Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

American Thanksgiving Is Quickly Approaching

11/09/2018 at 5:29pm EST

No, I am not going to predict which teams will make the playoffs as we approach Thanksgiving (since I am an American, I do not have to refer to it as 'American Thanksgiving').

Instead, I would rather just write about what we have seen this season at this point in the NHL.

Consider Me Your Review Source

Just like this ruby slots casino review is a good place to start for casino reviews, I will take you on a review of all things NHL for the first six weeks of the regular season.

Team to Beat

Is there any NHL team that has jumped out to make you think "wow, that team is going to be hard to beat." In my opinion, there isn't one but to me, the Washington Capitals look to be the most solid team this year.

The Tampa Bay Lightning should be another team with Stanley Cup dreams in the Eastern Conference.

In the West, both Winnipeg and Nashville look to be the teams to beat in this early part of the season but as most of us know, there are many things to consider when trying to find the favorites early in the season.

Some of the factors to consider injuries to key players, team depth and of course the play of the goaltenders.

Also in this early part of the season we must consider the unity of teammates. Everyone seems to be on the same page at this point but as we get deeper into the season, players sometimes stray off which can turn team chemistry into a negative.

Team Speed

Boy, the Montreal Canadiens looked so fast at the start of the season, not so much lately. But the game has certainly picked up a notch and if a team has slow-moving defense, it a a problem now and will continue to be so.

As long as we don't see the referees changing the way they call the game, teams with speed and talent should be the ones who will have a distinct advantage.

Coaching

How well can the coaching staff adjust as the season plays out? A key question which in my opinion is not looked at enough.

Most NHL head coaches can adjust on the fly and are good at it, but if something different is thrown at them, well then the coaching becomes even more important.

Some say a good coach can win maybe 5 more games per season but I feel it is even more than that. Keep an eye on the coach throughout the season.

Goaltending

Any great goaltenders out there this season? And when I say great, I mean someone who is giving their team a chance to win every game.

Many of the goaltenders have had very good games but as we know, some can slump badly so it is important we look for consistent goaltending play, it could make or break a season for a team.

Fast Forward To Mid-June

Stanley Cup finalists- I have no idea at this point and all I can suggest is let the season play out and by early February, we should have a clearer picture of teams favored to lift Lord Stanley.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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