Around the League - PLAYOFFS!?

[ULF_55]

Tampa Bay build their team properly with elite defensemen and goalies to go along with some elite forwards…

Kucherov was a 2nd. round pick, they took Namestnikov first.

1st. overall Stamkos
2nd. overall Hedman
27th. overall Namestnikov - Kucherov* 58th.

*best player

Werenski instead of marner?

 

[Dreakmur]

If the Leafs can take 35 points from their last 25 games, which I think should be pretty doable for them, that should be enough to at least get them home ice in the first round.

Even if they get those 35 points, Florida and Boston would barely need to break .500 to stay ahead.

 

[rumman]

Rempe is brining back my excitement for hockey. There hasn’t been much worth watching since Brett Hull belted out Gloria… now if they’d bring back fore-checkers laying the body on the D, we might have something.

amen brother......

 

[Dreakmur]

Kucherov was a 2nd. round pick, they took Namestnikov first.

That does nothing to even attempt to dispute the point.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Even if they get those 35 points, Florida and Boston would barely need to break .500 to stay ahead.

This is when the impact of the 2 losses to a team like the Hawks are felt.

 

[uncleben]

Tampa Bay build their team properly with elite defensemen and goalies to go along with some elite forwards…

They have an elite defenseman.

Tampa's defense is much more feast-or-famine than ours
Good at the top, which we have every right to be envious of, but I'd take our depth over theirs.

 

[uncleben]

I doubt either team regrets much of anything. No manager was going to turn the Penguins into a winner this season, just as no manager was going to be permitted to trade guys like Crosby or Malkin. Meanwhile, in Toronto, the Leafs will almost certainly experience more playoff success this season than they have in all of Dubas' years as manager, but the idea of that being exclusively the result of Treliving's (or Dubas') work is silly.

Nice to see an even-keel response!
Dubas inherited Pittsburgh's decline as much as Treliving inherited Toronto's success - and no matter who the GM was in either city this year, they really weren't going to drastically change things

Pittsburgh's still puttering away and in the mix and it remains to be seen what that will turn into in the future
Toronto's stumbled a bit but still a top team and it remains to be seen what that will turn into in the future
I, too, doubt either team regrets much of anything, yet.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

Nice to see an even-keel response!
Dubas inherited Pittsburgh's decline as much as Treliving inherited Toronto's success - and no matter who the GM was in either city this year, they really weren't going to drastically change things

Pittsburgh's still puttering away and in the mix and it remains to be seen what that will turn into in the future
Toronto's stumbled a bit but still a top team and it remains to be seen what that will turn into in the future
I, too, doubt either team regrets much of anything, yet.

You just stated it's actually a bad trade.

"they really weren't going to drastically change things"

Knew ahead of time shouldn't trade for Karlsson then? Lost a 1st rounder for nothing, added 10 mil cap and guaranteed team remains old.

Bad GM'ing.

 

[uncleben]

You just stated it's actually a bad trade.

"they really weren't going to drastically change things"

Knew ahead of time shouldn't trade for Karlsson then? Lost a 1st rounder for nothing, added 10 mil cap and guaranteed team remains old.

Bad GM'ing.

As in trading cores - Crosby and Malkin and Letang
Ownership wasn't going to let anyone come in and sell off

 

[Shooter2x]

You just stated it's actually a bad trade.

"they really weren't going to drastically change things"

Knew ahead of time shouldn't trade for Karlsson then? Lost a 1st rounder for nothing, added 10 mil cap and guaranteed team remains old.

Bad GM'ing.

To keep Cry Baby Crosby from accusing him that he didn't try.

Kidding. I don't have anything against Crosby.

4 games in 6 nights spoiled me. I'm so bored. Need a Leafs game.

 

[Dreakmur]

They have an elite defenseman.

Tampa's defense is much more feast-or-famine than ours
Good at the top, which we have every right to be envious of, but I'd take our depth over theirs.

They had Hedman, Sergachev, and McDonagh.

 

[Evilhomer]

Even if they get those 35 points, Florida and Boston would barely need to break .500 to stay ahead.

I don't think Boston is getting 30 points from its last 23 games, but Florida could certainly get 30 points from its last 24 games.

 

[ToneDog]

If the Leafs can take 35 points from their last 25 games, which I think should be pretty doable for them, that should be enough to at least get them home ice in the first round.

So if the .649 Leafs play .700 to get to 109 points, the .690 Panthers would have to play .583 or the .686 Bruins would have to play .587 for the Leafs to finish 1 point ahead of them. Pretty sure you can get some good odds on the Leafs finishing second or first in the Atlantic.

 

[Evilhomer]

This is when the impact of the 2 losses to a team like the Hawks are felt.

Every team has those games. Boston lost to Columbus and Seattle (and may lose to Seattle again tonight). Florida lost twice to the Wild and once to Anaheim. I'm sure those teams wish they had those games back, as well.

So if the .649 Leafs play .700 to get to 109 points, the .690 Panthers would have to play .583 or the .686 Bruins would have to play .587 for the Leafs to finish 1 point ahead of them. Pretty sure you can get some good odds on the Leafs finishing second or first in the Atlantic.

You can't really take winning percentage on the season and extrapolate because a winning percentage from November doesn't mean much now. Taking the last couple of months into account, I think passing Boston is very realistic. As I said, Florida may be a different story. That said, having Florida win the division is no big deal as Boston is a much better first round match-up for the Leafs (although a team like Detroit or Tampa would be even better).

 

[TheShape]

Anyone find themselves groaning a little bit when realizing there is still 26 games or so left in the regular season? IMO, the league needs to find a way to get to the playoffs quicker. It’s borderline criminal there are regular season games still being played on April 17th.

NHL playoffs should be wrapped up by June 1st at the latest, probably even earlier. Sept - June makes too much sense for these people.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

So if the .649 Leafs play .700 to get to 109 points, the .690 Panthers would have to play .583 or the .686 Bruins would have to play .587 for the Leafs to finish 1 point ahead of them. Pretty sure you can get some good odds on the Leafs finishing second or first in the Atlantic.

There are some big swing games in there where we are playing those teams. We beat them in those games we have a legit chance of catching them. We don't and we finish 3rd.

 

[Evilhomer]

They had Hedman, Sergachev, and McDonagh.

Yeah, I think people really underestimate how good Tampa's defense was during those Cup years. It's wasn't Vasi standing on his head every night.

 

[ULF_55]

NHL playoffs should be wrapped up by June 1st at the latest, probably even earlier. Sept - June makes too much sense for these people.

Remember when they played 70 games?

 

[ToneDog]

There are some big swing games in there where we are playing those teams. We beat them in those games we have a legit chance of catching them. We don't and we finish 3rd.

Sure but it is more likely we split than we sweep either.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Sure but it is more likely we split than we sweep either.

I wasn't talking about what was more likely. We have a chance to catch one of them.

 

[TheShape]

Remember when they played 70 games?

They're never going to reduce the amount of games played, too much lost revenue. Speaking for myself, I have little interest in watching hockey as a neutral in the middle of June.

 

[ToneDog]

Every team has those games. Boston lost to Columbus and Seattle (and may lose to Seattle again tonight). Florida lost twice to the Wild and once to Anaheim. I'm sure those teams wish they had those games back, as well.


You can't really take winning percentage on the season and extrapolate because a winning percentage from November doesn't mean much now. Taking the last couple of months into account, I think passing Boston is very realistic. As I said, Florida may be a different story. That said, having Florida win the division is no big deal as Boston is a much better first round match-up for the Leafs (although a team like Detroit or Tampa would be even better).

Bruins have gone to OT in 6 of their last 7 games. They have 12 regulation losses in 59 games. Their goaltending pretty much gives them a chance at a loser point every night.

I wasn't talking about what was more likely. We have a chance to catch one of them.

Agreed they have a chance to catch one or both.

 

[ULF_55]

Bruins have gone to OT in 6 of their last 7 games. They have 12 regulation losses in 59 games. Their goaltending pretty much gives them a chance at a loser point every night.


Of course they have a chance to catch them. They also have a chance to run the table and win the President's trophy.

Bruins goaltending like the Leafs offense?

Lost in round 2
Lost in round 1
Lost in round 1

 

[Evilhomer]

Bruins have gone to OT in 6 of their last 7 games. They have 12 regulation losses in 59 games. Their goaltending pretty much gives them a chance at a loser point every night.


Agreed they have a chance to catch one or both.

Boston has been a .500 team since Jan 1, even with their OT and shootout wins. That isn't a small sample size. That is just what they are, and what I expect they will be through the final 23 games (if not less since their schedule is more difficult the rest of the way compared to the last 20ish games). Provided the Leafs even split the two games with Boston, they will pass them, as will Florida.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Tampa Bay build their team properly with elite defensemen and goalies to go along with some elite forwards…

Like us, Tampa built a top team in this league.
Like us, Tampa built a good offensive team.
Like us, Tampa built a good defensive team.
Unlike us, Tampa drafted the goalie of a generation with their 2nd pick of a draft 12 years ago.