Non-Minnesota NHL News XIV - Seattle Expansion(?)

[StealthClobber]

Well the solace is that the Avs now have to face the Nashville Predators in the playoffs.

 

[Wild11MN]

Congrats to the Avs...
...
...
I guess...

 

[Wabit]

I'm glad the Avs made it. They are a fun team to watch, but would be the worst team for MN to face in the 2nd round.

 

[StealthClobber]

If the Kings manage to come back and win against the Stars, and the Bruins don't pass the Lightning tomorrow, these will be the intra-division matchups for the playoffs:

PIT vs PHI
BOS vs TOR
WPG vs MIN
ANA vs LAK

These are insane matchups, but my god they should not be in the first round. I miss the old format.

 

[Drewcifer]

I'm trying to decide who I would rather face in the second round if we got past Winnipeg - Nashville or Colorado?

 

[Wabit]

I'm trying to decide who I would rather face in the second round if we got past Winnipeg - Nashville or Colorado?

Nashville would be my choice, we can play with them. Col (MacKinnon especially) is matchup nightmare for MN.

 

[TaLoN]

I'm trying to decide who I would rather face in the second round if we got past Winnipeg - Nashville or Colorado?

Preds in a heartbeat!

 

[Wabit]

Preds in a heartbeat!

Wild are probably the only team in the Playoffs to say that.

 

[Wabit]

If the Kings manage to come back and win against the Stars, and the Bruins don't pass the Lightning tomorrow, these will be the intra-division matchups for the playoffs:

PIT vs PHI
BOS vs TOR
WPG vs MIN
ANA vs LAK

These are insane matchups, but my god they should not be in the first round. I miss the old format.

Matchups under 1-8 rules:
East:
TB/BOS (1) vs NJD (8)
TB/BOS (2) vs CBJ (7)
Caps (3) vs PHI (6)
TOR (4) vs PIT (5)

West:
NSH (1) vs COL (8)
Jets (2) vs LA (7)
Vegas (3) vs SJS (6)
MN (4) vs ANA (5)

It really doesn't matter to me how the Playoff system is setup for the 1st round. I would prefer that the higher seeds get to pick who they want to play system, but that's neither here nor there. 11 of the 16 teams this year have 100p or more, and all of the Playoff teams have at least 95p.

The 2nd round is what I don't like with the current setup. The Playoff teams (hypothetically) with the 2 best records in the Conference could meet in one matchup and the teams with the two worst records could meet in the other matchup. I wasn't a fan of reseeding after each round under the old system either. So each system has pros and cons for me.

 

[Wabit]

What a game for Rask to not bring his A-game. Bos could have clinched 1st in the East, against a FLA team that had nothing to play for after being eliminated yesterday.

 

[StealthClobber]

FLA finish as arguably the best team in recent history to not make the playoffs. Tie the 06-07 Avs for most wins ever to not make the playoffs at 44, tie the 14-15 Bruins for most points ever to not make the playoffs with 96.

 

[Wabit]

So does the NYR firing AV count as an in-season firing? The NYR season was over, but that Bos/FLA makeup game happened the next day. If not there were no head coaches fired during the season in the first time I can remember.

 

[StealthClobber]

I don't think so. Regardless of the makeup game, NYR had played all 82 of their games, as had 28 other teams in the league. I wouldn't personally call that an in-season firing.

 

[TaLoN]

I don't think so. Regardless of the makeup game, NYR had played all 82 of their games, as had 28 other teams in the league. I wouldn't personally call that an in-season firing.

Agreed. The RANGERS season was over, thus the Rangers didn't fire their coach during the RANGERS season.

 

[Minnesota]

So... Uh, Kovalchuk going to NYR is weird.

I'd love to see him play on a team with legit skill up front. He'd be fun to watch with Boeser in Vancouver.

 

[grN1g]

Honestly Kovy to NYR actually makes sense, they can pay him what he wants for how long he wants, he gets to play with fellow russians he knows personally, and if they stink he will be a hot trade piece for contending teams.

either way he gets everything he wants.

 

[NHL1674]

WTH, Kings? You had ONE job to do!

 

[Minnesota]

Honestly Kovy to NYR actually makes sense, they can pay him what he wants for how long he wants, he gets to play with fellow russians he knows personally, and if they stink he will be a hot trade piece for contending teams.

either way he gets everything he wants.

I thought he'd want to win... But I guess money talks.

 

[Wild11MN]

I thought he'd want to win... But I guess money talks.

It is a bit odd. Is he even making more money here than in Russia? I thought he was top-3 salary-wise over there. Otherwise why come back after a bunch of years to a mediocre team?

 

[W75]

Kovy wants to be a star and he will be a star. Winning the cup is difficult and uncertain, no matter how you choose.

Maybe his KHL team run out of money

 

[tomgilbertfan]

 

[Wild11MN]

This has been a very well-received video from the DoPS about headshots and suspensions so far in the postseason.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Top 3 in the draft stayed out of the West.

Thought for sure at least one of Edmonton or Chicago would've jumped up.

 

[Bazeek]

Top 3 in the draft stayed out of the West.

Thought for sure at least one of Edmonton or Chicago would've jumped up.

I'm superstitious enough to refuse even thinking about the possibility of Chicago jumping into the top 3. Edmonton getting it would be funny, but somehow everything they touch turns to ash anyway.

Happy for Buffalo and Carolina; both get they guys they seem to need most. Kind of feel for Arizona.

 

[2Pair]

I'm superstitious enough to refuse even thinking about the possibility of Chicago jumping into the top 3. Edmonton getting it would be funny, but somehow everything they touch turns to ash anyway.

Happy for Buffalo and Carolina; both get they guys they seem to need most. Kind of feel for Arizona.

Buffalo needs a coach more than anything