NHL 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Morris Wanchuk]

Too many NHL teams. Talent is spread too thin

Disagree, talent pool was thinner in the 1980s.

Refs giving everyone 10min misconducts and not evening out roughing minors has a lot to do with it.

Plus the younger players seems to love to fight with their gloves on these days which is lame as well.

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

yup

and the forced first round divisional matchups make it a chore. it was a dumb plan from the start to artificially create rivalries through frequent playoff match ups.

NHL has it half right with the divisional set up. For it to work, you need to play the division more in the regular season to build up the hate. No one want to play the west twice. If they don't change the schedule, they should go back to 1-8

 

[BruinDust]

Disagree, talent pool was thinner in the 1980s.

Refs giving everyone 10min misconducts and not evening out roughing minors has a lot to do with it.

Plus the younger players seems to love to fight with their gloves on these days which is lame as well.

Generation of players who were severely penalized for fighting pretty much all the way up through, people should not be surprised the intensity level is dropping every year.

 

[UConn126]

My disdain for the Habs has really died down over the past couple years but I gotta say watching them in the playoffs Monday night, especially in a year where we didn't make it, really got me all hot and bothered lol.

 

[BruinDust]

NHL has it half right with the divisional set up. For it to work, you need to play the division more in the regular season to build up the hate. No one want to play the west twice. If they don't change the schedule, they should go back to 1-8

The problem isn't the game out west. Why do the Bruins have to play Carolina, Columbus and New Jersey 3 times each?

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I'd much rather watch divisional rivals face each other year after year than random match-ups from a 16 team conference.

yeah but 1st round match ups dont build real hatred. rivalries would be better off being built in the conference finals.

hell, look at the hatred that still exists today between us and Vancouver from 2011 and that was just 1 series

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Panthers are a bad matchup for Tampa ( and Toronto) . Tampa seems to rely heavily on their skill level . They can’t grind it out against a physical hard working team. It’s only one game though and how often have we seen teams come roaring back ?

Panthers are defending champions.

They are a bad matchup for everyone.

 

[BruinDust]

yeah but 1st round match ups dont build real hatred. rivalries would be better off being built in the conference finals.

hell, look at the hatred that still exists today between us and Vancouver from 2011 and that was just 1 series

Does it exist? When no players from that series play for either team currently. Marchand would play it up when they went to Vancouver.

But it did linger longer than other finals. But I'd argue that is the exception rather than the rule. Still arguably the best finals of the salary cap era.

 

[Absurdity]

Woops wrong thread.

Incentive for Bettman to have Boston win the lottery this year or next

Do these numbers account for local stations?

 

[Terrier]

The game is on.

Love the anthem singers in D.C.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

The game is on.

Love the anthem singers in D.C.

Great harmony. They almost make it sound that there is more than two of them.

 

[Terrier]

Ding!

 

[Terrier]

Habs on the board, Dvorak.

 

[Terrier]

Caps equalize, McMichael.

 

[Clode]

3 Habs having a net front watch party in that goal

 

[Terrier]

2-1 Caps, Strome.

 

[Terrier]

All Caps at the moment, shots are 26-10, Habs nine minutes without a shot, but now they're going to the PP.

 

[xStanleyCupsFor]

been some good games but a lot of these series are meh this year

The eastern conference series have been a dud so far. The west has been fun.

 

[Terrier]

Thompson with a great save to keep it 2-1. And another!

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Montreal had their chances but Thompson stopped them cold

 

[Terrier]

What a finish, what a period by Thompson.

 

[Terrier]

Landeskog is back.

 

[sarge88]

NHL has it half right with the divisional set up. For it to work, you need to play the division more in the regular season to build up the hate. No one want to play the west twice. If they don't change the schedule, they should go back to 1-8

And, make it a true division playoff system like the old days, where you had to play your way out of your division.

 

[Bruinaura]

Landeskog is back.

Can't imagine missing three seasons and then jumping right into playoff hockey.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Eat that losers!

1993 Forever!