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2024-2025 NHL First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets!

February 13, 2025February 13, 2025 jminx946 Comments

It’s been a fun first half of the season. The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have the most points and the best records in their conferences. Alexander Ovechkin gets closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals scored record each week. The MVP race is a toss-up and every playoff spot is up for grabs in the eastern conference. There should be a wild finish to the second half of the regular season. Here’s the top takes, questions and answers as the Four Nations tournament takes place.

Is there any consistent, great team or does it vary by month?

Winnipeg celebrates a shutout home win over Carolina February 4th. The Jets have the most points this season.

It’s hard to choose which team is the best this season and too soon to say. While Winnipeg’s easily the best and most complete team, their previous playoff blunders makes analysts second guess how good they’ll be when it matters most. Washington’s the top team in the eastern conference, but this will be Spencer Carbery’s first season he coaches a team into the playoffs. Vegas, Florida, Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton and Toronto had some slumps the first few months. It’s likely most of the playoff contenders are waiting for rivals to slip up once play resumes and make a more determined push. We’ll find out which teams are for real in the March power rankings.

It seems the MVP race is cluttered, but is there a clear Jack Adams (coach of the year) set of finalists?

Columbus’ Dean Evason is a top three pick for the Jack Adams award.

Most pundits believe Washington’s Carbery, Winnipeg’s Scott Arniel, and either Ottawa’s Travis Green or Vegas’ Bruce Cassidy will be the Jack Adams nominees. The Senators are the only team of the four mentioned to not be in the top three of their conference. Therefore, the winner could be chosen by how well their team does in the playoffs.

My three are different. The Jack Adams award should be for the best coach regardless of talent. Columbus’ Dean Evason should be first. No one had the Blue Jackets near the eighth seed, especially once their best player was tragically killed in the offseason. New Jersey’s Sheldon Keefe has excelled where predecessor Lindy Ruff fell short and the Devils defense has improved in every aspect. Finally, I’ll take St. Louis’ Jim Montgomery as the third option. As readers know from previous rankings, Montgomery was fired from Boston one month into the regular season and hired a few days after by the Blues. The Bruins haven’t fixed the offensive issues after firing him, but St. Louis is eight points out of the eighth seed and is one of the most underrated teams in the league after hiring Montgomery.

If I had to pick one of the three choices given, Dean Evason’s the easy winner for coach of the year.

How many big trades will there be once play resumes? Will there be any teams selling to re-build?

Colorado’s blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen sent shockwaves through both conferences. It may not be the last before the deadline.

The eastern conference (more on them later) is loaded with star players and depth that won’t sniff the postseason. By contrast, the western conference has a few surprising playoff favorites that disappointed. It’s unknown which team starts the upcoming trade frenzy, but Nashville, New York and Pittsburgh are big names to watch. The first two have stars they can unload for additional cap space and draft picks. I expect a lot of teams in both conferences to make moves the last week of the trade deadline given how close most are in the standings.

Speaking of close teams, what’s going on with Vancouver? Are they a favorite to go far in the postseason? Is there any way they can get back to last year’s form?

The J.T. Miller v. Elias Pettersson riff ended with Miller traded to the Rangers. General manager Patrik Allvin’s move will be analyzed at every angle years from now.

This is the best question asked so far. Real hockey fans wondered how Vancouver played lifeless once the regular season began. That’s uncommon for Rick Tocchet coached teams. It turns out assistant captain J.T. Miller and the most talented player on the team Elias Pettersson had a rift behind closed doors. While Pettersson is their most coveted player, Miller spent six seasons holding the Canucks together no matter the problems. At one point during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was the only player on the team to not fall ill. His leadership kept Vancouver a contender even when Pettersson struggled to score.

Team president Jim Rutherford made the situation worse when he told the media that no matter what happened in negotiations, there were only short-term solutions. A few analysts thought dealing both players to separate teams could be a good move. There wouldn’t be a bias to either and it would help the Canucks re-group some talent without causing a fuss. This is Vancouver, so they did the opposite and dealt an assistant captain to a team that also backstabbed player leadership within the last few months.

There are more issues like the fragile goaltending situation when Thatcher Demko continued to miss time and came back around the holidays. The defense has regressed and captain Quinn Hughes struggled. Now Hughes is out due to an undisclosed, lower body injury. The Miller-Pettersson issue was one more thing to deal with and the organization hasn’t handled these issues well. If you want to feel bad for anybody, it should be Rick Tocchet. This is the second time he’s coached a team where upper management’s botched trades and roster talent.

It’s definitely a sad topic to read on. However for every low, there’s a high. Vancouver might have it rough, but some of the younger teams and eastern conference squads look really good. Which of these teams are for real and will make the playoffs?

There’s a trio of good, young teams and they’re all in the eastern conference. New Jersey, Ottawa and Detroit are the hottest names to play against for any playoff contender. From new coaches to defensive additions and scoring depth, all three should make the postseason with how well they play compared to Boston, Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers. Montreal is a close fourth, but they’re still re-tooling the roster and played tired after a long winning streak. It’s likely they miss the playoffs.

To take it further, I see this question as which of the three teams will go further in the postseason. Most likely, Detroit draws the winner of the metropolitan or atlantic division, and be easily eliminated (unless that hilariously becomes Ottawa). It then comes down to which veteran teams draw the Senators or Devils. The reigning champion Panthers and the rising Maple Leafs would struggle more with New Jersey while Ottawa could keep it close with almost every team. I’d go with the Devils because of their combined experience and how they’ve fixed more long-term mistakes this season.

Detroit’s red-hot on every side of the puck and would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

Here’s the second power rankings of the year. This will be the third and last time you see this notification in the regular season. Here’s where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to January. Some have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)

Three teams are all but eliminated from playoff contention. San Jose is one and they’ve been dreadful since the calendar flipped to 2025. At least they got all their trades done early so there’s nothing to pay attention to the rest of the season.

#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)

Chicago’s the second team easily eliminated. Unlike the Sharks, the Blackhawks need to make more moves. The goaltending duo of Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom will be in high demand and Chicago must decide how deep they should go into their rebuild. They’re not competitive in the standings so it wouldn’t surprise many to see the Blackhawks veterans land on playoff favorites.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 30)

If you had Buffalo as the third team, congratulations. The Sabres are the only eastern conference team that won’t sniff the postseason given how many points they have to get after playing 54 games. It’s ok to wonder if owner Terry Pegula will let go of coach Lindy Ruff after the season. Ruff did a subpar job at best and it could be the end of his long coaching career if Pegula decides to move on.

#29 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 29)

By now, you’ve figured I won’t quit on Nashville because of who their general manager is, the roster he put together, and how there’s something to salvage. While I’m not changing that view, the Predators probably won’t make the postseason because they have 45 points after 54 games. What will be interesting is how Nashville plays when they come back from break. Will the Predators finally get it together and become the team no one wants to play, or will GM Barry Trotz pull the plug and get creative in trades and roster decisions before the playoffs? These could be the most pivotal two weeks for the franchise this decade.

#28 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 27)

It’s jaw-dropping how Seattle’s taken a few steps back after their postseason run two years ago. The steal of their first full roster was goaltender Philipp Grubauer after a trade with Colorado. Grubauer was put on waivers at the end of January. General manager Ron Francis has spectacularly failed to make the Kraken competitive and many will look at his expansion draft blunders in a different light because of it.

#27 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 25)

Until last week, Anaheim won 20 of 21 games this season when they scored three or more goals a game. The defense is ok but the offense is the league’s worst. That’s a shock.

#26 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 20)

Since both New York teams improved after the last rankings, attention returns to Pittsburgh and coach Mike Sullivan. The Penguins have the second worst defense and two 20+ goal scorers. One has to wonder when there’s a coaching change this year.

#25 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 23)

Give credit to coach John Tortorella for making Philadelphia competitive this season. The Flyers were predicted to be a bottom-dwelling team from start to finish (despite how Tortorella gets the most out of his rosters), and this is easily the worst in the metropolitan. It took four months for Philadelphia to run out of gas, but the Flyers are respectable given how hard they compete every week despite the lack of talent.

#24 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 22)

Montreal had an impressive winning streak to close out 2024 and extend into 2025. Unlike Detroit, Ottawa and New Jersey, the Canadiens don’t have the depth or experience to maintain long winning streaks late in the regular season. There’s a lot for Montreal to feel good about, but the roster needs more work. They’ll have an interesting offseason.

#23 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 23)

If there’s any case for Jim Montgomery winning coach of the year in St. Louis, look at the team stats versus where they are in the standings. The Blues are a bottom ten team in a lot of categories on every side of the puck (led by second worst penalty kill). Yet they’re out of the eighth seed by eight points. If St. Louis makes the playoffs, it forces analysts and voters to try and give Montgomery a case for the award.

#22 Utah Hockey Club (last ranking: 21)

To follow up from last month’s analysis, Nick Schmalz’s season slump makes forward Dylan Guenther a focal point in Utah’s offense. Guenther’s tied for the team lead in goals with 20 and tied for third most points on offense with 41. He’s only played 44 games. Dylan Guenther will be a key player in the Hockey Club’s rise.

#21 New York Islanders (last ranking: 26)

The strangest part about New York’s seven game winning streak wasn’t how great the team felt, it was conversation about how center Mathew Barzal is a bust after needing another surgery on his left kneecap and how general manager Lou Lamoriello wants to trade defenseman Noah Dobson. The Islanders could be one of the hottest teams in the league, but management again found a way to mess up the good mood.

#20 New York Rangers (last ranking: 28)

It’s been a rough season for the players in New York. That’s why Jonathan Quick’s 400th career win (the most for a U.S. born goaltender) is a season highlight. General manager Chris Drury could reward Quick for reaching that milestone by trading him once the Four Nations tournament ends.

#19 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 14)

General manager Don Sweeney’s almost out of moves after hiring former Stanley Cup champion team captain Zdeno Chara to a front office position. The firing of Jim Montgomery looks worse each week and Boston’s fallen behind Detroit and Ottawa. The Bruins should move assets near the trade deadline since there’s not enough on the team to make this year’s playoffs.

#18 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 17)

Whatever Calgary’s doing this season works. The Flames won’t go away despite the offensive and penalty killing woes. A three game losing streak somehow means they’re three points back of the eighth seed and Vancouver. Go figure.

#17 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 18)

If you need anymore convincing of how Dean Evason is coach of the year, look at defenseman Zach Werenski. Werenski’s tied with Hall of Famer Bobby Orr for the fourth longest home point streak in NHL history with 21. He also leads Columbus in assists and total points. There will be a lot of close award races but the Norris trophy (won by the best defenseman) is Zach Werenski’s to lose.

#16 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 24)

General manager Steve Yzerman picked the right interim coach. Todd McLellan’s hiring brings necessary discipline, accountability and freedom for Detroit to do what they want on every side of the puck. At one point the Red Wings had a 50% power-play and a 71% penalty kill. They’ve tallied impressive wins and put playoff contending teams on alert with their re-awakened vigor.

#15 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 15)

We’ve finally reached the point where Detroit and Ottawa will be close in the standings and rankings for a while. Both teams made Tampa Bay play at a Stanley Cup caliber level this past week despite the losses.

On the Senators end, they were impressive until their Sunshine State roadtrip. Ottawa’s not a Stanley Cup contender, but they’ll be hard to beat four times in a best of seven series should the defense not revert to bad habits.

#14 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 19)

If we put the loss to Dallas aside, Vancouver’s 3-1 after trading J.T. Miller January 31st. The lone loss against a resurgent Red Wings is fine. Shutting out Colorado and winning a heavyweight game against Toronto are plusses. A painful chapter closed and this is where coach Rick Tocchet can finally bring the best out of his players.

#13 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 9)

I get why Los Angeles fans could be upset but this ranking should show how good the other 12 teams are this year. The Kings are tied for the league’s best scoring defense and could be a sixth seed at best by April. Another example of how the NHL is the best sports league in North America and a cruel one.

#12 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 13)

The same applies with Colorado. The Avalanche don’t have the depth but coach Jared Bednar’s still got them as a top six seed. The goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood will be fun to watch the next few months.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)

I personally think both coach Jon Cooper and starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy took the upcoming games against Ottawa and Detroit personally given how Tampa Bay’s been stuck in the middle of the eastern conference most of the season and lost to both teams a few times in 2024. What better way to pull ahead before the trade deadline than smacking around two division rivals with confident coaches leading their teams back to playoff contention? The Lightning will be deadly the second half of the regular season.

#10 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 7)

Some New Jersey fans might be disappointed the Devils are ranked this low, but a good number might not be once I reiterate something NHL Network analyst Mike Johnson stated January 19th after a 2-1 loss to Ottawa. A lot of New Jersey’s early season success was from a power-play that got the Devils to quick leads. Five-on-five is the biggest area New Jersey has to fix. Despite injuries and illnesses, they can’t rely on the power-play to score and get early leads with the playoffs two months away. The Devils could make a move at the trade deadline.

#9 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 5)

On the contrary, while many Toronto fans might feel confident, a good number are nervous about how the Leafs could at best win the atlantic division or at worst, fall behind against Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Detroit. The Maple Leafs can get past the Lightning, but they’ve struggled against the Senators and Red Wings. A first round matchup against either young team could lead to a surprise exit given how both Ottawa and Detroit play physical and care-free.

#8 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 6)

They won’t win the central division but Minnesota’s impressive. Unfortunately that’s enough to get them a four or five seed in the postseason. It’ll be interesting to see if the Wild make any trades before the deadline to shore up their third and fourth lines.

#7 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 10)

If one of my coach of the year candidates didn’t seem passable, know Kris Knoblauch was fourth on my list. He knew back in October this was like running a marathon, and he managed the minutes of Edmonton’s best players well. Not only is forward Leon Draisaitl a leading MVP candidate, the Oilers are tied for both the pacific division lead and the second seed in the western conference.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 1)

The reason Edmonton hasn’t run away with the pacific division or the second seed is because Vegas played better the first four months. The Golden Knights have the second best power-play despite a slow January. Expect Vegas to go on a winning streak when play resumes. It’ll be a fun division race to watch.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 8)

Although Carolina’s 3-3 since trading for forward Mikko Rantanen, the Hurricanes did well in January. They surpassed New Jersey as expected and scored four or more goals in six games the last month and a half. Now they need to put together a winning streak of at least five games.

#4 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 12)

Trading for forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci were big moves. However analysts leaked Dallas is trying to trade for a big name player before the deadline. If the Stars land this supposed player, they could be the favorites to win the Stanley Cup (depending on who they draw in the playoffs of course).

#3 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 4)

Washington has the second best offense in the NHL and the first line is among the best. Center Dylan Strome is the team leader in assists and points while the captain Alex Ovechkin leads in goals. This is easily the best Capitals team since Barry Trotz wasn’t re-signed.

#2 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 3)

Much like Tampa Bay, Florida played some of their best hockey this season right before the break. The Panthers proved they’re saving their best for the second half of the regular season after a shutout against Los Angeles, a narrow win against St. Louis and a thrashing of Ottawa.

#1 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 2)

The most realistic answer to the first question asked at the beginning of this article is this ranking. The league’s best is the one with two eight game winning streaks in one season. That’s incredible since no one predicted this before October. Winnipeg’s also tied for first in scoring defense and has the best offense and power-play.

One could also say this ranking answers the second question asked earlier. Despite the cases for Dean Evason winning coach of the year, Scott Arniel is lauded for getting the Jets to play at a better competitive level and could get a unanimous win for the Jack Adams. All Winnipeg has to do is play like this in the postseason.

Josh Morrissey (white) celebrates after scoring an overtime winner in Washington February 1st.

NFL Super Bowl LIX Prediction

February 5, 2025 jminx9410 Comments

The Super Bowl features the best team in each conference. Kansas City and Philadelphia mirror each other in their running games, solid quarterback play and total defense. Both offensive and defensive lines play better each week and the secondaries know when to shut down receivers. It’s time to reveal which team has the best chance of winning the Vince Lombardi trophy and why.

#1 Kansas City Chiefs v. #2 Philadelphia Eagles

The AFC’s top seed and the NFC’s second seed excel in running the ball, executing deep-ball plays and have a lot of speedy playmakers. These combinations could result in the best game of the year. A sequel to the championship matchup two years ago, Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni have been coaches on both teams and know what they want in star players. Both quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes II and Jalen Hurts struggled at times this year but always found ways to play their best and win when it mattered most. Just as last round proved, this is where depth decides the champion.

Like the last time these teams met in Super Bowl 57, both the winner of this game and the champion of the 2024-25 season will be determined by each team’s offensive and defensive lines. Philadelphia retooled their offensive line after center Jason Kelce retired. Cam Jergens comfortably took over at center and the Eagles added right guard (formerly tackle) Mekhi Becton in free agency. Left guard Landon Dickerson and tackle Jordan Mailata should have a better game than two years ago when both were young and struggled to handle Kansas City’s blitzes.

This line is tasked with stopping the defensive line trio of Tershawn Wharton, George Karlaftis and Chris Jones. Wharton is exceptional in stopping the run and has improved on rushing the passer while Jones and Karlaftis are closer to their prime and give opposing tackles headaches. Jones will have more difficulty getting pressure on Philadelphia starting quarterback Jalen Hurts this time since he’ll face off against a healthy Lane Johnson at right tackle. This re-match could alter the blitz schemes from Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and give Jalen Hurts more time to find open receivers.

On the other end, the Eagles defensive interior doesn’t have the depth it did two years ago. Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith Jr., Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter are pretty good. However, they’re at a disadvantage against Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Kansas City’s interior offensive, line led by Humphrey and Smith, will have an easier time (after a week of rest) against a younger defensive front that’s not as deep or experienced. That will show late in the second half.

Finally, coaching will determine who wins. Two years ago, many thought Philadelphia would get their second Super Bowl trophy because Kansas City’s Andy Reid was well known for blunders such as timeout mismanagement and choking leads away. These views switched after Reid’s offense led the Chiefs to a second Super Bowl title (in his tenure). While Philadelphia’s head coach Nick Sirianni is great at finding opponents weaknesses and doesn’t let up, he doesn’t have answers for the gritty, physical style Kansas City plays. The Chiefs offense makes better adjustments and has one of the best scoring defenses in NFL history. It wouldn’t be surprising for Kansas City to have one of their best second half performances and a comeback win thanks to Andy Reid’s second half changes.

Super Bowl 59 Winning Prediction: Chiefs win a league record third straight Super Bowl 33-28 and take home their fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Conference finals predictions record: 2-0

2025 overall playoffs record: 8-4

Analyzing a Decade into Adam Silver’s Tenure, Part Two: A Wounded League Limps Through Disasters It Created

January 28, 2025 jminx943 Comments

NBA ratings have fallen for years. Some factors for the decline include the league leaning on older veterans stars and poor promotion.

Read with discretion: this article contains multiple, public opinions that have been supported and given the green light by the editor, promoter and owner of this website. These views contain the true thoughts of the writer in regards to what’s going on with one of America’s top sports.

In part one of Adam Silver’s decade long analysis, I wrote about a lot of active, on-court issues the league’s struggling with such as All-Star game changes, the in-season tournament and sometimes lack of respect for current leadership. Many people agree the new rules created many issues that’s turning the sport into a laughingstock (see Philadelphia 76ers). Puns are everywhere online and even shows like TNT’s Inside the NBA joke about them. While a lot of these issues can be quickly fixed, the long term problems show the league’s in worse shape than many believe.

The biggest issue is the rise of sports gambling since its legalization in spring 2018. Play rapidly became an afterthought. Yes, the profits are too good to pass up and there are many benefits the move brings. However for this league, it’s a cause for concern. For those who may not or don’t remember, former referee Tim Donaghy fixed NBA games in the early and middle 2000s before sports gambling was legalized. Donaghy began as an honest ref who cared about the game. However his eventual greed led to a lifelong ban from the sport. Throughout then-commissioner David Stern’s tenure, there were theories and reports of rigging games, seasons, stats and even dynasties (Shaquille O’Neal’s story on how he went to Orlando is worth a read if you’re suspicious). That doesn’t go away just because the executive changes or something becomes legalized. On the contrary, it grows.

Many believe the NBA, like the NFL, is so enamored with promoting sports betting and gambling that it’s affecting on-court play. Last spring, Raptors forward Jontay Porter was subject to an investigation into betting on his personal performances. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert accused referees calling fouls on him to be on the take, feeding into the narrative officials fix games in order to meet a certain over/under or matched stat lines for star players. Then there’s Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff who told media outlets that when he coached Cleveland, fans/gamblers got ahold of his phone number and insinuated things about his family over a parlay.

Legalized sports gambling has affected every major North American sport, but Adam Silver was the first commissioner and executive to openly embrace it once the U.S. Supreme Court legalized the industry. A good number of viewers aren’t enamored with the NBA anymore because of nightly or weekly bets. We’ve seen people go from fans and viewers of the game to watching the sport because they can hit a parlay or a correct over/under if certain stat-lines and point margins are final.

This isn’t the only financial issue the NBA’s going through. Since the pandemic ended, Silver’s failed to promote its product to a broad range of people. Consider this: when Michael Jordan retired from Chicago in 1999, he took 50% of the NBA fandom. Jordan’s popularity was (and still is) unlike anything we’ve seen outside the NFL. It grew so much that when he left the NBA the sport never recovered nor found the desired replacement. This isn’t about stars Kobe Bryant or LeBron James not being some of the best players since Jordan retired either. It’s about who could win the public over in droves and entertain like none other.

Losing half the fandom with a retirement meant an inevitable decline. We’re now seeing the effects. NBA supporters are mostly older adults (anyone born in the early 1990s and before) or those who became fans last decade. Casual fans are at a loss and struggle to follow what goes on. Ask the average NBA fan who was this year’s number one draft pick. They might know the team that had the pick, but not the player. What about the other picks in the top five? That’s a serious problem.

Both audiences and players are hit with another financial problem: the sport is expensive. Unless you have a kid who’s into basketball and played it recently or even gone to summer camps, it would be eye-opening to learn that the sport costs around $30-100 an hour to train. Playing for an AAU team costs around $300-600. That’s without travel, shoes, food, hotels, gas, fluids and much more factored in. Watching the sport is expensive too. Many audiences found out when the Los Angeles Clippers opened their brand new stadium, tickets cost around $200 to attend, and that’s without parking fees. Then there’s television and broadcasting rights issues. Most games aren’t shown on national television, dampering potential interest on new or rising fans. The league’s making so much money because of t.v. deals but struggles to air games that would draw huge ratings. A great example of this was December first’s Houston Rockets v. Oklahoma City Thunder 6 p.m. (U.S. central time) game. It was a matchup between what’s now the top two teams in the western conference and it should’ve been aired on either ESPN or TNT. Instead it was blacked out on all t.v. stations and was only aired if someone bought NBA’s League Pass.

This is why the NFL is king and everyone else takes a backseat. For all the complaining audiences and analysts do about the U.S.’ most popular sport, commissioner Roger Goodell has an understanding of when to air and flex games. The NFL even passed rules to flex certain matchups on different nights of the season. Sadly, the NBA usually airs one of four teams (usually New York, Boston, Golden State or a team from Los Angeles) and let the remaining 26 fight over what’s left.

Finally, one of the biggest issues the league has is competing against overseas programs that play more physical and have better coaches. Some stars recently said that leagues in China are better because they play the more physical 1990s and early 2000s version of basketball. Former champion point guard B.J. Armstrong said earlier this month that, “the coaching there (Europe) is better than over here.” Former players recognize that the sport’s top talent is coming from Europe, Africa and even east Asia. It won’t be a surprise when the NBA’s problems grow and top talent leaves to play elsewhere.

Nothing’s more American than gambling your future away in a bundle for NBA League Pass. For the love of God, please call that number.

Here’s the first power rankings of 2025. Similar to the NHL rankings, this one will be objective in placement as there’s been just two articles throughout the season.

#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 30)

The trade of Jordan Poole to Denver for Michael Porter Jr. says more about how the Wizards didn’t want Poole anymore. Poole wore out a six win team. He has nowhere to go but up.

#29 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 29)

Another point about the gambling fiasco that isn’t talked about is how it affects games from the coach perspective. Jazz coach Will Hardy had an eerie warning when asked by Salt Lake Tribune beat writer Andy Larsen on how common this is. Hardy said that while it hasn’t reached the tension J.B. Bickerstaff had in Cleveland, he admitted fans yell crazy things at him every night. At least one person from the crowd; home or away go off on a particular player, the spread, points, rebounds, minutes, or fouling at the end of games. This will get worse before it gets better.

#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 26)

Charlotte’s won five of their last ten (including a split with the Suns) and stole a win from Dallas on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Considering the Hornets won one game last month, they look good to start 2025. Now they have to work on offensive scoring.

#27 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 21)

If we want to defend the NBA for one thing that’s out of their control, it’s the promotion of a younger generation of players who were labeled the next big stars. The league and many fans of the sport believed Pelicans forward Zion Williamson was going to be the next big name back in 2019. Commissioner Adam Silver, analysts and fans couldn’t foresee his weight issues, constant injuries or him getting bogged down in porn scandals. In five seasons, Williamson went from the hottest name and number one pick to being suspended for showing up late to the team’s January 10th flight to Philadelphia and possible trade talks. He’s played in fewer games this regular season than NFL San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall, and Pearsall was shot in the chest before training camp. You can’t blame that on the commissioner.

#26 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 28)

Toronto won more games in January than they did all of December. The Raptors weren’t going to make the play-in but losing all but two games to end 2024 damages a potential run to end the regular season.

#25 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 19)

The current losing streak all but eliminates Brooklyn from any potential play-in talk. It’s surprising given how many good players are on the roster. General manager Sean Marks could deal a lot of talent at the trade deadline in March.

#24 Portland Trailblazers (last ranking: 25)

More teams are learning to play Portland hard. The Trailblazers occasionally steal a win from contenders like Denver or Milwaukee. Whether it’s Chauncey Billups’ coaching or a better roster this season, there’s sustainable growth and development.

#23 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 27)

Nothing highlights the on-court problems plaguing the NBA like Philadelphia. If Joel Embiid’s load management stories weren’t bad enough, the ongoing Paul George controversies where he’s bored of playing center makes anyone laugh, scream or grow outraged. Certain dynasties, stars and eras have been hated more for doing less, but boredom of playing a position and sitting out games because of small injuries has got be one of the most blatant offenses to the sport and anyone looking up to athletes. It has to be fixed.

#22 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 24)

Given how sloppy and soft the 76ers are, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Bulls clinch the last play-in spot early. Despite the constant trade rumors of forward Zach LaVine, Chicago plays hard and has enough to keep the three game gap ahead of Philadelphia.

#21 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 23)

If there’s any young star the NBA needs to slam audiences in the face with, it’s San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. Last month he became the first NBA player to record multiple games of 10+ blocks at the age of 20 or under. Wembanyama plays in a beautiful city that’s growing in size and popularity and is located in the second most populous state. San Antonio is also well integrated and friendly to foreigners. This is a reflection of the demographic changes within the U.S. and if the NBA can’t capitalize off of the perfect opportunities Victor Wembanyama creates for marketing, the sport will not survive.

#20 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 12)

The decision to move on from guard Bradley Beal and center Jusuf Nurkic means Phoenix’s front office was fed up with how both players underachieved. It also helps keep franchise star forward Kevin Durant satisfied and find better complimentary players. Don’t be surprised if the Suns trade for talented players in Brooklyn or New Orleans in March.

#19 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 14)

Maybe the firing of former coach of the year Mike Brown was justified. The team regressed after a return to the playoffs two years ago and a trip to the play-in last year. However there’s uncertainty and a disturbing feeling that the players quit when things got difficult. Right now it won’t matter because the Kings have won seven of their last ten. It is something to keep in mind when Doug Christie has the interim tag removed and there’s another losing streak.

#18 Miami Heat (last ranking: 20)

The Jimmy Butler fiasco is a black eye for the organization. Butler’s personal issues go back to earlier 2024 and the franchise hasn’t let up. Owner Pat Riley’s been right on a lot of things throughout his time in the NBA but this is not one of them. If anything, Riley might have alienated a lot of top talent from ever coming to play for the Heat. As for Butler, it would make sense to let him go where he wants with little pushback.

#17 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 7)

Watch this important four and a half minute clip that aired on January second on TNT’s Inside the NBA after Boston beat Minnesota 118-115. What Shaquille O’Neal said about what’s gone on with franchise star guard Anthony Edwards at the 2:03 mark was perfect. Edwards is a young, fantastic player who’s still learning how to read defenses. Opposing teams don’t care about complaints and they sure don’t mind if he isn’t learning when to pass the ball and find open lanes to the basket. Kenny Smith had a great followup on how great players make their teammates better by making plays and the focus on being a scorer. That clip is the Timberwolves’ lesson from the 2024-2025 regular season.

#16 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 6)

Wow. Golden State went from one of the western conference’s best teams to being just outside the play-in. A lot of issues keep popping up and it’s a wonder they’re still competitive any given week. The Warriors will be active at the trade deadline. Who they trade and move on from is hard to predict.

#15 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 22)

There are a lot of underrated stars in the NBA but Detroit’s franchise star point guard Cade Cunningham is one of the most overlooked. After a dismal 2023-24 season, Cunningham’s in the top three of the Pistons scoring, rebounding, assist, steals and block shots stats. Detroit will be a fun postseason watch if they can make the play-in or steal a top six playoff seed.

#14 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 11)

It’s one thing to lose by double digits to Houston, Cleveland, Memphis and Denver. Most viewers knew all four would be some form of good this season. Losses to lowly New Orleans and Charlotte in a week was concerning. Dallas has to play better next month if they want to reach the playoffs and not have a hard opponent in the play-in round.

#13 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 5)

Injuries battered Orlando the last month and a half. Losses included both Wagners, Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac and Cole Anthony. While former first overall pick Paolo Banchero returned, the Magic are bottom three in almost every offensive category. No one needs the All-Star break more than Orlando.

#12 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 18)

Atlanta’s 10-12 since the last rankings and for those keeping track, that means they’re a hilarious 22-24 throughout the season. Hawks fans may not like how I’ve made their beyond average record a running theme, but this is how sports journalism works. It’s also alarming that Atlanta’s a few wins from being top four team in the eastern conference.

#11 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 9)

NBA Network had a wild stat for the Lakers; they have have lost by 20+ points seven times this season, the most for any team in the league. For the most part Los Angeles has been a solid team most of the year. When the Lakers play well, they can hang with almost anyone. When they lose, they play like one of the NBA’s worst teams. Go figure.

#10 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 10)

Only Oklahoma City and Memphis have won more than 17 home games this season in the western conference. Intuit Arena is glamorous and the Clippers finally play well in their new building. While it was later than anyone expected, it wouldn’t be a shock if that gave Los Angeles a different kind of home court advantage the rest of the season.

#9 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 17)

The top offensive unit from 2023-2024 is finally back after sleepwalking through the first two and a half months of the season. Indiana should be fun to watch next month with how everything’s clicking on offense and the defense has improved.

#8 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 4)

Center Nikola Jokic proves almost every game he’s the best player in the NBA. Outside of Jokic, Denver can’t figure out who’s their second best player. While most agree it’s point guard Jamal Murray, he needs to get back to his old championship form and forward Aaron Gordon has to step up. It would be a shame if the Nuggets can’t make another deep postseason run because no one outside of Jokic breaks out.

#7 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 15)

Many believe Milwaukee’s the team that trades for Heat star forward Jimmy Butler after the organization told forward Khris Middleton he’s out of the starting lineup indefinitely on January eighth. Last week ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported forwards Middleton, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton could be moved to bring in a major impact player. If Butler is that player, the trade would vindicate the Damian Lillard move and instantly make the Bucks the championship favorite…even if Doc Rivers is their coach.

#6 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 16)

It shouldn’t surprise many readers Memphis is this high. Unless you were new to the NBA last season, the Grizzlies haven’t been awful for a while due to their abundance in young talent. With few injuries this year, Memphis picked up where they left off in the 2022-23 season. Now viewers can wonder if they’ll make a deep playoff run.

#5 New York Knicks (last ranking: 6)

New York looked tired until they picked up three wins last week. If the Knicks keep this winning streak going, they could be one of the league’s best teams the second half of the regular season. That should worry the other eastern conference favorites.

#4 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 13)

Houston’s progress is legit and they don’t yet have a top ten scoring offense. General manager Rafael Stone’s building a roster that will be dangerous for years to come. Beating the Rockets in a best of seven series will be hard for any western conference team to do no matter the veteran talent available.

#3 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 2)

If any other NBA team was 32-15, we’d be praising their playoff potential and coaching. Boston’s looked vulnerable much of the last month and a half which is surprising given how they could jump over Cleveland. Perhaps the Celtics will unleash that next level once March starts, but it’s got to be puzzling for those who look at the roster and last year’s championship and not see a team dominate almost every game.

#2 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 3)

Thunder fans may not like this ranking but the team up next has the better conference and home record. Plus Oklahoma City is still young and figuring out how to play to their strengths. That’s chilling for the rest of the league.

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 1)

Donovan Mitchell is having an MVP season (he’s top four in team stats in points, rebounds, assists, and steals) and Kenny Atkinson is an easy coach of the year candidate. Cleveland’s held up after their fiery start to the season and it doesn’t look like that’ll end anytime soon.

Guards Jaylon Tyson (left) and Darius Garland (right) celebrate during a thrashing of Phoenix on January 20th.

2025 NFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

January 24, 2025 jminx942 Comments

Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the NFC are the east wildcard Washington Commanders and their division winning rival Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have potent offenses, solid quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenses, and intelligent coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#6 Washington Commanders v. #3 Philadelphia Eagles

In a thrilling divisional conference finals matchup, the winner could be determined by which starting quarterback has the better game.

Conference championship games featuring division rivalries are some of the best and most memorable playoff games in NFL history. Casual viewers can remember which year a team won a Super Bowl because of a rare, divisional matchup in this round. It’s also more fun if the teams split their regular season series.

Washington has nothing to lose since no one expected they’d reach the conference finals with first year head coach Dan Quinn re-vamping the roster. Philadelphia has to protect starting quarterback Jalen Hurts as much as possible after he suffered a knee injury last weekend. That means the winner of this game will be determined by two factors: the better receiving core and which offensive and defensive lines plays best.

Both teams have great receiving cores and tight-end depth. The Commanders great play-calling and complimentary slot receivers will be a reason the game stays close. However, the Eagles have better receiver depth with Jahan Dotson and Parris Campbell. Philadelphia’s receiving core should have another big game against a mediocre secondary.

Philadelphia’s receiving core features one of the league’s best wideouts in A.J. Brown (11). Brown was great against Washington’s secondary in both regular season games.

There’s no offensive and defensive line comparisons. The Eagles dominate both sides of the line of scrimmage and overwhelmed the Commanders with their pass rush and running game in both matchups. The offensive line cleared paths for starting runningback Saquon Barkley in both high scoring divisional games. Washington doesn’t have the same number of highly skilled players on both sides of the ball the Eagles do. That will show in the second half.

Finally, all five previous rookie quarterbacks who went to a conference championship game lost. Second overall pick Jayden Daniels might not play like a rookie, but his team’s not where they want to be yet. Philadelphia has more roster depth at their disposal to tire out the Commanders.

Prediction: Eagles win the NFC championship 34-28 and advance to Super Bowl LIX

NFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2025 NFC playoff picks record: 3-2

2025 AFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

January 24, 2025 jminx942 Comments

Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the AFC are the east winning Buffalo Bills and the west division winning and conference leading Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams have fast offenses, star quarterbacks, elite defenses, and bright-minded veteran head coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#2 Buffalo Bills v. #1 Kansas City Chiefs

Despite Patrick Mahomes’ success in the postseason, Bills quarterback Josh Allen will be the most important player.

Seen as the more exciting of the two Sunday games, the Bills were the only team to beat Kansas City in the regular season playing all their starters. Buffalo’s lopsided home win boosted confidence for a future re-match. However the Chiefs have home-field advantage and will give Buffalo’s offense plenty of communication problems.

While many see this as another round of the elite quarterback rivalry between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes II, the more important factors will be time of possession and which team runs the ball better. Kansas City has the offensive and defensive line advantages, a better running game, and a better playoff savvy receiver core. These factors should give the Chiefs the time of possession advantage. Kansas City remembers the mid-November beatdown in Highmark Stadium and wouldn’t mind giving the Bills their fourth straight head-to-head playoff loss in the last five years. It wouldn’t be a first for Buffalo.

Prediction: Chiefs win the AFC championship 31-21 and advance to Super Bowl LIX

AFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2025 AFC playoff picks record: 3-2

2025 NFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

January 15, 2025 jminx943 Comments

The NFC wildcard weekend had everything audiences wanted. History was made with Washington’s first playoff win since 2005. Los Angeles won an emotional neutral location game last Monday night. The remaining four (the Detroit Lions had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with an inexperienced Commanders team remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance at making the next round.

#6 Washington Commanders v. #1 Detroit Lions

The red-hot tight-end Sam LaPorta (89) and Detroit Lions offense returns to action after a week off.

The last time Washington won a playoff game, they played another road game in a loud, hostile atmosphere against the NFL’s best scoring offense led by a runningback with at least 20 touchdowns. Two decades and one more postseason win against the Buccaneers later, the Commanders get to play…another road game in a loud, hostile atmosphere against the NFL’s best scoring offense led by a runningback with at least 20 touchdowns. While it’s been a memorable year for Washington, they don’t have enough to stop a healthier and more determined Lions.

Prediction: Lions win 28-14

#4 Los Angeles Rams v. #2 Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia’s passing attack needs to improve against a rising Rams secondary. Wide receiver A.J. Brown should have a big game Sunday.

Another divisional round matchup that was featured on Sunday night football during the regular season, this re-match will be in Philadelphia instead of Los Angeles. Head coach Sean McVay has the Rams playing their best football since December while the Eagles passing game struggles.

Ironically, Philadelphia’s passing struggles shouldn’t be a problem in this matchup. They have the better offensive and defensive lines. The talent and depth showed when the Eagles throttled Los Angeles 37-20 in their regular season meeting. Quarterback Jalen Hurts should make more plays this weekend, but Philadelphia doesn’t need him to play his best yet.

Prediction: Eagles win 40-24

NFC wildcard weekend predictions record: 2-1

2025 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

January 15, 2025 jminx943 Comments

Wildcard weekend wasn’t competitive in the AFC. Baltimore, Houston and Buffalo dominated their games and won with few scares. Just like last year’s divisional round, the remaining four (the Kansas City Chiefs had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with an inexperienced Texans team remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to pick which two teams have the best chance of making the next round.

#4 Houston Texans v. #1 Kansas City Chiefs

Houston’s defense has to play their best game of the season and limit quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ mobility.

The easiest matchup in either conference. Kansas City won the regular season meeting on the winter solstice. While most of the Chiefs starters on offense and defense will play their first game in three weeks, they should pick up where they left off after week 17. Kansas City’s offense played better until they clinched the one seed, and head coach Andy Reid is phenomenal after a bye week. Houston needs a strong start to keep pace, but will struggle with wide receiver Tank Dell out the rest of the year.

Prediction: Chiefs win 34-21

#3 Baltimore Ravens v. #2 Buffalo Bills

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson could shred Buffalo’s defense again Sunday afternoon.

This matchup could determine who wins league MVP. This time Buffalo plays at home and the defense is fully healthy. Both starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and runningback Derrick Henry must play their best game of the season in 23 degree weather.

Although Baltimore and Buffalo played each other Sunday night in week four, the result could be the same. Wide receiver Zay Flowers may not play due to a knee injury, but he had one catch for ten yards in the Ravens September rout. Jackson threw three touchdowns and Derrick Henry had over 200 all-purpose yards. The Bills defense may have stars like defensive end Greg Rousseau and middle linebacker Matt Milano, but tackling the heavy and quick Henry in freezing temperatures is a tall task. Buffalo’s offense will also have a lot of pressure to score every possession against an improved Baltimore defense. The Ravens could put this game away early in the second half.

Prediction: 42-24

AFC wildcard weekend picks record: 2-1

January 2025 NHL Power Rankings: The Big Apple’s Championship Hopes Rotted to the Core

January 11, 2025 jminx945 Comments

Florida celebrates a goal in a 5-3 home wing versus the Rangers while starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin pouts in his last game of 2024.

Every NHL analyst said at the beginning at the 2024-2025 regular season the New York Rangers were a top five team to both reach and win the Stanley Cup finals. New York had everything on paper to punch their playoff ticket and get to the second round. A top franchise goaltender? Check. A championship winning coach? Yep. A tough, defensive captain? Of course. Scoring, grit and top five special teams units? Absolutely. There were few teams favored to eliminate the Rangers in a best of seven series.

Now? New York won’t pass the lowly Islanders or Sabres in the standings. Unlike last article with the Nashville Predators, the problem for New York wasn’t the organization signing and putting together veteran, championship players with pressure to win now. Their problem is managerial mistrust. It’s a WMD that takes down any franchise on the cusp of getting to a championship.

Owner James Dolan and general manager Chris Drury executed a masterclass in how to alienate top league talent and destroy trust for any sports team. Most of the blame goes to Drury, who insisted and pushed to re-sign starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin for a whopping, league-high eight year, $92 million contract. That’s a staggering number for someone who doesn’t sniff accolades to either Sunshine State netminders (who both eliminated the Rangers in previous postseasons). Drury then had to decide who was worth keeping before Shesterkin’s signature dried on the dotted line.

There was daily chaos in New York’s locker room before Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension. Key offensive players like Mika Zibanejad weren’t playing well. After the extension players were openly upset and frustrated. Captain Jacob Trouba was pressured by Drury to drop his no-trade clause so he could be moved. Trouba wound up going to Anaheim for Ducks defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth round pick.

That deal has ripple effects. The NHLPA and scores of players have complained that the Rangers front office should have put the former captain on waivers because Trouba had a no-trade clause for some teams, but didn’t have a no-move clause. According to Remy Mastey, that would mean New York should not have forced a trade. The Rangers did all this to their captain. It wasn’t surprising the roster’s played worse after the trade. The same was done to former captain Ryan McDonagh last decade, and we know how that worked out.

No one in the organization outside Shesterkin is safe. That was shown again when former 2019 second overall pick Kaapo Kakko openly criticized coach Peter Laviolette after a beatdown against St. Louis saying, “I know we’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out.” Kakko was one of the better defenders on the Rangers penalty kill and five-on-five after Thanksgiving. While Laviolette could have been right for taking Kakko out, the timing of when the former second overall pick said this leaves one to wonder if it was his way of telling Drury he wanted out. Who could blame him? Kakko found out about Trouba going to Anaheim at a hotel sauna in Dallas.

Not even 24 hours after Kaapo Kakko’s response to being pulled against St. Louis, he was traded to Seattle for defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks. New York’s played worse during all three of these major stories. The worst performance of the season was a blown, 3-0 lead at home to Dallas before the Rangers lost in overtime last Tuesday. New York never trailed until forward Jason Robertson scored the overtime winner. The players also had a closed door meeting about their displeasure in general manager Chris Drury during their last winning streak.

We’re getting closer to seeing which NHL teams won’t make the playoffs. It’s stunning when analysts on Sportsnet, TSN, the NHL Network and ESPN all agree how there’s little hope for an organization reaching the playoffs due to shattered trust. No one will be surprised when players like Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox and Vincent Trocheck get dealt in 2025. The Rangers more than deserve this product.

Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (86) posterized goaltender Igor Shesterkin with a goal minutes into a lopsided home win in Tampa December 28th. Shesterkin was pulled after giving up five goals.

Time for the first power rankings of 2025. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to December. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)

The NHL has to stop forcing Connor Bedard and this awful Blackhawks team on national viewers. Real hockey has Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov or Sidney Crosby leading their teams to the playoffs, not top five in another horrifying draft lottery process.

#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 29)

Meanwhile, this season’s first overall pick Macklin Celebrini should be rookie of the year. Celebrini is tied for third in points with 28 and second in goals with 13 for San Jose. The Sharks are in another rebuilding year and are almost last on every side of the puck. They need to add more scoring and defensive depth this offseason.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 22)

It’s been another rough season for the Sabres as they became the only team to post multiple losing streaks of 13 games three times in at least 50 years. While Buffalo’s won five of their last eight games, NHL Network’s Steve Konroyd and Mike Johnson pointed out a big reason the Sabres struggle is due to the lack of physical play, especially around the net. Buffalo has to toughen up and take more chances.

#29 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 19)

Sometimes a slow start can derail an entire season, especially the closer teams get to the trade deadline. Nashville won four games in December but they were all against playoff favorites (yes, even the Rangers at that time). While the Predators lost to a good number of quality teams in their division, losses to Montreal, Calgary and Pittsburgh negated a lot of positives. Nashville should feel some relief January is an easier month and can make up some ground. They’re on a good start after winning their first two of three games to start the month.

#28 New York Rangers (last ranking: 5)

I said in previous power rankings that if a team ever falls more than ten spots, it’s deserved. There are many factors into why it’s happened; good or bad. New York absolutely deserves this 23 team drop. It’s a nosedive many audiences haven’t seen in years, if not a decade. The Rangers have no hope nor a chance of getting back to the top of the standings. That’s on ownership and management.

That said, it was SportsNet’s Ron MacLean with this jaw-dropping stat on December 28th after the Rangers lost to Tampa Bay: Igor Shesterkin allowed the most five or more goal performances of all netminders in 2024 with eleven. This is what general manager Chris Drury let go of Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko and probably much more for by extending Shesterkin.

#27 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 18)

At some point there has to be criticism towards general manager Ron Francis for how Seattle’s played the last two years. Teams adjusted to playing the Kraken after their unexpected postseason run in 2023, but Dave Hakstol wasn’t holding the roster back. Dan Bylsma struggles to get consistent scoring and defense from this roster. Bylsma isn’t a rookie coach either, he’s been successful for decades. Francis hasn’t replicated the magic he had with Carolina.

#26 New York Islanders (last ranking: 21)

What a terrible time to live in New York and be an NHL fan. The best team in the state is still last on the power-play and penalty kill. Their head coach also committed one last blunder of 2024 by…pulling their goalie on a defensive zone draw against the Toronto Maple Leafs down 2-1. Worth saying yet again this is the genius of general manager Lou Lamoriello after firing Barry Trotz.

#25 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)

Former third overall pick Trevor Zegras is on pace for 23 points this season after last year’s down year of 40. What kind of progression is this? What is going on with Anaheim’s development programs where one of the most treasured scoring phenoms becomes an afterthought?

#24 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 24)

The Red Wings needed a coaching change after Christmas. General manager Steve Yzerman didn’t waste time and fired Derek Lalonde on the 26th. Interestingly, Todd McLellan was chosen to succeed him and he did not hold back his thoughts of the roster after a one sided loss to Toronto. Detroit’s undefeated in 2025 after his objective rant at practice a day after losing to the Leafs.

#23 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 25)

He won’t win coach of the year but John Tortorella deserves a lot of credit for making the Flyers competitive. Philadelphia has one of the league’s worst rosters, a terrible power play and are a bottom five team on offense and defense. Yet the Flyers are still in the playoff race and have crucial wins over Columbus and Detroit. Philadelphia could fizzle out, but that won’t be in another month or two.

#22 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 31)

That was a stunning December for Montreal. The Canadiens closed out 2024 with three dominant wins over Florida, Tampa Bay and Vegas in total goals at 12-4. Then Montreal won thrillers over Colorado, Vancouver and Washington to start January. A big reason for the Canadiens’ hot streak is the better development of duo Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky under Martin St. Louis. SAP Coaching Insights revealed that of the age 21 or younger duos this season, Hutson and Slavkovsky are second in combined points this season with 54. There’s more roster building to do but the core of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jake Evans and Hutson makes the team better.

#21 Utah Hockey Club (last ranking: 23)

It’s been an uncharacteristically quiet scoring season for Nick Schmalz. He had no goals and 17 assists until Utah’s 6-0 shutout of Vegas to end November. He four goals and six assists in December. If Schmalz gets hot this month or February, it would put the Hockey Club’s playoff chances in an interesting position.

#20 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 28)

The biggest winner from the Rangers tanking is Mike Sullivan. Not only are media outlets and division rivals not talking about how much time he has left in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins are just outside the postseason standings, tied for fourth in the metropolitan division despite giving up the most goals. New York’s fall means division and conference rivals will be closer in the playoff race than many assumed before the start of November.

#19 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 12)

Injuries to star forward Elias Pettersson (and formerly captain Quinn Hughes) explain some of Vancouver’s stall, but the rumours on a rift between Pettersson and center J.T. Miller are more serious. It’s why the Canucks didn’t play energized most of 2024. It could get uglier before the trade deadline.

#18 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 27)

There’s a golden opportunity for both coach Dean Evason and Columbus’ roster to be nominated for various awards. The Blue Jackets were considered a dark-horse postseason threat in the last power rankings. Now they’re tied for the eighth seed with Pittsburgh. The big question for Columbus would be how active they are at the trade deadline when general manager Don Waddell was hired to fix a lot of mistakes from previous trades.

#17 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 17)

Give credit to Calgary; they hung around with top teams in 2024 and seem to be a good litmus test for which western conference teams are serious about making the playoffs. As discussed in the last rankings, it’s unclear how much longer the Flames keep this up. They’re a bottom three scoring offense and penalty-killing team. That won’t go away unless there are major roster moves.

#16 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 26)

Jim Montgomery was the best hire at the right time. Despite a .500 December, St. Louis has hope for a strong playoff run. They’ll pass Calgary at some point and probably Vancouver (if the Canucks remain uninspired). The Blues would be a worst case scenario for the one seed in the west.

#15 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 20)

Ottawa should be one of the league’s better season stories. Unfortunately, injuries to both goaltenders Anton Forsberg and Linus Ullmark soured the great December the Senators had. They’ve lost five of their last six games despite not playing for almost two weeks. Ottawa cannot fall back into old, bad defensive patterns with Forsberg back in net.

#14 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 13)

Don’t be fooled by the standings. Boston remains stuck despite firing Jim Montgomery. Currently riding a six game losing streak, the Bruins still have a bottom three power-play and a bottom ten offense with Joe Sacco behind the bench. That’s Boston’s worst losing streak since last decade. There won’t be change until general manager Don Sweeney is humbled.

#13 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 15)

General manager Joe Sakic trading goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to San Jose for Mackenzie Blackwood (and then extending his contract) was perfectly timed. Blackwood will play more games than expected after Buffalo’s Zach Benson injured Scott Wedgewood in January 2nd’s game. Colorado’s defense has improved after the trade and that should carry over into the second half of the season.

#12 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 4)

That Tuesday overtime win in New York is a season highlight no matter how far Dallas goes in the playoffs. The Stars never led that game and still found a way to win. Even better, captain Jamie Benn had a three game goal streak and the offense is starting to play better.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)

There’s a high chance Tampa Bay surpasses Boston in the standings (they have five more games to play) and joins the race for top seed in the atlantic division. The Lightning have played the least amount of games in the eastern conference and are in-sync on every side of the puck. They just can’t lose to teams like Anaheim, San Jose or Montreal again.

#10 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 16)

Last power rankings had the prediction Edmonton would get hot later in the regular season. The Oilers aren’t there yet, but they’re gaining ground. Like Tampa, Edmonton’s eyebrow raising losses stand out. Yet the defense has fixed most of the issues that cost them wins the first two months of the season.

#9 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 10)

The big reason Los Angeles is a much better and consistent team this year is because of their dominance at home. They’re 14-2-1, score three and a half goals a game while giving up two on defense, and the power play is near 24%. The Kings were seen as a better road team in 2023 before the December collapse. Jim Hiller has done a great job fixing last year’s mistakes.

#8 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 2)

That was a rough month for what many considered the best team in the eastern conference. The only quality win was a weekend split against New Jersey on the 28th. It’s rare to say that every loss a team took for one month will affect their postseason chances, but that’s what happened to the Hurricanes.

#7 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 14)

The recent slump and roster inexperience keeps New Jersey from being a top five team. The Devils also played the most games in the eastern conference, and that means they’ll be passed in the standings by Carolina. There’s nothing else to critique because coach Sheldon Keefe has this young core playing their best. He should be a coach of the year nominee.

#6 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 9)

Like Ottawa, Minnesota was rolling and would probably be the talk of January had potential MVP candidate Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon not fallen to injuries. The Wild are one of the league’s best stories this year, but there’s concern those injuries might place Minnesota behind Colorado if they have an average month.

#5 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 7)

It might’ve been a mistake for Toronto to transfer the team captaincy from John Tavares to Auston Matthews this year. Jonas Siegel of The Athletic reported Matthews is unsure if he’ll be able to fully move past his injury this season. Meanwhile, Tavares tied Evgeni Malkin Tuesday night for most seasons of 20+ goals among active players with 15. It wouldn’t surprise many viewers if Tavares is still seen in Toronto’s locker room as the de facto captain the rest of this season.

#4 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 8)

The spotlight is on Alex Ovechkin as he continues closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s total goals record, but the best Capital of 2024 was coach Spencer Carbery. Not only is Washington all-in with his system and tactics, they’re the best team in the eastern conference. The defense mirrors the 2018 championship season where Barry Trotz had the defense playing sharp. The offense is also back to the dangerous levels many hockey fans remembered.

#3 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 3)

This might be the only ranking readers push back on. The first half of December wasn’t what many wanted to see from Florida. While the Panthers beat Seattle and Philadelphia, they were shutout in consecutive games by Vancouver and Calgary.

Yet the second half of December is why Florida isn’t knocked down. The Panthers won a thriller in Edmonton in their first matchup since game seven of the finals. After that win, Florida dominated Minnesota, St. Louis and split with Tampa Bay. The Panthers might be where Tampa Bay was in 2022; ready for the postseason, but stuck with a lot of remaining games in the regular season. They could be distracted every other week. Until there’s a significant rough patch, don’t expect the Panthers to drop out of the top five.

#2 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Many expected some cooling for Winnipeg before 2025 started. The Jets are still tied for the best record and had impressive wins in December. There are teams Winnipeg struggles against, but there’s a few months of regular season hockey left and coach Scott Arniel has a lot of time to make those changes.

#1 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 6)

Vegas recorded a cool stat with their 3-1 home win over Anaheim on December 23rd: They’re the only team this season to be undefeated at home against their division. The Knights also won their first three games in 2025. Usually a fully healthy team back to playing championship level hockey takes care of their divisional rivals at home. Coach Bruce Cassidy has the Golden Knights playing like their old selves.

Vegas trading for San Jose forward Tomas Hertl (48, center) last year is paying off this season. His 11 goals make the Golden Knights offense one of the league’s top five units.

2025 NFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

January 8, 2025 jminx9410 Comments

The 2024-2025 NFL regular season is over. Seven teams in each conference have a chance to win the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the NFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Sunday.

#7 Green Bay Packers v. #2 Philadelphia Eagles

It’ll be a long day for Green Bay’s defense with a fully rested and healthy Saquon Barkley (26) ready to go.

Talk about a nightmare end to the regular season for Green Bay. The loss of Christian Watson to a non-contact knee injury will have Philadelphia’s defensive front feasting on the Packer offense. Runningback Josh Jacobs should soften some of the blows, but it’ll be a long day for quarterback Jordan Love. If it wasn’t lopsided enough, the Eagles will play all their rested offensive starters. A fresh Saquon Barkley will run rampant through a Packers defense that could be on the field most of the game.

Prediction: Eagles win 31-13

#6 Washington Commanders v. # #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The last time an NFL team from Washington D.C. won a playoff game, it was in 2006 against the Chris Simms led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Much has changed in 20 years, including the team favored to win. The Commanders had a great season under head coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but the Buccaneers are better. Head coach Todd Bowles has plenty of tricks, schemes and disguises he didn’t use in the week one matchup against Washington. He also has the defense to snuff out the Commanders run game.

On the flip side, Tampa’s offense is superior to Washington’s defense. The feel-good story for the Commanders is nice, but they aren’t the better and more disciplined team.

Prediction: Buccaneers win 31-13

#5 Minnesota Vikings v. #4 Los Angeles Rams

Despite a thorough Thursday night home win against Minnesota, most audiences believed the Vikings could’ve tied before an egregious, uncalled facemask against the Rams sealed the loss.

By far the best wildcard matchup in the conference, many think this will be closer and kinder for the road team. That’s hard to believe when Los Angeles dominated Minnesota at the line of scrimmage in their regular season matchup. In many ways, last weekend’s whooping by Detroit’s defense was similar to how the Rams shut down the Vikings in late October. Minnesota’s defense also struggled against veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles offense. Stafford exploited one-on-one coverage matchups against receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. When Minnesota did counter the pass, runningback Kyren Williams averaged four yards a carry and wore out the Vikings defensive line.

Something else to watch is how Minnesota receiver Justin Jefferson plays against an aggressive defense. He was terrible in his last playoff performance (two years ago when the Vikings lost at home to the New York Giants) and was held to three catches for 54 yards in Minnesota’s most important game in the regular season. It’ll be interesting to see the takes on Jefferson if he disappears against a defense he had eight catches and 115 yards against almost three months ago.

Upset prediction of wildcard weekend: Rams win 35-24

2023 regular season playoff picks record: 4-3

2025 AFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

January 8, 2025 jminx942 Comments

The 2024-2025 NFL regular season is over. Seven teams in each conference have a chance to win the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the AFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Saturday.

#5 Los Angeles Chargers v. #4 Houston Texans

The most important matchup in the first playoff game might be Houston’s wide receivers versus the Chargers secondary. Whoever wins that matchup should advance to the divisional round.

The first playoff game should be a thrilling one as Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh makes his return. The Chargers run the ball and use extra blockers while the defense plays aggressive. Houston’s stumbled all season despite having better talent. Los Angeles is disciplined and methodical in how they attack opponents. Don’t be surprised if the Chargers break out and cruise to victory in the second half.

Prediction: Chargers win 30-23

#6 Pittsburgh Steelers v. #3 Baltimore Ravens

Viewers are in for another round of AFC north playoff football. Pittsburgh lost their last four games (including a season split with the Ravens) and Baltimore’s peaking at the best time. The Ravens cleaned up a lot of defensive errors while the Steelers struggle to score more than ten points a half. Defenses might have figured out offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and how quarterback Russell Wilson’s adapted out east. It won’t take long for reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson to break out.

Prediction: Ravens win 31-20

#7 Denver Broncos v. #2 Buffalo Bills

Denver’s best chance of an upset road win in Buffalo is to stifle the Bills offense all game.

This could be the best game all wildcard weekend. Denver has the defense to nullify Buffalo’s offense for at least one half. The Broncos offense v. the Bills defense will determine who wins this game. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix gets better each week but Buffalo’s Sean McDermott has plenty of tricks to use. The Bills have a good front seven, and that will wear out the Broncos offensive line and tight ends.

Prediction: Bills win 16-10

2024 regular season playoff picks record: 4-3