Back 2 Back In South Florida

The Stanley Cup must love getting a tan from the state of Florida. First, in 2020 and 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed back to back titles. Now, their so called little brother, the Florida Panthers, have done the same thing. For the 2nd year in a row, the Florida Panthers are the Stanley Cup Champions.

Last year, the beat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. This year it only took six games to beat those exact Same Oilers. There is so much to unpack from how this series went down. The Panthers more than deserved this title. At the same time, the Oilers left a lot to be desired in this series as well.

This year was a totally different series than the one we saw a year ago. Last year, the Panthers were up 3-0 in the series, Edmonton stormed back and forced a game seven, before Florida came away with its title. This year, Florida dominated this series. The only wins for the Oilers were on a pair of overtime goals by Leon Draisaitl. Sure, Leon and Conor McDavid tied for the lead for points in the playoffs with 33 each. Leon was better in the Finals. Yes, Conor had 7 points, but just one goal over the course of the six games. The support guys kind of just disappeared. Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent Hopkins weren't ass effecting in the finals as they were playing supporting roles in the first three rounds.

Then there's the goaltending for Edmonton. I'm sorry, but a lot had been riding on the play of Stuart Skinner in the Finals and he just didn't deliver. To say he disappeared would be an understatement. There are times, yes, where he looked like he could steal the series for Edmonton. And at the same time, he looked like he couldn't stop a beachball. It has to be frustrating, if your an Oilers fan, to think that this guy could be the one to get you over the hump and get you a  title. Hell, it has to be frustrating if your McDavid. He's got nine straight 90 or more point seasons and he STILL doesn't have a title to show for it. The guy is the best player in the world, but doesn't have the supporting cast to get over that final hump and claim a Cup.

As for the Panthers, they managed to find a way to get the roster they needed to win a second straight title. Credit has to go General Manager Bill Zito for being able to re-tool his roster to get the right guys on the ice to fit the system. Paul Maurice gets the most out of his players and that was evident with capturing a second straight title. And an even bigger hats off to Matthew Tkachuk for being able to do what he did in the cup finals. He managed to play in the finals with a torn adductor muscle. And he still finished tied with Sam Reinhart for the team lead with 23 points. But both paled in comparison to the 15 goals scored by playoff MVP Sam Bennett.

And in net, Sergei Bobrovsky played every minute of the entire playoffs. Some had questioned Bob after the first year of his big contract, but boy oh boy has he been worth every penny and then some the last couple of seasons. That's what makes the Panthers so good. They are a very balanced team that can pretty much play any style that they go up against. And management is not only aware of this, but they will go out and get the players they need too plug the holes and keep this machine going.

There is one thing that needs to be at least looked at. That is the fact that Matthew Tkachuk called the Panthers a dynasty. I get it, he's excited as all getup for winning the cup for the 2nd year in a row. But a Dynasty? Come on lets not jump the gun here. I'm not taking anything away from what the Panthers have managed to do over the last three years. Three straight finals appearances, and back to back Stanley Cups is an amazing accomplishment. To be truly counted as a dynasty, at least in my mind, win another title in the next two or so years. Another trip to the finals, making it four years in a row. That's how to become a dynasty.

A great team? Yes we can say that with this Panthers club. Congratulations to the Florida Panthers, your 2025 Stanley Cup Champions!

NHL Hands Out Hardware

We have hit that time of the year. The time to honor the best of the best. Honoring the individual accomplishments in a great team sport of hockey. Earlier this week, the NHL handed out the hardware for its induvial awards for the 2024-25 regular season.

These awards were handed out based on play during the 82 game regular season.

Before diving into the individual awards, here's the All Rookie and NHL All Star teams for 2024-25.

All Rookie Team:
Goalie: Dustin Wolf (Calgary)
Defense: Lane Hutson (Montreal), Denton Mateychuk (Columbus)
Forwards: Matvei Michkov (Philadelphia), Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim), Macklin Celebrini (San Jose)

All Star Teams:
1st Team:
Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg)
Defense: Cale Makar (Colorado), Zach Werenski (Columbus)
Forwards: Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay), Kyle Conor (Winnipeg)

2nd Team:
Goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay)
Defense: Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay), Quinn Hughes (Vancouver)
Forwards: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton), David Pastrnak (Boston), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay)

Now then, onto the actual hardware. Here's the award winners in the NHL for the 2024-25 season.

Mark Messier Leadership Award: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication): Sean Monahan, Columbus Blue Jackets

King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and Humanitarian Contribution): Alexander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Frank J Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Alexander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and Excellence); Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

Ted Lindsey Award (MVP Voted by Players): Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year): Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals

This one was an easy pick. Carbery turned the Caps from a team last year that barely got into the playoffs and got swept in the first round, to this year winning the division and having the best record in the East. Only team that had a better year was Winnipeg. Impressive turn around in the nations capital and a very deserving winner of the award. 

Calder Trophy (Rookie Of The Year): Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens

Hutson becomes the 56th Canadien to take the award and the first to do it since Ken Dryden in 1972. 66 points from the Montreal Back End is a pretty good first year. His 60 assists lead the team and his 66 points were third on the club. The assists and points led all rookies in scoring this year and helped power Montreal to the final playoff spot in the eastern Conference.

Norris Trophy (Leagues Best Defenseman): Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

For the 2nd time in his career, Makar walked away as the best defenseman in the entire league. Makar lead all defenseman in scoring with 92 points. He also became the first blue liner to score 30 or more goals in a season since Mike Green did it in 2009. Oh and those 92 points mark back to back 90 point seasons, the fifth time in league history that's ever happened. He has a solid all around game and winning this trophy for the 2nd time proves that.

Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie): Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Its the second year in a row and third time in his career that Hellebuyck has walked away with a Vezina. And why not with the year he had. Led the league wins with 47 (only goalie to win more than 40 games this year), ,925 save % (2nd in the league), 2.00 GAA (led league), 8 shutouts (led league). His play between the pipes led the Jets to the best record in the entire league. Most nights, he was on his game and the numbers reflect that. He was better than any other netminder this year.

Hart Trophy (League MVP): Conor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

For the 4th time ever, and first time since 2015, a goalie walked away with the MVP award. Hellebuyck beat out Leon Draisaitl for the award. Nothing against the years Leon or Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning had, but Hellebuyck was playing at an altogether different level this season. One that was head a shoulders above others on the ice this year.

Polar Bear Climbs Ladder

I'm sure we will be doing another one of these before the end of this season.

Pete Alonso continues to climb the offensive record books for the New York Mets. Sunday, Alonso hit a pair of Home Runs, giving him 243 for his career. That now puts him passed David Wright for the 2nd most in team history. Only one he has to catch is Daryl Strawberry, at 252. Something he should be able to do this season.

He's only in his 7th year in the Majors and by the time all is said and done, he's got a good chance to be able to totally re-write a lot of the Mets offensive records that Wright currently holds. He still got a long way to go to be able to break a lot of those. Hopefully he can stay healthy enough as well to be able to, and play in Queens long enough, in order to break Wright's records.

He ten away from passing Daryl on the home run list, something he should be done hopefully by Labor Day

Changes In New York

Fans in New York, no matter the sport, can be very demanding. They want to win. The New York Knicks are no different in this case. They haven't reached the NBA Finals since 1999. They haven't won a title since 1973. They got within two wins of that goal this year, but came up just short. Coming up just short cost Tom Thibodeau his job. The Knicks fired their head coach earlier this afternoon.

Five years as head coach of the Knicks. Made the playoffs in four of the five seasons. Got to the second round the two years after missing the playoffs, and the conference finals this year. 226 wins during the regular season, fourth most in team history. Won 40 or more games in four of the five seasons.

The Knicks seem like they were right there under coach Thibodeau. They were heading in the right direction. Then word comes down that they letting him go. Leon Rose was the one who made the call, but lets be real here. Rose pulled the trigger but the decision, I'm sure, had come down from James Dolan the owner.

I get it that the ownership may want a new voice in the locker room. But look what this man has done with this team. He was, and still is, the right man for the job to help get this team going to the next level. Its playing basketball in the Worlds Most Famous Arena. They will be playing their 80th season as an NBA franchise next year. A title is long overdue.

Getting rid of the mad who's lead this team to within two wins of reaching the finals may not have been the best idea. Whoever comes in next is going to have some pretty big shoes to fill.

2025 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

And then there were two. We started this journey back in October with 32 teams all fighting for the right to be crowned champions of the hockey world. And now we are down to two left. And in two weeks, one of them will be kings of the world. Its the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals!

This is a rematch of last years finals, one in which the Panthers won in seven games. Its going to happen again this year, going the distance. This year will be no different.

Its going to be a very close battle between the two teams. The Oilers look like they are going to try and learn from the mistakes they made a season ago. McDavid and Draisaitl look more determined then they did last year. They are joined by a roster that's half full of guys who are tasting the finals for the first time ever. The advantage they have this season is that Edmonton goes into the series with home ice advantage. So game seven will be in Edmonton (should it even really get that far). One thing that has me worried is the play in net. Stuart Skinner is a fantastic netminder. However there are times in this playoffs he's looked shaky and unsure of himself.

Florida is just as good as they were last year. They even added to the mix by having Brad Marchand come on board. They had one series go over five games this playoffs, that was the seven game win in round two against Toronto. Can they stand up to a prolong physical series? They had better, because Edmonton will bring some more of that physical play with them in this round. As the old saying goes, To Be The Man.....You Gotta Beat The Man. And right now the Florida Panthers are still the man.

That is, until the end of this series!

Pick: Oilers in Seven!