Something on my Mind: April Insanity (2)

To carry on my listed thoughts from last week...

3. Obviously, the Tampa Bay Lightning is a shoo-in from the East, and quite probably for the whole thing. Washington is coming on strong, at the right time, and should be considered as a finalist. I am leaning towards the New York Islanders, mostly for past and present reasons, both for sentiment and skill.

I am not a prophet, but that has never stopped me from going out on a limb and naming the two finalists for Lord Stanley's mug. So (drum roll, please) in the grand scheme of things, I would call for the Flames or the Jets out of the West and the Lightning or Islanders out of the East.

When it comes right down to it, I call Calgary and Tampa Bay, with Tampa Bay taking home the Stanley Cup.

4. Under no conditions do I want to see the Toronto Maple leafs get anywhere. I am so sorry they have clinched a playoff berth already. I just hope they get swept in the first round.

Regardless of what sports source I read, it's "Toronto this" or "Toronto that." Every other Canadian team gets minimal coverage. Everything revolves around the Raptors, Blue Jays, Argonauts, in addition to the Maple Leafs. I get so weary of a Toronto-centred sports scene.

5. There are some really cool success stories out there, with the Islanders and the Coyotes coming to mind. The Islanders have struggled for years with mismanagement and were predicted to be well out of the playoffs by this time of year. Much of the turnaround can be credited to their current bench boss, Barry Trotz, and general manager, Lou Lamoriello.

But the really warm (pun mercilessly intended) story is the Arizona Coyotes. While Trotz will likely get the Jack Adams award, Rick Tocchet should get serious consideration. What he has done with those "desert dogs" is astounding. They didn't make again this year, but they were very close.

There are a lot of skilled players on that team and it seems that their talents have all been pooled together finally. I can't see them making it out of the first round, whatever year they get there. But, who knows: They've made this far on goals, guts and grit.

Like my thoughts on basketball, while I am neither player nor fan, at least with hockey I do enjoy it. I follow the game fairly religiously, but not to the point of being of being "holy" consumed with it.

You see, I am cool, calm, and collected, so that makes me a fan. It's when I am consumed with madness that I'm a fanatic.

Here's to insanity.