Around the League Thread | Meaningful Games in March

[StreetHawk]

Minny is 9 back of LV, so I think they are done. Too much ground to make up in 11 games. STL, 6 points back with 10 games left for them. Unlikely to make it up.

Seems like the West PO teams are set save for the Order.

In the East, TB seems secure in WC1 spot. Down to 3rd in Metro and WC2 remaining for Phi, Wash, Det, NJ, and NYI. Not many games left to make up ground.

indeed, you have to have solid scouting to make hay....and even then it's a crap shoot. Just mentioned Dallas as they've plucked 2 core players, probably 3 with Stankoven.

Which is why those trade threads about teams trading up with extra seconds like Chi, AZ, heck Cal with our 1st and their 2nd, discount the track record of teams holding top 10 picks. If you have gotten little out of round 2 in the past 8 years, unless you've turned over your scouting staff and player development team lately, what is there to be confident about? Like the Canucks still having Cull to lead the A team.

 

[Egghead1999]

You guys are missing the forrest for the trees here. The Devils are getting badly outshot but was winning 5-3 against the Maple Leafs.

It’s maximum hilarity!

Keefe is worse than Greens; Keefe wants them to play like an NBA team or Holland total football, Ds can very easily get caught out of position.

 

[Vector]

...good.

I would much rather play the Jets than Preds in Rd1.

Jets are coming down and finally getting exposed this season for what they are: Team Connor Hellebuyck. If he's brilliant, they win. If he's not, we see that the Jets are really just an average-mediocre team.

I don't think either team is that great with the main difference being the Predators are on an absolute heater right now. Jets are pretty good at everything with few gamebreakers and Hellebuyck elevating them.

I can't remember if this is still true but a while ago there were some interesting articles on how teams can really just turn it on in the playoffs. The inverse was also true; teams on heaters can suddenly just go ice cold. So I don't really care who the Canucks end up facing.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I don't think either team is that great with the main difference being the Predators are on an absolute heater right now. Jets are pretty good at everything with few gamebreakers and Hellebuyck elevating them.

I can't remember if this is still true but a while ago there were some interesting articles on how teams can really just turn it on in the playoffs. The inverse was also true; teams on heaters can suddenly just go ice cold. So I don't really care who the Canucks end up facing.

The Jets peaked too early last season and totally looked abysmal down the stretch and ultimately got tooled by Vegas. The same thing appears to be happening this season.

Nashville seems to be built like the 2009 Blues and I think could be an easy sweep if they face the Avs or Stars.

 

[bossram]

See that still scares me... would suck to draw the jets, totally out play them, then lose the series because Helly stood on his head.

They could get goalie'd by any goalie over a 7 game series. Demko could go supernova. Goalies are voodoo.

Hellebuyck's play is dropping heading into the playoffs, because like last year, he was overplayed. He wasn't great in their first round against Vegas last season.

I don't think either team is that great with the main difference being the Predators are on an absolute heater right now. Jets are pretty good at everything with few gamebreakers and Hellebuyck elevating them.

I can't remember if this is still true but a while ago there were some interesting articles on how teams can really just turn it on in the playoffs. The inverse was also true; teams on heaters can suddenly just go ice cold. So I don't really care who the Canucks end up facing.

The key for me is that the Preds' heater is not really a smoke-and-mirrors PDO run. They're 55% scoring chances over their last 25 games, per NST. They've genuinely been improving their play over this run. Whether or not they can sustain the heater, they are a legit good team.

Winnipeg's underlying numbers have gone the opposite direction over that period. To around 50%, middling. And if Hellebuyk can't maintain top form in the playoffs, like last year, they're hosed.

I also am really not high on the Jets' top players whatsoever. Scheifele and Connor are historically massive liabilities defensively. Connor is somehow only breakeven by goal differential at 5v5 over the past two seasons, despite his individual scoring ability and playing in front of a .920 Hellebuyck.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Stars are going to be filthy for years.

Excellent job of finding gems outside the Top 15 picks but more importantly, developing them.

 

[racerjoe]

They could get goalie'd by any goalie over a 7 game series. Demko could go supernova. Goalies are voodoo.

Hellebuyck's play is dropping heading into the playoffs, because like last year, he was overplayed. He wasn't great in their first round against Vegas last season.

While any Goalie could get hot... I just think a goalie like Helly, (or yes Demko) has a better chance of getting hot. Just like while I think the Canucks could take out edmonton easily, McDavid could well McDavid anyone in a 7 game series.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

spotted at an art gallery in edmonton (well actually came across it on IG)

a very serious and important, and human, statement so i don’t want to make light of this. but part of me is also chuckling imagining that this might take on a different unintended meaning in a couple weeks.

 

[bossram]

While any Goalie could get hot... I just think a goalie like Helly, (or yes Demko) has a better chance of getting hot. Just like while I think the Canucks could take out edmonton easily, McDavid could well McDavid anyone in a 7 game series.

Yes, they could. I agree there. But goaltending performance is still very volatile and much less predictable than general team strength, which is why I think it is more important to look at the latter.

But I also think Hellebuyck is getting over-worked similar to last season for the Jets, and his play is declining going into the playoffs (he wasn't good against Vegas RD1 last year).

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Stars are going to be filthy for years.

Excellent job of finding gems outside the Top 15 picks but more importantly, developing them.

They seem to be plucking some goodies from the CHL.

Whereas our franchise cannot seem to pluck anything good out of our own backyard.

 

[strattonius]

I think the Predators are riding an unsustainable wave and will be gone in the 1st rd. All 8 teams in the West are good I'm not saying they are a bad team but I'd way rather match up against them than Vegas or LA, who play a stifling game and have more playoff experience.

 

[Hodgy]

Bettman gets blamed for a lot of stuff that isn't really his fault but jumping in bed with gambling is going to be an absolutely monstrous stain on the legacy and will probably be the worst single thing the league has done under his watch.

I don't think this is Bettman's fault at all. He's a smart guy that no doubt understand that sports gambling is pretty deplorable, and especially when you consider that kids watch NHL hockey. Its very unlikely that he's receiving any profits from the advertising of sports gambling, and I would 100% say that this is an owner drive initiative largely done to offset some of the losses incurred during COVID.

 

[mathonwy]

I don't think this is Bettman's fault at all. He's a smart guy that no doubt understand that sports gambling is pretty deplorable, and especially when you consider that kids watch NHL hockey. Its very unlikely that he's receiving any profits from the advertising of sports gambling, and I would 100% say that this is an owner drive initiative largely done to offset some of the losses incurred during COVID.

@bbud disagrees.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

I think the Predators are riding an unsustainable wave and will be gone in the 1st rd. All 8 teams in the West are good I'm not saying they are a bad team but I'd way rather match up against them than Vegas or LA, who play a stifling game and have more playoff experience.

Or this is the 2024 version of the ROR led 2019 Blues.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

Or this is the 2024 version of the ROR led 2019 Blues.

I'm not sure that's a good comparison beyond just looking at their records.

The Blues enjoyed a coaching bump and Binnington coming in as a rookie.

 

[bandwagonesque]

The 2019 St Louis team is why I can never quite get behind shitting on Binnington no matter what he does. He led a team to a Stanley Cup, the pinnacle of all possible achievement in this sport. It rings a bit hollow making fun of him for letting in a couple of bad goals or losing his composure after that.

 

[calnuck]

Or this is the 2024 version of the ROR led 2019 Blues.

I would honestly be fine with Nashville winning it all.

 

[arttk]

I would honestly be fine with Nashville winning it all.

I prefer us winning it

 

[SopelFanThe3rd]

I got awarded a Carolina Hurricane trophy for 1700 likes. Why is it a Hurricane trophy for 1700?

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Hopefully Bear gets the help he needs.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

The 2019 St Louis team is why I can never quite get behind shitting on Binnington no matter what he does. He led a team to a Stanley Cup, the pinnacle of all possible achievement in this sport. It rings a bit hollow making fun of him for letting in a couple of bad goals or losing his composure after that.

If anything I dislike him because after achieving the ultimate goal, by carrying his team, as you say. He then goes into cry baby poor me bitter mode because he didn’t win a far less significant trophy.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

The 2019 St Louis team is why I can never quite get behind shitting on Binnington no matter what he does. He led a team to a Stanley Cup, the pinnacle of all possible achievement in this sport. It rings a bit hollow making fun of him for letting in a couple of bad goals or losing his composure after that.

You take still shit on him.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Ottawa kicking the crap out of Buffalo after 1. 5-0.

 

[Nucker101]

Ottawa kicking the crap out of Buffalo after 1. 5-0.

Sens really do turn into an elite team after they eliminated from playoff contention. I wonder if their fans/management will fall into the same trap of putting too much stock into it again. Feel like they won’t, just like Canuck fans last year being sceptical.

 

[Szechwan]

The 2019 St Louis team is why I can never quite get behind shitting on Binnington no matter what he does. He led a team to a Stanley Cup, the pinnacle of all possible achievement in this sport. It rings a bit hollow making fun of him for letting in a couple of bad goals or losing his composure after that.

Here I'll show you. IMO it's incredibly easy to shit on him because as a person he's a complete loser - not in the win/loss sense, but in the human being sense. He whines constantly, is incredibly arrogant, and has one of the fakest tough-guy persona's I've ever seen in the NHL.

He got hot and won the cup, yes.. But the guy is a f***in douchebag.