Around the League 2018-19 v7

[Mez]

I'm glad someone else remembers what it was like when the Canucks were good.

For all the talk about Leaf fans, Canucks fans were the worst.

massive band wagon fans.

 

[oobga]

Did Nylander completely derail this team? Wonder who becomes the more desperate side for the Marner/Matthews negotiations now. The players or management. Nylander still came out very nicely financially with bonuses, even though he's crap so far on the ice.

Whole situation can have implications for other RFA's of course.

 

[OilersfaninTO]

Nuge Lindolm
McDavid vs. Gaudreau
Draisaitl Monahan
Lucic Neal

I know which one I would want

Really? Obviously McDavid > Gaudreau. But all the other comparisons are advantage Flames.

What an absurd comment lol The flames do want to flatten us because they always get up to playing us. The problem is they have not flattened us in a long time. Sure they won one game against us this year when we had a lead and should of won the game But whenever we play them we have good games. You think the flames are world beaters now because they are having a good regular season? lol Wait till they get in the playoffs and choke again lol Seriously the Flames do not scare the Oilers in any way. you are blinded by their very good regular season and not how well we match up when we play them. Don't watch the game if you think the flames will flatten us lol

Don’t get me wrong, knocking them down a peg tomorrow would be oh so sweet but if you honestly think the Flames aren’t a vastly better team than us, you’ve lost your mind. That said, in the playoffs anything goes, so I’d love to sneak into a WC, play them first round and send every Flamer home crying.

 

[guymez]

Really? Obviously McDavid > Gaudreau. But all the other comparisons are advantage Flames.



Don’t get me wrong, knocking them down a peg tomorrow would be oh so sweet but if you honestly think the Flames aren’t a vastly better team than us, you’ve lost your mind. That said, in the playoffs anything goes, so I’d love to sneak into a WC, play them first round and send every Flamer home crying.

I agree.
The sad truth is that the Flames aren't just visually better...they are better by virtually every metric.
They are a superior team...there is no question about it. They have some of the best offensive depth in the NHL and a Norris quality Dman in Giordano. Playing like an elite team this season. Treliving has made some very solid trades as well (maximized value and filled holes) which is tough to see considering that Chia has managed to do the opposite and f*** this team up royally.
Still the Oilers can win tomorrow if everyone shows up. If they do it will be a somewhat hollow victory considering how each team is trending but I'll take it anyway.

 

[Yablo21]

I agree.
The sad truth is that the Flames aren't just visually better...they are better by virtually every metric.
They are a superior team...there is no question about it. They have some of the best offensive depth in the NHL and a Norris quality Dman in Giordano. Playing like an elite team this season. Treliving has made some very solid trades as well (maximized value and filled holes) which is tough to see considering that Chia has managed to do the opposite and f*** this team up royally.
Still the Oilers can win tomorrow if everyone shows up. If they do it will be a somewhat hollow victory considering how each team is trending but I'll take it anyway.

Like Anaheim, or Toronto, oh wait?

 

[LaGu]

Islanders have now tied Toronto in pts...

Would be sweet if they went further than Toronto this season.

 

[Cory Gray]

In the West.... the five leading teams have at least a 10 point separation for their playoff spots. Then there is the great log jam at 50/49 points, where 6 teams are battling for just 3 spots, and one of those spots isn't available to half of them. Edmonton, realistically, is fighting for just two spots with all those 6 teams (and hopefully more don't join in). So after the all-star break, the push will be on for the playoffs as those six teams start playing desperation playoff style hockey, or they should if they really want it. I don't think you'll see the current projected 85 point cutoff make the grade - I think it will be in the 90's as it usually is.

You have Anaheim getting healthy - and they always make a great (unbelievable) push at the end. Vancouver is playing well for a rebuilding team, and Minnesota is always tough. Dallas is a streaky team this year - so who knows what side of a streak you'll catch them on. Colorado has the best line in hockey, and although they've been bitten lately, they'll be back after the break. Edmonton has been win one than lose one, and that simply won't cut it here.

My point is: don't bank on 85 points getting us in - it hasn't in the past 10 years, East or West. Only twice in 10 years has a team with a point total of less the 90 make it into the playoffs (one for each conference, 87 and 88 points). That's twice out of 160 teams making the playoffs - and 85 points is ZERO.

West Cutoffs:
95
94
87
97
91
93 (projected over 82 games)
95
97
95
91

East Cutoffs:
97
95
93
98
93
93 (projected over 82 games)
92
93
88
93

 

[oobga]

Why be so insecure about the flames being better? They have been better for the majority of the time since the glory days. They have always given themselves a better opportunity by not handing their team over to an old boys club.

Canucks had the best regular season team in the NHL for multiple years in a row. Who cares about that now?

Don't panic until they actually win something 2004 finals were damn satisfying in the end. There is opportunity for great entertainment, even when their team runs hot for a year with a pile of guys having career years and career high shooting %'s. Not saying they will make the finals this year of course, lol.

 

[Drivesaitl]

In the West.... the five leading teams have at least a 10 point separation for their playoff spots. Then there is the great log jam at 50/49 points, where 6 teams are battling for just 3 spots, and one of those spots isn't available to half of them. Edmonton, realistically, is fighting for just two spots with all those 6 teams (and hopefully more don't join in). So after the all-star break, the push will be on for the playoffs as those six teams start playing desperation playoff style hockey, or they should if they really want it. I don't think you'll see the current projected 85 point cutoff make the grade - I think it will be in the 90's as it usually is.

You have Anaheim getting healthy - and they always make a great (unbelievable) push at the end. Vancouver is playing well for a rebuilding team, and Minnesota is always tough. Dallas is a streaky team this year - so who knows what side of a streak you'll catch them on. Colorado has the best line in hockey, and although they've been bitten lately, they'll be back after the break. Edmonton has been win one than lose one, and that simply won't cut it here.

My point is: don't bank on 85 points getting us in - it hasn't in the past 10 years, East or West. Only twice in 10 years has a team with a point total of less the 90 make it into the playoffs (one for each conference, 87 and 88 points). That's twice out of 160 teams making the playoffs - and 85 points is ZERO.

West Cutoffs:
95
94
87
97
91
93 (projected over 82 games)
95
97
95
91

East Cutoffs:
97
95
93
98
93
93 (projected over 82 games)
92
93
88
93

Excellent post and should be in the playoffs thread, although fine here. I feel similarly, the logjam of teams where we are at makes it difficult and pretty clear the current rate of pts is not going to be enough to get in. Teams always go on a run and thus a playoff race. The turtle derby may be going on in the dog days of January, it rarely is this plodding in March and April. There will be some teams sprinting to the line. Some teams helped by deadline rentals. Still not sure if that's going to be us. This club would benefit from deadline rentals, would fill out our lineup potentially. But you don't do that unless you think you will be in the playoffs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Nuge Lindolm
McDavid vs. Gaudreau
Draisaitl Monahan
Lucic Neal

I know which one I would want

What a poorly thought out post.

Where is our Tkachuk, where is our Giordano?


What the Flames have put together is impressive because it didn't take several top picks and winning the McD sweepstakes to do it.

Neal isn't even one of the better Flames. Why is he in your list. Plus that putting Lucic in ours is lol bad. Lucic contract is one of the primary reasons we are a horrible club.

 

[BlackDogg]

1-0 devils over ducks in 1st

Edit nvm

 

[guymez]

Like Anaheim, or Toronto, oh wait?

Anaheim and Toronto?

 

[BlackDogg]

Gibson completely keeping a terrible looking Duck team ahead. They have nothing else.

 

[Del Preston]

Is Hall ever going to play again?

 

[Spawn]

Bad start to the OOT unless the Devils can muster a comeback.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Is Hall ever going to play again?

Nah, he took his Hart and went home.

 

[CycloneSweep]

What a poorly thought out post.

Where is our Tkachuk, where is our Giordano?


What the Flames have put together is impressive because it didn't take several top picks and winning the McD sweepstakes to do it.

Neal isn't even one of the better Flames. Why is he in your list. Plus that putting Lucic in ours is lol bad. Lucic contract is one of the primary reasons we are a horrible club.

Yep. They assembled a solid defense, a very deep forward core and have their 2 best forwards essentially matching our 2 best forwards. They are a vastly superior team this year in every single possible way.

 

[talitintti]

Man the Kings are just terrible. Not great results for Oil so far.

 

[BlackDogg]

Man the Kings are just terrible. Not great results for Oil so far.

Its only 5-0 Avs.

 

[BlackDogg]

Quick not used to getting out-reffed. Lol. Go to the bench you loser.

 

[Mez]

Incoming ducks 10 game winning streak?

 

[Cloned]

Incoming ducks 10 game winning streak?

Don’t forget the Avs and Stars too.

 

[SK13]

My point is: don't bank on 85 points getting us in - it hasn't in the past 10 years, East or West. Only twice in 10 years has a team with a point total of less the 90 make it into the playoffs (one for each conference, 87 and 88 points). That's twice out of 160 teams making the playoffs - and 85 points is ZERO.

While I agree the current point % will not do it (the increase is probably not substantial though), I do think you need to go to game 50 of past seasons and see where the playoff cutoff P% was in order to actually make this point.

Never in my life do I remember a logjam of mediocrity around the final two playoff spots, and that includes 15-16 where the Wild made the playoffs with 87 points. If there is a year where an 85 point playoff team will exist, it is this one.

 

[Del Preston]

Holy smokes, what is going on in Colorado?

 

[Mez]

Holy smokes, what is going on in Colorado?

That bad team that we always struggle against is being bad.