I honestly didn't know the Leafs had that much offense.
EDIT : Vincent, that depends on the team.
fuck kessel
EDIT : Vincent, that depends on the team.
fuck kessel
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The Everything NHL Thread
- Thread starter Jackal
- Start date
I hate Kostopolous, Mike Van Ryn was having a great season until he hit him from behind.
Skinner is looking better than Hall/Seguin at the moment!
Also the Canadiens are kinda bad and the Canes are always a 2nd half team..so you'll have to hope somebody else falls out of the top 8.
I'm still not convinced the Canes are going to make the playoffs but I've been glad to have been wrong about them so far. Gritty team, agree that Skinner has looked better than Seguin for sure though I think he's pretty comparable Hall, easy team to root for since they kind get unfairly lumped in with the bad southern markets.
Been impressed by Eric Staal too, quietly having a big year in his typical fashion of vanishing for two games and the annihilating everyone for one and then repeating.
Been impressed by Eric Staal too, quietly having a big year in his typical fashion of vanishing for two games and the annihilating everyone for one and then repeating.
Im perfectly fine with the Canes taking the Canadians' spot.
At this moment, both the Canadiens and Thrashers are trending in the wrong direction, whereas the Canes and Sabres (9th and 10th) are both starting to string wins together. The gap between 8th and 9th seriously needs to close, this season has been supremely boring so far.
AHhh I'm also pretty pissed off that they missed like 4 wide open nets and hit the post at least twice. That game easily coulda been a blowout for the flames if they weren't so fucking unlucky. Man I am trying my best to be a fan, take it out on the refs or something but I think we all know that the flames are fucking LOSERS.
Maybe we should make a pool to guess when Feaster blows up the team??
Well the East has been boring, but the West (as always) has been quite interesting (8th to 13th place seperated by 4 pts).
Canucks in the first place, woot!
But do you guys really think the Canucks have a chance of going far into the playoffs? Well, the Canucks are not the toughest bunch around. And Frankly, all our division teams are not the most playoff-worthy teams around (not to offend anyone, but look at the results so far). When we've been playing out of our division, our record seems much more manageable to the point that it looks like teams like Detroit could just roll over us in the playoffs.
On the bright side, we don't have to rely on Salo anymore.
But do you guys really think the Canucks have a chance of going far into the playoffs? Well, the Canucks are not the toughest bunch around. And Frankly, all our division teams are not the most playoff-worthy teams around (not to offend anyone, but look at the results so far). When we've been playing out of our division, our record seems much more manageable to the point that it looks like teams like Detroit could just roll over us in the playoffs.
On the bright side, we don't have to rely on Salo anymore.
Vancouver has a team built for the post season. They may be in a shitty division but they still have to win games. They've done a good job of that lately. I think they'll be a force to contend with come playoffs considering their depth at all positions.
I'm really hoping that Chicago claims the 8th seed if the Canucks get the top spot in the west, though. That would make for a lot of pressure in an opening round series. If Vancouver is for real, we'll know fairly early... Though I guess we thought that about San Jose overcoming the Red Wings last year and we know what happened there...
I'm really hoping that Chicago claims the 8th seed if the Canucks get the top spot in the west, though. That would make for a lot of pressure in an opening round series. If Vancouver is for real, we'll know fairly early... Though I guess we thought that about San Jose overcoming the Red Wings last year and we know what happened there...
When Detroit is healthy again (also, i mention we bested you in the shootout the other night with a decimated lineup), be ready for World War 3. This ain't last year where we are clawing our way up the ladder. Wings are gonna want that top spot *prays that philly gets the President's Trophy* and they are in position for it.
Also, Phoenix sends Wojtek Wolski for a veteran Defenseman... *facepalm*
Because shootouts define so much how well a team plays. Howard was hot for the Wings that night, otherwise the Canucks would have run up the score. I wouldn't rely on him to be hot everytime, seeing he's a pretty hot-cold goalie and Osgood is still injured (I think he is).
And in terms of the Canucks being ready for the playoffs, the only department that I could see them being weak is in the physical department, and even then it's not that bad. Burrows and Kesler, even without playing as gritty and physical as before, are still pretty physical and play great defense, and the third and fourth line, even though not being as physical as I'd like, can shut down most lines in the NHL. They're deep in faceoffs (Sedin, Kesler, Maholtra/Torres (if needed, he usually plays wing now)), scoring (Sedins are 4th and 5th in the scoring race, Kesler is projected for 80 points, and Tambellini is on fire, showing that they have great depth in scoring), defense (lacking a number one defenseman, although Edler could take the role, being physically, defensively and offensively good, and having their talent spread out among all their pairings such as Hamhuis, Ballard, Ehrhoff, Salo (If he ever comes back), and Bieksa (finally picking up his game), and they're finally giving Luongo the rest needed to be ready for the playoffs, while Schneider is fantastic as a back up goalie. If they overcome their tendency to choke in their playoffs, and overcome their Kryptonite (Chicago), I could see it being their year.
Funny to see Carl compare San Jose and Vancouver because they're pretty similar to me and I think much like it did for San Jose last year it'll come down to goaltending on some level. Nabokov crumbled in big stages and ended up in(and later out) of the KHL because of it and Luongo hasn't been any better lately. Unlike Nabokov, Luongo at least got it done in the Olympics so maybe he'll turn it around in the playoffs this year. Not sure I'd plan on relying on Tambellini long term, though. Blue line is better this year than last year, maybe they'll prevent their iffy goaltending from being exposed the way Chicago's blueline defended Niemi last year.
I'm half and half on the schedule complaint, they haven't done spectacularly against other good teams but you can only beat the teams you play against and they've done that pretty reliably. Second easiest schedule so far and it'll apparently be staying very easy, guess it's just a product of that division.
Speaking of that division...
I'm half and half on the schedule complaint, they haven't done spectacularly against other good teams but you can only beat the teams you play against and they've done that pretty reliably. Second easiest schedule so far and it'll apparently be staying very easy, guess it's just a product of that division.
Speaking of that division...
Dobber on the Flames said:
From my own view, Luongo's been a bit stronger lately (but then again, this time of the year, he's usually pretty strong), compared to his earlier form. The Canucks are hoping that putting around 20-25 regular season games on Schneider will ease Luongo's workload and bring him to the prime form that he had back in 2008. Tambellini definitely isn't an option to rely on, but it seems that whenever one 2nd/3rd liner goes cold, another goes hot. Malholtra and Torres were pretty hot in the beginning of the season, and just when they cooled off, Tambellini stepped it up. I'm hoping that the Canucks depth will carry them further this post season.
The schedule thing is definitely something to consider. I'm not gonna start betting that the Canucks will win until they start beating legitimate Western Conference heavy weights like Detroit, San Jose, and Chicago.
On the subject of teams contending in the West for the Cup, other than Detroit, Vancouver, and Chicago, I can't think of anyone else who'd be legitimate contenders. I'm leaning towards Dallas, but something keeps telling me they're not going to be able to keep this up. Los Angeles also stopped their own little skid, but they haven't been playing up to par this season in terms of expectation. I can't comment on Anaheim and Nashville, but I have faith in Trotz to bring the Preds far this season, but I don't see them going past 2nd round. The West is tight, but it's hard to pick out a legitimate contender other than the aforementioned.
I just downloaded the 24/7 documentary, and I have to say, it's pretty good. One of the best parts I thought was that I was able to see hockey players beyond their 1 dimensional scoring roles, or goon roles, and see how they act in games, and also in real life (Many forget hockey isn't everything in life.) I've also grown a new respect for Bylsma (however you spell it), he's a very analytical, calm and logical coach. He doesn't give into his emotions, and knows how to motivate his guys.
Plus, the amusing pranks they pull, the swearing, and the little tidbits like Talbot on his orange scooter, make it so much more interesting to watch.
Plus, the amusing pranks they pull, the swearing, and the little tidbits like Talbot on his orange scooter, make it so much more interesting to watch.
Thanks only to Jimmy Howard, it could have easily been 4-1. Canucks gonna be stylin you in the post season, look out for dem sedins
it always makes me laugh how nucks fans think that Byfuglien is the only reason that they are terrible in the playoffs