What are your expectations for next season?

[pantherbot]

Looks fine to me. Suit him up!

 

[ScottyMascotty]

=

 

[Dread Clawz]

Looks fine to me. Suit him up!

Him and Forsling are just pure muscle.

 

[airbud]

“I wrestled a walrus once.”
- montour, probably

 

[FrolikFan67]

Yeah montour is a physical specimen, just a freak athlete, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he heals up faster than expected. I don’t want to put that expectation, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he came back sooner

 

[GermanPanther]

I hope when he rehabs faster, he will spend his Athlestic and rehab Coach a pair of new Sweatpants.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Yeah well coaches are primarily responsible for how a team plays. Of course Trotz got them to play stronger team defense.... that's why they brought him in. They shouldn't be dismissed because they made the move necessary to push them over the top. That's what they were supposed to do. You can have your bar set way up in the clouds if you want to....the Caps will take their Stanley Cup. I didn't prove any point of yours. The Caps had the necessary Cup winning roster. But they saw they needed to change their style of play. So they brought in Trotz. Bam, end of story. Not complicated. Just winning.

I'm also having trouble following your post. You asked how I know who is a false contender and who isn't. Then you go and talk about offensive teams. Then you say that Carolina might be a defensive team who doesn't produce enough offense. You're overcomplicating this. Even if what you say about Carolina is true,(which I don't think it is)adding the necessary pieces to augment your already terrific core is what winning GMs do. You think Waddell is going to sit on the sidelines and go "oh well my team doesn't meet some mystical bar so I'm just gonna give up this trade deadline"? No, he's gonna go out and try to win the Cup, and he has a good chance of doing that. Some people thought L.A. in 2012 didn't produce enough offense. Some people thought Anaheim in 2007 didn't produce enough offense. L.A. dominated the playoffs that year, and Anaheim took out a mighty high octane Sens team in 5 games. When you're close, you go for it. What's the alternative, sit on your hands and do nothing and watch the better teams pass you by? You're not winning anything that way. Plus anything can happen in the playoffs, as we saw this year. A lot of it is luck, bounces, injuries etc. Get a hot goalie and you have as good a chance as anyone. The Canes' style of play is fine. They have a strong forecheck game like we do, lots of speed, they go to the net, generate lots of point shots. That's how you need to produce offense in the playoffs. They play strong team defense and have a top 5 blue line. Remember, both Svechnikov and Patches were injured all playoffs .

Bottom line, you're overcomplicating this. Plenty of teams who were "not picked to win", or not even favorites, have won it. Blues, L.A. the first time, Bruins, Ducks, Canes. Going back even before the lockout, Lightning were not really a top 3 favorite in 2003, Devils in 95, Habs in 93, Oilers in 90, Habs in 86. When you're close, you go for it. You acquire the missing pieces to complete the puzzle, and let the chips fall where they may.

I'm not reading all of this. Just so you can go back over the same position I already know you have. Just leave it alone and move on.

 

[Sticksandsun]

Can I get a list of all players confirmed injured before the Vegas series? I know Lu broke his leg and Montour got hurt game 1 vs Vegas

 

[I am not exposed]

Miss the playoffs.

We're in too much of a hole to get out of due to our defensive injuries at the beginning of the season.

No Cinderella run from a goaltender to help us squeeze in.

Pomo thread gets bumped.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Miss the playoffs.

We're in too much of a hole to get out of due to our defensive injuries at the beginning of the season.

No Cinderella run from a goaltender to help us squeeze in.

Pomo thread gets bumped.

Maybe if we are lucky we can talk about missing out on Brunette all season again.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Can I get a list of all players confirmed injured before the Vegas series? I know Lu broke his leg and Montour got hurt game 1 vs Vegas

I think in addition to Luostar Bennett and Ekblad were hurt (that we know of). Chucky and Monty got hurt vs Vegas. So 2 top 4 dmen, 2 top 6 fwds, and an elite 3rd liner. Vs a healthy Vegas. Never had much of a shot.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Miss the playoffs.

We're in too much of a hole to get out of due to our defensive injuries at the beginning of the season.

No Cinderella run from a goaltender to help us squeeze in.

Pomo thread gets bumped.

Despite Florida not adding a top 6 winger or a real top 4 dman (both of which are imo needed before Florida can be viewed as a Cup winner), I really feel Florida has a pretty good roster as is (3rd-6th in East and chance to win a round). You are 100% right we got in because Lyon got hot. But, Bobrovsky was legit the worst goalie in the league October-December. Knight sucked. If Bobrovsky is even mediocre like he was in '20 and '21 Florida will win more games. If he can find '22 form, they'll be A-ok. Stolarz is a nice pickup if knight continues to falter. No Montour and Ekblad is a huge loss. But Montour mght be back early. If they can survive a month without him, they'll be ok. Ekblad misses time every year and Florida's been ok, it's nothing new. Big wildcard is OEL. If he can revert back, it's a nice addition to a blue line that badly needed an upgrade.

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Rodrigues-Bennett-Thachuk
Luostarinen-Lundell-Cousins
Lomberg-Stenlund-Lorentz

Extra-Asplund

Forsling-Ekblad
Mikkola-Montour
OEL-Mahura/Kulikov

Extra- Kulikov/Mahura, Carlsson

Bobrovsky
Knight


is a good roster. IDK about deep playoffs but dfinitely playoffs.

 

[KW]

Despite Florida not adding a top 6 winger or a real top 4 dman (both of which are imo needed before Florida can be viewed as a Cup winner), I really feel Florida has a pretty good roster as is (3rd-6th in East and chance to win a round). You are 100% right we got in because Lyon got hot. But, Bobrovsky was legit the worst goalie in the league October-December. Knight sucked. If Bobrovsky is even mediocre like he was in '20 and '21 Florida will win more games. If he can find '22 form, they'll be A-ok. Stolarz is a nice pickup if knight continues to falter. No Montour and Ekblad is a huge loss. But Montour mght be back early. If they can survive a month without him, they'll be ok. Ekblad misses time every year and Florida's been ok, it's nothing new. Big wildcard is OEL. If he can revert back, it's a nice addition to a blue line that badly needed an upgrade.

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Rodrigues-Bennett-Thachuk
Luostarinen-Lundell-Cousins
Lomberg-Stenlund-Lorentz

Extra-Asplund

Forsling-Ekblad
Mikkola-Montour
OEL-Mahura/Kulikov

Extra- Kulikov/Mahura, Carlsson

Bobrovsky
Knight


is a good roster. IDK about deep playoffs but dfinitely playoffs.

OEL is the wildcard I believe. If he’s back to being healthy, he’s maybe Forsling level and likely Ekblad level or above. A lot is riding on OEL but he’s motivated.

 

[Chaos2k7]

OEL is the wildcard I believe. If he’s back to being healthy, he’s maybe Forsling level and likely Ekblad level or above. A lot is riding on OEL but he’s motivated.

Ekblad is more important than Gus.

 

[KW]

Ekblad is more important than Gus.

In my opinion it’s “was”, not “is”.

 

[Gentle Man]

I think in addition to Luostar Bennett and Ekblad were hurt (that we know of). Chucky and Monty got hurt vs Vegas. So 2 top 4 dmen, 2 top 6 fwds, and an elite 3rd liner. Vs a healthy Vegas. Never had much of a shot.

Montour said he got hurt during the regular season.

They told him about the injury but he just played through it. Then during the Vegas series he got hit and told them yeah, you need surgery now but he said nah let's finish.

Then the Friday right after the series he was on the table

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Folks someone just told me Mikkola isnt good because of a Jfresh chart, season is officially over. We need to sign Demers to replace him because the chart says hes good.

How is Zito our Gm still? Does he not know Seth Griffith is still out there???

 

[BeezKnees]

Folks someone just told me Mikkola isnt good because of a Jfresh chart, season is officially over.

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not Mikkola was good, that they didn't stop to think whether he was an upgrade over Marc Staal" -Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park probably

 

[Gentle Man]

For you guys just quietly wished for 4 more years of Marc Staal, you guys got it with the Finnish version of him. I know this because he plays the exact same way in NHL 23. Slow as f*** and can hit. Loses the puck when bumped and passes do not connect.

If EA says it, it's true.

 

[Chaos2k7]

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not Mikkola was good, that they didn't stop to think whether he was an upgrade over Marc Staal" -Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park probably

Mikkola replaced Gudas. OEL is better than Staal no doubt.

 

[KW]

So this has to be a good omen for Barky. I filled up at a gas station with the pump on auto stop. It stopped at exactly 16.000 gallons.

 

[BeezKnees]

Jagr.Montour too

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Bored, rewatched this sitting by a bonfire and sipping some whiskey. What a f***ing run ladies and gentlemen.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Bored, rewatched this sitting by a bonfire and sipping some whiskey. What a f***ing run ladies and gentlemen.

Better than '96 even for me, because we had more of a chance. And '96 was during my formative teenage years. Let's make another one this year.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

I'd be happy if it's sometime in mid November or early December so anything before that is gravy.