Around the NHL 2023-2024

[BlueDream]

Stuart Skinner is absolute garbage.

I know Canada is pretty weak in goal these days, but still pretty funny to think this guy has been talked about for their Olympic Team in a couple years.

I know he has some hot stretches in the regular season but when the games matter more, Skinner wilts quicker than anyone.

 

[Xerloris]

I think you're selling Vancouver a bit short.

Elias Lindholm is miles better than your average 3C. He finished top 10 in Selke voting last year and was the runner up the year before. He's been a legit 1C in this league and is a no-doubt top 6 center. I don't think there is a better '3rd line center' left in the playoffs. Vancouver's wingers don't look great on paper, but the massive center depth is allowing them to run 3 really effective lines.

And then they also have elite goaltending. Demko is a Vezina finalist and Silovs has been playing like an elite guy in a short sample. The odds of him providing elite goaltending for several more weeks are slim, but Demko resumed skating last week and will be back eventually. The goaltending combined with the Tochett's system/structure goes a long way to helping the non-top-pair part of the blueline.

I'll be picking the winner of Dallas/Colorado over the winner of Edmonton/Vancouver, but I don't think that the Pacific team will be massive underdogs.

vezina finalist doesn't mean much in the playoffs, especially when we all just watched another vezina finalist get absolutely bent over in the first round.

 

[mk80]

Hopefully Nichuskin gets the help he needs, this is the first time I've seen this for the NHLPA Assistance program

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Hopefully Nichuskin gets the help he needs, this is the first time I've seen this for the NHLPA Assistance program

it's almost like that story the avs fed us last year was bs. when 911 got called to his room bc he had an intoxicated hooker in there and his condition on the morning of a playoff game raised all kinds of questions and avs just covered it up and made it go away. and then he went to player's assistance program earlier this year and now failed drug test. hopefully he can get his life straightened out, bc otherwise this ain't gonna end well.

 

[mk80]

it's almost like that story the avs fed us last year was bs. when 911 got called to his room bc he had an intoxicated hooker in their and his condition on the morning of a playoff game raised all kinds of questions and avs just covered it up and made it go away. and then he went to player's assistance program earlier this year and now failed drug test. hopefully he can get his life straightened out, bc otherwise this ain't gonna end well.

There have definitely been warning signs. But I've never seen anything get to the point of a suspension being handed out like this.

 

[Stealth JD]

Big blow to Colorado’s Cup hopes.
Poor guys. Hate to see it.

Go Stars.

 

[Xerloris]

I think Mackinnon should be drug tested. You don't go from a 60 point player for several years to a super star the next. He had a complete attitude change to go along with it, he also throws temper tantrums so easily now. Almost like roid rage. Just my opinion though, I don't see what taking a test would hurt though, unless I'm right.

Wait, sorry. I said 60 point player when it was more like a 50 point player. Then the next year bam almost 100 points. Ya, no.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

it's almost like that story the avs fed us last year was bs. when 911 got called to his room bc he had an intoxicated hooker in there and his condition on the morning of a playoff game raised all kinds of questions and avs just covered it up and made it go away. and then he went to player's assistance program earlier this year and now failed drug test. hopefully he can get his life straightened out, bc otherwise this ain't gonna end well.

I still have no clue how that whole situation just got swept under the rug. There were way too many questions for it to simply be ignored, but it still somehow was.

 

[Majorityof1]

I still have no clue how that whole situation just got swept under the rug. There were way too many questions for it to simply be ignored, but it still somehow was.

I doubt it was ignored. Neither the Police nor the Avs had any obligation or reason to share those answers with the general public.

 

[Xerloris]

I doubt it was ignored. Neither the Police nor the Avs had any obligation or reason to share those answers with the general public.

the police share that kind of information all the time.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I think Mackinnon should be drug tested. You don't go from a 60 point player for several years to a super star the next. He had a complete attitude change to go along with it, he also throws temper tantrums so easily now. Almost like roid rage. Just my opinion though, I don't see what taking a test would hurt though, unless I'm right.

Wait, sorry. I said 60 point player when it was more like a 50 point player. Then the next year bam almost 100 points. Ya, no.

So are you saying he STOPPED doing drugs?

 

[stl76]

Nichushkin is signed for 6 more years after this one at $6.125 w/ a NMC next year and a 12 team NTC the following 5.

 

[Xerloris]

So are you saying he STOPPED doing drugs?

no, that IMO it shows signs of steroid use.

 

[Brockon]

I think you're selling Vancouver a bit short.

Elias Lindholm is miles better than your average 3C. He finished top 10 in Selke voting last year and was the runner up the year before. He's been a legit 1C in this league and is a no-doubt top 6 center. I don't think there is a better '3rd line center' left in the playoffs. Vancouver's wingers don't look great on paper, but the massive center depth is allowing them to run 3 really effective lines.

And then they also have elite goaltending. Demko is a Vezina finalist and Silovs has been playing like an elite guy in a short sample. The odds of him providing elite goaltending for several more weeks are slim, but Demko resumed skating last week and will be back eventually. The goaltending combined with the Tochett's system/structure goes a long way to helping the non-top-pair part of the blueline.

I'll be picking the winner of Dallas/Colorado over the winner of Edmonton/Vancouver, but I don't think that the Pacific team will be massive underdogs.

I don't think it's that simple, EL and EP have been playing near identical ice times.

I suspect Pettersson is dealing with an injury of some kind - his one timer hasn't been used nearly as much as usual and he seems a little slow.

R1
G1 EP 18:39, EL 18:14
G2 EP 20:41, EL 16:55
G3 EP 17:41, EL 21:37
G4 EP 19:00, EL 17:51
G5 EP 20:03, EL 18:27
G6 EP 15:46, EL 18:30

R2
G1 EP 19:09, EL 17:36
G2 EP 19:45, EL 20:50
G3 EP 15:49, EL 20:22

Toi
Pettersson 166:33 1-3-4p
Lindholm 169:22 5-2-7p

 

[Fez Whatley]

no, that IMO it shows signs of steroid use.

He may be using a corked stick too

 

[STL fan in MN]

He may be using a corked stick too

1st overall pick puts up 50-60 pts his first few years in the league, then becomes superstar. Must be on roids.

For the record, players are drug tested. I don’t think it’s super often but they’re tested a few times a year.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Can we talk about Carolina who has now outplayed New York in five straight games but are trailing in the series 3-2? I'm not sure I've seen such a lopsided series go the opposite way, but the script may have flipped with the teams heading back to Carolina for Game 6.

Yesterday I mentioned I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to seven. At this point I think Carolina may pull off what only four NHL teams have been able to accomplish in 210 attempts by winning a playoff series after going down 0-3.

Playoff intrigue. Gotta love it.

 

[SirPaste]

Can we talk about Carolina who has now outplayed New York in five straight games but are trailing in the series 3-2? I'm not sure I've seen such a lopsided series go the opposite way, but the script may have flipped with the teams heading back to Carolina for Game 6.

Yesterday I mentioned I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to seven. At this point I think Carolina may pull off what only four NHL teams have been able to accomplish in 210 attempts by winning a playoff series after going down 0-3.

Playoff intrigue. Gotta love it.

Carolina is playing good, and after last night Igor seems human so they definitely have a chance. Should be fun either way.

 

[PocketNines]

Carolina outplayed Florida all four games last year in the Conference Finals and lost them all. They got goalied seven straight games with many overtimes against Florida and New York and finally put together two wins. Carolina is good enough to win, and if they win Game 6 that will be a lot of pressure for NYR having gotten reverse swept by NJ last year

Incidentally over in the "what will it take for the Canes to get over the hump" thread on mains we have the proposition that the Blues are the standard for weakest Cup winner and it's the kind of argument that is so Pejorative Slured kids would call it names and there would have to be a parent school meeting about it

 

[BrokenFace]

Can we talk about Carolina who has now outplayed New York in five straight games but are trailing in the series 3-2? I'm not sure I've seen such a lopsided series go the opposite way, but the script may have flipped with the teams heading back to Carolina for Game 6.

Yesterday I mentioned I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to seven. At this point I think Carolina may pull off what only four NHL teams have been able to accomplish in 210 attempts by winning a playoff series after going down 0-3.

Playoff intrigue. Gotta love it.

If Carolina can get their power play on track I think they will complete the comeback. They looked like a last place team with the man advantage from what I saw last night.

 

[Reality Czech]

1st overall pick puts up 50-60 pts his first few years in the league, then becomes superstar. Must be on roids.

For the record, players are drug tested. I don’t think it’s super often but they’re tested a few times a year.

Forget which podcast I heard it on, but I believe they can only be randomly tested a certain number of times per year. So technically once they've reached that limit it could be game on for some guys.

I'm sure that players who've been in the assistance program have some other rules but don't know details.

 

[ezcreepin]

Incidentally over in the "what will it take for the Canes to get over the hump" thread on mains we have the proposition that the Blues are the standard for weakest Cup winner and it's the kind of argument that is so Pejorative Slured kids would call it names and there would have to be a parent school meeting about it

And coincidentally we bodied the Jets, Stars, Sharks, and Bruins to win. Were we lucky? Yea, you have to be to win. Did our goalie steal games? Yea I'd say he stole the most important game during the playoffs. But I like to think that team would've gone toe to toe with the 2012 Kings - a team I consider one of the most insane teams I've ever seen.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Carolina outplayed Florida all four games last year in the Conference Finals and lost them all. They got goalied seven straight games with many overtimes against Florida and New York and finally put together two wins. Carolina is good enough to win, and if they win Game 6 that will be a lot of pressure for NYR having gotten reverse swept by NJ last year

Incidentally over in the "what will it take for the Canes to get over the hump" thread on mains we have the proposition that the Blues are the standard for weakest Cup winner and it's the kind of argument that is so Pejorative Slured kids would call it names and there would have to be a parent school meeting about it

People forget that the Blues led the division briefly on the last day of the regular season before Nashville and Winnipeg also won, dropping the Blues to 3rd. They were an accomplished regular season team, even after their horrible start.

It’s a lazy narrative, but it doesn’t bother me at all. They engrave the players’ names on the Cup all the same. Dallas, San Jose and Boston tears don’t get resorbed because someone calls the Blues a lesser champ.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

If Carolina can get their power play on track I think they will complete the comeback. They looked like a last place team with the man advantage from what I saw last night.

Their special teams has been a disaster for the most part this series, but they've been thoroughly outplaying the Rangers 5-on-5. As long as they can stay out of the box, they'll be alright. Would certainly make things easier if they could pot a couple PP goals.

 

[SirPaste]

Their special teams has been a disaster for the most part this series, but they've been thoroughly outplaying the Rangers 5-on-5. As long as they can stay out of the box, they'll be alright. Would certainly make things easier if they could pot a couple PP goals.

They really have taken some stupid penalties too, that Kuznetsov slash last night was so dumb and uncalled for. Luckily for them he made up for it later.