The Guru Report: These Stanley Cup Finals Rock

by Hockey Guru


We are currently in the midst of the first Stanley Cup Finals in a number of years, that is clearly undecided, through the first four games. It's time for the Hockey Guru to post a few comments / random thoughts:

Is there really justice in the NHL? The suspension issues mentioned in several previous installments of The NHL Needs a Fix, prove the league's consistent inconsistency. That is, suspensions continue to be given not given in a bizarre, haphhazard manner.

While I am in agreement with the overturning of Malkin's suspension, how was Lucic's suspension justifiable? Moreso, how could Scott Walker not only avoid a suspension, but avoid an "automatic" suspension that required the league to overturn it? Lucic was suspended for the same infraction. It's foolish.

The Stanley Cup Finals may be teaching a lesson to the league offices. Let the players sort things out on the ice. The more the off ice officials back away, the more the game takes care of itself.

The on-ice officiating has been great. Not calling every ticky-tack "interference" allows the game to have some flow and not evolve into half-court basketball, with alternating powerplays rather than alternating possessions.

In Thursday night's Game 4, after Staal's shortie, The Igloo was ROCKING and play was fast and frantic. Have a look for yourself:



I commented to a friend that someone was going to score. It could have easily been Detroit, but play opened up and culminated in Sid's goal.

The action in this final series has been great. Unfortunately, there are only two or three games left.

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The NHL Needs a Fix: De-Regulate This, MoFo

by Hockey Guru


Random Thoughts for a Monday...

• What's worse than a Monday morning? Being a San Jose Shark on this Monday morning!


• With 2-3 days prior to the start of the playoffs and at least 1 day off in between games - shouldn't there have been ample opportunity to develop, practice and implement strategies for success on the power play? St. Louis and San Jose seem like rudderless ships with the man advantage.


• Is it time to de-canonize St. Louis and San Jose - to simply rename those teams the Luis Blues and Jose Sharks? Vatican rules require the performance of two miracles, and unless they were each to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win their series, I see no evidence of saintliness.


• Who will be the hockey fans of the future? Does the NHL realize that it is turning off future fans by putting the league's fingerprints all over every playoff series? Won't somebody please think of the children? Seriously, the NHL is one-upping the storylines of each series.


• How long before teams add attorneys to the payroll to be on the bench? I can see Johnny Cochran yelling at the refs right now... (or, at least... y'know... before he was dead and all).


• If safety is the #1 objective - why not just play the sport as a video game? Then, the only worry would be about carpal tunnel syndrome (Gaborik would still keep the Mayo Clinic in business, with the purchase of wrist splints, alone).


• It seems to me that players from the past all survived okay - and built up quite a passion for the sport.

In closing, I was so amped up for the first round of the playoffs this year, but the NHL is doing its best to sterilize this thing and keep each series from having any character.

If it weren't for the paycheque, these comments wouldn't even be posted - but a man has to support his family...

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