PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's worst stat, mostly because it's based on a result which varies wildly from game to game. Despite knowing this for years, it remains a standard statistic used in broadcasts league-wide that seem designed to insult the intelligence of the viewer.
PLUS: Happy New Years.
The 2016 wasn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. We're still here, so it can't be that bad. I personally had a good year, so it's hard to square that with everyone saying how crappy it was.
Obviously, the worst thing was the election of Trump, but honestly, should we avoid the apocalypse under him, he will most likely do more to further the Liberal agenda than any Liberal, just by how hilariously bad he is clearly going to be at his new job.
That will conclude the political talk from me - on to hockey and various other things I enjoy.
PLUS: This is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Johnny Tillotson hit #1 with this baby in 1960 and though he had a few other hits, he eventually transitioned into country music and even had a song he wrote covered by Elvis. That's badass. He is 77 and according to Wikipedia, hit #1 on the Indie Country charts as recently as 2010. Who knew?
PLUS: My son has gotten into hockey pretty hardcore since the season began and (this is going to be so cheesy) it has reminded me why I like the game and made it 1000X more enjoyable.
Instead of complaining about what's wrong, instead of arguing about stats or who's good, or who's underrated, he just likes watching hockey. It's refreshing and it reminds me why I used to like hockey - it's fun.
Anyways, his favorite players are Morgan Rielly and 'The Skin-Man' aka Jeff Skinner (for some reason). We watch the first period of whatever game is on at 7pm, then he goes to bed. For Christmas he got a huge-ass 6 x 4 net that he could live in, some skates and equipment and lately if he's not watching hockey, playing hockey, asking to watch youtube hockey videos, then hes playing hockey on the Wii.
He's obsessed, and it's really bringing the enjoyment of the game (helped no doubt by the Leafs' resurgence) back for me.
I thought I was too cool to get wrapped up in outdoor games - he's absolutely pumped. I thought the All Star Game was lame; he wants to vote for it everyday. Etc. Etc.
PLUS: I am enjoying the show the O.A , a new 24 is coming on, and I thought the movie Dark City was super cool. For Christmas we got the game Mario 3-D World and it's amazing too. It's really quite remarkable how Mario games never get old.
PLUS: This extended 12" mix of "Pump up the Jam" is all you need to get your 2017 off to a rockin' good start. Little known fact: Technotronic is Belgian, they had 3 x top ten hits in the States and they were (supposedly) the first "house music" to go #1.
PLUS: I spent three-hours yesterday shoveling out and packing down snow for a backyard rink. Of course the weather doesn't cooperate and it's somewhat warm out, but think this badboy is going to be sweet. I've never made a rink before, but I can't wait to get it going because it's hard to take the kids skating often enough to help them get any good without being able to do it all the time.
MINUS: The Skates I bought in highschool (used) are toast. Back then, I bought them off a rich kid who played AAA and whose parents bought him new skates every year - they were way better than any new skates I could have afforded, but here's the problem: I have no clue how to buy skates today.
I can't buy a $500+ pair, and it's been two decades since I even looked for new skates - so if anyone has some tips or ideas on what's a good pair of cheap skates or where to get a better used pair, I'd be all ears.
PLUS: Jan Halak is a way above average goalie available to any team for free. Nashville, which has been sandbagged by the terrible play of Pikke Rinne (he's second last in the NHL among starters in high-danger save-percentage.)
Nashville should be one of the best teams in the NHL, so clearly they should be making this move. It will be interesting to see if they do.
PLUS: The Leafs's five-game winning streak.
PLUS: I don't know anything about this band, but I'm gonna find out. One of the best songs of this past year.
MINUS: The Coyotes' seven-game losing streak.
PLUS: Taylor Hall and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are two of the most overlooked players in the NHL. Stuck always playing on terrible teams in a team sport, they are not considered by most people to be what they are - which is two of the ten best players in the league.
I won't belabor you with the stats, but if you're interested, look it up. If you don't already know how good they are, their individual numbers over the last several years will shock you.
MINUS: McDavid was always going to massively elevate any team he was on. Last year the Oilers didn't play their optimal lineup once, then they panicked in the summer. What's frustrating is people attributing their improvement (which was always going to happen whenever McDavid and Klefbom where simultaneously healthy) to the moves they made.
PLUS: Florida is the sixth best possession team in the NHL. They will soon be getting Huberdeau and Barkov back. Arron Ekblad won't always be this unlucky.
It's ironic and hilarious, if you think about it - the entire point of advanced analytics is to be able to look beyond the results so you can make proper decisions/predictions without being blinded by the win/loss record. Despite this, the Panthers are being constantly ripped for their supposed failure after moving in an analytics direction, even though the analytics currently say their one of the best teams in the NHL even though they've been terribly injured, had a coaching change, and their best player has the scoring results of a 6th Dman and not the #1 Dman he is.
But then again, that's way to complicated a narrative for the TV.
MINUS: Stats-wise, Boston and LA are still the two best teams in hockey, and results-wise, the Penguins and Blackhawks remain near the top of the standings - so much for that turnover of good teams everyone was talking about back in the summer.
(Still, nice to see Columbus, Toronto and Minnesota on the rise).
PLUS: I like to be right, but not when it's for the wrong reasons. I thought the emergence of Jared Spurgeon and the addition of Eric Staal was going to make the Wild into contenders, and they are.
What I didn't think was that they'd be a bad team propped up by an incredible goalie, which is essentially what they are.
Devan Dubnyk has been incredible. If not for the Blue Jackets, he'd be all anyone would talk about. The guy is unreal.
If the season ended today, he'd have to be the unanimous choice for the Hart and Vezina.
PLUS: 2016 gave us a new Madvillain song, so quite whining. Qwik Fact: Madvillain is the best and if you have $10 and don't own this album, order it now and don't tell anyone you didn't already own it.
PLUS: This Jake Gardiner Hero Chart really makes me happy.
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