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Around the League - PLAYOFFS!?

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Fogelhund said:
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The Leafs make up a couple of their games in hand next week, so that should give us a sense of whether it is possible. The Leafs are 16-5 in their last 21 games, so the idea of them winning three games in hand on Boston and then winning a couple more games than Boston the rest of the season is not all that outlandish, especially since the Leafs have a reasonably light schedule the rest of the season. That said, if they don't win all of the games in hand, then there is almost no chance of catching Boston.
 
I've been thinking about possible 1st round matchups and I think Boston would be a good matchup and give us a chance to exorcise some demons. Would be great to see.
 
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tmlms13 said:
The Atlantic has had the President's Trophy winner in every season since 17-18. They're bottom feeders because they have to play every year vs 3 of top 5 NHL team.

Bos, Fla, Bos, TB.... and probably another this year. Ironic thing is the last Pres trophy winner to get to the Conference finals was the Rangers in 14-15


Same reason why the Leafs keep losing in the first round. They matchup they get is always what should normally be a ECF in 1v8.
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Last season we finished 4th in the Conference and played the 6th place team, who were 9 points behind the 5th place team.

The year before that we finished 3rd and played the 5th best team.

The year before that was the North division when we played a team with 24 wins and 32 losses

The year before that we finished 8th and played the 9th place team.

There's no one to blame but themselves for their playoff failures.
 
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Hoglund4MvP said:
Bad luck Dubas strikes again.


Trades Guentzel....Wings follow up with 7 losses in a row. should have been a buyer instead lol
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I don't think keeping Guentzel and adding would have changed things for the Penguins. While the Wings have been terrible... 7 losses in a row and 3-7 over the last 10, Penguins have been 3-6-1 and equally terrible, hardly getting any production from their core. I think it's clear that the group there is done now, and it just comes down to how to dismantle things, without disrespecting what Crosby has achieved there.

Sadly, and maybe in some parts wrongly, what happens next is dependent on what Crosby wants to do. Is he willing to participate in a full on rebuild, will he move to another team?

If I look at their current roster, there isn't a single untouchable there to me.... basically move anyone, and everyone, that you can get some value for. I know the hate for Dubas, but really some of the contracts signed by Hextall are so bad, that the org is in such terrible shape, with little room to move, not to mention the worst prospect pool in the league.

I mean Letang is signed until he is 41, Malkin 39, Rust 35 (four more years).. it's just terrible.

But you've really just got to move everything that isn't nailed down.
 
Dekes For Days said:
The Leafs have the 10th most difficult strength of schedule remaining.
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Those models just look at winning percentages of opposing teams without taking into account recent performance. As such, teams like Philadelphia and Washington, who are both over .500, contribute to strength of schedule even though they have both been far worse of late.
 
Evilhomer said:
Those models just look at winning percentages of opposing teams without taking into account recent performance. As such, teams like Philadelphia and Washington, who are both over .500, contribute to strength of schedule even though they have both been far worse of late.
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Full-season point percentage is a better representation of team quality than recent performance (especially considering you don't know what recent performance will have become when we face them), but also, our toughest remaining opponents (Florida, Carolina, Edmonton, Tampa) are matching or surpassing their full-season record over their last 10. Also, for the record, Washington is also matching their season record over their last 10.
 
Evilhomer said:
Those models just look at winning percentages of opposing teams without taking into account recent performance. As such, teams like Philadelphia and Washington, who are both over .500, contribute to strength of schedule even though they have both been far worse of late.
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Good point. How a team looks over the first 20 games can be vastly different than how they in the last 20 games.
 
ACC1224 said:
Good point. How a team looks over the first 20 games can be vastly different than how they in the last 20 games.
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Let's see what happens. If Toronto wins all of their games in hand on Boston I think passing the Bruins becomes pretty realistic. If the Leafs lose two or three of those games in hand, then there is no realistic chance. It's also important to finish ahead of Carolina as they may be a later round match-up for the Leafs, and home ice advantage may be even more important in those later rounds.
 
Fogelhund said:
I don't think keeping Guentzel and adding would have changed things for the Penguins. While the Wings have been terrible... 7 losses in a row and 3-7 over the last 10, Penguins have been 3-6-1 and equally terrible, hardly getting any production from their core. I think it's clear that the group there is done now, and it just comes down to how to dismantle things, without disrespecting what Crosby has achieved there.

Sadly, and maybe in some parts wrongly, what happens next is dependent on what Crosby wants to do. Is he willing to participate in a full on rebuild, will he move to another team?

If I look at their current roster, there isn't a single untouchable there to me.... basically move anyone, and everyone, that you can get some value for. I know the hate for Dubas, but really some of the contracts signed by Hextall are so bad, that the org is in such terrible shape, with little room to move, not to mention the worst prospect pool in the league.

I mean Letang is signed until he is 41, Malkin 39, Rust 35 (four more years).. it's just terrible.

But you've really just got to move everything that isn't nailed down.
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Crosby and Malkin will leave and they tank but how is next year's draft?
 
Nineteen67 said:
How in heck did Buffalo get back in the race.
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It's best to use the term "race" very loosely here. Nobody is playing well, it's just a bunch of teams playing mediocre and a few faltering.

Philly 76 points, 4-5-1 in their last 10
Tampa 76 points 5-4-1
NYI 72 points 6-4-0
Detroit 72 points 3-7 Lost seven straight
Washington 71 points 5-4-1
Buffalo 69 points 6-3-1 (Hottest team in the race.) :laugh:

Buffalo has played more games than anyone ahead of them except Philly though. So far, it's whomever can stumble over the line first.
 
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Fogelhund said:
If I look at their current roster, there isn't a single untouchable there to me.... basically move anyone, and everyone, that you can get some value for. I know the hate for Dubas, but really some of the contracts signed by Hextall are so bad, that the org is in such terrible shape, with little room to move, not to mention the worst prospect pool in the league.
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So how exactly is bringing in a 33 year old Karlsson with 4 years remaining @$10 mil and surrendering your 1st in 2024 and 2nd in 2025 helping that?

That is the single worst possible move anyone could have made bringing in the biggest Dman contract in the NHL, and using high picks to do it and then putting the team into Cap Hell and sinking any hopes for a Crosby and Malkin last run at the Cup, while delivering the Pens worst season since Crosby rookie year.
 
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Mess said:
So how exactly is bringing in a 33 year old Karlsson with 4 years remaining @$10 mil and surrendering your 1st in 2024 and 2nd in 2025 helping that?

That is the single worst possible move anyone could have made bringing in the biggest Dman contract in the NHL, and using high picks to do it and then putting the team into Cap Hell and sinking any hopes for a Crosby and Malkin last run at the Cup, while delivering the Pens worst season since Crosby rookie year.
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Clearly the marching orders were to give Crosby et al one last chance. So they went all in to try and fulfill that chance.

It failed. Then you reanalyze where you are and make changes in the plan accordingly. I think going all in was reasonable, and I think throwing in the towel and selling now is also reasonable.

Rutherford and Hextall had pretty much killed all futures the Penguins had, so they might as well have thrown their last cards in.
 
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ULF_55 said:
Biron has a thing on TSN right now, and as far as goaltending goes ... Leafs are maybe the worst for teams in contention for playoffs when you look at "goalie" stats not team related goalie stats.

Goaltending.
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Biron is probably including sammys entire season vs post comeback.
 
Fogelhund said:
Clearly the marching orders were to give Crosby et al one last chance. So they went all in to try and fulfill that chance.

It failed. Then you reanalyze where you are and make changes in the plan accordingly. I think going all in was reasonable, and I think throwing in the towel and selling now is also reasonable.

Rutherford and Hextall had pretty much killed all futures the Penguins had, so they might as well have thrown their last cards in.
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People are making it sound like one first round pick and one second round pick (essentially what was given up for EK) have doomed the Penguins' future. The reality is that I am sure everyone in Penguins management knew then, and knows now, that when Crosby, Malkin, etc. finally leave, the rebuild will need to be so dramatic that an extra pick here or there, even a mid first round pick, won't fundamentally change how long and painful the rebuild will be.

ULF_55 said:
www.tsn.ca

NHL Videos - Highlights and Analysis from the National Hockey League

Watch highlights and analysis video from the National Hockey League. TSN's NHL Insiders and analysts deliver video content, betting information, and fantasy hockey advice.
www.tsn.ca www.tsn.ca

He covers off recent play.

It's pretty short listen.
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I'd wager that Biron is maybe the worst "analyst" in the industry. His biases are painful (he still seems to hate the Islanders to this day, but loves everything about the Rangers), and all he seems to do is fall back on praising whoever happens to be on a hot streak at any given time.
 
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