Poll: Who Will Win The Gold At The World Juniors?
The 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship is far from a usual one. The tournament usually runs just after Christmas but it had to be rescheduled for August and runs from today through the 20th.
This is often a tournament where we get to see many of the NHL’s top prospects in the same setting. That isn’t exactly the case this time around with many teams asking their top youngsters not to participate with rookie camps a little more than a month away. However, there are still plenty of quality prospects throughout the lineups for this summer event which will help bridge the gap between a slow month of NHL activity and the start of camps next month.
The United States come into the event as the defending Gold Medallists after beating Canada in the 2021 event. They’ll have a whole new goalie tandem with Spencer Knight now in the NHL while Trevor Zegras was the leading scorer in that event and he is now in the NHL as well. The Americans have four first-round picks on their roster while forward Thomas Bordeleau is someone with a bit of NHL experience after playing the last few weeks with San Jose last season.
Canada, the host team for the event, has seen quite a bit of turnover from the initial event in December as there are nine new faces on the roster. However, they’ll be led by returnees Mason McTavish and Kent Johnson up front along with the expected first-overall pick in 2023, Connor Bedard. In total, they have eight first-round picks on their roster.
Finland took home the bronze back in 2021 and they have seven returnees from that squad. Topi Niemela leads the way defensively while Joakim Kemell and Brad Lambert, a pair of first-round picks last month, will help pace the attack. While most of their team remains intact from December, one notable absentee is Penguins goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist who had a dominant year in Finland’s professional league and is getting ready for his next season with them.
Sweden is a team that could have plenty of firepower with five forwards picked in the first round headlined by Isak Rosen and Jonathan Lekkerimaki. On the back end, Simon Edvinsson is poised to have a big tournament that could help propel him into a battle for a roster spot with the Red Wings in training camp while Jesper Wallstedt is a highly-touted goalie prospect. Overall, all but three of their 25 players are NHL prospects.
Slovakia looked to have an opportunity to make an impression at this event but most of their NHL prospects, including Juraj Slafkovsky and Simon Nemec (the top two picks in the draft last month), are taking a pass on the recommendations of their NHL teams but they still have a trio of drafted players plus a projected top-ten 2023 pick in Dalibor Dvorsky.
Meanwhile, Czechia has a dozen NHL prospects on its roster headlined by the sixth pick last month in defenseman David Jiricek. If their matchup today was any indication, both of those teams could be capable of pulling off an upset or two as the tournament progresses.
Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Latvia round out the field, one that will remain intact for the 2023 event that begins in December as there will be no relegation or promotions from this event.
Who do you think will take home the gold? Will it be one of the favorites, or will one of the lesser-known teams pull off some upsets and go all the way? Make your prediction in the poll below.
Who will win the gold at the World Juniors?
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Canada 49% (333)
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USA 27% (179)
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Sweden 11% (74)
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Finland 9% (64)
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Slovakia 2% (14)
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Other 1% (8)
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Czechia 0% (3)
Total votes: 675
App users, click here to vote.
Poll: Who Won The Calgary Flames-Florida Panthers Blockbuster?
Last night’s trade between the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers involving Matthew Tkachuk and Jonathan Huberdeau will likely go down as one of the biggest blockbuster deals in the NHL’s history. For only the second time in NHL history, two players who were 100-point scorers the previous season were traded for one another, with the other trade involving The Great One himself – Wayne Gretzky (link). To underscore that, in this four-player deal, MacKenzie Weegar, who received Norris votes in each of the last two seasons and has established himself as a true top-pairing defenseman, was most likely only the third best player involved.
In the trade, the Panthers were able to acquire a 24-year-old superstar winger, one who scored 42 goals as part of a 104-point campaign this past season, crushing previous career-bests, as well as a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025 (0r 2026). On top of simply acquiring Tkachuk, Florida was able to ensure the player came signed long-term, as the teams worked out a sign-and-trade with the forward, who agreed to an eight-year, $76MM contract with the Flames immediately prior to the trade. That extension, likely helped by Calgary’s ability to give Tkachuk the eighth-year that no other team had, not only boosted Tkachuk’s value in the trade, but was likely a sticking point for any interested team, protecting them from the threat of the young star testing the free agent market next summer.
As interesting as an MVP-caliber-player for MVP-caliber-player trade is, this one is made all the more intriguing by considering that Huberdeau is arguably the better player as against Tkachuk, but it was Huberdeau that was sent along with Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a first-round pick for Tkachuk and a fourth-round pick. In Huberdeau, Calgary receives a superstar playmaker who has averaged over a point-per-game since 2018-19, including an incredible 115 point 2021-22. Not necessarily seen as the superstar-caliber player that the other two are, Weegar has quietly emerged as one of the league’s best defensemen, combining excellent puck-moving with superb shutdown defense.
The caveat in this deal, that makes it feel a bit more even, is the fact that both Huberdeau and Weegar will be UFA’s next summer, not coming with extensions in place like Tkachuk, meaning Calgary, unlike Florida, is at risk to lose their players rather soon. Even if Florida decided to hang on to both players and try to extend them, Huberdeau currently carries just a $5.9MM cap hit and Weegar just $3.25MM; an extension of either would carry a very significant raise, perhaps double each salary. Tkachuck’s extension, on the other hand, comes in at just $250K more per season than their current AAV’s combined.
Not to be forgotten in the deal is Schwindt, a 2019 third-round pick of the Panthers. The forward was a star for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL before turning pro. As a member of the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers this season, Schwindt had 40 points in 71 games, and was even able to make his NHL debut, skating in three games for Florida. As far as the draft picks in this trade go, the 2025 first-round pick headed to Calgary is lottery protected, and if those conditions apply, their 2026 first-round pick will be sent instead. The fourth-round pick headed to Florida hinges on that condition as well. Simply, if Florida’s 2025 first is not protected, it will be sent to Calgary and Calgary’s 2025 fourth is sent back. If Florida’s 2025 first is protected, they will send their 2026 first instead and Calgary will send their 2026 fourth back instead.
So, for the readers, in these early stages, who seems to be the winner of this trade? Will it be Florida with their guaranteed reward of eight years of Matthew Tkachuk and a fourth-round pick? Or will it be Calgary, who received two stars that have every right to walk away after next season, as well as a first-round pick and a prospect? Of course, there are plenty of factors that can affect how the deal is viewed long-term, but for right now, we ask you, who came out on top? We encourage you to vote and continue the debate with your friends and family as well.
Full Trade:
Calgary Receives: Huberdeau, Weegar, Schwindt, 2025 lottery-protected first-round pick (or unprotected 2026 first-round pick)
Florida Receives: Tkachuk, 2025 or 2026 fourth-round pick
Who Won The Calgary-Florida Blockbuster?
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Calgary Flames 74% (3,413)
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Florida Panthers 26% (1,214)
Total votes: 4,627
App users, click here to vote.
Poll: Who Should Montreal Draft At No. 1?
For quite a while, Shane Wright was held up as the undisputed first-overall pick for 2022. From the moment he received his exceptional status in the OHL in the spring of 2019, through his rookie season in the OHL, there was really no one considered his rival. The young center had dominated minor hockey, scoring hundreds of points in his final U16 season (playing above his age group), and immediately burst onto the major junior scene with 39 goals in 58 games for the Kingston Frontenacs.
Wright was made the youngest alternate captain in team history, and finished with an impressive 66 points in 58 games, despite starting the season as a 15-year-old. Unfortunately, he was not only robbed of the last few games of the OHL regular season by a worldwide pandemic, he also ended up missing an entire year of development in 2020-21, waiting for a league that never resumed play.
When the league came back in 2021-22, there still weren’t really any whispers about another player taking over the top spot. In September 2021, Bob McKenzie of TSN published his preseason rankings, writing that “it’s not even close” and all ten of the polled scouts had Wright at No. 1. In fact, McKenzie suggested that Wright was so far ahead of the field, he likely would have gone first overall in the 2021 draft, ahead of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power.
But then the season began, and right away Wright’s lead started to shrink. After missing an entire year of hockey he–understandably–started rather slow, scoring just seven goals in his first 17 games, while registering just 19 points in the same stretch. That wasn’t the dominating two-way center that everyone had expected, it was arguably not even the best player on his own team.
Suddenly, it became a race. Players like Logan Cooley, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Matthew Savoie started to get more press as rising options, though they still weren’t expected to really challenge for the top spot. It was actually Ivan Miroshnichenko that grabbed one of the ten spots in McKenzie’s mid-season scouts poll. That scout specifically pointed at Wright’s “lack of dominance” and suggested the Russian forward had a “higher ceiling.”
Though Miroshnichenko has fallen out of the race–through no fault of his own–the same arguments are being made for Slafkovsky and Cooley, as potentially having a higher ceiling than Wright. The question is whether that is more a case of overexposure to an exceptional status player like Wright, who has been in the public eye for so long, or if his season really did bring up reason for concern.
In terms of not being “dominant,” some may argue that Wright found his game and became exactly the player that many expected, once he shook off the rust. After scoring 19 points in his first 17 regular season games, he would record 75 in his final 46, finishing the year eighth in league scoring. Every player ahead of him is either already drafted or substantially older than Wright. His goal scoring did decrease, as he wasn’t even able to match the 39 he scored as a rookie, but Kingston was also a much more well-rounded team this time around, with plenty of options to put the puck in the net.
Still, his main competition had great performances of their own. Slafkovsky especially has been suggested as the better pick, including by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, who recently listed him ahead of Wright as the best player available. The Slovakian winger has performed brilliantly at every challenge, including taking home MVP honors at the Olympics.
So who should Montreal select at the very top? Do they go with the player who everyone believed would be No. 1, or go with the late riser who has shown a consistent ability against higher level competition? What about the American center, who will be entering the college system that general manager Kent Hughes is so familiar with? Is there a chance they go with someone else entirely, believing that there is a higher upside on defense perhaps?
The Canadiens met with several of the top names at this week’s scouting combine, doing their due diligence when they can. Cast your vote below on who you think they should pick later this summer, and make sure to leave a comment to explain why!
Who will be the first-overall pick?
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Shane Wright 72% (706)
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Juraj Slafkovsky 17% (163)
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Logan Cooley 8% (76)
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Other 4% (35)
Total votes: 980
Poll: Can The Blue Jackets Catch The Capitals?
As early as mid-January, it seemed as though the Eastern Conference playoff picture was already complete given the discrepancy between the top eight and bottom eight teams. At the time, it was the Boston Bruins in the second wild card spot and the Detroit Red Wings as the first team out, but separated by .157 percentage points. Over the past two months, the Bruins have continued at the same clip but the Washington Capitals have fallen off, now sitting soundly in the second wild card spot with a .617 points percentage. On the other side of the midpoint, the Columbus Blue Jackets have emerged as the best of the rest and are sticking around the fringes of the East playoff picture with a .517 points percentage. Separated by .100 and with their final head-to-head match-up of the season approaching on Thursday, the question must be asked: can the Blue Jackets pull off the unthinkable and catch the Capitals, shaking up a conference playoff group that looked set in stone?
In terms of absolute points, Columbus sits 13 points back of Washington. However, they do hold a game in hand. Regardless, its still a significant gap between the teams with just over a quarter of the season remaining. The Blue Jackets do have an edge when it comes to remaining schedule. Not only do they have an extra game on Washington, but Columbus also has an easier slate with 11 games against playoff teams – less than half of their remaining contests. In contrast, the Capitals will face 12 playoff teams in their remaining 22 games. It is isn’t a major advantage for the Jackets, but could make all the difference in a tight race.
Statistically, the teams are not as different as it may seem. At first glance, the Capitals +28 goal differential to the Blue Jackets’ -25 looks like two teams in entirely different stratospheres. However, Columbus’ struggles are due mainly to goaltending, as Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo are both enduring difficult seasons and have their team ranked 30th in goals against per game. Meanwhile, Washington is ranked eighth in the same category. However, with improved play in net down the stretch, the Blue Jackets would become quite comparable to the Capitals. In terms of scoring, Washington is ranked ninth in goals for per game while Columbus is ranked 12th, separated by just 0.05. On the power play, both clubs have struggled, ranked 23rd and 24th respectively and again separated by just a marginal amount of 0.6%. On the penalty kill, the Capitals are 12th and the Jackets are 17th, but only 1.3% apart. In fact, outside of goals against the only area in which Washington is substantially outperforming Columbus is in physicality – 12th vs. 28th.
As for roster management, how the Blue Jackets consider their own playoff pursuit and approach the deadline could make all the difference. Even if the team decides to sell impending free agents like Korpisalo and Max Domi, they could still improve, especially considering the lacking play from both. With player-for-player trades or additional deals, the Blue Jackets could bring in another goaltender and add forward depth to replace Domi and help manage the injured Boone Jenner or Alexandre Texier; they wouldn’t necessarily have to be “buyers” if they target term players. Such an approach to the deadline could improve the roster and tighten the playoff race. If instead they move their rentals and opt to stick with their current roster, it would be to the advantage of the Capitals. Given their salary cap situation, Washington either has to be conservative at the deadline or get creative to make a big splash. Their overall status in the playoff picture suggests the former, but a big move from Columbus would shift the status quo.
It’s an uphill battle for Columbus and would require further decline from Washington, but the scenario is far more likely than it was a couple months ago. How might it all shake out in another month or so? Can the Blue Jackets catch the Capitals for the final wild card spot in the East?
Can The Blue Jackets Catch The Capitals?
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No 71% (835)
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Yes 18% (208)
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Maybe 11% (130)
Total votes: 1,173
Poll: Who Will Win The 2022 Rocket Richard Trophy?
Yesterday, we asked PHR readers to vote on who they thought would win the NHL scoring race and take home the Art Ross Trophy in 2022. Despite currently trailing by several points, Connor McDavid is polling ahead of Jonathan Huberdeau as fans believe the Edmonton Oilers superstar will regain his crown in the second half.
But what about the goal race? After never scoring more than 28 in a single season, Chris Kreider now leads the league with 33 tallies–including an incredible 17 on the powerplay–through his first 47 games. The big New York Rangers winger has been scoring at a ridiculous pace, finding the back of the net on 22.5% of his shots. Will that continue down the stretch with players like Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox feeding him with the man advantage, or will Kreider get passed by some of the former champions right behind him?
Leon Draisaitl, a former 50-goal scorer is right behind Kreider and is actually scoring at an even better pace. Through 42 games the Oilers’ forward has 32 goals, taking him to 231 through his 520-game NHL career. While he’s still just 26, Draisaitl is already on a Hall of Fame pace and could add to that legacy with another few individual trophies this year. Even his shooting percentage of 21.5% this season which would normally be considered inflated, isn’t that much higher than his normal number. One of the most accurate and efficient shooters in the game, Draisaitl has scored on 17.6% of the shots in his career.
If you want to win a Rocket though, you have to go through the guy in third place. Alex Ovechkin has taken the trophy nine times in his illustrious career and looks ready to compete for a tenth. Through 46 games Ovechkin has 29 goals, 21 of which have come at even-strength. That leads the league, meaning if the Washington Capitals captain starts finding the back of the net a little more on the powerplay things could change rapidly.
Since the 2012-13 season, only two players have finished a single season with more goals than Ovechkin. Sidney Crosby in 2016-17 and Auston Matthews last year, when he potted 41 in the shortened 56-game schedule. After a slow start and some missed games, Matthews is right back on track to defend his crown as the league’s best goal scorer with 29 in just 39 matches. That includes 22 in his last 22, a goal-per-game pace that the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar has flirted with for long stretches in the past. Given how many different ways the 24-year-old can score, it’s hard to bet against him even if the others got an early lead.
Other players who could quickly enter the conversation are Kyle Connor, Alex DeBrincat, and Filip Forsberg, though it’ll be hard to catch and pass that group at the top. It appears to be a four-man are at the moment with a quartet of the league’s best.
Who do you think will come out on top? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave another contender in the comments if you believe they’ll catch up in the second half.
Who will win the 2022 Rocket Richard Trophy?
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Auston Matthews 30% (192)
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Leon Draisaitl 23% (146)
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Alex Ovechkin 19% (120)
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Chris Kreider 18% (114)
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Other 3% (19)
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Alex DeBrincat 2% (15)
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Mikko Rantanen 2% (11)
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Troy Terry 2% (10)
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Kyle Connor 1% (6)
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Filip Forsberg 1% (6)
Total votes: 639
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Poll: Who Will Win The 2022 Art Ross?
If you asked the average hockey fan who currently leads the league in scoring, you may get some incorrect answers. Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl–who have taken home the Art Ross Trophy in four of the last five seasons–sit right near the top as expected, but it’s Florida Panthers sensation Jonathan Huberdeau that’s currently leading the way with 64 points in 47 games.
The fact that Huberdeau is among the league’s elite offensive talents shouldn’t really come as a surprise given his performance the past few seasons, and yet he is just now starting to get the recognition he deserves. Since 2018-19, the dynamic winger has 295 points in 253 games, scoring at least a point-per-game in each of the previous three seasons. At his current pace he’s set to break the 100-point threshold for the first time and currently has a healthy lead in the assist race with 47 already. Huberdeau is a legitimate Hart Trophy contender this year and if he wins the scoring race, it’ll be hard to vote for anyone else.
The two Edmonton forwards though are still right on his heels with the added benefit of the Oilers only playing 42 games to this point. Draisaitl leads the Oilers race with 63 points, while McDavid–a three-time scoring champ–has 60 so far despite a recent slump of seven points in his last nine games.
Nazem Kadri meanwhile, who hasn’t ever recorded more than 61 points in a single season, is tied with McDavid for third place with his 60-point first half. The Colorado Avalanche forward took advantage of the absence of Nathan MacKinnon earlier this season and has just continued to perform at an elevated level. With an expiring contract and unrestricted free agent status around the corner, Kadri’s push for the title could result in a huge windfall this summer.
Johnny Gaudreau, Mikko Rantanen, Kirill Kaprizov, and others should be mentioned as well, but it’s a much older player who really deserves attention here. Alex Ovechkin, the winner of the 2008 Art Ross, is within striking distance of the leaders at age-36. The Russian Machine is on pace to break 100 points for the first time since 2010 and could potentially take home his tenth Rocket Richard trophy as the league’s top goal scorer with a strong second half. It’s incredible what Ovechkin has been able to do this season after signing a new five-year deal with the Washington Capitals in the offseason and at this point is showing no signs of slowing down.
So who will actually take home the trophy at the end of the year? Vegas still has McDavid as the odds-on favorite to win his fourth in six years, but will he be able to stave off the other contenders? We’ve listed all the players who have eclipsed 50 points already, but if there’s someone else you think can climb the rankings in the second half, make sure to leave their name in the comments.
Who will win the 2022 Art Ross Trophy?
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Connor McDavid 27% (165)
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Jonathan Huberdeau 21% (128)
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Leon Draisaitl 15% (95)
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Auston Matthews 6% (38)
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Other 6% (37)
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Nazem Kadri 6% (35)
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Kirill Kaprizov 5% (33)
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Alex Ovechkin 5% (29)
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Artemi Panarin 3% (21)
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Johnny Gaudreau 3% (20)
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Steven Stamkos 2% (10)
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Mikko Rantanen 1% (8)
Total votes: 619
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Poll: Which Team Currently Outside The Playoffs Will Make It?
The All-Star weekend is always the unofficial halfway point of the season, but this year brings an odd spread of games played thanks to COVID postponements and the previously scheduled Olympic break. While the Anaheim Ducks have played in 48 of their 82 games already, the New York Islanders have just 39 completed.
Despite still more than half the season remaining for some teams, many believe the Eastern Conference playoff picture is essentially already finalized. The Boston Bruins, currently sitting in the second wildcard spot, have a nine-point lead on the Detroit Red Wings despite having played four fewer games. The Islanders perhaps have a better shot if they were to catch fire in the second half, because of the number of games they’ve played to this point.
In the West, it’s not nearly as clear-cut. The Calgary Flames currently sit in the final wildcard spot, but are just three points behind the Anaheim Ducks for a divisional position with six fewer games played. In fact, the Pacific division in general will be an interesting race given how few games the Flames and Edmonton Oilers have played so far. Both of those teams could potentially contend for the division lead–currently held by the Vegas Golden Knights–with a relatively short winning streak. In the Central, it’s a little tighter, but the St. Louis Blues, currently in a wildcard position are still in danger of being caught by those pesky Pacifics.
Even teams like the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets aren’t really out of it at this point, despite rollercoaster seasons each. Winnipeg, once considered a Stanley Cup contender, has been brutal of late and now sits nine points behind the Flames for the last spot, but has also played just 42 games. There is still plenty of season left for them to make a push, though they’ll need better play from the leadership group in order to do it.
So which team that’s currently outside the playoff picture will end up making it? We’ve included the most likely answers below, but if you feel confident in someone else make sure to explain why in the comment section.
Which team outside the playoffs at the All-Star break will make it?
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Edmonton Oilers 49% (475)
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Dallas Stars 12% (116)
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New York Islanders 10% (93)
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Vancouver Canucks 9% (84)
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Winnipeg Jets 8% (74)
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Other 5% (48)
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Detroit Red Wings 4% (40)
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San Jose Sharks 2% (20)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 1% (10)
Total votes: 960
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Poll: Who Will Win The 2022 World Junior Championship?
In three days, the best junior-aged hockey players in the world will kick off one of the most exciting international tournaments around. Teams from the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Slovakia, and Switzerland will do battle at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Red Deer and Edmonton, Alberta.
Today all ten teams were supposed to play their lone pre-tournament tune-up games, but the match between Czechia and Switzerland was canceled due to COVID protocols. Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets that one player from that game (it is unclear from which team) has tested positive for coronavirus and will be immediately isolated. The other games are still scheduled to proceed.
The U.S. lost their pre-tournament match against Finland today after Red Savage was given a five-minute major and match penalty in the third period. Savage will likely have to serve a suspension when the tournament begins, though that has not yet been determined. They also lost Ty Smilanic to injury, as Corey Pronman of The Athletic relays he will likely to miss some games.
Both those teams would be considered contenders for the gold, as they’re littered with NHL prospects at every position.
For the Americans, it’s Jake Sanderson and Matty Beniers‘ team. The former was the fifth-overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in 2020 and will log huge minutes in all situations for Team USA. Sanderson was named captain this week and has the skating ability to dominate a tournament like this. Beniers meanwhile was the second-overall pick in 2021 by the Seattle Kraken and is the kind of lynchpin center that you can build an entire forward group around. Both were part of the team that won gold at last year’s tournament.
The Finns meanwhile took home the bronze in last year’s event and several of those names are back for revenge. Topi Niemela, a Toronto Maple Leafs third-round pick was named the tournament’s best defenseman in 2021 and is back for more. Another Maple Leafs pick is captaining the group; Roni Hirvonen showed exactly why he’s the leader as he ended today’s match in overtime with a blistering wrist shot. But don’t forget about draft-eligible Brad Lambert, who could go as high as second overall in 2022 if he has a strong stretch run.
As always, Canada is a medal favorite once again after winning silver a year ago. The Canadians are so loaded this time around that Owen Power, the first-overall pick in 2021, isn’t even one of the captains. The “C” will be on Kaiden Guhle‘s chest instead, as he returns to lead this group after last year’s defeat. With Power, this group could have three first-overall picks as Shane Wright (projected first for 2022) and Connor Bedard (2023) are both on the team.
Bedard isn’t the only contender for that spot though, and Russia also heads to Red Deer with their 2023-eligible superstar. Matvei Michkov has been breaking junior records set by Alex Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov as he prepares for his spotlight moment in Alberta. The MVP at the U18 tournament last year, Michkov put up 12 goals and 16 points in just seven games. Russia has had trouble on defense internationally for the past few years, but New Jersey Devils prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin will try to change that. He’s already in his third year as a regular in the KHL, so taking advantage of some players his own age shouldn’t be an issue.
And then there’s Sweden, who have two forwards on the roster who played in the NHL this season (Canada has three). William Eklund and Alexander Holtz are both still looking for their first NHL goals, but they won’t have to wait long to score in this tournament considering their history. Holtz has already played in this event twice before but he’s looking for his first gold.
So which team will actually take home the top prize? The two groups can be found here. Things kick off on December 26 when Finland takes on Germany.
Which country will win WJC gold in 2022?
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Canada 60% (545)
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United States 21% (190)
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Finland 6% (57)
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Sweden 6% (53)
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Russia 5% (46)
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Other 2% (18)
Total votes: 909
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Poll: Is Ben Bishop A Hall Of Fame Goaltender?
Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop held a press conference today to discuss the end of his career. After trying to rehab and recover from a knee injury that has bothered him for more than two years, Bishop played a single game in the AHL before throwing in the towel. He explained just what he was dealing with all this time and how it didn’t allow him from continuing his career:
If I was a forward, I could be playing right now. But just with the butterfly, the torque you put on your knee, it just couldn’t really get better.
Last week when we drained it, there was still some flecks in the fluid which means there was some cartilage wearing away. With all that, I still wanted to go down and give it a try because I wanted one last try to make sure. I was hoping I could go down and everything would be OK. But obviously after the game, it blew up. In talking to the doctors, it doesn’t make sense to just kind of be ripping your knee apart if you’re not going to get back to playing.
Bishop will not technically retire, as his contract extends through the 2022-23 season. He’s owed $3.5MM for this season and next, meaning he’ll be just moved to long-term injured reserve for now. His playing days are over though, which means fans can look back and dissect an outstanding playing career that was unfortunately cut short.
There is a real question that arises when considering Bishop’s excellent-but-limited NHL career. Should he be considered for the Hall of Fame?
At first thought the easy answer may be no, given he never won a major award, never won the Stanley Cup, and was really only a full-time NHL player for seven years. But that seven-year stretch was also some of the best goaltending the league has ever seen, as fans of the Lightning and Stars will attest.
In 2013-14, his first full season with Tampa Bay, Bishop started 64 games for the Lightning, going 37-14-7 with a .924 save percentage. He finished third in Vezina Trophy voting, behind the winner Tuukka Rask (36-15-6, .930) and runner-up Semyon Varlamov (41-14-6, .927). He actually finished ahead of Rask in the Hart Trophy voting though (but behind Varlamov) because of the view of Tampa at the time. After all, they’d missed the playoffs each of the previous two seasons and were under the guidance of a rookie head coach–some guy named Jon Cooper.
Not a bad start for a goaltender that was already on his third team.
In 2014-15, he took a slight step back in terms of save percentage, posting a .916 for the Lightning. The team was a lot better though, as Bishop secured 40 wins in 62 appearances during the regular season. He then started another 25 games in the playoffs, helping the Lightning all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, where they would fall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Bishop’s numbers that postseason? A .921 save percentage and playoff-leading three shutouts.
When 2015-16 rolled around there was no doubting his ability, and what would follow was an incredible goaltending season. In 61 appearances, Bishop went 35-21-4, posted a .926 save percentage, and league-leading 2.06 goals-against average. In the playoffs, he’d go 8-2 with a .939 save percentage and it looked like he was on his way to a potential Conn Smythe nomination, but ended up stretchered off the ice during the first period of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals. Young Andrei Vasilevskiy would play the next six games, ultimately losing in a heartbreaking game seven to the Pittsburgh Penguins. When the Vezina votes were tallied that year, Bishop would come close to another victory, but end up coming second to future teammate Braden Holtby‘s 48-9-7 record, despite the Washington netminder’s worse numbers in other categories.
Injury had robbed him of a chance to further his legacy those playoffs, and the Vezina finish would be a sign of things to come. Bishop played just 39 games in 2016-17 as Vasilevskiy took over in Tampa Bay, forcing the Lightning to find a trade partner. Bishop was shipped to the Los Angeles Kings, where he served as a backup to Jonathan Quick down the stretch. He’d play just seven games with the Kings before an offseason trade and extension brought him to the Dallas Stars.
It’s in Dallas where perhaps his most compelling case for the Hall of Fame took place. In his first year, he was a strong starter for the Stars, putting up a 26-17-5 record with a .916 save percentage. It’s that 2018-19 season that could have changed his legacy though, had voters felt stronger about his case over that of his former protege. Andrei Vasilevskiy took home the Vezina as the Lightning posted a historic 62-16-4 record, but Bishop had outpaced him in nearly every goaltending metric. In fact, since they started tracking shot data, Bishop’s 2018-19 .934 save percentage is the fourth-best in history among goaltenders who appeared in at least 41 games. He’d finish second in the voting, a finalist for the third time in his career.
Overall, Bishop ranks 78th all-time in wins by a goaltender with 222. He’s even further down that list in terms of games played. His career was extremely short, there’s no getting around that. But it was also outstanding. His .921 career save percentage puts him fifth, behind only Dominik Hasek, Johnny Bower, Rask, and Ken Dryden. Three of those names are in the Hall of Fame, the fourth likely will be one day.
So is Bishop a candidate for the Hall of Fame? Or is he just another member of the Hall of Very Good, with a career cut short by injury, overlooked by voters, and ultimately, unsuccessful in reaching the pinnacle of the sport–the Stanley Cup.
Does Ben Bishop deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?
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No 82% (1,141)
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Yes 18% (252)
Total votes: 1,393
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
Poll: Which Thanksgiving Playoff Teams Will Fall Short In 2021-22?
American Thanksgiving arrived on Thursday and with it a shadow that looms large in the NHL. As teams return to the ice on Friday, they have the specter of an unavoidable trend to contend with. Over the past eight years, the Thanksgiving standings have been over 75% accurate at forecasting eventual playoff teams, predicting at least 12 of 16 spots on average. Even though American Thanksgiving only rolls around less than two months into the season, at about the 30% mark, three out of four teams in a playoff spot at that time will have retained their postseason berth when the season ends.
Last year, adjusting for “Thanksgiving” being a games played average given the league’s delayed start, it was even more predictive. 14 of 16 teams in a playoff position on February 21 winded up making the postseason, with only the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars missing out.
As much as teams outside the playoff picture on Thanksgiving fear missing out when the pattern has been so unrelenting, those clubs can at least be fueled by the desire to buck the trend. The greater concern is for those teams currently in postseason position – and not wanting to be one of the select few who blow their playoff spot by years end.
Below are the current league standings (by points percentage):
Eastern Conference
A1. Florida Panthers (.816)
M1. Carolina Hurricanes (.806)
M2. Washington Capitals (.725)
M3. New York Rangers (.711)
A2. Tampa Bay Lightning (.694)
A3. Toronto Maple Leafs (.690)
W1. Columbus Blue Jackets (.647)
W2. Boston Bruins (.625)
New Jersey Devils (.588)
Pittsburgh Penguins (.579)
Philadelphia Flyers (.556)
Detroit Red Wings (.500)
Buffalo Sabres (.421)
New York Islanders (.375)
Montreal Canadiens (.286)
Ottawa Senators (.265)
Western Conference
P1. Edmonton Oilers (.737)
C1. Minnesota Wild (.658)
P2. Calgary Flames (.725)
C2. Colorado Avalanche (.656)
P3. Vegas Golden Knights (.600)
C3. St. Louis Blues (.579)
W1. Winnipeg Jets (.579)
W2. Anaheim Ducks (.575)
Nashville Predators (.553)
San Jose Sharks (.553)
Dallas Stars (.529)
Los Angeles Kings (.500)
Chicago Blackhawks (.368)
Vancouver Canucks (.350)
Seattle Kraken (.342)
Arizona Coyotes (.250)
Which playoff teams do you think will be the exception to the rule that is the NHL’s Thanksgiving trend, losing their spot over the remaining 70% of the season? Comment with which teams outside the top eight in each conference could steal a spot.
Which Thanksgiving Playoff Teams Will Fall Short In 2021-22?
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Anaheim Ducks 31% (225)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 28% (204)
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New York Rangers 8% (56)
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Winnipeg Jets 7% (54)
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Boston Bruins 6% (47)
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Toronto Maple Leafs 4% (30)
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St. Louis Blues 4% (27)
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Vegas Golden Knights 3% (22)
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Minnesota Wild 3% (21)
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Calgary Flames 2% (18)
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Washington Capitals 2% (12)
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Edmonton Oilers 1% (7)
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Florida Panthers 1% (6)
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Colorado Avalanche 0% (3)
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Carolina Hurricanes 0% (2)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 0% (1)
Total votes: 735