All the games in the NHL this week will be indoors so we shouldn’t have any sun and melting ice issues. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t intriguing matchups featuring top teams with future Seattle Kraken on display.
Our two headline games feature key clashes in the Discover Central Division. That division is turning out to be very competitive, at least at the top. Heading into this week it’s the Florida Panthers who are leading but only by one point over the Carolina Hurricanes. The defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning? They’re right there as well, in third place, just three points out of first.
Waiting in the wings are the Dallas Stars, who have four games in hand on the top teams and will still be heard from. This week’s games will play with the standings.
Carolina Hurricanes versus Tampa Bay Lightning
When: Thursday, 4 P.M., ESPN+, NHLTV
These two have already split a pair of games over the weekend and Monday night. They will meet again Thursday and are both playing good hockey. Two evenly matched clubs usually spell good hockey and that’s what we should see here. Both teams are deep and both can score goals while playing entertaining hockey.
Tampa will not want to take too many penalties as the Hurricanes power play is cooking along at 29.1 percent. Putting them up a man is like cooking with gas, we think. We’re not big cookers. The Lightning aren’t slouches on the power play either, clocking in at 25.5 percent. Discipline will be key and this game could come down to a special teams battle.
Players to watch
The Lightning are deep and are led in scoring by the pair of Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point. There is no surprise there, nor is it surprising that defenseman Victor Hedman has matched the two forwards in scoring. He’s not their marquee name but winger Ondrej Palat is off to a strong start and giving Tampa Bay a great deal of secondary scoring.
Carolina has depth to match up with any team in the league. The Hurricanes’ top line is headlined by Sebastian Aho and the young dynamo – yes, he’s officially been labeled as a ‘dynamo’ – Andrei Svechnikov. That pair are two of the league’s up-and-coming stars and their play this year is as expected. But Carolina is getting a great contribution from former Florida Panther Vincent Trocheck. After some big years early in his career – which includes a pair of 20-goal seasons and one where he potted 31 – Trocheck’s production has fallen into the 10-goal level. His shooting percentage early on is 18 percent which is higher than his career average but closer to those big scoring years. The Hurricanes are banking on him keeping it up that high. If he does, he’ll be an x-factor in Carolina down the stretch.
Both of these teams have depth which will be good for Ron Francis and the Seattle Kraken. Tampa Bay has some cap issues and plenty of talent, which means Seattle will be able to pick a good player at the Expansion Draft. Their forward group is where the bulk of the Expansion meat lives. Watch players like Palat, Alex Killorn, Yanni Gourde, and former Spokane Chief Tyler Johnson.
There is meat and fruit, and whatever analogy you prefer with the Hurricanes as well. They are going to lose a good player thanks to their depth. Seattle may be able to snare some youth from Carolina starting with young defenseman Jake Bean – a former Tri-City American. Bean is finally getting NHL playing time and is producing. A fellow Tri-City alum, Morgan Geekie, was recently recalled to Carolina and is another young gun to watch, if in the lineup. If those two aren’t your fancy, keep an eye on defenseman Haydn Fleury as a potential Kraken.
Dallas Stars versus Florida Panthers
When: Thursday, 4 P.M. NHLTV
Everybody had the Florida Panthers leading the Central at this stage of the season. Right? Probably not, but there they are. They recently took two of three from the Lightning which was followed up with a win over Carolina. They appear to be real, as long as they aren’t playing the Detroit Red Wings who somehow have managed to beat Florida a couple of times already.
Dallas has had to deal with Covid and an all-time winter storm this season. Those issues caused a number of postponements which have led to games in hand within the division. That hasn’t stopped them from playing some good hockey, however, and they are very much in the Central Division hunt.
Players to watch
Florida is playing great defense and getting goaltending while allowing 2.82 goals per game. That must mean that goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is living up to the Brinks Truck load of a contract the Panthers delivered to him, right? Nope. It’s not Bobrovsky but rather 26-year-old Chris Driedger. The former Calgary Hitmen goalie is sporting a .929 save percentage – Bobrovsky is at .889 – and has put the Panthers on his back. He came into the season with just 15 games under his belt. Is he a flash in the pan or have the Panthers stumbled upon a star goalie?
The Stars for the most part are the same club that went to the Stanley Cup Final last fall. Leading the way is 36-year-old center Joe Pavelski who seems to have found the fountain of youth in Texas BBQ. Widely written off as past his best by date, Pavelski leads the Stars in scoring and has, in fact, not slowed down. He’s only five goals away from matching last year’s total and is shooting an impressive 26.5 percent. That’s miles above his career average, but its not too far off the 20 percent he shot in 2018-2019 with San Jose. He notched 38 goals that year and while he may regress some this season, do not rule out another big campaign from Pavelski.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
There is more than one way Florida handles their Expansion Draft list but there is the potential for some interesting options. Driedger may be playing himself into consideration for the Kraken but also keep an eye on scoring forward Patric Hornqvist and defenseman Anton Stralman.
Dallas is in pretty good shape Expansion-wise. There is a possibility that Pavelski would be exposed, and he is playing well enough for consideration. Same with goalie Anton Khudobin, who most likely will be exposed.
Other notable NHL games on the radar
Toronto Maple Leafs versus Edmonton Oilers: Saturday, 4 PM, NHL Network. The Maple Leafs have emerged as one of the top teams in the league while the Oilers have found their sea legs. Plus, an Auston Matthews-Conner McDavid matchup is too juicy to pass up.
If you glance at Vegas’ crop of players in the 2017 Expansion Draft, and then back at their current Championship-caliber roster, you may wonder: How did we get here?
Vegas built a roster immediately ready to contend largely because of crafty side deals, but there were still some noteworthy selections purely from the Expansion Draft.
Although only five players actually selected in the draft remain with Vegas today, 15 players on the Golden Knights’ roster can be tracked back to Expansion Draft deals.
Here’s a look at where all these players are today:
Anaheim Ducks — Clayton Stoner, D
Stoner’s selection was contingent on the Ducks dealing promising prospect Shea Theodore to Vegas, presumingly so Vegas wouldn’t take defensemen Sami Vatanen or Josh Manson.
Stoner, a former Tri-City Americans star, never played that season — or again for that matter. Vegas absorbed the final year of his $3.25 million contract and the Golden Knights gained a player that could feasibly win a Norris Trophy in Theodore.
Despite never suiting up for Vegas, Stoner joined the Vegas Jr. Golden Knights coaching staff after he retired in 2019 and is currently an associate coach for the South Island Royals under-18 AAA team, based out of Victoria, British Columbia.
Arizona Coyotes — Teemu Pulkkinen, LW
Pulkkinen never played for Vegas after the Golden Knights selected him in the Expansion Draft, even though he put up 65 points for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in 2017-18. Pulkkinen left North America after that season and is currently playing for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL, Russia’s top league.
Boston Bruins — Colin Miller, D
Miller was a key contributor for Vegas in its first two seasons before being traded to Buffalo before the 2019-20 season for a second-round pick in 2021 and a fifth-round pick in 2022. Miller is still with the Sabres and remains a potent offensive threat, but his ice time has dipped a bit since moving on from Vegas.
Buffalo Sabres — William Carrier, LW
The Sabres slid over a sixth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft to ensure the Golden Knights selected Carrier instead of someone like goaltender Linus Ullmark. Carrier remains a solid depth piece for the Golden Knights.
With that sixth-round pick, Vegas selected Jiri Patera, who starred for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings and was signed to an entry-level contract. He’s listed on the Henderson Silver Knights’ roster, the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
Calgary Flames — Deryk Engelland, D
Engelland, who was beloved during his time with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL in the early 2000s, was a feel-good story and a valuable contributor for the Golden Knights until his retirement following the 2019-20 season. Engelland is sticking around in Nevada and working for the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation as the special assistant to the owner.
Carolina Hurricanes — Connor Brickley, C
The Hurricanes, under the leadership of future Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis, dangled a fifth-round pick out to Vegas on the condition the Golden Knights took pending free agent Connor Brickley, who signed with Florida that offseason.
After a season with the Panthers organization and another with the Rangers, Brickley played last season with EC Salzburg in the Austrian Hockey League, where he put up 26 points in 33 games. He isn’t listed on any rosters for this season.
The Golden Knights selected Jack Dugan, a former Providence College star, with the fifth-round pick acquired. Dugan is currently with the Henderson Silver Knights and is Vegas’ third-ranked prospect, according to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler.
Chicago Blackhawks — Trevor van Riemsdyk, D
The Golden Knights selected van Riemsdyk and immediately flipped him, along with a seventh-round pick in 2018, to Carolina for a second-round pick in 2017.
Van Riemsdyk signed with Washington in the offseason after three so-so seasons in Carolina and has been in and out of the lineup for the Capitals this season.
The Golden Knights used that second-rounder on Jake Leschyshyn, who played in the WHL for Regina and Lethbridge and is currently playing for the Henderson Silver Knights, but appears to have lost some prospect shine since being taken No. 62 overall.
Colorado Avalanche — Calvin Pickard, G
This selection seems pretty unassuming on the surface, but it has some interesting ramifications.
Pickard, a former Seattle Thunderbirds netminder, never played a regular-season game with the Golden Knights, as he was traded to Toronto for a sixth-round pick and prospect Tobias Lindberg.
Pickard, 28, remains an NHL journeyman. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native is on his fourth different franchise since being traded from Vegas. He is currently in the Detroit Red Wings organization.
Lindberg has bounced around the league, too.
The Golden Knights traded him to Pittsburgh for forward Ryan Reaves and a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, then the Penguins moved him to Ottawa, the team that initially drafted him, and the Senators eventually dealt him back to Vegas in the Mark Stone blockbuster.
Lindberg is currently playing in Sweden, and Stone and Reaves are still integral parts of Vegas’ current roster.
The 2018 sixth-round pick acquired in the Pickard deal was used on Peter Diliberatore, who has 14 points in 22 games for Quinnipiac University this season.
The 2018 fourth-round pick in the Reaves deal was spent on defenseman Slava Demin, who played with the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild in 2016-17 and is currently playing for the University of Denver.
Columbus Blue Jackets — William Karlsson, C
There’s a ton to unpack here.
Karlsson was one of the most noteworthy selections in the Expansion Draft, not just because of how influential he was in Vegas’ debut season, but for how much Columbus gave up to make sure he was drafted.
The Blue Jackets traded their first-round pick in 2017, a second-round pick in 2019, and veteran forward David Clarkson (and the rest of his $5.25 million AAV contract that ran through 2019-20) so that Vegas would select Karlsson.
Salary cap relief, along with ensuring forward Josh Anderson and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo weren’t taken, was the main directive for Columbus. But Karlsson blossoming into a top-line center that finished third in the NHL with 43 goals in his first season with Vegas is still a tough pill to swallow for the Blue Jackets.
Karlsson remains a top-line center while Clarkson never played in an NHL game — he was eventually traded to Toronto along with a fourth-round pick in 2019 for goalie Garret Sparks.
That first-round pick acquired by Vegas was flipped to Winnipeg for the No. 13 overall pick in the draft. Vegas selected Nick Suzuki, who is one of the best young players in hockey, and sent him to Montreal, along with the second-round pick from Columbus, in the trade that sent Max Pacioretty to Sin City.
Dallas Stars — Cody Eakin, C
The veteran pivot played two-and-a-half seasons with the Golden Knights until Vegas shipped him to Winnipeg for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2021. Eakin signed with Buffalo this past offseason and has been a middle-six contributor in the Sabres lineup.
Detroit Red Wings — Tomas Nosek, LW
The 28-year-old remains with Vegas as a depth piece and is a key penalty killer. Nosek is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Florida Panthers — Jonathan Marchessault, LW
In one of the most puzzling situations in the Expansion Draft, Florida not only let Vegas select Marchessault, but traded away winger Reilly Smith for a fourth-round pick in 2018.
Marchessault remains a dynamic contributor high in Vegas’ lineup and inked a six-year, $30 million contract with Vegas. The 30-year-old won’t be a free agent until 2024.
Smith, 29, is also an important offensive producer for the Golden Knights. Perhaps Florida was eager to dump Smith’s $25 million contract after an underwhelming campaign in 2016-17. But considering Florida coerced Vegas to take Smith and Marchessault to avoid the likes of Mark Pysyk, Alex Petrovic, and Jason Demers from being taken, it’s easy to wonder what former Florida general manager Dale Tallon was thinking there.
Also, Florida fired Gerard Gallant, who immediately took Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final in Vegas’ first season.
As the internet would say, that’s a big ole yikes.
But all was not lost for the Panthers. That fourth-round pick helped the Panthers trade for Mike Hoffman, who the Panthers let walk this offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
At least you have that, Florida Panthers fans.
Edmonton Oilers — Griffin Reinhart, D
Reinhart was the No. 4 overall pick to the New York Islanders in 2012 but never turned into an NHL regular. Vegas gambled on his pedigree, but after two seasons in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, he signed with the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL last season and is currently with the Iserlohn Roosters in Germany.
Los Angeles Kings — Brayden McNabb, D
McNabb remains with the Golden Knights after Vegas signed the defenseman to a four-year $10 million extension early in his first year with the franchise. The 30-year-old rearguard is currently on long-term IR with a lower-body injury, but remains a key contributor to Vegas’ defensive core when healthy.
Minnesota Wild — Erik Haula, C
The Wild traded young forward Alex Tuch in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and Vegas’ selection of Haula in the Expansion Draft, presumably so the Golden Knights wouldn’t nab someone like defensemen Matt Dumba and Marco Scandella or forward Eric Staal.
Haula played a top-six role in Vegas’ debut season, but a knee injury derailed his sophomore season with the Golden Knights. Vegas eventually traded Haula to Carolina for Nicolas Roy and a conditional fifth-round pick, and the Hurricanes later flipped the Finnish forward to the Florida Panthers in the deal that sent Vincent Trocheck back to Carolina.
Haula is now with the Predators on a one-year deal, playing in a top-six role.
Tuch, 24, is still with Vegas and playing a significant role.
With that conditional third-round pick, the Wild selected former Everett Silvertips star Connor Dewar, who is playing for the Wild’s AHL team in Iowa.
Montreal Canadiens — Alexei Emelin, D
After selecting Emelin, the Golden Knights immediately flipped him to Nashville for a third-round pick in 2018. The Russian defenseman played one season in Nashville before bolting to his home country to play for Omsk Avangard of the KHL, where he still plays.
That third-round pick Vegas acquired was used on defenseman Layton Ahac, who is currently playing for Ohio State University.
Nashville Predators — James Neal, LW
Neal played one season in Vegas and was a top-six player for the Golden Knights’ Cup run before signing with the Calgary Flames the ensuing offseason. The 33-year-old winger was eventually flipped to Edmonton for Milan Lucic, but he was placed on waivers on Feb. 13 and it appears his tenure with the Oilers may be over.
New Jersey Devils — Jon Merrill, D
Merrill was a depth defenseman for Vegas for three seasons before signing with Detroit this past offseason. The 29-year-old blueliner has two points in 10 games for the Red Wings this season.
New York Islanders — Jean-Francois Berube, G
Berube never played for the Golden Knights — he signed with Chicago as soon as free agency began after the Expansion Draft — but the Islanders offered a king’s ransom (a first-round pick in 2017, a second-round pick in 2019, veteran Mikhail Grabovski, and prospect Jake Bischoff) so Vegas would take the pending free agent and New York wouldn’t lose someone like Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Thomas Hickey, or Calvin de Haan.
Berube played one season for Chicago and has bounced around the AHL ever since.
Grabovski, now 36, never played after the 2015-16 season and officially retired in 2019. Bischoff remains a part of the Vegas organization and is playing for Henderson.
As for the draft picks, Vegas nabbed defenseman Erik Brannstrom with the No. 15 overall pick, who was the crown jewel prospect in the trade that brought two-way dynamo Mark Stone to Vegas.
The second-round pick was flipped to Detroit in the package for Tomas Tatar.
New York Rangers — Oscar Lindberg, C
Lindberg played one-and-a-half seasons for Vegas in a bottom-six role before being flipped to Ottawa in the Stone trade. The Swedish forward is currently playing for Moscow Dynamo in the KHL.
Ottawa Senators — Marc Methot, D
Methot was immediately traded to Dallas for goalie prospect Dylan Ferguson and a second-round pick in 2020. After undergoing knee surgery in the 2019-2020 season, Methot appears to have retired.
Ferguson is currently playing in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights.
The second-round pick acquired by Dallas was included in the Mark Stone trade.
Philadelphia Flyers — Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, RW
Bellemare played two seasons for the Golden Knights in a third-line role, and the 35-year-old is currently playing in a similar spot with Colorado after signing a two-year, $3.6 million deal before the 2019-20 season.
Pittsburgh Penguins — Marc-Andre Fleury, G
With Matt Murray seizing the reins of Pittsburgh’s crease — oh, how times have changed — the Penguins slid over a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Vegas selecting Fleury and alleviating Pittsburgh’s goalie logjam. It also cleared $5 million in cap space for Pittsburgh.
“Flower,” as Fleury is colloquially known, is still in Vegas after leading the Golden Knights to the Cup Final in 2017-18, and remains one of the most beloved athletes in the market, if not the entire NHL.
Sure, Robin Lehner claimed the bulk of starts last year, but with Lehner sidelined with an injury, Fleury, now 36, has played at an extremely high level this season. He is on the second year of a three-year, $21 million contract extension with Vegas.
Almost ironically, the second-round pick Vegas acquired to select Fleury was dealt to Chicago for Lehner during last year’s trade deadline.
San Jose Sharks — David Schlemko, D
Schlemko was flipped to Montreal immediately after the Expansion Draft for a fifth-round pick in 2019. After two seasons bouncing between the NHL and AHL, Schlemko hasn’t played since the 2018-2019 season.
That fifth-round pick was used on Marcus Kallionkieli, who is with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. Brandon was previously owned by Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who remains the Wheat Kings’ alternate governor. Kallionkieli is a long shot to play this season in Brandon due to travel restrictions coming into Canada.
St. Louis Blues — David Perron, LW
Perron put up 66 points for Vegas in 2017-18 before returning to St. Louis as a free agent the following season. The 32-year-old is still playing a key role for the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions and is on the third year of a four-year, $16 million deal.
Tampa Bay Lightning — Jason Garrison, D
The Golden Knights picked up two draft picks — a second-rounder in 2017 and a fourth-rounder in 2018 — and promising prospect Nikita Gusev on the contingency that Vegas selected veteran defenseman Jason Garrison and took the remaining $4.6 million of his contract off Tampa’s books.
Garrison played eight games for Vegas in 2017-18, but mostly was stuck in the AHL for Chicago. He moved on to Edmonton in 2018-19 before jumping to Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League. He isn’t listed on a roster.
Gusev never played for Vegas, despite putting up huge numbers in the KHL. The Golden Knights traded Gusev to New Jersey when he was a restricted free agent, mostly due to salary complications, for a third-round pick in 2020 and a second-round pick in 2021. Gusev is playing in a key offensive role for New Jersey.
Vegas picked up former Seattle Thunderbird great Keegan Kolesar by trading the second-rounder acquired from the Lightning to Columbus. The Blue Jackets selected French forward Alexandre Texier with the pick, who is playing big minutes for the Blue Jackets. Kolesar has cracked Vegas’ lineup and has played in 10 games for the Golden Knights this season.
Vegas selected Paul Cotter with the 2018 fourth-round pick in the Garrison trade. Cotter has a point in four games with the Henderson Silver Knights this season.
The Golden Knights nabbed defenseman Lukas Cormier from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the third-round pick acquired in the Gusev deal.
Toronto Maple Leafs — Brendan Leipsic, LW
Leipsic, a former Portland Winterhawks star, played 44 games for Vegas in its inaugural season before being dealt to Vancouver for Philip Holm — who is currently playing in the KHL.
Leipsic is playing for CSKA Moscow after a social media controversy uncovering misogynistic direct messages prompted his release from the Washington Capitals last year.
Washington Capitals — Nate Schmidt, D
Schmidt struggled to make a huge impact with the Capitals, but developed into a bona fide top-pairing defenseman and a fan favorite with the Golden Knights.
Schmidt was traded to Vancouver this past offseason for a third-round pick in 2022. The 29-year-old rearguard is still playing a significant role for the Canucks.
Winnipeg Jets — Chris Thorburn, RW
In order to prevent Vegas from selecting Marko Dano or Tobias Enstrom — neither of whom are playing in the NHL now — the Jets flopped first-round picks, trading down from No. 13 to No. 24, acquired by Vegas from Columbus, in addition to a third-round pick in 2019 so Vegas would select Thorburn, a pending free agent.
Thorburn signed with the Blues in the free agency period. The veteran forward played just one game for the Stanley Cup Champion Blues in 2018-19, but still was a part of St. Louis’ Stanley Cup run. He retired soon after.
The third-round pick was flipped to several teams and eventually landed with New Jersey, who selected defenseman Michael Vukojevic from the Ontario Hockey League.
Vancouver Canucks: Luca Sbisa, D
The veteran defenseman played in 30 regular-season games and 14 playoff games in the Golden Knights’ inaugural season before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Islanders the following offseason. Sbisa remains in the NHL with Nashville after the Predators claimed him off waivers in January.
Reliving Vegas’ Expansion Draft triumphs really makes you wonder: What kind of magic, especially with a flat salary cap, can Seattle GM Ron Francis pull off this summer?
Josh Horton is a freelance writer, former newspaper journalist, and former Western Hockey League writer for the Everett Herald and The Spokesman-Review (Spokane). He is NOT a juggler, nor is he a former professional baseball player. Follow him on Twitter @byjoshhorton.
It was a pretty quiet news week on the Seattle Kraken front, but the team did put out the below video showing that the tunnel into Climate Pledge Arena has been completed.
The tunnel will allow trucks to pull right onto the arena floor, making for easier set-up for large-scale events. Perhaps the most exciting part of the video, though, is the image of the future Seattle Kraken home as a whole. It’s getting there, folks.
NHL Outdoors
In case you’re missing Saturday’s outdoor game at Lake Tahoe between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche, you’ll have another chance to take in the stunning imagery on Sunday when the Philadelphia Flyers face the Boston Bruins on the same makeshift rink. Read Andy Eide’s preview of the games here.
Nick Cotsonika has had some breathtaking photos on his Twitter feed the past few days.
I have a bone to pick with the Colorado Avalanche, though. This team has been wearing heinous blue pants that really don’t match with either their home burgundy uniforms or their road whites. The general understanding around the hockey universe was that since Colorado’s Reverse Retro jerseys are throwbacks to the Quebec Nordiques, the blue pants would eventually make more sense once those kits were put into game action.
So what do the Avs do? They show up to NHL Outdoors in BURGUNDY PANTS! WTF?!?
You’re telling me they could have been wearing burgundy pants all season long—which clearly would match better with both of their typical uniforms—and yet they continue to trot out in those blue monstrosities? Unacceptable. Sound Of Hockey demands an explanation from the Colorado Avalanche on this matter.
The Jack Eichel rumor mill churns again
Back in September, Bobby Margarita briefly came out of “retirement,” or whatever he’s calling it, to drop a classic Bob Bomb via a long Twitter thread starting with the below.
Imagine my surprise when I started making calls today and heard Jack Eichel trade rumours, including unverified chatter he may have at some point recently requested a trade out of BUF and that NYR were amongst interested teams. This, of course, required further investigation.
The gist of the thread is that what he was hearing was just a bunch of nonsense. But some of us here at SOH wondered at the time if there was any smoke to go with that fire, because frankly, why would Bob tweet about that at all if there really wasn’t anything there?
Well, fast forward five months and—surprise, surprise—the Buffalo Sabres stink again. This Tage Thompson play from this week sums things up nicely.
Before we move on from the Thompson play, it’s also remarkable how Tom Wilson reacted after receiving that generous gift in front of the net, but that’s beside the point.
Ok, back to Buffalo. The stinkiness of the Sabres has reignited the trade rumors surrounding Eichel, and as yet another Buffalo season heads down the trash chute, one can’t help wondering what happens with Taylor Hall as well. Remember, he is on a one-year deal, and we at Sound Of Hockey had surmised that he could end up a candidate for joining the Kraken as a free agent in the 48-hour negotiating window prior to the Expansion Draft. Hall will certainly be on the block at the trade deadline too if things don’t take a turn for the better in Buffalo very soon.
The Arizona Coyotes are still a mess
Optimism was in the desert air when billionaire businessman Alex Meruelo bought the Coyotes back in July, 2019. In his introductory press conference, he famously said, “We’re Coyote Nation, we want to win, and I sure as s**t want to win.”
The incomparable Katie Strang released a fascinating exposé in The Athletic this week documenting in great detail what has transpired since Meruelo’s purchase of the franchise. Let’s just say the optimism of 2019 has left the building.
Strang indicates some pretty serious financial issues, from missed payments to players, staff, and partners to shady business practices. She also paints a picture of a toxic work environment for staff that’s marred by finger-pointing, fear, and even some occasional harassment.
Strang goes so far as to point out that she herself was threatened by Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong. “After delivering a lecture on journalism ethics, Armstrong asked this reporter what she thought would happen if he were to tell general managers around the league how she did her job.”
Yikes.
Around the boards
Mike Babcock is apparently, uh… back… in… the… game?
Here’s a wild one. Sources say Mike Babcock will be announced head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies next week.
The ECHL’s Brampton Beast is (are?) ceasing operations, citing the seemingly endless economic challenges associated with the COVID pandemic. The Beast lasted seven seasons and served as an affiliate for the Lightning, Senators, and Canadiens at different stages. Brampton was also the subject of one of the best hockey articles ever, written by Scott Wheeler on his time embedded with the team in 2018. RIP, Beast.
To lighten the mood, check out these dirty dangles by young Elyssa Biederman.
GOTTA SEE THIS!!! Elyssa Biederman of the little Caesars u16 girls team pulls NASTY heel drag between the legs before scoring!!! pic.twitter.com/2FsaCvksWw
[Record scratch, freeze-frame, linesman Ryan Galloway narrating]: “You might be wondering how I got here.”
No, Galloway did not get hit with this shot, and yes, Seth Jones did score here.
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at Sound Of Hockey and the host, producer, and editor of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is an inconsistent beer league goalie who believes that five players have to make a mistake before the puck gets to him. Follow him on Twitter @DarrenFunBrown or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
In his 369th career NHL game, Connor McDavid registered his 500th point to tie Sidney Crosby as the eighth-fastest player to reach that milestone. This week on Data Dump Saturday I plan to visualize McDavid’s scoring pace.
I grabbed the game logs from a sample of former and current NHL players to showcase how they stack up. The list of players is relatively arbitrary so if you have complaints about who is included or not included, please file them with Sound Of Hockey’s complaint department.
Average NHL points per game
This next chart is a little noisy but I wanted to look at a points-per-game average over time to see pace and any drop-off. It’s hard to pick the perfect number for the moving average, but I settled on 50 games. That felt like the right number to showcase how these players were performing at various stages in their careers.
A couple interesting points that might be worth exploring:
Draisaitl (bottom orange line) started relatively slow. His spike is probably related to playing with Connor McDavid.
Ovechkin has been surprisingly consistent over his last ~800 games, hovering around the one-point-per-game mark.
Gretzky’s decline was slow and consistent, but he still ended his career at an impressive one-point-per-game pace.
By contrast to Gretzky, Crosby’s point production has declined significantly in the last ~300 games.
Milestone pace
I also took a quick look at how quickly these players hit each 100-point milestone leading up to 500. Numbers in the chart below represent how many games it took to hit the next notable plateau.
By now it seems pretty clear that comparing any of the current players to Lemieux or Gretzky is futile, but one thing that pops is that McDavid is increasing his pace of scoring. Ovechkin also had a relatively short time between 400 and 500 points with just 59 games.
That is another edition of Data Dump Saturday. If you liked this one, you might like my post on scoring across the league. Feel free to send me any suggestions or questions to John@NHLtoSeattle.com.
We had previously projected Collin Delia as the protected netminder in the Windy City, but Kevin Lankinen has taken control of the crease there. He is 6-2-0 in 11 games with great stats, while Delia has been abysmal in his few opportunities. Malcolm Subban has also had some playing time, but Lankinen is clearly the guy. Connor Murphy is playing a slightly larger role on the blueline than Nikita Zadorov, though both are in the lineup every night (Murphy just got injured but would otherwise be playing). Our latest bet is on Murphy being the one protected in Chicago. Getting Brent Seabrook to waive his no-movement clause would allow general manager Stan Bowman to protect both. – Darren (original post here)
Columbus
Blue Jackets Protected List
Watchlist
Trading for two forwards (Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic) in the deal that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg means speedy forward Eric Robinson drops from Columbus’ expected protected list — although it’s really unclear if he’s more interesting than defensemen Gabriel Carlsson or Dean Kukan. Cliff Pu and Kole Sherwood are removed because it’s hard to see the Blue Jackets selecting either over Robinson or Kevin Stenlund, who are both seeing regular NHL time for Columbus. – Josh (original post here)
The Predators have been a major disappointment this year with no end in sight. I expect them to be major sellers at the trade deadline to start the rebuild process.
If the roster stays relatively consistent, though, I project Nashville to go with the four forwards, four defensemen, one goalie strategy. The biggest reason behind this change from before is the need for the Predators to clear cap space by daring Seattle to select Matt Duchene or former Portland Winterhawk Ryan Johansen. Both of them carry a $8-million cap hits per season.
On the defense side, going with the 4-4-1 format allows the Predators to protect Mattias Ekholm. With that said, I do anticipate Ekholm or Ryan Ellis to be traded by the time the Expansion Draft comes around. – John (original post here)
Tampa Bay
Lightning Protected List
Watchlist
There have been no changes to the Tampa projections, but if Mathieu Joseph continues to play well, the Lightning might go with a 7-3-1 protection list that will force them to expose defenseman Cal Foote. -John (original post here)
Things get quite feisty in Goalie Gear Corner this week’s Sound Of Hockey Podcast, as John goes on thin ice after making asinine claims about the legitimacy of Darren’s selections for the segment. That segment alone is worth the price of admission this week.
It’s a short and sweet episode, as John, Andy, and Darren rip through a couple of Seattle Kraken and women’s hockey headlines, then cover the… [checks notes]… blockbuster Ryan Dzingel and Alex Galchenyuk trade(s).
Bits this week include SOH Three Stars.
Segments include GGC, You Don’t See That Every Day, an impossible Let’s Get Quizzical, and Weekly One-Timers.
With 10 points in 14 games, Nick Ritchie is on the verge of playing himself into protected status. Ondrej Kase (projected to be protected) has missed 12 games due to injury. Meanwhile, youngsters Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon are playing big minutes for the B’s. – Darren (original post here)
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres Protected List
Watchlist
Buffalo had a middling start, then got shut down for two weeks because of COVID-19 and recently returned with two straight losses to the Islanders. The Sabres are in last place. Forward Tage Thompson failed to deliver when he was on Buffalo’s top line early in the season and has often been a healthy scratch.
Journeyman forward Riley Sheahan earned a roster spot after going to training camp on a professional tryout and has the trust of Sabres coach Ralph Krueger.
Henri Jokiharju’s struggles are reflected in his advanced stats: 44 percent Corsi for (even strength shot differential) and -13 Corsi relative to his teammates that are worst among Buffalo’s defensemen. Jake McCabe, who is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, ranks first among Sabres blueliners with a 55.9 Corsi for and 7.5 relative Corsi. – Jim (original post here)
Will Butcher hasn’t played this season and the young defenseman, a comfortable selection for protection this offseason, might have lost his spot to PK Subban. Subban hasn’t lit the world on fire but leads the team in ice time this year. – Josh (original post here)
New York Rangers
Rangers Protected List
Watchlist
The Rangers waived Tony DeAngelo and are trying to trade him after an incident with a teammate after a recent game against Pittsburgh. – Andy (original post here)
Hand up, leaving Vitek Vanecek off my protected list was an oversight. The 25-year-old netminder owns a .906 save percentage this season. It also may be worth wondering if the Capitals aren’t as big of fans of Jonas Siegenthaler as we are. The 23-year-old blueliner has drawn into the lineup in only six of 13 games this season. –Josh (original post here)
Despite a number of Covid-related postponements and delays caused by the run-of-the-mill, everyday blizzard in Texas, there are still a ton of NHL games on the radar this week and weekend that will be of interest to Seattle Kraken fans.
Most notably are the outdoor games.
That’s right, the NHL is moving outdoors. It’s just for the weekend but Saturday and Sunday are highlighted by two games played on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Word is that those shores are of the majestic variety.
For this week, we’ll take a look at those games as well as others you might want to keep an eye on.
Vegas Golden Knights versus Colorado Avalanche
When: Saturday, 12 P.M., NBC
Not only is this a matchup of two of the top teams in the Honda West Division, but it’s the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort game. Not a shabby locale to watch some hockey. You’ll have to watch on television since no fans will be allowed on site.
The game should be just as majestic as the vantage point. Vegas leads the West with a 10-2-1 record in which they’ve fattened up on some of the division’s lesser teams. This will be a big test. Saturday’s game will be the third straight the two clubs have played this week, after splitting the first two.
Both earlier games were fun to watch, competitive hockey games played by two teams loaded with speed and talent. What’s not to love?
Players to watch
Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the Avalanche in scoring although he’s only potted three goals. The Nova Scotia product has turned into a playmaker at the start of the season with 12 assists in as many games played. Somehow, MacKinnon doesn’t get as much national publicity as Connor McDavid, but he’s in the same class and is always must-watch hockey. Colorado is blessed with a dynamic defense highlighted by Cale Makar who has 12 points this year. But he’s been injured and hasn’t played since February 2nd which has allowed rookie Bowen Byram more playing time. The former Vancouver Giant has high expectations on him and so far, looks the part.
Vegas is just as deep as the Avalanche and led by Mark Stone. He’s a fun player to watch but keep eyes on him no matter where the play is. As proficient a scorer as Stone is, he plays in all zones and starts transitions with puck thievery on the regular. Local fans will recognize defenseman Shea Theodore who is a former captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Theodore is off to a good start despite some nagging injuries and appears ready to take the next step into the elite level for defensemen in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Vegas is exempt from the Kraken Expansion List, so you’ll just be watching them for pure entertainment purposes. Colorado, on the other hand, has a lot of depth that will play to the Kraken’s advantage. Watch guys like defenseman Devon Toews who is a solid two-way blueliner. Also, watch do-it-all forward Joonas Donskoi. The former Shark plays all over the ice and can defend while chipping in offensively, as he has done with 10 points in the first 13 games this season.
Philadelphia Flyers versus Boston Bruins
When: Sunday, 12 P.M. Pacific, NBC
Another great matchup, this time between two of the top teams in the MassMutual East Division. This game is officially the Honda Outdoors Sunday. Luckily for the NHL, the game will be played in the same rink at Tahoe as the Saturday game. That will make set-up easy.
The two teams started Wednesday separated by just four points – Boston is in first – with the Flyers holding one game in hand. Boston is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL by allowing just over two goals per game. Philadelphia combats that with depth up front and defensemen who can move the puck.
That makes for a fun hockey game that will have an impact on the divisional race.
Players to watch
Boston is led by its top line that includes Brad Marchand – who, if you weren’t aware is from Nova Scotia – David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron. The trio is one of the top lines in the NHL and the engine of the Bruins offensive attack. Will the crisp, cool air coming off the lake make Marchand more pest-like? We can only hope.
Marchand and Bergeron are leading the Bruins in scoring but Pastrnak is on the come up after missing games early.
The Flyers still have grizzled veteran Claude Giroux leading the way but are getting a resurgent start from James van Riemsdyk, who is leading them in scoring. He’s doing that by sporting a career-high shooting percentage. Can he keep that up? Tune in and see. Former Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart should be front and center at Tahoe which will delight Puget Sound hockey fans.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Boston has some interesting options for the Kraken, starting with forward Nick Ritchie, who is off to a hot start that should excite Seattle fans. The Kraken may have a tough decision on which Flyer they will select as their depth will force Philadelphia to lose a good player. Van Riemsdyk is one of those guys and his start is encouraging. Also on that watchlist is defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere who started the season on the injured list but is back in the lineup now.
Other notable NHL games on the radar
Edmonton Oilers versus Calgary Flames: Friday, February 19th 6 P.M. and Saturday, February 20th, 7 P.M. Nothing like a home-and-home two-game set of the Battle of Alberta. It’s just the second time this season but you can bet the heat will dial back up with two games in two nights.
We are updating our Expansion Draft protected lists and Seattle Kraken watchlists all week. Monday we went through the Scotia North Division, and today we step through the Honda West Division.
Anaheim Ducks
Ducks Protected List
Watchlist
Max Jones was a player who had a chance to earn protection but hasn’t been productive and was recently demoted to the taxi squad. Isac Lundestrom was recalled from the taxi squad and has two goals in his first eight games this season. – Andy (original post here)
Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes Protected List
Watchlist
The battle for the seventh protected forward spot in Arizona is being won by Tyler Pitlick who has outperformed Christian Fischer to start the season. – Andy (original post here)
Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche Protected List
Watchlist
Vladislav Kamenev has been playing in the KHL, and although he is still eligible for the Expansion Draft, we are dropping him off the watchlist. There could be an argument to bump Tyson Jost off the protected list to make space for Joonas Donskoi, but Jost is younger and has more potential in front of him. – John (original post here)
Los Angeles Kings
Kings Protected List
Watchlist
It is still VERY hard to predict which direction the Kings will go with several of their protection questions. We now think they will change from eight total skaters to a 7-3-1 protection scheme. Carl Grundstrom has shown some high-level skill this season, which moves him onto our protected list. Dustin Brown has 12 points in 13 games, so he can apparently still play and should be watched. Former Seattle Thunderbird Austin Strand is suddenly playing a role, though this would be more of a bet for the future. – Darren (original post here)
Minnesota Wild
Wild Protected List
Watchlist
Something still has to give here. When we wrote the Wild profile, we assumed Matt Dumba would be traded for a center. That hasn’t happened, and such a deal is appearing less likely as the season goes on. We’re now predicting that general manager Bill Guerin gets one of or both of his veteran forwards with no-movement clauses (Zach Parise and/or Mats Zuccarello) to waive their NMC’s so the Wild don’t have to protect them. This would let Minnesota go the route of protecting eight total skaters, and if that happens, they could keep Dumba while still protecting Jordan Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek. – Darren (original post here)
San Jose Sharks
Sharks Protected List
Watchlist
Maxim Letunov has yet to get in a game this year, while Dylan Gambrell has been getting more responsibilities with the Sharks and Alexander True has four points in his first four games for the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks AHL affiliate. We will keep Letunov on the list but feel that Gambrell and True are distancing themselves as better candidates. – John (original post here)
St Louis Blues
Blues Protected List
Watchlist
We are removing Jake Walman from the Kraken watchlist. He has only been in three NHL games this season and seems destined to spend a lot of time on the taxi squad this year. Meanwhile, Justin Faulk is putting together a pretty good season so far with five goals in the first 16 games. – John (original post here)
With that in mind, let’s veer off the ice and into the minutiae of game presentation for some of the most important decisions the club will make before its first game: selecting the correct arena music.
After going without fans – or few fans in some cases – in NHL arenas for more than a year, generating maximum energy in home rinks will be vital components to team success next season. We know Seattle fans can be loud, but a good soundtrack will help produce a top-notch sports atmosphere when the Kraken hit the ice.
Certain songs are inextricably associated with sports teams, producing a signature sound that defines a club and becomes a part of their identities. “Gloria” became the St. Louis Blues’ victory song after it represented a key moment in their turnaround from last place team to Stanley Cup champions in 2019. Every visiting team loathes to hear “Chelsea Dagger” play in Chicago because it means the Blackhawks scored again. Manchester City fans sing “Hey Jude” before games and after victories at Etihad Stadium. “Sweet Caroline” gets Boston Red Sox fans singing along in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. West Ham has “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.”
While we trust the folks at KEXP to be up to the task, Sound of Hockey’s writers have some sound opinions about what the Kraken should play for their pregame introductions, goal celebrations, victory revelry and more.
Everyone appreciates good music curation. Consider this to be a carefully crafted mixtape we’re sharing with you. So let us know what you think of our playlists in the comments area at the bottom of this page, and tell us what songs you believe the Kraken should use to get Climate Pledge Arena rocking.
Introduction song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
I know it’s been struck down by some on the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, but this one’s a no-brainer to me. “Can’t Hold Us” will get the audience fired up like no other song and blow the old roof off The Pledge. The music video even has a winter motif and ends up atop the Space Needle. The punchy “nah, nah, nah, nah, nah-na-na-na” parts just invite fans to sing along with all the gusto of European football fans. Macklemore is a part owner of Seattle Sounders FC and a loyal fan of all Seattle sports teams, although he might have some explaining to do about the jersey he wore at a 2017 concert up in Vancouver.
Goal song: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters
A goal song will, hopefully, be played a lot. It needs to be an appealing earworm that people won’t get sick of. If I was sentimental for a hockey-themed song, I might lean toward something from the Tragically Hip or Warren Zevon’s “Hit Somebody.” Despite the nostalgia of Seattle Thunderbirds fans, going the Gary Glitter “Rock ‘n’ Roll Part 2” route won’t fly even with a chorus that has some na-nas or yeah-yeahs to sing or chant with.
I considered Jimi Hendrix, Heart, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other Seattle music greats but kept coming back to “Everlong.” You get about 35-40 seconds to use after the red light flashes, which is perfect for the guitar and drums build-up near the end and through the last chorus:
“And I wonder “If everything could ever feel this real forever “If anything could ever be this good again “The only thing I’ll ever ask of you “You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when”
Victory song: “We Win” by Duff McKagan’s Loaded
This one is a little obscure, but it’s a catchy sports anthem that is Seattle in its heart. McKagan is a class act and a hardcore sports fan (full disclosure: I was his editor when he wrote a column for ESPN.com) who bursts with civic pride for his hometown. I admire and respect McKagan immensely for surviving his own incredible personal comeback and for being a man of character. And this song kicks ass. Forgive me for going a little Ron MacLean on you again:
“Some day “We might find “The victory “Is well worth the bitter fight”
Just imagine fans filing out of The Pledge into the streets of Lower Queen Anne after another Kraken victory singing together, “We win, we win, we win, we win, yeah we win.”
I hate clichés and always look for a different approach. My choices are not going to be popular, but that is precisely the point. I want Seattle to have a truly unique experience. My desire is that these songs are distinctively Seattle across all of hockey. I do not hate Macklemore’s music, but the fact I hear him in literally every hockey arena I visit including Angel of the Winds Arena for Silvertips games and accesso ShoWare Center for Thunderbirds games disqualifies him from my list, regardless of his Seattle roots.
Introduction song: “You On The Run” by The Black Angels
For the intro song, I want something dark and ominous as the legend of the Kraken. It will be loud, and I want it to strike fear in the opposing team’s hearts and minds. I want the visiting team to be defeated before the puck is even dropped.
Honorable mention: “Wolf Totem” by The HU, “Angel” by Massive Attack
Goal song: “Turnaround” by Nirvana
The goal song needs to hit you right away with no build up. It also needs to be fun and might unknowingly get people moving when they hear it.
The victory song gets people moving and shaking. The right song could get some fan participation. Imagine a fan chant of “Oh yeah, all right, hell yeah, that’s right” after the Kraken seal the victory.
I hate most popular music so I’m going to go off the board but still try not to venture too far out into left field for Kraken songs. Hate is probably too strong of an emotion, but I find most pop music boring and its use at hockey arenas is overdone and obvious. We have a chance to tap into some great bands that don’t get regular airplay. So, let’s do that.
Introduction song: “The Nights of Wine and Roses” by Japandroids
This could be the ultimate get hyped song by a pair of Canadian maniacs. Yes, just two guys make all this beautiful noise. But what else to get the crowd going than a line like “We yell like hell to heavens.” Japandroids are from Vancouver, B.C., which could be problematic because the Canucks have used some of their music in the past. But Seattle is obviously better.
Goal song: “Uncontrollable Urge” by Devo
Most people know Devo from “Whip it” and nothing more. That was probably their least interesting song. “Uncontrollable Urge” is one of their better tunes. It’s fast, upbeat and imagine the Climate Pledge crowd all yelling “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” along with this classic track. It has goal song written all over it.
Victory song: “Everyday Sunshine” by Fishbone
We all like sunshine. We’d all love it every day. What a happy, uplifting song to celebrate winning. It’s got horns, bass, funk, ska, and most importantly, it’s fun. This tune starts strong and builds up to pure joy by the end.
A Seattle band with a fun little song that would be the perfect soundtrack to a tilt on the ice. It’s fast paced, and when they chant “one hit” it will perfectly frame any scrap on the ice that usually ends with one hit.
Unlike some of my fellow Sound Of Hockeyers, I’m not too concerned with picking “popular songs” as long as they fit the situation. Several of these songs feature ties back to the Seattle music scene and they all, in my humble opinion, kick ass.
Introduction song: “Cochise” by Audioslave
Tipping a cap to Seattle’s music history with legendary frontman Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog fame, this song from Audioslave features a perfect build-up, is extremely upbeat and would set the tone in the arena before Kraken home games. Ignore that the song is about an Apache chief, I think it’s a good fit for a team introduction that isn’t very cookie cutter.
What it probably will be: Some intense mashup from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Goal song: “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine
In this scenario, Tom Morello – who is also the lead guitarist of Audioslave – will be prominently featured at Seattle home games. In this instance, this iconic guitar riff from Morello would be a treat to hear after the Kraken’s goal horn.
What it will probably be: Something by Nirvana, Soundgarden or Pearl Jam.
Victory song: “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
This groovy guitar riff from Seattle icon Jimi Hendrix would be a perfect fit at Climate Pledge Arena. The song is catchy, upbeat and popular enough to hold the distinction of the Kraken’s victory song, but the lyrics may be a dealbreaker (not sure what Purple Haze has to do with a sea creature – or hockey for that matter).
Introduction song: “Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine
Picture this: The lights go down in Climate Pledge Arena. A hype video plays on the state-of-the-art triangular scoreboards, with “Guerrilla Radio” blasting. Then, in sync with the 2:58 mark of the below video, the screens go black. The arena is filled with complete darkness.
Zack de la Rocha whispers into the tension of the crowd, “It has to start somewhere. It has to start sometime. What better place than here? What better time than now?” Then, BANG! Explosions! Fireworks! Goal horn!
“AW! HELL! CAN’T STOP US NOW!” de la Rocha screams, with Rage blasting away in the background.
“Please welcome to the ice, YOUR SEATTLLLLLLLLLLLE KRAAAAAAAAAAAKEN!!”
Goosebump City, population 17,000.
Goal Song: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Screw it, I’m doubling down.
I’ve taken a lot of heat on the “Sound Of Hockey” podcast for my opinion that this should be the goal song, with John and Andy claiming that it’s far too common in sports arenas. Fine. But you know what? It gets the people going! And other arenas don’t have the local ties to Macklemore that Seattle does. Yes, it’s a bit cliche. But also, yes, it would work great as a goal song. There’s literally a clap-and-sing-along portion built in.
I was running the Disney World Marathon at the beginning of 2019, struggling mightily around mile 18. I heard “Can’t Hold Us” playing as I shuffled through a miserably long stretch between Disney’s Wide World of Sports and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Suddenly, my feet were hitting the ground to the beat of the music, and I was back in the game in every way. If that’s not proof that it gets the people going, then I don’t know what is.
And if you’re among the poo-pooers of this fine ditty, then go listen to John’s selections in this post and good luck cleaning up the blood that will surely come out of your ears.
Victory song: “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles
Why not? A victory song should just be fun. Ringo’s songs are generally the less-beloved of Beatles songs, but this one is a banger. And how many songs are out there about cephalopods?
