NHL Thread

[Spanky99]

Buds are in... a W against the Jackets gets us 3rd... Go Leafs Go!

 

Oh wait... we've already clinched 3rd... Sweet!!!

[thatoneguy]

That goal by JVR was ridiculous.

[Cyborg]

It is hilarious that the Leafs barely make it in and then get to play the worst team in the playoffs.

[Spanky99]

It is hilarious that the Leafs barely make it in and then get to play the worst team in the playoffs.

 

Dude, the Flames suck?

[Dick_Pole]

It is hilarious that the Leafs barely make it in and then get to play the worst team in the playoffs.

 

This is BS. The Pacific is as weak as the Atlantic division. Teams in the Western Conference got to inflate their point totals playing trash teams all year. Not that I'm complaining too much that's how we went from 0 to 5 Canadian teams in the playoffs year to year.

 

I hope the Leafs go on a 1991 North Stars run just to piss all you stat geeks off

[JG34]

Leafs need one point tonight for the Battle of Ontario in the first round. Otherwise, they'll be playing Cup favourites, the Capitals.

[Cyborg]

Dude, the Flames suck?

 

This is BS. The Pacific is as weak as the Atlantic division. Teams in the Western Conference got to inflate their point totals playing trash teams all year. Not that I'm complaining too much that's how we went from 0 to 5 Canadian teams in the playoffs year to year.

 

I hope the Leafs go on a 1991 North Stars run just to piss all you stat geeks off

 

All I'm saying is the Sens are a bad team that don't deserve to be in the playoffs and yet the Leafs get to face them first round. The new seeding is dumb.

 

Sens are the only team in the playoffs without a positive goal differential and they are 23rd in the league in Corsi and Fenwick +/-.

[Laika]

All I'm saying is the Sens are a bad team that don't deserve to be in the playoffs and yet the Leafs get to face them first round. The new seeding is dumb.

 

Sens are the only team in the playoffs without a positive goal differential and they are 23rd in the league in Corsi and Fenwick +/-.

 

Yeah it's retarded.

 

Teams always get lucky/unlucky and slide up and down the standings. Sometime the #2 seed by true talent should probably be in the #4 vs #5 matchup, for example. But this year in the Eastern Conference the NHL will have the #7 team in the points standings facing #6. And one of those teams might not be playoff calibre by true talent (Ottawa), and if it's OTT-TOR they are arguably the 7th and 8th best teams by talent, facing off in the first round.

 

Gross!

[John_Havok]

So... Calder trophy...

 

Really only 3 names should be in the conversation imo. Matthews, Laine and Matt Murray(this guy is getting criminally underrated in his rookie season).

 

Who takes it?

 

I always find it hard to rate goalies against skaters in awards like this, and I'd probably give the edge to Matthews over Laine since their stats are close enough to be a wash, given Laine lost some games due to injury. Matthews being a centre and basically being the focal point of their team the entire season as a rookie gives him the edge there imo.

 

But Matthews vs Murray... how do you really compare and contrast the 2 when they play such drastically different positions?

 

Am I over rating Murray because he plays on one of the best teams in the league?

[Spanky99]

All I'm saying is the Sens are a bad team that don't deserve to be in the playoffs and yet the Leafs get to face them first round. The new seeding is dumb.

 

Sens are the only team in the playoffs without a positive goal differential and they are 23rd in the league in Corsi and Fenwick +/-.

 

Well, I agree with that. Also, Leafs need it to go to OT or win tonight to face the Sens.

[Spanky99]

So... Calder trophy...

 

Really only 3 names should be in the conversation imo. Matthews, Laine and Matt Murray(this guy is getting criminally underrated in his rookie season).

 

Who takes it?

 

I always find it hard to rate goalies against skaters in awards like this, and I'd probably give the edge to Matthews over Laine since their stats are close enough to be a wash, given Laine lost some games due to injury. Matthews being a centre and basically being the focal point of their team the entire season as a rookie gives him the edge there imo.

 

But Matthews vs Murray... how do you really compare and contrast the 2 when they play such drastically different positions?

 

Am I over rating Murray because he plays on one of the best teams in the league?

 

Matthews, centerman in a landslide.

[Cyborg]

Matthews easy for me. Tkachuk should be up there too though. Setting the limit to 50 GP Tkachuk is top 15 in all possession stats while having the 24th lowest offensive zone start rate out of 520 skaters. That's insane. He also led the league in drawing penalties by an insane amount. Of course it is hard to separate him from Frolik and Backlund.

[P2F]

Werenski needs to be in that conversation as well.

 

Seriously, what an incredible rookie class this year.

[havok24]

Capitals it is. This is going to get ugly.

[TwistedLogic]

So... Calder trophy...

 

Really only 3 names should be in the conversation imo. Matthews, Laine and Matt Murray(this guy is getting criminally underrated in his rookie season).

 

Who takes it?

 

I always find it hard to rate goalies against skaters in awards like this, and I'd probably give the edge to Matthews over Laine since their stats are close enough to be a wash, given Laine lost some games due to injury. Matthews being a centre and basically being the focal point of their team the entire season as a rookie gives him the edge there imo.

 

But Matthews vs Murray... how do you really compare and contrast the 2 when they play such drastically different positions?

 

Am I over rating Murray because he plays on one of the best teams in the league?

 

Laine got to play on a line with Scheifele and still didn't post the raw numbers Matthews did.

 

The Calder is Matthews' and it isn't really close.

[Laika]

Yasssss Ottawa

[Krylian]

Leafs will get swept.

 

Disappointed they couldn't land Ottawa but it is fitting that they blew a 2 goal lead in the last game of the regular season.

[Dick_Pole]

All I'm saying is the Sens are a bad team that don't deserve to be in the playoffs and yet the Leafs get to face them first round. The new seeding is dumb.

 

Sens are the only team in the playoffs without a positive goal differential and they are 23rd in the league in Corsi and Fenwick +/-.

 

I get what you're saying but the way the NHL designed things was to increase the chance of natural rivalries in the playoffs and it ALMOST worked with Ottawa/Toronto and Edmonton/Calgary coming within inches of being first round matches this year. As long as some games are three points and others only two in an effort to avoid ties, the playoff seeding won't be the league's biggest blunder.

 

Besides, the other leagues are far more egregious. MLB's imbalanced schedule has all the A.L. East teams killing each other off every year while weaker Central teams compete for the wild card spots and the NFL's 4-team divisions sometimes results in 8-8 or 7-9 teams hosting playoff games while 10-6 teams get snubbed. The NBA is the only league that does things kind of right and even they are guaranteed that 2 of the top 3 teams won't be in the finals this year.

[Spanky99]

Capitals it is. This is going to get ugly.

 

Playoff experience, so happy this squad made it. Lets make a series of it, Buds.

[canadiansportsjunkie]

Playoff hockey!

 

I prefer Ottawa but now the Leafs have no pressure on them and huge underdogs sometimes that can change the mindset in a positive way.

 

The difference is on the D...not scared about scoring, coaching or in the net.

 

Let's go Buds!

 

Leafs in 6!

[JG34]

Leafs will get swept.

 

Disappointed they couldn't land Ottawa but it is fitting that they blew a 2 goal lead in the last game of the regular season.

 

They have too much talent to get swept. Washington has the upper hand for sure, but the playoff experience will be great for the young Leafs going forward!

[z3r0s]

I've never had occasion to cheer for the Caps in the playoffs. Feel weird...

[Spanky99]

I've never had occasion to cheer for the Caps in the playoffs. Feel weird...

 

Wouldn't you rather face the Leafs over the Caps, well that's if the Canadiens get by the Rangers?

 

yer dumn

[z3r0s]

I've got a hard and fast rule of cheer against anyone playing the Leaves. I'm not going to change that now.

[Spanky99]

I've got a hard and fast rule of cheer against anyone playing the Leaves. I'm not going to change that now.

 

Same in concern of the Habs and Sens.

[JG34]

Same in concern of the Habs and Sens.

 

I don't have much beef with the Sens since Alfie left them. Once Neil retires my hatred level will be even less!

[z3r0s]

So you're a fan then.

 

Glad to have you onboard!

 

god damnit

[JG34]

Make your picks!

 

Habs or Rangers - Habs

Penguins or Blue Jackets - Penguins

Capitals or Leafs - Caps

Sens or Bruins - Sens

 

Chicago or Preds - Chicago

Wild or Blues - Wild

Oilers or Sharks - Oilers

Flames or Ducks - Ducks

[P2F]

Rangers

Pens

Caps

Bruins

 

Hawks

Blues

Oilers

Ducks

[Cyborg]

Rangers

Pens

Caps

Bruins

 

Preds

Blues

Sharks

Flames