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.
MINUS: All this talk about replay. Who really cares if sometimes a goal is off-side or should or shouldn't have counted? At the end of the day, these are pretty rare plays, but people go crazy over them. This week in a Caps vs Red Wings game, the Washington goalie fell down and the Red Wings scored. But it didn't count because the ref called a phantom goalie interference call which gave the wrong team a PP and saved the Caps an embarrassing goal against.
Basically, my take is: Who cares?
The NHL doesn't need more replay or longer games. People just need to get comfortable with the idea of human error. Unless we are questioning the integrity of the ref's impartialness, then who cares about the odd mistake? Refs are human, they screw up. I for one don't want to watch a robotic game where every element of humanity is removed in some kind of misguided quest for perfection.
MINUS: The Arizona Coyotes. I want to love these guys, but they make me so mad. They talk non-stop about coming out strong to start the game and getting an early lead, and of course they then totally fail to do so.
Double MINUS for game-planning through the media with a BS cliche. "Get off to a strong start,"??? Why not just make your game plan "show up to the rink," or "wear skates" ??
Either way, the Coyotes did not get out to strong start. Carolina outshot them 7-1 before they decided to show up. Then they played good for a while, almost evening the shots but Carolina scored again, making 2-0 and that was that.
The Hurricanes started the game winless and on pace to be the worst team in NHL history. They ended the game just 3 points back of the Coyotes. Yikes!
PLUS: Arizona for not observing (for the most part) Daylight Savings Time. This internal-clock screwing mind-warper has annoyed me for years. But, since Arizona does not change their clocks, while the rest of us do, when the Coyotes are on the East Coast, as they are this week, the games will now start at 5 instead of 4 PM local time.
MINUS: To the NHL schedule makers. Why send the Coyotes - a team that struggles with attendance - on an East Coast trip the week before Daylight Savings Time? It might not seem like a big deal, but if you want to build interest in a team, you should make sure the most people can watch their games on TV. Most people aren't even home from work before the games start at 4 PM. At least after yesterday the games will start at 5.
MINUS: To coaches league wide who insist on talented players "proving it" before playing them in situations where they can utilize their skill. Jonathan Drouin is - before he's been in the NHL a week - one of it's most talented players. Why use him on the fourth line and play him ten minutes? He's already a better player than Fillpula, who played on Stamkos' wing last night. The Coyotes do this all the time, Toronto does it, Edmonton is doing it to Yakukpov.
I get the idea to 'make the guy earn it,' but if the idea is for your team to win, then remove ego from the equation and give the best minutes to the most talented guys.
PLUS: To Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle. I don't care how bad the team is playing or how brutal they are to watch at at times, these two guys on the Power Play are unreal. Just the way OEL takes the puck as he moves down and back, and passes it again without stopping is something to see. It opens up holes virtually every time......now if only the Coyotes didn't start every PP with Doan and Vermette on the top line.
MINUS: The Taylor Hall Injury from last night's game. It's like Edmonton just can't catch a break. Hall is one of the best players in the NHL and just as the Oilers are maybe looking to finally break out of the basement permanently, their best guy goes down. At least he skated off the ice under his own power.
MINUS:To the NHL for only giving five games to Rangers forward John Moore. These are not suspensions that will give anyone the incentive to change their behavior. The NHL should not consider if the play resulted in an injury, nor should they consider if the offender is a repeat offender. Each hit should be judged on its own and the amount of games given to a player for a bad hit should climb exponentially until it seems to have an affect on the game. Moore should have been given at least 20 games.
The AHL suspension to Trevor Gilles of 12 games for slamming an opponents head into the ice is a joke too. Gilles should never be allowed on the ice again. Look it up if you haven't seen it, it will make you sick to your stomach. Considering the awareness of head-shots and concussions in today's day and age, this is inexcusable.
PLUS: To this:
MINUS: Sticking with Toronto for a second, a huge minus to everyone who rolls their eyes and calls Joffrey Lupul an injury prone. They even did it on the broadcast - saying that you can't rely on such an injury prone player.
For the record, he stepped on a stick, fell down and broke a bone in his hand. You can not be "prone" to breaking bones, unless you have osteoporosis, which I guarantee you Lupul does not. In fact, nearly all of Lupul's insane injury history is made up of freak accidents you can't really be "prone" to. If you think about it, the odds are pretty good that somebody in the NHL is going to get an unusual amount of freak injuries - Lupul just happens to be that guy.
MINUS:To the Sportsnet broadcaster who credited Jonas Hiller's strong play to his ability to "stick around the crease." Dude, he's a goalie.
MINUS:I watched the Dallas/Minnesota game the other night, and while it was a great game, it was really distracting that the Stars have ads projected high up on the glass. I think they ought to show some respect and restraint. What are we talking about here? A few grand? If you need money that badly, fold your team, 'cause that's a joke. The ads are distracting.........though effective, as I do kind of really want to eat a taco, now that I think of it.
MINUS:To the three Leafs fans who ostensibly drove 10 + hours to Columbus from Toronto and then paid top dollar for seats in the first row. In the first period, the camera panned them, and guess what? All three of them were looking down at their phones. They looked like morons.
There is no reason to look at your phone once you enter the arena. We need "no phone" signs to go along with the no smoking signs. These guys all looked like idiots and they should be embarrassed, and they certainly don't deserve the privilege of front row seats.
Here's a hot tip: you should be embarrassed to look at your phone in public. Get engaged in the real world.
PLUS: To Nathan McKinnon. This guy is quickly becoming my favorite player to watch in the entire league. Something interesting happens virtually every time he is on the ice and I'll go ahead right now and predict that despite getting off to a slow start, he's going to win the NHL scoring title this year.
MINUS:To the idea of Movember. One day in and I am already more annoyed by this horrible fad than I was on the waning days of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Let's let this go, it's annoying. I know this might sound bad, but can I just not be aware of a horrible disease for three hours while I watch a hockey game? Does awareness need to be raised constantly? I just can't be that aware.
Nor do I want to be.
thanks for reading.