Your unpopular playoff retrospective opinion

[flying squirrel]

Jon Cooper's playoff history alone should have won him a Jack Adams.

• Jon Cooper took young Lightning team to SCF in 2015.
• Was 1st HC to beat Rangers @ home during ECF game 7 or any game 7 at MSG (2015).
• Record breaking team wins total that stood for 30 or so yrs.
• 6 ECF's appearances.
• 4 SCF's appearances.
• 2 "Cups" back-to-back.
• In year 8 with 6 ECF's, 4 SCF's, and 2 "Cups" under his belt: Cooper took Lightning team with whole 3rd line gone, other depth gone, Lightning's leading playoff scorer(Point) during back-to-backs was injured all playoffs, and came close to pulling off historical 3-peat. That 3-peat playoffs; Lightning just getting through East playoff gantlet of Leafs, Panthers, and Rangers was insane!!!!
• Vasy hurt, depth slashed more than any previous "Cup" winners felt historically (Flat-cap), other major injuries(Sergachev), Seven or so rookies making NHL debuts, Coops use of Kucherov to help players get going, and other challenges Cooper help overcome was huge.
• Cooper this season did one of his best coaching jobs of career, but nothing but crickets on HCOY front.
• How has Jon Cooper not won Jack Adams yet? Guess Jon Coopers all-star showing, attitude, being Canadian, and what not is just to much to overcome.....

# 1 BS wasn't born from thin-air is my unpopular playoff opinion

 

[GMR]

Conan O’Brien cost Detroit the Stanley Cup in 2009.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Don’t know if it’s controversial, but I really don’t have a problem with the Conn Smythe choices having an element of life time achievement award / generally the biggest star of the team / he deserves some recognition. It’s not in the award criteria, but I’m fine with that.

Concretely, in 2018 Kuznetsov had a very strong case, but I cannot make myself worked up about Ovie getting it - and now it feels good he got it. Kane, Keith, Toews getting one each seems right (and maybe it was correct each year anyway). Crosby gotta have one after three SC wins. And so on.

Kuznezov vs Ovi is interesting. 5 more points for Kuznezov but Ovi has three more goals. I usually prefer the goalscorer. That one could go either way but I'm fine with Ovi taking it.

With Crosby vs Kessel, Kessel has more points AND more goals. But he's not a typically likeable guy and Crosby's Crosby so... Again, I don't think it's a terrible vote but I think had the voters known Sid was going to be back the following season and win it, they'd have given it to Kessel. Kessel was more deserving of it in my opinion.

 

[JKG33]

The Avs don't win the cup if Kadri doesn't injure Binnington. I'll die on this hill. Binner came in for Husso in rd1 and looked ready to steal the series in rd2.

The Avs were a wagon and maybe they figure him out, but the way he was going this had a game 6 or 7 series win for the Blues written all over it

 

[HanSolo]

Don’t know if it’s controversial, but I really don’t have a problem with the Conn Smythe choices having an element of life time achievement award / generally the biggest star of the team / he deserves some recognition. It’s not in the award criteria, but I’m fine with that.

Concretely, in 2018 Kuznetsov had a very strong case, but I cannot make myself worked up about Ovie getting it - and now it feels good he got it. Kane, Keith, Toews getting one each seems right (and maybe it was correct each year anyway). Crosby gotta have one after three SC wins. And so on.

It's an MVP award. It should be awarded with more stringent review.

 

[Bouboumaster]

1- Habs were f***ed by Kreider when he decided to dropkick Price on the knee,
What a dirtbag


2- Habs 2020-2021 is underrated: the forwards talent was lacking (Danault and a younger Suzuki were pretty much the two best players we had upfront) but the defensive squad was solid af and Price was for one last time, the best goaltender in the World

 

[goeb]

Carolina winning in 06 was the flukiest fluke to ever fluke

Even as a Flames fan, Oilers win that series easily with Roloson.

They needed Buffalo to literally lose every single one of their top 4 defensemen to even make it to the finals.

Worst cup winning team of the salary cap era.

I thought Markkanen played pretty good when Roloson went down. Oilers making the finals seemed like a bigger fluke to me. Canes were loaded that year with underrated talent.

Roloson's and Ward's play seemed to be some of the most anomalous. Ward was a below average starting goalie the rest of his career. Roloson bounced around to multiple team as a journeyman goalie.I don't know what happened that year.

I actually think Canes were one of theore impressive turnaround stories of the cap era. I believe they finished 2nd in the East that year which is a great accomplishment. It was like divine intervention as they were atrocious before the lockout of 2005.

 

[goeb]

I still can't comprehend how the Sharks upset the Wings and Flames in back to back years in 94 and 95.

It's not as if they had great goaltending or anything. I know the opposition had abysmal goaltending, but still, the Sharks were such a fringe playoff team. It would be like the Capitals of this year taking out the Rangers somehow.

Even in 2000 when they eliminated the Blues it seemed like a giant fluke. They benefited from playing against a goaltender who just self-destructed mentally. Not to mention they got a game winner one game due to Bergevin literally throwing the puck in his own net.

A lot of this karma came back the Sharks way when they actually became a top-tier team, ironically.

 

[North Cole]

Definitely have IMO but on another thought

I Always felt like if Toronto played in the west like in the 90s, they'd already have a cup by now lol

Kind of a strange take considering the east won the 1st half of the decade and they were no where to be seen, when the west started winning they never made a final.

 

[Benneguin]

Goalies are a dime a dozen. Almost any one can win a Stanley cup behind a strong team.

 

[SImpelton]

Phil Kessel should’ve won the Smythe in 2016 and probably would’ve if Crosby already had one.

Kessel may not be the most popular guy and he looks pudgy but he deserved it that year. Crosby was also great of course and I think voters wanted to give it to him - which is understandable. But I think if they had known he was going to win it again the following year, they’d have been more likely to vote for Kessel. They wanted Sid to win it and I think everyone gets it. He was great and it was HIS team. Not a terrible vote but I think Kessel probably deserved it a little more.

Phil Kessel was the worst self promoter of any of the top forwards of his era. His whole career people were complaining about his attitude and reluctance to really talk to the media or just... you know... care. About anything.

Look back at his career it's clear he was very productive as a skill forward but it seems like nearly his whole career Kessel just... drifted along, slipping through the cracks and perfectly happy to let someone else claim the credit.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Conan O’Brien cost Detroit the Stanley Cup in 2009.

explain

 

[danpantz]

Joel wards game 7 overtime goal in 2012 against the Bruins was Goaltender interference.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Phil Kessel was the worst self promoter of any of the top forwards of his era. His whole career people were complaining about his attitude and reluctance to really talk to the media or just... you know... care. About anything.

Look back at his career it's clear he was very productive as a skill forward but it seems like nearly his whole career Kessel just... drifted along, slipping through the cracks and perfectly happy to let someone else claim the credit.

He was surly with the media - probably would’ve preferred not to be interviewed at all. And there were teammate clashes as well.

But he could play.

 

[McGarnagle]

explain

Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show on NBC was set to debut on a Monday so instead of spacing out the games as normal, to avoid any potential delays of his first few shows due to long overtime games, they scheduled games 1 and 2 back to back on Saturday and Sunday. The Wings actually won both but the narrative becomes that the back-to-backs and 3 days off benefitted the younger Penguins over the older Wings the longer the series went.

 

[SImpelton]

OK, a take of my own, here goes:

Alexandre Burrows should have been suspended for 2 games in the 2011 SCF because of "The Bite." It's on camera plain as day, he bit Patrice Bergeron's finger, on purpose. pretty hard bite too, if Bergeron hadn't had his gloves on Burrows would have easily drawn blood with that.

Yeah the Bruins made him pay for it in the end but it shouldn't have even been at issue. The league dropped the ball on that one.

I'm of the opinion that not penalizing Burrows for the bite is what made Aaron Rome feel he had a greenlight to end Nathan Horton's postseason with his disgustingly illegal late hit to the head.

Sometimes even in the Finals you gotta man up and ref the game. Those orange bands on your elbows aren't just decoration.

 

[McGarnagle]

Joel wards game 7 overtime goal in 2012 against the Bruins was Goaltender interference.

Yeah, if that happened in the 2nd period they stop and review it and probably call it back due to Knuble hitting Thomas. But since everyone was already on the ice celebrating they let it stand.

Which relates to another opinion - Nathan Horton made the most of his playoff opportunities more than just about any player I can remember. He only participated in two playoffs, 2011 and 2013, and he went to the finals in both. 37 points in 43 playoff games. A few series winning and OT goals along the way. He didn't play in that 2012 series, which everyone forgets. Tom Sestito gave him a serious concussion late in the year to take him out for the season. If he's healthy, they win the cup that year, no question.

 

[Avsfan1921]

2- Habs 2020-2021 is underrated: the forwards talent was lacking (Danault and a younger Suzuki were pretty much the two best players we had upfront) but the defensive squad was solid af and Price was for one last time, the best goaltender in the World

Nah, that’s not an unpopular take, just an incorrect one. Habs were a poor team propped up by good team structure and great goaltending.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show on NBC was set to debut on a Monday so instead of spacing out the games as normal, to avoid any potential delays of his first few shows due to long overtime games, they scheduled games 1 and 2 back to back on Saturday and Sunday. The Wings actually won both but the narrative becomes that the back-to-backs and 3 days off benefitted the younger Penguins over the older Wings the longer the series went.

OK, a take of my own, here goes:

Alexandre Burrows should have been suspended for 2 games in the 2011 SCF because of "The Bite." It's on camera plain as day, he bit Patrice Bergeron's finger, on purpose. pretty hard bite too, if Bergeron hadn't had his gloves on Burrows would have easily drawn blood with that.

Yeah the Bruins made him pay for it in the end but it shouldn't have even been at issue. The league dropped the ball on that one.

I'm of the opinion that not penalizing Burrows for the bite is what made Aaron Rome feel he had a greenlight to end Nathan Horton's postseason with his disgustingly illegal late hit to the head.

Sometimes even in the Finals you gotta man up and ref the game. Those orange bands on your elbows aren't just decoration.

Ok, absolutely don’t buy the Rome aspect, that’s a split-second decision, but as long as you agree Marchand should have been suspended for licking people. Because that’s f***ing gross and weird. Seriously, I view it as pretty unprofessional that nhl didn’t suspend for that, other leagues would have.

My unpopular one, or rather the conspiracy theory I’ve finalized- Evgeny Kuznetsov deserved the conn smythe in ‘18, and bitterness over it made him underperform and leave Washington. That, and disliking Ovi.

Seriously, add those two parts together and it makes so much sense. 1) you stepped up and played incredibly, and it just got added to Ovi’s accomplishments. 2) Cool, yay, cup, Kuz still played well the next year.. but it became so clear Ovi was the only one people cared about, no one gave Kuzy much credit, they’re assumed to be buddies because same country but that’s no guarantee.. then political stuff happens and who knows where they are, and Kuzy is the bad drug man after that video.. just feels like he didn’t really like Ovi, or he wouldn’t have wanted a trade. And I think it would have potentially been fine if Kuzy’s incredible postseason didn’t just feed Ovi’s legend, but instead it’s all Ovi always, and I think Kuzy was just supposed to play quieter Batman to a dude he mighta disliked for whatever reason. Seems silly, but I honestly wonder if that’s why Kuz sucked for 2 years. Stuck in a job he hates, he wanted out long ago, not sure why Caps didn’t do it earlier.

 

[SImpelton]

as long as you agree Marchand should have been suspended for licking people.

Really? that's what you're going with?

Burrows bit Bergeron on the finger hard enough to draw blood THROUGH the glove, and you think that's comparable to a lick?

imagine pearl clutching about a lick as an excuse to avoid penalizing a bite.

What Marchand did was freaky and weird, but probably not dangerous. Burrows bit down with intent to injure. The two are not the same. Ryan Callahan did not have to go to the trainer to get tape on the lick site.

if you wanted me to admit, for example, that Marchand is no stranger to slewfoots or clips like the one he delivered to Sammy Salo in 2012, we can have that conversation. At least that would be intent to injure vs intent to injure.. But... the lick? Really? Why? Why even care? At worst it's annoying and slightly unsanitary.

 

[SImpelton]

Also I need to circle back to this because it's bothering me

Ok, absolutely don’t buy the Rome aspect, that’s a split-second decision,

Dude. if it was a split second decision that split second happened a good TWO SECONDS AFTER HORTON RELEASED THE PUCK.

Nevermind the fact that Rome LEFT HIS FEET to deliver the hit.

Nevermind the fact that Rome was looking right at Horton the whole way into the hit so there's no way to claim he somehoow didn't see Horton right in front of him.

Nevermind that Rome left his defensive position and gave up a shot on goal by Lucic in making the hit at all

Never even mind that Rome had to CHANGE DIRECTION to make the hit in the first place.

Nor even the fact that Rome changed direction AFTER Horton was in the motion to release the pass.



no I'm sure it was all just fine.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Really? that's what you're going with?

Burrows bit Bergeron on the finger hard enough to draw blood THROUGH the glove, and you think that's comparable to a lick?

imagine pearl clutching about a lick as an excuse to avoid penalizing a bite.

What Marchand did was freaky and weird, but probably not dangerous. Burrows bit down with intent to injure. The two are not the same. Ryan Callahan did not have to go to the trainer to get tape on the lick site.

if you wanted me to admit, for example, that Marchand is no stranger to slewfoots or clips like the one he delivered to Sammy Salo in 2012, we can have that conversation. At least that would be intent to injure vs intent to injure.. But... the lick? Really? Why? Why even care? At worst it's annoying and slightly unsanitary.

Ok, still shoulda been a suspension. You can’t lick people (most people). Didn’t say they were the same, though I can see why that’d be a read. But, like, 1 game for Marchand, at least, 3+ for a bite, if your narrative is accurate. Think it is. So 1:3, cool?

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Vegas wins the cup if Pavelski doesn't fall on his own head

 

[SImpelton]

Ok, still shoulda been a suspension. You can’t lick people (most people). Didn’t say they were the same, though I can see why that’d be a read. But, like, 1 game for Marchand, at least, 3+ for a bite, if your narrative is accurate. Think it is. So 1:3, cool?

Again, I've offered you other incidents where Marchand displayed an actual intent to injure, and you still went with the lick. I mean I get why what Marchand did is weird but I don't get why you're so focused on it. What makes it worse than taking a run at players' knees and slewfooting them?

 

[Leksand]

It's an MVP award. It should be awarded with more stringent review.

You’re not wrong in principle but that’s not going to happen. It’s a gut fell vote pretty much by design.