Trade Deadline vs. Playoff Race

As the trade deadline approaches and many of us are being diagnosed with spring fever, the battle between the trade deadline and the playoff race continues. The trade deadline is on February 28th; the last day of February and the day that decides what teams really want that final playoff spot and what teams are trying to rebuild for the future. The playoff race; with playoffs beginning this April, is already heating up, with an unbelievably close Western Conference and an equally exciting Eastern Conference. Personally, this is my favourite time of the regular season. As I am from Toronto, I am naturally a Toronto Maple Leafs Fan. Therefore, I was rightfully thrown off by their first few games in which it seemed as if they were the returning Stanley Cup Champions. The beginning of the season usually starts off with a bang but really doesn't hold any significance for the remainder of the season. This part of the season; before the trade deadline and at the beginning of the playoff race, is really the time to pay attention and place your bets. This is the time where you find out which teams are legitimately making a run for the playoffs and which teams should be looking to make some improvements for next year. For a team like New Jersey; arguably the hottest team in the NHL, the playoff hunt may have come too late for them, but for other teams, like much of the Western Conference and a handful of teams in the Eastern Conference, the playoff hunt has only just begun. I hope, like me, you are all obnoxiously checking your Blackberrys at all times for the latest trade and playoff updates, but unlike me, let's just hope you aren't getting in as much trouble as I am. Have a Happy Deadline everyone!

Fighting in Hockey

Fighting in the NHL,
According to a very good song, Saturday night is alright for fighting, however, the New York Islanders decided that they wanted to make Friday night fight night. With over 300 minutes in penalties Friday was by far the most fight filled night in hockey I have ever seen. Now I probably wouldn't have minded so many fights during the game, but it was the fact that these weren't fights, nope they were attacks, vicious attacks. The NHL has fined the New York Islanders $100,000 for the incident and suspended Trevor Gillies and Matt Martin, for the events. Now in my mind the fact that Gillies' attack on Eric Tangradi resulted in a concussion, I feel that a simple suspension isn't good enough, and I'm not alone in those feelings, Mario Lemieux, co-owner of the Penguins, let loose a torrent of scornful remarks to the point where he doesn't know if he wants to be part of the NHL any further. Now maybe that's going a little far, but the only way to create change is to threaten something that would hurt the NHL more than no action at all. And losing the Super Mario would be the worst thing to happen to hockey since the incidents leading to the lockout. Any how, if I continue about this it might get out of hand, and my point may not be clear, and to be clear, my point is, that yes there is a place for fighting in hockey, it adds to the excitement and emotion of the game, but when you attack a fellow player, because you still hold a grudge from previous contests, you need to stand back and think for a minute take a look from outside your box and see what others will, might, could, see and then make a decision. if it still leads to "i'm gonna go out there, and at the first chance I get, I'm gonna knock him out" stay in the dressing room, because you shouldn't be out there, what the league needs is a little more mutual respect between players.
Just putting it out there.

Scott W

The NHL trade deadline

The NHL trade deadline will be here sooner than you think, February 28th, this means that for many players around the NHL it's time to pack the bags. If there's anything we've learned from previous years, it's that anything can and will happen, last year it was the massive trade between Toronto and Calgary which saw, the now leafs captain, Dion Phaneuf get traded. So what will happen this year, it is my hope that Toronto will make another blockbuster deal that will not only improve the team but make it a contender for the playoffs, now I don't mean this seasons playoffs, I mean next seasons, they're pretty much guaranteed not to be in this years. Also with injuries around the league that will see big stars out of their respective line ups, the question that I have is, who's a buyer and who's a seller? Though all I can do is speculate at this time and maybe even only dream, I think there's going to be a lot of movement during this years trade deadline action, maybe even a lot leading up to the deadline, but we'll all just have to wait and see. I would like to see your comments on who you think the leafs need to keep and who is just holding them back.
Just putting it out there.

Scott

NHL All-Star Game Highlights