z-Archives (other articles)

Every save in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is magnified to such an extreme degree that each shot could mean the difference between winning and losing a series. And when it comes to a goaltender suppressing that pressure, whether the force comes from an internal or external source, there’s a certain amount of equanimity that must be executed in order to stop pucks effectively in a seven game series.

The third annual Prime Cuts roster is here! Check out the Prime Cuts rosters from 2007-08 and 2008-09. The thinking process that goes in to selecting the team is similar to Pierre McGuire’s “Monsters” for TSN (I promise that is the first and only time I will compare my thinking process to Pierre’s). Since this is a fantasy hockey site, the selection process favours players that have had strong seasons on the score sheet, obviously. However, not just goals and assists are weighted – perhaps a player has started to shoot the puck more, or play better defensively. Intangibles like heart, grit, and determination factor in to the selection process as well. It is far and away my favourite article to write each year, and I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Part 2 of the article series will name the second defensive pairing and third line.

Disclaimer: Read on if you want to indulge in a half-serious and slightly narcissistic (but likely relatable) tale of fantasy hockey tragedy.  Should you be looking for useful fantasy advice, then try here instead.

Dear “speciald”,

By now you know that you’ve beaten me.

The results are in, and while the order hasn't changed since the season ended, have the options available to GMs shifted?

Here are the individual and averaged predicitions for the first round of the NHL playoffs from Dobber, Angus, Bugg, Ma, Miller, and more! The panel's consensus picks were 12-3 last year, and we boast an impressive 34-11 record over the past three seasons!

*Note: charts will be updated as the crew submits their responses, so be sure to check back!

As they say back where I’m from around this time of year, “Time to saddle up and ride, boys.” Yes, the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs are here and that means my second-annual Playoff Beast Tracker is back! Just like last year, I’ll update this chart on a nightly basis with stats that truly matter when it comes to analyzing goalies in the postseason.

If I had to compare the goaltending heading into the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs to anything, it would probably be trench warfare. Some of these goalies won’t look pretty, but they will still win games and effectively help their team win the Cup. It will be a dirty, lung-bursting job for many young and inexperienced goalies, but it will still get done, as there are seven goalies with no playoff experience, including five of the eight “starters” in the Western Conference.

Canada and the United States are favorites once again, but as always Europe- and one particular country who handed the red and white an exhibition upset- are potential spoilers at the IIHF World Under 18 Hockey Championships in Minsk, Belarus.