Re: The NHL Thread
 

It is now in my hockey spank bank.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

wouldn't be shocked if you had a bookmark folder called that

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I suppose to me, with the playoff run the Kings had last year, I don't want a disappointing early exit. Yeah they can turn around, but I don't see that happening. They are and have been playing awful. They don't deserve it and deserve a reality check of not making the playoffs after an amazing last year. :shrug

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Are you guys new to hockey? What's with all the sap stories lately?

How short are your memories? 2008 Flyers. 2009 Hurricanes. 2010 Flyers. 2010 Canadiens (uh, Crosby and Ovie getting Halak'd in THE SAME YEAR?!). 2011 Lightning. 2012 Kings. 2012 Devils. 2013 Kings. 2014 Kings.

Literally EVERY YEAR there is a 5 seed or worse that advances to at least the conference finals. It's the one of the best parts of the Cup playoffs, all you have to do is get in and you have a chance. I mean, Tim, the 2013 Wings you were singing their demise early and they ended up with the eventual SC Champ Hawks ON THE ROPES in the 2nd round. No, they didn't win it, but it was incredible hockey and that team proved something in the playoffs.

Did we forget what makes hockey great? Teams go through slumps EVERY SINGLE YEAR. It's a part of the game. All you have to do is be ready for puck drop game 1 of the playoffs, and you have a chance. Pucks bounce funny, there's a weird bounce off the boards, defenseman loses an edge, and holy shit all the sudden you have an OT winner and lead a series.

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I don't get the "woe is me" mentality. The "oh well, my team won't even win a round in the playoffs". Let's remember why we love this sport for a second, shall we?

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guess lockman has me on ignore.

later guys.

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Standing O for Chris and for anyone else that enjoys being in rather than out.

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I would prefer to be in....and prefer the Kings to be out.

Going to Kings/Sharks on the last day of the season. Hopefully they are already eliminated.

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Hahahahahahaha sorry dude, I didn't even get that far before I just quoted them.

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8 shots on goal for Teuvo last night. Wow. He needs more time on ice with better players.

Also, Chris is 100% right about everything he said ^^

It's a really long season and it's easy to read too much into a long winning streak or losing streak.

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..... how did you know....?

Nevermind. :o

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And yes, even squeaking into the playoffs is, in my opinion, quite the accomplishment and definitely something to be excited about. Especially in a second to none race like this year's. Tons of fun to watch these last few games in both conferences.

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I think the Hawks should have traded Sharp before this season. Is he going to have any trade value after this year?

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Sharp is 4th in the NHL in shots/60mins at even strength. That tells me he is still getting his chances He was a beast last night and got robbed by Quick a couple of times. At some point the goals will go in if he keeps shooting at this pace. He's not the same guy that used to regularly score 30+ every year but I think he's still a strong top-6 player.

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Yes teams can do it but my team has struggled a lot recently. It's based off of play, not what could happen. Wings have given up 16 goals in the last 4 games and they actually shutout a team in there, so 16 goals in 3 games and had a 2-0 lead against the Isles less than 2 minutes in against the Isles. I don't expect them to win a round. I'm not sitting here saying I want them to lose in round 1 or I will root against them. This team has played like shit. It's not woe is me, it's the way my team is playing right now, I don't see them beating Price and the Habs or Stamkos and the Lightning. In 2013 I wasn't sure if they'd make the playoffs, no, but they finished the season strong and I'm pretty sure at the start of the playoffs, I picked them to beat the Ducks. Wings finished the season 7-3-3 including 5-1-1 the last 7. You want me to sit here and say the Wings are gonna win the Cup when I don't believe that'll happen? I want them to get in (unlike Sarah), but the way they are playing right now, you can't tell me you expect them to win a round. I guess I should expect them to win it all after the month of March going 5-8-1 into the last day of the month. Yes it can change, but again, right now, they won't win a round.

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"The way they are playing right now" can change in one game. Losing streaks turn into winning streaks very suddenly sometimes. Hawks limped into the playoffs in 2010 and then went on a tear.

Plus, sometimes "the way they are playing" has a lot to do with just bad luck.

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Maybe we can actually meet up!

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:thumbsup

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That's why I said it could change. 16 goals against in 3 games, isn't bad luck though. They made struggling teams look good. I think that's what drives me nuts the most. 16 goals combined against the Yotes, Sharks and Isles (who were struggling at home) but they shutout the Lightning, who is the highest scoring team in the league. It sucks so bad cause Howard was great until he got injured and Mrazek was great in Howie's absence and now both couldn't stop a beach ball it seems. In a way I'm glad Mrazek had an off day against the Isles because stupid Wings fan were ready to throw Howie under the bus. You should heard the cheers when Mrazek was announced as the started at JLA. Then that guy struggles, so it shows the fans, well it should show them, it's not all on Howard.

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my client that is a wings fan talks about howards like he's hitler.

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Yeah I don't get it. Not that he's been good recently but was on the all-star team before he got hurt. Mrazek gave up 4 goals in 21 minutes Sunday, so....But Wings fans have always been that about goalies. Everyone would point to a game Osgood would have and ignore the fact he was good 95% of the time. "He was 4-0 with a GAA under 2." "Yeah but he gave up that one bad goal!" That's probably what your client would say. Howard's save % was .920 before he got hurt and he'd come back and point how he's struggled now as if that's the norm. Kinda surprised Howard's not starting tonight but Babcock's explanation makes a little sense, in that he wants to give Petr a chance to bounce back. I sure hope he does.

Howard was good enough for the Wings to win in 2011. While he wasn't great in 2012 you can't say it was all him. Although I do remember one friend posting on facebook that Howard should have stopped one goal where two Wings fans went after the puck carrier and left a 2 on 0 in front of the net. Then in 2013 he was fantastic and just lost to a better team.

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Stoooooooooooooooppppppppppp

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Tim, you know I love ya, but...

I don't care how they're playing in March. You mean to tell me Kings fans in 2012 expected them to make a run to the Cup? Or Habs fans in 2010 expected Halak to beat Brohan's President Trophy winning Caps AND Crosby as the 8 seed?

Just enjoy the ride, wait for the thrill of the playoffs. This is a team coached by one of the best coaches in NHL history with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Howard, etc. ANYTHING can happen. It's hockey, not the NBA.

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Meant to reply to this before. Yes of course he will, if they decide to trade him. Worthless pieces of shit get dealt or deals in the offseason, so Sharp would have plenty of value. I mean all the Hawks really have to do is call up Dale Tallon right?

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Kinda sounds like Corey Crawford. These guys both have surprisingly similar career numbers (both .916 sv% in regular season and both about .919/.920 sv% in postseason). When a few goals go in the fans are very quick to turn on the goalie. It's obnoxious.

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Kings? All the way? No. I expected them to win round 1 though and I'm pretty sure a lot of people did. I think some of the talk was they were the best #8 seed ever. The Habs one is probably the biggest surprise. But I'm watching this team nightly, they aren't getting past the Habs or Lightning. I'll eat all the crow in the world if it happens but I don't see it.

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Jimmy Howard is better than Crawford.

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Bookmarked for later condemnation .

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feels like a case of reverse jinx.

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Speaking of trade value, for the second half of the season, ROR has done a huge favor for Joe Sakic with his play. Really upped that value, and will probably help a few GMs forget about some of his contract squabbles. Hell, watching him the past couple months, I've almost gone on record for wanting to keep him and trade Duchene instead. ROR is just such a valuable player all over the ice. Always gives 110%.

We need his value to be as high as ever to land that 1-2 d-man the Avs really need. Looking for someone who's more defensively minded, but offense is always helpful. My wish list of guys the Avs could possibly target and who I like based on their overall skillset and what it could bring to the Avs.

Mark Giordano
Brent Seabrook
Niklas Kronwall (I know, I know, Tim, fat chance. But might as well ask!)
Marc Staal
Dan Girardi
Keith Yandle
Dan Hamhuis
ME Vlasic
....maaaaaaybe Phaneuf. I'm partially convinced he would play better in a different environment.

These are guys who I think they perhaps stand a chance of prying away from their current club (even if it's a small chance), so I won't even try for someone like Doughty, OEL, or Weber.

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And then sig this and my response if they win?