Just realized that the Blues lost last night so as we sit here this afternoon the Preds are legit first in the Central. It's a nice feeling to be in this spot with 34 games played and creeping up on the halfway point of the season.
Sure the Avs have 5 games in hand but they're also 4 points behind the Preds so there isn't an asterisk there until the Avs actually use those games in hand to close the gap a little.
You very well may be right, it seems a little bit "dreamy" to be thinking about winning the division. But, this is the second time this season that they have been at 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and something like 10-2-1 sandwiching a 10 game stretch of .500 hockey. If they can continue to have highs of 8-1-1 and lows of 5-5 they just might have a chance at the division.I think the Avs will win the division, but my goal for the Preds is now to finish 2nd in the division. Will be a battle with Blues/Wild, but I think we are capable of doing it.
Should have bit the bullet a couple of years ago and offloaded as many of those bad contracts as possible. Problem is they just keep signing them.Someone mentioned Edmontons fall at the end of the previous thread. Those guys are going to forever waste having McDavid aren’t they?
Exactly. Someone mentioned the Wild being able to pass the Preds too but IF they win the 3 games in hand they'd still only be 2 points ahead of the Preds. 100% better to have the points already.Every game the Preds win puts that much more pressure on the Avs to win their games in hand. I'd rather have points in the bank than to be chasing someone else while needing to win games to pass.
The Avs have a chance to make up that gap, but that's all it is, just a chance until they go out and do it.
I am pleasantly surprised at our success so far. However, it appears that success has been largely dependent on Saros.
Saros is going wear down if he has to keep having 40+ save games for us to win. .
There has been this narrative about Saros being the only reason the team is anything but a bottom feeder since last season. It's the same thinking that had people projecting the Preds as the worst team in the west. They believe it so deeply that they can't see the team as it really is or the trends that show this could be a REALLY good team. You'll see it all over the comments on Vignan's latest, almost positive, articles.I don't know- people keep saying this but I really don't think it is as much a factor this year as it has been in other years (with both Rinne and Saros)
Last night he definitely saved our bacon- but those kinds of games are going to happen.
But overall I think this year we have been a pretty solid team all around and maybe I am just nuts but I would not look at this season and just say we are totally dependent on Saros.
We have a near top 5 power play in the league, a top 10 penalty kill, and we are even in the top 10 in the league in shots allowed (which kind of surprised me). Almost every analytic points to us being legit good- so far.
If our big guns keep playing the way they have, I think this is a legit good team. And as far as Saros goes, I think it is pretty safe to say we have one of the top 5 goalies in the entire league, so if people keep saying he is saving us I take that as good news, because it means we have a legit stud goalie.
Officiating has favorites. A close call favors teams and certain players. The Johansen call described was just awful. Wait till the Colorado game. There’s a reason why they’re great on the PP. They’re always on it. They’ve got “stars” and you just cannot touch them without a penalty.I don't typically complain about officiating, but in last night's game the Kings were gifted many minutes of offensive zone time to pepper Juuse with some extremely questionable calls. The interference call against Johansen for having his leg held onto by Quick was objectively and simply atrocious, for one.
At times a team has to just play through poor/blind officiating. To the Preds credit, they did. The Kings were only able to convert on one PP, and that was a pinpoint perfect shot from way out high if I recall. Juuse stood on his head, and watching the defensive play, it looks pretty clean with switches and pressures.
The areas we were not good in last night were faceoffs. Kopitar just abused us there, which extended a lot of defensive zone time. Secondly, there were some softer breakout/bad clearing attempts that resulted in turnovers and even more extended defensive zone time.
PS: Myers doesn't seem to trust his feet when he has the puck to me. He seems to operate in a phone booth with the puck and want to get rid of it quickly like it's a live hand grenade at his feet. I think he'd have really benefited from spending more time in the AHL. The Flyers development of him looks pretty suspect at this point.
I dunno, I don't discern that narrative at all. I don't dispute that Saros has been our MVP since last year's turn around. And even with great seasons and showings by many players this year so far, he's still our MVP. But to me there's a big difference between acknowledging him as our MVP and saying he's the ONLY reason we're doing well - which I don't find happening? Maybe I just don't pay too much attention to external chatter though...There has been this narrative about Saros being the only reason the team is anything but a bottom feeder since last season. It's the same thinking that had people projecting the Preds as the worst team in the west. They believe it so deeply that they can't see the team as it really is or the trends that show this could be a REALLY good team. You'll see it all over the comments on Vignan's latest, almost positive, articles.
All we can do is keep repeating the positives and wait for the results to prove them wrong.
They’ve got “stars” and you just cannot touch them without a penalty.
I agree, Saros is not the only reason we are doing well but he is a big one. I would just like to see less reliance on him by better offensive possession.
Put another way, why do we think Oilers fans wish we'd gift them Saros for a bag of Nugents and Hopkins?Agree- But my thing is this- on every great team, can't you say the goalie is a big reason for the success?? Tampa Bay is loaded of course, but isn't having Vasilevskiy a huge part of their team?? Even as great as they are let them have to play with Brian Elliott and see how far they get.
I agree that he's the MVP of the team and he's been better than we could have expected, maybe we hoped for this but not expected.I dunno, I don't discern that narrative at all. I don't dispute that Saros has been our MVP since last year's turn around. And even with great seasons and showings by many players this year so far, he's still our MVP. But to me there's a big difference between acknowledging him as our MVP and saying he's the ONLY reason we're doing well - which I don't find happening? Maybe I just don't pay too much attention to external chatter though...
By the end of the season with another 45 games spent dialing things in and making tweaks in preparation for the post season I suspect we'll feel confident with the team in a series against any team.Until the playoffs roll around and all whistles are broken. That’s why I think this team actually has a chance to be even better in the playoffs. Will they be able to beat Colorado in a 7 game series? I’m not optimistic but the Avs aren’t going to be looking great going into their next one if they face us and win.