Post-Game Talk: Jets 4 - Habs 2

[DiggerD]

It is interesting how expectations change. Pre-season, the prognosticators had the Jets as a possible Wildcard team, lucky to make the playoffs. People were pushing for a minor rebuild, 'give the youth a shot'. They come out of the gate flying, and now people are pissed if they don't manhandle every team they face. 3 games in 4 days in 3 different cities...."doesn't matter, they should dominate this team!"

 

[DRW204]

It is interesting how expectations change. Pre-season, the prognosticators had the Jets as a possible Wildcard team, lucky to make the playoffs. People were pushing for a minor rebuild, 'give the youth a shot'. They come out of the gate flying, and now people are pissed if they don't manhandle every team they face. 3 games in 4 days in 3 different cities...."doesn't matter, they should dominate this team!"

i think most had the Jets top-3 in their division, they brought back essentially the same team from last season that had them pacing v well prior to the tdl. i think a couple of the stats/analytics-based folks had them near the top of the league (ie Jfresh)

the minor rebuild folks were ppl on here who don't really have a clue. the Jets coming off 100+ pts, with hellebuyck in under contract & in net were never going to go rebuild.

 

[Crocket]

I agree to an extent but I think it also depends are you looking big picture (i.e.) overall style of play and how some teams exploit it vs short term (i.e.) rick Ralph 10 game segments?
Making the playoffs the last few years has raised expectations. Getting tuned up and spit out as they have vs. STL., Vegas and Col in the first round has left some, such as me, perhaps not appreciating that we are lucky to have a playoff team even if they do not play a playoff style or match up well vs certain teams.
It is a marathon not a sprint that I know but I am having trouble not fast forwarding to the playoffs!

It can be complicated because no team can go 82 without injuries and other adversity, so the fact remains; having the best season doesn't always translate to playoff success. We lost to Vegas when a combination of Ehlers, Morrissey and Scheifele were injured. Not taking anything away from the cup champs that year, but we were decimated with injuries in what would have been a tough series anyway.

Right now, Ehlers, Samberg and Scheifele (even though he played) being injured for a time really hurt us. The luck to go 15-1 can't be ignored, 3 OT winners that could've gone either way, a few games we didn't deserve to win. More recently, we lose an OT game, lose a few that we didn't deserve to win, and lose a couple we did. There is so much luck involved. If we don't get that second penalty in the last minute vs Vegas, do we win? Probably.

The point is, the playoffs are a different season and when it starts you hope most of the roster is close to 90% health. And you hope they can still play by the 4th round, most can't. Edmonton came so close last year, game 7 was a last man standing contest more than anything. Guys playing with cracked ribs and sprained joints.

That's why you can't tell me right now with any authority who will win the cup. The season will give you a good idea of who as a good shot, but if you pick the winner, it's just luck.

We have a really good team, we all want to win and see a few holes in the lineup. There are a few teams that were favorites to be winners this year that are fire sales now, NY, Nashville, maybe the Canucks and Oilers. And the Jets, Capitals, and Wild were all supposed to be borderline teams. Hockey is such a dynamic sport with so many moving parts.

Peaking as a team near the end of the season is probably good. The will to win, leadership and luck are all factors.

That's a long way of saying the Jets are winning the cup this year.

 

[Huffer]

Nothing makes me happier than to see Winnipeggers in their Habs or Leafs jersey's going home unhappy.