BUNCH OF JERKS LEAD IN A NEW ERA FOR THE NHL, REDEFINING THE LEAGUE Projected onto the ice pregame is the Hurricanes' rallying cry. The t-shirts can be found everywhere, regardless of where your allegiances lie in the NHL. They read "Bunch of Jerks" in big, loud lettering and serve not only as a marketing idea to sell Canes merchandise but also as a symbol for the NHL's shift into a newer, more fun era filled with speed, skill, vibrant personalities, and goal-scoring. The Carolina Hurricanes came into the season as a team that had some playoff aspirations that were taken seriously by some but not all. They named veteran Justin Williams as their captain and traded for Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton, while also retaining promising forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, along with drafting Andrei Svechnikov with their first-round selection. After a win over the New York Islanders, the Hurricanes decided to have a little fun with their fans. The pla...
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CONN SMYTHE WATCH Sergei Bobrovsky is on the Conn Smythe watch. The Conn Smythe trophy is awarded every year to the NHL's playoff MVP. Just eight teams remain, and there are many worthy candidates who could win the Conn Smythe when all is said and done. Let's look at the top five Conn Smythe candidates this playoffs. 5. BEN BISHOP The Stars are a wild-card team that eliminated the Nashville Predators in the first round, and they're currently tied 2-2 in their second-round series with the Blues. They wouldn't be here without Bishop, who's backstopped the team with a 2.24 GAA to pair with his .931 save percentage. His unreal saves have stolen games from the Stars. If they end up winning a Cup, all the thanks will be to him. 4. BRAD MARCHAND Let's start with the positive side of Marchand's case for the Conn Smythe. He and Tuukka Rask have been the two best players on the Bruins this playoffs. He's got ten points in a tie for seventh in ...