If you actually think professionals aren't playing as hard because they want a draft position you are out of your mind. These are professionals playing for contracts and jobs. Typically nothing surprises me around here but this one has me in shock. Absolutely absurd.
The only aggressive thing in this thread right now are these hilarious excuses and not understanding these are professionals with millions on the line.
Sure bud. They’re also human beings and when they have no hope for the POs OR have their spot firmly locked in and don’t want to get injured, they also play differently. Players literally get scratched for maintenance days before the playoffs. Those guys don’t care about their “millions on the line”?
Keep the excuses coming. If you actually think that games at the start of the year 'matter more' go for it, you're only fooling yourself.
Bingo, seems to be one specific fan base that has the most of them coming. I am not disillusioned about what the Senators are, they arent a very good team with large holes. I could go on and on and say their goal differential is way better than any of these teams so they are closer to breaking out because thats typically a good indicator at the top of the standings and who goes further in the playoffs. I am not going to say that because it doesnt matter, what matters is how many points they have. Every team plays 82 games every team has injuries, every team has to deal with covid, every team plays basically the same schedule. Your team is what it is and thats its record doesnt matter when the wins and loses come.
I didn’t say they did. I just said some teams might not play as hard at the end of the year because there is nothing to be gained for their team by winning more games or winning mroe decisively. Not sure how you can argue that a game when you are mathematically eliminated from the POs matters the exact same as when you still have a good chance.
Yes. Great point. There’s always an explanation for why every outcome is happening.
Huh? This thread is full of Ottawa fans claiming you guys were only bad because Ottawa was the only one of the bottom teams dealing with major injuries, the only one affected badly by COVID, talking about your 2nd half record as proof, etc. Each one of these talking points was brought up b an Ottawa fan..did you even read the thread?
Guys are always competing for jobs, someone is always watching. Whether its ice time, or a contract there is always competition. Also what does that say about a team that was in the mix and suddenly were terrible, those games mattered too did the crack under the pressure? There is no way to spin it. A teams record is its record thats what they are until they prove they arent. We will see next season if any of these teams take a step. Personally if I had to bet on one I think its Buffalo. Ill still cheer for my team but the Sens D core is a mess. Unless thats fixed or Sanderson is a savior they wont be any good.
Uhhh what? Wings fans are the king of excuses. At the start of the year all you guys did is shit on everyone now that your team has come back to reality its excuses.
Looks like you didn’t read the thread lol. Find me a single wings fan that’s making excuses in here for us being bad. Just one. The whole second half of the season thing was brought up by an Ottawa fan, not us. The Jakub Vrana injury was brought up in response to an Ottawa fan saying the Wings had no major injuries.
Not saying you did it. But you only have to back 3 pages for multiple posts about Shane Pinto being a top 6 forward lost, Ottawa “pulling ahead next year”, superior records against playoff teams, superior record in the second half, injuries to Chabot, etc….it’s not exactly hidden. Not sure why you’re acting like it didn’t happen.
Can you show me where a single wings fan said all we need is goaltending? That person deserves a bonk on the head because that’s a ludicrous statement lol
I believe it's less about saying all those teams need is goaltending and more that goaltending specifically is the biggest cause for concern among those teams. Average or better goaltending can mask a lot of other team issues, but it's obviously not the only hole for Jersey, Detroit or Buffalo. Hopefully Ottawa can continue to get above average goaltending from Forsberg.
In his very first season? Very unlikely. Possible no rookies do that this season other than the 25 year old one.
a massively declining devils team had a surprise appearance in the sc finals in 2012. they missed the po the next 5 seasons without adding any top tier talents (thanks lou and david) for ages. the 2018 po appearance in hischier's rookie season was again surprising and no break out.
