NHL Free Agency Recap

Double A
Senior Writer, Everything Sports

Free agency is all but done as the dog days of summer come upon us NHL fans. So in the meantime, might as well just officially award the winners and blame the losers of free agency with the league bound to start months from now. From coaches to players to team expectations, there is a lot more in store in comparison to last year’s free agency.

Winners
Well Deserved Extensions
Everyone who got an extension also got an enjoyed pay raise as well. These players are: Fluery for three years and $21 million, Hellebuyck for 6 years and $37 million, Kucherov for 8 years and $76 million, Mike Green for 2 years and $5.375 million, Carlson for 8 years and $64 million, Kempny for four years and $10 million, Jenner for four years and $15 million, Miller at 5 five years and $26.25 million, Couture at 8 years and $64 million, Doughty for 8 years and $88 million, and Ekman-Larsson for 8 years at $66 million. Whoa.

The (Smart) Rebuilding Teams
This includes the Sabres, Coyotes, and Hurricanes, three teams that I can see in the playoffs by 2020. Buffalo obviously got the best player in last month’s draft in Dahlin, signed Hutton to a decent contract, and got back a nice return for O’Reilly. Arizona traded Domi for Galchenyuk (the better player), acquired two assets in getting a liable Hossa contract, and signed three veterans (one extension) to groom this young team into a possible contender next year. Carolina signed Mrazek and de Haan were smart moves, possibly setting up more dew with a packed defense house, and getting Fox in the Hamilton trade. These teams should not be underlooked for years to come.

The Fringe Playoff Teams
This includes the Flyers and Maple Leafs, two teams that were pretty close to going to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Sure, they both got only one guy, for at least seven million annually, but they can be the last piece of their puzzle. Both are bound for stardom in the midst of their contracts, in which I can see either team posing a threat for the championship in that year. Talk about fringe playoff team into championship contention.

Calgary Flames
Aside from Peters’ analytics, which I support, there is a lot to love about this Flames team going into next season. I would say the Hurricanes won the Dougie Hamilton trade, but I wouldn’t say it was a bad one for the Flames to make. I like Hanifin and Lindholm (who signed a six year extension) to be contributors, as well as the Neal and Ryan signings. They were somewhat close in the playoff hunt, but now they are out in front for the last two playoff spots.

St. Louis Blues/Dallas Stars
It was tough to separate these teams up, mostly in part to their place in the standings (missed by few points to Colorado) and the state of the team after the season. I know the Blues have done more in this offseason than the Stars, like trading for O’Reilly while signing Bozak and Perron, but in total both seem in the same place. Stars got themselves a college coach and bringing back most of their team. Look for these teams to get into playoff contention.

Losers
Montreal Canadiens
Man, I really believed this team was better than your typical playoff team because of the elite (but injury-riddled) goalie Carey Price. However, I’m not sure if they are rebuilding or contending based on this offseason. Shea Weber is out until December while trading away Galchenyuk, who’s better than Domi. On top of that, they signed no major pieces or came close to.

Ottawa Senators
They don’t have a first round pick in 2019 and still have Karlsson on their roster. His value has been diminishing for months now, whether it may be because of the lack of a good deal or unsure of officially being in rebuilding mode. I think it’s a no-brainer: rebuild. Went to Conference Finals and lost to the Penguins in 2017, but weren’t not close to making the playoffs. Even rebuilding teams had more points than they did! Actually, only one team had less points than them (Buffalo). They have to make that decision soon because 2019 can be their year. 2018 will be a wash for them.

New Jersey Devils
They made the playoffs, so my mindset is build on that and go beyond the second round. They are young team, but it won’t get you too far. Free agency and trades is the market they should be focused on. Nothing has been done. I want to root for the Devils, but you can’t sit around for moves to come to your hands. You must be aggressive. Not everyone can be the Capitals by not doing anything in the offseason, since it also takes playoff experience to win it all. The Devils still lack that (one round is not close to four).

Edmonton Oilers
Unlike the Devils, the Oilers did not make the playoffs. Like the Devils, they are not doing anything (except two depth signings) this offseason. And why? Do they want McDavid to be the next Mike Trout? They have talent, but enough to get at least 20 more points than this past season? Whether it’s sneaky or obvious, they need to make at least one splash before camp begins.

New York Islanders
Obviously losing one of the game’s biggest stars will have you on this side of the list, but it hurts even more when you hire the reigning Stanley Cup coach and it couldn’t convince him to stay. Then they sign four (past their prime) veterans, and for what? They can’t replace Tavaras nor make this team better. If Trotz gets this team into the playoffs, it should be mentioned in his hall of fame resume!

Neutral
Washington Capitals
I was one step away from putting them in the losers section since they didn’t add anyone while losing Trotz to the Islanders. Here’s the thing: last year they lost a few free agents and were still able to win the championship. This year they resigned some key guys while only losing their backup goalie. If they feel as though a coach, even after recently winning a Stanley Cup, isn’t worth the money Trotz was asking for then so be it! They still have their whole squad together and an assistant coach who knows them and the system. They will be just fine.

Las Vegas Golden Knights
Funny how that works out, right? Yes, my two neutral teams are those who just met in the Stanley Cup Final. And that makes sense. You shouldn’t change so much after an appearance in the Final. However, that doesn’t mean change doesn’t happen. From contracts, to trade talks, to free agent opportunity, things do change for any team. With the Knights, Neal and Perron left. Fleury stayed. Stastny joined. Outside of the wing position that they need, they are stable. Enough to go another far playoff run? I wouldn’t go that far because it’s really hard to accomplish (other than the Penguins, of course).

How Everyone Wins With This Outcome

Double A
Senior Writer, Everything Sports

Finally. The title is coming to DC.

Let’s admit one thing: these finals were awesome. Different teams than in year’s past, no bad calls, and no obvious winner. Yes, I am taking shots at the NBA Finals. The NHL may not be popular or pretty to watch, but yes this year their postseason is better than the NBA’s. It’s one of the winners of the Capitals winning 4-1 against the Golden Knights in the NHL Finals. Here, everyone and everything wins.

The Teams
Did anyone think Vegas had the slightest chance to be in the finals? Not me, and I speak for many people here. What about Washington and their “curse”? Everyone loves a good underdog story, with either team winning their first championship. People felt bad for the whole city and their troubles in the playoffs, so it’s easy to root for them. Vegas, in their first ever season, is gaining popularity for the NHL and making history in many ways. However, people from within and out of the league are suspicious of how they got there. I say it’s statistics. They say it’s the looseness of the expansion draft. Either way, though it draws people’s attention, it would have been bad for the league to have a team winning in the first year while others (like the Capitals) have never been there. That’s where my next point comes in.

The (Game) Score
Worried about the Knights? Don’t worry, they lost. Will the league’s creditability be lost, that any team can draft decent veterans can just win in their first year? Because the Knights only won only one game (and thus losing four straight), after such three great rounds, people will love that they got there and not hate it. They didn’t dominate in the whole series, even at home. Thus, people will forget about their suspicions and treat the Knights’ first season as a positive.

The (Real) Score
Mainly, just a lot of high scoring and drama. People find it boring and uninteresting, but you can’t say that when there’s a lot of action and goals being scored. Plus, some fights with physically were shown.

Can there be a carryover effect into next year? I wouldn’t put too much money on it. Get it?

NHL Playoff Predictions

 

My bracket

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

Analysis: With the postseason underway, there’s nothing better than watching the storylines of the Golden Knights, Penguins’ three-peat journey, and whether or not the Capitals can actually go far. It’s a good introduction to say that the only winner of the three is the Golden Knights. They can’t beat Winnipeg with their lack of experience. The Lightning has a lot of great stars putting together. One of them is Vasilevskiy, who I think could be like the Matt Murray of last year. Pittsburgh I do have them going far, but three-peats are so hard and a lot of pressure to continue. Plus they have been shaky throughout the year.

Jamie’s bracket

Jamie Taglang
Everything Sports, Contributing Writer

Analysis: I know the Flyers are a hard sell in Vegas casinos, but the feeling in Philadelphian teams are so awesome that you can’t ignore the Flyers either. They have lost to the Penguins all four times, but half were in overtime. They are going to be motivated to beat the Pens and join the other nearby teams in celebration. I don’t agree with Double and think that the Predators will go back but fell short once again.

NHL Trade Deadline Recap

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

I know it has been a long time since I wrote something on NHL, but what a beautiful time it was this past Monday. The NHL trade deadline that featured 41 trades in the month of February. That, by far, is one of the busiest months I have ever in the four major U.S sports. Unfortunately, I can’t go through every single trade, but I can (and would love to) go through the biggest trades. Trade talk never keeps quiet (except for NHL), so let’s talk loud.

NYR trades Miller and McDonagh to TB for a first, second, and three players
Grades: NY: A+     TB: A
Analysis: Rarely I give love to both teams in a trade, but as you can see, I give them A’s. The Rangers finished their fire sale by trading away their captain and young Miller while getting back Namestnikov who has full of potential. They start their rebuild on a high note. Tampa Bay, and rightly so, is going for it all this season. By getting depth, they should be considered the favorites (thus worth the picks, right?). Plus, Miller is going to be restricted free agent and McDonagh has another year left on his contract.

Blues trade Stastny to Jets for first, fourth rounders, and a player
Grades: STL: A       Jets: B
Analysis: I get that the Jets, like Tampa, are going for a deep Stanley Cup run. I just don’t understand that guy should be a 32 year old about to be a unrestricted free agent. He helps, but they still aren’t the favorites to win the cup. That’s why I love the Blues here, since they got three great assets in this deal. They weren’t expected to sell, but no one can deny a trade like this for them.

Sharks get Kane from Sabres for first, fourth, and a player
Grades:  SJ: B     BUF: A+
Analysis: Always a player that puts up at least 40-45 each season, and the Sharks will love that as the season comes to a close. Still, the guy is a rental. He might sign with San Jose since he endured so much losing in Buffalo, but other teams might offer more in his pending free agency. Buffalo, meanwhile, should play their younger players in what this should be their last bad year. Eichel is bound to break out and be the star that McDavid is now, and I see that playing out next season. Thus, Buffalo will be a playoff contender (been awhile for someone to say that, huh?)

Knights get Tatar from Detroit for first, second, and third round picks
Grades: DET: A     LV: B-
Analysis: The surprising rise of the Golden Knights lock into playoff move with this move, getting a guy who just had a good season last year. Now given, this year has been a down year. How did Detriot come up with three early picks from Vegas? The man is owed north of $5 million and has three years left with the same amount annually. Red Wings did well to continue their rebuild path.

Nashville trades first, fourth, and a player to Chicago for Ryan Hartman
Grades: NSH: B+      CHI: B
Analysis: This one can go either way. You have a promising young player, even having scored a go ahead goal in his first game, being traded for assets just worth more. The reason the Predator earn the plus is the fact that Hartman isn’t a rookie as they are in win now mode and the rookie they would have drafted with that first rounder probably wouldn’t have fit in. Chicago is resetting the clock as they are having a down year while gaining another player and a fourth rounder. This trade is pretty fair.

Bruins get Rick Nash from Rangers for three players, a first, and a seventh
Grades: BOS: C     NYR: A+
Analysis: Only having only one great year while in New York, about three years ago, the Rangers cash in on this trade. Boston gets a rental (like everyone else) but coughs up five assets. Five! Boston is having a good year so far with 86 points, but they actually think they can run the table to win the cup? Okay, anything can happen in the playoffs (all sports included). However, can Rick Nash seriously benefit that run? That is where I draw the line at no. It’s promising that New York pays for half of his remaining salary, but Nash isn’t worth it.

Penguins acquire Brassard, and a third from Sens for Ian Cole and two picks
Grades: OTT: A-    PIT: B-
Analysis: Money complications involved the Golden Knights in this trade, but they don’t have the focal point of my attention. The Senators got a first out of the declining Brassard, not close to replicating his career high of 60 points just three years ago. The Penguins add depth to a team always bound for a deep postseason run, to which it has been a weird year for them.

Rangers trade Grabner to New Jersey for second rounder and a player
Grades: NJ: C      NY: B+
Analysis: Grabner is 30 years old and is in the last year of his contract, do the Devils actually believe he can be a difference maker in the playoffs? I don’t see why they trade a second round pick. You can could have probably traded for someone better, as he is really just scores (and not even often), or continue your youth by drafting the pick.

Detroit trade Mrazek to Philly for third and fourth rounders
Grades: DET: C+     PHI: A-
Analysis: I’m thinking long term here for the Flyers, though it definitely helps them right now. Elliot and Neuvirth are hurt while they are still in the hunt, so Detriot might as well cash on assets that can help a mediocre team. Here’s the thing: Elliot has one more year left on his contract and is 32. Mrazek is a good goaltender, though slept on most of the time. He can replace Elliot, though Philly would have to put pen to paper in the offseason. I can see that happening as he will be restricted after this season.

NHL Fantasy Check-In

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

It’s about to be 15 weeks into the hockey season and it seems appropriate to draw some conclusions with some players who have came out of the blue to shock us one way or another. Same with busts, too. Let’s see these players, according to ESPN’s player rating. I will include their positional rank as well as their average draft position (ADP).

Sleepers (Basically)
Forwards
#2 Steven Stamkos (ADP: 51.2)
#5 Jakub Voracek (ADP: 78.9)
#6 Nathan MacKinnon (ADP: 136.4)
#8 Brayden Schenn (ADP: 85.8)
#11 Claude Giroux (ADP: 66.4)
#20 Vincent Trocheck (ADP: 120.3)
#21 Sean Couturier (ADP: 230)
#25 Jonathan Marchessault (ADP: 186.9)
#27 Josh Bailey (ADP: 200.1)
#28 Brayden Point (ADP: 168.7)

Defensemen
#2 Drew Doughty (ADP: 79.9)
#4 John Klingberg (ADP: 82.5)
#5 John Carlson (ADP: 134.9)
#6 Shayne Gostisbehere (ADP: 111.4)
#8 Seth Jones (ADP: 146.1)
#11 Tyler Myers (ADP: 197.3)
#15 Mikhail Sergachev (ADP: 230)
#21 Josh Manson (ADP: 230)

Goalies
#1 Andrei Vasilevskiy (ADP: 54.2)
#2 Connor Hellebuyck (ADP: 230)
#4 Marc-Andre Fleury (ADP: 159.2)
#8 Carter Hutton (ADP: 230)

Busts
Forwards
#14 Connor McDavid (ADP: 1.2)
#22 Patrick Kane (ADP: 3.8)
#37 David Pastrnak (ADP: 20.1)
#49 Nicklas Backstrom (ADP: 24.2)
#52 Milan Lucic (ADP: 51.4)
#53 Jack Eichel (ADP: 47.8)
#62 Matthew Tkachuk (ADP: 49.5)
#64 Wayne Simmonds (ADP: 38.9)
#70 Joe Pavelski (ADP: 16.8)
#77 Leon Draisaitl (ADP: 22.4)
#85 William Nylander (ADP: 53.7)
#97 T.J Oshie (ADP: 48.9)
#102 Max Pacioretty (ADP: 41.7)

Defensemen
#10 Brent Burns (ADP: 9.2)
#26 Kevin Shattenkirk (ADP: 59)
#30 Zach Werenski (ADP: 53.5)
#38 Erik Karlsson (ADP: 27.2)
#39 Duncan Keith (ADP 82.7)
#48 Rasmus Ristolainen (ADP: 77.7)
#49 Torey Krug (ADP: 72)
#83 Oscar Klefbom (ADP 113.1)
#107 Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ADP: 122.6)
#122 Justin Schultz (ADP: 95.3)

Goalies
#7 Sergi Bobrovsky (ADP: 12.9)
#12 Braden Holtby (ADP: 4.4)
#16 John Gibson (ADP: 48.9)
#24 Martin Jones (ADP: 20.2)
#36 Carey Price (ADP: 8.2)
#43 Matt Murray (ADP: 9.6)
#55 Cam Talbot (ADP: 15.5)

Soon the playoffs will begin, and research like this can keep your team at the top or will help you get there.

Early And Bold 2018 Predictions

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

I have to admit, the NHL news train has been quiet in recent weeks. Looking at the standings, I thought about something two months from now: the trade deadline. It’s early in the season still, but if the middle part of the season does begin now then we will see who actually is good or bad. Some of the teams have answered that, using their record currently, or will start going in one direction or the other. By that point, the playoff picture will be clear. Here are early bold predictions from what we have now.

Either the Devils or Golden Knights will make the playoffs
I’m not sure which is bolder: One of these 2nd place (in their conference) teams will miss the playoffs or one of these teams will maintain their success after expectations said they will be at the bottom of the league. It comes down to this: who buys and who they buy. Maybe they stay pat but will struggle in the second half of the season regardless. A player or two can help them not miss the playoffs entirely, which is crucial for the Devils since the younger players wouldn’t mind some of that experience. If I were to choose one, I would side with the Knights. Doing well at home with their new fans, why not make it memorable by making the playoffs when everyone assumed it was against the odds?

Islanders and Sabres will buy for their future
Both would gamble on what would be on the market to ensure them a better chance of the playoffs then they would now. For the Islanders, who are still in the thick of the race, they would want to make the playoffs and a big trade to make a case for Tavares to stay. To me, it looks like he will leave them behind. For the Sabres, four points more than the NHL worst Coyotes, should get their hands on a big player if rumors start to swirl around. They probably won’t make the playoffs, but it would hard to blame Eichel if he would want out after seeing lack of effort from his front office. Thus, prepare for next year and possibly make the playoffs.

Panthers and Red Wings will be the two biggest sellers
Both of these teams are going nowhere and will go nowhere for the rest of the season. They should follow suit with their city’s baseball teams: Miami Marlins and Detriot Tigers. Both are rebuilding, which I believe was the only option for them. The same case here, with two teams being the fourth and fifth worst in the league as of now. Trade Dadonov, Yandle, Zetterberg, Nyquist, and Green. I didn’t even say Howard or Luongo (after injury). They have youth, but they need more of it. Maybe they will make a run if they do so, I mean look at New Jersey right now.

Ducks, Flyers, and Bruins will round out the sellers’ list
All three of these teams are in the middle of the pack right now in the standings. I am gambling that these teams will have bad momentum going into the deadline AND not have confidence that they playoffs are within reach. The Flyers in the past few years have been close to making it, that ruins your confidence. Being in the middle last year did nothing for Boston, where they are again this season. The Ducks were third in the West but are currently 11th with the NHL’s worst amount of overtime losses (eight), and that stings too. Combine all three and you don’t get that bold of a prediction after all.

My Cup picks will, in time, get back on track
I know. Oilers and Canadiens fans can blame me for jinxing their team’s success so far. With both sitting at the bottom of their confidence with 34 points, you can say that something just doesn’t feel right. These two teams are too good to be where they are and at some point, they will make a run to get back into the playoff picture. Problem is, it would have to be soon. Otherwise, the struggles could continue on for an even longer time period. Then they would have no shot to make a comeback.

Let’s Be Thankful For These Rivalries

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

We wish all you from Everything Sports a happy thanksgiving! That said, we want to give you an interesting article that including all four major sports. After watching last night’s jawing of Russ and Durant, it made me think of rivalries. Recently, they have been downplayed. So I’m here to reinforce most if not all of them, and I will try to avoid division rivals as much as possible (since they do play each other the most that way). From the sports with the best rivalries downward, lets rank their best rivals in order.

MLB
Yankees vs Red Sox: 1
Giants vs Dodgers: 2
Dodgers/Nationals vs Cubs: 3
Red Sox vs Orioles/Indians: 4
Yankees vs Astros: 5
Cardinals vs Red Sox: 6
Giants vs Cardinals: 7
Blue Jays vs Orioles/Rangers: 8
Nationals vs Mets: 9
POTENTIAL RIVALS: Astros vs Dodgers

NFL
Steelers vs Bengals: 1
Broncos vs Patriots: 2
Cowboys vs Eagles: 3
Steelers vs Ravens: 4
Vikings vs Packers: 5
Steelers/Ravens vs Patriots: 6
Seahawks vs Cardinals: 7
Cowboys vs Packers: 8
Giants vs Jets: 9
POTENTIAL RIVALS: Rams vs Saints

NBA
Warriors vs Thunder: 1
Warriors vs Cavaliers: 2
Celtics vs Cavaliers: 3
Spurs vs Rockets: 4
Spurs vs Warriors: 5
Heat vs Cavaliers: 6
Celtics vs Lakers: 7
Celtics vs Wizards: 8
Kings vs Lakers: 9
POTENTIAL RIVALS: 76ers vs Bucks

NHL
Blackhawks vs Blues: 1
Penguins vs Flyers: 2
Penguins vs Capitals: 3
Islanders vs Rangers: 4
Blackhawks vs Kings: 5
Bruins vs Canadiens: 6
Ducks & Sharks vs Kings: 7
Flames vs Oilers: 8
Jets/Maple Leafs vs Oilers: 9
POTENTIAL RIVALS: Golden Knights vs Avalanche

If you have other rivalries I didn’t mention, let me know! Especially if you are a fan who feels that you are a part of it.

Recap of Bledsoe and Duchene Trade

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

Why combine two separate sports into one article? 1) Both had blockbuster trades this week. 2) Those trades involved a star who wanted out. Bledsoe saying it via twitter, and Duchene more so internally. The same circumstances, but yet one did more for their rebuilding franchise than the other. Is it the sport? Is it the timing? Or is it the game of negotiating? Either way, these two are wearing different jerseys. Let’s evaluate how.

NHL
Senators receive: F Matthew Duchene (from Colorado)
Predators receive: F Kyle Turris (from Ottawa)
Avalanche receive: F Shane Bowers, G Andrew Hammond, first round pick, third round pick (all four from Ottawa), D Samuel Girard, F Vladislav Kamenev, and second round pick (all three from Nashville)

Recap: The Avalanche won this deal surprisingly. They gave up only one player and got back seven assets in return. I don’t recall a haul like this recently, especially in the NBA (maybe Kyrie Irving) where many stars get traded for little because of the situation between them and the team. Butler, George, and Anthony has great examples. Which comes to show you that even though it is a different sport, the Avs still got a lot out of Duchene either way. I would say too that his value would be even lower than when the rumors came around last year because now he has only two years left on his contract. That scares me when I see the Senators part of this deal. They gave up the most but received the least (with Turris signing a 6 year extension with Nashville). The Sens are playing good so far, but they could play bad and lose him to free agency next year.

NBA
Suns receieve: PF Greg Monroe, 1st and 2nd round pick
Bucks receive: PG Eric Bledsoe

Recap: As I stated already, just another one of those trades where a star gets traded for basically nothing. Bucks needed a point guard, especially if they want to go farther in the playoffs, and they get one who fits the bill perfectly. Plays good defense alongside Brogdan, as those two are a duo to be reckon with in the NBA. Did I even have to mention the Greek Freak? With the Suns, nice try, but bad job. They didn’t even rid of Chandler and that contract, although I applaud the cap space they will open for next year’s offseason. They do need a floor general, whether it’s a point guard or point forward, it doesn’t matter who. They have young talent, a bright future, just need to organize themselves into a real team. 76ers did that with Simmons as the cherry on top, so follow their blueprint and the hype will be back in Phoenix.

Few Weeks Into The Season, Let’s Check On My NHL Predictions

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

Let’s check out how well I am doing so far in my NHL 2017 Season Predictions that I did almost three months ago. Hope it’s better than my NFL predictions (25% of The Season Is Done, Let’s Check My Predictions)

Eastern Conference
1. Tampa Bay: WRONG
2. Pittsburgh: RIGHT
3. Toronto: RIGHT
4. Ottawa: RIGHT
5. New Jersey: WRONG
6. Columbus: RIGHT
7. NY Islanders: WRONG
8. Philadelphia: RIGHT
9. Boston: RIGHT
10. Carolina: WRONG
11. Washington: WRONG
12. Detroit: RIGHT
13. Florida: RIGHT
14. NY Rangers: WRONG (big time)
15. Buffalo: WRONG
16. Montreal: WRONG (big time)

Western Conference
1. Los Angeles: WRONG
2. St. Louis: WRONG
3. Las Vegas: WRONG (big time)
4. Vancouver: WRONG (big time)
5. Chicago: RIGHT
6. Colorado: WRONG (big time)
7. Nashville: RIGHT
8. Dallas: WRONG
9. Calgary: RIGHT
10. Winnipeg: RIGHT
11. Anaheim: WRONG
12. Minnesota: WRONG (big time)
13. San Jose: WRONG (big time)
14. Edmonton: WRONG (big time)
15. Arizona: RIGHT

Lots of big times, but that’s okay. The season is still early, but wild and unpredictable. I will check in once again with yet another progress report when is the season hits the break.

The NHL Has a Perfect Opportunity to Gain Popularity

Double A
Everything Sports, Senior Writer

Thank goodness for Facebook.

I woke up one morning earlier this week to see a friend share a video posted way back on November 10th of last year. The video was a crowd joining the singer in singing the National Anthem before a NHL game. It brought me to tears, because this shows the love of the country some are showing amid the NFL protests. I don’t want to get too political, so this is what I am going to say: They have the absolute right to use their words and/or actions via the first amendment, but don’t lose the message to spite one’s comments. Days after President Trump’s comments, tons of more players took a knee. To me, it smells like a cause and effect thing. Nothing should cause you to knee if you believe it, and assuming all the kneeling players do believe in racial inequality, so why retaliate when you should be doing it in the beginning? Again, being on both sides of the stick, President Trump as much of a right to say those things just as much as the players having the right to do those things. God Bless America.

At the end of the video, a booming thought came to my mind: the NHL could actually benefit from all this. Think about it. You have people upset in the NFL enough to cancel their package from Direct TV, LeBron and Steph leading the political way in the NBA (white house drama as well), and Maxwell isn’t generating enough attention in the MLB (because it’s the MLB). Then comes this unity by the NHL. This wasn’t the only time the fans sang the Anthem, as there had been microphone issues and other times to be strong as a nation (this was two days after the 2016 election, filled with riots. Another came days after the Boston Marathon bombing). They could possibly attract the fans who don’t want the players to disrespect the flag or not deal with politics, since it’s in the news everyday in our lives. On top of all that, the Penguins will go to the White House. Did the NHL, aware of all this madness, influence the Penguins to go? Their motive, justified in my eyes, has to do with the business of being 4th in the U.S “big four”.

Here is my point:
1. NBA and NFL are declining, as popular as they are, because bringing politics for some crosses the line since they are watching just for it (and nothing else). My article Why We Really Watch Sports says what I’m talking about.

2. After players spited the President by doing more of kneeling, in my opinion, people might just spite the NFL. This might be a negotiating table, where there is two sides and the NFL chose one (supporting their players). Knowing their value when it comes to business, the people go to watch the NHL.

3. They go to the NHL because of that, and/or to see the unity of one sport so below of the other. Either way, the NHL gains attraction through this whole madness (as a solution, with the problem being what sport to watch).

4. People willing to watch the NHL don’t have to wait long, as the season starts this Wednesday. Just watch out for their anthem choices and their ratings afterward.