OT: Around the NHL - Keep on truckin'

[Turin]

Florida has played Detroit 5 times already. Everything is out of whack because this season is a joke.

 

[ColePens]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

 

[BHD]

Gaudreau, who's from NJ, is a UFA in '22. Gotta think either the Flyers or Devils, or both, will offer him a ton of money.

 

[Gurglesons]

I get it. I understand it. I'm just saying as a fan of hockey and wanting to invest my time... i'd rather watch Hornqvist. And with POJ, I would argue we didn't really need Matheson. Time is a valuable thing in life. Watching some of these games makes me really question what I'm doing wasting a few hours on piss poor effort.

I mean, Matheson has made absolutely outrageous offensive plays the last two games so I don’t get this mind set.

Seems like you’re probably just getting old and burnt out on this iteration of the Pens.

 

[Gurglesons]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

The North and Central are playing fun hockey.

The East and West look like they are playing hockey to win the cup.

I hope Toronto wins this year. It’d be very good for the future of the sport.

 

[EightyOne]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

The truncated season last year was dumb. Total asterisk of a year.

This is...just...silly. The balance and parity is totally off kilter. It is like 4 regional super tournaments more than a league.

I'm hardly even invested in most things that used to entertain me sports-wise, right now.

 

[Gurglesons]

The truncated season last year was dumb. Total asterisk of a year.

This is...just...silly. The balance and parity is totally off kilter. It is like 4 regional super tournaments more than a league.

I'm hardly even invested in most things that used to entertain me sports-wise, right now.

I’m hardly invested in most things period.

My life has really just become about my relationships with family and my partner’s family.

HF is just an instinctive refuge from a past life.

 

[EightyOne]

I’m hardly invested in most things period.

My life has really just become about my relationships with family and my partner’s family.

HF is just an instinctive refuge from a past life.

True. Kinda just come here because Reddit is worse. lol...it is what it is. I'd rather go on a hike.

 

[Gurglesons]

True. Kinda just come here because Reddit is worse. lol...it is what it is. I'd rather go on a hike.

Not drinking also takes out the fun of the game. Plus no fans.

Also Crosby, Malkin and Letang are still amongst the best players in the league but it’s clear their best days are behind them. Hard to continuously get up for watching them on their last legs. Although at the same time I remember the unexpected retirement of Lemieux so I know
I need to just be happy we get to watch them here now.

 

[BHD]

The schedule isn't ideal, but the product is still good. As for the divisions, they had to do them that way due to logistics. Besides, most teams are where you expected them to be under normal alignment. The point totals are the only weird part to the season so far.

 

[mpp9]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

Whatever team comes out of the Canadian division is gonna get curb stomped IMO.

No way will that team be prepared to play Colorado, Vegas, Tampa, etc.

 

[DRAGO 18]

Sam Bennett is benched for the 3rd period fire up the rumor mill some more

 

[Turin]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

It sucks and is creating historical anomalies.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

I think when the playoffs come there will be less excitement because they've been playing playoff hockey all season. The only excitement left is the actual winners.

Like, if the Pens lose out, I don't want to watch whatever team win in a shorten season that you feel was the Pens last best chance at it. It's like pouring salt on the wound.

 

[BHD]

It sucks and is creating historical anomalies.

You go check point totals on NHL.com and 99 of the first 100 entries are from the North division.

 

[BHD]

My mistake, 30 players from the North Division - and at least one player from each of the seven teams - rank in the Top 100. That's still crazy.

 

[tom_servo]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

Not to be a contrarian but I posted something about this yesterday.

In short, I like the compacted season against regional rivals. I don't think the hockey is any different. Looks like the same players are good, the same teams playing.

As a rare event (these couple seasons) I think it's been an interesting exercise. I like playing rivals all the time (I was always in favor of the miniseries) and the compressed season enhances the importance.

They were better prepared this year than last. Seasons are never on even ground (travel time for other divisions, cap disparity, etc). If anything, they're more in the same boat now than ever.

I really miss the fan impact on the game but it's been legitimate hockey.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

...I completely missed Barrie going to the Oilers.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I’m hardly invested in most things period.

My life has really just become about my relationships with family and my partner’s family.

HF is just an instinctive refuge from a past life.

Yeah it's mostly a place to vent for me and even then the toxic stuff here just makes me give pause on visiting the board. So instead I enjoy more time with my fiancé and pretend this place doesn't exist.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah it's mostly a place to vent for me and even then the toxic stuff here just makes me give pause on visiting the board. So instead I enjoy more time with my fiancé and pretend this place doesn't exist.

And then after spend time with your fiancé pretend she doesn’t exist.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

Its brutal imo. It’s to a point where I’m not gonna lie, I don’t find the league very enjoyable rn. Everyone playing each other is a problem, but I think a big part of my disdain is no live fans. I like the crowd. All sports have kinda stunk the past year.

On the flip side it’s better than nothing. Pandemic has been really really shitty so I will take what I can get, even this iteration of the NHL.

Basically- I’ll watch, but I’m not really enthusiastic or excited about doing it.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I am interested in my HF Friends' opinion here. What are your thoughts on this season? It feels really dumb. The repeat stuff is bad. It feels like I'm watching multiple different leagues. I think it will lead to some ugly playoffs.

Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm content. But just discussing the hockey and leaving the outside stuff away, how do you all feel about it?

Like every year it depends on how the Pens play. I know we won’t be at our best always but too many games so far have been garbage. Win ugly, lose uglier. Last game was really fun though. Need more of that. I’m not too fussed on the repeat games as long as we ‘play the right way’ (win or lose).

Getting into stats a bit more this season. There’s some weird **** happening around the league so that’s interesting too.

EDIT: Having fun making GDT’s this season too. Not as skilled on the tech side of things as @Ugene Malkin . Maybe I’ll try to learn that stuff this year.

 

[Tom Hanks]

...I completely missed Barrie going to the Oilers.

They probably brought him in for his defensive skills

 

[Tom Hanks]

Cheap

 

[Rakell67]

I'd imagine that millions in the bank and a few Cup rings on the mantle can go a long way to ease the aches.

True dat.