Toronto Blue Jays’ 2021 free agency recap & season expectations

By: Adamo Marinelli

Feb. 19, 2021

     The Toronto Blue Jays benefited from the expanded playoff bracket in 2020. It was their first postseason berth in four years. They were swept in two consecutive games by the first seed Tampa Bay Rays but the young, talented team showed a lot of grit playing their home games in Buffalo and a lot of promise for the future.

     The Blue Jays meant business in free agency this season. They improved their starting pitching, bullpen, and improved their defense, both in the infield and outfield. 

     In addition to their young core consisting of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Hyun-jin Ryu, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Randall Grichuk, Rowdy Tellez, and Lourdes Gurriel among others, they added superstar George Springer to improve the outfield, they brought in Marcus Semien at shortstop and they brought in Kirby Yates, David Phelps, and Francisco Liriano to help their bullpen, which was their biggest position of need last season. 

     The Blue Jays have Hyun-jin Ryu as their day-one starting pitcher. He was the Blue Jays’ best pitcher last season and has a lot of talent and a high ceiling entering year two of his four-year deal. Nate Pearson is second on the rotation. He does have a lot of talent but missed time last season due to an injury. 

     After that, it gets a little shaky. The next spots on the rotation would go to Robbie Ray, who gets a lot of strikes, but walks batters often; Thomas Hatch, who had an impressive rookie campaign last year; and Tanner Roark who struggled mightily last season. Another starting pitcher alongside Ryu and Pearson could go a long way against the talented competition in the AL. The Blue Jays showed interest in both Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, both viable options.

     The Blue Jays also improved their bullpen and signed closer Kirby Yates, reliever David Phelps, and reliever Francisco Liriano who they signed to a minor league deal and who has a chance to compete for a roster spot at spring training. These guys will help immediately improve a questionable Blue Jays bullpen consisting of Jordan Romano, A.J Cole, Ross Stripling, etc.

     The Blue Jays were not afraid to go big during free agency. Their goal is to become true contenders for a World Series title instead of being a team on the fringes hoping the dominoes fall the right way for them. With all the talent on their roster, the Blue Jays have the potential not only to make the playoffs but to have a deep playoff run.

      The Blue Jays’ offense is young and despite having a lot of talent it can be shaky at times. With impact hitters like George Springer - who is a World Series MVP and one of the best players in the MLB - on their roster in addition to the young guys they had the previous season, it could very well be the boost they need to be a top 10, even possibly top 5 offense in the MLB. However, the Blue Jays are a mostly right-handed team - only Biggio and Tellez swing left - and the Blue Jays also have no switch hitters. There is no single solution, no number one players to sign, which reduces the urgency of the Blue Jays to make a move. There are many interesting players available in both free agency and on the trade market, like Brad Miller and Marwin Gonzalez or Colin Moran and Adam Frazier, respectively. 

     The Blue Jays hope to return to a bit of normalcy this year. Despite starting the season in Dunedin, Florida at their spring training facility, if restrictions loosen, they may be able to play some home games in Toronto, which will be huge for the confidence of this young squad. 

     The Blue Jays hope their new normal can be a return to the playoffs after missing the postseason for four consecutive years before 2020. 

     However, it won’t be easy for the Blue Jays. They play in a tough AL East division in a tough AL conference with many skilled teams all battling for a playoff spot.

     The Blue Jays’ biggest competition in the AL East is the World Series finalist Tampa Bay Rays. Next, are the New York Yankees and Boston Redsox who had an off-year last season. 

     It would be difficult for the Blue Jays to win their division. They do have a lot of talent on their roster and if they make a few more moves before the season, it is a strong possibility but I predict the Rays win the AL East. The Blue Jays will give the Rays a run for their money though. The Blue Jays will finish second in the AL East, earning a wildcard spot and both the Yankees and Redsox will finish below the Blue Jays.

     I believe the Oakland Athletics will repeat as AL West champions and the Chicago White Sox will claim the AL Central title after being one game back of the Minnesota Twins last season. The Blue Jays will battle the Cleveland Indians in the AL wild-card game and win. They will move on and play the number one seed Rays in the ALDS. 

      Whether the Blue Jays can beat the Rays is another story, and anything is possible, but that will be an interesting series no matter what.

Super Bowl 55 - Analysis and Predictions

V.S.

             Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)                             Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Sunday, February 7, 2021 

Raymond James Stadium

Tampa Bay, Florida

6:30 pm ET

     Tampa Bay: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers become the first team in NFL history to host a Super Bowl in their home stadium after their impressive defensive performance propelled them to victory over the NFC leading Green Bay Packers in the NFC title game. 

      The Chiefs, after not appearing in a Super Bowl for 50 years, are set to play in back-to-back Super Bowls and have their sights set on becoming the eighth team to win back-to-back Super Bowls in NFL history. 

       The Chiefs do have a lot of talent on their roster and one of the best coaches in the NFL but looked rather questionable and somewhat inconsistent in the second half of the season. From week nine until week 16, they won all their games - which is impressive - by a margin of only seven or fewer points. 

     For as dominant an offense as they normally are, many were not quick to guarantee the Chiefs would be back in the Super Bowl for the second straight year with other teams in the AFC like Cleveland, Buffalo, and Baltimore.

      However, they were able to secure the AFC’s first seed, squeak past the Browns in the divisional round after Mahomes was ruled out with a concussion in the third quarter and they outmuscled the Bills defensively in the AFC championship.

      Their defense is not the best, but is good situationally, ranking top 10 in points allowed, interceptions, and takeaways. However, they are not the best at rushing the passer finishing 19th in sacks and were bottom half in the league in pass yards and pass TDs allowed. They are 11th worst in rush yards allowed but kept opposing running backs out the endzone well, finishing 10th best. 

      Tyran Mathieu is one of the best safeties in the league and he will need to have a good game defensively to help limit Brady and the Buccaneers' offense.

     On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs have one of the best offenses in the NFL and a multitude of weapons in both the run and pass game. They are much better in the passing game, however.

     They lead the league in pass yards, rank third in pass TDs, sixth in points scored, and first in total yards. In the run game, they were less impressive finishing 16th in yards and bottom 10 in the league in rush TDs. 

      Regardless, the Chiefs are tough for any defense. If your team drops too many guys into coverage, the Chiefs will run the ball - they are not the best running team, but they can run the ball well if needed. If you load the box to stop the run and play zone defense, Mahomes will pass the ball to one of his receivers who will find a hole in the zone, or to the reliable Travis Kelce - who always seems to be wide open. 

      Opposing defenses need to apply constant pressure on Mahomes, by blitzing with four or five guys to have enough players to play man defense with safety help too. They need to contain Mahomes, keeping him in the pocket, to avoid letting him scramble to buy his receivers time.

     The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of talent on offense and defense too, which has helped them get to the Super Bowl. 

      They started the year 6-2, lost three of the next four games - including losing 27-24 to the Chiefs in week 12 after being torched by Tyreek Hill in the first quarter - to fall to 7-5. They have won seven straight games; four in a row to finish the season 11-5, then proceeded to beat the Washington Football Team in the wild card game, beat the Saints - who they lost to twice in the regular season - in the divisional round after forcing four turnovers and beat the Packers in a great defensive performance in the NFC title game.

     They have several weapons that Tom Brady can pass to, including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, and Scotty Miller. The Bucs ranked third in the league in points scored, second in pass yards, second in pass TDs. However, they finished bottom five in the league in rush yards but can get into the endzone on the ground finishing top 15 in rush TDs. 

      Tom Brady has been very efficient in the red zone and has had many pass attempts of over 20+ yards this season, and been quite successful in that area.

      The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a tremendous defense. They are the best rush defense in the NFL allowing the fewest rush yards and TDs. They are slightly worse against the pass, finishing 21st in pass yards and 20th in pass TDs allowed. They finished the season allowing the 13th most points in the league.

     The Bucs do have the advantage in sacks, finishing with the fourth-most sacks in the league compared to the Chiefs at 19 and they have created more turnovers on defense, ranking fifth best in takeaways; the Chiefs were 10th best. 

     Mahomes is elusive and speedy, so he is hard to sack. But, left tackle Eric Fisher will miss the Super Bowl with an injury, so the Bucs will try to use that to their advantage. If Jason Pierre Paul and Devin White have a good of a game as they did in the NFC championship game generating pressure and sacks, the Chiefs might have to use some extra tight end formations to help block. 

      Both offenses are very good, however, the Chiefs have the slight advantage. Both defenses are very good, however, the Bucs have the slight advantage. Whichever team makes the most defensive plays and generates the more turnovers will win this game. 

       For the Chiefs, the keys to victory are to use blocking schemes with extra tight ends to make up for the loss of Eric Fisher and to avoid letting Mahomes be under constant pressure. They must also use the run game to open up the passing game and vice versa. Basically, if the Bucs have a lot of guys up front, throw the ball downfield, if they have a lot of guys playing coverage, run the ball. Also, the Chiefs need to generate pressure on Tom Brady without blitzing and that starts with Chris Jones. If they can get pressure without blitzing, they can double cover the Bucs’ best offensive weapons like Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski, this will help out their secondary and make their lives easier. Also, the secondary has to play lights out. Like I said, whichever defense gets the most takeaways will win this game. The Chiefs secondary is not the best but it excels in the spotlight. It needs to play well tomorrow night. Also, the Chiefs are sneaky good with trick plays, they need to find an appropriate time to run a trick play for big yardage or take some shots downfield with Hill.

     For the Bucs, the keys to victory include protecting Tom Brady from the Chiefs’ pass rush, which can be pretty dangerous. This will give Brady time to find open receivers downfield; they need to attack the Chiefs’ secondary because they have skilled players to do it. Someone will always be open. Also, the running backs need to be effective for the Bucs to open up the Chiefs’ secondary. Most importantly, the Buccaneers cannot squander any offensive possessions and must trade field goals for touchdowns, because we know the Chiefs can score at will. They also cannot turn the ball over, like they did several times against the Packers. Unlike the Packers, the Chiefs can make you pay. Finally, they need to generate pressure without blitzing five or more guys, their four-man defensive line must generate pressure on its own or with one other linebacker, to keep Mahomes in the pocket and to allow the Bucs to play man coverage - even perhaps double cover Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce - with safety help.

      This game will be extremely entertaining and it will be a close game because both teams are very talented on offense and defense. However, I believe the Bucs’ secondary will make one more play defensively than the Chiefs - whether it be a sack or an interception - and the Bucs will win a close, high-scoring game 35-32.

      Will Brady win his seventh Super Bowl ring and solidify his legacy as the best QB to ever play the game or will Mahomes and the Chiefs run it back? Let me know what you think. Tune in to Super Bowl 55 tomorrow night at 6:30 EST to find out.

NFL Playoff Predictions 2021

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 7, 2021

AFC wild card:

(7) Colts vs (2) Bills: The Colts have a good team, especially their defense, but the Bills have been one of the best offenses in the NFL to finish the year and they are on a six-game win streak, winning each game by at least 10 points. Josh Allen is a threat with his arms and legs and the Bills have a lot of weapons. I do think Philip Rivers and Nyheim Hines will have a great offensive performance and keep the game relatively close until the 2nd half, but the Bills will win 38 - 24. 

(6) Browns vs (3) Steelers: The Browns got into the playoffs with a week 17 win over the Steelers. The Steelers started 11-0 and have since been vulnerable: not being able to set up a run game, big Ben has been forced to pass over 45 times a game. The Browns have an amazing run game with Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb and setting up a run game to win time of possession is huge in the playoffs. They'll do just that and the Browns will upset the Steelers, 31 - 27.

(5) Ravens vs (4) Titans: Both of these teams have an excellent rushing attack. The Ravens rush by committee with Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards. They rushed for over 400 yards in their week 17 win. The Titans have Derrick Henry who rushed for over 2000 yards this season, winning the rushing title by a huge margin. Both offenses are good, but I believe the Titans offense just has more weapons and history on their side against Baltimore to make up for their suspect pass rush and 29th ranked secondary. The Titans will run the ball well, control the clock and not turn the ball over to win a close one 27-25. Lamar’s struggles continue.

NFC Wild Card: 

(7) Bears vs (2) Saints: The Bears earned the final wild-card spot in the NFC with an 8-8 record. Both their quarterbacks struggled mightily this season - Mitch Trubisky’s stats were helped out by an easy strength of schedule to finish the year. Against a talented and gritty Saints secondary - which has been slightly less effective to close out the year - it will be tough trekking for the Bears, who will have to rely heavily on their run game. Even without Alvin Kamara, the Saints still have a potent offense. Saints win, 33 - 21. 

 

(6) Rams vs (3) Seahawks: The Rams beat the Cardinals with a backup QB to get into the playoffs. Even with Jared Goff, who is likely to return from his thumb injury, the Seahawks secondary will be a tough task. It started the year pretty underwhelming but has since improved, thanks to Jamal Adams’ role in coverage and pass rush. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense is not as overpowered as it was in the first half of the year but is still enough to win games. A strong mix of the run and pass game will help the Seahawks win, 24 - 16. 

(5) Buccaneers vs (4) WFT: The biggest strength of this young team is the defensive line headlined by all-star Chase Young and their young running back, Antonio Gibson. The Buccaneers’ defense has been pretty good all season long and they have a lot of weapons on offense, like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Ronald Jones, etc. Brady started the season struggling but has since been clicking with his offense, throwing over 40 TDs. If Washington has any chance to win, they need to blitz Brady all game long and cause a constant disturbance in the backfield. If Brady can complete quick passes, it’s tough to stop. Bucs win, 28-17.

AFC Divisional Round:

(6) Browns vs (1) Chiefs: The Browns have a great running game and the one weakness this excellent Chiefs team has is their run defense, which is significantly worse than their pass defense. The Chiefs have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, especially with all the weapons they have such as Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce. If the Chiefs get out to an early lead, which they are prone to do, and force the Browns to pass, it will be tough going for the Browns. Chiefs win a close game 28-21. 

(4) Titans vs (2) Bills: The Titans and Bills are both very well-coached teams with a lot of talent. Derrick Henry will be the key to victory for Tennessee and they will have to stick to the run, control the clock and keep Josh Allen and company off the field if they want to win. Meanwhile, Josh Allen has a lot of weapons around him and the Titans’ defense has been battered with injuries. Their pass-rush is non-existent and their secondary is struggling. It is ranked 29th in the NFL and has allowed 36 pass TDs this year which will not help their chances to win against a potent Bills’ offense. But, the Titans will keep it close. Bills win a high-scoring affair 38 - 35.  

NFC Divisional Round:

(5) Buccaneers vs (1) Packers: The last time these teams played, the Buccaneers looked like the number one seed in their rout of the Packers. It was Aaron Rodgers’ worst game of the season with no touchdowns and two interceptions. I don’t think that happens again. The Bucs have a talented defense both upfront and in the secondary. The Packers have the best total offense in the league ahead of the Bills and Chiefs. So it might be a challenge to score points for Green Bay. Their run defense is not the best, even after Holding Henry to under 100 yards in week 16. So if they can rely on the run game to keep Brady off the field and get a quick lead to minimize the Buccaneers rushing attack, they will win, 33 - 29.

 

(3) Seahawks vs (2) Saints: The Seahawks offense started the season very well and Russell Wilson looked like an early MVP candidate but in the second half of the season, it has been less deadly. Their defense, especially their secondary was one of the worst to start the year but has improved significantly statistically throughout the year. The Saints offense has been effective, with and without Drew Brees this year. Alvin Kamara has been great all year and will be the key to victory in the playoffs with Michael Thomas’ injury and in limiting Drew Brees’ pass attempts. Taysom Hill and Emmanuel Sanders have been great too. Their defense, which was stout against the run has gotten beat a few times this year but it is still talented. Saints win a close game, 23 - 21. 

AFC Championship:

(2) Bills vs (1) Chiefs: These are the two best offenses in the AFC, which should make a great game. An interesting matchup to watch will be the Bills’ third-best passing offense against a Chiefs’ secondary that does have a lot of talent, but ranks 20th in passing TDs allowed. Another interesting matchup is the Chiefs’ passing attack which ranks first overall against the Bills’ offense which gives up the 9th fewest pass TDs and the 13th fewest yards. Both teams had a rushing attack in the middle of the pack, the Chiefs had more yards, but the Bills’ found more success getting into the endzone on the ground. The Chiefs and Bills both have top 10 offensive lines, giving up the fifth and ninth fewest sacks. If the Bills’ can and use Allen’s arms and legs to get to an early lead and establish a run game to keep Mahomes on the side, they’ll win 38-35. 

NFC Championship:

(2) Saints vs (1) Packers: These two teams are the best offenses in the NFC. The Packers lead the league in points scored and have scored the most passing touchdowns and total touchdowns in the NFL. The Saints have the most rush touchdowns and are top five in total offensive touchdowns. The Saints defense has their hands full with Aaron Rodgers, who will likely be the 2020 NFL MVP; Davante Adams, the best receiver in the league, Marques Valdes Scantling, and Aaron Jones. They will need to generate constant pressure on Aaron Rodgers and disrupt his throws and rhythm. They will likely attack the left tackle spot, with David Bhaktiari tore his ACL before the playoffs started. The Saints offense has a tall task scoring enough points to keep up with the explosive Packers’ offense.  Alvin Kamara and Emmanuel Sanders will have to have huge games. The Packers will win, 41 - 32.

Super Bowl 55:

(2) Bills vs (1) Packers: This would be a fantastic Super Bowl and my ideal matchup. Both teams have a top three overall offense and both teams have an MVP caliber quarterback and several elite wide receivers. Green Bay has the better running game, but Allen is the more mobile of the two QBs. Statistically, the Bills and Packers have both given up the ninth fewest pass touchdowns, the Packers gave up the eighth fewest rush touchdowns, the Bills have up the 12th fewest rush touchdowns. The Packers gave up the seventh-fewest pass yards, 13th fewest rush yards, meanwhile, the Bills have given up 13th fewest pass yards, 17th fewest rush yards. Both teams have an explosive offense and a stout defense, however, the Packers have the slight edge offensively & defensively. It will be a high scoring game, with both quarterbacks excelling all game long, but the edge will be given to the Packers because they have a better run game than the Bills and they will control the time of possession and the clock just enough to allow the Packers to come out on top. The Packers will win their fifth Super Bowl 45 - 41. 

Team Canada falls 2-0 to US, despite amazing tournament - World Junior Recap

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 6, 2021

     Team Canada were the heavy favorites to repeat as World Junior champions before the tournament started. During the tournament, Canada proved night in and night out that they were the best team. Unfortunately, they were bested by a very talented United States team in the Gold Medal game. 

     Before the Gold Medal game against the United States, Canada was the best defensive team at the tournament, allowing the fewest amount of goals; and they have been the best offensive team, scoring the most goals out of any team at the tournament. They have also outshot their opponents in every game, except in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic. 

    Before the Gold Medal game, Canada had not given up a goal at even strength for the entire tournament; Canada did not trail once for the entire tournament; and they were always in the lead except when the game was 0-0. Canada had also only given up four goals.

     Canada’s physicality on defense and their forecheck was incredible the entire tournament and they gave very little room for their opponents to set up in the neutral zone. Canada had spent the majority of the tournament in their opponents’ offensive zone or in the neutral zone. 

     Canada’s goalie, Devon Levi, has had an amazing tournament. He was a perfect 6-0-0 and only allowed four goals before the Gold Medal game - all of which have come from the high slot. He did a good job containing shots and not allowing many rebounds. He tied a World Junior record with three shutouts in the tournament. In the loss to the US, he allowed two goals. Yet, he still set a World Juniors record for both save percentage at 0.964% and goals-against average at 0.75. 

     Canada went a perfect 4-0-0 in the group stage, beating Germany 16-2, Slovakia 3-1, Switzerland 10-0, and Finland 4-1. 

     In all four of those games, Canada was in complete control. They dominated time of possession, shots on goal, and spent the majority of the game in the attacking zone. They forechecked very well, were very physical on defense, did not allow their opponents to generate very many scoring chances and they constantly created turnovers. 

     In the quarterfinals, they beat the Czech Republic 3-0. It was a close game, and the Czechs played great defense, limiting Canada to 25 shots, their fewest total in the tournament. The Czech’s offense was firing on all cylinders, registering 12 shots in the first period, keeping the game close. Late in the first period, took control of the game, and after getting out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, they shut down the Czech Republic offense and only gave up 17 shots in the final 40 minutes. 

     In the semifinals, they dominated Russia 5-0, outshooting them 35-28. Canada was the better team, especially in the first period. They got out to a quick 3-0 lead outshooting the Russians 16-7 in the first period. They controlled the puck better, had more time of possession and the majority of the first period was played in Russia’s end. Canada would add two more goals cementing an excellent defensive performance, not allowing Russia to get many quality scoring chances. Canada’s forecheck was excellent, they caused a lot of turnovers and they won almost every puck battle. 

      It seemed that Canada’s goal to repeat as World Junior champions were very much in reach. This is one of the most skilled rosters Canada has put on the ice in World Junior history, containing 20 first-round draft picks from the last two seasons. Then, Canada hit a brick wall. Our neighbours to the south.   

     Many Canadians like to argue that Canada is a better hockey country and they produce better hockey players. The United States, however, has beaten Canada in four straight World Junior Gold Medal games: in 2004, 2010, 2017, and now 2021. 

     This Gold Medal game was played between the two best teams in the tournament. Canada had the number one offense and defense, the United States had the number two offense and defense. Both goalies have been fantastic too, but statistically, Devon Levi has had the edge over Spencer Knight. 

     However, the United States was simply the better team last night in their 2-0 win over Canada in the gold medal game. They were faster, they outshot Canada for the first two periods, they controlled time of possession, they won almost every single puck battle and the United States spent the majority of the first period in the Canadian end. The first goal by Alex Turcotte resulted after several consecutive shifts in the Canadian zone. The US generated a lot of pressure and got a lot of quality chances against Levi. 

     Early in the second period, Trevor Zegras - who was named the tournament MVP with seven goals, 11 assists and 18 points - scored to expand the United States’ lead to 2-0. The United States’ defense was excellent, they skated well, and like Canada had done all tournament forechecked well, caused Canada to commit turnovers and not be able to set up in the attacking zone to generate momentum. 

     After the 2-0 goal, Canada did a good job defensively, shutting the US offense down, limiting them to eight shots in the final 40 minutes, and only one shot in the third period. Whether or not the Americans were trying to sit on their lead, that is impressive defense and shows why Canada was the best defensive team. 

     In the second period, Canada’s offense started clicking and they moved the puck well, they started getting even in time of possession and they registered 25 shots on goal in the second and third period, many of those were quality scoring chances. However, the US defense bent but did not break and Spencer Knight stood on his head stopping all 34 Canadian shots for his third shutout of the tournament and the US won their fourth World Junior Gold Medal in 12 years. Canada has won three Gold Medals.

      Despite not winning the Gold medal, Team Canada still played well all tournament long and they had many amazing players. There were five Canadians on the top 12 scoring list including Dylan Cozens who finished with eight goals, eight assists, and 16 points, which was second only to Trevor Zegras.

     Congratulations to the US for their Gold Medal, Canada for their Silver Medal, and Finland for their Bronze Medal.

Will the United States be able to defend its World Junior crown next year? Or will Canada, Russia, or Finland get their revenge?

Ottawa Senators 2021 season expectations

                                                                                                                                By: Adamo Marinelli

January 3, 2021

     The Ottawa Senators are fortunate enough to have a large pool of youth and talent on their roster and be under the salary cap limit by a healthy amount of $11 million with several team-friendly contracts as well. 

     According to several experts, the Senators are projected to start competing for a playoff spot and start contending to win a Stanley Cup starting in the 2022-23 season, in two seasons from now.

      This season, with the all Canadian division, they are projected to finish last of seven teams. For a rebuilding Senators team, that makes sense and is not entirely bad either. 

      The Senators management does not want to get too far ahead of themselves in the rebuild and the new pieces like Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Ridley Greig, among others need time to develop chemistry with the team’s current core.

     At the same time, because this season is a shorter 56 game campaign, and because of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft in 2021, the Senators need to be very careful about splitting ice time evenly so they can evaluate every one. They do not want to leave the wrong player unprotected and risk losing production while stunting the development of the chemistry of this young team. The worst thing that can happen is if a player gets no ice time in Ottawa, gets traded away and he excels elsewhere.

     With no playoff expectations this year, the Senators should give all their prospects - especially their higher round draft picks - a ton of ice time with their current stars like Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, Alex Galchenyuk among others to see how they play together. 

     The Senators’ coaching staff should try to evaluate as many young players as they can and you can expect head coach D.J Smith to try a lot of different line combinations on offense and defense to see what works. 

     Not only did they add a lot of talent in the draft, but they also got bigger, tougher, and grittier with some free-agent acquisitions such as defenseman Erik Gulbranson, who they acquired from the Ducks for a 2021 5th round pick; right-winger Austin Watson, who they acquired from the Predators for a 2021 4th round pick; and left-winger Michael Haley who they signed to a one-year, two-way contract in free agency. 

     On defense, I believe Thomas Chabot will be paired with Erik Gulbranson on the first line, Erik Branstrom and Nikita Zaitsev will be on the second line. But the rookie Jake Sanderson and Jacob Bernard Dockens are both very good and will also compete for a spot as a top-six defenseman on the team.

     On offense, I believe Brady Tkachuk will be the 1st line left-winger, he is the most talented left-winger on the roster and can be an all-star in the near future. Nick Paul and Alex Formenton will compete for the 2nd line spot and rookie Ridley Greig can compete for a third-line spot. He was very talented in the OHL.

     At center, Colin White and Chris Tierney will compete for the 1st line spot, Derek Stefan and Alex Galchenyuk will compete for the 2nd line spot, and Logan Brown or Josh Norris can compete for the third line spot. However, I expect Tim Stutzle to compete for a spot. He’s good enough to play on the second, even perhaps the first line. He’s had a very good World Juniors.

     At right-wing, Connor Brown and Drake Batherson can compete for the first-line spot. I think Connor Brown gets the 1st line spot, Batherson gets the 2nd line spot and Yevgeni Dadonov will be the third line right-winger.

     At goalie, Matt Murray will start, and Marcus Hogberg and Filip Gustavsson will back him up. 

     The Senators have a lot of depth at all positions and they will be able to move players around from line to line to improve chemistry. 

     The Senators were bottom 10 in the league in power-play and penalty kill last season and hopefully, with all the talent acquired in the draft and free agency, their effectiveness on special teams will improve. Excellent power play efficiency and penalty kill often makes good teams great.

     All these explosive rookies like Stutzle and Sanderson paired with the many experienced veterans like Tkachuk and Chabot can make this team very tough to beat and entertaining to watch if D.J Smith and his coaching staff can find the right rotations/lineups and if Matt Murray can stay healthy - he plays in net well when he’s healthy. 

     In the Canadian division, I believe the Oilers will finish first, Jets second, Leafs third, Flames fourth, Canucks fifth, the Canadians sixth, and finally, the Senators will finish seventh. 

     Don’t get me wrong: the Senators can shock people and maybe compete for a playoff spot this year if everything goes right, but there is just too much talent on all Canadian teams and I believe the Senators will be at the bottom of the division. 

     But after a full year of development for the rookies from the 2020 draft class, another year for the experienced players on the roster to hone their skills even further and develop chemistry with the rookies, and after another draft (the Senators have their first-round pick, two-second rounders and their third) where the Senators can acquire even more talent, the Senators can really start competing for a playoff spot. In a few seasons, they can even start competing to win their division to be a Stanley Cup contender. 

     It’s been a long rebuild, but after one or two more seasons, the Senators can be scary good.

Who Claims the Final NFL Playoff Spots?

                                                                                                                                By: Adamo Marinelli

December 30, 2020

     Entering week 17, only seven of the 14 playoff spots have been locked up. The week 17 slate of games has a lot of playoff implications. Several teams are still fighting for a chance to lock up their division and others are simply trying to secure a postseason berth. 

     I will go over every single game and discuss the scenarios for each team to get into the playoffs and/or win their division. I will also predict who will win their division, which teams will clinch playoff spots and the seeding in both conferences. 

Vikings at Lions: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. 

Falcons at Buccaneers: The Falcons have been eliminated. The Buccaneers have already clinched a playoff spot but cannot win the division: the Saints have the tiebreaker over the Bucs.

Jets at Patriots: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. With the Jets’ second win this season over the Browns, the Jaguars have clinched the first overall pick.

Dolphins at Bills: The Bills have already won the AFC East, and the Dolphins control their own destiny for the playoffs: win and they’re in.

Steelers at Browns: The Steelers have already clinched the AFC North. Ben Roethlisberger has been given the week off. If the Browns win, they will clinch a playoff spot. 

Cowboys at Giants: No-one has won the NFC East yet. If the Cowboys win and the Washington Football Team loses to the Eagles, the Cowboys will win the division. The Giants have beat Washington both times, so if they win and the Football Team loses to the Eagles, the Giants win the division.

Ravens at Bengals: The Bengals have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Ravens simply need a win over the Bengals or a Browns loss to the Steelers to get a wildcard spot.

Jaguars at Colts: The Jaguars have clinched the first overall pick and have been eliminated from the playoffs for a while now. The AFC South is still up for grabs with the Colts and Titans both falling to 10-5 in week 16. The Titans have the tiebreaker over the Colts so the Colts need to win and the Titans to lose to win the division or they need to win and have either the Dolphins, Browns, or Ravens to lose to clinch a wild card spot.

Titans at Texans: The Texans have been eliminated for a few weeks now. The Titans just have to win in week 17 to clinch the AFC South and a playoff spot as they have the tiebreaker over the Colts.

Cardinals at Rams: The Rams simply have to win to clinch a playoff berth. However, that task is considerably harder with Jared Goff missing the game with a broken thumb. The Bears hold the seventh seed with their week seven win over the Cardinals. The Cardinals need to win and have the Bears lose to the Packers to get in. If the Bears win, Arizona is out.

Saints at Panthers: The Panthers are eliminated from the playoffs. The Saints have already won the NFC South. If the Saints win, and the Packers and Seahawks lose, the Saints can clinch the number one seed.

Packers at Bears: The Packers have won the NFC North and can clinch the number one seed if they beat Chicago or if Seattle loses to San Fransisco. The Bears can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Cardinals loss. 

Chiefs at Chargers: No playoff implications here. The Chargers have been eliminated from the playoffs already. The Chiefs have won another AFC West title and locked up the AFC’s first seed with an ugly win over the Falcons. 

Seahawks at 49ers: The 49ers have already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Seahawks have won the NFC West with a week 16 win over the Rams and can clinch the number one seed in the NFC with a win and a loss from the Packers and Saints.

Raiders at Broncos: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. 

Football Team at Eagles: The Eagles were eliminated with a blowout loss to the Cowboys. The Football team has the tiebreaker over the Cowboys so with a win and a Cowboys loss, they will win the lackluster NFC East and earn a playoff berth.

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My AFC Standings Predictions

1. Chiefs, 14-2

2. Bills, 12-4 (loss to Dolphins, tiebreaker over Steelers)

3. Steelers, 12-4 

4. Titans, 11-5 (both teams win in week 17, but Titans have the tiebreaker over Colts)

5. Colts, 11-5

6. Dolphins, 11-5 (win over Bills)

7. Browns, 11-5 (win over Steelers)

Notable eliminations: Ravens (Browns beat Steelers, so Ravens do not get in)

My NFC Standings Predictions

1. Packers, 12-4 (despite loss to Bears, Packers have the tiebreaker over Saints)

2. Saints, 12-4 

3. Seahawks, 12-4 (they win, and Packers lose, but Saints win, they don’t get #1 seed)

4. Washington, 7-9 (beat Eagles, Cowboys lose Giants)

5. Buccaneers, 11-5

6. Rams, 10-6 (they beat Arizona, got in)

7. Bears, 9-7 (a win against the Packers and an Arizona loss clinched a playoff spot)

Notable eliminations: Cardinals (they lost to Rams, Bears won final two games and have the tiebreaker over the Cardinals)

In a wild year, we can only expect a wild end to the season and a wild but entertaining postseason.

Here are my playoff predictions:

My Super Bowl Winner: Packers

Super Bowl Matchup: Packers vs Bills

AFC Finalsist: Chiefs

NFC Finalist: Buccaneers

How will the Toronto Raptors do this season?

By: Adamo Marinelli

Dec. 24, 2020

    The Toronto Raptors have built a team with a reputation for excellent defense, transition play, and outstanding bench depth with head coach Nick Nurse. 

     Nurse is a talented coach with experience in the G-League and in Europe in addition to his tenure as an assistant coach and head coach in the NBA. 

     The Raptors were always a team that flew under everybody’s radar. For the first half of this decade, they struggled to reach the playoffs. From 2014 until 2018, they were eliminated in early rounds. They struggled especially against Lebron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. It wasn’t until 2018-19, when they won their first NBA championship. That is when they started getting the recognition they deserved for Masai Ujiri’s effort to build this team’s core and Nurse’s effort to coach this team into a group of resilient hard workers. 

       This year, the Raptors have a competitive team and have moderate expectations this season. They may not be a championship contender anymore, but they have a lot of talent and can still be a top 4/5 team in the Eastern Conference and can even make it to the second round of the playoffs. 

     In the last three seasons, they finished first, second, and second in the East. Last season, after the Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard, they were predicted by many to miss the playoffs or to barely make the playoffs. The Raptors finished 53-19, second in the East, and were bested by the Celtics in their title defense. If history tells us anything, the Raptors can exceed expectations and have proven doubters wrong time and time again. 

     Despite this talent, there are always some analysts who still doubting the Raptors, especially in American media. 

     Notable losses in free agency include Marc Gasol who signed with the Lakers and Serge Ibaka who signed with the Clippers. 

     Both losses were significant, but Gasol is 35 years old, nearing the end of his career. His play was declining rapidly in his last year with Toronto. 

     Ibaka was a prolific scorer in the paint and a great defensive presence around the rim, who blocks shots and gets rebounds. Last season, Ibaka really improved his shooting, especially from beyond the arc. 

     The Raptors who had no centers left on their roster, splurged by offering Aaron Baynes a 2 year, $14 million deal. Baynes has talent. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds last season for the Pheonix Suns. He can take on a heavy workload and can defend in the paint, rebound well, and is an effective shooter, even from downtown. The Raptors can let him go next summer if they need to free up cap space for their long-term plan.

     They even brought in forward De’Andre Bembry to a two-year, $3.7 million contract for depth off the bench. 

     Despite having their plans fall through to sign Giannis Antetokounmpo, they were able to resign several key pieces of their young core. 

     In addition to bringing back Pascal Siakam on a four year, $130 million deal, they also resigned Fred Van Vleet to a four year, $85 million deal and they just resigned O.G Anunoby to a four year, $72 million deal.

     They also brought back Canadian Chris Boucher who is a crucial piece of the youth the Raptors are developing along with Matt Thomas, Terrence Davis, Patrick McCaw, etc.

     We haven’t seen a lot from the Raptors’ 2021 draft class because of the limited preseason games and short training camp but Raptors' fans have every right to be excited for the two rookies. In the limited action he did get, Malachi Flynn could create plays with his excellent passing skills, shoot effectively, and defend well in space, even against bigger guys. It makes sense, as Flynn considered to be a solid pick for the Raptors with no glaring weaknesses and is someone who can contribute right away. Jalen Harris’s strengths are athleticism and creating off the dribble but his defense and playmaking can improve. 

      The most important part of a team’s long term success is consistency. With their young core players like Siakam, Van Vleet and Anunoby resigned, the rookies and younger players developing under veteran leadership like Lowry and Baynes can focus on playing winning basketball. This team has the potential to make some noise this season.

      It is an unusual season, as the Raptors are playing in Tampa Bay due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, but if the Raptors stick to their gameplan consisting of a strong, physical defense that causes turnovers, a fast-paced offense that can move the ball and take advantage of turnovers, they can match well with a lot of teams. 

     In terms of a record, I can see the Raptors winning 48 of 72 games this season. In terms of seeding in the Eastern Conference, I believe the Celtics, Heat, Nets, and Bucks will win 58, 56, 55, and 52 games, respectively, and therefore the Raptors will finish 5th place in the East and would play the Bucks in the fourth round of the playoffs. 

     Without a doubt, this season will be different, but it will be an exciting season to watch nonetheless. 

     Happy Holidays, everyone!