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 Edmonton Oilers. Sure, they went 1-3 this week and they so far do not play a good defense. But: they are the most fun team to watch in the NHL, by far. Connor McDavid is living up to every single bit of the hype and they are going to be a very, very good hockey team.
This week they were robbed by one of the worst video review calls I've seen that didn't involve the Toronto Blue Jays, they blew a late lead to the Wild, made a fantastic comeback against the Habs and then lost one of the most fun games of the year so far to the Flames on a brutal fluke goal in the dying seconds.
With just a little luck they would have been 4-0 this week.
PLUS: Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse. I am willing to bet neither ever plays another minute in the AHL. Both made their 2015 debuts this week and both were fantastic. Looking at how good the Oilers are right now, and figuring that they'll get back Schultz, Reinhart and Eberle soon, it's crazy to think how good they can be. Sure, they could use a couple of possession savvy forwards and a top flight defensemen, but all they have to do is use their next couple of first-round picks and those things are theirs for the taking.
PLUS: What We Do in the Shadows is a New Zealand movie starring Jermaine and Murray from Flight of the Concords and is easily the best Halloween move I've ever seen. Hilarious.
PLUS: I don't mean for this to be Oilers themed, but the line of Hall, RNH and Draisaitl is primed to be the best in hockey. To think that this line can dominate a game (52% possession vs Montreal, 63% against Calgary) to such an extent and then the Oilers throw McDavid/Yakupov at you, is insane.
Last year, on a team that was close to the worst in hockey, he was an even possession player and in a year where Taylor Hall missed a ton of games to injury, RNH put up 37 5v5 points (Jamie Benn led the league with 53).
All the guy does is provide elite offense and one of the best two-way games in the NHL and make nearly every player he gets on the ice with better. Its time that he got the recognition he deserved as one of the best players in the NHL.
PLUS: Tyler Toffoli and his league leading nine goals. Was there anyone out there that remembered the Kings were the best team in the league even though they missed the Playoffs in a way in which exposed the NHL's point tabulating system as a complete joke?
If this kind of genius does exist, I wouldn't know anything about it. LA is second only to St.Louis in team Corsi For and Tyler Toffoli is turning into a huge star.
PLUS: The NHL's top five possession teams: St.Louis, LA, Carolina, Washington, Toronto. The Leafs have one win, but they've been so powerfully unlucky. They have one win, but deserve to have many more. Anaheim, Calgary, Carolina, LA and Toronto - look for their records to improve drastically as this goes on.
MINUS: The Ducks especially are shooting a ridiculous 2.7% which is something you probably couldn't do if you tried. The Avalanche are the true worst team in hockey. They need a new coach, and a new defense so badly it's not funny.
PLUS: Rich Clune making it back to the NHL. I love a good redemption story and his overcoming of his problems is a great one. Great to see him make it back, and I highly recommend you Google his Players Tribune story and read it for yourself.
PLUS: The other night I went with my friend Johnny to the Casino Rama to witness the Kings of Chaos, a poorly titled band of old rock stars featuring Sebastian Bach from Skid Row, Duff and several other GNR members, the guitar player for Billy Idol and the lead singer of Cheap Trick, Robyn Zander.
To be honest, I love live music, but I wasn't expecting much. The show, however, blew me away. It was fantastic, they played a great selection of songs from their various bands, and a few classic rock covers. It was the best concert I've been to in years. The only downside? No beers at your seat. What he hell is that?
That is pathetic. Thankfully Strome is waiting in the minors, but for a team to enter the year with Hanzal as #1 and Vermette as #2 is either the worst player evaluation in history, or a blatant tank-job. I don't care for either scenario.
PLUS: The underrated Action Masterpiece the Sixth Day two Arnies? How is this film not more appreciated. Five Stars.
PLUS:Everyone talks about Carey Price, but the play of Michael Hutchison is what deserves some praise. Who is that guy and how did he get so good? Who does he think he is, Andrew Hammond? Devyn Dubnyk?
MINUS: Video Review. What's the point even? These coaches challenges just waste everyone's time. Did no one in the NHL watch baseball at all? This is garbage. Last night Bob Hartley must have wasted ten minutes of everyone's time to get a cheap delay.
The Leafs and Oilers both got robbed on video calls this week, and I say if video can't be 100%, just let the ref decide. Who cares? Also, why even have coaches challenges? Just let someone call down when there's a bad call.