Around the League: Capitals and Ovie are Stanley Cup Champions
- Thread starter Al14
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- Dec 12, 2017
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To be fair, we pretty much said the same thing when we drafted Matthews.
Fans will always be fans.
Stephen
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- Feb 28, 2002
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Credit to Tampa Bay. They play Boston very hard and the Bruins look very ordinary and a lot of it is what we hoped our kids would do during the first round:
1) Attack with speed when you have the puck. Forecheck hard to a man and the first priority is to crush the Bruins into the end boards. Puck retrieval after. This is everyone from Stamkos to Paquette on everyone from Krug to Chara. No stopping up, no Nylander stop ups, etc.
2) On Bruin dump ins, throw all bodies on deck to stop the cycle first and foremost before the puck retrieval. Make sure the Bruins are disabled and engaged in heavy physical play as recipients before they can even think about getting the puck.
3) Good blueline shows its value. Guys like McDonagh, Stralman, Hedman show the ability to calm the waters, regroup, and slow the pace down. Don't force the stretch pass, don't cheat that breakout. Short crisp passes. Don't play scared in self preservation mode.
4) Real hard on Chara. He's not someone to be scared of but a big target to be exploited.
1) Attack with speed when you have the puck. Forecheck hard to a man and the first priority is to crush the Bruins into the end boards. Puck retrieval after. This is everyone from Stamkos to Paquette on everyone from Krug to Chara. No stopping up, no Nylander stop ups, etc.
2) On Bruin dump ins, throw all bodies on deck to stop the cycle first and foremost before the puck retrieval. Make sure the Bruins are disabled and engaged in heavy physical play as recipients before they can even think about getting the puck.
3) Good blueline shows its value. Guys like McDonagh, Stralman, Hedman show the ability to calm the waters, regroup, and slow the pace down. Don't force the stretch pass, don't cheat that breakout. Short crisp passes. Don't play scared in self preservation mode.
4) Real hard on Chara. He's not someone to be scared of but a big target to be exploited.
socko
Registered User
Stamkos and Kucherov look terrible. Kucherov was gifted a point blank chance and shot into the goalies midsection like a plug would.
- Dec 12, 2017
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My goodness the officiating is absolutely ridiculous...... although it’s entertaining listening to Milbury whine.
Kurtz
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- Jul 17, 2005
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It's awfully funny how everyone who has to go up against Bergeron+Chara suddenly looks awful.
7even
Offered and lost
ULF_55
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With everyone's 4th. defenseman?
Guess you don't need a 1st. pairing if everyone buys in?
Trapper
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- Nov 21, 2013
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SprDaVE
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- Sep 20, 2008
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It's always nice to be gifted 2 first line players by a single team. Marchessault and Smith have been spectacular.
The Panthers are never going to live that down. Imagine if we had given them those players?
Liminality
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- Oct 22, 2008
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Not to mention William Karlsson is absolutely ****ing insane this year.
Comparing his 2016-17 season to this season is just absolutely mind boggling and I still can't believe it.
That's what happened when all their players buy in and stick to their system. Really hope the Leafs coaching staff are watching Vegas games film bc we essentially play the same style with higher end talents and yet Vegas plays much better.
Trapper
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- Nov 21, 2013
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That will be the task for the new GM.
Everybody is throwing out names like Tavares/Doughty/etc. That's great. It's also wishful thinking.
We need a vision and the ability to make hard choices.
We need to ice 4 lines and 3 D pairs that play great together. Not 1 guy who is great, 1 playing so-so, 1 specialist and 2 others inconsistent. That doesn't need to be the sexy names.
- Dec 12, 2017
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Did you watch the last 5 mins of the TB game last night. Their D went after Boston hard. Might have crossed the line a couple of times with their hits, but they sure were relentless. Up until that point,I had been thinking there wasn’t much difference between the Leafs and TB, then they destroyed Boston’s forecheck.
Did you watch the last 5 mins of the TB game last night. Their D went after Boston hard. Might have crossed the line a couple of times with their hits, but they sure were relentless. Up until that point,I had been thinking there wasn’t much difference between the Leafs and TB, then they destroyed Boston’s forecheck.
Trapper
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- Nov 21, 2013
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That's what can separate playoff team from playoff contender. That dog on a bone style is what I'm looking for. Which leaves us players to change out. UFA is taking care of some of it.
ULF_55
Moderator
So perhaps in some cases the coach really does stifle the ability of a player to be his best?
LaPlante94
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- Apr 12, 2011
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Is Joe Thornton gonna be returning soon?
If Vegas wins the cup they shouldn't be protected from the Seattle expansion draft haha
If Vegas wins the cup they shouldn't be protected from the Seattle expansion draft haha
Or players have crazy years and crash back down to earth. Everyone in Vegas is playing out of their minds. Not all can be just diamonds in the rough
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