2019 so far: Which teams are heating up / cooling off?
- Thread starter Lshap
- Start date
Falco Lombardi
Registered User
Highly doubt anything has changed for the Blues. No first round pick, top heavy system, plus if it's not broken, why fix it?
Think we pretty much sit out the deadline
Think we pretty much sit out the deadline
Ducks are somehow killing their Hughes tank under a pair of assistant coaches and a man who has never coached anything before.
Ned Bouhalassa
Registered User
It amazes me how the Ducks went from being a legit contender to an absolute tire-fire within two years. I don't buy the theory that everyone exited their prime and declined at the exact same time. There's way too much talent for all of it to vaporize. This looks like a classic example of how bad coaching & culture can infect and kill a team.
I didn't mention the Bruins for the same reason I didn't mention the Islanders (or Tampa, obviously). They've been good all year. But yes, props to the Bruins for staying hot without Pastrnak.
Same could be said about Carolina or Philly right now. We don't get advanced notice when a team is about to become legitimately good. Buffalo was playing very well and appeared to be heading upwards; there was no concrete evidence they'd plummet back to earth.
KingsFan7824
Registered User
Depth. They either don't have it, or it's not producing.
Scoring since Jan 1st:
Vatrano, 10-7-17
MacKinnon, 5-12-17
Eichel, 4-10-14
That's not helping either.
This Binnington kid is a great story. The question is, does he become the next Matt Murray or the next Andrew Hammond? In fairness, the Blues have been great apart from goaltending, giving up very few shots and scoring a ton.
BigBadBruins7708
Registered User
Falco Lombardi
Registered User
What gives me hope is that it's not like he's stealing games and the Blues are being badly outplayed; it's largely the Blues are playing tremendous in front of him and he's just making the one or two big saves a night that Jake Allen wasn't.
In fact, I can really only think of one bad goal against in the entire run so far.
I think you're right on the money. However as much as I hated Carlyle I can't help but think that there's something up with the players, particularly Getzlaf and Perry just getting the team to play Carlyle out (this disaster with Carlyle has happened twice and they were on the team both times). The Ducks look miles better since Carlyle was fired and that can't be entirely sourced from the remaining assistant coaches getting free reign to coach how they want.
In any case, better as they've been, it's a foregone conclusion that they won't go far in the playoffs if Gibson remains injured/demoralized. They're still in good position to get a good draft pick but every win hurts those chances.
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
In 2019 (and end of 2018) Leafs look like complete pretenders. Seems the media and fan hype has gone to their heads and 9/10 games the team is showing up with trash effort. Seems like they just don't care. Then they'll face a Tampa or something "worthy" of playing and show up and skate really well and outwork the other team. But super rare they ever do that to a team under them in the standings.. and god forbid if it's a bottom 10 team. Might as leave the plane running.
They've lost their huge lead over the rest of the east and division during this time frame and are trending down. Lots of worry in Leaf land given that Babcock seems to have no answers other than repeating the same "we're not working hard enough" message after every game. Something to keep an eye out for.
Right now I'd say there is about 50% of the fan base who doesn't think this Leafs team wins anything in the playoffs, hell might not even make it to a game 7. Not because they suck, they have all the skill in the world and can look really good, even defensively, when the team shows up. It's a lack of something.. Heart, effort, pride, we don't know what it is. Maybe they quit on the coach or are starting to tune him out? Then couple that with Matthews calling out the coaching for not adjusting and then Babcock responding with playing Matthews 16 minutes in a loss that went to OT where they lost a center to injury AND were trailing since the first...
Yah. Things not pretty for the Leafs in 2019. Significantly cooling off despite their record. That's been unsustainable winning on the back of Freddy having the best season of his career and some timely scoring. Otherwise damn near complete domination away from the puck.
They've lost their huge lead over the rest of the east and division during this time frame and are trending down. Lots of worry in Leaf land given that Babcock seems to have no answers other than repeating the same "we're not working hard enough" message after every game. Something to keep an eye out for.
Right now I'd say there is about 50% of the fan base who doesn't think this Leafs team wins anything in the playoffs, hell might not even make it to a game 7. Not because they suck, they have all the skill in the world and can look really good, even defensively, when the team shows up. It's a lack of something.. Heart, effort, pride, we don't know what it is. Maybe they quit on the coach or are starting to tune him out? Then couple that with Matthews calling out the coaching for not adjusting and then Babcock responding with playing Matthews 16 minutes in a loss that went to OT where they lost a center to injury AND were trailing since the first...
Yah. Things not pretty for the Leafs in 2019. Significantly cooling off despite their record. That's been unsustainable winning on the back of Freddy having the best season of his career and some timely scoring. Otherwise damn near complete domination away from the puck.
Ace Card Bedard
Back in Black, Red, and White
- Feb 11, 2012
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Andersen has remained among the top 3-5 goalies throughout the season. Even if their offence has been inconsistent, he's been a rock, which should keep them in the picture. As you said, the talent is obviously there. Now we have to see if the heart, effort and pride muscles have developed once they hit the playoffs. I didn't realize there was still an issue between Matthews and Babcock; hopefully for you guys it's a passing thing that disappears by April.
benedictTavares
JT's PJ's'
Really a shame about Crawford. Hawks were turning this season around and could've made a run had he not been hurt.
Super Hans
Stats Evangelist
- Oct 9, 2016
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Now through game 82, no one will drop harder than Minnesota. I don't see a reason why the Blues won't continue to surge and I wouldn't be surprised to see Florida start to surge, yet still finish just out of a WC spot.
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
I don't think their relationship is anything that is team breaking but I think it is clear that many former players came out after and said they hated playing under Babs and I think Matthews is the same. He just doesn't like him.
And I hope they prove me wrong I really do. Earlier in the year they gave effort every game almost but lately it just doesn't seem they have what it takes in intangibles. I'm sure you saw that when they played your Habs the other night, PP looks lost, and the players were all going at 50% of their top pace outside of a few scoring chances.
Team seems allergic to taking their lunchpale and thermos to work every day.
aufheben
#Norris4Fox
Dr Pepper
Registered User
40 goals in Dallas's last 19 games.
Second only to Anaheim in terms of worst scoring in hockey. If it wasn't for improvements on the blueline (Heiskanen) and in goal (Khudobin), Dallas would be a lot closer to the lottery pool than they already are. Hell, they'd probably be in the deep end by now.
Second only to Anaheim in terms of worst scoring in hockey. If it wasn't for improvements on the blueline (Heiskanen) and in goal (Khudobin), Dallas would be a lot closer to the lottery pool than they already are. Hell, they'd probably be in the deep end by now.
AvsFan29
Registered User
- Mar 15, 2018
- 17,518
- 15,643
Avalanche had no goaltending for around 25 games. Varlamov was playing badly, and Gruabuer is the worst goalie in the league this year.
Varlamov has been great for 5 games now, and we have won a couple games. We're 1 point out of the playoffs, and can still make it with a decent push.
Not really sure if we will.
Proof that you can't engineer a tank no matter how well it's marketed to the public.I think the Rangers have been hovering around a dead-even .500/82-pt pace all season.
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