A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
The NHL kicked off its second half this Monday, though you would probably never have noticed because of all the Super Bowl coverage and the non-surprising (but still appalling) lack of NHL coverage on Sportscenter.
Amidst the greatness of the MLB playoffs, the ending of the NBA lockout, the NFL season, college basketball and now the Super Bowl, the NHL has been wrongly overlooked this season, a season that is, arguably, one of the best since the lockout year in 2004. [Read more...]
Football players risk their long-term health on every play. Baseball players are notorious for steroid use. Freakishly athletic basketball players will attack the rim knowing every time they could get fouled and go tumbling to the hardwood floor. Soccer players will use their head to redirect, in mid-air, a large and relatively firm ball traveling at great speeds.
The point is, athletes will do anything and everything to gain a competitive advantage.
Including flop.
Last Wednesday Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Patrick Kane won the game with an amazing shootout goal that had the whole ‘Hawk fan base in a buzz.
I think it’s very safe to say that Jonathan Toews is going to be in NHL MVP talks by the end of the season.
The NHL approved a completely new and “radical” realignment of its teams Monday night, changing its six-division format to four conferences.
Talks about making changes to the six-division format really heated up when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg this offseason. With two options on the table – one dramatic, one simple – the NHL picked the more drastic realignment approach.
I am not a diehard hockey fan like some people. I prefer NFL and NBA. However, if the NBA doesn’t have a season, I will be tuning in to the NHL.
I watch when I can, but when Sidney Crosby is on the ice, I make more of a point to tune in.
And after dealing with the effects of a concussion since January 5th, Crosby will finally be back on the ice tonight.
Many NBA fans who were hopeful that the 2011-12 season would happen must have been disappointed to hear the news that the season will now likely not happen (or be severely truncated if it does).
While I was never a big fan of the NBA, I feel for the fans who may now go through a single year without their favorite team and players play. I also assume that many of those fans are looking for some kind of alternative.
Average attendance for Major League Soccer games during the 2011 season was up 7 percent to 17,872. That number is slightly larger than the per-game attendance for the NBA (17,319) and NHL (17,126) during those leagues’ 2010-11 seasons.
With baseball wrapping up, no NBA season in sight, and the NFL only being on a couple times a week, looks like you’ll be turning to the ice for your sports fix.
I mean, you could just do something else, but you won’t. So kick back, relax and enjoy the conclusion of the MSF NHL Preview. (View Part 1 here: Eastern Conference Preview and Predictions.)
Now let’s make like Ice Cube and “Rep That West”
It’s that time of year once again. The first round of the MLB playoffs is wrapping up, the NFL is beginning it’s bye-weeks, the NBA is… really depressing.
As the resident Canadian of MSF, I was born with a Rainman-like talent for projecting hockey results. So in a rare moment where I’m not completely focused on the MLB postseason, I’m here to tell you how I see this upcoming NHL season unfolding.
Chicago Blackhawks season is right around the corner. Do you know why I know this? Because Blackhawks fans are lighting up my Twitter feed with nothing but jokes, attacking the Vancouver Canucks.
And if you don’t know about the Vancouver/Chicago rivalry by now, you need to…ASAP.
[Read more...]
I am happy to announce that we are only 28 days away from some Chicago Blackhawks preseason hockey. While you might not be able to actually go to as many games this season as you’d like to because of insane ticket prices (very insane I might add), there are various ways to get your house, computer, and even your mind ready for the upcoming hockey season.
It wasn’t very long after the Chicago Blackhawks officially introduced Daniel Carcillo (along with Andrew Brunette) that Carcillo started showing the “screw you” attitude he’s so well known for.
He did not delay attacking rival Vancouver, and not just the team but specific players, naming Max Lapierre to be on the top of his list. Carcillo has a long history of trash-talking that goes along with his dirty play.
There’s been many fan debates about whether the Chicago Blackhawks are a better team than they were last season after the major overhaul of their defensive unit. There’s no doubt that the ‘Hawks became a tougher team with the addition of Andrew Brunette, Sean O’Donnell, and Daniel Carcillo, but does it make up for losing Brian Campbell and Troy Brouwer, two very skilled and prized ‘Hawks?
It all depends on how you look at it.
Since the recent move of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg there have been many news stories and blog posts about the NHL realigning its divisions and even switching teams from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference and vice versa. The newest report that came out Monday and that CSNchicago.com reported on Tuesday morning has the Central Division consisting of the Minnesota, Winnipeg, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas, and possibly Columbus.
Read over the teams again. See anything missing?
There’s no Detroit in that list.
