Hockeywiztalks Hockey Blog

This is an extension of podcast 113-2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals Preview. The Result of the Vegas/Minnesota series is still unknown, so I will do a preview with both of the teams included. West Division Semi-Finals Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights/Minnesota Wild Key Players:  COL-F: N.MacKinnon, M.Rantanen, G.Landeskog, Alex Newhook, A.Burakovsky, J.Donskoi, Tyson Jost, Valeri Nischuskin | D: C.Makar, S.Girard, D.Toews, R.Graves VGK-F: M.Stone, J.Marchessault, W.Karlsson, R.Smith, A.Tuch, C.Stephenson, Cody Glass, Mattias Janmark | D: S.Theodore, A.Pietrangelo, A.Martinez, B.McNabb, Z.Whitecloud MIN-F: K.Kaprizov, M.Zuccarello, K.Fiala, J.Eriksson Ek, J.Greenway, M.Foligno, V.Rask, N.Bjugstad, R.Hartman | D: J.Spurgeon, R.Suter, M.Dumba, J.Brodin X-Factor: JT Compher (COL), Nicholas Roy (VGK)/Z.Parise (MIN) Goalies: P.Grubauer (COL) vs M-A.Fleury (VGK)/ C.Talbot (MIN) If you are the Colorado Avalanche right now, I think they would rather face the Vegas Golden Knight

 The San Jose Sharks have never won a Stanley Cup in their franchise history, but if they make the proper changes and draft correctly, they could win Lord Stanley's Cup. This is how the San Jose Sharks could win their first-ever Stanley Cup. Before the expansion draft, one trade is made: San Jose Sharks trade Marc-Eduord Vlasic, Ryan Merkley, 1st rd pick '23 to the Seattle Kraken for 2nd rd pick '23. The Sharks retain 25% of Vlasic's contract until the 2024-25 season. This trade allows the Sharks to get rid of Vlasic's contract and trade away Ryan Merkely, who is ultra-talented but his discipline issues. San Jose Sharks lose Marcus Sorensen to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft. Before the 2021 Draft, two trades are made: San Jose Sharks trade Ryan Donato, Radim Simek, Noah Gregor to the Arizona Coyotes for Lawson Crouse, Tyler Pitlick, 4th rd pick '21. The Sharks add more physicality to the lineup with the additions of Lawson Crouse and Tyler Pitlick, wh

This is an extension of Podcast 112: What teams need to do to advance in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs; Here are my thoughts on what needs to be done for North Division teams to advance. Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have a historic rivalry in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and they look to renew it in the 1st round of the 2021 playoffs. Contrary to popular belief, I don't think this will be a cakewalk for the Toronto Maple Leafs, because the Montreal Canadiens are a tough team to play against. Toronto should be aware that Montreal in the playoffs is a completely different team than Montreal in the regular season. Toronto is obviously the better team on paper, but Montreal is not as bad as most people think. The Maple Leafs are top 6 heavy, while Montreal has tremendous depth and role 4 lines and 3 D pairs. It has been said before that the teams that do well in the postseason have better role players, if that is the case then Mo

 The Winnipeg Jets are a borderline playoff team right now, but if they want to win a Stanley Cup, they will need to make a few changes. This is how I would turn the Winnipeg Jets into a Stanley Cup caliber team.  Before the 2021 Draft, two trades are made: Winnipeg Jets trade Paul Stastny to the Detroit Red Wings for 3rd rd pick '21. The Jets don't need Paul Stastny anymore because they intend on playing Pierre Luc Dubois at center for the upcoming season. The Jets also trade Mathieu Perreault, Derek Forbort, Trevor Lewis to the Calgary Flames for Joakim Nordstrom, Brett Ritchie, 4th rd pick '22. Winnipeg bulks up with the additions of Joakim Nordstrom and Brett Ritchie, and they get a 4th round pick as well. Winnipeg Jets lose Dylan DeMelo to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. 2021 draft 18-Corson Ceulemans 50-Sean Behrens 82-Shai Buium 95-Kalle Vaisanen The Winnipeg Jets greatly bolster their defense with the additions of Ceulemans, Behrens, and Buium. Winnipeg

This is Honda West Playoff Preview.   Colorado Avalanche vs St.Louis Blues Key Players:  COL-F: N.MacKinnon, M.Rantanen, G.Landeskog, N.Kadri, Alex Newhook, A.Burakovsky, J.Donskoi | D: C.Makar, S.Girard, D.Toews, R.Graves STL-F: R.O'Reilly, V.Tarasenko, J.Schwartz, B.Schenn, D.Perron, R.Thomas, M.Hoffman | D: T.Krug, J.Faulk, C.Parayko, V.Dunn X-Factor: Tyson Jost (COL), Jordan Kyrou (STL) Goalies: P.Grubauer (COL) vs J.Binnington (STL) The Colorado Avalanche have owned the season series against the St.Louis Blues, winning 5 out of the 8 games. St.Louis certainly knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup but Colorado is not a good first-round matchup for them. The Colorado Avalanche is led by Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar, and have a great supporting cast which includes players such as Nazem Kadri, Alex Newhook, Joonas Donskoi, Sam Girard, Devon Toews, and Andre Burakovsky. Philipp Grubauer has had a tremendous regular season and is a potentia

     The Minnesota Wild have never won a Stanley Cup in their franchise history, so my mission is to transform them into a cup-winning team. To do that, they will have to make some improvements to the roster. This is how I would turn the Minnesota Wild into a Cup-winning team. At the Expansion draft, the Minnesota Wild trade Zach Parise, 2021 1st rd pick to the Seattle Kraken for Logan Brown, 2021 3rd rd pick. The Wild dump Zach Parise's on Seattle by including a 1st round pick in the trade. Minnesota Wild lose Victor Rask to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft. Before the 2021 draft, two trades are made: The Wild trade Ryan Suter, Nick Bjugstad to the Boston Bruins for Jeremy Lauzon, Connor Clifton, Jake DeBrusk, Jack Studnicka, 2022 1st round pick. The Wild retain 25% of Ryan Suter's annual cap hit until the 2024 season. The Boston Bruins fill a much-needed hole on the left side of their defense with the addition of Ryan Suter, while the Wild get two solid young defen

 The Vancouver Canucks have been flat-out terrible this season, and they are far from being a Stanley Cup caliber team. So I will be taking on the Challenge of rebuilding the team in an attempt to bring the first Stanley Cup to Vancouver. Before the Expansion Draft, the Vancouver Canucks make one trade: Vancouver Cancuks trade Braden Holtby, Brandon Sutter to the Detroit Red Wings for 2021 2nd round pick.  Vancouver Canucks get a 2nd round pick in exchange for Braden Holtby and Brandon Sutter. Vancouver Canucks lose Olli Juolevi to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft.      Before the 2021 draft, two trades are made: Alex Edler is traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Linus Ullmark. The Canucks and Sabres swap pending UFAs and they both fill much-needed holes on their roster with this trade. The Canucks also trade Tanner Pearson, Jake Virtanen, Jay Beagle to the St.Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou, Zach Sanford, 2021 3rd round pick. This is a good deal for both teams because all players i