2022 Stanley Cup playoffs thread

Maybe this was mentioned and I missed it but I just realized three of the four WHA franchises from the 1979 merger are in the final four.

 

Huh? If the former Whalers had won, yes. But the Rangers and Lightning were never part of the WHA. So that makes two at most.

 

Yeah, just two. Edmonton and Quebec/Colorado.

The other two are Winnipeg/Arizona and Hartford/Carolina.

 

I am shamed. I was thinking of the Rangers-Carolina semifinal. I’ll take my two minutes in the penalty box. Or should it be a major?

 

Felt much better about the Avs’ defense with Francouz in goal than I did with Kuemper there. Hopefully this upper body injury keeps Keumper parked for a while.

 

It should be noted Bowen Byram, who has come of age in these playoffs, was drafted with the No.1 pick obtained from Ottawa for Matt Duchene

 

I'm waving off any penalty. Appreciate your initiative. Most people wouldn't have had a clue about any WHA connection.
FWIW, I still miss the Cincinnati Stingers.

 

The first pro hockey game I went to was Houston Aeros vs LA Sharks at the LA Sports Arena in probably 1974. I got Gordie Howe's autograph.

 

Rangers look like the team with fresh legs from a 10-day rest
Still just 2-1 through 2
Make it 3-1

 

Off the top of my head, after the 1973-74 season (IIRC), the Sharks moved to Detroit (Cobo Arena) and became the Michigan Stags. In L.A., you likely saw Marc Tardif in a Sharks sweater. Michigan traded Tardif to Quebec. Oh, the Stags didn't finish the 1974-75 season in Detroit either, moving to Baltimore (Blades).

EDIT: Kansas City's first-year NHL franchise had its AHL team in Baltimore, but had to disperse those players mostly to Springfield and Providence when the WHA's arrival booted them out of Baltimore Arena.

 

When did Stu Gotz join the TNT hockey talking heads?