NHL Quarter Mark Trends

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The NHL is about a quarter of the way into the season and things are starting to settle down and even out. Teams are starting to fall into the placing they were expected to be before the season began. San Jose is atop the Western Conference standings and the Colorado Avalanche, although still high in the standings, are beginning to descend. This article will take a look at some early season trends that will likely continue throughout the season, rather than go back to what they were expected to be.

Ottawa Senators Success

The Senators were expected to be a bubble team this year, with the majority of experts slotting them in the 8 – 10 range. Currently they are 3rd in the Easter Conference, because they are leading the Northeast division in points. I expect this to continue for many reasons. The first reason is because the Northeast division is currently the worst division in hockey. Toronto and Montreal are horrible, Boston is average and the Sabres are coming down after a great start. The fact that the Senators get to play the Maple Leafs and Habs 6 games each this season will surely help their record. The second reason is that the scoring is spread out. With Heatley out and Michalek and Kovalev in the Senators have added much more depth and have spread their scoring away from the Heatley – Spezza – Alfredsson trio. Spezza’s production has gone down because of this, but the team’s production as a whole has increased.

Gaborik’s Scoring Prowess

Gaborik has 18 goals and 32 points in 21 games so far for the New York Rangers. Everyone knew he was capable of numbers like this, but his injury problems the last few years have kept him from achieving this success. If Gaborik can stay healthy, he is so dynamic and powerful that his output of 1.5 points per game should continue throughout the season.

Phoenix Coyotes Moderate Success

Phoenix was on everyones list to be in the bottom 3 in the league this season, but so far they have 27 points in 24 games and are battling for a playoff spot in the West. Bryzgalov has played quite well and you can expect this to continue because he is a solid number one goalie in this league. The team is meshing quite well and the absence of Wayne Gretzky for the presence of a real coach might be exactly what this team needed to get on track. I expect the Coyotes to continue to push and be on the bubble after 82 games, possibly snagging one of the final playoff positions in the West.

Dany Heatley

Heatley was enemy number one in Ottawa, but he is now a goal scoring hero in San Jose. Heatley has 18 goals in 25 games and is on pace for 59 this season. Playing with Joe Thornton has sparked both of them to a great start and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Heatley continue this pace and at least break 50 goals this year, if not 60.
There are some trends that I feel will continue this year in the NHL. I guess we can check back when the season has been completed to see if I’m correct.

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Troy Aikman: Giants partying in Miami ‘poorly advised’

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Troy Aikman had some critical words for the New York Giants wide receivers who were seen partying on a boat in Miami after the team’s win over Washington last weekend. Early in the wild-card playoff game between the Giants and Green Bay Packers on Sunday, FOX made mention of the storyline that received plenty of attention early in the week. Aikman, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, said that you never want to give the impression to your teammates that you’re anything less than 100 percent focused on your games. He also termed the receivers’ actions “poorly advised”: Buck and Aikman talking about Giants boat trip. http://pic.twitter.com/AZVLQgQdM3 — ⓂarcusD2.0 (@_MarcusD2_) January 8, 2017 In response to the controversy, the Giants receivers went out and practiced shirtless before the game during warm-ups. Quarterback Eli Manning had some funny comments about Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepard and Roger Lewis being shirtless in the photos. Meanwhile head coach Ben
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Loving Football Comes Natural

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Watching football games on television is a family tradition at times that is never broken. Many families love football so much that they reserve one day a week for the men in the family to get together and that day occurs on Sundays usually, especially during football season. The women in the family are welcomed to watch because they want to spread the love too and learn about football on an up close, and personal basis.

Most football fans love the game because it is unpredictable. Even when an NFL football team has played badly, there is always the chance that they will make an amazing recovery and come out the winner by the end of the day. Some comebacks are so incredible that families will talk about it for the rest of the week. Some talk carries over into the workplace because the football pool at work was balanced on that one particular game.

There is likely to be many points of view expressed about the action that occurred on the gridiron during a weekend. Some businesses have found it necessary to limit comments to break times because workers were failing to get their work done. The action on the football field can absorb people while at work because some fans listen to radios as they sit at their workstations. The email systems used on the job are often used to transmit scores throughout the day when other restrictions are put into place by business owners.

The love of football continues throughout the week with the continual changes that are made to the team standings, and the player’s statistics. Those statistical numbers have a way of affecting the amount of money that a player will earn when it comes time for a contract to be renegotiated. A family can feel very rewarded when their devotion to a certain player is rewarded by a 2-year contract renewal that is worth millions in endorsements.

Some families get very excited if their team is trying to maintain the top spot in the rankings of football teams on any given week. There will be no guarantees that the television viewing room will be very quiet during these important games, and parents might want to send the children out of the room at any time. This is especially true if the opposing team scores a touchdown in the last few minutes of an important bowl game. Football fans that watch the games from home have a tendency to express their love of the game in ways that might shock a youngster at times.

Some fans might consult the television network listings to confirm that a game starts at a particular time. They might have a deep love for football and need hardcore information about the team and its standings so that they can select the right players to put in their fantasy football team. Winning such a league might put the love of football in everyone because the winner could be assured of winning tickets to the Super Bowl.

Loving football is natural for most families but foreign to some. For those that do not understand what pigskin football is all about, there is always help available. Everybody has to learn about football sometimes and learning can help some people form great friendships. Every football team has a fan club and newbies are welcome all the time. There is certain fans that will teach others about football and keep them appraised of the scores.

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Johnny Manziel Contract Rumors: Former QB Still Rooting For The Browns, ‘I Wish Them The Best’ [VIDEO]

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If Johnny Manziel is ever set to become Johnny Football again, it won’t be in Cleveland. The former QB said he doubts he’ll ever suit up for the Browns again, but is still wishing them the best.
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NHL Scoring Machine: Phil Esposito

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Though his scoring records have been obliterated by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, former Boston Bruins/New York Rangers center Phil Esposito is still regarded by hockey cognoscenti as one of the greatest offensive players in the history of the game. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, as is his brother Tony Esposito who was a standout goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks.

A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Esposito was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a teenager. After some time in junior hockey, he was called up to the NHL in’64 quickly earning a spot on the teams top line between Bobby Hull and Marcel Dionne. In’67, Esposito was traded to the Boston Bruins along with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield.

It wasnt long before Esposito started to destroy long standing NHL records. In’69, he became the first NHL player to top the 100 point mark (combined goals and assists) for the season”he obliterated the record with 126 points, which would be the first of six times that hed top the century mark. He topped 100 points in five straight seasons between’71 and’75, missing a sixth straight season by a single point with 99 in’70. Bruins fans were fond of displaying car bumper stickers that read Jesus Saves; Esposito scores on the rebound.

Esposito’s greatest single season was in’70-71, when he destroyed the NHL’s single season goal scoring mark with 76. That record stood until Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers broke it in’81-82. Even now, only four other players including Gretzky have scored more than 150 points in a season and only five others have scored more than 76 goals in a season. Perhaps the most amazing element of Espositos game was the frequency with which he put the puck on net”Espo had 550 shots on goal in’70-71. No one has since come close.

In’75, Esposito was traded to the New York Rangers where his experience, intelligence for the game and nose for the puck made him a valuable component of the Broadway Blueshirts offense and he was named team captain. Until the very end of his career, he remained a dangerous scoring threat that all opposing teams were forced to reckon with.

After his retirement in’75, he remained active in hockey. He served as the GM of the Rangers before helping secure an expansion team for Tampa, Florida in’92. Esposito served as the President and GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning until’98. Esposito now hosts a daily hockey radio show on XM Radio, and has even done some acting appearing in a recurring role as a fire chief on the TV series Rescue Me.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and highly respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

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On College Football: How Clemson Can Beat Alabama (Praying Is Optional)

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Limiting scoring opportunities for the Crimson Tide’s opportunistic defense, throwing deep balls and rattling Alabama’s true freshman quarterback, Jalen Hurts, are key.
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5 of the Greatest NHL Players of All Time Including the Great One

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There have been many outstanding NHL players in the leagues history. Here are five of the greatest of all time, including the “Great One.”

Do you know “The Great One”? In the world of hockey, that can only refer to Wayne Gretzky. While Gretzky has retired from the NHL, his skills and love for the game live on in today’s NHL teams, such as the Calgary Flames. While Gretzky was arguably the greatest NHL player in the league’s history, he is among the best of the best that have ever played professional hockey:

1. Wayne Gretzky

No “best of the best” list of NHL players is complete without “The Great One.” Gretzky’s accomplishments during his career include:

* Four Stanley Cups
* Nine-time NHL MVP
* Jersey number (#99) permanently retired throughout NHL
* More than 60 NHL records
* NHL all-time leading scorer
* Two Canada Cup MVPs

Born in Ontario Canada, at the age of three-years-old, Gretzky received his first pair of ice skates. Gretzky mastered his skating skills on his personal ice rink.

2. Gordie Howe

Howe was an ironman on ice. In fact, his nickname “Mr. Hockey” is actually a registered trademark. Howe played the most games in the NHL’s history. Eleven different Halls of Fame have inducted Howe. A “Goldie Howe Hat Trick” refers to a trifecta that differed from the standard definition of three goals in a single game. Instead, the Goldie Howe Hat Trick includes one goal, one assist, and one won fight. Interestingly, Howe only had one Goldie Howe Hat Trick during his illustrious career.

3. Mario Lemieux

Like Wayne Gretzky, Lemieux had amazing speed and elegance on the ice. Born in Montreal, Canada, Lemieux began playing hockey at three-years-old! Then in 1984, he became the NHL’s first overall pick. He earned the nickname “Super Mario” during his hockey career. Lemieux won two Stanley Cups, and retired with 613 goals and 881 assists. He also won the hockey gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics, representing Canada.

4. Bobby Orr

Orr was born in Ontario, Canada. He started playing hockey soon after he had begun to walk. Orr earned the highest salary of any NHL rookie in history, receiving roughly $ 25,000 per year. He also became the first NHL defenseman who was also potent on offense. Orr led the Boston Bruins to two NHL Stanley Cup championships (1970, 1972), while he won the defenseman MVP eight consecutive years. During his NHL career, Orr also helped to launch the NHL Players Association.

5. Maurice “Rocket” Richard

Born in Montreal, Richard started to play hockey shortly after he mastered walking. He mastered his skating on a rink behind his home. Richard became famous for his goal-scoring and hard-hitting on the ice. He led his team, the Montreal Canadians, to an impressive eight NHL championships. One of Richard’s greatest feats during his career was racking up 50 goals in 50 NHL games. Richard entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, one year after retiring.

There has been one “Great One” in NHL history, along with other great ones. Use NHL merchandise to cheer on your favorite NHL team to the great Stanley Cup!

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick’s articles focus on Calgary Flames merchandise. Many articles are related to discount NHL merchandise and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.

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Packers 38, Giants 13: Giants Bare Their Chests and Get Exposed by the Packers

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After a trip to sunny Miami raised eyebrows, the Giants’ receivers landed with a thud in chilly Green Bay.
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