NHL (2020-2021) v. Draft, sign, & trade.

[KevShmev]

They should just make the bubble here in St Louis since the Blues are gonna win the President's trophy and should then get home ice advantage throughout.  All of the other teams can just deal with it.

 

[gmillerdrake]

If you lose 5-6 in a row I think your toast. Consistency is going to be the key.

One good/bad streak won't make or break anyone.  A 2nd good/bad streak will. 

I can see that. I'm just thinking about Winning the division and not necessarily only making the playoffs. This year more than the past few with the way it's structured there's actual incentive and benefit to coming in first.

[jingle.boy]

If you lose 5-6 in a row I think your toast. Consistency is going to be the key.

One good/bad streak won't make or break anyone.  A 2nd good/bad streak will. 

I can see that. I'm just thinking about Winning the division and not necessarily only making the playoffs. This year more than the past few with the way it's structured there's actual incentive and benefit to coming in first.

If it's a foregone conclusion that the Avs, Knights, and Blues are the top 3 in the West, then hot damn... #1 seed is gonna be very important.  2 of those teams are most likely going to play each other in round 1.  That's brutal.

[jingle.boy]

Predictions time!

East
Philly
Bruins
Isles
Caps

Central
Bolts
Canes
Stars
Blue Jackets

West
Blues
Avs
Knights
Wild

North
Leafs
Flames
Canadiens
Canucks

[TAC]

That looks pretty reasonable.

[jingle.boy]

I think I'm least confident in the North predictions.  I think outside of Ottawa, the other 6 could all finish within 10 points of each other.  This is gonna be a fun division to watch.

[TAC]

So you have the Oilers out. Interesting.

[SchecterShredder]

Oilers will make it, i think. Koskinen is solid enough in net, and they have the top 2 offensive players in the league. They'll loose in 5 games in the first round

[jingle.boy]

Oilers will make it, i think. Koskinen is solid enough in net, and they have the top 2 offensive players in the league. They'll loose in 5 games in the first round

I ain't gonna argue at all, and frankly, the Leafs have just as good a chance of NOT making the playoffs as they do winning it (especially if they keep playing like a preseason team).  Same can be said for frankly, all 6 teams.  I don't think a lot separates them.  And Ottawa is going to prove not to be a pushover at all.  They've got a lot of good young talent.

I'll freely admit my prediction of the Leafs winning it is a bit of a homer decision.  I think they finally have some depth at defense, and some grit up front.  Anderson usually has a slow October start.  How they bounce back after that piece of shit performance last night will be revealing. 

[jingle.boy]

Just perusing last night's scores.... Guess the Avs were pissed at that loss.     Binnington looked great in the 1st, then the defense seemed to fall apart.

Protip... do not take penalties against the Avs.  Man that PP looks lethal.

[KevShmev]

They should just make the bubble here in St Louis since the Blues are gonna win the President's trophy and should then get home ice advantage throughout.  All of the other teams can just deal with it.

 

The Blues made a mockery out of my post from yesterday.

[SchecterShredder]

They should just make the bubble here in St Louis since the Blues are gonna win the President's trophy and should then get home ice advantage throughout.  All of the other teams can just deal with it.

 

The Blues made a mockery out of my post from yesterday.

Maybe the Avs stumbled upon your post and printed it off for bulletin board material in their locker room. Got them really fired up

[SchecterShredder]

I'll freely admit my prediction of the Leafs winning it is a bit of a homer decision.  I think they finally have some depth at defense, and some grit up front.  Anderson usually has a slow October start.  How they bounce back after that piece of shit performance last night will be revealing.

I don't think it's much of a homer pick to have the Leafs winning the North. They've been the top Canadian team for a few years now, and i think they easily win it unless Edmonton or Calgary really gets rolling. Jets, Habs, and Sens are all but done, if you ask me. Maybe not pushovers, but i don't think any of those teams have the horses to get it done

[gmillerdrake]

They should just make the bubble here in St Louis since the Blues are gonna win the President's trophy and should then get home ice advantage throughout.  All of the other teams can just deal with it.

 

The Blues made a mockery out of my post from yesterday.

Maybe the Avs stumbled upon your post and printed it off for bulletin board material in their locker room. Got them really fired up

Dude.....it was a good old fashioned ass kicking!!! Tale of two games. Blues forecheck, goaltending and defense were on display first game.....second game they were on vacation. Although Binnington really had no chance and he's the only reason it was 0-0 and not 5-0 after the first period.

Oh well.....I think there will be a lot of splits like that this season between top teams. It's the lower tier teams that you need to beat both times if you're expecting to win the division or secure a top 4 spot.

[jingle.boy]

Don’t underestimate the Habs. They don’t have any A-list names, but man alive, they are solid and deep.  Suzuki looks like the real deal.  And Josh Anderson is gonna have a great bounce back year. Price/Allen may be the best tandem in the North.

Regarding the Jets, Hellebucyk can be the kinda goalie that can steal a few games here and there ... and in a shortened season where every game is against your playoff competition, a few games could easily be the difference in making the playoffs. I also think Laine is gonna be a beast this year - potentially for trade bait, but more importantly for a new contract.

[jingle.boy]

Is New Jersey better than expected, or is Boston (like others) just still having to get out of preseason mode?

[King Postwhore]

Missing Pasta.  The one true sniper. 

[gmillerdrake]

Price/Allen may be the best tandem in the North.

Blue's fans (not me) whined and complained for years about Jake Allen. But the fact remains that the dude is incredibly talented and athletic. He's just not a 'starter' He's the perfect 1B/tandem goalie. He works well with his counterpart and is extremely focused.....and a heck of a person as well. He was/is loved by the guys he plays with.

The Blues new back up is 'suppose' to be the real deal. Husso. He's been nurtured and slow walked into the NHL and has had plenty of experience in the minors. But there's something to be said about having a back up that could easily be the starter, that has the experience of stealing a playoff series like Allen does (vs the Wild) and that is an ultimate teammate/locker room guy. I think the Blues will miss having Allen on their roster far more than Petrangelo honestly. 

[KevShmev]

They should just make the bubble here in St Louis since the Blues are gonna win the President's trophy and should then get home ice advantage throughout.  All of the other teams can just deal with it.

 

The Blues made a mockery out of my post from yesterday.

Maybe the Avs stumbled upon your post and printed it off for bulletin board material in their locker room. Got them really fired up

Dude.....it was a good old fashioned ass kicking!!! Tale of two games. Blues forecheck, goaltending and defense were on display first game.....second game they were on vacation. Although Binnington really had no chance and he's the only reason it was 0-0 and not 5-0 after the first period.

Oh well.....I think there will be a lot of splits like that this season between top teams. It's the lower tier teams that you need to beat both times if you're expecting to win the division or secure a top 4 spot.

Agreed. That game last night blew, but it was only one game in the standings, so we move on.  Like you said, gotta take care of business in the back to backs against the weaker opponents.

[SchecterShredder]

Oilers are putting up a sad, sad effort tonight...

[axeman90210]

Pleasantly surprised for the Devils to get three points in two games against Boston, especially considering we're missing two top-six forwards. The first period Thursday night was ugly, but their compete level after that has been very good and they were a bounce or two away from winning in OT the first game as well. Still a long shot to end up making the playoffs in this division, but if Hughes and some of the other young players take a step forward and Mackenzie Blackwood proves he's the real deal in net then we could be well-positioned to start making some noise next season.

[Anguyen92]

ARGHHHHHHHHH.  This is pain.  Kings had a 3-1 lead over the Wilds twice starting the 3rd and the Wilds came back on both games.  Even worst, the Wilds tied it with 1.4 seconds to go, just now???   OJFoasjfosjifoewofpjewofo.

[pg1067]

ARGHHHHHHHHH.  This is pain.  Kings had a 3-1 lead over the Wilds twice starting the 3rd and the Wilds came back on both games.  Even worst, the Wilds tied it with 1.4 seconds to go, just now???   OJFoasjfosjifoewofpjewofo.

I was just going to post something similar.  That was AWFUL!  And only about 30 seconds after Matt Roy hit the post on a long attempt at the empty net....

[Anguyen92]

Well.  I'm sad now.  Bring on more pain when they face the Avs.  If this team couldn't get the job done against the Wilds, holding 3-1 leads in the 3rd and blew it on OT, I don't know what to say.  This season will be pain.

[pg1067]

Well.  I'm sad now.  Bring on more pain against the Avs.

That was fucking BAD....  Walker standing around picking his ass while the guy behind him scores the GWG.

[v_clortho]

Um... Go Wild!

[jingle.boy]

Oilers are putting up a sad, sad effort tonight...

See my prior post(s).  I don't think Koskinen is gonna be good enough for you guys.  And with Smith on LTIR now, the Oil goaltending situation is (imo) easily the worst in the division.  Habs have a very good top-4 D in Weber, Petry, Edmunson, and Chiarot.  And Romanov is supposed to be ready for prime time.  Honestly, they are the one team in the North I'm actually quite certain will make the playoffs for sure.  Man does it pain me to say that. 

Oh, and Claude Julien is a helluva coach.  Probably the best in the Division.

[jingle.boy]

Having watched the highlight packages this morning ....

A good goalie on a crap team can still steal the game.  Murray and Gibson nearly both stole their games against what are supposed to be much better teams.  The Leafs dominated the Sens, but the latter just hung around, and gave themselves a chance to get to OT.  Ducks blew with with an over-zealous opening faceoff in OT leading to that quick 2-on-1 goal.
Rangers - that's the team I expected.  They got a lot of talent.  Isles on the other hand looked sloppy. 
Wild comeback.  That stings for the Kings.

This is gonna be a wild season for sure.  When you only have to scout and prepare for 7 other teams (6 in the north), there are going to be a lot of tightly contested games.

[TAC]

Oh, and Claude Julien is a helluva coach. 

He really is. Winningest coach in Bruins history. Think about that..

[TAC]

Does anyone know how the officials' schedule is being determined. Obviously no one is going in and out of Canada, but do the other divisions have their own set of on ice officials too...I would assume so.

I would think they'd try and limit their travel as much as possible.

[jingle.boy]

Does anyone know how the officials' schedule is being determined. Obviously no one is going in and out of Canada, but do the other divisions have their own set of on ice officials too...I would assume so.

I would think they'd try and limit their travel as much as possible.

That's a good point.  I never thought of that.

[TAC]

Watching On The Fly tonight. Bruce Boudreau looks a bit uncomfortable in this role. Maybe he'll warm up to it.

[TAC]

Didn't the Leafs put Spezza on waivers? And yet I just saw him in tonight's highlights (missing an empty net)?

I confuse.

[Nick]

Didn't the Leafs put Spezza on waivers? And yet I just saw him in tonight's highlights (missing an empty net)?

I confuse.

I believe if you put a player through waivers, and he clears, that means you CAN assign him to the minors, but doesn't mean you MUST assign him to the minors. I also think there is a period (30 days?) in which you could send him down without having to go through waivers again.

[jingle.boy]

Didn't the Leafs put Spezza on waivers? And yet I just saw him in tonight's highlights (missing an empty net)?

I confuse.

To put players on the Taxi Squad, they have to go thru waivers.  Nick's right, they can then be added/removed from the main roster for 30 days without having to clear waivers.  It was necessary in order to shuffle some people around as a result of Nick Robertson's injury.

That was an entirely un-entertaining game between the Oil and Leafs last night.  I'd hate to have to be the NHL.com guy who had to find 8 minutes of highlights in order to put together the Condensed Game package.