ATD Chat Thread XVI

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I can't believe Hitchock is even around anymore.

Click to read more...

 

[ResilientBeast]

Lack of blind optimism looks good on you, but is the idea really all that funny? They're two points out and just made a big coaching upgrade. They've won two thirds of their games with Hitchcock. If that continues, they're a 101 point team.

I doubt it'll continue, this is not a good team. They riding a strong goalie and hoping 1-2 goals is enough to win.

We have 3 maybe 4 top 6 forwards and 3 top 4 defencemen

 

[seventieslord]

I can't believe Hitchock is even around anymore.

Ken Hitchcock retires like Dominik Hasek retires.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

They riding a strong goalie and hoping 1-2 goals is enough to win.

Sounds like a typical Hitchcock team...

Only partially joking

 

[ImporterExporter]

I mean Hitchcock isn't dumb. He sees the roster like we see it and knows that trying to outgun teams (McDavid or not) is not going to work. They simply don't have the scoring depth.

So, you sacrifice offense for team defensive play and hope you get a hot goalie to help you out. Ain't fun but the alternative is likely worse in the W-L ledger.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I mean Hitchcock isn't dumb. He sees the roster like we see it and knows that trying to outgun teams (McDavid or not) is not going to work. They simply don't have the scoring depth.

So, you sacrifice offense for team defensive play and hope you get a hot goalie to help you out. Ain't fun but the alternative is likely worse in the W-L ledger.

I'm pretty sure Hitchcock would have them play that way regardless of their roster.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Trivia 101:

Pat Hornqvist now owns the fastest hatty in Penguins history.

With the offensive stars they've had over the past 3 decades, a pretty cool deal for one hellova workhorse player.

 

[seventieslord]

Oh wow... Wish I saw that live.

That's gotta be one of the the or four fastest hat tricks ever!

 

[Dreakmur]

I can't believe Hitchock is even around anymore.

I really like Hitchcock's ideas on coaching. He seems like a guy who is continuously trying to learn and improve.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

The Seattle Metropolitans

 

[ImporterExporter]

Glorious. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Caps announcers acting like Mother Theresa got laid out...

 

[VanIslander]

The Seattle Metropolitans

No "Mets" please. Let baseball have it.

Love the tradition though, so... as long as they hype the nickname short version as "Metros"

 

[VanIslander]

In last night's close game, up 2-1 in the third period, Nylander surges up the right side and Marleau beats all skaters to the net on the left side to convert a perfect pass from Nylander into a goal.

Then the Leafs commentator notes Marleau came "from 20 feet behind the play" to score the insurance goal.

A great display of both players' skill.

Textbook.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Ovechkin is a pure goal scoring freak (duh!). His overall game has improved greatly the past few seasons as well.

Watched a good bit of the Caps last night and he looks like he'll be an elite goal scorer for at least a few more years. Has quite a bit left in the tank it seems.

Don't know if he'll hit 60+ again (on pace to cruise there) but damnit if he isn't the most consistent goal scorer today, at 33 years old. People like to push the shiny new toys, but guys like Laine are far to streaky. They often go long stretches without scoring.

Really awesome to see him and Sid still going strong on the wrong side of 30. They may be a rival and a team I root against, but it's great for hockey to still have a major rivalry (team and player) going on a decade and half later.

 

[VanIslander]

I wish OV had some internal drive to check as often and eagerly as he used to.

But no Finn grit in his DNA;
no Canadian tenacity;
no Soviet discipline...

Just youthful Russian exhuberance followed by veteran doggedness.

There are just two HfBoard posters who've said more positive things about Alex... and they ain't History board regulars!

 

[ImporterExporter]

I'm not surprised 8 doesn't check as crazily as he used to. He's much older haha. He picks his battles better, rather than just flying around like a lunatic. It's "fun" to watch that but in all reality I don't know how effective it is to continually be out of position because you're lining people up and not always connecting.

He's never going to be a stopper defensively but he seems to have at least morphed into somebody who's responsible and at least getting into position on the defensive side of things. He's cagier offensively because he has slowed down a bit. Still bombing shots off that left circle though! Nobody can stop it. It really is a marvel.

As much as I didn't like him as a younger player, I'm still glad I got to witness his entire career in the whole. Same with 87. I think when they're both done playing we'll be looking at 2 of top 10-15 players ever. Possibly both make it into the top 10 with enough merit the rest of the way. A 60 goal season and record breaking Richard would certainly vault Ovi up another notch in my book.

 

[seventieslord]

In last night's close game, up 2-1 in the third period, Nylander surges up the right side and Marleau beats all skaters to the net on the left side to convert a perfect pass from Nylander into a goal.

Then the Leafs commentator notes Marleau came "from 20 feet behind the play" to score the insurance goal.

A great display of both players' skill.

Textbook.

See, I just knew you'd come in here to praise Nylander over this pass. It was nice, but it was more or less routine for a skill player on a 2-on-1. It's not post-worthy. Marner's work on his own assist last night was much more impressive. And on dozens of others throughout his career.

 

[seventieslord]

@ResilientBeast

ATD Chat Thread XV

This post sure hasn't aged well. It reeks just a week later!

 

[seventieslord]

As of now, based on simple probability formulas, the Leafs have a 25.6% chance of getting to the finals. And if they do, there's a 32.8% chance their opponent will be Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Vegas or Colorado.

Why does that matter? Because that means there's an 8.4% chance right now that I'll be attending the Stanley Cup Finals! I've been waiting to do so, for my whole life.

 

[ResilientBeast]

@ResilientBeast

ATD Chat Thread XV

This post sure hasn't aged well. It reeks just a week later!

I've suffered since '06 with only one year of a competent (lucky) hockey team, I'd rather expect this to all blow up then believe it's for real.

McDavid probably won't threepeat which is honestly very disappointing, that Avs topline is ridiculous

 

[BenchBrawl]

I wonder if he's gonna try to do with McDavid what he did with Modano.That would probably be a good idea and give McDavid a better shot at multiple Stanley Cups in the long run.Less Art Ross trophies, more cups.

 

[ResilientBeast]

I wonder if he's gonna try to do with McDavid what he did with Modano.That would probably be a good idea and give McDavid a better shot at multiple Stanley Cups in the long run.Less Art Ross trophies, more cups.

I hope McDavid has another couple of Art Ross trophies in him even if his game rounds out.

I would love to see him as a defensible choice for top 10/15 all time

 

[BenchBrawl]

I hope McDavid has another couple of Art Ross trophies in him even if his game rounds out.

I would love to see him as a defensible choice for top 10/15 all time

For that he needs the cups

 

[seventieslord]

McDavid is by no means done winning Harts and ross trophies.

I said from the start - he'll win a few, he'll be in the mix for a few others, he'll miss a few by missing some games. It'll be pretty similar to Crosby. In 20 years when we're comparing their careers, they'll probably be a wash as far as "on paper" stuff like that goes. It'll come down to how much McDavid rounded out his game, and what he does in the playoffs.

 

[ResilientBeast]

For that he needs the cups

He needs the cups and then Harts and the Art Ross trophies

After Ovechkin finally won one, the greatest players manage to win at least one.

I have no expectation that it will be here though.