Morning musings: August 3

Matt Dumba: saving grace as the saving face for the NHL…

I was very disappointed there wasn’t a strong social progress statement/moment during the first game back, particularly given the need to set the tone after their sad attempts in the exhibition games. When the time came, however, Matt Dumba impressed us all with his poignant and heartfelt plea for progress. Let’s hope it didn’t fall on deaf ears NHL and NHLPA actions match HDA words.

A few thoughts on the first game back (sorry not sorry, NBC)…

Perfectly suited for a Rangers fans, my thoughts on game one v. the Canes:

• Lundqvist was on his knees before the anthem, terrible goal. Does he take a single shot standing up? Does he stop anything above his shoulders not with his face? Props for bouncing back in the second, but ultimately the Rangers have no shot with Hank, because...
• … Carolina looked infinitely more prepared and in sync. Brind’amour had these boys ready.
• So, which is it? The NBC crew claimed Hank looked ‘great’ in the first, but their second intermission graphic ran ‘Hank shakes off the rust.’
• Saving myself from a rant here, but the NBC crew is terrible, save for the 30 seconds they let Kevin Weekes speak. They miss so much and make mistakes (wrong players, missed calls, etc.). They provide little to no interesting or relevant info (can we get a play breakdown instead of a promo just once a period?).
• Side note 1: Does Doc Emrick talk with anyone, not to them?
• Speaking of that second intermission, they spent half of it promoting their later Hawks-Oilers game and having Pierre McGuire talk about his hotel room service. Maybe the 1-goal game going into the final period we’re actually watching merits a little attention?
• Side note 2: does anyone talk about themselves more than Pierre McGuire?
• Speaking of bad promos: don’t you just love how desperate the league is to peddle C-rate celebrities’ promos in 2020? Inferiority complex much?
• Side note 3: Over/under on when do see Cuba Gooding? 1.5 more games (or did I miss it in another match)?
• Larry’s comments about Carolina’s Svechnikov-Aho-Teuvo trio being merely ‘shifty and talented’ is so underselling them. I honestly cannot decide who I’d pick b/w Panarin-Zibs-CK as a top 3 or them.
• When compared to the exhibition games, the Game Ones all felt like they were playing on fast forward. Love the quick pick-up in intensity.

• Final thought: those Canes uniforms are wretched. The unis might look spiffy from 2 feet out, but on TV? The look like indiscriminate black blobs. Not to mention two strong, dark tones like that break every design rule ever. Get me a contrast colour, stat.

Uber Eats delivers…

After a lot of talk in my social circle where I’ve professed the overratedness of Carey Price (main argument: he’s never stolen a series/only won when it’s been expected), he delivered a big ol’ shit burger to my home address in game one. Two more like this and I’ll may* have to retire that argument.

SAT Prep Q…

True or False? McCoy and Gronk to the Bucs and failed championship cash-in is to Malone and Payton to the Lakers and failed championship cash-in

An argument for middle management…

Without Brady to smooth over ‘difficult to deal with’ upper management, all the employees are jumping ship.

Hmm… maybe I’ll save that analogy for my next job interview…