Before I get to my Monday morning rant, a quick playoff update. The Predators still have the 4 or 5 seed in their control, by winning out, they finish with 104 points, the best Chicago can do is 102.
OK, I do not get it. Why do we feel the need to attack the very thing that we love? I am really getting tired of the complaining going on about playoff seeding. This system has been in place for years, the three division winners in each conference get the top three seeds. The NHL playoffs are the most exciting, grueling, difficult way to determine a champion of any professional sport and yet we have to complain about something… there is so much whining and complaining going on about Florida or Washington getting a third seed as the winner of the Southeast Division because it will mean that Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will meet in the first round.
Well, boo-frickin’-hoo. Why is it a problem that two very good teams meet in the first round of the playoffs? Two teams that hate each other, two teams that will put on a series with a survivor. It will be a great series!
Guess what? The same thing is going to happen in the West? Sheesh, three Central division teams would be leading the Northeast, the Southeast or Pacific divisions. It happens and furthermore, you
should be rewarded for winning your division.
Guess what else? Say you reseed according to points, you would still have really good teams playing each other, and one or two of the best teams would get bounced in the first round… happens every year.
It does point to what I see as a bigger problem, the constant complaining from almost all levels of the league, the media, the blogosphere, about what’s wrong with the NHL. I am all for an examination of the league and the game… but for heaven’s sake, can we do it in the offseason? In case you haven’t noticed, there is a lot to write about from what’s happening on the ice.
Here’s why I say this. The NHL seems to be the only league that allows this kind of internal criticism during their season. You simply don’t hear it in the NFL, MLB or NBA… and if you do it is squelched, quickly and decisively. This is where the commissioner needs to step in and get better control of the leaders of this league. Way too many GM’s, coaches and league officials take the bait laid out by the media and the blogosphere. The commissioner can’t control the media/blogosphere, but he can deprive the red meat that the beast feeds on.
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In case you missed it… Here’s this week’s “Sunday Shots.” SlapShot Radio’s awesome photographer got some great pictures from Saturday’s Chicago/Nashville showdown. See the entire slideshow at
the SlapShot Radio website.
Courtesy SlapShot Radio/DLM
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Random Notes…
- With 3 games remaining in the regular season, the Predators are 5th in the Western Conference standings with 98 points, trailing 4th place Detroit by one point and tied with Chicago in points, however the Predators own the tiebreaker. Nashville and Detroit both have a game in hand over Chicago.
- Talk about your “Old Time Hockey”… there’s a good not-so-healthy hate brewing in Pennsylvania. This is going to be a whale of a first round series.
- More “Old Time Hockey” last night in Milwaukee last night, a bench-clearing brawl erupted in the second period… shades of the Spectrum in the 70’s…
- Congratulations to the Vanderbilt Club Ice Hockey team on their 10-1 dismantling of the UT Ice Vols. The win the battle of I-40 and retain the Culpepper Jefferson Memorial Trophy.
- Will the Shanahammer come out for Kyle Quincey’s elbow in yesterday’s Wings/Panthers game? He’s got a 1pm hearing today.
- Looks like former Pred Tomas Vokoun will be out for awhile after a groin injury last Thursday night. Tough break for a really good guy.
- Look up “Ballsy Move” in the dictionary and you may find a picture of Islanders head coach Jack Capuano icing five defensemen for a shift to send a message to his forwards in yesterday’s 6-3 loss to Boston.
- Will tonight be Teemu Selanne’s last game on Honda Center ice? The 41 year old leads the Ducks in scoring with 62 points including 25 goals… let’s hope he gives us one more year.
- Congratulations to Ray Whitney on scoring his 1000th NHL point.
Tonight’s Impact Games
None
SportsClubStats Update
Seeding Potential Percentages – 4th seed – 43%, 5th seed 47%, 6th seed 9%
Highest % Potential Playoff Opponent – Detroit 75.5%, Chicago 15.0%
The Predators have no mathematical chance of finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th or 8th in the Western Conference.
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