Hi everyone! Over the years, if I’ve learned one thing, it is that making predictions can be a risky endeavour. Speaking your mind, well, you may get some eye rolls, but after everyone at the party has had a few rum and Cokes, no one will remember what you said. On paper though? Well, I’ve learned that this can go one of two ways: either you hit the nail right on the head, and years later you look like a freakin’ genius, or you say something dumb that will come back to haunt you years later when readers of the future have the power of hindsight to shed light on your faux pas. Remember how last summer everyone thought that the Nashville Predators were going to run roughshod over the Western Conference with Steve Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei? Or how the Philadelphia Flyers were on the cusp of greatness? Sure, I may have agreed with those opinions back then too, but at least I didn’t have the bright idea of writing it down for future generations to gawk at.

This week, we’re going back to 1976, and the Seals are riding high. The future is bright, and records are falling left right and center. In fact, the Seals’ 3-M Line featured possibly the best left wing, right wing, and center combinations they ever had. How couldn’t you feel like the world would soon be the Seals’ for the taking. After all, the team was diamond-studded with talent… at least that’s what some people thought. In one game program, the Seals’ Director of Public Relations, whose job it was to make the team look good, wrote an interesting piece praising the Seals for their skill at drafting and signing young talent. After all, how many other teams could boast owning both the Central League and International League champions? Signs certainly pointed to a bright future for the Bay Area club, except that it wasn’t. In fact, not only did the club not win a NHL championship, they would cease to exist in name a few months later, and would completely vaporize two years later. It almost makes you cringe when you read McGrath wax ecstatic about the Seals and how they were going to be the next great Stanley Cup contender knowing how badly things would turn out soon after. Thanks to Pete Manzolillo for sending me this fun article, which you can read here.

Until next time, stay gold!