Around the NHL - The dog days of the season

[Turin]

Toronto is unraveling. They’ll probably be fine but it’s great to see their fans freak out

 

[wheelz87]

Nino with 2 goals in his debut

 

[Gurglesons]

Nino with 2 goals in his debut

What a surprise!

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

It's nice to see the Hawks sticking it to someone else for a change.

Especially that particular group of someone else.

 

[66-30-33]

Pens/Hawks game Kane was tied with Crosby in points, now he's only 8 points from Kuch.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Pens/Hawks game Kane was tied with Crosby in points, now he's only 8 points from Kuch.

It seems like everyone in the top 10 in scoring is having these 5-point nights. Sid seems to be lucky if he gets 3 points, even if he's by far and away the best player on the ice.

It's kind of strange how he never seems to have one of those "incredible puck luck" games that the other top guys are getting.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It seems like everyone in the top 10 in scoring is having these 5-point nights. Sid seems to be lucky if he gets 3 points, even if he's by far and away the best player on the ice.

It's kind of strange how he never seems to have one of those "incredible puck luck" games that the other top guys are getting.

I'm OK if all of those puck luck games come in the playoffs.

 

[Turin]

It seems like everyone in the top 10 in scoring is having these 5-point nights. Sid seems to be lucky if he gets 3 points, even if he's by far and away the best player on the ice.

It's kind of strange how he never seems to have one of those "incredible puck luck" games that the other top guys are getting.

A mix between always having zero hands on his RW relative to other superstars, not playing the halfwall on the PP and his shot not being quite as good as it used to be.

 

[Turin]

Also a weird new phenomena is the offensive domination of wingers compared to centres in recent years. And I’m counting McDavid partially there.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

A mix between always having zero hands on his RW relative to other superstars, not playing the halfwall on the PP and his shot not being quite as good as it used to be.

I actually think the PP is where he falls behind the others the most. Sid's the only superstar in the league who is like the 4th option on the PP unit. Most of the top guys (McDavid, Kucherov, MacKinnon, Kane, Gaudreau, etc.) their PP runs through them, so if their team scores there's a good chance they'll get at least a secondary assist on it.

Pittsburgh's PP seems to run through the umbrella, with Kessel, Letang and Malkin essentially playing catch and being the primary focuses for the PP. Sid's almost playing a supporting role where if he's not the one tipping in the puck, he basically just retrieves pucks from the corner and puts it back to the point so the other three can pass it around again.

If you look at his totals this year, the gap between him and the guys in the top 10, by and large, come down to the extra PP points they get. Most of them already are in the 22+ point range, while Sid's sitting on 14 PP points all season.

 

[Turin]

I actually think the PP is where he falls behind the others the most. Sid's the only superstar in the league who is like the 4th option on the PP unit. Most of the top guys (McDavid, Kucherov, MacKinnon, Kane, Gaudreau, etc.) their PP runs through them, so if their team scores there's a good chance they'll get at least a secondary assist on it.

Pittsburgh's PP seems to run through the umbrella, with Kessel, Letang and Malkin essentially playing catch and being the primary focuses for the PP. Sid's almost playing a supporting role where if he's not the one tipping in the puck, he basically just retrieves pucks from the corner and puts it back to the point so the other three can pass it around again.

If you look at his totals this year, the gap between him and the guys in the top 10, by and large, come down to the extra PP points they get. Most of them already are in the 22+ point range, while Sid's sitting on 14 PP points all season.

Definitely. His ES analytics suggest he’s almost the same player he was in 2014, he just doesn’t get the opportunity to compile points like before. Thankfully he doesn’t care.

 

[EightyOne]

Am I crazy to not buy into the Flames hype?

Looks more like a couple guys feeding off each other at an unsustainable rate. It's like Flyers last year.

Depth scoring is literally same as the Pens, and we know our depth scoring is not a strong point and will cause issues in playoffs. (5th placed scorer has like 50pts,, placed has like 25).

Can't wait to see them cool down or try to play playoff hockey.

 

[Icarium]

The Leafs play Caps next, I wonder which of the two will manage to stop its skid.

We have only two points fewer and have scored more goals than TOR, by the way, just a reminder that inconsistency isn't a problem only for our star-studded team.

In other news, EDM made Carolina's offence look like, well, the 80s Oilers, pretty fun to see.

Every time I watch highlights of Red Wings games they seem to lose the lead in the third. Are they tanking on purpose or are that terrible at protecting leads?

 

[EightyOne]

Every team is so up and down this year.

I had been doing a lot of GDTs so was popping onto other boards to do some roster/line reconnaissance...

...Every fanbase is mad at their teams for the EXACT same reasons we are mad at the Pens. There were times I forgot what board I was on lol.

Teams win five in a row then lose five in a row and win 7-4 then lose 7-4 lol.

And the emotional postings and swings were the same as here. Lol.

I think the Red Wings are just very poorly constructed. Tanking won't help much though.

 

[ColePens]

Toronto is unraveling. They’ll probably be fine but it’s great to see their fans freak out

They've been freaking out for the last month. It's full on panic and they are going to be a lock to make the playoffs and be roughly in the same position they are always in.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

So far-fatched thought... The Hawks are currently 8 points away from the last wildcard. Do you think they could make a run if Colliton plays his top lines like crazy?

I hope they just miss and have to settle for a mid-1st instead of the top pick they were hoping to get.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Am I crazy to not buy into the Flames hype?

Looks more like a couple guys feeding off each other at an unsustainable rate. It's like Flyers last year.

Depth scoring is literally same as the Pens, and we know our depth scoring is not a strong point and will cause issues in playoffs. (5th placed scorer has like 50pts,, placed has like 25).

Can't wait to see them cool down or try to play playoff hockey.

I actually think they're as good as their record suggests. If anything, I think they've underachieved the past couple of seasons considering their "on paper" talent.

 

[BHD]

I'm bullish on the Flames. Although, I get why people are taking a wait and see approach with them.

They have some really good players on top of forward group that is as deep as it has ever been. Their defense is like ours. The Brodie/Giordano pairing will drive the play while the rest get the job done. Goaltending is the only thing making me hesitant about picking them. Smith has taken a step back while Rittich - who is playing in his first full season - is their starter.

They glanced over it on TSN, but seeding will be important for the Flames' playoff outlook. Grabbing top spot in their division would give them an 'easier' opponent while San Jose and Vegas duke it out.

 

[EightyOne]

They remind me a lot of the Pens, really.

Just.

The fanbase is coming out of the woodwork and I see an untested goalie and a huge effective skill drop off in the lineup that'll really surprise me if they can handle playoffs.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

They remind me a lot of the Pens, really.

Just.

The fanbase is coming out of the woodwork and I see an untested goalie and a huge effective skill drop off in the lineup that'll really surprise me if they can handle playoffs.

Curious where you see the skill drop off from?

They've got the high end talent - Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Lindholm

They've got the "defensively sound with skill" - Backlund, Frolik, Jankowski

Then they've also got the talent but slumping - Bennett, Neal

That's three good lines they can put together that has a combination of skill, defensive ability, and physicality.

 

[mpp9]

Curious where you see the skill drop off from?

They've got the high end talent - Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Lindholm

They've got the "defensively sound with skill" - Backlund, Frolik, Jankowski

Then they've also got the talent but slumping - Bennett, Neal

That's three good lines they can put together that has a combination of skill, defensive ability, and physicality.

I think they get a better 2C and maybe a goalie and they could be in the mix for awhile.

 

[BHD]

They remind me a lot of the Pens, really.

Just.

The fanbase is coming out of the woodwork and I see an untested goalie and a huge effective skill drop off in the lineup that'll really surprise me if they can handle playoffs.

I don't see a "huge" drop-off in skill. I mean... there usually is when a team has a really (really) good first line. However, there is still skill on the other lines.

I agree with you on goaltending though. I also forgot about this being Bill Peters' first time in the playoffs (as a HC).

 

[Andy99]

Speaking about giving away a player for nothing like EDM ended up doing with Eberle, there’s the interesting case of Oskar Sundqvist who now has 9 goals on the season...hmmm

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think they get a better 2C and maybe a goalie and they could be in the mix for awhile.

Eh, Backlund's one of those guys who is probably better as an elite 3C, but I think he's passable as a defensive 2C who can chip in with 40-50 points as well. He's kind of like a Jordan Staal type. Is J. Staal good enough to be a 2C on a contender? Or is he better in a role like he had with the Pens? Backlund's similar, IMO.

Plus, worst comes to worst, I think Lindholm's blossoming. How effective he'd be at 2C with someone like Tkachuk flanking him is unknown, but I think they have the talent at C if they need it.

 

[EightyOne]

CGY
22-9-1 vs West
10-4-3 vs East

Both are good records.

I just get a vibe that the generally weaker teams in West have been easier than the teams in the East.

Pens
11-9-5 vs East
15-7-1 vs West

Seems to bare this out. Pens are clearly better vs West also...last trip hurt though.