The NHL Thread

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  • Artemis81Artemis81 In Christmas Land
    Posts: 543
    :( :((
    Congrats to the Blues, they played a great game. The Bruins just couldn't score and Binnigton was exceptional. It's tough, but at least we got this far.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    edited June 2019 Posts: 3,126
    What a great series by two great teams Congratulations to the Bruins on a great year this is why the NHL is so great and awesome 😊 @Artemis81
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    It's a new year the NHL season starts tonight.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Blues vs Capitals should be a good one.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Looks like three games tonight.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    Four: Senators vs Leafs, Caps vs Blues, Canucks vs Oilers and Sharks vs Golden Knights.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I could do without Canucks vs Oilers (poor McDavid; I wonder what he and his agent will do if this is another lost season)....
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,588
    I'll be flipping back and forth with the Caps-Blues and the Rays-A's wild card game.

    I'm expecting big things from Florida this year. If we can't win with Quenneville behind the bench, Bobrovksy in goal and our current offensive core, then might as well just fold.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Oh yeah I forgot about the west coast game sorry 🤣
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,424
    Since we are a couple of months into the season anyone surprised by the performance of their team?

    As a Leafs fan I was shocked how poorly the Leafs played. Clearly the rift between coach and GM got to be too distracting the coach is gone. Kennedy looks to be a bright young mind and two games in the Leafs seem to be buying what he's selling! I only hope these type of results continue. To think heading into tonight's game we had the same points as the Senators who are clearly in rebuilding mode.

    Any surprises out there for the hockey fans of this forum?
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Like you @thedove , I am a Leafs fan, but I wasn't surprised with their start. I was in fear that this would happen since last Spring. When our boys lost to the same team, in the exact same fashion two years in a row, it's clear the coach's systems aren't working.

    When Auston Matthews is getting 18 minutes in Game 7 and Hyman, with a torn ACL is getting 22 minutes, that's a huge problem.

    And then when they started this season, being scored on first, 17 out of 22 games? I was mortified. But this "late start" business had started last year. By the time Babs was fired, his team's record, going back to last December, was .500.

    With this type of talent? Unacceptable,

    When we trade for an exciting D in Tyson Barrie who's good for 50 to 60 points/season, and he's being used as a stay at home D-man, it crumbled the player's confidence (to the point his agent supposedly asked for a trade just days before Babcock's firing).

    Babcock complained his team didn't play "heavy". No guff! Dubas and Shanny have built a team of immense talent where speed kills and offence is the best defence.

    And it looks like Sheldon Kennedy has been prescribing this to his Marlies teams.

    My gut feels that Kennedy's the right man for the job, and, although there are bumps to iron out (last night's game from halfway through the middle period to the end got dicey (but the Leafs didn't stop skating, which was good)), I'm convinced he will be very successful. He's a great brain, and so far I love his interviews-- solid hockey mind, with a nice dose of creativity (he was saying he looks at what other sports are doing, like soccer and basketball, to see if he can adapt certain plays into hockey)...
  • Sheldon Keefe, not Kennedy ;)

    There is a lot still to fix with the Maple Leafs, but they look to be heading on the right track. They should be able to finish in the top 3 in the Atlantic.

    However, it's a wildly unpredictable league now. A lot of teams with top end talent have been struggling, with the likes of Islanders and Coyotes are racking up wins due to having player buy-in into their system. I'm really excited to see what next spring's playoffs will look like.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Right Sheldon Kennedy-- former NHL'er!

    Keefe. Keefe. Keefe

    You're right @GeneralGogol, I thought TB would be steam-rolling over everyone after their embarrassing exit from last year's play-offs.

    And you're also right-- team buy-in to systems. It'll be an interesting playoffs.

    But I think we may see St Louis as one of the finalists (and Washington as the other?)?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    I, too, have been thoroughly surprised by the likes of Toronto, but 2-0 since Keefe's signing might mean that the coaching was indeed the issue, which most fans figured was the case. Babcock's first ever firing from an NHL team, too. Crazy.

    I've been thoroughly shocked by the abysmal performance from New Jersey. All those first round/#1 picks and they're one of the worst teams in the league.

    As for my Penguins, it's going the way I figured - nothing spectacular but nothing awful. They've got some great defensive numbers so far, their GA/goal differential is fantastic and they've played pretty damn well for the most part, considering the amount of injuries they've been accruing. They usually turn things up around January-February so there's still time to rise even further.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Happy hockey day in America
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,588
    007Blofeld wrote: »
    Happy hockey day in America

    Happy hockey day indeed. Too bad Nbc still has a hard on for showing Detroit.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,424
    Thought since the 2023 playoffs have started it would be fun to revive our hockey thread and discuss all things hockey!

    The series for the first round are sometimes the best hockey of the playoffs. What are your predictions? What series has your attention?

    East playoff opening series!
    • Bruins versus Panthers
    • Canes versus Islanders
    • Leafs versus Lightning
    • Devils versus Rangers

    West playoff opening series!
    • Golden Knights versus Jets
    • Avalanche versus Kraken
    • Stars versus Wild
    • Oilers versus Kings

    Can McDavid take the Oilers on a long run? Does Fleury have it in him to backstop the Wild deep? Can the Leafs finally win a first round series? (not accomplished since 2004) Will the young Devils team knock out the experienced and talented Rangers? Will the Bruins have a easy first round?
  • Posts: 12,466
    I’ve got:

    Bruins > Panthers
    Hurricanes > Islanders
    Lightning > Maple Leafs
    Rangers > Devils
    Golden Knights > Jets
    Avalanche > Kraken
    Stars > Wild
    Kings > Oilers
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,588
    Glad to see this board resurrected after 3 years. I did a bracket the other day. This was before the games started. Obviously now Vegas isn't sweeping Winnipeg. I'm pissed that my Panthers could have drawn New Jersey over having to play Boston.

    Bruins in 5
    Leafs in 6
    Hurricanes in 5
    Rangers in 6
    Avalanche in 5
    Stars in 7
    Vegas in 4
    Oilers in 6

    I'm still sticking to Rangers over Oilers in 6.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Yeah, Boston looked too good. Suffocating.

    My Leafs crapped the bed hard last night. Keefe looked frozen on the bench. Too busy line matching. It was a disaster from the bench bossed on out. Nauseating to watch. And Bunting’s a thug that deserves three games for the elbow to the jaw.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,588
    Tampa just knows how to turn it on come playoff time. They're never a good match up for anyone
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    They are so deep. Not just as players, but craftiness and experience. It’s sick.

    And Boston looks similar. Strangle. Hammer. Pounce. They stress the collective nervous system of their opponents
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    My Penguins are definitely hoisting the Cup this post-sea...oh, wait a minute.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,588
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    My Penguins are definitely hoisting the Cup this post-sea...oh, wait a minute.

    Not gonna lie. I jumped for joy when the Pens lost to Chicago last week which clinched the spot for Florida.

    They just didn't look the same this year. I went to a Penguins-Panthers game last month and it just looked like there run was coming to an end.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    My Penguins are definitely hoisting the Cup this post-sea...oh, wait a minute.

    Not gonna lie. I jumped for joy when the Pens lost to Chicago last week which clinched the spot for Florida.

    They just didn't look the same this year. I went to a Penguins-Panthers game last month and it just looked like there run was coming to an end.

    It's the worst season I've seen them have in a long while and I admittedly didn't get to watch many games this season at all. Losing to two of the worst teams in the league in incredibly essential games at the tail end of the season was the icing on the cake for me.

    I'm honestly glad their playoff streak is broken, since it led to some key firings I've been wanting to see, though I am surprised Sully is still around. If they don't bring something fresh to the game next season, I can see him getting the boot around December, which the Pens are notorious for doing before turning things around...hopefully, anyway.

    But yeah, their key stars only have a couple more years in the tank. It's just a shame their third/fourth lines were so weak in a season when Crosby and co. finally stayed healthy and played most of their games together while also putting up very solid numbers.
  • edited April 2023 Posts: 12,466
    I might have mentioned before my team is the Blackhawks (my sports cities are Chicago & Baltimore). Gotta say, we’ve been pretty bad for a while, but those dynasty years make it all worth it!

    The Bruins should win it all, but it seems like the “best” team rarely ends up with the championship in sports leagues…
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    FoxRox wrote: »
    I might have mentioned before my team is the Blackhawks (my sports cities are Chicago & Baltimore). Gotta say, we’ve been pretty bad for a while, but those dynasty years make it all worth it!

    The Bruins should win it all, but it seems like the “best” team rarely ends up with the championship in sports leagues…

    I feel you there. That 2009 win and the back-to-back Cups for the Penguins makes it all worth it, even if they don't win again for another 10-20 years. It's sad but realistic. I'll never forget watching that 2OT goal by Kunitz to eliminate the Senators and send the Penguins to the Finals. It was magic.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Hextall and Burke were terrible!

    Crosby hoisted what’s left of a broken team to try and get into the playoffs.

    It’s better they didn’t make it this year. That way their GM and company gets the sh*t-can and whoever replaces them has a shot at making one more run in the next two to three years— coz, Sid is still 🔥 and his passion is ts dwindling one iota.

    Gimme a Crosby over a McJesus ANY day!!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    peter wrote: »
    Hextall and Burke were terrible!

    Crosby hoisted what’s left of a broken team to try and get into the playoffs.

    It’s better they didn’t make it this year. That way their GM and company gets the sh*t-can and whoever replaces them has a shot at making one more run in the next two to three years— coz, Sid is still 🔥 and his passion is ts dwindling one iota.

    Gimme a Crosby over a McJesus ANY day!!

    Exactly how I'm feeling - it was bittersweet but I'll gladly take the playoff streak ending if it means at least Hextall was gone. Hextall, Burke and co. leaving is even better. They should've never taken Flyers guys for such a position in the first place. Now I hear rumors he's heading back to Philly haha. Ridiculous.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Yeah, Philly is in trouble themselves. Including Hextall in on it, just adds to their problems.
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