Mackinnon (29) battles for position with Ryan McDonagh (27)
Nathan MacKinnon won the Stanley Cup. Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are officially on the clock.
Avs GM Joe Sakic deserves a ton of credit for adding Josh Manson, Andrew Cogliano and Artturi Lehkonen to his team at the deadline. All three made major contributions.
Cale Makar is the first player I would take if I had to start a franchise. He blows everyone away with his skating and offense, but his strength and defense acumen are sublime. Example A, his catching of Connor McDavid and picking the puck clean from him. Example B, giving Ondrej Palat a bone crushing open ice hit.
Devon Toews and Bowen Byram are not too far behind Makar.
Darcy Kuemper played well enough to hoist the Cup. Proving you don’t need to be Patrick Roy but you can’t be Mike Smith.
Oilers GM Ken Holland deserves full marks for adding Evander Kane but it’s still unfathomable he gave away a year of McDavid and Draisaitl by having Smith be his goalie.
Darryl Sutter still can’t believe he lost to Smith.
The St. Louis Blue might be the second-best team in the NHL. They certainly gave Colorado their toughest series.
How was Pat Maroon not given a penalty for his wicked slash on Josh Manson. He does that in the regular season he’s suspended.
How did the Penguins get Bryan Rust to sign for six years at $5.125 million? It’s more absurd when you find out the Kings gave newly acquired Kevin Fiala for $7.9 million for seven years. I’d rather have Rusty.
Before everyone ordains Igor Shesterkin the next Ken Dryden remember he was a flying Jacob Trouba elbow away from being disgraced in the first round.
Daniel Alfredsson in the Hall of Fame is proof of a major Canadian bias in voting. There was never a day Alfie was a better hockey player than Alexander Mogilny or Jeremy Roenick.
The Flyers were the only team that was going to hire John Tortorella.
Andrew Brunette got a raw deal in Florida but getting swept by your biggest rival has its consequences.
The Penguins handling of franchise icon Evgeni Malkin is a disgrace. It proves Mario Lemieux no longer has a voice in the room.
You must be logged in to post a comment.