NHL 2010-11 Predictions

Once again time is running out on me. I always try to put these predictions out as late as possible so I can take into account the most recent injuries, acquisitions and lineup changes. At some point I’ve got to just dig in and do the write-up. It’s a tradition going back over twenty years although the forum for sharing the information and means of presentation changes a bit from year to year.

As always, the hardest spots to pick are the last few playoff spots. Generally there are a handful of teams you can pencil in the playoffs barring some serious injury issues (the kind that almost did in the Wings last year). The same can be said for a couple of bottom feeders, those with little chance of sniffing even an eighth seed. However, that bottom is getting more and more competitive with each passing year.

I’ve decided to borrow a bit from an ESPN Magazine/Insider article. I have no qualms about this since ESPN frequently robs NHL material from other sources and makes up crap. Since ESPN rates hockey somewhere below bog snorkeling, cheese rolling and wife carrying on their sports radar, they can kiss my ass. The premise is to define a team’s “window” for winning the Stanley Cup. A team can be approaching that window or within the window. If a team is within the window, it is only a matter of time before that window closes and they become an “approaching” team once again. Some teams can stay in the window a long time (Wings) while others always seem to be approaching (Thrashers).

In addition to the “window” concept, I’m going to “trend” a team as well. The idea is to give an idea of how fast a team is improving or declining. Keep in mind that it is much more likely for a really high team to have a big negative trend and a really low team to have a large positive trend.

Just because I pick a team to win a conference or a division does not mean I think they’ll be a good playoff team. That’s why I add playoff predictions as well. I’m sure there are more than a few Capital and Shark fans who could care less whether their teams win the regular season crown.

Without further ado (and I do like ado), here’s my picks.

The first measure is “window”. The first character is either “O” (opening) or “C” (closing). Closing is good because it means the team is currently within the window! The number represents the years before the window opens/closes. For example, a “C2” means the team has a realistic shot a winning the Stanley in the next 2 years; an “O3” means a team should be in contention for the Stanley Cup three years from now. To give a team anything beyond 5 years for closing/opening, I’ve got to have a lot respect/disrespect for the players or organization. A lot can happen in 5 years and a team needs to make adjustments to those changes.

Last is a team’s trend. This is a value from “[---]” (rapid decline) to [+++] (rapid ascent). A team trending neither up nor down is indicated by [nt] (no trend).

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Washington Capitals [C6] [nt] – Their easy division should provide another cakewalk to the conference title; but will the lack of competition hurt them in the end. Questions continue about goaltending and defense.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins [C6] [+] – Dogfight to win the division but new pieces reap dividends. Biggest question is whether or not Fluery can regain touch. Will Staal get healthy quick enough?

3. Boston Bruins [C5] [++] – Some really nice offseason additions but losing Savard for an extended period will hurt. They should come out on top in a rather weak division. It’ll be interesting to see how Thomas rebounds and if he is still with the team come March. Seguin’s importance cannot be understated.

4. Philadelphia Flyers [C4][nt] – Will fight with Pittsburgh all season long but come up short. Regular season will look more like last years post-season. They have ton of depth/talent everywhere but goaltending. Desperately need at least one goalie to play decent (not necessarily great) and stay healthy.

5. New Jersey Devils [C1][-] – Always seem to be just one bad injury away from missing the playoffs. Must find way to get Broduer to be a team player and take a few more nights off. I’m still waiting to see the moves that have to be made to reach the salary cap. These are delayed a few weeks due to injury.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning [O2][++] – I’m not sure they are a surprise to make the playoffs given the amount of talent influx, new solid ownership and new pedigreed GM. The biggest question mark just might be coaching. Can they contend for a cup before St. Louis and Lecavalier decline?

7. Buffalo Sabres [O5][-] – The inability to keep quality talent has already taken its toll. If it wasn’t for great goaltending and good coaching, they wouldn’t be in the playoff mix.

8. Ottawa Senators [O5][--} – Age is catching up with the roster and the inability to bring in quality youth is going to hurt them eventually. If goaltending falters, they could easily find themselves in a lottery position.
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9. Atlanta Thrashers [O3][+++] – I don’t think there is a team in the league that did more to improve itself for the long run in the off-season. The problem is they were starting from a very low position and one again we may have to wait. The dead weight is gone. It should be a team with a lot of speed, good forecheck and a good work ethic. The problem is that there was so much turnover. New coaches, new GM and almost half a new roster in the last six months is going to take a bit see which pieces work together and for communication to work right. I think they finally have a legitimate #1 goalie in Mason who’ll give the team some confidence. To make the playoffs (I wanted to pencil them in at 7 or 8) they’ll need their youngsters to continue to improve. Look for Evander Kane to have a breakout year (30G, 70PT) and Little to rebound nicely. Where the rest of the scoring will come from is anyone’s guess. There is now some depth in the organization, especially on defense so that underachievers can be replaced with NHL ready players. Once again I’ll be looking for a team that can avoid long losing streaks and play hard every night. Finding a way to beat divisional opponents, especially at home is key. The fans will come IF they win, Kovy or no Kovy. Who will emerge a leader?

10. Montreal Canadiens [O3][-] – I don’t buy that the team that beat the Caps and Penguins in the playoffs is the real Canadien’s team. I don’t think Price is all that great a goalie and their new backups are a major step back. This team is one injury away from falling way back.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs [O3]{+++] – I really like what the Leafs have done in the last year. Some very nice trades have transformed the roster into one that should eventually be a consistent playoff team. Unfortunately, they are not developing youth quite as well. Don’t be surprised to see this team in the playoff hunt during the last month and if another trade or two can be made, the Leafs could grab one of the spots.

12. New York Rangers [O4][-] – They made some decent offseason acquisitions but are going to have to play a lot of inexperience along the blue line. Lunquist cannot play as many games, Gaborik must stay healthy and they need to add at least one more quality player ASAP. Drury will continue to decline.

13. Carolina Hurricanes [O5][--] – It was bound to happen at some point. While I believe there is still talent enough to make a run for the playoffs, the financial makeover has left the team much thinner. Ward keeps them in every game but carry this roster is going to be tough.

14. New York Islanders [O4][++] – A perennial bottom feeder might be poised to fight for the playoffs soon. That’s the benefit of all those low draft picks. However, until they turn the corner and get a nicer arena, it is going to be tough to lure free agents. DiPietro better return to form this season.

15. Florida Panthers [O3][-] – A team continually cycling players has no real shot at anything beyond a bottom seed and early exit. There is a lack of identity and leadership here, despite some strong coaching and goaltending. If Vokoun wasn’t around, would this team win 25 games?

Conference Note: The top 4 are almost certain to make the playoffs. The Devils and probably 1 or 2 other teams will fight for 5-6. The rest is a big crap shoot. I believe any team of the #6-#15 teams has a near 50% chance.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Vancouver Canucks [C3][++] – Like Washington, a beneficiary of a weak division. Unlike Washington they made some really nice acquisitions which should take the team to the next level. All eyes will be on Luongo come playoff time.

2. Detroit Red Wings [C2][+] – Not likely the injuries will be as bad as last year and three big additions (Modano, Solei, Hudler) bring back some depth at both ends. Howard needs avoid a sophomore slump as Osgood isn’t capable of carrying the team anymore. Chicago’s teardown should make winning the division an easier feat. Their window may close for a year or two once Lidstrom retires. I'm not sure I can pick out a breakout player for this roster but if Franzen stays healthy he could be a 40 goal scorer.

3. San Jose Sharks [C4]{nt] – Although the talent and coaching is in place, mental fatigue could cause this window to close prematurely. A real-deal goaltender better emerge from the strong group or this could be their last run for awhile.

4. Los Angeles Kings [O1][+] – The young roster is ready to take it to the next level but do they have enough consistent secondary scoring to make a playoff run? Is the goaltending playoff caliber?

5. Chicago Blackhawks[C6][-] – The window doesn’t close because of loss of talent but the opening sure got smaller. They’ll probably be a bit down for 1 or 2 years and come back with a vengeance. They’ll still be very competitive in the short-term. They must eventually find a goalie to go with all the young talent.

6. Phoenix Coyotes[O2][nt] – Team probably overachieved last year but proved just how far good goaltending, sound defense and solid coaching can get you. They’ll continue to be a menace as long as that is in place.

7. Nashville Predators[O4][-] – Kind of hard to give an open/close rating for an operation that always seems to be just a notch away from making a run despite a rather weak roster. I actually expect a bit of a dropoff this year but some of the best coaching will once again get the most out of his players. This year I think goaltending will bite them in the ass.

8. Calgary Oilers[O5][--] – Dipping into the past is rarely a good for a team. This team has shot itself in the foot one too many times. With an aging roster that is clearly on the decline, they’ll be the new Maple Leafs before long, if they don’t accept it.
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9. Colorado Avalanche[O3][+] – The later part of last season revealed this team for who I think they really are. While they surprised me with how well they did, I doubt that can repeat it. More likely to be fighting for one of the last spots come April. The future does look bright though.

10. St. Louis Blues[O3]{+] – Historically this has been one of my toughest picks and this season is no different. A nice solid young core and really nice goaltending tandem. Can the offense get them to the playoffs? Not this year. Is there any leadership left?

11. Anaheim Ducks[O4][-] – What was once a proud organization has fallen on tough times. They quickly learned just how hard it is to replace 2 all-star defensemen. Trying to carry the team with one great offensive line simply doesn’t work. Things may get worse before they get better.

12. Columbus Blue Jackets[O5][-] – The Western Conference equivalent of the Atlanta Thrashers. They have never been able to dig themselves out of the hole due to inept drafting, development issues and a tight budget. While the Thrashers look like they are on the uptick, the Blue Jackets appear destined for the bottom for the near future. With Nash signed long term trading him probably isn’t an option, although it just might be what the franchise needs.

13. Dallas Stars[O5][--] – Things don’t look pretty in Dallas as the reality of a different salary structure and a team rebuild is now in full force. There is some talent, just not enough to compete in the West. Kari Lehtonen should fit right in, but not in a good way.

14. Edmonton Oilers[O5[[++] – Definitely on the upswing but a long way to go until they can seriously compete. They’ll probably be the worst team in the NHL but not for long. They may be the best team in Alberta by season’s end.

15. Minnesota Wild[O4][-] – These fans deserve better. First, they had their team taken away (Stars). Then, they were forced to endured the most boring hockey on the planet (Lemaire’s trap). Finally, one of their most entertaining (albeit injured) players is allowed to leave (Gaborik). They have sold out the place each and every night since inception. They actually have the money to spend, but consistently misappropriate it. Ultimately, I think the changes they are going through will be for the better. That better simply isn’t going to happen in the next couple seasons.

Conference Note : The top 5 are almost certain to make the playoffs. Phoenix may be a near lock. Look for a fight among 3-5 teams for the final 2 spots and the worst team in the league to emerge from the bottom 3. That Northwest division is going to be a cakewalk for Vancouver for a couple of years.

PLAYOFFS/CUP

It’s always difficult to make these predictions ahead of time. Match-ups, injuries and trades can completely change the landscape. The ones I do before the playoffs are usually much more accurate. That being said, these picks wouldn’t be complete without them.

CONFERENCE FINALS

EAST : Capitals vs Penguins (yuck!!!)

I wanted to go Bruins but doubts about center and what the goalie situation will be prevented that. If Flyers find a consistent goalie (one way or another) they could easily knock off one of these teams.

WEST : Canucks vs Wings

Hawks lack the depth, grit and goaltending to make a return trip. Wings and Sharks was a tossup so I went with my heart.

FINALS : Canucks over Penguins

Penguins finally expose the Capitals weakness in goal and march through West takes a toll on the Wings.

I’m officially an 90 minutes late for the NHL opening faceoff. The first 90 minutes of hockey in Finland has changed my mind. Throw out everything above. The Minnesota Wild will compete win the Stanley Cup. I’m coming home for the parade! 

NHL Playoff Predictions - Stanley Cup Final

The end of the season is almost upon us but not before a battle between two teams looking end long droughts and finally sip from Lord Stanley's Cup.

First, a look back at last rounds predictions:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

SAN JOSE #1 vs CHICAGO #2
Prediction : San Jose in 6 - $45 - LOSS

Once again San Jose fell short of the ultimate goal. When it came down to it, most of the stars were not the biggest players on the biggest stage. Thorton had a miserable +/- and Heatley was almost non-existant. When Nabakoov makes his next timely save, it'll be his first and likely happen in another teams uniform. Chicago came to play and worked hard throughout the series. Niemi proved to everyone he is more than capable of delivering a Stanley Cup to Chicago. Chicago's secondary players did a much better job than San Jose's and essentially made the difference in the series. It'll be interesting to see how the offseason plays out in San Jose.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA #7 vs MONTREAL #8
Prediction : Philadelphia in 6 - $50 - WIN

I really wasn't surprised by the outcome in this series. I think Philly has way more talent than Montreal does and the Canadiens good luck was bound to run out. The fact that Gagne and Carter were able to return to the Flyers lineup made the task that much more difficult for the Habs. With their goaltending back to normal levels and with little scoring depth they were overwhelmed. The most disappointing aspect of the series is that each game was pretty much a blowout. Only a couple minutes of the entire series were played with the score close. The Flyers did a better job of grinding it out in the corners at both ends of the ice and that paid big dividends. The Montreal team that somehow shutdown the Capitals and Penguins skilled players wasn't capable of the same against a team determined to play into coach Laviolette's philosophy.

This round I went 1-1 (50%) with my predictions and $50 of $95 wagered (53%). Overall I'm 9-5 (64%) and $455 of $740 wagered (61%).

Now for the finals prediction

CHICAGO #2 vs PHILADELPHIA #7
Prediction : Chicago in 6 - $80

Two teams who took two widely different paths to the final. Chicago started on the season as a Stanley Cup favorite and gave no reason throughout the season or playoffs to doubt that. They easily won the Central Division and were at or near the top of the West all year. The dispatched each of their playoff opponents with relative ease despite facing some tough opponents.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia it was a story of streaks. For every long winning streak, a similarly long losing streak was soon to follow. A team that looked like a Cup contender had problems all year with injuries to significant players. A question mark at goalie coming in became a sideshow during the season as injuries ravaged the position. But just when everything was coming apart late in the year a castoff goalie grabbed from the waiver wire got the Flyers back in the hunt. It took them a shootout victory on the last game of the season to make the playoffs but with it they were given an opportunity to reclaim their season.

Frankly, I liked the makeup of this Flyer squad from the beginning of the season. Just the right mix of youth and experience and plenty of grit. There were some questions about leadership and chemistry but the playoffs have brought out their best. Like many my biggest question mark was goaltending. Was it enough?

The Flyers have had some good fortune in these playoffs. They manage to avoid the two offensive juggernauts in the East (Capitals & Penguins) and faced a couple of overacheivers (New Jersey, Montreal). This test will be a completely different magnitude. While I think the Flyers will be far more competitive than a lot of people expect, I think their goaltending will finally be victimized against a damn good offensive opponent.

Chicago may not have the experience of the Flyers but they present huge matchup problems. With high level skill 3 lines deep, the Flyers will be chasing them a lot. This is precisely the type of team that tends to victimize Pronger. While a big body in front of the net or at the point, one thing Pronger isn't is swift of foot. It the Hawks can get him chasing, it'll lead to mistakes and penalties.

The Hawks aren't short on grit and Byfuglien will give them fits in front of the net. While the defense is chasing the likes of Kane, Towes, Sharp and Hossa, grinders like Bolland, Ladd and Versteeg will sneak in on net. Chicago is also more dynamic on defense. More depth at the blueline and the capability to turn it around on offense may expose some of the Flyers less disciplined skaters.

But all is not lost for the Flyers. They possess a very good powerplay and a dangerous penalty kill. If Chicago makes poor decisions and winds up in the box the series could turn into a toss up. The Flyers cannot take bad penalties. If this means keep Carcillo on the bench, then it must be done.

The Flyers best chance lies with jumping to early leads, building confidence and keep the Blackhawk fans quiet. The Flyers must win on home ice and hope they can steal an early game in Chicago.

Here's hoping it is a great series and we can end the season with a bang. One team will get to raise the cup for the first time in 35 (Philly) or 49 (Chicago) years. To rapid fan bases are ready to explode.

NHL Playoff Predictions - Round 3

Just realized I hadn't made predictions for this round when I turned to watch the first game. I'll quickly get the predictions out there and try to fill in the blanks as time permits.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

SAN JOSE #1 vs CHICAGO #2
Prediction : San Jose in 6 - $45

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA #7 vs MONTREAL #8
Prediction : Philadelphia in 6 - $50

NHL Playoff Predictions - Round 2

No rest for the weary. After dealing with multiple late night West coast games in round 1, I'll be enduring more in round 2 when the Wings head to San Jose. Less than 24 hours after the last game of round one is completed, round 2 begins. I've got to get these predictions out. I'm under the gun.

Looking back on round 1 I would have done much better had the Capitals actually played like a team instead of a collection of free lancers. Maybe I should have seen that coming? NO WAY NO HOW!

Let's start with a review of Round 1:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 WASHINGTON vs #8 MONTREAL
Prediction : WASHINGTON in 6 - $100 - LOSS

Look no further than Washington's power play to understand why this series went so wrong. The Capitals were a miserable 1 for 34 with the man advantage after being one of the best powerplay teams during the regular season. Credit must go to Montreal's defense and goaltender Halak. The Capitals failed big time and this loss will hang with them for a long time. They are quickly becoming San Jose East.

#2 NEW JERSEY vs #7 PHILADELPHIA
Prediction : PHILADELPHIA in 7 - $15 - WIN

I had the pick right but unfortunately didn't place much confidence in it. New Jersey completely fell apart and once again has to wonder what went wrong. The reality is this Devils team was not as good as their regular season record indicated and the Flyers weren't as bad. Failing to capitalize on Philly's lack of confidence in the goaltending early did them in. Flyers played an uncharacteristically disciplined game and did a good job of limited Jersey's scoring chances.

#3 BUFFALO vs #6 BOSTON
Prediction : BUFFALO in 7 - $40 - LOSS

Going in the concern was that Boston would have trouble scoring without Savard in the lineup. But when Vanek went down for Buffalo, the series turned in Boston's favor. Rask was up to the task and will continue to be a key player moving forward.

#4 PITTSBURGH vs #5 OTTAWA
Prediction : PITTSBURGH in 5 - $90 - WIN

Ottawa gave Pittsburgh a little more fight than I expected as Pittsburgh continued their inconsistent play from the regular season. Crosby was insanely good and simply too much for Ottawa.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 SAN JOSE vs #8 COLORADO
Prediction : SAN JOSE in 5 - $100 - WIN

Colorado gave the Sharks a much bigger test than I expected but eventually bowed out to superior talent. This series easily could have gone the other way if it wasn't for a few weird bounces. San Jose's confidence couldn't have been boosted much by this series although it may have sent the message that they'll need to play hard from the get go.

#2 CHICAGO vs #7 NASHVILLE
Prediction : CHICAGO in 7 - $25 - WIN

As I expecteed, Nashville was a tough opponent for the Hawks but the more talented roster won out. Chicago must still be a bit concerned about their defense because there were periods of inconsistency. They'll face much stiffer opposition from here on out so they'll need to elevate to survive. Poor Nashville still hasn't won a playoff series despite some spectacular play over the years. Any chance they could fire Trotz so the Thrashers could hire him. :)

#3 VANCOUVER vs #6 LOS ANGELES
Prediction : Los Angeles in 6 - $35 - LOSS

The upset I picked in the West never materialized. The Kings had issues in goal and will have to make a tough decision in the offseason. They also suffered during 5 on 5 hockey. Vancouver played as expected but has to improve their defense to get past round 2.

#4 PHOENIX vs #5 DETROIT
Prediction : Detroit in 6 - $70 - WIN

I knew this wasn't going to be easy for the Wings but I didn't expect it to be this tough either. They Coyotes did the best job I've ever seen of collapsing their defense around their goal and preventing second chance opportunities. The Coyotes had serious problems on their powerplay outside of 2 games. The Wings penalty kill was impressive. Game 7 saw the Wings experience come to the forefront. Their veteran players elevated their play and their role players did their part in one very impressive win. Props to Yote's goalie Bryzgolov. Without him, the Coyotes might have been swept. Here's hoping a few new fans were created in the desert.

I went 5-3 (62.5%) with my predictions and $300 of $450 wagered (66.7%)

Now for the second round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#5 PITTSBURGH vs #8 MONTREAL
Prediction : Pittsburgh in 5 - $90

I have a feeling that Montreal has peaked. This rounds matchup is a against a much better rounded team that knows what it takes to reach the next level. Halak would have to maintain an insanely high level of play and I just don't see that happening. Pittsburgh's offense is better structured to deal with playoff hockey than Washington's. The key to any Montreal upset is keeping the Penguins scoring under control and keep Fluery off-balance. With Washington out and injuries in Philly, I have a bad feeling things are setting up for an easy coast to the finals for Pittsburgh.

#6 BOSTON vs #7 PHILADELPHIA
Prediction : Philadelphia in 6 - $15

This series got a lot tough to pick when Gagne and Carter went down with foot injuries. If both were healthy I'd have no problems picking an upset. With Savard returning to action Boston should get a boost to their offense. All the focus in this series will be on goaltending. Rask will be asked to continue his good play and Boucher will need to keep the Flyers in contests. Normally I would say a high scoring series would benefit the Flyers but without their injured stars, I think both teams want to keep it close to the vest. In the end I think it comes down to the powerplay. Screw it, I need one upset and I'm going out on a limb and picking Philly.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 SAN JOSE vs #5 DETROIT
Prediction : San Jose in 7 - $35

The classic teacher vs protege matchup. San Jose has been retooled the last two seasons by a former Detroit assistant to be more like the Wings. What he couldn't teach them was experience. The long playoff runs Detroit has mounted over the last decade plus will be both their benefit and their curse in this one. While they may not panic under adversity, I think that all those games are taking their toll both physically and mentally. Eventually they won't be able to push themselves through one more challenge. There is no reason the Wings cannot win this series if they play as they did against the Yotes. I just have a feeling that consistency is going to come to an end at the wrong time. Nabakov must play his best or the Wings will take it. San Jose must keep composure even if a game or series gets out of hand. Howard doesn't need to be stellar but he does have to be very good. Watch the faceoff statistics. Both teams rely on puck control and that all starts with faceoffs.

#2 CHICAGO vs #3 VANCOUVER
Prediction : Chicago in 6 - $55

If you like wide open 1980s style hockey, make sure you tune in to this series. I expect there will be a lot of freewheeling speed on display. So many offensive skill players on both sides. What will eventually win out will be defense and I've got to think that Chicago has the edge there. However, if Vancouver can set the tone early in the series with more than a couple goals in Chicago, it'll make the Blackhawks nervous. Get to Huet by chasing Neimi and I expect the series will won by Vancouver. I don't think Samuelsson can kept up the scoring pace in Vancouver. He's always been a streaky player. Luongo's dream of capturing an Olympic gold and Stanley Cup in the same year will end here.

The matchups are a lot closer in this round as they should be. The top 3 seeds going down in the East has opened up that side to a bunch or just made it an easier task for Pittsburgh to repeat. In the West, all the pretenders have been filtered out and the juggernauts remain. A lot of good hockey coming up.

That's a total of $195 wagered this round.

Now that the Caps are out in the East, I'll adjust my finals pick to be San Jose over Pittsburgh.

NHL Playoff Predictions

It's that time of year again. The NHL playoffs are set to begin. It's become a yearly ritual for me to make predictions with comments. It seems like every year it is a bit more challenging. So many teams are capable of winning a series. So many goaltenders are capable of stealing a game or two to change the momentum. Every team has some question marks as well as strengths.

As with previous years, I'm adding a confidence rating to each of my picks. This time I'll bet a fictious $1 - $100 on each series based on this confidence. In the end we'll see just how well I do.

Without further ado.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 WASHINGTON vs #8 MONTREAL
Prediction : WASHINGTON in 6 - $100

I don't see much of chance for Montreal to pull off this upset. Washington is so strong and on a mission to take it to the next level. They've got size, speed and scoring from multiple lines. Mobile defensemen and an agressive system that fits their team perfectly. What they didn't have last year, leadership & experience, they have much more of now. Knuble may well be the player that puts them over the top. Goaltending is a bit scary and I'm not the biggest Theodore supporter. At least they have Varlamov ready. However, few teams can keep up with their scoring prowess. Montreal needs to steal one in Washington and hope Halak can perform the best he ever has.

#2 NEW JERSEY vs #7 PHILADELPHIA
Prediction : PHILADELPHIA in 7 - $15

You can throw out the regular season records any time two rivals meet, especially in the first round. This is the ideal matchup for a Philly squad that has issues in net. Boucher doesn't breed confidence so his defense better step up and limit shots. Stopping both Kovalchuk and Parise will be a key but so will scoring. Philly has struggled with scoring slumps at times and they cannot afford to do it again. Playing in Jersey for the first 2 may take some of the pressure off the underachieving Flyer squad. Jersey still relies on goaltending and defense first but if the Flyers can get to Broduer early he can be shaken. Flyers need to be physical but not be stupid. Powerplays will likely decide this series.

#3 BUFFALO vs #6 BOSTON
Prediction : BUFFALO in 7 - $40

This series is all about goaltending. Two of the best in the league face off against each other and both generally rise to the occassion. The more experienced Miller is no mystery to anyone who watched the Olympics but Rask is just as good and may have the better defensive supporting cast. I like Buffalo because I think they have more offensive punch. If Savard was playing he may have been the difference in the series. It would surprise me to see a couple long OT games in this series.

#4 PITTSBURGH vs #5 OTTAWA
Prediction : PITTSBURGH in 5 - $90

Normally 4 vs 5 contests are fairly even affairs but I think this one is a mismatch. While the Penguins haven't played up to their level lately, I expect they'll kick it up a notch now that the "real" season has started. Meanwhile, Ottawa has struggled as of late and the loss of Kovalev (torn ACL) won't help the situation. Pittsburgh simply has too many weapons to deal with. Ottawa's only hope is to steal game 1.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 SAN JOSE vs #8 COLORADO
Prediction : SAN JOSE in 5 - $100

I know San Jose has been a repeated underachiever in the playoffs but I just don't see them slipping up in the first round. Colorado started the season red-hot but has played about .500 hockey since the beginning of the year. It is a major accomplishment for the young Avs but I just don't see a scenario where they outlast the Sharks. The Sharks have more talent at just about every position and the Avs have dearth of playoff experience and veteran leadership. San Jose will get tested eventually just not this round.

#2 CHICAGO vs #7 NASHVILLE
Prediction : CHICAGO in 7 - $25

I wanted to pick Nashville but I simply couldn't do it in the end. I suspect Nashville will give Chicago a hard fight but come up short in the end. Nashville does a great job of limiting opportunities and playing mistake free hockey and all their hope depends on it. Chicago will have a distinct advantage at home and I think their offense is just too much for Nashville to match. Goaltending will be key and Nashville may have to hope for implosion in Chicago. Chicago will be nervous because the team hasn't played as well as of late. Nashville will want to seed those fears with an early lead in both games and the series. Chicago better not underestimate their opponent. I think that is unlikely given their familiarity and Nashville's previous playoff contests.

#3 VANCOUVER vs #6 LOS ANGELES
Prediction : Los Angeles in 6 - $35

I'm picking a significant upset in this one because I have a feeling Luongo will falter at the wrong time once again. Goaltending is an issue with the Kings as well so we could see some high-scoring contests. The Kings have the right mix of veterans and youth to pull off the upset but it won't be easy. If the Kings can't steal one of the first two, Vancouver will probably prevail. Each of the Kings stars must rise their level of play and find a way to minimize the Sedin twins while keeping a close eye on Burrows.

#4 PHOENIX vs #5 DETROIT
Prediction : Detroit in 6 - $70

Much like the 4 vs 5 matchup in the East, this one may not be so close. Detroit is playing their best hockey of the season at just the right time. Phoenix has played great but the playoffs are a whole different experience. I expect we'll see tons of Wing fans in the desert and without the added pressure of opening at home, the Wings will steal one early to control the series. Phoenix won't back down easy and they have got to hope that Howard isn't ready for playoff hockey. Staying out of the penalty box will important for the Coyotes as will capitalizing on their own opportunities. My biggest concern with the Wings is secondary scoring. Bertuzzi, Filpulla, Cleary and others must step up to help Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen and Holmstrom. Bryzgolov is Phoenix's best chance. The Wings have been know to bring out the best in opponent goalies.

That's $475 wagered on this round.

One last thing before ending this. In the preseason I picked Boston over San Jose for the cup. I cannot stick with Boston at this point but I will stick with the Sharks. I'm really not sure who'll come out of the East but based on games I've seen in person, the Caps are going to be tough to beat.

I'll take San Jose over Washington in the final though with Heatley winning the Conn Smyth. Not exactly what I want to see but I don't make these picks with my heart. Of course, a lot can happen between now and mid-June so stay tuned.

NHL Predictions - A Look Back

Before I dive head-first into playoff predictions, I need to look back and see how well I did with my preseason predictions.

In the East I had a pretty good grasp on things. My biggest miss was probably Boston. They didn't end up on top of the conference and instead ending up fighting for a playoff spot. I thought some of their younger players would continue to progress but most of their offensive players stagnated. Losing Savard multiple times during season didn't help. Similarly, Philly was a disappointment. For every time they put together a solid run, they would stumbled back to the pack. I still like the makeup of that team but something just hasn't clicked right consistently.

Pittsburgh and Jersey played pretty much as I expected. Ottawa and Buffalo impressed me with how well they played as a team. Carolina would have met my expectations but they got off to a horrible start and couldn't overcome that despite playing some of the best hockey in the league post January 1.

One thing I did nail was "There is a huge drop off from #5 to the rest of the conference. So much so that I think the bottom 10 teams would have trouble sniffing the playoffs in the West...The last few playoffs spots are a huge crap shoot because most of these teams are grouped so close together. I expect spots 6-8 a dogfight between 6 teams in the final week". Unfortunately, the Thrashers ended up closer to the bottom of that pack and on the outside of playoffs. My prediction for the Rangers was spot on and I've got to wonder why nobody in the Rangers front office couldn't make the same observations. At least they might have turned the corner with regards to developing talent from within.

In the West I pretty much screwed the pooch. I thought Phoenix and Colorado would be awful and they turned out to be very competitive teams. While neither is probably up to the task of a long playoff run both accomplished a lot just getting in. Meanwhile, Calgary and Anaheim were major disappointments and I've got to wonder how different those two will be next season.

Detroit did lose the division to Chicago but considering the number of injuries they faced, the players affected, and the duration of the injuries, finishing just 10 points back of a very talented Chicago team ain't bad at all. The way Detroit handled the situation is a testament to management, coaching and players in Detroit. After feeling pretty insecure about the goaltending early in the season, I now see it as a position of strength on the team.

San Jose and Vancouver both played as I expected them to in the regular season. But with both of those, the true test awaits in the playoffs. I don't know how Nashville does it each year but I'm going to have to start treating them like New Jersey and never count them out. I guess that is what great coaching gets you.

Now on to the playoffs!

Thrashers Game Report - 01/09/10

Washington 8 - Atlanta 1

I should have known when I had to spend double my usual for parking because of a monster truck event that I was in for a bad evening. I had hope the Thrashers could build on the victory versus the Rangers that I witnesses just two days prior.

I'm not going to bore you with goal by goal details because frankly I cannot relive that painful night.

Everything started pretty well. There was a really good crowd on hand, the best I've seen since opening night. Despite lots of cocky Capital fans sitting around me while I ate my stadium fare, the energy they brought to the building was nice.

When the puck first dropped, the Thrashers came out and played some pretty good hockey. But when the Captials scored first, you couldn't help but get the feeling of "here we go again". The frustration of the players was easily exceeded by the frustration of the fans. When they left the ice down 3-0 after the first, the boos rang down loud and clear.

It didn't get any better the rest of the game. Each time the Thrashers tried to move the puck up the ice, they'd make a critical mistake. Each time the gave a Capital some space, he'd get the puck into the net. At one point they had 4 goals on 9 shots. The Thrashers had zero energy, zero passion and looked like children skating amongst men.

The final tally was 8-1 but there were much worse things than the score. It appeared that less than a handful of players seemed to care about what was happening on ice. Only a couple played each shift hard (Enstrom and Kane were the two I noticed). They were outhustled to every loose puck and didn't even ramp up the physicality when the game was out of reach.

I think it is time for some radical changes. The easiest would be to fire Anderson and replace him with Cunnyworth. Todd White needs to be replaced or at least demoted. His only vital role is on the penalty kill and he simply coasts 90% of the time. Same goes for Kozlov who is only effective in the shootout. While well liked by his teammates, Kozlov must be benched for the better of the team. Finally, a serious ass kicking is needed to light a fire under all players and those that don't bring more energy must be held accountable.

As I write this, the Thrashers are playing a game I consider "must-win". Any hopes of making the playoffs depend on getting more points during this homestand. Anderson has made a couple moves effectively demoting both Kozlov and White to the 4th line. Why he didn't do this weeks ago is beyond me. So far so good. That line has accounted for 3 goals and the Thrashers lead 6-1!

However, the real test will be whether or not they can sustain good play. A single win will not get them back into the thick of the race. A hard stretch awaits just before the Olympic break and they need to get themselves a bit of cushion before then. Only time will tell.

Thrashers Game Report - 01/07/10

Atlanta 2 - New York Rangers 1 SO

First home game of the year, first back from a very unsuccessful roadtrip. Despite the threat of snow and ice, I shuffled my ass down to the arena to see if maybe the team could turn fortunes around on home ice.

The Thrashers came out strong and controlled a good portion of early play. If not for the superb play of New York's rookie goaltender and a couple of goalposts, the Thrashers might have scored 2 or 3 goals. Instead they headed for the lockerroom tied at 0-0.

New York sees a bit of jump in the second period and manages to create a nice deflection in front the net to give them a 1-0 lead.

Neither team generates much offense for the remainder of the contest making for quite a boring affair. While it was nice to see the Thrashers play some sound defense for a change, I was worried the good play might be wasted. But with a little more than 6 minutes remaining, Slater broke free and brought the arena to its feet when he scored.

From that point it seemed both teams were content to get to OT and get at least a single point. Once in OT the Thrashers looked like a team worried they were going to lose instead of playing to win. The Rangers had multiple opportunities but simply couldn't cash in. The game was headed to the shootout.

While superstars Kovalchuk couldn't deliver in the shootout, specialist Kozlov did. Add another by Little and a few saves by Hedberg and the Thrashers managed to beat the Rangers once more. With 3 wins in 3 tries against the boys from New York, it is a shame they can't play them more often.

Not much better than beating the Rangers!

Thrashers Game Report - 12/17/09

Atlanta 6 - Dallas 5 OT

This was one of those games Atlanta had no business winning. They were outshot badly, 47-24, couldn't control the puck for large portions of the contest and didn't have much jump.

A few things kept them in the contest. First, Dallas's goaltending was weak. Auld let in a couple of soft goals. While Turco was much stronger as a replacement, he allowed 3 more to get past him. Second, special teams were able to convert their opportunities. The Thrashers scored 2 powerplay goals and a shorthanded goal to go with their 4 on 4 overtime winner. Finally, Pavelec had spectacular saves. While I could argue that juicy rebounds gave the Stars some of those great opportunities, Pavelec did make several cross crease slides or quick glove hand saves on almost certain goals. The goals he did allow were not of his own doing. The were either defensive breakdowns or deflections.

The Thrashers started slow taking a penalty in the first 2 minutes that resulted in the Stars first tally. Yet another game where they fell behind. Fortunately, they were able to answer back on a powerplay of their own when Kovalchuk got his 19th of the season. A powerplay opportunity later in the first presented the Thrashers with an opportunity for the lead but when 3 defenders converge on a single Star, he passed it to a wide open Lehtonen for an easy short-handed goal.

The Thrashers found a bit more jump in the second period and good puck movement resulted in goals by Slater (finally) and Antropov giving the Thrashers a brief lead. Dallas answered to make it a 3-3 tie at the end of 2.

Reasoner took a tripping penalty early in the 3rd and Dallas cashed in for a 4-3 lead. 4 minutes later, Afinogenov found himself alone beyond the Dallas defense for a breakaway. A Dallas player hauled him down for what I thought should have been a penalty shot but was simply a penalty (I need to review this rule today). However, justice was served as Afinogenov got the powerplay goal on some nice passing down low and we were tied once again.

Atlanta's Shubert was the victim of a poor call with 9 minutes left when he got tagged for holding when it was actually the Dallas player holding Shubert's stick. It didn't matter. This time the Thrashers got a short-handed goal when Peverly took a very nice Armstrong chip pass and turned it into a breakaway.

Unfortunately, things fell apart for the next several minutes. The Thrashers couldn't get the puck out of their end short of icing it. A timeout and several faceoffs didn't change things. You could sense the Stars were going to tie it up with one minute remaining. Sure enough they did when a deflection of a players face shield got the puck behind Pavelec (see video). From there the Thrashers were content to hold the puck and send it to OT.



The Thrashers controlled play in the 4 on 4 session. Some really nice puck movement in the Stars end provided just the opportunity they were looking for. An Afinogenov pass found Peverly in front of the net for nice redirection and the game winning goal. I headed to the exit satisfied that the team managed to grab 2 points they'll probably need when all is said and done.

Peverly and Pavelec got the 1st and 2nd stars of the game with Kovalchuk grabbing the third. Robidas, who played an excellent game for the Stars, fell victim to the home team bias.

Some other observations:

- I really like Shubert as the Thrasher's fifth defenseman. He plays excellent position, isn't afraid of contact and has the skills to help out on the offensive end. Another great waiver wire acquistion that I'm hoping will be around for a long time.

- Hedberg and Turco spent a good deal of time talking and laughing together in pre-game warmups. It was nice to see these former teammates together. Modano and Robidas also skated by and greeted Hedberg.

- If you cannot afford to have an "A" stitched on your Bogosian sweater, blue duct tape is NOT an acceptable solution even if you are a redneck.

- I want a hat that says "NO, I DO NOT WANT A 50/50 RAFFLE TICKET". I must have got asked 10 times while eating my dinner. I know your dog is cute. I know your cause is good. But honestly, this isn't any different than panhandling. I have an easier time getting the crackheads to steer clear of me than I do these people.

- It is only slightly more entertaining to watch a chicken fajita wrap, baby back ribs and a sirloin race around a hockey rink than giant pucks. Watching Thrash and the sumos check them face first to the ice is real entertainment. I wonder is Applebees has a missing tooth discount.

- On a related note. Can we please do away with the golfing one ice contest? If I wanted to watch golf, I'd stay home and watch Tiger's conquests....Get your mind out of the gutter.

- Why do cheerleaders have to carry pom-poms wherever they go? Do they not know what to do with the hands otherwise? Are they some sort of defensive weapon to fight off creepy 40 year olds?

- Who are these guys that decide an arena is the best place to propose marraige? Just once I wish on of the brides to be would say "Hell no! How dare you propose in front of thousands of strangers? We're only on our second date!"

- I'm give up trying to text the arena jumbotron. Apparently unless you say "Go Dawgs", "i luv u sally. you r a q t pi" or "Go THRASH!" it doesn't get up there. Instead, they'll show those same 3 over and over and over again.

That's it for this game. I'll be at Monday's contest against Montreal. I've got to practice up my "O Canada". At some point I need to learn the half-French half-English version.

Thrashers Game Report - 11/28/09

Atlanta 1 - Philadelphia 0

Not a lot of offensive highlights in this one, but another fine performance by the Thrashers. Obviously, Peverly's 2nd period powerplay goal was the most significant event of the night but there are several others worth mentioning.

- Boulton set the tone for the contest early when he challenge Cote to a fight a little over two minutes in. Typical of Boulton he waited a bit before throwing his first punch. Once he unleashed, he pummeled Cote into submission and sent the message that the Thrashers weren't going to be pushed around in this contest. Judge for yourself.



- Hedberg played superb in net and was a deserving #1 star. He made several key saves early and held up as the Flyers peppered him with shots in the third.

- The penalty kill was fantastic. No small feat against a very good Flyer powerplay. All the penalties, especially late, made for some nervous moments but the Thrashers played very good positional hockey, got their sticks in lanes and fought hard for loose pucks.

- Neither team had much luck with the puck in this game. A lot of bouncing pucks couldn't be corralled and passes were just a bit off the mark. The passing decisions were great just the execution was the smallest bit off.

- The Thrashers finally beat a Philly team that had won 14 in a row against them. Here's hoping they can win the next 13 and even it up.

- There were a bunch of Flyer fans in attendance but they were pretty humbled by the result. More than one of them gave props to the Thrashers for a well played game. Must not have been a Philly native.

I took full advantage of the Thrashers 2 for 1 ticket offer over Thanksgiving weekend and purchased a bunch of tickets throughout December and January. That ought to keep the blog going for awhile.

Thrashers Game Report - 11/13/09

Atlanta 7 - Los Angeles 0

If Los Angeles had a NFL team, you might mistake that for a football score.

Instead, this was a hockey score and perhaps the best game in Atlanta Thrashers franchise history. It's unfortunate there weren't more people on hand to witness it. While the 400s section was pretty full with both veterans and newcomers, the rest of the building was pretty empty. I'm hoping some of those newcomers go home and tell their friends because this team deserves to play in front of larger crowds. I guarantee that a lot of those newcomers will return after the excitement they witnessed.

The game started off REALLY slow. Very few opportunities for either team through the first half of the contest. Neither goalie had to make substantial saves due to good defensive awareness in front of the net. The Thrashers have had some horrible starts at home, so I wasn't at all surprised by their conservative approach to the game.

Midway through the second period, the crowd was quiet, almost lulled to sleep by the 0-0 affair. That all change as rookie Kane circled the Kings net and went for the wraparound attempt. When the puck slipped by the Kings goalie, the place erupted. The arena wouldn't be silent again until the fans got in their cars.

Just two minutes later, the crowd jumped from their seats as Kovalchuk received a breakout pass from Afinogenov and was alone against goaltender Quick. While Kovy is an exceptional player, he's never had much luck on breakaways. This time he didn't disappoint the home town fans, delivering a 2-0 lead.

The torture of Quick wasn't done though. Next it was Bogosian with a wrister only 90 seconds later giving the Thrashers a 3-0 lead and sending Quick to the showers. His replacement got to feel the same pain as Kovalchuk returned the favor to Afinogenov setting him up for another breakaway that increased the lead to 4-0.

The Thrashers had sensed the Kings frustration and taken control of the game. All the Kings had left to do at this point was fight. All five skaters paired off in an extended melee which only fed the fan frenzy. As the Thrashers skated off the ice to end the second period an extended standing ovation showered them with some well deserved praise.

I was expecting to see play revert back to a conservative defensive style in the 3rd period but apparently the Thrashers were having way too much fun and were determined to entertain the home folk. Things got started again on the powerplay as Antropov fed Kovalchuk in his favorite high slot position. Before the goalie could react, the puck found the upper right corner of the net. Kovalchuk now had his 4th goal in the past 2 games since coming back from injury.

Kovy wasn't quite done. Once gain Kovy setup fellow Russian countryman Afinogenov with a long feed. Maxim turned on the jets and created another breakaway opportunity. This time he split two defenseman and put the puck in the net as he was being knocked down.

With a 6-0 lead late in the contest, the Thrashers found themselves shorthanded after a boarding call against Shubert. Even that didn't slow the Thrashers as yet another breakaway occurred when Kane found himself on the receiving end of a Peverly pass. He finished the play with his first shorthanded goal and first 2 goal game.

With 3 players at 2 goals each (Kovalchuk, Afinogenov, Kane) the crowd was on the edge of their seats waiting for a potential hat trick. There was also shutout to hold. With a powerplay opportunity in the last 2 minutes, I thought for sure the trio would see plenty of ice time. But Anderson was sticking to his guns and didn't feel the need to risk Kovy to reinjury (wise move). Instead the focus was on preserving the shutout and that they did. The first one of the season.

The crowd certainly left this contest with a great feeling. We'd witnesses a complete game from the Thrashers against another young upstart. They shined on both ends of the ice and played virtually error free hockey. I'm hoping their 3rd win in a row and second straight home win will serve notice to the city and get some more butts in the seats. It's a tough sell during football season but they certainly deserve some love at this point. I know I'll be heading back soon.

As I write this, the Thrashers have picked up another win on home ice. Their 4 game winning streak is the longest of the season and their offense and power play are among the best in the league. The penalty kill and overall defense are much improved. There is a lot to be excited about but many tests await. Tough games against Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit are coming up as well as games against divisional opponents Carolina and Tampa Bay. The press has already begun to notice this new Thrashers bunch and winning a few of those games will definitely put the rest of the league on notice.

Thrashers Game Report - 10/22/09

"The first game back from an extended road trip is always difficult".

I've heard it many times before, specifically in regards to the NHL. There are numerous theories as to why this happens. Some say it is the added responsibilities that await a player when arriving home. Some say that the road trips have very structured schedules and players return to their own schedules when arriving home. Finally, the added pressure of playing in front of the home crowd for the first time in awhile takes its toll. It is probably the combination of these factors. Right before the puck dropped, I turned to my daughter and warned her about this. 60 minutes of hockey later I looked prophetic.

As usual, we arrived early for this game. Skipping the Ticketmaster fees we purchased tickets at the box office. Knowing it was a matchup between Kovy and Ovie, we picked some seats down low, a couple rows off the ice in the corner behind the goal. Considering the Thrashers hot start and the competition, I was hoping for a little bit more buzz in the arena. Considering the Thrashers hadn't played at home in a couple weeks, it was a mid-week game and football season is still in full force, I guess it wasn't too surprising it was pretty tepid. I'm guessing there were around 12,000 in attendance. For once it was the upper arena that looked empty as the corporate seats were much fuller than usual.

The Thrashers didn't get off to a good start. An early poor line change resulted in an odd-man rush that the Capitals immediately turned into a 1-0 lead. The Thrashers answered quickly on a power play when a faceoff win resulted in an Afinogenov goal to tie the contest. Unfortunately, another turnover put the Caps back on top less than 4 minutes later. Literally seconds later it looked like the Capitals had taken a 3-1 lead but the Thrashers caught a break when it was ruled that Knuble kicked the puck in the net. The Thrashers caught a little life after that and Kovalchuk found some space and a loose puck in front of the net to tie the contest at 2-2 after a period. Both teams looked rather sloppy and goaltending was sub par. It looked like we were in for a long night. But at least the teams were tied after the first period.

The second period was a disaster, with Thrashers goalie, Pavelec, the main culprit. A soft "shot" FROM 180 FEET (that's the defensive faceoff dot) caught Pavelec by surprise when it bounced a bit in front of him. He wasn't ready and out of position and the puck ended up in the net. One of the worst, if not the worst, goals I've ever seen. Knowing the kid is young and one of the hopes for the future, I didn't let him have it despite the fact that he was only a few feet away. The other fans weren't quite so gracious. Just over a minute later, a loose puck in front of the Thrashers goal couldn't be corralled by his teammates and the puck was tapped passed Pavelec for an easy goal and the Caps were up 4-2. Pavelec looked uncomfortable. I begged and pleaded for Anderson to pull him immediately but apparently the coach wasn't interested in my opinions. When the Capitals scored again 14 seconds later, it took a microsecond for Anderson to wave Hedberg in to replace the shattered Pavelec. Remember that 180 foot goal AND the delayed decision by Anderson, it'll play a role before this is all said and done. Hedberg came in a played strong and seem to settle the team in front of him. But the damage was done and the Thrashers left the period trailing 5-2.

All we could hope for at this point was for the Thrashers to claw their way back into the contest one goal at a time. Just when a Thrashers penalty looked like an opportunity for the Capitals to seal the deal, Bogosian got the puck and sped down the right side right towards us. He then blistered a shot (this kid has an amazing wrist shot) passed Varlamov to cut the lead to 5-3. The Caps goalie wasn't exactly at the top of his game either. The Thrashers and Caps would trade opportunities for the next several minutes with me just hoping the Thrashers could get one more to make the last minutes exciting. There were a bunch of penalties called down the stretch and with the goalie pulled for another extra attacker, Kovalchuk made the most of it by cutting the lead to 1 with 39 seconds left. It was high drama time!

Ovechkin took a very foolish penalty much to the delight of the crowd including yours truly. Off to the box for the chicken to watch helplessly as his team tried desperately to hold on for the win. With 6 attackers to Washington's 3, the Thrashers had at least 3 good chances to tie the game. It just didn't happen as the last attempt went over the shoulder of Varlamov and above the crossbar as the last seconds ticked off.

The Thrashers lose by a goal. Was it the goal from 180 FEET? Was it the additional goal allowed by Pavelec after Anderson should have pulled him? Was it the turnovers in the first period? Regardless it wasn't a well played game, undoubtedly the worst by the Thrashers so far in this young season.

It's pretty obvious who my goats are for this game, Pavelec and Anderson. I also have to question the logic of playing Antropov, Kovalchuk and Afinogenov on the same line. While they played a part in both goals scored in the first, they were also on ice for both goals against. There just isn't enough defensive responsibility in that group. While I'm certain this move was designed to get the 2nd line scoring, I'm a lot more comfortable with Little on the 1st. Perhaps trying Kane on the first line might be a better choice. The kid does have pretty good defensive positioning. There is a reason he is getting some penalty killing time.

There were some positives to take away from this contest. First and foremost, the Thrashers shut down Ovechkin. He waa held off the scoresheet and managed a meager 4 shots mostly from bad angles. After years of watching this guys skate circles around the Thrashers and the rest of the league, this was a welcome sight. His Russian counterpart, Kovalchuk, was the best Thrasher on the ice. I'm shocked Afinogenov got 2nd star above him. Kovalchuk kept creating great scoring chances with his skates and his stick. Props also go out to Hedberg who came in and did exactly what he needed to do, not allowing the Caps another goal so his team had an opportunity to battle back. Hit of the night belonged to Evander Kane who plastered a Capitals face into the boards feet in front of me. Too bad an official made a horrible call and ruled it boarding. We were fortunate on this night that a majority of the action took place right in front of us.

From here it doesn't get any easier. The Sharks prolific offense comes to town on Saturday and the Thrashers need to regain their winning ways to avoid falling into a tailspin. They need to refocus and get back to playing a full 60 minute contest. It'll be interesting to see who is in net. I suspect and expect Hedberg. He's earned the right to another start. Pavelec should be back in net soon to keep his confidence up but the Thrashers need to go with the hottest hand because every point is going to be important.

Finally some not so pertinent observations:

- To the 50+ year old lady wearing 2 pounds of makeup, a short skirt and heels to a hockey game. Some things are not better in person. Please stay home and watch it on TV.

- To the parking lot guys once again trying to charge $8 instead of the $3 that was routine last year. Keep it up and I'll use MARTA more. I like riding with the homies.

- To Ticketmaster. So long bitches. I can purchase tickets at the box office and not pay one dollar of fees. If I had purchased the same tickets online for yesterdays game, I'd have almost $20 in fees. What does that $20 get me?

- To Thrashers/arena management that think a photographer needs to harass me every 30 feet for a photo "for the Thrashers". Please fire 3/4 of that staff and use the proceeds to get rid of the other annoying group, the 50/50 raffle pendlers. I get less panhandling outside on Marietta Street.

- I like boobs just as much as the next guy but the skimpy outfits you make the ice girls squeeze into are pretty embarassing. I've seen less nipple on a half-time Super Bowl show.

Flat Creek Loop Hike

It had been far too long since my last hike. With cooler weather and a relatively free weekend, I no longer had any excuses. I headed to the Aska Area Trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest to find some peace and quiet while getting a good workout.

Despite warnings about having to share the trail with bikers, I only saw one group who headed out immediately in front of me. After that I saw about 6 other hikers on the relatively quiet trail. There wasn't a lot to see on this particular hike and it wasn't particularly challenging but the 5.5 mile distance with a couple moderate climbs was perfect for this particular day.

This was easily the wettest hike I've done. That wasn't much of a surprise given the amount of rain we've had over the summer or the rain that hit the area the day before. Although it made for some somewhat muddy spots and one semi-risky creek crossing, it wasn't a big deal. However, the low dew point and high humidity made picture taking pretty tough as the lens kept getting fogged over so no pictures this time.

It took me a little over two hours to complete the hike. I was moving at a fast clip though because I was racing to get home to watch the Broncos play.

Overall, well worth the time. My next couple weekends are busy but I hope to hit the trail again soon. I'm ready for something more challenging.

A last note. Apparently everyone headed to the Jasper and Blue Ridge areas this weekend to get apples and pumpkins. All the roadside places were packed with people. One even created a 10 minute traffic jam.

Music for this hike:

Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By
The Dixie Dregs - Bring 'Em Back Alive

Thrashers Game Report - 10/03/09

Atlanta 6 - Tampa Bay 3

A new season has finally arrived. How great it was to see the arena buzzing with people well before the game started. There were a lot of changes to the roster in the offseason and this was everyone's first opportunity to see all those players on ice in regular season action.

The arena wasn't sold out but about 80% capacity. A nice energy greeted the Thrashers as they took to the ice and it helped fire up the team for their first test. Almost immediately, the Thrashers took charge. Quicker to the puck than the Lightning and more aggressive once they got it, they controlled the puck early. However, their passes were a bit off the mark. That all changed 8 minutes in when Kaptain Kovy tallied the first goal of the season. New acquisition Pavel Kubina got his first point as a Thrasher. About 3 minutes later, Salmela, a defenseman playing aggressive on the offensive end, reap rewards by burying the biscuit and increasing the lead to 2-0. The Thrashers headed to the lockerroom to thunderous applause.

The second period was more of the same. This time defenseman Zach Bogosian notched his first of the season when he went aggressively towards the net. It was clear that coach Andersson's style was on display. I frequently saw defensemen taking advantage of offensive opportunities and forwards doing a good job of covering up for those defensive rushes. Next up it was the rookie Kane with some great speed taking the puck to the Tampa net. He may have been denied his first NHL goal but not his first point as Peverly buried the rebound making it 4-0. Tampa Bay responded by starting a fight but Thorburn put his newly honed boxing skills to good work against Konopka. The crowd loved it.

The 4-0 lead was short-lived as the tiny Martin St. Louis got a tip-in goal from in front of Pavelec on point blast from rookie Victor Hedman. At this point the Lightning grabbed a bit of momentum and I was just hoping they could escape the period with a 4-1 lead. When Kovy took an ill-advised penalty, that got tough, and Tampa Bay cut the lead to 2 as St. Louis scored again. Fortunately, the period was over.

The third period started poorly for the Thrashers. Their worst defensive play of the night kept the puck in their zone far too long. Less than two minutes in the Lightning had scored again and what was once a 4-0 lead was suddenly 4-3. You could sense the nervousness in the arena. The fans had been down this road one too many times before.

Now it was the Thrasher's turn to pick a fight. This time it was Boulton exchanging blows with Fedoruk. The fight seemed to turn the tide for the Thrashers as they calmed back down and started taking control of the game once again. The good play paid off in a power play goal by Peverly and another goal by Kovalchuk. The crowd was relaxed and loud once again and spent the last 5 minutes hoping Kovalchuk could get the hat trick. Instead, he'd have to settle for a 3 point night and a number one star. Peverly got the second star and Pavelec the third.

Some observations:

- I was surprised to see Pavelec start in net instead of Hedberg. He played very well. I couldn't fault him for any of the 3 goals. There were a couple times he'd get out of position and not get back quick enough. He benefited from generally strong defensive play.

- Nice to see Kovy off to a fast start. A notoriously slow starter, I'm hoping he carries this through all the way to seasons end. He did take a couple poor penalties though. Still needs to know when to let the opponent take the penalty and not respond to the cheap shot.

- Bogosian, sporting the assistant's "A" picked up right where he left off. He's already getting tons of minutes and making a significant impact on the ice. He's paired with Enstrom while Kubina is paired with Hainsey.

- Popovic and Salmela played very well as the third D pairing this night. It'll be interesting to see how Andersson works Valabik and Schubert (just added) onto the ice.

- Kane look a little nervous at first but showed why he was drafted #4 overall. He's strong with the puck, has great speed and has a lot of hockey sense. He'll need to keep working hard to stay at the NHL level after his 9 game "tryout".

- Nice to see Peverly pick up where he left off. If he can continue to put up points from the 3rd line, the Thrashers are in nice shape.

- Apparently the "Believe in Blueland" has been replaced by "The Hockey Way". Just when I thought the marketing team could do no worse they somehow managed to match their previous effort. Blech!

- It's unfortunate the Thrashers don't have another home contest for almost 3 weeks. Any fan momentum built up by this win will almost certainly be gone. I'm hoping they can muster 5 points out of 10 of this five game road trip. Then it's back home for a game against the Capitals. I should be there to report once again.

NHL Predictions

The journey begins again tonight. All 30 teams start the season 0-0 with the same dream of hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup sometime in June. For some, just getting to the playoffs would be a major accomplishment. For others, failing to reach the finals will be a failure.

Once again I put on my thinking cap in an attempt to predict where each of the teams will finish. The are so many variables involved that I feel pretty successful with even a 50% success rate. For the first time I'll give a team "trend" rating indicating the direction I think a team is heading compared to last season.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston - TRENDING UP - A well balanced roster with strengths in all units. Last season's playoff failures may be just the lesson they needed to reach the next level. This team does need strong leadership to emerge but I believe those pieces are in place.

2. Washington - TRENDING SAME - There is no denying the offensive firepower but there remains questions on defense. It'll be interesting to see who carries the load in goal. The loss Federov and Kozlov leaves a leadership void. Their 2nd place finish will be result of beating up on weak SE division.

3. Philadelphia - TRENDING UP - Offense should continue to be strength of this team and defense will determine just how far they go. Addition of Pronger should make defense stronger and powerplay more deadly. Emery had better play well or the team will need to look to make trade.

4. Pittsburgh - TRENDING SAME - When you win the cup, trending same is a good thing. But like the Wings they have played a ton of hockey in the last couple seasons and now sport a giant target on their backs. With the rest of the division bulking up to come at them physically, I don't see a repeat.

5. New Jersey - TRENDING DOWN - I'm not about to count them out again. Even without Broduer they somehow captured the division title last year. Eventually their lack of star power and Broduer's age will catch up with them but strong coaching and great management always seem to keep them in the hunt.

NOTE : There is a huge drop off from #5 to the rest of the conference. So much so that I think the bottom 10 teams would have trouble sniffing the playoffs in the West. This unbalance won't last much longer though as I see a bunch of these teams on the rise. The last few playoffs spots are a huge crap shoot because most of these teams are grouped so close together. I expect spots 6-8 a dogfight between 6 teams in the final week.

6. Montreal - TRENDING SAME - A retooled team with a ton of question marks. The difference between getting this seed and missing the playoffs could be a couple of points. The new team must come together quick and find consistent goaltending.

7. Atlanta - TRENDING UP - I'm going out on a limb here. When I look at the rest of the competition for the lower spots, I don't see why this team cannot compete. The scored plenty last year and should have more firepower with the addition of Antropov and Kubina. Their top 4 defensemen are the best in team history. Biggest question marks surround goaltending. Someone must emerge as a consistent backstopper or the team is doomed again. As much as it pains me to discuss, the Kovalchuk issue needs to be resolved quickly. The only way that happens is if the team starts strong. A tough task with many road tilts to start the season.

8. Carolina - TRENDING DOWN - Always a tough team to pick. The seem to alternate between really good years and really poor years so I figure this one is a down year. Veteran leadership can carry them only so far. At some point they need to develop some youth.

9. New York Rangers - TRENDING DOWN - All hope rests on the health on Gaborik. If he can't play 65+ games, they won't have a chance. The defense appears weaker and Drury just isn't cutting it up front. While unloading Gomez's contract was a good thing, at least he produced from time to time. Too much pressure on King Henrik.

10. Ottawa - TRENDING SAME - In the long run I think they'll be better for ridding themselves of Heatley. However, it'll take some time to recover. LeClaire in net should be a welcome change for a team used to inconsistency in goal.

11. Buffalo - TRENDING SAME - Ryan Miller will keep the team competitive and Lindy Ruff will generally get the most out of his players. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of upside skill left in this bunch. They should still be in the thick of the race and a trade deadline deal could change their fate.

12. Tampa Bay - TRENDING UP - Nice infusion of young talent and finally getting the message that defense needs to improve. It'll take some time for the pieces to come together but it shouldn't be too far off. Do they have the right coach in place to build the team?

13. Toronto - TRENDING UP - Burke will turn this team around. Expectations are always way too high in Toronto and the pressure to win is insane. Look for at least one more year of rebuilding before the team becomes a real threat.

14. Florida - TRENDING DOWN - The loss of Bouwmeester is huge. They don't have anyone to fill those skates or the minutes. Excellent coaching and some good talent up front can only carry them so far. If they stick to the plan they'll be a threat in years to come but they'll probably fall down a bit before that time.

15. New York Islanders - TRENDING UP - Tavarres is the real deal but he cannot do it alone. The simply isn't enough skill on this team to compete night in and night out. They might actually get a new arena built before this team makes the playoffs. Good news is they'll be in line for a top pick once again. That 15 year contract for DiPietro is looking worse by the day.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. San Jose - TRENDING SAME - Heatley should make this team even more dangerous but their real success will be measured by whether or not they make the Cup finals. Anything less is a total failure. Outside the Heatley trade the didn't tinker much with the lineup and that should allow them to fight for the President's Trophy. They'll face more pressure from Anaheim in their division and from Detroit, Calgary and Chicago within the conference.

2. Calgary - TRENDING SAME - They'll take full advantage of a relatively weak division. The addition of Bouwmeester will be big but they need to find some consistent secondary scoring. If they can find a way to get Kiprosoff some more rest they'll be more dangerous come playoff time.

3. Detroit - TRENDING DOWN - Sorry, I'm not ready to turn this division over to the Blackhawks just yet. I see this as a retooling, not rebuilding, year in Detroit and that will probably mean a less dominant team in the short run. However, they were pretty poor on defense, and especially the penalty kill last year and I cannot imagine that area won't improve. There is a ton of young talent ready to take the next step so the downward trend will be VERY short. Goaltending will dictate just how far this team can go. I like the addition of Eaves and Bertuzzi but Williams has a lot to prove to me. Honestly, I can't wait to see how the young kids (Abdelkader, Leino, Helm, Ericcson and Howard) perform.

4. Chicago - TRENDING SAME - All the rage with the "experts", I expect they are a tad early. Last year Chicago overachieved and this year they'll simply achieve. Injuries and offseason legal issues don't exactly breed confidence (who harasses a cabbie over $0.40?). I consider the Hossa for Havlat exchange a bit of a wash (although Hossa is better defensively) but the failure to re-sign Khabibulin is a big mistake. I'm not sold that Huet can have the same success and their backups have almost no experience. If what I read about their cap issues is true, Chicago's rise could be a very short one.

5. Vancounver - TRENDING SAME - Every year they desperately try to improve this team and every year it seems like they break even. At least they managed to hold onto the Wonder Twins. Luongo will keep them in every contest. A difficult schedule around the Olympics could make or break their season.

6. Anaheim - TRENDING DOWN - Losses of Pronger and Bouchemin will have a huge impact on their defense. What they gained in return will keep them competitive long into the future but will probably set them back for a least this season. Strong goaltending remains as well as a top line that can match any. They'll need secondary scoring more than ever.

7. Columbus - TRENDING UP - A team definitely on the rise but it is a long difficult climb up the Western Conference ladder. Their first taste of the playoffs was bittersweet and they'll need to make some adjustments to continue to grow. The first step has to be to find some secondary scoring. Unlike Atlanta they've got their superstar under contract and a consistent goalie in place. Hitchcock might want Detroit dead but that is easier said than done.

8. Los Angeles - TRENDING UP - Got to go out on a limb somewhere. This team is due to make a huge jump. Plenty of talent on the roster and solid goaltending getting better by the day. The team would have liked to have landed a big star in the offseason but will have to hope Ryan Smythe can push them and himself. With money still available to spend a trade could still bring significant help. Once this team gets in I expect they'll stay in the hunt for many seasons.

9. St. Louis - TRENDING UP - There's a lot to like about this team and John Davidson definitely has them headed in the right direction. However, they are still very young and their veterans are very old. Some of the younger players must emerge and take on leadership roles for this team to continue moving forward. A tough division makes advancement difficult.

10. Dallas - TRENDING DOWN - It's hard to keep this team out of the playoffs. In the East they'd be a playoff certainty. Someone had to be left out. They are horribly inconsistent on both ends of the ice and until some young players step up to fill vacancies on defense I expect that trend to continue.

11. Nashville - TRENDING DOWN - Trotz has kept this team in the hunt despite losing veteran free agents year after year. I think it has reached the point where the task is near impossible until some of players reach the next maturation stage. With the rest of the teams in the division getting stronger, staying pat isn't going to cut it.

12. Minnesota - TRENDING SAME - A change in coach brings fresh life to the franchise and has to have fans excited. The days of the boring trap style should be long gone. However, that style of play did give them a chance each and every night. Now, it'll take a few seasons to rebuild to a new style. Losing Gaborik and gaining Havlat appears to be a downgrade.

13. Edmonton - TRENDING SAME - Once again Edmonton tried to make the big splash in free agency and came up short. It's really hard to sell a player on coming to Edmonton to play. Once again coaching has changed and there is some good young talent but there isn't much veteran leadership to show the young guys the ropes. Caught in the middle where they never get the top draft picks makes for a difficult development process.

14. Colorado - TRENDING DOWN - Piss poor management pushed a once proud franchise off the edge and it isn't about to start the climb back up just yet. At least they have finally cast aside the useless fossils for a strictly youth movement. Another goalie takes on the big responsibility but without much defense it is a tall task. Only reason Colorado isn't on the bottom is the mess in Phoenix.

15. Phoenix - TRENDING DOWN - Just when the franchise was setting itself for a turnaround on the ice, everything off the ice went terribly wrong. Nobody is buying tickets and I fully expect the team will be playing to 30% capacity on many nights. Their season will play out in the courts, not on the ice and that sort of battle will affect the players. The issues need to be resolved before the Coyotes can even think about winning hockey again. It's too bad. There is some young talent out in the desert that will suffer as a result.

Since the playoffs depend a lot on the actual matchups, let's play this thing out:

Eastern Conference

Round 1
Boston over Carolina
Washington over Atlanta - not if I can help it
Philadelphia over Montreal
Pittsburgh over New Jersey

Round 2
Boston over Pittsburgh
Philadelphia over Washington

Round 3
Boston over Philadelphia

Western Conference

Round 1
San Jose over Los Angeles - so tempting to pick against Sharks
Columbus over Calgary - upset special
Detroit over Anaheim - yikes I really don't want this for a first round matchup
Vancouver over Chicago

Round 2
San Jose over Vancouver
Detroit over Columbus - more difficult series this time around

Round 3
San Jose over Detroit

Finals
Boston over San Jose

Looking at these playoff predictions, I'm left with an uneasy feeling. Many are tossups and a change in a round 1 series can change the whole damn thing. I don't like picking against Detroit. I suspect the Wings will stronger as the season wears on but odds are they can't reach the final yet again.

Thrashers Game Report - 09/23/09

Atlanta 5 - Nashville 4

Hooray! Hockey season is here again. It may only be preseason but it sure was nice to hit The Bulb and watch hockey. About 2000 people joined me this evening.

Some observations

- The arena was a little overstaffed for a preseason contest. I really don't need 6 people trying to help me in the store or 9 people preparing my brat.

- First thing I noticed is the Thrashers are a much bigger team. Kubina is huge, Antropov is a giant and even Valabik looked a little bulkier. While size isn't everything in the NHL, the Thrashers have been much too small/weak the last few seasons.

- Night off for Kozlov, White, Armstrong and Reasoner.

- Lots of new faces out there. Kubina, Antropov, Afinigenov, Kane, Gratton, Legace, Stapleton and more.

- Legace looked horrible in warmups. Couldn't stop a single shot. Pavelec got the start in goal and played the entire game.

- Up front Kovy-Antropov-Little on one unit Kane, Afinigenov and Stapleton on another. Enstrom-Bogosian made up one d pairing, Hainsey-Kubina another.

- Enstrom and Kubina were wearing As for this contest.

- Good puck pursuit throughout the game along with decent defensive coverage. Nice to see some bodies in front of the net.

- Pavelec looked strong in goal through most of the contest. Good position on the puck and decent rebound control. He did allow a soft goal late.

- Afinigenov has great speed but didn't see much else from him. Lots of specialty team play affected his ice time.

- I was hoping to see Kane electrify me the way Kovy did the first time I saw him in preseason. That probably wasn't realistic. While he didn't impress, he didn't look bad either. He did have decent positioning and didn't look overwhelmed by the situation. He skates very well.

- Nice to see Kubina step up after a Predator took a shot at Kovy. The crowd showed their appreciation.

- Kovy look in regular season form. He carried the puck for awhile allowing Antropov space to work. Kovy found him and Antro put the puck in the net. Hopefully, we'll see many more of these.

- Predators score a quick powerplay goal after a faceoff win.

- Stapleton had nice feed to Gratton in front of the net for quick goal. Two goals for Gratton.

- J-Bird and Chuck are back to torture us for another season. Somebody kill the Kiss Cam, Bungie Bowling, Golf on Ice and the guy in section 409 with the train whistle.

- Popovic hurt his chances of making the team when a turnover resulted in a 2 on 0 breakaway goal. Until that point he played a good game. We need consistency.

- Antropov worked the corner and found Little in front of the net for a nice goal.

- Bogosian finds Crabb in front of the net for an easy goal. Sensing a trend I like very much here. Get players in front of the net and good things happen.

- 2 late Nashville goals make it a little more interesting. Some slow footed defensive play and a lack of focus. Most of the blame lies with the 3rd defensive pair. It'll be interesting to see who ends up winning these jobs.

Next up opening night on October 3rd. Get down to The Bulb and welcome back the Atlanta Thrashers.

Evolution of an Audio/Video System

My home theater TV finally died. I had it fixed about 2 years ago hoping to get another year out of the set, so I can't say I'm too surprised. The timing could have been a little better. I tend to over research electronics purchases. I really didn't want to spend weeks doing that this time around. Fortunately, I had been keeping some ideas in the back of my head for when the big box finally died.

The old Mitsubishi 55" rear projection HDTV is no more. For ten plus years it served me well. This second generation "HD ready" set didn't have a lot of the whiz bang features of the newer models and occupied a ton of floor space but it sure did look great when displaying an HD signal.

The "beast" was a pain to get into the basement and it'll be going out in pieces because there is no other way and it is worthless at this point.

One night of concentrated research plus about 3 hours of in-store viewing and I finally decided on a Samsung 58" plasma display (PN58B860) as a replacement. I had walked into the store with intentions of buying a Mitsubishi DLP or Samsung LED LCD set but ended up being wowed by this model. The picture is vibrant, crystal clear, has no motion artifacts and the blacks are deep. Despite being a plasma, the set is less than a 1 1/2 deep.

A few nights of testing, tweaking and organizing cables and everything is finally in place.

Finishing up the install got me thinking about the evolution of my audio/video systems. With installation of this TV, it is safe to say that I've completed my 4th generation system. Here's a rundown of each generation:

1st generation (age 13-21) - "I've got change in my pocket"

Fresh off my first working job as a caddie, I finally had some money to spend. First purchase was a Zenith 13" color TV for $273. Soon after that I bought a receiver, turntable and some big speakers an electronic super sale. Mom pretty much freaked when I brought it home. Her comment was something like "what do you need that for?". I wore that thing out. The TV went on to last almost 30 years!

2nd generation (age 21-27) - "How many CDs will 25 hours of work buy me?"

Out on my own, music was a huge part of my life. I went to concerts almost every week and a good chunk of my money went to purchasing new music. Wanting more power and more clarity, I bought a Sony "Surround Sound" 100W amplifier/receiver, a 27" inch TV and jumped in early on the CD wave. The sickness was in full force.

3rd generation (age 27-43) - "It's my house AND my movie theater"

Movies become more of a focus and I'm interested in creating a home theater experience. A new Sony 5.1 receiver, JBL speakers and a subwoofer are within my budget for sound. For video, I jump in early and get a DVD player within months of their release. I immediately start amassing a large movie library. Once second generation HD TVs hit the streets, I can't wait to get my hands on one. I'm the first in the neighborhood with Directv HD.

4th generation (age 43- ) - "More house = bigger/better theater"

I'm a little more methodical this time around. I actually purchase a house with a home theater in mind. I replace piece by piece of the old A/V system working towards an ideal system for the containing room. This time it doesn't start with gear. Instead, it starts with furniture. Plush, stylish home theater leather seats. Next up is a subwoofer. The crappy JBL had to go and is replaced by a powerful SVS subwoofer. Courtesy of a nice bonus from work, I'm able to replace the rest of the speakers with Ascend Acoustics and the A/V receiver with a Denon AVR-4306. The sound is now crystal clear whether it is loud or quiet. To exercise the full capabilities of the system, I purchased an XBOX 360 and then a Blu-Ray player. The final piece was replacing the TV. Replacing the TV not only recovered some serious floor space but it also helped to reduce the wiring madness. A majority of the connections are now done with HDMI.

I don't envision changing ANY of this anytime soon. I've got more Internet enabled devices than I can shake a stick at. I have picture quality that is probably better than my eyes can perceive. If the system got any louder, I'd probably kill some elderly neighbors. I did have thoughts of going front projection and putting up a 100" screen but it was more work than I wanted. Perhaps another row of seats will be next. You never know.

I leave you with some pictures of the entire room.

New Gameroom Items

The process never seems to be complete. Just when I think I have enough, I find room for more. Just when I think every slot is full, I decide to swap out something. I was warned before getting into this hobby that it turns into an addiction. Boy were those predictions right. With the latest acquisitions, I now own 9 pinball machines.


White Water is the latest addition to the lineup. I've been looking for this particular machine for quite some time. It's a combination of deep rules, good art and fast play with very unique ramps. It's a bit difficult to find one in nice shape and costs a lot of money to fix so I had to be patient. Finding one local was also desireable because shipping cost ($300-$400) will often kill a good deal. I hadn't seen one for sale in Atlanta for awhile when one came up in nearby Nashville, TN. Just when I was considering driving to get that one, two others came up for sale in Atlanta, one from someone I'd met through local pinball parties.


It's in very nice condition. Although not perfect, it would make an ideal candidate for me to restore to like new condition. The plan is to take on that project some time this winter. Right now it sits on the main floor of my house but it will be moving downstairs to occupy the last open spot in my gameroom in the next couple weeks.

The second new addition is a Super Chexx Bubble Hockey. Most of my other games have no nostalgic attachment. I didn't play those particular pinball machines growing up. The Chexx Hockey is a completely different story. Many an hour and many a quarter were spent playing this game with friends during my teenage years in Minnesota. I've wanted to own one for a long time but couldn't get myself to part with the foosball table and I was concerned I could fit the hockey table through the basement door. Knowing full well I could get more people to challenge me in hockey than foosball, I finally bit the bullet. Plus, it fits with the rest of the gameroom better since there is some hockey memorabilia down there. Now I'm on the lookout for someone to paint me some custom players.