The last time the panel was together Doug Maclean, Nick Kypreos and I watched the kids make smores on our beach in Prince Edward Island. Not once during that evening did the two Hockeycentral @ Noon analysts raise their voices in disagreement.
You didn’t need the TV feed to realize that the nice moment did not carry over to this season. The pair have bolted from the blocks on Sportsnet radio The Fan 590 with fiery debate surrounding the last minute negotiations with the numerous restricted free agents. Not surprisingly, the two represented their traditional sides but all would concede the dollars are more than expected. Words can’t do the debate justice so I direct you to Wednesday’s pod cast which is available at fan590.com or I-tunes.
Wednesday’s program also discussed how the teams stack up entering the season and the impact of all the off-season moves. In asking the guys to rank the clubs, listeners were treated to a hybrid of the here and now and where the fellas expect things to finish in April.
Maclean and Kypreos entertained me with two segments of great debate producing the same 16 teams qualifying for the playoffs. Now the unbelievable part is not selecting identical post-season participants, but instead their ability to enthusiastically debate and shoot down each others declarations while agreeing on paper. It is why they are so much fun to listen too and hang out with, yet at the same breath puzzling at times.
Their full lists will be published at sportsnet.ca in the near future but here’s what you should know based on this small but symmetrical sample. Despite adding a seventh club to Canada, only two will make the playoffs. I expect the most e-mails of disappointment will come from Calgary, Toronto, and Winnipeg. Truth be told Ottawa and Edmonton can’t be angry with being left out this year.
Washington is still expected to dominate the Eastern conferences regular season and the boys suggest Pittsburgh will find a way to win the former Patrick Division. Not much respect for the money poured into Buffalo, while even a healthy Islanders club is rated no higher than 11th.
San Jose is the consensus pick to claim the West’s top seed, Chicago locks down the Norris and California collects three more playoff positions. I was shocked Columbus didn’t crack the top eight on either list (Mac put them ninth). Personally I believe the Blue Jackets will finish higher than both St. Louis and Nashville who were ranked sixth and eighth. If they do the host will demand acknowledgement from the analysts. The Blues pour potential and goaltending on the ice and Nashville has top-end defence and net minding, but I just believe Columbus has a better overall blend.
If you are curious, Calgary was slotted 10th by both guys. For the record, I didn’t include the Canadiens in my top eight in the East and both Nashville and St.Louis are on the outside in favour of Columbus and Phoenix. I can hear MacLean right now, “that’s why you are the host!”
We will end the week with some fun on Thursday and Friday with various in studio drop ins from Sportsnet’s massive cast of hockey personalities. Denis Potvin, John Garrett, Louie Debrusk, Gene Principe, Kevin Quinn, and Rob Kerr to name a few are all in town. Expect a lot of laughs and some great discussion as we lean on the people who work and call the games all year long.