Around the League: Capitals and Ovie are Stanley Cup Champions

[Peasy]

In one year they have become a more attractive team than the Leafs. When we went to the game I couldn’t help but notice The Leafs take a back seat to them in almost every facet - City, Arena, fans, show,atmosphere, ownership, coach....it’s almost embarrassing.

Sure everything is rosy now, literally everything they touched has turned into gold this season. Its the first season in a city that has no other sports team, and are having a remarkable season, of course the fans will be buzzing and have a great atmosphere. The real test will be after this season when they start to face adversity and not everything goes their way. Give them 3 years of missing the playoffs and I doubt they have this atmosphere and fan support.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I think they're changing how we should think about building cup contenders.

McPhee is looking like a genius TBH. The players he got back in trades from teams who wanted him to take a specific player are the key drivers of the team

Karlsson (for taking Clarkson)
Marchessault (for taking Rielly) -> seriously Tallon
Tuch (for taking Haula)
2020 2nd (for taking MAF)
Theodore (for taking Stoner)

To add onto that they have a strong prospect pool and will have depth in the future. Let's not forget that they drafted 3 times in the top 15 last year: Glass, Suzuki, Brannstrom

This year they only have 1 top 90 pick (in the second round) and select twice in the 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds.

In 2019 they have their 1st, two 2nd round picks, and three 3rd round picks

In 2020 they have their 1st, three 2nd round picks, an two 3rd round picks.

Considering their "core" guys are young too they're well positioned for the future.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

In one year they have become a more attractive team than the Leafs. When we went to the game I couldn’t help but notice The Leafs take a back seat to them in almost every facet - City, Arena, fans, show,atmosphere, ownership, coach....it’s almost embarrassing.

Go move to Nevada and become a Knights fan then.

 

[Peasy]

McPhee is looking like a genius TBH. The players he got back in trades from teams who wanted him to take a specific player are the key drivers of the team

Karlsson (for taking Clarkson)
Marchessault (for taking Rielly) -> seriously Tallon
Tuch (for taking Haula)
2020 2nd (for taking MAF)
Theodore (for taking Stoner)

To add onto that they have a strong prospect pool and will have depth in the future. Let's not forget that they drafted 3 times in the top 15 last year: Glass, Suzuki, Brannstrom

This year they only have 1 top 90 pick (in the second round) and select twice in the 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds.

In 2019 they have their 1st, two 2nd round picks, and three 3rd round picks

In 2020 they have their 1st, three 2nd round picks, an two 3rd round picks.

Considering their "core" guys are young too they're well positioned for the future.

I forgot that they got Brannstrom as well. They also have Hague who won OHL defencemen of the year this past season.

Embarrassing what some GMs did to get rid of a single contract or not take x player.

 

[pengdeng12]

In one year they have become a more attractive team than the Leafs. When we went to the game I couldn’t help but notice The Leafs take a back seat to them in almost every facet - City, Arena, fans, show,atmosphere, ownership, coach....it’s almost embarrassing.

idk what to say to you... no fking shit

everything is more exciting the first time you try it

 

[ULF_55]

Vegas defies logic. A miracle on ice season with every guy wanting to prove something after being cast off by their old teams.

No real #1 d-man, no big name forwards - at least until this season - wanting to make a name for them self

I just don’t get it

It is hard not to think their management, scouting and coaching isn't amongst the best in the league.

I'm really curious to see them next year.

I'm really torn, if they win it they more or less put rebuilds, even highly hyped one that are being chest thumped about, to shame. There will be no bragging rights, no "look at our future!!" comments that are not just biased, over rated, self promoting drivel.

I chose the Jets-Capitals because I thought the Jets might be the best team in the west, I may have been wrong, but there's no doubt the Leafs are not in the same ballpark of either team. Just watching, you have to know how far the Leafs have to go to be a contender.

 

[Mess]

It is hard not to think their management, scouting and coaching isn't amongst the best in the league.

I'm really curious to see them next year.

I'm really torn, if they win it they more or less put rebuilds, even highly hyped one that are being chest thumped about, to shame. There will be no bragging rights, no "look at our future!!" comments that are not just biased, over rated, self promoting drivel.

I chose the Jets-Capitals because I thought the Jets might be the best team in the west, I may have been wrong, but there's no doubt the Leafs are not in the same ballpark of either team. Just watching, you have to know how far the Leafs have to go to be a contender.

Vegas is proving hockey experts right once again that preach "Defense wins Championships"

The Golden Knights in 14 playoff games (including 11 wins) have given up 26 total goals against. [=1.85 GA/g] with MA Fleury the current Conn Smythe favourite.

Our Leafs in their 4 losses gave up 22 goals against alone and averaged an embarrassing 4.0 GA/g in their series by giving up 28 goals against in 7 games.

Vegas hasn't given up 28 goals total yet and they're 1 win away from the SC finals.

PS.. MA Fleury should have been the player coming to Toronto in the Kessel trade.

 

[Buds17]

Vegas defies logic. A miracle on ice season with every guy wanting to prove something after being cast off by their old teams.

No real #1 d-man, no big name forwards - at least until this season - wanting to make a name for them self

I just don’t get it

There's been some wild swings from last season to this season. (Colorado, NJ, and even Tampa and Winnipeg didn't make the playoffs a season ago)

If Vegas wins the Cup, that's more success than some teams have seen in some time, and more than some have seen at all. They'd always be part of the record books too, as that feat can only ever be matched and never topped. Maybe it gives hope to other teams in that you just never know what can happen.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Vegas is proving hockey experts right once again that preach "Defense wins Championships"

The Golden Knights in 14 playoff games (including 11 wins) have given up 26 total goals against. [=1.85 GA/g] with MA Fleury the current Conn Smythe favourite.

Our Leafs in their 4 losses gave up 22 goals against alone and averaged an embarrassing 4.0 GA/g in their series by giving up 28 goals against in 7 games.

Vegas hasn't given up 28 goals total yet and they're 1 win away from the SC finals.

Which begs the question - is it Vegas' no-name defense that is really doing that well, or MAF standing on his head?

 

[ULF_55]

Which begs the question - is it Vegas' no-name defense that is really doing that well, or MAF standing on his head?

Taco time.

Well I doubt Andersen would have got them here!

Against the Capitals the other night Vasilevskiy was the reason, but their defense played well to close it out.

We can't forget they played well during the season when Fleury was injured.

 

[Cor]

It’s hilarious that MAF was willing to go to Calgary but Calgary didn’t want to acquire him.

Just hilarious

 

[Daisy Jane]

Which begs the question - is it Vegas' no-name defense that is really doing that well, or MAF standing on his head?

MAF is standing on his head. like this is vintage great MAF right here.

 

[Mess]

Taco time.

Well I doubt Andersen would have got them here!

Against the Capitals the other night Vasilevskiy was the reason, but their defense played well to close it out.

We can't forget they played well during the season when Fleury was injured.

In the regular season with MA Fleury hurt Malcolm Subban (claimed off waivers) won 13 of his 22 starts positing a 2.68 GA and rookie goalie Oscar Dansk played 4 games winning 3 with a 1.78 GA and .946 sv%.. So it appears its the Vegas system and defensive team play in front of their goalies that is propelling them to success.

 

[Daisy Jane]

In the regular season with MA Fleury hurt Malcolm Subban (claimed off waivers) won 13 of his 22 starts positing a 2.68 GA and rookie goalie Oscar Dansk played 4 games winning 3 with a 1.78 GA and .946 sv%.. So it appears its the Vegas system and defensive team play in front of their goalies that is propelling them to success.

oh come on. mess. this stuff happens all the time.
hello, remember Andrew Hammond?
sometimes it's not just the defense, it's just everything is coming up for that team.

 

[Mess]

oh come on. mess. this stuff happens all the time.
hello, remember Andrew Hammond?
sometimes it's not just the defense, it's just everything is coming up for that team.

The expansion Las Vegas Knights made up of castoffs finished 8th in the league in best goals against (using 5 different goalies) during the regular season and they won 51 games and their Div.

Are you saying 82 regular season games and now 14 playoff games of goals against results (96 games) are "Fluke" or just happening?

Our Leafs have never ever in 100 years won 51 games in a regular season.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Random thought - imagine if it was Gardiner who's pinch didn't turn out well instead of Big Buff.

Anyhow, WPG isn't dead yet. It doesn't look good but Vegas still has to win one more and if MAF slips even a little, things could change in a hurry. Anyhow, two really good teams playing, I just with WPG had won last night so we'd have the drama of a game 5 with the series tied 2-2. Oh well, at least we have that in the other series. Go WSH!

 

[Gary Nylund]

It is hard not to think their management, scouting and coaching isn't amongst the best in the league.

I'm really curious to see them next year.

I'm really torn, if they win it they more or less put rebuilds, even highly hyped one that are being chest thumped about, to shame. There will be no bragging rights, no "look at our future!!" comments that are not just biased, over rated, self promoting drivel.

I chose the Jets-Capitals because I thought the Jets might be the best team in the west, I may have been wrong, but there's no doubt the Leafs are not in the same ballpark of either team. Just watching, you have to know how far the Leafs have to go to be a contender.

Agree 100%. I don't know how anyone can watch these playoffs and still argue that we're as good as either of those teams.

 

[Menzinger]

Which begs the question - is it Vegas' no-name defense that is really doing that well, or MAF standing on his head?

Hot goaltending will do wonders for any team in the playoffs, a team’s starter needs to be playing above average if a team
Is going to have a deep run. But their D corps is another example of a team not necessarily needing high end guys, when they can round at their group with steady/reliable players

 

[ShaneFalco]

Agree 100%. I don't know how anyone can watch these playoffs and still argue that we're as good as either of those teams.

They would destroy the Leafs

 

[TMLegend]

Always been a big fan of MAF. He's not one of those blocking goaltenders who stay deep in his net and just take up the whole net.

He's a dying breed of the athletic goaltender. Glad to see him doing well.

 

[IPS]

Vegas is proving hockey experts right once again that preach "Defense wins Championships"

The Golden Knights in 14 playoff games (including 11 wins) have given up 26 total goals against. [=1.85 GA/g] with MA Fleury the current Conn Smythe favourite.

Our Leafs in their 4 losses gave up 22 goals against alone and averaged an embarrassing 4.0 GA/g in their series by giving up 28 goals against in 7 games.

Vegas hasn't given up 28 goals total yet and they're 1 win away from the SC finals.

PS.. MA Fleury should have been the player coming to Toronto in the Kessel trade.

Fleury > Andersen no doubt. And I'll never forgive our management for not acquiring Nate "Bobby Orr" Schmidt.

 

[IceNeophyte]

Sure everything is rosy now, literally everything they touched has turned into gold this season. Its the first season in a city that has no other sports team, and are having a remarkable season, of course the fans will be buzzing and have a great atmosphere. The real test will be after this season when they start to face adversity and not everything goes their way. Give them 3 years of missing the playoffs and I doubt they have this atmosphere and fan support.

I look forward to this, maybe aeason tickets will come.down to Earth.....

 

[IPS]

Hot goaltending will do wonders for any team in the playoffs, a team’s starter needs to be playing above average if a team
Is going to have a deep run. But their D corps is another example of a team not necessarily needing high end guys, when they can round at their group with steady/reliable players

Saw the exact same thing with Pittsburgh the last 2 years. Leafs do not need Doughty, plain and simple.

 

[htpwn]

oh come on. mess. this stuff happens all the time.
hello, remember Andrew Hammond?
sometimes it's not just the defense, it's just everything is coming up for that team.

This.

MA Fleury was considered anything BUT a playoff performer prior to this season... a decent goalie with a big contract and a lot of mileage under his belt who was propelled to Stanley Cups by Sidney Crosby.

He's having the best season of his career at age 33. Great for him. Great for Vegas for not being suckered into the preconceptions surrounding him, as many teams (e.g. Calgary) did. But let's cut the crap that he ever an option for the Leafs (he's five years older than Andersen, essentially a goalie's entire prime) or that this is something we all should have seen coming.

Vegas is a good team. They're a playoff team. But they're also having the type of season where almost everything comes up roses. Karlsson scores on 1 out of 4 shots he takes, Fleury goes superhuman at exactly the right time... it happens. We'll see how they finish next season.

Also, something to watch for... recent Cup winners have all been considered some of the league's best teams. Despite their on-ice play, it is hard to look at the roster Vegas is icing and agree with that statement. The last team to win a Stanley Cup with a... rather questionable roster was probably the Hurricanes. That was back in 2006. In other words, we might be due for another. Just weird that the expansion team is set to do it.

 

[TMLegend]

The 2006 Hurricanes were questionable? Look at that roster and come back to me. That team was loaded up front, and they had God mode Cam Ward in net. That team was not questionable in the least.