Follow @james_tanner123 Since +/- is the NHL's worst stat, I thought it would make sense to appropriate it and make it useful as we review the best and worst of the past week in the NHL.
PLUS: The Flames' Sam Bennett. This guy is awesome to watch, he leads the Flames in even-strength scoring (3G 1A in 10 games) and on a team that has been notoriously bad at possessing the puck, he's got a decent 47% CF. He should probably have even more points since he's rocking an absurdly low PDO of 94.68.
He's also fun to watch and looks capable of scoring every time he's on the ice. His minutes aren't particularly sheltered and he is doing it all in just under 14 minutes per night with limited PP time (9th on team).
And he's played one regular season game. To just enter Playoffs and perform as he has is remarkable.
MINUS:I'm a little sick of the 24-7 Babcock watch already (he says, as he contributes to it). Let's face it, people saying Babcock won't go the Leafs because they're "too far away from competing" are flat-out wrong.
He might not go to the Leafs. He probably will, but he might not.
And even if he doesn't, I doubt the Leafs not being instant contenders matter to him. If you're a competitive guy - which I guess you kind of have to be if you have the reputation Babcock does- you don't have much interest in walking into a ready made situation.
Like, the Blues won't fire Hitchcock, but if they did, why would Babcock go to a place where it's either win or fail? Go to a place like Toronto and you can be the one who builds it. Trust me when I say Ray Bourque is happy he won the Cup with Colorardo, but I don't need to know him personally to know it's not as special as if he'd won it on the team he helped build.
Book it: Babcock will go to the Leafs or he will stay in Detroit because super competitive people don't want a ready-made situation. The Leafs can offer him something no one else can: the chance to develop his own team, the most money, and a chance to work in one of the most progressive front offices in the NHL. (Yeah it sounds weird to say that). They also can offer him the GM job without actually making him a "real" or "traditional" GM.
They'll just make him the second most powerful guy in the organization and give him a say in personnel decisions.
PLUS: I watched the movie Private Parts last night. I live in Canada so I've always been aware of who Howard Stern was, but I'd never reall heard his show - except for the odd time when Q107 used to syndicate it.
After watching the movie, I have to say I am now a huge fan. As someone constantly constricted by political correctness I have to admire the fact that Stern got so big he could literally say whatever he wanted.
That has always been my life goal, and unfortunately, I am no Stern, so I actually do have to go along with stupid rules I don't agree with and do things people of authority make me do, even when those things are stupid and ridiculous.
I mean, I do realize I have to do what other people think is right, and I guess I will continue to, cause my kids like eating and having shelter, but I shouldn't have to. Like Stern says, "Genius will always be misunderstood."
MINUS: I may be a bit of an egomaniac.
PLUS: Oilers goalie choices: Lehner, Anderson, Gibson, Anderson, Allen, Elliot, Howard, Bernier, Riemer....that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as goalies they might go after or who might be available. The thing is, they are in need of a goalie at the best of times - I don't recall there being so much talent potentially available at once.
And let's be realistic, with McDavid in the fold and the fact that Klefbom and Nurse should both be able to enter the NHL as above-replacement players next year, and the fact they have a second first-rounder and virtually no need for it or any of their next few first-rounders, they are in a great place to build a contending team this summer.
It won't surprise me at all if the Oilers win the Cup next summer. I think a lot of people are missing the fact that though the results weren't there, the team performed better than the standings indicate, they had a lot of injuries and Yakupov is primed to break-out.
And RNH is massively under-appreciated because he's yet to put up that monster offensive season people expect out of a #1 pick with his talent, but he does so much. Without McDavid I think the Oilers were primed for a massive jump in the standings.
With him, look out.
MINUS: Both my Facebook and Twitter are just filled to the brim with people publicly wishing their mothers a happy Mothers Day. Ugh.
You wanna salute your mom, call her on a the phone or go to her house. I hate Mothers Day. (And also Fathers Day, and also National Anything Day).
The lady who created it apparently said "The racketeers and grafters have taken over." And that was in 1928!! Things certainly haven't improved since then.
MINUS: I saw a guy on Twitter who wrote this in his bio "My religion is compassion and kindness. I am a warrior for the weak and helpless."
No dude, you're a phony.
I wish people had something to say other than how nice they are. Be nice, just shut-up about it.
MINUS: The Jack Adams and the Mark Messier Leadership Award.
How can you really tell who is the best coach? And leadership? How do you rate that? Not to mention that if Mark Messier was a good leader, he wouldn't be in those Rogers commercials where the whole family is off by themselves watching separate games on their own tiny screens.
PLUS: Been listening to this a lot this week: One of the World's most interesting and greatest all time bands.
With Boedker and OEL finally having some talent surrounding them, next season is going to be fun, no matter how the team does. It was hard to watch a team stripped of all it's talent struggle towards the end of the season, but it's OK to watch a losing team if the pieces are in place to get better.
PLUS: To Colin D - I'm not even gonna try to spell his last name. Solid writer and a hell of a nice guy. He's moving on from the Buzz and best of luck to him. He's always been nice to me since I joined up and he's a talented writer. Bets of luck to you man and congrats on the kid.
PLUS: The new series on Netflix: Daredevil. It is mind-blowingly good. Much, much better than say Shield or Gotham.
Forget superhero shows, this is one of the best shows of all-time. I loved every second of it.
Also, I watched this movie the other day called Safety Not Guaranteed and it was the best movie I've seen in a long time. Watch it.
PLUS: Remember a couple years ago when everyone was like "I can't believe we used to put Ovechkin in the same league as Crosby, what happened to him?"
My My, how does the pendulum swing.
Alex Ovechkin is the best player in the NHL - hands down. This year he'll be ripped-off for his second straight Hart Trophy when they give it to Mr. Price.
It should be his third in a row. Although, weirdly, the year he actually won it was probably the year he deserved it the least.
Oh well. Check these sweet highlights of his Playoffs so far. Just skip the first minute because for some reason someone thought you'd want to watch 56 seconds of celebrations.