At long last, our global nightmare is over. The terrifying(ly dull) scenario of a New York Islanders vs Dallas Stars final has been averted thanks to the brave men on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa won yet another overtime game 2-1, where Anthony Cirelli was the hero to send the battered and bruised Lightning to the finals.

Now, about the dullness of the Stars and Islanders. There is this bizarre conflict online where some people are pushing back against the idea that either team are “boring”. They will claim that defense is fun to watch, actually, and this isn’t just coming from fans of those two teams. Even independent fans or writers will sometimes say the same thing.

But I am here to dispel two things. First, the idea that defense is fun to watch. No it isn’t, and you all who say that need to stop. The point of defense is shut things down. Turn the game into a null state, where offense goes to die. Very rarely you will have a team who is both very good at defense and offense at the same time. But in that case, it is them being good at offense that makes them exciting. Not the defense. An all-defense team like Columbus, the Isles, and I will admit to a lesser extent the Stars, are not fun to watch as a hockey fan with no rooting interest in those teams.

In fact, I hate when those teams succeed because they lead to the sport being more boring, less offense and skill focused. I can acknowledge that it takes its own kind of skill and dedication and hard work to be a defensive juggernaut, while also knowing it’s not fun to watch.

Second, the idea that the Isles were actually good at defense. They might be better than average, but if you’re trying to tell me that this:

Is the a ‘good’ defensive team, then boy you must have raved about the great defensive team that was Randy Carlyle’s Toronto Maple Turtles!

Dallas at least has some fun players on them. Heiskanen is a very good defenseman, who is actually fun to watch. Klingberg too, and Seguin, Benn, Radulov, Pavelski, Hintz... they have some players who are not plain whole wheat toast with no butter or anything on it. I can even say that I very much like the likes of Barzal, Nelson, and Pulock. Doesn’t mean their team is fun to watch.

It will be interesting to see how the Finals go. I would normally say that Tampa should be the favourite, but they are already playing without Stamkos but also with other key players being really banged up, like Point.

Leafs to hire Manny Malhotra as Assistant Coach | by Fulemin

Yegor Korshkov’s Lokomotiv game cancelled after COVID-19 tests | by Katya

Dreger: IIHF will announce 2021 and 2022 WJC will be in Alberta | by Katya

Top 25 NHL Draft Prospects of 2020: Picks 18-20 | by.... Katya

How the Leafs can afford Alex Pietrangelo | by Jon Steitzer at TLN

Leafs seeking out market for Andreas Johnsson, interest mutual with Alex Pietrangelo | by MLHS

Q&A: Manny Malhotra on Maple Leafs job, Steve Nash, Vancouver lessons | by Luke Fox

Insider Trading: Wild ‘far from done’ as Dumba rumours swirl | by TSN.ca

Today, in hockey culture is incredibly stupid:

Here’s the schedule for the finals:

Do you agree with me that the Isles and Stars are boring to watch?

Yes154
From The Branches