Around the league part 2

[GoldenBearHockey]

Do you or anyone know his strength of competition and D-zone starts compared to his teammates? I don't trust +/- alone


Jagr maybe I would put ahead but hard to be certain as we lost a lot of his NHL years.
I think prime McDavid > prime Crosby. Really though it's first world problems.

Definitely is.....I dunno about prime/prime....unless you are talking about just pure offensive,

McDavid is probably one of the best pure offensive talents in the past 3 decades, but if you mesh in his whole game, I think there are more complete players.....he'd still be up there, but I'd have a few players above him.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Do you or anyone know his strength of competition and D-zone starts compared to his teammates? I don't trust +/- alone


Jagr maybe I would put ahead but hard to be certain as we lost a lot of his NHL years.
I think prime McDavid > prime Crosby. Really though it's first world problems.

They're not even being used as 'shutdown' d, just vanilla middle pairing minutes and deployment, other than trying to get Bouchard more offensive situations Edmonton doesn't do anything special with their d deployment, if anything the bottom pairing starts in the d zone most.

Which is what makes it especially damning. This isn't ME Vlasic getting 4 of every 5 starts in his own end. This is a 9 million dollar Englund.

 

[johnjm22]

Mike Kelly is a good follow. He'll post stuff from the Sport LogiQ private analytics model that tends to be pretty accurate.

The model is 10-2 in the playoffs so far, and I think is projecting Edmonton to beat Dallas.

 

[johnjm22]

For shtts and giggles, submitted my Utah NHL names in a poll....didn't make any to be voted on...but had to drop some of these, camoflauged with some more real sounding names...otherwise, would be outright rejected. It kind of worked, as it was not reported or deleted. Better yet, I got the most I've ever received...but, not sure what name moved them the most.

Utah Wind
Utah Icing
Utah Mouth Breathers
Utah Breeders
Utah Craze

I'm hoping for a late push, to make any other poll. Or at least, get it out there.
I asked someone that was making mockups of some of the names. if they would
make some for these. LOL. I want to see Mouth Breathers and Breeders the most, of course.

Some of the names being pitched that are "bigfoot" themed like "Yeti" are reminding me of a roller hockey team I used to play for:

 

[Herby]

Mike Kelly is a good follow. He'll post stuff from the Sport LogiQ private analytics model that tends to be pretty accurate.

The model is 10-2 in the playoffs so far, and I think is projecting Edmonton to beat Dallas.

I think I posted this here, but the books and their models had this series waaaaaaay closer than fans online did. I was shocked how many people on HF thought this was going to be a walk in the park for Dallas, that they had already beaten two better teams, etc. And then you saw the series lines and Dallas was a very slight favorite, it was close to or exactly even money if you took Edmonton. The books aren't always right, but they usually are, and in this case they were clearly right.

I think it was a combo of Edmonton's history and the fact that a lot of fans just hate the team with the best player in the league on it (true in all sports). But this Oilers team is every bit as good as Dallas, despite Skinner playing awful in a couple of the games.

 

[johnjm22]

I think it was a combo of Edmonton's history and the fact that a lot of fans just hate the team with the best player in the league on it (true in all sports). But this Oilers team is every bit as good as Dallas, despite Skinner playing awful in a couple of the games.

I think for sure that's the reason most Kings fan's in this thread will make it sound like the Oilers aren't that good.

"They can't play 5v5"
"They can't play defense"

Both statements are false. Any objective analysis shows Edmonton is one of the best teams in the league. They probably win the cup last year if it wasn't for goaltending.

I think the emergence of Bouchard as a top defenseman and the addition of Ekholm have really helped the roster as well.

 

[johnjm22]

Oilers remind me a bit those SC Penguins teams, but with a major piece missing:

McDavid = Crosby
Draisaitl = Malkin
Bouchard = Letang/Gonchar
???????? = MAF

Pens teams were a bit better constructed with role players as well. Those Campbell and Nurse contracts are killing them.

 

[YP44]

They're not even being used as 'shutdown' d, just vanilla middle pairing minutes and deployment, other than trying to get Bouchard more offensive situations Edmonton doesn't do anything special with their d deployment, if anything the bottom pairing starts in the d zone most.

Which is what makes it especially damning. This isn't ME Vlasic getting 4 of every 5 starts in his own end. This is a 9 million dollar Englund.

appreciate that context

 

[DoktorJeep]

Looks like Pierre’s birthday is officially the last possible date the cup finals can be played. So that domino is set up to fall.

 

[BigKing]

Looks like Pierre’s birthday is officially the last possible date the cup finals can be played. So that domino is set up to fall.

Saw a tweet or whatever I should call it now with the date of the Finals games. I generally wouldn't care but I immediately looked at Game 7, saw the date and figured we were f***ed on the buy out.

Of course, if they would even do it in the first place.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Saw a tweet or whatever I should call it now with the date of the Finals games. I generally wouldn't care but I immediately looked at Game 7, saw the date and figured we were f***ed on the buy out.

Of course, if they would even do it in the first place.

it’s like the Richard’s buyout window. Common sense says yes. Stubbornness says no way. It’s another indictment teed up for everyone to regret down the road.

 

[BigKing]

it’s like the Richard’s buyout window. Common sense says yes. Stubbornness says no way. It’s another indictment teed up for everyone to regret down the road.

Blake's 4-D chess move was knowing what PLD's birthday was when he made the trade so he wouldn't be able to buy-him out at an amount that made sense.

 

[bland]

Oilers remind me a bit those SC Penguins teams, but with a major piece missing:

McDavid = Crosby
Draisaitl = Malkin
Bouchard = Letang/Gonchar
???????? = MAF

Pens teams were a bit better constructed with role players as well. Those Campbell and Nurse contracts are killing them.

Hyman and Kunitz works too.

But I would take every single one of those Pens over their comparison.

 

[Herby]

I think for sure that's the reason most Kings fan's in this thread will make it sound like the Oilers aren't that good.

"They can't play 5v5"
"They can't play defense"

Both statements are false. Any objective analysis shows Edmonton is one of the best teams in the league. They probably win the cup last year if it wasn't for goaltending.

I think the emergence of Bouchard as a top defenseman and the addition of Ekholm have really helped the roster as well.

Yeah, McDavid especially is really despised around here, which I don't get. It would be one thing if we were the Buffalo Bills and Mahomes is preventing us from a legit chance at a Super Bowl every year, but we are more like the cannon fodder teams that Michael Jordan used to go through in 5 or maybe 6 games, we are Craig Ehlo.

And I agree on the other things, people forget just how bad the Oilers were to start the year, and what kind of hole they dug themselves and bhow great they were from the end.

On November 10th the Kings had 19 points and the Oilers had 5. At the end of the year the Oilers were 5 points ahead of the Kings, that is a massive swing to happen within 1 season.

 

[johnjm22]

Yeah, McDavid especially is really despised around here, which I don't get. It would be one thing if we were the Buffalo Bills and Mahomes is preventing us from a legit chance at a Super Bowl every year, but we are more like the cannon fodder teams that Michael Jordan used to go through in 5 or maybe 6 games, we are Craig Ehlo.

And I agree on the other things, people forget just how bad the Oilers were to start the year, and what kind of hole they dug themselves and bhow great they were from the end.

On November 10th the Kings had 19 points and the Oilers had 5. At the end of the year the Oilers were 5 points ahead of the Kings, that is a massive swing to happen within 1 season.

I think McDavid is disliked around here partly because of the Mikey Anderson injury. I didn't think it was intentional though.

I can understand not liking the Oilers because they were rewarded for incompetence (4 1st OA picks), but I think their fans are okay and I'm not bitter about the playoff losses; we got what we deserved.

My hate is reserved for the regional rivals (Vegas, Anaheim, San Jose). I'm indifferent towards Edmonton.

I actually am a Buffalo Bills fan.

 

[LAKings88]

I can’t stand the Oilers or their fans.

They just aren’t that good of a team but with the firepower they have they out score their mistakes.

Oilers are diving whiners but you call them on it and you’re a SoCal idiot that doesn’t know the great Canadian game. Can’t believe your own eyes.

I’ll give them credit for the pk tho. That is one of the most aggressive I’ve seen.

Beat two favorable matchups in the first two rounds. If they beat Dallas then they are better than I give them credit for.

 

[Herby]

Another night and more big moments from young players who never spent a second in the AHL.

I wonder what Anton Lundell's development path would have been had he been drafted by the Kings? You think it would be 260 NHL games after his first 3 seasons in the organization?

Maybe these other teams who do things so much differently than the Kings might be on to something?

 

[kingsholygrail]

The ECF is really tight. I don't see either of these teams losing to the Oilers/Stars.

 

[johnjm22]

They just aren’t that good of a team but with the firepower they have they out score their mistakes.

These type of statements.

It's becoming a parody at this point.

 

[johnjm22]

Bennett turned out to be a hell of a pickup. Got him for almost nothing.

In fact, the top 4 guys on that chart they got for extremely cheap.

Even OEL turned out to be a nice acquisition. You've gotta give a guy something to play for.

 

[BigKing]

Bennett turned out to be a hell of a pickup. Got him for almost nothing.

In fact, the top 4 guys on that chart they got for extremely cheap.

Even OEL turned out to be a nice acquisition. You've gotta give a guy something to play for.

Bennett was an obvious "go get him" guy for me. Still hasn't been a Cup winner without a blend of toughness and skill: even in the "new NHL".

Blake out here trying to win one with none of the former and not enough of the latter.

 

[chris kontos]

The rangers are just not physical enough to win a series against florida. Zibanejad and panarin wont pay the price.
I picked the rangers to win it all to begin the season but it looks like benjamins are flyin out the window again

 

[LAKings88]

These type of statements.

It's becoming a parody at this point.

Been saying it for three years and guess what, they haven’t won Jack shit.

Over f***ing rated.

 

[raswilliam]

 

[Kingfan1967]

Division winner vs Division winner and Division winner vs the team with the best record since new years.
The 4 best teams in the conference finals, and it will be the 2 best teams in the Stanley Cup Final.