caucasianheat

I've heard the Kings would also take a deal of (essentially) Read for Bernier, so a few things can play out. Joe Sakic says the Avs will pass on Seth Jones. Hmmm. I've seen a few people insist now that MacKinnon would go first overall after his Memorial Cup run. Avs could use a young defenseman though.

"There's something exciting about being held down and watching your family get raped on a beach." Most loved sociopath on the entire planet?

You're really splitting hairs here. A spoiler is a spoiler is a spoiler, there's not much subjectivity to it. You're wrong, please don't do it in the future.

Ruki/Plubby Stanley Cup Final! I expect catty pressers after every game. Edmonton fired Ralph Kruger and are apparently after Dallas Eakins to come up and take the helm. The story as MacTavish tells it to the media is quite funny: they were looking for a veteran assistant coach and realized what they actually wanted was a new head coach after all. So Kruger meeting with MacTavish to talk about potential candidates turned into MacTavish talking to Kruger about finding a new job. Eakins is the perfect choice for what they've got right now - Eakins helped a lot of players on the Marlies find their edge and bring their game up to potential.

Not sure what its availability is for everyone, but Orphan Black is a really enjoyable new show that I'm just getting into. It's got strong sci-fi elements, but sort of mashes that up with action espionage and some police procedural. Really cool concept, good strong characters and a touch of humour that sort of lightens things. They were just renewed for a season 2, so I'm excited to see where it goes. I imagine people have already seen and talked up Michael McKean's Family Tree as well? Chris O'Dowd is tremendous as the semi-serious lead.

You had to know that one was coming and swiftly. A few of his guys were working hard in the playoffs, but Tortorella had lost touch with most of the team. He was fired the minute Richards was scratched. Boston v. LA are my guesses to meet in the finals. I'm taking Chicago to win tonight with all the momentum.

Froch and Kessler walking to the ring now - anyone else tuned in? I'm hoping for the unlikely early knockout... because I have to go to work.

Oh, and Alain Vigneault is gone in Vancouver which I guess wasn't a huge surprise given that their GM telegraphed a shakeup. The coaching shuffle this off-season should be interesting with Tippett, Ruff, Boucher, Gulutzan, and now Vigneault all available.

That was a grim couple of minutes with the shorthander and then Crosby's beautiful backhand goal right off the ensuing draw. I think Pittsburgh has things well in hand, but Ottawa is a gritty resilient team, so we'll see. The LA/SJ series is my favourite series right now, although Detroit is playing some gritty impressive hockey. I want to like Chicago, but they are being made to look soft by a team that is notoriously unphysical.

I think I was able to get many of the male wrestlers. There are a few I am not 100% on, so I didn't include them.

I kinda want to see a Holmgren-esque selloff in Vancouver mostly because it would change up the news cycle a little bit. Or a Double Sedin buyout!

Yeah, I'm glad this series has been more of a thriller so far than anticipated. Watching the Islanders' highs and lows is really exciting.

The fates have epicly trolled a random few...

That's sixteen, which is the appropriate number! But this, however, is 'just too much'

Two to go because TGWL was already signed up.

You're in. 3 spots left!

A three game sweep. That would really be something I'm going to blast it to the board at large later today probably, but anyone wanting to get in on the lottery should sign up now. Four spots left! I'll do the drawings Sunday or Monday.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/chi-duncan-keith-audio-20130423,0,816349.mp3file Oh, Duncan.

2009 THN article with appropriately dusty references, but it sort of puts the lie to 'tanking' as a lot of fans conceive of it: So nevermind that no dignified player would ever have a hand in it. No smart manager would ever really do it either knowing that it devalues all their assets and probably won't actually improve things. Pittsburgh and Chicago won cups because they had all the pieces together - first round drafting was just one small dimension of it. LA gambled and cashed in their young prospects last year to build a team that could go the distance. Ottawa picked in the top 5 for five straight years with three first overalls. The best player they got with any of those picks by orders of magnitude went in the sixth at 130-something.

Since we're just a few games out from the end of the season and some people have inquired, I'm bringing back last year's EWB Playoff Lottery! Here's how it works: Entries: 1. c-heat (DEFENDING CHAMPION, fuckers) 2. Ruki 3. Baby Hewey 4. pizza 5. Dragsy 6. SeanDMan 7. Maxx 8. munky 9. Vamp 10. Gabriel 11. TGWL 12. Drock007 13. Plubby 14. Sweet Holy Moses 15. Kevin Elliott 16. Ace

edit: Your new title generously contributed by SDM. Calgary is a mess. Their owner wants to be "in the playoffs next year" and if that isn't bluster, then they're already screwed on this whole rebuild thing. Would not be surprised to see a Pegula-esque free agent binge this summer in an attempt to cobble together a contender.

Wow. I feel like there was some hinting in the last few weeks about a possible Gaborik move, but it seemed dead. Total surprise. For all intents and purposes, it was Nash for Gaborik straight up. Crazy.

Jerred Smithson to Edmonton is actually a pretty smart pickup for them, but yeah, what a dry day. I didn't even bother to watch any coverage today knowing it was going to be this. It's time to freshen up the title. Suggestions?