2023 NHL Playoffs Around the League

[Richie Daggers Crime]

CAR plays a great team game, and their coaching is really good.

The Hurricanes were the 2nd best team in the league this year.

 

[danteipp]

It's still early and the Devs can still turn it around in this game, let alone in the series. But, suffice to say I'm not surprised with how it started. Playoff hockey, baby. CAR plays a great team game, and their coaching is really good. We'll see how it shakes out, but if CAR continues playing well the good news is that maybe the Isles don't have the impossible task of massively increasing skill. Maybe it's more about increasing skill but more increasing speed on the wings and getting a high end puck-moving defenseman.

This is an absolute must. A defenseman that can man the PP and pair with either Romanov or Dobson would be the single-biggest upgrade outside of landing a 40-goal scorer, which would require a significant overpay. Unless any player out there opts to force his way to the Isles, aka a Rags Special. Of course that is a longshot, but I guess anything can happen.

It would take immense pressure off of Dobson, allow him to man PP2 and develop at his own pace and, if paired with Romanov, would be able to help his growth as well.

I like Mayfield and appreciate all he has done for the Isles, but he is redundant and is not the player that lifts up a young partner.

Let some other team overpay and, in a couple years when they are ready to eat that contract, then the Isles can think about bringing him back as the 6th defenseman or a reserve.

 

[SRBisles]

This is an absolute must. A defenseman that can man the PP and pair with either Romanov or Dobson would be the single-biggest upgrade outside of landing a 40-goal scorer, which would require a significant overpay. Unless any player out there opts to force his way to the Isles, aka a Rags Special. Of course that is a longshot, but I guess anything can happen.

It would take immense pressure off of Dobson, allow him to man PP2 and develop at his own pace and, if paired with Romanov, would be able to help his growth as well.

I like Mayfield and appreciate all he has done for the Isles, but he is redundant and is not the player that lifts up a young partner.

Let some other team overpay and, in a couple years when they are ready to eat that contract, then the Isles can think about bringing him back as the 6th defenseman or a reserve.

Damon Severson is the guy they should be after. Checks all those boxes and is familiar with Lou (if he’s still around of course)

 

[Lame Lambert]

Edmonton isn’t winning shit with this defense

 

[mm11]

Wonder if staal was draped all over Hughes the first game. ? Didn't get to see the game.

 

[BelovedIsles]

I'll say NYI played the Canes better, but it's only game 1. NJD will have to focus on the D they showed in shutting down NYR a bulk of that series.

As for EDM/VGK. If the NHL wants to market this 'nu' NHL, game 1 was a great start. Too much open ice for a playoff game. McDavid's combination of strength, mobility, and puck skills is otherworldly. Think I still prefer prime Sid's offensive style.

 

[Lek]

another 4 goal performance by one player and another team loss....guess one player scoring 4 goals in a game is something to avoid.

 

[NC 1972]

Crazy that Pavelski scored 4 goals in a losing effort. Amazing accomplishment, even more so considering he’s almost 39, but kinda sucks that they couldn’t find a way to get the W

Throw in Draisaitl also , what's the chances of two players scoring 4 goals for there teams and both losing.

 

[NC 1972]

Everyone here hated Eberle. This is a classic example of grass is greener on the other side and we have some serious short term memory loss on this board. Folks here raged weekly about how lazy he was. Now he is gone and we miss him terribly.

I don't remember it being about lazy, more about being soft. Eberle isn't a physical player he's slight of frame and plays a finesse game, he had good chemistry with Barzal and had good hands. On a team where mucking and grinding was the teams signature his game appeared out of place and was frequently criticized by not engaging .

 

[NC 1972]

Isles PK ranking

2020-2021 6th best
2021-2022 4th best
2022-2023 9th best (going in the wrong direction)

Cizikas had 6 goals all year in 81 games played.

I still like his style and think it’s well suited to the post season. At the same time I can’t ignore the stats and the 4 years left on his deal.

I believe his performance was in part brought down by his aging, slowing linemates. On a team where arguments can be made to move many of the veteran players, he’s still a guy I prefer to keep.

Time and tide wait for no man.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

Soooooooo i guess that Carolina is not just such an easy and undermanned team to beat as everyone claimed during their series with us, huh?
I also love all the excuses already on the Devils board. They were tired from the 7 game series (Florida and Seattle had just won a night earlier after surviving a 7 game series), the Canes had so much rest because the Islanders put up no fight (Carolina's six game series with us was far more physical and grueling than their 7 games with the Rags was). Then there was the "Timo was out" excuses. The same Timo who has zero points, yes ZERO in 7 playoff games. Compare that to how much we were knocking Horvat.
I hope Carolina knocks them out in 5, or 6 at most.

 

[Big L]

Soooooooo i guess that Carolina is not just such an easy and undermanned team to beat as everyone claimed during their series with us, huh?
I also love all the excuses already on the Devils board. They were tired from the 7 game series (Florida and Seattle had just won a night earlier after surviving a 7 game series), the Canes had so much rest because the Islanders put up no fight (Carolina's six game series with us was far more physical and grueling than their 7 games with the Rags was). Then there was the "Timo was out" excuses. The same Timo who has zero points, yes ZERO in 7 playoff games. Compare that to how much we were knocking Horvat.
I hope Carolina knocks them out in 5, or 6 at most.

Devils got beat good game 1 vs rags. I wouldn’t count them out yet.

 

[Dutch Frost]

Soooooooo i guess that Carolina is not just such an easy and undermanned team to beat as everyone claimed during their series with us, huh?
I also love all the excuses already on the Devils board. They were tired from the 7 game series (Florida and Seattle had just won a night earlier after surviving a 7 game series), the Canes had so much rest because the Islanders put up no fight (Carolina's six game series with us was far more physical and grueling than their 7 games with the Rags was). Then there was the "Timo was out" excuses. The same Timo who has zero points, yes ZERO in 7 playoff games. Compare that to how much we were knocking Horvat.
I hope Carolina knocks them out in 5, or 6 at most.

They were down 2-0 against the Rags and pushed it to 7. Its early.

 

[mm11]

One thing I'll be watching is how Jake Hughes handles the beast Staal hanging on him every play.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

Devils got beat good game 1 vs rags. I wouldn’t count them out yet.

They were down 2-0 against the Rags and pushed it to 7. Its early.

The point of my post was not to say that the Canes will definitely win (although I am rooting for them) or that it will be an easy series. It was to point out how so many other teams' fans, especially the Rags and Devils, were saying Carolina should have been easy pickings because it was a shell of a team with sooooooo many injuries. And so many criticisms around the league of how we had trouble scoring and getting chances against them.

Well correct me if I am wrong but I do not remember a single game where we had 1 shot after 1 period and 7 shots after two periods. 80% of the Devils shots in the game came in the third after they were down 2, 3 and eventually 4 goals. Meanwhile all 3 games we played in Carolina were tight 1 goal games.

So, again, I say I guess it was not as embarrassing as everyone said that we lost a series in 6 games (with 3 one-goal losses, two in OT) to this completely undermanned opponent.

 

[danteipp]

Damon Severson is the guy they should be after. Checks all those boxes and is familiar with Lou (if he’s still around of course)

I like Severson as a player and, while he is not the PP specialist the Isles need, I also like Ryan Graves.

I was hoping the Isles would be able to acquire him when Colorado was forced to move him, prior to the latest expansion draft a couple years ago, but of course the Isles had their own cap and expansion-protection issues to navigate.

Graves just seems like a solid all-around player. Good size (6'5" and 225 lbs), the right age to match the Isles core at 27-years old, productive (6-22-28 and 8-18-26 the last two seasons), 152 blocks with 83 hits and only 47 giveaways (as opposed to Mayfield's 64 GVs, which was down from other season's where he had 72 and 70 giveaways).

Unfortunately, Graves is not the perfect PP1 match, and will probably be overpaid by a desperate team who will be able to outbid the Isles. But a Graves-Dobson pairing would probably work well together.

 

[13th Floor]

The point of my post was not to say that the Canes will definitely win (although I am rooting for them) or that it will be an easy series. It was to point out how so many other teams' fans, especially the Rags and Devils, were saying Carolina should have been easy pickings because it was a shell of a team with sooooooo many injuries. And so many criticisms around the league of how we had trouble scoring and getting chances against them.

Well correct me if I am wrong but I do not remember a single game where we had 1 shot after 1 period and 7 shots after two periods. 80% of the Devils shots in the game came in the third after they were down 2, 3 and eventually 4 goals. Meanwhile all 3 games we played in Carolina were tight 1 goal games.

So, again, I say I guess it was not as embarrassing as everyone said that we lost a series in 6 games (with 3 one-goal losses, two in OT) to this completely undermanned opponent.

This is some hard Napoleon complex.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

The point of my post was not to say that the Canes will definitely win (although I am rooting for them) or that it will be an easy series. It was to point out how so many other teams' fans, especially the Rags and Devils, were saying Carolina should have been easy pickings because it was a shell of a team with sooooooo many injuries. And so many criticisms around the league of how we had trouble scoring and getting chances against them.

Well correct me if I am wrong but I do not remember a single game where we had 1 shot after 1 period and 7 shots after two periods. 80% of the Devils shots in the game came in the third after they were down 2, 3 and eventually 4 goals. Meanwhile all 3 games we played in Carolina were tight 1 goal games.

So, again, I say I guess it was not as embarrassing as everyone said that we lost a series in 6 games (with 3 one-goal losses, two in OT) to this completely undermanned opponent.

Everyone said it was embarrassing? I don't really recall hearing much of that. Carolina was the better team (slightly) and deserved to win the series. But it was close and certainly a few bounces here and there could've swayed things (like most playoff series). I expect the NJ/CAR series to be similar and would be surprised if it doesn't go at least 6 games.

 

[13th Floor]

Edmonton isn’t winning shit with this defense

Every year, it's sad.

But my lord is that PP insane. McDavid looping and screaming in from the blue line is some next level shit. He moves so fast that he just beats people 1 on 1 and has the seam pass to Drai.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

Everyone said it was embarrassing? I don't really recall hearing much of that. Carolina was the better team (slightly) and deserved to win the series. But it was close and certainly a few bounces here and there could've swayed things (like most playoff series). I expect the NJ/CAR series to be similar and would be surprised if it doesn't go at least 6 games.

I guess you didnt read much on the Rags and Devils boards during the first round. Devils fans thought getting the Rags was a much harder matchup. I hate to break it to them but Carolina is a far superior team to the Rags and they will find that out this round.

 

[Lek]

Sorry...living here in Carolina....i am pulling for the Devils....hate the Carolina team as much as the Rags

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I guess you didnt read much on the Rags and Devils boards during the first round. Devils fans thought getting the Rags was a much harder matchup. I hate to break it to them but Carolina is a far superior team to the Rags and they will find that out this round.

Gotcha. No, I didn't. Thankfully! lol

I always laugh when fans say "so and so is gonna SMOKE so and so 4-zip!" Most series are close. Even inferior teams typically eek out 2 (sometimes more) wins. Carolina is a very good team and anyone expecting a cake walk was being delusional.

 

[doublechili]

another 4 goal performance by one player and another team loss....guess one player scoring 4 goals in a game is something to avoid.

Well, that's one box we've got checked on the re-tool.

 

[doublechili]

One thing I'll be watching is how Jake Hughes handles the beast Staal hanging on him every play.

Not just Staal - it's a swarm of guys.

I'm not "rooting" per se, but out of the 8 teams left I might have CAR at the top of the list of teams I'd be okay with winning the whole thing. I really like the way they're built and the way they play.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Well, that's one box we've got checked on the re-tool.

Phew. One less thing to worry about.

A final four of Vegas-Seattle and FLA-CAR is an old-school hockey "purist" nightmare...