Mike Milbury is really bad at the job I can’t believe he still has. He is a racist, misogynist, and a bully. He is a terrible analyst, he had no hockey insight as a GM and he hasn’t learned anything since. He is not entertaining and doesn’t bring in any kind of viewership that wouldn’t already be watching NBC Sports games — he mathematically cannot have a number one fan. I checked, the only shrine for a shoe that was used to beat someone is for the one that was thrown at George W. Bush.

So, after all this, how does he still have a job? Yes, he has been sent home from the 2020 NHL Playoffs by NBC, but all indications point to a return for next season as they technically haven’t fired him. Why? What does he bring to the job? What can he do that no one else can? Sure, he can throw insults and drive away every person new fan and embarrass anyone still willing to watch, but I guarantee even those idiots aren’t hard to find.

NBC is going to wait this out as long as they can and only fire him when it’s absolutely the only way to save face. Just like HNIC and Sportsnet, they are going to drag their feel as long as they can survive it. People forget that from about 2016 onward, about once a month, Don Cherry would make a racist claim during the first intermission. I remember because that’s when I stopped watching the segment and regularly saw the outrage blow up on Twitter instead. HNIC didn’t do anything to stop Cherry until they absolutely had to, and even then, he was only taken off the air because he refused to apologize for his whiny-voiced racism and bigotry.

Milbury “apologized” with “irreverence” so I guess he can keep his job next season? If we, the public, keep applying the pressure, maybe it’ll end. But we shouldn’t be proud of the accomplishment, because we all know it took way longer and a lot more suffering than it should have. I hope we can get better at this and avenues for accountability can be created.

Yesterday’s Game

Dallas Stars 5, Colorado Avalanche 3 — DAL leads 1-0
The second round has begun with a high-scoring win for the Dallas Stars. Both first lines came out to play, but with injuries and a lack of depth offense, the Avalanche couldn’t get close to the Stars. Please read the attached recap from yours truly, yes I also write for our Colorado SB Nation site.

Today’s Games

Boston Bruins “@” Tampa Bay Lightning — series tied 0-0
Ugh, just get on with it.

Vancouver Canucks “@” Vegas Golden Knights — series tied 0-0
I wonder who’s getting the first start for Vegas? I wonder if Coach DeBoer thinks Robin Lehner can steel the net. Do you think they’ll let him take a stab at it, or will they stab Marc Andre-Fleury for the job — oops, I mean tab, Freudian slip there.

As a Leafs fan, I am cheering for the...

Tampa Bay Lightning307
Boston Bruins27

Various Hockey Branches

Saturday Night Headlines was quite busy this week. Apparently Kevin Weekes is in the running for the Florida Panthers job, the Arizona Coyotes might trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson (apparently not very good, expensive, and reportedly left handed), and something about Allan Walsh? Haven’t seen anything about that last one. Skeptical.

Although, Fleury is expected to speak today. I wonder what he’s going to talk about?

The NHL is trying to get this tournament done as soon as possible.

From The Branches