The Cup Finals

Well, well, well, look what we have here. All this gold in the Stanley Cup Finals, pretty fancy. There are going to be a variety of match-ups from the dot out. I think it's going to be a great series because each team has had players step up to win big games. Honestly, Chris Kunitz pulled a Kelly Olynyck and delivered a huge game for the Pens to get to the big dance, I don't think anyone saw that one coming, just like Colton Sissons getting a hat trick.

Something that will probably come up when one underperforms (or dumps the other into the boards) is the Neal-Hornqvist trade. Keep in mind this wasn't a straight swap, the Pens also got the Palmerston native Nick Spaling in the trade. The Pens seems to have won that deal: Hornqvist's hasn't lowered his production rate, and Neal hasn't been anywhere near 80 points, or the Stanley Cup, since the trade.

Defensively speaking, Nashville has a clear edge. I'd take Roman Josi over any of the blue-liners on Pittsburgh. The Pens' D does have experience, the core won the year before, however, Kris Letang is on the shelf, so Dumoulin, Cole, Maatta, Hainsey and Daley are going to have to step it up because Nashville terrorises the offensive zone when they're done by one in the third. The Pens are lacking an X-factor on defence as well: PK Subban and Co are capable of delivering on the powerplay and jumping in even-strength.

Letang's injury isn't a big deal considering how Pittsburgh has made it through the East without him. Ryan Johanson played in 14 playoff games (scoring 13 points) and now is out with a leg injury. This is a big hole for the Preds to fill with their committee. Colton Sissons didn't seem to mind though. Can he contribute consistently though for the next four to seven games? Forsberg and Arvidsson are hoping so.

Pittsburgh has a committee as well but, it would be comparable to the "committee" of scorers on the Golden State Warriors. Hockey is a completely different game from basketball, but having better players than the other team results in the same outcome. Evgeni Malkin can own the ice when he wants to. Phil Kessel is an amazing player despite all his sad-faced memes. Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust just score when it counts. Sid the Kid seems like an unstoppable force now that his concussion symptoms are gone.

Two years ago, Jonathan Toews was the best player to have in the playoffs because he had 3 rings in 6 years and did everything. Now, Sidney Crosby is that guy. Even though he's a barely minus player this year and last in the playoffs, he isn't playing regular shifts with stars or even experienced players and makes them look great. It's the Kevin Stevens theory: put a regular guy on a line with Mario Lemieux and-- Boom!-- over 100 points from someone who rarely got 40 before and after. Sherry and Guentzel are more offensively minded than Kevin Stevens, but Jake Guentzel wouldn't have blown off the doors into the playoffs if he was on a line with a B+ centre. Kudos to Sid for bringing the youth movement along in Pittsburgh.

Nashville is going to be playing match-ups the whole series, they have to capitalise on mismatches and contain Pittsburgh's two offensive lines. That will happen as much during the game as it does between the whistles. Nashville's blue-collar approach to the game is going to make this series interesting. There's a whole bunch of gritty players on the roster and if any of them can get under Crosby or Malkin's skin it gives them an edge mentally, and that's what can decide a game sometimes.

A goalie still has more impact on a game as a whole than one person's collectedness. Fatigue sets in for everyone; however, the way Matt Murray timed his injury he won't be as tired as Pekka Rinne. Rinne has never made it this far into the playoffs but is putting up a 1.70 GAA and has a 0.941 save percentage which is leaps and bounds better than his stats from Nashville's previous playoff runs. He's keeping Nashville in tight games and there will be at least four more. It seems like Matt Murray has ice in his veins, his stats are better than a year before (although the sample size is much smaller) I don't think he'll have a sophomore slump.

On paper, Pittsburgh is the clear favourite based of their offensive prowess. Yet, there's something in the back of my mind that makes me think that Nashville can steal this: the city has rallied around their team and they're confident, even after squeaking into the playoffs as the 16th seed, they've proven everyone wrong so far. This will be a series I watch fervently: the grit, the talent, the potential for an upset, it's a great matchup.

I predict the series will be back and forth series with a lot of close games: Penguins in 7.

A Bus

Today, walking home in the dark, I realised the end of the year is near. Last year, I posted on the school website about how I had taught dragons and how I'll never actually believe I got to teach that class and, well, I'll be chasing the same atmosphere, heroism, scrappiness, and positivity I saw in those kids for the rest of my career. I don't think I'll ever write something like that ever again.

--

That doesn't mean a class you've spent 10 months with doesn't deserve some sort of send off speech, so I walked home spouting this speech to myself: "For me, teaching is like being a big brother in a lot of ways. You're all younger than me (when you don't draw beards on your face and lie about your age) and for the most part, I know more than you. I've also lived and experienced more than you. That's where having a big brother is important. I protect you from making the same mistakes that I did.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not like a parent at all! Do you know why-- that's a rhetorical question. I'm not your parent because the second I saw you I didn't love you. I wasn't sure how I felt. I had heard stories (true and false) about you and taught kids like you which affected my perspective. Then at some point when you said something I didn't expect or respected or saw you do something the same way I did, I started to love you (pause for gasps, boos, and fake-hurling). Now, kiddos, when I say 'love' I don't mean 'marry me!' love, I just mean that there will always be a little place for you in my heart.
And because every single one of you has made it this far, I'm going to share something with you, in front of everyone, that you should know:
"Kid A/J/K, I'd be totally cool if you were my boss in 25 years. Kid B, you remind me so much of my step-brother and sometimes I think he never got a teacher that he needed, and I'm sorry I wasn't the teacher you needed but with your brilliance and good guidance, the sky's the limit for you, just like it is for him. Kids C/F/G, you've got amazing energy and if you believe in yourself you can change the world. Kid D, you're super cool, I hope you find a way to express yourself fully. Kid E you made every lesson fantastic I'd be your teacher all the way to grade 12 if I could. Kid H, never be afraid to hug somebody. Kid I/L/R, you grew so much this year, and I'm really really proud of you. Kid M, you made a lot of strides this year and I know you're going to make even more next year. Kid N, I'm really excited about you being a big part of next year's class, you're going to shine. Kid O, every day you got better at something and over the year you got better and better, I couldn't be happier with how you've grown. Kid P, you've got a lot of weight on your shoulders and the harder you work the lighter it's going to get and when it is all gone, you're going to be an amazing leader. Kid Q, you have so many great ideas and opinions to share, never shy away from speaking up. Kid R, way to go, you earned everything with your determination this year. Kid S, you're so clever and witty you're going to make a lot of people laugh with you. Kid T, every story you shared was a great one, keep practising and you'll be one of the best storytellers. Kid U, you've really come out of your shell, you've got a great sense of responsibility and leadership. Kid V, you've got a great heart and you're going to do something great it."

--

I'll have to revise these a little, and, obviously, write their actual names. The other thing, to avoid putting values on what's said first and last, I'd preemptively clip them up and throw them in a hat and read them off as I pull them out. The kids that share the same thing will respect that they're in the same group together, inshallah, and know they've earned it. 

After watching the last class of kids born in the 20th-century graduate high school I feel old. Couple that with the realisation that the year is over it all hits you hard like (insert title here). There are so many powerful moments from the year and from ten years out of high school and it just flashes before your eyes as caps fly into the air. Looking back, I could definitely do things differently... however, I can always live vicariously through my thousands of little brothers and sisters.  

   

Playoffs?!

While in Sri Lanka big things happened! The Leafs made the playoffs and won a game on the road. The internet didn't really care about that one. Chicago getting swept though? That's bad... especially when you plaster this "One Goal" slogan all around town and Pekka Rinne gets two shutouts to open the series. Then JG Pageau gets four goals in a game, which is one more than Chicago had in their 4-game series. There were also other big stories (Guentzel!!) as well and stories that continue on in a team-by-team breakdown.

The Only Canadian Team in the East 

Ottawa is playing great and honestly now that that ginger straw-haired man is out of that town, I can handle them being successful. I'm sure the Ontario rivalry will pick-up though now that both teams are better. This is a great team, Boucher has delivered yet again. They could easily make it to the conference finals. I can't say much else because I haven't watched a single game. 

The Bruins

Considering they fired Claude Julien and picked up some guy I had never heard of before, you have to give Bergy and the Bunch a tap of the stick for even making the playoffs. 

The Habs 

There is no other team I love to see lose. In retrospect, firing Claude Julien might have been the right call, but so was firing Michel Therrien. Montreal just seems like it's in this weird flux. They have a chance to win every game because of Carey Price, but no one else really rises to the occasion consistently except Radulov who, SURPRISE, is in a contract year.  

The Rangers

This is a team that's three years off of going to the Stanley Cup finals and losing to LA. Apart from Martin St. Louis, the rest of the roster looks generally the same. Lots of depth and no rings (Clendening and Pirri were on cup-winning rosters but didn't play in the playoffs). King Henrik can still steal a game or two but it's on the offence to score if they want to compete in this round and the next two. 

The Capitals

Washington's first round series was not exactly a lock but realistically, there was no way they were going to lose it. On skill and experience alone, they had to win. They still have to get to the Stanley Cup finals, something no one on the team has done except for Justin Williams. Trotz hasn't either but he never had a team like this in Nashville. The worry is whether Ovechkin, Backstrom and Oshie are considered over the hill. Right now, the young talent is present but can that committee replace those three all-stars? 

The Leafs

What a great six-game show; I can't wait for Dart Guy to come back. It really just makes me more excited about next year. Kapanen was fantastic! On the other side of the coin, Martin Marincin won't be an everyday player next year until he can live with himself. Everything else looks damn sexy though. 

The Defending Champs

Holy Toledo, these guys look like they haven't lost a step. Probably because Guentzel (3 GWG) never took any steps before this season. The Pens look amazing and even better, they're winning without Matt Murray and Kris Letang. Now that Crosby could be on the shelf things get a little dicier coming out of the East, but before they were head and shoulders above everyone else.

The Blue Jackets

This team got put in a rough spot, but they didn't dig in their heels very much either which doesn't bode well for Torterella keeping his job next year. Bobrovsky didn't have a good series (one game with a save percentage above .900) and Boone Jenner can't be your leading scorer either, Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson.

The Chicago Blackhawks

I didn't even have this team making the playoffs because of their roster. Then they win the West and people just expect Chicago to go deep in the playoffs because of Toews, Kane, and Keith and their pedigree. Simply put, that didn't happen. There's a big gap between the core that won 3 championships and the rest of the group. 

Nashville

This is a blue collar team. Peter Laviolette is great at his job and Ryan Ellis is so scrappy he is built for the playoffs. This is a team to be reconned with there are so many great players. James Neal isn't even on their top line anymore! If Pekka and the team defence continue to just shut it down the music city will definitely have something to sing about. 

The Blues

This team tuned the Wild like a banjo. I figure Mike Yeo really wanted to stick it to his old team. St.Louis does have a very good roster even after giving Shattenkirk to the Capitals. Jake Allen is playing well, and their offensive players is scoring. Tarasenko just picked one on Rinne a couple of days ago and doesn't seem like he'll stop doing that. 

Minnesota

Nothing wild about this team. Barbeque Bruce let loose with another stinker of a playoff performance. He's now 42-43 in the playoffs... that's with Superman, Batman and the Great 8, (in his prime). When Yeo got fired, some people blamed Minnesota's management; hiring Barbeque could be another reason to point the finger up at that press box.   

The Ducks

Anaheim was the team that won under pressure, just like the year before when they beat Winnipeg. Every game except for the last one was a one-goal game. Ryan Getzlaf is also shooting now so that's pretty exciting. Corey Perry is in the dog house after having a terrible season, but the Ducks haven't followed suit. Everything seems in balance. This is a team that could. go. all. the. way.

The Calgary Flames

Statistically, the Flames were not blown out of the water like some other team that wears red. They're so young, give them time, it'll keep getting better. Especially when they get a goalie.

The San Jose Sharks

You can blame their losses on a lot of things. Injuries. Playing injured. Maybe last year they were just lucky. Brent Burns netting 0 goals on 28 shots. Getting shut out twice. Whatever it was they lost. The biggest thing is they won Game 4 7-0 and then lost the next two, that's a back-breaker. 

It must feel like the 80's again

Edmonton is in the second round of the playoffs with so many good things going on. McDavid, Draisaitl, Lucic, Eberle, the Nug are playing well and the role players are rallying the troops. This crop of high-end picks are blowing up right now and it is fantastic. McClellan demoed his old team (just like Yeo did) and has them looking good in the second round too. Get used to this youth movement... it's all over Canada.