Toggle sidebar

Around the NHL: Part IV

  • Xenforo Cloud has upgraded us to version 2.3.6. Please report any issues you experience.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Edge said:
Healthy McD, on a stacked team where he can play on the second pair also helps.

But it’s also important to remember that the McD deal wasn’t exclusively about what he’d be in 2019, or even 2020. It was also about what he’d be beyond that and how comfortable you are betting on those years.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's the situation now.

We still should have won the Cup in 2015 and that offseason will always haunt me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rongomania and Wicked Backhand
ZuccsFluffierFluffer said:
That is true, but the Isles are on borrowed time. They're going to get cornhole'd by Pittsburgh if things hold as they are.

The horses don't exist there. Washington can and is more than willing to win dirty - which is what you really need to do to beat Tampa. They don't like being punched in the mouth and until they show me that they can play through that stuff, I'll continue to believe that they can't.

OTOH, how LOL worthy is it going to be to watch Toronto go out in the first round AGAIN?
Click to expand...


That is why I am counting down the days until the playoffs start. Can't believe I'm rooting for a Boston team but just can't root for the Leafs. We would never hear the end of it even if they won just a round
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wicked Backhand
ZuccsFluffierFluffer said:
That is true, but the Isles are on borrowed time. They're going to get cornhole'd by Pittsburgh if things hold as they are.

The horses don't exist there. Washington can and is more than willing to win dirty - which is what you really need to do to beat Tampa. They don't like being punched in the mouth and until they show me that they can play through that stuff, I'll continue to believe that they can't.

OTOH, how LOL worthy is it going to be to watch Toronto go out in the first round AGAIN?
Click to expand...
Washington also has horses that can score 4 goals on 3 shots. The Islanders would actually need to play well.

Stylistically, I like Boston's matchup against Tampa, but Boston has one line. Bergeron and Marchand will probably be able to kick Kucherov's unit in the face but then Stamkos and Johnson will be running around doing what they want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wicked Backhand
Tampa’s biggest edge over Toronto and most teams in the east is having McDonagh and Hedman to cover 50-55 minutes a game. Who else in the east can do that?
 
Machinehead said:
Washington also has horses that can score 4 goals on 3 shots. The Islanders would actually need to play well.

Stylistically, I like Boston's matchup against Tampa, but Boston has one line. Bergeron and Marchand will probably be able to kick Kucherov's unit in the face but then Stamkos and Johnson will be running around doing what they want.
Click to expand...

Thats kind of the thing though, You're not going to beat Tampa by trading rushes with them, thats what they want.

Washington's ability to finish+make things ugly gives them a chance. Boston could too if certain guys get hot but as you said, the depth likely isn't there.

You saw what the Rangers were able to do to Tampa when they made things ugly, and we have maybe 5 legitimate skaters.

Toronto is a shittier version of Tampa. Maybe the Pens on top of their game can do the same since they have that 4 goals on 3 shots type of talent on that team too but the direction in which they've taken that roster is pretty weird.
 
Speaking of matchups, remember in 2015 when Brassard destroyed Johnson and Johnson destroyed Stepan, and AV was matching Stepan up against Johnson and Cooper was matching Johnson up against Brassard?

The road team dominated that series. The two coaches were two monkeys trying to hump a football.

That's another thing about Tampa -- their coach is nothing special.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Inferno
Edge said:
Healthy McD, on a stacked team where he can play on the second pair also helps.

But it’s also important to remember that the McD deal wasn’t exclusively about what he’d be in 2019, or even 2020. It was also about what he’d be beyond that and how comfortable you are betting on those years.
Click to expand...

Trading Mac was absolutely the right call. I just can't help but think about the "what ifs" from time to time, as fruitless as that exercise may be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wicked Backhand
ZuccsFluffierFluffer said:
Thats kind of the thing though, You're not going to beat Tampa by trading rushes with them, thats what they want.

Washington's ability to finish+make things ugly gives them a chance. Boston could too if certain guys get hot but as you said, the depth likely isn't there.

You saw what the Rangers were able to do to Tampa when they made things ugly, and we have maybe 5 legitimate skaters.

Toronto is a ****tier version of Tampa. Maybe the Pens on top of their game can do the same since they have that 4 goals on 3 shots type of talent on that team too but the direction in which they've taken that roster is pretty weird.
Click to expand...
In a weird way, being a shit possession team might sort of work against Tampa.

Instead of going back and forth, just let them have the puck and figure it out. You're better off.
 
jas said:
Tampa’s biggest edge over Toronto and most teams in the east is having McDonagh and Hedman to cover 50-55 minutes a game. Who else in the east can do that?
Click to expand...

Its funny, we talked about that approach when discussing certain preferences in the upcoming draft, but it really is something that we don’t give nearly enough credit to.

Yes, scoring is important, and center prospects are easy to fall in love with. However, the potential ability to ensure that one of two defenseman is on the ice at all times during an important playoff game is a tremendous advantage.
 
BlackHawks are up. Combine that with a Ranger regulation loss and they’re in 7th. Plus, you’ve got the Devils facing the same teams this week. Both Edmonton and Vancouver could pick up a few points this week and push the Rangers closer to 6th overall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheTakedown and hi
Machinehead said:
In a weird way, being a **** possession team might sort of work against Tampa.

Instead of going back and forth, just let them have the puck and figure it out. You're better off.
Click to expand...

Eh yeah sort of, you don't want to trade chances with them.

But when we basically took their lunch money, we owned them in possession. Like those last 40 minutes were the best 40 minutes this team has played all year, and they couldn't do anything to stop it.

How will they hold up if they face someone who can do that but actually has talent?

Also Vasilevsky is crazy overrated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheTakedown
ZuccsFluffierFluffer said:
Eh yeah sort of, you don't want to trade chances with them.

But when we basically took their lunch money, we owned them in possession. Like those last 40 minutes were the best 40 minutes this team has played all year, and they couldn't do anything to stop it.

How will they hold up if they face someone who can do that but actually has talent?

Also Vasilevsky is crazy overrated.
Click to expand...
That's true, and if anybody else punched them in the face like that, that's probably what would happen.

Washington just doesn't give a shit about having the puck.
 
Like Anaheim had with Pronger and Niedermayer. Beauchemin played about 30 minutes a night too in the playoffs.

I remember one year there were rumors around the deadline that Boston was going to add Pronger to go along with Chara. I think it was before he was traded to Philly.
 
CaptTennille said:
Trading Mac was absolutely the right call. I just can't help but think about the "what ifs" from time to time, as fruitless as that exercise may be.
Click to expand...

I have to admit, mine are tied up in that 2012-2015 range. To this day, I never thought the Kings looked like a champion in that series. I honestly don’t feel the better team won.

But by last year I feel like I was fairly comfortable with what we needed to do. I feel like we probably could’ve pushed forward, but in the end we were only delaying the inevitable.

In a world of letters and TDLs and multiple first round picks, and debates about prospects, there’s an interview Gorton did in 2017 that feels somewhat forgotten.

During that interview he talked about the dreaded middle. That undesirable position of being good enough to maybe sneak into the playoffs, but not good enough to win. You just kind of float there in a hockey pergatory.

In that moment, I think there was that dawning realization that the holes were starting to get bigger, and at some point, that chapter was coming to a close.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JCProdigy, leetch99, Machinehead and 1 other person
Edge said:
I have to admit, mine are tied up in that 2012-2015 range. To this day, I never thought the Kings looked like a champion in that series. I honestly don’t feel the better team won.

But by last year I feel like I was fairly comfortable with what we needed to do. I feel like we probably could’ve pushed forward, but in the end we were only delaying the inevitable.

In a world of letters and TDLs and multiple first round picks, and debates about prospects, there’s an interview Gorton did in 2017 that feels somewhat forgotten.

During that interview he talked about the dreaded middle. That undesirable position of being good enough to maybe sneak into the playoffs, but not good enough to win. You just kind of float there in a hockey pergatory.

In that moment, I think there was that dawning realization that the holes were starting to get bigger, and at some point, that chapter was coming to a close.
Click to expand...

This is where the Minnesota Wild live.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rongomania, TheTakedown and leetch99
Panarin horrible play in final minutes leading directly to Islanders 2-0 goal. Columbus totally throwing their season away right now.
 
NYR94 said:
Like Anaheim had with Pronger and Niedermayer. Beauchemin played about 30 minutes a night too in the playoffs.

I remember one year there were rumors around the deadline that Boston was going to add Pronger to go along with Chara. I think it was before he was traded to Philly.
Click to expand...
That was a formidable trio in Anaheim . I watched all those games that playoff....wife's nephew Ric Jackman was a 7th Dman for them and did see some action and scored in the finals...was quite a thrill watching it . After that trio though they basically were a no name D. We were fortunate to have a Leetch/Zubov duo...and what a duo they were in 94 !!!
 
It's not the NHL, but former Ranger Nigel Dawes led his KHL team in scoring this season with 69 points in 60 games. He's had a nice little career in the KHL over the last several years. I wonder how he'd do in today's NHL if he had managed to stay in the league.
 
PlamsUnlimited said:
Watch Tampa win out and then get torched by the Penguins or something /thread
Click to expand...

Tampa's arrogance has really turned me off, to be honest. Their fans, head coach, players, and the media have all been guilty of this arrogance. A 1st round exit will not only implode their heads, but no one will let them forget it. But it's not going to happen. Would be interesting if it does happen, but not saying I want it to.
 
NYR94 said:
It's not the NHL, but former Ranger Nigel Dawes led his KHL team in scoring this season with 69 points in 60 games. He's had a nice little career in the KHL over the last several years. I wonder how he'd do in today's NHL if he had managed to stay in the league.
Click to expand...

Probably a 50-60 point player
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom