Bo Does Long Island

Islanders fans have been calling for upper management to make a move and land a high scoring winger. they finally got their answer. New York sent Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a conditional draft pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Bo Horvat. New York gets a top flight scorer, adding Horvat's 31 goals and 23 assists to their lineup.

Its worth noting that this is the 2nd time the Canucks have traded their captain to the Islanders, doing so with Trevor Linden in 1998.

So what does this mean for both teams?

Vancouver got quite a haul. Raty is a top prospect, who could blossom into a big star in the right place. Which from the point of view of a lot of Isles fans does sting. Beauvillier has the same thing, as he scored one of the biggest goals in team history. He scored the overtime winner in the final game playoff game played at Nassau Coliseum against the Lightning. Beau, too, has so much talent to become a bigtime player in this game and could really shine in Vancouver. There's so much more to it than this from the point of view to the guys going out west, this is just beginning to scratch the surface.

Now then, what does this mean for Bo coming to Long Island?

Simple answer is adding a top scorer to the Islanders top line. It's something they've been looking for, for quite some time now. So its a huge move there. It showing that the Islanders can pull a trigger on a big move and bring in something that might be missing from this team.

Now there is one thing that does lead me to worry just a little bit. Horvat is going to be a free agent at the end of the season. yes, this trade was great, and from what I've read so far, Horvat is saying the right things and showing excitement for being on this team. Now can the Islanders keep him past this season? Only time will tell.

For now, take Bo for what we got!

Baseball Hall Makes Call

Being a Hall of Famer at something means you are better than anybody at what you did. The Baseball Writers have added a new member to the great hall in Cooperstown. Former 3rd Baseman Scott Rolen got the call that he's getting inducted this summer.

During his 17 years in the Bigs, Rolen played for four teams. He started in 1996 with the Phillies, playing there till 2002 where he was traded to the Cardinals. he stayed in St Louis till 2008. Signed with Toronto where he played till a 2009 trade to the Reds, where he finished his career in 2012.

Rolen's career spanned 2,0398 games in 17 years, hitting .281 lifetime, with 316 home runs, 1,287 RBI's, 1,211 runs scored and 2,077 career hits. Rolen picked up some solid hardware during his career, winning rookie of the year in 1997, a 2006 World Series title, a 2002 silver slugger, eight career gold gloves and was a seven time All Star. The numbers are solid, very solid. A solid career and one that should be honored as such.

Now here's where the debate kicks in. Todd Helton just missed out and he's a better hitter than Rolen. Jeff Kent was that best hitting second baseman ever, he's still not in. Bonds, Clemens and Rose all stained the game, A-Rod too, and they aren't and probably never will get into the Hall.

This is nothing against Scott Rolen as a ballplayer or a person, he had a fine career. But Hall of Fame worthy? I'm not totally sure.

The people who vote for the Hall, as viewed by some, are acting as the moral compass for the Hall, keeping guys associated with Steroids out, even with David Ortiz getting in, which is another debate in among itself. Anybody who was involved with roids, or in the case of Jeff Kent, had poor numbers on defense and a crappy attitude towards the media.

That's why I think Rolen was inducted. he was a good player and stayed out of trouble.

Congratulations to Scott Rolen on his hall of fame induction.

Divisional Round Preview

Divisional Weekend in the NFL has arrived. Eight teams are left standing, looking to get one step closer to football's ultimate prize.

Normally we'd do much more of a full preview but due to time constraints this will be short and sweet.

Here's this weekends picks for the divisional round

January 21st

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs 4:35PM

Look Jacksonville got it together in the 2nd half last week against the Chargers, they won't get that lucky against the AFC top seed.

Pick: Chiefs 35, Jaguars 21

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles 8:30PM

NFC East division battle with a trip to the title game on the line. The Giants have been good all year and surprised a lot of people, I think they got one more in them. Not really sure how much I trust Hurts coming off injury, at least not on paper.

Pick: Giants 32, Eagles 17

January 22nd

Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills 3:05PM

Rematch of the Monday night game week seventeen. Buffalo been on a roll as of late, but got a scare put into them by Miami. Cincy takes advantage of that and moves on.

Pick: Bengals 27, Bills 24

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers 6:40PM

Dallas got a little lucky last week in that Tampa underperformed. Won't get that lucky against a solid 49ers team. And Brock Purdy is going to have himself a day

Pick: 49ers 30, Cowboys 14

Stamkos Hits Rare Air

Steven Stamkos. Hands down of the top offensive players not only in the game today, but all time. His recorded over 500 assists and 1,000 points. But 500 goals has eluded him for a while now. He's been sitting on 499 for quite some time now. Until last night. During the Lightning win in Vancouver over the Canucks, Stamkos joined the 500 goal club. He ended the 5-2 win over the Canucks with a hat trick to give him 502 and counting.

He becomes the 47th member of the 500 goal club in NHL history and the 3rd active player to join said club, along with Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.

There's no doubt in anybody mind he the best offensive player to ever put on a Tampa Bay Lightning sweater. Sure, Martin St Louis and Vincent Lecavalier were great players in Lightning uniforms. But Stammer has topped both of them. He's been the face of this franchise since he put on the sweater. Nobody has played the game better than Stammer in the teams history. he's their home grown guy who's done it all for the franchise.

He hit double digits in goals every year but one (he scored 9 on just 17 games in 2017) and the only season he's failed to hit the twenty goal mark was 2021 when he scored just 17 goals due to injury. He's hit the 50 goal mark twice, including a 60 goal season in 2012. Four more times in his outstanding career he's passed the 40 goal mark.

Injuries have cost him dearly during his career, which many including myself believe, cut short his chances of hitting this mark at an earlier point in his career. All of that said and taken into account its  been a hell of a ride for the Bolts captain and face of the franchise.

Congratulations again to Steven Stamkos on joining the 500 goal club.

Wild Card Weekend Preview

Wild Card weekend has finally arrived in the NFL. Fourteen teams are left standing after an insane regular season. We have four weeks to figure out who will be the last team standing as champions of the football world. So lets not waste any more time, wild card weekend is here. Here's how we see the games going down.

Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers 1/14 4:35PM

We start it off with an NFC West matchup between Seattle and San Francisco, with the 49ers taking both games during the regular season. Yes its going to be a test for the 49ers, with Brock Purdy having to try and get the Niners a playoff win. Same thing can be said for Geno Smith on the other side, as this is his first playoff start. He having a career year, setting the Seahawks record for passing yards in a season. This is a Seattle team that came into this season as a team that was predicted to be a bottom feeder in the NFL. Now they're a playoff team.

But they facing a San Francisco team riding a ten game win streak to close out the regular season. The 49ers offense is more balanced than what your seeing in Seattle. oh and the 49ers have a dominating defense as well.

Pick: 49ers 35, Seahawks 21

Los Angeles Chargers vs Jacksonville Jaguars 1/14 8:15 PM

This is going to be an impressive battle of two of the hot young QB's in the league. Justin Herbert taking on Trever Lawrence. Both teams are balanced on both sides for the ball. Herbert had been banged up at the start of the year but is now finally healthy. Problem is, Mike Williams and Joey Bosa are both dealing with a nagging injury.

Right now the Jacksonville running game has been more on point the last few weeks then what your seeing in Los Angeles

Pick: Jaguars 30, Chargers 14

Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills 1/14 1PM

This game is going to be the story of the weekend, given what has gone on for the Bills the last few weeks. Damar Hamlin's teammates are going to be playing at a higher level for him. There's no team in football right now that has more support around it than Buffalo. And not only that, but the Bills have been one of the more dominating teams this season, on both sides of the ball.

They going up against a Miami team that surprised a lot of people this season coming into the playoffs. Problem here is, Miami is still without a healthy Tua. Yes they have Jalen Waddle and Tyreek Hill catching passes, but with Skylar Thompson making his first playoff start, its not the same thing.

Pick: Bills 40, Dolphins 21

New York giants vs Minnesota Vikings 1/15 4:054PM

This is going to be a tough test for the Minnesota offense. What the Vikings have managed to do most of the year is pull off wins late in games. They have great weapons to work with in Justin Jefferson in the pass game. Then they also have thousand yard ground man in Dalvin Cook, who's been good for the Vikings all year. The defense holds up well.

What wonders me is how well that offense can work when pressured, which the Giants like to do 43%of the time. They know how to turn up the pressure. New York can run the ball just as well, with their own thousand yard man in Saquan Barkley. Difference is the pass attack isn't as dominating with the Giants, which will end up hurting them at the end of the day.

Pick: Vikings 27, Giants 20

Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals 1/15 *:15PM

Another divisional matchup heading into the end of wild card weekend, this one doesn't have as much luster to it. Why? Because Lamar Jackson isn't playing for the Ravens. Baltimore doesn't operate quite the same way that they do when Lamar is under center, which shows something about Lamar character and fighting through the pain come playoff time. Itt leaves the Ravens a little thin at QB and won't help really propel that offense very far. The Ravens defense might be able to keep them in the game, but it won't last long. Why?

The Bengals offense, led by Joe Cool, is just too we;ll balanced and good to really be held down. Solid running game with joe Mixon, but its the pass attack that's going to carry Cincy. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both had thousand yard years and are going to be hard to keep down

Pick: Bengals 27, Ravens 10

Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1/16 8:15PM

Dallas has been a long struggeling team come the playoffs. Haven't won a playoff game since 2018, haven't gone deep in teh playoffs since 1995 and haven't won a playoff game on the road since 1992. Those numbers are going to stick with Dallas fans for a long time and it won't get any easier this year. Sure they have Dak and Zeke leading the charge. Tony Pollard out rushed ZSeke and CeDe Lamb had a thosuand yard season but he the biggest threat. Take him away and its slim pickings through the air for the boys. Trying tp cpmtrp; tjheir run game won't be easy, as they were held to under a hundred yards rushing in a game four times. One of those games was first week of the season against these Bucs.

Tampa has Vita Vea back and healthy and its going to cause even bigger problems for Dallas. But tTampa hasn't had much of a run game with Fornette under 700 yards rushing on the year. Sure they had two thousand yard receivers in Evans and Godwin, but it leaving a little to desire. Dallas might be able to keep this game close.

Pick: Bucs 21, Cowboys 17

NFL Clinching Scenarios Week 18

The time has arrived. We've hit the final week of the NFL Season. Quite a few playoff spots are still up for grabs and that will be determined by the end of the weekend. So let's not waste anymore time. Here's how teams can lock up the final playoff sports on the final weekend of the year.

AFC :
Jacksonville Jaguars:
-Jacksonville can clinch the AFC South with a win/Tie
-Jacksonville can clinch a playoff spot with losses by Miami New England and Pittsburgh

Tennessee Titans:
-Tennessee can clinch the AFC South with a win

Buffalo Bills:
-Buffalo can clinch home field throughout the AFC playoffs with a win AND a Kansas City loss

New England Patriots:
-New England can clinch a playoff spot with a win OR losses by Miami, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville

Miami Dolphins:
-Miami can clinch a playoff spot with a win AND a New England loss

Pittsburgh Steelers:
-Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with a win AND a loss by both Miami and New England

NFC:
Philadelphia Eagles:
-Philadelphia can clinch the NFC East with a win OR a Dallas Loss
-Philadelphia can clinch home field throughout with a win OR a loss by Dallas and San Francisco

Dallas Cowboys:
-Dallas clinches NFC East with a win AND a Philadelphia loss
-Dallas can clinch home field throughout with a win AND losses by Philadelphia and San Francisco

San Francisco 49ers:
-San Francisco can clinch home field throughout with a win AND a Philadelphia loss

Seattle Seahawks:
-Seattle can clinch a playoff birth with a win AND a Green Bay loss

Green Bay Packers:
Green Bay can clinch a playoff spot with a win

Detroit Lions:
-Detroit can clinch a playoff birth with a win AND a Seattle Loss

Play Like An All Star

In early February, the best of the best in the NHL will gather in South Florida. The NHL All Star Game is coming up on February 4th from FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. Its still going to be the battle of the four divisions for the All Star Game. All 32 teams will have one representative at the game, the players have already been picked. The remaining players will be selected by the fans over the next two weeks.

Below are the rosters that have already been selected for the midseason classic.

Atlantic Division:
Nikita Kucherov (Lightning)
Dylan Larkin (Red Wings)
Mitch Marner (Maple Leafs)
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens)
Tage Thompson (Sabres)
Brady Tkachuk (Senators)
Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers)
Linus Ullmark (Bruins)

Metropolitan Division:
Sidney Crosby (Penguins)
Johnny Gaudreau (Blue Jackets)
Kevin Hayes (Flyers)
Jack Hughes (Devils)
Brock Nelson (Islanders)
Alex Ovechkin (Capitals)
Andrei Svechnikov (Hurricanes)
Igor Shesterkin (Rangers)

Central Division:
Kirill Kaprizov (Wild)
Clayton Keller (Coyotes)
Jason Robertson (Stars)
Vladimir Tarasenko (Blues)
Seth Jones (Blackhawks)
Cale Maka (Avalanche)
Josh Morrissey (Jets)
Juuse Saros (Predators)

Pacific Division:
Matty Beniers (Karaken)
Kevin Fiala (Kings)
Nazem Kadri (Flames)
Connor McDavid (Oilers)
Elias Pettersson (Canucks)
Troy Terry (Ducks)
Erik Karlsson (Sharks)
Logan Thompson (Golden Knights)