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:lol:lol

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This is fucking hilarious

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See ya next season Kronner.

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We good bruh. Was just saying I'm aware of how the draft works. Sometimes you gotta suck to get good (unless your Timmy and the Red Wings).

Go Slaps

I love that they are doing this. Too funny.

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This is so weird. No hockey tonight.

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I know. I'm so sad right now. My dad just said "Tampa and Detroit game 7 tonight" and I got so excited for a second until my brain kicked in and I had to tell him it's actually tomorrow.

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Such a bad suspension. I thought fine at most. 1 postseason game?! Really? This is one I really don't agree with.

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I'd understand it more if there had been an injury, or if Kronwall were a repeat offender. But I'm betting he's been warned by the league before. When your name becomes a verb meaning to launch yourself into a headshot, it's not the first time you've done it.

So while I have no idea if I'm right, I'd bet the league told him "if you Kronwall someone again you're getting suspended."

Edit: by "repeat offender" I mean having been suspended before. Because he's done this before without suspension.

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95% of the time when people get "Kronwalled" though, the hits are just huge, clean hits. That shouldn't have any effect on his suspension.

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Hawks about to sign Artem Panarin. I'll admit, I don't know much about KHL stars, so I have no idea what to expect from this guy...but the Hawks are certainly loading up on college and international talent with the expected salary cap issues they're about to have.

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ugh, seriously? Panarin's supposed to have tons of offensive skill, but not so much as a two-way forward.

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So Alex Semin?

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so he's Russian?

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That's basically what I've gathered. The issue is that KHL guys so rarely translate well over here. Look at guys like Radulov.

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Boredom probably. New challenges are great.

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No injury, not really a shot to the head, not principle point of contact anyways I don't think, no intent to injure either. I mean hell Garrison tried to take Abdelkader's head off in game 5. He missed so not a big deal really but he was clearly trying to hurt him late in the game and nothing at all. Sure I can see the argument for charging but we're talking probably 2 minutes so because the refs didn't call a 2 minute penalty, the wings lost their TOP defenseman for the biggest game of the year? This league infuriates the shit out of me. There is no consistency AT ALL. I bet there will be something worse in the next round or two and a guy will get nothing. I always go back to the Weber play 3 years ago cause it's fresh in my mind but a small ass fine and they even said Hank not missing a game played a role in it. Here this is by far one of Kronner's tamest hits, the guy continued to play and will not miss a game, so yeah let's take him out of a game. Four Angry Orchard's waiting for me at home tonight.
I see that but there is risk involved too with that. He knows what he's got here. Talent here now, talent coming along and a GM and owner who will spend.

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everything I've read says that if he does leave, he'll want to go to a team with a solid chance of going deep in the playoffs next season.

But, which teams fit that bill that currently have a HC vacancy?

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If that were true, it's pretty much just Detroit. PIT might fire their coach but yesterday said no. If Johnston is somehow fired in the coming month or so, I think we'll know that Babs is the guy cause no reason to fire him if not. So yeah where else is there? TO just doesn't fit no matter what people say. I get the challenge idea but that would be nuts to go there. EDM makes more sense. Talent, cap space and McDavid. But playoff team in a year? No. He's never had to build a team, would he want to? The Ducks squeezed into the playoffs and he coached them just right. But it wasn't a build. And he that team to go to Detroit.

My gut feels like he's gone but I have no idea to be honest.

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god i want the Pens to land Babcock so badly

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EkuSzlZ3Po

Hey look, no penalty or suspension.

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Living in Denver through the Avs / Wings rivalry cultivated a healthy dislike for Detroit.

Go Tampa!

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#TimmyMelt

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You've never seen a game 7 so you wouldn't understand.

Really just pointing out the bullshit that is the NHL "player safety."

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Don't forget money. If Detroit offers him $3 mil a season and someone offers $5, he's gonna take a long, hard look at that.

Boston, if/once they fire Julien. And if they think they have a chance at landing Babcock, they'll fire him yesterday.

I've also heard that he'd leave for a team that he thinks could make it in 2-3 seasons. So he doesn't want to go through a complete rebuild, but that brings teams like Edmonton and San Jose into play.

Exactly. Same as with Boston. Do I believe Pitt when they say they're not firing Johnston? I actually do, with the one caveat that if they think they can get Babcock, Johnston is gone instantly.

I always thought that if the Pens wanted to make a serious run at Babcock, they should have let Bylsma coach the team one more season rather than bring in someone they intended to fire after one year. So keeping Johnston wouldn't surprise me at all.

It'll be interesting to see, especially with the outcome of the game tonight.

As an aside, the St. Louis Blues would be really smart to take a long, hard look at Bylsma.

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Yup. It's total BS. It's time to bring back the NHL Wheel of Justice.

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I understand why the Pens fired Bylsma when they did. Regardless of what they said, I still want them to take a run at Babcock. I don't think they would say they are going to up and fire Johnston just a few days after the playoff loss. Also, Babcock has said he likes working with Sid, and Sid seems to like working with him. It'd be worth a shot. The organization needs a bit of a shot in the arm right now.

I doubt it'll actually happen, but we will see.

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I wouldn't have expected them to say they were going to up and fire Johnston a few days after the playoffs, but nothing forced them to give him the vote of confidence they did either. That was the surprising part to me because of the whole Babcock subplot.

My point on the firing of Bylsma is that the Pens knew when Babcock would be available. And last year there were stories of coaches the Pens wanted turning them down (Desjardin, Green as an assistant to Johnston). Because, at least in part, those coaches knew that the Pens wanted Babcock, and didn't want to take a job with a one-year expiration date. So if they knew they were going to make a serious push at Babs last year, it just wasn't great to go through a whole coaching search then too.

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This is all true. The organization handled last off-season very strangely. They also kept Bylsma hanging on until really close to the draft, and almost did not have a head coach in place for the draft. Very odd. Regardless of who's in place, they need to shore up their supporting cast for the core.

But enough about that, there's a Game 7 tonight.

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Toronto could offer him more than anyone but...it's Toronto. Media is a pain and it'll be a while for them to clear off bad contracts and draft.

Also thought the same thing about Bylsma. As below, I understand why they did it at the time they did, but my thoughts would be, you know Babs MIGHT be available. Would Disco Dan be worse than having to beat the Sabres on the last day? No but I get why they felt they had to. Also looking at it now with all the coaches out there, they'd have a better one than Johnston.
I see it as possibility. My gut just feels like he's gone and I don't want him to be. Blashill will be the replacement and maybe he'll be good but...who knows. I go back to his comments a few months ago saying he didn't think they would be as good as they had been to that point. (challenging for the division title) That lead me to believe he didn't sign before the season cause he thought they were done. Kinda surprised he thought that cause I knew if Hank and Pavel were even somewhat healthier and the team in general too, along with Howie back to his all-star self (he was until he got hurt) they'd be in the playoffs easily and had they not struggled down the stretch they were.

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Well to the first part, Bill Peters said no to them and went to Carolina. Not sure what that says about things there.

Game 7. Getting drunk tonight.

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Wardo saying Wings might be down another veteran dman. Could be Ericsson, he's been missing practice. So maybe the top 2 d-men out? Yay.

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well the good news for wings fans is that this series has been totally upside down. Using logic to pick each game has been wrong every time so far.

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there's no question the Pens really want Babcock

but the reason they fired Bylsma had nothing to do with Babcock...they had to fire Bylsma to save face. They should've fired him in 2013, honestly. would be in much better shape right now and Johnston wouldn't be looking over his shoulder like he is now.

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I don't know why I keep looking at ESPN's coverage. They actually just said that Holtby is as good as Lundqvist.....

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:lol. Oh wait, they're serious. Let me laugh even harder. :lol :lol :lol :lol

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It is going to be a good series and while I like the Rangers to win it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Caps do. That said...lets not say things that are just dumb. :lol

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Sounds like it's Zidlicky who might be out. Not AS bad, but still not good. I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's done for my boys. Positive news is Tatar got going last game so I guess you don't know. Mrazek needs to be almost flawless and the captain needs to get going. Well...Wings captain. Stamkos can still keep playing like his team didn't make the playoffs.

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I hate all the sportsnation shit because many of them can't write for shit and pass off their fan opinion as fact but this is spot on as to why it's such a joke for the NHL.

http://detroitsportsnation.com/detro...l%20suspension

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Sadly i feel likes its done for the wings... Wings passes have been too sloppy. Too many tried forced passes through guys that just doesnt work. They need to keep grinding and wear tampa down. Thats what the red wings do best. Got to do a better job of containing johnson.

Zidlicky started strong but has made terrible plays lately. This pussy slapping shit at the puck they seem to be doing alot of lately is getting old. Even Datsyuk and nyquist are over skating and mishandling the puck, slapping at it rather than calmly moving it.

I guess weve just been spoiled in Detroit with how theyve been for 20+ years. Hopefully another 20 more with tatar, nyquist, mantha, larkin, smith, marchenko.. and most important babs!

I think hed be crazy to leave Det. Granted im biased but with the existing core and the guys in the system. Well always be competitive. Hell our two best players arent top 10 picks like crosby malkin toews or kane. No they are late round draft picks datsyuk and zetterberg. What holland does with late round draft picks is insane.

Well, sorry to rant..

Go Wings!! Z should have a huge day tonight!

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:lol @ everyone telling Becks he wouldn't understand

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It's Babs bday plus he really wants a sandwich from a deli in Montreal. Come on, give the guy a gift.

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guys i saw an OT winner last year and got all the way to game 6.
im not a virgin.

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3rd base is still a virgin...technically. ;)

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Attachment 68393
I remember my first beer

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:lol great reference

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Congrats blackhawk fans, on hockey yeah but also on the food selection at midway. It might be the best food selection at an airport I've ever seen.

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@Bill_Roose:
"NBC announcers for the second-round series involving Montreal and either the #RedWings or Lightning will be Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti."

Well it's official. I want the Wings to lose.

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:lol

Can we bring back Gary Thorne and Bill Clement? Or better yet, JD?

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Well they have Strader and Emrick and that's ok. I don't know what TSN has but Cuthbert and Gord Miller are good. Why they think Kenny is good? I dunno.

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Oh man that really does blow. Kenny Albert is literally the worst. Micheletti is fine but Albert is dreadful to listen to. I'm hoping Caps/Rangers is enough of a draw to get Doc for the whole series. I would think it would be the case.

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I would think that Doc will be doing either all Caps/Rags or else a mix of the two series without Canadian teams in them.

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I miss the days of this local channels still doing round 2.

I get CBC so maybe they'll have the series if Wings advance. But the guy who did the last series on CBC sucked. Give me Hughson or Cole for that.

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Kenny is fucking awful. Just wait for the long pauses. Whenever he's on there's always so many moments of complete awkward silence for about 5 seconds.

Doc already named to Hawks/Wild.

Suck it everyone else.

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Seriously?! Dammit :(

I mean I know it's the Hawks, but Caps/Rags has become such a good playoff rivalry. That's disappointing. I mean I like Strader, but damn. That sucks.

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Big time. That wasn't all that long ago either. I really like my local guys, they're easily my favorite coverage team.

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Apparently we get Kenny Albert for game 2. *shudders* he better not homer it. I miss Joe B doing national games. He was always good at turning off his local broadcaster tendencies when he did Caps games.

In other news, that 4-on-4 was fun. More of that please. Back and forth fast hockey.

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That's the NBC game right? Why the hell would NBC subject it's national audience to that? Makes zero sense. Also, I know Albert's a New York guy at heart, but you know he called Caps games back in the HTS days right? I would assume he's at least somewhat of a fan of the Caps still

Where are you guys finding this info on broadcasters? I'd love to have a look

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Saw the Albert doing game 2 thing on Twitter. It's the Saturday afternoon game. I know Edzo is doing the Derby for NBC instead of hockey on Saturday, so maybe that has something to do with it.

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Awfully quiet in here tonight with a Game 7 going on...

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too busy studying the morning line for the Derby.

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Detroit is gonna get one soon.

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Looks like 1 goal may do it! Scoreless into the 3rd in a game 7!

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Coburn. :lol :lol :lol

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Hope the Wings can come back....but not sure if they can.

Either way, the playoff pace here is the best I have seen all post season so far!

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annnd business just picked up.

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Well, they're already subjecting the nation to Donk Emrick and Pierre "I know all the minutia about this guy's pre-game routine going back to his Bantam league days" McGuire every Sunday during the regular season, so.....

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Dock Emrick is the fucking man you don't forget it.

dickweed.

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Cue Zilla to say trading Coburn was an awful hockey move

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tampa bay....crowd is pumped

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game. Good luck TB.

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Shitty for Detroit. Not scoring in the second killed them. Momentum changed in the third and it cost them their season.

On the plus side.....I guessed every series correct in the first round!

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Well, looks like Tim can go back to complaining about the Wings. :lol Good show Tampa. Beat the Habs!

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Sorry, Tim

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maybe Tim got all of his bitching out of him even before playoffs began?

nah, who am I kidding?

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I dislike his voice immensely

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Let the Babcock sweepstakes begin

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This is the worst opinion I've ever seen in this thread.

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Come on, you have to see how it could grate on some peoples' nerves a bit

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I honestly don't. He's my all time favorite play by play guy. He paints an incredible picture with a vocabulary that is on a completely different level than any other announcer.

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RiotAct probably hates bald eagles, jorts, and freedom.

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Doc Emrick is amazing.

And yeah Bolts! I'm happy so far this postseason, my indecisiveness on hockey teams has gotten me two entrants into the Eastern semifinals. :multi

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omg that's amazing. Totally got goosebumps on the team USA call.

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more so than gus johnson calling the tournament?

i've heard gus call soccer on Fox, and he tries, but...c'mon :lol

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After a brutal 5 straight days at work of about 50 hours, I am off today and backread a bit this morning.

Some thoughts:

1. Sorry Tim on the Wings. I got home in time to turn on the 3rd period last night. Tough loss.
2. Doc Emrick is great. Love listening to him. One of the best.
3. See no Hart Trophy talk. I was somewhat surprised and very proud and happy to see JT to get the nod. He won't win it as Price should, deservedly so, but to get his 2nd nomination in 3 years is something to be proud of.
4. I don't see Babcock coming to the Island at all as I don't see Cappy being fired. They only way I see it happening is if Babcock calls us saying, "man, I love your young up and coming team who will be a beast in the east for the foreseeable future and I would be interested in coaching them to the next level" :D:D. So yeah, I don't see that happening.

As for teams left I want to see win the Cup, mine are
1. Blackhawks
2. Ducks
3. Flames
4. Wild
5. Habs
6. Lightning.









7. Crapitals
8. Rag$

Not sure why I have a 7 or 8 as I wish neither one to win it. I hope they pound in each other into submission in a grueling 7 games series and leave the winner bruised and battered for the next round. I debated having the Caps last because the hate for them is at an all time high (replacing Pens as #2 on most hated list) but I just couldn't stomach a Rag$ title.

Looking forward to the game and NFL draft tonight. So glad I am off today to relax and put my feet up for a bit today.

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I can understand why people feel like this. I don't agree, I think Doc is the man, but I get where you're coming from. My wife can't stand listening to Doc Emrick call.

This was incredible

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It's amazing what a playoff series will do to increase your hatred level for a given team

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all in all, pretty subpar first round across the league i'd say

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Would agree. There were some obvious exceptions and some awesome moments. But all in all I think you're right. The West was honestly kinda boring. St Louis is such a disappointment, it sucks they can't break through I want to get into them. Hawks/Preds was ok but a typical result that we've seen before. So whatever. The Flames were awesome but Vancouver is just such a joke. Ducks/Jets was the saddest thing ever. I think the East was a little better, obviously with the two game 7s. It woulda been really great to see Ottawa push Montreal all the way to 7 after dropping the first 3. And Rangers/Pens was basically as predictable as it gets. The round 2 matchups are fairly familiar but it will surely produce some great hockey still.

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ugh, my three least favorite things.

Although I DID wear jorts in high-school... they were in style for a brief time in the early '00s.

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The Western conference matchups ALWAYS seem more "boring" to me. Some of it may have to do with the fact that as a sabres fan, I don't watch those teams nearly as much and therefore don't really care about any of them one way or the other, but style of play definitely plays a part in that as well.

Of course, I'm of the mindset that no hockey game is boring, even if you were to pit the 2001 Devils against the 2008 Minnesota Wild and they try trapping each other into oblivion all game long. :lol

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I've been so busy with work that it has consumed me less in recent days than it probably should be. That said, after paying little attention to the Caps in the last 20 years, we are back to the Dale Hunter era. I may need to make my first trip to Barclays for our first matchup next year just like I made sure I was at the Coliseum for the first time Dale Hunter returned. We sat near Caps bench and rained insults, boos, etc down on him all game long. Good times.

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yea the intensity will increase in round 2, hopefully the quality of play will as well

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Wings missed out in the 2nd. I mean with under 5 seconds to go Helm just missed Tatar for the tip. That would have been game right there. I said Mrazek needed to be flawless and he pretty much was. Can't fault him for a knuckle puck. I haven't written a blog in almost a year but trying to write one up today if I have time. But the gist?

I think Babs is gone. That's just my feeling. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am. The way he's been talking and acting, doesn't seem like a guy who is sticking around. He's hard to read so I could be totally wrong on that feeling but we'll see. At least we'll have a resolution soon cause I'm sick of all the shit. So it's Blashill if Babs moves on, there is no doubt in my mind. They signed him to a 3 year contract just in case Mike left. He says there was no talk of that, I don't believe it. I don't think it was a "Mike is leaving" talk but a "There is a chance he might not stay. We want it to be you if he does, so here is a 3 year contract to give you security in case Mike does stay." Blashill has been good at every level but will he get us to year #25? I have my doubts.

Howie is probably gone. I hate to say it, but his value won't be higher a year from now or for sure past that. Wings don't HAVE to move him so there is an advantage there but I bet he's dealt at the draft. Sucks for him, because I like him a lot but with Mrazek already 23, you can't wait 4 more years to have him be your #1. You can deal with it for another year if you have to but I dunno. I wonder if he'll ask to leave anyways. Maybe especially if Babs stays. They'll need a veteran backup though just in case.

More changes are coming. Weiss and Kindl will be gone. Whether that's together or separate deals, I dunno. I think the Dion deal will be talked about again and Weiss will be part of that and TO will keep some of that salary. Both Dion and Weiss need a new place. Dion at 5mil being on the 2nd pairing I think would work out. I think Zidlicky is gone which is too bad but he slowed down a bit and with the young guys coming up, can't see keeping him and getting Dion.

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Wings did everything they had to do on the road to win a game except put a few pucks past Bishop. I mean the number of outstanding chances they had....cannot believe they didn't score. The shooters just had a bit of an off night with a lot of shots to the midsection of Bishop. Basically was the complete opposite of Game 1, where TB dominated but lost.

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Awww are you still bitter that I called back in November that the Rangers would finish ahead of the Icelanders when you were on about how good your team was?? Or is it that the Rangers won the last ever meeting between the two teams on the Island? :p:D

Sorry to rub it in, but I can't stomach not responding to your comment...

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Anyway, time to bring on the Caps!!

Becoming a classic playoff series!

I like the Rangers to win the series in 6 or 7. They can accomplish this if they play their game and the power-play improves even a little bit. I think they have an advantage in speed, defense, goaltending and experience. I hope that is enough to get the job done!

The Caps one advantage is size. I remember posting about last years finals and saying that I believed the reason the Kings won the Cup was because of the obvious size advantage (especially down the center). I don't believe the Caps big men are as talented as the Kings were. That said, there is still an obvious size difference that could swing the series in the favor of Washington D.C.

We shall see!

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The West is a boring conference? No Way. It's such a better conference. The level of team skill is so much higher, they play a tighter game. As far as hockey goes, they are leaps and bounds above the eastern conference. Perhaps for individual skill, the eastern conference takes it.

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Not bitter at all. Rangers were the better team going into the season and we were expected to challenge for the last playoff spot. Instead we were leading the eastern conference as late as January and crushed you losers in our first 3 meetings. It was a disappointing last month of the season but overall, I cannot be down at all about over 100 points this regular season. I have a lot of 'what ifs' about the Cap series but I am proud of the season.

You can walk around with your chest held high. I don't care. Except for the Edmonton Rangers, you guys haven't won squat in 75 years. Your team couldn't get it done when there was 6 teams in the league.

We will be back next year and better than we were this year. Our future is bright.

Don't blow it this year because this might be your last best shot with this group.

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Also, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but Babcock's post game comments don't sound like a guy who wants to stay. Saying "Where is the next Pavel?" and "We're not as good as we were, because we have barely made the playoffs the last few years." Last year it was injuries and the year before too really. Didn't help it was a short year. They got healthy with with 10-15 games to go and went on a run. If they had more time I think they finished higher than 7. Then this year, they were challenging for the Atlantic until late in the year when their goalie started to struggle and then in turn started making bad choices. I think if Howie doesn't get hurt, he doesn't struggle down the stretch and it's probably different. He just doesn't sound like a guy with confidence in his team. I mentioned yesterday what he had said about thinking they wouldn't make the playoffs. Yes this team is getting older but they've gotten some bad luck. This team didn't have Franzen for over half the year and then they get Cole and lose him to a freak injury. That's a lot of offense you are missing. To the comment about Where's the next Pavel? People said the same thing in the late 90's. Where is the next Yzerman or Fedorov. They found them in Datsyuk and Zetterberg with the 700th picks in the NHL Draft. I'm not saying they have those guys or what the future will hold but I don't think a guy sticking around would be talking about all those negatives.