STANDINGS (2016-17)

I like the names of the divisions!!!

Probert and Grimson the main photo for the league. And Domi beat up the drunken flyers' fan who was heckling Domi and then fell into the Toronto penalty box in Philadelphia when the glass collapsed.

Wondering if former Red Wings and PENGUINS D Bryan "Bugsy" Watson was considered for a division name. He certainly would fit the bill in terms of being an enforcer.

Could just call the division BUGSY!!! If not, here is link to Watson:

https://www.detroitathletic.com/blog/2009/03/16/remembering-the-red-wings-enforcer-bryan-bugsy-watson/

For a long time, Watson was the PENGUINS' all-time leader in PIM. I was curious and just looked. Bugsy is still fourth all-time for the PENGUINS with 871 minutes in four seasons and part of a fifth. Now that's enforcing that Dirty Harry would be proud of!!!

Looks like long-time FHL rivals in Probert kinda like NHL Original Six and the "WHA" sans B2 in Domi.

Grimson is kinda like my favorite division in NHL history that seemed to have been thrown together for no apparent reason. The Norris Division in the Prince of Wales Conference in 1974-75 had: Montreal, Los Angeles, PITTSBURGH, Detroit (Yes, there was a time when the Penguins and Red Wings were in the same division.) and the expansion Washington Capitals.

The Norris made the least sense. But then there was the glaring addition of the California Golden Seals (kinda alive as the Dallas Stars since became Cleveland Barons who were merged into the Minnesota North Stars) in the other division in the POW, Adams, along with Boston, Toronto and Buffalo.

The two divisions in the Clarence Campbell Conference kinda made sense. In the Patrick were philadelphia, Rangers, Islanders and Atlanta Flames. In the Smythe were St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota North Stars, Vancouver and the expansion Kansas City Scouts (now the New Jersey Devils).

Man, I love NHL history.

Playoff format also bizarre compared to what exists now. 12 teams made it on points. 8 from POW and only 4 from Campbell.

Top team in each division got a bye into the quarterfinals. The other eight teams were involved in a preliminary round series, best of three. Wild stuff!!!

Bad bit of history for me in this playoff season as the PENGUINS became only the second team in NHL history to lose a seven-game series after leading 3-0.