Handshake Line: Ducks Traded to the Golf Course E3

What a Western Conference Final. The series was so close that it probably could have gone to a Game 7. Unfortunately for the team I root for, that did not happen. However, I am very happy to see new blood headed to the Stanley Cup Final. Thank you for beating the Blackhawks. Also, thank you making Patrick Kane sad and Jonathan Toews look like the NHL’s 101^st best player.

Can’t we all just get along? It is unfortunate that serious injuries happen in hockey, but bumps and bruises are expected in a contact sport. Johansen said what he thought he had to say, and I understand where he was coming from. Anaheim likes to get under the opponents’ skin, but every hockey player does the exact same thing. Instead of complaining to the media, all Nashville had to do was go out on the ice and take care of business. Fortunately for their cause they were able to accomplish that. Hopefully if both teams see each other in the playoffs in future years both teams can have their stars at full capacity.

Credit where credit is due: Nashville fans showed up in full force. All of the chants reminded me of my days at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the cheers that went with it. Screaming sieve after a goal is still near and dear to my heart (Bernier I am looking in your direction). If Nashville can manage to win the Cup I want to see a giant catfish from Animal Planet’s River Monsters get thrown onto the ice. My favorite part of the series had to be the crowd chanting Gibson after his many goals against. You have a friend in me for that.

PK Subban is the man. He plays against top competition while posting positive possession stats. Why do people call this guy a second pairing defenseman? The Predators go as PK goes. In a perfect world Subban wins a cup and is awarded the Conn Smythe for not being Shea Weber.

Thank you, Roman Josi for a solid fantasy hockey year. But how do you choose to wear the number 59? Get it together.

Pekka Rinne- Keep on being Finnish.

Matt Irwin- TSN contributor Travis Yost loves this guy. Even for a bottom pairing defenseman the guy tends to post favorable possession numbers. Unfortunately Yost’s horrible Friday food takes are not as good as his player analysis.

David Poile- Best GM in the league. Poile turned an average hockey team into a force to be reckoned with. The Jones-Johansen trade was a great hockey trade. Tip of the cap for seeing a need and having the cajones to trade a top defenseman for a top line center. Then there is the Subban-Weber trade that will never be forgotten. That is a grade A Patagonia Fleece right there. If there is anyone in the Predators organization I would want with the Ducks, it would have to be David Poile.

Lastly to Carrie Underwood- Thank you for doing what you do.

At the end of the day, (unsurprisingly) the team with the least ex-Canucks and Leafs won the series. Shocking, I know.