Around the NHL XIV: Game on...

[Proust*]

With this team I don't think it's viable to ever play what if situations with Russian prospects because for whatever reason they never work out with us and we seem to avoid them like the plague in return.
I recall at the draft the conversation here about Tarasenko was whether he'd be a flight risk.

There was a significant chance that Tarasenko would have preferred to play in Russia over a rebuilding team in Ottawa. Even with St. Louis, it was a bit iffy about when/if he would come over.

 

[God Says No]

No Russian.

 

[Six Assets]

Elliott is pretty bad

I disagree

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

I disagree

Elliott is a good-to-great regular season goalie.

He still has to prove that he doesn't fall apart in the playoffs. Last year, he didn't outright suck like he has the years previous.

 

[Quo]

It seems there has been a league-wide exodus of pugilists from rosters everywhere this year. I wonder if that's on purpose. Or maybe I'm just imagining things.

 

[Senscore]

When John Scott isn't in the league anymore then we can have this talk.

 

[Caeldan]

When John Scott isn't in the league anymore then we can have this talk.

Hey now, he's scored a goal this year!

 

[Quo]

I'm asking. No Bissonette, Westgarth, Parros, Orr, Kassian, Stortini, Barch, Rosehill. Something noticeable. Major exception, along with Scott in SJ, are Calgary (Bollig, McGratton, some other guy) and NYI (Carkner, Boulton?). Not counting others that can still take a regular shift. Thorburn in Winnipeg had those pretensions once. Rinaldo in Philly. Neil here. Who else among the real heavies are still kicking? McLaren. The ranks have thinned.

 

[BK201]

Why is the jets game blacked out. I had the impression that was gonna end.

 

[Senscore]

There's definitely been a shift.


There does seem to be less of the staged fights, which I don't think most people are that fond of. However it seems to me that NHL teams are just as hungry as ever for players who can fight but can also contribute defensively or with goal scoring etc.

This will always be an aggressive sport in which fighting is sometimes present. But I agree that the more pure pugilists are being phased out.

Perhaps until some goon team wins the Cup and then we're back to the 70s again.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Feels like a transition phase for goons. The 'pure' goon is disappearing, and now teams are looking more for hybrids...guys who can play for 10 mins a game without hurting the team, who can throw a lot of strong bodychecks and fight. Those are harder to find than pure goons.

 

[HavlatMach9]

teams have always looked for those. it's more about speed and 4 line attack

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

teams have always looked for those. it's more about speed and 4 line attack

Yes, but teams will no longer "settle" for a pure goon anymore just to have the 'goon-slot' filled. They'll take a kid or a guy with skills instead. That wasn't the case a few years ago, when every team had a goon.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

We win in regulation against Detroit and Montreal gets once again humiliated at home

Great night

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Montreal beaten badly once again. The puck luck they had going for them for the first 8-10 games has gone the other way and Price can't save the team's butt every night. I wonder if the media will stop with the "elite team" BS now....

 

[Slow Hands]

Love seeing Montreal get smashed. Hope it continues and they make a panic move of some sort.

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

Love seeing Montreal get smashed. Hope it continues and they make a panic move of some sort.

Love seeing Montreal lose --- not so good for my fantasy team though! Dammit Price!!

That said, it's a good night so far for the Sens.

Montreal loses (badly), Ottawa wins, and Toronto -- well they are down 3-1 (and have only had 7 shots half way through the game)

Calgary with another win tonight too... they have been doing alright

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Love seeing Montreal get smashed. Hope it continues and they make a panic move of some sort.

They'd have to lose many many more games before they make panic moves. They still have a good roster, but they aren't the elite cup contenders people have made them out to be.

 

[Super Cake]

I just noticed that the Jackets are on a 6 game losing streak.

Man has injuries really affected them.

 

[starling]

I just noticed that the Jackets are on a 6 game losing streak.

Man has injuries really affected them.

Perfectly healthy Dallas on a 5-game losing streak. Spezza pointless in 3.

 

[starling]

Sens win. Detroit, Toronto, Montreal lose in regulation. That was a good night.

 

[Six Assets]

Elliott is a good-to-great regular season goalie.

He still has to prove that he doesn't fall apart in the playoffs. Last year, he didn't outright suck like he has the years previous.

lol blues suck during the playoffs, Elliott was decent

 

[God Says No]

Well, the things that saved MTL in the past are not working this year. The power play and Price. They covered up the fact that they are a mediocre team if you removed those two things.

 

[Xspyrit]

Montreal beaten badly once again. The puck luck they had going for them for the first 8-10 games has gone the other way and Price can't save the team's butt every night. I wonder if the media will stop with the "elite team" BS now....

lol really? I have not been really connected with the Habs so far this season, were they really saying that? lol what I was saying is that they're a very mediocre team if Price doesn't stand on his head. Got flamed.

Do you watch some Habs games? lol what would you say if the Sens were being dominated like that most of the time? It's not a question of number of shots. Maybe you still don't see what I'm saying but there's a big disparity in scoring chances and control of the play + possession

Habs are 3-0 in SO... Have a 8-4-1 record (so basically with the ties : 5-5-3) and a -12 differential already. That's the worst differential in the NHL after the Sabres, tied with Edmonton and Arizona.

Look at team stats, they are bottom 5-10 in almost every category. Those are signs of a bad team

http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20152ALLSAAAll&sort=avgGoalsPerGame&viewName=summary

Sens in ()

GF/G : 27th (12)
GA/G : 22nd (12)
5-5 F/A : 23th (17)
PP% : 28th (9)
PK% : 9th (11)
S/GP : 25th (12)
SA/GP : 23th (28)
FO% : 1st (22)

They're good on the PK and face-offs...

 

[sensfan25]

lol really? I have not been really connected with the Habs so far this season, were they really saying that? lol what I was saying is that they're a very mediocre team if Price doesn't stand on his head. Got flamed.

Do you watch some Habs games? lol what would you say if the Sens were being dominated like that most of the time? It's not a question of number of shots. Maybe you still don't see what I'm saying but there's a big disparity in scoring chances and control of the play + possession

Habs are 3-0 in SO... Have a 8-4-1 record (so basically with the ties : 5-5-3) and a -12 differential already. That's the worst differential in the NHL after the Sabres, tied with Edmonton and Arizona.

Look at team stats, they are bottom 5-10 in almost every category. Those are signs of a bad team

http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20152ALLSAAAll&sort=avgGoalsPerGame&viewName=summary

Sens in ()

GF/G : 27th (12)
GA/G : 22nd (12)
5-5 F/A : 23th (17)
PP% : 28th (9)
PK% : 9th (11)
S/GP : 25th (12)
SA/GP : 23th (28)
FO% : 1st (22)

They're good on the PK and face-offs...

The Habs over the past 2 years have had a enormous amount of luck and Price was godly for them. Glad to see them crashing back to earth. Would not doubt the Sabres beating them tomorrow.