OT: Around the NHL: Countdown to the Playoffs

[SirBrad]

Insane. 4-2 Ducks.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Lol, I hope the Flames don't make it, just to see that fan base search for answers about how much of a stud Bennett is and how Mike Smith was their savior.

You have to wonder what the stars do with Nill if they slip out of a playoff spot. Talk about tanking when the games start to really mean more.

The west is such a crap shoot for who is in the playoffs right now...

Nashville
VGK
Jets
Wild
Sharks
Ducks
Avs
Kings

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sprong lasted 8 games

Here is my problem with this...

I have not heard a single coach having an issue with Daniel Sprong, besides MJ and Mike Sullivan, supposedly.

Like for example, guys like Joe Morrow, they were hard to coach because they felt they knew what they already needed to know. But Sprong, I don't think he's ever been called a kid that wasn't coachable, hell even seeing his game, he's evolving his game. I have also never heard his team mates hating him or anything either.

Yeah, Sullivan gave him all of f***ing 8 games, 8 games.

I like Jooris if we need another grinder on a line, but that 4th line doesn't need 2 plugs with Sheahan, it needs 1 plug and 1 winger that knows his way around the net. I don't really get Sullivan at all this year, it's like he wants to make his life harder for himself for the sake of it to humble himself.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Meh i'll take top 5 in scoring and a hatty in Game 6 of the SCF winning his 3rd in a row.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Here is my problem with this...

I have not heard a single coach having an issue with Daniel Sprong, besides MJ and Mike Sullivan, supposedly.

MJ didn’t want him on the team yet so he was mainly on the 4th line. JR should have sent him back down before he triggered his games played but I think he’d hope MJ would play him higher in the lineup.

He was competing against Kessel, Hornqvist and Dupuis for a top 9 RW spot so that’s understandable.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

MJ didn’t want him on the team yet so he was mainly on the 4th line. JR should have sent him back down before he triggered his games played but I think he’d hope MJ would play him higher in the lineup.

He was competing against Kessel, Hornqvist and Dupuis for a top 9 RW spot so that’s understandable.

Well that explains it for MJ.

 

[Yuri35]

Meh i'll take top 5 in scoring and a hatty in Game 6 of the SCF winning his 3rd in a row.

Yeah but for his individual legacy, a 3rd Art Ross would be far more massive, especially comparing to the likes of Sid and Ovie.
Even if he has a great PO run and unless it's a historic one, people (especially North Americans medias) will say that Sid "captained" the team to a new SC even if Geno leads the PO scoring while I don't think they will mention Sid if Geno wins the AR, especially with Sid being so far behind (and Sid will have great POs, believe me).
So for his individual legacy and considering the circumstances (Sid having a relatively average regular season), i feel he HAS to win it.
And it could be his last chance as well if you look at how McDavid is improving.

 

[mpp9]

Malkin better win another Smythe if he leads the playoffs in scoring again.

 

[ColePens]

Lol, I hope the Flames don't make it, just to see that fan base search for answers about how much of a stud Bennett is and how Mike Smith was their savior.

You have to wonder what the stars do with Nill if they slip out of a playoff spot. Talk about tanking when the games start to really mean more.

The west is such a crap shoot for who is in the playoffs right now...

Nashville
VGK
Jets
Wild
Sharks
Ducks
Avs
Kings

This is tough to call, but i'm going to give my thoughts based on watching these teams. Now it's the west, so i don't get to watch it as much as i'd like. But here it goes:

- Nashville/Vegas/Jets (if they get healthy): Obvious contenders. I think this is Nashville's to lose.

- Kings: They just look too slow. I don't buy them.
- Wild/Avs/Sharks: Way too inconsistent.
- Ducks: I have no clue what team will show up.

 

[Treent1]

Yeah but for his individual legacy, a 3rd Art Ross would be far more massive, especially comparing to the likes of Sid and Ovie.
Even if he has a great PO run and unless it's a historic one, people (especially North Americans medias) will say that Sid "captained" the team to a new SC even if Geno leads the PO scoring while I don't think they will mention Sid if Geno wins the AR, especially with Sid being so far behind (and Sid will have great POs, believe me).
So for his individual legacy and considering the circumstances (Sid having a relatively average regular season), i feel he HAS to win it.
And it could be his last chance as well if you look at how McDavid is improving.

Well put. Stanley cup without smythe adds nothing to Malkin's legacy. Art Ross would be huge

 

[mpp9]

Ducks always seem to be a team a piece away from making it to the Cup Final. I feel like Henrique could push them past Nashville. Kid is exactly what they needed.

 

[Andy99]

This is tough to call, but i'm going to give my thoughts based on watching these teams. Now it's the west, so i don't get to watch it as much as i'd like. But here it goes:

- Nashville/Vegas/Jets (if they get healthy): Obvious contenders. I think this is Nashville's to lose.

- Kings: They just look too slow. I don't buy them.
- Wild/Avs/Sharks: Way too inconsistent.
- Ducks: I have no clue what team will show up.

In the West, for me, it's Nashville as the best team by a long shot....Vegas and Jets are much lesser contenders. In fact, if Nashville doesn't make it to the Cup final it will be shocking. That's how superior they are to every other team...

In the East, I see it as...
TB, BOS
TOR, PIT
CAPS, CBJ, NJD, FLA
PHI

Tampa Bay and Boston are clear favorites and the best teams...Toronto and the Pens are a tier below but could upset. The next line of teams could go on a run and surprise someone in a round, but I doubt they make it to the Cup final. Philly has the weakest roster....

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Lol, I hope the Flames don't make it, just to see that fan base search for answers about how much of a stud Bennett is and how Mike Smith was their savior.

You have to wonder what the stars do with Nill if they slip out of a playoff spot. Talk about tanking when the games start to really mean more.

The west is such a crap shoot for who is in the playoffs right now...

Nashville
VGK
Jets
Wild
Sharks
Ducks
Avs
Kings

Boston's supposed to get Calgary's 1st this upcoming draft, right?

I'd vomit if Boston won the cup AND the draft lottery...

 

[Clare2904]

2018 NHL Entry Draft - Wikipedia

 

[ColePens]

Yeah but for his individual legacy, a 3rd Art Ross would be far more massive, especially comparing to the likes of Sid and Ovie.
Even if he has a great PO run and unless it's a historic one, people (especially North Americans medias) will say that Sid "captained" the team to a new SC even if Geno leads the PO scoring while I don't think they will mention Sid if Geno wins the AR, especially with Sid being so far behind (and Sid will have great POs, believe me).
So for his individual legacy and considering the circumstances (Sid having a relatively average regular season), i feel he HAS to win it.
And it could be his last chance as well if you look at how McDavid is improving.

I don't know. Your points are all valid. I understand them. I just don't care what the media thinks anymore. We all got to witness #71 play hockey. We know he's one of the best. I don't need some idiot who watched him maybe 10 full games to tell me he's a top 100 player. I don't need someone to argue he's a top 15 player of all time. At the end of the day, what does it really matter? They cemented their legacy already.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

An updated sadness chart. Chicago can have the worst of both worlds this year. And I am very ok with that.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I don't know. Your points are all valid. I understand them. I just don't care what the media thinks anymore. We all got to witness #71 play hockey. We know he's one of the best. I don't need some idiot who watched him maybe 10 full games to tell me he's a top 100 player. I don't need someone to argue he's a top 15 player of all time. At the end of the day, what does it really matter? They cemented their legacy already.

The Hart Trophy voting should have been taken away from the writers years ago. Based entirely on performance, or actually the opposite of performance, of the group as a whole.

Never in the course of human events has a group done so little with so much. With all due respect to the royal airforce in the Battle of Britain.

 

[EightyOne]

The Hart Trophy voting should have been taken away from the writers years ago. Based entirely on performance, or actually the opposite of performance, of the group as a whole.

I know John Scott wishes the fans voted on awards

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I know John Scott wishes the fans voted on awards

I'd be content with NHL GMs or coaches voting on all the awards. The GMs already vote on the Vezina, I believe, so it's not unprecedented. They get to see these players play, they get to evaluate each of these players (GM from a team building standpoint, coaches from a match-up standpoint). So they'd know their worth.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I know John Scott wishes the fans voted on awards

That would almost worse.

Let the coaches and GMs do it.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't know. Your points are all valid. I understand them. I just don't care what the media thinks anymore. We all got to witness #71 play hockey. We know he's one of the best. I don't need some idiot who watched him maybe 10 full games to tell me he's a top 100 player. I don't need someone to argue he's a top 15 player of all time. At the end of the day, what does it really matter? They cemented their legacy already.

If they win another cup in the next two years that makes them a definitive dynasty. That would increase their legacy in my mind.

 

[Ignatius]

In the West, for me, it's Nashville as the best team by a long shot....Vegas and Jets are much lesser contenders. In fact, if Nashville doesn't make it to the Cup final it will be shocking. That's how superior they are to every other team...

In the East, I see it as...
TB, BOS
TOR, PIT
CAPS, CBJ, NJD, FLA
PHI

Tampa Bay and Boston are clear favorites and the best teams...Toronto and the Pens are a tier below but could upset. The next line of teams could go on a run and surprise someone in a round, but I doubt they make it to the Cup final. Philly has the weakest roster....

I think Boston and Tampa are on a crash course to meet in the second round and the magnitude of that series would be akin to the Washington-Pittsburgh second round series of the last 2 years (and 2009 for that matter).

I am not worried for the Pens up until they were to get to the ECF, I think we could take any team in the Metro and Columbus would be my preferred first round matchup.

I predict one major upset this year in the West, something like the Ducks taking out Nashville in the first round.

 

[Yuri35]

I don't know. Your points are all valid. I understand them. I just don't care what the media thinks anymore. We all got to witness #71 play hockey. We know he's one of the best. I don't need some idiot who watched him maybe 10 full games to tell me he's a top 100 player. I don't need someone to argue he's a top 15 player of all time. At the end of the day, what does it really matter? They cemented their legacy already.

Yeah on the great scheme of things, you're so right!
How lucky we are to have both 71 and 87 in our team, aren't we?

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah on the great scheme of things, you're so right!
How lucky we are to have both 71 and 87 in our team, aren't we?

+ Kessel, Jake, Letang, Hossa, etc.

This franchise has been so ridiculous for literally almost 30 and people act like it has sucked.

Well, I mean it did suck for five or so years. But even then we still had Lemieux on the ice 20 of 80 games.

 

[Shrimper]

My guess is that we get to the ECF and lose in 7 to Tampa. I don't fear anyone in the Metro and I think we'll win the Division. Get Columbus or NJD, then get Philadelphia and beat them.