Author: Patrick Hoffman
Patrick covers the NHL for Inside The Rink. He has previously covered the league for The Ultimate Hockey Fan Cave, WTP Sports, Sportsnet.ca, Kukla’s Korner, Spector’s Hockey, NHL Network Radio blog, TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Stan Fischler’s “The Fischler Report”, as well as a slew of others.
Rangers Have X-Factor in Shesterkin for Game 7 Against the Devils
Every single series in the Stanley Cup playoffs has one player that can win or change a series. In the first-round series between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, Devils goaltender Akira Schmid seemed to be that guy after his performances in Games 3, 4, and 5. Schmid, 22, stopped 80 of 82 […]
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Rangers’ Offense Has Gone Missing At the Wrong Time
After scoring a combined ten goals in beating the New Jersey Devils by identical scores of 5-1 in both Games 1 and 2 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup, the entire New York Rangers offense has gone missing. In fact, the team’s offense has been so bad that because of it, the Devils are […]
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Is it Time for The Flames to Give the Net to Dustin Wolf?
After being one of the league’s best teams last season, the Calgary Flames missed the Stanley Cup playoffs this season. One of the main reasons they are sitting home right now watching the postseason is because of the inconsistent play of their goaltenders, Jacob Markstrom and Dan Vladar. Yes, the team’s defense certainly did not […]
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What Is Going On With Rangers Forward Zibanejad?
Coming into his team’s first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was flying high. Zibanejad, 30, had a career-best regular season this year. He finished the season with 39 goals and 52 assists for 91 points, good for second on the team behind Artemi Panarin (91 […]
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Islanders Shooting Themselves in The Foot in Their Series with the Hurricanes
It does not have to be this way for the New York Islanders in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes. Going into this series, the Islanders had the better goaltender in Ilya Sorokin, a little bit more offensive depth than the injury-ravaged Hurricanes, and they had been playing playoff-style hockey for […]
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Who Should The Oilers Start in Goal in Game 5?
Coming into the first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, it was clear that the Oilers’ net belonged to rookie Stuart Skinner. Skinner, 24, certainly earned the starting job for the playoffs thanks to a terrific regular season. He went 29-14-5 with a 2.75 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage, […]
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Schmid Earns Devils Net for Rest of Playoff Series With the Rangers
The play of New Jersey Devils goaltender Vitek Vanecek during the regular season is one of the reasons why the team had so much success and made it into the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Vanecek, 27, was 33-11-0-4 with a 2.45 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts during […]
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Evason’s Two-Goalie System Backfires At the Wrong Time
When it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs and goaltending, teams will often go with one goaltender more often than not. You generally will not see clubs rotate their goaltenders and instead stick with the hot hand at the most important time of the year. Sure, it is okay to split time during the regular […]
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Do Not Sleep on the Kraken
Coming into their second season in the NHL, not much was expected from the Seattle Kraken. Last year, the Kraken were the third-worst team in the league with a 27-49-6 record and 60 points. They had trouble scoring goals, did not get great goaltending, and were outmatched by almost every other team. This season was […]
Read MoreA Look Back At Crazy Offer Sheets in the NHL
As a New York Rangers fan, I am well aware of offer sheets. On August 7th of, 1997, the Blueshirts signed the great Colorado Avalanche forward Joe Sakic to a contract offer sheet of $21 million over three seasons. At the time, the team was looking to replace Mark Messier since the “Messiah” went and signed […]
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