PHR Chatter

For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With PHR Chatter, we’re hoping to get weekly talks going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.

The NHL has an unprecedented five game sevens this weekend, as only the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, and Florida Panthers were able to defeat their opponents in fewer. Today, things will kick off in the afternoon with the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes, before the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers–each with a finalist for the Hart Trophy–try to stave off elimination on home ice later tonight, against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings respectively.

Tomorrow, the Pittsburgh Penguins–with or without Sidney Crosby–will try to put away the pesky New York Rangers, while the Calgary Flames search for a way past Jake Oettinger and the Dallas Stars. It’s going to be a brilliant weekend of hockey, finishing up what has been an incredible first round.

So who do you think will win? Throw your answers in the poll, but then tell us why you think those teams will win. Even give a prediction of a game-winner, if you want. This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.

As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.

For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.

Last week, the discussion centered around the playoff structure and how it could be improved moving forward. This time, let’s discuss the idea of a “scorched earth” rebuild, and whether embracing a “tank” season to secure a higher draft position is really the best way forward.

Is it worth it to add a few points of lottery points to your chart, at the cost of playing terrible hockey in front of your fans for months (if not years)? What about the “culture of losing” which is referenced so often when a team fails to live up to expectations? Does it make a difference whether the team is a small market or classic hockey powerhouse? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.

As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.

For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.

Last week, the discussion centered around the Hart Trophy and what “Most Valuable Player” actually means. This time, let’s discuss the NHL’s playoff format and how it could be improved.

Is the current divisional structure the best way to go about playoff matchups? Would a 1-8, or even a 1-16 format be better? How can the league continue to improve the way the postseason is consumed, especially with the new ESPN broadcasting deal in the U.S.? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.

As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.

For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.

Last week, the topic centered on the early deadline returns and how teams were adjusting to their new players. This time, we might as well talk a bit about what the rest of the hockey world seems to be discussing.

What does Most Valuable Player really mean? The Hart Trophy has been up for debate long before this year, but Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Jonathan Huberdeau, Roman Josi, and Igor Shesterkin seem to be making things even more heated this season. Everyone has an idea of what it means to be the MVP–let’s see if we can’t come to a consensus. This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.

As we head into the stretch run of the 2021-22 season, PHR is excited to announce a new feature aimed at encouraging discourse between reader and writer. On Friday mornings (and perhaps even more often than that), we’ll post a topic of discussion that we think will draw out varied and interesting perspectives from both our commenters and the other staff writers.

For too long there has only been a couple of outlets for our readers to interact with the PHR staff. Live chats and mailbags offer a chance at some discussion, but also run the risk of being too crowded or even outdated by the time the answer arrives. With this new feature, we’re hoping to get weekly chatter going on a topic that normally would have to be brought into the spotlight by a reader before even being discussed.

Today, for the inaugural post, we’ll be talking about the trade deadline and specifically how the early returns appear at this point. Which team did the best? Which move seems like a big mistake? What pending UFA benefited most? This will be a free-flowing discussion that doesn’t have a lot of guidelines, so make sure you chime in and check regularly to continue the conversation.