So tomorrow is Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. On a scale of 1-10, how nervous are you, faithful readers? I’m hovering somewhere between a 2 and a 3 right now, just because of LA’s road dominance and the high level they’ve played at throughout these playoffs. I guess what I’m saying here is they’ll have to prove to me they can lose a game like this before I’ll worry about it. Call that overconfidence if you want, but I really do believe in this team.
Links after the jump.
Kings News
- Let’s start with the LA Times roundup, as there’s now four different reporters covering this team (!). Bill Plaschke profiles “unofficial assistant coach” Bernie Nicholls [LA Times], Helene Elliott talks about Darryl Sutter doing his best to keep the team from getting overconfident (there’s that word again huh?) [LA Times], Lisa Dillman has a very appropriately-timed profile of Justin Williams [LA Times], and Chris Foster talks about Martin Brodeur. For some reason. [LA Times]
- Gann Matsuda over at Frozen Royalty focuses in on the Devils trying to find a silver lining after a Game 1 loss. I guess “got the game into overtime despite not actually scoring a goal” could be looked at as a silver lining, right? [FR]
- Rich Hammond posted some quotes last night of the Kings struggling with “Game 1 jitters”. [Kings Insider]
- Zach Parise: Enemy today, teammate tomorrow? So sayeth NBC Sports’ Pro Hockey Talk, who argue that the Kings could be targeting him if the Devils fail to resign him. You would think that would be awkward, but Marian Hossa went from Pittsburgh to Detroit right after their SCF and he seemed to play fine with the Wings that year. Then they lost in the Cup Final to the Penguins which was pretty hilarious. Anyway. [PHT]
- Over at In Lou We Trust, John Fischer wonders aloud if Game 1 of the SCF was “rock bottom” for the Devils. I think I speak for Kings fans everywhere when I say: sure hope not! Let’s hope they just continue to sink further and further to a new bottom every game! [ILWT]
- Ratings sucked for Game 1. I’d love to tell you I care, really. [Puck Drunk Love]
- Reading stuff is hard, so let’s listen to the Mayor, the Royal Half, and Jesse break down Game 1 of the Cup Finals over at All the Kings Men! [AtKM]
Other NHL News
- Salary cap might hit 70.3 million next year, which I guess is why the Kings think they can sign Parise. Although of course it’s always worth noting that the new CBA could end up lowering it, depending on how they decide to calculate it. I think the best thing big-market teams like LA can hope for is that the league compromises and lowers the floor for the really cash-strapped teams but leaves the actual cap alone for the ones who obviously prefer to spend. [Pro Hockey Talk]
- The Calgary Flames announced yesterday they’ve hired Bob Hartley as their new head coach. Here’s something that was floating around on Twitter & some radio shows (heard a Calgary-based reporter mention in on Hockeycentral@Noon yesterday): the Flames may be planning to no longer be a cap team moving forward, with speculation that they could look to unload Jay Bouwmeester (good luck with that!), Jarome Iginla, or both. So they hire a veteran, “win now” coach at the same time they’re looking to unload salary and get younger. Makes sense! [TSN]
- “Hey, I thought Bob Hartley was supposed to be coaching Montreal! I saw some dudes report it on Twitter, and when are random people on Twitter ever wrong about anything?” Perhaps they’re just as confused in Montreal as you are, sir or madame. I mean I have no other explanation for why they think hiring Patrick “Crazy as hell” Roy as their next head coach could possibly be a good idea, but according to those almost-as-accurate-as-Twitter MYSTERIOUS SOURCES~~ it’s apparently still a possibility. [TSN]
- There’s no hockey on tonight, duh. But there IS a draft combine, which as we covered in a pretty hilarious link in my last TC is almost completely pointless. Not as pointless as an NBA draft lottery, says like 81% of the country, but pointless nonetheless. So anyway there’s a recap on the NHL Network today at 4:30 PST. Yee-haw.
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning, mostly because I’m at school and my computer battery’s literally about to die. Whoops! Post your own links in the comments, correct any broken/wrong links, and just do the damn thang.