Your unpopular playoff retrospective opinion

[snipes]

Respect in the handshake line counts for something.

- Sheldon Keefe somewhere

 

[Leksand]

Phil Kessel was the worst self promoter of any of the top forwards of his era. His whole career people were complaining about his attitude and reluctance to really talk to the media or just... you know... care. About anything.

Look back at his career it's clear he was very productive as a skill forward but it seems like nearly his whole career Kessel just... drifted along, slipping through the cracks and perfectly happy to let someone else claim the credit.

Honestly curious what you’re saying here. “Phil Kessel was the worst self promoter” and “perfectly happy to let someone else claim the credit.”

Sounds contradictory

 

[Satoru Gojo]

Crosby shouldn't have won the Conn Smythe in 2016

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Goaltending was the biggest reason for the Sharks’ playoff failures. More so than Thornton and/or Marleau

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The Caps management greatly overreacted to their loss in 2010. Halak in that series was as good as any goaltender I’ve ever seen in the playoffs.

The subsequent shift to a defensive mindset cost them a better chance at the Cup IMO.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Nah, that’s not an unpopular take, just an incorrect one. Habs were a poor team propped up by good team structure and great goaltending.

2021 version of:
Chiarot-Weber
Edmunson-Petry
Romanov-Kulak
Can compete with any defensive corps but the very elite ones

Suzuki, Danault, Caufield, Toffoli, Lehkonen, Perry
While not elite, is still deep

And with good structure like you said, and Carey Price playing out of his goddamn mind, is a solid (and underrated) team

 

[rypper]

If you don't want your fingers to get bit perhaps you shouldn't stick them in someone's mouth. A thought.

 

[Avsfan1921]

2021 version of:
Chiarot-Weber
Edmunson-Petry
Romanov-Kulak
Can compete with any defensive corps but the very elite ones

Suzuki, Danault, Caufield, Toffoli, Lehkonen, Perry
While not elite, is still deep

And with good structure like you said, and Carey Price playing out of his goddamn mind, is a solid (and underrated) team

You can find a handful of good players on any team in the league. They were the weakest team to represent in the Stanley cup finals since Edmonton at the least. Funny enough, goaltending and team structure are what got them there as well. Not underrated, lucky to get where they got.

 

[Bouboumaster]

You can find a handful of good players on any team in the league. They were the weakest team to represent in the Stanley cup finals since Edmonton at the least. Funny enough, goaltending and team structure are what got them there as well. Not underrated, lucky to get where they got.

There was absolutly no luck involved in the success of this team

 

[Lshap]

There was absolutly no luck involved in the success of this team

Correct.

Much easier to use meaningless words like "Lucky" than give a team its due. Unless pucks bounce off the refs ass into the net, you cannot luck your way into the playoffs and all the way to the SCF.

The 2020/21 Habs team was a strong one-off roster. Totally unsustainable, but legit for that season once the key players came back from injury.

 

[SImpelton]

Honestly curious what you’re saying here. “Phil Kessel was the worst self promoter” and “perfectly happy to let someone else claim the credit.”

Sounds contradictory

Then you didn't read it very skillfully. There is no contradiction here.

 

[frisco]

Winning a bunch of playoff OT games in a row (see 1993 Canadiens) is more a factor of luck than skill.

My Best-Carey

 

[Avsfan1921]

The 2020/21 Habs team was a strong one-off roster. Totally unsustainable, but legit for that season once the key players came back from injury.

When you directly use the phrase “Totally unsustainable” yet think they weren’t lucky

 

[canadianmagpie]

If Game 7 was called like the rest of the series, Tampa would have beaten Boston in 2011.

Also I need to circle back to this because it's bothering me



Dude. if it was a split second decision that split second happened a good TWO SECONDS AFTER HORTON RELEASED THE PUCK.

Nevermind the fact that Rome LEFT HIS FEET to deliver the hit.

Nevermind the fact that Rome was looking right at Horton the whole way into the hit so there's no way to claim he somehoow didn't see Horton right in front of him.

Nevermind that Rome left his defensive position and gave up a shot on goal by Lucic in making the hit at all

Never even mind that Rome had to CHANGE DIRECTION to make the hit in the first place.

Nor even the fact that Rome changed direction AFTER Horton was in the motion to release the pass.



no I'm sure it was all just fine.

This made me take all that you said with a grain of salt. Even with the video you showed, the game clock goes from 11:07 when he passed the puck to 11:07 when Rome first makes contact. Slow the video to .25 speed and you'll see it plain as day. Even in the suspension video, they admit the only thing that was against the rule was that it was considered a late hit as they considered a late hit to be more than .5 seconds. Nothing that Rome did warranted the harshest suspension in the history of the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

[Leksand]

Then you didn't read it very skillfully. There is no contradiction here.

Thank you!

 

[Lshap]

When you directly use the phrase “Totally unsustainable” yet think they weren’t lucky

The Habs' 2020/21 roster was unsustainable because key players left in 2021/22. That has nothing whatsoever to do with luck. Calling the 2020/21 roster "Lucky" is uninformed.

 

[Avsfan1921]

The Habs' 2020/21 roster was unsustainable because key players left in 2021/22. That has nothing whatsoever to do with luck. Calling the 2020/21 roster "Lucky" is uninformed.

Price left (THE key piece in that run) and with him, hopes of a world class goalie getting hot at the right time. They finished the regular season with 8 more losses than wins, they were not a very good team. They rode goaltending and team defense as far as they could (props to them for that) and were down 3-1 in the first round. Lucky is a pretty apt description.

 

[Planetov]

View attachment 865597




Ok, absolutely don’t buy the Rome aspect, that’s a split-second decision, but as long as you agree Marchand should have been suspended for licking people. Because that’s f***ing gross and weird. Seriously, I view it as pretty unprofessional that nhl didn’t suspend for that, other leagues would have.

My unpopular one, or rather the conspiracy theory I’ve finalized- Evgeny Kuznetsov deserved the conn smythe in ‘18, and bitterness over it made him underperform and leave Washington. That, and disliking Ovi.

Seriously, add those two parts together and it makes so much sense. 1) you stepped up and played incredibly, and it just got added to Ovi’s accomplishments. 2) Cool, yay, cup, Kuz still played well the next year.. but it became so clear Ovi was the only one people cared about, no one gave Kuzy much credit, they’re assumed to be buddies because same country but that’s no guarantee.. then political stuff happens and who knows where they are, and Kuzy is the bad drug man after that video.. just feels like he didn’t really like Ovi, or he wouldn’t have wanted a trade. And I think it would have potentially been fine if Kuzy’s incredible postseason didn’t just feed Ovi’s legend, but instead it’s all Ovi always, and I think Kuzy was just supposed to play quieter Batman to a dude he mighta disliked for whatever reason. Seems silly, but I honestly wonder if that’s why Kuz sucked for 2 years. Stuck in a job he hates, he wanted out long ago, not sure why Caps didn’t do it earlier.

 

[Avs2022]

Joel wards game 7 overtime goal in 2012 against the Bruins was Goaltender interference.

I agree. This goal popped up in my youtube recommendations a couple weeks ago, and I thought if they had review, this one was coming back for sure.

 

[Osakahaus]

A few ones that I want to discuss. Some may be general opinions, others are just me rambling on.

I feel like a lot of people forget how dominant that 2017 Predators team was down Kevin Fiala at times. They handled a very tough set of teams just to make the finals, and they lost from a Hornqvist puck that sneaks past Rinne. That team alone deserves a ton of credit.

2020 was still one of the toughest finals out there, and I still think it was absolutely unfair that the islanders had to fly straight to Edmonton and have just two days after Game 7's win against the Flyers. Speaking of the Flyers, I think that entire series was proof that Hart was a legit star goalie. Now we will never know because of...that stuff. As for Tampa, I think the bubble team was slightly tougher than the one in 2021. It just felt unfair to go up against that squad. What bothers me more about 2020 is that we really got robbed of an Avalanche run. That team just got so broken down in the end, especially in net. Hutchinson being the 3rd string guy just ended any cup ambitions for that Avalanche team.

Whenever I hear Rangers fans talk about 2022, I feel like they ignored how awful Shesterkin was against the Penguins and just how dependent on the power play that team was. Go look at the Carolina series, it was arguably one of the most lopsided series in terms of 5v5 play. I hate the Hurricanes but there was so much bullshit involved that gave the Rangers a win, notably Antti Raanta being unable to save a muffin shot by Motte in game 6. Can we also stop with the Chytil goal in game 7? It made it 5-1. Never have I seen people post a statpad moment so much for any sport than that one specific goal.

Cale Makar bursting onto the scene in 2019 was the biggest reason why the Flames lost in 2019. That team had no answers once he came into play IMO. I also feel like the Sharks winning that series against Vegas was crucial for the Blues winning the stanley cup that year. In no way do I think the Blues win in 2019 had the Knights won that series.

John Tavares was easily one of the most clutch players when he was on the islanders, while his move to Toronto has seen him gradually lose his clutch factor. His 2023 goal against Tampa feels meh compared to the sheer effort he put in to winning against Florida. Side note: that 2016 Panthers team was absurd for having Jagr and Luongo play out of their minds as players over 35+

 

[Osakahaus]

Say what you want about Buffalo, but the Roloson excuse falls flat. Markkanen actually performed well, giving up 2 goals or less in 4 of the 6 games.

More importantly, the Oilers really struggled to score for chunks of the series. 3 GF total in Games 2-4. 1 GF in Game 7. Playing more conservatively to insulate the goalie wouldn't explain the collapse of their PP, going from 19.8% in Rounds 1-3 to a trash 11.1% in the Finals.

Carolina was on the other side of the goalie injury narrative (No Andersen vs. the Rangers in 2022). I don't buy that one either; you have to score to win games. Cinderella’s feet got swollen in the end.

Really the Oilers died because of game 1. Just a brutal mistake by Conklin. All you can do is just shrug. The Sabres excuse is pretty much the most true statement out there, espcially when they were up what, 2-1 going into the third period?

 

[Lshap]

Price left (THE key piece in that run) and with him, hopes of a world class goalie getting hot at the right time. They finished the regular season with 8 more losses than wins, they were not a very good team. They rode goaltending and team defense as far as they could (props to them for that) and were down 3-1 in the first round. Lucky is a pretty apt description.

Every single team in history rides either hot goaltending, defence, or offence in order to get to the SCF. Great regular season teams go cold and lose in round-1 or 2. Underdogs get hot and make it far. That's how it works every single year. If you make it to the SCF you earn it. No luck involved. Period.

 

[Avsfan1921]

Every single team in history rides either hot goaltending, defence, or offence in order to get to the SCF. That's how it works every single year. If you make it to the SCF you earn it. No luck involved. Period.

Haha, sure!

 

[Dr Salt]

The Islanders are probably a playoff miss and a first-round elimination in 2020 and 2021 without COVID. I was pretty high on their chances in the 2021 East, mainly because the best proper Eastern teams were in other divisions.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Jack Eichel should have won the Conn Smythe over Marchessault 100 times out of 100.

Stanley Cup winners are the sole result of out-coaching other teams. Other factors matter, but no other factors matter more than that. See: Julien, Quenneville, Sutter, Sullivan, Trotz, Berube, Cooper