League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) - COVID Post-Season Edition

[AussieCapsFan]

As an expat- Canadian who was born in Montreal I should probably be ashamed that they aren't my fav team, haha. It's been years since I wanted them to do well but I'm really cheering for them now.

If it was Caps / Habs in the Cup final I'd still cheer for the Caps, though

 

[kicksavedave]

Elimination game overtime is the best part of the playoffs.

What are the chances a Ryan Reaves scores a big goal here? Oh thats right, he's a playoff scratch... again.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

As an expat- Canadian who was born in Montreal I should probably be ashamed that they aren't my fav team, haha. It's been years since I wanted them to do well but I'm really cheering for them now.

If it was Caps / Habs in the Cup final I'd still cheer for the Caps, though

The first hockey team I cheered for was the Habs. Simple reason was, they were the only game in town. Literally. We had two TV channels. CBC English and CBC French. The Habs were exciting and always on TV.
I switched to the Caps in 1978 and never looked back. Talk about a riches to rags story. Lol. Until 2018, that is.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

More OT magic from the Habs? Shades of 1993 and their 10 OT wins? Stay tuned.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

This is why playoff hockey is the best.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Lol Vegas. Way to go Habs. Montreal has bashed their GM a while now. I wonder if they will continue.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Yay! Habs win! Habs win!

 

[Devil Dancer]

Man I love playoff hockey. Did you see the look on Lehkonen's face when he realized he had scored? Priceless.

 

[kicksavedave]

Way to go Habs.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

Man I love playoff hockey. Did you see the look on Lehkonen's face when he realized he had scored? Priceless.

Vegas was Priceless.

 

[Nice]

This Habs run is so awesome, I'm really pulling for them to win. Love to see a GM that fired up

 

[StrikingDistance]

Hockey is weird.

Patches in the handshake line was endearing.

Habs appear to be a team of destiny this year. Price is being Smythey. Random players stepping up and scoring GWGs. It's cool!

Montreal gonna be hungover tomorrow. hahaha

 

[trick9]

Well done Habs.

Fun fact: We traded our 1st round pick (#26) in 2013 for Troy Brouwer. GMGM stated poor draft as one of the main reasons behind that move. That pick was used to pick... Phillip Danault.

Year later when we missed the Playoffs they reached at #13 to pick Jakub Vrana, passing Dylan Larkin despite obvious need for a center.

 

[AussieCapsFan]

I can't stand Vegas but you have to give them props for their 4 seasons in the league:

Cup finals
Playoffs - 1st round exit
Conference final
Conference final

Having said that, I think it's time we started quietly using the word "chokers"? Dominant regular seasons, very strong early in the playoffs, and then they come up against pressure / pushback and they can't quite get there.

Their offseason will be notable in that they have almost NO cap space. The Pacific division is the weakest in the league so they'll probably make the playoffs but I think a big plummet back to earth is in store for them

 

[ovikovy817]

Allez le Canadien

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Do people still think we should have kept Stephenson? Don’t get me wrong he is a good third center but so is that Eller guy who scored the Stanley cup winning goal.

 

[marcel snapshot]

I’m fine with Eller. But I might trade Kuzy for Stevie, as absurd as that seems. Swap an established 200 foot overachieving center for an established play-in-the-zones-I-feel-like-playing-in underachieving center

 

[marcel snapshot]

Shea Weber in the Cup finals after 16 years in the league

 

[max21]

Shea Weber in the Cup finals after 16 years in the league

They got to feel good about the Subban trade right about now. I’m rooting for them

 

[HecticGlow]

I can't stand Vegas but you have to give them props for their 4 seasons in the league:

Cup finals
Playoffs - 1st round exit
Conference final
Conference final

Having said that, I think it's time we started quietly using the word "chokers"? Dominant regular seasons, very strong early in the playoffs, and then they come up against pressure / pushback and they can't quite get there.

Their offseason will be notable in that they have almost NO cap space. The Pacific division is the weakest in the league so they'll probably make the playoffs but I think a big plummet back to earth is in store for them

They didn’t choke, they got outcoached. This year and last. Losing Gallant was a colossal misstep, but replacing him with DeBoer is inexplicable.

 

[g00n]

Montreal has the Playoff Formula.

• Hot goaltender
• Mix of veterans and young guns
• Role players chipping in
• Guys going all out every shift
• Getting hot as a team at the exact right time, often as a result of rallying from adversity (down 3-1 in Rd1, churning through coaches, etc)

It does feel a little like 93 and Roy, the way Price is playing.

 

[Bieronymus Trotz]

Imagine being so bad that you lose to the Canadiens

 

[maacoshark]

I imagine they're sitting at home playing hockey on their Xboxes in between staring at their phones with a blank look in their eyes. And crying about hurt feelings if anybody criticises them for it.

I don't think that's far from the truth. Society is so much different in today's world. People have gotten lazy.

 

[maacoshark]

Yes they really need to create a bigger playing surface because the game has tightened up so much. It seems to me that with all the shot blocking, screening, and tipping that happens these days
there is WAY less individual highlight reel type goals. Not even goals, just individual scoring opportunities and exciting plays, etc.

Id like to see the playing surface a bit bigger. There just doesn't seem to be enough room.
Fans might not like the game on the bigger playing surface. People think it opens things up but what I have noticed is that teams tend to focus more on defensive play.

 

[twabby]

Id like to see the playing surface a bit bigger. There just doesn't seem to be enough room.
Fans might not like the game on the bigger playing surface. People think it opens things up but what I have noticed is that teams tend to focus more on defensive play.

Yeah I’m with you here. I don’t think bigger ice means the game will be faster or have more offense. I think more space means less chaos, more structure, and more long possessions.