NHL Predictions

Usually these things are done by conference and before training camps start, well we like to mix it up a little. Our predictions are divison-based and are done as close as possible to the start of the season. So here are our predictons on the Division Board (Note: some logos are old)


BEK:




MDK:




A good friend of ours also decided to make a couple predictions of his own, so here is what AB thinks:

Congrats to...Zurich?!?!

Wow, that was a surprise. ZSC Lions WON!!!

In a way (despite hoping for the Blackhawks) I'm kind of glad they won, they deserve it.

Victoria Cup

Today is the biggest exhibition game of the preseason, with the Chicago Blackhawks facing the CHL (Champions Hockey League) winners ZSC Lions for the Victoria Cup.

Right now it seems to be going the same way as last year's competition with the Blackhawks beating Davos by 7 (much like the New York Rangers beat SC Bern last year). The hope is that the Cup game won't turn out like last year with the Rangers being down 3-0 then coming back and winning in it with the game-winning goal coming in the last 20 seconds against Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Hopefully, Chicago will be able to defend the Cup for the NHL without the need of a 3rd period comeback.

Another KHL Medical Disaster

Making this one of the KHL features would take a while (it already bad enough that I have to resort to a Campbell article now that the KHL site has changed to only Russian), but the KHL has to up it's health standards. After seeing Martin Kariya being carried off on a tarp, along with medical personnel failing to respond immediately, the KHL has dropped the ball on another serious accident. While fines and suspensions have been handed out, it still won't change how incidents like this will keep being handled.

The Phaneuf Hit

By now the issue of the hit that Dion Phaneuf laid on Kyle Okposo during a preseason game has come and gone. While the hit is questionable, it is something that should be saved for the regular season.

In all fairness, someone probably told Phaneuf that they were playing New York that night, and forgot to mention which team.

Maybe The KHL Is Onto Something

I was going to do another KHL feature on their Opening Cup* which is between the winner and finalist of last year's playoff finals. First, I thought that it was a dumb idea (mainly because it was a season game), but this might not be that bad of an idea. As long as its a pre-season game, introducing trophies to create/promote a rivalry. Here is a list of potential pre-season cups:

Capital Cup
Ottawa vs. Washington
(This was an actual game years ago, they should bring it back)

Canadian Cup
Montreal vs. Vancouver

Nature Cup
Colorado vs. Minnesota

Rocky Mountain Cup
Calgary vs. Edmonton

The Sunshine Cup
Florida vs. Tampa Bay

The Weather Cup
Carolina vs. Tampa Bay

The Bruiser Cup
Boston vs. Philadelphia

The Bird Cup
Anaheim vs. Pittsburgh

The "What Are We Doing Here" Cup (East)
Atlanta vs. Carolina

The "What Are We Doing Here" Cup (West)
Nashville vs. Phoenix

The "We Deserve Something" Cup
Chicago vs. Toronto

*Only english article on the KHL site.

What Did I Just Say?!?!

Closing in on auction day, two things happened: Balsillie increased his bid and Ice Edge dropped out of the bidding.



While this feud is unlikely to end after the bidding, Balsillie should just give up (on Phoenix). With the news on Del Jail-io going to prison and giving up his assets (inluding his share of Nashville). Since a part of Nashville is up for sale, Balsille should buy the stakes and then buy-out other shareholders.

Bettman will never see it coming.

Give Him The Team Already

All summer, the major news in the hockey world was the Phoenix Coyote situation (besides that Patrick "20 Cent" Kane-Cabbie incident). Yesterday was suppose to be judgement day, and the verdict was...NO DECISION!!! After months of legal fights, nothing has come from what was suppose to be the final day. Even if Balsillie isn't allowed to put in a bid, this will only continue.



There is only one option that would satisfy both sides: Expansion



It's not one that will happen, but it's the only way that Balsille will get a team in Hamilton and Bettman keeps one of his "prized Southern teams". This way it would also allow Winnipeg to get the Jets back. Kansas and Las Vegas were other viable locations, but Winnipeg deserves first pick (they might want to put in a couple thousand more seat first).