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Around the League - 2023/24

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Pokecheque said:
Avs fans should absolutely be scared of what Winnipeg can do to them in the playoffs. If ever there was a coach whose systems really do a number on what Jared Bednar likes to do out there, it's Bones. That was the case in Dallas and it's the case now in Winnipeg, anyone who's able to clog up the NZ and seemingly get sticks in every passing lane really messes up the Avs' ability to move the puck up the ice, and it takes them seemingly forever to make any sort of adjustments. And even when they do you can tell there are players like Mikko and Nate who would rather die than go full dump-and-chase. Doesn't help that they also have IMHO the best goalie in hockey right now while the Avs...don't.

Doesn't mean Winnipeg can get a Cup but they most certainly could dispatch a very vulnerable Avs team.

Speaking of the Jets, I'd say the worm is turning in Winnipeg about on schedule. I've maintained that Bones seems like that kind of coach who does like, 10 things right, but then does 1 or 2 things that completely unravel him. Right now it's the fact that he has this weird, irrational hatred of Nikolaj Ehlers. It's so strange. His two worst defensive players by a country mile are Scheifele and Connor, and he insists on playing them together. Yet when Ehlers, who is arguably his best two-way forward, makes a mistake, BOOM, demoted. Doesn't make any sense.
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I thought you said before Bones wasn't a good coach.

But yeah he's been around the game
his whole life and like you said stifled the Avs before
 
Mooserton said:
I’ve seen two headlines on NHL.com with “former player dies” just seems like a weird way to phrase it instead of passes away.
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"So and so is dead" has been a common newspaper headline forever. I think we are moving back away from euphemisms on death, even if "passed away" doesn't seem like much of one.
 
Blue Lobster said:
I thought you said before Bones wasn't a good coach.

But yeah he's been around the game
his whole life and like you said stifled the Avs before
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I've said before he is not a good HEAD coach. And I think there's plenty of evidence to back that up, even though I think he's better than at least a few current head coaches. What's more, he's in many ways his own worst enemy. Like many old-school guys, he's just too damned stubborn for his own good.

However, I think when it comes to a guy who can teach the skill of "defense" to a team, there may not be a guy better qualified. Short term, Jets may have lucked out when they failed to entice Barry Trotz and snagged him instead.
 
I was reminiscent of last year's draft with Bedard when Avs played the Blackhawks last week and it absolutely shocks me that the Sharks and Blue Jackets did not do more to tank. I get it that the Blackhawks won the lottery and anything can be a fluke with randomisers, but still shocked. CBJ wasn't supposed to be that bad last season, but when you consider their injury list in hindsight, they should have been major sellers. They were not even close to the playoffs, they should have tried to make that team as bad as possible.

Sharks fecked themselves when they didn't trade Karlsson as soon as they should have. I get that Grier needed to win some part of that trade, but he would've "won" bigger if they were awful and had better odds for Connor. Again, Chicago could've won it again, but different placements with teams would've led to a different generator of numbers for the randomiser to conduct and a different winner.
 
Damn, did Wood just get Ruff fired? :laugh:

"To be honest, I think it's just having a coach that trusts you."
 
dahrougem2 said:
Whyyyyyyyyyy would you go with Travis Green? You know that doesn't work. Guy was horrid in Vancouver.
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I think it's just because he WAS at one point, an NHL head coach. He at least has experience in that role, even if he was bad at it.

Either they're throwing in the towel on this season, or they're hoping that the new coach bump will push them into the 8 spot somehow with some luck. It will be interesting to see what they do at the deadline now.
 
dahrougem2 said:
Oh it's been rough since they fired the coach.

My classroom is littered with Avs jerseys and 2022 Stanley Cup memorabilia like scarves, posters, framed photos, banners, etc.

They are swearing to take them all down and replace them with Oilers stuff if the Oilers win the Cup. I'm on an island here.
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If they touch your stuff, ask them if they like trading card games. When they say yes, you slap them in the face. You need to write 'card' on your hand first though.
 
henchman21 said:
I'm just really not worried about this... Avs will likely finish 2nd or 3rd in the Central. With 3rd being a bit more likely than 2nd. Which odds are with that, they'll be on the road for all but one round at best. This team needs to win on the road to be successful anyway... so burning the team out to maybe finish 2nd and still face the Stars just doesn't seem worthwhile.
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I agree.
 
Panthers vs Rags was legit. That would be a hell of an ECF.

The Panthers are definitely the thug team in the NHL, they do a great job at playing on the line, but not crossing it. I would HATE them if I were a fan of an Eastern Conference team, but I respect them for being in the opposite conference. Crazy good team, they probably have the best chance of anyone since I can remember to be a legit team to win the Cup after losing in the Finals a year before.
 
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S E P H said:
Panthers vs Rags was legit. That would be a hell of an ECF.

The Panthers are definitely the thug team in the NHL, they do a great job at playing on the line, but not crossing it. I would HATE them if I were a fan of an Eastern Conference team, but I respect them for being in the opposite conference. Crazy good team, they probably have the best chance of anyone since I can remember to be a legit team to win the Cup after losing in the Finals a year before.
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I mean Cousins most definitely crosses the line all the time. They are hated for a reason.
 
dahrougem2 said:
I mean Cousins most definitely crosses the line all the time. They are hated for a reason.
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Oh, when you're on the line you will definitely cross it at times. Cousins is one of the worst, goes down easy yet is underrated in terms of cheap shots. I was implying that they do such a damn good job at making scrums and getting penalties out of them. As I wrote, if I was a fan of an eastern conference fan, I would hate them with my guts, but they're making hockey pretty enjoyable to watch. A lot of rats on that team.
 
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S E P H said:
Oh, when you're on the line you will definitely cross it at times. Cousins is one of the worst, goes down easy yet is underrated in terms of cheap shots. I was implying that they do such a damn good job at making scrums and getting penalties out of them. As I wrote, if I was a fan of an eastern conference fan, I would hate them with my guts, but they're making hockey pretty enjoyable to watch. A lot of rats on that team.
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And they absolutely love to scrum. Pat Quinn is smiling down on Paul Maurice, that's for sure.
 
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