PLUS/MINUS is the NHL's worst stat, however, if you care about that, you probably don't even watch the games anyways. Measuring anything is crazy - it's the internet, just guess and then get really, really defensive about your position!
PLUS: The World Cup. I am on record as not being very interested in international competition, and for sure I would rather just watch regular NHL games. However, since this tournament is occurring at a time when there hasn't been hockey for five months, it's proving to be very enjoyable.
While some people can't get over the made-up teams, I must say, the gimmicks are working on me. I can't wait to watch the North Americans tonight in a real game.
MINUS: You would think that if a billion dollar business (the NHL) put on a million dollar tournament where the players combined to be worth probably a billion dollars in combined net-worth, that they'd be able to afford a competent graphic designer to design their trophy and logo.
Instead, it looks like they gave a hyper-active child three crayons and told him to go nuts.
PLUS: I finally watched Straight Outta Compton and it was magnificent. Probably the best music bio I've ever watched, and incredibly inspiring. Oddly, considering their story took place in the late 80s, it's pretty crazy to see how not much has changed.
Anyways, if you haven't seen this movie, go see it. Also fun: after watching it I went to the record store and bought a whole bunch of solo NWA albums - Ice Cube is unreal. Hard to believe the guy is in Disney movies now, but his solo albums are amazing (and slightly scary).
PLUS: John Tortorella. If there is a guy who it's more fun to watch fail, I can't think of him. At least not in sports. Abrasive, rude and highly entertaining, Tortorella is the hockey equivalent of a comic book villain. And, just like Lex Luther, watching him go down is always highly entertaining.
MINUS: The USA defenseman are Byfuglien, Carlson, Eric Johnson, Jack Johnson, McDonagh, Niskanen and Ryan Suter.
Who is the best of that group? Suter, McDonagh and Byfuglien. Clearly. They are also so close in the skill department that of the three, whoever is the best is pretty much down to personal opinion.
What is not up for debate: Byfuglien is a far superior player to the other four. Playing either of those Johnsons while scratching Byfuglien - a puck moving monster who's about nine feet tall - is the most insanely bad hockey coaching decision I have ever seen.
MINUS: I don't want to belabor the point, but have you seen that trophy?
MINUS: Alex Ovechkin is 31. I don't think anything else ever made me feel so old.
PLUS: To anyone who's going to select McDavid with the first pick in their hockey pool - you're bound to win!
PLUS: Finally getting to see Patrick Laine and Auston Matthews - both of whom have looked nothing like rookies - in real game action vs NHLers.
I think any doubt that both these guys are going to be huge superstars has already been put to reest.
MINUS: The strange way hockey culture demands that rookies "earn it." The other day I watched Finland vs. America in a preliminary game in which the Americans won 3-2. With a minute to go and the goalie pulled, the Finns swarmed the net for almost 90 seconds - and they did it with Laine on the bench.
This despite that he's clearly their best offensive weapon, and had a great game where he scored, hit the post and could have had a hattie with just a little luck.
PLUS: I wonder if NWA ever paid for all those Steve Miller samples? Interestingly, both were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the same night.
MINUS: The NHL and the Olympics. You get to play the same tourny without stopping the season and the league and players get the money instead of the corrupt SOBs at the IOC.
I know "its the Olympics" but that whole attitude is arbitrary - its the same players and same teams - what you call it is semantics.
PLUS: September baseball is awesome. October baseball is better. I think the Jays will turn it around and I can't wait. Toronto fans haven't seen nearly enough competitive teams in the last decade and last year was really special. I personally can't wait until the Playoffs. Blue Jays vs Cubs!
PLUS: For the first time since they came back to Winnipeg, the Jets are going to be a really good team this year. Laine, Scheifele, Hellybuck and Trouba. What's not to like? They're going to be - along with Edmonton, Toronto, and Arizona - one of the funnest teams in the league to watch.
MINUS: Trying to spell "Scheifele."
MINUS: Everyone keeps calling it "shocking" that the Americans lost yesterday. This team left Kessel off, they didn't leave Jack Johnson off, they hired Tortorella and they scratch Byfuglien. How is it shocking they lost? All the mistakes with their roster + Hossa and Kopitar are both better all-round players than anyone on team USA.
The result should shock nobody.
MINUS: Jimmy Fallon, for obvious reasons.
PLUS: Back-to-Back hockey games and a Blue Jays game = a semi-legitimate excuse to drink on a Sunday. Good times.
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