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Plus/Minus is the worst, most meaningless stat in the NHL, but every week we appropriate it in ironic fashion to help us through the best and worst of the week that was in the NHL.


PLUS: To the Coyotes on Saturday night. Playing at home to a sold out crowd (many patrons, in the spirit of Halloween, came dressed as the invisible man) the Coyotes gave what was, probably, their best effort of the season so far. Evening their record at 3-3-1, with an OEL overtime goal, the Coyotes beat the Panthers 2-1.

Not only was it Mike Smith's second straight solid game, and not only did Justin Hodgman (replacing the injured David Moss) score his first NHL goal, in his first NHL game, but the Coyotes also put up 41 shots, by far a season high so far.

PLUS: This:




If Stamkos/Drouin aren't the best combo in the NHL by Christmas, I'll eat my hat. Also, if Bishop is 1/3 the real deal and if Hedman comes back at 100% this team will win the Cup. What an unbelievable collection of talent.


PLUS: To me and that one other guy who said for the Oilers not to panic. They have won three in a row and never played as badly as their 0-4 start suggested. Keep this in mind: The Lightning picked Stamkos #1 in 2008 and it's now 2014. They completed the rebuild by picking Drouin #3 in 2013, and one year later are a Cup Favorite.

The Oilers picked Hall #1 in 2010, so before people call them failures and complain of an incessant rebuild that will never turn out, they should consider that they are 2 years behind the Lightning - who have picked a similar number of high picks in recent years.

MINUS: To the Coyotes for continuing to run out a lineup that features Klinkhammer, Crombeen and Chipchura, which essentially turns Moss and Vitale into 3rd line players.

This is what's called having an unsustainable amount of duds in the lineup.

PLUS: To a band called Foxygen and their new album ...And Star Power which is the kind of record not seen very much in 2014 - an experimental double album with great artwork and a ton of ambition and a classic rock sensibility.

I'd call it the best record of 2014, but I don't buy enough to new music to make that assertion with any authority.

MINUS: To the two most repeated hockey nicknames of this young season. "Johnny Hockey," and "That 70's Line" are two of the all-time worst nicknames. The hockey nickname equivalent of saying OMG or Hashtag or LOL out-loud.

Who comes up with this stuff, and worse, who repeats it? A quick test to know if you should help a nickname catch on is to ask yourself if you could picture Vince Vaughn or Fonzie saying it. If you can't, then you shouldn't either.

PLUS: To two great hockey fans this week who showed what it's all about. First the awesome drunk guy at the Wild/Coyotes game on Thursday who ran all the down the stairs from his back row seats to get right behind the rink-side reporter and scream "WILD ARE #1," this guy is a credit to fans everywhere.

Better still is the depressed and angry guy at the Leafs' game last night who, as the camera panned Claude Julien as he walked off the bench at the end of the game, remained in his seat, his body language defeated, and through down a double middle finger salute which the cameras accidentally broadcast into the homes of 3 + million Canadian hockey fans.

The Leafs deserved no less for this horrendous performance.

MINUS: To Mike Smith's mask. What the hell is that even? Are those supposed to be his kids on the side there with the goggles? Sorry if they are, but that's still the worst.


PLUS: To all the people saying the Kansas City Royals prove Money Ball doesn't work. Sure thing guys. What's a sample size? What is anecdotal evidence? Good Times.


MINUS: To the idea that the road team in the NHL wears white. This is so dumb. I know it's been happening long enough that I should be used to it, but I'm not. I tried to trash talk Wild blogger Tony Dean and claimed the team in red would win, thinking that on the road the Coyotes would be in their red unis. Nope. The Wild wore red and won. It's been like 5 years and I still automatically assume that the home team will wear white.

This is because the home team should wear white. It's idiotic that they don't. I demand the NHL immediately change back.

Thanks for reading.

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