Chieftain Chieftain October 2018 | Page 6

NHL Joins the Party Beginning of hockey season is part of the best time of year in sports By Bobby Kunz vares, who left the New York Islanders Chieftain Staff to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The best time of the year for sports The Golden Knights were big buyers is just about to start. The playoff hunt this summer, as they signed two stars in begins for college football and the NFL. Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny. We have playoff baseball, and now For our beloved Red Wings, it looks hockey. to be While another it may slow not be year, as big as but we the other recently sports, got some the NHL great is teed news up for from another Florida, exciting as Steve and in- Yzer- teresting man has year. stepped Last down season from was the GM one of position Newly acquired Max Pacioretty is ready to light up Sin City the best with the in re- Lightning. cent memory, with the Caps winning Rumblings from the media and others a long-awaited Stanley Cup and the have him pinned as the next GM for the new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Wings. Knights, making it to the Stanley Cup In other, unfortunate news, our Cap- Finals. tain, Henrik Zetterberg, has retired due The NHL made national headlines to injuries. Don’t expect too much from with some offseason moves. One of the the Wings this year, as the talent isn’t most bizarre is Barry Trotz, who was there and we are still very much in the the head coach of the Capitals, leaving rebuilding process. for the Islanders after he won a cham- Some of the top t eams from last year pionship. Another big move is John Ta- will still be heavy favorites this year, but one team to watch is the Maple Leafs. The youngest team in the NHL, the Leafs have an abundance of young stars who are only getting better. The Capitals look to be the team to beat again, though, as they return all their major pieces and look to ride the momentum off of last year’s historic season. The Golden Knights, Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins will be other top-tier teams that will be in the Stanley Cup hunt all season. Chieftain Predicts Postseason Honors Stanley Cup Champions: Toronto Maple Leafs Art Ross Trophy (Most Points): Connor McDavid, Edmonton Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Auston Matthews, Toronto Calder Memorial Trophy (Best Rookie): Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie): Pekka Rinne, Nashville James Norris Trophy (Best Defensemen): Brent Burns, San Jose Will the Capitals repeat, or are the Maple Leafs going to spoil the party? B ROTHE R R I C E H I G H S C HO O L C H I E F TA I N P AGE 6 Auston Matthews O C T O B E R 2018