Around the League - 2024-2025 Part II

[BertCorbeau]

2-0 Minny already ... Kaprizov with a sick pass on the first

 

[Stephen]

God dangit man you told me a few months back that Tkachuk tore his groin and was likely not seeing the ice the rest of the season!

Maybe it’s a prophecy for what’s yet to come haha.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Maybe it’s a prophecy for what’s yet to come haha.

Well he did guarantee we'd finish ahead of Boston in the standings. He was a year off but he was right.

 

[BertCorbeau]

3-0 Minny .. what a start

Vegas will come back though. Most dangerous lead in hockey.

 

[torontoblood]

Leafs stole Tampa's soul in 2023. Florida scares the shit out of me

Florida is absolutely stacked. The Panthers might be even better on paper than last year. I guess they expect to win another Stanley Cup again this year. But it will be very hard for them to make a third straight deep playoff run even with a healthy and stacked roster. Playoff hockey is so physically and mentally demanding.

Their GM Barry Zito was very sneaky/lowkey with his moves this year. Obviously, Jones and Marchand were the big name trade deadline additions to their team this season, but Sturm is an underrated pick up. Nate Schmidt, Greer, Nosek, Boqvist, and even Vitek Vanacek (for the back up goalie role) were good depth pick ups. It also helps that rookie Samoskevich turned into a strong middle six winger on their watch.

 

[Leafs98]

Vegas just coughing it up left and right

 

[BertCorbeau]

Vegas starting to get momentum and gets a goal ... 4-1 now, 7 minutes left in the second. This game isn't over!

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

This isn't like previous Minnesota teams with 1 or 2 good players and a bunch of plugs. They're deep

Vegas gets one back

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Florida is absolutely stacked. The Panthers might be even better on paper than last year. I guess they expect to win another Stanley Cup again this year. But it will be very hard for them to make a third straight deep playoff run even with a healthy and stacked roster. Playoff hockey is so physically and mentally demanding.

Their GM Barry Zito was very sneaky/lowkey with his moves this year. Obviously, Jones and Marchand were the big name trade deadline additions to their team this season, but Sturm is an underrated pick up. Nate Schmidt, Greer, Nosek, Boqvist, and even Vitek Vanacek (for the back up goalie role) were good depth pick ups. It also helps that rookie Samoskevich turned into a strong middle six winger on their watch.

Florida is a problem. Yuge problem

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Florida is the only team I really fear in the East

 

[BallardEra]

Let's see how the Lightning respond.

That was a good beating.

 

[Nineteen67]

Lots of dud playoff series, so far.

 

[Delete1]

God dangit man you told me a few months back that Tkachuk tore his groin and was likely not seeing the ice the rest of the season!

Let's see how he plays in a tight, physical game.

 

[Jojalu]

Lots of dud playoff series, so far.

Outside NJ/Car, what series is a dud?

 

[pdson]

Lots of dud playoff series, so far.

It helps if you actually watch the games

 

[Nineteen67]

Outside NJ/Car, what series is a dud?

After three games “The Battle Ofs” haven’t been 1st round intense. Knights and Minny hasn’t been great eaither.

 

[Jojalu]

After three games “The Battle Ofs” haven’t been 1st round intense.

TB/Fla was surprisingly not that physical yesterday but it's one game.

Ott/Tor has been physical though not as insane as the previous matchups. Not a dud.

Win/St L has been great. As has Dal/Col.

La/Edm was a crazy game.

Kaprizov is making the Min/Veg series interesting.

Mon/ Was was meh. Ovi is always exciting and Mon coming back from 2-0 made the game better than it was.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

That's a grim looking roster, if Boeser bolts as a expected, and Petterssen doesn't have a rebound. But what can they do? If Quinn wants out, and wants to go to NJD, it's basically rebuild time for the Canucks.

You're totally correct, but their idiot owner won't do a badly needed full rebuild. He'll shortcut it and they will flounder in mediocrity for years. Purgatory is the worst place to be in the NHL.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Many years ago, I remember following Calgary and Edmonton on their cup runs and wanting them to win. It's places like this that made their fans insufferable. I find myself wanting the Habs to win a series or two. For one, it would weaken the conference, but also the cup needs to finally come back to Canada. Bettman needs to suck a f***.

Montreal fans are WAY worse than Calgary fans IMO. That said, anything that make Bet365man miserable brings me joy at least to some degree.

Edmonton fans go without saying.

 

[1specter]

Tampa has become a bit of a soft team. Those Cup winning groups had more snarl and piss and vinegar to them. They're missing the greasiness and 'dawg' of guys like Perry, Maroon, Sergachev, Coleman and big bodies like Killorn, Schenn, Bogosian, Rutta etc. Their core forward group at the time too with guys like Palat, Gourde, Stamkos, Kuch, Point etc all bought in to play a chippy, physical style.

Feels like this reconstructed version is very finesse heavy and missing that edge that helped them get over the hump.

 

[Fogelhund]

Tampa has become a bit of a soft team. Those Cup winning groups had more snarl and piss and vinegar to them. They're missing the greasiness and 'dawg' of guys like Perry, Maroon, Sergachev, Coleman and big bodies like Killorn, Schenn, Bogosian, Rutta etc. Their core forward group at the time too with guys like Palat, Gourde, Stamkos, Kuch, Point etc all bought in to play a chippy, physical style.

Feels like this reconstructed version is very finesse heavy and missing that edge that helped them get over the hump.

Hopefully we see some life from Tampa, it's only one game.. but they weren't even much of a speed bump for Florida in game one.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Lots of dud playoff series, so far.

I'm sure your view/bias will change once TTOE is eliminated.

I do think though the Western Conference games have been way better than the Eastern's. The pace and speed of them the last few years have captivated me.

 

[ULF_55]

Well, Jersey is almost assuredly not trading you Jack or Luke, so Vancouver fans can’t feel good about that statement whatsoever

Are the Devils one of the most overrated teams in the East?

Of course they could turn their series around, but if they don't what is the 2024-2025 excuse?

One season out of 5 has been good.

 

[ULF_55]

Montreal fans are WAY worse than Calgary fans IMO. That said, anything that make Bet365man miserable brings me joy at least to some degree.

Edmonton fans go without saying.

Group fans are like mobs.

Unless you live in a fan vacuum, you likely know fans of other teams and find them fine.

I watch games for the players / teams, not their fans. Some teams I just dislike, and sometimes I watch games where I chose a side based on nothing but how I feel at the moment.

My wife is a Original 6 Habs fan as her father was from Montreal.

 

[Jojalu]

Group fans are like mobs.

Unless you live in a fan vacuum, you likely know fans of other teams and find them fine.

I watch games for the players / teams, not their fans. Some teams I just dislike, and sometimes I watch games where I chose a side based on nothing but how I feel at the moment.

My wife is a Original 6 Habs fan as her father was from Montreal.

Exactly.

Most of my friends and family are not Leaf fans. Oilers, Canucks, Flames and Habs fans a plenty.

Most will ask what I think about the Leafs and send me a condolence message after the Leafs get knocked out and in general just like hockey.

Most that scream the loudest on a forum or on social media are the outliers.

Except maybe Hab fans.