Kyle Vandenberg
Bio
NJ Resident, Hockey fanatic, Staff Writer for The Unbalanced.
Stories (36/0)
How Many Wins Can Vegas Get?
The addition of a new NHL franchise has generated some interest and excitement over this offseason. General Manager George McPhee and the Vegas Golden Knights staff have certainly been busy, overseeing an expansion draft, contract negotiations, and an absolute barrage of trades. While building a new franchise certainly isn’t easy, and Vegas hopes it can field a competitive team, the Golden Knights have an interesting set of expectations ahead of them and will hope to perform well in 2017–18.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
The Rise of Peter Budaj
During the summer of 2015, Peter Budaj was a free agent goalie who may have been considering retirement. At the very least, he could head back to Europe to try and save his career. He was given a pro tryout by the Los Angeles Kings, but was a long shot to make the roster. Just 18 months later, Budaj is one of the best comeback stories in the NHL.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Can the Penguins Repeat?
The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the 2016–17 season as defending Stanley Cup champions and had 12–1 odds to repeat, the fourth best chance in the league according to Bovada. After opening up a 3–1 game lead on the Columbus Blue Jackets, those odds have skyrocketed to 15–4 favorites via VegasInsider. The NHL hasn’t seen a repeat champion since the Detroit Red Wings in 1998. Now that they’ve advanced to the second round, can the Penguins be the first since then and defend their title?
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
What the Devils Should Do with Patrik Elias
He’s the franchise leader all-time in goals, assists, and points. He’s had countless heroic moments in the playoffs and regular season. He’s won two Stanley Cup championships with the team. No doubt, his will be the fifth number retired by New Jersey, and may be the last sweater retirement the team sees for a long time.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
End of the Line for Iginla and Doan?
The longer a veteran player goes unsigned during an offseason, the more the retirement talk ramps up. And unless your name is Jaromir Jagr, this offseason has been no different. For seasoned veterans Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan, the questions about their possible retirement have flown around in recent days. So what will happen to these great players? Have we seen the last of them?
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Brent Burns Is Better Than You
Forget everything I said. In an article published back in January, I made the case that Connor McDavid should be considered the favorite to win the Hart Memorial Trophy for MVP. I suggested that he should at least be considered in the same category with Sidney Crosby given his performance through the first half of the year. With where things stood at that point in the year, that’s a pretty easy point to stand by.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Why The NHL’s Response To Charlottesville Should Worry You
View on Twitter This was the statement issued by the Detroit Red Wings following the incidents surrounding the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA over the weekend. A strong, almost threatening statement from one of the league’s most prolific franchises, and one that clearly states where they stand on the issues at hand. Following this statement was one issued by the league, saying,
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Devils At the Deadline
There was a lot of back-and-forth discussion in the Devils community about what New Jersey’s trade deadline approach would be. On the one hand, they don’t seem good enough to be a serious playoff contender. On the other hand, the playoff race in the East has been open, and even with just 62 points the Devils sit seven back of Toronto for the second wild card spot. There could be solid arguments for either buying or selling.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Where Does Pittsburgh Rank Among All-Time Teams?
For the first time in nearly two decades, the NHL has a repeat champion. Not since the 1998 Detroit Red Wings has any team lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup in back-to-back years, until now. And while the sight of Sidney Crosby and his pre-pubescent facial hair lifting the greatest trophy in sports for a third time in his career is nauseating to some, the point has to be made that this sort of thing is supposed to be damn near impossible in the salary cap era. Even with the addition of a 31st team this offseason, Pittsburgh still has the best chance to win in 2018, according to odds makers. So just how good is this team?
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
Why Your Team Should Sign Jaromir Jagr
The case is actually pretty simple. If it were anyone else, and certainly anyone who wasn’t over the age of 40, a player of Jaromir Jagr’s ability would have been signed on July 1 without prejudice. With the field of available players thinning out and Jagr relegated to the bargain bin, NHL teams should relish the chance to sign the league’s No. 2 all-time scorer.
By Kyle Vandenberg6 years ago in Unbalanced
