I'm trying to keep up with former Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips taking part in the NHL playoffs. Right now, only T-Birds are being represented in the race for the Cup.
Here are a couple of stories involving Jim O'Brien (T-Birds 2007-2009):
(Turris & O'Brien celebrate Game 4 OT score & win - Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
Jim O'Brien living the dream in NHL playoffs with Ottawa:
http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=628296
O'Brien had the assist in the OT game winner in Game 4
http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2011030114
Rob Klinkhammer (T-Birds 2005-2006) has also seen a little action with the Sens, although he was a scratch today.
(this is Klinkhammer late in the regular season - Photo: Bruce Bennet/Getty Images)
Former T-Bird Patrick Marleau (1995-1997) didn't fare so well, as his Sharks were knocked out by the Blues. Judging by the tweets about Patty, there's a lot of frustration surrounding his play, or lack thereof (0 points). Former Seattle hockey wunderkind T.J. Oshie, however, had 3 assists in 5 games to help the Blues move on:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011030165
(A frustrated Marleau today - Photo: Dilip Vishnawat/Getty Images)
(Oshie - Photo: Sarah Conrad/Reuters)
The Washington Capitals are up 3 games to 2 over reigning champs the Boston Bruins. Former T-Bird Brooks Laich (2001-2003) has 1 goal and 3 assists so far:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011030125
(Laich scores here - Photo: Larry Downing/Reuters)
There seem to be quite a few rookies representing in the playoffs and the NHL has courteously listed their stats for us:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/rookies.htm#?navid=nav-ply-rkies
I don't think I'm missing any other former T-Birds or Silvertips - but if you spot an omission, please let me know!
The playoffs always bring out the best (and sometimes the worst) in teams, players and their fans. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter really gives a glimpse into the minds of hockey fans, but nothing displays passion more than the numerous fan blogs all over the interwebs.
I enjoyed learning more about teams like the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning this season through blogs like Preds on the Glass, The View from 111, Lightning Shout and Raw Charge. Traveling to Atlantic City to cover the AHL All Star game led to another stellar Preds blog, Smashville 24/7.
I thought it would be pretty awesome to follow the playoffs by not only watching the games on TV, but reading the blogs of each team battling for the Cup. As I believe in sharing, here's the list I've compiled. I hope you enjoy reading them as much I'm enjoying them, and welcome any blog suggestions you have.
Vancouver Canucks v. Los Angeles Kings
Canucks blogs:
Benched Whale (Twitter: @BenchedWhale)
Nucks Misconduct (Twitter: @NucksMisconduct)
Humming Giraffe (Twitter: @alixiswright)
Canucks Hockey Blog (Twitter: CanucksHockey)
Canucks Army (Twitter: CanucksArmy)
Kings blogs:
LA Kings Court (Twitter: @LAKingsCourt)
Kingscast (Twitter: @Kingscast)
Frozen Royalty (Twitter: @FrozenRoyalty)
View from My Seats (Twitter: @ViewFromMySeats)
Mayors Manor (Twitter: @mayorNHL)
New Jersey Devils v. Florida Panthers
Devils blogs:
Speaking of the Devils (Twitter: @SpeakoftheDevs)
Down Goes Avery (Twitter: @DownGoesAvery)
Devils Army (Twitter: @DevilsGenerals)
Steve Palumbo (Twitter: @StevePalumboNHL)
Seth Everett (Twitter: @Seth_Everett)
Panthers blog:
Litter Box Cats (Twitter: @LitterBoxCats)
Philadelphia Flyers v. Pittsburgh Penguins
Flyers blogs:
Broad Street Hockey (Twitter: @BroadStHockey)
Flyers Faithful (Twitter: @Flyers_Faithful)
The 700 Level (Twitter: @The700Level)
Flyers - The Checking Line (Twitter: @TCLFlyers)
Penguins blogs:
Pens Universe (Twitter: @PensUniverse)
Face Off-Factor (Twitter: @FaceOffFactor)
Empty Netters (Twitter: @EmpyNetters)
Puck Huffers (Twitter: @PuckHuffers)
The Pens Nation (Twitter: @ThePensNation)
High Heels & Hockey (Twitter: @highheelshockey)
Pensburgh (Twitter: @Pensburgh)
Detroit Red Wings v. Nashville Predators
Red Wings blogs:
Winging It in Motown (Twitter: @WingingItMotown)
Abel to Yzerman (Kukla's Korner)
Nightmare on Helm Street (Twitter: @HelmStNightmare)
Predators blogs:
Preds On the Glass (Twitter: @PredsOntheGlass)
The View from 111 (Twitter: @TheViewfrom111)
Smashville 24/7 (Twitter: @Smashville247)
RLD Hockey (Twitter: @RLDHockey)
Washington Capitals v. Boston Bruins
Capitals blogs:
Japers Rink (Twitter: @JapersRink)
Peerless Prognosticator
Homer McFanboy (Twitter: @HomerMcFanboy)
Russian Machine Never Breaks (Twitter: @RussianMachine)
On Frozen Blog (Twitter: @OnFrozenBlog)
Bruins blogs:
Stanley Cup of Chowder (Twitter: @CupofChowdah)
Days of Y'Orr (Twitter: @JustinDOY)
Ottawa Senators v. New York Rangers
Senators blogs:
Sens Chirp (Twitter: @SensChirp)
The 6th Sens (Twitter: @6thSens)
Silver Seven Sens (Twitter: @SilverSevenSens)
Rangers blogs:
Scotty Hockey (Twitter: @ScottyHockey)
Blueshirt Banter (Twitter: @BlueshirtBanter)
NY Rangers Blog (Twitter: @TheNYRBlog)
San Jose Sharks v. St. Louis Blues
Sharks blog:
Fear the Fin (Twitter: @FeartheFin)
Blues blogs:
Frozen Notes (Twitter: @FrozenNotes)
St. Louis Game Time
Blue Note Zone (Twitter: @BlueNoteZone)
Chicago Blackhawks v. Phoenix Coyotes
Blackhawks blogs:
Second City Hockey (Twitter: @2ndCityHockey)
Committed Indians (Twitter: @CommittedIndian)
The 300 Level (Twitter: @The300Level)
Hockey Broad (Twitter: @HockeyBroad)
Coyotes blogs:
Five for Howling (Twitter: @FiveforHowling)
Your Mama Plays Hockey
The Yotes Diva (Twitter: @TheYotesDiva)
If you're into more "general" hockey blogs, here are just a few of the best out there:
Puck Daddy (Twitter: @YahooPuckDaddy, @wyshynski, @Sean_Leahy)
Spector's Hockey (Twitter: @SpectorsHockey
Hockey Independent (Twitter: @HockeyIndie)
Puck Buddys (Twitter: @PuckBuddys)
The Hockey Guys (Twitter: @TheHockeyGuys)
The Hockey Writers (Twitter: @TheHockeyWriter)
