OT: Stanley Cup Playoffs

[ujju2]

Go Caps, as always.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

Vs another Cali team? Not a chance.

Have to think Bettman and Co. are not thrilled that two of their four precious CA/NV markets will be out in the first round.

Wouldn't it be something if, by total coincidence, the league pushed this summer to have more cross-divisional matchups? Take this year, for example- that's four chances to get one of ANH/SJS/LAK/VGK through to to the WCF and beyond. A few bad calls here, a few no-calls the other way, and suddenly it's all but guaranteed year after year.

 

[McShogun99]

Difference is the Jets could afford to be patient. Jets fans were just happy to have a team. Oilers fans hadn't seen playoff action for 10 years so management could not afford to be patient. Not to mention our scouting staff has failed at their jobs year after year whereas half of Winnipeg's current roster is draft picks from 2011-2016.

Only problem for Chevy is a contract like Kulikov. Absolutely will have to be moved. Perreault and Mason could be gone as well.

Oiler fans are patient also. 10 years of no playoffs and we still were near the top of the league for ticket sales. I think we rushed when we got Mcdavid to try and speed up the process but it backfired and now it looks like it set us back.

 

[Joey Moss]

Oiler fans are patient also. 10 years of no playoffs and we still were near the top of the league for ticket sales. I think we rushed when we got Mcdavid to try and speed up the process but it backfired and now it looks like it set us back.

I don't know if we did rush. The Reinhart deal fits that description. Trading two good picks in a deep draft for a bust who looked closer to being ready. At the end of the day though, our GM admitted on draft day that they weren't taking 'the guy who went 16' (Barzal). If we took Eriksson-Ek or Svechnikov (rumored) we still wouldn't be that much further ahead. Our scouting staff is the issue.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Just curious, was Steve Barton the guy that screwed us last year against Anaheim with the bad calls?

 

[Little Fury]

I don't know if we did rush. The Reinhart deal fits that description. Trading two good picks in a deep draft for a bust who looked closer to being ready. At the end of the day though, our GM admitted on draft day that they weren't taking 'the guy who went 16' (Barzal). If we took Eriksson-Ek or Svechnikov (rumored) we still wouldn't be that much further ahead. Our scouting staff is the issue.

Trading Hall for Larsson and then signing Lucic definitely fits in with the notion that they were trying to fast track things here. I'm convinced the mandate was to get the team into the playoffs at all costs for the first season in the new barn, damn the long term consequences.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Wrong about Vegas apparently, wow the Kings are not good.

 

[Little Fury]

Wrong about Vegas apparently, wow the Kings are not good.

Speed kills.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Wrong about Vegas apparently, wow the Kings are not good.

Kings can't score. Can't buy a goal. Other than that they have been good..

Nice to see Fleury get another solid team to backstop. The guy doesn't get enough credit. Never really understood him losing the starting job in Pittsburgh. His save percentage in this series is crazy good.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Wrong about Vegas apparently, wow the Kings are not good.

The Kings have very little offense.

 

[Little Fury]

The Kings have very little offense.

They're getting dominated.

Watching Dirtbag Doughty become unhinged is a joy to behold.

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

Wrong about Vegas apparently, wow the Kings are not good.

The Kings just aren't getting the bias from the officials that they're accustomed to. The league is OK with the Knights advancing. If the Kings were playing a Canadian team, the officials would give them some help. I love watching them go down. Hoping for the same thing for the Ducks.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Kings can't score. Can't buy a goal. Other than that they have been good..

Nice to see Fleury get another solid team to backstop. The guy doesn't get enough credit. Never really understood him losing the starting job in Pittsburgh. His save percentage in this series is crazy good.

Watched game 2 and both he and Quick were spectacular. Quick may have been even more impressive because LV was really piling it on the entire game and he made some remarkable saves, but LA got a couple of decent chances throughout as well.

It’s a shame (for Quick) that he’s played so well and still not been able to get a win in the series. Shows you how low the margin for error in the league is.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

The Kings just aren't getting the bias from the officials that they're accustomed to. The league is OK with the Knights advancing. If the Kings were playing a Canadian team, the officials would give them some help. I love watching them go down. Hoping for the same thing for the Ducks.

League doesn't know what to do right now. If it's cali-west team against anybody else, it's easy. But now it's cali-west team against cali-west team. Cancels each other out.

 

[rboomercat90]

The Kings/Vegas series has been my favourite to watch so far. So much speed and outstanding goaltending. It’s been fun watching a California team get screwed by officiating too. Welcome to our world. When did Drew Doughty turn into a f***ing idiot. I was actually embarrassed for him when he drew that penalty and then mocked the Vegas player by making a show of clapping his hands and pointing to his head to say something like “not very smart”. Did he already forget the the dumb thing he did in the series got him suspended for a game that his team went on to lose? Nice to see the Kings lose, the Vegas team hasn’t been around long enough to have annoyed me yet.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

For some reason Columbus annoys me

 

[Porkleaker]

Thoroughly enjoying the spankings Boston has been giving to the Leafs, hopefully they can do the same at ACC tonight and make the fans cry some more
Loving how Auston (Pignose) "Generational" Matthews is a complete no-show.

As for Jersey, never really thought they had much of a chance, same goes for the Avs. The big surprise is San Jose leading their series 2-0 YESSSS, but those games are almost impossible to watch as there's no playoff spirit behind them, can
hear a pin drop and as usual, far too many empty seats. Here's an idea, move the Ducks to Seattle and we don't have to worry about another draft.

Washington tanking yet again. lol Poor Ovi is never going to win a cup. Then there' s the Jets vs Wild series, that's one of the most entertaining next to LA and Vegas, insane goal tending but LA just can't compete with Vegas, they're scary and could go pretty deep, if not all the way to the finals this year. And screw the Pens, I knew they'd likely take this series but I hate seeing them win! If they won another cup I'd quit watching hockey for good...Well, not really but I'd be pissed off.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Kings/Vegas series has been my favourite to watch so far. So much speed and outstanding goaltending. It’s been fun watching a California team get screwed by officiating too. Welcome to our world. When did Drew Doughty turn into a ****ing idiot. I was actually embarrassed for him when he drew that penalty and then mocked the Vegas player by making a show of clapping his hands and pointing to his head to say something like “not very smart”. Did he already forget the the dumb thing he did in the series got him suspended for a game that his team went on to lose? Nice to see the Kings lose, the Vegas team hasn’t been around long enough to have annoyed me yet.

Yeah. The previous version of Doughty would just get visibly upset, then spend the rest of the game making opponents wish he was not upset. The man would become a results bending demon. The current doughty is somebody that succumbs to being reactive and that will almost automatically do something stupid before the game is over that hurts the team.

If you only ever saw THIS Doughty you would wonder what all the fuss was about.

This is why I don't want Doughty as an Oiler. Would be yet another player that his past his best that we overpay for. I was a big Doughty fan and still saying that.

 

[rboomercat90]

Yeah. The previous version of Doughty would just get visibly upset, then spend the rest of the game making opponents wish he was not upset. The man would become a results bending demon. The current doughty is somebody that succumbs to being reactive and that will almost automatically do something stupid before the game is over that hurts the team.

If you only ever saw THIS Doughty you would wonder what all the fuss was about.

This is why I don't want Doughty as an Oiler. Would be yet another player that his past his best that we overpay for. I was a big Doughty fan and still saying that.

I’m a little surprised to see you this. I guess it says a lot about where Doughty’s game has gone.

 

[Aerrol]

Nice to see Fleury get another solid team to backstop. The guy doesn't get enough credit. Never really understood him losing the starting job in Pittsburgh. His save percentage in this series is crazy good.

Fleury has always had all the goalie talent in the world, and had confidence/mental issues that were in part due to his team playing unsteady defence in front of him. It made sense for him to lose the job in light of his shakiness (especially in the playoffs...Fleury in 2012 for instance was just total garbage), but he saw a few sports psychologists IIRC, and made a consistent effort to work on it, much to his credit. He seemed to be finally over it the last two seasons (especially last, where he was HUGE for the pens), but by that time Murray had showed up and was almost as good as peak Fleury, but much, much more consistent and with none of the calmness/mental issues Fleury seemed to have. Plus he's a lot younger, so I get why they chose Murray over Fleury.

That said, I've been saying for years that if Fleury could ever solve his mental issues he'd be the best goalie in the league. He plays a really fun style of goaltending too, a lot more athletic (kind of like Quick). I'm very happy for him to look like he's really moved on from both the Pens and his past struggles.

 

[BigFuzzyDice]

Watched game 2 and both he and Quick were spectacular. Quick may have been even more impressive because LV was really piling it on the entire game and he made some remarkable saves, but LA got a couple of decent chances throughout as well.

It’s a shame (for Quick) that he’s played so well and still not been able to get a win in the series. Shows you how low the margin for error in the league is.

man wasn't that a great game. the over time was just wave after wave of vegas attacking the kings. Yes they are fast (they definitely play that way) but they are not wilting lilies either. pretty physical games so far too.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I’m a little surprised to see you this. I guess it says a lot about where Doughty’s game has gone.

Its funny that Friedman, who I rarely agree with said the same thing. that looking at Doughty, and knowing what he's been like in recent years he was just expecting Doughty to do something stupid out there. Actually the whole panel had Doughty being on the edge and not entirely in control. For some reason he gets too amped up now and it no longer serves purpose of making his play better.

Even against teams as weak as the Flames in recent years Doughty has been drawn into stupid stuff. he really bites on the Tkachuk type stuff. He needs to avoid reacting and doesn't. The use your head message also applies to him. Trouble is Doughty currently is somebody that has probably moved beyond being available to criticism. He was a fantastic player. I'm not as keen on the current version. Even getting suspended for the one game was poor form with Muzzin and Forbort already out. It is extremely odd that Doughty, who got suspended, thinks he can credibly tell an opponent to use their head. Its this kind of stuff where both opponents and your own team mates kind of groan. Its kind of sad. I think seeing this, as a King, would be offputting considering the Kings had to play game 2 without him.

Not sure if its burn out of Drew just no longer having the same focus and expecting to be somewhere else next contract.

In the end though Doughty didn't make any key difference in this series or the last time Kings made playoffs and that should factor into what he's worth presently.

 

[Aerrol]

Not sure if its burn out of Drew just no longer having the same focus and expecting to be somewhere else next contract.

In the end though Doughty didn't make any key difference in this series or the last time Kings made playoffs and that should factor into what he's worth presently.

so............you're saying that Doughty will sign with us at 7.5mill per?!

 

[rboomercat90]

For some reason Columbus annoys me

Lol, I haven’t watched any of this series yet. What’s your beef with them?

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Lol, I haven’t watched any of this series yet. What’s your beef with them?

I recognize that they have talent but for the most part their "strategy" seems to be "let's hope bob gets super-hot and steals us game after game".