So much for the 'Sh-t Northern Division' narrative.

[Muffin]

Vegas controlled every game other than game 1 vs the Avs . Habs and Vegas have been going back and forth. Fleury threw a game away and Lehner came back to steal one last night. Habs have been a strong team whenever they had a full roster. Their record took a hit when COVID ran through their roster and they had to make up weeks worth of games just to finish the season relatively on time.

Nope, actually Colorado outplayed Vegas in games 5 and 6.

Vegas dominated Montreal pretty handily in games 1 and 3. Games 2 and 4 were pretty even.

 

[Mr Positive]

Game 4 proved that the Habs could skate with the Golden Knights. They were the better team for a lot of that game. Even though Montreal lost game 4, it definitely dispelled the myth that the North Division is bad. Vegas is supposedly one of the very best teams in the league so there is just no way to defend the notion that the North is a tier below everyone.

 

[Mr Positive]

Montreal playing amazing hockey and going on a Cinderella run shouldn’t really change anyone’s view of the North Division.

Why? At some point you have to point out that there is no longer a basis for saying that the North was weaker. It was always hypothetical anyway, because of the lack of cross divisional play. If the NHL finally getting cross division play and the North division doing well doesnt change an opinion, then that is the definition of a bad opinion.

 

[OvieGreat8]

Montreal is +350 to win the series still if you think it is still an "even" series.

 

[TT1]

the next HF excuse is already up:

If Montreal Wins the Stanley Cup - Biggest Fluke in NHL History?

keep em comin

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Why? At some point you have to point out that there is no longer a basis for saying that the North was weaker. It was always hypothetical anyway, because of the lack of cross divisional play. If the NHL finally getting cross division play and the North division doing well doesnt change an opinion, then that is the definition of a bad opinion.

That’s your error right there and shows a lack of logical thinking and a bad opinion. The North Division isn’t doing well. Montreal is doing well. And for a 4 game sample size. Too many fans of other eliminated Canadian teams are grasping whatever straw they can find to justify their poor playoffs.

 

[Doc5]

That’s your error right there and shows a lack of logical thinking and a bad opinion. The North Division isn’t doing well. Montreal is doing well. And for a 4 game sample size. Too many fans of other eliminated Canadian teams are grasping whatever straw they can find to justify their poor playoffs.

You say logical thinking but your post has no logic at all.
Yes this is a 4 game sample, but in this 4 game sample Habs are neck and neck with Vegas. The same Habs team that finished middle of the pack of all Canadian teams.
Your assumption that the North is inferior is based on what exactly? That’s where you lack logic in your post.

 

[Gurglesons]

North division is still shit. Montreal being successful doesn't change that.

 

[Rob]

Are the Leafs actually going to raise a North Division champions banner?

 

[Essenege]

Nope, actually Colorado outplayed Vegas in games 5 and 6.

Vegas dominated Montreal pretty handily in games 1 and 3. Games 2 and 4 were pretty even.

Wow. So you’re using xGF for Colorado, while saying that in round 3 Vegas dominated game 1-3 and 2-4 were even?

As per xGF, game 1 was pretty even, 2-4 were easily in Montreal’s favor, game 3 was Vegas’, but not by a larger margin then game 2-4 where Montreal’s (all were .6 to 1 xG difference, which amounts to a 60-70% chance of winning for the team dominating).

I mean…come on, what is this. Get the bias outta here.

 

[Et le But]

The NHL isn't the NBA, the parity is real and outside of a few elite and a few awful teams everyone else is basically on par with each other. I still think the north was the weakest division but it's very difficult to sweep in the hockey playoffs unless your opponent is as checked out as Winnipeg was in the last round.

I still don't think the Habs are a great team and it's dangerous to judge anything based on a small playoff sample size, but they are not a team that can be run over easily. They have an elite goalie and are deep in two way forwards, even with a slow and virtually skill-less defense (and Weber saving his best hockey for now helped), they play able frustrating defensive game that makes them a coin flip to win every game. That's why they are a mediocre regular season team but still good enough to get into your head in the crunch.

Winning two games or even the series doesn't completely absolve the north but it does show just how evenly matched this league possibly is, with the exception of Tampa who may not have even been trying up until this point.

 

[I am toxic]

What division is Islanders in?

Asking for a friend.

 

[Shaman464]

Its still a sh*t division. Montreals run doesn’t change that.

Their run is playing all of 4 games against teams that aren't from the Canadian division this season and post season. Canada got gifted a free slot in the 3rd round.

 

[HanSolo]

Game 4 proved that the Habs could skate with the Golden Knights. They were the better team for a lot of that game. Even though Montreal lost game 4, it definitely dispelled the myth that the North Division is bad. Vegas is supposedly one of the very best teams in the league so there is just no way to defend the notion that the North is a tier below everyone.

I don't entirely disagree with your premise but one team out of a division being effective at the right time doesn't eliminate the deficiencies of the rest of the division on its own.

 

[Samsquanch]

North division is still shit. Montreal being successful doesn't change that.

Whatever you guys say. If success doesnt change it for you then your operating on a set of faith and beliefs - which is a pointless debate. If anything is slightly fair to say that VGK and COL could have been a tad bit overrated. VGK and their forwards certainly shouldn't scare a good defensive team that can score themselves.

And its not like the Canadian teams were isolated for years before this - its been one season lol, people act like this is the WHA or something and have been operating in their own world for the last decade.... They were competitive teams before the North division just last season, for the most part anyways..

And they literally have some of the biggest stars in the entire world on them. Teams like Florida and the NYI are the toast of the town this season - but I still like Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton's roster and players better. Put Trotz, Quenville and Brindamour on them and see how they do (and where their teams go). I would take Ottawa over any other rebuilding team in the league, and quite a few others that are a bit better then them now too (like Minnesota for example, or the teams above).

Now the Habs, one of the North's sketchier teams, are more than holding their own against of of HFboards top 2 or 3 heavyweight contenders in the semi finals. At some point the piss poor excuses are going to have dried up completely, if they havent already.

The North was literally on par with the rest of the divisions. And its easy to see that there is a clear, non fact based inherent bias inside many people in here....Like as if the fact that the border being closed changes the fact that the Sens have like 5 or 6 Americans, like 3 Russians, a German, ect - or that the team was build from the same pool of players that other 30 teams were..

The irony is that if we really "closed the borders", summoned all Canucks back to the homeland, and then built our teams from all Canadian players, the NHLs 7 top contenders come playoff time would all be from the oh so loathed North division .

 

[Muffin]

Wow. So you’re using xGF for Colorado, while saying that in round 3 Vegas dominated game 1-3 and 2-4 were even?

As per xGF, game 1 was pretty even, 2-4 were easily in Montreal’s favor, game 3 was Vegas’, but not by a larger margin then game 2-4 where Montreal’s (all were .6 to 1 xG difference, which amounts to a 60-70% chance of winning for the team dominating).

I mean…come on, what is this. Get the bias outta here.

Not sure where you’re getting your stats from but they’ve been dominated in every series except the Winnipeg series.

 

[ottawa]

North division is still shit. Montreal being successful doesn't change that.

The West division is shit if the best it has to offer is Vegas. Habs would have eaten most of those teams alive.

 

[barabas21]

It’s just a weird flex some Americans have to do for patriotism or whatever. There’s an all Canadian division so they are automatically better.

Reminds me when the blue Jays and rangers had a rivalry in baseball and a Venezuelan (Odor) punched out a Dominican (Bautista) in Arlington and the fans started chanting USA USA....

 

[BlueOil]

Are the Leafs actually going to raise a North Division champions banner?

yes with a poo emoji and all

 

[Beville]

Yeah, no, our north division sucks.

 

[Dingo]

last season, integrated, Canadian teams averaged a 19.2 placement in leaguewide standings.

below average. it was likely a below average division this year, too, likely not abysmal.

 

[Dingo]

Whatever you guys say. If success doesnt change it for you then your operating on a set of faith and beliefs - which is a pointless debate. If anything is slightly fair to say that VGK and COL could have been a tad bit overrated. VGK and their forwards certainly shouldn't scare a good defensive team that can score themselves.

And its not like the Canadian teams were isolated for years before this - its been one season lol, people act like this is the WHA or something and have been operating in their own world for the last decade.... They were competitive teams before the North division just last season, for the most part anyways..

And they literally have some of the biggest stars in the entire world on them. Teams like Florida and the NYI are the toast of the town this season - but I still like Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton's roster and players better. Put Trotz, Quenville and Brindamour on them and see how they do (and where their teams go). I would take Ottawa over any other rebuilding team in the league, and quite a few others that are a bit better then them now too (like Minnesota for example, or the teams above).

Now the Habs, one of the North's sketchier teams, are more than holding their own against of of HFboards top 2 or 3 heavyweight contenders in the semi finals. At some point the piss poor excuses are going to have dried up completely, if they havent already.

The North was literally on par with the rest of the divisions. And its easy to see that there is a clear, non fact based inherent bias inside many people in here....Like as if the fact that the border being closed changes the fact that the Sens have like 5 or 6 Americans, like 3 Russians, a German, ect - or that the team was build from the same pool of players that other 30 teams were..

The irony is that if we really "closed the borders", summoned all Canucks back to the homeland, and then built our teams from all Canadian players, the NHLs 7 top contenders come playoff time would all be from the oh so loathed North division .

canada produces the most good players, and has mediocre clubs on average

 

[Fisticuffer]

Yak Yak Yak!!

Oh, the Northern Division sucks..... they said

Blah Blah Blah!!!!


win or lose, the Habs have already proven the Northern division was/is right on par with the rest.

The reasonable posters were never on board with that nonsense. Just the usuals you know what’s. There just happens to be a lot of them.

 

[Essenege]

Not sure where you’re getting your stats from but they’ve been dominated in every series except the Winnipeg series.

Of course if you take all strength xGF, Vegas having a gazillion PP will skew your stats. 5v5 they’ve been the better team

These are for round 3.

 

[Essenege]

Not sure where you’re getting your stats from but they’ve been dominated in every series except the Winnipeg series.

To add to my previous post…this is when the game is within 1 for more relevancy. To me, xGF loses a bit of its attractiveness once one team or the other have a 2-3 goal lead.