PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's worst stat, however, if you care about that, you probably don't even watch the games anyways. Measuring anything is crazy - it's the internet, just guess and then get really, really defensive about your position!
PLUS: The World Cup - overall, I think it was a really positive experience. The games were good and the addition of high-quality hockey to what is usually a boring month where you are inundated with unnecessary rookie-camp news and hourly contract updates, is a very positive development.
MINUS: The tie breaking technicality that forced the most exciting team from the tournament. It's ridiculous and arbitrary to value games decided in regulation over games decided in over-time. This of course comes from the NHL's objectively stupid rules regarding standings and playoff seeding.
They tied with Russia (and beat Sweden) in goal-differential.
They lead their group in goal scored.
They were the only team that beat Sweden.
They should still be playing.
PLUS: Nathan MacKinnon's goal against Sweden. It was amazing. You don't expect to get that kind of feeling from a hockey game at five in the afternoon on a Wednesday.
MacKinnon's play in general was noteworthy. I think he is going to have a huge year.
MINUS: Not to take anything away from Team Europe, but it's just weird that they are still playing while the far superior North American team is not.
MINUS: Listening to the intolerable whining of John Torterella. "Seems like everyone wants us to lose" (paraphrased).
Yes, everyone did. The reason is that the entire management of the team was ridiculous. No one involved in this team, especially not Torterella or Lombardi, should be involved in future international teams.
Tyler Johnson, Phil Kessel, Bobby Ryan, Kevin Shattenkirk, Justin Faulk etc. all left off the team for better players.
The benching of Byfuglien.
The coach's ill-advised (and ridiculous) political comments.
The NHL's best (or at worst, second best, but probably the best) goalie left on the bench/pressbox for most of the tournament.
The outdated team philosophy that grinding can match skill.
Obviously, whenever grinding does happen to beat skill, that underdog team gets lionized to the point where think that trying to out-grind highly skilled teams is an actual strategy that can work. It isn't and it can't.
Team USA was basically a gong-show from the time this tournament was announced. And the way they finished seemed to be both fair and just.
MINUS: Dean Lombardi saying he'd go again with the same roster. So he's either delusional or a liar.
MINUS: Anyone else who complained about Phil Kessel's awesome and hilarious tweet.
Just sitting around the house tonight w my dog. Felt like I should be doing something important, but couldn't put my finger on it.
It was hilarious. Hockey players are allowed to have a personality. If you don't think so, you might be a crusty, outdated, ignorant, bad coach.
PLUS: Hockey pool drafts.
PLUS: Selecting Auston Matthews in your keeper league hockey pool draft.
PLUS: Jacob Trouba's availability and the instant Coyotes rumors that seem to come with it. Yes, it will take a top-prospect to get it done, but it's probably worth it.
Trouba is a good player and potentially a great one. That the Jets would choose an aging Byfuglien or Tyler Myers over him is insane. That there are Oilers fans out there saying they shouldn't trade Nurse for him, is even crazier.
The Jets seem dumb with this move, but I don't think they are dumb enough to trade Trouba for Nurse.
PLUS: Watching Jose Bautista hit a home run.
PLUS: x 10000
Steve Simmons giving Connor McDavid advice in his column this morning on how to be a better player.
MINUS: Matt Murray's injury. The one thing about these tournaments is that they inevitably ruin the season for some teams and players. Now, Murray's only out for three or four weeks, but it still sucks.
MINUS: I wanted Canada to win last night, don't get me wrong. However, at a certain point you have to feel kind of bad for Ovechkin.
Whether it's the NHL or International Hockey, his team can never seem to get it done. Now, this is clearly a function of the teams he's on and not him, but that's probably the main reason I want him to win so badly.
In the NHL, or team sports in general, we put way too much weight on single players to deliver championships. People look at Ovechkin and say "he just can't get it done" however, do they ever look at the fact that the Russian team isn't and hasn't for his whole career, been even fractionally as deep as Canada's? Or that unlike Crosby, he's never been on a team with a Malkin, a Letang and a Kessel?
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