It isn’t a guarantee they make the playoffs this year.
I guess it depends on whether Dolan remembers he owns a hockey team of not.
OOT Scoreboard 2022-23
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I guess it depends on whether Dolan remembers he owns a hockey team of not.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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- Aug 24, 2020
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ChicksDigTheTrap
No quick fixes, no cutting corners and no cheating
It seemed clear the Metro would be weak this year. So far playing out as expected. The only team taht appeared to be a playoff lock prior to the season was Carolina
Gotta say I am somewhat impressed with the Coyotes, no they aren't good, but they aren't godawful either, at least not yet. Impressed by their fight, too, would be very easy for them to roll over tonight.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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Basically the Flyers out West, you know they aren't good but they'll absolutely annoy you with how hard they play with said bad roster lol
Eh I'm not sure, a lot of people knew Capitals losing Backstrom would hurt the Caps. A lot of people thought the Rangers would continue where they left off, Flyers are a lot better than they were supposed to be, Islanders also a thorn in the side of teams. Devils have been the true wild card in this entire division.
Eggtimer
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Yup . I just watched Fox’s goal … definition of a lucky goal . He got stuffed trying to dangle but somehow the puck bounced perfectly back to him for a shot from the hash marks . Rags up 2 even though they have generated Jack shit . It’s quite impressive actually how lucky they are
MachoDiablo
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Ah yes, would you look at that, it's every single Rangers game I've watched over the last two years, yet again! "Suck incredibly hard for more than half the game, get bailed out by Igor, magically capitalize on one or two of the only chances we've gotten all game and they just so happen to go in."
As for the Metro as a whole, I still had it pegged as a dangerous division this year, but that's mainly because I was still operating under the assumption that Washington and Pittsburgh would still be good...and before all's said and done they may well be, I just need to see the stake driven into the vampires' hearts before saying otherwise.
I figured the Canes would be on top, the Pens would be next, the Rags would fall back a bit after leaning on too many career years last season, and then the Devils/Caps/Isles would fight for the 4-5 spots; I thought Columbus would be 7th but still be dangerous, and the Flyers would be LOL status. Still think Philly could end up LOL-ing it up if Hart slips at all, but turns out Columbus is really bad, and so far none of Pitt/DC/the Rags look particularly intimidating. Columbus is the only really bad team so far, but so far the overall division outside of NJ/Car/NYI is definitely weaker than last year.
Instead, it's the Atlantic that's the true Death Division this year; strong top half of the division, then the bottom half is largely rebuilding teams that are actually doing a decent job of growing and improving.
As for the Metro as a whole, I still had it pegged as a dangerous division this year, but that's mainly because I was still operating under the assumption that Washington and Pittsburgh would still be good...and before all's said and done they may well be, I just need to see the stake driven into the vampires' hearts before saying otherwise.
I figured the Canes would be on top, the Pens would be next, the Rags would fall back a bit after leaning on too many career years last season, and then the Devils/Caps/Isles would fight for the 4-5 spots; I thought Columbus would be 7th but still be dangerous, and the Flyers would be LOL status. Still think Philly could end up LOL-ing it up if Hart slips at all, but turns out Columbus is really bad, and so far none of Pitt/DC/the Rags look particularly intimidating. Columbus is the only really bad team so far, but so far the overall division outside of NJ/Car/NYI is definitely weaker than last year.
Instead, it's the Atlantic that's the true Death Division this year; strong top half of the division, then the bottom half is largely rebuilding teams that are actually doing a decent job of growing and improving.
Eggtimer
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? I thought the Metro would he a bloodbath , along with a lot of other people .
Rags , Pens , Caps , Hurricanes , Islanders and even Jackets were seen as potential playoff teams . It was us and Flyers fighting for last place according to most predictions
Metro is still a good division. If you want to see a bad division look at the Central division (and lesser extent the Pacific).
ChicksDigTheTrap
No quick fixes, no cutting corners and no cheating
Just to comment about the division, the only team to me that appeared to be a lock for the playoffs was the Canes. I am usually looking for teams with producing players in the prime producing years. Teams like Pitt and Wash are not a surprise to fall off. A team like the Rangers could go either way with the young D and players like Laf and Kakko. IMO it has been a long team since only one Metro team appeared to be a lock because of the question marks the other teams possessed. Just IMO.
- Dec 20, 2018
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The Caps have a ridiculous number of injuries, it’s not just Backstrom.
Orlov is out and he’s their best defenseman. Oshie and Wilson plus a couple of other more minor forwards too.
Three key top six forwards and a top pair defenseman is lot at once.
As a side note Detroit might be better than I thought, despite the two 8 goal shellackings this season, if they don’t sink to the bottom despite injuries. They’re missing Bertuzzi, Vrana, Zadina, Söderblom, Fabbri, plus a couple more random dudes. Lots of injuries (or whatever Vrana is dealing with).
A main board thread did make think how different the Metro would have looked if Carolina had traded for Eichel. Making that upgrade from Kotkaniemi would have given them the one more elite offensive piece they really need.
Orlov is out and he’s their best defenseman. Oshie and Wilson plus a couple of other more minor forwards too.
Three key top six forwards and a top pair defenseman is lot at once.
As a side note Detroit might be better than I thought, despite the two 8 goal shellackings this season, if they don’t sink to the bottom despite injuries. They’re missing Bertuzzi, Vrana, Zadina, Söderblom, Fabbri, plus a couple more random dudes. Lots of injuries (or whatever Vrana is dealing with).
A main board thread did make think how different the Metro would have looked if Carolina had traded for Eichel. Making that upgrade from Kotkaniemi would have given them the one more elite offensive piece they really need.
I don’t think Buffalo was ever going to trade him in the East with the amount time that was left on his contract.
- Dec 20, 2018
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Good point, and I do think they liked Vegas’ package, but if Carolina put together a offer they liked better then they should have taken it.
It doesn’t sound like Carolina stepped up and the Rangers are definitely rumored to have blanched at giving up top assets, so it wasn’t just an Eastern team thing.
MachoDiablo
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As of this point in the season, Columbus is the only truly *bad* team in the East; I still think Philly sucks and it'll show in their record by the end of the year, but they're playing hard enough and Hart is bailing them out enough that you can't take a win against them as automatic. The West, meantime, has a decent array of shitty options, though the Ducks seem ticketed for the basement more than the others.
I will say, seeing some of the teams that were supposed to suck at least being decent or, at minimum, not that bad has been pretty fun. Montreal, Seattle, Winnipeg, Chicago...I know people will say the Devils, too, but I was on the "Devils will at least fight for a playoff spot in '22-'23" train awhile back. Even some crappy teams like San Jose aren't as crappy so far as a lot of prognosticators thought they'd be. Some of those teams are definitely gonna drop off before long, but still, last season had way too many playoff spots sewn up by late November, let's see some chaos reign this year. It's already gotta be weird to a lot of onlookers to see us, Boston, and Vegas out to the best starts, so why not make things more insane as the year wears on?
Speaking of which, meantime, Boston wins again, good Lord.
ChicksDigTheTrap
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I am very surprised. The only thing I could think of is maybe they really hated Cassidy?!?!?
- Dec 20, 2018
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Vegas is doing great with Cassidy. And Dallas is doing great with DeBoer. It’s the Circle of Life.
The Blues look f***ing terrible. I assume they will get better but they are scoring on themselves and are getting to a full Vancouver-level bad now. And you never want to go full Vancouver. (And the best Blues player that’s injured is Scandella.)
The Ducks already have 67 Goals Against and they only played 15 games. That’s 4.47 GA/GP which is some early 1980s Colorado Rookies level shit.
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Eggtimer
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Sheshterkin hurt ? He got run into a little . Went back in but doesn’t look 100%?
Why even take the chance , yank him and rest him but what do I care … play him until his hip and knees explode
Why even take the chance , yank him and rest him but what do I care … play him until his hip and knees explode
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Is Bratt for Gibson overpayment yet?
- Dec 20, 2018
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All trade proposals for Gibson are funny because the guy is signed until doomsday but I actually feel a little sorry for him because he’s under heavy fire. The defense (core, team, coaching, all of it) is horrific. (Admittedly it’s little funny how pissy he probably is about it.)
At least he gets to live in the OC
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