‘Twas the night before playoffs, when all through the land Not a player was stirring, not even Marchand; The big screens were hung in the arena with care, In hopes that Lord Stanley soon would be theirs; The coaches were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of good defence danced in their heads;…
We haven’t seen a best-of-five series in the first round in the NHL since 1986. For seven years, 1980-1986, the NHL’s first round was a best of five. The best-of-five first round series was added when the league expanded to 21 teams. In previous years there were no best-of-fives. However, between 1975 and 1979, when…
I arrived at Rogers Place at 7:30 p.m. last night. My usual parking spot, courtesy of Grand Villa Casino, wasn’t open as the building is locked down, so I parked on the back side (north side) of the arena. Parking was only $2. There were four other cars parked close to me. Right away it…
Let’s hope we never have to watch another pre-playoff game in our lifetime. A global pandemic put the NHL in this unique situation, and while it will be something we all remember in the future, I hope we don’t have to experience it again. That being said, the intrigue for tonight’s Battle of Alberta is…
Crawling into bed with freshly clean sheets, a long hug from a loved one, that first, perfect bite of barbequed steak…we always hear it’s the little things in life that make a big difference and today that rings very true. I love sports, especially hockey, and the return of the NHL is one of those…
Here come the playoffs. A-W-E-S-O-M-E. All 24 teams arrived in their respective hub cities last night. They checked in, found pictures of loved ones in their hotel rooms and, if you are a coffee drinker, were excited to learn they have free Tims in the bubble. I feel like a young child on the 22nd…
On June 17th the Western Hockey League released a statement outlining their return to play initiative for the 2020/2021 season. The release outlined October 2nd as the targeted start for next season, which is contingent on approvals from government and health officials. The challenge is the WHL is spread across six different health authorities in…
Today the Oilers had a longer scrimmage. They played two, stop-time 20-minute periods as head coach Dave Tippett is slowing ramping up the conditioning and intensity.
All 24 teams involved in the playoffs began training camp yesterday, and the Oilers qualifying round opponent, Chicago Blackhawks, were without a key player.
Let’s be honest. We don’t know if this is going to work. Will the Stanley Cup be awarded in late September or early October for the first time in NHL history? I am excited and fascinated to see what happens.
The Edmonton Oilers have eight solid NHL defenceman on their roster. They have had a complimentary mix of puck movers, puck carriers, physical prowess, good skaters, youth and experience. And they will likely need all of them if they want to make an extended postseason appearance. In a normal year, the playoffs can become a…
The NHL will expand to 32 teams next summer with the addition of the Seattle yet-to-be-named franchise. All 30 teams, excluding Las Vegas, will lose one player to Seattle. Vegas has the sixth most wins and sixth most points in the NHL since entering the league in the fall of 2017, but this well-run organization…
