League News: 2014-15 Around the League Thread 2.0

[g00n]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1724661

All other teams stink.

Discuss.

Click to read more...

 

[ChibiPooky]

Giroux and Voracek aren't on the same line anymore, at least for a little while. So Patrick Kane is the biggest obstacle between Backstrom and the Art Ross.

 

[Hivemind]

All other teams stink.

They tried to shower, but Kane's clothes were in the way.

 

[Maruk moustache]

Reposting my recent post into a more appropriate thread (and before tonight's games, which will make my list out of date).

I've kind of double-checked this (although I confess I didn't bother even looking at the teams who have more regulation losses than wins). I believe that since the ends of the games on December 2, when the Caps were 10-10-4 after a tough loss to Vancouver, these are your top ten in standings points per game, as of after the ends of the games on 2/19:

(1) Rangers - 1.5
(2) Nashville - 1.47
(3) Caps - 1.43
(4) Montreal - 1.34
(5) St. Louis - 1.33
(6) Detroit - 1.32
(7) Anaheim - 1.31
(8) Chicago - 1.29
(9) Islanders - 1.26
(10) Tampa - 1.21

The thing I like about this list is the decent gap between the top three and the others.

 

[Raikkonen]

Giroux and Voracek aren't on the same line anymore, at least for a little while. So Patrick Kane is the biggest obstacle between Backstrom and the Art Ross.

You've spelled Ovechkin wrong.

 

[Calicaps]

You've spelled Ovechkin wrong.

I think Ovie would actually be happier than Backie if 19 wins the Ross.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I think Ovie would actually be happier than Backie if 19 wins the Ross.

Seconded.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Boston, woof.

 

[trick9]

Bobby Ryan (2nd overall pick in '05) just played his 500th NHL game.

So weird to think that Drew Doughty (2nd overall pick in '08) already has 499. He will play his 500th game tonight when LA face San Jose.

For Caps, if Jack Hillen is in the line-up he'll play his 300th NHL game today.

 

[Devil Dancer]

For Caps, if Jack Hillen is in the line-up he'll play his 300th NHL game today.

That's a surprise to me, considering how much time he spends on IR.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Just saw this on the Islanders board, evidently George McPhee is doing some work for them. https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/569310086411243521

 

[Hivemind]

Just saw this on the Islanders board, evidently George McPhee is doing some work for them. https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/569310086411243521

Was reported earlier this year as well. He's been scouting for them, though it doesn't seem to be a full time job.

 

[Calicaps]

Stadium series games unis are hideous for both teams. WTF?

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Bruins laying the smack down on the Hawks. The battle for the final wild card spot is going to be fierce. Also, I'd absolutely take Loui Eriksson on this team.

 

[Calicaps]

Minny just scored 6 goals in the third period vs. Dallas.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Caps have the third best GD in the East, 7th in the NHL. That's pretty damn good.

 

[RandyHolt]

Minny and Boston explode for a ton of goals.

Were they gifted PPs to increase scoring

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

A little late, but who exactly thought white pants were the way to go for the Kings in the outdoor game Saturday night?

 

[Bure]

I don't know where to put this but really interesting read, check it out:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/miracle-on-ice-hockey-russia/

 

[itsjustsurvival]

I don't know where to put this but really interesting read, check it out:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/miracle-on-ice-hockey-russia/

Was a good read. Thanks for sharing.

 

[txpd]

A little late, but who exactly thought white pants were the way to go for the Kings in the outdoor game Saturday night?

white pants. bad memories.

 

[Bure]

Was a good read. Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome. It's definitely impossible to play a soviet style game in the NHL today with how good teams are defensively but it would be nice to see teams play a little less north-south. That's what the game is today though.

 

[stanleycaps18]

Kreji out for 4-6 weeks. Hurts the Bruins.

 

[CapsJunkie]

I don't know where to put this but really interesting read, check it out:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/miracle-on-ice-hockey-russia/

Wow!!!great read, thanks for sharing. I had heard stories but this is a great read

 

[Maruk moustache]

I don't know where to put this but really interesting read, check it out:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/miracle-on-ice-hockey-russia/

Yep. That's about the state of things. Larionov probably was a fan of Coach Boudreau's Capitals. Those years were really fun. The handful of times his teams haven't made it far into the playoffs were seen as evidence his approach didn't work. I tend to think it was mostly a matter of almost every team every year not making it very far into the playoffs, and possibly a little about a more defensive approach being more consistent and reliable when it comes down to a single game or a single series against the same team (mainly because you could run into a hot goalie and you will usually run into good team defense in the playoffs, and the farther you get the worse it is).

And I don't think the Trotz-led Capitals are all that boring--and I really thought I would before the season started. Watching your team win is always fun I guess though. I can't tell if it's fun to watch because I'm a fan or if it's just fun to watch period. Certainly not as fun as it was under Boudreau, but it still seems like it's reasonably entertaining for the most part.

But, OK, when you see Backstrom tied for league lead in points, and Ovie leading league in goals--that makes it pretty hard to accuse Trotz of being one of the main culprits in what Larionov's article was talking about.

I think there's something to the idea that when there are fewer teams, each team tends to have more elite-level creative talent, and maybe coaches want to keep things simple for everyone but the crazy talented ones, and nowadays there are a lot of teams in the NHL so there's a lot of players on every team that just do better when they keep it simple. I dunno. I know Russia's team was like a crazy talented all-star team for a lot of the time that Larionov's article was talking about though.