Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Penguins 5,Red Wings 2... Red Wings blew a 2-0 first period lead,with five straight goals by the Penguins,in the last two periods... lousy team defense,and goaltending doomed the Red Wings who has lost three games in a row,with zero points in the mix... right now,they stink...

Red Wings' news...

Pittsburgh Penguins/Red Wings,tonight...

last night's Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Winnipeg Jets 4,Red Wings 1... a total demolition of the Red Wings... two goals in both the first period and second period,by the Jets,including a short-handed(during a four minute double minor penalty),and power play goal,both in the first period...

blog statement...

i will post score of tonight's Red Wings' game,then have comments,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Winnipeg Jets,tonight...

Red Wings' game score,and comment...

Wild 3,Red Wings 1... an empty net goal decided a "wild" last three minutes of the game... two Mikko Koivu goals sandwiched a goal by Pavel Datsyuk,as the Wild dominated game...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Minnesota Wild,tonight...

blog statement...

will comment on last night's Red Wings' game,tonight... need day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 3,Predators 2... commentary,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Nashville Predators,tonight...

blog statement...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

comment...

to everyone who reads my blog,in earnest,i give a deep hat tip to you all...

blog statement...

i will be online only twice over the next three days... i will check the NHL website tomorrow,and then wish everyone who reads my blogs a Merry Christmas,on Christmas Day...

a nugget of NHL trivia...

there used to be NHL games,up to 1971,on Christmas Day!!!! these are the records of the Original Six teams,on Christmas Day;New York Rangers:25-11-2,Chicago Blackhawks:15-14-8,Boston Bruins:17-17-2,Toronto Maple Leafs:14-14-4,Red Wings:10-13-2,and Montreal Canadiens:8-9-2...

correction....

oops,there are no NHL games until Saturday... BRAINDEAD!!!! i corrected the previous post...

commentary...

since there is a two day break for Christmas,i will do the same... there is nothing,until the NHL plays Saturday,when the Red Wings play the Nashville Predators,in Nashville... note:the Nashville Predators' television broadcasts are the worst to watch in the NHL,because the cameras are too far up and it is like watching ants play hockey... you can not see the puck,and the last time that i watched the broadcast,i got a migraine headache from straining my eyes watch the game... what a joy,Saturday!!!!

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Devils 4,Red Wings 3... three goals by the Devils,in first period,in two minutes and twelve seconds,chasing Jimmy Howard(three goals in six shots),in the process,and it doomed the Red Wings to "chase" the lead all night... it was the Red Wings' defense around the net,and the inability of Howard to even touch the three shots that went into the net... it was ugly,folks...

Red Wings' news...

New Jersey Devils/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score and commentary...

Red Wings 4,Flames 2... a second period domination(scored three goals),set up the Red Wings to win,as they clamped down on the Flames in the third period,and an empty net goal sealed the win for the Red Wings...

early Red Wings' MVP candidates...

the early MVP candidates only for the Red Wings are Petr Mrazek,Jimmy Howard,and,in my opinion,one of the best nineteen year olds,that i have seen in the last twenty years,one Dylan Larkin...

Red Wings' news...

Calgary Flames/Red Wings,tonight... note:this is fifth of six games,on the current homestead... after the homestand,the Red Wings have only one home game the rest of the month...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Canucks 4,Red Wings 3,shootout... Red Wings did absolutely nothing for over thirty nine minutes,and forced overtime,and shootout,with a frantic third period,and actually a great overtime,but in the dreaded shootout could not pull the trigger,or find the back of the twine,but once,in an eight round shootout... Red Wings better get their heads out of their backsides,and start playing Red Wings' hockey from opening puck drop,from now on,because the Canucks should have won 5,or 6-1,tonight,if not for a great goaltending job,by Jimmy Howard down the stretch,in this game...

Red Wings' news...

Vancouver Canucks/Red Wings,tonight...

commentary...

the NHL's Pacific Division right now is the worst division... the Los Angeles Kings lead the division by nine points,and the second place team-the San Jose Sharks-may have a winning record(15-14-1),but at home,they are 4-9(creampuffs),and the last place team-the Anaheim Ducks-are only four points behind the Sharks,which means any team can land in the cellar,including the Sharks... five teams in the Central Division have better records than the Sharks,and the last place Winnipeg Jets,in the Central Division have the same amount of points,as the Sharks... San Jose,what has happened at home,and in the last ten games(3-6-1)??? amazingly,right now,you are in second place,but with four teams tied at thirty points,one point behind you,you are still in deep trouble... stop reading your newspaper clippings,get tough,and just grind,boys...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

commentary...

the Red Wings had an one goal lead,at 1-0,with five minutes left in game against the Sabres,but two goals,in 61 seconds doomed the Red Wings last night,and turnovers in the defensive zone around Petr Mrazek did not help,folks...

Red Wings' news...

the Red Wings have seven games in thirteen days,starting December 18th through the end of 2015,and then six more games on the road,from January 2nd,to January 14th,2016,and then another game on the 17th,of January,2016... that is fourteen games in about 29 days,excluding Christmas and New Year's Day break... we,as fans,will find out how good this team is,during and after that "month of hell",for the Red Wings...

Red Wings' game score...

Sabres 2,Red Wings 1... comments,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Buffalo Sabres/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:watching NFL football.and WWE pay-per-view,later on,and then replays on hockey late tonight... there are three games on today...

hockey trivia...

the Edmonton Oilers scored an unbelievable 446 goals,in the 1983-1984 season

Red Wings' game score,and comments....

Devils 3,Red Wings 2,overtime... Red Wings gave up a 2-0 lead in the third period,but got a crucial point to extend their point streak to thirteen games... it was an ugly third period for the Red Wings,and i honestly can not blame Jimmy Howard,but the team defense around the goal was pathetic in the third period...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/New Jersey Devils,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 3,Canadiens 2...

Red Wings' news,and comments...

Montreal Canadiens/Red Wings,tonight... note:may watch(on replay),but the Minnesota Vikings are playing the Arizona Cardinals(they are going to lose-they are missing three defensive starters),at the same time,so i will boo and hiss at the Vikings,first... they suck!!!

commentary...

have to give credit to the Capitals,who simply refused to quit,and both teams played a very good game,last night... the Red Wings have a current eleven game point streak(7-0-4),which is very good,and the Red Wings will get better throughout the rest of the season...

comments...

this has been a strange week for me...i am taking a few days off after this week,because i am simply very tired mentally,and have been for a few weeks,which means that my blogging has been way off,and i can,and will,not accept that... sorry,folks...

Red Wings' game score...

Capitals 3,Red Wings 2,shootout... commentary,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Washington Capitals,tonight...

last night's Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 5,Predators 4,overtime... because of a family dinner,i missed the game... note:DRAT!!!! i totally forgot about the game... no one is perfect... at least the Red Wings won game...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:watching NFL football and some hockey later on...

Red Wings' news...

Nashville Predators/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 5,Coyotes 1... commentary,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Arizona Coyotes/Red Wings,tonight.... note:will see it on replay,because the Packers play the Detroit Lions,tonight,too...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game,and comments...

Red Wings 5,Buffalo Sabres 4,shootout... Red Wings win their first shootout of the season... Justin Abdelkader scored two goals,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Florida Panthers 2,Red Wings 1,overtime...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 4,Oilers 3,overtime... in a wild game,Niklas Kronwall scored the game winning overtime goal(GWG),twenty six seconds into overtime...

Red Wings' news...

Edmonton Oilers/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

no NHL hockey...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Boston Bruins 3,Red Wings 2,overtime... Pavel Datsyuk scored his 300th NHL career goal,but Boston scored twice,once with 1:44,left in regulation,to tie game,at two,and they tipped puck past Petr Mrazek,in overtime,to win game...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:Boston Bruins play the Red Wings,tomorrow...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:watching NFL football,and WWE Survivor Series...

correction...

oops,the Blues led 2-1,for about four minutes in the first period,before the Red Wings tied game at 2 after the first period,and then the Red Wings played very good hockey in the last two periods...

Red Wings' game score,and comment...

Red Wings 4,Blues 3,overtime... Blues never led in game... a very good game...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/St Louis Blues,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 3,Kings 2... comments tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Los Angeles Kings/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

it is way too early to tell what i am doing today,it being 3:00 am,but i will probably do something on here... see you later...

Red Wings' games and comments...

Capitals 2,Red Wings 1,overtime... a good game,hard fought,but it honestly appears that the Red Wings have very little team offense,or maybe it was the night of the "stone wall" goaltenders,in Detroit... i can not figure this team out,yet,folks...

Red Wings' news...

Washington Capitals/Red Wings,tonight...

last night's Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 4,Senators 3,overtime... note:i have had some time that i have not done this,and i am sorry,folks... note:i usually am a little more on-time on my blogging,but the last few days,i have been catching on a lack of sleep

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Ottawa Senators,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:watching NFL football,today...

last night's Red Wings' game score...

Bruins 3,Red Wings 1... sorry,been very tired the last few days...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Boston Bruins,tonight...

Red Wings' game score,and commentary...

Sharks 3,Red Wings 2...the Red Wings' team defense around goaltender Jimmy Howard basically sucked,along with his lackluster play in net,and the Sharks played better and looked hungrier than the Red Wings on this night... Pavel Datsyuk looked very good for his first game of the season,but with very little help,or firepower,tonight,the Red Wings played flat for most of the game... a late goal by the Red Wings did not change a thing...

comments...

i will try to post the final score from the Sharks/Red Wings game,but honestly,i am so tired that i may fall asleep during the game... stay tuned tomorrow,for score,and comments...

Red Wings' news....

Pavel Datsyuk will make his season debut,for the Red Wings,against the San Jose Sharks,tonight... note:i goofed on this post and put it on my other blog... i must be really tired... sorry,folks....

blog statement...

day off... rock of sleep time... early bedtime tonight...

blog statement,and note...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:Red Wings play the San Jose Sharks,Friday,at Joe Louis Arena,in Detroit...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Red Wings 1,Capitals 0... Andreas Athanasiou scored his first NHL goal,on a zero angle shot,that hit Braden Holtby's left leg and pad and trickled through his legs,and into the net... Petr Mrazek got his sixth career NHL shutout... in the first period,referees,and the NHL "War Room" found a Red Wings goal "inconclusive",even though replays showed the puck in the net,and it swept out by Holtby(it was not even close),so karma appears to be with the Red Wings,in them winning the game,1-0,tonight...

Red Wings' news...

Washington Capitals/Red Wings,tonight....

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Dallas Stars 4,Red Wings 1... two empty net goals decided game... referees just were awful... they sucked... they missed head shot with knee,given to Jimmy Howard(concussion),as he was on ice,and a leaping elbow to Jonathan Ericsson that caused a facial cut (Ericsson hit face on glass),and head coach Jeff Blashill to go ballistic...

Red Wings' game in progress...

Dallas Stars 2,Red Wings 1,end of 2nd period...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:i will be watching hockey most of the day,to get my mind off family matters,and i am doing absolutely nothing today... may go for a walk,too...

Red Wings' game score and commentary...

Red Wings 2,Maple Leafs 1,overtime... Jakub Kindl scored game winning overtime goal (GWG),as two very strange bounces of the puck resulted in both teams' regulation goals... James Reimer,of the Maple Leafs,let a bouncing puck,shot by Henrik Zetterberg,go off the top of his blocker,and into the net,in the first period,and Petr Mrazek had a puck go off the knob of his goalie stick,with 1:02 left,in regulation,to tie it at one... the goal was credited to Dion Phaneuf,of the Maple Leafs...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings up 1-0,after one period,on captain Henrik Zetterberg's 300th career goal...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Maple Leafs,tonight... note:since this is the Hockey Hall of Fame game,there will be a pre-game ceremony honoring the inductees,including Nicklas Lidstrom,and Sergei Fedorov,two former Red Wings...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings play Toronto Maple Leafs,in the Hockey Hall of Fame game,tomorrow,in Toronto...

commentary...

the best game that the Red Wings have played this season,against a quality opponent,last night... Jimmy Howard had his best game,since he got hurt,last season... allowing Tampa Bay just a goal,when they,right now,are struggling to score goals... Dylan Larkin may be a teenager,but he may be the best player that the Red Wings have had since the team drafted Pavel Datsyuk,as he scored the game winning goal(GWG),last night... i mean for a rookie season,because he is very impressive in his hockey IQ,and vision on the ice... the Red Wings are an interesting enigma,because,early,they are showing flashes of a very good team,they also are an inconsistent team,but they will be better when the injured players get back,especially the aforementioned Datsyuk...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 2,Lightning 1... comments,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... visiting family in hospital,later... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

spending the day alone,after a very tough emotional week... "Idaho Spud" time... need it badly...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 5,Senators 3... Red Wings ripped Senators early for a 5-1 lead,and two garbage goals made score respectable...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Senators,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Senators 3,Red Wings 1... an empty net decided game... not much offense for the Red Wings... they plat each other,tomorrow,in Ottawa...

comments about the Red Wings...

note about tonight's Red Wings' game against the Senators:Red Wings are 4-4-1,and are missing five starters,due to injury,including Pavel Datsyuk,who should be back from tendon repair surgery(he is skating),in early November...

Red Wings' news...

Ottawa Senators/Red Wings,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' schedule...

the next two Red Wings games are against the Ottawa Senators(Friday,in Detroit,and Saturday,in Ottawa)... because of the USC Trojans-California Golden Bears game,in which i will be going to with my brother,i will miss Saturday afternoon's game...

Red Wings' game score,and comments...

Hurricanes 3,Red Wings 1... note:i was wrong in saying that Detroit and Carolina meet again... they do not meet again in regular season,and probably not in the Stanley Cup playoffs,either,unless in the Eastern Conference Finals... an empty net goal,with thirty seconds left in the game,decided the final score... i note one thing that i listened to the game on SiriusXM satellite radio,because a severe migraine hampered me most of the day,and i just felt that turning on "the boob tube" would have strained my migraine headache to the point of going to bed very early,which i will do,if at all possible...

comments on the Red Wings' opponents,tonight...

Carolina Hurricanes/Red Wings,tonight... one of the true oddities in hockey... both games have won a game(Detroit 4-3,and Carolina 5-3;both games Carolina out-played the Red Wings,but the Red Wings had a very good third period in the first game,and basically stole the game)... this is the rubber game of,i believe,is a four game set of games,because they are in different divisions in the Eastern Conference... some teams play each other very early in the season,like the Minnesota Wild played the Red Wings three times in the first ten games,or so,a couple of years ago,and by the third meeting,i was angry,and sick of writing down the Wild on my blog... last season,it was the Florida Panthers,now it is the Carolina Hurricanes... anybody for a barf bag??? i am getting that angry sick feeling,again...

blog statement...

day off... been a long weekend,and i am still tired... "Idaho Spud" time... need to do some things,today...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... family time,and WWE later on,along with NFL football...

Red Wings' game score,and road trip comments...

Red Wings 3,Canucks 2,overtime... after two periods,Red Wings looked dead in the water,down 2-0,but played a great third period,and the play of the game was a pass from goaltender Petr Mrazek to Gustav Nyquist,for an assist,on the game winning overtime goal,for the Red Wings... it appears that Mrazek was discussing that particular play with captain Henrik Zetterberg during the break before overtime,and the play worked minutes later... comments on the road trip into Western Canada:we did not play Red Wings' hockey the first two games against Edmonton,and Calgary,and for the first two periods,against Vancouver,but this third period made me smile,because it reminds me of a hockey team that refused to quit... a very good game...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Vancouver Canucks,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Flames 3,Red Wings 2,overtime... commentary,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Calgary Flames,tonight... a game in which both teams need a win,especially the Flames,who have stumbled out of the gate,after a playoff berth last season,and then you have the Red Wings,who got off to a 3-0 start,but have lost three straight games,and have not played too well,in the process...

Red Wings' news...

the next two games for the Red Wings are against the Calgary Flames,tomorrow(Friday),and against the Vancouver Canucks,on Saturday(a back to back game situation;one of,i believe,five this month)...

Red Wings' game score,and a note of NHL history......

Edmonton Oilers 3,Red Wings 1... first win by Oilers in nine games,and first regulation win by Oilers,in seventeen games,both against Red Wings... historical note:what team did Wayne Gretzky score his first career NHL goal against??? answer:in the very first game ever played in Northlands Coliseum(Rexall Place),"the Great One" Wayne Gretzky scored his first career NHL goal,in a 3-3 tie,against you guessed it??? the Red Wings... it was his third NHL game... by the way,this game will be the last game played by the Red Wings,against the Oilers,in Rexall Place... the two teams will have new arenas by 2017:Edmonton,next year,and the Red Wings,in two years...

Red Wings' news...

the Red Wings are on a road trip in Western Canada,so the game is in the second period,right now... after one period,the Edmonton Oilers lead 1-0,and the Red Wings have only five shots... GO WINGS GO...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Edmonton Oilers,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:walked four plus miles this morning,so my feet are very sore... feet up,doing nothing today...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:Red Wings play on Wednesday...

Red Wings' game score...

Canadiens 4,Red Wings 1... pathetic defense around the Red Wings' net,by the Red Wings,and referees' tic tac calls on Red Wings penalties throughout the game doomed the Red Wings... Red Wings deserved to lose,today... UGGGGGGGGLLLLLLYYYY!!!!!

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Canadiens,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Hurricanes 5,Red Wings 3... Red Wings came out flatter than a crepe,and never led,in game,and simply got out-played by the Hurricanes(for the second time;they lost the first time),but Jimmy Howard basically stunk in goal...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings have two games in the next two days... they play the Carolina Hurricanes,and then they play Carey Price,and the Montreal Canadiens... note:wonder why i put it that way,simply because Carey Price won the Vezina Trophy(best goaltender),and three other awards,in 2014... simply said,he may be the best goaltender,and one of the best players,in the NHL,period... i say that with deep respect,and a hat tip...

comments on the Lightning...

the Tampa Bay Lightning have been an enigma,so far... they bulldozed the Boston Bruins,6-3,after being down 2-0 early in the game,then they score only one goal,against the Red Wings,and lose... they are the most talented team in the Eastern Conference,but so far,they have been inconsistent in scoring,folks... is it good or bad??? who knows,but it is very early,in the NHL season... are they a team with talent,or are they a team who crumbles under pressure???

blog statement...

sorry,folks... i have been a little lax on my blogging,lately... i will ramp up my blogging,shortly...

blog statement...

"Idaho Spud" time... day off... just waking up,and head is going through mamba lessons(ha ha),so i am doing very little,today... after taking some aspirin,i will probably get to comments about Tampa Bay Lightning/Red Wings... i do have something to say...

blog statement...

since i have a few days before Friday's Red Wings' game against the Carolina Hurricanes,i will comment on last night's game against the Lightning,perhaps tonight,or tomorrow... sorry,folks...

blog statement...

day off... just do not feel well... (not serious)... just need rest,period... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 3,Lightning 1... comments,tomorrow...

Red Wings' news...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Red Wings,tonight... expect fireworks;both teams do not like each other...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 4,Hurricanes 3... out-shooting the Red Wings,47-19,the Hurricanes do everything right,but win game... Petr Mrazek stood on his head,and allowed three goals,but the last goal by the Hurricanes came at 19:57,of the third period,so it was basically over,when the last goal for the Hurricanes went in... what a defensive game for the Red Wings,tonight...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Carolina Hurricanes,tonight...

Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 4,Maple Leafs 0... Justin Abdelkader had a hat trick,and Dylan Larkin had a two point night,including his first NHL goal,and Jimmy Howard had a shutout of the Maple Leafs... Larkin is the first teenager to play for the Red Wings in an opening night,since Mike Sillenger,in 1990... on his 35th birthday,captain Henrik Zetterberg also had a three point night... Happy Birthday,Henrik!!!!

slight correction...

i must be braindead!!! it was twenty nine years ago today,that Yzerman became team captain of the Red Wings... DUH!!!!!!!!

Red Wings' trivia...

twenty nine years ago,today,Steve Yzerman became the youngest team captain in Red Wings' history...

Red Wings' news...

make that the first two goals go to Justin Abdelkader,for the Red Wings...

Red Wings' news...

Justin Abdelkader scored the first,and a power play goal for the Red Wings,1:15 into the first period,against the Maple Leafs...

Red Wings' news,and comments...

Toronto Maple Leafs/Red Wings,tonight,at Joe Louis Arena... opening night of the 2015/2016 NHL season,and the regular season return of former Red Wings' and current Maple Leafs' head coach Mike Babcock... simply said:he went for the money,and it was time for the boot for him...

comment...

i corrected the link for Dad's email address just now... sorry folks...

comments...

my father retired last week,so it took me a while to get an email address to use to blog... this is a family and hockey blog;meant to be read by family,so i am back...

last night's preseason Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 7,Penguins 2... Red Wings bulldozed Penguins,last night... note:i forget to post the score,because i had computer,and television,off most of the night,and went to sleep...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Pittsburgh Penguins,tonight,in Pittsburgh...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 4,Metallurg Nk 1... three second period goals doomed Metallurg Nk...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl news...

Metallurg Nk plays Lokomotov Jaroslavl today,so,i will get some sleep before the game...

preseason Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 3,Bruins 1...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings/Bruins,in Boston,tonight...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3,Admiral 0...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl news...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl plays Admiral,today... the game is just starting in Jaroslavl,Russia,so the game report will be a few hours late,because i need sleep...

preseason Red Wings game score...

Bruins 4,Red Wings 3,overtime...

Red Wings' news...

Boston Bruins/Red Wings,tonight,in Detroit...

injury update...

Pavel Datsyuk tweeted that he is on schedule to play in late October/early November... he had tendon repair surgery,in the offseason...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 1,Amur 0...

preseason Red Wings game score...

Red Wings 6,Penguins 1... Red Wings bulldoze Penguins... however,it is only preseason,but Jimmy Howard had a good game,so that is a plus,folks...

Red Wings' news...

Pittsburgh Penguins/Red Wings,tonight,in Detroit... third preseason game in three days...

preseason Red Wings' game score...

Red Wings 4,Blackhawks 1... Tomas Tatar scored a hat trick...

comment...

i am watching the Red Wings/Blackhawks preseason game,on NHL Network,so i will post the score shortly after game is completed...

Red Wings' news...

Blackhawks/Red Wings,tonight,at Joe Louis Arena,in Detroit... preseason game two of eight....

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Sibir 1,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 0... a second period goal stopped the Train...

KHL news...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl/Sibir game is about to start,so there is an update coming,today...

preseason Red Wings' game score...

Chicago Blackhawks 5,Red Wings 4,overtime... Red Wings overcome a 4-1 lead early in the third period to force overtime... nice start to the preseason,but lousy end to game...

Red Wings' news...

the first preseason game for the Red Wings,against the Chicago Blackhawks(major BOO!!!)will be on tape on NHL Network,tonight... YAY!!!

comments...

the NHL preseason starts today... Red Wings play the Chicago Blackhawks,tomorrow,in Chicago... will note score,tomorrow... they play eight games in the preseason...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3,Torpedo 1... two third period goals sunk the Torpedo...

KHL update...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl plays today,so that will be a score update... GO TRAIN!!!!

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' trivia...

what year did the Red Wings start wearing their current logo of a winged wheel??? answer:1932-1933...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score,and historical note...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 4,Dinamo Minsk 0... historical note:four years ago,the Yak-42 that crashed and killed 44 people,was headed to Minsk,to open the 2011 KHL season,for the Train...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time.... note:the preseason starts on September 22nd,for the Red Wings...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3,Metallurg Mg. 0...

2015-2016 Chicago Blackhawks...

the Chicago Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champions,and will be a playoff team,in 2015-2016,but besides that,they are an enigma... with Patrick Kane in legal limbo,are the Blackhawks like the Green Bay Packers in the NFL??? does one player make a big difference,as in the case of the Packers,who knows??? in the case of the Blackhawks,unless you have a player like Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, the answer is no... the Blackhawks are a very good offensive team,and with Duncan Keith,on defense,they should be fine,even though,some pundits have said that Keith is not the same player,as in years past... they have many players from the 2010 Stanley Cup champions,who beat the Philadelphia Flyers in six games,for a good core of players... Corey Crawford does not get much respect outside of Chicago,but he is a very good goaltender... expect Kane to be punished,by the NHL,but after the legal process works itself out(if Kane gets in trouble with the law),but again,it is Chicago,you know,ha ha... expect a very good Stanley Cup defense from this team...

comments...

tomorrow,i will finish my previews of all thirty NHL teams by previewing the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks... i am very sorry for the delay,but i wanted to know about the situation involving Patrick Kane,before finishing it,and i will check that in the next 24 hours,and then i will preview the Blackhawks... be back tomorrow...

blog statement...

day off... watching football,today... "Idaho Spud" time...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Avengard 3,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 0...

blog statement...

day off... very tired... "Idaho Spud" time...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Ugra 2,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 1...

blog statement...

because of developments in Chicago about Patrick Kane,and the stoppage of the grand jury investigation(Kane is under investigation,and Kane,or the victim may want to settle),and what may happen,i will delay the final NHL team preview a few days... it will be done by September 15th... sorry,folks...

Lokomotov Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3,Avtomobilist 2,overtime...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:Lokomotiv Jaroslavl is playing,as i type this,so i will note that later... the 30th NHL team-the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks will be previewed tomorrow...

2015-2016 Tampa Bay Lightning...

the Tampa Bay Lightning should be very good this season... after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks,they lost only one free agent to other teams,so the nucleus of this team is still intact,which is very bad for the rest of the NHL... injuries are healing for Tyler Johnson(broken wrist),who led the NHL,in goals,during the Stanley Cup playoffs... Brian Boyle,Steven Stamkos,Nikita Kucherov,along with Johnson should power the team offense,and as Victor Hedman Anton Stralman,and Nikita Nesterov should man the tight,tough,and brutal team defense... with a real loaded team like the Lightning,the big question should be backup goaltender... Andrei Vasilevskiy is out two or three months after surgery,today,to remove a blood clot near his clavicle,so who is going to back up Ben Bishop,who had a great year,but can he hold up without a viable backup??? that is the question,of all questions,for the Lightning???

a sad day in memory;light a candle,and have a black ribbon,today...

Jaroslavl,Russia... four years ago,44 people died in YAK-42 plane crash(one died in hospital,five days later)... on the first anniversary,i wrote down every victim's name... i just bow my head in deep memory... note:they are on my banner in memory,and have been there for four years...

2015-2016 New York Rangers...

the New York Rangers won the (almost dreaded)President's Trophy(best regular season record in the NHL),with a record of 53-22-7,for 113 points,but the Stanley Cup playoff woes continued for the Rangers,in getting beaten by the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games,in the Eastern Conference Finals... Henrik Lundqvist was the second best goaltender,in the NHL,behind the Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price,of the Montreal Canadiens... the team offense last season scored a League-best sixty more goals than they allowed in goal... the roster of the Rangers are more blue collar than star-studded,but they really do have talent on team offense and team defense,and they will be a Stanley Cup playoff-bound team,this season... the biggest question is depth on the blue line,and whether Lundqvist can repeat the career year that he had,last season??? my opinion is that he will,but do not expect as many wins as last season,because last season was a dream for the Rangers,but they will be tough to beat...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Barys 4,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3... two second period goals 2:38 apart gave Barys just enough cushion in their win over the Train...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:too early to do anything....

2015-2016 Anaheim Ducks,and a personal story...

note:my time with the Anaheim Ducks goes back to the team's opening day,October 8th,1993,when they played the Red Wings... they lost 7-2,to the Red Wings,that night... funny thing about that night is that i listened to the game on radio,in Anaheim... i was doing renovation work on a house(one of many small jobs,while in Orange County),but the cheapskate got himself arrested,and i never got paid for the work... now,for this year's preview of the Ducks:they were the best team in the Western Conference,in the regular season,with 109 points(tied with the St. Louis Blues),but one very odd thing that does not happen too often happened with the Ducks... they scored only ten more goals that they allowed,as a team,in the entire season... a winning team usually scores twenty or more goals that they allowed,and yet,the Ducks did not do that... why??? simple:they were very tough to beat in one goal games,they rarely gave up a lead in the third period,or simply scored a critical goal,in the third period to beat your team... they won 26 games,at home,and 25 games,on the road(26-12-3/25-12-4),43 regulation/overtime wins-tied for third in the NHL,and eight shootout wins... tough team to play,last season... Frederik Andersen was a rock in goal,Ryan Getzlaf,along with Corey Perry was a dynamic duo(one or the other just "killed" a team every night,with an outstanding play),and stingy team defense,just clamped down on a team,when the Ducks were ahead,or Getzlaf and Perry would make a team pay with an outstanding play in the third period almost every night,and the team had a rather nasty edge of physicality that not many teams had... question for the Ducks:can they do it again??? do not bet against them...

blog statement...

i am still waking up,so i will be back later,folks,to do my blogging... Anaheim Ducks,next,in my NHL team preview...

blog statement...

there are four more teams to preview in my NHL 30 team previews for the 2015-2016 NHL season... first will be the Anaheim Ducks,then the New York Rangers,and finally the Tampa Bay Lightning,and the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks... the "final four" previews will start tomorrow...

blog statement...

need to do some things today... have had back pain for about three days... i will take a long walk,and do small things to just stay loose... paying "Bill" will wait,one day,and i will be fine... day off... a very leisurely "Idaho Spud" time...

2015-2016 St. Louis Blues...

the St. Louis Blues actually tied with the Anaheim Ducks,for the best record in the Western Conference,with 109 points,but lost the tiebreaker,to Anaheim in regulation/overtime wins(ROW's),by one win(Anaheim:43 wins,St. Louis 42 wins)... captain David Backes,Alexander Steen,Alex Pietrangelo,and Kevin Shattenkirk will balance out their team offense,and team defense... Brian Elliott anchors the goaltending... they had their best season,since 2000,when they won the President's Trophy,but lost in the first round,to the San Jose Sharks,in seven games... they were very good,winning five of their last six games,losing only to the Winnipeg Jets,1-0,in the month of April(regular season)... with most of these teams,the question is:can the Blues win the Central Division,again,and be a team on the rise,or will they be a team with talent,who implodes under pressure of the home stretch of the 2015-2016 NHL season??? they have the talent to be a Stanley Cup contender,but honestly the Central Division is tough to win,and it should be a dogfight,like always,folks...

2015-2016 Montreal Canadiens...

the Montreal Canadiens had the Vezina Trophy(best goaltender)winner(Carey Price),and a potent team offense,and a stingy team defense... they had a season that was a real dream(110 points-43 regulation/overtime wins)... that number of ROW's was tied for third,with the Anaheim Ducks,in the NHL... they won the Atlantic Division,two points ahead of the Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning... all good news,but question is that the Canadiens have been up and down,in recent years... they have the overall talent to win the Stanley Cup,but other teams may have a say on how the Canadiens play,this season... Max Pacioretty,Tomas Plekanec,Andrei Markov,and P.K. Subban will balance the team offense,and defense,as Price should be a rock in net... however,can Price repeat his season that he had last season... that is the mark of a great goaltender...

blog statement...

day off... has been a strange night... later on,sleep will come... so "Idaho Spud" time...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

HC Sochi 2,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 1... a early third period goal doomed the Lokomotiv...

2015-2016 Washington Capitals...

the Washington Capitals are trying to find a balance between team offense,and team defense... they have one of the best goal scorers,in NHL history in Alex Ovechkin,and a young,but great goaltender in Braden Holtby... the team has been in the Stanley Cup playoffs for years,but has not been,in the Stanley Cup Finals,since 1998,when they were swept,by the Red Wings,in four games... note:that 1998 sweep was the last sweep of a Stanley Cup finalist,to this day,and the last sweep of four in a row,and the second in a row,by the Red Wings(they also swept the Philadelphia Flyers,in 1997)... only history is told here,because i thought it was a interesting tidbit... back to the Capitals:this year's team is going to be good,because Barry Trotz is probably the best overall head coach,but his teams have been defense first teams,and he hopes to find the offensive,and defensive balance,that the Capitals have lacked,in team history... if that can be solved,the Capitals will be dangerous,in the Eastern Conference...

2015-2016 Nashville Predators...

last season,the Nashville Predators had the second best home record(28-9-4),only behind the Tampa Bay Lightning(32-8-1),but the Predators were only average on the road(19-16-6)... unfortunately,for a Stanley Cup contender,your team need a better road record,especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs... for example:the Red Wings had a better road record than the Predators(21-15-5),but the Red Wings could not win a shootout,as far that they could spit,last season... the team most valuable player is goaltender Pekka Rinne,when healthy,the best goaltender in the NHL,but folks,he was not healthy most of the season... to tell you the truth,the Predators do have talent on offense,and defense,but they are a blue collar team,having only two notable star players in defenseman Shea Weber,who may have one of the hardest shots from the blue line,ever in the NHL,and Mike Fisher,who is married to country superstar Carrie Underwood... the only question is:can Nashville repeat last season(they had 104 points,third place,in the Western Conference),but honestly,the key to a repeat great year,is the health of Pekka Rinne,without him,the Predators go nowhere,period...

blog statement...

i will be back later today,because i have back pain,and it is not easy for me to wake up... previews will be tonight,or tomorrow morning,depending on my puzzle of a back... sorry,folks...

blog statement...

will preview the Washington Capitals,and the Nashville Predators,tomorrow... note:the Chicago Blackhawks finished fourth in the Western Conference,and won the Stanley Cup,so they will be the last one in my team preview,along with the Tampa Bay Lightning,who finished third in the Eastern Conference,but was the other Stanley Cup finalist,so they will be second to last in my NHL team previews...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 3,Ak Bars 1...

another one to the eternal ice rink...

Al Arbour,who coached the New York Islanders to four straight Stanley Cup championship,in the 1980's,has died... prayers,and condolences to his family...

2015-2016 New York Islanders...

in the last year of the Nassau Memorial Coliseum,the New York Islanders gave Long Island a taste of past Islanders' glory,and NHL fans throughout the League,a glimpse of the Islanders' future... they had a winning home and road record,and they shook the Coliseum down to the roots,and up to the rafters throughout a very good season... they had the best season,since winning the Stanley Cup four straight years,in the 1980's... John Tavares,Nikolay Kulemin,Frans Nielsen,and Kyle Okposo,will guide a very young team offense,while Travis Hamonic,Nick Leddy,Brian Strait,and Johnny Boychuk should punish opponents with a bruising style of defense that New Yorkers should enjoy watching... Jaroslav Halak should be a real rock in net,throughout this season... be warned,going into the Barclays' center,in Brooklyn,should not be a cake walk for opponents,because the Islanders will pound on you from opening puck drop to final buzzer... bring a ton of Ben GayTM,folks...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 2,Lada 0... note:the KHL have hockey teams who have long team names,or very short names... example:Torpedo N N... N N stands for Nizhny Novgorod.... i will use the shortest name possible when reporting on the KHL...

2015-2016 Vancouver Canucks...

the question about the Vancouver Canucks has to do with age... not the age of the entire team,but the age of the Sedin brothers:twin brothers who have never played for another NHL team,and i do not mean the physical ages of the twins,but how many more years can they play,in the NHL??? their points/per game have declined over the last few years,and now injuries have curtailed their production... the team has not changed too much,since 2011,their last year,in the Stanley Cup Finals,where they lost in seven games,to the Boston Bruins,but they were out-scored 23-8,in that series,by the Bruins... they have changed their goaltender,not once,not twice,but three separate times,since 2011... they are an enigma in the Western Conference,because:are they going to be Stanley Cup playoff-bound,or are they slowly declining,to the draft eligible(lottery)teams who fight for the first overall draft pick,in the 2016 NHL Draft??? that is the biggest question,in Vancouver... they have enough talent to make the Stanley Cup playoffs... however,they need a serious youth movement,soon...

2015-2016 Minnesota Wild...

the Central Division has always been a tough division to win... the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks,last season,did not win the division,amazingly... they finished third,behind St. Louis,and Nashville... five Central Division teams made the Stanley Cup playoffs,last season... now,for the Minnesota Wild,they were a very tough team to play,they finished tied for fourth in fewest goals,in the NHL (201 goals,tied with the St. Louis Blues),and had a winning home and road record...  in their last 10 games,they were 6-3-1,and a tough out in the Stanley Cup playoffs... they beat the Blues in six games,and did lose to the Blackhawks in four games,but three of those games were one goal games,so Minnesota could have won,except for offensive firepower,and Chicago wore them down in four games... the team has not changed too much in the off-season,via trade or free agency,and that is good and bad,in the NHL... Ryan Suter(on defense),Thomas Vanek,Zach Parise,Mikael Granlund,and Mikko Koivu will power the team offensively and help defensively... the big question on the team is in goal,even though,Devan Dubnyk had a great year,after being traded from the Arizona Coyotes,halfway through last season,and had a save percentage of .936,with a 1.78 goals against average,for the Wild,during their home stretch and playoff run... is he the goaltender who is the franchise goaltender,that he was,for the Wild,or is he the goaltender who was traded to three teams over the last couple of years??? that is the $64,000 question,for the Wild to figure out,folks...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:will probably preview the Minnesota Wild tonight,or early tomorrow morning...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl game score...

Torpedo N N 3,Lokomotiv Jaroslavl 2,shootout...   note:the shootout in the KHL is much different than in NHL... will explain more about it over the rest of the season...

2015-2016 Detroit Red Wings...

now,for the 100 point teams,first up,the Red Wings:the Red Wings were about nine minutes from a 3-1 lead,in games,on now-Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Lightning,and were up 2-0,in the game,as Kyle Quincey went to the dressing room with a cut finger... Quincey was holding down Tyler Johnson,and in that way,had stymied the Lightning from scoring in 119 minutes,and four seconds... unfortunately,for the Red Wings,Johnson scored twice,including the game winning goal(GWG),in overtime,in game four,and the Red Wings never recovered,in the series,and lost in seven games,to the Lightning... what heartbreak,for the Red Wings!!!! Mike Babcock left for Toronto(for the money),and Pavel Datsyuk underwent ankle tendon repair surgery... what bad news... now for the good news:Jeff Blashill became coach,and Datsyuk will be back early in the season... people may say that the Red Wings may not make the Stanley Cup playoffs,for the 25th straight season,but if you are one of those people,do not bet the ranch on that,because the Red Wings are loaded with young talent... Gustav Nyqvist,Darren Helm,Luke Glendening,Justin Abdelkader,along with Henrik Zetterberg,and a recovering Datsyuk should provide enough team offense to make the Red Wings fly in the Eastern Conference... Danny DeKeyser,Mike Green,and Niklas Kronwall should help a young team defense... Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard will backstop in goal,and Howard may be injury-prone,but Mrazek,folks,is the real deal;a very good goaltender that can carry a team... let me remind you that it was not Mrazek's fault that the Red Wings lost in seven games(he was team MVP in that series),period... now,for coach Blashill:he has won two league (AHL,and USHL) championships,in his second year as head coach,in both leagues... even though,i do not expect that(who would???),he has coached many of the young players on this Red Wings' team,in Grand Rapids,and won the Calder Cup(AHL Championship),with many of the same players,so the transition for this team will be much easier than having a new coach coach a team that he does not know,at all...

KHL update...

Lokomotiv Jaroslavl is just about to start their season,as i type... will be back with updates over the next three hours...

KHL news...

the Kontinental Hockey League starts their season,tonight... Lokomotiv Jaroslavl plays tomorrow morning,live,about 7:30 am pacific coast time,with a twelve hour difference,or so...

2015-2016 Winnipeg Jets...

the Winnipeg Jets were very consistent last season,and a Stanley Cup playoff team... they were 23-13-5,at home,and were 20-13-8,on the road... with the smallest arena,they were a tough team to play at home... with Tyler Myers,and Dustin Byfuglien on defense,they are a strong core,and with Andrew Ladd and Mark Scheifele,they should improve... the goaltending may be shaky with Ondrej Pavelec,but with a solid backup,they should be very good... Pavelec has been very good,and,also,very bad,in his NHL career(and he was very good,last season),so you do not know what you are going to get,in goal.... expect some improvement,but again,who knows???

2015-2016 Ottawa Senators...

On February 16th,the Ottawa Senators looked like a draft eligible team,but went 15-1-1,in next seventeen games,over a span of thirty eight days,they were the hottest team in the NHL... they scored 99 points in a season,highest total,since 2007,i believe,when the team lost in the Stanley Cup Finals,to the Anaheim Ducks,in five games... Erik Karlsson is their best player,and the current Norris Trophy winner,and he has won the trophy twice(he also won it in 2011-2012),but the biggest surprise last season was goaltender Andrew Hammond... they call him,"the Hamburglar",after the McDonald's mascot... funny thing is that after every win that he had last season,the fans would throw McDonald's hamburgers,or cheeseburgers,onto the ice... with a tighter team defense around the net,and a good team offense,the Senators should contend for the Stanley Cup,this season...

2015-2016 Pittsburgh Penguins...

why hasn't a team,who has the best player in the NHL,in Sidney Crosby,had a sniff of the Stanley Cup finals,since 2009,when they won the Stanley Cup,over the Red Wings,in seven games??? simply,the team has not been that good,since 2010,when they were defending Stanley Cup Champions... the Penguins have traded many players over the years,and Crosby suffered a concussion,and many injuries... goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is a little long in the tooth,and he has a few down years,and last season was his best in last couple years... they beat the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot,last season,when the Bruins went 1-4-1 in last six games... they have talent on both sides on the ice,and with the best player in the NHL,they will always be a contender for the Stanley Cup playoffs,but again,they also could be a draft eligible team,next season... Fleury has at his best for them to be contenders... without Crosby,and Fleury,along with some more help,from their farm system,they are a team without a rudder... expect the team to improve,but again,who knows???

commentary...

the Eastern and the Western Conference Stanley Cup playoff field were tight,and the points between the fourth seed and the eighth seed were only three points,in the Eastern Conference,and seven points between the third seed and the eighth seed(i include the Nashville Predators,as the third seed,because no one knew the matchups until game 80,or so,especially in the Eastern Conference)... so,most of the previews will be similar,but hopefully,not in detail... the Red Wings(sixth seed),the Ottawa Senators(seventh seed),and the Pittsburgh Penguins(eighth seed)basically really do not know their playoff opponents until game 82,and in the Western Conference,most of the lower seeds did not know their playoff opponents,until the end of the season(especially the Calgary Flames,and the Winnipeg Jets),so over the next two weeks,starting tomorrow,i will preview each team very carefully trying to separate them out for you,folks...

2015-2016 Calgary Flames...

the two biggest surprise teams last season,are the next two teams previewed in the Western Conference... the Winnipeg Jets(more on them tomorrow),and this previewed team,the Calgary Flames... captain Mark Giordano suffered an injury,late last season,and every pundit wrote them off in making the Stanley Cup playoffs,and with grit and determination,they stuck it to the pundits by making the Stanley Cup playoffs... in the Western Conference,there were two teams that if in the Stanley Cup playoffs that your team did not want to play... one would be Winnipeg,and the other team would have been the Flames... as soon as Giordano went down,the Flames realized that if they were to make the Stanley Cup playoffs,the team had to be in "playoff mode" every game from then on,and they did it with grit,and class... will they improve on last year's record??? possible,but they have to get off to a better start,and Jonas Hiller,in goal,has to be better... they have talent on both sides of the ice,but honestly,they have to improve on team defense,and with a lucky bounce of the puck,or two,they will be a Stanley Cup playoff team,this season... the team offense runs through their best player,in Johnny Gaudreau,who should be a real star,and team defense runs through Giordano,and new Flames' player,Dougie Hamilton,via trade,with the Boston Bruins... there are reports,out of Boston,that Hamilton was a "bad teammate",did not get along with anybody,and if true,i hope some veteran straightens him out,in a way that helps the Flames... if so,Calgary will be a very tough team to play,this season,period...

2015-2016 Boston Bruins...

now for the last of the non-playoff teams:the Boston Bruins... they had everything going for them,but a winning road record(17-17-7),and a lousy shootout record(4-10)... in fact,they had a legitimate chance to last season's Stanley Cup playoffs,but they finished 1-4-1,in their last six games,and finished two points,behind the Pittsburgh Penguins,who finished eighth in the Eastern Conference,and in the final playoff spot... so close,but so far... if they finished 3-3,we would not be talking about the Bruins missing last year's Stanley Cup playoffs... right now,they need more team offense,and with Zdeno Chara being on defense... he may not be the same player,as in years past,but at 6'9",and a better overall team defense,the Bruins could be Stanley Cup playoff-bound,this season... the Bruins also need a backup to Tuukka Rask,in goal,so going to training camp,there are questions revolving around the Bruins... they have more speed,in Matt Beleskey,via trade,from the Anaheim Ducks,and with David Krejci,Loui Eriksson,and Patrice Bergeron,on the team offense,they should improve... whether they make the Stanley Cup playoffs,this season,is still an open question...

2015-2016 Los Angeles Kings...

two years ago,the Los Angeles Kings were the Stanley Cup Champions,and last season,when they needed to win a game,they stumbled to a 2-5-1 finish to a season that was a total team collapse... they have the talent to win the Stanley Cup(top six players on team offense,and defense are strong),but they honestly need team depth,on the back end,like most teams,and their goaltending is very solid,with Jonathan Quick,and Jhonas Enroth,both have NHL experience... they have traded well,and their core players are now hungry to wipe out their miserable season off their minds... example:the difference between the San Jose Sharks,and the Kings is simply that the front offices for the Kings,and the Sharks are polar opposites... that means that the Kings really improved,with the addition of Milan Lucic,from the Boston Bruins,via trade,and their American Hockey League affiliate(Manchester Monarchs-now Ontario Reign) won the Calder Cup(AHL Championship),last season(by beating the Utica Comets,four games to one),and the Sharks have stayed basically static,with an improvement of a goaltender,in Marvin Jones,who,amazingly,was the backup to Quick,in Los Angeles... Drew Doughty,Alec Martinez,Anze Kopitar,and Dustin Brown will headline the team defense and team offense,respectively,and with young players that showed two years that they were ready for the NHL,but had so-so second seasons... if the back end improves,the Kings may be Stanley Cup playoff-bound,after missing last season...

2015-2016 Florida Panthers...

will a team with one future Hockey Hall of Fame member make the Stanley Cup playoffs,this season???  Make a guess??? Jaromir Jagr will be a Hall of Fame member when he retires... unfortunately,he is not retired... unfortunately,he is 43(will be 44,in February),and the Florida Panthers are not the 1991/1992 Pittsburgh Penguins,who won back to back Stanley Cups,back in those years... Jagr was on those teams... however,they do have talent but not enough firepower to go toe to toe with the top teams in the NHL... Roberto Luongo is in goal,in the his second stint with the Panthers,which is good for the Panthers,but the backup is Al Montoya,who may be very good,and yet,in terms of the NHL,is very green,in goal... Nick Bjugstad,Aleksander Barkov,Jonathan Huberdeau,along with Jagr,headline an improved team offense,and Aaron Ekblad(a future Norris award winner:my opinion),with Dmitry Kulikov,headline a team defense that could be tough to play against,in the Eastern Conference,but to be a constant Stanley Cup contender,they need more team offense,better team defense,and a healthy goaltender duo... unfortunately,they will need to build that team... one good thing about the Panthers:they are tough to play in Sunrise,Florida... they did win 38 games,and had a winning record at home,and,surprisingly,also on the road,but with powerhouses like the Boston Bruins,and the Red Wings,they will have a tough time to climb the Eastern Conference ladder to the Stanley Cup playoffs... they could be a sleeper team to make the Stanley Cup playoffs,this season,but again,it may come down to how well the goaltending goes,this season...

comments...

i will preview the Florida Panthers later on today,but right now,i am going to bed,asap,if i can finally sleep well...

correction...

the Philadelphia Flyers allowed 234 goals,sixteen fewer goals than the Columbus Blue Jackets,so they were the team ahead of Columbus,not the New York Islanders,in terms of goals allowed,in the Eastern Conference... the fact that the Blue Jackets allowed 250 goals is pathetic,in terms of team defense... so i have to correct the previous post,sorry folks...

2015-2016 Columbus Blue Jackets...

two years ago,the Columbus Blue Jackets were a Stanley Cup playoff for the second time in their team history,but last season,they went back to their usual beatable selves,because they really sucked,in scoring goals,and their goaltending really stunk... they allowed the sixth most goals,in the NHL(250 goals),and the team just ahead of them,in the Eastern Conference,in allowing goals(the Philadelphia Flyers)allowed sixteen goals fewer... to improve,the Blue Jackets must tighten up their team defense,because without that fact,they are not a playoff team,at all... i honestly feel sorry for their best player(Nick Fogligno),because,definitely,the team has talent,but simply not enough team firepower,to go toe to toe with the better teams in the NHL... honestly,they do know how to play the Red Wings(they play them tough-i hate the games between them,because they are a crash the net team),but they do not play the Red Wings 82 times,in a season... if they played the rest of the NHL like they play the Red Wings,they would be a very tough team to play,but they honestly do not bring their "A" game.every night,and that is the team's trouble...

blog statement...

i will get back to my NHL team previews tomorrow... just had to take day off... a very severe lack of sleep;was up at 1:30 am,and still have not been to bed,but sleep beckons... so good night...

commentary...

i mentioned Pelle Lindbergh last night in my Philadelphia Flyers preview... in the 1984-1985 NHL season,he won the Vezina Trophy(best goaltender),as a rookie for the Flyers,and when i watched him play(i did watch a lot of hockey,before 1990,folks),it was pure magic,and i honestly thought i would have years to watch him develop into the best goaltender,in the NHL... when he died,that November night,in 1985,i literally cried,and he is the only player in NHL history to be voted onto a All Star Game,after death... up to this very day,no other player,in Flyers' team history,has worn number 31,his number,since his untimely death... even though,Lindbergh's number is not officially retired,i honestly believe there would be such a stench raised up by the public,if someone tried to wear it,that the Flyers would lose fans over it,period... my opinion:in fact,i would probably go to Philadelphia,myself,and simply protest(picket sign and walk)over that decision,if that decision was ever made... even thirty years later,i have tears in my eyes,over his death...

2015-2016 Philadelphia Flyers...

the Philadelphia Flyers were an enigma last season... they had a very good home record,but they stunk on the road(23-11-7/home;10-20-11/road),and they lost eleven shootouts,one more than the shootout-putrid Red Wings... they had talent on offense(still do),and defense(still do),but their goaltending really stunk,and on the road,they just could not win a simple game,if their playoff lives depended on it... if they had a similar road record to their very good home record,they would have made the Stanley Cup playoffs,easily,but they crumbled like a house of cards on the road,and their goaltending stunk like a dead skunk... if you played the physical game with the Flyers,you were dog meat,because they would pound the snot out of you,and then they had a chance to beat you... unfortunately,for the Flyers,teams have figured out how to play them;stay away from the rough stuff,and out-skate them... are they a playoff team,this season??? answer:yes and no!!!! yes,if they improve their goaltending,and road record,and no,they need to learn how to out-skate most teams,in the Eastern Conference... they could fight for a playoff spot,if the former happens,and could be an also ran(draft eligible team),if the latter happens... expect improvement,but how much??? like most teams,in this preview,they need help to get that... note:they have not had a rock steady goaltender,since Pelle Lindbergh* died... *google him if you want,real tragic story...

memories from a five year old game,with a twist...

i saw a five year old tape of a Red Wings/St. Louis Blues game,on NHL network tonight,in which Nicklas Lidstrom scored his first career hat trick(Red Wings won game,5-2)... a classic game!!!! funny thing to me was that my hatred for the Blues showed up,when i saw David Backes check-crossed Tomas Holmstrom,in the back(above the hip pad,and below the rib pad)... a rather nasty penalty,which directly led to game winning goal(GWG),by Danny Cleary... when i saw game,five years ago,i gave the screen an one finger salute... well,i did the same thing again,even five years after the game... note:Lidstrom's hat trick goal was a rocket on an empty net,from 59 feet(left point,near blue line),with less than a minute left,in game...

NHL previews update....

because the Eastern Conference has two more teams than the Western Conference,the next three teams on my NHL previews will be the Philadelphia Flyers,Columbus Blue Jackets,and the Florida Panthers,then back to the Western Conference,with the Los Angeles Kings...

2015-2016 Dallas Stars...

the Dallas Stars had some highlights for the 2014-2015 NHL season:Jamie Benn was last season's NHL scoring champion,but unfortunately,the scoring total was the lowest,since the early 1960's(87 points),and yet he had career highs,in goals,and assists,which is good and bad,because:can he improve??? the goaltending was pathetic,overall,but Kari Lehtonen(and Antti Niemi)should improve,but is Niemi on his last legs??? a trade from the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks(Patrick Sharp),Jason Spezza,and Tyler Sequin should headline an much improved team offense... Alex Goligoski and Johnny Oduya should help the team defense,as the Stars should improve offensively(the team were +1 overall(261 goals for,and 260 goals allowed),in scoring,last season),this season,but can the Stars' goaltending improve to the point of a Stanley Cup playoff run,this season... Lehtonen is a good goaltender(just had a terrible season),and the backup in Niemi(same comment-terrible season)should have the Stars show improvement,but one question still remains:most of the starters are over 30 years of age,and that may be a huge question mark,overall,this season....

2015-2016 New Jersey Devils...

the New Jersey Devils,early in this decade,was a playoff powerhouse,defensive to the core,and had enough offense to make a Stanley Cup playoff run,but since Martin Brodeur retired,the team has been a strange mix of misfits... they will be a team trying to improve,goaltender Cory Schneider should be the foundation of Devils' hockey in goal,for years,and they need to fill out the rest of their roster,to improve... Stephen Gionta,Travis Zajac,and Patrik Elias headline the offense,and Andy Greene headline the defense,but do the Devils have enough firepower to upset any team in the Eastern Conference more than once in a while??? no,but they should improve...

updates...

my NHL team previews will start again tomorrow,because family is coming home from Washington state tonight,instead of Sunday,and i want to finish them,before the 2015-2016 NHL season starts in October...

updates...

two updates that you should know about:the KHL regular season starts in about two weeks,and my NHL previews start again,on Sunday morning,with the New Jersey Devils,and Dallas Stars... sorry for the interruption,but family went out of town,and also some family got very ill,but,fortunately,are recovering... day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

a day that literally changed NHL hockey...

thirty seven years ago,the Edmonton Oilers traded their best player,Wayne Gretzky,to the Los Angeles Kings... then-Oilers' owner Peter Pocklington became public enemy number one,in Edmonton,and,even thirty seven years later,if you mention Pocklington's name,you probably still get a curse thrown at you... the Oilers had just won their fourth Stanley Cup,in the last five years,that summer...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

taking a few days off,because family is in Washington State,and will be back next weekend... breaking news will be covered,and my NHL previews will be started,next Friday,with the New Jersey Devils... note:if i want to start it,i will do it earlier,most likely,on Thursday... some hockey trivia next week... i will have every NHL team previewed by training camp,or the start of the 2015-2016 NHL season...

commentary...

every team from the NHL from the 10th seed on down,in the Eastern Conference allowed more goals than they scored last season,compared to the last four seeds,in the Western Conference,doing the same,with the Boston Bruins,in the Eastern Conference,scoring only two goals more than they allowed,and with the Dallas Stars,in the Western Conference,scoring only one goal more than they allowed,last season... scoring goals in the NHL,and not even one player scoring 100 points,last season,really sucks,if you are a true hockey fan... more 1-0,and 2-1 games,next season??? UGH!!!!!!!

blog statement...

day off... have things to do today... also neck hurts slightly(not serious)... so,most of day is "Idaho Spud" time...

my NHL team previews in order...

the next previews of the NHL teams will be the New Jersey Devils,and the Dallas Stars... note:even though,the Chicago Blackhawks finished as a fourth seed in the Western Conference,they will be last to be previewed,as the Tampa Bay Lightning will be last to be previewed in the Eastern Conference... every other team will be in reverse order from 30 to the end...

NHL,and MLB news...

NHL and MLBAM(MLB Advanced Media)announced a six year contract in building a groundbreaking digital media partnership... it was announced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman,and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at NHL Headquarters,in New York,today...

2015-2016 Colorado Avalanche...

two seasons ago,the Colorado Avalanche were near the top of the NHL standings,with a 100 point season,and a head coach,in Patrick Roy,that was in the Jack Adams talk,as coach of the year,if not,even won the award... last season,they missed the Stanley Cup playoffs,by a wide margin(seven points),and there were talk in the locker room that Roy had "lost" the locker room,but honestly,they came out flatter than a crepe,and never recovered... this team that was a big surprise to most pundits two seasons ago,came down with a big thud last season,and did not show any flash from the season before... it appears that they read their own publicity,and believed what was written,so they honestly thought they were better than they were,with major injuries,and a major letdown by Semyon Varlimov(how do i know that name???),in goal,doomed the Avalanche... Varlimov played for Lokomotiv Jaroslavl during the 113 day lockout,a few seasons ago... he has to play much better in goal,for the Avalanche to improve on last season... they have a very young talented team,and yet,can they recover from a statistical disaster,last season,and be a team who should contend for the Stanley Cup playoffs... that is debatable,with so many young talented teams fighting for a playoff spot,in the Western Conference... they should improve,and with a lucky goal or puck bounce here or there,they could be a Stanley Cup playoff team,this season...

2015-2016 Carolina Hurricanes...

the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup,in 2006,but after a couple more years of very good playoff teams,the Hurricanes are definitely rebuilding their team the last couple of years... with Erik Staal,Mike Skinner,and the Stanley Cup winning goaltender,Cam Ward,who was in his first year,or so,when he backstopped the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup,in 2006,the Hurricanes need help across the board,in their rebuilding of their team... if Ward can be his old self,and have a very good year,in goal,the Hurricanes could be in position for a playoff spot,in the very tight Eastern Conference,but he has to be injury-free,unlike the last few years... Mike Skinner is a star in the making,and is a very good player,period... Erik Staal is the heart of the team... as he goes,there goes the Hurricanes,but he needs help from the rest of the team,along with the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers,their farm team... expect improvement,but how much??? who knows... the Hurricanes need to rebuild across the board,and without that,they are not a playoff team,this season...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...  note:next up in my NHL previews will be the Carolina Hurricanes,and then the Colorado Avalanche...

2015-2016 San Jose Sharks...

the next team on my NHL previews is the team who finished 12th in the Western Conference,last season,and a team who had ten straight years,in the Stanley Cup playoffs,before collapsing to 12th,last season... in fact,they have not been the same team,since collapsing against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings,in 2013-2014,in seven first round games,after being up 3-0,in the seven game series... the San Jose Sharks... to tell you how lopsided the Western Conference was,last season,they finished 27 points ahead of the 13th seed,the Edmonton Oilers,and 8 points behind the 8th seed,the Calgary Flames...they scored fewer goals than they allowed,by four goals... simply,their team defense,and goaltending stunk in the second half of the season... the turning point of last season,for the Sharks,happened in Detroit,when the Red Wings scored twice in the last seven minutes,turning a 2-1 Sharks' lead into a very painful 3-2 defeat,on February 26th,2015...even though they beat the Red Wings,in Detroit,6-4,exactly one month later,after that loss,in San Jose,on that February night,the team never won more than two games in a row,after that bitter loss,to the Red Wings... they then had their head coach go off to Edmonton,and even though,they signed a very good young goaltender,in Martin Jones(and Alex Stalock),they do have a very good goaltending duo who should fight it out for the starting spot in goal... however,Patrick Marleau,"Jumbo" Joe Thornton,and Joe Pavelski are over 30 years of age,along with Logan Couture,and Melkar Karlsson should stabilize the team offense,and Marc Edouard Vlasic,and Brent Burns should help the team defense... two things that may be the Sharks' achilles heel:age of the stars,and a simply brutal travel schedule,in terms of miles flown(number one on that list,unfortunately)... they must have a better home record,than they did(19-17-5),than their road record(21-16-4),last season... expect improvement,and in the crazy Western Conference,they honestly could be a playoff team,but they have to improve their record in the Pacific Division to do that,this season...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

2015-2016 Toronto Maple Leafs...

what is the difference between the first year of Mike Babcock as head coach of the Red Wings,and this season of him being the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs,this season??? answer:TALENT!!!! that is as blunt as i can be... i look at the current main roster of the Maple Leafs,and i do see talent on the roster,but honestly,the current roster has done very little over the past decade,except lose games,and collapse at the end of recent seasons... Babcock is a very good coach,but he has a major reconstruction,and reclamation project on his plate,in the Maple Leafs... two major positive areas on the team are the goaltending,and the farm system(the Toronto Marlies)... James Reimer reminds me of a young Jimmy Howard... he has that type of talent,but only has shown streaks of inconsistency,in goal,so far,in his NHL career... captain Dion Phaneuf may be the team's best player,but the quality of overall play drops off quickly,on the main roster,unless you want to play it tough with the Maple Leafs... expect improvement,simply because Babcock will not accept losing,period... one thing that i know about Babcock,his team system will work in Toronto,but the overall talent definitely has to improve to make a run at the Stanley Cup playoffs... unfortunately,this will not be the year that they will make a run at the Stanley Cup playoffs,unless two or three teams simply implode from within,and in the Eastern Conference,that will not happen,at least,this year....

2015-2016 Arizona Coyotes...

the teams at the bottom of the NHL standings have similar deficits,last season... the Arizona Coyotes finished dead last in the Western Conference(by six points),last season... the Coyotes were one of only two teams in the NHL last season to allow more than 100 goals(102)than they scored(the Buffalo Sabres were the other team),so the goaltending really stunk most of the season... Mike Smith has to improve in goal,and the main roster has to improve... they do have talent(some very good talent),but the overall talent on the main roster is rather weak... Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the team's best player,but unfortunately,he is a defenseman... captain Shane Doan is nearing his 20th NHL season,and is the last original Winnipeg Jets' player,when the franchise moved to the Valley of the Sun,in 1995... in fact,he is the last original Winnipeg Jets' player,in the entire NHL... will the Coyotes improve,this season??? this is easy to predict... i am sorry,Coyotes' fans(if you can find one),i say no... with the arena lease,and the situation in Glendale(with a very hostile city council)crumbling,the fans in Arizona do not seem to care for a 82 game season,and that is a shame...

comments...

the next NHL team previews will be the Toronto Maple Leafs,and the Arizona Coyotes,who actually finished dead last,in the Western Conference,behind the Edmonton Oilers(by six points)... the reason i took Edmonton first was simply,because they had the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft... i will do Arizona first,possibly tonight,or tomorrow,and then Toronto tomorrow night... note:i still feel iffy,but am getting better...

2015-2016 Edmonton Oilers...

expect the Edmonton Oilers to improve,but how much is the $64,000 question??? they have two very good goaltenders(Ben Scrivens,and Cam Talbot)to fight for the starting spot... they have four number one overall draft picks,including this year's "next Gretzky"(my opinion,ha ha),in Connor McDavid,and a new head coach in Todd McLellan(formerly of the San Jose Sharks)...McDavid has skills like Gretzky(wide vision on the ice,sees everyone on the ice,and is a brilliant passer),but is the rest of the team like the team in Gretzky's heyday??? simply,no,but it should take some time to jel their chemistry,together... unfortunately,the Oilers have been at,or near the bottom,of the NHL standings for years,so much so that they have received four number one overall NHL draft picks in the past decade,so what will change??? simply,who knows??? they have much talent on this team,but folks,it is time to be a complete team,isn't it,Oilers???

blog statement...

i am not feeling well(nothing serious),so i will delay the Edmonton Oilers' preview one day,because i have stomach cramps when i sit in a chair... hopefully,i may do it tonight... need rest,but not too much... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

folks,i have to deeply apologize to you... i have not done much on this blog over the summer,so far... most of the blame goes to me,but honestly,the NHL has not helped too much,either... there has been very few things to talk about,but things will pick up going forward... this upcoming season,i will note the Red Wings.the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffiths,and the KHL'S Lokomotiv Jaroslavl(there may be even a preview of the team,too),more in detail,along with a preview of every team in the NHL,for the 2015-2016 NHL season... unfortunately,i do not read Russian too well,or that would change,too... however,i will comment on players in the KHL that i do know about,and i know quite a few... you may get live reports(scores) from the KHL,because there is a time difference in Russia,and the KHL starts in early September,so this blog will improve over the next few months...

2015-2016 Buffalo Sabres....

the Buffalo Sabres were the worst team in the NHL,last season,not by a small margin,but by a wide margin... they were 23-51-8,with 15 regulation/overtime wins(the New York Rangers,the President's Trophy winner-best in the NHL-had 49 regulation/overtime wins),and they scored 113 less goals than they allowed other teams,and then they lost the first overall draft pick,in the 2015 NHL Draft lottery to the Edmonton Oilers(they picked second in the NHL Draft)... the only thing they did good last season was the shootout(they were second in wins with eight shootout wins,in the Eastern Conference,behind the Columbus Blue Jackets,who had nine shootout wins),but being good in the shootout is like kissing your sister... they have talent on the team,but after 23 wins,in a 82 game season,and scoring 113 fewer goals than their opponents,last season,not even their franchise second overall 2015 draft pick(Jack Eichel)will help much... first of all,remember that name-Jack Eichel-he has skills,and will be a star.period... they have two goaltenders in their farm system who may be very good-Andrey Makarov,and Linus Ullmark,but the goaltending,on the Sabres has to really improve to make a difference,in the NHL... Eichel will start opening day,and will probably win the Calder Trophy(he is that good),but one piece does not make a team,unless you have skills like a superstar(Eichel does),but the rest of the team has to improve greatly,to make a dent in a very tough Eastern Conference... there are very few players that i would honestly pay to see play,and both Edmonton's Connor McDavid(more on him tomorrow),and Buffalo's Jack Eichel are in that category,period... expect improvement,this season,but it will come down to goaltending,and how Eichel plays,in the NHL... if he plays well,Buffalo will be a tough team to play... if not,the Sabres will be in the same position next off-season... do not expect that,but who knows???

blog statement...

this week has been strange,so "Idaho Spud" time,today...

note to Logan...

in an interview with NBC,San Jose Sharks' player Logan Couture said of the Sharks' potential success this season,"we have the core to win"... note to Logan,and to the Sharks:words are very empty,but actions mean everything... your team came in 12th in the Western Conference,LAST SEASON,and you believe that having the same core of players for years,is going to take you to the promised land... by the way,you missed the playoffs by a wide margin... right now,words are empty... remember that,Logan... PROVE IT!!!!!!

comments...

revving for the 2015-2016 NHL season... it starts October 7th,with four games;one being the San Jose Sharks/Los Angeles Kings... let us see very early,if both teams have improved over the off-season...

comments...

i will start previewing the NHL on Monday... starting with the Buffalo Sabres,and Edmonton Oilers on Monday,and Tuesday... will do one team a day...

blog statement...

day off..."Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:i will be doing research on the NHL and all teams' previews throughout the week...

blog statement...

before you get upset with me about blog content lately,blame the NHL basically,because the Red Wings have not signed a free agent,since July 15th(their own),and only one free agent has signed with another team in days (Shane O'Brien with Anaheim,from Florida)... the NHL are talking about expansion,but one city(Quebec City needs a new arena,and it is the same reason why the NHL left the city,once before)... so,blah blah blah!!!!!!!!

blog statement...

i will start the thirty previews of all NHL teams,next week(Monday)...

Red Wings' news...

Pavel Datsyuk said in an interview,in Yekaterinburg,Russia(his hometown),that he will be there,October 9th,when the Red Wings play the Toronto Maple Leafs,but because of tendon rupture repair surgery(4-5 month recovery time),he will not be ready for the start of the 2015-2016 NHL season,and will miss miss some time at beginning of season... the Red Wings expect him to play sometime in November...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... too hot today to do anything,folks... "Idaho Spud" time...

fascinating statistic...

winners this season,in terms of airline mileage:Detroit Red Wings:33,487 miles in the 2015-2016 NHL season... losers this season in terms of airline mileage:San Jose Sharks(for the second time,in three seasons):50,362 miles... in terms that you can grasp:the Sharks will fly 16,875 more miles than the Detroit Red Wings,in the 2015-2016 NHL season... what a tired bunch of Sharks there will be,folks...

comments about NHL preview of all 30 teams...

i am doing research on the NHL's 30 teams to do my preview of every team... it will take a few days to get up to speed to do a very good job on every team's preview... so,stay tuned...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

commentary...

i am very,very sorry that i have not had much to say on this blog,since the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs,but there is very little to comment on since then,folks... i will crank up things with my team previews,in the next few days... i will start with the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers,by next week,and end with the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks,about thirty days later... i will try to be objective in my previews of every team,including the preview of the Red Wings,which should come along about fifteen days into the team previews... one other option that i have is to do non-playoff teams first,then do playoff teams later on... who knows,right now??? however,i will preview every team before the start of 2015-2016 NHL season...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings and Gustav Nyquist agree to a four year,$19 million contract extension...

blog statement...

on vacation today... will try to blog a couple times,while on vacation,but am not guaranteeing anything...

to a great player...

one of the toughest players in the NHL just retired... 5'8",180 pounds,and a fireplug on the ice,there was always one player that i looked up to,on the Tampa Bay Lightning,when they won the Stanley Cup in 2004(beating the Calgary Flames,in seven games),and later on,with the New York Rangers... he was a true gentleman on and off the ice,but showed his teammates the way to play balls-out hockey,in the way that he played his sixteen years,in the NHL... Martin St. Louis was an inspiration to all his teammates... even though,i was not a fan of the Lightning,during his time with the team(and still am not a fan),i wondered throughout that time,if he would play every game that i saw the team play,he did,played amazingly tough,his play on the Lightning power play was simply great(passing the puck,and his shot was greatly underrated,as a player,but his foot(skate)speed was amazing)... when the Lightning had new players,everyone would just tell them,"play like Marty"... my opinion:to an amazing player,i say simply that it was a great honor and joy to see you play NHL hockey,Marty... may you be happy for the rest of your life... note:if Marty is not a Hall of Fame member,when eligible,i will be definitely upset,because Martin St. Louis was a great player,period!!!!

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time... note:vacation is coming up very shortly,this week,so i will take a few days off from blogging...

Happy Independence Day!!!!!! U.S. turns 239 years old...

commentary...

normally,i do not mention the Red Wings over the off-season too often,but i have something to say about next season's team,their makeup,their new head coach,and the way that they intend to extend their current 24 season playoff streak... even though,i respect Mike Babcock,it was time for him to go on to another team(hated to see him to go to the Toronto Maple Leafs,because of history,and team nastiness),because it appeared to me that he was losing the locker room,and the fact that the last two teams that he coached for the Red Wings did make the Stanley Cup playoffs,but exited in five games,in a bulldozing by the Boston Bruins(scoring six goals,in five games-winning one game 1-0,and then getting bulldozed,by a(i hate to say it)better team,in 2013-2014,and then letting the Tampa Bay Lightning off the proverbial hook,in losing in seven games,and scoring only two goals in game six and seven,last season)... both series losses were in first round... the hiring of Jeff Blashill may be the best hiring of a new head coach(not including Babcock),in the NHL,this off-season,because of pure pedigree:college(NCAA tournament team,at Western Michigan),junior hockey(titles,in two different leagues(USHL,and AHL),and being a NHL assistant coach,under Babcock,for a season-priceless)... the signing of Mike Green,and Brad Richards strengthened the blue line defense,on a team that may be a little tougher to play next season... Blashill knows the young core of players having coached most of the players to an American Hockey League championship,two seasons ago... the one weakness may be in goal,but honestly,it also could be a strength,depending on Jimmy Howard's play,next season,but to tell you the truth,Howard's play,after recovering from an injury,was very sub-par,in the last half of the season... i hope he returns to his All-Star form(he was an All-Star,before he injured his groin),but having Petr Mrazek did help,and will help,if Howard does recover his All-Star form... General Manager Ken Holland has said that there will be more changes coming up for the Red Wings,before training camp,or the season... it should be very interesting,next season,in Motown...

blog statement...

am taking today off... will catch on breaking news,tomorrow... "Idaho Spud" time...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings signed two free agent defensemen:Mike Green,from the Washington Capitals(2014-15 team),and Brad Richards,from the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks(2014 -2015 team)... Green had fifth most points among defensemen,during his ten years,with the Capitals... Richards has won two Stanley Cups(2003-2004,with the Tampa Bay Lightning(the only team,in NHL history not to defend their title,in the next season,due to onerous/grueling strike/lockout-lost 2004-2005 season)*,and last season,with the Blackhawks)... two veterans who will help with experience,in the young Red Wings' locker room... *my opinion:i am still steamed over that lockout...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time,especially in ice cube weather,for it being 105,today,and 110 tomorrow,so i will dressed like an eskimo,with AC on most of the next couple of days,indoors... YAY!!!!!!!

2015 class of Hockey Hall of Fame...

Nicklas Lidstrom,Sergei Fedorov,Phil Housley,Angela Ruggiero,owner Peter Karmanos,builder Bill Hay,and the one player who was named(and one that i "hated")"the dirtiest player in the NHL",Chris Pronger,were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame,today... Lidstrom and Fedorov played with the Red Wings(Lidstrom won four Stanley Cups,and Fedorov won three) Lidstrom also won seven Norris Trophies,second most behind the eight Norris Trophies,by Doug Harvey... when Housley retired,he had the most points as an American born defenseman... Ruggiero won many championships,including an Olympic women's gold medal,in 1998... Karmanos was the owner of the Hartford Whalers,when they moved to Carolina,and became the Hurricanes... Bill Hay played seventeen years,early in the NHL,and Pronger beat the Red Wings,on the way to the 2007 Stanley Cup,with the Anaheim Ducks... note:he had a very controversial(for me)non-call,and the penalty was called on the Red Wings(and Anaheim scored to tie game four,late in the game,and Anaheim won in overtime),when he mugged the Red Wings' goaltender,and should have been called for a penalty,but the referees blew the call,as the Ducks got very critical penalty,as Anaheim swept the last three games of the Western Conference Finals,in 2007... even today,i have a very bad taste in my mouth over that... i am like an elephant,with a very long memory... however,congratulations to everyone inducted,today...

commentary...

i can not sleep,and yet,i do feel tired mentally,but not physically,if you know what i mean... the NHL and NFL are over and there is time between training camps for both sports... it has been a strange month of June,because very little has been going on since the Stanley Cup Finals have been over a couple of weeks ago,and even though the NHL Draft has just completed,the NHL draft is nothing like the NFL Draft in detail,and that is boring to watch,so learning about the NHL prospects is actually much harder than learning about college football players,because you have players that come from college,junior hockey(in Canada and the U.S.),European teams and nations,in this draft,from China,and the Netherlands for the first time that were drafted this year,and over ninety percent will not be in the NHL,for years,or ever... being a scout for a NHL team is probably is the hardest job in professional sports,because if you goof on a draft pick,it will affect the team for years,depending on where the prospect is drafted... note:at four in the morning,i am tired,so i am going to snoozeville,if i can...

blog statement...

it is just after midnight,and i will go to sleep,but just wanted to say hello,before bedtime...

Red Wings' 2015 NHL first round draft pick

Red Wings selected Evgeny Svechnikov,of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles,of the QMJHL... he had 32 goals,and 46 assists,for 78 points,in 55 games...

Sharks' first round pick... (there you are,Dad)...

for my father:San Jose Sharks drafted Timo Meier,of the Halifax Mooseheads,in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League(QMJHL)... he led Halifax with 44 goals,and 46 assists,for a 90 point season,in 61 games,with 23 power play goals(a franchise record for Halifax)...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk had ankle surgery today to repair tendons in his ankle hurt late in 2014-2015 NHL season... recovery time:four to six weeks,but knowing Datsyuk,he may miss some of training camp,but will be ready October 9th,when the 2015-2016 NHL season opens up,at Joe Louis Arena,against the Toronto Maple Leafs...

Red Wings' news...

pending trades,the Red Wings have six draft picks,in the 2015 NHL Draft over the next couple days...

Red Wings' news...

the all-time record between the Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs is 280-275-93-5(W-L-T-OTL),in favor of the Red Wings,so if you add up the overtime losses to the regulation losses,the series is dead even... why bring that up,folks??? answer:the 2015-2016 NHL season opens up with Toronto plays the Red Wings on October 9,2015,at Joe Louis Arena... if you have not forgotten,the new head coach for Toronto is the Red Wings' former coach Mike Babcock... interesting,isn't it???

NHL awards...

the NHL awards show was basically the Carey Price show,tonight... the Montreal Canadiens' goaltender won the Vezina(best goaltender),the Hart,the Ted Lindsey(the Hart and the Ted Lindsey awards are for the most valuable player award for the writers(Hart),and the Lindsey(players),and the Jennings (fewer goals against,in the NHL-with Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks,with 189 goals) Trophies... the Norris Trophy(best defenseman)was won by Ottawa Senators' Erik Karlsson(his second)... the Calder Trophy(rookie of year) was won by Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers... the Art Ross Trophy(leading scorer)was won by Jamie Benn,of the Dallas Stars... Selke Trophy(best defensive forward)was won by Patrice Bergeron pf the Boston Bruins... the "Rocket" Richard Trophy(most goals scored)was won by Alexander Ovechkin,of the Washington Capitals... Henrik Zetterberg,of the Detroit Red Wings won the King Clancy award for the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

NHL Breaking News...

it is reported on TSN that the NHL will go to three on three for overtime(five minutes),to cut down on shootouts,next season... no goal,as always,then a shootout... it is pending a NHL Board of Governors vote... there will be a coach's challenge on offside goals,and goaltender interference goals,also pending a NHL Board of Governors vote...

blog statement...

i will preview all 30 NHL teams starting with the Buffalo Sabres,and ending with the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks,starting after the date for free agency(July 1st),and the NHL Draft(next weekend)... it will be at least one team a day...  both conferences will be covered... the team preview will start around July 15th... that will give me a chance to know what free agents will join what teams...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

commentary....

people believe that hockey is boring to watch on television,and they are right,in many respects,but the beautiful game of hockey is not boring to watch... seeing kids,and adults skate on ice trying to bat a vulcanized piece of hard rubber(puck) into a net at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour(mph)with stick is very fascinating and fun to watch,because pucks at that speed can injure someone... skating on ice is already difficult,but trying to bat the puck up the ice,with a 200+ pound behemoth trying to stop you from doing it is near impossible... they say football is tough,but i argue that hockey is tougher on the body than football,because two bodies colliding with wood,or synthetic wood boards going at up to 30 mph is more risky,because the boards,with glass attached to the top are about five feet tall,and the skaters hit them at strange angles... speed and pure force,with impact equals major ouches,and that does not include getting smashed in the mouth,with the hard stick,or puck(losing teeth,or even being cut on the face-major ouch)... so,believe it,or not,hockey is tougher than people may think...

blog statement...

just wanted to say hello,as i go about my day... be back soon...

blog statement...

i need to recuperate after the 2014-2015 NHL season... will take a few days off from blogging anything serious,but if breaking news happens,i will blog,of course... "Idaho Spud" time...

strange fact...

only one team never lost after leading after two periods the entire 2014-2015 NHL season??? can you name the team??? 1...2...3... answer:the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks... they led in thirty three games,after two periods,and never lost(33-0)... talk about closing out the game...

commentary...

i have to comment on the game last night,between the Blackhawks,and the Lightning,because it was a very good series,between two very good teams... do you know that the only two goal lead,in the entire series was in the third period last night,when the Blackhawks went up 2-0,in game six??? there was an article on the internet saying that the Blackhawks were winning the series by the slimmest margins... until last night,goal differential between both teams was one goal,11-10,in favor of the Blackhawks... Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop,reportedly,tore a groin muscle,in game two,and still played in three of the four remaining games... one tough guy... he wanted to win so bad... for Steven Stamkos,the second leading goal scorer,in the NHL,during the season,he had seven goals in the playoffs,but did not have a goal,against the Red Wings(first round),and the Blackhawks(Stanley Cup Finals)... is that odd,or not,folks??? highest scoring team in the NHL,during the season,the Lightning scored only ten goals,in the series,and only one goal,in game five,and game six... simply amazing!!!!! Stamkos got it right,when he said,"you can not win,when you can not score",after game six... the Blackhawks also had their troubles scoring in the series,because the Lightning played a very good series,but had too many players who simply refused to lose,and played great team defense,especially,on Stamkos,because he only had one assist on only thirteen shots,in six games... for a guy who scored forty three goals,in the regular season,he never got a sniff of scoring a goal... the main trouble with the Lightning and their team offense was that it goes through Stamkos,and the Blackhawks played near-perfect team defense on the Lightning's main cog,and when Stamkos did not score,the Lightning were in major trouble,after game three,with a game,but injured,goaltender,and absentee scorer,in Stamkos,and no one picked up the scoring slack,for the Lightning... the Blackhawks scored just enough goals to beat the Lightning,and they shut down the Lightning,at critical times,in the last two games,and that is the reason that the Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions...

Stanley Cup Champions...

Blackhawks 2,Lightning 0... Blackhawks win third Stanley Cup,in six years... Lightning are showing class in the handshake line... i have to give a great honest hat tip,to the champions,even though i "hate" to do it...

Stanley Cup Finals' game six...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... game six,Stanley Cup Finals... Blackhawks,up 3-2,in games... important note:Stanley Cup will be in the building,tonight...

blog statement...

day off... need sleep... "Idaho Spud" time...

NHL history...

the worst season record of a Stanley Cup Champion,in NHL history,is the 1938 Chicago Black Hawks,with a record of 14-25-9,scoring only 97 goals,and giving up 139 goals... they beat the Montreal Canadiens,two games to one,winning the last two games,including a 3-2 overtime win,in Montreal to stun the Canadiens,in game three,of a best of three series... they then beat the New York Americans again stunning the Americans,in New York ,3-1,in game three,of a best of three series,to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs,beating them in a best of five game series,winning again the last two games,for,amazingly,for the third time,in all three series...

Stanley Cup Finals' game six game score,and historic note...

Blackhawks 2,Lightning 1... Blackhawks lead series three games to two... comments,tomorrow... historic note:Chicago will have a chance to win the Stanley Cup,in game six,in Chicago,for the first time,since 1938,when they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs,4-1,on April 12,1938,in a best of five game series...

Stanley Cup Finals game five...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... game five,Stanley Cup Finals... series tied at two games apiece...

commentary...

the best of seven series between the Blackhawks and the Lightning has been all one goal games,between the teams,so far,and even though it has been fun to watch,it has been a real grind of a series... Chicago has started every game of the series like they do not like playing hockey this time of year,and have started very slow,and flat,but have picked up their game,going through the periods of every game... Tampa Bay has acted,as a team(including their head coach),like this was supposed to be a cakewalk,and like the Blackhawks do not deserve to be there... that is my opinion,because it seems like they think that they are the best team in the NHL,and they acted that way against each one of their opponents,with an attitude that just irritates every one who watches their interviews with the media... to be confident is fine,but to simply act like big donkeys,and give no one credit is unbelievable... both teams could have swept the best of seven series,in four games,if only for a lucky bounce of the puck,here and there... note:maybe it is my "hatred",but deep respect for both teams is showing,and maybe i am still upset that the Red Wings let the Lightning off the hook,in losing game four(being up 3-1,with six minutes to play,and losing 4-3,in overtime),and then the Red Wings fizzled in game six and seven,and my longstanding "hatred" for the Blackhawks(being in the same division for years) is also showing,but honestly,i am having a very hard time watching this Stanley Cup Finals' series,because i really do not care who wins this Stanley Cup Finals,because i really do not like ("hate") either team very,very much... folks,i really,really do not care who wins this series...

comments...

i am very sorry for not talking about the Stanley Cup Finals,at least the last two games,but yesterday i had a slight headache,and did not feel well,and because of that,i needed to relax... i will catch up later today... game five is tomorrow,folks,so i have time to catch up,folks...

blog statement...

i will comment on the last two Stanley Cup Finals' games in Chicago after waking up a little more... i can not seem to get things together... am a little off,today,but i am not awake,just yet... zzzzzzzzzz!!!!!! (laughing)... thought,folks,you needed a chuckle...

Stanley Cup Finals' game three game score...

Blackhawks 2,Lightning 1... series tied at two games,apiece... now,best of three,for the Stanley Cup;two of the three games are in Tampa...

blog statement...

i will talk about both Stanley Cup Finals' games,in Chicago,tomorrow,morning...

blog statement...

after tonight's Stanley Cup Finals' game four,i will comment on last two games,of the Finals' series...

Stanley Cup Finals' game four...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... game four,Stanley Cup Finals...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings hire Jeff Blashill as their next head coach... he has coached in the United States Hockey League(USHL)and the American Hockey League(AHL),winning the league championship,in both leagues,in his first season,as head coach(Indiana Ice(Clark Cup)-2008-2009,and Grand Rapids Griffiths(Calder Trophy)-2013)... it should be interesting for Red Wings fans,next season...

Red Wings' news...

it appears that the Red Wings will introduce Jeff Blashill,as their new head coach,this morning... should be interesting to be a Red Wings' fan,next season....

Stanley Cup Finals' game three game score...

Lightning 3,Blackhawks 2... Lightning up in series,two games to one... comments,tomorrow...

Red Wings' exhibition schedule...

September 22nd:at Chicago Blackhawks... September 23rd:Chicago Blackhawks... September 24th:Pittsburgh Penguins... September 26th:Boston Bruins... September 28th:at Boston Bruins... September 30th:at Pittsburgh Penguins... October 2nd:Toronto Maple Leafs... October 3rd:at Toronto Maple Leafs...

Stanley Cup Finals' game three...

Tampa Bay Lightning/Chicago Blackhawks,tonight... game three,Stanley Cup Finals... series tied at one game apiece...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

NHL historic note...

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy became the first goaltender to win his first playoff game,in relief,in the Stanley Cup Finals,since 1928,when New York Rangers head coach Lester Patrick beat the Montreal Maroons,2-1,in overtime...

Stanley Cup Finals' game two game score...

Lightning 4,Blackhawks 3... Stanley Cup Finals' series tied at a game apiece...

Stanley Cup Finals' game two...

Chicago Blackhawks/Tampa Bay Lightning,tonight... game two,Stanley Cup Finals...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

Stanley Cup Finals' game one game score...

Blackhawks 2,Lightning 1... Tampa Bay did nothing on offense,after scoring their lone goal with 4:31,gone in the first period... they tried to nurse a 1-0 lead,into an 1-0 win,but Chicago dominated the rest of the game,and got two goals,on two very bad turnovers,in Tampa's defensive zone,including the game winning goal(GWG),by Andrew Vermette,right in front of Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop,from about thirty feet away(a rocket over his left shoulder,and under the crossbar-a beautiful shot)... that is playoff hockey,folks...

AHL game,and heartfelt comments...

the Grand Rapids Griffiths lost 4-2,in games,in the Western Conference Finals,of the American Hockey League,with a 2-0 loss,to the Utica Comets... however,have to tell you about something that happened after the ceremonial handshake... a fight? no... Teemu Pulkkinen,of the Griffiths,went to the other side of the rink,and raised his hockey stick to the roof,and clapped towards the Comets' fans,acknowledging the fans of their opponent,in the opponent's home arena... that just shows total class,period... today,i am very proud of being a true fan of the beautiful game of hockey... what class,Teemu!!!!

Stanley Cup Finals' game one...

Chicago Blackhawks/Tampa Bay Lightning,tonight... Stanley Cup Finals' game one...

blog statement...

day off... "Idaho Spud" time...

blog statement...

need a few days to unwind... even now,i am making small mistakes... "Idaho Spud" time...

notice of Stanley Cup Finals' start...

the Stanley Cup Finals start in Tampa Bay,as the Chicago Blackhawks play the Lightning,next Wednesday... the first two games are there,as Tampa Bay have home ice advantage...

Western Conference Finals' game seven game score...

Blackhawks 5,Ducks 3... Chicago wins Western Conference Finals 4-3,in games... Chicago plays Tampa Bay in Stanley Cup Finals... Anaheim goes to tee times... comments,tomorrow...

commentary...

i really hate to give the Tampa Bay Lightning credit,but i must,and that hurts to say... they played great team defense,and Ben Bishop has shut out two teams(the Red Wings,and the Rangers,both amazingly,by a 2-0 score),in a game seven,in the Stanley Cup playoffs... even though the Rangers played a good series,their lack of team offense in their last three games at Madison Square Garden(three losses,to Tampa,and two straight shutouts)did them in,ultimately... you can not get blood from a stone,and getting no goals in last two games,on team offense(game five,and seven),no goaltender can stop a team from scoring,even the very,very good Henrik Lundqvist... as for the Stanley Cup Finals,as this is written before game seven in the Western Conference Finals,Anaheim,Chicago,or Tampa Bay winning the Stanley Cup makes me want to really vomit,and get violently ill*,because i really do not like any team left in the Stanley Cup tournament... *just kidding,but i do not care who wins...