Around the NHL - Part XLII - (Playoffs Edition)

[Kaapo Cabana]

these games suck but they’re making me feel better about us. Maybe we’re not so far away after all?

I think we can be there with the right tweaks, the balls to make obvious but bold changes (Trouba, Lindgren, Goodrow), and a bit of developmental luck.

If we can replace Trouba, Lindgren, and Goodrow with Jones, one of our homegrown Hartford guys, and maybe a Sean Walker, or a Dylan DeMelo, this team looks a lot better, and clears up major cap space for another good piece.

I kinda want to keep Kakko. I feel like we’re gonna get lowball offers and it would be more worth it to just sign him to his QO and have him in the bottom 6. Extremely unlikely he breaks out at this point, but he’s still a good, defensively responsible player with slight chance of raising his game. He also has some history of playing well with Chytil. Maybe the prospect of him getting pushed out by a rookie makes him raise his game. Of course if somebody wows us with an offer, I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

One of edstrom, Othmann, sykora, berard etc grabbing and holding a spot would be HUGE for us. Perreault coming in the not so distant future. Not to mention cuylle hopefully taking another step, and possibly Rempe. If Rempe can figure out how to stay on his feet, he has the potential to be a very effective player outside of the all the other noise around him.

I know some of you guys don’t like Drury, but I feel like his moves have been mostly positive. Put that with the fact that he made Hartford a competitive team where players can actually develop and thrive has provided us with the luxury of depth and the potential for a sleeper break out player. Seems to happen a few times a year across the league, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, we have the potential to have one do those players. Prucha maybe? But that was smoke, mirrors, and Jagr.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Was he that good? I remember him being just a guy. I definitely don’t remember him having the mean streak he’s shown in this years playoffs, I think he’s taken on that Panther identity

He was solid if unspectacular. More than I can say for Lindgren, Trouba, and Gustafsson for large stretches.

 

[Tob]

The west is a joke. The Oilers are roughly the equivalent of the Caps in the East.

 

[Leonardo87]

That Drai elbow makes Trouba look like a gentle giant. If he doesn’t get at least a game for that, what’s the point of player safety.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

That Drai elbow makes Trouba look like a gentle giant. If he doesn’t get at least a game for that, what’s the point of player safety.

I was stunned he didn’t get a major for that. Clearly intentional, clearly targeting the head, argument for intent to injure. Star treatment though

Speaking of which, McDavid punching Tkachuk square in the face after his breakaway went uncalled, and completely ignored by the broadcasters.

To add, I’m going on 20 years of seeing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin be the dirtiest players on the ice ( except when Matt Cooke played) only to be coddled by the officiating.

I have no beef with McDavid but I hate the star player double standard.

 

[LOFIN]

The west is a joke. The Oilers are roughly the equivalent of the Caps in the East.

The Oilers got a very favourable bracket.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

these games suck but they’re making me feel better about us. Maybe we’re not so far away after all?

I think we can be there with the right tweaks, the balls to make obvious but bold changes (Trouba, Lindgren, Goodrow), and a bit of developmental luck.

If we can replace Trouba, Lindgren, and Goodrow with Jones, one of our homegrown Hartford guys, and maybe a Sean Walker, or a Dylan DeMelo, this team looks a lot better, and clears up major cap space for another good piece.

I kinda want to keep Kakko. I feel like we’re gonna get lowball offers and it would be more worth it to just sign him to his QO and have him in the bottom 6. Extremely unlikely he breaks out at this point, but he’s still a good, defensively responsible player with slight chance of raising his game. He also has some history of playing well with Chytil. Maybe the prospect of him getting pushed out by a rookie makes him raise his game. Of course if somebody wows us with an offer, I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

One of edstrom, Othmann, sykora, berard etc grabbing and holding a spot would be HUGE for us. Perreault coming in the not so distant future. Not to mention cuylle hopefully taking another step, and possibly Rempe. If Rempe can figure out how to stay on his feet, he has the potential to be a very effective player outside of the all the other noise around him.

I know some of you guys don’t like Drury, but I feel like his moves have been mostly positive. Put that with the fact that he made Hartford a competitive team where players can actually develop and thrive has provided us with the luxury of depth and the potential for a sleeper break out player. Seems to happen a few times a year across the league, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, we have the potential to have one do those players. Prucha maybe? But that was smoke, mirrors, and Jagr.

I'm not the least bit worried that this team will be very good again next year. We played this year with Chytil missing most of the year and the corpse of Bonino playing 40 games and AAAA Brodzonski playing the other games. We also had Pitlick in the bottom 6 for a stretch and Wheeler sucked. Fox mixed a month and Kakko 2 months. Yet they managed 114 point regular season and a trip to the ECF. Next year I'm hoping Chytil remains healthy. Edstrom. Rempe, Berard and Othmann fighting for 1 or 2 available spots. Jones getting a shot on D and hopefully getting another top 4 Dman. I also think both Carolina and Florida will have trouble keeping some key players.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

I'm not the least bit worried that this team will be very good again next year. We played this year with Chytil missing most of the year and the corpse of Bonino playing 40 games and AAAA Brodzonski playing the other games. We also had Pitlick in the bottom 6 for a stretch and Wheeler sucked. Fox mixed a month and Kakko 2 months. Yet they managed 114 point regular season and a trip to the ECF. Next year I'm hoping Chytil remains healthy. Edstrom. Rempe, Berard and Othmann fighting for 1 or 2 available spots. Jones getting a shot on D and hopefully getting another top 4 Dman. I also think both Carolina and Florida will have trouble keeping some key players.

Agreed. Barring some crazy unforeseen circumstances, I think a top ten team is our floor.

I would say my biggest concern is Fox’s knee. I don’t want him anywhere near the ice until he’s 100% If he has to miss some games in October/November, so be it.

Kreider, Panarin, and Mika getting a year older is always a concern. Nothing seems imminent with these three, but players do just drop off the face of the earth sometimes.

With the cap increase, and some bad but not unmovable contracts Drury has a wide range of options. He has the potential to make moves that improve the team in both the long and short term.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

Edmonton has zero depth holy shit.

 

[LeetchisGod]

Edmonton has zero depth holy shit.

Outside of their first round picks, their drafting has been horrendous.

 

[FoxyClean]

In the 6 game series against the Rangers, the Panthers only scored 5 goals the entire series that weren't own goals/wild bounces/empty net goals. So far vs. Edmonton, they have already scored 5, in 2 games. Pretty incredible.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

In the 6 game series against the Rangers, the Panthers only scored 5 goals the entire series that weren't own goals/wild bounces/empty net goals. So far vs. Edmonton, they have already scored 5, in 2 games. Pretty incredible.

I mean us being better defensively than the oilers isn’t that surprising. What’s surprising is that our offense was better to this point as well. McDavid was neutered.

 

[machphantom]

I mean us being better defensively than the oilers isn’t that surprising. What’s surprising is that our offense was better to this point as well. McDavid was neutered.

I'm not saying he's on his level but look what Florida did to Panarin... their D on elite forwards is stifling

 

[FoxyClean]

I mean us being better defensively than the oilers isn’t that surprising. What’s surprising is that our offense was better to this point as well. McDavid was neutered.

I fear that Drury will misconstrue how close we got against a dominant team like Florida and not make many (necessary) changes

 

[LionsHeart]

More often times than not the bullies win the cup. It’s just the way it is.

 

[Row I Goon]

I was stunned he didn’t get a major for that. Clearly intentional, clearly targeting the head, argument for intent to injure. Star treatment though

Speaking of which, McDavid punching Tkachuk square in the face after his breakaway went uncalled, and completely ignored by the broadcasters.

To add, I’m going on 20 years of seeing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin be the dirtiest players on the ice ( except when Matt Cooke played) only to be coddled by the officiating.

I have no beef with McDavid but I hate the star player double standard.

McD and Leon are protected species

 

[n8]

Was he that good? I remember him being just a guy. I definitely don’t remember him having the mean streak he’s shown in this years playoffs, I think he’s taken on that Panther identity

He definitely go that Panther snarl that starts with Tkachuk. The commentators spent some time talking about that in game 6 IIRC.

I was stunned he didn’t get a major for that. Clearly intentional, clearly targeting the head, argument for intent to injure. Star treatment though

Speaking of which, McDavid punching Tkachuk square in the face after his breakaway went uncalled, and completely ignored by the broadcasters.

The league should review that elbow. $5000 fine at least. I don't think the league has the balls to suspend Drai

McD got away with a punch but Tkachuk got away with the hook. That really looked like it should have been a penalty shot for McD but the refs are chicken shit to "affect the outcome of the game"

 

[gabevh3]

He definitely go that Panther snarl that starts with Tkachuk. The commentators spent some time talking about that in game 6 IIRC.


The league should review that elbow. $5000 fine at least. I don't think the league has the balls to suspend Drai

McD got away with a punch but Tkachuk got away with the hook. That really looked like it should have been a penalty shot for McD but the refs are chicken shit to "affect the outcome of the game"

They don't mind to affect it when it's against nyr.

 

[Row I Goon]

 

[94leetch]

Dirty hit, but no way the NHL has the balls to suspend him. Barkov oyt gives the Oilers at least a chance, also an Oiler is going to get injured as retaliation.

 

[Row I Goon]

That’s how I feel about the Oilers and that joke of a face of the league

I’m with you. Maybe it’s the tyranny of distance to Oz, but what I see in my social media feed and in any of the regular season NHL “marketing” would make one believe that the league is comprised of maybe 6 teams total despite only having 3 players. The non-stop-on-repeat carousel of McDavid/Bedard/Matthews this year was nauseating.

I might dislike Florida but my hate for all things Edmonton borders on the pathological.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

I fear that Drury will misconstrue how close we got against a dominant team like Florida and not make many (necessary) changes

This team is not close to winning a Stanley Cup. You need to be heavy/be the bully and the NYR are anything but; it was a minor miracle they got to a game 6 of the ECF; getting vastly outplayed in the majority of their playoff games. They are more than tweak or two away from being a top Cup contender.

If Panarin/Zibanejad/Trouba are your leaders, you aren't going anywhere. Kreider has his moments, but is too streaky.

 

[LeetchisGod]

In the 6 game series against the Rangers, the Panthers only scored 5 goals the entire series that weren't own goals/wild bounces/empty net goals. So far vs. Edmonton, they have already scored 5, in 2 games. Pretty incredible.

We have Igor. They have Skinner.

I mean us being better defensively than the oilers isn’t that surprising. What’s surprising is that our offense was better to this point as well. McDavid was neutered.

I don't think that we are. We just have the much better goaltender. Most of our series was Igor being under siege.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I fear that Drury will misconstrue how close we got against a dominant team like Florida and not make many (necessary) changes

I don’t think this is true because at the very least you still need to get through what you lost to.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

"Ha! Just as I really thought!

In my other super secretive and credible bracket - the one where I not only guessed the right team winning, but the goal differentials, number of games in the series, who scored the series winning goal, what they had for breakfast and supper - this is how it's all panning out, as predicted!

Senior Joe! The numbers don't lie!"