GDT: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023-24

Round 1 Winners?


  • Total voters
    25

flames23

Registered User
Mar 11, 2010
3,236
3,211
Burnaby
Vegas's LTIR finessing this season is MASSIVELY overblown, if not outright fabricated. They are 8.74m over the cap, $5m of that is Lehner and another 3.9m are players (black aces) that wouldn't be on a 23 man roster.
I mean it's not a bug, it's a feature at this point. Hawks w kane, Bolts w Kuch, Knights w Stone. 3 cups aided immensely by a beautiful finessing.

This yr isn't as bad I would agree, but it's the cumulative effect of back to back yrs w Stone ripping off the bandaid for game 1 of the playoffs that sours fans.

Eichel, Barbashev, Hertl, Hanifin. Solid adds they couldn't do without Mr. LTIR and his impeccable timing both on the injury and return dates. Eichel's was a bit more interesting as I remember them needing to trade a contract to fit Eichel onto the 2022 roster that missed the playoffs when he was set to return after his surgery, just before the deadline. Ofc right as Eichel was set to debut, Stone was magically ill enough to avoid any salary dumps and popped onto LTIR to help out.


I can't remember exactly what type of musical chairs were played to bring him back for the final 9 games that reg season as they needed a big push to make the playoffs and inevitably failed, but the idea was mastered the following two yrs.
 

Lunatik

Registered User
Oct 12, 2012
56,259
8,389
I mean it's not a bug, it's a feature at this point. Hawks w kane, Bolts w Kuch, Knights w Stone. 3 cups aided immensely by a beautiful finessing.

This yr isn't as bad I would agree, but it's the cumulative effect of back to back yrs w Stone ripping off the bandaid for game 1 of the playoffs that sours fans.

Eichel, Barbashev, Hertl, Hanifin. Solid adds they couldn't do without Mr. LTIR and his impeccable timing both on the injury and return dates. Eichel's was a bit more interesting as I remember them needing to trade a contract to fit Eichel onto the 2022 roster that missed the playoffs when he was set to return after his surgery, just before the deadline. Ofc right as Eichel was set to debut, Stone was magically ill enough to avoid any salary dumps and popped onto LTIR to help out.


I can't remember exactly what type of musical chairs were played to bring him back for the final 9 games that reg season as they needed a big push to make the playoffs and inevitably failed, but the idea was mastered the following two yrs.
Considering that LTIR claims are vetted by league doctors, it's far more likely guys are returning early from injury (like Kucherov, he returned 1 or 2 weeks earlier than projected). It's like people forget that we have been hearing shit like "if this was a playoff game he'd be playing" about injured players for decades.
 

flames23

Registered User
Mar 11, 2010
3,236
3,211
Burnaby
Considering that LTIR claims are vetted by league doctors, it's far more likely guys are returning early from injury (like Kucherov, he returned 1 or 2 weeks earlier than projected). It's like people forget that we have been hearing shit like "if this was a playoff game he'd be playing" about injured players for decades.
I feel that. Absolutely true.

But there's "Monahan is a shell of himself and has no shot anymore" playing through (reg szn) injuries and "32 pts in 23 games Kucherov probably came back too early, but uhhhh won the cup" injuries and looked absolutely dominant.
 

Lunatik

Registered User
Oct 12, 2012
56,259
8,389
I feel that. Absolutely true.

But there's "Monahan is a shell of himself and has no shot anymore" playing through (reg szn) injuries and "32 pts in 23 games Kucherov probably came back too early, but uhhhh won the cup" injuries and looked absolutely dominant.
Kucherov wasn't even skating that well when he returned compared to the finals, you could tell he wasn't 100%. There is also a difference in returning from surgery and needing surgery.

I think of Gary Roberts playing with 2 separated shoulders, Sami Salo playing after rupturing his f***ing testicle, Regehr playing on a broken foot, Daymond Langkow playing with 2 broken hands, Ohaneuf through broken ribs and a hip injury... etc.

There is more than enough evidence to show players will deal with more pain in the playoffs than the regular season and more in the regular season than the preseason. Why people aren't applying this to guys returning from injury is beyond me.
 

flames23

Registered User
Mar 11, 2010
3,236
3,211
Burnaby
Kucherov wasn't even skating that well when he returned compared to the finals, you could tell he wasn't 100%. There is also a difference in returning from surgery and needing surgery.

I think of Gary Roberts playing with 2 separated shoulders, Sami Salo playing after rupturing his f***ing testicle, Regehr playing on a broken foot, Daymond Langkow playing with 2 broken hands, Ohaneuf through broken ribs and a hip injury... etc.

There is more than enough evidence to show players will deal with more pain in the playoffs than the regular season and more in the regular season than the preseason. Why people aren't applying this to guys returning from injury is beyond me.
Ofc players will play through more as importance increases. I don't understand why you think that's the argument.

The point is that a player that is ready enough with say 5 games to go in the regular season can just exaggerate the level of discomfort/pain they're in for the doctor's examination and then under report it when it's time for game 1. Obviously trying to rush back for the end of the regular season won't happen when they know it means they'll put their respective teams over the cap.

Of course there are instances where they'd sit out another few weeks if the playoffs started in May for example, but choose to push through the pain and return for game 1.

I just don't think the former has zero occurences. Or close to it.
 

almo8989

Registered User
May 10, 2011
57
22
For me the Nucks-Flames rivalry always seemed like "Well the Oilers suck, so I guess we'll just hate each other" rather than true hatred. Outside of the playoffs anyways.
True. The West Coast Express era vs the Iginla era was pretty cool. Then iginla had to be super classy and get the whole team to shake Trevor Linden's hand for his last game. Couldn't hate Iginla after that.
 

Petey O

Laffy Taffy's gonna chew you up.
Feb 26, 2021
5,887
9,705
Canguker
True. The West Coast Express era vs the Iginla era was pretty cool. Then iginla had to be super classy and get the whole team to shake Trevor Linden's hand for his last game. Couldn't hate Iginla after that.
That's really what did it for me. That was one of the classiest things I'd ever seen in my time watching NHL hockey and I always will remember Iggy doing that.

Also, I cheered for you guys in 03-04 after you beat the Canucks. I was a big Martin Gelinas fan, so it was easy to. Plus that team was just really likeable. A lot of Canucks fans were rooting for the Flames that run.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure when both teams are good at the same time again, there will be some hate for each other again, but there's always been this respect between fanbases and teams (well, teams without Tortorella and Hartley apparently) that has been pretty evident throughout NHL history.
 

Khrox

Registered User
May 31, 2018
1,167
890
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure when both teams are good at the same time again, there will be some hate for each other again
Oh for sure, but I feel like, it's still gonna be Edmonton as our primary rivalry, and you guys more of a "friendly rivalry" (unless it's playoffs in which case, we'll hate you as much as Edmonton until it's over).
 

Body Checker

Registered User
Aug 11, 2005
3,428
1,080
Was hoping for Canes out of the East. However close games and eventually there will be another team added to the few that have come back from 3-0. Maybe it’s these guys
 

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