Around the League - 15/16 Edition: Part 4

[IAGTTAYM]

Calgary Flames East. I keep saying.

7th in Corsi this season, 8th last season. But yeah, they are the Calgary of the East.

 

[Replacement*]

7th in Corsi this season, 8th last season. But yeah, they are the Calgary of the East.

Corsi smorschy Hershey...





Tampa definitely know how to pull out wins and have some swagger. But allowing the lowly Winnipeg jets to fill the net and take the lead in the 3rd doesn't speak volumes to their mental prep, focus, whilst desperately needing points.

nor does requiring the Oilers to score 3 goals in their own net to beat them.

Tampa is good, but haven't done that much to impress this season except for the usual good players, Stamkos, Hedman, Kucherov, who run the show. How deep is this team really, is the question.

Answers will come soon enough.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

There is no team in the East that should frighten the West champion. I mean we all know it's either the Hawks or the Kings anyway.

 

[Spawn]

There is no team in the East that should frighten the West champion. I mean we all know it's either the Hawks or the Kings anyway.

If the Caps ever figured out how to win a game 7, I wouldn't write them off. That team is pretty stacked. But otherwise I tend to agree. If one of the Kings/Blackhawks make it to the finals there is no way you can bet against them.

 

[Aceboogie]

Yeah Washington is looking super lethal. Id watch out for them. They have the fire power plus the best goalie in the game. Plus Ovechkin is in his prime and im guessing will be super desperate this year to win a cup, not many more chances. Im betting hell go super beast mode in playoffs and do whatever to win. The chip on his shoulder is more of a boulder. Plus they got Williams

I think the X factor is Kuztenov. How will he respond to a deep season push. If he keeps it up and doesnt falter, im willingly to bet we see a 7 game Hawks/Caps final. And that will be one for the ages with all the fire power and skill out there

Washington is a better version of Tampa with a more dominant scorer and far better goalie.

I hope they stock up at the deadline for a push and add a D and some depth scoring

 

[Aceboogie]

Also side note: I wouldnt write in Hawks/Ducks automatically for the West champs. Watch out for the Blues. I know they are considered a threat each season and somehow always lose, however they seem to lose to the best teams. I think playoffs are super random and you just need right guys hot at that point, and Blues failed to have multiple guys on streaks going into the playoffs. I think theyll get some luck this season and make a push. They are the underdog this season, and I think itll suit them better

Wouldnt be suprised to see them come out of the West

 

[IAGTTAYM]

Corsi smorschy Hershey...

I know you don't believe in it. But wasn't that the thing with Calgary last season? That they got outshot, outchanced and outplayed most of the time, and still somehow managed to make it to the playoffs ahead of LA and SJ?

Tampa definitely know how to pull out wins and have some swagger. But allowing the lowly Winnipeg jets to fill the net and take the lead in the 3rd doesn't speak volumes to their mental prep, focus, whilst desperately needing points.

nor does requiring the Oilers to score 3 goals in their own net to beat them.

Tampa is good, but haven't done that much to impress this season except for the usual good players, Stamkos, Hedman, Kucherov, who run the show. How deep is this team really, is the question.

Answers will come soon enough.

Tampa is not as good as last year. I mean, they had 2.8 goals/60 5v5 in 14/15, compared to 2.2 this season. And I know you like to pick out Johnson, but the truth is that Palat, Kucherov and Stamkos all have seen similar drop offs in goals/60 5v5.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I wouldn't trust the Blues goaltending as far as I could throw it. The Caps look dangerous but as 2010 showed you can shut any team down with enough trapping. That's all it takes to win in today's NHL.

 

[Aceboogie]

I wouldn't trust the Blues goaltending as far as I could throw it. The Caps look dangerous but as 2010 showed you can shut any team down with enough trapping. That's all it takes to win in today's NHL.

Tampa made it through the East with fire power. I think Washington has enough depth to play a shutdown style of game against a trapping west team

Oshie/Williams/Orpik/Carlson/Alzner could do it

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Tampa made it through the East with fire power. I think Washington has enough depth to play a shutdown style of game against a trapping west team

Oshie/Williams/Orpik/Carlson/Alzner could do it

And then Chicago took care of them. The East just doesn't have what it takes to beat the West, and haven't for quite some time.

 

[Aceboogie]

And then Chicago took care of them. The East just doesn't have what it takes to beat the West, and haven't for quite some time.

Tampa had Hedman and some good but smaller young forwards. Stamkos was invisible in that series and a non factor, so exclude him. Bishop is a clear step lower than Holtby. Ovechkin/Kuznetov/Backstrom trump the triplets line in all regards. Bigger, playoff tested, more skilled.

Then they have Williams and Oshie as playoff tested vets. Some good young skill too

They have improved aspects of what Tampa had, and more

 

[doulos]

I don't think Tampa cares what people who don't even bother watching any of their games think.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Nice to see Gagner score.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Trouba smash Huberdeau.

 

[BlowbyBlow]

I don't think Tampa cares what people who don't even bother watching any of their games think.

I was looking for them to be folded in the summer that's my only disappointment

 

[Replacement*]

I know you don't believe in it. But wasn't that the thing with Calgary last season? That they got outshot, outchanced and outplayed most of the time, and still somehow managed to make it to the playoffs ahead of LA and SJ?
Tampa is not as good as last year. I mean, they had 2.8 goals/60 5v5 in 14/15, compared to 2.2 this season. And I know you like to pick out Johnson, but the truth is that Palat, Kucherov and Stamkos all have seen similar drop offs in goals/60 5v5.

Nah, its all fair. I probably leave myself wide open to those comments. I have a bit of a dislike of Yzerman and Cooper and the Lightning.

That said, kudos, they took care of the Pens today and the game wasn't really even close. Biggest game of the year probably for either club and Stamkos scores and the disappearing act that is currently Sidney Crosby left pointless, witless, and with two stupid penalties. Lightning have a way of getting under other teams skin and making them run around but full credit to that and boo on how stupid Pens played today.

 

[doulos]

I was looking for them to be folded in the summer that's my only disappointment

Sorry for your bad luck....haha.

 

[BlowbyBlow]

Sorry for your bad luck....haha.

I just think of it this way Leafs in the draft would have got Stamkos, Oilers would have got Hedman, Buffalo could have grabbed a forward or d-man.

 

[doulos]

There is no team in the East that should frighten the West champion. I mean we all know it's either the Hawks or the Kings anyway.

This is the only argument I ever hear when people try to talk about other teams being good.

"The Panthers are playing great hockey and are a solid team." "Yeah, but they are not the Blackhawks!"

"The Lightning have one of the best records since the New Year and have solid depth and goaltending." "Yeah but they are not the LA Kings!"

Seriously, so what? I don't get why that's even relevant to the discussion most times. It's not you in particular, but just the discussion in general. I find it extremely odd that any time there is a discussion of another team around the league the knee jerk reaction seems to be to just point out that there are stronger teams in the league. It's odd.

 

[McDeepika]

I would bet on the Caps over either the Kings or the Hawks. This is not the same team anymore.

Is there a better 1-2 punch in the league than Backstrom/Kuznetsov? Throw in Holtby in net and you have a big problem to deal with.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I would bet on the Caps over either the Kings or the Hawks. This is not the same team anymore.

Is there a better 1-2 punch in the league than Backstrom/Kuznetsov? Throw in Holtby in net and you have a big problem to deal with.

It's not about being "good", it's about knowing how to ramp it up for the playoffs. There's a reason why the Caps haven't made the third round since 1998.

 

[Replacement*]

I would bet on the Caps over either the Kings or the Hawks. This is not the same team anymore.

Is there a better 1-2 punch in the league than Backstrom/Kuznetsov? Throw in Holtby in net and you have a big problem to deal with.

This kind of thing has been stated before.

Its not at all clear the Caps will even make it out of the EC. In fact this being a squad that have been very disappointing in playoffs year after year.

They have 3 rounds to get through before they can even surmise about beating whoever advances in WC.

Caps would have problems being resilient in the playoffs and theres an element in seven game series where one team just believes where the others can find doubt. OV, and the caps have so much postseason losing history that I wonder how they really face adversity of being down in a series. Such a thing is nothing to a team ike the Hawks or Kings. They just get over it. Kings went back from being 3-0 down in a series and winning against a very good club. I think Caps, with expectancy, have an even greater load now and will have trouble doing that. They couldn't do much when expectations weren't so heavy. I think its more difficult for them now.

Caps for all we know are still regular season lions and not much else.

 

[McDeepika]

It's not about being "good", it's about knowing how to ramp it up for the playoffs. There's a reason why the Caps haven't made the third round since 1998.

What do prior versions of the team have to do with the current roster? The team has never had a legitimate 2nd center before. Ovechkin is probably their 3rd or 4 best player now. It is a completely different team.

 

[McDeepika]

This kind of thing has been stated before.

Its not at all clear the Caps will even make it out of the EC. In fact this being a squad that have been very disappointing in playoffs year after year.

They have 3 rounds to get through before they can even surmise about beating whoever advances in WC.

Caps would have problems being resilient in the playoffs and theres an element in seven game series where one team just believes where the others can find doubt. OV, and the caps have so much postseason losing history that I wonder how they really face adversity of being down in a series. Such a thing is nothing to a team ike the Hawks or Kings. They just get over it. Kings went back from being 3-0 down in a series and winning against a very good club. I think Caps, with expectancy, have an even greater load now and will have trouble doing that. They couldn't do much when expectations weren't so heavy. I think its more difficult for them now.

Caps for all we know are still regular season lions and not much else.

I was very impressed with them last year to be honest. They gave the Rangers everything they could handle. I truly believe the Rangers would have come out of the East last year if the Caps didn't beat them down so badly. Their forwards are huge and they were punishing the Rangers D every game. The just couldn't score. The emergence of Kuznetsov and the additions of Oshie/Williams should help in that regard.

 

[Replacement*]

I was very impressed with them last year to be honest. They gave the Rangers everything they could handle. I truly believe the Rangers would have come out of the East last year if the Caps didn't beat them down so badly. Their forwards are huge and they were punishing the Rangers D every game. The just couldn't score. The emergence of Kuznetsov and the additions of Oshie/Williams should help in that regard.

The Rangers last playoffs looked to me like a tired team that had gone to the SC the year before (always a major factor in fatigue) and were lacking health in go to players like Zuccarelo and Nash and MSL who was essentially done. Rangers lacked offensive acumen last playoffs by my eye. Is why they lost to the Lightning who were faster, more dangerous.