The Case for Rick Nash

It's been a polarizing topic to say the least, but I wanted to take a crack at presenting the best possible case for Rick Nash in a medium that allows me the use of more than 140 characters at a time. I unabashedly believe that we should trade for Rick Nash, and I wouldn't be adverse to giving up Dubinsky, Kreider, and a 1st rounder to get it done.

Here's what I'm thinking:

#1: The Skills

This, at least, should not be in question. Of all active players who entered the league the same year or later than Nash, only five have more points: Eric Staal, Crosby, Spezza, Ovechkin, and Zetterburg. That's pretty impressive company to keep. He has scored 30 or more goals 6 out of his 9 seasons in the league (counting this one, and with a move to a team with a better offense 12 goals in 20 games isn't entirely out of the question), and has topped 40 twice. That is huge for a team that doesn't have a lot of dynamic goal scorers. He's also topped 30 assists each of the past 5 seasons, and only needs 9 more to do it again this year. Given that he hasn't been passing to a squad that is even playoff-caliber most years makes that even more impressive. Plus, he can do things like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQArUjP89w. There aren't too many other guys in the league who can do that, and he should pay IMMEDIATE dividends for his linemates.

Plus, Nash is only going to get better when playing with a better team. In the two years that he topped 40 goals, the team's leading assist-getters were David Vyborny and Nash himself (though one should assume he was not assisting on his own goals) respectively. Currently, the players who have had the biggest effect on Nash's game is Vinny Prospal (assisted on 6 of Nash's goals, and had Nash assist on 3 of his) and what's left of Jeff Carter (assisted by Carter 4 times, assisted to Carter 4 times).  Nash has never played with anyone who is as good a playmaker as Richards or even Stepan. Given that Richards has had some level of demonstrable effect on the more talented players he plays with (he has assists on 8 of Cally's career-high 23 goals, though it seems like you couldn't get Dubinsky started even if you hooked him up to jumper cables), it is safe to assume that having Richards and Nash together would be beneficial to both. 

As an added bonus, Nash provides serious shootout skills, without wasting minutes on a guy like Christiansen. Currently, Nash is tied for 6th all-time with 27 shootout goals, and scores at about a 40% clip in the skills competition. The Rangers get REALLY ugly really quickly in the shootout: only 4 guys on the current roster have taken more than 10 shots, two of them shoot less than 21% (Gabby and Cally) and one of them is Wojtek Wolski (who makes up for his skill in the shootout by underperforming impressively in all other facets of the game). Putting Nash and Richards in the shootout with Hank in goal is a recipe that has the potential to steal a ton of points during the regular season, which will only get better if MZA is brought up, ostensibly to replace Wolski.

#2: He'll fit with the team concept

I've heard a ton of talk about the team chemistry and how it will all go to hell if Nash is brought on board. I just don't see that happening. First off, Nash is a good soldier. As far as I can tell, he never criticizes management or throws his teammates under the bus. If anyone has cause to, he does, given that he has spent nine seasons toiling away with little or nothing around him. When the Jackets finally went out and picked up some offense to put around him, both Carter and Wisnewski missed significant time. Yet you never hear him complain. Second, he ASKED to come here. He knows what the power structure looks like in New York, but he wanted to come here anyway. I can't imagine he wants to come here and immediately cause a power struggle. Third, he can play with the kind of grit and jam that Torts wants. He has hovered around 100 hits the past two years, and he is well on his way to doing so again (Though he has picked it up in the last few games. Showing off for Torts, maybe?). Finally, sometimes trades have to be made. I can only imagine what Twitter would have looked like if it existed when both Gartner and Amonte got traded. Sometimes you have to make moves to improve the team; winning is a great way to improve team chemistry.

#3: Improves Roster Functionality

Right now, the Rangers legitimately have three lines: The GAS line, Richards-Cally-??, and the Boyle-Prust-?? line. Our 4th line is a loose confederation of spare parts that is rarely, if ever, used; sort of an Island of Misfit Forwards. While the team is, as usual, in fantastic shape, having three forwards average 20 minutes a night (Cally, Gabby, Richards), while the 4th line guys play 7 min a night and don't play the PK (Rupp and Bickel against CHI) is a recipe that will get you some tired forwards in the playoffs. Insofar as possible, I believe that it is helpful to have 3 lines that can score and a 4th line that is at least semi-functional.

Assuming Nash is traded for Dubinsky and Wolski is sent somewhere (ANYWHERE!!) for cap relief, our lines could look like this:

1. Gaborik-Stepan-AA (its not broke, don't fix it)
2. Nash-Richards-MZA (brought up to replace Wolski). Three fantastic playmakers on this line, all of whom have the ability to score. Find me a better 2nd line in the NHL.
3. Cally-Mitchell-Hagelin. This line is gritty and will absolutely kill you with their speed. I'd of course prefer to upgrade Mitchell, but I think Cally will get his regardless, especially if the other team has to account for Hagelin's speed. Plus, Mitchell is statistically the best faceoff guy out of all our centers, winning nearly 60% of his draws.
4. Prust-Boyle-Feds/Rupp. With Fedotenko, its a counter-punching line that has shown the ability to play well together in the past. With Rupp, its a hard-nosed checking line with the ability and willingness to drop the gloves. This is a 4th line that Torts will play, and Boyle/Prust will see time together on the PK. This gives the other three lines the chance to take a breather without sacrificing the on-ice talent.

Nash would also slot directly into our PP, and provide some much needed scoring ability. In his 9-year career, he's topped 10 PPG 4 times and handed out more than 10 PPA 7 times (including this year). Any help on the PP would be a welcome sight indeed. Also, and I had the benefit of watching last night's game before I finished the blog entry, Nash certainly seems like the type of guy you'd want to bring on as an extra attacker, doesn't he?

END AFFIRMATIVE ARGUMENT

Now, when you hear people talk about the reasons why they don't want Nash, it boils down to some combination of three arguments: Chemistry, Cap Room, and Concept. Given that I addressed the chemistry concerns above, the remainder of my time will be used to discuss the other two.

Argument #1: It's going to screw up our cap

Nash is expensive, I'm not going to dispute that. But I disagree with the argument that it will somehow prevent us from resigning "our young guys." In the immediate future, I see no problem with keeping Nash under the cap. This year, according to CapGeek, we can accept a cap hit of up to $5.8mil. Just trading Dubinsky puts that over $10mil, meaning that we can sign Nash and bring up MZA or Erixon; finding a way to get rid of Wolski's salary would give us $4mil more room to make moves.

Next year, we have $20mil of room, assuming a Dubinsky trade, leaving us 12mil left after Nash gets his. Next year's UFA's of note are: Feds, Prust, Mitchell, Avery, Biron, Woywitka, and Eminger. I don't see the need to resign any of them except Prust and maybe Biron. Mitchell is ok, but could be upgraded. What we do with our defense depends a lot on whether Sauer is healthy. We could resign Biron, or resign and bring up Chad Johnson, who is currently 13th in the AHL in GAA as a more long-term choice. The RFA's of note are: Wolski, DZ, Stralman, Bickel, and MZA. Wolski should clearly be gone, and Bickel might be rendered unnecessary. I like MZA, and if he plays well this year, he might find himself a spot. If not, the only one's we'll probably resign are DZ and Stralman. Given that the only guys we need to resign are DZ, Stralman, and Prust, and assuming a 20% raise for each of them (which is generous), it would cost us around $3.5 mil to resign all of them, leaving us 6 roster spots to fill with around $9mil, which leaves us $1.5mil to spend on each spot, basically equivalent to the contract we handed Rupp. Assuming we keep Biron for around $1mil, that leaves $8 mil for 5 roster spots. So we're not screwed next year.

The year after is where things become a bit harder to deal with. We have no UFA's of note, but we have to think about 5 RFAs: AA, Hagelin, Stepan, Sauer, and McD. Barring a breakout season from any of the others, I think that we can safely prioritize McD and Stepan, and probably resign two of the other three, or have found a replacement from the minors (i.e. Erixon, McIlrath, Thomas, Miller, Bourque, all of whom would be on the last year of their entry-level deals, and would be plenty affordable). So, we're still in good shape.

In 2014-15, all hell breaks loose. Potential UFAs: Gabby, Cally, Henrik, Boyle, Rupp, and Girardi (Redden will be one too, but something tells me he's a lower priority). Plus Erixon, McIlrath, Thomas, Miller, and Bourque will all be RFAs. This is a problem, BUT it would have been a problem even without Nash. And, under my scenario, WE HAVE RICK NASH. He's only 27, has no major injury history, and is one of the top 10 scorers to come into the league in the last decade. We will have been the best team in the league, at least on paper, for the previous three years. That's almost unheard of in the salary cap era. In summation, I don't see the potential cap problems as a reason not to trade for a superstar player in the middle of his prime.

#2 We Can't Trade Our Best Prospect Away


The final argument is that we can't trade away Chris Kreider, who (by all accounts) has been dominant in college this year; there are also some who are unwilling to trade Dubinsky, but the Kreider argument seems to be much more frequent. I understand that Krieder is really good right now, but that is no guarantee that he's going to be good in the pros.  I figure that, barring watching hours upon hours of tape, the best way to look at Kreider is by draft position and by current college stats.

Draft Position: We took Kreider in the 1st round, pick 19. In previous seasons, some notable guys who were picked in that area (within 3 picks either direction) were: Sbisa, DZ, Eberle, Pacioretty, C. Stewart, Giroux, Parent, Rask, and Zajac (as well as a bunch of guys who haven't made the NHL yet). Giroux is a superstar, Eberle an All-Star, and the rest of the guys are serviceable NHL players. So Kreider could end up being Giroux, but he could also end up being Chris Stewart; I'd trade Dubinsky, Stewart, and a #1 every time for Nash.

Stats: Kreider right now has 19 goals and 16 assists for a total of 35 points. What would you say about the guy if he finished the season with 22 goals and 30 assists. You'd probably say he was destined for NHL stardom. What if I  told you that was Brian Boyle's junior year stat line at BC? Kreider's physical development makes him a man among boys at the college level, but it is no guaranty of success in the pros, where everyone is bigger and faster than in college. Kreider's a lottery ticket and therefore comes with some level of risk. Its possible that we wouldn't even get him for another few years (maybe another year at BC and one with the Whale), by which point Nash would have been on the team for two years and still only be 29. Kreider still hasn't stepped onto an NHL rink and I think that getting a proven superstar more than makes up for what we might lose with Kreider.

I'm not expecting everyone to agree with me, but if you don't, let me know why in the comments. The level of discussion with other fans is one of the best things about being a Ranger fan.

May all your hits be crits,
B

Live Blogging the All-Star Fantasy Draft

So, as a favor to my sister Cassy and all my theoretical readers, I'm going to be (as the title suggests) live-blogging the Shana-draft.

And here we go...

10:13- Announcing the captains: Daniel Alfredsson (who is incredibly undeserving. Why do we let fans decide this? The people don't even deserve the privilege of voting on the People's choice awards.) I like how the announcer referred to Lundqvist as a "Swedish Assistant." Makes him sound like a masseur, which pretty much every female hockey fan I know has dreamed about at least once. Marie is a big fan; she thinks he looks like Owen from Grey's Anatomy.

10:17- Chara up. Its fantastic seeing how absurdly tall he is compared to pretty much everyone else. Also, "which way are you leaning?" "All the ways." He might be large enough to pull that off.

10:18- Assistants Lundqvist and Lupul. Nice difference in skills, and the first Leafs Suck chant of the night begins.

Breaks brought to you by DVR, which ensures that I don't have to watch any commercials. To paraphrase Stephen Colbert- a great invention, or the greatest invention?

10:20- Most thinking Pommenville goes last, mostly because I don't think anyone wants Hartnell to get a car. I can hope...#HartnellUp

10:21- did he just say "Drizzy"? Also, did he just refer to Stamkos and Kane as vets? They're both under 25. WTF?

10:22- Generically attractive sideline reporter, but she sounds all kinds of bored. Can someone inject her with adrenaline like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. Aaannd then another commercial.

10:25- Like the one trade allowed rule. This could make things interesting. Also, I know I'm not the first to say it, but Chara reminds me of Ivan Drago. I just want him to say "I will break him" or something of the sort.

10:26- And they just booed the puck flip. Who does that? But it looks like Drago is ready, and he goes for Datsyuk. Fantastic pick, given that he's ALWAYS on the list of guys that you would take to start your franchise. And it sounds like Chara's got a little crush...

10:28- Worst kept secret ever, Alfie goes for Karlsson and I don't blame him one bit. Also like the hair, those are some flowing locks. But lets hold off on the Orr comparisons, at least for a season or two.

10:30-Apparently, Karlsson is the "quickest at everything he does." Bow chicka sad face...

10:31- Chara goes for Thomas to shore up his right wing. I know I'm the millionth person to say it, but I had to, though I like that the TSN guy went right for the big issue.

10:32- Now Spezza. Lame choice, but he DOES have 50 points this year. Didn't know that.

10:33- Malkin, #1 in fantasy ranking, #5 at the ASG.

10:34- Jonathan Quick goes to Alfie's squad. Unbelievable goalkeeping tandem with Lundqvist, though an ASG shutout is unlikely.

10:35- Hossa to Chara, Giroux to Alfie. Alfie is making up for the Spezza pick big-time, Giroux might be the fastest rising star in the league.

10:36- Timmonen goes to Chara. In general, yes; in an ASG where nobody plays defense, no. Letang, Alfie's choice, is a significantly better selection. How did NEITHER Sedin go in the top 10? Do the other players watch hockey occasionally?

10:40- Last year's Hart winner is off the board to Chara. However, they aren't getting last year's player. How did the Ducks get so bad so fast? Aside from poor roster construction, that is. Stamkos finally goes to Alfie, and he brings 32 goals with him. Wow.

10:42- Carey Price comes in to back up Thomas. I like that the best stat they had for him is that this is ASG #3 for him. Shows how poorly the Habs have been doing.  Lundqvist takes Brian Elliot, meaning that one team has 3 of the best 4 goalies, in terms of performance, at the game. The shutout looms.

10:44- BTW, Leafs Suck. I don't know if anyone else was aware. Lupul picks Kessel, who DOES look like Chucky. Don't lie Phil, you liked winning the car better than being picked early (or you're bizarre and delusional). Alfie chooses Weber. Chara should have locked him up earlier; if nothing else, the fastest shot competition would be locked up for his team. Chara gets Suter, who always seems like the 2nd prettiest girl at the ball compared to Weber.

10:47- Finally a Sedin. How did last year's Art Ross winner last until pick #17? The rules prevent Chara from going with Henrik, so he's stuck with Jimmy Howard. Not a bad prize, I suppose. Lundqvist goes with Girardi, who has a pretty sick tie. Also cool to know that he's the only one who made the ASG despite not being drafted. Great look at Hartnell's Jew-fro in the green room before going to commercial.

10:52- Wow, Alfie's team is significantly better going into R 11. Campbell is rapidly losing his hair, or made a terrible decision at the barbershop, but he goes to Chara. Yandle, a fantastically kept secret on an overachiving squad, goes to Alfie. I like that Chara keeps letting Lupul go up there to get booed, and that he chose Kane (who has significantly fewer goals than I expected). Michalek to Alfie; is he the forward with the fewest total points in the ASG? Seriously, fans don't deserve to vote. Phaneuf gets picked by Chara, to a chant of "Over-rated" I think we all agree.

10:57- Alfie told to pick a D-man, and ignores it in favor of Henrik Sedin. So now one team has two Sedins and two guys named Henrik, should make for good chemistry (or some confusion). Chara takes Iginla, who is quietly having a decent season (VERY quietly. The Flames are awful-sauce). Lundqvist and Alfie talking a lot about this pick, and end up with Neal. Apparently a little bit of consideration leads to good results. Who knew? Chara forced to take a D-man and goes for Wideman; Alfie in the same situation takes Edler. Again the better decision made by Alfredsson. All the Canucks and all the Sens are on the same team. I can only assume that choosing the Canucks will generally end up being a better decision

11:02- Each team gets to choose four more forwards, but we get a look at the rookies first. Wish the teams were able to pick the rookies, but it does mean Hagelin gets to be with Lundqvist and Girardi. Who would have thought there was (or would ever be) a Rafael Diaz in the NHL?  Awesome.

11:06- Chara picks up Gaborik, ruining my chances of just rooting for Team Alfredsson. Tavares to Alfie; he appears to be on quite the hot streak (22 points in 14 games). Eberle to Chara. #HartnellUp to Alfredsson, where he won't get a car, but he should be on a line with Giroux (and on a team with both the Flyer rookies as well).

11:12- Chara gets Seguin, and Alfie denies Pommenville a car; Pomm is seriously bucking the trend of long hair in this game. Apparently he missed the memo. Chara's got a lot of power here, and goes for Benn. Couture, who asked what kind of car was at stake, is the last pick. His front teeth are slightly too large for his mouth. This can only be problematic for a hockey player. But he gets a Honda Crosstour, and the chance to choose a hockey program to get $20k.

So in summation, Alfredsson SHOULD dominate pretty solidly. But you never know...

May all your hits be crits,
B

What Has Been and What Shall Never Be

So, I was doing a search on Bing (the default engine at work) and it has the autofinish feature, where it attempts to guess what you're going to say. My query began with "Has there ever been a..." and there were a few categories of response:

1. Natural Disasters- Has there ever been a 10.0 earthquake, an earthquake in Florida, or an F6 tornado. This seems entirely reasonable to look for, especially if you live in Florida.

2. Stuff about people- Has there ever been a single President, a perfect [NCAA] bracket, a trillionaire, or a black pope? The first two are reasonable, the second shows a fundamental misunderstanding of math, and the last one strikes me as potentially racist, depending on the persons purpose for looking it up.

3. WTF- "Has there ever been a zombie outbreak?" Wow, where to begin? Um, we're all alive, so no. I feel like, had there been one, we would have known about it, given that the world would have turned into an apocalyptic wasteland populated with droves of the undead. I mean...BRAINS! BRAINS!


BRAINS! BRAINS!,
BRAINS!

Emblematic

So over the last week, I've had to do research that involved reading state codes. In the process, I've run across a bunch of statutes designating state symbols and emblems for each state. As this is SIGNIFICANTLY more interesting than what I was researching, I looked into it a little more once I got home. Here are some of the random factoids I came across, one for each state.

Alabama, for some inexplicable reason, did NOT choose "Sweet Home Alabama" as its state song. Absolute travesty.
Alaska has a state flower. I wasn't aware plant life could grow up there.
Arizona has a state firearm, more proof that they need gun control laws there.
Arkansas wrote a three paragraph statute explaining how to say the word "Arkansas."
California has both an official gold rush ghost town and an official silver rush ghost town.
Colorado, despite not being particularly Southern, made square dancing the official folk dance.
Connecticut has both a state troubadour and a state composer
Delaware describes its state soil as "a coarse, loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic, Typic Hapludult"
Florida has an official state tortoise, which strikes me as bizzarely specific.
Georgia has an official state prepared food: grits.
Hawaii's official fish is the "humuhumunukunukuapua‘a"; I would have gone with "rectangular triggerfish."
Idaho's state raptor, unfortunately, is a bird, not a dinosaur.
Illinois has its own state prairie grass.
Indiana, after MUCH consideration, chose limestone as its state stone.
Iowa's state seal includes a picture of "the citizen soldier, with a plow in his rear." Ow.
Kansas provides only 10 reasons why a government employee can deviate from the official state language: English.
Kentucky has designated an official state Tug-of-War championship.
Louisiana only recognizes the flag of South Vietnam, not the current Vietnamese flag.
Maine's state soft drink is "Moxie, a registered trademarked soft drink invented by Maine-born Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union that symbolizes spirit and courage."
Maryland's state sport is jousting. Badass.
Massachussetts is a particularly musical state: it has an official state song, folk song, patriotic song, glee club song, and polka.
Michigan has its own symbol for clean water; apparently Michigan clean isn't like any other clean.
Minnesotans love them some blueberry muffins, to the point where its the official state muffin.
Mississippi has a cuddly streak: the Teddy Bear is their official state toy.
Missouri likes the crayfish, but already had a state animal; they compromised and made it the state invertebrate.
Montanans were obviously having trouble sleeping, as they've designated an official state lullaby.
Nebraska made it a misdeameanor to "insult" the state banner.
Nevada must have rocks on the brain: they have a state rock, a state precious gemstone, and a state semi-precious gemstone.
New Hampshire is proud of its chinooks, the official state dog.
New Jersey's state colors are Jersey Blue and Buff; truly a situation to be proud of.
New Mexico made the hot air balloon its official aircraft.
New York designated the bluebird as its state bird; apparently the pigeon would be a little too on the nose.
North Carolina chose the venus flytrap as its official carniverous plant; Little Shop of Horrors is apparently not the state musical.
North Dakota's highest honor is the "Teddy Roosevelt Rough Rider Award." Bully!
Ohio has a state reptile, amphibian, and frog. Now, I haven't taken biology in a while, but I think a frog falls into one of those two categories.
Oklahoma lists the watermelon as its state vegetable. Um...about that...
Oregon has named the Portland Trail Blazers of 1990-91 as the official team of the state. So much for having hope for another championship...
Pennsylvania has both an official electric locomotive and two official steam locomotives.
Rhode Island is the only state with an official state yacht.
South Carolina's official dance is called the shag. That just SOUNDS naughty.
South Dakota isn't worried about carbs; they have an official state bread.
Tennessee has an official commercial fish, which is brought to you by Channel Catfish.
Texas stipulates a fine of up to $300 and up to 3 months in prison for "thrashing" the state tree.
Utah has a state cooking pot.
Vermont designated a state flavor; unsurprisingly, it's maple.
Virginia came up with one interesting way to have fun: an official Covered Bridge Festival.
Washington lists the Olympic marmot as its only endemic mammal. Nice marmot.
West Virginia chose something particularly pleasant as its state reptile: the timber rattlesnake.
Wisconsin believes that dairy cows are a "domestic animal." Not my first choice for a pet, but what do I know?
Wyoming's state Code includes the state code: Cowboy Ethics.

In summation, legislators have WAY too much time on their hands.

May all your hits be crits,
B

NHL Preview, Part 2: Western Conference

As promised, here is my Western Conference preview:

1.       Detroit Red Wings

What I like: The power play. Three guys scored 10 or more PPG last year, and you have to assume that Datsyuk would have done so too had he not missed a quarter of the season. They ranked top 5 in the league, and given that they were also top 10 in penalties drawn, the opportunities will be there.

What I don’t like: Depth on D. Take Lidstrom out of the lineup and things start to get ugly pretty quick. Kronwall isn’t a top guy yet and Brad Stuart isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut. Add a non-descript bottom 3, and it could be problematic as the season progresses.
Endgame player: Lidstrom. Still a perennial Norris finalist on the other side of 40, his vision and passing is still unparalleled. Get him the puck late and he’ll help turn it into a goal.
Prediction: A whole year of Datsyuk and a bounce-back year from Howard pulls them ahead of Vancouver for 1^st in the West.

2.       Vancouver Canucks

What I like: The top guys. The Sedin twins and Kesler are the most lethal trio in the league, and the contrast of the twins’ finesse and Kesler’s grit make Vancouver tough to deal with when they’re all on the ice together. Even when they’re not, they make their linemates better, to the tune of 26 goals for Burrows.

What I don’t like: Luongo’s mental health. Lu has never been the most stable of individuals in big games, and you have to believe that losing last year’s Finals isn’t going to help him in that regard. While he’ll never be mentioned as an all-time big game goalie, he needs to at least stop being a hindrance for the Canucks to think about hoisting the Cup.
Endgame player: Kesler. A force during the Olympics, he had his second coming-out party during the playoffs, where he combined 19 points with nearly 80 hits. A real difference-maker and possibly the most clutch player on the team.
Prediction: Sheer star power allows the ‘Nucks to waltz through an otherwise putrid division.

3.       LA Kings

What I like: The goalies. One of the few situations in the league where two heads might actually be better than one. While Quick is the better of the two, Bernier could start for a lot of teams. LA has the luxury of using Bernier to keep Quick healthy and rested, which can only help them in the playoffs.

What I don’t like: The second scorers. LA was exposed in last year’s playoffs as a team with only one truly elite scorer when Kopitar went down late in the year. Mike Richards could be the one to step up, but he’s more effective when he doesn’t have to shoulder the scoring load; could the answer be Dustin Penner?
Endgame player: Richards. Richards is the best two-way forward in the league, and makes a difference in all three phases of the game. His leadership will be invaluable as the Kings try to go deeper into the playoffs.
Prediction: The Pacific goes down to the wire, but the Kings finally unseat the Sharks for the division crown.

   

4.       San Jose Sharks

What I like: The centers. Thornton is a world-class playmaker who centers one of the best top lines in the league. Logan Couture looked like the real deal last year, and should improve on what were stellar rookie numbers. Handzus is a solid role player who should improve the third line, and Desjardins showed promise in the season opener. Fantastic depth.

What I don’t like: The trade. While Brent Burns was a great pickup (and deserved a better chance to win than he was getting in Minnesota), the Sharks gave up over 100 points between Heatley and Setoguci. Will the enigmatic (and somewhat injury-prone) Martin Havlat find himself in San Jose?
Endgame player: Patrick Marleau. Marleau is a force to be reckoned with at the end of the game, as nearly a quarter of his goals last season were GWGs. Combine that with the potential for 40 PPP, and he’s the engine that makes the Shark offense go.
Prediction: The Sharks score enough to win until Niemi is back in game shape, en route to another 95+ point season.

5.       Chicago Blackhawks

What I like: The top PP unit. Pick 5 of these 6: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook. Only Hossa scored fewer than 20 PPP, and he was only one short. When they’re on, they’re nearly unparalleled in their ability to make the opposition pay for lapses on defense.

What I don’t like: The penalty kill. The Blackhawks suffered when a man down last season, killing off fewer than 80% of penalties. This is odd considering the level of talent they are able to throw out there, but nevertheless an area that could use some serious improvement.
Endgame player: Toews. The Hawks’ captain has a knack for showing up when the team needs him the most, leading the team with 8 GWG. Though Kane scored the Cup winner two seasons ago, it is Toews who they turn to with time winding down.
Prediction: The chemistry issues and inconsistency of a season ago are mostly gone, and Crawford posts another solid season in net, keeping the Hawks comfortably in the playoffs.

6.       Anaheim Ducks

What I like: The top line. Perry, Getzlaf, and Ryan are the total package. They’re gritty, they can score, and they play tons of minutes. Their GVT last year ranked them as the 2^nd best top line in the league, only behind Vancouver. As they go, so go the Ducks.

What I don’t like: The depth. The second line isn’t awful, boasting Selanne and Koivu, but this team goes downhill FAST. The same GVT rankings that had the Ducks’ top line at second best placed the rest of the team below replacement level. That is awful, and I’m shocked that the Ducks didn’t do more to shore it up in the offseason.
Endgame player: Selanne. The Finnish Flash is the elder statesman on the roster, and enjoyed a career resurgence last season. He’s gonna need to do it again for the Ducks to not be scrapping for a playoff spot at the end.
Prediction: The top line scores and Hiller is stellar in goal, but the Ducks can’t avoid a low seed and a tough first-round draw.

7.       Columbus Blue Jackets

What I like: The additions. Columbus has been the Rick Nash show for way too long. Management finally wised up in the offseason, bringing in an explosive center for Nash in Jeff Carter, and rounding out the top line with the ageless Vinny Prospal. This takes the burden off second-line guys like Vermette and Umberger, and makes the Jackets a much deeper and better team.

What I don’t like: The goaltending. Steve Mason just doesn’t do it for me. He had a fantastic rookie season, but hasn’t posted a GAA under 3.00 in the two years since.  Compounding that with letting the relatively effective Garon go to Tampa in favor of Curtis Sanford, who hasn’t been in the league the last two years, doesn’t make much sense.
Endgame player: Nash. Regardless of who is around him, this is Nash’s show. He’s a highlight-reel guy who is unstoppable when he decides that he’s going to score. He’ll only get better with better teammates.
Prediction: The offense is downright potent, and Mason is solid enough to put the Jackets in the playoffs for the second time in their history.

8.       St. Louis Blues

What I like: The young defense. Even after letting Erik Johnson go in a trade last season, the Blues boast one of the best collections of young blueliners in the league. Shattenkirk and Pietrangelo both topped 40 points in their rookie seasons, and should blossom into high-end top 4 defensemen sooner rather than later.

What I don’t like: Chances allowed. The Blues allowed the second fewest shots in the league last season, behind the trap-happy Devils. Unfortunately, they allowed goals on 10% of their shots, in the mix with teams like Colorado, Columbus, and Edmonton. The Blues have a better goalie than any of those teams, but need to keep teams from getting quality chances.
Endgame player: Jason Arnott. I watched a lot of Caps games last year, and he was their best player by the end of the season. He’s still a great passer and has fantastic vision on the ice. A phenomenal pickup.
Prediction: The offense stays strong, the defense does a better job of keeping opposing shooters out of Halak’s lap, and the Blues end up back in the postseason.

9.       Nashville Predators

What I like: The goaltending. I don’t know how they do it. It’s like they have a goaltending assembly line in Nashville. Dunham, Vokoun, Mason, Ellis, and now Rinne. Rinne might be the best of the set, but even he has to look over his shoulder at Anders Lindback. As usual, it’s gonna be hard to score on Nashville.

What I don’t like: The offense. Problem is, it’s going to be equally hard for Nashville to score. There isn’t a thirty-goal guy on the roster right now, at least not yet. There are some intriguing young guys, but it’s hard to tell if any of them will take that next step.
Endgame guy: Shea Weber. That slap shot is a force to be reckoned with, and for a team that is going to struggle to generate offense, it is essential that the puck be on Weber’s stick at the end of games.
Prediction: Rinne is stellar, but he can’t do it all on his own, and the offense lets the Preds down.

10.   Minnesota Wild

What I like: The philosophy. The Wild finally realized that barely breaking 200 goals just wasn’t going to do it; it put WAY too much pressure on Backstrom to be perfect. So the Wild went out and made the splashiest trade of the offseason, picking up Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi. Now, their top line is intimidating, with Koivu having serious weapons in Heatley and Bouchard.

What I don’t like: The defense. The Wild have three defensemen with over 5 years’ experience and three guys with less than five between them. There are going to be some growing pains on defense, and Backstrom better be ready.
Endgame guy: Koivu. He’s posted better than 40 assists in each of the last three seasons, and with better passing options than he’s ever had (he and Gaborik never played 60 games in the same season) good things are on the horizon.
Prediction: Scoring will be up for the Wild, but they’ll give up just a few too many to make the postseason.

11.   Dallas Stars

What I like: The passing ability. Yeah, Brad Richards moved to greener pastures in New York, but even with his nearly 50 assists gone, Dallas has some great playmakers. Ribero topped 50 assists last year, and Eriksson wasn’t far behind. The setups should remain plentiful in Big D.

What I don’t like: The depth. Steve Ott is playing on the second line. That’s indicative of a lot of things, none of them good. It doesn’t get much brighter the lower down you go, with Vernon Fiddler centering the corpse of Radek Dvorak on the third line. Someone’s going to need to take the pressure off the top line.
Endgame player: Brendan Morrow. The captain does it all for Dallas, he’s both their goals leader and second on the team in hits. You need this kind of hard worker when the game gets close.
Projection: There’s just not enough secondary scoring and the division proves too tough for Dallas.

12.   Calgary Flames

What I like: The old guard. I kinda feel bad for Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff. Every year they show up, work their tails off, and see the team send another season down the tubes. Hard to believe that this was a Cup team not that long ago Hopefully management sees fit to either trade them or give them some help.

What I don’t like: The centers. Oh my. David Moss is the top guy, but he’s never topped 40 points in a season. Olli Jokinen is still here, somehow. Roman Horek draws third-line duty as a rookie, and Matt Stajan has never lived up to the hype created in Toronto.
Endgame player: Iginla. A 40-40 guy last season, he’s never played less than 70 games in any season. I think he’s a Hall of Famer and I’d take him on my team any day.
Projection: Occasional flashes of brilliance in a beige sea of mediocrity. Another long winter in Calgary.

13.   Colorado Avalanche

What I like: The young centers. Duchene has already proven himself to be a special talent, and Ryan O’Reilly showed signs of improvement. Stastny might be the best of the set, but he needs people around him to start scoring; he actually scored more goals last year than the year before, but registered 24 fewer assists.

What I don’t like: Scoring on D. The top two scoring D-men from last year, Liles and Shattenkirk, now ply their trades elsewhere. None of the defenders on the roster have recorded a 40 point season, though a few have gotten close. Given that the forwards are no great shakes, the Avs are gonna need someone on the backline to step up.
Endgame player: Varlamov. I liked Varly on the Caps, but he was always being pushed to the background. I think he’s solid in big games, not that he’s in any danger of playing in one.
Projection: Goalie and center are settled, but the lack of talent on the wings and on D doom the Avs.

14.   Edmonton Oilers

What I like: The youth. There are as many guys on this team under 21 as there are over 35. Most everyone seems to be younger than 27, and even with the 17 years of service provided by both Khabibulin and Smyth, the current roster has an average of 5 years of experience; take those guys out, and its less than 4 years. If nothing else, it will be fun watching the team mature.

What I don’t like: The goaltending. They’ve handed the reigns over to Devan Dubnyk, who hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since he came into the league. Oh well, better than the now-38-year-old Khabibulin, whose best years are WELL behind him.
Endgame player: Shaun Horcoff. The only constant on the roster left over from the last time the Oilers made the playoffs, Horcoff gives a solid effort every night. There are worse guys to have around a young team.
Prediction: Some great flashes from the developing talent, just too few and far between.

15.   Phoenix Coyotes

What I like: Shane Doan. Death, taxes, and Doan leading the team in points. Only these things are certain.

What I don’t like: The offense. I don’t know who is gonna score on this team. They’ve gotten a ton out of a bad roster in the past few years, mostly because of Bryzgalov. With their savior off to Philly, the offense is gonna get exposed early and often.
Endgame player: Keith Yandle. He’s improved upon his point total every year he’s been in the league. Though I think 50 assists is a bit much to ask, he’s one of the most dynamic players on the roster.
Prediction: Mike Smith doesn’t cut it in goal, and they can’t score. Division games will be painful to watch.

May all your hits be crits,
B

NHL Preview, Part 1: Eastern Conference

So I’ve been reading a lot of NHL season previews, and a few of the predictions have made me do a double take. The Leafs in the playoffs? The Devils? What it comes down to for me is the endgame: who is going to step up in the clutch and win you a close game? So, with that in mind, here is a preview of each team, in order of projected finish.

Note: I can’t predict the playoffs. I’m not even gonna try.

1.       Washington Capitals

What I like: The depth. Laich, Knuble, Semin, Johansson, Chimera. None of these guys are first liners, and there isn’t a one among them who couldn’t start for SOME team. Both Neuvirth and Holtby are promising young goalies, but they don’t have to shoulder the load.
What I don’t like: The history. On paper, the Caps have been the best team in the league for the better part of a decade, and have 0 Cups to show for it. Why should I start believing this is their year?
Endgame player: OV. When it comes down to it, your best players have to show up, and I think that (despite the reputation for choking), OV is a guy you want on your team at the end of a game.

Prediction: Another year, another top finish for Das Capitals, but they still need to prove it in the playoffs.

2.       Boston Bruins

What I like: The toughness. They lost some important guys during their Cup run, but they got through it, and I think that mental edge will help them immensely.
What I don’t like: The hangover. It’s hard to repeat in this league. There are some questions about whether they can score enough, and Thomas isn’t going to repeat his numbers from last season. It’s just not happening.
Endgame player: Thomas. On nights where the offense just isn’t clicking, I trust Tim Thomas to step up and keep his team in games. He’s done it night in and night out for several seasons, and he’ll do it again this year.

Prediction: The core from the Cup team shows no sign of a hangover, and they win their division with ease.

3.       Pittsburgh Penguins

What I like: The returners. As much as I dislike the Pens on principle, they showed a lot in overcoming the worst injuries in the league last year. They started the year without Jordan Staal, and ended it without Crosby and Malkin. Though Crosby’s not back in the lineup yet, when they do get fully healthy, they will be a scary team.
What I don’t like: The uncertainty. What if Crosby doesn’t come back? What if Fleury is the player we saw in the first few weeks of last season (and the one who cost me the fantasy playoffs)? Who is going to step up and score if the injuries continue?
Endgame player: Staal. I like the intensity with which he plays the game. He’ll keep you in it on his own with solid defensive play, as well as the ability to score.

Prediction: They stay relatively healthy, even though Crosby isn’t quite the same, and they squeak by the Rangers to win the Atlantic.

4.       Tampa Bay Lightning

What I like: The leadership. Boucher did some fantastic things with Tampa last year, but the Bolts boast some great on-ice leaders as well. LeCavalier and St. Louis are savvy vets, and Roloson brings a ton of playoff experience. Let those guys mentor the younger players, like Stamkos, and you have the potential for playoff success.
What I don’t like: The defense. Eww. Tampa might have been top 10 in goals last season, but they were 21^st in goals against and Roloson isn’t exactly getting any younger. They need to tighten up on the back-end or it could be a VERY long year in Tampa.
Endgame player: St. Louis. When you need a goal, look for the little guy in black. St. Louis has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, and can make a play happen all on his own.

Prediction:  The scoring makes up for a leaky defense and Tampa takes the Caps to the wire in the divisional race.

5.       New York Rangers

What I like: The balance. Torts’ signature grit is in full force on this year’s iteration of the Blueshirts, but they’ve balanced it out with some guys who I believe can really score. Best of all, they can mix the two with guys like Boyle, Dubinsky, and Captain Cally; the Rangers are a team I wouldn’t want to face in the first round.
What I don’t like: The defense. I’m ok with the youth movement, I really am. But now, the injuries. Staal out indefinitely, Sauer not 100%, and some unpleasant looking preseason performances from guys like MDZ, Erixson, and Eminger. Maybe Mara is the answer. FEAR THE BEARD!
Endgame player: Lundqvist. Without him, the Rangers are probably out of the playoff hunt. Very few goalies can put a team on their back quite like the King.

Prediction: Hank will keep them in every game, and the secondary scoring improves enough to put them in the hunt for home-ice in the first round.

6.       Philadelphia Flyers

What I like: The defense. As strong a defensive corps as there is in the league. Guys like Pronger, Timmonen, and Mezaros are strong on D, but can also produce on the attack. Add a solid goalie like Bryzgalov to the mix, who should be overjoyed to be on a decent team, and it’s going to be hard to score on them.
What I don’t like: The scoring. In losing Richards, Leino, and Carter, the Flyers need to replace a lot of goals and I’m not sure exactly where they’re all going to come from. Giroux is world-class, but he’s more of a playmaker than a pure scorer. They’re going to need JVR and Hartnell to step up big time to compete.
Endgame player: Giroux. The man is dynamic. You need to constantly be worried when he is on the ice, either about his passing, or finding the back of the net on his own.

Prediction: They’ll benefit from Bryzgalov having the best D he’s seen since Anaheim, and will score JUST enough to make the playoffs.

 7.       Buffalo Sabres

What I like: The scoring potential.  Guys like Vanek, Pommenvile, and the returning Derek Roy can light the lamp, and did so 240 times last season, good for 9^th in the league. A full season of Brad Boyes and the addition of Leino can only help.

What I don’t like:  The signings. I’m not sure if the Sabres improved enough to keep up with the rest of the division. Ehrhoff and Leino are fine players who are being paid like superstars. I know the new owner is willing to open his wallet, which is great, but it needs to be done for the right guys.

Endgame player: Ryan Miller. Am I ever glad this guy is American. This guy played out of his mind in the Olympics and can beat you all on his own if he’s on his game.

Prediction: Miller’s determination keeps the Sabres in it, and the offense heats up in the second half to vault the Sabres into the postseason.

8.       Montreal Canadiens

What I like: The special teams. Top 8 in the league both on the PK and on the PP. I unabashedly love watching their power play. Unlike teams like the Pens or the Caps, who clearly try to get it to their top guys, the Habs have 5 guys who could unleash a shot at any time and have it find the back of the net.
What I don’t like: The scoring. For all their man-advantage goodness, the Habs finished in the bottom 3^rd of the league in goals per game. Only Gionta, Plekanec, and Kostitsyn got more than 20 last year. Price can only do so much; he’s gonna need help from up front.
Endgame player: Scott Gomez. Yea, I know, memories of some underperforming Ranger teams. Gomez is a guy who has led the league in assists before, and few guys set a rush up as well as Gomez, so it’s up to his teammates to turn those feeds into goals.

Prediction: Price again puts the team on his back, and the Canadiens emerge from a dogfight with a playoff berth.

9.       Carolina Hurricanes

What I like: The youth. Carolina only has 4 players on the roster on the wrong side of 30. Eric Staal, despite seeming like he’s been in the league forever, is only 26. Jeff Skinner is 19: this makes me feel both old and unaccomplished.
What I don’t like: The depth. Who on this team is going to score aside from Staal and Skinner? The only other guy who topped 25 last year was Eric Cole, and he’s in Montreal now. The team is going to have to rely on guys like Jokinen and Ruutu who have had great seasons in the past, but haven’t been able to do it consistently.

Endgame player: Cam Ward. Hurricanes goalies faced the 2^nd most shots in the league, and Ward stood in the firing line for 74 of those games. It is a testament to him that the Canes nearly made the playoffs last season.

Prediction: Skinner continues to mature and Ward is staunch, but the Canes fall out of it with a week left in the season.

10.   New York Islanders

What I like: The core. Grabner, Okposo, and Tavares are all under 25 and have shown flashes of brilliance. Comeau, Moulson, and Nielsen are all under 28. Add some talent from the minors as the year progresses, and I like the Isles’ chances in the near future.

What I don’t like: The goaltending. Huge question marks. Is Nabokov ready after basically taking a year off? Can DiPietro stay healthy? Is Montoya ready this time? A team that has three goalies frequently learns that they actually have no goalie.

Endgame player: Tavares. One short of 25 goals his rookie season, one short of 30 last year. With 20 PPG in two seasons, he’s a major reason to keep your composure against the Isles late in the game.

Prediction: Strong offensive seasons from the kids give hope to the Nassau faithful, but they trade Nabokov, DP goes down, and Montoya can’t hold the fort.

11.   Toronto Maple Leafs

What I like: The discipline. The Leafs were in the top 10 least penalized teams last year. However, this didn’t mean that they played passively: 8 guys topped 100 hits last year. Staying out of the box is crucial if you’re going to play a lot of tight games, which it looks like the Leafs will.

What I don’t like: The special teams. It’s a good thing that the Leafs stay out of the box because their penalty kill ranked 28^th in the league last year. Their power play wasn’t much better, falling 22^nd in the league. Reimer will help kill some penalties, but they’re going to need someone to step up and score on the man advantage.

Endgame player: Reimer. The first game of the season spoke volumes, shutting down a Montreal team with some solid scorers. He’s also shown the ability to stand tall when he’s not doing so well, like in holding on against Ottawa in game 2.

Prediction: Reimer is a revelation in his first full season, but the offense doesn’t give them enough to get the 8 seed.

12.   New Jersey Devils

What I like: Their top forwards. He might be a head case, but Kovy can score in bunches. Parise was hurt, but he’s shown some serious skills. Elias had a resurgent year last season, topping 60 points and making the playoffs.

What I don’t like: The depth. This team gets ugly in a hurry. Nobody aside from Kovy and Elias scored more than 14 last year, and two of their top 5 scorers (Rolston and ½ a season of Arnott) will be plying their trade elsewhere. Brodeur and the neutral zone trap better be in top form this year, or the Devs will be out of it in a hurry.

Endgame player: Brodeur. I don’t like him. But even his most ardent haters can’t deny that he’s an all-time great. Behind a lousy team last season, he posted a .900 SV% and 6 shutouts. That’s damn good.

Prediction: Brodeur is valiant and the top 4 forwards combine for 100 goals, but it’s just not enough.

 

13.   Winnipeg Jets

What I like: The city. Winnipeg needed a hockey team, and they’re going to shower this one with as much love as any fan base in hockey. Plus, I think the grit on this team is going to appeal to the fans, and will make going to Winnipeg problematic for opposing teams.

What I don’t like: The offense. Only Ladd scored more than 20 last year, and Byfuglien dropped off severely by the end. The rest of the scorers are suspect, though a full year of Blake Wheeler can only help. With some question marks in goal, I’m not sure if last season’s surprising start is repeatable.

Endgame player: Byfuglien. He’s a weapon unlike any other in the league: a defenseman who can score like a power forward. He had an unbelievable beginning of the season, but ran out of gas by the end. He’ll need to keep the pace up to keep the Jets in the playoff hunt.

Prediction:  Jets fans support the team fervently, and Pavelec makes more strides in goal, but the talent just isn’t there to make any noise in that division.

14.   Florida Panthers.

What I like: The plan. Dale Tallon threw a lot of money around in the offseason and will boast a team that looks almost entirely unlike the one that finished the last season. With some scoring potential in Fleischmann and Upshall, plus some guys with Cup experience like Campbell and Versteeg, there’s nowhere to go but up.

What I don’t like: The goaltending. Theodore isn’t a #1 anymore. Montreal was a long time ago. And I’ll be honest, I’m not sure who Jacob Markstrom is. Quite the downgrade from Vokoun and Clemmenson.

Endgame player: Upshall. The king of thankless tasks, going from Nashville to a low line in Philly, then being one of the leading scorers on a popgun Yotes offense. I think he makes a difference as a T6 guy in Florida.

Prediction: Tallon has his plan, but it takes a while for the team to jell. Next year.

15.   Ottawa Senators

What I like: The goaltending, I guess. The position was the most destabilized in hockey last year, with six different goalies getting a start in net. I liked Craig Anderson in COL, and I think he will bring a steady presence in net. Auld is an NHL-caliber backup, which wasn’t there last year.

What I don’t like: The inexperience. Among their 9 non-top line forwards, only two have played a 60 game season. There are going to be growing pains on this team. Lots and lots of them.

Endgame player: Jason Spezza. With Alfredsson’s decline, Spezza’s the only reliable scoring option on the team, and he’s gonna need to net quite a few to keep them in games.

Predictions: The less said about this season, the better. They draw the #1 pick in next year’s draft.

Western Conference preview is coming soon.

May all your hits be crits,

B

Things to do in DE when you're dead

Wow, it's been a while. This always happens to my blogs, but whatever.

Quick update on my life: Sat for the Bar Exam in July, which was as much fun as it sounds. I've been trying to make up for 10 weeks of unhappiness studying for the bar, so I'm going to NYC this weekend for my brother's 15th birthday, just signed up for a weekend street hockey league in Arlington, and Marie and I are taking a trip to Jamaica to celebrate being done with the bar and our 4th anniversary. Still workin on the job thing, but hope springs eternal.

Now to the ostensible purpose for the post: During the Fall semester of 3L year, I took a class in Decedent Estates (Wills and Trusts). Despite my less than stellar grade in the class, I had an absolute blast because I came up with a whole bunch of really fun ways to mess with my potential beneficiaries and the world at large. So, with thanks to Meredith, who helped keep my sanity intact during the class (and in the order I thought them up) here goes.

1. Spite Marriage. Normally, if you die without a will, your stuff passes to your relatives based on how closely related they are to you. However, in case you don't like your relatives, you can marry someone to spite those ungrateful bastards. Your wife, assuming you don't have any kids from prior marriages, will take the whole estate under intestacy (lack of will-ness). Therefore, if you don't like your relatives, get married before you die.

2. Hologramic wills. My DE prof spent a lot of time babbling on about holographic wills, which are unwitnessed wills written by the deceased. This made me thing that the hologramic will is the next logical step. Picture, if you will, a conference room full of the heirs of the deceased. In rolls a small silver and blue droid who projects an image of you giving your last will and testament above the coffee table. Epic.

3. Multiple wills. 10 valid wills, no dates. Put them all in the same place to be found after death, and watch the fun begin.

4. The Price is Right. As you've got a bit of wiggle room with who you give your stuff to, why not have fun with it? Bequeath every possession of yours to the beneficiary who most closely guesses the actual retail price of said possession (without going over, of course).

5. Bequeath stuff you don't have. In DE, Ademption occurs when you will something that you no longer have. For example, you bequeath your house, but sell it before you die; the gift will adeem, meaning that it will just go away. My thought is: why not will things you think you MIGHT have when you die. I dunno about you, but I want to make sure my hovercraft goes to someone, regardless of the eels.

6. Edible wills. In most states, you can revoke your will by any physical act that shows you want to revoke. This means ripping, burning, obliterating, etc. Why not revoke your will by nomming it? Watching Marcel's Quantum Kitchen has shown me that there are ways to make edible paper, so why not write your will on it? It'll make destroying it that much more satisfying.

7. Robots. One of the prerequisites to making a valid will is that you know "the natural objects of your bounty." But what if your bounty should go to a robot? If there is a robot deserving of my inheritance, the robot will get it, and anyone who doesn't like it can bite my shiny metal ass.

8. Mayhem trusts. In general, if you want to have a trust that is non-charitable, it can last for 21 years unless it is fervently against public policy. But irritating people isn't against public policy, so I'm thinking a trust for street mimes, or for prank calling my enemies.

9. Post-it notes. Whatever you do, do it on post-it notes. Clarify your trust with post-it notes on the document, have your will refer to an outside "document" made up of post-its, or write your will on one. 3M will be so proud.

10. Support trusts. You can create a trust for the support of a person, which normally means that they get to continue living the style of life to which they are accustomed. I'm thinkin we need a support trust that either involves holding my beneficiaries up in the air or for a lifetime of ladies undergarments. The gift that keeps on giving.

May all your hits be crits,

B