I remember the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs well. I remember it because Pittsburgh swept the Wales Conference final 4-0 against Boston and Chicago swept the Campbell Conference final 4-0 against Edmonton. That hasn't happened since and it won't happen this season because the Stars actually won a game last night to force a fifth game.

The battle for second in our pool is really heating up. Patino and Pops have 82 points apiece and Ryan and Alexi have 80. That means at least 5 people have a solid shot at making some cash.

For the rest of the story, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2008hockeypool.html.

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We might be looking at two conference final sweeps. Red Wings vs. Penguins would make for a pretty exciting final. Go Pens Go!

In the pool, the race for 2nd is heating up. Ryan currently holds down that spot with 79, Patino and Pops have 78 and Alexi has 77.

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I want to give props to all the mothers in our pool. Enjoy your special day, you're the grease that makes the world go 'round.

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I watched most of the Battle of Pennsylvania and it was pretty entertaining. Forget Sid the Kid, this Malkin youngster is incredible. If Pittsburgh continues to get good goaltending, they might be unstoppable.

I would love to see Gary Roberts win another cup. 19 years between Stanley Cup wins might be a record. Has anyone gone longer between wins?

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For the three of you still following the world's greatest NHL playoff pool, Drew is about to gallop far, far away from the pack. He got five points yesterday from the Red Wings and nobody else had more than one. Drew's going to win $170.

In Nova Scotia, $170 makes him a millionaire!

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I enjoyed that Pittsburgh game yesterday afternoon. The Rangers fought back to force OT and the Pens pulled it out in OT to end the series in five. I wonder how Sens fans feel seeing Hossa come through in the playoff clutch.

With the Rangers and Sharks exiting stage right, Marc and Ryan are down to two players. Drew has this locked up and the fight is for 2nd place. My money is on Patino.

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Last night, I had the delightful pleasure of greying out the Montreal players taken in our draft. They're done, having lost four straight games to the Flyers. I really feel for Habs fans throughout this great country.

In the pool, Drew has a slim lead over Marc, Ryan and Pops. I should be scratching off Rangers later this afternoon.

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This morning I had to drop my daughter off at her ballet recital. They're going to work out the kinks before we all show up to witness their grace. Walking the hallways of the school who should I bump into? Mr. 75 points, Drew.

We're not done the 2nd round, but this cat has tripled my output. He gave me a smirk, told me he's going to run away from the pack and then threw me a bone. He told me it's actually quite difficult to put up such a horrible score without the perception you're tanking. Yes my friends, that was the plan all along, and I succeeded in glorious fashion.

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On day 23, my last two active players hit the golf course. Well, they were already inactive due to injury, but now it's official. I will finish this year's pool with 25 points.

To put that in perspective, the last place finisher last year had 47 points. The two years before that the loser had 36 and the year before that 35. You get the idea. 25 points between 10 players is shockingly low. Briere already has 14 on his own. I have set a new standard for shite-ness.

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I could have swore I heard that Carey Price was the reincarnation of Patrick Roy? That's a ballsy move benching Patrick Roy for Jaroslav Halak.

In the pool, Drew still leads, and he tells me he's moving to Nova Scotia and not New Brunswick. Toronto Mike regrets the error.

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Back in 1952, the owner of a Detroit fish market, Peter Cusimano, threw an octopus onto the ice. The eight legs were purportedly symbolic of the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time. The Red Wings went on to sweep both of their opponents that year en route to a Stanley Cup championship.

What would be symbolic of going 16-0 in the playoffs?

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I've mapped out the remainder of the playoffs. The Flyers will oust the Habs to create the Battle of Pennsylvania. The Penguins will beat the Flyers in the conference finals setting up an exciting final against the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings will prevail, but this experience will strengthen the Penguins who will go on to win it all in 2008 / 2009.

Note to self: Draft Pens next year.

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Drew continues to lead by five over the trifecta of Ryan, Marc and Patino. I'll be pretty surprised if Drew doesn't end up winning this whole thing, and since he'll probably be living in New Brunswick by the time the cup it awarded, I might get away without having to pay him.

Just kidding... sorta.

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Now that I've adopted the Pens as my rooting interest for the remainder of the playoffs, I'm having trouble getting into the other three series. With my basketball team down 3-1 and heading to Orlando and my baseball team in a serious funk, I might have to check into this Toronto FC thing I keep hearing about.

In the pool, Drew's back in the lead. I'm rooting for Ryan or Steve, because one owes me $50 and the other owes me $80 and extracting their debts from their winnings might be my best shot at getting paid.

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In hindsight, maybe I should have loaded up on Pens instead of Ducks.

In the pool, the top four guys are separated by a single point. Good for them. When you're getting blown out in a pool, you can just ignore the whole damn thing. I don't have that luxury. This, my friends, is the definition of hell.

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I really hate this Habs ~ Flyers series, because I hate both teams so much. Why can't they both lose?

In the pool, Ryan and Marc are tied in the lead, but Pittsburgh plays tonight which should bolster Drew's chances. Here's hoping the Pens come out of the East.

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With one round complete, I'm not the only poolie to lose 8 of his 10 players. Mike C. and Gary are in the same boat. On the other end of the spectrum is Alexi who managed to have all 10 of his players advance to round 2. Alexi has some ground to make up, but you can't count him out.

After one round, here's the standings. Please don't laugh at me.

1. Ryan = 50
2. Drew = 49
2. Marc = 49
4. Steve = 47
5. Patino = 43
5. Mike C = 43
7. Pops = 40
8. Alexi = 33
9. Gary = 32
10. Mike B = 23

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I really wanted to see the Canadiens ousted last night. That would have been so sweet, but alas, it was not to be. The Canadiens rank #2 on my hate list... which I'll unveil on Friday.

In the pool, Drew has been caught. With the Penguins not playing, Ryan was able to catch him with his Capitals who forced a game seven. Marc caught Drew as well, and sits tied in second with him.

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I finally got around to uploading pics I snapped during our playoff pool draft while we waited for Joe. Here's the photoset if you're curious what a Gary or Drew looks like.

On the ice, the Preds and Ducks are out. I expected a heck of a lot more from the Ducks and drafted accordingly. It's rough when you're down to two players after the first round, but I remember a guy many years back who lost every single one of his players before round two began. As bad as you think you have it, there's always someone worse than you.

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First round picks in the draft should be high scorers from team you strongly believe will make it out of the first round. Crosby and Zetterberg went first overall. If you're going to win the pool, you're looking for at least a dozen points out of that guy. Heck, even if your #1 guy gets upset in the first round, you should still get 6 or so point out of him.

The Avalanche took out the Wild last night, and Gaborik got his first point of the series with an assist on Minnesota's only goal. Pops picked Gaborik with his first pick, and barely avoided a shutout. If you're wondering why the Wild aren't moving on, look no further than the disappearance of Marian Gaborik.

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My buddy (went to the same high school, never actually spoke) Brendan Shanahan is moving on as the Rangers knocked off the Devils in five. That hurts Steve who has three Devils, and it hurts me, but I'm just fighting to not finish last. Go Ducks go!

In the pool, Ryan is only two points back of Drew, who has led since day one. Drew banks on his high scoring Penguins, who haven't played in a bit thanks to the woeful Sens. That's helped five guys come within five points.

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Let me do a little math.... If the Ducks and Devils go out in five, and the Red Wings dispose of the Predators, I'll be left with Smyth and Wolski from the Avs.

I stink. That is all.

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I feel better this morning. There's a little more jump in my step, my breakfast tasted better, music is sounding better, everything is tinted with a shiny gold. Something is wonderfully different this morning... I wonder what it is?

We all know exactly what it is, and I'll be writing an entry about it shortly. I can't wipe this damn smile off my face!

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The Sens and Ducks won't be swept in the first round, because the Ducks managed to win a game last night in Dallas. I caught the end of a pretty exciting Bruins ~ Habs game, and realized how much I miss playoff hockey in this city. We're so damn deprived.

As for our pool, Drew continues to hold a healthy lead while Patino rides the Ribeiro rocket to second.

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My, how the mighty have fallen. Us ABOers aren't going to have to sweat it out this spring. The Sens barely made the playoffs and now it appears they're bowing out in four straight in the first round. What a glorious time to be alive!

Go Pens Go!

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When I went to bed last night, the Sharks led the Flames 3-0. I couldn't believe my ears when the shower radio told me Calgary came back and won. Cujo does it again.

The committee met last night and we're going to strip Patino of his four Steve Avery points. Why? Because we don't like Avery or his antics. Sorry Patino, the committee has spoken.

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This was to join our annual playoff pool, people! The three dudes holding down the top three positions right now, Drew, Mike C. and Patino, are our three newcomers.

At the beginning of the season, nobody could have predicted that both the Ducks and Sens would look so listless after two games. I think they'll both get swept, which blows away half of my selections. At least I'll still have Wojtek Wolski...

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Drew is riding the Penguin train to glory, racking up big time points from Malkin and Malone. He's 7 points up on Steve who has a well balanced attack with 9 of his 10 players getting points.

I have the opposite problem. My first 8 picks in the draft have yet to score a point for me. That's why I'm a whopping 17 points behind Drew after a mere three days.

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How do you bring down the Stanley Cup champions? Get me to draft three of their stars, that's how. The Ducks were shut out yesterday, which means I was shut out yesterday.

Certain guys just seem to score come playoff time. Lehtinen and Morrow are two of those guys. Claude Lemieux is another... although he wasn't drafted this year for some reason.

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I sure am glad I drafted two Sens! That was the kiss of death for Ottawa. I've never won this damn pool, and even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. My New Jersey duo laid an egg as well. Thank goodness for Wolski and the Avs, getting me 3 points and a tie for fifth.

Drew jumped out to an early lead thanks to his Penguins. Drew is one of three poolies making their debut this year. I now suspect he's a ringer.

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Below are the ten players I chose in tonight's playoff pool draft. It looks like I'll be rooting for Anaheim, New Jersey, Colorado and Ottawa.

Who am I kidding? I will never, ever root for Ottawa. Here's hoping I lose the pool b/c the Sens go out in four.

1. R. Getzlaf - ANA
2. S. Niedermayer - ANA
3. J. Spezza - OTT
4. M. Schneider - ANA
5. J. Langenbrunner - NJ
6. B. Gionta - NJ
7. A. Vermette - OTT
8. J. Arnott - NAS
9. R. Smyth - COL
10. W. Wolski - COL

Follow along at http://www.torontomike.com/2008hockeypool.html.

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Tonight we draft our 2008 NHL Playoff pool. When I awoke this morning, there were 14 confirmed to participate. It's noon and I've already had three "sorry man, I can't make it" emails. Still, 11 people makes for a pretty good draft and I'm stoked.

This is at least the 15th year in a row we've held this draft. The first time I participated, in the early to mid 90s, it was held at Bishop Allen high school and the guy running the show was Jason Agnew, who is such a mega big shot he's got his own Wiki page. It says he's the voice of "Stars Gone Wild" on Muchmusic... no foolin'.

A couple of years ago I wrote this about Mr. Agnew.

Why Jason Agnew dropped our annual playoff pool like a hot potato is still unknown, but my guess is hanging out with big time mucky mucks at the Fan 590 like Roger Lajoie and Norm Rumack went to his head. What Agnew didn't know was that our playoff pool would persevere and thrive in his absence.

Screw you Agnew, this thing is big. Tonight, a core group who drafted with you back in the day will be joined by several newbies as we pick players to compete in our 2008 NHL Playoff Pool Extravaganza.

I'm going heavy on Red Wings. Don't tell anyone... they won't see it coming. Everyone's picks will show up here late tonight.

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We're only 11 days away from drafting our annual playoff pool. We've got the location set, so if I know you in the real world and you want to join in the fun, drop me a line and I'll set you up.

Even though this pool has existed for over a decade, we've never actually documented the rules. For those of you joining us @ 6pm sharp on April 7th, here are the rules of the pool.

10. No proxies - you must draft your own players.

9. The draft ends when everyone has ten players.

8. A point is a point is a point. The final NHL.com statistics trumps all.

7. In the event of a tie, the poolie with the most players from the Stanley Cup winning team assumes the position. If it's still a tie, the winnings are shared.

6. There is a 2 minute time limit on each pick in the first five rounds and a 3 minute time limit for picks 6-10.

5. Drafting order is determined by drawing numbers from a hat.

4. $20 gets you in. The treasurer needs your money before you're allowed to draw from the hat.

3. There is a full disclosure policy with regards to injuries. If someone knows something about a players injuries, they should speak up so the drafter has a chance to reconsider. This rule applies to players who have sat out the last regular season game due to injury.

2. No helping. Other than disclosing player injuries, don't suggest picks to others or otherwise taint the integrity of the draft. Let the cards fall where they may.

1. Have fun. It's all good. May the best man win.

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Playoff poolies, mark April 7th on your calendars. That's the day we'll draft our 2008 NHL playoff picks in our annual pool. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can view our 2007 results, 2006 results, 2004 results, 2003 results and all relevant blog entries.

If you've never drafted with us before, it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on. We all hook up at a west Toronto location and one by one we pick players on playoff bound teams. Everyone drafts ten players and no player is drafted more than once. Then, a point is a point and every day I post updates online.

If you'll be in the GTA on April 7th and you're interested, contact me. Once we draft, daily updates will be posted at http://www.torontomike.com/2008hockeypool.html. It's only $20 and every dime is awarded to the winners.

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ABO won and ABF won, making it a wonderful conclusion to our 2007 Playoff Pool. ABF stands for Anyone But Felice. Marc Felice has won our pool more often than not, and it's nice to see him finish in the back of the pack for a change.

Ryan won easily, and Steve picks up the second place money. If I couldn't win, I'm just glad my two brothers finished 1-2 in the final standings. Here's how it all fell after 57 nights of NHL playoffs.

1. Ryan - 108
2. Steve - 82
3. Gary - 79
4. Mike - 73
5. Alexi - 72
6. Marc - 68
7. Alvin - 61
8. Joe - 60
9. Pops - 47

For the final results, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Mikey likes it! Mikey likes it very much!

Those Sens had me worried for a while. They were really on a roll, and I started to wonder if they'd ever choke. Still, I kept the faith, and here we are one game away from an ABO victory. How sweet it is...

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Ottawa won a game. Oooooohhhh, I'm sooooo scared. I can barely type I'm shaking so much.

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David Miller just doesn't get it. I had very high hopes for him as mayor when he beat John Tory for the job, but over the years he's left me underwhelmed. There's lots of good talk about most of the right things, but he seems rather out of touch and there's little action at the end of the day. He won his second term by default, and yesterday he signed some silly petition to support the Sens and drilled the final nail into his coffin.

I'm sick of reading crap like this and that we should root for a team simply because it's based in a Canadian city. I've been rooting for ABO since the start, since well before we called it ABO, and that's certainly not going to change now.

Please God, Ducks in four.

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In the history of this pool, I don't recall a layoff that long. It felt strange updating the standings this morning, as if we had just begun the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.

I watched the third period of this game and liked what I saw. The Ducks came back and took game one, bringing a great smile to my face. ABO leads and a nation sighs in relief.

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The next hockey game is almost a week away. I think that's insane. Other than Sens and Ducks fans, and there aren't many of them, who's going to remember to care?

If Scott Niedermayer scores at least ten unassisted goals in the finals, I have a shot at climbing back into second place on our pool.

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I ♥ Scott Niedermayer. He's an awesome player, and he's always been a key component of successful, victorious teams. Last night, I was watching the clock tick down as Detroit looked to go up 3-2 in the series, when Scott Niedermayer somehow dove and fluttered the puck behind Hasek. You know the rest of the story...

I'm hoping the Ducks win this series because I'll be rooting for ABO and I'd rather root for the Ducks than Red Wings. Go Ducks Go!

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Was there some sort of hockey game yesterday afternoon? I didn't even notice. Funny, eh?

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Steve looks like a solid bet to finish 2nd now, with Ryan all but clinching 1st. The good news is it's looking like Marc will lose, and we love it when Marc loses.

It's worth noting that the three oldest poolies are currently holding down the last three spots. In 2007, youth will be served.

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Buffalo won last night, just to give ABO a little sliver of hope. After they win the next two I'll start to believe again. Let me know, k?

As for this ridiculous chatter about Ottawa being Canada's team, that's the biggest load of bologna I've heard in quite some time. The only people I know who like the Senators are people who live in Ottawa or have lived in Ottawa. How many Leafs jerseys do you think there are hanging in Canadian closets throughout this fine country? Canada only has one team, and that team wears blue and white.

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I was in the money until some point last night when Holmstrom put his third point of the night on the board for Detroit and my little brother Steve caught me. It wasn't going to be much money, Ryan's taking home the big cheque, but it's still a tank of gas.

Who am I kidding, you can't fill up a 40 litre tank with $30 at these prices.

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With ABO down 3 games to 0, I've come up with a great new outlook that will make us all happy here in Leafsland. Let the babies have their bottle.

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Ryan, I humbly apologize for the delay in updating this site. I experienced server issues this morning that threw Toronto Mike off course. Yes, you're still winning, you're going to win by a mile and you're very handsome.

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The top three spots in our annual playoff pool are currently held by me and my two brothers. Ryan has the lead, I'm in second and Steve is in third. Welcome to Boon country.

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Normally he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Greg left a comment on this entry a month ago calling a Detroit ~ Sens final. Sure, he went with a couple of favourites and hardly went out on a limb, but it's still upsetting to think he could be right.

Go ABO Go!

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At this point there are probably only a few people following the daily updates in our playoff pool. Ryan is checking to watch his lead grow, Marc and Steve are checking in to see how close they are to the money and Alexi probably takes a peek now and then because this is his second home. The rest of the poolies have long given up and reviewing the standings just depresses the crap out of them.

Ottawa's inability to win the second game of a series assures us ABO will be 1-1 with the Sens. Go ABO Go!

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Once again, the Sharks have fizzled in the playoffs. The Dominator is dominating again, go figure. I'm calling a Ducks ~ Sabres final.

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With the New York Rangers eliminated, poor Pops becomes the first poolie to lose every single one of his ten players. This guarantees Pops will finish dead last.

On the other end of the spectrum, Ryan is looking uncatchable. In fact, I've giving Ryan the coin right now.

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Ottawa is in the final four. One more series win, and they're playing for the cup. Not only does this kill my chance of winning the pool, but it greatly upsets me personally as a life long Leafs fan.

The Sabres should beat the Rangers and they'll give the Sens a solid run for the money. Guess who I'm rooting for...

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The Sabres stunned the Rangers, which is good, and allow me to explain why. Ottawa will likely beat the Devils and advance to the conference finals. We're rooting for ABO, and that means we need the best team in the conference to be the opposition.

Buffalo is now my team for the remainder of the playoffs. For years I rooted for the Bills, I've watched their television stations all of my life and they've never won anything and need this boost worse than you can imagine.

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Vancouver never seemed to find their groove. I didn't see a lot of their games, but from what I saw they were lucky to make it this far. Everyone picked the Ducks to blow them out, and that's eventually what happened.

It was an easy pool update. Except for a single point for my Scott Niedermayer, nobody got a thing.

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Ryan is rolling right along, getting points from the Senators and Red Wings. More important for him, those two teams won last night. The smart money is on Ryan finishing first.

When Ryan wins, we all win. Dude needs the coin.

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Right on schedule, here comes the luckiest bastard ever to draft a hockey pool, Marc. Marc wins this annual pool more often than he loses, and he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer if you know what I mean. He's just really lucky.

And kudos to Joe who has four players left, but all recorded a point last night. That's pretty cool considering only four teams played and they were pretty low scoring affairs.

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With three points in two low scoring games, Ryan has asserted himself as the man to beat. He's six points up on me but I've been snake bitten these past few days.

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Much like Tony Soprano, I need good earners. Solid producers on my team make all the difference, and a lot of my guys have stopped producing. My Canucks stick, my Duck doesn't score, my Sabre stinks and my Red Wing isn't helping. If the Devils don't play, I lose ground.

Gary and Marc had good weekends and Ryan kept his lead. This is gonna be close.

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Ryan had a good day and has taken the lead. I got a few points myself and am a close second, and more importantly, the Sens lost.

My favourite stat these days is the fact the Senators have never been up 2-0 in a playoff series. That's awesome.

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There weren't a lot of points to go around last night. For all the Ducks and Canucks we drafted, only two points were shared by the nine poolies.

For the rest of the story, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Those with Sens and Devils got some points last night. Even without Elias in the lineup, I got five from my Devils and assumed sole possession of first place. Now that Sens just need to tank on queue.

For the rest of the story, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Big nights were had by the Anaheim drafters, mainly Gary, Alvin and Marc. Ryan and I, the co-leaders, got zero points.

Tonight, those unlikeable choke artists from Ottawa take on the Devils. ABO my friends.... ABO.

For the rest of the story, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Round one has ended with the Canucks sending Dallas home. It's time to take a snapshot of where we're at in the pool. Here are the standings after one round.

If I look at things objectively, I like my chances. 9 of my 10 players have advanced to the second round whereas Ryan is down to 6. Ryan's big guns are Senators and my big guns are Devils, so that series will likely determine the champion. Go Devils Go!

For the rest of the story, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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My New Jersey player advanced and earned me a solid 7 points yesterday, tying me for the lead until Ryan squeaked a couple of points out of his Red Wings. Ryan had a huge Saturday, so we've started to pull away from the pack.

Calgary's demise really only hurt Gary while Tampa Bay's exit nicked Ryan, Alvin and Pops. Steve has the only team of ten who are all still playing. So long as you've got players playing, you can't be counted out.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Ryan had a helluva day yesterday and stormed into a five point lead. A couple of his Detroit players combined for seven points and he picked up another from Dallas.

I suspect there are a lot of nervous people in Vancouver right now. They've let this series slip away. Reminds me of the Jays and Royals in '85, and that's a very bad memory.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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A big win by the Devils gave me lots of points last night. Throw in a big night from Afinogenov during Buffalo's big win and I'm back in first overall.

The fall of the New York Islanders didn't have a big impact in our pool as only Ryan Smyth was drafted but there were a few Predators sprinkled about. Alvin and Joe have each lost five thus far, making them pretenders as opposed to contenders. Thanks for the donation, boys.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Only one Wild player was drafted, so their demise doesn't really effect things. Joe, however, drafted four Penguins, so he's in a whole lotta trouble.

Gary had a fantastic night with big points from his Flames and Ducks. He suddenly finds himself a point out of first. Five points separate the top eight poolies. You can cut the tension with a knife.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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The Atlanta Thrashers have been eliminated, and that hurts Alexi the most. He drafted three Thrashers who combined to give him a whopping three points.

Zhitnik and Kozlov go in the books as the first two drafted playoffs to go scoreless. New Jersey's win has given me hope.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Joe and Pops had huge nights thanks to four points from Jagr and Nylander in the Rangers 7-0 win. The Thrashers season could end tonight which will cause Alexi some pain.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Those who drafted members of the dynamic Tampa Bay Lightning trio did well for themselves last night. Alvin's got the lead but Ryan's nipping at his heels. I'm tied in third with Joe who was my best friend in Junior Kindergarten. This time, it's war.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Those damn Sens won last night. C'mon Pens, kick it up a notch. I'm hoping this series goes seven and the Senators choke in typical Ottawa fashion.

In the pool, I've been surpassed by Alvin and Ryan, the only two poolies who drafted ahead of me. Coincidence? Of course it is...

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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Nobody is running away with the pool this year, at least not yet. I'm tied in first with Alvin but we're only a couple of points ahead of Ry.

My New Jersey players have been stellar thus far, but they have to advance for me to have shot. A Canucks win would be nice too, and 1-0 finals in all other games.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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There wasn't a whole lot of scoring last night, but those with Predators made a move on my leading total. My only point came from my lone Predator and that point has me slightly ahead of Alvin and Marc.

Cheechoo didn't just play for Steve, he also recorded his first point of these playoffs. J. P. Dumont leads all drafted players with four points.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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That Devils win was awesome, wasn't it? The four Devils I drafted combined for 9 points. Throw in a Schneider deuce and I'm first overall with 14 points.

Steve's in last, but you've got to assume his Sabre contingent will start to score. And he's got Gionta, who plays on such a wonderful line!

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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That Vancouver game against Dallas ended at 3:32am Toronto time. If you're an East coaster who watched it through, step up for acknowledgement. You truly are a king amongst men.

As for the pool, Steve got bad news regarding Cheechoo and finds himself in last. Marc, the perennial winner of our annual pool, finds himself in his usual spot thanks to big nights from Recchi, Marleau and Morrow. I'm in the middle of the pack hoping for a big night from New Jersey tonight. That's right, I'm relying on high scoring from the Devils.

For the current standings, visit http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html.

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The draft is done. Newcomer Alvin got the first pick overall and picked Daniel Briere from the Buffalo Sabres. I drafted third and found myself picking Devils.

You can follow the action daily at http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html. Head on over there to how it all unfolded tonight. Here's the obligatory photoset.

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Tonight we're drafting our playoff pool teams and I need a better strategy. I've never won, despite having competed every year for over a decade. Well, every year there was a playoffs, anyway.

Which teams should I bank on this year? I always end up loading up on players from good teams that bow out after a round or two. I want my core players playing into the third round. Which teams look good for a long run?

All suggestions are appreciated. You've got six hours. By the way, if you can be at a West Toronto location by 6pm tonight, you're welcome to draft with us. I have bad news for the out-of-towners who wanted to draft remotely. We're going old school and cutting the e-feed this year. Get your ass to the T-Dot and join in the fun... and bring $20.

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Mark April 9th on your calendars, poolies. That's the evening we're drafting our 2007 NHL playoff pool teams. When the action begins, you'll be able to follow it online at http://www.torontomike.com/2007hockeypool.html. Also, you can view our 2006 results, 2004 results, 2003 results and all relevant blog entries.

Please confirm with me whether you'll be attending the draft this year. If you've never been out before, this is the year to join in. We'll draft in West Toronto at about 6:15pm. $20 gets you in and every dime goes back in the pot. We draft until everyone has ten players and scoring is simple. A point is a point is a point.

See you at the draft.

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Marc has won the pool, taking home all of our hard earned money. Well, he doesn't get it all, Ryan gets to keep his for finishing a strong second. It's worth noting that Marc won in 2004 when he actually accumulated 22 less points. It's the new NHL, baby!

We'll all get together in April 2007 to draft another playoff pool as this annual tradition promises to continue. If you'd like to be a part of it, drop me a line. As Red would say, dontcha dare miss it!

For the final standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Fifty-eight days later, it all comes down to one game. Tomorrow night, an entire nation will tune in CBC and root for the Oil to come all the way back from a 3-1 game deficit.

Edmonton scored four goals last night, but Pronger didn't get a single point. That's bad news for Ryan who now needs a miracle to make up six points on the last night of action. Hot damn, it's been fun though.

Go Oilers Go!

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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It will be hockey night in Canada on Saturday night. Edmonton, the team that refuses to die, has forced a sixth game in these Stanley Cup finals. I'm beginning to wonder if this hockey season will ever end.

Both Marc and Ryan got two points and remain separated by six. Time is running out on poor Ry.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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It doesn't look good for Edmonton. It also doesn't look good for Ryan in our annual playoff pool spectacular. Stillman earned another two points and Recchi scored the big goal to put Marc up by six with three or less games to play.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Whoa baby, Edmonton may have just saved their season. I can't spell Markkanen but I appreciate grace under pressure when I see it. In our pool a longer series gives Ryan a better chance to come back, but he now trails by four. Marc's still-the-man with Stillman.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Edmonton got shut out, but both Ryan and Marc got two and remain seperated by a mere three points. All the nation is abuzz with wonderment as to who will be victorious. Will Marc repeat? Will Ryan ride the Pronger express to a comeback victory? Stay tuned...

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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I'm still shocked Edmonton blew that game. With Conklin between the pipes, I no longer think the Oilers will win this series. The turn of events last night were dramatic.

In our pool, both Ryan and Marc came away with two points so they're still separated by three. When a big trade goes down, you can usually determine the winner by identifying which team got the best player. In the Joe Thornton trade, it was an easy win for San Jose. In the Doug Gilmour trade, we got the better of Calgary. In the same vein, I feel Ryan will win the pool because he owns the best player of the four shared by himself and Marc. In fact, Chris Pronger is probably the best player on either team, and that gives Ry the edge.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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That was a pretty exciting game seven. When Buffalo scored at the end of the second period, I thought they were going to pull off the upset and overcome their injuries. If Edmonton is the city of Champions, Buffalo is the city of losers. The Bills are 0-4 in Super Bowls and the Sabres are 0-2 in Stanley Cup finals. I wanted them to take a third crack at the cup.

In our pool, this sets up an intriguing finish. Marc currently leads Ryan by three points and both have two players remaining. Ryan's two have thus far combined for 25 points while Marc's two have combined for 29 points. I'm forseeing a victory for the Oilers and Ryan has Chris Pronger so I'm predicting a photo finish in our pool.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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This series deserved a game seven. The Sabres refuse to lose and Saturday's game promises to be far better than the only other game seven we've had during these playoffs. In our pool, Marc and Ryan will be paying close attention to this game as it probably determines the winner of our massive jackpot.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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The Canes came back and have Buffalo on the brink. I'm not surprised to see them secure another "W". Have you looked at their roster? Seven players with a surname beginning with "W" played for Carolina last night: Niclas Wallin, Aaron Ward, Cam Ward, Doug Weight, Glen Wesley, Ray Whitney and Justin Williams. That has to be some sort of record.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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At the wedding yesterday, Jomp made a bold prediction that the Edmonton series is going seven. He's currently working in Fort McMurray, Alberta, so this prediction meant something. I immediately told him he was nuts but he was adamant.

Jomp was wrong and the Oil are in the finals. With Scott Niedermayer's departure, I'm out of players and will finish in tenth. Considering I drafted eleventh, I'm quite pleased with this advancement.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Gerber shuts out the Sabres and lets Marc reclaim the lead. That's two goalies winning big games the past couple of nights despite not having played in a month. Rust never sleeps.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie for first place.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Ryan picked up a whopping five points last night and now only trails Marc by two. We're talking some major scratch here. You can cut the intensity with a knife.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Edmonton was lucky to make the playoffs. After squeaking in, nobody gave them a chance against the Red Wings. Then, nobody gave them much of a chance against the Sharks. Now they're just one win away from the cup final and the bandwagon is filling up fast. Go Oilers Go!

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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In any draft, somebody has to go first. In our pool, we each pull numbers out of a hat. If you end up picking last, as I did, that's just the way it goes. I like to think drafting first isn't that bit of an advantage, but crunching the numbers thus far suggests otherwise.

The current top four in the pool were also the first four to draft. I'm not using that as an excuse because I drafted last. Draw your own conclusions.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Looking back on that fateful day we drafted our players, nobody wanted to touch the Oilers. Steve was first to dive in, making his ninth pick of ten Ryan Smyth. Three others followed with their final selection, but that was it. Only four Oilers were drafted by four different poolies. We sure know how to pick 'em!

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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Ryan still trails Marc by nine points. Marc has two Hurricanes while Ryan a couple of high scoring Sabres, a high scoring Oiler and a low scoring Hurricane. This is gonna be close!

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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At this point in the season, so much is about momentum. Edmonton rolled right into round three and took game on from the Ducks who had quite a bit of time off. I really like the Oil in this series. Yes, I now call them the Oil. Oilers is so 80s!

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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How many of you predicted last fall that the final four would consist of Buffalo, Carolina, Anaheim and Edmonton? If you just raised your hand and shouted "me!", you're a damn liar. Lies make baby Jesus cry, please make that the last lie you ever tell.

I'm rooting for a Buffalo~Edmonton final, although I have no ill-will towards the other two teams. I'd like Edmonton to return to the final for obvious reasons and watching the Sabres~Sens series endeared me to our QEW brothers.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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We're down to five teams vying for Lord Stanley's cup. The poolie with the most players remaining is Alexi who has six, but he's in fourth and will most likely finish out of the money. Should Edmonton advance, Marc will be left with a couple of Hurricanes while Ryan will have a couple of Sabres, a Hurricane and Chris Pronger. A Buffalo ~ Edmonton final would most certainly give Ryan a come back victory.

Conversely, should Anaheim go to the cup and Scott Niedermayer score dozens and dozens of unassisted goals, I could win it all.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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There are rumours on the internets that suggest Canadian hockey fans always root for the other Canadian teams in the playoffs if their team is eliminated. I'm a Leafs fan through and through, and I assure you this isn't true. I may adopt a team from the west for the playoffs, because they're Canadian based, but I will never, ever root for the Ottawa Senators or Montreal Canadiens.

I know Montreal is our historic rival, but over the past five or six years I've developed such a hate on for Ottawa that it has eclipsed my hate on for Montreal. The sweetest playoff victories over the past five seasons have been over the Sens, and there have been many. This season, I lived precariously through the Sabres and cheered loud and proud when Jason Pominville made Daniel Alfredsson look like a pylon, caught Wade Redden napping and beat Ray Emery to send the Sens to the golf course. Hell, yeah.

For the current standings, visit http://www.mikeboon.com/2006hockeypool.html.

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