Around the NHL Discussion Part XV

[Dbrownss]

You need a hug

 

[simon IC]

They are a expansion team built of 3rd lines and a few ok 2nd liners.......granted I'm not upset about this years blues failing miserably. Overall though, this is a kick to the nards

I hate a "Story"......this whole bad news bears cast away narrative is nauseating.

Lawd I hope so

Me too. I hated the Nashville/Subban "story" last year, and I hate the Vegas "story" this year. Perhaps this is because I am good at identifying, and then disdaining, hype.

 

[BangarangxRufio]

Me too. I hated the Nashville/Subban "story" last year, and I hate the Vegas "story" this year. Perhaps this is because I am good at identifying, and then disdaining, hype.

Predators last year were the result of building/trading for talent that had been years in the making. It really pissed me off because it felt like the media was being forced to hype that city in a calculated marketing effort by the NHL to make Nashville a “New hockey market” it felt fake and over supported. They made Nashville seem like a sudden contender when they have been a contender for years. Plus they beat us so I hate them forever and ever.

Vegas, to me, is just a mix of chaos and luck that has created a hockey market in 1 year and given people a taste of how great this sport can be when your team is good. Hopefully this is enough to let them grow some roots and stick around when Vegas is bad next year, but I love the fact that a team that had no business competing in the regular season is 4 wins from a Cup battle.

 

[WeWentBlues]

Predators last year were the result of building/trading for talent that had been years in the making. It really pissed me off because it felt like the media was being forced to hype that city in a calculated marketing effort by the NHL to make Nashville a “New hockey market” it felt fake and over supported. They made Nashville seem like a sudden contender when they have been a contender for years. Plus they beat us so I hate them forever and ever.

Vegas, to me, is just a mix of chaos and luck that has created a hockey market in 1 year and given people a taste of how great this sport can be when your team is good. Hopefully this is enough to let them grow some roots and stick around when Vegas is bad next year, but I love the fact that a team that had no business competing in the regular season is 4 wins from a Cup battle.

I was pretty irritated with the success of Vegas until I really started looking into it. They didn't exactly draft a team of all-stars in the expansion draft.

Their best work (or dumb luck) is how they were able to maneuver within the expansion draft process. Karlsson, Marchessault and Haula were all concessions Vegas made in exchange for Vegas not selecting someone else.

I think Vegas is here to stay boys. They also were able to load up in the 2017 rookie draft with three first round picks who should contribute soon. Tip of the cap to their front office and coaching staff for what they have accomplished.

 

[Stealth JD]

Vegas is going to be an absolute force in the Pacific for the foreseeable future. Theyve received so many picks that they’ll be able to move up in the next three drafts to keep that pipeline stocked with young talent. GMGM did really well for himself and that franchise, and was the benefactor of some really fortunate unforeseen developments.

 

[BlueDream]

It wasn’t long ago (just one year to be exact) that people said the Oilers would be a force.

Let’s see how it plays out. A lot of draft picks do not = major success.

 

[Blueston]

And the Pacific just isn't very good.

 

[Dbrownss]

Jets eatin them up!

 

[Stealth JD]

And the Pacific just isn't very good.

It really is a pathetic division. The three Canadian clubs have questionable (at best) management teams, and are all firmly outside of the playoffs. Calgary is always expected to compete yet disappoints more than any other team in that division. The three California teams are all several holes into the back-nine of their contention-window. Getzlaf, Perry, Kessler, Thornton, Pavelski, Burns, Carter, Phaneuf, Brown, Quick...all have heavy miles on the tires and are likely outside of their Cup-windows considering the younger, deeper, more talented teams like WPG/VGK have already exerted their dominance upon those clubs and look to be healthier in both the short-term and the long-term. The only clubs who look to be in any danger to compete in that division long-term are the Knights and Yotes (lol).

 

[Zamadoo]

After seeing Oshie and Eller in a highlight reel, I'm reminded of how much I liked Eller when they traded him. I remember thinking that he plays like Oshie but is a center. I wanted a Perron-Eller-Oshie line. Here I am living my life with the blues out of the playoffs watching those three players on teams that have never won a cup either (not to mention Stastny on WIN who has never won a cup). I guess after Brett Hull this isn't so hard to handle.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Vegas showing the NHL how important speed and skating is in today's hockey.

 

[Shwabeal]

Still too early to even pencil it in, but with my limited knowledge of how the "reseeding" of draft picks work, the best the Blues pick (from Winnipeg) can be, is 29th at this point, right? The Jets had the most points out of any of the 4 teams remaining so if they were to lose to Vegas (fingers crossed), they would, at worst, be the higher of the two "seeds" to lose in the conference finals?

 

[tfriede2]

Sheesh, these nbcsn announcers are dull. Huge saves and scoring opportunities either aren’t addressed or are announced as if it’s ho hum.

Edit: I like miccheletti, it’s the other guy...the “from downtown!” NBA announcer, ha.

 

[Spektre]

Vegas showing the NHL how important speed and skating is in today's hockey.

It’s effort and a willingness to pressure the puck every shift of every game. Their squad isn’t that deep with talent. The entire team, especially the forwards, skate their ass off.

Their success should eliminate any post game or post season excuse for losing from now until eternity.

It’s like watching 12 Hanson brothers skating 150% every shift minus the glasses and blood.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Still too early to even pencil it in, but with my limited knowledge of how the "reseeding" of draft picks work, the best the Blues pick (from Winnipeg) can be, is 29th at this point, right? The Jets had the most points out of any of the 4 teams remaining so if they were to lose to Vegas (fingers crossed), they would, at worst, be the higher of the two "seeds" to lose in the conference finals?

Correct. The pick can only be 29, 30, or 31 at this point.

 

[Shwabeal]

Correct. The pick can only be 29, 30, or 31 at this point.

Thank you. Not that it really matters value wise, really. I was part of the contingent rooting for Winnipeg over Nashville, but now I'm hoping for the Winnipeg pick being the best possible for us. ~3 spots from where it (at best, if Winnipeg loses to Vegas) could have been, I'm still happy Winnipeg knocked Nashville out. Now let's hope Vegas can help out and put that pick right in the middle of the spots it "could" have been going into the playoffs.

 

[BlueDream]

It’s still unbelievable to me that Vegas is now winning this series as well and are 2 games away from going to the Cup. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a greater coaching performance than what Gallant is doing. It’s crazy.

It’s going to be very interesting to see the moves that teams make this summer to counter this. Probably going to be making big strides at getting faster - and the Blues should be right there in that pack.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

If Vegas does end up winning the cup, all fans should write a heartfelt “thank you” letter to the Panthers.

 

[EastonBlues22]

The big problem is that now that it's painfully obvious, every team will be placing a premium on players with that ability.

 

[TruBlu]

We've been hearing all season about how Vegas would eventually fold. Love them or hate them, they've surpassed everyone's expectations. It's nice to see the narrative change from "you have to have stars" to now having evidence of a team dedicated to just keeping the pedal to the metal all game and never giving up being a winning combination. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

 

[Stealth JD]

We've been hearing all season about how Vegas would eventually fold. Love them or hate them, they've surpassed everyone's expectations. It's nice to see the narrative change from "you have to have stars" to now having evidence of a team dedicated to just keeping the pedal to the metal all game and never giving up being a winning combination. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

You're severely underrating the talent on that Golden Knights club if you think it's just effort and gumption that is getting that club past 'talent'. That club is incredibly smart, incredibly fast, unbelievably well coached and has more talent than anyone gave them credit for. You don't win a division and stack up an embarrassingly-long list of 60-point scorers (all four guys actually paced 70-points this year) with just hard work and tenaciousness, otherwise this recipe would have been discovered decades ago.

 

[WeWentBlues]

Marchessault and Karlsson are so damn good.

Karlsson was a surprise. But why again does Florida expose a young 30 goal scorer?

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Marchessault and Karlsson are so damn good.

Karlsson was a surprise. But why again does Florida expose a young 30 goal scorer?

They decided to keep Trochek instead.

 

[WeWentBlues]

They decided to keep Trochek instead.

Not quite. They protected 8 skaters instead of 7/3. Their decision to protect that extra D-men was the reason why.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Not quite. They protected 8 skaters instead of 7/3. Their decision to protect that extra D-men was the reason why.

Petrovic specifically, I believe.

Whoops.