Latest News

Land Rover

Range Rover Sport evokes a little bit more lust for 2014

on

More in Land Rover:

2014-range-rover-sport-012
This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

All your supporting arguments must be communicated with simplicity and charm. And in such a way that the reader will read on. (After all, that’s a reader’s job: to read, isn’t it?) And by the time your readers have reached this point in the finished copy, you will have convinced them that you not only respect their intelligence, but you also understand their needs as consumers.

Land Rover

Range Rover Evoque for Victoria Beckham

on

More in Land Rover:

range-rover-beckham-evoque-xl
This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

Porsche

Porsche 911 GT3 wows the crowds in Geneva

on

More in Porsche:

This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

[wzslider]

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

All your supporting arguments must be communicated with simplicity and charm. And in such a way that the reader will read on. (After all, that’s a reader’s job: to read, isn’t it?) And by the time your readers have reached this point in the finished copy, you will have convinced them that you not only respect their intelligence, but you also understand their needs as consumers.

Automotive

World Premiere: BMW 4 Series Coupe

on

More in Automotive:

This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

a, News

SSMU Report Cards

on

More in a:

Maggie Knight (President): A

Maggie Knight was dealt a very difficult hand this year as SSMU president. While this may have distracted her from some of her goals, the Tribune has no hesitation in saying she has done an exceptional job as president. The Strategic Summits, while allowing a safe space for discussion, were sparsely attended, demonstrating that something more than just consultation is needed. That said, throughout many trying events, including two occupations, the MUNACA strike, and her dealings with the administration, Knight always presented herself as calm and diplomatic. She made a sensible decision on the Memorandum of Agreement concerning the Shatner Building’s lease and the use of the McGill name and maintained a cohesive executive. The Tribune applauds Knight for consistently delivering results.

Emily Yee Clare (VP University Affairs): A- 

Emily Clare worked closely with Maggie Knight this year to draft policies such as the Equity Policy. She proved herself to be a respected voice in senate and stepped into a position of leadership when Knight expressed a conflict of interest in the Newburgh v. Tacoma Judicial Board hearing. She played a principal and pragmatic role in the renegotiation of SSMU’s Memorandum of Agreement with the administration, which ultimately led to the controversial restriction of the use of the McGill name by SSMU clubs and services. As a member of senate, we understand her role to include fostering a good relationship between SSMU, its constituents, and the administration. This was certainly a challenging year to fulfill such a mandate, but nevertheless, there was a tense relationship between the admin and SSMU throughout the year.

Todd Plummer (VP Internal): B

Many students on the verge of nervous breakdowns last December can thank Todd Plummer for bringing in therapy dogs to
quell their fears. Unfortunately, that’s just about the only out-of-the-box thing Plummer did all year. The predictable events, such
as frosh, 4Floors, and Faculty Olympics were well attended, but lacked the spark of previous years. Plummer attempted to reform the
listserv earlier in the year, but the much needed reforms quickly dissipated. Finally, SSMU’s response to the AUS GA, co-authored by
Plummer, was an overreaction to a problem that should have been dealt with internally.

Shyam Patel (VP Finance and Operations): A-

Shyam Patel came into the year with many high expectations for his portfolio. The Tribune feels that Patel succeeded in fulfilling
many of his goals, from working to bring back a student-run café to creating a five-year ethical investment plan for SSMU. Titled the
“best dressed executive,” we also commend Patel on his efforts to hold office hours, something not many VP Finance and Operations
have done in the past. His only blemish on an otherwise strong year was that his much-lauded launch of SSMU Marketplace never gained the momentum he anticipated.

Carol Fraser (VP Clubs and Services): A-

Carol Fraser tackled one of the most extensive portfolios this year. As VP Clubs and Services, Fraser was responsible for overseeing all of SSMU’s clubs and services, as well as acting as building manager of Shatner. Early in the year, when the admin restricted the use of the McGill name by clubs and services, Fraser acted as a effective liaison for confused club executives. She also brought club and services information into the 21st century, with more extensive information and helpful categorization of clubs and services
on the SSMU website. Her decision to include an alternative format for Winter Activities Night was creative, but ultimately flopped. At the same time, she’s paved a smooth transition for her successor, Allison Cooper.

Joël Pedneault (VP External): B

There is no doubt that Joël Pedneault has shown great dedication to his position as VP External from the very beginning of the year. However, while the position of VP External is often hard to define and is known for being one of the most political executive positions, the Tribune feels that Pedneault may be been too passionate, and as a result has alienated a portion of the student body while showing dedicated support for another. It is the job of the VP External to help represent the entire McGill student community, and in order to do so, it is required for those in the position take a step back from their personal politics.

 

Arts & Entertainment

Cold Specks is heating up

by Ryan Taylor on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

It’s the taping for an early November episode of venerable UK music show Later… with Jools Holland and 24-year-old Al Spx is making her television debut with only a single to her Cold Specks moniker. She stands in the centre of room, bathed in a blue spotlight, hands clasped and eyes closed, and launches into a haunting a capellagospel version of Bascom Lamar Lunsford’s “Old Stepstone.” The rest might soon be history. Her performance garnered heaps of praise on both sides of the Atlantic, record deals were officially announced with Arts & Crafts in Canada and Mute in the UK, and her debut album I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is set for release next month. It was a showstopping debut, but it almost didn’t happen.

“I lost my passport the night before I was supposed to fly out and it was the most expensive mistake I’ve ever made,” says Spx. “I had to get an emergency passport, got there in time, found out my amp was broken, my throat was really bad. I was terrified.”

A native of Etobicoke, ON, Spx began with humble musical aspirations, writing songs as a product of “boredom” and playing the occasional show in the kitchens and backyards of friends during university. Cold Specks as it is wasn’t an idea until a few years ago when the older brother of a friend in the UK took an interest in her early, private demos and convinced her to fly to London to work with him.

“I didn’t think much of them,” says Spx of those demos. “He stole a copy [from his brother] then spent months phoning me up trying to get me to work with him, so I went out to work with him.”

From there, the two arranged the songs, found Spx a band, and developed her sound. She describes her music as “doom soul” and chuckles when I bring it up.

“We came home one night and we were updating the [Facebook band page] and I jokingly wrote ‘doom soul,’” she explains. “The next day a blog had picked up on it and it just went [kaboom].”

“I don’t really like to categorize things and I think when I have to it’s funny to say something like ‘doom soul.’ It’s dark and it’s also kind of soulful.”

It’s accurate for a joke. Songs on I Predict A Graceful Expulsion draw on blues, gospel, and folk traditions, anchored by Spx’s husky, quivering powerhouse of a voice. It’s an arresting instrument, and amazingly something she didn’t know she possessed until high school.

“I took a music and computers course and we had to have a live instrument on one of the projects and I decided to sing,” says Spx. “I had no idea that I could until I played it to my teacher who told me that I could sing, that I could hit notes.”

Spx is a self-taught musician, which made the process of translating her ideas to a full band difficult. For example, she based her guitar tuning on six notes that most closely resembled the sound of an oud, a traditional North African and Middle Eastern instrument.

“They found it really hard to learn my songs because they’re not very structured. The tuning’s completely random. I don’t believe in counting beats—it’s not that I don’t, but I just have a hard time doing it.”

The result is an album peppered with fluid, off-kilter rhythms and phrasing, like on lead single “Holland,” “Elephant Head,” and album closer “Lay Me Down.” As laborious as it may have been to get the band on the same page, everything comes together to create Spx’s unique musical voice, one she never expected to take her this far.

“I just thought I’d record some songs on my laptop and pass them around to friends.”

I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is out May 22. For more information visit www.coldspecks.com

montreal summer fireworks
Student Life

Summer in the City

by Kyla Mandel on

More in Student Life:

Montreal is an amazing city in the summertime. However, because of the mass exodus of students leaving to their respective hometowns or summer adventures, much of the city’s charm, which remains blanketed in snow for most of the school year, goes untapped and undiscovered by the student body. Each month of summer brings something new, so whether you’re staying in town for May’s first week, or for all four months, I encourage you to take advantage of what the city has to offer.

Day trips: When the sun’s shining and the sky is cloudless, there’s nothing more satisfying than spending every minute outside. ParcJean Drapeau’s beach is just a metro ride away. It’s open from June 16 to Aug. 12, and the entrance fee is only $8. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can make a trip out to Oka National Park where there’s a beach, water slides, and hiking trails. It’s easy to drive out there if you have a car, but you can also take the train out of Montreal and then an express bus directly to Oka. (For more details, simply look up Oka on wikitravel.com). Finally, if you just can’t stand the city air anymore, why not drive up to St. Sauveur (45 minutes away), where there are water slides and a quaint town to stroll around for lunch. Try Tremblant village (1.5-2 hours away), where you can enjoy the beach, or go camping in the nearby Tremblant National Park (for details visit http://www.sepaq.com/pq/mot/index.dot?language_id=1)

City activities: No worries if you don’t have a car, there are plenty of activities just a stone’s throw away. For an urban poolside afternoon, head over to Hotel de la Montagne at 1430 rue de la Montagne. The pool is open to the public between 11:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. If you want something more active, why not grab your bike or rollerblades and head down to the Old Port and follow the bike path along the river? Heading west on the path, you’ll finish at the Atwater Market where you can buy a bucket of strawberries or some artisanal sorbet as a quick refreshment before heading back. If you’re looking for a slightly longer bike ride, but still within city confines, bike (carefully) along the Pont de la Concorde and onto the Formula One race track (when the races are over, of course). There’s no better feeling  than biking on the smooth asphalt of the F1 track.

Nightlife: Montreal has endless venues for a fun night out on the town. Make sure to try out the plethora of terraces on the rooftops of Old Montreal’s hotels. Many restaurants have back patios or tables outside, which are great for people watching and makes you privy to the city’s unique buzz of activity. Throughout the months of June and July you can head to the Old Port or Parc Jean Drapeau to watch the annual international fireworks competition. Also, while not many of us can afford tickets to the Grand Prix races, that doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the hustle and bustle found on St. Catherine’s from June 8 to 10. If you pick the right nightclub or bar, you might just be lucky enough to run into anF1 race car driver.

Outdoor theatre: Every year Shakespeare in the Park comes to Montreal and makes its rounds through the various local parks. It takes place near the end of the summer in August, so keep an eye out around then for placards near parks detailing the venue, time, and date. Always sure to be entertaining, the Repercussion Theatre will be performing the Taming of the Shrew this year. Grab your friends, a blanket, and some food and head out to the park (arrive early as spots fill up fast) for an evening of cultured fun. Check out their website for up-to-date information (http://www.repercussiontheatre.com ).

Festivals: There are endless festivals throughout the summer in Montreal, including the Just for Laughs comedy festival, a beer festival, and an 18th-century market; there’s something for everyone. Check out the calendar to the right for a list of dates that are not to be missed.

Sports

10 questions with … Evan Vossen

by Christopher Nardi on

More in Sports:

MT: How did it feel to win the CIS championship?

EV: It’s a great feeling. The way things happened in terms of the history of the franchise, the program—which is 136 years old—not winning after what we went through last year in terms of losing in the finals, and then to win it in the fashion that we did, in overtime, on the50th edition of the University Cup, it was really something special for us.

MT: How did the team react when Western scored that tying goal in the third? What was going through your minds?

EV: They scored the tying goal 30 seconds into a five-minute powerplay and I was thinking, “Okay, this is something we’re going to have to dig out of.” But, we have such a character group of guys that nobody got too frustrated, panic didn’t set in, and in the remaining four and a half minutes of the powerplay, we only let by one shot. I think it shows how determined the guys were, and the sacrifices they were willing to make.

MT: How did it feel to score the winning goal in overtime?

EV: Having that puck go in, I was ecstatic, but it was also so much more for me. Beyond making program history, I don’t know if many people know, but Picard-Hooper, who gave me the pass on the tying goal, his assist set the all-time point record at McGill. There’s just so much stuff that happened in that one play that has such an impact on the school, the team, and all of our lives.

MT: What will happen to your hockey career now that you’re graduating?

EV: I want to play professionally, probably in North America, so I’m going to look at my options during the summer and, come fall, hopefully I’ll have something to do. If not, I would definitely consider Europe as an option. In the end, if it doesn’t work out, yeah I’ll be disappointed, but hey, I have a degree, and hockey has been so good to me that I have no regrets whatsoever.

MT: What do you think of the Redmen coaching staff?

EV: Since he joined the team two years ago, [Head Coach] Kelly Nobes has been a great addition for us. We’ve had exceptional coaching all five years that I’ve been here. Really, our success the last three years has been thanks to [ex-Head Coach] Martin Raymond’s recruiting, and then Jim Webster [came] in for a year and we lead the nation in scoring that year. Then Kelly [came] in, and we lead in scoring again and win the championship.

MT: As team captain, how much responsibility do you take for your team’s successes and failures?

EV: For me, being a leader is leading by example. It means putting in hard work, but that’s what our team is based around. I don’t have to show the guys the way, the guys show each other the way. And that’s something I noticed when I got to McGill; it’s something that’s instilled within the program, and it’s still being instilled into the young guys that are coming in.

MT: How do you think the team will respond next season, considering that the team loses eight players this summer?

EV: There are a lot of the first years that got a lot of experience this year because of injuries, so they have a solid base to work with next year. They have most of the defensive core coming back, as well as all the goaltenders, and winning the CIS championship is a huge recruiting tool. So I think they have a solid team coming into next year.

MT: Take us through your typical game day.

EV: Usually, I’ll meet up with Andrew Wright at 9:30 at Cora’s for breakfast. Honestly, I’m not much of a class goer on game days, so I usually have a bowl of soup around noon and follow that with a nap for an hour and a half in the afternoon. Then I’ll get up towards three, eat my pre-game meal, hop into the shower, and get out of my apartment by four. Then it’s down to Second Cup for a coffee and off to the rink. We always have a meeting an hour and a half before the game with the coach, and then we warm up and play. After the game, I usually hang out with the guys, get something to eat and then go to bed.

MT: Who’s your favorite hockey player/team?

EV: I’m a Habs fan, and have been since I can remember. I have to say, especially when I was growing up, my hockey role model was definitely Jerome Iginla. I really enjoy the way he plays and the hard work he puts into his game.

MT: Do you think fighting should be taken out of hockey?

EV: I don’t think you can completely remove fighting because there will be stick swinging incidents, dirty elbows, hits to the head, which have been so popular lately, and I have no problem with a guy going after another guy for a cheap shot. If you’re going to do something like that, and put someone else’s health at risk, I think there’s a price you have to pay.

Sports

Winter Sports Report Cards

by Christopher Nardi, Steven Lampert, Rebecca Babcock, and Jeffrey Downey on

More in Sports:

Redmen Hockey: A+

No team in McGill Athletics has been as successful this year as the Redmen hockey team. They won the Winter Carnival Cup against Concordia, then won the Corey Cup against the Ottawa Gee-Gees, then won the OUAchampionship against UQTR, crowning them league champions. Then, they followed with a Queen’s Cup win against a powerful Western team, whom they would face once again in the CIS national championship finals, which they also won. All in all, the team finished the regular season with a 24-2-2 record, good for first in the OUA, five cups, and the team’s first ever national championship in the 136 years of the team’s existence. Of course, that is without mentioning that the team finished first overall in the league in scoring for a second consecutive year, and had two of its players signed by two top AHL teams.

The team was honored at a Habs-Leafs game by being invited into a private loge with Canadiens’ owner Geoff Molson, and team captain Evan Vossen’s CIS overtime winner was replayed on the jumbotron for the 21,273 fans on hand. Not too bad a year.

Martlet Basketball: A-

The Martlet basketball program found success in the 2011-2012 season. The team opened the regular season with consecutive losses in RSEQ play, but bounced back with eight straight wins to start 2012, a streak that lasted until Feb. 9. The Martlets carried their momentum through the RSEQ playoffs, winning their first RSEQ championship since 1996 in what was certainly the highlight of their season. With the title they received an automatic bid to the CIS Championships. Unfortunately, the success came to an end in Calgary, as McGill lost both their games at nationals. Nevertheless, the team should be extremely proud of the progress they made this season. Seniors Anneth Him-Lazarenko and Natalie Larocque provided great leadership and consistent scoring. While the Martlets will lose both players to graduation, the team’s future is bright. Francois Charest, Marie-Eve Martin and Helene Bibeau will assume the leadership roles next season as incoming seniors, while the team will look for a boost from all-CIS rookie DiannaRos, and other young standouts Tiye Traore and Valerie L’Ecuyer. Head Coach Ryan Thorne should be very happy with his second season at McGill, having brought back an RSEQ championship while building a strong foundation for the program heading into next season.

McGill Swimming: B+

Once again, Steven Bielby, an electrical engineering senior, monopolized McGill swimming headlines all season long with his dominating performances at every competition. But Bielby was not the only McGill swimmer who had a very successful CIS championship, as 10 McGill records were broken at the CIS championship meet. Bielby led the McGill squad with two bronze medals all the while leading the relay squad to two new McGill records. With his two medals,Bielby is now the most decorated swimmer in school history, with an amazing 11 career CIS medals—six gold, one silver, and four bronze. Marc-Andre Benoit also had a strong meet, winning McGill’s third bronze medal and individually smashing five school records.

The Marlets were slightly less successful on the national stage, breaking only one McGill record and missing the podium, yet they won a surprising RSEQ championship, winning the title for the first time in eight years. Freshman Valerie De Broux had a stellar competition, winning five medals—one gold, three silver, and one bronze. Leanne Roach, who also won a gold medal at the RSEQ tournament, was awarded the league’s annual leadership and citizenship award for her great performances in the pool, coupled with her extensive volunteering outside of the pool.

Martlet Hockey: A

The Martlets claimed both a seventh consecutive RSEQ gold medal this season and a 12th straight national medal when they won bronze in Edmonton. McGill had a total of five all-CIS players peppered over the first, second, and all-rookie team, in addition to RSEQ MVP Ann-Sophie Bettez, Rookie of the Year Mélodie Daoust, and Coach of the Year Peter Smith.

Unfortunately, the Martlets’ storied history of dominance and achievement often leaves expectations unattainably high. A CIS bronze, although extremely impressive, somehow seems out of place for a team entering the tournament as the winner of four of the last five trophies. Despite a strong 18-1-1 regular season record, one of the losses snapped a 107RSEQ game winning streak and another was McGill’s first loss to Concordia in school history.

Perhaps the most worrisome fact for upcoming years is the loss of talent that accompanies the end of this season, with stars Ann-Sophie Bettez, Cathy Chartrand, Charline Labonté, and Jordana Peroff all reaching the end of theireligibilities. Although there is always a more than capable cast to fill the void, it still seems like an insurmountable task.  Youngsters Mélodie Daoust, Gillian Ferrari, and Katia Clément-Heydra will all be relied upon heavily next year to keep McGill’s winning ways going.

Redmen Basketball: C+

The Redmen basketball team had a better start to the season than one would have expected given their actual playing, which was marred by poor offence and turnovers. The young team hit their stride after winter break, winning six out of their eight games and placing second in the conference. They played UQAM in the opening round of the RESQ and were in an excellent position to make it to the finals. However, they failed to do so, losing the series by three games. It was particularly frustrating because the team had plenty of potential—half of the roster was made up of freshman with only one senior—but their inexperience ultimately prevailed.

Despite the results, the team had talent and each player brought a different aspect of the game to the floor. Winn Clark led the team by example. He hustled both on offense and defense, hitting key shots and dominating the glass, while Tristan Renaud-Tremblay was a very strong forward and dominated opposing big men in the paint. Vincent Dufort had an impressive first season, as he was strong on both ends of the floor, and was rewarded with RSEQ all-rookiehonours.

Martlet Volleyball: A+

Although the Martlet volleyball team had a slow start, they ended their season with a confidence booster, defeating the first-placed Montreal Carabins. They carried this momentum into the playoffs, beating Laval University in the semis to play the Carabins again in the finals. McGill lost, but the women still earned a berth to the CIS Championships for the first time in 15 years.

They were seeded fifth in the tournament, and clearly the underdog in the field, but opened with a win against the St. Mary’s Huskies to advance to the national semis where they were outmatched by first-seeded Alberta, and were relegated to the bronze medal game. There they met the Carabins once again, and shocked everyone by earning the bronze and the first volleyball medal in McGill history.

No one played as consistently as Kaiva Mateus, who was a threat on the floor, continually stepping up in big moments.Daphnée-Maude André-Morin also deserves recognition for her excellent defensive play this year, leading the RSEQwith 236 total digs, and winning the RSEQ libero-of-the-year award for the second consecutive season. During the playoffs and at the CIS championships, second-year Geneviève Plante was the sparkplug off the bench for the Martletsand should continue to grow and become a force for McGill.

Sports

NHL Playoff Preview

by Hrant Bardakjian and Adam Sadinsky on

More in Sports:

The days are getting warmer, clothes are getting lighter, and starting Wednesday, news junkies will no longer be able to catch Peter Mansbridge on their local CBC stations: the NHL playoffs are upon us.  Eight teams from each conference and their fans begin their bearded quests, praying that they will find that magic elixir called momentum and ride it to glory in June. 

Western Conference Preview

The Vancouver Canucks are exactly where everybody expected them to be at the beginning of the season—Presidents’ Trophy winners. Vancouver conquered the league yet again, but don’t expect Johnny Canuck to be chopping wood late into June this time around. With Daniel Sedin on the mend with a concussion, the ‘Nucks don’t match up favourably against the Kings, who will be looking forward to some payback. Corey Schneider better dust off his tire pump; Roberto Luongo is going to have a leak.

Speaking of goaltending, does it get any better than the duo of Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak in St. Louis? Once a castoff from our nation’s capital, Elliott has nestled himself comfortably under the Gateway Arch. Goaltending withstanding, the Blues are a well-rounded team with David Perron, David Backes, and T.J. Oshie leading the way offensively and Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Carlo Colaiacovo keeping the puck out on defence.

How about this for a prediction: the Pheonix Coyotes will represent the West at the Stanley Cup Finals. This team was projected to bottom out in what would be a heartbreaking final season in the desert. Phoenicians can thank Mike Smith and his Vezina-caliber performance for keeping this team afloat, winning its first division title in franchise history.

It seems like the Nashville Predators are everyone’s sleeper team to come out of the west this year. Pekka Rinne has been in beast mode all season long as the Preds are finally garnering the attention they rightfully deserve. All that talk about a lack of scoring is complete nonsense since the team ranks eighth in the entire league in goals. The addition of Alexander Radulov should only improve the Preds’ depth at forward. Music City is going all-in this post-season. Wings fans should be worried.

Once considered the cream of the crop of the west, Detroit doesn’t even have home-ice advantage during the first round this year. How the mighty have fallen. However, nobody should count out a skilled, veteran-filled Wings team. The Wings are post-season warriors and have that ability to crank up the effort level with Lord Stanley on the line. Detroit can easily upend any of these western teams if Jimmy Howard channels his inner Dominik Hasek.

Chi-town has some huge question marks heading into the playoffs. First, how effective will Jonathan Toews be upon his return? Second, will the Hawks get decent goaltending? And lastly, will Patrick Kane suddenly display his goal-scoring prowess? Ultimately, Chicago will put up a good fight, but an early round exit seems likely at this point. This summer, management needs to add a mobile defenceman, like the one they gave up in the Brian Campbell trade to Florida.

Antii Niemi has been too shaky for San Jose’s liking. An early matchup against the well-rounded Blues spells bad news for the Sharks, who are eager to make a deep playoff push or risk seeing its team torn apart in the off-season. Besides Joe Thornton and Logan Couture, the rest of the club’s leaders have been fairly inconsistent and downright maddening at times throughout the season. The Sharks have no bite for playoff contention.

Notwithstanding their eighth seed, the L.A. Kings have the available talent to overthrow the powerhouse Canucks in the first round. Jonathan Quick has been a rock in the net yet again, finally establishing himself as a premier goalie within the league. The trade for Jeff Carter was a shot of adrenaline to the Kings’ anemic offence, as now it has finally awoken from its season-long slumber. Anything less than a first round victory will be deemed a failure in L.A.

Eastern Conference Preview:

Looking at the standings, no one will have more confidence than the first-place New York Rangers. Trying to bring the title back to Broadway for the first time since 1994, the Rangers surpassed expectations by finishing atop the Eastern Conference standings. This is a well-coached group, but it remains to be seen whether they can hang around with more physical teams.

The Boston Bruins enter the playoffs with sights set on becoming the NHL’s first repeat champions in over a decade. Boston is a hard-working team that doesn’t count on any one star (Tyler Seguin led them with only 67 points). The core of last year’s Cup-winning squad remains intact, and last year’s experience should carry them deep into the postseason.

The Florida Panthers are making their first playoff appearance since 2000. With 18 overtime losses, some may question how much the Panthers deserve their seed as division champions, but Florida was the model of consistency, leading the South(l)east for nearly half the season. Florida will rely on forwards Tomas Fleischmann and Kris Versteeg tokickstart their offence, while Brian Campbell should continue to provide stability on the back-end.

The fourth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins excelled even before Sidney Crosby returned to action, and are loaded with tons of game breakers. The Penguins are strong at every position, posting a whopping +61 goal differential and having stormed to within a point of the league’s best record. Pittsburgh will be a popular Stanley Cup pick as long as they can get past their rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Flyers will be a tough out for Pittsburgh and others if they advance, as their top forwards not only can score in bunches but also can physically intimidate opponents. After trading two former faces of the franchise, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, in the off-season, Claude Giroux is the new king in Philly and answered the bell with a Hart Trophy-worthy campaign. Scott Hartnell is the emotional leader, and is one of the best two-way forwards in the league, while also leading the team with 37 goals.

The New Jersey Devils have made their reputation over the year with stifling defence and that will be a major factor if they are to go far in the playoffs. New Jersey’s roster is a mix of old and new as the Devils relied on young guns like Adam Larsson and Adam Henrique along with the seemingly immortal Martin Brodeur to get back into the post-season.

The seventh-ranked Washington Capitals enter the playoffs with their lowest expectations in years. A midseasoncoaching change was emblematic of an incosistent season as the Caps hovered around the playoff line for much of the year. The usual cast of characters are back, but injuries to goaltenders Tomas Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth means that fans in Washington may be disappointed once again.

On the other hand, the fans of the Ottawa Senators are playing with house money. Expected to fight for the first overall draft pick, Ottawa surpassed the expectations of pundits everywhere by putting together a solid season and scoring a ton of goals. The Senators falter when they have trouble keeping the puck out of their net, but with Craig Anderson back from injury, this team has the potential to surprise, having won season series against the Rangers, Panthers, Penguins, and Flyers.

1 … 1,110 1,111 1,112 1,113 1,114 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue