#what is this panthers-canes game???

[savagegood]

time to manifest this

update: unfortunately, the game did not reach the mythical 6OT (it ended in the fourth, the sixth longest NHL game in history) but on the other hand, the panthers won and keep winning which means at least we get victory rats…

The story of the rats goes back to Oct. 8, 1995. Prior to a game against the Calgary Flames, a rat appeared in the Panthers’ locker room in the old Miami Arena. Former Panthers’ captain Scott Mellanby jumped up, grabbed a stick, and smacked the pesky rodent against a wall. Later that night, Mellanby scored two goals, leading then Panthers’ goalie John Vanbiesbrouck to quip, “He scored a rat trick”.

another update: the panthers are in the stanley cup finals. we’re four panthers wins away from seeing the stanley cup on ice surrounded by rats.

[tkachuksoralfixation]

I understand why sports fans are superstitious now.... The cats have lost every game i havent tuned into for at least an hour

[readingbythestreetlights]

you know when I said the panthers were insane when they were tied 2-2 with the leafs? yeah, they just got even crazier.

[sergeifyodorov]

can you explain how to read the underlyings?

A Beginner's Guide to Underlyings, or, why the Canes are Cup favourites every year

So: your team just lost. Your team lost and it didn’t look like they lost; or, they lost, and they outshot the opponent thirty to twenty; or, they lost and they were never not on the power-play. Some players always look terrible, or some look really good but never manage to score, or some put up points while never being in the right place, ever. Why is this? What is an analytics darling, anyway?

Corsi and Fenwick

Analytics in hockey has actually been around a pretty long time -- not all stats need a computer to be able to quantify.

The easiest stat to quantify is a shot on goal. All shots on goal have one of two results: either the goalie (or another player in the crease, but almost always the goalie) hits it and it gets out of the way, or it ends up in the back of the net. Posts are not usually counted as a shot on goal.

The other main two kinds of shots that count -- shots not on goal -- are blocked shots (where it hits another player or their stick before making it into the crease) and missed shots (where a shot is in the direction of the goal, but would not hit it.

Corsi is the total count of all four of these -- saves, goals, misses, and blocks. Say a team has 20 shots including 2 goals, but they’ve also had 10 missed shots and 15 that were blocked. That would be 20 + 15 + 10, or 45 Corsi. Let’s say their opponent has 3 goals on 18 shots, but they only have 10 missed shots and 8 blocked shots. That’s 18 + 10 + 8 or 36 Corsi -- only 80% of what the first team has, but they’re still winning the game.

Fenwick is a similar counter, but it ignores blocked shots -- for our team example above, the first team has 30 Fenwick and the other has 28. Not nearly so big a margin.

If you’re looking for official NHL statlogs about this -- they’ll call Corsi “shot attempts” and Fenwick “unblocked shot attempts.”

Expected Goals

Counting is one thing, but the modern-day NHL has puck and player trackers, and we use that to build more accurate models of a shot. Instead of a simple Corsi count -- a Matthews wrister from the slot is the same 1 Corsi as a Brodie blocked shot from the point -- we can instead assign different numbers to shots by type.

This is where expected goals come in. There are multiple publicly available expected-goal models, and they all work in different precise ways, but in general:

An expected goal model ignores who the shooter is.

It does not ignore where they’re standing, how fast the shot is, or if they miss the net.

Your average shot attempt is worth between one-fifth and one-tenth of an expected goal, but faster, closer, unblocked, and accurate shots are worth more than that. Let’s go back to the Leafs’ game today, because it’s a great example.

These two towers represent the expected goals -- stylized as xG -- totals of the teams. Each little block is one Corsi, colour-coded as a miss, block, save, or goal. They’re also, because the guy who does this website is magical, organized by player, but we’ll get to that in a second. Counting by pure Corsi, the Panthers have 54 little boxes while the Leafs have 65; the Leafs outchanced them, but not by much. This model of expected goals, however, implies that the Leafs’ shots were much more dangerous than the Panthers, and all things being equal, they “should” have won this game about three to two, instead of losing three to one.

All things aren’t equal, though, and this is what separates underlying numbers from reality. It is also why people complain about nerds.

PDO

PDO is an eponym, not an acronym. It’s named for a Counter-Strike player who coined an idea similar to what we talk about in hockey; an idea that is quite simple, actually, when it comes down to it. PDO is shooting percentage plus save percentage, multiplied by a hundred.

The idea, of course, being that a league-average shooting percentage (what percent of shots on goal end up in net) and save percentage (what percent of shots on a goalie don’t end up in net) add up to one -- or one hundred, if you’re doing the multiplying. Ergo if your PDO is over one hundred, you’re scoring or saving more than average, and if your PDO is less than one hundred, you’re scoring or saving less than.

PDO is semi-stable. A team with a lot of good shooters or goalies can expect their PDO to stay consistently above a hundred, and the inverse for a bad team, but this range is not so far as you might expect; a stable high PDO is usually less than a hundred and five. Florida’s first-round upset of Boston last year might surprise you less when you learn that Boston’s PDO remained at 120 the whole season! Numbers like that have to come down eventually. Vegas’ cup run had an unusually high PDO of 107.

Let’s bring back a note from the expected goals section:

An expected goal model ignores who the shooter is.

Great. Good shooters -- hello Auston! -- will often be able to create goal totals well above their “expected-goal” counts, burying shots that computers don’t think they should be able to. Other shooters might be bad, creating far less. Same with goalies -- Juuse Saros, for example, saves about half a goal a game more than league average/expected.

PDO and above-below expected are pretty similar, especially because a goalie with a high above-expected number is likely to also just make a lot of saves, raising his save percentage and thus his team’s PDO. Someone who finishes above expected is likely to also have a high shooting percentage. They aren’t the same, though! 

Resources

HockeyViz -- where I got the xG tower graph from. Micah Blake McCurdy specializes in hockey data visualization. Some of this site is hidden behind a paywall, but a lot of it isn’t and there’s some really neat stuff!

Natural Stat Trick -- if spreadsheets are more your speed.

MoneyPuck -- the Deserve to Win-o-Meter, but also has a lot of betting odds and probability tables.

[kelyon]

Courtship 1: Introduction

How Lacey French became Mrs. Gold. Part of the Golden Cuffs 'Verse

Mr. Gold comes for the rent and leaves with a dinner date.

Read on AO3

Lacey French was huddled up by the space heater behind the counter when Mr. Gold walked into Game of Thorns. Outside it was already pitch black, even though it was fifteen minutes before five o’clock. Lacey knew it was 4:45 without looking at the clock because today was Rent Day and everyone knew Mr. Gold was always on time. That man was as consistent as a machine--and just as heartless. 

He made his way up to the counter, circling around the displays of unsold vases and dusty Happy Birthday mugs. In his sleek black coat, he looked like a panther or a wolf. A predator who knew his prey was as good as caught and would take his time savoring the hunt.  

Lacey straightened up and gave Mr. Gold a quick nod. She wasn’t afraid of him. He wasn’t here for her. Poking her head through the door to the back of the shop, she called out: “Dad! He’s here!”

When her father didn’t answer, Lacey turned back to Mr. Gold. 

“Excuse me just a minute.”

By a silent inclination of his head, Mr. Gold indicated his permission for her to leave. 

The rickety stairs down to the basement shook under her running feet. Her father was over by the utility sink, his back turned to the door, up to his elbows in water and fertilizer chemicals. 

“Dad!” Lacey shouted over the running water. “Didn’t you hear me? Mr. Gold is here. For the rent.”

His back stiffened. The water turned off. Turning around slowly, he looked at her with the same expression he’d been wearing ever since Mom got sick. The expression of a man watching his whole world turn to dust. He picked up a green towel from the counter and dried his hands.

“Alright,” he grumbled. “Let him know I’m coming.”

Lacey hesitated before going back up the stairs. “We do have it, don’t we? The rent?”

Her father sighed. “How was business today?”

“Terrible.” He knew that. “It’s January. The only order we’ve had all week is Johnny Byrd buying Lisa a dozen red roses.”

All Dad did was nod and put the towel back on the rack. “Just go tell Gold I’ll be up in a minute.”

Mr. Gold was still on the other side of the counter when she got back. He stood with gloved hands on top of his gold-tipped cane and his eyes roving over the dingy storefront. Was he still happy he had bought the place from them? Or was he realizing what a worthless investment it was? 

She cleared her throat and Mr. Gold’s gaze shifted to her. 

“It might be a while,” she told him. It might be a very long while, if they had to wait for her dad to gather up all the rent they owed.  

Mr. Gold took a step closer to the counter, where Lacey had taken her usual place on the stool by the cash register. She had counted out the drawer this morning when they opened. There had been less than forty dollars in change and nothing had come in or gone out since.

“Everything alright?”

His voice was mellow, almost friendly. His accent gave the words a lilt you didn’t hear much around Storybrooke.

Internally, Lacey rolled her eyes at herself. Lilt. What a pretentious word. Useless too. It wasn’t like anyone was giving her bonus points for using vocabulary words in a sentence.

“No.” Lacey answered Mr. Gold with frankness born from metaphysical levels of exhaustion. “No, nothing’s been alright for a very long time. Thanks for asking.”

He didn’t seem put off by her rudeness. If anything, it looked like he leaned a little closer to her. 

“I read about the accident in the paper when it happened. They were your cousin and uncle, is that right?”

Lacey clenched her jaw. Of course Mr. Gold would pick that as a topic of conversation. “Yep. Uncle Peter i--was my mother’s brother.”

A month since it happened and it was still hard to use the past tense. Not that she could think about Mom in past tense either. It would all take a lot of getting used to.

“A terrible thing,” Mr. Gold said softly.

She shrugged. She was so tired of accepting people’s sympathy. “Can’t blame the widowmaker highway for living up to its name. Everyone knows you shouldn’t leave Storybrooke in winter.”

“It’s a shame that road is outside city limits. I’m sure Mayor Mills would make it safer, if it was under her control.”

“Mayor Mills can do anything when she wants to.” It was such an obvious fact it barely needed to be said. The Mayor of Storybrooke was cunning and capable. The town was lucky to have her in charge. 

“And just before Christmas, too.” Mr. Gold shook his head.

If Lacey started thinking about Andrew and Uncle Peter’s funeral she would start thinking about Aunt Terri and Janine and Chloe and how sad they all looked and how helpless she had been to do anything for them, just like they had been helpless to do anything for her at Mom’s funeral. If she started thinking about it, she would start crying and never stop.

So she made the active choice not to think about it. Instead, she looked at Mr. Gold with clear eyes and quipped:

“Yeah. Hell of a way for my little cousin to find out there’s no Santa Claus.”

He made a noise, a half-snort that was choked back by sheer force of will. The lines at the corner of his mouth were slightly deeper than normal, like he was biting back a grin. His eyes, when he looked at Lacey, had a glint in them. It wasn’t entirely amusement, but there was a sort of fondness there. Maybe a sort of admiration.

Or maybe she was kidding herself. 

This was the longest conversation she’d ever had with Mr. Gold. She’d never spoken to him at all before her mother got sick. She’d never had to. They didn’t rent from him back then, and he never came by the flower shop to get a bouquet. Who would he buy for? Everyone in town was afraid of Mr. Gold, and he didn’t seem to mind his reputation. People didn’t matter to him, except as names in a ledger. Debts and favors owed, antiques pawned at his shop, rent paid in full or past due.

Lacey bit her lip. Dad was still not back with the rent. If she listened closely, she could hear the floor creak as he moved around upstairs. He was searching the part of the building where they lived for any extra cash they might have squirreled away in different hiding places. It had to be cash, of course, Mr. Gold didn’t take checks. That was just as well. Any check Moe French wrote now would bounce like a tennis ball on a trampoline.

What would Mr. Gold do if they didn’t have the rent?

Despite the cold, she rolled up her sleeves. Trying to look casual, she went over to the buckets of roses lined by the wall and picked through them for the fullest blooms.

“Do you like flowers, Mr. Gold?”

She tried to act innocent, looking over at him with a yellow rose in her hand. She wasn’t sure what she was trying to do right now. Stall, apparently. Give Dad more time to look for some surprise cash. Get Mr. Gold in a good mood so he might go easy on them when the money never showed up. Maybe he’d take a flower arrangement in lieu of rent . Maybe if she made a good impression, he wouldn’t throw them out on the street.

From the look on his face, he saw right through her. Clearly, Lacey was not the first person to try to warm him up when they needed something. She was about to give up the game, when he took a step toward her. 

“A well-maintained garden is a thing of beauty,” he said calmly. “Yet it always seemed a waste to bring flowers inside and watch them die a slow death in a vase.”

Lacey shrugged, and slid the yellow rose back with its brethren. So much for that. “They die if you leave them outside too.”

“I suppose they do.” Mr. Gold took another step closer. His voice took on a darker tone. “It is a cruel world for pretty things.” 

Lacey moved. She couldn’t say if she was moving away from him or toward him, but she moved and then one of the buckets crashed to the ground. Long-stemmed red roses scattered all over the floor.

“Shit,” Lacey hissed. These were Ever Reds, the best red roses they had. This was the variety they could charge the most for and most wanted to avoid damaging. If these petals got bruised they’d be worthless.

“Shit,” she said again. She’d gotten on her knees and was gathering the spilled flowers as quickly--and carefully--as she could. At least the water had stayed in the bucket. At least she wouldn’t have to clean up the spill. 

“Stupid. I’m so stupid,” Lacey muttered under her breath. 

It wasn’t until Mr. Gold spoke that she remembered he was in the store. 

“I wouldn’t say stupid.” He made the remark casually. He was holding one of the roses in his leather-gloved hand, examining it. He held it out to her. “I thought I read something about you being valedictorian, Miss French. I remember thinking what a shame it was that so many scholarships would only take you as far as Storybrooke Community College.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t even get there.” She snapped at the mention of an old wound. “Now I’m spending my life on my knees on the ratty carpet of a failing flower shop.” 

She looked up at the rose in his hand. He was offering it like it was a gift, but it was her merchandise. Its beauty didn’t mean anything to her except for what price it could offer. If it wasn’t worth money, it wasn’t worth anything. That was the cold, mercenary way she had to look at things. 

She took the rose by the stem and tossed it in the bucket until it could be sold. By the time she got to her feet, she had calmed down a little. She was able to look Mr. Gold in the face and tell him the lesson it had taken her almost two years to understand: 

“Stupid is thinking that booksmarts and good grades alone will get you anywhere in life. Or that anything you accomplish in high school will mean a single thing once you’re out of it. Or that no one decides your fate but you.” She shook her head. “So yeah, I’m actually really stupid.”

With a heavy sigh, Lacey shoved the bucket of roses back into place. When she looked up, Mr. Gold was staring at her arm. Thin lines of pink and red streaked across her pale skin.

“Oh!” Lacey giggled as a reflex. “I didn’t even feel that! It’s an occupational hazard here at Game of Thorns. Roses are always hungry for blood.”

They had a first aid kit under the counter. Most of the scratches were surface-level, but she swabbed her arm in betadine just to make Mr. Gold feel better.

“See? No big deal.”

He was staring at her again. At her face this time. For just a second, he looked confused. It was the first time he had looked at her without looking like he already knew everything about her. For just a second, he looked like she intrigued him. 

Then the wall came up again. The wall of cold civility that separated Mr. Gold from everyone else in the world. The wall Lacey hadn’t realized was there until she saw it come down.  

“You should have dinner with me, Miss French.”

Lacey blinked. “I should?”

“Yes.” He was so calm. So matter-of-fact. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

She blinked again. “Like a date?”

He wrinkled his nose but conceded the point. “I suppose it is. Let’s say Tuesday evening, Bella Notte?”

Lacey felt her eyes go wide. She’d been to Bella Notte exactly once in her life, on her eighteenth birthday. And that had just been for lunch with Mom! She’d never gone there for dinner. Her parents had only had dinner there on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. And Mr. Gold was offering to take her there on their first date? This was big. She had to play it cool.

“Sure!” 

That was less than cool. The word wasn’t a total squeak, but Mr. Gold’s lips did twitch at the sound.

Lacey cleared her throat. “The store closes at six. I can meet you there--”

“I’ll pick you up at eight,” he said smoothly. His eyes traveled over her, from her oversized sweatshirt to her threadbare blue jeans to her dirt-stained sneakers. “Wear something suitable, won’t you? I want to see you in the nicest thing you own, Miss French.”

“You know, you can call me--”

“Gold!” Her dad burst through the door at the front of the shop. He had an envelope in his hand that even Lacey could see wasn’t full enough. “Mr. Gold, I--uh--Can I speak with you privately?”

Lacey rolled her eyes. “Just say the words, Dad. I’m sure Mr. Gold has figured it out by now.”

Her father shot her a dirty look, then turned to face Mr. Gold. “I apologize for this, but it does look like I’m going to need a slight extension on this month’s rent.”

For the first time since he had come into the store, Mr. Gold smiled. “That’s quite alright, Mr. French. Perfectly understandable. This is a slow time of year for many businesses.”

“I--yes. But things will pick up in just a few days, once people realize how close it is to Valentine’s Day.”

“For your sake, I hope it won’t be that long.” Mr. Gold showed his teeth like a crocodile. “According to your rental agreement, there’s a fifty dollar fee for every day the rent is in arrears.”

From behind the counter, Lacey watched the color drain from her father’s face. “But that’s--that’ll be more than a thousand dollars before Valentine’s Day!”  

Mr. Gold gave an exaggerated shrug. “That’s the agreement you signed, Mr. French. If you can’t abide by the contract, I’m well within my rights to evict.”

“Wha--No, you can’t do that!”

Moe French was head and shoulders taller than Mr. Gold, and easily twice his weight. But he was the one sputtering and blustering helplessly, while Mr. Gold stood with the stillness of absolute confidence. Power radiated off of Mr. Gold, an aura so thick Lacey could almost choke on it.

She licked her lips.

“I--I have half!” Her dad offered the envelope. 

Mr. Gold took it with another fake smile. “A fine start,” he said. “Let me know when you have the rest. The fees start accruing at midnight tonight.”  

They watched in stunned silence as Mr. Gold made his way to the door. Before he left, he turned around. 

“Miss French, it was a pleasure speaking with you. I hope to see you again. Quite soon.” 

[cardiaccanesblog]

What are some of the superstitions you’ve done while watching your team. For example mine are:

1. Wearing the same hoodie (but also taking it off if things aren’t going well.)

2. Taking off my watch before games

3. Canes manifestation playlist

4. Refusing to go on Twitter, Reddit, or watch any of the Canes stories on instagram during games

5. Knocking on wood several times throughout a game

An honorable mention is that during the first Panthers shutout this season I was eating chicken Caesar salad so we made it again for the second game… and we all know what happened. So playoff salad era may be in my future.

[tapedsleeves]

2023 hrpf fic roundup

VGK / 6167 (mark stone / max pacioretty):

won't run away (but I'll have to take it slow) - the 6167 max thinks mark might be ace fic (rated T) passes too quick to see me - max has a migraine 5x drabble I want strings attached (prequel to our secret's worth its weight in gold published in 2022) - wherein mark buys the ring he hides from max in secret's worth i'd rather drown - after max is traded, he invites his family to visit Mark's house for christmas. but i can't see behind the sun - plane flirting triple drabble tripped and fell on you - max and mark met & hooked up as teenagers wear you like a stitch - mark has temporary amnesia or a gentle kiss - a vague pirate au double drabble

VGK / 981 (Jack Eichel / Jonathan Marchessault):

a wall to bring us closer - jonathan sees the photo of the way jack is looking at him later & decides to do something about it. from a shudder to a shockwave - jack falls in love with vegas, hockey, and jonathan marchessault you don't need to wonder, you're doing fine - Jack gets an idea for the post game award no reason to put up a fight - jack and marchy at stevie's wedding just what i needed - jack makes a kissing bet to get Marchy the Conn Smythe your whole life is a head (I hope we get to see it) - marchy has a crisis about being older than jack

Misc:

VGK: Chandler Stephenson / Shane Hnidy / Neon in the nighttime - parade hookups :)

VGK: Nic Roy / Zach Whitecloud / In all of my wildest dreams (they just ended with you and me) - bubble musing triple drabble

VGK: Nic Roy / Zach Whitecloud / i'll set you up against the stars - Nic wears lingerie

Canes: andrei svechnikov / jordan martinook / teach me to breathe (break me in half) - babygirl andrei :)

NJD: Nico Hischier / Jack Hughes / it's our anthem - first kiss double drabble

Kraken: Will Borgen / Carson Soucy / well and remix of and well from Will's POV

Kraken: Will Borgen / Carson Soucy / go hunt for honey - carson shares chocolate with will

Jets/VGK: Connor Hellebuyck/Laurent Brossoit / Message Pending / connor attempts to invite laurent to his house for a visit.

Jets/VGK: Connor Hellebuyck/Laurent Brossoit / but my body's in the lead - smut set after the Jets lose in round one of the 23 scp

Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk / Aleksander Barkov / Leon Draisaitl / fracture me - quick and dirty porn to make sure that dom!sasha is taking care of Matthew properly.

Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk / Aleksander Barkov / Leon Draisaitl / full time problem - leon calls sasha to set up matthew

Leafs: Kyle Dubas / Sheldon Keefe / ache it 'til you make it - sheldon gets stuck in playoff time loops

Leafs: Kyle Dubas / Sheldon Keefe / checking it twice - sheldon makes sure to write kissing on Kyle's to do list for tomorrow.

Leafs: Kyle Dubas / Sheldon Keefe / sand inside that hourglass (WIP) - Sheldon's wife used to peg him, Kyle offers to scratch the itch.

Avs: Nathan Mackinnon / Jonathan Drouin / just here to become the best yet (i'm just here for the psych assessment) - Jo finds a way to make Nate feel better after their back to back shut out losses

Oilers / VGK: Jack Eichel / Connor McDavid / or stone unturned - 5 times connor touched jack eichel

[stereax]

whos your favorite player on every team?

Ooh, this is a fun one! Under the cut :) Also not gonna use former Devils, and gonna try to stay away from just naming the most known player on each team... we'll see.

Anaheim Ducks: Lukas Dostal is doing a damn good job tending that net. I'm super excited to see where he goes!

Arizona Coyotes: Of course, our pride king Travis Dermott!

Boston Bruins: Look. I said I was gonna not name the most known players. But you can't expect me not to name a goalie for the Bruins! Impossible! I'm gonna give the edge to Jeremy Swayman.

Buffalo Sabres: Probably Jeff Skinner, honestly. Most cursed man in hockey. Does that make me old?

Calgary Flames: I don't follow the Flames much but I do really like Cody Taylor.

Carolina Hurricanes: Pyotr Kochetkov is, in my opinion, the only Cane with rights.

Chicago Blackhawks: All Star Jason Dickinson just seems like a funny dude. Well, for having to play for Chicago...

Colorado Avalanche: I am forgiving Ross Colton for that really shitty shift against the Devils because he's holding Woody's hand and they're cute. But I'm watching you, mister.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Alexandre Texier. He's French! And played in Switzerland last year! And is suffering!

Dallas Stars: Thomas Harley is carrying half my fantasy teams and he seems like such a fun dude!

Detroit Red Wings: Jake Walman, hitting the griddy, and getting a bobblehead after it.

Edmonton Oilers: I am not immune to Ryan McLeod propaganda. Just look at his smile!

Florida Panthers: Sam Reinhart, the highest-paid Panther, has no goals and one assist in his last six games and his ice time is declining. Where are the Sabres fans who told me how much they would miss him? When I hear of all the positive qualities the team lacked in the past, I think of Reinhart - lol nah that's just the Reino copypasta. Love him!

Los Angeles Kings: Long Distance Girlfriend Kevin Fiala and his hysterical wife!

Minnesota Wild: Mats Zuccarello is very short. This is always fun. Especially because his stick is very long. Also fun.

Montreal Canadiens: Juraj Slafkovsky is not only worryingly homoerotic with every single Slav he meets, he is also trying valiantly to overcome the bust narrative, and he's silly and goofy! What more do you want?

Nashville Predators: Roman Josi. I am not immune to a good-looking Swiss man.

New Jersey Devils: All of them. I'm in a Dougie Hamilton mood right now, though. (Aka, I miss him :'( )

New York Islanders: The Real Sebastian Aho, simply because it's funny there's two of them. Also, this one is prettier.

New York Rangers: There's a fic out there that makes me somewhat like Braden Schneider.

Ottawa Senators: I'm saluting Jacob Bernard-Docker for his services to my fantasy teams.

Philadelphia Flyers: The image of Known USNTDP Member Cam York fielding calls from Zegras on how to take care of his platonic soulmate is truly peak.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The Other Smitty, Reilly Smith. I am predictable. I have a type.

San Jose Sharks: Anthony Duclair! And his many sons on the team.

Seattle Kraken: Kailer Yamamoto. I just like him because he's short, okay? He also seems to have a very fun character, which I admire.

St. Louis Blues: Colton Parayko, for no other reason than it's a very good hockey name.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Brayden Point is another of those players that just eternally carries my fantasy teams.

Toronto Maple Leafs: I think Calle Jarnkrok is eternally underrated. And I'm right.

Vancouver Canucks: Stanley Cup Champion Teddy Blueger. He deserves it.

Vegas Golden Knights: I simply believe that if one does not at least admire Jack Eichel for his dedication to being a bitch and ruining all the narratives, one does not exist to me.

Washington Capitals: They have Dylan Strome from the fics! It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride, everything everything will be just fine, everything everything will be alright alright...

Winnipeg Jets: Nino Niederreiter. God, I hope he finds a home some day. I hope it could be Winnipeg.

[keyshui]

i present to you, a very unserious post in which i insult every NHL team!

(this is all exaggerated so don’t get mad at me)

anaheim ducks - why is it that 1/3 of the way through the season you remember how to play hockey? like at this point it’s useless since you’re not making the playoffs and if you keep up like this you sure aren’t getting bedard

arizona coyotes - i do not like your jerseys. you would be forgettable but you suck too much for it

boston bruins - the only thing your team has going for you are your goalies and i hope next season you end up where the ducks are rn: not good enough for the playoffs and not bad enough for the draft lottery. sorry garnet hathaway (please come back)

buffalo sabres - i can define your entire team in one word: disappointment

calgary flames - anything good about you died when matthew tkachuk decided to go to florida. sorry!

carolina hurricanes - something about the “canes” nickname annoys the shit out of me. i hope you get a first round exit purely so the fans enjoying their team being good for once can be upset about it

chicago blackhawks - do i even have to say anything? because ew

colorado avalanche - literally how did you win the cup last year? thanks for the cup winning goalie btw <3 kuemper is better as a cap

columbus blue jackets - you don’t deserve bedard and i hope you lose the lottery since you’re clearly not pulling yourself out of the tank like the ducks

dallas stars - your jerseys are fucking ugly and the only stars player i can think of is tyler seguin (seriously… why that green…)

detroit red wings - you have the most obnoxious fan base i have ever had the displeasure of being in the same stadium with. LET GO OF THE 90s!!! PLEASE

edmonton oilers - how do you have two of the best players in the league and still manage to fail to get a cup every single playoffs

florida panthers - honestly if it weren’t for matthew tkachuk trade and the all stars game you’d be a dying, forgettable team

los angeles kings - i literally cant think of anything to put here. that’s how little you matter.

minnesota wild - one time in like 2019 the wild squished the caps at a game i was at so i decided that the wild suck. other than that y’all are so forgettable that i don’t have anything else to say

montreal canadiens - how is it that you keep managing to get beaten so so badly by teams that suck?

nashville predators - uuuugly ass jerseys and stuuuupid ass name

new jersey devils - jack hughes isn’t as hot as y’all think he is both in terms of attraction and skill

new york islanders - i hold a deep seated hatred for all new york city teams. you and your fanbases are so goddamn annoying

new york rangers - same with the islanders except 10x worse purely because of the little rivalry the caps hage with you (hope tom wilson squishes you tonight <3)

ottawa senators - really says something about your team that you had to name brady tkachuk of all people captain

philadelphia flyers - literally what is your logo i hate it. the only thing you have going for you is gritty and even that gets tiring REAL fast

pittsburgh penguins - i don’t care if the caps/pens rivalry doesn’t exist anymore it’s ingrained into me i hate you all and especially sidney crosby. you’re an aging team. retire already. ovechkin is better and malkin is overhyped

san jose sharks - wasted a sick ass team name on a depressing team

seattle kraken - y’all were doing so good at the start of the season what the hell happened. now it’s just disappointment…

st. louis blues - you’re one of those teams that i forget isn’t fake sometimes. like you’re not forgettable you’re just not… real

tampa bay lightning - i don’t get the hype the fanbase has for vasilevsky and your gray/yellow jerseys are way better than the normal ones

toronto maple leafs - auston matthews is not hot even slightly y’all just have competency kinks and it’s sad

vancouver canucks - quinn hughes looks so haunted and depressed all the time for a reason

vegas golden knights - did y’all think you were being funny when you decided to match with the kings?

washington capitals - jesus fuck just retire the entire goddamn team at this point. stop sending your prospects to the ahl and fucking play them if you want to give your roster some “youth” (i’m looking at you gmbm & laviolette)

winnipeg jets - if it weren’t for the fact that i used a website to make this list alphabetical order i would’ve forgotten you

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew Tkachuk post match I 13.04.23 I Panthers v Canes

“We’re going up against a — let’s just say it for what it is — the best team in regular season history,”

We have a chance to do something very very special.

If you told me at Game 50 or 60 or even 70 that we’d be in this position, I’d happily take it,”

[krakenbait]

bragging rights bracket update #6

good afternoon, bracketeers! the eastern conference had worked itself out last time i reported, while the west came to its final two this time. the golden knights took out the oilers, while the stars overcame the kraken in a game 7 that was very unfortunate for me personally. the conference finals lineup is probably fun if you’re a canes, panthers, knights, or stars fan, but is decidedly not fun for the majority of the brag-cket. there’s only one entry left standing, and 15 out of 19 participants have hit their points ceiling. most likely, i’ll get to award this year’s bragging rights before they hand out the stanley cup. gary bettman, eat your heart out. 

anyway, the scores.

116 points

Hughes line is it anyway? (@natashastarkk​) - highest points potential for a busted bracket, and third place last year. is this another podium event for nat?

96 points

hopelessly optimistic bruins fan (@patron-saint-of-boston-hockey​) - something something unfortunate bruins fans being very attracted to the numbers 6 and 9 (see: AJ’s points total last year)

91 points

more hairy men (abby) - go natural disaster teams?

84 points

Chaos mode (emily) - what are your thoughts on shiny gold helmets?

81 points

raise hell or whatever (@dawson-mercer​) - which taylor swift era would you say the devils are in?

you know :) (@nastybastian​) - how’s the weather in jersey? i bet it’s cold and grey

68 points

come on and raise up (@andreisvechnikov​) - i really hope teravainen isn’t rushing back too quickly

ready 2b dissapointed but not surprised (@morganfrost​) - how could the oilers do this to you?

the commissioner is not supposed to win (me) - so close to being nice! well, at least i’m in good company

66 points

Jack I will pay you to get a mullet (@puck--off​) - and now we wait for the offseason adventures

61 points

battle of the matty b’s (@shea-theodore​)

kraken why! you were my last hope!

58 points

The head, the heart, and the himbos (@circle--of--confusion​) - your western conference was briefly genius... well, aside from that jets pick.

56 points

Hold me like a grudge -  that’s no good for your health

GOOD vibrations (ki) - denver has officially shifted into basketball mode, i take it

55 points

big advocate for naps (@turbolainen​) - last one standing! *several red lasers appear pointed at you*

53 points

the bringer of chaos (brett) - your bracket standing is somehow worse than your music taste.

46 points

Djoker’s actual bracket - did you see the noora raty signing? it’s like the rivs are building their own finnish mafia

33 points

last season 69 points (@arsonandhockey​)

corwin, i think your brag-cket attempts are cursed.

13 points

if the bruins don’t win don’t talk to m (AJ) - if this was a real bracket pool, like with money, i’d be giving you yours back

[seedlessmuffins]

after 2 nights, 8 playoff games, 16 teams in various states of preparation for playoff hockey, many controversies and somehow finding the time to watch at least two periods of every game, i have my analysis of every game 1 of the stanley cup playoffs. these are just general thoughts, theres no possible way i could do detailed positional analysis when there were multiple games going on at the same time. i did my best, i hope you enjoy!

NIGHT ONE

carolina hurricanes vs new york islanders, 2-1

game at a glance: clean, traditional hockey

this was the first game i watched, and it was a good way to start of this year's playoffs! it wasn't the most exciting game, but the hurricanes were playing good, clean hockey with beautiful passing and heavy possession, the isles couldn't get the puck away for long enough to have many high danger chances. the canes defense, especially burns, had such a good night, which was good because raanta had a truly bad bounce. isles forwards were ghosts, they didn't produce anything of note, and shoutout to the canes' sebastian aho who scored the first game of the playoffs! the crowd in carolina was great, very loud, they were very optimistic and cheered for most of the plays, which obviously gave the canes lots of energy! definitely a good way to start!

boston bruins vs florida panthers, 3-1

game at a glance: expectations of greatness

after a historic regular season, anything short of winning the cup is a failure for this boston team. so much so, in fact, that the crowd was chanting "we want the cup" at the end of the third period. there's not much to say about this game, because boston is everything in hockey maximized to be the best it can be, and even missing their captain they played a remarkable game of hockey that was frankly a joy to watch. ullmark in boston's net was outstanding as he has been this season, and lyon in florida's net wasn't, which was to be expected. the crowd was in a celebratory mood, as if this game was a victory lap for the bruins. they can't get to comfortable, but this was fun hockey to watch and i thoroughly enjoyed every second of the two periods i tuned in to.

dallas stars vs minnesota wild, 2-3 (second overtime)

game at a glance: the powder keg exploded

this is a series that i thought would be boring, as neither team is known for super exciting hockey. boy was i wrong, this series i think is one of the most exciting for me right now. score was pretty even, with the teams trading blows, but what really got me was the physicality. both teams were starting fights, checking and hitting each other, and there were lots of penalties given out. the pavelski hit was a big moment in the game. in my opinion? a dirty hit, but it was legal as it was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit, just unfortunate that pavelski hit his head on the ice. going into double overtime just extended the battle, as each team worked to get that third goal which the wild eventually ground out. the goalies on both sides were stand out players, making multiple great saves each, and the man who should've been the difference maker, robertson, was a ghost after the end of the third. definitely a series to keep an eye on, i have a feeling it will be a close one.

edmonton oilers vs los angeles kings, 3-4 (overtime)

game at a glance: the great end-of-game collapse

have you ever seen the hope of tens of thousands of fans die in 20 minutes? the oilers started out so strong with a powerplay goal, and they kept the momentum until there was 10 minutes left in the 3rd period where they just fell apart. a disallowed goal in overtime that left time for the kings to win it was just the cherry on top of an epic collapse. draisaitl did his part for the oilers, but mcdavid didn't make an impact on the scoresheet or in the game outside a few pretty spins. korpisalo was great, and if he keeps playing like he did on monday he could drag the kings out of the first round. the atmosphere in edmonton was electric, they were so loud and when the oilers started their collapse, they started throwing beers on the ice. can't say they aren't passionate, but i think the pressure of doing well in a building that expected so much out of the oilers got in their head in overtime. hopefully, they smarten up for game 2

NIGHT TWO

new jersey devils vs new york rangers, 1-5

game at a glance: young upstarts against the old guard

this was a the most boring game i watched out of the 8, it just really didn't hold my attention at all. the crowd in jersey was lame. i said it! there were so many empty seats and rangers jerseys, and the people who were there were quiet (and left during the game!). as for the game, it was obvious that the rangers had playoff experience and were generally bigger and sturdier as a team, they bullied jersey's smaller forwards especially jack hughes the whole game, so they couldn't get any meaningful possession. igor shesterkin in net and the rangers defence blocking shots did most of the work in ensuring the low scoring chances for jersey, and the only goal, that came off a penalty shot, was more of a consolation than anything after the rangers had controlled the whole game. it will be interesting to see if the devils get more comfortable as they adapt to playoff hockey or if the rangers just eat them whole.

toronto maple leafs vs tampa bay lightning, 3-7

game at a glance: heavy is the king that sits upon the thone of expectations

this was the game i was looking forward to the most, and to be honest i was a bit disappointed. the leafs were so out of it, they looked like they were a minor league team playing against pros. they were able to use their speed and skill for a couple minutes at a time for a few goals, but they couldn't maintain it or use it on the power play to convert their chances, in addition to having absolutely horrendous goaltending (with little defensive support). tampa looked like the season vets they were, roughing the leafs up a bit and keeping to their rigid structure. it was obvious that tampa didn't have the same tricks and speed as the leafs, but by sticking to their structure and playing smart, safe hockey, they thrashed the leafs at home. the bunting hit was stupid, dirty and illegal. i hope he gets suspended, you can't elbow someone in the head and just get away with it. the leafs' lack of confidence wasn't helped by the crowd, who had very high energy but most of it was put into heckling the leafs, who were booed off the ice at the end of the first period. the expectations in toronto are so high, another failure after 19 years of failure is unacceptable. toronto needs to adapt to the pressure or it doesn't look good for them. very exciting watch, even though toronto looked so shaky.

vegas golden knights vs winnipeg jets, 1-5

game at a glance: they're the knights, but couldn’t protect their net

winnipeg looked ready for playoff hockey. vegas didn't. winnipeg looked fast, they played with discipline and their defence was exemplary. they could shut down knights chances and if one got through, hellebuyck in goal was able to shut it down. the knights continually tried to engage the jets in fights, but the jets kept composure and refused to engage. a masterclass in strategy, and the dominated the knights, who seemed to underestimate the jets. unpopular opinion: i really don't like the vegas atmosphere, it feels so aggressively like a less-enthusiastic american football game, i feel like im watching another sport. crowd wasn't great, knights weren't great, but the jets were incredible and their coach's system is absolutely stunning to watch. not my favourite series, but was interesting to see!

colorado avalanche vs. seattle kraken, 1-3

game at a glance: a selection of stars against a balance of powers

the avalanche, the reigning stanley cup champions, were exposed as very reliant on a few stars in this game. without those stars producing points, they couldn't effectively create chances or set the rhythm of the game. seattle, on the other hand, has a pretty evenly dispersed amount of talent between all the forward and defensive lines, which showed as they got scoring and playmaking from pretty much everyone on the team. their goalie grubauer having a great night in goal sealed the deal, and the kraken win their franchise's first playoff game ever. we will see how this series develops, as the avs are a much bigger, tougher team who could bully the kraken with their speed if they control play for long stretches of time. the kraken aren't shrinking violets though, and their ability to smoothly break the puck out of the neutral zone is composed and almost clinical with how they undressed the defensemen who weren't named cale makar. atmosphere was great, i love the crowd in colorado and the in-arena announcer has so many cool sound effects and songs they play which makes the game fun to watch.

TLDR

series i recommend if you want to watch beautiful hockey: boston bruins v florida panthers

series i recommend if you want a close series: toronto maple leafs vs tampa bay lightning

series i recommend if you want to see fights: dallas stars vs minnesota wild

i hope you enjoyed this analysis, and happy watching everyone!

[sportsblr]

Ooooh please say more on gravy!!!

Anon, thank you for being my new favorite person sndnndsnns

Okay, so I have three categories: teams I think he should go to, teams I wouldn't mind if he went to, and teams that can go fuck themselves and I don't want him touching unless it's to level a hard hit on ice

teams I think he should go to

He's already on it, but I sure would like him to stay with New Jersey. I enjoy the current lineup greatly, and I'd like for him to continue to be a Devil

Vegas bc I think the glittery gold jerseys would compliment him very well (and also Nols is there and I love him) and the org could do worse than Graves

Seattle bc. Have you seen their color scheme??? Amazingggg also I loved visiting Seattle so

Minnesota bc I love that shade of green, and I think his eyes would really pop and I just really love the Mega Bill that was passed like a month or so ago and this is my chance to talk about it lol. Anyway look into what they've done and the protections for various communities etc there! It's fucking amazing given the general American political climate

Yotes bc I really want them to have a win in something at least, given their location issues currently. Also the colors and one-offs and alts are *chef's kiss*

Avs. Now, I know he just came from there, but hear me out! He looked really, really good in their colors 😳

Canucks. I enjoy their logo and color and alt jerseys a lot. Plus I loved Vancouver when I visited. It's *shane madej voice* a beautiful, gorgeous place!

Blue Jackets. I visit Columbus a lot even tho I've moved south bc I have friends up near OSU still etc etc and anyways, student discounts on tickets plus the fact they were shite this season means that it'd be cheap to see them and I'd love that personally anndnfjsk (and so would my bank account) Oh and also their third jerseys are very hot so :3c

teams I wouldn't mind if he went to

Calgary but only if Mony is there too bc of that mf 1-2 hit combo of tall, dark, and handsome men I'm in love with. But fr tho I've been a Flames fan for a bit now, so seeing him there would be nice~

Isles. I'm pretty neutral on them, but for the most part I do enjoy their games

Flyers. I like them, and I think it would be a fun team for him to be on and I want to see him interact with Gritty so badly

Dallas. I think that he would enjoy the area, honestly, and the team as a whole seems really fun. Also a team with Tyler, Jason, and Ryan??? I'd be dead on the ground

Sabres. Colors are nice, the blue would compliment his eyes 🥰

Edmo. They're chill, the team is solid insofar as I recall. It'd be a cool decision for him. Maybe Sol would enjoy it too, or at least enjoy me going crazy going stupid etc etc lol

Canes. The fast-paced play i think would be to his strength in the same way that the Devs are. But I'm still mad at them for kicking the Devs out 😡

Panthers. Gives Sol something to talk about that isn't Ratthew (affectionate) but also their playoff run was very sick and I think he'd add to their team rather than detract

Preds. Nashville is like 3 hours away from me so. Selfishness in location for this one 💅

Pens. I don't hate them, I don't love them. But bc of that stupid stanley cup "kiss me" commercial with Sidney being shown when the Pens won and that snippet of the autobiography with his agent or w/e I'm getting drawn back into the fold I thought I escaped several years ago lmao

Sharks. Fun colors, on the coast, lots of nice alternate jerseys/one-off designs (Chris Chow, the hold you still have on me after all these years 😔😔😔)

Blues. Nice logo, I really don't know a lot about them though.

Jets. Idk I just think they're neat :D

teams that can go fuck themselves and I don't want him touching unless it's to level a hard hit on ice

Chicago

Rangers, bc they used to be cool and fun and I liked them but then that rat bastard (not mtkachuk) got traded over so constitutionally and legally I can no longer be a Rangers fan until that rat bastard leaves

Ducks. I really don't have any strong feelings for them, but I just idk. I don't like them. Not a fan.

Kings. I don't like their vibes or their fans all that much. I really should've done a fourth category of "eh, they're whatever i guess", but we're here now and so I'm sticking with it.

Bruins. I like them, like they're entertaining, but I would rather him be an opponent to them for my own entertainment purposes.

Habs. Another "I just don't like their vibes" situation

Sens. This is a "I keep forgetting they exist whoopsie" thing

Bolts. They beat the blue jackets a few years ago to get the Cup and I'm still mad about it

Leafs. Soz I'm a leafs anti (‘ー‘)/~~

Caps. I don't vibe. I'm an anti. And Burky is gone so I have no reason to pay attention to them anymore

[idontlikeem]

i'm just getting my thoughts out about today's injury updates and some of the reactions i'm seeing. i'm trying to process some of the ultra-pessimism that's going around and really am just talking to myself out loud about why i don't agree. please feel free to skip this. but i like to think i'm fairly moderated in what i think about this team and their capabilities, so if you're feeling very down about their gameplay and/or the contract situation, maybe this will help? idk.

ok so like....here's the thing.

we were always the underdogs this postseason, even before jarry's injury, but especially after it. no matter who our opponent ended up being, rangers canes panthers, whoever else ended up being a possibility in the waning weeks of the regular season, we were going into it as the team favored to lose the series.

being an underdog isn't necessarily a bad thing! especially a team captained by sidney crosby—he's the most competitive man alive, and being told he can't do something is the fastest way to make him prove that he can.

but that depends on the team as a whole coming together and becoming more than the sum of their parts. it means them playing out of their heads for the full 60 minutes (or, yknow. 100+. whatever.), every single night.

it takes defense that's almost flaw-free, without the big mistakes that kris and mike are both prone to.

it takes offense that scores, that can finish all the chances the underlying numbers say they're creating. and not just sid's line, all of them. goals from all four lines and the defense too are crucial.

it takes a heavy, sustained forecheck, which is the system the penguins use and are the most effective with, for the entirety of the game. it's a lot of physical and mental work to do that, but all it takes is one line being a little lazy for one shift and the whole thing falls apart.

we've seen them put together plenty of complete games this season against good opponents. we've also seen them stray way off-system and shit the bed, against both good and bad opponents. is it nice to have a goalie who's ace enough to bail your ass out if you screw up? yes, of course. but jarry is not and never was shesterkin—at his best, he's very good, but he's not always at his best, and his best was never at that level.

without that level of a cheat code in net, it makes the whole team's performance significantly more important.

can they do it? sure, of course. we've seen it. the series is tied, after all. will they do it for three to five more games to successfully get out of this series? that remains to be seen and is up to them. they may be able to pull it off. they also might not, especially given the other injuries they're dealing with. neither outcome would surprise me, and i would not be disappointed with an early exit—so much going on right now is utterly out of the team's control.

what i REALLY don't understand, though, is why people are connecting casey getting core muscle surgery to geno and tanger's contract situations.

i don't have any inside knowledge here, of course. i don't know any more than anyone else. we can listen to what people like rossi and yohe say, but we have no idea how valid their information is either, especially when it's contradicting what other sources are reporting. the truth is we simply do not know what's going on.

but just like casey being out does not fundamentally alter our overall playoff chances (due to us already being an underdog), casey being out also doesn't have anything to do with the future of the core in pittsburgh. why on earth would it? what does our second-string goalie have to do with extending one of the faces of the franchise and their #1 defenseman?

i'm not gonna say i'm feeling all that optimistic about this team's chances. they're streaky and prone to making unforced errors that come back to bite them, and they're going up against an unbelievably talented goalie. none of that changes no matter who's in our net. but i'm also not throwing the towel in immediately and saying that everything's over. we've played two games and won one of them!

i'm also not going to say i feel 100% confident geno and kris are back next year. they might be, or one of them might be. they also might both go elsewhere.

but there's just no connection between these two things. and there's really no reason to say, 'welp, that's it, i'm done, these worst-case scenarios are absolutely a done deal, i'm going to gloom all over the place about how horrible it all is'. what good does that do for your own personal mindset? we can't see into the future. we just don't know!

i dunno. i just don't understand the connections being made, or the purpose of deciding it's all over forever. unless you can see into the future, there in't a way to know! anything can happen, including good things.

[halliewriteshockey]

Hello! What about answering questions to kill time? If you're up to it, I'd love to hear about your favourite NHL teams, why you love them, how you came to support them... Same with most disliked NHL teams, why you don't like them, how you came to that opinion. Keep in mind that I'm not American, and I live in a country where we don't even have a hockey league. I had to ask Americans to explain why Fox News was metaphor for bad and bigoted, so... I hope you feel better soon!!

Oh, bless. You're my favorite don't tell the others (I'm bleeding again so I have to stay in bed longer and oh my god I'm so bored)

So for one thing, while I have a fair few teams I casually root for, my ride or die team tends to be whoever has my favorite players on it. Which is why I went to a Golden Knights game last year, and as soon as Flower was traded away, I stopped being a Knights fan. (Also because they did him really dirty and I can't forgive them) That's also why I'm getting into the Wild this year. Never really paid attention to them before, but Flower's there and he looks happy again, so call me a Wild fan now!

But ride or die right now is the Rangers, because of Chris and Mika, but I've ended up adopting almost everyone else on the team as well. Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, Filip Chytil, Braden Schneider, Barclay Goodrow, Key and Laffy - there are just so many players on the team that I genuinely love and want to succeed.

If Chris and/or Mika got traded, I would follow them to (almost) any team they went to, but luckily I don't have to worry about that for awhile because they're both locked in for at least five more years, I believe.

In order of other teams I'm currently rooting for in the playoffs, it would have to be the Panthers mostly for the underdog narrative (and Spencer Knight) and the Avalanche (still and forever angry about what they did to Tyson but I adore Darcy Kuemper and a few others). I also like the Canes, although they've tarnished their vibes by acquiring deAngelo and Domi. Still, Antti Raanta's arc this year has been truly wonderful and I want nothing but good things for him.

Team I hate - the Blackhawks, for many, many reasons. Google Kyle Beach (tw for sexual assault, please be careful). Also they're racist and have a long history of extremely toxic culture/sweeping concerns under the rug.

Teams I casually dislike - the Bolts (oh my god I'm so tired of them can they please go away), the Bruins (no particular reason, I simply do not vibe with them [CAVEAT: I would die for Swayman and Ullmark]), and the Blues (mostly because I despise Binnington. With Husso in net, we've watched a fair number of games this year).

Everyone else I'm pretty neutral on, tbh. I like the Kraken but haven't made a connection with any particular player on the team so I'm not ride or die for them despite living 30 minutes from Seattle.

This entire thing is literally just me rambling, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so! I hope it was interesting or at least not deadly boring to you, and seriously, it made me warm and fuzzy that you asked!! ❤️

[brockachu]

hiiiii, bolts anon here. can we be pen pals again now that my team advanced to the semifinals? 😹

omg hi welcome back it was a short break. i am Sad for giroux but alas hockey happens and the bolts Are quite good. some might say too good. i am fond of them so ‘too good’ is Silly to me. i admittedly was Very bad at cheering for the panthers. too much nerves + too busy to actually watch any of the series (the only playoffs i’ve watched this season so far has been games 2 & 3 of battle of alberta which were disappointing to me :/ ). i believe i shared way more bolts over the last week than i did cats. whoops 🤐

Anyway!! we shall see what happens with the canes-rangers series bc i will gladly cheer the bolts over canes (sorry canes buds love y’all) But rangers-bolts would Tear Me Up. i first got interested in bolts b/c the rangers kept trading my favs there (cally, danny g, mactruck, millsy) but i am equally fond of Both rosters now.

also i’m a lil sicko and think a threepeat would be Funny bc ppl wanna be mad about it So Bad >:] hehe