Follow @james_tanner123 "PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's best stat, and the only one I use" - John Shannon*
MINUS: The argument that the MVP can't be from a non-playoff team in a league where a) making the playoffs is nearly random and b) individual players are one of 18 players.
MINUS: When that person further points out the annoying 'wording' of the Hart Trophy's rules about "most valuable to his team" and then make the distinction that it's not a best player award. A couple of things 1) No one cares about the Lindsey award, b) you sound like a nerd c) if we're really supposed to follow this horribly worded b.s then the only person who should ever win the Hart Trophy is a goalie.
MINUS: People keep writing headlines about breaking records, but they often fail to point out that it's not really a record if the record you're beating occurred when ties were a factor.
PLUS: Connor McDavid is the MVP and all other choices are dumb.
MINUS: I get a lot of complaints, but hardly anyone ever takes the time to write and say I gotta hand it to you Jim, you were the only guy in the world right about Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner, here's some ($/restaurant coupons/job offers)"
MINUS The idea of increasing the number of teams that make the playoffs is not only stupid, but it's so self-serving of an idea that it's sickening. So basically every GM, in a industry where you're highly likely to be fired if you miss the playoffs wants to make it easier to make the playoffs.
PLUS: Bobbie Gentry
PLUS: I talked about it in a blog earlier this week, but the movie Network is one of those movies where, once you watch it, you're pissed at yourself for never having seen it before. Easily one of the greatest movies ever made, I've been thinking about it non-stop since I watched it last week.
PLUS: I recently splurged on a newspaper subscription, and there's not much in this world better than an actual paper delivered to your door.
PLUS: A.P Bio, with Dennis from Sunny. My new favorite show.
MINUS It enrages me that the Blue Jays - who lead the American League in attendance two years in a row, have the league's richest owners and like the second or third biggest market and city, act like a small market team. Disgraceful.
PLUS: Bill Hader.
PLUS: This year I went an incredible 0-44 in my pre-season predictions. TANNERSUCKS.COM
MINUS: People shouldn't be perplexed by the Knights and their success. The NHL's best team, for 90% of the season, missed the playoffs last year. Calgary, Edmonton, Dallas and Carolina will all miss the playoffs despite having better roster and worse luck than several teams that will actually miss the playoffs.
The NHL is a coin-flip league and every year good teams miss and bad teams make it, followed by consternation that is easily avoided if you think about what's happening, and then the inevitable over-reactions.
MINUS: I got involved in a conversation with a bunch of Oilers season ticket holders who were canceling. They aren't gonna take it anymore! Meanwhile, sports is random and their team has maybe the best core group of players in the NHL.
McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Klefbom, Talbot, Pulljarvvi, Strome and Nurse + a lottery pick.
Sure, it sucks that they are going to miss the playoffs, but it's also totally predictable that they'll be under-represented in next year's predictions and then "surprise" everyone with their success.
PLUS: Shaky defense or not, you gotta give some appreciation for John Carlson and his 63 points in 73 games.
MINUS: I left my wallet in el Segundo.
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