Playoffs 2018 Discussion Thread

Who are you Rooting for to Win the Stanley Cup this year?


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    51
  • Poll closed .

lhsgolf19

Registered User
Oct 4, 2016
7,605
10,307
Birmingham, MI
Screw Vegas, I've had enough... Once ESPN called them Hockeytown that was it and their so-called fanbase... I hope Yzerman's team sweeps them
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Screw Vegas, I've had enough... Once ESPN called them Hockeytown that was it and their so-called fanbase... I hope Yzerman's team sweeps them

Hockeytown is a marketing gimmick with a trademark. If ESPN used it, they are about to pay royalties to the Red Wings. They will be angry enough about that at the Mothership over in legal is my guess. :laugh:

They are a great story. Honestly it is a little disappointing we got weekly updates on an English Soccer team and here a hockey team on our continent is perhaps the best story in NA pro sports history and it is getting nothing in terms of meaningful discussion. This should be a much bigger story in my opinion.
 

chances14

Registered User
Jan 7, 2010
10,396
499
Michigan
Hockeytown is a marketing gimmick with a trademark. If ESPN used it, they are about to pay royalties to the Red Wings. They will be angry enough about that at the Mothership over in legal is my guess. :laugh:

They are a great story. Honestly it is a little disappointing we got weekly updates on an English Soccer team and here a hockey team on our continent is perhaps the best story in NA pro sports history and it is getting nothing in terms of meaningful discussion. This should be a much bigger story in my opinion.
just goes to how niche hockey really is unfortunately. not even a story like this can get media attention
 

Ingvar

Registered User
Jan 16, 2016
675
130
Moscow
Maybe I'm a killjoy but while Vegas has had a cute run and all, it doesn't make me think much of the NHL.
You're not alone. It's a feel-good story but when a team devoid of any elite talent easily reaches Cup finals for me it screams about mediocrity of the league.
 

Claypool

Registered User
Jan 12, 2009
13,670
4,352
You're not alone. It's a feel-good story but when a team devoid of any elite talent easily reaches Cup finals for me it screams about mediocrity of the league.

Vegas has a ton of talent. Not sure what you're talking about.
 

Pavels Dog

Registered User
Feb 18, 2013
19,736
14,704
Sweden
You're not alone. It's a feel-good story but when a team devoid of any elite talent easily reaches Cup finals for me it screams about mediocrity of the league.
How do you mean "easily"? We've had a 10 year run of 3 teams splitting the cup, with everyone talking about how it means the league has no real parity, how the top teams are still miles ahead of the pack, how "mediocre" teams like the 2010-2016 Wings had no real chance to win anything, how just making the playoffs means nothing unless you're a top contender... but now that Vegas makes the SCF it means the league is mediocre and anyone can easily reach the finals? Nah, not buying it.
 

Leronziia

kenorH
Jan 10, 2016
1,053
77
Melbourne, Australia
Vegas is a team comprised of a roster of talented, mature bodies mostly in the prime of their career. Minimal veteran deadweight, no developing prospects, essentially no weak links.

It's not surprising that they had a strong regular season. To get this far in 1 season, though, is remarkable.
 

TatarTangle

Registered User
Sep 28, 2011
4,453
500
Detroit
I just hope Reeves rings Kucherov's bell after he's shown his true colors with that kick. Figured Wilson would have by now but he'd probably be kicked (har har) out of the league for it. Gotta protect the small players, ya know?
 

Ingvar

Registered User
Jan 16, 2016
675
130
Moscow
Vegas has a ton of talent. Not sure what you're talking about.

Talent - yes. Elite talent - no. They would be the most underwhelming cup winner since Carolina - there isn’t one HoF caliber player on that team. Fleury winning a Smythe and making it would just add an insult to an injury.

How do you mean "easily"? We've had a 10 year run of 3 teams splitting the cup, with everyone talking about how it means the league has no real parity, how the top teams are still miles ahead of the pack, how "mediocre" teams like the 2010-2016 Wings had no real chance to win anything, how just making the playoffs means nothing unless you're a top contender... but now that Vegas makes the SCF it means the league is mediocre and anyone can easily reach the finals? Nah, not buying it.

That’s not me. I’m happy when my teams makes playoffs and I don’t complain when one teams wins it all again and again. If you’re the best - you deserve to win. That’s why Vegas winning will be so unfortunate: it shows it’s enough to have a few really good players having a career year to make you best team in the world.
 

Red Stanley

Registered User
Apr 25, 2015
2,414
778
USA
I guess by that logic the Miracle on Ice was a dark chapter in Olympic hockey history and the Canadian super team roflstomping everyone was the best kind of competition.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
They have a lot more in common with Leichester City in my opinion. Team largely thought to be the worst in their league entering their championship winning year. The Miracle on Ice is a forced hockey narrative we can find a better one in my opinion.

Of course the expansion angle makes it unique and should be the reason everyone is going crazy over this sports media wise worldwide really, but at least North American sports should be making a bigger deal of this.
 

njx9

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
2,161
340
Maybe I'm a killjoy but while Vegas has had a cute run and all, it doesn't make me think much of the NHL.

Why? It seems like people still going with the 'they're not very good' line haven't moved on since September/October. They were a great regular season team. They've been a great postseason team. They're not all journeymen and cast offs. The NHL wanted the team to be competitive right out of the gate. They have two dudes with pretty unsustainable shooting, but then, Gustav Nyquist didn't really make anyone 'think [less] of the NHL' when he was leading the Wings to a playoff berth they apparently didn't deserve.

Lastly, they happened to start up right at the same time the NHL is starting to shift away from the late '00s and early '10s powers to whomever is going to be the 'next' set of great teams.

I just can't fathom the ridiculous levels of negativity people manage to find in just about everything about this team in spite of literally every conceivable piece of evidence.
 

Ezekial

Cheap Pizza, Bad Hockey
Sponsor
Nov 22, 2015
22,395
14,894
Chicago
Tom Wilson may be a caveman who, imo, has no respect for other players, but he sure can pull the f*** out of a piano for Ovi and Kuze.
 
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njx9

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
2,161
340
I won't be unhappy if Tampa wins this, but I'm finding myself really pulling for Washington.

And really jealous of the fact that both teams can make passes to each other and maintain PP possession.
 

Christien

Registered User
May 1, 2010
5,078
3,465
Yes, over six years ago when Detroit put up over 100 points and won 23 straight home games.
Yeah, but still they actually traded that first for KFQ :laugh: I get it was a long time ago, and we more than likely wouldn’t have taken Vasilevskiy at that spot, but I just remembered that trade with him having such a great run.
 

Claypool

Registered User
Jan 12, 2009
13,670
4,352
Yeah, but still they actually traded that first for KFQ :laugh: I get it was a long time ago, and we more than likely wouldn’t have taken Vasilevskiy at that spot, but I just remembered that trade with him having such a great run.

Nashville spent a 1st on Cody Franson and only got 28 games out of him. Defensemen come at a premium.
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,756
4,569
Cleveland
Quincey also had another year on his deal when we dealt for him. He was a top4 D signed to a reasonable amount, and was under our control for an extra year. Yeah, that stuff costs. I get if someone just doesn't like Quincey, but if that was Defenceman X, I don't think the cost changes.
 
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The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Take that back.

What I meant by that is they are forcing a same sport narrative in a single game format to a season long sporting accomplishment. They are apples and oranges from that standpoint. Were both stunning? Sure, but Vegas has done this for months on end, I think it is a disservice to them to pretend this is catching a team on the right night which is the Miracle on Ice analogy.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Quincey also had another year on his deal when we dealt for him. He was a top4 D signed to a reasonable amount, and was under our control for an extra year. Yeah, that stuff costs. I get if someone just doesn't like Quincey, but if that was Defenceman X, I don't think the cost changes.

We were leading the entire league in the standings at the time of Howard's injury in early February and he was expected back. We were going to get Helm back, Lidstrom and Datsyuk weren't hurt going into the deadline like they would be going into the playoffs. We hadn't seen Babcock really get worked from a coaching perspective in a series since the Edmonton debacle. There were tons of reasons to be buyers, solidify your d-core third pairing and provide insurance for Stuart's walk away from the team.

Almost everyone who dumps on the Quincey trade pretty much does so with complete hindsight. Sure a couple can say, hey I didn't like it a ton at the time, but it was a contender move and we were legitimately contenders and it even had a future element. He also even re-signed, so we got a lot of mileage out of that pick. Maatta is also the guy we missed out on really, not Vasy though I guess you can pull whomever you choose because that makes the argument more fun.

Most of the deadline buys made hockey sense, they didn't work out unfortunately but you can see the logic on several of the most talked about ones on this forum. It's a lot easier to sit with the end result and say what were you thinking. They were thinking Quincey gave them flexibility that year and moving forward. Heck the pundits agreed, I remember when the playoffs started the guys on NBCSN and up in Canada both had the Wings as having the best blueline in the league. One of the narratives, heck they have Quincey on their third pair, can you believe that...

Turns out Lidstrom was going to get hurt, helm was going to get re-injured, Datsyuk was going to be hurt, Trotz was going to coach circles around Mike Babcock and Rinne was going to be lights out for a series. Tough hand to be dealt for sure.
 
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