NHL Playoffs - Comments?

[travel_dude]

We had the Bennett thread for the FLA series, but perhpas you might like to post for other series:

 

TOR-MTL - anyone actually surprised that two team we could actually beat are ging to game 7?

CAR-TBL - don't really like either team, but would prefer CAR pound TBL into the ice.

BOS-NYI - Really prefer not to listen to crap about Perfection Line or Marchand.

COL-VGK - going to be tough sledding for COL, but they are the superior team.

 

Post away if you like about players or teams or crap reffed games. 

[rocketdoctor]

Not a lot of teams that I really care about

 

TOR-MTL - hope Leafs get beat and then Mtl gets beat by the Jets.   Just so the press go mental and rip Toronto a new one.

 

CAR-TBL - "don't really like either team, but would prefer CAR pound TBL into the ice."   - same TD the same

 

BOS-NYI - dislike Boston, well Marchand mostly, and I always liked the Isles so hope they win

 

COL-VGK - Not really a fan of either team but Colorado is the best out West and probably deserve the win and Vegas should not be allowed a cup for at least 10 years as new organisation!!

 

COL - JETS

CAR - NYI

COL- NYI  and NYI to win it are my preferences

 

but I think it will be

Boston and Colorado in the final.

 

 

 

 

[Thebrewcrew]

If the Leafs are able to win, then I went 8/8 in the first round with my bracket which would be kinda neat. 

 

I had VGK NYI in the finals with Vegas winning.

 

I'm not really cheering for any team, just kinda enjoying the games. I enjoy watching Carolina play, would be nice to see them dethrone the champs. Colorado and Vegas should be fun too, if Vegas rebounds, both teams attack in waves and it could be some wide-open hockey. 

[Thebrewcrew]

What a collapse by the Leafs.

 

5 straight first round exits. Last year they didn't even technically make the playoffs. 

 

Tons of question marks there. They are a great regular season team, but can't get it done in the playoffs.

 

Is Jack Campbell a #1? Hard to find a starter when you have 30some mill in 3 forwards. 

 

They are gonna be crushed by fans and media from now until camp opens.

[travel_dude]

23 minutes ago, Thebrewcrew said:

What a collapse by the Leafs.

 

5 straight first round exits. Last year they didn't even technically make the playoffs. 

 

Tons of question marks there. They are a great regular season team, but can't get it done in the playoffs.

 

Is Jack Campbell a #1? Hard to find a starter when you have 30some mill in 3 forwards. 

 

They are gonna be crushed by fans and media from now until camp opens.

 

EPIC.

 

We complained about the no-shows Monahan and Gaudreau, but Marner is 18 games without a goal.

0 goals in the last 7 series clinching games in the playoffs.

 

What annoys me is that we could have beaten this Leafs team.

Then again, who cares.  We weren't going any further than WPG or Final 4 at best.

Glad to have summer off.

 

Would be nice to see NYI at Colorado in the Finals.

[sak22]

I don't usually get behind a team once the Flames are done, had a little soft spot this year for some of the former players like Bennett, and even though they are Leafs I was hoping for good things for Brodie and Dave.  Not going to lie though, I was hoping Toronto would at least make it to overtime so they could've lost a 3rd straight in O.T with a 3-1 lead and matched the '94 Flames.  I'm not sure if it has been done since then, but it would be nice to see happen when I'm not invested.  

 

[jjgallow]

 

I would love to see the Jets go far.   I'll have to wait a few more days.

[The_People1]

17 hours ago, Thebrewcrew said:

What a collapse by the Leafs.

 

5 straight first round exits. Last year they didn't even technically make the playoffs. 

 

Tons of question marks there. They are a great regular season team, but can't get it done in the playoffs.

 

Is Jack Campbell a #1? Hard to find a starter when you have 30some mill in 3 forwards. 

 

They are gonna be crushed by fans and media from now until camp opens.

 

If they didn't lose Tavares then I think they would have moved onto Round 2.  Unlucky break there.  The Leafs were clearly the best team in a weak division and it felt like the Conference Finals was a sure thing.

 

For once Nylander delivered 8-points in 7-games and nobody is screaming for his head.  Meanwhile, the criticism now shifts to Mitch Marner.

[cross16]

40 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

If they didn't lose Tavares then I think they would have moved onto Round 2.  Unlucky break there.  The Leafs were clearly the best team in a weak division and it felt like the Conference Finals was a sure thing.

 

For once Nylander delivered 8-points in 7-games and nobody is screaming for his head.  Meanwhile, the criticism now shifts to Mitch Marner.

 

Agreed, and will double up that losing Muzzin really hurt to. I think they win game 6 if he is healthy the whole game. 

 

Marner and Mathews going to have long off seasons. Tough to win a series when your best players don't produce. 

[travel_dude]

35 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

If they didn't lose Tavares then I think they would have moved onto Round 2.  Unlucky break there.  The Leafs were clearly the best team in a weak division and it felt like the Conference Finals was a sure thing.

 

For once Nylander delivered 8-points in 7-games and nobody is screaming for his head.  Meanwhile, the criticism now shifts to Mitch Marner.

 

Every year it is something.

Nylander.

Kadri.

Tavares injury and Marner disappearing act.

 

They were like the Oilers for depth this year, except in reverse.

The Oilers had nobody of note past the top 2 players and a bunch of younger guys that didn't do much.

The Leafs were a collection of a really good top 5 players, then a bunch of re-treads.

Simmonds, Jumbo, Spezza, Foligno.

Foligno was in decline for years, but at least he's a leader.

Spezza at least showed up.

 

Their playoffs reminded me of the Flames regular season.

Played well until something went wrong.

Then unable to do anything.

Simple mistake in the net.

 

TJ Brodie had more goals than Marner and same as Matthews.

How sad is that.

[The_People1]

If Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Eichel doesn't happen, then should be we interested in Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Marner?

[travel_dude]

2 hours ago, The_People1 said:

If Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Eichel doesn't happen, then should be we interested in Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Marner?

 

That's even more remote than Eichel.

It would immensely help TOR, but would be a huge loss for them in the same breath.

They need to re-tool the bottom 6.

Stop pinning your hopes on retirement folks.

 

Yes, I realize the top 3 didn't do a lot together, but the PP sucked worse than that.

[conundrumed]

I wish someone could beat Tampa, but I think Fla had the best shot. Vasilevsky's an absolute monster and I just don't see anyone beating him.

Bad enough they have a solid roster, they have the best goalie in the league.

[cross16]

9 hours ago, The_People1 said:

If Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Eichel doesn't happen, then should be we interested in Tkachuk + Zary + 1st for Marner?

 

No. big overpay and inheriting a pretty questionable contract and you still don't address your C.

[travel_dude]

3 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I wish someone could beat Tampa, but I think Fla had the best shot. Vasilevsky's an absolute monster and I just don't see anyone beating him.

Bad enough they have a solid roster, they have the best goalie in the league.

 

Honestly, the only team I see beating Tampa is Colorado, which has probably the 2nd best goalie in the league.

He actually had a better GAA this year.

Can't believe they got him for a 2nd rounder.

All they needed to do was take on Orpik.

And then buy out one year.

[jjgallow]

4 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I wish someone could beat Tampa, but I think Fla had the best shot. Vasilevsky's an absolute monster and I just don't see anyone beating him.

Bad enough they have a solid roster, they have the best goalie in the league.

 

It's so unfair how some teams cheat by acquiring and developing goaltenders and defencemen.   Really who would draft a goalie in the first round anyway when there's so many amazing smaller left wingers available.

[travel_dude]

17 minutes ago, jjgallow said:

 

It's so unfair how some teams cheat by acquiring and developing goaltenders and defencemen.   Really who would draft a goalie in the first round anyway when there's so many amazing smaller left wingers available.

 

Oh for sure. 

Rask and MAF and Price selected in almost 20 years ago.

TBL though so much of a goalie they selected Koekkoek with their 1st pick and then Vasilevskiy.

Not many 1st rounders have translated to full time NHL goalies.

Certainly not in the last 10 years.

A couple still very early in their careers.

 

Guess it helps that you draft top 10 in 5 of 6 years in a row.

1st, 2nd and 3rd overall didn't hurt.

Especially when you can turn a top 3 pick into a steal of a trade.

[jjgallow]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

Oh for sure. 

Rask and MAF and Price selected in almost 20 years ago.

TBL though so much of a goalie they selected Koekkoek with their 1st pick and then Vasilevskiy.

Not many 1st rounders have translated to full time NHL goalies.

Certainly not in the last 10 years.

A couple still very early in their careers.

 

Guess it helps that you draft top 10 in 5 of 6 years in a row.

1st, 2nd and 3rd overall didn't hurt.

Especially when you can turn a top 3 pick into a steal of a trade.

 

Totally agree.  So those goalies were only involved in 3 of the last 5 Stanley cups  (likely this year too) so I think it's pretty clear to anyone that this still leaves 2 out of 5 Stanley cups for the real teams that didn't cheat.

 

So there's still a chance, no reason to give up hope.   Pelletier is still growing too, I'm sure he'll be Nolan Foote's size in a year or two.  He's already bigger than Gaudreau so that's huge for us.    One thing I'd like to try is see if we can get a really talented small left winger in the next draft and then try them in net.  People who think you can have too many left wingers just don't understand.

[travel_dude]

37 minutes ago, jjgallow said:

 

Totally agree.  So those goalies were only involved in 3 of the last 5 Stanley cups  (likely this year too) so I think it's pretty clear to anyone that this still leaves 2 out of 5 Stanley cups for the real teams that didn't cheat.

 

So there's still a chance, no reason to give up hope.   Pelletier is still growing too, I'm sure he'll be Nolan Foote's size in a year or two.  He's already bigger than Gaudreau so that's huge for us.    One thing I'd like to try is see if we can get a really talented small left winger in the next draft and then try them in net.  People who think you can have too many left wingers just don't understand.

 

Don't let facts get in the way.

Murray won the cup twice in PITTS; MAF played zero games in th final 10 games in 2015/16 and play 2 games in 2016/17.  Contributed?  Sure.

Binnington won once.

Holtby won one.

Valilevskiy won once.

 

That's exactly one 1st rounder that actually won the cup as the starter.

[jjgallow]

50 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Don't let facts get in the way.

Murray won the cup twice in PITTS; MAF played zero games in th final 10 games in 2015/16 and play 2 games in 2016/17.  Contributed?  Sure.

Binnington won once.

Holtby won one.

Valilevskiy won once.

 

That's exactly one 1st rounder that actually won the cup as the starter.

 

Far too often facts get in the way, yes.   Like when I make a statement entirely factual like 3 of the last 5 cups had contributions from first-round pick goaltenders.  Sure, it is factual, just like the fact that MAF actually has a whole bag of cups and Vasilevskiy is on his way to getting a bag of his own.

 

But it distracts from the real truth, which is that small left wingers are the Real prize in the first round and the top goalies Always fail.   Luckily, facts can be read differently to properly convey this (well ignoring that MAF was actually the starter but we can sort of bend this), and then ignoring this year and the past and then creating a context where 1 Stanley cup every 5 years   (even though it's actually 3) is a bad thing.   And it is bad, because that's one round out of 6 draft rounds clearly wasted.   

 

Man I would sure be dissapointed if the Flames only won one cup every 5 years.

 

And that's a fact

 

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, jjgallow said:

 

Far too often facts get in the way, yes.   Like when I make a statement entirely factual like 3 of the last 5 cups had contributions from first-round pick goaltenders.  Sure, it is factual, just like the fact that MAF actually has a whole bag of cups and Vasilevskiy is on his way to getting a bag of his own.

 

But it distracts from the real truth, which is that small left wingers are the Real prize in the first round and the top goalies Always fail.   Luckily, facts can be read differently to properly convey this (well ignoring that MAF was actually the starter but we can sort of bend this), and then ignoring this year and the past and then creating a context where 1 Stanley cup every 5 years   (even though it's actually 3) is a bad thing.   And it is bad, because that's one round out of 6 draft rounds clearly wasted.   

 

Man I would sure be dissapointed if the Flames only won one cup every 5 years.

 

And that's a fact

 

 

There a big difference between being responsible for winning the cup and contributing to it.

MAF played 2 games in one playoff run and played zero games in the last 10 games in another.

 

 

Go back far enough in the draft and you will find examples of 1st rounders taken (last one in 2012) that have blossomed into SCF winning goalies.

MAF did in in 2009.  Vas in 2020.

And it took a powerhouse team in 2009 to win despite relatively poor SA% and GAA.

For Tampa it took a cap manipulation and 5 failed years to get there.

 

Let me be clear.  I'm not saying a goalie in the first round is a bad thing.  We have made some poor choices like in 2012 and 2013.

But, I'm not convinced that any goalies passed up in the 1st round since then will be the next Vasilevskiy.

Some we didn't even have a chance at.

Criticism of what we have drafted is warranted, and I won't dispute that.

 

[jjgallow]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

There a big difference between being responsible for winning the cup and contributing to it.

MAF played 2 games in one playoff run and played zero games in the last 10 games in another.

 

 

Go back far enough in the draft and you will find examples of 1st rounders taken (last one in 2012) that have blossomed into SCF winning goalies.

MAF did in in 2009.  Vas in 2020.

And it took a powerhouse team in 2009 to win despite relatively poor SA% and GAA.

For Tampa it took a cap manipulation and 5 failed years to get there.

 

Let me be clear.  I'm not saying a goalie in the first round is a bad thing.  We have made some poor choices like in 2012 and 2013.

But, I'm not convinced that any goalies passed up in the 1st round since then will be the next Vasilevskiy.

Some we didn't even have a chance at.

Criticism of what we have drafted is warranted, and I won't dispute that.

 

I won't lie, 5 years sounds about right.  There's some debate it can be done in 4.   

 

Then there's the wider fanbase that thinks rebuilds happen in 1-2 seasons.

 

So yeah.    5 years means the first good draft pick you got is now 23 and just Starting to reach their potential.  If they're a forward, they're just starting to dominate, but the rest of the team will suck so it'll be on deaf ears.   If they're a D or G, they're just starting to make a difference and still probably won't dominate for another year or two.

 

So the truth is 5 years means is in many ways a success.  It means you at least nailed your first couple years of high draft picks and developed them well, then made good decisions about filling in gaps, coaching them well, etc.

 

If this is our year 1, and we are a playoff threat in 2026, I'll be happy.  Honestly.

 

 

Because, if we get it wrong, we'll probably still be spinning our wheels in 2030.

[Thebrewcrew]

Brutal hit by Schiefele. 
 

As his coach would say, “it’s an absolutely filthy, disgusting hit”....

[cross16]

That Schiefele hit might be the worst hit I’ve ever seen. A truly disgusting play and if he plays one more second of this series then DOPS has completely screwed this up. 
 

100% intent to injure. Should be no place in the game for that. 

[Thebrewcrew]