Math

Jeez Nylander... Stop being a soccer player and go.

The great Darcy Wakaluk !

I was sure that Canada was name as a tribute for Kanata, the fantastic location chosen to build the Senators' arena...

Some fantastic goaltending and up-to-date tremendous defensive structure there.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: Like the Avalanche-Jets series, a typical opposition of styles: offense condensed in the top-6 vs. defensive-structured team. I don't trust either Skinner or Talbot in this stretch. This will be played on the Kings' ability to shut down the two-headed monster. If the Kings take an early lead, that might be interesting. However, the Oilers have more arguments overall. Oilers in 6.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: I'll try to be objective here. The addition of Hanifin and Hertl with Stone back is huge. The Knights have more lethal weapons but the Stars can count on its depth and a solid defense (the Tanev trade looks underrated but it had helped the Stars a lot). I think this series will be decided in goaltending: if Öttinger reaches his strength he had two years ago against the Flames, Dallas will go through. Stars in 7. (Still funny to have the old Stars logo there)

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: I might think Vancouver was kinda overperforming, at least in the first part of the season while I didn't know what to expect from Nashville. This is an intruiging series and the Preds could push it to the limit. Canucks in 7.

It seemed like the Kings reeeeeaaaally didn't want to get the Stars. On the other hand, it felt like Vegas was targeting Dallas as they completely let it go against the awful Ducks. Given the bad record in the regular season, the Golden Knights was my least favorite team I wanted to face in the first round. But I guess if you have the ambitious objective to go for a deep run, you should be capable to beat anyone...

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: The Jets have the Avalanche's number. I don't trust Colorado: Georgiev has been awful, Makar is the best Dman but outside of him there's a huge hole, they rely too much on their top-6 to win games with their offense. I'm surprised the Jets made it that far despite their coach. I'll go with the relative upset: Jets in 6.

Utah Hockey Club ! Go for it !

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: The Leafs are more talented while the Bruins still have blatant holes in their C spine. Should be a close one but the Bruins seems to be the logical oucome. Because the Leafs. Bruins in 6.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: Ok, It's almost a coin flip for every category. Just because Florida will have the advantage of the last line-up change with 1 minute remaining of a tied game #7 with a face-off on the offensive zone, I'm going with the kittens. Florida in 7.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: Without the addition of Guentzel, I'd honestly have gone with the upset. The Isles' goalies have a slight edge despite Sorokin having a so-so season. Carolina is much more talented bit I have the feeling that the Islanders might create them some problems with their old-school boring defensive system. Hurricanes in 7.

Goalies: Defense: Offense: Special teams (PP/PK): Coaching: Mental: Experience: Robustness: Depth: The most debalanced series I'd say. I wanted to put a Caps logo maybe on the special teams just because of Ovi but I think the difference is too big. The Caps will still avoid the sweep with one of those win where they put everything on the ice. Rangers in 5.

Honestly, this is close... But they said Utah will be retained and Golden Eagles would lead to have two goldens in the League. Maybe just Eagles...? On a personal note and more than ever, I'm advocating to punt Meruelo on Pluto, to force any potential Arizona expansion to start from scratch and let Utah keep the Coyotes branding. Those vintage covers with the damn Cooper helmets are priceless.

And that's what baffles me. Meruelo proved that he was a classless worthless piece of trash and the League would still give him the opportunity to be the front-runner for another expansion, not to mention that Bettman gave him $1 billion to take ownership?! That's the same recipe that will lead to another failure. I still think that this market can be successful with good ownership that actually cares. But with the condition that you start from scratch with another name/brand, and strictly not with this scúmbag owner. Let Utah use the Coyotes name and Kachina jersey with this simple message to Meruelo: ╭∩╮(°.°)╭∩╮

Classy, until the very end...

Really sad for Detroit, they did the job with two fantastic comebacks against Montréal. When Perron tied it with like 4 seconds remaining it was like a Stanley Cup celebration but when they knew Washington won the game, the last Kane SO winner was like a funeral. The horrible losing streak they had earlier in the season killed them.

The Utah Dolphins would get my vote. More seriously, I'm high on Utah Jizz.

I remember back at the time about how proud the NHL was about finally finding the first ever hispanic owner of a franchise and how they were thrilled to give the chance on someone coming from a minority and why this was so hot and will give a magnificient example and stuff... Yeop, that same owner who has been kicked out of his arena because he didn't pay the rent, the guy who failed to win his referendum that would have secured the fate of the team in Arizona, the same dude who threw some other bling-bling arena project and again, the same guy who didn't pay the hotel bills, apparently. There's no smoke without fire, the NHL screwed up on another field here. We don't chose the best candidate because of his origin or his skin and eyes colors. Usually the best one should be chosen because he's the most competent for the position. Period. And Bettman is completely responsible for this fiasco. And now that owner would eventually get another shot on an expansion franchise there?!? I think the story is not over, and it will never be...

The NHL made it clear that the current Delta Center in SLC is only a temporary solution and that a new arena should be built there. So if it fails, Salt Lake could move to a large market without an NHL team like Arizona...

Utah Hockey Team.

At least keep the Kachina jerseys. Those are awesome.

To make it work on a so-called non traditional market, you have to be top notch in terms of marketing the game while putting the best possible product. I still think the Phoenix area can be successful: the market is big, there are already a lot of pro-sports team, but terrible management and ownership has been killing this franchise softly and slowly. At a certain point, that level of mediocrity becomes part of the DNA and you can't revert it. Having the League running it with the head deeply dug in the sand didn't help either. Moving outside downtown PHX to freakin' Glendale was the first or numerous epic mistakes that have been made. I've seen a interesting segment on sports marketing and business led by Ray Lalonde who is an expert in that field. He evaluates the chance of having SLC in the League next year at 80%.

So basically, it's toast for Phoenix...