Series Talk: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2024

[SirLoinOfCloth]

I think the black eye on McDavid winning the Smythe is his performance in games 6 and 7. Especially game 7. On the other side, nobody on Florida really stood out. Yeah Barkov was fantastic, but he wasn't all that great to finish either. He was still good defensively, but he had just one point in the final 4 games too. He was a big part of the 3 game slide. Bob lost the Smythe by laying an egg 2 games in a row. I'd get behind Forsling in a big way, but realistically stats matter in this award and that's not his game.

I'm not saying I disagree with this at all, I've seen it mentioned a bunch, McDavid wins despite his poor showing in 2 games, but somehow Bob loses because of his poor showing in 2 games. Seems like a double standard.

Bob was absolutely outstanding apart from a couple of games, especially when he had to outduel Vasi, Swayman, and Shesterkin in the earlier rounds.

 

[RockLobster]

I'm not unhappy that McDavid won, he did have a phenomenal playoffs. I just get tired of what I perceive to be a "Leafs'ing" of him in a lot of conversations that he's not really part of. I could be misinterpreting that though.

Him winning got me wondering, because someone on the ESPN broadcast pointed out that the Conn Smythe is for total playoff performance, not just Cup Final (not like the NBA Finals MVP which is specifically for the Finals); so I wondered about the 2022 run we had.

Now, let me preface that I am NOT saying that Cale Makar was a bad choice, not at all. But just thinking in terms of total playoff performance, I go back to Gabe Landeskog. 22 points in 20 games, playing on what we now know was a bum knee, a knee injury that would go on render him incapable of playing another second of NHL hockey since that Game 6. Scoring the opening goal in the Cup Final, going on to score a total of 5 points in 6 games.

I knew he wasn't going to get it, and again Cale Makar was a more-than-worthy choice, but I'd say by the spirit of the trophy, he put up a hell of a case himself.

 

[henchman21]

I'm not saying I disagree with this at all, I've seen it mentioned a bunch, McDavid wins despite his poor showing in 2 games, but somehow Bob loses because of his poor showing in 2 games. Seems like a double standard.

Bob was absolutely outstanding apart from a couple of games, especially when he had to outduel Vasi, Swayman, and Shesterkin in the earlier rounds.

Bob's margin for error was simply smaller. It simply always is for goalies. Beyon that, McDavid put on an all time playoff performance up to that point. To the realm of only the two best players ever to play had better performances. While Bob had 2 (arguably 3) bad games in the finals and then 2-3 more in the playoffs depending how you define it. If Bob had been JSG/Roy all the way up to those two games and those were his only bad games... then it might have been a let it slide situation (people overlook how bad JSG was on the road in the finals against the Devils that year).

 

[The Abusement Park]

I'm not saying I disagree with this at all, I've seen it mentioned a bunch, McDavid wins despite his poor showing in 2 games, but somehow Bob loses because of his poor showing in 2 games. Seems like a double standard.

Bob was absolutely outstanding apart from a couple of games, especially when he had to outduel Vasi, Swayman, and Shesterkin in the earlier rounds.

I mean Bob was fine these playoffs. But throughout the playoffs he was good not great. He was good enough to win and had a historic start to the series and then a major major collapse. But nothing he did was remotely competitive with what McDavid over the entirety of the playoffs.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

I'm not unhappy that McDavid won, he did have a phenomenal playoffs. I just get tired of what I perceive to be a "Leafs'ing" of him in a lot of conversations that he's not really part of. I could be misinterpreting that though.

Him winning got me wondering, because someone on the ESPN broadcast pointed out that the Conn Smythe is for total playoff performance, not just Cup Final (not like the NBA Finals MVP which is specifically for the Finals); so I wondered about the 2022 run we had.

Now, let me preface that I am NOT saying that Cale Makar was a bad choice, not at all. But just thinking in terms of total playoff performance, I go back to Gabe Landeskog. 22 points in 20 games, playing on what we now know was a bum knee, a knee injury that would go on render him incapable of playing another second of NHL hockey since that Game 6. Scoring the opening goal in the Cup Final, going on to score a total of 5 points in 6 games.

I knew he wasn't going to get it, and again Cale Makar was a more-than-worthy choice, but I'd say by the spirit of the trophy, he put up a hell of a case himself.

It honestly could have gone to any of Makar, Rants, MacK, and Landy, and throw in Nuke too.

The performance of that playoffs for me though, was the Kadri hattrick in St Louis in response to all the shit that was thrown his way by those scumbag fans and that franchise. What a clutch performance. That was a Conn Smythe performance if it was awarded for a single game. What a monster he was.

 

[chet1926]

That’s analogous to saying that regular season individual awards (Hart, Norris, etc) can only go to players who were on the one team that finished #1 in points in the regular season. No one from the other 31 teams deserves an award, because their team didn’t finish #1 overall.

That’s why there are team awards, and individual awards.

The point is the regular season isn't to win, it's to be good enough to make the playoffs for a shot at winning. Any player in the regular season who performs well on a good enough team should be considered for the award.

Once you are in the playoffs the only thing that matters is winning.

 

[Ararana]

Nuke probably should have won the Smythe in 2022, he was by far the Avs best player throughout the postseason. But the NHL isn't going to give it to a Russian over a Canadian golden boy.

 

[henchman21]

Nuke probably should have won the Smythe in 2022, he was by far the Avs best player throughout the postseason. But the NHL isn't going to give it to a Russian over a Canadian golden boy.

Vasi, Ovi, Malkin...

 

[The Abusement Park]

Nuke probably should have won the Smythe in 2022, he was by far the Avs best player throughout the postseason. But the NHL isn't going to give it to a Russian over a Canadian golden boy.

Makar was the clear Smythe winner for our run. Nuke was amazing don’t get me wrong, but Makar had an all time run for a dman.

 

[ABasin]

The point is the regular season isn't to win,

Chet, come on. The point of every single game played, is to win.

 

[henchman21]

Chet, come on. The point of every single game played, is to win.

Bednar likes this.

 

[Ararana]

Vasi, Ovi, Malkin...

Different situations IMO. All those guys didn't have Canadian competition in the years they won. They were clearly better.

Ties go to the Canadian, basically.

 

[RockLobster]

It honestly could have gone to any of Makar, Rants, MacK, and Landy, and throw in Nuke too.

The performance of that playoffs for me though, was the Kadri hattrick in St Louis in response to all the shit that was thrown his way by those scumbag fans and that franchise. What a clutch performance. That was a Conn Smythe performance if it was awarded for a single game. What a monster he was.

I forgot, what clinched it for me in my thought was him blocking that shot that broke his skate blade, and him crawling back to the bench, telling MacK to leave him.

Just a f***ing warrior. Dude didn’t get the CS (and again, not saying Makar was a bad choice at all), but he f***ing LED that team, and he had an all-time Cup moment w/ the hand off to EJ, and then the parade and his shirtless Swedish Adonis moment with his flag around him.


They don’t make ‘em like Gabe Landeskog

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

I forgot, what clinched it for me in my thought was him blocking that shot that broke his skate blade, and him crawling back to the bench, telling MacK to leave him.

Just a f***ing warrior. Dude didn’t get the CS (and again, not saying Makar was a bad choice at all), but he f***ing LED that team, and he had an all-time Cup moment w/ the hand off to EJ, and then the parade and his shirtless Swedish Adonis moment with his flag around him.


They don’t make ‘em like Gabe Landeskog

100% the best captain in the league. And in my biased opinion, its not close. I hope we get to see him return to his prime next season.

 

[henchman21]

Different situations IMO. All those guys didn't have Canadian competition in the years they won. They were clearly better.

Ties go to the Canadian, basically.

With Ovi, Holtby was close to Ovi. I actually think Kuzy was better in that playoffs, but Ovi was the better story. Malkin was better than Crosby, but not by a ton.

 

[Ararana]

With Ovi, Holtby was close to Ovi. I actually think Kuzy was better in that playoffs, but Ovi was the better story. Malkin was better than Crosby, but not by a ton.

That's quite debatable really. But Mitts just signed no time to talk about this

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

I'm not saying I disagree with this at all, I've seen it mentioned a bunch, McDavid wins despite his poor showing in 2 games, but somehow Bob loses because of his poor showing in 2 games. Seems like a double standard.

Bob was absolutely outstanding apart from a couple of games, especially when he had to outduel Vasi, Swayman, and Shesterkin in the earlier rounds.

Two bad games from Bob can bring a 930 save percentage to a 900.

If McDavid lost 3 assists for every two bad games he wouldn't have won the Conn Smythe either.

Always makes me wonder why we use averaging stats for goalies but counting stats for players.

If a goalie puts up three great games and only let's in 1 goal each game but follows up with a stinker for the fourth game he'll have a pretty bad save percentage. But a goalie who gives you the best odds of winning three out of each four games is MVP level.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

lads, I've done a lot of thinking and have concluded this loss falls 100% on the shoulders of the Oilers fanbase. Never once did they suspend their purchases of tickets and team laundry during multiple eras of wholesale incompetence. Imagine if the Avalanche had hired Ken Holland or traded Hall & Eberle or signed Jack Campbell or extended Darnell Nurse; our resolute, handsome fans would have immediately stopped the gravy train and demanded change. Edmontonians have never wanted a Stanley Cup, they have only wanted the superstars of the 80s to have power over the team, and now the chickens have come home to roost.

 

[hockeyfish]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1805620099102945455

No way the cup survives South Beach.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1805620099102945455

No way the cup survives South Beach.

 

[Chiarelli]

Tom Wilson was the most impactful player in the 2018 Caps run don't @ me

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[S E P H]

Oh f*** off Clark. Always one idiot trying to outsmart everyone.

You can present a very good argument that if Bobrovsky lost the CS in games 4 through 6, McDavid lost it in games 6 and 7...Thus, Barkov should have been CS.

 

[S E P H]

One thing I will say: Knoblauch deserves massive credit for taking that flawed, top-heavy roster and getting it to 15 wins. He managed to get McDrai to play defense, got a ton of buy-in from his skaters, and almost managed to outfox Paul Maurice and crack the best defensive team in the league. Exceptional special teams, too. Very few coaches could have done so much with so little in such a short time.

The biggest losers aren't the Oilers, but the Rags allowing him to leave/not hiring him sooner. Joke of an organisation.

 

[RECKLESS]

As a Finn this Florida win feels so good. Woke up before 3 f***ing AM to cheer for our guys, and for all the shit Bettman deserves, I'm glad he brought the main thing up before handing the cup to Barkov! FROM FINLAND MOFOS

The boy bread and brewed by my home town team Luostarinen made the block of a lifetime at the end minutes in a sequence where Bob was already on his back and the net wide open.

I actually cried tears of joy this morning watching them raise the cup. Outside of the Avs and the Finnish national team this was the first other one (as my home town team KalPa never won anything). Cheers forever for that Cats!