Is Thor's Hype Real?

There's no denying the fact that Noah Syndergaard is one of the best pitchers in baseball. The New York Mets felt they might be getting something good in him when they sent Cy Young winner R.A Dickey to Toronto in the winter of 2012 (along with Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas) in exchange for Travis d'Arnaud, John Buck, Noah Syndergaard and Wuilmer Becerra. Thor has been the real bright spot of the trade since it was completed. Now, some concerns have come out about the man they call Thor. And its coming from people in his own organization.

The other day. Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland went to the press with some concerns over Syndergaard.

"I just don't know where the expectations came from," Eiland told the New York Post. "He's spent -- what? -- two-and-a-half years in the big leagues? So I don't know where all the expectations came from. I wasn't here for all that, but he has yet to do a whole lot at the major league level." Eiland backtracked a little before Noah's start on Tuesday by saying "I don't say anything publicly before I say it to them first. ... I didn't say he hasn't done anything. I said he hasn't done a whole lot."

Look at things going on this year. The best pitcher in New York isn't coming from Queens, its coming from the Bronx. Louis Severino has been the best pitcher in the Metro area. Thor may not even be the best pitcher on the current staff, I think that title goes to Jacob deGrom. There's no denying the fact that Thor can dominate a game at times. He's one of those pitchers who has no problem blowing people away with a fastball. At times that has been good enough to get him wins. BUt at times it hasn't. Sure he got the win over the Jays on Tuesday night, only giving up two runs. But he threw 103 pitches and went only five innings.

In 70 career starts, including nine he's made this year, Thor has never pitched a complete game and never pitched a shutout. This was a guy who was an All Star in 2016. Look at some of the other guys in the league who had big hype around them coming up. Guys like Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, and Chris Sale. They all had hype around them just like Syndergaard, and they've been able to more then live up to it. Noah hasn't quite done that yet.

Don't read into this as there's something wrong with Thor, because there isn't. It's just that Dave Eiland has a point. Maybe this was done as a motivational tool. I love Syndergaard as a pitcher I really do, and I'm not just saying that as a Mets fan. The guy is a lot of fun to watch. It's entertaining to see guys blow away hitters with straight up with gas hitting triple digits on the radar guns. At the same time there's more to it when it comes to pitching then straight gas, at least for starters.

Look at a guy like Bartolo Colon He couldn't hit anywhere near what Noah does on the radar gun, but he's ablew to get a lot of swings and misses and he was and is able to go deep into baseball games, something which Noah hasn't REALLY been able to do to this point in his career. I love Syndergaard I really do. I just want to see him take his game to the next level and really take off as a Major League pitcher. He has the tools, and an intimidation factor that only so few players have been able to get to. He just doesn't have the mental side nailed down yet. Sure there's a lot of room for improvement and there's no real telling how far this kid can go in the Majors. He just has to find a way to bring it all together, and maybe these comments from his pitching coach can help get him going in that right direction.

Place Your Bets

Sports fans rejoice! A landmark decision was struck yesterday in the Supreme Court. allowing it to now become legal to gamble on professional sports in all fifty states, not just Las Vegas. According to the Associated Press, the Supreme Court on Monday gave its go-ahead for states to allow gambling on sports across the nation, striking down a federal law that barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. The justices voted 6-3 to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 law that forbade state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions. It made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.

So what does this all mean?

Well, in basic terms, it's allowing something to come to the forefront that has already become a major hobby for most Americans. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally wager about $150 billion on sports each year, an eye popping number. IT now gives people another way to be able to make money, this time legally, on something that they've been doing behind closed doors for years. Of course this has some deterrents.

Some high ranking people inside the sports world aren't happy with the decision because of the effect it could have on games. Some inside Major League Baseball are against the ruling because of the profound effects it could have on the game. I could see that side of the argument. Some people involved with the various teams around the Majors could have a wager on a game, which could effect how the game is played. I'm sure that people inside not only Major League Baseball, but the other major sports as well. The NHL, MLB and NBA could, and should, join MLB in finding a way to keep the gambling on the games. You saw what it did to Pete Rose. If you haven't I suggest you go read about it, there's way too much to that story to get involved with it here. I'm sure, knowing the higher ups in the sports world, they will find a way to make it work so that nobody involved with what's going on on the playing surfaces can make any wagers of any kind on the action.

As far as the fans go, this comes as a nice surprise to them, and a welcomed one at that. Its no secret that people place bets on sporting events. I've done it on a number of occasions, not all of them for money (small money bets if anything) but also for other stuff like a meal or drinks or stuff like that. Now the money can roll in anywhere else in the country just like it can in Vegas. The logistics of it have to be worked out so that everybody can benefit from it, and it can be done in a very positive way.

Any way you slice it, this is a huge step in the world of sports and in the world of finance as well.

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Here we go. The Conference finals are now set for the National Basketball Association. Whoever walks out from these two remaining series will get their shot at the Larry O'Brien Trophy for being the best team in all of basketball. Its the matchups that everybody wanted and had everybody talking. Its the clash of the titans in the Western Conference finals, while the East has a rematch of last season. So lets not waste anymore time, here's how we see the conference finals going down.

First up its the Eastern Conference Finals as the second seeded Boston Celtics take on the fourth seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. For the fourth straight year, and eight time overall, the Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference finals. They got here by beating Indiana in seven games, followed by a sweep of Toronto. This marks the eight straight year that LeBron James has played in the Conference finals. Cleveland is 119-97 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Boston, this marks the 35th time that the Celtics have reached the conference finals. They got there this year by beating Milwaukee in seven and Philadelphia in five. Boston is now 349-263 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning four of the first seven meetings. Cleveland won two of the three meetings during the regular season/

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
May 13 3:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 15 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 19 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 21 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 23 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 25 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers* Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 27 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

After getting a scare from the Pacers in the opening round, Cleveland looks to have found their stride. This coming after having almost a fire sale at the trade deadline. Cleveland dumped off Jae Crowder, Isiah Thomas and Dwayne Wade. In return, Cleveland brought in Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and George Hill. Yet despite it all, LeBron has played, well like LeBron. His playoff numbers are off the charts this year, averaging 34.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists a game. To go along with that, he's shooting 55.3 percent from the field and delivering a slew of late-game heroics. LeBron is going to be in for a challenge in this series trying to go up agains Marcus Morris. Morris just did a fantastic job of Shutting down Ben Simmons in the last round. So LeBron is going to have to try and find a way to get past him to be a factor in this series. It isn't going to all fall on the King. JR Smith is going to have to step up and make an impact on this series much like he did against Toronto in the last round.

Meanwhile, Boston has been beaten up with Injuries this season. As the year has worn on, Boston has managed to lose Gordon Hayward at the beginning of the year and since late in the season, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and now Shane Larkin have all gone down at some point due top injury. Yet still Brad Stevens has managed to guide his team back to the conference finals for the 2nd straight year. Much like LeBron has done for the Cavs, Al Horford is going to have to do the same thing for the Celtics. He has to play at a level he never knew he could reach if Boston wants to hold out any hope of knocking off the Cavs. Its going to be on him, Morris and Jayson Tatum  to try and shut down the Beasts of the East from Cleveland.

Boston has a lot they can build on when they get both Hayward and Irving back next year. They will be even more of a battle tested and playoff experienced team. They have a good bunch, no denying that right now. What Brad Stevens has been able to do with this group is remarkable. But I think its going to be too much to deal with when facing the King. LeBron is going to be playing great, most of the playoffs has already been an indication of that. He needs his supporting cast to try and play close to his level to secure a victory in this round. They will get it.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6!

In the Western Conference Finals we got the top seeded Houston Rockets taking on the second seeded Golden State Warriors. For the fourth straight year and tenth time in franchise history, the Warriors are in the Western Conference Finals. They got here by beating San Antonio in the opening round and New Orleans in round two, both series going five games. Golden State now sits at 1680148 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Houston, this marks the eight time ever that the team is playing in the Western Conference finals, their first appearance since 2015. Houston got here by beating Minnesota in the first round and Utah in the second round, both series ending in five games. Houston is 136-146 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first two meetings. Houston won two of the three meetings between these teams during the regular season.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 14 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 16 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 20 8:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 22 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 24 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 26 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors* Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 28 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

This is the matchup everybody wanted and now we have it. Houston had the overhaul last summer, bringing in names like PJ Tucker and Chris Paul. Throw in a guy like Luc Mbah a Moute, who along with Tucker, have no problem being aggressive, switch friendly defenders. Having a style like that on defense could work quite well against a team that moves the ball around as well as Golden State does. Houston was the top scoring team in the playoffs this year, a big reason for that has been Chris Paul and James Harden. Harden has been playing at an MVP level most of the year and that hasn't stopped once the playoffs rolled around. As for CP3, he's showed flashes this year in the playoffs that he too, can be a dominating force in games. Just ask Utah, he dropped 41 points again in the 5th and deciding game in that series.

Houston is good, but they are going up against a loaded and battle tested Golden State team. They aren't the three time defending Western Conference champions for nothing. Trevor Ariza is going to have his hands full in this conference finals, having to defend against Kevin Durant. Much like CP3, Durant has been playing up to par and then some in the playoff this year. He's actually had to carry the bulk of the scoring for Golden State this year, which I really don't think he minds doing, he a big boy he can handle it. if Durant for some reason falters, the Warriors still have Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, who are kinda good at playing basketball.

This has the feeling that it might be the year for Houston. I think that Paul and Harden will neutralize Curry and Thompson. So its going to come down to Durant and Ariza. Trevor has a tough task ahead of him but I think he might have just enough in the tank to be able to handle it. This is going to be an entertaining series that could go down to the wire.

Prediction: Rockets in 7!

Stanley Cup Conference Finals Preview

We started this crazy run with sixteen teams standing. Now we're down to the final four. Winners of these two series will advance on to play for the holy grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup. There's a lot to look forward to in this round of the post season. The West has two teams in it who nobody really expected to get there when the playoffs began. One is a relocated franchise, while the other is an expansion franchise. The East is a battle of teams who have storied pasts. One is a team that has been trying to break through the glass celling for the last twenty years or so, while the other one is trying to build off a record of sustained excellence. The final four has arrived and over the next two weeks we will determine who has earned the right to play for the holy grail of hockey. So lets get right into it and break down the conference finals.

First up, its the Eastern Conference Finals between the Atlantic Division Champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Metropolitan Division Champion Washington Capitals. For the first time since 1998, the Washington Capitals are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. They got here by beating the Blue Jackets in six games in the opening round, then following it up with a win over the Penguins in six games in round two. Washington is now 19-27 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Tampa Bay, this marks their first trip to the conference finals since 2016 and the third time in the last four years. Tampa got here by beating New Jersey in the first round and Boston in the second, both series coming in five game wins. This is the third playoff meeting between these teams with Tampa Bay winning both previous series. They last met in the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which Tampa Bay won in a four-game sweep. This is the Lightning's fifth appearance in the Conference Finals, while this marks the Capitals third Conference Finals appearance. They last made the Conference Finals in 1998, in which they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games. Tampa Bay won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 11 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 13 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 15 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 17 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 19 Washington Capitals 7:15 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 21 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 23 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena

So now that Washington finally has the Piano off it's back about not getting past the second round, they have to try and prove that what just happened against Pittsburgh was no fluke. Alex Ovechkin has a lot left in the tank and is trying to add to his trophy case with a championship. Part of what is holding back his legacy is his ability to lead Washington to a championship. He's got 15 points so far in 12 playoff games, so he playing like a man on a mission. So to was Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was the hero against the Penguins in the last round. And Washington was able to pull this off with Nicklas Backstrom having missed a little time in the last round due to injuries. So with him back in the lineup and healthy, the Caps could be a tough test in the Conference finals. That and with the way Brayden Holtby has been playing so far, he making life difficult for the opposition. Its funny, because Philip Grubauer was given the honor of being the guy in Washington's net to start the playoffs. But when he stumbled in the first two games of the playoffs, Holtby has come back into the mix and won eight of his 10 starts and sports a .926 save percentage. Washington has managed to be able to clamp down on defense as the playoffs have worn on. Don't believe it? Just as the Penguins.

Now they got to face the fastest and most balanced team in the playoffs in the Lightning. See what Boston relied on was one line to really power their hockey club, while Tampa has their top two lines firing at just the right time. Everybody has been talking about the Bolts top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and J.T. Miller and rightfully so. They've been an noutstanding top unit, with Kucherove leading the charge with 12 points and Stamkos chipping in ten points in ten games. Its not just all on that unit. The Bolts second line of Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson. That line has not only been contributing as much as the top unit, but they did a fantastic job of shutting down Boston's top unit in the last round. Tampa has had a four-line rotation that's been on full display this post season and it will continue to be a weapon against Washington, which is something that the Caps might not be ready to deal with in this series.

As glad as I am that the Capitals have finally climbed over the mountain top to get to the East finals, they've got one more hill to climb in the East and its the best team left standing in the Bolts. Washington is a very skilled hockey club, but they've now got to deal with the best and deepest team in the East, a team that has all four lines rolling right now and are a club that's going to be very hard to contain. As good as Washington has been, they're not going to have enough in the tank to get it done here. Tampa is just too good.

Prediction: Lightning in 6!

Next in the Western Conference Finals its the Central Divisions Second Seeded Winnipeg Jets taking on the Pacific Division Champion Vegas Golden Knights. For Vegas, they got here by sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and then beating the San Jose Sharks in six in the second round. This is the furthest that an expansion team has ever gone in the playoffs, with Vegas winning their first two playoff series ever. As for Winnipeg, they knocked off the Minnesota Wild in Five and the Nashville Predators in seven. This is also the farthest that the Jets have gone in the playoffs, getting swept in their first two previous playoff appearances. This is the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This is the first Conference Finals since 2003 (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Minnesota Wild) to feature two teams making their Conference Finals debut. Winnipeg advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time in their 19th season after entering the league in 1999 as the Atlanta Thrashers. Vegas made the Conference Finals in their inaugural season becoming the first expansion team since the St. Louis Blues to advance past the second round of the playoffs. Vegas won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 12 Vegas Golden Knights 7:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 14 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 16 Winnipeg Jets 9:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 18 Winnipeg Jets 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 20 Vegas Golden Knights 3:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 22 Winnipeg Jets 9:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 24 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place

This is going to be a fast and fun series to watch. Vegas wasn't really projected to be here, because this was a group of players that was viewed as castoffs from the other thirty teams around the NHL. Now here they sit, just four wins away from playing for the biggest prize in all of the sport. They are a team that goes to show that anything is possible. Vegas has been dominating teams in this years playoffs with their speed, there's not been a team that has come close to being able to match the Golden Knights speed. Powering this offense is the top line of Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson. They've been nearly unstoppable this year in the playoffs and could very well be the best trio left standing. The only thing you have to worry about with this Vegas team is the possibility of turnovers. They have the speed and are great in transition but if they turn the puck over that could spell trouble. What could bail Vegas out is the play of Marc Andre Fleury, who's been playing out of his mind this year in the playoffs. He's got four shutouts and given up just 17 goals all playoffs. He's looking like the goalie was saw lead the Penguins to a 2009 Stanley Cup Title. He's going to have to do it again in this series to get Vegas to the finals.

They're going up against a tough test in Winnipeg, who just knocked off the Presidents Trophy winners in the last round. This team has pretty much played outstanding hockey in the playoffs, almost to the point where you really can't find a flaw in their game. Getting Paul Stastny at the trade deadline has been a brilliant move, as he's scored clutch goals in helping lead the Jets this deep in the playoffs. Then there's the play of Mark Scheifele. Three years ago, Scheifele registered just one assist in the four-game sweep by the Ducks. Since then, Scheifele has taken his game to another level, managing to transform himself into one of the top centres in the game today. Patrik Laine and Connor Hellebuyck are going to be two guys to watch in this series. Laine is getting his chances, but he only has three goals to this point in the playoffs and is due to break out. As for Hellebuyck, he's been playing almost as well as Fleury has. He's given up ten more goals in two more games then Fleury, but when the pressure is at it's highest, Hellebuyck has been just as good as Fleury.

What Winnipeg just managed to do in the last round to Nashville could be an indication of what might happen in this series. They were able to neutralize the depth of Nashville over  the long haul, which is why they walked away with the series win. They are going to do that here. Winnipeg is going to be the team to end the Cinderella run for the Golden Knights. It goes the distance, but the clock will strike midnight for the Golden Knights.

Prediction: Jets in 7!

Stanley Cup Playoff Sweet Victories

It has been a fun ride through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As we now get closer to the conference finals, there's two teams that are advancing that have had a lot to prove this year. One is an expansion team that nobody really expected to make this much noise, while the other has been trying to shake a piano off its back in the post season for a long time now. Both got it done in the second round and turned quite a few heads doing it.

The biggest story right now has to be the Washington Capitals. It has been twenty years since the Capitals had been able to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, something that has been a thorn in the side of the franchise ever since. Last time Washington was back in the Eastern Conference Finals, the average Cost of new house was $129,300.00, the average Income per year was $38,100.00, while the average Monthly Rent was $619.00. Cost of a gallon of Gas was $1.15, while the average cost of new car was $17,200.00. A postage stamp cost you 32 cents, while a loaf of Bread was $1.26, a Dozen Eggs cost 88 cents and Titanic hit theaters. This series not only marks the first conference finals appearance since 1998, its the 2nd time in 11 tries that the Caps have beaten the Pens.

A lot had been riding on Washington in this series, as they've been trying for the longest times to get this piano off their backs. In the tenure of Alex Ovechkin in Washington, the 2nd round was the highest level in playoff competition he seemed to be able to attain. Now he's got a shot at a conference title and a birth in the Stanley Cup Finals. That has got to be the biggest knock on the career of one of the greatest Russian scorers in the history of the NHL. Hockey is a team sport, so its not all on one guy, even if that guy is somebody as gifted as Ovechkin. That's where players like Evgeny Kuznetsov come in. He was the hero in overtime of game six. Oh and Washington was not only able to beat the two time defending cup champions to get to the next round, they did it without one of their best playmakers in Nicklas Backstrom. Washington got balanced scoring in the series, getting contributions from everybody and were able to good job to shut down the Penguins best forwards.

It was performances like this that have to feel good for a team and a franchise that has done so many great things during the regular season but just never seemed to get it done in the playoffs. They haven't quite reached the summit just yet, but they have taken a huge step in the right direction.

Then there's the upstart Vegas Golden Knights, who've been shattering every expansion record in the book this year. Its really amazing to consider that the Golden Knights have won more playoff series in the last month then a team like the New York Islanders have won in the last 25 years. Vegas has really taken a city by storm with their exciting brand of hockey Its a chance to expand a sport into what was considered a non traditional market and bring it to a different kind of crowd. It has worked and worked well.

Vegas has been running with this through a sweep of the Kings then beating the Sharks in six games. The funny thing is, the average game attendance at T-Mobile Arena is now 18,042. What's happened in Vegas goes to show that the power of the game can do to a community. There were naysayers going into this experiment, but the team has shown that this has, at least in its first year of existence, that the game can work here. This is a group of basically castoffs from other teams who felt these players were expendable. They are out to try and prove everybody that they were wrong.

Nobody has done that more then Marc Andre Fleury. He's 8-2 in the playoffs with a .951 save percentage and a goals against of 1.53, to go along with four shutouts. He, along with William Karlsson are the big reasons why the Golden Knights are here. This is a team who was listed by the books at the beginning of the year as a 200-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. Now they're four short wins away from making it to the finals. Is this team really this good? The next few years will truly be able to determine that. But for right now, its been a hell of a run. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Tom Wilson Faces Punishment

Any hockey fan would have been able to tell you, going into this series, that the Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals was going to be a nasty, physical series. Monday night, in game three of the series in Pittsburgh, the series took on a new life. Tom Wilson, the Capitals forward, has been known for being a bit of an adgitator. Tuesday night, he took it to a whole different level.

Here's a video of what happened:


No penalty was called on the hit and Zach Aston-Reese missed the rest of the game.

It was revealed earlier today that Aston-Reese has a concussion and a broken jaw, which will cause him to miss the rest of the playoffs. Tom Wilson had a hearing with the Department of Player Safety, which resulted in a three game suspension for Wilson for the actions.

Did the punishment fit the crime?

Yes and no. It is indeed the type of hit that the NHL is trying to get rid of. At first look it seemed like Wilson caught Aston-Reese in the shoulder, which is probably why the refs never made a call on the hit. The blood on the ice after the play was a better indication of what happened, as was the video replay showed both on TV and on the video scoreboard over center ice. Once fans in the arena saw what happened, they really got on Wilson's case over it, and rightfully so.

Now comes into question how long the suspension should have been. Some fans are possibly calling for Wilson to be out as long as Aston-Reese, which is going a bit far. There's no doubt in anybody's mind that Wilson should serve a suspension for the hit, there really is no room in the game for a play such as that. I think three games might have been a little light. There's no way to tell how deep this series is going to go, as Washington has a 2-1 lead in the series heading into game four on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The rest of the series is easy for how long this suspension should go. If the series does end in five, then it should carry over into the next round, but if it goes the distance and the Caps move on, he should be eligible to come back at the start of the next round.

One things for sure, every time that Tom Wilson comes back to Pittsburgh, he will be booed every time he touches the puck. For his actions Tuesday night, Wilson has become a marked man.

Winners & Losers From NFL Draft

Now here we sit after seven rounds and 256 picks. The National Football League draft is in the books. Its going to be tough to really tell right now how well these picks are going to turn out. We will know that in about a year from now. For the moment at least, its worth taking a look at whether or not these picks were good or bad. Some of the picks are going to be enjoyed, while others are going to be loathed. With that being said, here's a look at some of the winners and losers, so far at least, from this year's NFL Draft!

Winner:
Cleveland Browns
It was almost a given that Baker Mayfield was going to go in the top five in this years draft. Cleveland was in need of a quarterback in a bad way, so they grabbed one with Mayfield. He has the ability to have that save a franchise type of skills, he's that good. Some question his mental makeup, but the physical tools are all right there for this kid to be a big star in this league. What did surprise me about the Browns a little was who they took at 4th. Many felt Bradley Chubb, the defensive end out of NC State was going to be the pick, but instead Cleveland grabbed Denzel Ward, the cornerback from Ohio State. A very solid pickup in his own right, a guy who can really help bolster the weak Cleveland secondary. Again the biggest piece of the day was adding Mayfield, who can already add another weapon to what, at least on paper is an already improved football team. Will it get them into the playoffs right away? Probably not. Will it get them a win? No doubt it. Only time will tell how good this team could be down the road, but I'd say its off to a decent start right now with the guys they added early in the draft.

Loser:
Oakland Raiders
Oakland had made some interesting moves at the draft. First they had the 10th pick, then flipped it to Arizona for the 15th pick. Arizona then grabbed Josh Rosen out of UCLA at ten. With the 15th pick, Oakland added Kolton Miller, the tackle from UCLA. A good pick adding a little more depth to an already solid unit. Then they were able to trade one of the 3rd round picks they had to the Steelers for Martavis Bryant, a receiver with a lot of upside, but also a lot of baggage. It says something about the kind of player that Bryant might be if the Steelers had no trouble getting rid of him for just a third round pick. It just feels like some of the other picks that the Raiders made on this day were just risky moves.

Winner:
Arizona Cardinals
Think its safe to say that the Arizona Cardinals had themselves a pretty good draft. First they moved up five spots and grabbed themselves a franchise quarterback in Josh Rosen. Yes Arizona does have Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon, but neither guy is going to be the long term answer for the Cardinasl. Rosen has the talent and all around makeup that could get the Cardinals what they want as the years go on. So by being able to trade up five spots and grab their guy shows brilliance on the part of General Manager Steve Keim. It really was a case of highway robbery because all it cost was just a swap of the first round picks, it didn't cost them future first or second round picks, allowing them to really build a team down the road. Great job by Cardinal management getting the player they want and not giving up the whole lot in order to get him.

Loser:
Dak Prescott
In the weeks heading into the draft, Dallas had said that they were trying to make the offense a little more friendly for their stud quarterback Dak Prescott. His tight end, Jason Witten just retired. Witten finished his career with 1,152 career catches. The rest of the receiving core that's still here in Dallas, Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Deonte Thompson, Noah Brown, Lance Lenoir, K.D. Cannon, Michael Gallup (who Dallas Just drafted in the second round), and Tavon Austin have a combined 948 career receptions. It was having that security blanket in Witten in the huddle and on the field for Dak and now that blanket isn't here. Dallas didn't really go out and make a splash in the draft to try and help Dak in the draft. Sure, Zek is still going to be an impact player for the Boys and maybe they can get something out of Gallup, Dalton Schultz the Tight End they got in the 4th round and Cedrick Wilson Jr. who they picked up in the 6th round. Something good could happen in Dallas, but on paper, the Draft didn't help them out much.

Winner:
John Elway
Denver is one of those teams that has struggled the last couple of years to try and stay competitive on the AFC West. It was just three seasons ago that the Broncos won the Division and the Super Bowl, but since then its been a 9-7 and 5-11 record for Denver. So it fell to General Manager John Elway to try and get the Broncos back on track. They just signed Case Keenum, which meant that they had something but could have still picked a signal caller with the 5th overall pick. At one point, there was a trade in place for the Broncos to make a deal with Buffalo. But when a player the caliber of Bradley Chubb is sitting there at the 5th pick, you sure take it. Elway knows a good thing when he's sees it and snatched up Chubb with the pick. The defensive lineman from NC State is a big threat in the pass rush department and throw him in with Von Miller, it makes for a very dangerous combination. Throw those two in with the likes of Chris Harris, Bradley Roby, Justin Simmons, Brandon Marshall and Todd Davis, it makes for a very dangerous defense and one that could help make Denver a threat again in the West.

Loser:
Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco's time as a member of the penthouse among QB's in the NFL seems to be running thin. After having a monster statistical year two years ago, Flacco's numbers took a bit of a dip last season. Ever since he signed his last contract, Flacco hasn't been able to really take the Ravens back to the promise land. Now, with the 2018 draft, Baltimore hopes they have found his heir apparent. Baltiomre traded up to the final pick of the first round and used that 32nd pick to select Lamar Jackson, the quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner from Louisville. Baltimore has found luck with selecting good players in the draft, Flacco being one of them in 2008. Now, here in 2018, they may have found his possible replacement in Jackson. Again no telling just how good this kid could be in Jackson, but if he's going to be able to produce in this league, Flacco's days are numbered.