Follow @james_tanner123 "PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's best stat, and the only one I use" - Craig Button*
PLUS: More people need to be talking about what Steven Stamkos is doing. The Lightning are 9-2 and just behind the Kings for the title of Best Team in Hockey. Stamkos leads the NHL with 21 points in 12 games, which is a 140 + point pace. 55% Corsi, and he’s been on the ice for 109 scoring chances in 11 games. Wow.
MINUS: The Coyotes going on an 11 game losing streak to start the season. No fan base deserves this. The worst part is that the team looked poised to have the best season in franchise history. Oh well.
MINUS: The news that there may be more ownership drama with the Coyotes. As reported by Nick Kypreos last night, the film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray is a very delightful movie.
PLUS: Spiderman: Homecoming. The kids liked it, I liked it, what’s not to like? People who get hyper-critical about superhero movies are worse than the ones who do that with hockey blogs.
PLUS: Hearing the Oilers are in the market for a speedy winger.
MINUS: Why do NHL teams go cheap on back-up goalies? Seems dumb in retrospect.
MINUS: Discussing whether the Knights are for real. They aren’t.
PLUS: Imajica, by Clive Barker. This is a book HBO should make a show out of.
PLUS: The Coyotes picking up Scott Wedgewood and (hopefully) Anti Raanta now being healthy. In last nights game, which tied the record for worst start to an NHL season, the Coyotes were the best team, by far. They actually played a great game. Their goalie? Not so much. Domingue – in sadly his last NHL game for a while – had an .840 save percentage, killing any hope the Coyotes had of winning. While writing this, Domingue has been placed on waivers. Bet you five bucks that he clears!
MINUS: This is the first time I’ve seen a team officially eliminated from the post-season in October.
MINUS: Like the Coyotes need worse news, but OEL was crushed by a hit last night and had to take a concussion protocol. No word yet on if he’ll miss any games, but based on the way things are going, I wouldn’t bet against him being out for the season!
MINUS: If you think the dept. of Player Safety is stupid – and they always seem to hire ex-goons to run it, so it’s obviously stupid – nothing can top the stupidity of the MLB who suspended a guy for five games that don’t count, but will let him finish the World Series.
PLUS: The Simpsons Halloween Specials. The only good thing about Halloween. Except this year: my son is going out as a Goomba and my wife has made him the best costume in the history of Halloween.
MINUS: The Leafs essentially benching Josh Leivo for an entire year, despite the fact he basically plays like an allstar whenever he does get a chance.
MINUS: The most preposterous thing in hockey has to be the recent contract extension given to the Jets coach and GM, both of whom are objectively terrible.
MINUS: I just got back from my kid’s hockey game. The game was enjoyable, but I couldn’t believe the amount of little kids at the arena on cell phones playing games. I would sooner give my kids cigarettes (still not smoking, by the way) than a cell phone. (Which, obviously, I wouldn't do.)
I don’t think people have the slightest clue how destructive these things are to society, and development.
A kid should never be on a cell phone. If your kid is at the hockey arena and they’re bored, good. Learning to be bored is an important life skill. Learning to use your imagination and having time to think about things is super important.
It’s not like adults are any better. I would no more look at my phone in public than I would go outside without pants on.
And while this clearly makes me superior to most people, it seems like a lost cause. Do people not realize how disgusting and zombified they look when they are caught on camera at a hockey game in $500 seats looking at their stupid phone? I don’t think they do.
I can’t count the amount of idiots who nearly bump into me ever day because they are walking around and looking down. I see – daily – morons trying to cross the street while they look at their phones.