The NHL Thread

[mr.MikeD]

Originally Posted by swordo84

Oilers above .500 - alllllllllllright.


Oh, and big congrats to my commiserater in crime here, Mr.Mike!

thanks! skeptically optimistic about hockey at this point.

Originally Posted by fonzz41

I started a new job about 18 months ago, so I never get up there anymore. Bummed we were never able to make it work.

...

ah too bad - congrats on the new job though

[Chumlee67]

Originally Posted by mr.MikeD

gotta think marchand is going to struggle with the 2 broken ankles mcdavid gave him in OT last night though?

Oh man that was rough to watch

[kev87lads]

I'll play the three things game.

Like:

1. Offensive depth is there. Especially once Patrick and JVR come back. They can score goals. They apply a lot of pressure. Kind of run and gun (which will lead to one of the dislikes)
2. giroux is top 250 (read: 10)
3. Finally out of cap-hell for the most part. So the real tinkering and improvement of the roster can now begin. (It sort of started with JVR signing).


Dislike:

1. Defense is horrid at the moment. Guys aren't developing the way they thought. Sanheim and Haag are fine. But nothing special ye. Ghost is too offensive minded (sometimes it works out) and too small. Provorov is regressing so far this year. I don't think that's long term but currently it's a dislike. Gudas and Folin are just plain bad. MacDonald is fine but hurt.

2. Goaltending is still suspect. They aren't getting much help in front of them. But they also just aren't very good and can't come up with the key save. Every few games, sure, they're fine. But they're mostly, consistently a liability.

3. The lack of a shake up of the roster. Should have traded Simmonds maybe? (He's playing great, don't get me wrong.) But maybe he nets you a better defenseman. Trade a D prospect for even more offensive firepower? Just do SOMEthing. They returned essentially the same roster. Yes, added van Riemsdyk. And that is a big add and unfortunately he got hurt. But he alone still isn't enough. (Contradicts point 1 above a bit. But not meant to. Just emphasizing that the roster isn't good enough.)

I think the waiting game is just tough. What if Carter Hart doesn't pan out? THEN what? What if all of these defensive prospects (sans 1, Provorov) are just mediocre? Team hasn't won a playoff series in what will be 7 years by the time they roll around again. That's kind of pathetic. Let alone the widely recognized Cup drought.

[fonzz41]

Originally Posted by Chumlee67

I feel like I pissed of the teacher

You could never piss me off.

Originally Posted by kev87lads

I'll play the three things game.

Provorov isn't looking great? I haven't watched much Flyers hockey so I can't say I've really seen him. If so, that's too bad. Kid is a horse.

[~Crashintome89~]

I think he's hurt and trying to do too much. He's making mental mistakes that he wasn't even making during his rookie year.

[barbogast]

I’ll preface by saying overall, I am not pleased with the Caps thus far.

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov. I don’t need to expand much further than that.

2. The power play is still every bit as lethal as it’s ever been, maybe the best version of it I’ve seen yet. Teams will kill themselves taking calls against the Caps.

3. The backup goalie didn’t look as bad as I expected, hopefully losing Grubauer won’t be as painful as initially thought.

Things I don’t like:

1. The secondary scoring isn’t really there. For a team that puts up goal totals like the Caps do, I’ve still yet to see any real consistency from anyone outside of Kuznetsov, Ovechkin, and on the power play, Backstrom. But even Nick’s been pretty absent 5 on 5. Earth to Jakub Vrana. Earth to Andre Burakovsky.

2. The team is struggling to find the level of defense that won them a Stanley Cup. Niskanen hasn’t really looked himself, Orlov has struggled a bit, Carlson hasn’t found an $8million dollar level yet. I think it will still come for the Caps, but at the moment, they are porous.n

3. Faceoffs. Faceoffs faceoffs faceoffs. Did I mention that they are collectively dreadful at faceoffs??? Jay Beagle, come back to us

[kev87lads]

https://twitter.com/SonsofPenn/statu...94699240701952

[Lcsulla]

Likes:

1. Toews line is really producing well, him DeBrincat and Kahun have a damn good chemistry. #4 Line is solid too, though not as great with Saad on there last night.
2. Goaltending has been solid, after seeing Crawford play last night and make some damn solid stops in that loss, enough for me to part ways with Forsberg and go with Crawford/Ward.
3. Despite the occasional mistake in communication the defensive pairings are solid, will be even deeper when Murphy and Forsling come off injured reserve next month.

Dislikes:

1. Saad needs to really play better, a lot better and soon or I would start shopping him. He had an off year last season and is not bouncing back one bit this far.
2. Special teams look awful so far.
3. Kane's line really needs someone who can put a puck in when he dishes a pass the leaves a wide open net, Schmaltz (admittedly great defensively), Fortin and Johnson have been disappointing so far because they are just not burying the grade A chances Kane gives them - seems like they are practicing drawing iron out there.

[Lcsulla]

Great to see Hjalmarsson back at the UC last night, that tribute was well done. Damn though, I always loved having him stuff other teams top lines but damned if he wasn't doing the same to the Hawks last night. Wish we had the guy back, without him Hawks don't have those 3 cups, he is a shut down D man of the top tier.

[~Crashintome89~]

Likes:

Nothing


Dislikes:

Everything is awful and I want to die.

[drakan]

Originally Posted by mr.MikeD

gotta think marchand is going to struggle with the 2 broken ankles mcdavid gave him in OT last night though?

Hopefully McDavid didn't celly too hard.

[dmbetc]

Likes:
Promising, fast young guys (Wagner, Anderson-Dolan, Rempal) — also ties into dislikes though
Quick is back? But looked awful last night.
Doughty


Dislike
No identity, team seems all over the place. Seems they are adding the fast players instead of big heavy hitters. But right now it’s a big clusterfuck
Defense sucks.
Dustin Brown is injured

[JRS1386]

Originally Posted by ~Crashintome89~

Likes:

Nothing


Dislikes:

Everything is awful and I want to die.

ctrl + a, ctrl + c, ctrl + v

Edit: Gritty is a like, I lied

[cry_minarets458]

Think gritty will be at the metallica show next week?

[Brohan_Santana]

Welcome to the current NHL, where this is considered a dirty hit and FLA’s coach is lobbying for an Ovechkin suspension

https://twitter.com/fansidedtherat/s...799116288?s=21

[Lcsulla]

Originally Posted by Brohan_Santana

Welcome to the current NHL, where this is considered a dirty hit and FLA’s coach is lobbying for an Ovechkin suspension

https://twitter.com/fansidedtherat/s...799116288?s=21

It was borderline with the shoulder to the head but Ovie was moving quick and could not exactly pull up. Probably should have been a 2 minute roughing call but the idea of a suspension is wrong, he never leaves his feet and he has every right to that area of ice. Really not sure what FLA is thinking here.

[~Crashintome89~]

Shouldn't be a suspension but he definitely made contact with the head.

[barbogast]

The officials had a really tough night all the way around in the Caps game last night, but that’s not a suspension and I honestly don’t think it was a penalty either. Panthers coach doing the typical crying coach act, that’s not surprising. If it were reversed I’m sure Reirden would also be crying.

The real questions regarding the officials last night were:

1. Who showed that rookie ref what interference is, and why did he feel the need to falsely penalize one of the premier players in the league for it? I think it’s a case of young ref not planning to be pushed around by superstars, but uh, you have to actually commit an infraction to be called for one, last I checked.

2. What on earth did Kuznetsov say to the linesman to earn an unsportsmanlike that quickly while already killing a power play? I mean, these two guys don’t even speak the same language. That’s an awfully fast trigger finger for a game notorious for profanity and trash talk. Seemed like a poor decision by the linesman, but I also don’t know what was said.

[fonzz41]

Originally Posted by Brohan_Santana

Welcome to the current NHL, where this is considered a dirty hit and FLA’s coach is lobbying for an Ovechkin suspension

https://twitter.com/fansidedtherat/s...799116288?s=21

I mean, yeah, it’s a high hit where the head was the principal point of contact. That’s a penalty in today’s NHL.

What Ovi has going for him in terms of avoiding supplemental discipline is that although he did hit high, he did not leave his feet. He was also not moving particularly fast and was already gliding when he made contact. And the biggest factor: not a blindside (obvs).

Should have been a penalty, but I don’t think he’ll be suspended.

[BotheLaneFan]

Golden Knights are playing like I remembered. Fuck a Duck.

[Roose13]

At least the Flyers beat the Devils yesterday

[drakan]

No college hockey thread here? Come on.

[~Crashintome89~]

matty, I'm seeing the gabe and natty ice tomorrow against the Flyers.

[Brohan_Santana]

At this point does anyone else want to just punch Gritty? Aside from the initial laughing factor, he literally brings nothing. It’s getting annoying at this point

[~Crashintome89~]

matty, I'm seeing the gabe and natty ice tomorrow against the Flyers.

[~Crashintome89~]

Originally Posted by Brohan_Santana

At this point does anyone else want to just punch Gritty? Aside from the initial laughing factor, he literally brings nothing. It’s getting annoying at this point

you literally bring nothing to this thread.

[drakan]

Originally Posted by Brohan_Santana

At this point does anyone else want to just punch Gritty? Aside from the initial laughing factor, he literally brings nothing. It’s getting annoying at this point

Your team just won the cup and went on an epic cup bender and you're triggered by Gritty a few games into the season?

[spoot388]

Originally Posted by fonzz41

Alright pals, a little Friday conversation. Everyone's participation required.

In an effort to get our perspectives balanced regarding our teams, let's each list three things we DO like about our teams, and three we DON'T like.

I'll start:

Like:
1. Rantanen-Mac-Landeskog chemistry is picking up where it left off last season
2. Defensemen are starting to settle into their roles. Bednar no longer has to overuse guys in situations where they are not suited
3. Strong goaltending tandem leaves us prepared this year and for the future

Dislike:
1. Still have a tendency to get caught in our own zone. When we do, we start chasing. It's chaos.
2. Secondary scoring is not great. Mikko Rantanen has as many assists by himself as the entire second line has points.
3. If Grubauer truly is our goalie of the future, he needs to see more starts. However, I get that we're only 7 games in.

the Avs grew a lot since about Feb of last season. really good to see them playing so well right now. couple of tough OT loses, but gotta look on the bright side in that there's only been one game so far where they didn't get a point.


that top line has to be one of the best in the league. unreal how well they play together. i really feel like for as great as Mac and Landy are, rantanen is the key to that line. his vision for setting up plays is unbelievable, especially for how young he is. he sets up Mac and Landy in great spots to do their thing and put the puck in the back of the net.


the special teams have been pretty spectacular so far as well, going both ways. definitely need to get something going with the lower lines, because the top line and special teams can't carry the team for the entire season, but its great to see that the Avs are now only a piece or two away from being true contenders.

[Brohan_Santana]

Woof, a simple no, we love Gritty would suffice

[JRS1386]

Originally Posted by Brohan_Santana

Welcome to the current NHL, where this is considered a dirty hit and FLA’s coach is lobbying for an Ovechkin suspension

https://twitter.com/fansidedtherat/s...799116288?s=21

Ovechkin clearly makes contact with the head. Deserving of a penalty