Starting Tomorrow, along with my usual rumors, I will be previewing the divisions...Starting with the Scotiabank Division, then The Discover, The Honda, and The MassMutual.
If there was ever a doubt that we are in unique times, it is the NHL announcing the Divisions will have sponsors....
The Scotia NHL North Division (Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg)
The Honda NHL West Division (Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, St. Louis, Vegas)
The Discover NHL Central Division (Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay)
The MassMutual NHL East Division (Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington)
I don't have an issue with this because the reality is the players will be playing in front of mostly empty seats...so ANY revenue that the teams can scrounge together is completely understandable...However....Why not: The Mass Mutual Patrick Division? The Scotia Bank Adams Division? The Discover Norris Division? The Honda Smythe Division?
I think it would have been more fun bringing back the old names as well...I think we know our geography and I do understand that Canada is North.
How do you feel about this?
Canada vs USA Final Set.
My favorite part of the WJC is always THIS matchup. They should ALWAYS play each other on New Year's Eve...I understand the rankings and all that...but have some marketing savvy IIHF people! We almost didn't see this matchup at all in this tournament. We were all so disappointed when we opened our gifts under the tree...but it turns out Santa and the Hockey Gods hid an extra present to give us later...USA vs Canada for the Gold.
I personally can't wait.
It is always a war, and even though this Canadian Team is probably the best and most dominant Canadian team we've ever seen, something happens when these two countries play hockey against each other...
USA Hockey has worked like hell to match Hockey Canada over the years.
I grew up in the late '70s and '80s and I remember seeing a team of 14-year-olds, an All-Star team from the Philly area, go up to Canada and play a team from Sherbrooke, Quebec, a middle-of-the-pack team in a second tier.
It was 6-0 Sherbrooke at the end of the first period. Talk about humbling.
But that was USA vs Canada back then.
And that was an experience that pretty much every kid who played hockey in the USA prior to the mid '90's can relate to. We all have a story like that... We played what we called "hockey," but Canadian kids played the game at a level we could only dream of.
And that was a big part of the Miracle on Ice...but I also remember being 12 in 1980 and thinking, "Russia is amazing, but thank God we didn't have to play Canada." I was young, but even though I knew the Russian CCCP team were pros, and the best team in the Olympics, still anyone wearing a Canadian jersey scared the hell out of me after the beating in Sherbrooke.
Since then, USA Hockey has taken huge strides to close the gap. The Americans have won World Championships, Cups, and more...We have seen some true America stars in the NHL. We now can grow an NHL Defenseman and an NHL Goalie at the Canadian level. Some will say we can grow forwards on par as well. I am not ready to say that quite yet...While I think we are close, I think Canada still has a slightly extra gear when it comes to scorers. Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon....all from Canada (or should I say, Scotia Bank Canada?)
We have caught up in the Draft recently, but this Team Canada with their 20 first-round picks, is a humbling reminder of what you can do when your entire country is frozen half the year...
One fun story tonight is the battle of Levi vs Knight in goal...Two future Florida Panther Goalies...Ironically, Knight, for Team USA, has the pedigree in this case...but Levi (who DOESN'T sell cartoon balloons in town) has been the best and most solid keeper in the Tournament.
So what happens tonight?
A Canada blowout or will USA finally test Canada?
Give me your prediction...Mine will be posted prior to the puck drop.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) January 5, 2021