Around the League - 2022-23 Season Edition

[PromisedLand]

Wow, Boston is done for a while. Losing Bergeron, Krecji, Orlov, Bertuzzi and no cap or picks or farm to replace any of them.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Check out this jabroni Boston writer from the Athletic. Less than a month ago he was previewing a potential Leafs-Bruins second round series and was basically bragging about how the Bruins would walk us.

Bruins vs. Maple Leafs in the playoffs? If it happens, the favorite is quite clear

The Bruins are still giving off every indication of being the superior team.

theathletic.com

“They can come at you wave and wave,” said coach Jim Montgomery. “They didn’t play their top two lines as much as they have in the three previous meetings. That’s the thing that I noticed.”

They remain no match for the Bruins.

The Leafs did a lot of things right on Thursday at TD Garden. Lafferty scored first to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Samsonov turned back 31 of 33 pucks. Lafferty ran over Matt Grzelcyk, which brought A.J. Greer calling.

I also love this tidbit at the end of the article:

Thursday’s games produced little clarity on the identity of the Bruins’ first-round opponents. The Panthers, Islanders and Penguins all won.

The Islanders currently occupy the second wild-card position. They have a game-stealer in net in Ilya Sorokin. But they do not have the horses to run with the Bruins. It should not take the Bruins long to get out of the first round.

 

[PromisedLand]

both stanley cup finalists last year out!

Leafs Vs Kraken Finals Confirmed

Grubauer completes the revenge series win

Avs were missing too many key forwards. Seemed like MacKinnon and Rantanen had to do everything on offense

Avs Fans and Bruins Fans want Makar and McAvoy gone for high draft picks

 

[PromisedLand]

is bjorkstrand supposed to be this good?

He scored 2 goals in the 7 game series. And both of them came tonight in Game 7

 

[Sypher04]

Bolts, Avs, Bruins and maybe the Rangers all out first round. Who had that happening

 

[PromisedLand]

Check out this jabroni Boston writer from the Athletic. Less than a month ago he was previewing a potential Leafs-Bruins second round series and was basically bragging about how the Bruins would walk us.

Bruins vs. Maple Leafs in the playoffs? If it happens, the favorite is quite clear

The Bruins are still giving off every indication of being the superior team.

theathletic.com

I also love this tidbit at the end of the article:

Athletic is a sham. James Mirtle is a pos and a complete hack. guy is a JOKE thats why he got fired from globe and mail

never put much stock in what mirtle has to say or for that matter anything from athletic even if it is pro-leafs

 

[Squiffy]

Man, what a fantastic 1st round this has been. Yes, obviously more hyped because we won a round, but seeing Florida oust Boston and Seattle in their 1st playoffs on the verge of taking out the cup champs.

1st is always the best a pure hockey fan though right? So much fun.

Congrats Seattle. And Florida? Crazy night.

 

[tmlms13]

Colorado missing Nazem Kadri

And Landeskog, that's a much bigger loss.

 

[blue stick]

Bruin's Brad Marchand lashes out against TD Garden janitorial staff after devastating loss

 

[Gabriel426]

Imagine Kraken Vs Leafs, Haskol Vs Keefe, McCann Vs Kerfoot/Holl. Really interesting story line. Two teams who eliminated the SC finalists.

 

[Peasy]

I remember saying I wasn't that afraid of the Bruins cause they haven't won shit unless Thomas went God mode and a leaf poster came to their defence going on about how great they are lmao. Anything can happen in the playoffs. Have some confidence for once. Historic regular seasons mean nothing once the playoffs start. They rode extremely high shooting percentage and goaltending. Felt like I was taking crazy pills the way people were bowing down to this team constantly.

Don't f*** this up now leafs.

 

[Warden of the North]

Boston went all-in at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring defenseman Dmitry Orlov and right-wing Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals in addition to right-wing Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings. They do not have any first-round picks in the NHL Draft in both of the next two years or any seconds over the next three.

Cant really blame them. I'd be furious as a fan if the team hadn't gone all in.

It's crazy to think that Bergeron and Krecji we're there top 2 Centres 12 years ago on their cup run and they still dragged them to the season they had in 2023. Bergeron is an All-Timer and legitimately should have the Selke renamed after him.

 

[Dekes For Days]

But how could Boston lose? I was told all year that they beat up on basement teams so much better than us, and thus were a REAL team.

 

[BallardEra]

But how could Boston lose? I was told all year that they beat up on basement teams so much better than us, and thus were a REAL team.

In the end I think a huge part was not facing any real adversity for them. Once adversity struck versus the Panthers they had nothing to draw upon.

Another reason was them playing at such a high level during the regular season while most teams coasted.

They didn't have another level come playoff time like the Panthers did and other teams have. Florida was playing do or die hockey since January while the Bruins were in flip flops mode.

One stick in hand and margarita in the other.

 

[Nineteen67]

Seattle, yuck.

 

[Nineteen67]

In the end I think a huge part was not facing any real adversity for them. Once adversity struck versus the Panthers they had nothing to draw upon.

Another reason was them playing at such a high level during the regular season while most teams coasted.

They didn't have another level come playoff time like the Panthers did and other teams have. Florida was playing do or die hockey since January while the Bruins were in flip flops mode.

One stick in hand and margarita in the other.

Marchand and Bergeron, uncharacteristically, played like crap. I can’t remember them making so many bad passes.

 

[Nineteen67]

Cant really blame them. I'd be furious as a fan if the team hadn't gone all in.

It's crazy to think that Bergeron and Krecji we're there top 2 Centres 12 years ago on their cup run and they still dragged them to the season they had in 2023. Bergeron is an All-Timer and legitimately should have the Selke renamed after him.

But it has to be the end of the line? It Has to be.

It’s time for Buffalo to replace Boston and maybe have Ottawa eke out a WC spot.

The NHL and TV need a Rangers W tonight.

 

[Peasy]

Oilers, Stars, Leafs, then whoever wins between NYR/NJD are my picks for round 2

 

[BallardEra]

Marchand and Bergeron, uncharacteristically, played like crap. I can’t remember them making so many bad passes.

Age, wear and tear might have finally caught up to them.

 

[The Management]

Marchand also underwent hip surgery a little less than a year ago. In March he said he still didn't feel back to where he was, and Florida absolutely took it to him physically this series. Bergeron was out Game 1 with the flu (I think... I watched that game even, but can't remember).

These aren't excuses, but it felt like the miles were starting to add up on the Bruins and the Panthers went in knowing they wanted to grind them down and finish every check.

 

[Pi]

Oilers, Stars, Leafs, then whoever wins between NYR/NJD are my picks for round 2

Don’t know about the Oilers. Vegas doesn’t have a good goalie but neither do the Oilers.

It could go either way but I expect a high scoring series.

 

[MCR74]

I wonder if Jack Edwards has stopped crying.

 

[SprDaVE]

And Landeskog, that's a much bigger loss.

And Nichushkin. They were pretty much playing with 1 leg. Kraken played very well and deserved it but the Avs were definitely the least healthy team in these playoffs.

 

[Fogelhund]

Marchand also underwent hip surgery a little less than a year ago. In March he said he still didn't feel back to where he was, and Florida absolutely took it to him physically this series. Bergeron was out Game 1 with the flu (I think... I watched that game even, but can't remember).

These aren't excuses, but it felt like the miles were starting to add up on the Bruins and the Panthers went in knowing they wanted to grind them down and finish every check.

Bergeron has herniated disks in his back. Eventually father time catches up with everyone, and now it seems it's Boston. I don't blame Boston's management for going all in, this really was their last chance, before having to go through some sort of retool/rebuild. No first round pick for the next two years, no second round pick for the next three years... They are going to need to get some good returns on their players, if they truly want to rebuild.

Under any assumption that Krecj and Bergeron retire now, it's going to be very tough for them next year. 14 players currently signed, with $10,587,500 in cap space according to CapFriendly... that's before subtracting the Performance bonuses of $4.5 mill from this year, so they really have $6.187 mil in cap space, Swayman to extend, and fill out the rest of the roster.

Boston had one heck of a long run, but it appears that's over now.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Bergeron has herniated disks in his back. Eventually father time catches up with everyone, and now it seems it's Boston. I don't blame Boston's management for going all in, this really was their last chance, before having to go through some sort of retool/rebuild. No first round pick for the next two years, no second round pick for the next three years... They are going to need to get some good returns on their players, if they truly want to rebuild.

Under any assumption that Krecj and Bergeron retire now, it's going to be very tough for them next year. 14 players currently signed, with $10,587,500 in cap space according to CapFriendly... that's before subtracting the Performance bonuses of $4.5 mill from this year, so they really have $6.187 mil in cap space, Swayman to extend, and fill out the rest of the roster.

Boston had one heck of a long run, but it appears that's over now.

And now Pasta is stuck there.