Around The NHL: Part XXXI

[KirkAlbuquerque]

im surprised that signing a bunch of 4th liners didn't fix the Oilers issues

 

[LokiDog]

im surprised that signing a bunch of 4th liners didn't fix the Oilers issues

The best PP in the league and franchise history added Tyson Barrie though. Obviously offense was the problem.

 

[Edge]

@Edge was right about Joel Farabee and I was wrong.

What an animal.

He’s such a fun player to watch.

And it pains me that he’s a Flyer.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I forget her name but every time I listen this color commentator I want to put an ice pick through my head. She sounds like a robot.

 

[Synergy27]

He’s such a fun player to watch.

And it pains me that he’s a Flyer.

The motor on that line. Love the kid.

 

[JimmyG89]

Obviously the division is the most important thing this season and watching that Flyers/Pens game last night didn't show me teams that are far and away better than the Rangers.

The Flyers bled chances and shots and were an opportunistic offense. Hart is going to have to bail them out of a bunch of games if they play like that. The Penguins just don't have the defense or goalie to make a difference IMO. Jarry and DeSmith as your two goalies is not going to end well.

The Flyers are probably going to get in. The Penguins I don't think come close. There is a chance that Buffalo is better than that team. They gave Minnesota their pick this year and that might have been a mistake, but it's good for us.

 

[Larrybiv]

Blackhawks are gonna be bad for quite some time. If I was them I’d look to ship Kane out ASAP and get a high price.

Their fans would freak out, but any "Real B.H. fan" would realize that is exactly what they need to do. Add to some of the good young kids they have. Would be a better timeline for them to get their act together. Kane isnt enough, and it obviously isnt working well.

 

[Larrybiv]

I probably agree, although they still can do this. CBJ got Jones for Johansen, we got Trouba for jackshit. I wonder which defenseman would be available for Marner/Nylander.

As much as I like Smith, I'd be willing to part ways, AND I will also throw in JJ, just to be fair, for either one.

 

[Larrybiv]

I would not be surprised to see Chicago finish in the bottom 3 of the league

They will.

 

[Larrybiv]

Watching guys tonight like Suzuki and Thomas it’s time for Chytil to really make an imprint on this team.

He will.

 

[Larrybiv]

Just had to laugh. Anyone see the only goal Vasilevskiy gave up? That puck seemingly deflected in 4 different directions before entering the goal and probably the craziest deflection I had ever seen. To lose a shutout in that manner, well if it had happened to Hank, I would've cried for him, but I digress. Haha.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Wow a ton of games tonight

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Their fans would freak out, but any "Real B.H. fan" would realize that is exactly what they need to do. Add to some of the good young kids they have. Would be a better timeline for them to get their act together. Kane isnt enough, and it obviously isnt working well.

I’d love to see Kane get out of there but no one can afford to take on that contract, he’s stuck there

 

[JimmyG89]

I’d love to see Kane get out of there but no one can afford to take on that contract, he’s stuck there

I think before all is said and done, he'll be on the Sabres and return home.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Auston Matthews had ELEVEN scoring chances yesterday

 

[Kovalev27]

I think the East division is being buoyed by reputation more than reality.

the penguins are not better top to bottom than the Rangers. No way. They have Crosby and Malkin like they’ve had for ever yes. But we’ve got two guys that put up those numbers too now.

the Bruins just lost their top defense pair. Kids have to step in for Krug and Chara. Pasta is not avail to start Marchand is on the mend. They don’t have any depth at forward. Certainly not three lines that can score. They’re structure is the advantage over us.

Caps are good but again relying on reputation more than anything. I’ve touched on that roster. And Samsonov is a swimmer. He needs to prove he can settle in. Not anywhere near as polished as shesterkin or sorokin frankly.

isles have to grind their way thru because they don’t have the talent. Let’s not forget they were a fringe playoff team that did nothing to get better. Lost Toews too.

Sabres and devils no

the flyers are the ones that I believe are better than us right now. AV will have them near or at the top of the division

 

[Larrybiv]

I’d love to see Kane get out of there but no one can afford to take on that contract, he’s stuck there

They could pay half, and probably get a 1st and at least a 2nd. Then again, would that make any "real" sense? I dunno.

 

[Larrybiv]

I think the East division is being buoyed by reputation more than reality.

the penguins are not better top to bottom than the Rangers. No way. They have Crosby and Malkin like they’ve had for ever yes. But we’ve got two guys that put up those numbers too now.

the Bruins just lost their top defense pair. Kids have to step in for Krug and Chara. Pasta is not avail to start Marchand is on the mend. They don’t have any depth at forward. Certainly not three lines that can score. They’re structure is the advantage over us.

Caps are good but again relying on reputation more than anything. I’ve touched on that roster. And Samsonov is a swimmer. He needs to prove he can settle in. Not anywhere near as polished as shesterkin or sorokin frankly.

isles have to grind their way thru because they don’t have the talent. Let’s not forget they were a fringe playoff team that did nothing to get better. Lost Toews too.

Sabres and devils no

the flyers are the ones that I believe are better than us right now. AV will have them near or at the top of the division

Agree. Yeah, dont look now (but yeah, peek) our Rangers are probably THE most talented in the division. Just have to get Boston's structure, and Washington's PP. Our kids progressing with a "surprise" here and there (Gauthier & Chytil, I am looking at you) and we could be right behind Philly, Caps and probably Boston. Happy to see Carolina gone, because I would have thought they were a lock for division.

 

[TheDirtyH]

I think the East division is being buoyed by reputation more than reality.

the penguins are not better top to bottom than the Rangers. No way. They have Crosby and Malkin like they’ve had for ever yes. But we’ve got two guys that put up those numbers too now.

the Bruins just lost their top defense pair. Kids have to step in for Krug and Chara. Pasta is not avail to start Marchand is on the mend. They don’t have any depth at forward. Certainly not three lines that can score. They’re structure is the advantage over us.

Caps are good but again relying on reputation more than anything. I’ve touched on that roster. And Samsonov is a swimmer. He needs to prove he can settle in. Not anywhere near as polished as shesterkin or sorokin frankly.

isles have to grind their way thru because they don’t have the talent. Let’s not forget they were a fringe playoff team that did nothing to get better. Lost Toews too.

Sabres and devils no

the flyers are the ones that I believe are better than us right now. AV will have them near or at the top of the division

The Rangers are a team full of uncertainty. We have no idea what they'll be and they have the potential to be the best team in the division or the worst.

The Penguins have a very solid and underrated blueline. Matheson and Ceci were dumb adds, but I think at least Matheson will do the penguins thing and figure it out. They also have really solid depth up front. We don't even have an NHL 4th line...

The Bruins will get Marchand back, and they play with so much structure, with an elite tandem in net, that their defense-corp will still be good. McAvoy is as good a young defenseman as there is in the league, as valuable as Heiskenen though overshadowed to this point. Bruins added Kase and C. Smith to bolster their stars. They're not going anywhere.

The Capitals are still a heavy team that can score a ton of goals. I don't know for sure where they'll land, but if Kuznetsov can rebound for them they'll be a top team in the league.

The Islanders are the exact opposite of us: low cieling, low floor. If their healthy, they'll get points because they'll roll their lines and shut down close games.

The Sabres and Devils are a lot more like the Rangers rn. Lots of uncertainty and thus also some potential. Sabres will sink or swim based on Ullstrom -- not a strong gamble to make on their end. And the Devils will be hurt by injuries so they're probably the basement.

The Rangers last season had a surprisingly good year, but that was with huge, career seasons from Zibanejad and Panarin. If Panarin isn't MVP level and Zibanejad isn't scoring at a 40+ pace, where are we? We have two goalies who we expect to be good but who have like 89 gp between them. We are counting on breakout performances from at least 3 top nine forwards and one top 4 defenseman. It could very well happen. Also, none of it could and we could easily wind up in the kiddie pool with the Devils. JMHO

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I wasn’t thrilled about taking Farabee at 9 that draft and looking back on it I was 1000% wrong

Kravstov may turn into something yet but Farabee is very good today and he’s still so young

 

[TheBloodyNine]

The Penguins have a very solid and underrated blueline. Matheson and Ceci were dumb adds, but I think at least Matheson will do the penguins thing and figure it out. They also have really solid depth up front. We don't even have an NHL 4th line...

You didn’t happen to watch that solid and underrated blueline last night did you?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

in miscellaneous news, Don LaGreca's podcast is back! I'm almost more hyped about that than the new season lol

 

[TheDirtyH]

You didn’t happen to watch that solid and underrated blueline last night did you?

You mean the first professional hockey game played in North America since September? I did.

 

[NYSPORTS]

the flyers are the ones that I believe are better than us right now. AV will have them near or at the top of the division

Flyers were beating everybody last year and i was surprised how the flopped after the break and into the playoffs.

i too believe they are ahead of the Rangers. They looked really good and more mature than the Rangers last season IMO. Rangers may have matured and we'll see how they matchup. Thinking the Rangers need at least a year or two longer to develop these kids.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

You mean the first professional hockey game played in North America since September? I did.

"They're rusty" isn't gonna explain away the deficiencies of that defense.