Monday, February 29, 2016

Bracketology - February 29th

South                                                                                 Midwest
1 Kansas 
Villinova 
16 Winthrop / Hampton 
16 Weber State 
St. Louis 
  St. Louis 
USC 
St. Joseph's  
Monmouth
Wisconsin 
5 Duke 
 5 Arizona 
12  Butler / Alabama 
12 Arkansas LR 
Des Moines  
Denver  
4 Iowa 
4 Kentucky 
13 IFPW 
13 Stony Brook 
6  Colorado 
6 Dayton 
11 Akron 
11 Florida  
Oklahoma City 
  Des Moines
3  West Virgina 
Iowa State 
14 Hawaii 
14 Stephan F. Austin 
7 Wichita State 
Indiana 
10 Seton Hall 
10 Vanderbilt  
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City 
2 Michigan State 
2 Oklahoma 
15 New Mexico State 
15 Yale 
 East 
 West 
1 UNC
1 Virginia 
16 Texas Southern /  Wagner 
16 UNC Wimington 
Raleigh 
Raleigh 
8 Texas Tech 
8 South Carolina 
9 Providence 
9 Syracuse 
Texas  A & M
Purdue 
12 Temple 
12 Oregon State Cincinnati 
Denver 
 Spokane 
4 Utah 
4 Texas 
13 Chattanooga 
13 San Diego State 
Cal 
Baylor 
11 Uconn 
11 St. Mary's  
 Providence 
 Oklahoma City 
3  Xavier 
Miami FL 
14 North Florida  
 14 Bucknell 
Notre Dame 
Pitt 
10 Valpo 
10 VCU
Providence 
 Spokane 
2 Maryland 
 2 Oregon 
15 Belmont  
15 UAB 
Bubble Watch 
Last 4 IN 
Alabama 
Butler 
Cincinnati 
Oregon State  

First 4 Out 
Gonzaga 
Boise State 
LSU 
Tulsa  

Next 4 Out 
Michigan 
Florida State
Ohio State 
BYU

Friday, February 26, 2016

Bracketology - February 26th

South                                                                                 Midwest
1 Kansas 
Villinova 
16 Winthrop / Hampton 
16 Weber State 
St. Louis 
  St. Louis 
8 USC
8 Syracuse
Monmouth
9 Wisconsin
Texas
 5 Arizona 
12  Butler / Vanderbilt 
12 Arkansas LR
Des Moines  
Denver  
4 Utah 
4 Kentucky 
13 IFPW 
13 Stony Brook 
Colorado 
6 Purdue
11 Akron 
11 Seton Hall 
Oklahoma City 
  Des Moines
West Virgina 
3 Iowa State
14 Hawaii
14 Stephan F. Austin 
7 Wichita State 
7 Indiana 
10 Florida
10 Uconn
Oklahoma City Raleigh
2 Xavier
2 Virgina
15 New Mexico State 
15 Yale 
 East 
 West 
1 UNC
1 Oklahoma 
16 Texas Southern /  Wagner 
16 UNC Wimington 
Raleigh 
Oklahoma City 
8 Texas Tech 
8 South Carolina
9 St. Joseph's 
9 Providence 
Texas  A & M
Dayton 
12 Temple 
12 Oregon State / Alabama 
Denver 
 Spokane 
4 Iowa
4 Duke  
13 Chattanooga 
13 San Diego State 
6 Notre Dame 
6 Baylor 
11 Vanderbilt  
11 St. Mary's  
 Providence 
 Oklahoma City 
3  Michigan State 
Miami FL 
14 North Florida  
 14 Bucknell 
Cal 
Pitt 
10 Valpo 
10 VCU
Providence 
 Spokane 
2 Maryland 
 2 Oregon 
15 Tennessee Tech 
15 UAB 
Bubble Watch 
Last 4 IN 
Alabama
Butler
Vanderbilt
Oregon State  

First 4 Out 
Cincinnati
Boise State 
LSU 
Tulsa 

Next 4 Out 
Washington 
Florida State
Gonzaga 
BYU

Granlund Trade Is Just the Start Of A Busy Week For Canucks

There has been lots of opinions surrounding the Vancouver Canucks’ trade that sent AHL All-Star winger Hunter Shinkaruk to arch rival Calgary, in exchange for gritty Flames’ forward Markus Granlund.
Initially, a handful of Canucks’ fans detested the trade, viewing Shinkaruk as a late bloomer who has the potential to evolve into a top six forward in the NHL. From the minds of the glass-half empty fans, they’re getting a border-line player that might help within Vancouver’s third line, especially if it fails to propel Vancouver into the playoffs by the near future.

Essentially, the departure of Vancouver’s young prospects is a double-edge sword. The Canucks’ fans that are favoring the move believes that Hunter Shinkaruk is a bust waiting to happen, and it’s satisfying that Vancouver will get something in return for him. Despite having a good year with the AHL’s Utica Comets, Shinkaruk has under achieved for the most part throughout his early career. His last season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, he battled a hip injury that put him out for all but 18 games. Shinkaruk was projected to come out as a lottery pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, but evidently slipped to 24th to the Canucks.
Vancouver is looking for other options outside of their former prized talent in Skinkaruk. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
Vancouver is looking for other options outside of their former prized talent in Skinkaruk. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
Anyhow, the Canucks are getting a player in Markus Granlund who can come into the lineup right away. He may be a year older than Shinkaruk, but has already produced at a high level, scoring 14 goals and dishing out another 14 assists over an 86 game span. It’s easy to like the trade because it sticks with the theme that GM Jim Benning has been trying to implement since his inception as GM in 2014. Fast, big forwards between the ages of 21-27 who are already NHL ready once they arrive. A case for this is the past two years, when the Canucks added Sven Bärtschi and Emerson Etem.

If the core that Vancouver has groomed stays intact, then this sets up well as far as depth is concerned. Not every prospect can be a 80+ point guy in Juniors and expect to land on a well-balanced professional team. But in the future, the Canucks have their sights set on handing Bo Horvat and Jared McCann big contracts as they hopefully bloom into big time scorers.

With the trade deadline fast approaching, Benning is expected to make a couple more moves before the February 29th deadline. Right Winger Radim Vrbata and defenseman Dan Hamhuis are the most notable Canucks that could be dealt with before the deadline, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Benning make a splash somewhere else before it’s all said and done.

In summary, it’s apparent why a minority of Canucks’ fans don’t like the trade, as Shinkaruk possesses a higher ceiling. However, because Shinkaruk is injury prone and has under achieved so far. It makes sense for Vancouver to go with a more polished product in Granlund.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Bracketology - February 24th

South                                                                                 Midwest
1 Kansas 
Villinova 
16 Winthrop / Hampton 
16 Weber State 
St. Louis 
  St. Louis 
8 Texas Tech 
8 Providence 
Monmouth
9 Florida 
Texas A&M 
 5 Arizona 
12  Davidson / Oregon State 
12 San Diego State 
Des Moines  
Denver  
4 Utah 
4 Kentucky 
13 IFPW 
13 Hawaii 
6  USC  
6 Baylor 
11 Akron 
11 Alabama 
Oklahoma City 
  Des Moines
3  Iowa State 
3 Iowa 
14 Stony Brook 
14 Stephan F. Austin 
7 Wichita State 
7 Colorado 
10 Uconn 
10 Indiana 
Raleigh Oklahoma City  
Virginia 
2 Xavier 
15 New Mexico State 
15 Yale 
 East 
 West 
1 UNC
1 Oklahoma 
16 Texas Southern /  Wagner 
16 UNC Wimington 
Raleigh 
Oklahoma City 
8 South Carolina 
8 VCU 
9 St. Joseph's 
Syracuse 
Texas 
Dayton 
12 Temple 
12 Michigan/ Seton Hall 
Denver 
 Spokane 
West Virginia 
4 Duke  
13 Chattanooga 
13 Arkansas Little-Rock 
Purdue 
Notre Dame 
11 Vanderbilt  
11 St. Mary's  
 Providence 
 Oklahoma City 
3  Michigan State 
Miami FL 
14 North Florida  
 14 Bucknell 
Cal 
Pitt 
10 Valpo 
10 Wisconsin 
Providence 
 Spokane 
2 Maryland 
 2 Oregon 
15 Tennessee Tech 
15 UAB 
Bubble Watch 
Last 4 IN 
Seton Hall 
Davidson 
Wisconsin 
Oregon State  

First 4 Out 
Florida State 
Boise State 
LSU 
Butler 

Next 4 Out 
Washington 
Cincinnati
Gonzaga 
UCLA