Around the NHL: Part XX

[DutchShamrock]

The playoff format is straight trash. Nothing new, but it sucks.

Basically the only team that can knock Toronto out of playoff qualification is Florida. Because Carolina and the rangers are in the other division, we can pass them and still miss with Toronto sitting 10 in the conference and playing.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Minnesota manages to hang on. The Blue Jackets man.. got to give them credit. They just won't die.

Torts has been great

 

[Maximus]

Torts has been great

I said a little bit after the new year that the voting for the Jack Adams should end than and that Torts should be given the award already as why waste time in Vegas after the season when the awards are given out?

Never thought this when he was coaching here but I certainly do now...Torts is heading to the HOF when all is said and done.

Maybe there has been better but the job he has done with that injury ravaged club in Columbus to keep them in playoff contention, has been nothing short of sensational as it might be one of the greater coaching jobs I've ever observed from a far maybe ever!

The guy can coach no two ways about it. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I've not had a thought or two or even three about Torts possibly coming back here a year or two from now, if for some reason Quinn didn't finish the job he came here to do or if things god forbid went astray or off course a bit...just sayin!!

With JD in charge and the relationship he has had with Torts coupled with the fact JD wasn't the one who hired Quinn, I'm not saying I want this to happen at all as I like the job Quinn has done here quite a bit, but one can't dismiss the possibility of Torts coming back as totally far fetched either...hmmm!

 

[nyrage]

Looks like Muzzin is out for a while. Not good news for Toronto

 

[NYSPORTS]

I said a little bit after the new year that the voting for the Jack Adams should end than and that Torts should be given the award already as why waste time in Vegas after the season when the awards are given out?

Never thought this when he was coaching here but I certainly do now...Torts is heading to the HOF when all is said and done.

Maybe there has been better but the job he has done with that injury ravaged club in Columbus to keep them in playoff contention, has been nothing short of sensational as it might be one of the greater coaching jobs I've ever observed from a far maybe ever!

The guy can coach no two ways about it. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I've not had a thought or two or even three about Torts possibly coming back here a year or two from now, if for some reason Quinn didn't finish the job he came here to do or if things god forbid went astray or off course a bit...just sayin!!

With JD in charge and the relationship he has had with Torts coupled with the fact JD wasn't the one who hired Quinn, I'm not saying I want this to happen at all as I like the job Quinn has done here quite a bit, but one can't dismiss the possibility of Torts coming back as totally far fetched either...hmmm!

I said it about a month ago, fast forward and don’t be surprised if Tortorella returns. J.D. knows him well and I believe a lot of fans liked him a lot (despite those who shiat in him on the way out)

+1

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Looks like Muzzin is out for a while. Not good news for Toronto

Good news for us.

Hope leafs and canes lose out the rest of the season.

 

[Maximus]

I said it about a month ago, fast forward and don’t be surprised if Tortorella returns. J.D. knows him well and I believe a lot of fans liked him a lot (despite those who shiat in him on the way out)

+1

Ya see brilliant minds do think alike as once again another example of it on display....lol

In all seriousness, I don’t want it too happen seeing if Quinn was canned that means something likely went amiss with the trajectory of the team.

But if it meant Torts coming back for a 2nd kick at the can here maybe to finish the job, I’m pretty sure most of us here would be on board with that. He’d likely not have the 5 goalie strategy in place like he did here seeing this Ranger edition is much more skilled than those Ranger teams Torts coached.

We’ll see how it plays out but man the job he’s done in Columbus has simply been phenomenal.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Ya see brilliant minds do think alike as once again another example of it on display....lol

In all seriousness, I don’t want it too happen seeing if Quinn was canned that means something likely went amiss with the trajectory of the team.

But if it meant Torts coming back for a 2nd kick at the can here maybe to finish the job, I’m pretty sure most of us here would be on board with that. He’d likely not have the 5 goalie strategy in place like he did here seeing this Ranger edition is much more skilled than those Ranger teams Torts coached.

We’ll see how it plays out but man the job he’s done in Columbus has simply been phenomenal.

I think Torts is a good coach, but lets keep moving forward.

I think it would be too big of a distraction.

 

[Maximus]

I think Torts is a good coach, but lets keep moving forward.

I think it would be too big of a distraction.

Not sure I agree with you here. Torts seems to have mellowed quite a bit with age. He's still an emotional guy but he doesn't seem to be as pissed off all the time like he used too. So not sure why he'd be such a big distraction.

Anyways, it's very likely is not going to happen but we can't dismiss the possibility that will NEVER happen tho either.

Tho Quinn is pretty good in his pressers, no one does pressers like Torts and I for one would love to see Uncle Larry and Torts kiss and make up and sing kumbaya with one another if he ever came back here(yeah right like that would ever happen)...lol

 

[Cmox]

I love/loved torts but aren’t their injury woes mostly attributed to his style preference? Didn’t the rangers have the same issue during his tenor?

 

[Tawnos]

The playoff format is straight trash. Nothing new, but it sucks.

Basically the only team that can knock Toronto out of playoff qualification is Florida. Because Carolina and the rangers are in the other division, we can pass them and still miss with Toronto sitting 10 in the conference and playing.

This is only kind of true. Florida would have to pass Toronto to make them eligible to be knocked out, but there's still a good chance that Toronto ultimately gets knocked out completely by a Metro team. But this current setup gives the Rangers more opportunity than if we went straight divisional format, which is honestly what I'd rather have.

I still say the best format is having the 4-5 seeds in each division play a best of 3 to determine who plays the division leader in a best of 5. The 2 and 3 seeds still play a best of 7. Slightly complex, but at least it's less complex than what MLB wants to do. Really emphasizes the importance of leading the division in the regular season, and pits the teams with the most similar schedules against each other, which conference playoffs do not do. I'd consider moving the 3rd round to a league-wide re-seed in that setup.

 

[ncmike]

I kinda feel bad for Skjei on a personal level

I'd be fuming if I woke up one day living in NYC and later that day found out I'm being forced to move to Raleigh

Nothing wrong down here. I moved down here from LI 12 years ago and you wouldn’t get me to move back. Its really nice down here. Great place to raise kids. Lots of sports and activities.

 

[NYR Viper]

Good news for us.

Hope leafs and canes lose out the rest of the season.

With no Muzzin or Reilly they are going to really struggle on the defensive end. I could see them going on a bit of a slide

 

[darko]

With no Muzzin or Reilly they are going to really struggle on the defensive end. I could see them going on a bit of a slide

One can only hope.

 

[DutchShamrock]

This is only kind of true. Florida would have to pass Toronto to make them eligible to be knocked out, but there's still a good chance that Toronto ultimately gets knocked out completely by a Metro team. But this current setup gives the Rangers more opportunity than if we went straight divisional format, which is honestly what I'd rather have.

I still say the best format is having the 4-5 seeds in each division play a best of 3 to determine who plays the division leader in a best of 5. The 2 and 3 seeds still play a best of 7. Slightly complex, but at least it's less complex than what MLB wants to do. Really emphasizes the importance of leading the division in the regular season, and pits the teams with the most similar schedules against each other, which conference playoffs do not do. I'd consider moving the 3rd round to a league-wide re-seed in that setup.

You're right. Technically Toronto can be knocked into the wildcard and then bounced out. I guess I was lamenting the fact that they are safe as a 10 seed so long as they stay top 3 division. Like the old 3 division format and non-playoff teams getting home ice.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Nothing wrong down here. I moved down here from LI 12 years ago and you wouldn’t get me to move back. Its really nice down here. Great place to raise kids. Lots of sports and activities.

Yeah, I see no issue getting away from the Northeast and heading down to that area.

 

[Edge]

Let's not pretend that NYC is some sort of paradise that no other city compares to

It's a nice city, and it has it's qualities but the way some people go on about it, you'd think every other city is a dump and people shit gold in NYC

This is true.

Though, in fairness, we're talking about Raleigh, which doesn't tend to be a location that most people proclaim, "Yeah, that's the spot I am gunning for!"

 

[Rangers ftw]

Looks like Muzzin is out for a while. Not good news for Toronto

Couldn’t have happened to a nicer fan base.

 

[NYR94]

Looks like Muzzin is out for a while. Not good news for Toronto

How different would the trade deadline have been for Toronto if he got hurt before the deadline and not after?

 

[shello]

I used to not mind the Toronto fan base but these past couple years (aka when they've started to win) it's just become unbearable. I pay attention to the league as a whole but mainly Montreal + NYR so there's no reason I should know Toronto's 4th line centre...But I do!

 

[NYR94]

 

[Fugazy]

Swag.

 

[Tossed Medal]

I said it about a month ago, fast forward and don’t be surprised if Tortorella returns. J.D. knows him well and I believe a lot of fans liked him a lot (despite those who shiat in him on the way out)

+1

You want Torte to turn Panarin , Zib , Fox snd every other player into shot blocking shooter tutors ?? No thanks . I want him nowhere near this roster . He kills players . Hes effective but hasn’t won a cup since a stacked lineup in Tampa . If this is your rationale might as well bring AV back after all he’s got the Flyers playing great as well . .

 

[PuckLuck3043]

The playoff format is straight trash. Nothing new, but it sucks.

Basically the only team that can knock Toronto out of playoff qualification is Florida. Because Carolina and the rangers are in the other division, we can pass them and still miss with Toronto sitting 10 in the conference and playing.

It does suck for sure. Just go back to top 8 teams in the conference. Teams should not be penalized because they play in a tough division.

 

[NYR94]

It does suck for sure. Just go back to top 8 teams in the conference. Teams should not be penalized because they play in a tough division.

Exactly. The system is a mess. TB could finish with the best record in the NHL and are currently the favorite to win the Stanley Cup according to many.

Their reward under this playoff format? A likely 2nd round matchup (assuming no upsets in the first round) against the Bruins, who might be the 2nd best team in the NHL. No way should the 2 best teams in the NHL be facing each other in the 2nd round.

Meanwhile if Vegas wins the Pacific and gets to the 2nd round, they're probably looking at a team like Vancouver or Edmonton.