Follow @james_tanner123 "PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's best stat, and the only one I use" - Craig Button*
PLUS: The Toronto Maple Leafs. By far the most fun team in the NHL to watch. I don't think any reasonable person can call them anything other than the best team in hockey and the current Stanley Cup Favorite.
PLUS: The Blue Jackets. The only team a person could reasonably argue is better than the Leafs at this time.
PLUS: Jonathan Huberdeau has quietly been one of the best players in the NHL since he returned from injury late last season. Pass it on.
Since returning from injury to play 31 games last year, he's putting up nearly a point-per-game, nearly a 40 goal pace and over a 55% CF.
MINUS: It was really scary to see Mackinnon get a stick in the eye the other night, and it's great that he's back already and wasn't seriously hurt. But I can't help but wonder why players don't play with full face masks.
I mean you play with one your entire life, and then you get to the pros and take it off? It makes no sense. No one needs to have their career cut short, and no one wants to end up looking like Drew Doughty either.
MINUS: The Capitals decision to sign T.J Oshie. Had they let Oshie walk, they could have used his money to ice a full team. Instead we get Taylor Chorny, Aaron Ness and Devonte Smith.
This is a really sad way to end an era.
MINUS: People complaining about too many penalties. I am just so sick of people in general. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh everything isn't exactly how I want it, I am making a boycott!
Or worse, they just take to Twitter and bitch, bitch, bitch about inconsequential things. If somebody has a different opinion than them , it's either 'I can't read/watch this' or 'that guy should be fired' or the ultimate in entitled douchiness: the boycott.
People need to grow the ____ up and understand that just because they're used to their little echo chamber, that not everything has to be satisfying, inoffensive or exactly what you want to hear. It's exhausting.
And, by the way, the only way to get slashing out of the game is to call it until players change their ways. I heard on a broadcast last night that there have been over 5x the slashing penalties called this year compared to last year.
How is this something anyone can complain about?
PLUS: I don't know how they're doing it, but you gotta give props to the Ottawa Senators. Once again, I picked them for the basement and once again they are trying to expose me as the know-nothing fraud I am. Damn you Guy Boucher! (Note: Guy Boucher is a genious and we should just give him all subsequent Jack Adams Trophies).
MINUS: Criticism of the Golden Knights Mascot. For one, who cares about mascots? But for two, it is awesome
MINUS: Alex Galchenyuk on the fourth line. The Canadiens have the worst coach and GM this side of Nonis and Carlyle. The best thing that can happen to Montreal right now is a prolonged losing streak that gets these guys fired.
If the Canadiens want, I will learn French and be ready to take over whenever they need me. Even I would be an upgrade over Bergevin. Hell, you could hire an orange hate monster and he'd do a better job.
PLUS: Eminem. Congrats on his return to cultural relevance!
MINUS: The Coyotes. Oh the high hopes I had! But to their credit, they are well on pace for their annual White Flag Event. This is a little known ceremony where the team acknowledges it's elimination from playoff contention every November 1st.
MINUS: Contract Fretting. I honestly couldn't give a crap about how much Matthews is going to make, whether it's more or less than McDavid or if he's going to at least get free cable from Rogers in his deal. I just want to enjoy the games and that's it
MINUS: I wanted a Super Nintendo Mini and all I can find is price-gouging a-holes.
MINUS: Also, I have two finished books and I have no idea what to do with them. I don't know if it's hard, but it definitely takes a long time to write a book and to just have them sitting there is pretty frustrating.
Who knows, I could be sitting on millions of dollars and not even know it.