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Posts Tagged Calgary Flames

Are We Getting Cosby-Ovechkin’d Out?

May 28

Posted by Eddie in Soap Box | 1 Comment

The NHL is finally releasing one of its’ worse kept secrets. As Chris reported in late-March that the next NHL Winter Classic will be between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. The big question was where would it he held at. Potential sites pretty much came down to Heinz Field, FedEx Field, and Nationals Ballpark. I believe the NHL did a good job in going back to the football stadium because after going to Wrigley Field and Fenway Park the last two seasons, the prestige of going to a baseball stadium was getting played-out. In addition, the Fenway Park classic didn’t do so well in the ratings because it lacked (at the time) contending teams, and big names. That’s what you need to get the casual fan to watch the game amongst the buffet of college football bowl games on January 1. The Winter Classic isn’t for the die-hards like myself or the readers of HWB. The Winter Classic is for the casual “I only know about hockey when they show it on SportsCenter” type of fan. Big, sexy, marketable names and contending teams is what Bettman wants in the Winter Classic to get the viewership NBC wants and needs.

Speaking of NBC, I’d be willing to bet they had a hand in this as they only recognize eight teams: Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Boston.

Sidney and Alex will get the chance to duke it out at the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.

Sidney and Alex will get the chance to duke it out at the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.

I am kinda happy/kinda upset about this. We knew a Crosby-Ovechkin Winter Classic was on the horizon. This game has everything you need in a “one game showcase” of the NHL: recognizable names of Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and Green. I’m actually more inclined to watch because I know Michigan State won’t be playing on New Year’s Day.  But how can the Penguins get to play in a second outdoor game before Original Six franchises New York and Toronto? Those fan bases, as well as perhaps the Canucks have legitimate beef of why they are being left out of the mix. It could perhaps be because those franchises don’t have marketable players (even Vancouver- Roberto Lulongo doesn’t count. You can’t see his face through a goalie mask) or because they simply aren’t good enough to contend on a year-to-year basis.

If you do want to put money on the Caps playing for the Stanley Cup next season, you should do so. Each season of the Winter Classic, the road participant has played for the Stanley Cup that season. Just ask the Penguins, Red Wings, and now Flyers. In addition, TSN is reporting there will be a second Winter Classic next season. Montreal will travel to Calgary in February to take on the Flames at McMahon Stadium.

 

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Best Goal Horns and Celebration Songs

May 20

Posted by Eddie in Media | No Comments

Goal horns and celebration songs is one thing that makes hockey the great sport it is.

Goal horns and celebration songs is one thing that makes hockey the great sport it is.

One of the beauties of the great game of hockey is that the home team is able to celebrate with a horn and song. You don’t see this in basketball because they simply score too much. You see it at college football and college hockey games with a fight song or chant (why hasen’t anyone brought any of the various SIEVE chants to the NHL?). You see it in the NFL (thank goodness my hometown Lions stink so we never have to hear it), as well as a soundbite in baseball. I rumbled throughout Youtube this week and found some of my favorite goal horn sounds as well as some of my favorite goal celebration songs. You can view all 30 NHL goal horns from this season here on Youtube.

Favorite Goal Horns:

  1. Calgary- This song makes the Sea of Red come alive and the Saddledome become electric.
  2. Edmonton- Can’t really explain it, I just love it.
  3. Los Angeles- Loud like a freight train coming at you.
  4. Washington- I like the police siren to accompany it.
  5. New York Rangers- Once you hear this song, you know you’re in MSG.

Least Favorite Goal Horns:

  1. Montreal- As much as I love the Habs, their goal horn is kinda annoying to hear.
  2. Columbus- Doesn’t have any uniqueness to it.
  3. Anaheim- It goes along with the duck theme, but it comes off as very low/deep sounding.
  4. San Jose- Had to hear it too much this playoff season.

 My Favorite Goal Songs

  1. Kernkraft 400- Zombie Nation (Sports Remix). Good song to get the crowd pumped up. As a Michigan State football fan, I had to endure this song several times watching the Spartans play at Penn State and their whiteouts.
  2. Kid Rock- American Bad Ass. This used to be the song after the Edmonton goal horn. I secretly want the Red Wings to adopt this as “Are You Ready For This” is so 1990’s. Has anyone else besides me wondered why a team in Canada used a song called “American Bad Ass”?
  3. Tim McGraw- I Like It, I Love It. While I have strong opinions why hockey shouldn’t be played south of the Mason-Dixon line (a blog on that will come in the off-season), I like the country music spin for the Predators.
  4. Gary Glitter- Rock and Roll Pt 2. Where else can you get away with yelling “HEY YOU SUCK!” without getting kicked out?

My Least Favorite Goal Song

  1. There’s only one entry in this category.It’s Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis. This song is so annoying and bad that I don’t know if I will be able to watch any games of the Blackhawks-Sharks series. Chicago fans feel free to crucify me if you desire.

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Jokinen headed to Russia?

May 6

Posted by Chris in Rumors | No Comments

Reports circulating around the internet claim that Finnish center Olli Jokinen is close to signing a deal with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. While Dinamo Minsk is yet to comment on the situation, Jokinen’s agent, Todd Diamond, vehemently denied rumors that his client is close to signing with the Russian club and stated that his client will play in the NHL next season.

NHL/The 31-year-old Jokinen (left) last played for the New York Rangers after being traded at the trade deadline from the Calgary Flames. Jokinen is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and there seem to be no intentions from the Rangers to resign Jokinen.

Between 2005 and 2008, as captain of the Florida Panthers, Jokinen was one of the best players in the NHL scoring 30 or more goals for three straight seasons and racking up a total of 251 points in 246 regular season games during that three-year span. Jokinen was also one of the healthiest players as he played in all 82 regular season games for the Panthers in each of those three seasons. However, Jokinen’s production quickly diminished over the subsequent seasons since signing as a free agent with the Phoenix Coyotes prior to the start of the 2008-09 season. During that season, Jokinen chipped in 42 points before being traded at the trade deadline to the Calgary Flames where he tallied an additional 21 points. During this past season, split between the Flames and Rangers, Jokinen only managed 15 goals and 50 points in 82 games.

Rumors of a deal with the KHL should come as no surprise to hockey fans. In recent years, KHL teams have thrown tons of money at average level NHL players in order to steal them away from the NHL. Alexander Radulov and Jiri Hudler are two prime examples of this. If Jokinen stays in the NHL, he will undoubtedly see a significant pay decrease from the $5.5 million he was making previously because of the diminished quality of play he has exhibited over the last few seasons. With his current level of play, Jokinen could probably get somewhere between $2-3 million, depending on the team. However, if Jokinen decides to sign with Dinamo Minsk, he undoubtedly will get much more money from them then he would if he stayed in the NHL.

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Seven storylines to follow during the final seven games of the NHL season

Mar 31

Posted by Chris in News, Soap Box | No Comments

Playoffs are merely two weeks away with about seven games remaining on the regular season schedule for most franchises. Still, a lot can happen in seven games. As the season winds down and teams gear up for playoffs, here are seven story lines that you might not want to miss as an NHL fan:

7.) Can the Avs Hang On? The Colorado Avalanche are one of two teams that defied preseason expectations this year and found themselves in the top half of the Western Conference for a good portion of the season despite being picked to finish near-dead last. However, over the last month or so as teams jockey for playoff positioning, the Avs have found themselves the odd team out after being leapfrogged by the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings in the standings. Can the Avs hang on to the eighth seed in the West with Calgary hot on their tail? With a young core full of stars in the making, the Avalanche have a lot to build on regardless of how this season plays out.

6.) Where Will the Leafs End Up? The Leafs got themselves a great player when they traded for Phil Kessel in the offseason. Kessel has 30 goals and 54 points in 65 games for the Maple Leafs this year. However, in order to acquire the sniper from Boston, the Leafs had to trade away several draft picks – including a first-round pick in this summer’s draft. Right now, that draft picks looks to be a number two overall pick for the Bruins. That could mean nabbing either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, the two highly-touted prospects expected to be taken as the first two overall players in the draft this year. Both players are having incredible seasons with over 100 points in the OHL. But, at 69 points, the Leafs are only three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and New York Islanders. With a playoff spot out of the picture, the Leafs are focusing on a strong finish to ensure a lower pick for the Bruins. Who will get the better end of the Kessel deal? We’ll see in two weeks.

5.) Outside Looking In: West - The Calgary Flames are the only real threat in the Western Conference outside of the playoff picture but looking to make a strong push at the end. With 85 points on the season, the Flames are four points behind the eighth seeded Colorado Avalanche. The St. Louis Blues are a long shot for a playoff spot with 83 points. Calgary has a tough schedule remaining, but they were able to take down the top-seeded Washington Capitals last weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive. Anything can happen in the NHL at playoff time.

4.) Outside Looking In: East – The playoff picture is much tighter in the East for the bubble teams. Only four points separate the tenth-seeded New York Rangers (78 points) from the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Flyers (82 points), which makes the remaining seven games that much more important for the teams fighting for the last few playoff spots in the West. The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens each have 82 points and sit in the seventh and eighth seeds respectively while the Atlanta Thrashers occupy the ninth seed with 80 points. However, the Canadiens have lost three in a row while the Atlanta Thrashers are playing some good hockey in the ninth seed and could pass the Canadiens with a few more strong performances. These teams are all fighting for their playoff lives, and it may come down to the last day of the season to see who’s in and who’s out in the East.

3.) Does Chicago Have a #1 Netminder? The Chicago Blackhawks, a perennial favorite to go to the Stanley Cup Finals, shelled out big bucks a few years back for goaltender Cristobal Huet. Needless to say, he hasn’t lived up to expectations. In 46 starts for the Blackhawks this season, Huet has a 2.50 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. While going head-to-head with backup goalie Antti Niemi in recent weeks, Huet seems to be doing everything in his power to give up the starting job going into playoffs. Niemi has better numbers than Huet with a .909 save percentage and 2.31 goals against average, but has only won three of his eight starts in March. However, two of those starts were shutouts. Regardless, neither goalie has embraced the starting job like a playoff goalie needs to. Will a starting goalie emerge in the seven remaining games for the Hawks before playoffs start?

2.) The Detroit Red Wings Sweepstakes - Detroit has won six games in a row and has garnered at least one point in each of their last ten. They are streaking up the standings and up the power rankings and are easily the hottest team in the NHL right now with all of their players healthy. The Wings are becoming that low-ranked team with a lot of potential that you don’t want to meet in the first round of the playoffs. One blogger went as far as to say that San Jose was purposely throwing games in order to avoid meeting the Red Wings in the first round. That might not be a bad strategy seeing that the Wings have had San Jose’s number all season. Can the Wins continue their impressive pace and finish the season strong in the standings? More importantly, can they keep up that impressive pace once playoffs begin in April?

1.) The Rocket Richard Race – Sidney Crosby leads the race with 47 goals, but Alexander Ovechkin and Steve Stamkos are right on his heels with 46 goals a piece. Ovechkin has won the trophy the past two years, but this could be Crosby’s year to shine as a goal-scoring machine. Stamkos came out of nowhere during a huge sophomore surge to stay on pace with Crosby and Ovechkin and could easily take home the trophy as well. All three players have cooled off in recent weeks, making the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in a season anyone’s to step up and grab at this point.

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Fleury Released by Calgary Flames

Sep 25

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Theoren Fleury Theoren Fleury has been released by the Calgary Flames.

The 41-year-old Fleury released this statement, “I am very thankful to Darryl and the Flames organization for following through on the commitment to provide me with this opportunity. I said in the beginning that no matter what the outcome, this would be a success story. I intend to take the next few days to review this experience and make decisions with my family regarding next steps in my life.”

Theo, who has not played since April 4, 2003 with the Chicago Blackhawks, attempted to make a comeback. Fleury battled alcoholism throughout his career, even being fined and eventually suspended indefinitely, has been sober for 4 years now.

NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman after seeing and reinstating Fleury, “I know Theo pretty well, we had spent some time together when things in his life were a little less settled. Seeing him last night, he looked terrific, he sounded terrific, he seems to be in a good place, he’s been sober for a number of years.

“We wish him well. I hope he can fulfil his dream and come back.”

That dream, unfortunately, has come to an end. The 5′6″ dynamic skater will come to yet another crossroad in his life.

As a fan, and as a person knowing the difficulties of substance abuse, I wish nothing but the best for Theo Fleury. To me, you did make the comeback, not an inch short of it, but a mile pass it.

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Minnesota Wild

Sep 23

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Minnsota's third jersey is but one of many changes to the upcoming Wild season.

Minnsota's third jersey is but one of many changes to the upcoming Wild season.

The Minnesota Wild, who finished only one spot out of the playoffs last season, looks to take the ice with a drasticly different team this year.

Head coach Jacques Lemaire announced he will not return to coach the Wild on April, 13 2009 and will be replaced by Todd Richards. Richards was once a professional hockey player, and since retiring from playing, has been the assistant coach of the Milwaukee Admirals and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, as well as an assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks last NHL season. Richards looks to invigorate the team by transitioning from Lemaire’s defensive minded play style to a more aggressive, up-tempo style of play.

To carry out the transition, the team has decided not to resign wingers Stephane Veilleux and injury prone Marian Gaborik, but to replace them with veteran Petr Sykora and Martin Havlat. Sykora won the Stanley Cup last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, contributing 46 points in 76 games played in the regular season, as well as 1 assist in the 7 games he played in the playoffs. The high flying Havlat is coming off of a career high 78 points with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 29 goals in 81 games played during the regular season, with 48 assists and a very good +29 rating. In the playoffs he averaged just under a point per game with 5 goals, 10 assists for a total of 15 points in 16 games played.

The team has a solid core of players, with veterans Owen Nolan and Marek Zidlicky, young talented Brent Burns, and hard hitting Cal Clutterbuck.  Just in case any rough stuff happens, the Wild also have heavyweight enforcer Derek “The Boogeyman” Boogard. The Wild were lead last season by center Mikko Koivu with 67 points; 20 goals and 47 assists in 79 games played.

Lastly, the team has goaltender Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom, who surprisingly only became the Wild’s starter in the ‘07-’08 season after Manny Fernandez was traded to Boston. Backstrom has won the William M. Jennings (lowest goals against) and Roger Crozier Saving Grace (best save percentage) awards. Last season he went 37 wins and 24 losses in 71 games played. He was in the top 3 amongst goaltenders in all three categories of save percentage (.923%), goals against average (2.33) and shut outs (8).

The Minnesota Wild are a competitive team, who have seen the playoffs in 3 of their 8 seasons in the NHL. With a new coach, a new strategy as well as a few new stars among the team, this year they look to make it year 4. Look for the Wild to be fighting hard for the first place within the Northwest Division against the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.

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Calgary Flames

Sep 22

Posted by Eddie in Season Previews | 2 Comments

If Jarome Iginla wants to hold the Clarence Campbell Bowl again, he might have to do it in a different uniform.

If Jarome Iginla wants to hold the Clarence Campbell Bowl again, he might have to do it in a different uniform.

The Calgary coaching carousel took another spin for the fourth time in five seasons at the end of another disappointing 2009 season. Out was Mike Keenan, and Brent Sutter is in. Sutter coached New Jersey last season, but resigned to be closer to his home in Red Deer, Alberta. That retirement/resignation didn’t last long when his brother Darryl, the GM of the Flames, came calling with an opening behind the bench.

The coaching Sutter has the task of guiding the team to its first playoff series victory since they went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004. The Flames have advanced past round once (in 2004) since winning the Stanley Cup in 1989. For those scoring at home, it means they have been eliminated after the first round in 10 of the 11 years they have made the playoffs since 1989.

The issue the Flames have isn’t talent, but it’s getting that talent to perform more consistently when it mattered. On defense, they have one of the most physical units in the league with heavy hitters Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, and Robyn Regehr. The defensive unit needs to keep its physical presence at the level it’s been, but not allow 248 goals like it did last season. The defense should be better because Sutter coaches a more defensive system in comparison to Keenan. The one positive the blue liners had last season was their 83.4 percent penalty killing rate, good for fourth in the league.

Up front, Jarome Iginla is still the workhorse of the offensive attack. He’s played 81 or more games in five of the last seven seasons. His goals went down to 35 from 50 in comparison to the 2008 season. But his points did increase from 48 to 54. The big problem was his plus-minus rating. In 2008 he tied a career-high rating of +27, but in the same number of games last season he was a disappointing -2. That has to change if he wants to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the second time in his career.

The X-factors the Flames will have is who will replace the 82 points Mike Camalleri had last season. Counted upon to create more offense will be Olli Jokinen, Daymond Langkow, Craig Conroy, and Phaneuf. All four must score between 55-60 points to make up for the lost scoring. Younger players who have to contribute a little more than last season will be Rene Borque, David Moss. Both are expected to reach the 45-50 point plateau.

In goal, the Flames must have goaltending help for Mikka Kiprusoff. Kiprusoff has played 74 or more games each of the last four seasons. He has a lot of mileage in the goal crease, which has led to a significant decrease in performance in the playoffs. Each of the last two seasons, his GAA has increased by over .5 in the playoffs vs. the regular season. Backup Curtis McElhinney has to improve his 1-6-1 record last season and record some more wins to keep Kiprusoff fresher for the playoffs. In addition the defense has to perform the same in front of McElhinney as it does in front of Kiprusoff as it saved its worse performances for when the backup was in goal.

Like every season, the Flames have the potential to contend for the division title. If the defense and goaltending starts the season hot, they can fight for one of the top-three seeds in the west. Most likely, they will likely fall to the third-sixth seed. The challenge however, is if Sutter can put together a playoff run and earn the respect of the team in the locker room.

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Preseason Love

Sep 18

Posted by EB in News | 1 Comment

New York Islander's Kyle Okposos is carried off on a stretcher after being hit by Calgary Flame's Dion Phaneuf.

New York Islander's Kyle Okposos is carried off on a stretcher after being hit by Calgary Flame's Dion Phaneuf.

Hockey season is back with the cool air within the rink, the sounds of skates grinding, red lights lighting, and of course, big hits.

Last night in a preseason game with the Calgary Flames hosting the New York Islanders, Dion Phaneuf of the Flames laid a crunching hit on Kyle Okposo. Okposo, who was later carried off on a stretcher, laid on the ice for over 6 minutes.

Immediate after the hit, a scrum unfolded, with Islander teammate Pascal Morency launching over the boards, only to be wrestled down by the 6’3”, 214lb Phaneuf. Even Islander’s newly acquired goaltender Martin Biron got in on the action, but like his teammate Morency, ended up on the bottom of the scrum.

The hit has stirred up some controversy, as the argument of Dion Phaneuf leaving his feet to execute the hit is in question, as well as if Pascal Morency partook in a line change or jumped off the bench. A link to the video is provided here as you may be the judge.

Later throughout the game the Islanders targeted Phaneuf some more, yet he never dropped the gloves. Some may say he was a coward, to make a hit and not drop the gloves is backing down. Some may say keep your head up and the hit would not have happened.

A suspension to Morency may be issued, and perhaps a fine or so to Phaneuf.  Regardless, it seems the Islanders are continuing from last season, and that being on the short end of the stick.

Keep your head up hockey fans and let’s enjoy more games, and more hits, to come.

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Phoenix Coyotes

Sep 17

Posted by EB in Season Previews | 1 Comment

No greater is the need to have a winning season other than right now for the Phoenix Coyotes. With the future of the team in question, the team must go on and is doing so.

The team has made only few acquisitions to increase depth and talent. Starting with goalie, Jason Labarbera has signed with the team. Last year Labarbera split his time between two clubs, the L.A. Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. Combining his stats, he posted 8 wins, 10 losses and 6 overtime losses in 28 games with a .901 save percentage. His expectations should be no more than providing a solid back up position to starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.

The Phoenix Coyote’s seem to be transitioning into a more puck moving club, as they have gotten rid of their enforcers. Last season Daniel Carcillo was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, as this season they have decided not to sign right wing Brian McGrattan to the Calgary Flames. The Flames have also picked up Nigel Dawes off of waivers from the Coyotes.

Perhaps the only two other players to make note of that will be joining the Coyote’s roster is that of defenseman Adrian Aucoin and the return of forward Radim Vrbata.

Aucoin holds an Olympic silver medal from 1994, played in the NHL All Star game in the 2003 – 2004 season and is a solid defenseman. The veteran defenseman will be able to provide wisdom and knowledge to the relatively young defense of the Coyote’s, as well as production on the power play.

Young forward Peter Mueller will be reunited with the return of winger Radim Vrbata.

Young forward Peter Mueller will be reunited with the return of winger Radim Vrbata.

The return of Radim Vrbata should ignite some offensive sparks with young forward Peter Mueller.  Vrbata winged a line of then rookie Peter Mueller. Together they were able to provide an offensive threat, combining for 49 goals, 61 assists totaling 110 points.

The Coyote’s have the talent to be a good hockey team. Captain and excellent two way player Shane Doan, up and coming Scottie Upshall, as well as veteran assistant captain Ed Jovanovski. The team was on pace to make the playoffs last season, only to fall hard and ending in 13th place. With the club’s future in question, even the question of Wayne Gretzky being head coach, the team could be an absolute wreck with the side distractions, or have an excellent season later to be made into a sports motivational movie.

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Florida Panthers

Sep 12

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

The Florida Panthers gives neither feeling of excitement nor any other feeling at all when thought of, but perhaps that is expected of a team who has not made the playoffs since 1999. Nonetheless, last season the panthers were only one spot short of the playoffs, only to be edged out by the Montreal Canadiens, and hope to build upon the improvement.

The Panthers are as confused as Nathan Horton on his scoring touch but hope this season it comes back to him.

The Panthers are as confused as Nathan Horton on his scoring touch but hope this season it comes back to him.

In the off season, the team made a few moves but none stick out more than the swapping of defense between the Calgary Flames; Jay Bouwmeester from Florida in exchange for Calgary’s Jordan Leopold. The trade is questionable seeing that Leopold has a rather long injury list, but with the additions of mixed aged defensemen Nick Boynton, Steve Emminger and Ville Koistinen, the team should be just fine.

The teams other major addition is that of goalie Scott Clemmensen from the New Jersey Devils. Clemmensen last year filled in for Martin Brodeur during is surgery recovery and put up some excellent numbers; 25-13-1 record with a .917 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average. The goalie spot still could belong to Tomas Voukoun, but expect it to be taken rather quickly by the Panther’s new addition.

Last season the team was led by young fellas Stephen Weiss and David Booth who combined for 45 goals, 76 assists which totals 121 points in the 150 games between them. Veterans Cory Stillman and Steven Reinprecht look to add leadership and points as well, and the team is looking to jump start under achieving Nathan Horton. With the addition of some defense, a new goalie, and with the rest of the roster, it truthfully is a crap shoot if they will be competitive or not in the Eastern conference.

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