#The lack of micheal was very offensive

[apocalyptic-chaos]

I went through my blog and realised I never actually talked about the dream I had about tma?? I failed y'all

Anyway, I dreamt that Rusty Quill had decided to make a movie about the magnus archive and made an announcement on Twitter about it. In said announcement, they said that the movie would take some time to make, as they were planning to film EVERY SINGLE EPISODE instead of, you know, just keeping the most important plot points.

Also, one week after they announced it, the movie released worldwide.

Since we were all so excited about it, some mutuals from a Discord groupchat I'm in (who've I've literally never met before irl and also don't know all that well) and I decided to go and watch it together. Conveniently, we all lived in my hometown, so wee met in front of the local cinema, where we could already see some people waiting for the doors to open. All in all, there wasn't much going on. I remember a mom and her two kids being there and a guy with a giant white dog. Nothing you'd expect at the tma movie premiere.

Once they let us in, I realised the cinema looked quite different than it does irl, instead of seats, there were just wooden benches you'd use in PE class, and instead of the usual giant screen there was just a normal flatscreen TV. I didn't question that, as I was too excited for the movie to start.

However, there was a problem: Apparently, the movie's audio got corrupted and was unusable, which meant that we could watch the movie but had no sounds. The cinema directors solution was to personally call Rusty Quill, who then sent over every single person who had ever voiced a character over to this small town in the middle of nowhere, Germany, to live voice act the ENTIRE movie.

Of course, everyone arrived within 10 minutes as the town had an airport in my dream. (???)

I remember them voicing some of the movie (must have been a few podcast episodes) when Jonny told us they'd take a break to get some ice cream. We decided to wait, of course.

While waiting, I turned to my friend and told them how excited I was for Micheal to show up for the first time. They turned to me and told me that Micheal was the only thing they cut out of all 200+ episodes. I was so offended by the lack of Micheal that I told my friend, "Well then, there's no reason for me to be here," and woke up.

[thesunicarusfellfor]

Hello! I'm in love with the way you write c! Ranboo like hsgsj- amazing! So I would like a request Yandare c! Ranboo and tubbo with a soft reader that is oblivious on how they act twords them but loves them unconditionaly (just fluff please maybe maybe put a Micheal seen in there as well because Micheal is the best character 😌)

I think this is the best compliment I have ever received... Thank you so much🤍🖤

I didn't know whether or not to do headcanons or a full-length fic, so I went with a shorter story if that's alright. ^^ if it's not feel free to send another request!

FYI THIS CAN BE SEEN AS PLATONIC OR ROMANTIC

Too Sweet (For This World) Yandere!C!Ranboo x F!Reader x Yandere!C!Tubbo

It was very common for you to see something out of the corner of your eye, but when you looked, you only saw a bunch of purple particles drifting slowly towards the earth due to gravity. You just assumed there were quite a few endermen still hanging around Snowchester, or some of the goats had come down from the mountains when you saw small little horns peeking out from behind bushes.

There were a couple times a day where you accidentally and very conveniently bumped into Ranboo out in the crater of L'Manberg or Tubbo when walking around Snowchester. It honestly was funny to you that you always seemed to bump into them when you were feeling sad or lonely. Plus, after talking to them and spending time with them, your problems almost magically seemed to disappear!

Such as, there was one time when you were helping clean up the red vines around buildings and Fundy was nagging at you for being so slow or bad at doing everything. After storming away and ranting to Ranboo about it on the verge of tears, Fundy practically scrambled up to you the next day shaking and almost crying, apologizing for every single thing he's ever said or done.

Huh... Maybe he felt that bad about it to the point where he was crying?

Although Fundy never said anything mean to you again, he also stopped hanging around you completely.

When you mentioned this to Tubbo, he explained that Fundy must not have been a real friend and that he and Ranboo would always be there for you before anyone else.

Once the mansion was built, the two platonic husbands eagerly invited you to stay with them, even saying they had Foolish make a room specifically for you! At first, you quite enjoyed your home around L'manberg, but then one day you returned home to a wall of your home completely destroyed by vines, deeming it unlivable. Although a tad convenient..

Tubbo and Ranboo had heard about it through your sobs when you called them, saying you had no clue what to do anymore. They had arrived at your side in almost minutes and quickly helped you pack and move everything to the mansion.

"I thought Snowchester was like... Half a day's walk away from here..." You sniffed, rubbing your red and puffy eyes. The two men of greatly varying heights tensed up momentarily.

"We were in the area." They both blurted out at the same time before glancing at each other.

Tubbo cleared his throat first, "I was in the nether, but luckily for you, I was close to the old L'manberg portal!" He smiled softly at you as you three walked away from your old home.

"M-Me too!" Ranboo coughed awkwardly, causing Tubbo to shoot him an odd look that you decided to brush off, "Now, uh, come on! Michael needs to meet his new mother!"

You blinked in surprise at the new title but didn't question it much, assuming it was simply just a title. Unbeknownst to you, your two best friends already thought you were part of their platonic relationship, despite you never agreeing nor denying, or them even asking.

It took a few days, but the zombie piglin warmed up to you and practically saw you as another one of his parents, which made Ranboo and Tubbo extremely happy. Instead of placing you into one of the regular rooms, they had Foolish turn the basement into two heavily secured rooms a few days before your house had been destroyed, strangely enough, and even designed one perfectly to your liking!

After washing the fruits you had, you walked towards the bookshelf and pulled on the fake book that caused the shelf to swing open. You walked down the quartz stairs after shutting the hidden door, then made your way up to one of the two doors with a pink sign with 'Michael' written in yellow cursive paint. Punching in the code, the iron door slid open and you stepped in before closing it behind you.

A loud cooing grunt was heard and the sound of quiet tapping echoed through the room before a pair of arms wrapped around your leg. "Hello, Michael." You giggled softly as Michael made grabbing hands up towards the bowl of fruit. Placing it down on the table, the child eagerly ran over and began munching on the food as you brushed over the books on the shelves to find one you haven't read to Michael before. "What about... The story of Persephone?"

A disappointed grunt was your only response.

"Guess I did read that one... Hm... Oh! What about the story of Icarus?" This time his response was a happy squeak and tippy taps of his hooves against the warm quartz floors. You sat down in the rocking chair and waited until the child scrambled over and jumped into your lap.

You opened the book and began reading to him for an hour until your eyes slowly slid shut to the quiet snores of the child of your two best friends, who at this point was beginning to see you as a mother.

Quiet 'meh' sounds and 'vrrr'ing noises and a dim flash woke you up from your spot in the rocking chair. Cracking open your eyes, your arms shifted around the nether hybrid as you saw Tubbo holding a camera making happy bleating noises, while Ranboo, who was the source of the buzzing noises, took the book you had been reading from your limp hand to put it back on the shelf.

"What time is it?" You murmured softly to keep the child asleep as you rubbed the back of your stiff and sore neck.

"It's about 5:30pm. Still rather early. Tubbo walked over and gave you a gentle yet affectionate headbutt while he scooped Michael up from your lap to bring him to bed. This caused an odd whining noise to come from the enderman hybrid before he quickly walked over and rested his forehead against yours, resting it there for a few moments before pulling back, his cheeks flushed the same colours as his eyes.

You giggled softly and gave him a gentle pat on the head as he helped you up. He held onto one of your hands as Tubbo eagerly went for the other, jokingly sticking his tongue out at Ranboo who gave a noise of mock offense, causing you three to giggle softly as you left Michael's room and went upstairs.

Tubbo and Ranboo weren't big fans of you leaving the basement on your own, and you were rarely allowed to leave the mansion even with the two boys at your sides. The former president told you it was because he heard rumours of Technoblade searching around for all the members of his cabinet back when he was in charge of L'Manberg, and he just wanted to protect you.

You saw no problems with his story as it was extremely believable. Your history with Technoblade hadn't been the cleanest and he would've definitely taken one of your canon lives back during the attack on L'Manberg, had a stray black and white firework not saved you that day. It had fired off and must've swerved a way that wasn't predicted, because it hit Technoblade hard enough in the chest to knock him away from you.

You don't remember much of that day, except for Ranboo immediately running over to you and dragging you away from the destruction and chaos. Thanks to him, you were almost completely scar free and standing proudly at three canons lives.

A gentle hand on your shoulder brought you back to reality and you saw two sets of eyes staring at you with concern. "Hey... Are you feeling okay?" Ranboo asked softly, tilting your head up to place his free hand against your forehead, "See. I told you she should be getting more sunlight, Tubbo!"

"I'm okay, I'm okay!" You laughed softly at their worry, rubbing your thumbs along the back of their hands, "Just... Remembering the war with Dream and Techno..."

"What about it?" Tubbo asked, bringing you into the living room to sit down with your friends on either side of you.

You pursed your lips together for a moment as you looked at the ground, "Just how... Scary Techno is. And how he was about to kill me without a care about who or what I was."

Angered growling and seething noises came from Ranboo and Tubbo as you felt their grasps tighten around your hands, almost to a painful degree. You looked up and saw their expressions stone-cold and steely although vastly different from each other.

Ranboo's green eye was purple, and the black tone of his skin was beginning to seep into the side with the lack of colour. The corners of his mouth were slowly splitting open wider and wider as his lips parted, allowing you to see the glowing purple colour inside his mouth.

Tubbo's was less obvious. His eyes were blank but also had a bright fire, one burning for revenge, reflected in them. His ears weren't flicking and neither was his tail, his entire body stiff except for a faint sound giving away the fact that his teeth were grinding together.

As much as you tried to endure it, the grip became too harsh and you couldn't help but give a small pained gasp. This caused all physical contact with you to suddenly vanish as the two boys immediately flung themselves away from you, horror and fear in their eyes.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

"Are you okay?! Do you need an ice pack?!"

"Or a bandage from my claws?!"

They were both kneeling on the ground in front of you with both of your hands in their grasps again. They repeatedly turned your hands in their own, testing the joints and checking for marks or bruising. "Boys, boys!" You laughed softly, placing your hands on their heads to ruffle their hair gently. You pulled your left hand adorned with two beautiful rings and held it up for them to see, flexing it and moving it around, "See? Perfectly fine. No pain whatsoever!"

While they seemed to have calmed down a lot, they still seemed to be extremely upset and guilty. "I'm still going to get an ice pack... We don't want our wife to be injured..." Tubbo murmured as he quickly got up and walked towards the kitchen.

"I will get started on dinner. And as an apology, I'm making your favourite. (F/f)." Ranboo tried to be a little more upbeat than Tubbo, but you could still see the small amounts of guilt as he turned and followed after the goat hybrid.

Sighing softly at their overreactions, you leaned back against the couch...

Before doing a double-take.

Adorned with rings?!

You quickly flung yourself forward again and looked at your left hand. On your ring finger were two diamond rings, one gold with a green gemstone, and the other silver with a black gemstone, both glistening a faint purple from enchantments...

...

When did these get put on you- wait... Did Tubbo say... wife?

[ysbnews]

Russia on Defense! Ukraine Forces Putin’s ‘Poorly Led, Ill-Trained’ Troops on Back Foot — EXPRESS.UK

War Analysis | 8/21/2022 — VLADIMIR PUTIN'S Russia is now "on defence" and hampered by the performance of "poorly led, ill-trained" soldiers "with low morale", a retired US general has said.  Mark Hertling offered a withering assessment of Putin’s forces almost 6 months after the Russian President ordered his invasion on February  24.The 68-year-old, who was Commanding General of United States Army Europe and the 7th Army from March 2011 to November 2012, provided an in-depth analysis in a series of tweets yesterday. 

Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - Image © Getty 

He explained: “Russia’s ground forces have proven to be poorly led, ill-trained & with low morale, increasingly & significantly attritted in personnel & equipment (some sources now indicating that when they went into this fight in Feb most units were understrength), unable to regenerate.”  Russia had lacked the ability to execute combined arms operations (CAOs), which are defined as combining resources including infantry, tanks and artillery along with intel and logistics in order secure ground, Mr Hertling suggested.

Mark Hertling believes Russia is now "on the defence" - Image via Twitter

He explained: “Executing CAOs is much more difficult than what many might comprehend.  “It takes years of developing the right kind of leaders and soldiers, getting the right equipment, having the right doctrine, doing the right kind of training & exercises, and having the right kind of government to support those activities without grift or corruption.

“It's more than ‘giving Ukraine everything they need’ and believing it will automatically become a modern and capable force.”  Mr Hertling stressed: “Russia came into this fight thinking they could execute a ‘Desert Storm-like offensive’ that would be completed in a few days. This was delusional. They lacked the leadership, training, equipment, to do it. Given RU culture & systems, they aren't capable of fixing this.” 

General Mark Hertling pictured in 2007 - Image © GETTY

Ukraine’s forces, while relatively well trained with high morale, did not currently have the training for large scale CAOs, Mr Hertling said — but added: “They are adapting, training w/allies, incorporating new equipment, and doing so very quickly. “The Donbas slugfest was a counter-fire battle; limited maneuvre, a battle of attrition.” Russian forces had tried to sap Ukraine’s will to fight with “imprecise strikes against civilian targets” but Ukraine, armed with new weapons including the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) were stopping them in their tracks.”

HIMARS: A missile is launched from an undisclosed Ukraine location - © Getty

In the south of the country, Russia was struggling as a result of “bad leadership”, and was hence relying on a “scorched earth campaign”, Mr Hertling suggested. He added: “Russia is now stalled in the south and can only resupply from Rostov-on-Don (in Russia) or from Russian bases in Crimea (which is now being threatened).”  In the south, Ukraine was now targeting logistics while defending and conducting limited attacks to regain ground with conventional forces, and conducting a “guerrilla campaign”. 

Russian Z tanks, destroyed by Ukrainian forces precision attacks of Javeline and HIMARS - Image © GETTY

Mr Hertling said: “Ukraine knows something Russia doesn’t: Ukraine knows you can’t WIN wars with artillery or air alone.  Those may affect the outcome, or even prep the battlefield for future fights, but a force can’t regain ground with “fires” alone. You must do it with manoeuvre forces...in CAOs.  Early RU goals were beyond their capability. Reducing the goals didn't help. Now, RU's defending in more places against a growing conventional Ukraine threat and an expanded guerilla war.  Ukraine has transitioned to the offense and can pick where they attack; Russia is now on the defense.”  

Volodymyr Zelensky meets Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, in Kyiv last month - Image © GETTY

August 24 will also mark 31 years of Ukraine's independence from Soviet rule and President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking during his nightly video address called for vigilance, feared Putin might use the date to launch a brutal attack on his people.  He said: "We must all be aware that this week Russia could try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly vicious.”

Russia vs Ukraine military power in numbers - Image © Express

Read full of War News, analysis + watch video on EXPRESS.UK  ▶️  https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1658362/russia-news-vladimir-putin-ukraine-update-himars-volodymyr-zelensky 

[lilithsgayadoptednephew]

Holy Hands

Fandoms: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!   Not Rated Graphic Depictions Of Violence F/M, Other Complete Work

Chapter List

Chapter 38

Lucifer was faster than Michael, and without any backup it was his only advantage. The angel wasted no time trying to run him through, as he had wanted to do for millennia, but Lucifer was already behind him. His wings provided a vertical battlefield the grounded angel couldn't reach.

Michael swung with fury, but Lucifer moved with precision. Michael dodged with speed, but Lucifer struck with purpose. It was mere minutes they fought through an obvious stalemate, but it felt like decades. This was the end of the roads they'd both chosen, always destined to oppose each other.

The only significant difference between them was Michael was expected to win. Every angel in the Celestial Realm expected it, Lucifer's own father had planned it.

Even Lucifer knew deep down he couldn't face Michael alone. He was too weak from his fall, his lack of human influence, his years of stress and heartache. He was too weakened by his cursed life to assume he could defeat someone still fresh and in the Father's favor.

The years had humbled him, his humiliation was so thorough and absolute it felt as if it were the true reason he was created.

But as Michael started to gain an edge, as Lucifer felt himself losing ground. He knew he was still their best bet. If he didn't defeat Michael, his brothers didn't stand a chance. Even United they'd never matched Lucifer's power and skill. It's how he managed to keep them in check for all those lifetimes.

For the Devildom, for the demons who were driven from it, for his brothers. He couldn't afford to lose this one.

So when Micheal swung his sword in customary fighting form, Lucifer showed no etiquette. He used no tact or grace, he used claws and teeth and threats. Anything for the edge, anything to frighten Michael into weakness. Perhaps he'd be too scared to fight, if he knew what the devil really looked like.

But Lucifer was growing slow, and his wings were large and unprotected. They were once an asset, but now they were the perfect weakness.

Lucifer hardly even saw as Michael faked a left dodge and immediately darted back. One hand holding his sword, thrown out for balance. The other reaching for Lucifer's neat black feathers. His fist grasping the soft appendage roughly, a dirty tactic for an angel.

Lucifer's cry of shock was like a fox's. Loud, haunting, and just off from being recognizable as human.

He hit the ground hard when Micheal threw him. His weight and height were his downfall. He was getting to his feet practically the next instant, but it wasn't fast enough. Michael pressed a metal boot to the center of Lucifer's chest, pinning him to the soft ground.

No.

Failure was not an option. He had his family, the fate of the Devildom, if he lost then no one would be spared. Michael would slaughter every demon, every ally they'd gathered. They'd be worse than dust without Lucifer.

MC would never know what happened to them.

Michael pointed the tip of the Celestial sword to Lucifer's chest, but he didn't stab. He grinned madly as he dragged the blade over the cloth of his shirt. Tearing it easily and slicing the flesh beneath.

"Does it hurt to be carved like a roast old friend? Corrupting innocent humans and seducing them to do your bidding is your crime, and I think this is barely any punishment for something so heinous."

Lucifer would not grimace against the pain. If he were to die, if all hope were to be lost, he would at least hold onto the one thing he'd kept through the years of struggling and suffering.

His forsaken pride.

He held his breath and made no movement as Michael made sliced veal of him. Sick enjoyment twisting his features as he worked.

"Look, the star bleeds just like a pig. Fitting since you'll die like one Helel!"

Lucifer would not comment. But he allowed himself an internal complaint. A whine that even sounded pathetic in his head, the plea of why Michael couldn't just finish it already. He knew this feeling of blackness creeping at the edges of his vision. The feeling of sickness curling in his chest like smoke and the world beginning to spin.

He was almost grateful as he lost consciousness.

0Michael watched the life drain from Lucifer's face as his eyes fluttered closed beneath him. For a blissful moment he believed the bastard actually died from the torture. Of course he'd be too stubborn to just go quietly. With a sigh Michael raised his sword.

Bringing the wide arch down his heart almost stopped when his swing was interrupted by a sharp clang.

Before him stood a warrior he wasn't familiar with. Their stance was strong and practiced, and they blocked his swing with a sword identical to his own. Taking a step back, and consequently off the fallen Lucifer, he got a better look at the stranger.

Their hair curled lightly on their brow. They stood strong and straight against the ground, over the unconscious body like a guardian angel. Their hands, small and calloused, gripped their sword in front of them prepared to defend themself. Their eyes held the seraphim's gaze with dignity and without hesitation.

They were like a mural, standing with the lights of the realm dancing in their hair, shining off the sweat on their temple. No armor or wings but angelic none-the-less stood his MC.

"MC! You're supposed to be hiding on Earth. Get out of here before you get hurt." MC held their ground.

"I was on Earth, but I wasn't hiding." They said coldly. They stood with their feet far apart and one hand thrown out to the side for balance. Sword raised in a manner both threatening and protective of their face and body.

They'd been training.

0MC tried not to look at their unconscious lover as he slept on the ground. Their suspicion had been correct, the bow had become a sword not a shield. That meant they'd have to fight.

Taking the offensive they lunged forward, using their weight in their attack. Michael was caught off guard but recovered quickly, blocking MCs attack and continuing to play defense.

"I won't attack you MC, you don't know what you're doing."

"Oh really?" They chased him around a corner and whipped around to slice again. "Because it looks like I'm about to chop you in half." They gloated. Michael almost laughed.

"The only reason you're still alive is because I'm so merciful." He chuckled as if fighting MC was equatable to racing a small child and letting them win.

"I know, but nonetheless we're still doing this" they were starting to pant now. They only had to keep it up for a little while.

"It's actually hilarious." He breathed.

"Me trying to fight you?" They guessed as they swung, burying the sword into a wall before pulling it out and continuing their assault.

"No, the fact that Lucifer's fallen so far" his sword blocked MCs and they stayed locked there as he looked at them directly. "To need to be rescued by a human."

MC had promised themself they wouldn't rise to any of Michaels taunts. But they'd circled back so the spot where they'd left Lucifer was behind Michael. Over his shoulder MC saw shapes moving, air shifting, they knew what it meant, they'd lived with him after all. They'd promised they wouldn't talk back, but that was when Micheal was addressing them. This time he'd disrespected Lucifer.

With a shove, so purposeful and sudden it surprised the angel, MC knocked his sword arm back over his head.

"I'm not here to rescue him" their tone was low as a whisper and deadly as a cobra. They pressed the tip of their sword to Michaels throat, keeping his hands above him.

"I'm here to distract you."

At that very moment MC dropped to the floor for cover. Michael was confused for only a heartbeat before a force like a freight train came from behind him. Knocking him over MCs head and into the wall they'd embedded their sword in.

Lucifer folded his wings back to his sides and held out a hand to help the human up. He wanted to scold them for stepping in, to tell them he hadn't needed their help and they shouldn't have been anywhere near the fight.

But they'd saved his life. Again.

He was over telling them what they could and couldn't do. Every time he did they just proved him wrong. And he hoped they never stopped.

[antichrist-bf]

Why brooklyn 99 is my favourite show of all time (a compiled list):

1.) Rounded believable characters:

over the six seasons this show has (currently) been running (i am hyped for seasons 7 & 8!) there has been time to make the characters rounded and true to life. in season 1 most of the characters are very one dimensional, with set goals and limited personalities, in many other shows this would stay that way for the whole show (*cough friends*) however overtime the characters have developed believable relationships with one another as well as their own separate, deeper personalities and have changed and grown, as real people do, instead of being stuck in a certain mindset.

2.) lack of toxic masculinity - male characters with an appreciation for other men and femininity

as many other people in the brooklyn 99 fandom are, i am incredibly torn between wanting a canonically bisexual jake or just being able to appreciate that he is a straight man who’s masculinity isn’t so fragile that he can’t find other men attractive or have to be hyper ridgidely masculine and stereotypical constantly. none of the male characters (apart from people like the vulture, who are antagonists) are stereotypically super masculine, and while many have “male” interests none of them are ever trying to prove themselves as better and the relationships between the main men (and the main men and main women together to some extent) is very positive due to this.

3.) Racial and Ethnic diversity

although most characters (especially background/side) are white, there definitely is an amount of racial, ethnic and even to some extent religious diversity within this show. two of the initial main seven are black, two are latina and one is jewish (& white). there are several POC recurring side characters and one-time characters and the way they approach race is good, as they don’t put right ignore it but it isn’t a big deal (& many important issue such as racism in the police force is discussed)

4.) address important issue in a way that you learn about said issue but at the same time are aware you are still watching a comedy show

thoughout the running of this show, many important, relevant issues have been raised, such as racism in the police force (previously mentioned), sexual harassment/assault, homophobia, transphobia and treatment of people in prison (as well as others that don’t currently come to mind). and, whether these issues are addressed in passing or there has been one or multiple episodes regarding it, it is very clear that none of this comedy is “offensive comedy” and despite it being a comedy show, they tackle the issues in serious, very clear understanding ways without making it a serious show. at all times you are aware you’re watching comedy.

5.) LGBT representation

according to fandom there are seven LGBT characters in brooklyn 99, two main ones (Holt and Rosa), one incredibly recurring side character (Kevin) and four other characters who are the partners (or ex partners or love interests) of the lgbt main characters. Holt, who is introduced as gay from the start, is not at all a stereotypically gay person at all and nor is his husband Kevin. Neither of their characters revolves around their sexuality and, although their sexuality is prevalent in their journey to being where they are and they talk about it relevantly, they are defined characters outside of their sexual orientations. i really appreciate gay characters in fiction who haven’t just been labelled as gay for diversity points and genuinely are good, loveable, interesting characters. Rosa (who didn’t come out as bi until season 5) became a developed character before her sexuality was known and once she came out she wasn’t just known as “the bi one” and returned to having a personality again. (there was a very relatable arc about her coming out as bisexual tho which i appreciated, having unsupportive parents gang) furthermore she is shown as having relationships with both men and women and lots of different relationships but no one sees her as a slut or “greedy bisexual” she is just seen as exploring her identity and this is a very refreshing take on bisexuality that isn’t seen much in fiction!! (not pertenant but i cried at the end of the episode ‘game night’, that being the episode rosa came out and is it one of only two brooklyn 99 episodes i’ve cried at, the other one being S5 - “jake and amy”)

6.) a comedy show that doesn’t rely on offensive humour or a cheap laugh

brooklyn 99 is an incredibly funny show but it doesn’t attempt to achieve this by poking fun at minorities or making bad jokes that they know will get them a good laugh, each of the actors are genuinely funny people and the writing and plot lines are great and there is excellent comedic timing all round.

7.) incredibly believable relationships

jake and amy have so much genuine chemistry that their relationship and love interest for each other is incredibly believable. when jake was crushing on amy and very awkward around her that was very realistic and relatable and as their relationship has grown from a disruptive friendship to married life, all the problems they’ve had to deal with along the way have been realistic and genuine. not just them but the way all characters treat all other characters is very believable and it’s good to have a show with truthful realistic dynamics.

obviously there is loads more i could say but i think i’ve highlighted the key points of what makes it a great show aside from the basic stuff like the plot line and all the other stuff you would assume. am probably gonna reblog this and make both a parks and rec and the good place versions because they are my other 2 favourite shows we stan micheal schur

[habsfans98]

Habsfan98 Opinion: The Montreal Canadiens season 2016-2017

Montreal Canadiens Record:

W: Wins L: Loses OTL: Overtime Loses P: Points 

W-L-OTL = 47-26-9  P = 103

Home Record: 24-12-5

Road Record: 23-14-4

Goals for:  226 

Goals against: 200  

2016-2017 Atlantic Division Champions

Eliminated in the first round by the New York Rangers in six games

 Montreal Candiens Top Scores 

Total Points: 67, Max Pacioretty (G = 35, A = 32)

Total Assist: 36, Alexander Radulov

Total Goals: 35, Max Pacioretty

Leading Rookie: 28, Artturi Lehkonen (G = 18, A = 10)

Leading Defensemen: 42, Shea Weber (G = 17, A = 25)

 Habsfan98 Montreal Canadiens Three stars for the playoffs

GP: Games played G: Goals A: Assist P: Points

W: Win L: Lose OT: Overtime lose Svs: Saves GA: Goals against Sv%: Save Percentage

GAA: Goals Against Average

  🌟 Carey Price GP: 6 W: 2 L: 4 Svs: 167 GA: 12 Sv%: .933 GAA: 1.86

🌟 🌟 Alexander Radulov GP: 6 G: 2 A: 5 P: 7

🌟 🌟 🌟 Atturi Lehkonen GP: 6 G: 2 A: 2 P: 4

 Opinion on the playoffs

 Well the end of the 2016-1017 season has come. The Montreal Canadiens had to match up with bitter original six rival, the New York Rangers. It was a hard-fought series, from the casual observer. But for me, it was a one-sided affair for the later parts of the series. Which ultimately rang true for a rather disappointing game 6 lose, that ended the habs season.

I retrospective. This six game series, showed the many flaws that the Canadiens had throughout the regular season. Poor puck possession, defensive mistakes, terrible defensive zone play, a lack of key scoring, and the most important weakness of all. The lack of a affective top four center, or center depth in general for the Canadiens.

The Canadeins best players were simply out played, and shut down by the Rangers stifling defensive style, and strong puck possession. Max Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk, Phillip Danault, and Andrew Shaw where scoreless through the six games of the series. Meanwhile Carey Price was forced to fight a losing battle against the Rangers strong attackers.

Though there were two bright spots for this short playoff. Alexander Radulov and Atturi Lehkonen were really the only two forwards that showed both speed and scoring talents for the habs.

The defense was a not it best against the Rangers for most of the series. The Rangers did a great job getting past and neutralizing the Canadiens puck moving defensemen; while shutting down Shea Weber and the Canadiens power play. Limiting the Canadiens leader in power play goals this season, to just one goal on the man advantage.

Overall that the season ended with just two games won in the post season. The expectation for this team after the Weber/Subban trade was a much better result than this; especially with a healthy and Vezina trophy nominee in Carey Price behind the net, playing good hockey for the habs.

 Opinion on the regular season

 A lot happened during the regular season.

So, let’s start from the beginning; with the Canadiens having another great start to the season. While the habs got off to a great start in October going 8-0-1 for the month, while carrying that through November with an 8-5-1.

Then the December came, and the wheels started to spin in the wrong direction for the habs. Carey Price was playing at average or in some cases below average in is games. Meanwhile Max Pacioretty was the saving grace of the season; waking up from major offensive slump and score nearly 80% of his goals during this period.

The team however was still close to losing a playoff spot in the Atlantic division to the Ottawa Senators. This prompted Marc Bergevin to make a bold move. Firing Micheal Therrien after a rather ugly lose to the rival Bruins, and hiring Claude Juilen to replace for the second time. (Which any believe was the work of Price, playing poorly on purpose. Which I think was the right idea).

Almost immediately Julien’s systems on both defense and the offense of the Canadien paid off, as Carey Price soon returned to his world class play and carried the Canadiens back to the top of the Atlantic division title.

The Canadiens had man other stories throughout the season. New comers to the team seemed to make an immediate impact for the Canadiens.

Alexander Radulov was a major gamble for the Canadiens, who in the past have made one-years deals like this, only to get burned. Luckily, the infamous curfew breaker, was not only a hard worker from the get go. He proved the doubters wrong with his offensive skills and his tough work ethic.

Artturi Lehkonen was a fabulous addition to the Canadiens. The Young rookie had a great first full campaign with the team. Finishing with 18 goals and 10 assists, for 28 points. And while other rookies where putting together record performances. Lehkonen very quietly established himself as a offensive threat.  

Shea Weber was by far the most controversial player on the team this season. While some eye focused on Price, and his return to health. Weber was meant to bring stability and leadership, along with a big shut down defensive style. Weber was a big success in the regular season for the habs, with his hard shot and powerplay abilities.

 Paul Byron established himself as a top like scorer. The diminutive forward scored a career high 22 goals and 21 assists. Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, and Tomas Plekanec all had down season. While Gallagher had signignat injuries for most of the season. Plekanec has a dreadful season playing 78 games for the habs. While Galchenyuk, still could not find constancy under Therrien or Julien.

 Overall this season in my opinion was a roller coaster that had a disappointing pay off. We habs fans where told this season, we had a much better team. Better than the team that missed the post season, after a historic collapse. Yet, the ending was comparable to that same collapse.

The same problems that plagued the team from begin to end for the habs. A problem that fans, hockey analysts, and other coaches and GMs have seen, talked about, and exploited; especially the later.

The lack to depth at the center position, and the lack of real offensively gifted players for the Canadiens was the ultimate factor for the habs earlies playoff exit. A problem that was very clear throughout the season, and shown very clearly in the post season; has the major flaw for the Montreal Canadiens.

 One thing I can’t help is the failure of Marc Bergevin. Although the season was to some a success. For me. I can’t help but feel that this was a bad look for the franchise. Bergevin, trade Subban, based on the idea that his character was the problem. Bringing in a player of Weber’s abilities and age, and saying that we are in a win know mode; then doing nothing to address the real issues of the team. Shows that he not capable of making the moves to make a cup winning team.

I just don’t like the idea of these band aid solutions to the team. When a big move is what the team needs to make the next step. The habs have not had years of being a basement dwelling team, of a team that has tanked for a franchise player like other teams. Bergevin is a product of a Blackhawks organization that had to lose for years, to get where they are.

In the end, I can’t have any confidence in Marc Bergevin as the GM for the Canadiens. It’s clear to me that he and his staff, have overestimated their team’s abilities, while relying too much on Carey Price to carry the teams glaring flaws on him back. Something I hope the owner ship takes to heart. Unless he makes a move to bring in so real offensive punch. I would much rather a new GM, than to see the same seasons mistakes for the 2017-2018 season.

 Well that’s it. The season ended on a rather sour note. It felt like a roller coaster, and an adventure with new faces and great times. I just wish the it could have been a better ending than this. I’m happy that was got into the playoffs. But overall, I feel like this team was a bit of an overachieving team. Something the Rangers clearly showed the habs.

Anyways there’s still plenty more that’s going to happen in the off season. Are whole team will change in a flash. Remember. We have a new team joining the NHL next season, which means an expansion draft is looming on this team.

My follow habs fans. The season may be over. But the heartache, the headaches, and the protentional for anger induce vomiting is still possible. The Montreal Canadiens roller coaster. Never stops running.  

GO! HABS! GO!

(I’d like to apologize for and one who cant stand terrible spelling and grammar, who read this whole shitty post by the way) 

[therealdragonnerdagain]

Unfortunately for the author of this blog post, I did cringe while I was reading this. As a black person and a avid writer, I cringed hard (sorry).

I cringed because white people are so removed from this issue, they are baffled by it. I cringed because the writer of this blog post questions whether or not black writers even exist (sigh). I cringed because the fact that so many people are baffled by this issue means things will likely never change for me. If there is ever real progression toward anti-blackness, I doubt I will live to see it.

And no. Fucking Obama doesn't count. He's not proof of a post-racial society; he's proof of a racist society. You lost the ability to use him as "proof" when Trump got in office.  

I think it's sad that publishing has a race issue but 1) doesn't know it and 2) doesn't know how to fix it.

The problem was immediately obvious to me.

It's not that writers of color don't exist. It's that white literary agents and publishers don't think such books can make money, so they don't sign writers of color and they don't publish them.

And if they DO sign writers of color, they only sign one or two tokens, while completely comfortable signing several white authors because “white authors sell!”

And it's like this because of institutional racism. Because we live in a society where white children are groomed to not see people of color as PEOPLE. They see us as angry, ghetto two dimensional caricatures. (white people reading this right now are probably imagining some ghetto neck rolling woman is typing this) And because white people can not see us as human beings, they can not relate to stories about dragons and wizards where a person of color is -- gasp! -- the central character instead of a white person.

If you need to see firsthand evidence, google "Roswell race controversy" "Hunger Games race controversy" or "Earthsea race controversy" OR "Harry Potter Cho Chang race controversy" OR "Star Wars race controversy"

Time and AGAIN, white readers have shown that they are too racist to imagine people of color in genre fiction and are too racist to even relate to characters of color. They can't do it because -- thanks to institutional racism -- they've been taught not to see us as people but as subhuman inferiors.

White people have been taught this lesson well. Google the racist reaction of many whites to The Wiz. They instantly deemed The Wiz as a "pc disaster" because things with people of color in it must be inferior. (Except, not. The Wiz with Diana Ross and Micheal Jackson was a fucking classic) And then, of course, they bitch about something being all black and how it's "racist" when the existence of something all black can not oppress white people. Not when white people can look literally anywhere else and see themselves in fiction. Also, we already had an all white Wiz. It's called The Wizard of Oz. And no. People of color don't see it as "racist."  

If there aren't a lot of black authors, well, once again, we have institutional racism to thank. It's not that people of color can't dream and imagine. It's that we're oppressed and don't have the same opportunities as white people. Growing up, I didn't have my own computer. I wrote all my stories longhand on sheets of line paper. I didn't even get access to a computer until I was nineteen, when I finally had my own money. And the only reason I had my own money? Because I joined the military. The reason I joined the military? Because I was a black person on the highschool-to-prison pipeline. I lived in a place that was so intensely racist, white people would not hire black people for jobs. My options were to become a criminal or join the military (not options really) so like most black people, I joined the service.

Racism isn't exclusive to one aspect of life. It spreads its nasty fingers into every aspect of life. It's the reason why white people are where the money's at -- because white people hire each other for all the jobs, white people give each other all the opportunities, white people have all the social and economic power. Every literary agency I go to is full of white agents with Harvard degrees who've had every opportunity in the world, from trips to Paris to internships I could never land while at my first college. There's a reason for that. You got it yet?

A lack of authors of color is not the root of the problem, it's the symptom of a bigger problem.

Now comes the question: what can you do to help?

Fight for people of color. Push back against the institutionalized hatreds that actually benefit you and make life beneficial for someone else. Actually teach other white people, because lord knows white people don’t listen to people of color.

Teach your children that people of color are human beings, not stereotypes and caricatures with bad and bizarre hair. Yes, something as simple as that will change future generations, so that black people can actually get jobs based on personal merit and not how well they assimilate into white culture. So that black people can wear their hair the way it grows out of their fucking head without losing a job, being treated like something behind glass, or being sent home from school.

You don't have to go out of your way to hire writers of color just because they are of color, but it would be nice if you didn't assume their stories would be worthless and unmarketable just for having brown people in them.

Stop labeling everything written by black authors as "black fiction." Toni Morrison didn't write her stories for black people. She wrote stories about black people for ANYONE to enjoy. You saw it the other way because you're so racist, you can't even relate to her characters.

I write stories about people of color for EVERYONE to enjoy. The same way everyone enjoys fucking LOTR, Harry Potter, and other popular crap about white characters. So why is my story being sequestered away to black fiction? It shouldn't be. It isn't "ethnic fiction." It's just fucking fiction.

Stop whitewaashing our characters. Stop turning our talent away because you already have that token black author. Stop being afraid to lose money.

Stop being afraid.

At the end of The Wiz, there's a very beautiful ballet sequence. The slaves of the Wicked Witch are all big-butted, nappy-headed stereotypes. When the Wicked Witch dies, the slaves shed their skin, discarding the offensive caricatures they've been made into and embracing their beauty as human beings of worth.

The slaves in The Wiz are celebrating their sudden freedom to be completely valued as HUMAN BEINGS. They no longer have to hear that they are ugly and inferior. They no longer have to toil away in the darkness, hidden behind racist stereotypes and caricatures of the white idea of blackness.

The slaves in The Wiz are finally free. Because freedom is being treated like an equal, like a human being.

There is a difference between saying a people is equal and TREATING them like equals (this is what I was talking about in regards to the Constitution, Hancock fans).

Treat us like human beings. You know, the same way you treat white writers.

[newstechreviews]

(LONDON) — Gut-wrenching World War I epic “1917” was the big winner at Sunday’s British Academy Film Awards, winning seven prizes including best picture and best director.

Sam Mendes’ drama about one of the most devastating conflicts in British history bested hotly tipped American contenders including “Joker,” “The Irishman” and “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” at a glitzy London event that was overshadowed by criticism of the nominees’ lack of diversity — even from some of the nominees themselves.

Director Mendes based “1917” on his grandfather’s wartime experiences. Shot in sinuous long takes that immerse viewers in the action, it follows two British soldiers on a perilous mission across No Man’s Land to try to avert a suicidal offensive.

“1917” was also named best British film and won the cinematography prize — Roger Deakins’ fifth win in that category. It also took trophies for production design, sound and visual effects.

Joaquin Phoenix was named best actor for superhero story “Joker,” which charts the origins of Batman’s ginning nemesis. Renee Zellweger won the best actress prize for the Judy Garland biopic “Judy.”

“Joker” took three awards — best actor, casting and score — from 11 nominations. Martin Scorsese’s mob drama “The Irishman” had 10 nominations but went home empty-handed.

Victory at the British awards, known as BAFTAs, is often a good predictor of success at Hollywood’s Academy Awards, being held this year on Feb. 9. Like the Oscars, the British awards have struggled to become less male and white.

No women were nominated as best director for the seventh year running, and all 20 nominees in the lead and supporting performer categories were white.

Phoenix slammed the lack of diversity in his acceptance speech, saying it sent “a very clear message to people of color that ‘You’re not welcome here.’”

Awards organizers called it “disappointing” that there were no performers of color among the acting nominees, who are chosen by 6,500 academy members who work in the U.K. and international film industry.

The rising star award — the one trophy decided by the public — went to black British actor Micheal Ward.

British star Cynthia Erivo, who is Oscar-nominated for her performance as abolitionist Harriet Tubman in “Harriet” but was snubbed by Britain’s Academy, declined an invitation to perform at Sunday’s award ceremony in protest.

The British Academy has promised to review its voting procedures.

BAFTA chairwoman Pippa Harris said the problem was “an industry-wide issue.”

“It takes everyone to look at what they’re doing,” she said. “Awards are right at the end of a whole process, and so we need to look at the types of films being made, the opportunities that people are getting, how the films are being promoted. All of these things play a part.”

Presenting the best-director award, Australian actress Rebel Wilson quipped that she could never achieve what the nominees did: “I just don’t have the balls.”

Scarlett Johansson, a best-actress nominee for “Marriage Story,” said the lack of recognition for female directors was disappointing.

“So many women made great films this year,” she said. “And I think it just goes to show you that there is a systemic problem that is very prevalent.”

Hours before the event and several miles away, three people were wounded and a knifeman shot dead by police in what police called a terrorism-related attack. The BBC canceled plans to broadcast interviews from the red carpet on its news channel as a result.

Brad Pitt was named best supporting actor for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino’s bloody fairy tale of 1960s Los Angeles.

He didn’t attend, but sent a jokey acceptance speech, read out by his co-star Margot Robbie

“Hey Britain – heard you just became single. Welcome to the club,” he said — one of several references during the ceremony to the U.K.’s exit from the European Union, which became official on Friday.

Pitt also referenced recent tumult in Britain’s royal family, saying he was going to name the trophy Harry, “because he’s really excited about bringing it back to the States with him.”

Laura Dern was named best supporting actress for playing a take-no-prisoners divorce lawyer in “Marriage Story. She noted that her mother, Dianne Ladd, had won the exact same prize in 1975, when Dern was 6, for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”

Bong Joon-ho’s Korean-language drama “Parasite” was named best foreign-language film and also took the prize for best original screenplay.

Organizers set out to make the awards ceremony carbon neutral for the first time. The red carpet was made from recycled fibers. Instead of the goody bags of past years, guests will receive a “gifting wallet” made from recycled plastic and containing vouchers. The post-awards dinner featured sustainably sourced food, including a vegan option.

Stars walking the red carpet were encouraged to make “sustainable” fashion choices by wearing an outfit they already owned or renting one for the occasion.

Prince William — the British Academy’s president — and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, were the guests of honor at Sunday’s ceremony. William presented a BAFTA Fellowship, the academy’s top honor, to Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy.

“The Lord of the Rings” and “Planet of the Apes” star Andy Serkis — the maestro of motion-capture acting — was handed a prize for outstanding British contribution to cinema.

Falling two days after Britain left the European Union, the evening couldn’t avoid the subject of Brexit.

“We know it’s been a hard week for you guys and it’s very nice to take a little bit of your gold, back home — where it belongs,” joked New Zealand director Taika Waititi as he collected the best adapted screenplay prize for “Jojo Rabbit.”

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Updates on Klefbom, White, Karlsson; Koskinen Extended; Hronek – January 22

  The Carolina Hurricanes have started to lock up their core and the next addition to the list is Teuvo Teravainen. He signed a five-year deal with an average annual value of $5.4-million and it doesn’t appear to include movement/trade protections.

Teravainen has really flourished in Carolina to the tune of 145 points in 211 games, or a 56-point pace per 82 games. It helps playing alongside Sebastian Aho, but Turbo has really found his game with the Hurricanes.

Just as an aside to the contract, I do wonder where Teravainen fits in long term. It seems like the team will move forward with Teravainen, Nino Niederreiter, Andrei Svechnikov, and Micheal Ferland (I’m assuming they sign him) in their top-6. But this precludes re-signing Justin Williams after the season, or possibly bringing in another top winger in free agency this summer (there are a lot of them). And there are always the swirling ‘defenceman for a scoring winger’ rumours surrounding the ‘Canes every year.

I say all this because there’s good evidence that Teravainen is a better defensive forward than he is an offensive one. It’s not to say he’s devoid of offensive talent; I mentioned above he’s played as a 55-plus-point guy since getting to Carolina. But maybe he slides down to the third line once this team is really loaded, filling in the role currently occupied by Williams? A reliable two-way forward who they can use all over the lineup, including special teams. It’s to say that I’m not entirely convinced he’ll be the long-term winger for Aho.

But that’s a year or two down the road. In all, it’s a good contract for the team and gives Teravainen security, and the chance for another multi-year contract when this new one runs out.

Just a fun Teravainen fact: since the start of the 2016-17 season, he has the same assists/60 minutes at 5v4 as Patrick Kane.

*

It appears Erik Karlsson will not return for the Sharks until after the All-Star Game, which would also include him not playing in the midseason classic itself. It makes sense from San Jose’s perspective; this is a true Cup contender and there is a pretty big gap between the Big Three in the Pacific and the rest of the division. They need him healthy in April, not January.

*

If you haven’t picked up your copy of the 2019 Dobber Hockey Midseason Fantasy Guide from our Dobber Shop, there’s no time like the present! We only have a couple days of hockey before the break, and that’s the best time to digest all the information necessary to make a run for a league title this year, or set your keeper/dynasty teams up for the future.

*

It looks like Oscar Klefbom will return for the Oilers after the All-Star break. This is huge for the Oilers if they truly want to make a run for the playoffs as he’s easily their best defenceman and the team has looked near-dead since his injury. Good news, fantasy owners!

Speaking of the Oilers, they have put both Ty Rattie and Ryan Spooner on waivers. I’ll admit, I got sucked into Rattie’s performance alongside Connor McDavid at the end of last year and in the preseason. I didn’t end up drafting him anywhere, but I have used him a lot in DFS. It, uh, hasn’t gone well. Maybe these guys can catch on elsewhere.

Thus concludes the Jordan Eberle trade tree. Outcome: not great!

The last bit on the Oilers: they signed goaltender Mikko Koskinen for three more years with an AAV of $4.5-million. That seems like a pretty big gamble on a 30-year old goalie (31 next season) with 31 career NHL games. Not to mention the team needs to completely overhaul their winger depth from top to bottom, needs another top-4 defenceman, and already has $73-million committed to next season. This should be a team looking to spend as little as possible in goal to try and upgrade elsewhere and this… this is not it.

*

The Blue Jackets have added Martin St. Louis as a special teams consultant. Presumably, this means he’s helping the team with their power play. As Aaron Portzline noted, the Columbus power play has been absolutely abysmal for two years, ranking last in the league since January of 2017. Special teams aren’t everything, but teams that score on fewer than 1 in 6 power play opportunities are going to struggle to win games, especially at a rate of a Cup contender.

*

Calgary has some new lines, aside from leaving the top line together:

  #Flames at practice today:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm Frolik-Backlund-Neal Tkachuk-Jankowski-Bennett Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway

Giordano-Brodie Hanifin-Hamonic Kylington-Andersson

Czarnik, Valimaki, and Prout extras.

— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) January 21, 2019

  It’ll be interesting to see for just how long this configuration lasts. It seems like breaking up the second line, which has been one of the best in hockey for a few years now, isn’t a long-term move, more something to get some balance right now.

*

On the topic of lines and news, Mike Babcock has broken up the duo of John Tavares and Mitch Marner:

  #Leafs at practice: Marleau-Matthews-Marner Hyman-Tavares-Kapanen Brown-Kadri-Nylander Lindholm-Gauthier-Holl

Rielly-Hainsey Dermott-Zaitsev Marincin-Ozhiganov

Andersen Sparks

No Gardiner (back spasms), Johnsson (concussion).

— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) January 21, 2019

  The Leafs haven’t looked like themselves for a little while now, though it seems much of the issue is a shooting percentage drop on the power play and the injury to Frederik Andersen. Like the Flames, we’ll see how long this actually lasts. I’m skeptical it’ll be for very long.

*

On the Ottawa front, Sens forward Colin White says he should be back in the Ottawa lineup after the All-Star Game. He had been playing very well on a line with Brady Tkachuk and Mark Stone. I’d like to see him get another chance there.

*

Drew Doughty scored in Monday afternoon’s 4-3 win over St. Louis, his fifth goal of the season. It’s been a tough season for almost every Los Angeles Kings player, but Doughty is averaging over two hits a game for the first time in years and is on pace for 46 points. Other areas have sagged (plus/minus and shots, notably), but there’s still been enough here to maintain solid fantasy relevance. That feels like an amazing statement given Doughty’s fantasy performances in his career, but it’s more a testament to the team than to himself as a player.

Mackenzie MacEachern scored his first NHL goal in the loss. You can read his Dobber profile here.

*

The Nashville Predators got scoring from the blue line in the form of Roman Josi’s eighth goal and Ryan Ellis’s fifth en route to a 4-1 win over Colorado. That makes 36 points for Josi, who is now on pace for 58 on the year. He’s doing that despite having just nine PPPs. It’d be fun to see what he could do in a season with heavy minutes on a top-tier PP unit.

Pekka Rinne stopped 35 of 36 shots in the victory for Nashville.

*

Both Max Pacioretty and Alex Tuch scored in Las Vegas’s 4-2 loss to Minnesota on Monday. Despite the team loss, the second line for Vegas shone once again. This trio has been truly elite in their time together. When Reilly Smith returns, it’s going to be a big decision for the coaching staff as to whether or not they put Pirri on the second or third line. With the way Stastny-Tuch-Pacioretty are rolling, and how good the top line normally is, I don’t know how either of those two trios get split.

*

Florida received goals from each of Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and Michael Matheson, and Frank Vatrano had a four-point night as the Panthers toppled the Sharks 6-2. Vatrano now has 21 goals and 34 points in 63 career games with the Panthers. He’s doing that while averaging about 14 minutes a night.

For Ekblad, it was his 10th goal of the season. That gives him double-digit goals in every season of his career so far, and 63 goals overall. The lack of assists are an ongoing concern but the goal scoring is about as consistent as it gets from the blue line.

Aleksander Barkov had three assists, snapping a four-game pointless streak. He’s also just shy of a point per game with 47 in 48.  

*

I wanted to get some input from the Dobber community. I have a home keeper league (10-team, keep 8) where I made a somewhat-blockbuster trade recently. Let me give you the specifics of the league first:

Points league, categories for skaters are: goals, assists, PIMs, plus/minus, SOG, PP points.

The pool of players I’m considering for keepers for next year include: Vladimir Tarasenko, Mark Scheifele, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Alexander Radulov, Evgenii Dadonov, Viktor Arvidsson, Brent Burns, Kris Letang, John Gibson, and Thatcher Demko. Remember, it’s only a keep-8, so three players from that list would miss the cut.

We don’t divide forward positions, they’re all listed as ‘forward’ so positions are irrelevant.

There are four people at the top of the league standings clustered very close together, me being one of them, and then there’s a big gap to 5th place. I think I have an edge because of fewer games played than the other three teams. In that sense, yes I’m going for it this year.

Last week, I completed the following trade:

I received: Andrei Svechnikov and Mika Zibanejad

I sent: William Nylander and Nico Hischier

My reasoning was that with the uncertainty around Taylor Hall, I think Zibanejad will out-produce Hischier the rest of the season in our format. Also, I am in the running for a league title without Nylander having done anything basically all year. I wouldn’t be keeping Hischier and it’s doubtful I’d keep Nylander. I won’t keep Zibanejad but as I said I think he’s an upgrade for the next 30 games on Hischier. I will definitely be keeping Svechnikov. He’s a guy I peg to be an absolute superstar in this league in a couple years.

I look at it as an upgrade on one guy for this year, and the other is a lock as a keeper for many seasons to come. What do you guys think?

*

Last week I took a bit of a dive on Will Butcher to see how he’s performing this season, so far in his career, and what it could mean for the future. In those Ramblings, I also discussed other young defencemen like Thomas Chabot and Henri Jokiharju. There is another young defenceman I want to discuss briefly and that’s Detroit blue liner Filip Hronek.

As I’ve stated before, I’m not a prospects writer. I leave that stuff to the good people over at Dobber Prospects. I mostly form my opinion based on their writing, the writing of some other people around the industry, and my own brief observations. All this is to say that going into the 2018-19 season, I knew who Hronek was but didn’t know much about him. I knew he had a good age-20 season in the AHL, I knew he might push for an end-of-roster spot on the Wings, and that’s about it.

He’s opened a lot of eyes, including both of mine, since.

Hronek has only played 22 games, so it should be said we’re not working with a lot of information. That said, here’s where he ranks in various categories among Red Wings rear guards:

Adjusted 5v5 shot share percentage: 1st

Adjusted 5v5 on-ice shots for: 1st

Individual 5v5 expected goals: T-1st

Penalties drawn per 60 minutes: 1st

That’s, uh, pretty good.

Other metrics aren’t as flattering (he’s about break-even in expected goal share) but for just 22 games on a lottery team, he’s standing out.

It might take a year or two once all those awful contracts on the Red Wings blue line start running out before guys like Hronek and Dennis Cholowski can really take over. With that said, I’ve been impressed with Hronek and look forward to what he can do in the future. He’s had a good start, now it’s about building off that and taking the next step.  

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-updates-on-klefbom-white-karlsson-koskinen-extended-hronek-january-22/

[lycosa83]

“The Mayor” review

Show: The Mayor

Genre: Political Sitcom

Network: ABC

Premiered: October 3, 2017

Who’s sick and tired of politics?  Odds are, you’re raising your hand from the other side of the screen right now.  The rising polarization and carnival sideshow that marks modern politics has left many of us weary and searching for an escape, or at least a view of the statecraft arena different from the ugly one we see every night on the nightly news. Tense, gritty dramas like Scandal and House of Cards offer one flawed if compelling picture, as does Designated Survivor in a slightly less tarnished and more polished frame.  But what if you’re just looking to laugh at the absurdity of it all?  Sure, Parks and Recreation was a thing for a while, but its departure has left only the late night skeleton crew to fill that void.  “Whither flew the political sitcom?” you may ask.  Creator Jeremy Bronson may have found your answer with his brand-new series The Mayor, bringing the whole political enterprise down to grassroots by infusing it with something quite alien to its make-up: optimism and human warmth.  But after running such an unlikely platform, does this October dark horse deliver on its promises?

Synopsis

Young Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) is an erudite but self-centered aspiring rapper based in Fort Grey, California, with star-studded dreams that unfortunately outsize his record sales at the moment.  So in a bid to boost his popularity, he does what every successful entrepreneur would in his situation: make a phony publicity campaign for the mayoral office and watch his name sparkle in the headlines.  If this all sounds uncomfortably familiar, well, it gets worse (or better?) from there. When his vacuous but emotionally laden plea at his final public debate works magic on the crowd, he returns home and discovers to his horror that his publicity stunt proved a little too successful - in the worst possible way.  Now faced with the dire responsibility of running a city, Rose must rely on his friends, his supportive but no nonsense mother (played by the lovely Yvette Nicole Brown) and an acrimonious classmate-turned-mayoral manager (Lea Michele) to whip this potential disaster into a best-selling success.  And maybe he’ll learn a little responsibility along the way.

The Good

One thing right off the bat with this series is that it lives and breathes an infectious sense of fun and optimism.  In a swerve away from the dark and gritty political dramas listed above, and even the often mean-spirited satire of the admittedly brilliant Parks and Recreations, The Mayor brims with bright futures and the possibilities inherent in an elected office.  Hall is a central contributor to this, eschewing offensive and one-dimensional stereotypes to play Courtney Rose as an upbeat and well-intentioned young hustler who nonetheless has a lot of growing up to do.  The pacing doesn’t drag anywhere, and the direction of this series is made clear throughout the pilot.  Special note goes to Yvette Nicole Brown as Dina Rose, taking the “sassy black mom” stereotype and wringing it of its overbearing Medea-ish detritus, leaving behind a close yet humorous mother-son bond.  The presence of these two characters alone took what could have been - okay, is - a standard, cookie-cutter sitcom and turned it into something...not objectionable.

The Bad

That said, not all is sunshine and candies with this new show.  It is, in so many ways, woefully generic; the plot sprints ahead with all the self-awareness of a blind rooster, and the basic setup all but guarantees a story that can be called eight or nine episodes down the line.  In exchange for a mildly pleasant and affirming viewing experience, The Mayor seemingly sacrifices subtlety, dynamism, and a healthy sense of uncertainty.  It doesn’t help that the the cast outside of our main lead and his mail carrier mom is rather lackluster.  Courtney’s obligatory two best friends, played by Bernard David Jones and Marcel Spears, are whimsical and charming, but add nothing else to the story.  Lea Michele made the weakest showing by far, giving Valentina Barella all the depth of a paper cut and delivering her lines with a stilted punctuality.  She highlights the one major thread uniting all of the show’s minor flaws: everything is too measured.  The lines for most of the actors are tossed out in a forced and sterile fashion, and the entire episode felt like they were just ticking off marks on the Great Board of Sitcom Conventions: from the new mayor’s bread and circus approach to community revitalization- which, of course, runs counter to his straight-laced but ultimately right assistant; to the plot-ruining slip of selfishness, complete with the “wisdom lecture” courtesy of his mother; to his mea culpa and, finally, redemptive act of kindness that proves once and for all where his heart truly lays.  Now none of those things are necessarily bad in and of themselves, and I’d hate to come off as an anti-feel-good cynic.  I just hope The Mayor shakes loose from the formula a bit as the series continues its course - otherwise, it can get very boring, very quickly.

The Ugly

There's very little to put here, honestly.  The pilot reveals a comedy lacking any major depth, flexibility, or - to its credit - pretense, so there isn't a whole lot that can either wiggle out from the narrative shadows, or crash and burn after takeoff.  I'm still weighing whether The Mayor’s by-the-book interpretation of the political sitcom is more tongue-in-cheek than I’m giving it credit for; it would be nice to see a series for once dip into some much-needed satire without painting the whole world in black with a smattering of gray - especially when the potential is so ripe.  But otherwise, it doesn’t seem to be any more or any less than what it presents to the world, which on the plus side, means it can potentially whip out some homespun, down-to-earth advice on how a politician can actually be of service to his or her constituency - something they already touch on in the pilot, and something the national power players both on and off the screen tend to forget at their peril.

Tune In or Tune Out?

Tune in.  And I say this with more feet-dragging than with any other show I’ve ever reviewed.  Despite the seemingly undue weight to the negatives I give above, there’s nothing really bad about this series as far as I can tell; it’s just a tad too safe and predictable for my tastes.  But that’s no reason for audiences to write it off, and considering the insanity that’s been going on in the world today, maybe “safe and predictable” is just what the doctor ordered.  So by all means, have a seat, and enjoy Courtney’s ride on the political bull.  Just don’t expect it to be too exciting.

[yahoo-puck-daddy-blog]

Why Calgary Flames window could slam shut (Trending Topics)

  Taken on its face, the high end of the Calgary Flames roster is probably among the best in the Western Conference.

You have Johnny Gaudreau, Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, TJ Brodie, the entire 3M line, Sean Monahan. The good news is that basically all those guys, with the exception of Giordano (very old) and Matthew Tkachuk (very young), are in their mid- to late-20s.

This is what you’d call a team’s “window to win” — the point at which most of a team’s big-ticket players are around the primes of their careers — but the Flames have a very serious problem. You can have a good group at the top of your lineup, but if you don’t support them at the lower end, your ability to actually win while your window is open is limited.

Over the past few years, the Flames have done little to support that core group, making bad bets on outside or simply having good bets not pay off, not really developing prospects at any kind of reasonable rate, not spending to the ceiling, and (perhaps most importantly) getting it very, very wrong in net.

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We’re now past the point where this could be called a rebuilding team. You’re no longer rebuilding when you fire the old coach, trade picks away for more immediate help, make the playoffs, and so on.

Last year the Flames should have gotten good goaltending. Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson are two guys with very solid track records. They combined to go .910 over the course of the season, in a league in which the average netminder stopped shots at .915. They made the playoffs anyway, though just barely, and got swept out of the first round.

So the team recognized goaltending as a major flaw; it probably cost them 10 or 11 goals over the course of the season, which is the equivalent of about three points in the standings. They gain three points and maybe they avoid the Ducks in the first round, depending upon where they lost them and so on. So in response to this major flaw, their big offseason plan was to go out and get… Mike Smith and Eddie Lack?

Smith has been roughly league-average the past two seasons, but the one before that he was horrific (.904). He also didn’t carry a particularly heavy workload over that time, averaging fewer than 50 appearances per season. Moreover, he’s 35. So the Flames are gambling that a 35-year-old goalie whose career numbers are hardly inspiring will do better than Elliott, which doesn’t seem likely based on the track records of the two goalies in question.

In addition, backup Eddie Lack has a whopping .902 save percentage over the past two seasons, so the idea that he will somehow return to the .917 he posted as a “1b” goalie over two seasons in Vancouver is likewise farfetched.

Lack’s on a one-year deal. Calgary has some interesting goaltending prospects it could turn to after that — most likely Jon Gillies, though he wasn’t great in the AHL last season (.910). But Smith is signed for each of the next two seasons, at which point that makes three of the prime years for the Flames core — or the waning days of Giordano’s usefulness — potentially wasted on subaverage goaltending.

The likelihood that a Smith-led platoon of any kind over the next 164 regular-season games continues to not-deliver seems fairly high, but again, he and whatever backups they use don’t have to be all that good to match what Calgary’s guys managed to not-deliver last year.

The other problem the Flames have is the goaltending wasn’t exactly supported by the soundest 5-on-5 process in the league. Calgary finished 15th in adjusted Corsi last season, though to be fair part of that was because the team was a mess in its first few weeks under Glen Gulutzan — on whom no one should really be completely sold at this point — before righting the ship to some extent. After Dec. 1, the Flames’ CF% was 10th in the league, which is certainly where you want to be headed.

To that extent, you have to be accepting and say that the first few months were so bad, not only for the skaters but between the pipes as well, that you can probably spot the Flames more than the seven regulation wins they earned in the first two months of the season this time around. Perfectly reasonable, even if you have a very dour outlook about Smith and Lack.

But that’s what gets into the concerns about the Flames’ depth and lack of developed young players. After the five forwards listed above, and maybe you lump in Kris Versteeg and even Micheal Ferland if you want to be charitable, the Flames have a lot of problems up front this season. They might try to make Troy Brouwer “a thing” on the top line again, but that was a disaster last time out. Matt Stajan is their No. 3 center. Sam Bennett hasn’t come along much at all. They’ll be counting on a rookie or two to chip in offensively.

Only six forwards finished with CF% of more than 50 percent last season, and one of them (Alex Chiasson) doesn’t seem like he’s coming back. Even free of context, this is a concern, but the five they have coming back are the five “core” guys listed above. That’s got to be seen as a big issue.

After all, what can you expect out of Stajan, offensively? How many goals do Freddie Hamilton and Curtis Lazar give you if they’re everyday players? Can Sam Bennett find some way to clear 30 points again, let alone 40? And they certainly didn’t add any offense this summer, instead making their big move to trade for Travis Hamonic, who could excel in a middle-pairing role. But that’s not really what they needed here.

That’s where the lack of prospect development comes in. Bennett — who, again, has been a major disappointment as a fourth-overall pick — and Monahan are the only Flames first-rounders pre-Tkachuk to become NHL regulars in the past several years. And that’s despite the fact that they had five first-round picks from 2012 to 2014. The other three have a combined 10 NHL games played between them, and just one assist (I looked it up: it was a secondary).

The good news is the Flames don’t need defense. Their top-four is among the best in the league, and the bottom pair after that is perfectly alright. But they need goals, having finished tied for 15th last season, and they need someone to stop the puck.

Whether they have either, despite more than $7.1 million in cap space, remains to be seen. Bennett is still without a contract, and the Flames have that kind of money laying around despite paying buyout penalties for not one, not two, but three different players right now.

It’s tough to see where this team legitimately stacks up against the rest of that division, let alone the conference, despite all the high-end talent. (And that’s with the acknowledgement that even after all the goals he scores, we still don’t have a ton of evidence Monahan moves the needle in possession).

The fact that this is even a question given the circumstances surrounding the team’s core should give everyone pause.

What, exactly, do they hope to accomplish with this group?

Point is, two or three years from now, they might all look around and realize, “Oh, we could have cobbled something together here.” Instead, there seems to be a strange lack of ambition here, which is weird given the team’s previous ‘Going For It’ culture.

Ryan Lambert is a Puck Daddy columnist. His email is here and his Twitter is here.

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[habsfans98]

habsfan98 2016-2017 Montreal Canadiens Regular 2016-2017 season Analysis and Opinions

Today marks the end 2016-2017 NHL regular season. On Wednesday nest week, the NHL post season begins with many surprise teams, and some constant regulars that look to make a deep run to the Stanley cup final this year.

This season has been nothing short of a mess of amazing performances by young individual players, that captivated the NHL and its fans. While on the flip side, we saw teams that we expect to be playing post season hockey, or at least meaningful hockey down the stretch; fail to reach those predications.

So, I want to talk about what I saw, read, and earn about this season.

  The Subban/Weber trade paid off

 We start in the off season. On a remarkable day in June. I had returned home from a trip to Jamaica, only to look at my phone once that airport wifi was fully connected and see that my favorite player, and the star defensemen for the Montreal Canadiens; PK Subban was trade to the Nashville Predators. In exchange the Canadiens received Shea Weber; their captain, top defensemen, and franchise player.

Suffice to say. Me and thousands of other Canadiens fans were outraged. Trading the exciting and offensively gifted Subban, for the stud and shut down veteran Weber was a bold and fan angering move.

It was clear that after the disaster that was the 2015-2016, changes need to be made in Montreal. The team fell apart when they lost Price for that season. While fans blamed the coaching of Micheal Therrien, and the lack of moves from Marc Bergevin left fan in habs nation frustrated and demanding for someone’s head.  

So, a change did come. Just before PK Subbans eight year $72 million contract, no-trade clause was to start on free agency day. He was traded for Weber.

And so, the 2016-2017 began, with mixed emotions for the fans of both franchise. Now that the season is over, we can see that trade, was successful for both teams.

Weber is his first season with the habs, leads all defensemen on the team in goals, and points (17 G, 42 P). Out of that 12 of those goals were on the powerplay. Weber was more than just an efficient scorer. His shut down defensive play allow for a better coverage for forwards that helped out the habs number one goal Carey Price.

On the flip side PK Subban had a respectable first season in Smashville. Although he lost a good chuck of time this season with the Preds due to a lower back injury. Subban finished second in team scoring for defensemen (10 G, 40 P). His offensive talents were much apricated in Nashville, which seemed to pull it together after a rocky first half of the season.  

Now both teams are in the post season. The Canadiens play the Rangers in the First round, while the Predators prepare to battle the Blackhawks. Each of these teams are about to test out, whether this trade will benefit for this year’s post-seasons.

  Max Pacioretty Saved the season.

Max Pacioretty did not have a great start to this season.

In fact, it started even before, the NHL regular season began for Patches. During the NHL’s World Cup of Hockey. The American star forward was criticized for his ‘lackluster’ play, by then head coach John Tortoella.

After a bad outing this Team USA, seemed to follow the Captain of the habs into the regular season. The Canadiens had another historic start to the season; but the captain was not very involved. By the end, October, and early November Pacioretty only hand four goals to his name, and the denied annoyance of then head coach Michel Therrien.

That slump would soon come to an end. When Max Pacioretty went on a scoring spree. While Carey Price started to slump. And the team was losing it offensive punch. Patches took over, returning to his scoring touch.

It turns out that Pacioretty was playing with a foot injury during that early slump. Once the injury was healed, and the pain was eliminated. Patches was back to his scoring self, just in the nick of time.

Mac Pacioretty finished the season once again as the habs leading scorer, with 35 goals and 67 points this season.

 Alexander Radulov proves the doubters wrong

 I won’t lie. When I heard that Radulov wanted to make a NL returned. I didn’t think it would work out anywhere for him. He was seen as player with too much baggage; a history of immaturity left a bad taste in the mouth of NHL GM’s after his time in Nashville, ended with him being suspended from the team during the playoffs; then leaving the team to go play in the KHL.

So, when the Canadiens, who made a major trade for Weber, and not for any real offensive talent, signed Radulov for one year at $5.75 million dollars. My thoughts went to the other players that the habs sign for a year that never worked out, (Alexander Semin and Jiri Sekac).  

Yet. With 18 goals, and 54 points this season; and a hard work ethic on the ice. Radulov proved me, the experts, and the fans wrong. He was a fully mature and capable offensive threat for the Canadeins that lacked the offensive punch.

Now will see what he capable of in the post season.

 Au Revoir Micheal Therrien! Bonjour Claude Julien… Again.

 When Micheal Therrien wasn’t fired last season after the historically bad season in Montreal. Which say a record breaking start to that season, end with the habs finishing out of the playoffs and sixth in the division.

It was collapse on epic proportions, one that was mainly blamed on the loss of MVP goalie Carey Price, and other numerous long term injuries that season. The fans choose to blame Therrien and Bergevin, for the team’s poor play. While Therrien choose to focus its attention and frustration one particular player, PK Subban for the team’s awful collapse as well. And while Therrien spent much of the season, saying that the relationship between him and PK was fine. The Subban/Weber trade proved that it wasn’t.

So, with the trade of a fan favorite player, that clearly, he saw was the next biggest flaw with the Canadiens other than loss of Price remedied with the acquisition of Weber. Therrien set out to prove that he could coach the team back to the top.

And he did.

The Canadiens has another great start to the season, With Price, Weber, and Radulov even, playing great under the coach’s systems. Yet, just like last season; the wheels started to fall off. The habs had a subpar January, and by February the team was in danger of collapsing once again. Even with Price the team was playing very poor hockey.

The straw that broke the camel’s back, was a game against the habs hated rivals the Boston Bruins. Which ended with a 0-4 Bruins shootout. Days later on Valentine’s day, Therrien was fired, and replaced by former Bruins bench boss Claude Julien.

And with the re-hiring of Julien the Habs would come back to life. Although the offense seemed still flawed. Julien’s defensive system, was much better improvement for the habs, allowing for Price to play once again to at a MPV level.

Many wonders had the Marc Bergevin relived Therrien last season, could it have been saved? Could Subban still be a Canadiens, and not a Predator? Sadly, we will never get answer to those questions.

But we as, habs fans can take solace in knowing that some with an experience in winning the Stanley cup; is behind the bench for this year’s playoffs.

 My Three Stars for the season:

 GP - Games Played

G – Goals

A - Assists

P - Total Points

  ☆ Max Pacioretty (GP 81, 35 G, 32 A, for 67 P) Finished as the habs top score once again with another 60+ point season. His consistence for the habs has shown that he is a capable Captain for the storied Montreal Canadiens. On a side note: Max Pacioretty has now had, five strait 30+ goals seasons (This is not counting lockout-shortned 2012-2013 season).

☆ ☆ Shea Weber (78 GP, 17 G, 25 A, 42 P) It would be a lie to say that Shea Weber has a very quiet, yet amazing year for the Canadiens. His first regular season with the habs saw his impressive shut-down defensive play prove pivotal to the habs winning the division this year. His 12 power play goals, also showed off his offensive skills with a booming slap shot.

☆ ☆ ☆ Paul Byron (81 GP, 22 G, 21 A, 43 P) At 5’9” and a little around 160 lb. Byron was picked up last season on waivers from the Flames. Then given a two-year contract extension by the habs. The small forward, played in a big way with his explosive skating, soft hands and great shot. Byron proved to be an invaluable piece to the habs this season, and we can only hope for more during the post season.

 (All of this is based on my observations during the season, and information that I found through the internet. If you have your own opinions about the season, don’t be afraid to tell me about them. If you have other highlights that you felt were important this season, right about them if your reblog this post.)

[thrashermaxey]

Lining Up: Top-Performing Lines in the East – December 18

In this week’s instalment, I share a few quick notes about how some lines in the Eastern Conference have been performing this season. Using Dobber’s Line Production Tool, we compared even-strength point production around the league. ‘Time on ice’ represents how many minutes each trio has played as a line this season, values were retrieved from Natural Stat Trick. I compiled a list of the highest scoring line for each team at even strength. Here’s the list…

  #

Team

Line

Points

Time on Ice

 1

Colorado

Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen

83

506:25

 2

Toronto

Zach Hyman – John Tavares – Mitchell Marner

51

374:36

 3

Calgary

Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Elias Lindholm

50

387:13

 4

Columbus

Artemi Panarin – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Cam Atkinson

50

326:18

 5

Montreal

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

44

347:34

 6

Buffalo

Jeff Skinner – Jack Eichel – Jason Pominville

38

158:16

 7

Dallas

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov

38

230:55

 8

Philadelphia

Claude Giroux – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny

37

238:30

 9

Winnipeg

Nikolaj Ehlers – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler

36

290:33

 10

San Jose

Timo Meier – Logan Couture – Tomas Hertl

33

192:42

 11

Tampa Bay

Tyler Johnson – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov

31

167:19

 12

Carolina

Micheal Ferland – Sebastian Aho – Teuvo Teravainen

30

239:24

 13

New Jersery

Taylor Hall – Nico Hischier – Kyle Palmieri

28

251:10

 14

Minnesota

Jason Zucker – Eric Staal – Mikael Granlund

27

233:16

 15

Boston

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak

26

210:24

 16

Nashville

Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Viktor Arvidsson

26

147:34

 17

Pittsburgh

Carl Hagelin – Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel

26

147:58

 18

Vegas

Max Pacioretty – Cody Eakin – Alex Tuch

26

190:27

 19

Los Angeles

Alex Iafallo – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown

24

317:52

 20

Islanders

Anders Lee – Brock Nelson – Jordan Eberle

23

184:15

 21

Ottawa

Brady Tkachuk – Colin White – Mark Stone

22

184:31

 22

Edmonton

Alex Chiasson – Connor McDavid – Leon Draisaitl

21

147:00

 23

Florida

Jonathan Huberdeau – Aleksander Barkov – Mike Hoffman

19

91:39

 24

Washington

Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Tom WIlson

19

101:31

 25

Chicago

Alex DeBrincat – Jonathan Toews – Dominik Kahuwn

18

177:52

 26

Vancouver

Josh Leivo – Elias Pettersson – Brock Boeser

16

67:42

 27

Detroit

Justin Abdelkader – Dylan Larkin – Gustav Nyquist

13

87:43

 28

Anaheim

Max Comtois – Adam Henrique – Jakob Silfverberg

12

51:52

 29

Rangers

Chris Kreider – Kevin Hayes – Filip Chytil

10

84:13

 30

Arizona

Brendan Perlini – Derek Stepan – Christian Fischer

9

44:00

 31

St. Louis

Zach Sanford – Ryan O'Reilly – David Perron

9

65:46

  Zach Hyman – John Tavares – Mitchell Marner

  Up until this point, they’ve outscored their opponents 27-16 at even-strength. Mitch Marner leads the team in scoring with 43 points in 33 games. He led the team in scoring last year with 69 points in 82 games (Auston Matthews had 63 points in 62 games).

  Artemi Panarin – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Cam Atkinson

  As a line they’ve started about 82% of their shifts in the offensive zone (doesn’t include neutral zone faceoffs). Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson have been spectacular with 34 points each. But in my opinion, Pierre-Luc Dubois’ production in his sophomore season has been the most impressive – he has 27 points in 32 games.

  Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

  One of the best lines in terms of possession. They control 64% of shot attempts, 65% of scoring chances and 64% of high-danger scoring chances while on the ice. Tomas Tatar is on pace for a career-high 58 points.

  Jeff Skinner – Jack Eichel – Jason Pominville

  This trio has outscored their opponents 18-8. As you probably know, Buffalo’s top line now features Sam Reinhart in Pominville’s spot. In fact, Reinhart has now played more minutes with Eichel and Skinner than Pominville has. It’s interesting to note that the Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart line has outscored their opponents 17-7.

  Claude Giroux – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny

  This was a line that Dave Hakstol relied on heavily while he was coach of the Flyers, which makes sense considering they controlled about 62% of the shots taken while they were on the ice. Now that Scott Gordon is the new bench boss in Philly, it looks like Giroux and Konecny are playing with Nolan Patrick, while Couturier is playing with Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek.

  Tyler Johnson – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov

  They’re an extremely talented line, but there’s nothing too exciting about their possession numbers. Tampa Bay is the only Eastern Conference team to have two players in the top 10 for scoring – Nikita Kucherov sits fourth with 48 points in 34 games, Point sits tenth with 43 points in 34 games.

  Micheal Ferland – Sebastian Aho – Teuvo Teravainen

  Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen are a dynamic duo, and I really want to see what Andrei Svechnikov can do beside them. I say that because the advanced stats suggest that Teravainen and Aho are just as good without Ferland as they are with him. Sure, maybe it won’t work having three offensive studs who lack in the physical department, but considering Ferland is out with a concussion, what do you have to lose?

  Taylor Hall – Nico Hischier – Kyle Palmieri

  Another very good line in the NHL with the numbers to back it up. They control 56% of shots, 58% of scoring chances and 69% of high-danger scoring chances when they’re on the ice. Kyle Palmieri is on pace for 74 points this season. Shooting percentage is a bit high, but that’s still pretty good!

  Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak

  Patrice Bergeron has played in just 19 of the team’s 34 games, yet he’s still part of the team’s highest scoring line at even strength. David Krejci has been filling in for Bergeron recently, and Boston’s top line has actually seen their possession numbers improve slightly. With that being said, Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak were being trusted more in the defensive zone than Marchand-Krejci-Pastrnak.

  Carl Hagelin – Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel

  Carl Hagelin is now in Los Angeles. Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel are still a dynamic duo. They now play with Zach Aston-Reese on their left-wing. The advanced stats don’t exactly favour Malkin, Aston-Reese and Kessel, but hey, Malkin and Kessel have combined for 72 points through 33 games this season. I for one have learned never to question Geno and Phil.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/nhl-line-combinations/lining-up-top-performing-lines-in-the-east-december-18/

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Bean/Zykov Recalled; Turris Injury; Palat Update; Early Peripherals – November 26

  There was a welcome sight at Tampa’s gameday skate as Ondrej Palat joined the team. While he didn’t play in the game, it appears it’ll be just a matter of days before he returns.

The real question is what they do to the lineup. Going into Sunday’s game, the Lightning had scored four of five. Brayden Point’s line is humming along and the third line of Killorn-Cirelli-Joseph has been arguably the best third line in the league this year. It looks like one of Ondrej Palat or JT Miller could end up on the fourth line as Miller was earlier this season. Keep your eyes peeled on practice.

*

Without Viktor Arvidsson, without PK Subban, and now without Kyle Turris, that is what Nashville is up against right now as the team’s second-line centre was sent to the IR. Austin Watson was moved up to the top line with a second line of Fiala-Jarnkrok-Smith showing up.

*

There was a trade brewing between the Coyotes and Blackhawks very late Friday night (I'm writing this at midnight). It seemed to involve Dylan Strome and Nick Schmaltz, per Elliotte Friedman. Look for a full breakdown in the morning. 

*

Carolina recalled defenceman Jake Bean and forward Valentin Zykov.

People will be focused on Bean but for fantasy relevance, I’m not sure there’s much here. There are many, many defencemen ahead of him in the pecking order for any sort of ice time. His time will come, there just won’t be much of it right now.

The more interesting name for fantasy is Zykov. He had seen some top PP minutes at time before his demotion. Does he play in the top-9? Does he get PP minutes? We’ll see. They’re looking for scoring and Zykov has 35 goals in his last 68 AHL games. Maybe he can bring some.

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The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Michael Amadio because Carl Hagelin has been moved to the injured reserve with a groin injury. Hagelin, having recently been traded for Tanner Pearson, had two assists in five games with the Kings.

Not sure there’s much fantasy relevance here, though the same could be said for most of the Los Angeles roster. Maybe Amadio shows something this time around?

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Ducks defenceman Josh Mahura was sent down to the minors. It had been a decent stint for him with one PP assist, six shots, and six blocked shots in three games.

It’s a numbers game for the Ducks with their defence corps slowly getting healthy. Dynasty owners will have to wait another year (or a couple more injuries) before Mahura gets some consistent time with the big club.

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Not much of note happened in the 6-1 drubbing for Calgary over Arizona on Sunday afternoon except for head coach Bill Peters. Calgary’s bench boss took a puck to the chin (literally) during the second period of the game. Tough guy that he is, he returned.

Both Mark Jankowski and Noah Hanifin scored a pair of goals in the game, the latter his first two of the year. TJ Brodie added his second goal of the season (to go with his assist) with Sean Monahan marking the other.

Mike Smith stopped 28 of 29 in the win, his first victory in over three weeks.

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Tampa Bay laid the wood to New Jersey 5-1 largely thanks to the two-goal, three-point night from Brayden Point. Tyler Johnson also scored, giving him 10 goals on the year in just 23 games. He is shooting over 20 percent, though, so be wary of this level maintaining itself. If he can crack 30 goals it’ll be a very successful season.

This makes four regulation losses in five games for the Devils. The offence hasn’t been a huge issue in this slide – they still have 13 goals – but the lines were in a blender for much of the game as the team was clawing out of a big deficit early. Don’t be surprised to see new lines in their next practice, and that’ll be crucial for Nico Hischier’s value.

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Nick Bonino had a huge hand in the Nashville 4-2 win on Sunday night. He had a goal and an assist, his first multi-point effort of the season. He’s now on a 40-point pace for the season. That adds some nice depth scoring the team has lacked in recent years. Austin Watson scored a hat trick, including one PP goal and one empty-netter. Don’t add him to your fantasy rosters.

Ondrej Kase was moved to the second line with Jakob Silfverberg being promoted to the top line for Anaheim. Though Kase scored for the Ducks, that’s a hit to his value as long as he remains off the top PP unit. Being on Getzlaf’s line is where he wants to be to maximize production potential in the fantasy game.

Kevin Fiala had an assist in the game but notably, he had four shots on goal. That makes 19 shots in his last six games. His shot rate had plummeted early in the year compared to last year as he managed just 1.7 shots per game through the team’s first 18 games. That is not nearly good enough. The goals haven’t started to come yet but if he keeps shooting like this and can earn back his ice time, they will. And they’ll come in bunches. Those in 12-team leagues or deeper should stash him on the bench if there is room and no need of the spot immediately.

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Update on the late game in the morning.

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We’re a couple days shy of being eight weeks into the NHL season. There is always going to be lots of talk about hot/cold starts, buy high/sell low players, emerging players, and so on. Sometimes we need to just take a step back and appreciate the game while informing our decisions in the future.

I thought I would go throw some interesting quirks through the first 25-ish games to start the season. This is all as of Sunday afternoon. Data from Corsica and Natural Stat Trick.

  The Vegas Fourth Line

It’s not very often we talk about fourth lines. The last one to get much notoriety might have been the Merlot Line in Boston during the 2011 Cup run. These guys typically play 10-12 minutes a night, don’t score very often, and frequently have some sort of hybrid energy/physicality role.

Some of those things are true about the Vegas fourth line of William Carrier, Ryan Reaves, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Not scoring isn’t one of them as they sit with 2.06 goals per 60 minutes together at 5v5. That’s not a high number in general, but it’s just fine for a fourth line, and they are currently enjoying a higher scoring rate than the old Wheeler-Scheifele-Connor trio, teammates Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith, and the typical Nashville second line of Fiala-Turris-Smith. Whenever you can get a fourth line to outscore lines of that stature for any stretch like we’ve seen for the first 20-ish games, it’s a huge bonus for the team.

It’s not smoke and mirrors, either, as among 47 line combinations with 100 5v5 minutes together, they sit 16th with 2.92 expected goals per 60 minutes, sandwiched between the second lines for Columbus and Montreal. Individually, Will Carrier is second in the league in individual expected goals per 60 minutes behind Carolina rookie Andrei Svechnikov.

With their hit totals, Ryan Reaves and William Carrier both deserve attention in leagues that count hits, especially the former as he’s garnering some PP minutes. That they’re playing so well together only means they should stick together and not be healthy scratched.

  Tkachuk-White-Stone

Lines have been in flux for the Ottawa Senators all year. There have been injuries, call ups, and general under-performance defensively being the reason. The line of Brady Tkachuk, Colin White, and Mark Stone haven’t played a lot together (just under 50 minutes), but when those three have been healthy since Tkachuk’s return, they’ve been skating together.

They’ve been good together, controlling 53 percent of the shots and 75 percent of the goals on the ice in their small sample. The quirk isn’t that they’re playing well, the quirk is how they’re playing.

The Sens as a team are on the ice for 121.3 shot attempts for and against (combined) per 60 minutes at 5v5, the third-highest paced team. When Tkachuk-Stone-White are on the ice, that pace plummets to 94.8. For reference on how slow that pace is, the slowest-paced team this year is the Dallas Stars at 108.3. A clearly talented line skating for the third-fastest paced team in the league is 14.3 percent slower than the lowest-paced team.

This is important for fantasy for two reasons. First, a slow pace offensively usually means a tough time scoring goals. Now, not all lines are created equal. We’ve seen slow-paced lines on fast-paced teams have a lot of success – they’re not slower with the same severity as Ottawa’s line, but the old Scheifele-Wheeler-Connor line played at a very slow pace last year. They seemed to do alright, but all three players are gifted offensively, especially Wheeler and Scheifele. Can we say the same about Ottawa? Maybe in a year or two, but I don’t feel comfortable saying that right now.

The second reason this is important is because the Sens are a favourite team to pick on. Playing DFS? Stack against Ottawa. Playing season-long? Stream players playing against Ottawa. They’re porous defensively at even strength and on the PK. That line, however, is not. So just freely picking on Ottawa isn’t really viable anymore. We need to be aware of who will be matched against that line, because they are good, even if they aren’t firing/allowing shots all the time.

  Shots, Hits, and Blocked Shots

There are three peripherals that are very common both in season-long and daily fantasy hockey. Let’s look at pairs of combinations here and the weirdness therein: shots and hits, shots and blocked shots, hits and blocked shots.

  Shots and Hits

Since Yahoo! did away with penalty minutes in the fantasy game, replacing them with hits, physicality is even more important. Shots and hits account for a good amount of peripheral counting in Yahoo! standard leagues.

The league leader in shots+hits per game? The aforementioned William Carrier at 6.88. He slightly edges out Alex Ovechkin at 6.87 with Micheal Ferland in third place at 6.39. They’re the only players over 6.00:

    Two quirks here. First, the only defenceman in the top-10 is Rasmus Ristolainen. He’s always been a peripheral monster but the success of the team and introduction of Rasmus Dahlin hasn’t been able to slow that done. The second quirk is clearly Carrier. He leads the entire league in shots+hits per game and is doing so while playing 10:25 per game. For comparison, Ovechkin plays over 10 more minutes per game than Carrier, and yet trails in shots+hits per game. It’s astounding what the Vegas fourth liner is doing.

  Shots and Blocked Shots

Keeping track of shots and blocked shots is very important for those playing daily fantasy hockey. They help build a floor upon which lineups are made. Those not keeping track are likely re-depositing after two weeks.

The introduction of blocked shots naturally means more defencemen near the top than when including just hits, and in fact we have just two forwards in the top-10 for shots+blocked shots. One of those names may surprise some people:

    Over the summer, I wrote how Tyler Seguin can help in the hits category, which would be a benefit with Yahoo!’s new setup. I didn’t not anticipate him being more prevalent for shot blocking, though. He’s sitting with 15 through 24 games. Not a huge total, but he needs just 13 more to set the second-highest mark of his career and is on pace for 51, which would push him over 50 for the first time in his career. Once that shooting percentage turns around, he’ll be a monster in any format.

Laine is the name that sticks out. He’s sitting with 16 blocked shots in 22 games. That is a pace for 60 blocked shots. Only 31 forwards managed at least 60 blocked shots last year. Could we see Laine score 60 and block 60?

  Hits and Blocked Shots

The cornerstone of most peripheral roto leagues are hits and blocked shots. They give value to a lot of players that would otherwise have none and vary the value of upper-tier scorers who may not do everything. They add an interesting element, even if their counting is unreliable.

Unsurprisingly, there are a number of defencemen at the top of the list, with just two forwards in the top-20 and none in the top-10. Here is the latter:

    Seeing Noah Juulsen’s name at the top of the list is fascinating. Remember that he’s currently dealing with a facial injury, so we won’t see him on the ice in short order, but he had been averaging two blocked shots and three hits per game, the only player in the league to do so. He had been one of just five players to average two blocks and two hits per game, let alone three. His peripheral production had been incredible.

He’s still just 21 years old and finding his way in the league. There will be growing pains. If he can come around offensively, though, with this level of peripheral production, we’re talking about a star fantasy option. There is a huge gap between where he is now and where he needs to be, but that potential is brewing.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-beanzykov-recalled-turris-injury-palat-update-early-peripherals-november-26/

[thrashermaxey]

Dobber’s Offseason Fantasy Grades 2018: Carolina Hurricanes

  Dobber's offseason fantasy hockey grades – Carolina Hurricanes

  For the last 15 years (12 with The Hockey News, last year’s via pinch-hitter Cam Robinson) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 16th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey.

Enjoy!

  Gone – Derek Ryan, Cam Ward, Joakim Nordstrom, Jeff Skinner, Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm, Klas Dahlbeck, Marcus Kruger, Coach Bill Peters

  Incoming – Dougie Hamilton, Calvin De Haan, Petr Mrazek, Micheal Ferland, Saku Maenalanen, Jordan Martinook, Coach Rod Brind’Amour

  ** The 13th annual DobberHockey Fantasy Guide is available for download now! Buy it here ***

  Impact of changes – It almost seems as though the trade for Hamilton cleared the decks for an influx of young forwards. This theory was further justified when the team moved Jeff Skinner to the Sabres for prospect Cliff Pu and draft picks. Which makes sense because there are several forwards on the cusp of making the jump (more on that below). Regardless, with Hamilton on board the power play gets a huge boost because Justin Faulk is no longer cutting it as PP QB. So members of this power play will see a boost in production – Hamilton, Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Staal and possibly Justin Williams or youngster Andrei Svechnikov (more on him below).

Speaking of Skinner – former coach Peters insisted on keeping him on the third line and off the power play. A change of scenery with new linemates and a different coaching system can only help his numbers.

As for goaltending, which was the biggest sore spot on the Hurricanes a year ago – did the team manage to find a goaltender that is actually worse than Ward? While both Mrazek and Scott Darling have upside to not only be better, but be an average starting goalie in the NHL, this is an outcome that you shouldn’t count on. Yes, Carolina has a better team around them…but a good team didn’t help an Antti Niemi/Kari Lehtonen duo back in Dallas did it?

  Ready for full-time – Andrei Svechnikov was the top forward drafted in the summer and indications are that he will make the team. That’s the expectation for second overall draft picks. He’s a sniper and adds to Carolina’s scoring-line depth, which contributed to making Elias Lindholm a little more expendable. I don’t expect a Brock Boeser kind of rookie impact out of him, but more of a Nico Hischier (but with Boeser’s goal/assist ratio). (Read more on Svechnikov here)

Martin Necas was Carolina’s top pick (16th overall) last year and he nearly made the team right away. He’s only gotten better one year later and has a strong chance of making this team. The only thing that would make the decision tough is if he had a weak training camp – because two other good prospects (below) will have to clear waivers in order to be sent down. So keeping Necas could be costly, so he’ll have to earn it. That being said, this team has Jordan Staal and Victor Rask as their two best centers (though they did try Sebastian Aho there to end last season). This team needs Necas to make a splash. (Read more on Necas here)

Lucas Wallmark signed a two-year contract, with the second year being one-way. So this year it’s a two-way. Why Carolina bothered to do this is not immediately clear to me, because Wallmark has to clear waivers to be sent down and he won’t. The 22-year-old had an amazing 55 points in 45 AHL games for Charlotte. (Read more on Wallmark here)

Valentin Zykov was a revelation at the end of last season when he tallied seven points in 10 games with the big club after he was called up. He also led the AHL with 33 goals. He, too, must clear waivers in order to be sent down so a roster spot is his to lose. The only question is, will he get Josh Leivo-ed to the press box? Or will he actually see ice time in the top nine? The Skinner trade certainly helps him avoid Option: Leivo. (Read more on Zykov here)

  Carolina Hurricanes prospect depth chart and fantasy upsides can be found here (not yet ready for mobile viewing, desktop only right now)

  Fantasy Outlook – Carolina’s offense, which beat only eight teams in terms of goals scored last year, stands to make big strides this season thanks to a legitimate power-play quarterback in Hamilton. They do have several intriguing prospects who will step into the lineup very soon. As far as prospects that have fantasy interest go, this team is above average. However, they lack an appealing centerman (prove me wrong, Necas!) and their goaltending is…well, I don’t want to be unkind. Lots of potential with the forwards, but we need to see a true breakout from someone before we start coveting Carolina players on our fantasy squads.

  Fantasy Grade: C+ (last year was C+)

    Pick up the 13th annual DobberHockey Fantasy Hockey Guide here (out on August 1)

OR

Get the Fantasy Guide and the Prospects Report as part of a package and save$8.00 – here!

    Fantasy Outlook for the Anaheim Ducks

Fantasy Outlook for the Arizona Coyotes

Fantasy Outlook for the Boston Bruins

Fantasy Outlook for the Buffalo Sabres

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/dobbers-offseason-fantasy-grades-2018-carolina-hurricanes/