If you missed it yesterday, a fanpost on our sister site Raw Charge made the rounds and it might be the most fun statistical analysis you’ll ever read (sorry, computer boys).
@yolo_pinyato created an Olympic hockey team for the fictional nation of Wakanda, the setting of the film and comic Black Panther. The title character and king of Wakanda, T’Challa, and his sister Shuri use an algorithm to look at the stats of black NHL players to build a team.
It’s meant to be fun, but more than that, it’s meant to highlight black players outside of the instances that they experience racism in the league.
The reason why I wrote the article in @rawcharge today was after the subban and smith-pelly controversies a few weeks ago, I grew tired of seeing the black players around the league only being profiled and highlighted when something bad happens.
— Puerto Rico lives on (@yolo_pinyato) February 28, 2018
You’ll find the link to the piece below, but first, here’s Sharks news and notes:
- Timo Meier hit up Roger Federer on Twitter yesterday, publicly inviting the Swiss tennis star to come to a Sharks game at SAP Center on Monday. The ball is in Federer’s court now./
Hey @rogerfederer since you‘re at @SAPCenter Monday the boys of the @SanJoseSharks would love to host you at the game Sunday! What do you think? 👑🇨🇭#1 #swisspride
— Timo Meier (@MeierTimo) February 28, 2018
- Daily Dieter Podcast: Why Sharks still need more from Brent Burns
San Jose sits in second place in the Pacific Division, but the Sharks know they have to improve if they want to be a real Stanley Cup contender. Dieter Kurtenbach explains why the Sharks need more from Brent Burns if they want to hoist the cup later this year. - Sharks reward backup goaltender’s unlikely rise with two-year extension | NBCS Bay Area
Aaron Dell’s hockey career is that of an improbable journey. After clearing every hurdle, the Sharks are staying loyal to the goaltender. - Aaron Dell signs a two-year contract extension with Sharks
The Sharks signed goalie Aaron Dell to a two-year contract extension Wednesday. - Evander Kane’s debut was inspiring, but he doesn’t solve the Sharks’ biggest issue
The San Jose Sharks are fighting for their playoff lives, and they need an established star to find his game before it’s too late. - Kane trade adds a dangerous element to Sharks offense
Evander Kane picked up two assists in his Sharks debut Tuesday./
As for around the league:
- What if Wakanda had an Olympic Hockey Team? – Raw Charge
A statistical breakdown of the league’s top black players - Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant defends Ryan Reaves’ rugged play – Las Vegas Review-Journal
Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant defends Ryan Reaves after the rugged forward took two minor penalties in third period of Tuesdays 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. - Despite hosting NHL draft, Canucks still likely to lose lottery – Sportsnet.ca
The 2019 National Hockey League entry draft will be great for Vancouver. Too bad it won’t be better for the Vancouver Canucks and the struggling teams that need it most. - Which five veterans are turning back the clock this season? | The Hockey News
The NHL is getting younger with each passing season, but, from Eric Staal to Mike Smith, there are several veterans showing that they’ve still got some gas in the tank. - NHL – The great player tracking debate – ethical questions, fan access
The availability of biometric data seems to be a major win for fans’ experience of the game. But it also raises significant questions regarding the ethics of releasing that data, as well as the legal privacy issues involved. Here’s the latest. - Would-be Seattle NHL owners say they’ll get favorable expansion rules, would want ownership in NBA team as well | The Seattle Times
Future Seattle NHL owners David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer say the league assured them they’ll get same favorable expansion draft rules as a successful Las Vegas franchise and that they are also keen on an ownership stake in any future NBA team. - Why an Erik Karlsson deal to Golden Knights fell through at NHL trade deadline – CBSSports.com
A Karlsson-to-Vegas deal apparently fell apart over the inclusion of Bobby Ryan (and his huge contract) - 31 Thoughts: Why Karlsson, Pacioretty deadline deals fell flat – Sportsnet.ca
The NHL trade deadline included some major deals, but what happened to rumoured ones for Erik Karlsson and Max Pacioretty? Answers in this week’s 31 Thoughts. - NHL – Insiders predict where John Tavares, Erik Karlsson will land next season, Stanley Cup favorite
Now that the dust has settled from the trade deadline, our writers tackle some lingering questions. Will John Tavares remain an Islander? Could Erik Karlsson end up in Vegas? And which team most improved its Stanley Cup chances? - NHL trade deadline acquisitions make immediate impact on new teams – CBSSports.com
The Predators, Jets, Bruins and Sharks all got a taste of what to expect from their new players - The playoff roller coaster for Canadian NHL teams is back in a trough again | National Post
The post-trade deadline edition of Postmedia’s weekly NHL notebook - NHL ‘comfortable’ with decision to miss Olympics: Bettman – The Globe and Mail
Commissioner says play was ‘entertaining’ while in Vancouver to announce that the Canucks will play host to 2019 draft/
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