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: A bad game against the Leafs not withstanding, the Oilers have points in four of their last five games. I still think their record is impressive given that they still haven't dressed their ideal lineup for a single game this season.
PLUS: Kadri with two goals and a fight leading the Leafs over the Blues last night. Kadri deserves better than to be ripped by ignorant analysts who can't look beyond goal totals in their evaluations. He's having a fantastic year and is an absolute joy to watch play.
EVEN: I was watching the Leafs game where Sparks got a shutout in his first game. The announcer said "If that doesn't make you tear up, nothing will."
So, watched a good hockey game but learned I was dead inside. Win some, lose some.
PLUS: How could I give such props to Kadri without mentioning the other player I spent two years telling people was better than his rep suggested? Martin Hanzal has been one of only four reasons to bother with the Coyotes this year (Duclair, Domi and OEL are the others) and of course he still remains one of the NHL's most underrated players.
Hanzal is tied for second in 5v5 points for centres with 16 and is tied for first among centres in points/60 with 3.05. He is just under a 50% possession player, which is good for being the #1 C on a terrible team (and he was over 50% until the Coyotes recently allowed 15 goals in three games).
Frankly, Hanzal and Duclair make up one of the best lines in hockey and it's a shame incompetent management is making it so Hanzal is wasting his best/most healthy year.
MINUS: What's the deal with John Tavares? Just 22 points in 25 games (not that concerning) but he has a 48.5% possession rating and when he is on the ice, the other team has been getting significantly more shots and scoring chances.
Remember when everyone laughed when Kadri compared himself to Tavares? Well Kadri is having a much better season, on a worse team.
PLUS: A lot of people don't think Alanis is cool. Alanis is cool. This is still one of the greatest records ever written.
PLUS: When my hockey pool buddies let me have the following players on waivers so far this year: Kadri, Galchenyuk, Muzzin and Nichushkin.
YOUNG MONEY!
PLUS: Speaking of Muzzin, when is he going to get recognized for what he is? Perhaps the best defenseman in hockey. He is consistently dominant.
The NHL should step in immediately and end this crap before it ruins the Playoffs. Off-sides tend to have nothing to do with goals. If a ref blows a call, he's human and I don't care. They balance out over time for every team.
This goalie interference stuff is horse&$%& too, I mean if you need a replay to decide if it was or wasn't goalie interference then it wasn't that bad. Not to mention that the refs and video guys have no clue or consistency what is or isn't goalie interference.
We're back to an inch of some guys toe being in the crease and its unbelievable the NHL learned nothing. The last things games need to be is longer with less offense. This is one of the ALL TIME horrible new NHL rules.
MINUS: The latest Beck acoustic album. It was sub Foo-Fighters.
MINUS: Any folk rock song with a banjo. If you ain't blue grass, you don't need a banjo. Like, who knew people could find away to make boring soft-rock worse?
PLUS: My cat Pete has an interview for an advisory position to Don Maloney.
Thanks for reading.