The 2007 NBC Drama Pilots

Okay, I promised I'd get to it in the future and friends, the future is now. (Oh, he did not just say that.)

Now then, a few weeks back I posted my hopes and predictions for the new fall TV lineups from the "big four" networks. I did a few brief write-ups on new pilots I've read about and would like to see on the schedules. Thing is, it was all wishful thinking. I have a better chance of being struck by lightning (twice and in the same place) than being even close to accurate.

Having said that, this week I'm going to go through all the drama pilots in production one by one. We'll kick it off with NBC, again following the order of the upfronts which begin, as you know, on May 14.

My source for pilot info is, as ever, the all-powerful futon critic. I'm not going re-hash information that's already available. This is just me talking about what pilots I like the premises/casts/producers of so that when they're picked up I can say "I told you so" or when they're dropped I can eat my words. Words are yummy anyway.

There are eight drama pilots from NBC. For each, you got your pitch, your slant, your faces, and your puppetmasters. Try to ignore the weather forecasts that inexplicably accompany each potential show. I don't really know what they mean.

The Bionic Woman
The Pitch
Woman barkeep playing substitute mom to kid sister gets injured in devestating car wreck.
The Slant
Über-cool, out-of-this-world tech gives her superpowers and another shot at life — at a price.
The Faces
Michelle Ryan leads this crack team which also includes Mae Whitman (Egg on "Arrested Development"), Miguel Ferrer ("Crossing Jordan"), Molly Price ("Third Watch"), Katee Sackhoff, Chris Bowers, and Will Yun Lee.
The Puppetmasters
The creators are Laeta Kalogridis and David Eick, the latter of which some may know from "Battlestar Galactica." Personally, I have yet to see the Sci-Fi series which I have heard only raves about. Their cohorts include Bruno Heller, who last wrote "unknown episodes" of the "Brilliant But Cancelled" USA network series "Touching Evil," according to IMDb. The director is Michael Dinner, who has been a part of "North Shore," "Mister Sterling," "Karen Sisco," and "Invasion." Damn, where are all those shows? (I jest, of course. Except that I actually liked and watched "Mister Sterling." Oh, shut up.)
The Forecast
Overcast I have to say I've always been fascinated by remakes but by and large, they don't often have the ring of success associated with them. Still, I'm fascinated.

Chuck
The Pitch
Joe Blow nerdy-guy gets strange email from old friend.
The Slant
Old friend happens to be spy and now Joe Blow has big secrets in his brain.
The Faces
Zachary Levi or somebody plays the title character who, oddly enough, happens to be named Chuck. He plays with Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Yvonne Strzechowski, Sarah Lancaster, Natalie Martinez, who some people think is hot. Can we get on with it already?
The Puppetmasters
Well Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are the co-creators. Schwartz created "The O.C." and to my joy, killed Marissa Cooper. Fedak has done nothing that neither I nor the venerable IMDb are aware of. Serving in capacity of EP/director is McG.
The Forecast
Partly Cloudy I like the idea. I like Schwartz. "The O.C." was never better than when solely in his hands.

Fort Pit
The Pitch
Fuck-up NYPD cops get dumped in pathetic Brooklyn precinct.
The Slant
Precinct big-wig hires "talented rookies" to upend slacker attitudes.
The Faces
Viola Davis ("Century City") plays the big-wig and aside from James Badge Dale ("24") the cast rounds out with a bunch of folks I've never heard of. Some of which include Elias Koteas, Michael Rispoli, David Call, Cornell Womack, and Dania Ramirez.
The Puppetmasters
Denis Leary and Jim Serpico (both of "Rescue Me" fame) are EPing. Michael Chernuchin ("Third Watch") and Peter Tolan (also "Rescue Me") are the creators and also executive producers. Tolan is even directing.
The Forecast
Overcast I never watched "Rescue Me" but I've heard it's very good. NBC says the pilot is a "dark comedy that's so satirical, it has to be called a drama." Unfortunately, the vast majority of what would be considered Americans are generally not fans of satire as many don't understand it and the rest believe they are being talked down to. Goddamn, when is "Studio 60" coming back on the air already?!

Journeyman
The Pitch
Regular fella has normal, happy life.
The Slant
But he travels into the past to change things up — and possibly save an ex-fiancée. Dan Vassar, you naughty, naughty boy.
The Faces
Kevin McKidd, Lucius of "Rome," plays the lead. Gretchen Egolf is his wife and Moon Bloodgood is his dead almost-wife. Other cast members include Reed Diamond and Brian Howe.
The Puppetmasters
Kevin Falls and Alex Graves, both of "West Wing" fame, shall serve as EPs. Falls is also the creator while Graves will direct the pilot. Graves also directed more than his share of "West Wing" shows, especially in the post-Sorkin days.
The Forecast
Sunny I don't know how he does it but it sounds pretty fucking cool. And I like Brits on American TV. I hope they don't make him change his accent a la Hugh Laurie. Dude, but I love "House."

Life
The Pitch
Cop with zen-like approach gets jaded partner.
The Slant
Cop got his "zen-like approach" after spending years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
The Faces
Damian Lewis plays our hero, Detective Charlie Crews. His "jaded" partner was Bradley Cooper's sexy assistant on "Alias," Sarah Shahi. Adam Arkin (from just about anything produced by David E. Kelley) and Robin Weigert (Calamity Jane on "Deadwood") round out the group.
The Puppetmasters
Rand Ravich serves as creator. He wrote the pilot in '05 about cops from the '70s. The nets just don't like period pieces anymore I guess. The pilot is helmed by David Semel who has directed only some of the best shows on TV. Ravich and Semel are both listed as executive producers.
The Forecast
Partly Cloudy Despite NBC's press release suggesting that Crews "offers up unique insights into each crime" and "reminds us of all the little things we take for granted," I'm tempted to thing it won't be too cheesy. So I'd watch.

Lipstick Jungle
The Pitch
Three ambitious women from NYC support each other.
The Slant
Not sure, it basically sounds like "Sex And The City II."
The Faces
Brooke Shields, Lindsay Price (the failed U.S. version of "Coupling") and Kim Raver (Jack's Audrey on "24"), I imagine are the three leads. Although Kim Raver's character appears to be naemd Nico O'Neilly. Say that out loud. David Noroña, Julian Sands, David Alan Basche and Christopher Wiehl round out the cast. (Which explains why Roger was banished from the post-apocalyptic town of Jericho.)
The Puppetmasters
I've never heard of DeAnn Heline or Eileen Heisler but IMDb tells me they're the creative force behind "How I Met Your Mother" and "Murphy Brown." Never watched either. The show is based on a Candace Bushnell book and directed by Gary Winick.
The Forecast
Rainy Not interested. I don't have much more to say on the subject. Except that I hope this doesn't mean Audrey Raines bites it at the end of this season. And I hope the success of Darren Star's show doesn't lead NBC to think this show would do the same.

M.O.N.Y.
The Pitch
Kid from "old neighborhood" elected to fight city hall.
The Slant
Mayor slips into a coma and the kid has to take his place.
The Faces
Bobby Cannavale is the only name I recognize. His cohorts include Amy Ryan, Aria Moayed and Carmen Ejogo.
The Puppetmasters
Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson ("The Jury") are the creators behind this one. And get this: Spike Lee is directing the pilot. What a crazy world.
The Forecast
Rainy So I'm guessing M.O.N.Y. stands for "mayor of New York" but that's pure speculation. Seriously. Okay, and did I mention I'm not interested? But my interests don't seem to mesh with the general television audience. I can't work out how "CSI" is the highest rated show on TV.

Winters
The Pitch
Tough-as-nails chick cop gets partnered with God-fearing man-of-faith cop.
The Slant
What if Greg House was that chick cop?
The Faces
The illustrious Famke Janssen is House, er, Winters. Her partner is Dorian Missick, fresh on the heels of the failed "Six Degrees." Barry Shabaka Henley, Sarah Clarke and Xander Berkeley round out the awesome cast. (We know the excellent husband-and-wife team of Berkeley and Clarke from "24," of course.)
The Puppetmasters
David Shore and Peter Blake are the EPs and creators. Ah, now you understand all the "House" references. The director is Tony Goldwyn (who's also directed episodes of "House" if I'm not mistaken).
The Forecast
Sunny I like house so this is sounding rather interesting to me. Oh, Nina Myers and George Mason are going to be so cool in this show. I can't even imagine. And before you ask why I think this pilot's going to be like "House," aside from the producers, NBC says "everybody lies" in their press release. So there.

That's a wrap for NBC's drama pilots. If all goes as planned, you can expect comedy pilots a week from today.

And for tomorrow... ABC's drama pilots. You know you want it.

The information here is accurate only insofar as the futon critic has accurate information. As of this writing, this is what I know. And I only know what they publish. Now get the whole story there.

Hiro Roots For Rangers

My two blog topics came crashing into each other today at Madison Square Garden. In attendance at the Rangers/Sabres game was Masi Oka, who plays Hiro Nakamura on "Heroes," which just might be one of the best shows on television. "Lost" isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Anyway, it's cool because I don't really want either of these teams to win the series (paradox, I know), but he probably doesn't even know a thing about hockey.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 18

Out of the four Game 2s that took place over the last two days, half went to double-OT. (There were three 2s in that sentence. Five if you coun't the two 2s in "four.") Oh, and another game went to double-OT? But playoff overtime is what hockey fans live and die for. So it's cool. Both of today's games ended 3-2. Read about them here.

Rangers 2, Sabres 1, 2OT
Sabres lead series 2-1
And the double-OT games continue for the third consecutive day. Michal Rozsival may have saved the day for the Rangers to keep them from going down 3-0 in the series, but Henrik Lundqvist was the real hero with 37 saves. Following a scoreless first, Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring of the game with a quick goal just 33 seconds into the middle period. Daniel Briere tied the game for Buffalo on the power play in the middle of period three. Overtime was required for New York to earn their first win of the series in front of a home crowd. Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk have the call for NBC HD. By the way, Masi Oka and John McEnroe were in attendance at today's game.

Ducks 3, Canucks 2
Ducks lead series 2-1
The other 3-2 final today. Dustin Penner gave the Ducks the early lead three minutes in. And despite Anaheim giving them oodles of power plays, the Canucks had nothing to show for it. Until the last 48 seconds of the first period when Markus Naslund scored with the man advantage for the first time in the series. Francois Beauchemin gave Anaheim the lead back midway through the second but Daniel Sedin tied it again just minutes later. But in the end it was Corey Perry's power play tally in period three that gave the Ducks the victory and the lead in the series. Dave Strader and Andy Brickley had the call on Versus in HD.

Photos: ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com

A Comforting Sight

With the Lightning sadly no longer in the postseason, images like this one tend to comfort me. I was a little annoyed the Devils managed the OT victory last night. That was two nights in a row the team I was pulling for fell over in double-overtime. I'm not impressed. Rangers-Sabres hockey begins soon. Can't wait.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 17

What an exciting night! It started this afternoon with a team coming back from two goals down to win for this first time in this playoff year. And the night ended in double overtime!

Red Wings 3, Sharks 2
Series tied 1-1
This game was 84 seconds away from overtime until Pavel Datsyuk saved the day for Detroit. From the begining, it didn't look like the Red Wings had a prayer in this game. Jonathan Cheechoo gave San Jose the extremely early lead just 36 seconds into the game. Joe Thorton made it 2-0 a few minutes later and, as should be painfully obvious, the Wings were playing like shit. It reminded me of how Calgary played in Game 2 of that series. But Henrik Zetterberg got Detroit on the board with about two minutes left in the period and his team started to play actual hockey again. Daniel Clearly scored the Wings' second of the afternoon and it stayed tied until 1:24 to go in the third. We almost had some OT. NBC had HD coverage.

Devils 3, Senators 2, 2OT
Series tied 1-1
Ottawa has never won a Game 2 after winning a Game 1. And nothing changed tonight. Brian Gionta scored the first goal of the game less than two minutes in. (There have been a lot of quick goals in these playoffs.) Then, while his team was on a 5-on-3, Sergei Brylin scored with two tenths of a second left in the period. Yes, it was that close. And we only know that because of video replay. Ottawa spoiled Brodeur's record-setting shutout bid 4:23 into the second period. Dany Heatley forced overtime with 27 seconds to go in regulation and Ray Emery pulled for the extra attacker. It wasn't meant to be for the Sens though, as Jamie Langenbrunner would put the game away on a breakaway just two minutes into the second OT. Love that OT. The game was in hi-def on Versus.

Note: I went ahead and updated the draft order post with the rest of the teams who were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals. If you're interested. I'll update it again at the end of this round.

Photos: ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com

Keep Your Eye On The Puck

Thought this was a pretty cool photo. It was taken during this afternoon's Detroit/San Jose game by Jerry Mendoza of the Associated Press.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 16

In the last round, the teams that won Game 1 generally lost Game 2. It's not true across the board, but we'll see how things go this time around. So far, though, my predictions are on target. I've already talked about how all the teams that won Game 1 won the series in that round. If that holds true in this one then all my predicted teams will be correct. Moving on to tonight's action.

Sabres 3, Rangers 2
Sabres lead series 2-0
Ryan Miller saved the day for Buffalo, especially toward the end of the game. Marty Straka gave New York hope by scoring first with the man-advantage in period one. Fifty seconds later, Brian Campbell scored on a Sabres power play to tie it up. In the final two minutes of the second period, Paul Mara (a former Bolt) scored his first-ever playoff goal (also on the power play) to give the Rangers the lead. But it would not last much longer than the intermission as Chris Drury tied it only 24 seconds into the third. Thomas Vanek netted the winner as the Sabres go up 2-0. Everyone thought New York would kick ass after the first-round sweep but Atlanta just sucked that much. Versus has the game tonight, but not in HD.

Canucks 2, Ducks 1, 2OT
Series tied 1-1
The Canucks just love the OT. It took nearly 88 minutes of hockey to produce a winner tonight and since it was Vancouver, this series is now even. Markus Naslund scored first to give the Canucks the lead in the second period. Travis Moen scored just a few minutes later to tie the game. And it remained that way until the second overtime period. Versus has coverage with Dave Strader and company.

Photos: ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com

“Studio 60” Returning Thursday, May 24th!

This is a screen grab from the official NBC site for "Studio 60" and it lists a return date of Thursday, May 24 at 10 PM! I'm so excited! Spread the word to everyone you know! God knows I will. (Hey, I'm doing it right now!)



Here's the thing, though. By the time the show comes back, we'll already know its fate as far as the fall schedule goes, since NBC makes its upfront presentation 10 days before that. It's interesting that they're placing it on Thursdays, as that was the show's initially-announced timeslot when the '06 fall schedule was unveiled just a year ago. Albeit, they placed it at 9 PM during "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI." Of course that wasn't going to work.

Anyway, I'm thrilled! I'm also going to use this opportunity to say that I've been working on the pilot write-ups I promised a while back. I can say definitively that I will begin posting them on Monday. I'll be doing drama pilots next week and comedies the week after.

Hope you enjoy it! And I hope you enjoy the return of "Studio 60" as well!

More Pucks Behind Brodeur

This puck may not have come off a Lightning stick, but it doesn't make it any less sweet to look at. Let's see if the Sens can finally get past the semifinals this year.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 15

It was another night of Game 1s in the '07 semis. And it was all about the road teams. At this point I'm going to go ahead and take this opportunity to remind everyone that the teams that won Game 1 in the first round are now in the second round. Anyway, go on, read about them here.

Senators 5, Devils 4
Senators lead series 1-0
It's a lot like what happened with Vancouver and Dallas. Nine goals, give me a break. But Game 1 is your chance to feel the other team out. The weird thing is nobody scored twice. The Sens had a 4-0 lead after 16:39 of play in the first period. You think the game's over? No. The Devils score three straight to get within one by the end of the second and then you're thinking it's anybody's game in the third. Then 43 seconds in, Wade Redden gets Ottawa the two-goal lead back. But when Zach Parise scored with 30 seconds left and six men on, you almost fall off the edge of your seat. This game was not televised nationally — regrettably.

Sharks 2, Red Wings 0
Sharks lead series 1-0
Every other series saw at least one team with five goals yet San Jose only scored two goals, both of which came during a 24-second span in the middle of the first period. Matt Carle and Mike Grier were responsible. My favorite thing about this game was Nabokov shutting out the Wings. Keep it up, Sharks! Detroit needs to play this series like they aren't facing Calgary. It's a very different team. I'm sure we'll see a very different Game 2. Unless Holmstrom is still out and then I'm going to have to seriously wonder about his affect on the Red Wings. Versus had this game tonight on its regular telecast. They don't do HD on Thursdays and Fridays for some reason.

Photos: ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com

Retro Returning, Now For Canucks

I know this news is a couple months old, but since I just posted about the Caps, I figured it was relevant.

The Vancouver Canucks will apparently be donning new threads come the fall as well. And just like Washington, the Canucks are planning a return to their original '70s colors of blue, green and white. No word on whether they'll be keeping the orca logo, going back to the original logo, or designing a completely new one all together.

Either way, we find out on August 1.

I found the original post at Canucks Hockey Blog.

You can catch a glimpse of Johnny Canuck painted on the side of Roberto Luongo's mask on nights when the local team wears its vintage blue, green and white uniforms. And the question begs: "Is the artwork on Luongo's mask a hint of things to come?"

The modern day Canucks' marketing machine has instructed its large army of merchandising retailers to stand by for an announcement on Aug. 1.

"Right now we're ordering next year's inventory blindly," says the owner of a sporting goods outlet in North Vancouver. "All we've been told is that the colours of the uniforms will be blue, green and white, but we don't know what the crest is going to look like. The current killer whale [or orca] jersey, as we understand it, will be kept in reserve and occasionally be used as a 'classic' uniform."

So far, I've learned of six teams that have definite plans to change their logos. I have a source in retail that would probably rather not be named. (Look at me trying to be all cryptic.) Aside from Vancouver and Washington, the other four teams that I know of which will see major- or minor-scale uniform and logo changes are the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and thankfully, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

We'll follow along this summer and see what happens.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 14

What happened here? It was the start of the conference semifinals tonight! I was suffering through some pretty nasty withdrawal last night, what with there being no hockey for the first time in two weeks. And this is what I get? A 5-2 game and a 5-1 game. Not even a close one. This wouldn't have happened if the Stars had won Game 7. Anyway, here's what happened tonight.

Sabres 5, Rangers 2
Sabres lead series 1-0
After a quiet first period, Buffalo took complete control in the second. The Sabres scored three goals in the span of about four minutes. The goals came from Ales Kotalik and Thomas Vanek, who scored two, including one on the power play. The last half of the third period saw the other four goals of the game. Marcel Hossa got on top of things to spoil Ryan Miller's shutout bid. But Jason Pominville scored three minutes later to renew the Sabres' three-goal lead. With 48 seconds left, Brendan Shanahan put the Rangers within two again but it was too little too late. The final Buffalo goal came in the form of a Drew Stafford empty-netter. Buffalo will definitely win this series. Versus had the game in HD.

Ducks 5, Canucks 1
Ducks lead series 1-0
Good grief. You know, I'm tempted to say that after a rigorous seven-game series, Roberto Luongo quite simply imploded. But no, the Ducks were just that good. I think that's the difference between one night off and five nights off. Now I need to congratulate Andy McDonald on his impressive hat trick performance tonight. Way to go! Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf had the other Anaheim goals. Which reminds me... Vancouver scored first in this game. What the hell happened man? I'll tell you. The Ducks happened. It was a pretty stunning game. It's why I wished Dallas had gone on. I wanted to see Anaheim and San Jose. There's always the Western Finals. I very much enjoyed the glorious hi-def coverage on Versus.

Photos: ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com

Thrashers Captain Mellanby Hangs Up Skates

April 24, 2007
Associated Press

Thrashers captain Mellanby retires

ATLANTA — Over a career that lasted more than two decades, Scott Mellanby twice made it to the Stanley Cup finals, played in the NHL All-Star game and became one of hockey's most respected leaders.

That said, he'll always be remembered for his coup de grace on a rodent.

The 40-year-old Mellanby retired Tuesday, less than a week after the Thrashers were swept in the first round of the playoffs.

"It's been a great ride," said Mellanby, who spent the final two seasons of a 21-year career as Atlanta's captain, "but it's time to go on to something else."

His greatest ride of all came during the 1995-96 season, when the right wing scored a career-best 32 goals, was picked for the All-Star game and helped the Florida Panthers make it to the Stanley Cup final in their third season of existence.

He also contributed to hockey lore early in the season. When a rat scurried across the locker room before a game, Mellanby killed it with a whack of the stick. He then went out and scored two goals that night — dubbed a "rat trick" by teammate John Vanbiesbrouck.

As news of the episode spread, Florida fans began celebrating goals by tossing plastic rats onto the ice. By the playoffs, thousands of fake rodents littered the rink every time the Panthers scored.

"It became the motto of our team that season," Mellanby said. "When I played in the All-Star game, a kid came up to me and said, 'You're the rat guy.' He didn't even know my name; he just knew I killed the rat."

Even getting swept by a superior Colorado team in the Stanley Cup final did little to lessen the appeal of that magical season.

"We had chemistry," Mellanby said. "If you could put that in a bottle, you could make a lot of money selling it. For whatever reason, things clicked."

His other finals appearance came in 1987, his first full season in the league. Philadelphia lost to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series, and Mellanby never came so close again to winning the Cup.

"At the time, you don't really appreciate how hard it is to get there," he said. "You just figure you'll be back the next year. But it doesn't go that way."

Mellanby seriously considered retirement the last few years but kept coming back in hopes of carrying the Cup. His last chance came this season, when he helped the Thrashers make the playoffs for the first time.

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a void in my career," Mellanby said. "But, at the end of the day, all you can do as a player is look in the mirror and know you've given everything you had on and off the ice."

Mellanby entered the league with Philadelphia in 1986 after playing college hockey at Wisconsin. He moved on to Edmonton, Florida and St. Louis before closing his career in Atlanta.

He played in 69 games this season, with 12 goals and 24 assists.

In 1,431 regular-season games — tied for 17th on the NHL's career list — Mellanby had 364 goals, 476 assists and 2,479 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 136 playoff games, scoring 24 goals and adding 29 assists.

"Not only have we watched him on the ice, but we've seen what he's done for our organization in the locker room and off the ice," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "It's something really remarkable, the effect he's had on our younger players."

Mellanby's retirement leaves another hole for the Thrashers to fill. They have a dozen unrestricted free agents, including key players such as Keith Tkachuk and Slava Kozlov.

Although Mellanby felt he could still play at a competitive level, the toll of traveling, practicing and taking on such a prominent leadership role persuaded him to hang up the skates.

"I wish I could have begun working with him earlier in his career," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "His experience and respect in the locker room was invaluable to the success of our club."

Mellanby hasn't decided what he wants to do with the rest of his life, but he would like to return to hockey in another role after some much-needed R&R with his family. Television might be an option — he's the son of a former Hockey Night in Canada producer — though Mellanby said his former teammates kept telling him that he's "got a face for radio."

And how does he want to be remembered?

"Someone who cared about his teammates and about his organization and about the game. Someone who came to play every night," Mellanby replied. "Every night wasn't great. But I feel like I always gave it everything I had."

Caps Announce Plans For New Logo

April 23, 2007
WashingtonCaps.com

Washington Capitals to Unveil New Uniforms at June 22 Draft Day Party

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Washington Capitals will unveil their new uniforms at a special Draft Day Party on Friday, June 22, held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. The event will be held in conjunction with the live broadcast on Versus of the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, which takes place that evening in Columbus, Ohio.

The new uniforms will mark a return to a red, white and blue color scheme — the colors the Capitals wore from their first season in 1974-75 through 1994-95. The Capitals are the first team in the NHL to announce their plans to unveil their new uniforms, which are produced by Reebok and feature the Rbk EDGE Uniform System technology that was introduced at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas. The Capitals are the first team planning to have their new uniforms on hand at the NHL Entry Draft.

Further details about the event will be announced in the coming weeks.

———

I'm really interested to see what they've come up with. If it's anything like what almost happened in 2001, then I won't be impressed. And I may not be a Capitals fan, but I'm not wild about the idea of them going back to the red, white and blue. I say this as a hockey fan in general.

Too many teams in this league have that color scheme. The Rangers, Canadiens, Panthers, Blue Jackets, Canucks and Avalanche, to name a few. I give the Canucks and Avalanche credit for going with unique shades of red and blue, but you get the picture.

The bronze and blue were great colors and unique to the Caps. I thought it made them stand out. Here's hoping they don't redesign themselves into oblivion. By the way, without giving away too much, this has a lot to do with that big news I hinted at the other day.

My 2007 Stanley Cup Predictions, Round 2

Generally speaking, it was a swing and a miss for my Round 1 predictions. So I aim to be better this time. But only time will be the judge of that. However, I think I have a better understanding of each team now, having seen them each win a playoff series this year. I'm going into it with a little more knowledge. But that can be dangerous.

Also, I'm doing away with the season series line as it obviously has no basis come playoff time.

Without further ado, let's get to it!

Conference Semifinals

Sabres vs Rangers
Sizing It Up: Once again, the Sabres get to save huge on travel costs facing another cross-state opponent. It makes me wonder. Do they bother with a plane or just hop a bus for road games? As I said, the regular season does not matter since the Sabres won this one 4-0. The last game these two teams played in together took place in December. Both teams are almost entirely different. That being said, I think Buffalo still has the edge. The Rangers may have impressed everyone, being the only team to sweep a quarterfinal, but Atlanta didn't really put up a fight when compared with the likes of Minnesota, Pittsburgh and especially Dallas. New York better be prepared to play real hockey or this could be another short series — this time not in their favor.
The Invisible Crystal Ball Says: Sabres in 6

Devils vs Senators
Sizing It Up: I think this will be one of the most evenly matched series of the playoffs, second only to Vancouver/Dallas. I'll be surprised if it doesn't go to seven games. Ray Emery has been phenomenal in goal against the likes of Sidney Crosby and co. while Martin Brodeur seemed shaky at times in the Tampa Bay series. On the other hand, Zach Parise and Brian Gionta lit it up time and time again. We can't discount the Senators' scorers, however, which is why I'm giving them the edge in the series, but only by a smidge.
The Invisible Crystal Ball Says: Senators in 7

Red Wings vs Sharks
Sizing It Up: Dominik Hasek has been almost unbeatable as the Detroit backstop. But I have to wonder how long he can go for. I'm not so much worried about the Sharks' netminding as I think their scorers may be able to find their way past Hasek. On the other hand, as in most playoff series, I'm afraid this one might come down to goaltending as well, despite the offensive abilities on both sides. It might be a tight series but I'm going with San Jose.
The Invisible Crystal Ball Says: Sharks in 6

Ducks vs Canucks
Sizing It Up: It's the Ducks and 'Nucks. (Remember Sens and Pens?) I really wish the Stars had won Game 7. I was looking forward to a Dallas/Detroit series. But this one looks pretty good too. These two teams have never met in the postseason before, so it'll be interesting. Luongo vs. Giguere/Bryzgalov. Who's better? I just don't know. Even if Vancouver were to jump out to an early series lead, they'd almost certainly blow it, as is habit for them. Still, I don't think it'll get that far. And I'm seeing Anaheim in the finals.
The Invisible Crystal Ball Says: Ducks in 6

Here are my predictions for the remainder of the playoffs, as it stands now.

Conference Finals
Sabres vs Senators : Sabres in 7
Ducks vs Sharks : Ducks in 6

Stanley Cup Finals
Sabres vs Ducks : Ducks in 7

You'll notice I used an invisible crystal ball to come up with my predictions. This way, when I'm wrong I can say it's not my fault as I couldn't see it anyway. I'm okay with that.

Any thoughts? Want to call me an idiot? Feel free to comment.

Western Quarterfinal Roundup

As of now, one round of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs is on the books. But before we take a look ahead to the next round, let's take a quick look at where we've been. Below you'll find the results of each series along with a comparison on how my predictions fared. We'll start with the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The West will follow.

Red Wings vs Flames
Red Wings win series 4-2
Red Wings 4, Flames 1
Red Wings 3, Flames 1
Flames 3, Red Wings 2
Flames 3, Red Wings 2
Red Wings 5, Flames 1
Red Wings 2, Flames 1, 2OT
My Take   At the outset, I thought the Flames were completely unprepared for the playoffs. Then the series shifted to Calgary and it was like they were a different team. Even if they had played Game 6 like Games 3 and 4, I still don't thinkt they would have won. Plus, they didn't deserve to after Game 5's fiasco. But Detroit is a machine. I could envision them making another real run at the Cup this year. But they've won enough in the past decade. I'm ready for someone new.
Those Lousy Predictions   Red Wings in 4; Yes, I believe I was called an idiot for making this one. So this is me eating my words. But hey, after Games 1 and 2 it looked like a lock. Who knew the Flames would transform at the Saddledome? Still, I did pick the right team. 50/50

Ducks vs Wild
Ducks win series 4-1
Ducks 2, Wild 1
Ducks 3, Wild 2
Ducks 2, Wild 1
Wild 4, Ducks 1
Ducks 4, Wild 1
My Take   The first three games of this series were all decided by one goal. I think the Wild had a real shot, but Ducks goalie Ilya Bryzgalov was the thorn in their side, managing to keep them at bay just enough. Their 4-1 win was impressive in Game 4 to prevent the sweep, but ultimately the Ducks were the stronger team all around.
Those Lousy Predictions   Wild in 7; I honestly don't know what I was thinking here. Maybe I thought the Ducks would collapse in the postseason after having a most spectacular regular sesaon. Let's leave it at that. I was wrong. Way wrong. WRONG!

Canucks vs Stars
Canucks win series 4-3
Canucks 5, Stars 4, 4OT
Stars 2, Canucks 0
Canucks 2, Stars 1, 1OT
Canucks 2, Stars 1
Stars 1, Canucks 0, 1OT
Stars 2, Canucks 0
Canucks 4, Stars 1
My Take   Game 1 happened and stunned everyone. The marathon, sixth-longest game in playoff history and nine goals between a pair of teams that couldn't combine for more than three in any one game during the regular season. Then things settled down and Marty Turco was a rock. He became the 13th goalie in history to post three shutouts in one series. Every game the Stars won was a shutout. That also means every game where he got scored on, he lost. But let's not discount Roberto Luongo. He kept Vancouver in a number of games where the offense couldn't put anything together.
Those Lousy Predictions   Canucks in 6; I figured the Canucks had the edge in this series mostly because of Luongo and as it turned out, the series really did come down goaltending as the teams tied a league record with just 11 goals combined in five straight games. I have to hand it to Turco though, he held out a little longer than I expected. 50/50

Predators vs Sharks
Sharks win series 4-1
Sharks 5, Predators 4, 2OT
Predators 5, Sharks 2
Sharks 3, Predators 1
Sharks 3, Predators 2
Sharks 3, Predators 2
My Take   Everyone's saying it, so I will too. Looks like those trade deadline deals didn't really pan out for Nashville. To me, they looked very strong throughout this series. San Jose just looked a little stronger. And were. I was impressed with the Sharks and could maybe see them going all the way this year. Thorton, Marleau and Cheechoo. It's like Lecavalier, St. Louis and Richards. Only better, apparently.
Those Lousy Predictions   Predators in 6; Okay shut up, I picked the Preds to take the Cup and now they're out in Round 1. Move on. WRONG!

And that's that with that. I was 25% on this conference. That's what happens when you follow an Eastern team and see Eastern teams 72 out of 82 games a year. Overall, I finished with a 38%. I obviously suck at making predictions. But that's never stopped me before.

Later today, my look ahead at Round 2 and other predictions. Maybe I can get some more wrong. Fingers crossed!

Eastern Quarterfinal Roundup

As of now, one round of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs is on the books. But before we take a look ahead to the next round, let's take a quick look at where we've been. Below you'll find the results of each series along with a comparison on how my predictions fared. We'll start with the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The West will follow.

Sabres vs Islanders
Sabres win series 4-1
Sabres 4, Islanders 1
Islanders 3, Sabres 2
Sabres 3, Islanders 2
Sabres 4, Islanders 2
Sabres 4, Islanders 3
My Take   You know, once Rick DiPietro came back, I thought all the Isles' problems were solved and they actually had a shot in this series. Impressively, they won Game 2. But that was as much as they could do. The Sabres are an incredibly strong team and I see them in the finals this year. The only reason I'm okay with the Lightning being eliminated in the first round is that had we gone to the second, we would've had to face Buffalo. No, thank you.
Those Lousy Predictions   Sabres in 5; Hey, I got one right! It was an easy one to call though. I think everybody and their mother said Sabres in 5. RIGHT!

Devils vs Lightning
Devils win series 4-2
Devils 5, Lightning 3
Lightning 3, Devils 2
Lightning 3, Devils 2
Devils 4, Lightning 3
Devils 3, Lightning 0
Devils 3, Lightning 2
My Take   Aw, now that was depressing. I moved to a new town this spring and it kept me from being able to watch the Lightning play on TV. Finally, there's a nationally-televised game. And we lose. And Jersey clinches the series. It hurt a little. But I love hockey too much to give up on these playoffs. After all, I have the experience of having been to a Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 where my boys totally pulled it out. The 2004 Stanley Cup Champs! How's that for analysis?
Those Lousy Predictions   Lightning in 6; Hey, I at least got the number of games right even if I didn't pick the winner. It was a crapshoot though. Tampa Bay didn't play as well as it could have, in my opinion. 50/50

Thrashers vs Rangers
Rangers win series 4-0
Rangers 4, Thrashers 3
Rangers 2, Thrashers 1
Rangers 7, Thrashers 0
Rangers 4, Thrashers 2
My Take   I don't think anyone saw a sweep coming in this series. But it was the first one over. Atlanta's playoff run this year made Columbus the sole team to have never qualified for the playoffs. I'm not sure getting swept in the first round is that much better. Still, the Rangers are hot. I wish they didn't have the play the Sabres just yet. This would've made a great confernce final matchup.
Those Lousy Predictions   Thrashers in 7; Don't even start. Atlanta looked good during the regular season. How was I supposed to know they were going to implode as soon as the playoffs began? Not only did I pick the wrong team, I said the series would go all the way. I couldn't possibly be more wrong unless I'd suggested a Thrashers series sweep. WRONG!

Senators vs Penguins
Senators win series 4-1
Senators 6, Penguins 3
Penguins 4, Senators 3
Senators 4, Penguins 2
Senators 2, Penguins 1
Senators 3, Penguins 0
My Take   After Game 1, it looked like this series was going to be the sweep. But the Pens put up a bit of a fight in Game 2. Not enought to extend the series past five games, but you know.
Those Lousy Predictions   Penguins in 5; Here I'm half-right again. I just thought Pittsburgh had more of a chance in this series. Ottawa is known for falling apart at playoff time. Yet I say that knowing full well they knocked out my Lightning in 5 last year in the first round. Anyway, this wasn't the year for the Penguins. Maybe when everyone's a little older. You need to pay a little dues. Work at it for a while. It'll mean more. 50/50

All right then. So as for my predictions. I'm at about 50%. I got one right, one wrong, and half-right on a couple. Not too shabby for someone without a crystal ball. Stay tuned for the West Quarterfinals recap. It's on the way.