Around the League Thread | Conference Final Edition | Go Tanev and Bobby Lu?

[timw33]

I honestly can’t get over how good forsling is

Like he is a possession God
Every shift is just sound defensive plays with short passes to forwards or skating the puck out and his shots are always dangerous and on net

And he signed that contract……
Guys is quite literally 5x better than Ekblad

It's funny in an incredibly sad way that the players our team needed to put us over the top this year we essentially just gave away for free under Benning: Forsling and Tanev as the two top-4D, McCann as the missing top 6 winger with speed, and Nic Dowd as the high end 4C.

Like this doesn't even get to what we missed out on with colossal but entirely avoidable draft blunders (Tkachuck, Nylander/Ehlers, Stankoven) or the fact we gave away the Dylan Guenther pick to acquire a player who would be bought out two years later.

 

[Szechwan]

The problem is the NHL will heavily penalize the Cats for their inevitable beat down on McDavid and Drai. Can't touch the golden boy.

 

[Ace of Hades]

The problem is the NHL will heavily penalize the Cats for their inevitable beat down on McDavid and Drai. Can't touch the golden boy.

Bennett will be suspended indefinitely for sure.

Barkov will get a random fine for legally checking McBaby.

Divesaitl will be allowed to slash Forsling without repercussion.

Etc

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

The Forsling thing doesn't bug me *too* much. He went through waivers multiple times.

 

[just22]

It's funny in an incredibly sad way that the players our team needed to put us over the top this year we essentially just gave away for free under Benning: Forsling and Tanev as the two top-4D, McCann as the missing top 6 winger with speed, and Nic Dowd as the high end 4C.

Like this doesn't even get to what we missed out on with colossal but entirely avoidable draft blunders (Tkachuck, Nylander/Ehlers, Stankoven) or the fact we gave away the Dylan Guenther pick to acquire a player who would be bought out two years later.

God, now I’m angry at Benning again.

Gonna need another 10 years just to wipe his memory from my brain.

 

[crazychimp]

Watching the top 4 teams, I just don’t see how anyone beats this Florida team Tkachuk isn’t as noticeable in this series but still playing well. Bennett, Reinhart and Barkov are killing it. The depth is pretty good too. All centers are great in face offs the defence is skilled and mean.

 

[EpochLink]

Watching the top 4 teams, I just don’t see how anyone beats this Florida team Tkachuk isn’t as noticeable in this series but still playing well. Bennett, Reinhart and Barkov are killing it. The depth is pretty good too. All centers are great in face offs the defence is skilled and mean.

I feel like Tkachuk is really giving teams trouble with being a disturbance, while the others are pulling their weight around. Playoff Bob is as good as it gets, him and Vasi are money come playoff time.

 

[mossey3535]

Watching the top 4 teams, I just don’t see how anyone beats this Florida team Tkachuk isn’t as noticeable in this series but still playing well. Bennett, Reinhart and Barkov are killing it. The depth is pretty good too. All centers are great in face offs the defence is skilled and mean.

Vegas showed last year that if you can beat their pressure and not make dumb mistakes high in the offensive zone they don't really have an answer. Also by the time they get to the SCF their playstyle is the hardest to maintain so they could be gassed.

Dallas playing the Dallas system (they have strayed in the past few games) would have a good chance although their D doesn't move the puck all that well they have some mechanisms that have allowed them to beat forechecks.

Oilers with their current rope-a-dope might be ok but I don't like their d-corp's ability to evade pressure. Dallas isn't exactly forechecking super hard.

Rangers should be skilled enough and might well fluke their way out of the series still. But they are just not tough enough and they don't want to adjust and limit their borderline offensive plays that the Panthers are just sitting on and then countering off of.

 

[pitseleh]

The Forsling thing doesn't bug me *too* much. He went through waivers multiple times.

Which is pretty remarkable given he played regular minutes from age 20-22 while keeping his head above water, then cleared waivers.

Comes out of one season in the AHL as a fully formed top-4 defender.

Reinforces MS’s point that young players who hold their head above water in the NHL without excelling get undervalued relative to prospects / guys destroying the AHL in their D+4/5 seasons.

 

[DL44]

In case anyone is wondering why I don't want anything to do with Chris Tanev...

The guy has been unavailable for the Stars and before that the flames and before that the Canucks when they all needed him the most...

This isn't just bad luck. It's a freaking pattern.. and as predictable as ... my wife's period.

 

[thecupismine]

Forsling is becoming one of my favorite players to watch outside of Vancouver.I'm a sucker for defensemen who are hella steady in their own zone and break the puck out with ridiculous efficiency & have underrated offensive chops, and he fits the mold to a tee.

I've said it before but that contract is just insane - he's gonna be underpaid by at least 2 million given what he brings to the table.

Also have no idea what Dallas' forwards have been doing this series. So insanely talented, but their effort level/connectiveness has been way more on/off than expected. On paper they're the mos talented team left (along with Florida), but have not been playing to that level this series. Florida looks like the favorite at this point.

 

[HelloCookie]

I took the first two weeks off work in june just in case canucks made it to the finals and it would've barely covered the first 4 games

 

[Hit the post]

It's funny in an incredibly sad way that the players our team needed to put us over the top this year we essentially just gave away for free under Benning: Forsling and Tanev as the two top-4D, McCann as the missing top 6 winger with speed, and Nic Dowd as the high end 4C.

Like this doesn't even get to what we missed out on with colossal but entirely avoidable draft blunders (Tkachuck, Nylander/Ehlers, Stankoven) or the fact we gave away the Dylan Guenther pick to acquire a player who would be bought out two years later.

That guy *NEVER* would've developed under Willie D or Travis Green. Who exactly did the Jethro Bodine regime develop in their entire 7 years? Demko? Well, we had great goaltending coaching going back to Nonis (that's something Jim Benning did manage to inherit from past regimes when he was hired). Look at the state of the farm club when JR came out of retirement. A wasteland. Hughes, EP & Boeser hit the ground running (and Boeser became a *FAR BETTER* / more complete player under Tochett).

 

[StreetHawk]

That guy *NEVER* would've developed under Willie D or Travis Green. Who exactly did the Jethro Bodine regime develop in their entire 7 years? Demko? Well, we had great goaltending coaching going back to Nonis (that's something Jim Benning did manage to inherit from past regimes when he was hired). Look at the state of the farm club when JR came out of retirement. A wasteland. Hughes, EP & Boeser hit the ground running (and Boeser became a *FAR BETTER* / more complete player under Tochett).

Spot on.

The non top end talent like Hutton/Stecher, who spent like under 10 games combined in the A, both hit ufa at 26 when not QO'd. In their earning prime, they are getting bottom pairing to spare Dman money after their 4 years of experience in Van.

Chicago should be questioning their decision to move off a 23 year old Forsling?

 

[nucks88]

I have been pulling for the Stars to knock off the McOilers but the Panthers taking them out in the Finals might be a better “Chef’s Kiss”….

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Also have no idea what Dallas' forwards have been doing this series. So insanely talented, but their effort level/connectiveness has been way more on/off than expected. On paper they're the mos talented team left (along with Florida), but have not been playing to that level this series. Florida looks like the favorite at this point.

Dallas has young talent but there are some old guys in key positions that are running on fumes.

Pavelski is flat out finished as an NHLer
Suter also looks washed
Dadonov and Duchene are playing on the perimeter again
Tanev was decent in the first two series but ultimately looked a step behind this series
Seguin hasn't looked good since Game 1

Their bottom 6 has looked totally pedestrian while their D depth is now very thin with Tanev's departure.

Credit to Edmonton again. Their speed has really tired out teams in the playoffs.

 

[racerjoe]

Dallas has young talent but there are some old guys in key positions that are running on fumes.

Pavelski is flat out finished as an NHLer
Suter also looks washed
Dadonov and Duchene are playing on the perimeter again
Tanev was decent in the first two series but ultimately looked a step behind this series
Seguin hasn't looked good since Game 1

Their bottom 6 has looked totally pedestrian while their D depth is now very thin with Tanev's departure.

Credit to Edmonton again. Their speed has really tired out teams in the playoffs.

I think this is also a stars team that has had to battles with the Vegas series and Col series. That had to take a huge toll...

While we gave a big battle to EDM they walked through the first round

 

[vancityluongo]

i don't think dallas is done by any means

oilers are being carried right now by evan bouchard. mcdavid had the softest three assist game i've ever seen from him. he needs to find another gear if edmonton is going to close out the series.

agreed that florida rolls over either team though. matt tkachuk conn smythe please

 

[supercanuck]

Dallas has young talent but there are some old guys in key positions that are running on fumes.

Pavelski is flat out finished as an NHLer
Suter also looks washed
Dadonov and Duchene are playing on the perimeter again
Tanev was decent in the first two series but ultimately looked a step behind this series
Seguin hasn't looked good since Game 1

Their bottom 6 has looked totally pedestrian while their D depth is now very thin with Tanev's departure.

Credit to Edmonton again. Their speed has really tired out teams in the playoffs.

Playing McDavid or Draisatl for 25-30 mins a game allows the bottom 6 to just go all in on their 9-10 minutes a night. The question is how long can the big boys last.