Around the NHL - Playoffs? We're Talkin' 'bout Playoffs?

[Zip15]

yeah that's sad about Strader. I thought they announced a little while back that he was getting better.

When I saw pictures of him at the mid-September press box dedication ceremony in Glens Falls, I feared it wouldn't be long. He looked weak and frail - well beyond how people look during treatment cycles. Cancer is a SOB.

 

[Ethan Edwards]

This morning's news cycle has been one giant punch in the gut.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Zip15]

Jagr to the Flames appears imminent, per LeBrun.

 

[LaxSabre]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Chainshot]

That moment when you miss the "three year deal" in the Anderson tweets and nearly fall off your chair indicates a distinct need for and lack of coffee.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/10/03/report-blackhawks-allowed-to-place-marian-hossa-on-ltir/

Of course they can....

 

[joshjull]

 

[joshjull]

Wow that's a young group

 

[joshjull]

 

[Jim Bob]

Wow that's a young group

And Chychrun would be there also if it weren't for his knee injury.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

There is a part of me that hopes that "youth" is the Sabres next year......

Mittlestadt
Nylander
Ghule

Added

Molson
Polioute
Gorges

Subtracted

 

[Jim Bob]

There is a part of me that hopes that "youth" is the Sabres next year......

Mittlestadt
Nylander
Ghule

Added

Molson
Polioute
Gorges

Subtracted

Gorges and Pouliot are UFAs after this season, so the odds are good that they won't be back.

I just doubt that they can offload Moulson and they will just have to wait for his deal to run it's course after the 2018-19 season barring a cap dump trade where they retain some of the contract.

 

[LaxSabre]

Dark Horse - The Sabres haven't qualified for the playoffs since 2010-2011, the longest stretch in the division. New coach Phil Housley should help the defense, which added Marco Scandella in a June 30 trade with the Minnesota Wild that also brought forward Jason Pominville back to Buffalo. The Sabres are counting on a healthy Jack Eichel (24 goals, 33 assists in 61 games last season; missed 21 games with an ankle injury) and forwards Evander Kane (28 goals), Ryan O'Reilly (20 goals) and Kyle Okposo (19 goals) to provide the bulk of the offense in front of goalie Robin Lehner (.920 save percentage). The playoffs may be a bit of a stretch, but Buffalo should see an improvement in the standings after finishing last in the division.

Who Will Make Playoffs? - The Lightning will win the division and return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. They will be joined by three teams that qualified last season: the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Bruins, who get in as a wild card. The Senators, who came within one goal of the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, will miss out.

 

[LaxSabre]

@penguins - To everyone asking - of course Fleury and Kunitz will have this addition!
And yes, Mario's ring has five.

 

[LaxSabre]

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Vegas has work to do yikes

 

[sabrebuild]

Vegas has work to do yikes

Huh? Are they going to pay vadim like 4 mill a year in the minors???

So after two minutes of looking at the new vegas board, they seem to think it's because shippy is waiver exempt and McPhee is being careful with griffin Reinhart and sbisa... someone has too much time on their hand.

 

[LaxSabre]

Team To Beat - Pittsburgh assumes this title until further notice. The Penguins have the personnel and drive to win it all again, but coach Mike Sullivan will have to overcome losses in free agency and the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft (Marc-Andre Fleury, Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino, Matt Cullen, Trevor Daley). He also needs his core players (Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang) to remain healthy.

Who Will Make Playoffs? - There's a good possibility five teams from the Metropolitan could qualify: the Penguins, Blue Jackets, Capitals, Rangers and Hurricanes.

 

[LaxSabre]

 

[LaxSabre]

Team To Beat: Tough call, but it's hard to go against the Predators, considering what they did last season and who they have returning. They got to the Cup Final last season even after losing No. 1 center Ryan Johansen and top-six forward Kevin Fiala to injury. Each is back. Nashville won't have defenseman Ryan Ellis (knee) for the first few months, but it still has one of the best defense groups in the League.

Who Will Make Playoffs?: The consensus of the NHL.com staff predictions have Chicago, Nashville, Minnesota and St. Louis in the playoffs. This might be the toughest division to predict, so keep in mind that the science on this might be off.

 

[Jame]

I would take Matt Read from Philly at 50% retained = 1.8 for 1 year....saves them more than waiving him did.

Kane-Eichel-Girgensons
Pouliot-ROR-KO
Larsson-Reinhart-Pominville
Nolan-Josefson-Read
x Moulson, Griffith

 

[joshjull]

I was happy for him last year bouncing back from his injury. Good to see him catch on with a team.

 

[LaxSabre]

Pacific Division - 2017-2018 Preview - NHL.com - Oilers Look To Pass Ducks For Pacific Division Supremacy -

Team To Beat: The Oilers look to take a big step forward after coming within one win of reaching the 2017 Western Conference Final, when they lost to the Ducks in Game 7 of the second round. McDavid, who had 100 points (30 goals, 70 points) to win the NHL scoring title in his second NHL season, is only getting better, and goaltender Cam Talbot deftly handled a sizable workload, going 44-22-8 in a League-leading 73 starts.

The New Guy: Thomas Vanek, Canucks. After spending the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres, Vanek has turned into a man on the move. The Canucks are his fourth team in the past three seasons. But the 33-year-old forward can score (15 goals in 48 games for the Detroit Red Wings last season before being traded to the Florida Panthers on March 1) and can provide the Canucks what they need - scoring and someone who might find chemistry playing with center Henrik Sedin and forward Daniel Sedin.

Who Will Make Playoffs: Just a slight reshuffling from last season: Edmonton, Anaheim and Calgary get in again, with Los Angeles making a return after failing to qualify in 2016-2017.

https://www.nhl.com/news/pacific-division-preview-edmonton-oilers-anaheim-ducks/c-291544356