Canadian Division (Canada Cup) Part XI

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Ducer

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Jan 20, 2021
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It was Bob McKenzie that got the leaf's team mad when he wrote the great one was playing like he had a piano on his back, pissed gretzky off and he played his greatest game 7.
 
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SheldonJPlankton

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Oct 30, 2006
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It's been possible in the past. In the days when the NHL seeded all playoff teams 1-16. Could be possible again in the future.

I'd love to see a return of the 1-16 format. Better yet, a 1-32 format with an extra playoff round.

My point was more that the current situation is more due to a knee-jerk pandemic driven response rather than a rule-change long thought-out and implemented in the usual, normal course of business.
 

Jaytee

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Feb 27, 2015
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So the season is over for the Jets, and since they're the only team I watch, I can only speak of the other teams in relation to how they played the Jets. If I had to rank them based on that, I'd go:
  1. Edmonton
  2. Toronto
  3. Ottawa
  4. Montreal
  5. Vancouver
  6. Calgary
I gave Vancouver the edge over Calgary because COVID probably made them worse, but overall, Calgary was by a wide margin the worst team in Canada this year, which truthfully did not break my heart.

Edmonton won a couple of dubious, lucky games against the Jets early in the season (scoring the winner with less than one second on the clock), but after that, made the Jets look stupid. That, coupled with PTSD from all the past series against the Oilers, makes them the least desirable team to play in the opening round. I see the Jets' chances of winning the series at no better than 20%, and it's only that high because Kyle Connor is scoring again, and that has to happen for the Jets to have any chance. If Ehlers returns in relatively good shape, that's also a plus, but probably the biggest plus the Jets have (which, granted, isn't enough) is that they're the only Canadian team whose current roster has had any playoff success in recent years. Maybe, just maybe, that helps a bit, but again, to be clear, I don't think it'll be enough.

Toronto should beat Montreal in round 1, but I think they'll have more trouble with the Habs than they will against the Oilers, because if you take away their games against the Jets and Senators, the Oilers really weren't a very good team. They're world-beaters against the Jets, but that's more because of the Jets than the Oilers. I remain unconvinced that Edmonton is a good team. McDavid scored 100 points, but if he didn't play the Jets ten times it would be more like 30. And yes, I'm exaggerating, but not as much as some might think. The Leafs should come out of the Northern Division.

On the other hand, if somehow the Jets beat the Oilers (they won't), I believe they'll also beat the Leafs. I give the Leafs an 80% chance of coming out of the division, with 10% each to Winnipeg and Montreal. 0% chance for Edmonton, because even though they'll beat Winnipeg, they'll lose to Toronto, and against Montreal it's about 60/40 in Montreal's favour.

Now let the playoffs start and prove me (and everybody else) wrong, because we all know that's what'll happen.

Cheers!
 

4EDM14OIL93

Registered User
Jan 12, 2011
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So the season is over for the Jets, and since they're the only team I watch, I can only speak of the other teams in relation to how they played the Jets. If I had to rank them based on that, I'd go:
  1. Edmonton
  2. Toronto
  3. Ottawa
  4. Montreal
  5. Vancouver
  6. Calgary
I gave Vancouver the edge over Calgary because COVID probably made them worse, but overall, Calgary was by a wide margin the worst team in Canada this year, which truthfully did not break my heart.

Edmonton won a couple of dubious, lucky games against the Jets early in the season (scoring the winner with less than one second on the clock), but after that, made the Jets look stupid. That, coupled with PTSD from all the past series against the Oilers, makes them the least desirable team to play in the opening round. I see the Jets' chances of winning the series at no better than 20%, and it's only that high because Kyle Connor is scoring again, and that has to happen for the Jets to have any chance. If Ehlers returns in relatively good shape, that's also a plus, but probably the biggest plus the Jets have (which, granted, isn't enough) is that they're the only Canadian team whose current roster has had any playoff success in recent years. Maybe, just maybe, that helps a bit, but again, to be clear, I don't think it'll be enough.

Toronto should beat Montreal in round 1, but I think they'll have more trouble with the Habs than they will against the Oilers, because if you take away their games against the Jets and Senators, the Oilers really weren't a very good team. They're world-beaters against the Jets, but that's more because of the Jets than the Oilers. I remain unconvinced that Edmonton is a good team. McDavid scored 100 points, but if he didn't play the Jets ten times it would be more like 30. And yes, I'm exaggerating, but not as much as some might think. The Leafs should come out of the Northern Division.

On the other hand, if somehow the Jets beat the Oilers (they won't), I believe they'll also beat the Leafs. I give the Leafs an 80% chance of coming out of the division, with 10% each to Winnipeg and Montreal. 0% chance for Edmonton, because even though they'll beat Winnipeg, they'll lose to Toronto, and against Montreal it's about 60/40 in Montreal's favour.

Now let the playoffs start and prove me (and everybody else) wrong, because we all know that's what'll happen.

Cheers!
0% chance lol what is this

Even if you take out Edmonton’s 16-2 record against the Sens and Jets (which, why would you?) they still have a record of 19-16-2. That pace is still good enough for third place in the division.
 

Golden_Jet

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Sep 21, 2005
22,241
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All this reminiscing about the 92-93 series reminds me of the Leafs holding a public celebration for advancing to the conference finals that year. You know your team is in a dry spell when you celebrate not advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals with the fans!

They also got division champion rings.
 

Hollywood3

Bison/Jet/Moose Fan
May 12, 2007
6,441
941
So with all the prolific scorers, the north is the lowest scoring division now in the playoffs. Excluding empty netters, there have been 7 goals in 3 games.
 

nobody

Registered User
Aug 8, 2017
3,723
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Hi, Oilers fans. Can we please have McDavid now? You guys have abused the poor kid enough. Send him back home so he can be happy. :)

Thanks!

He's given the city of Edmonton so many great years and awesome memories! The Leafs aren't a heck of a lot better than the Oilers these days but at least we have a team that's lovable and pretty cool guys who like to have a good time. Be good people and send him where he belongs! The Isles did it with JT and look at how much happier both parties are! Draisaitl is a great player to build a franchise around!
 

Doc5

Registered User
Aug 8, 2012
2,671
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Hi, Oilers fans. Can we please have McDavid now? You guys have abused the poor kid enough. Send him back home so he can be happy. :)

Thanks!

He's given the city of Edmonton so many great years and awesome memories! The Leafs aren't a heck of a lot better than the Oilers these days but at least we have a team that's lovable and pretty cool guys who like to have a good time. Be good people and send him where he belongs! The Isles did it with JT and look at how much happier both parties are! Draisaitl is a great player to build a franchise around!

I know you’re kidding and all, but has a player of McDavid’s caliber even been traded in this century? Best bet is to wait till his contract expires in 4 years. I wonder if he regrets signing for the term that he did.
 

Doc5

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Aug 8, 2012
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Gretzky was traded, anyone can be
Yeah but thats why I added this century, I find that star players are harder to come by now then it was back then. If that’s true, then the demand must be much higher than it was back then.
 

DuckyGirard

Registered User
May 23, 2021
629
344
So with all the prolific scorers, the north is the lowest scoring division now in the playoffs. Excluding empty netters, there have been 7 goals in 3 games.
By mid way through the season that was no longer true. The first month of the season was complete chaos, but that was largely because teams were finding goalies, integrating new players etc.

McDavid was still the best Canadian in the league, was last year, was this year, was today, and still tomorrow.

Matthews was the best American last year, this year, and tomorrow as well.

Fact is Oilers/Jets have leveled up this season and will be better in the next.

Turns out hockey is a team sport and is highly competitive.
 

DuckyGirard

Registered User
May 23, 2021
629
344
I know you’re kidding and all, but has a player of McDavid’s caliber even been traded in this century? Best bet is to wait till his contract expires in 4 years. I wonder if he regrets signing for the term that he did.
Delaying the inevitable is entirely pointless. IF you wait 3 years to make the trade you'll get peanuts.

Trade him now and you can at least get a first line center and some draft picks.

Comparing him to gretkzy is absurd, he had cups in edmonton. There's no way McDavid wants to be in Edmonton.
 
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muddywaters

GO FLAMES GO
Jul 12, 2006
693
147
Cedarbrae
So the season is over for the Jets, and since they're the only team I watch, I can only speak of the other teams in relation to how they played the Jets. If I had to rank them based on that, I'd go:
  1. Edmonton
  2. Toronto
  3. Ottawa
  4. Montreal
  5. Vancouver
  6. Calgary
I gave Vancouver the edge over Calgary because COVID probably made them worse, but overall, Calgary was by a wide margin the worst team in Canada this year, which truthfully did not break my heart.

Cheers!
GO FLAMES GO !!!!!!!
 

ToDavid

Registered User
Dec 13, 2018
4,029
4,978
So with all the prolific scorers, the north is the lowest scoring division now in the playoffs. Excluding empty netters, there have been 7 goals in 3 games.

The North was not the highest scoring division in the regular season. I think it was 3rd (last time I checked was around game 40). The North had slightly weaker defense than the others (by expected goals against) but the best goaltending. You're seeing that. Price, Campbell, Hellebuyck, and Smith (until last night) are all playing great.

Also sample size... 6 and 9 goal games since then.
 

kevsh

Registered User
Nov 28, 2018
3,200
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Gretzky was traded, anyone can be

True, but Gretzky was sold more than he was traded and that can't happen in today's NHL. That doesn't mean McDavid can't be traded but what possible sense does it make for the Oilers to trade their best player - a generational talent - as a solution to their problems?

Unless it's a Lindros/Herschel Walker-level deal where Edmonton gets so much talent and/or future prospects in the deal ... But I wonder if any team even has that level and quality of assets (and most importantly are willing to move them) to bring back Connor?
 

DuckyGirard

Registered User
May 23, 2021
629
344
True, but Gretzky was sold more than he was traded and that can't happen in today's NHL. That doesn't mean McDavid can't be traded but what possible sense does it make for the Oilers to trade their best player - a generational talent - as a solution to their problems?

Unless it's a Lindros/Herschel Walker-level deal where Edmonton gets so much talent and/or future prospects in the deal ... But I wonder if any team even has that level and quality of assets (and most importantly are willing to move them) to bring back Connor?
Because he's gone in 5 years. You can't currently rebuild with McDavid, and so you're gonna limp around and rebuild in 5 years time, getting zero trade value out of McDavid loosing all the way.
 

spot

Registered User
Aug 26, 2007
3,006
396
Delaying the inevitable is entirely pointless. IF you wait 3 years to make the trade you'll get peanuts.

Trade him now and you can at least get a first line center and some draft picks.

Comparing him to gretkzy is absurd, he had cups in edmonton. There's no way McDavid wants to be in Edmonton.

Haha if we traded him to the leafs today you wouldn’t have any players left except for McDavid. I would worry more about Mathews bolting in a shorter time period.
 

DuckyGirard

Registered User
May 23, 2021
629
344
Haha if we traded him to the leafs today you wouldn’t have any players left except for McDavid. I would worry more about Mathews bolting in a shorter time period.
He's worth 2 first liners. In a team that is in cap hell and forward rich this is a workable deal. Lots of teams are about to let people go because of cap issues. Matthews and Tavares for McDavid makes a ton of sense. It frees up leaf's cap space, and the oilers can trade Matthews for an entire line with phoenix.

That being said Tampa etc would be the better choice. If McDavid was in a desirable city on a contender team, you'd have easy access to cheap ufas.
 

nobody

Registered User
Aug 8, 2017
3,723
3,304
Haha if we traded him to the leafs today you wouldn’t have any players left except for McDavid. I would worry more about Mathews bolting in a shorter time period.

I think the most likely scenario is that McDavid ends up somewhere not named Toronto to play out his contract. And once he's a UFA, he'll come home and sign his retirement deal similar to JT did 3 years ago. Matthews and Marner will get paid and will stay as Leafs and we'll have $$ left from having the Nylander and JT contracts expire by that time so money won't be an issue. Icing McDavid, Matthews, Marner (might combine for $45 mil in cap between the 3) with a bunch of quality young players/ veterans will allow the Leafs to stay competitive for a fairly long time too. They just need to continue to draft and develop well and so far by the look of things, that's not an issue whatsoever. We have drafted a ton of great young pieces who should make their way to the NHL and be on ELCs/ cheap 2nd deals in 5-6 years' time. I really hope we can hit a homerun or 2 with a prospect and that should help really solidify the top 6 and D.
 
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