OT: Around the NHL | Two Weeks Until The Draft

[SirBrad]

This is the year of the perennial loser. First the Eagles win the Super Bowl, now this.

Houston Astros.

 

[Maylo]

Of all the goalies the Caps faced this year, Murray played best against them.

Sorry to interrupt, but based on stats or your eye test, just curious?

 

[USMC607]

So did anyone see the girl flash the caps as they hosted the cup around?

 

[Shady Machine]

I like how Ovi hijacked Backstrom's moment there.

Yeah that was really bizarre

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Yeah that was really bizarre

He was helping Backstrom carry the Cup because Backstrom's hand is messed up.

 

[Shockmaster]

Sorry to interrupt, but based on stats or your eye test, just curious?

Both. And yes, that is taking into consideration Murray let in some questionable goals.

 

[TrudeauG]

Congratulations Caps.

I was hoping it would end in a tie, though honestly.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

People really wanna blame Pittsburgh for the Caps winning the cup? How about just give credit where credit is due. The Caps were the better team of any team they faced. It stings a little, but in the end it was good for growing the game of hockey.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Houston Astros.

Year of the losers in mlb, nfl, nhl. What a coincidence. Doesn't seem like a money grab at all.

 

[Al Smith]

And about Conn Smythe trophy.

For the third year in a row it was awarded for PR and marketing reasons to a player who wasn't really the most valuable. This year Holtby and the Birdman deserved it more than Ovie.

At this point it has become a joke of a trophy that doesn't nearly live up to its description. It should be renamed to "game marketing trophy" or something like that.

This league is ridiculous in practically everything it does.

2016 should have been someone other than Sid. In 2017, Sid was legit, although I would have gone with Fleury/Murray if that were possible. This year, yeah, Kuznetzov deserved it, but Ovie was a solid second. I thought Holtby was good enough, but he didn't win it for him. The Ovie narrative has been in the works not just this year, but every year his good teams have lost. Really, all Ovie had to do was play each game, and any positive he did would have been magnified a million X to match the media narrative already going.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Ovechkin lead the playoffs in goals by 3, had half as many penalty minutes as Kuzy, is the captain of the team, and is a more physical player.

Kuzy could have won for sure, but Ovechkin is deserving. Saying it hurts the credibility of the award is laughable. It's not like they gave it to Lars Eller.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I like how Ovi hijacked Backstrom's moment there.

Didnt hijack anything. Shows how bad backstroms hand is hurt.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Didnt hijack anything. Shows how bad backstroms hand is hurt.

No way he's able to play that many games, win faceoffs, and sauce that pass in the last game but can't hold up the Stanley Cup. Maybe this was his punishment for saying "f*** this league" Didn't get his own moment with the cup on the ice.

 

[Ogrezilla]

No way he's able to play that many games, win faceoffs, and sauce that pass in the last game but can't hold up the Stanley Cup. Maybe this was his punishment for saying "**** this league" Didn't get his own moment with the cup on the ice.

if he could have held the Cup, he would have. Thinking Ovi would hijack that moment is silly. Suggesting that the league had something to do with it is an order of magnitude dumber than that.

 

[SUBdrewgANS]

It's pretty obvious Ovi was there to help him lift the cup. Right before Ovi helps him, you can see Backstrom say something to him probably like "Ok grab the other side of this thing"

 

[Finesse]

Honestly sort of thought this would never happen.

 

[Turin]

This is closer to 2009 Pens than 2016. 2016 Pens were a juggernaut who realistically could have beat every team they played in 5. They had the best possession numbers in the league outside of LA but were wicked fast to boot. The Caps were riding PDO in the regular season and then turned it way up in the playoffs on the backs of #8 and #92 and #70, with the help a bunch of grinders.

 

[BHD]

Oshie, Eller, Vrana, Burakovsky, and Connolly aren't grinders. However, they did "grind" out some wins along the way. It was a total team buy-in that ended with them winning. Wilson lifting the Cup is the only thing that doesn't sit well with me.

 

[vikingGoalie]

they also got several huge goals out of Smith-Pelly of all people. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Yeah, pits smelly was putting in work. Scored all the big goals. Maybe he should have won the Con Smythe.

 

[Gurglesons]

Man, how are people turning the Ovie Backstrom thing into an issue?

IT was an absolutely beautiful moment. The two underachievers finally winning. Nobody has gotten more shit than those two.

 

[TorstenFrings]

He was helping Backstrom carry the Cup because Backstrom's hand is messed up.

Those two have been weirdly tight for an exuberant Russian and a reserved Swede for over a decade. Backstrom can probably assert himself, if he wants space. Ovi called him, he obviously shouted "Nicky, Nicky", and they shared a moment. Sure, he did not need to shadow him all the way, but Backstrom really did not signal discontent with the situation at all.

Tbh I want the Pens to win a 4th Cup mostly so that Sid can directly hand it to Geno once. It was a great moment.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This is the year of the perennial loser. First the Eagles win the Super Bowl, now this.

Sweet. I have a chance of going out with Emma Stone, since apparently this is the year where miracles happen.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

So did anyone see the girl flash the caps as they hosted the cup around?

When the Pens skated around with the cup last year, some "fans" threw trash at them/onto the ice. This year, the Caps players had to deal with another type of trash. They didn't seem to mind though.

 

[BallardEra]

they also got several huge goals out of Smith-Pelly of all people. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.

He had 7 goals in 75 regular season games and 7 goals in 24 playoff games. Funny thing too is that Trotz admitted that he didn't like when they signed him.