2013: The NHL season that almost wasn't

How good is Seth Jones? Are we talking Steven Stamkos/John Tavares caliber? Or something less than that?

 

He's a defenceman.

 

I can't even remember the last time a defenceman was the top pick.... or a goalie, for that matter.

 

Erik Johnson 06 and MA Fleury 03

 

It's tough to say. Defencemen are harder to predict than forwards and they usually take longer to develop. He's big, six-foot-four, 205 pounds, skates well has a pretty good shot. I have not seen enough of him to really make an accurate comparison, but IF he hits his ceiling I have seen the Chris Pronger and Rob Blake comparables thrown around. I don't know if he's physical enough or nasty enough to be one of those, but a hell of a prospect none the less.

 

He didn't get his old man's mug, did he?

 

This is his mom...



So if in the genetic mash-up he ends up closer to the maternal side, he'll be just fine.

 

Eh, if he turns out anything like Pronger or Blake...... well, that's high praise.

 

So the Pens draw the Islanders?

No matter how good the Pens are and how shitty the Islanders might be, I hate seeing the Pens play them.

 

Chicago-Minnesota get right down to playoff business. That was a great game. Could have easily gone either way.

 

The top team in the league took an eighth seeded team 15 minutes deep into overtime before scoring on a goaltender with MS.

Strong start Hawks.

 

NHL officially announced the Kings-Ducks game at Dodger Stadium for Jan. 25, 2014.

Unlike some others, I do like the outdoor games. It's a novelty that breaks up a normally long and pretty boring regular season stretch. But I think the NHL could be on the verge of overdoing things.

At the 2011 Heritage Classic in Calgary, Commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the possibility of more outdoor games. I remember him shrugging his shoulders and muttering "They're difficult to do". Ok, fair enough. So why all of a sudden are we staging half a dozen or so of them in the same season?

Will be interesting to watch. I do wonder what sort of crowd the Los Angeles game will draw.