2016 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions - Round 3

I don't know if the Penguins are considered to be as a "shocking upset", but they did seem to upset a lot of Capitals fans and mainstream media personalities as well. It's amazing what the Penguins have been doing, because it's been without their top two stars. Crosby is 3g and 7a for 10p in 11 games played. Malkin is 3g and 6a for 9p in 10 games played. This is not going to get either of these players Conn Smythe considerations for playoff MVP. I don't think this is sustainable now that they've gone this deep into the tournament. We here are going to wait and see how the team adjusts to the next challenge.

As for the San Jose Sharks, It's Stanley Cup or bust with them. Their beards can't get any bigger than they are - or can they? Their elder statesmen have to ride off together because if they don't, then surely they are going to reconstruct the roster without them.

The excitement must be really huge in Southern California this year as well as the possibility of Blues fans seeing a Finals appearance in 49 years.

Let's break it down a little further below:


Western Conference


St. Louis v. San Jose
St. Louis now got it in their heads that they can be world beaters and fight off the best teams in the NHL. The Blues haven't been to the Stanley Cup finals, but they've gotten to the Conference finals back in the Gretzky days. I'd expect to see a real tired group of players with the Sharks and Blues to play a slow prodding Game 1. They've extended their playoff games to playing 14 games already. They're beat up. Both of them. I'd give the edge in goaltending with the Blues. Allen and Elliot are a great tandem, but just makes the old truism still relevant: "Having two starting goaltenders means you 'aint got one". Look for Thornton and Pavelski to cram a few goals out through their sheer force of beard will. I'm rooting for Jaden Schwartz to get to the finals considering all he has gone through.

Prediction: Blues in 5


Eastern Conference


Pittsburgh v. Tampa Bay

I'd say that the Lightning team is only the second team that truly threatens to derail the Pittsburgh Penguins hot playoff run. Matt Murray has been playing above his pay grade for months now in Fleury's absence. They've created somewhat of a controversy, but Coach Richards has indicated that he's going to go with the "hot hand". But then, when will Fleury get a chance knowing full well he's their number one guy and having not been in a game for months is not good. He could be very rusty the next time they need him. Tampa's goalie doesn't have this problem. Bishop is 8-2 with a .938 GAA. Look for Drouin to extend his desire to be the "next one" in Tampa. He wants to be treated like a franchise player, so NOW is the time to show it. I don't think the 'Bolts have the kind of depth that the Penguins have in Defense. Victor Hedman is their true #1, but other than that, they've got average NHL talent there. The Penguins will move the puck out of the zone quicker with Maatta, Letang, and Daley.

Prediction: Penguins in 6

2015 Stanley Cup Predictions - Round 4

The only thing consistent about these playoffs for me is the unpredictability of these series. I went O-2 last round which I guess CHI/TB fans can thank me later. I don't think I have a prediction jinx like other bloggers and broadcasters do, but it's still good enough to notice that the President's Trophy curse still holds up. The New York Rangers have folded up while blogs are already talking about tearing down and trading players. NHL Radio's "Boomer" Jim Gordon is already speculating that they will have some trouble having given up a lot of draft picks in recent years to build for today.

So, Tampa Bay and Chicago are two hockey franchises that are strong and passionate about their teams. The bigger cities have already tossed around the typical stale taunt of low-ratings turnout, but I'm not concerned how this will play out nationally. The biggest ratings will be at the Cup-clinching games, but they'll still be great now that they're off basic cable and directly on NBC.


Stanley Cup Championship Final

Chicago v. Tampa Bay

I'm not going to bog people down with advance stats or "CORSI", but rather use my own intuition in my final attempt to predict something well enough this season.
The main focal point of this contest rests within the Lightning "win at all costs" offense with the Hawks "domination" of a defense. Keith and Seabrook have things locked down on defense.

Also, the other key matchup is the Corey Crawford vs Ben Bishop goalie comparison. Corey struggled in the first series but rebounded to a 9-4-1 record. Bishop was steadier with a 12-8 record, but gave up 15 goals in the last series.

Look for Brad Richards to make a story for himself on the ice and North American media to talk about him once raising the Cup over his head. He was once a member of the TB Lightning and now he's playing against them as a member of the BlackHawks.
Prediction: BlackHawks in 6

Cover Boy Stamkos Signs Extension with TB Lightning

AP Photo

The one guy that has the potential to score 50 goals a year and only after just completing his 3nd year as a professional in the National Hockey League has signed his first contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's re-upped with TB for another five years and reportedly to have it $37.5 million dollars.

He's quickly becoming the media darling in a lot of hockey media areas whereas Ovechkin has underachieved and Crosby has been injury prone. Stamkos has even generated talk as to being the best hockey player in the NHL within the year. While it's quite the lofty accolade, the pundits who are quick to label him the next great superstar may want to check and see what it did to Alex and Sid. But he's still not going to get paid like the top superstars, according to the article written in the Rogers Sportsnet website.

Even though Stamkos scored a major raise coming out of his entry-level deal, the $7.5-million annual cap hit he'll carry is less than Alex Ovechkin ($9.53 million per year), Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ($8.7 million each) received in their second NHL contracts.

But that's not going to stop Stamkos from being who he is and determined to make a winning franchise from their slumping stages. To make money, Tampa Bay needs to win. Assuredly, the high scoring offense of three powerful forwards like the Lightning have, they can at least come half way and show the fans their commitment to winning every year.

But as they pay out the money to Stamkos, just what will happen to the Lightning and some of the other albatross contracts belonging to Lecavalier and St. Louis. Will they have to be moved? It's still a possibility that new GM Steve Yzerman, who grew up with the value of one-team loyalty in hockey, can find a way to keep all three franchise guys as well as a young Hedman on defense.

We'll see what Stamkos does now that even after being a highly rumored RFA this off-season, the EA Sports cover boy is going to have to prove himself this upcoming season if the sports pundits want him to be looked at in the same caliber as Crosby or Ovechkin.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

Tampa Bay Lighting Unveil New Logos and Uniforms for 2011 Season

The words "bold", "classic" and "iconic" were used to describe the new look, which is radically different than what has been associated with the team in the past.

"Shocking" might really be an apt term to describe the new logo and uniform of the Tampa Bay Lightning as they recently unveiled it at the St. Pete Times Forum. The player models Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Stamkos all posed for the press while the Lightning management stand along side.

So, they've ditched the classic black and white and embraced the blue and white that has been often popular retail-wise. I've seen quite a number of 3rd jersey during their games. So as the team turns another chapter to a new franchise ownership, the Tampa Bay Lightning shed their latest uniforms after not too far removed from the sweater-jersey they opened with during their inaugural season.

"This is a great day for the Lightning, our fans and the Tampa Bay community", said Vinik. "Nearly a year ago when I purchased the franchise, I envisioned a world-class organization being run by the best people in the industry....The logo change is very emblematic of our new direction."

As the initial knee-jerk reaction to the change, the first few comments towards the jerseys by fans suggest negativity. Fans immediately conjured up comparisons to the dual chromatic Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings uniforms. I would happen to share those sentiments as it does not seem like they wanted to be their own unique brand of hockey in Florida, but rather "borrow" a page from two of the more historic "original six" NHL franchises. I would never want to buy these jerseys for several reasons starting with the fact that they are another EDGE jersey design. They look quite boring and would certainly fall into the Dallas Stars category of bland design.

Almost immediately after this picture first circulated the internet, I surfed through eBay to find an inexpensive inaugural season Lightning jersey. This decision makes me yearn for those days and how I will always see the franchise.

However, to be fair, the new look to the jersey is good. It's a nice uniform for what it is. But it's a severe downgrade from what they wear now. Why they gave up on the secondary logo that employed the whole state of Florida is a head-scratcher. They should continue to grow the fanbase to the whole state of Florida, not just the Tampa/St. Pete bay area.

[Via: Raw Charge]

Lightning Catch Stevie Y in a Bottle

For once in his life, Steve Yzerman, the prolific ex-captain and now ex-front office management, has disappointed the Red Wings fan base. He accepted an opportunity to be a General Manager with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

When his name first surfaced as a candidate for the job, all the pundits immediately suggested that if the other Detroit GMs don't step down soon, then Yzerman may have to move in a rare and best first chance to be a GM.

I like this move for all kinds of reasons. The team in Tampa hits skids of under achievement from time to time. Steve has already announced his intentions with an initial statement the team regarding a potential new direction.

"This is a long-term project for me. I believe building a Stanley Cup caliber team takes time and there will be many decisions, some lengthy, that will be made over the course of time," Yzerman said.

Even though Steve is looking towards the future of the Tampa organization, you could tell that it was really tough for him to leave Detroit when it's been his home for the past 20+ years.

"It was very difficult to leave the Red Wings. I've been there my whole career and I was very safe there, surrounded by people I knew and looked out for me," Yzerman said. "That's my home and where my children were born. So this is a major decision, and one I've thought about for a long time."

No word on weather or not he would have the inside track about signing free agents from the Red Wings or have to work on overdrive to stay up-to-date on the draft coming up in late June. Most GM's already have their junior prospects listed for the entry draft by now.

[Via: Fox Sports Net]

Don't Trade Vinny Sentiment Growing

This is just going to be a quick blog here.

As I surf around the blogsiphere, I am seeing a blog that features Tampa Bay Lightning news titled Don't Trade Vinny.

It's very rough around the edges as far as actual journalism goes, but it does seem to pick up a rallying point on just how difficult it should be to trade the franchise player and 2 time captain Vincent Lecavalier.

Lightning Bets their Hopes on Tocchet

The second of three NHL interim coaches have signed a long term contract extension. Tampa Bay announces their era. The odds of Coach Tocchet finishing out the year with TB is currently 18 to 1.

Tampa has rewarded Tocchet with a 2 year deal, which I interpret Tampa is insisting that last year's season was a fluke despite the talent of the forwards and the slower than expected development of #1 overall Stamkos.

Owner Oren Koules wholeheartedly endorsed Tocchet.

"It's something we're proud to do and wanted to do," Koules said. "He's a character guy. He's absolutely our guy."

Tampa Bay's vocal in their support for Tocchet, but what value does that have when the reported ownership group is having major financial issues even borrowing from the previous owner's estate? Should the NHL find a more financially sound ownership group, would they be satisfied with the current coaching? I am betting the knowledge that Tocchet, despite turning things around, will not live out the terms of his contract.

[Via: TSN]

Tocchet Becomes Lightning Coach

Despite having been associated with the NJ gambling ring controversy, Rick Tocchet has worked himself back into good graces having been named the new coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fresh off the firing of Barry Melrose, Tocchet has a great group of underachieving hockey players who only lack the real focus.

"This was a tough decision to make," general manager Brian Lawton said. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."

So, why give Barry the chance to turn things around? It is so early in the season! The Tampa Bay Lightning were under no pressure of expecting to be top of the list in the Eastern Conference. With 66 games left in the season, there is plenty of time to rebound and dominate a perpetually weak Southeastern division.

Congratulations to Coach Tocchet who is still remembered fondly in Pittsburgh as being a big piece to the Stanley Cup years.

[Via: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Slovak Extraleague Holds Their Own Against NHL

Since you know I am a Slovak culture enthusiast and often take a look at the sporting levels. The Slovak Extraliga is the top pro league in Slovakia to which one of my fantasies was always that the NHL would one day engage in exhibition games with the Slovak Extraliga. Today, this has come true.

I have heard a lot of criticism about the professional hockey leagues in Europe and their comparison to the level of play in the National Hockey League. The consensus is that the NHL is the top elite league where the best hockey players in the world go to play. But hockey fans and bloggers often comment about the drama and action of European leagues as they continue to gain notable popularity. But the Slovak Extraliga is not on the very top of premier leagues, only to be overshadowed by the Russian KHL, the Swedes and the Finish leagues.

HC Slovan Bratislava is the defending Slovak Extraliga back-to-back champs, so this would make it a natural first choice to build a relationship of exhibitions with. So, in order for the American hockey ambassadors to get used to the international ice sizes, Tampa Bay is burdened with the task of challenging other representatives in this unique form of hockey diplomacy.

Evgeny Artyukhin made it 1-0 for the Lightning in the first period before Slovan tied the score when Marek Uram got a goal in the second. Martin Kulha scored a power-play goal in the third and Lecavalier evened the score for the Lightning on a two-man advantage, sending the game into overtime.

For this result to happen, only one conclusion could be seen. I think that the Slovak Extraliga talent to take the Lighting as far as they did only signifies the growing strength of the team and perhaps put the League on the international conscious.

[Via: NHL.com]

Stamkos Signs on Dotted Line for Tampa Bay

The new era in Hockey Bay, Florida has officially begun as the new face of the franchise signs a max rookie contract.

"It is with great pleasure that we formally announce the signing of Steven today," vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton said in a statement.

And they will certainly have enough pleasure to burn when Stamkos torches defenders with his skills. And if the picture to the right is any indication, I believe he can also burn a hole in opposing players' confidence by using the "Stamkos Stare(tm)".

"It is obvious to all of our staff in a brief period of time that Steven is a very special young man with great potential. His work ethic and eagerness to learn have been very impressive. We believe with our veteran leadership that Tampa Bay is the perfect scenario for Steven to grow and mature as a player and person on and off the ice."

When I read that, it makes me wonder what crosses Vinnie Lecavalier's mind. Will he now have to settle for a back seat again while someone else becomes the fan favorite? He has been known to pout, even to the point of publicly feuding with the current ex-coach Torts.

As far as Stamkos goes, he is not the household name that people who don't follow hockey as much would know. Just how much do Tampa Bay plan on promoting their newest #1 overall draft pick? Will we see him in Reebok or Gatorade commercials?

[Via: TSN.ca]