Around the League - Is it Playoffs Yet?

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weems

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Jul 3, 2008
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how on earth is it overrated/outdated that playing sound defensive hockey can win championships?

I'm not saying that you can be a tirefire defensively and still be sucessfull just that you no longer need to be elite in this area to be an great team.
The rules have opened the floodgates for speed and skill and there isnt much "shutting down" going on and the good teams are the ones who can score alot, roll out quality depth while also playing decent D or getting good goaltending.
It's more nowadays about being more talented and dictacting than trying to stop your opponent. Its about being ontop of the other team and generating more chances because in the longrun that formula is going to come out ahead even if some games you lose while outplaying the other team.

If you're faster and more talented then your opponent its hard for them to get the puck and create. Under the old rules you could literally beat up players with slashs, hooks, interference, roughing and it really stimmied some offenses but thats extremely hard to do in todays game. Taking out the no slashing whatsoever has really opened the game up for the speed and skill to take over.
 

Daisy Jane

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Jul 2, 2009
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I'm not saying that you can be a tirefire defensively and still be sucessfull just that you no longer need to be elite in this area to be an great team.
The rules have opened the floodgates for speed and skill and there isnt much "shutting down" going on and the good teams are the ones who can score alot, roll out quality depth while also playing decent D or getting good goaltending.
It's more nowadays about being more talented and dictacting than trying to stop your opponent. Its about being ontop of the other team and generating more chances because in the longrun that formula is going to come out ahead even if some games you lose while outplaying the other team.

If you're faster and more talented then your opponent its hard for them to get the puck and create. Under the old rules you could literally beat up players with slashs, hooks, interference, roughing and it really stimmied some offenses but thats extremely hard to do in todays game. Taking out the no slashing whatsoever has really opened the game up for the speed and skill to take over.


right. but you still have to play a sound defensive system right? it's not just about the defensemen but the total 5 man unit. like imo that's what i mean, like i will always counter you need offensive to win a championship, but i find, especially w/pittsburgh winning twice people think we can just ignore defense too (in both aspects) and I just don't think that's the case.

(but that was a great answer, thanks :) )
 

weems

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Jul 3, 2008
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right. but you still have to play a sound defensive system right? it's not just about the defensemen but the total 5 man unit. like imo that's what i mean, like i will always counter you need offensive to win a championship, but i find, especially w/pittsburgh winning twice people think we can just ignore defense too (in both aspects) and I just don't think that's the case.

(but that was a great answer, thanks :) )

Yep you still need to be competent and have guys who understand D.
I also think you can be decent defensively nowadays in less obvious ways than before (like having guys like Gardiner who although can be rough in his own end, also brings amazing puck moving/carrying ability, so we spend less time in our own end).
I think our own Leafs are a good example. We dont have a great D on paper and on some nights it gets really ugly but we have so much talent and goalscoring ability we can overwhelm many teams that cant stack up and our D is mobile and can move the puck.

I used to be somewhat anti analytics but lately its really opened my eyes to alot of things with how the game is or should be played.
 

Daisy Jane

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Do you guys think it's mistake not to have drafted Laine? I mean he could've been our only chance at a Rocket Richard winner and he might be the better player with Matthews out right now...





















Lol main boards.


we did not need a Laine, we needed a Centre
 

ULF_55

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Do you guys think it's mistake not to have drafted Laine? I mean he could've been our only chance at a Rocket Richard winner and he might be the better player with Matthews out right now...

Lol main boards.

He's skating circles around Matthews right now.

Marner's doing the same thing ... wonder if the Leafs could get a #1 d-man for Matthews. Kind of a redundant player as the Leafs roll through the games.
 

tom leafers

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Jan 25, 2017
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He's skating circles around Matthews right now.

Marner's doing the same thing ... wonder if the Leafs could get a #1 d-man for Matthews. Kind of a redundant player as the Leafs roll through the games.

I wonder if Florida will give us Ekblad, 1 for 1 straight swap. Or even better, Matthews and our 1st for OEL, since hes so amazing and not over rated at all.
 
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Do you guys think it's mistake not to have drafted Laine? I mean he could've been our only chance at a Rocket Richard winner and he might be the better player with Matthews out right now...





















Lol main boards.
This post caused me to venture there, thanks lol.
 

Walshy7

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Sep 18, 2016
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What's even funnier is Jets fans thinking he's going to sign for like 7.5 a year and Matthews for 10-11. At this point Laine and his agent have every right to ask to be the highest paid winger in the league, hopefully it happens.

I love how they are setting him up to be "selfless" when he signs his new contract. In reality there is no reason he should make to much more than Scheiffle who is the more important player of that team. Laine could be a perennial 50 goal scorer there if he wants, but had we taken him we wouldn't have the C depth to feed him his stationary shots (it is a fantastic shot) out on the circles.
 

BTP

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Apr 28, 2013
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Booins lost in OT

A win tmrw and we'e only 4 back. I wanna see a big push for home ice.
 

BertCorbeau

F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
Jan 6, 2012
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Columbus has gotten hot at the right time (8 wins in a row), and are tied with Philly for the 3rd divisional spot.. 2 points behind the Pens and 4 behind the Caps.

First round match ups are getting interesting.
 

hamzarocks

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Jul 22, 2012
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I really am shocked how a guy like Marchand was able to turn his game so much. He went from a player comparable to jvr with 55-60 offense to being the 2nd best winger in the world and a top 12 player in my opinion. He is a huge part of the Bruins turn around and is there best player. I don't like him as a player b/c of his dirty playing style, but he is so effective it is not even funny. The guy was never supposed to be this good and has proven so many people wrong about his offensive game. He's a rat, but a rat that can win you games. Hoping we can develop a player like marchand who is a bit less dirty. Want us to draft high-end skilled guys who are tenacious at forechecking. Feel a player like that could work great with matthews.
 
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Gary Nylund

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Oct 10, 2013
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I really am shocked how a guy like Marchand was able to turn his game so much. He went from a player comparable to jvr with 55-60 offense to being the 2nd best winger in the world and a top 12 player in my opinion. He is a huge part of the Bruins turn around and is there best player. I don't like him as a player b/c of his dirty playing style, but he is so effective it is not even funny. The guy was never supposed to be this good and has proven so many people wrong about his offensive game. He's a rat, but a rat that can win you games. Hoping we can develop a player like marchand who is a bit less dirty. Want us to draft high-end skilled guys who are tenacious at forechecking. Feel a player like that could work great with matthews.

Yes it is pretty amazing how Marchand turned into a superstar almost overnight. Kadri's the closest thing we have to him and Marchand broke out when he was 28, Kadri's 27 so maybe he follows in Marchand's footsteps and puts up 80 points next season? Yeah, I doubt it too. You never know though I guess.
 
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ULF_55

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Flames talking heads speaking of the Hamonic deal, and saying Hamonic is Hamonic, but Brodie needs to go.

Goalie Smith has dropped off completely from his 1st. half season and maybe shouldn't even be playing with whatever injury sidelined him.

Only forward they're giving a pass to is Gaudreau, and some props to Hamilton, top 10 offensive players in respective positions (Hamilton 1st. in goals not points).

I can see the Flames making some big moves this summer, perhaps on and off the ice.
 
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