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

[SchecterShredder]

They should've had 3-3 overtime decades ago

Can you imagine Gretzky, Kurri, and Coffey in OT? DAMN

Any era. Lemieux and Jagr? Who even cares who's on D with those guys. Watching Matthews, Marner, McDavid and Draisaitl all line up in OT is ridiculous. I would almost support 4 on 4 full time.

[Dittomist]

The Buffalo Sabres (who haven't appeared in the playoffs in 10 years) are now so close to breaking the all-time record for longest losing streak. It looked pretty certain that they would win tonight seeing as how they were up 3-0 at the start of the 3rd period, then 3-1 with just 9 minutes to go, and then 3-2 with a Sabres player shooting at an empty net close range, but of course they blew it. As someone on their Facebook page commented, their losing streak is now old enough to buy cigarettes! Seeing as how the Blues are about to see a lot of Vegas, Colorado, and Minnesota, I'm worried that their losing streak will grow to monstrous proportions as well.

[jingle.boy]

The Buffalo Sabres (who haven't appeared in the playoffs in 10 years) are now so close to breaking the all-time record for longest losing streak. It looked pretty certain that they would win tonight seeing as how they were up 3-0 at the start of the 3rd period, then 3-1 with just 9 minutes to go, and then 3-2 with a Sabres player shooting at an empty net close range, but of course they blew it. As someone on their Facebook page commented, their losing streak is now old enough to buy cigarettes! Seeing as how the Blues are about to see a lot of Vegas, Colorado, and Minnesota, I'm worried that their losing streak will grow to monstrous proportions as well.

That was a heartbreaking loss.  I won't say I'm a Buffalo fan, even though I live just down the road from Buffalo, and share season's tickets at the Keybank.  But man, what a bad beat.  jingle.daughter and I were following the 3rd period, and watched the last few minutes and OT after the Oil/Leaf game.  Just brutal

As for a few more dream-team 3-3 lineups:

Kane-Toews-Keith (in their prime)
Crosby-Malkin-Letang (in their prime)
Lindross-Leclair-Dejardins
Sakic-Forsberg-Ozolinsch
Yzerman-Federov-Lindstrom
Janney-Borque-Neely
Selanne-Steen-Housley
Gilmour-Mullen-MacInnis
Trottier-Bossy-Potvin
Lafleur-Lemaire-Robinson
Espisoto-Bucyk-Orr

[gmillerdrake]

Seeing as how the Blues are about to see a lot of Vegas, Colorado, and Minnesota, I'm worried that their losing streak will grow to monstrous proportions as well.

Yeah....as I posted a few pages ago.....they've been a mess all year. The injury bug really derailed their season BUT that is no excuse for uninspired, lifeless hockey. There are maybe two players on our team that look to give a crap.....the others are just skating around with zero desire to go 'all in' for the team. Just a bunch of dudes collecting a paycheck.

When you witness 'your' team click....buy in to a message and play for one another the way the Blues did in 2019 or pretty much any team who wins the Cup does.....when they aren't doing that it's glaringly obvious and it will drive you insane as a fan. The Blues do not have the leadership in the locker room or a message from the Coach they all will drink the kool aid on to have the chance to turn the season around. They may squeak into that 4th spot by some miracle but it'll be a short lived first round loss. Personally, I'd like to see them miss the playoffs because they honestly don't deserve to go the way they've been F'n around.

Funny part is I don't even give a  at this point. Don't get mad at their losses or blown chances.....just see it as a learning experience for the young guys and a wake up call for the vets.

[pg1067]

Well...the Kings are doing their damndest to ensure there's no heartburn among Blues fans about the latter team making the playoffs.  Sigh....

[Anguyen92]

Well...the Kings are doing their damndest to ensure there's no heartburn among Blues fans about the latter team making the playoffs.  Sigh....

If I'm a Blues fan, I'd be on the lookout on the Coyotes leapfrogging them rather than the Kings doing it (which just makes me so frustrated as well..... for so many reasons).

[gmillerdrake]

Well...the Kings are doing their damndest to ensure there's no heartburn among Blues fans about the latter team making the playoffs.  Sigh....

If I'm a Blues fan, I'd be on the lookout on the Coyotes leapfrogging them rather than the Kings doing it (which just makes me so frustrated as well..... for so many reasons).

yep. Arizona is the team that will most likely get the 4th slot. I say that only because they look and play hungry. Unlike the Blues who look and play lazy

[TAC]

I was reading on TSN that Shayne Gostisbehere could be placed on waivers. Did I miss something? Wasn't he all the rage just a couple of years ago for the Flyers?

[jingle.boy]

I was reading on TSN that Shayne Gostisbehere could be placed on waivers. Did I miss something? Wasn't he all the rage just a couple of years ago for the Flyers?

Yeah... I remember that - mostly because I chose him in my hockey pool over Brent Burns (thought it would be Ghost's breakout year), and it was the difference between first and 4th place.  $1,400 vs $200.   

Also, really - REALLY - annoyed about the COVID rescheduling this week.  Instead of the Leafs getting the Oil tired, and on a b2b travel day, Montreal got them that way, and whooped 'em 4-0.   

[TAC]

Aren't you guys like 6-1-2 against the Oilers? Stop complaining!

[jingle.boy]

Aren't you guys like 6-1-2 against the Oilers? Stop complaining!

Yeah, but the last two games was an even split - both the Leafs and Oil walked away with 3 points.

EVERY POINT MATTERS!  Just let me have my Gary-esque bitching moment!!! 

[jingle.boy]

I just looked at the standings, and it's really quite amazing that all four divisions have a clear delineation of the Top-3, then 2-3 teams fighting for 4th, and then the basement dwellers.  Colorado is on a fucking roll!

[jingle.boy]

Strong game by the Leafs last night to stymie the Jets, and hold the line for the last 10 mins of the 3rd.  These are the kinds of strong defensive performances necessary to be a contender - and necessary when the PP is on an 0-22 streak!   I just hope Campbell's minor ailments don't derail him while the diagnosis on Freddie's injury is still a big fucking question mark.

And, yay Buffalo.

Nick, you should feel shame. 

[romdrums]

Aren't you guys like 6-1-2 against the Oilers? Stop complaining!

Yeah, but the last two games was an even split - both the Leafs and Oil walked away with 3 points.

EVERY POINT MATTERS!  Just let me have my Gary-esque bitching moment!!! 

I hope the Leafs keep their heads up around McDavid.



Word has it the Department of Player Safety will be sending him a strongly worded text regarding the incident.

 

[jingle.boy]

I heard he got the frowning of a lifetime!

[romdrums]

I heard he got the frowning of a lifetime!

George Parros is said to have twirled his mustache in dismay.

[Anguyen92]

Aren't you guys like 6-1-2 against the Oilers? Stop complaining!

Yeah, but the last two games was an even split - both the Leafs and Oil walked away with 3 points.

EVERY POINT MATTERS!  Just let me have my Gary-esque bitching moment!!! 

I hope the Leafs keep their heads up around McDavid.



Word has it the Department of Player Safety will be sending him a strongly worded text regarding the incident.

 

He got a $5k fine.  MacKinnon also got a $5k fine for doing the following below as well.  At 0:24 in the video.  In a slaughterfest where the Avs owned the Coyotes 9-3.  No gif yet that I found yet, sadly.

Nathan MacKinnon Tosses Helmet At Conor Garland And Gets 10-Minute Misconduct

[gmillerdrake]

That McDavid hit is childs play to the cheap shot Mark Stone laid on Tyler Bozak in January.......not a fine....penalty, nothing. Bozak missed over two months with a concussion while Stone got to keep playing.

[SchecterShredder]

Considering McDavid made contact with the shoulder first, I'm surprised he even received the paltry fine they handed down. Sure, he caught him with a backhand to the face on the follow through, but there are far worse incidents. McKinnon's helmet throw is worse, if you ask me.

[romdrums]

That McDavid hit is childs play to the cheap shot Mark Stone laid on Tyler Bozak in January.......not a fine....penalty, nothing. Bozak missed over two months with a concussion while Stone got to keep playing.

That one was brutal.

[jingle.boy]

Honestly, I don’t even thing McJesus deserves a frowning for that. It was a 2 min minor. That’s all. This is much ado about nothing. Kotkiniemi should’ve got 2 for embellishment imo.

[TAC]

I was watching the game and saw it happen. All penalties are deserved for McDavid on that play.  It was a flagrant foul.

[jingle.boy]

I was watching the game and saw it happen. All penalties are deserved for McDavid on that play.  It was a flagrant foul.

Agreed completely.  But I don't think any discipline was necessary from DPS

[jingle.boy]

Another solid game to take the extra point from Winnipeg - which gives the Leafs a 4 point buffer on both the Jets and Oil... with a game in hand over both.  Even going 10 games, and 0-for-26 on the PP - and the Leafs are 6-3-1 in those 10 games.  Just thinking if they could've had 3 or 4 PP goals in that stretch, they might be a few more points up on them.

I think it's all but guaranteed it'll be Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Montreal in the North playoffs.  The Habs have 9 OTL points - they just can't seem to pull the final trigger on those tie games.  They're 6 behind Edm/Wpg, and have 5 games in hand over both.  Vancouver and Calgary look done.

Rumour mill is churning that the Leafs may be interested in Linus Ullmark if Freddie's situation remains questionable.  Campbell has proved himself (8-0-0 so far, with a .951 SA).  But the last thing the team wants is to be in the situation that Colorado was in (literally) last year where their top-2 goalies go down, and they have to rely on Hutchinson.  Speaking of the Avs, they just lept past Vegas for the West lead.  Guess they are the real deal.

[KevShmev]

If this downward spiral continues and the Blues do end up missing the playoffs, I can't help but wonder if Berube will be the fall guy for it.  That would be a kick in the nuts, given that he led the team to their first (and long awaited) Cup victory two years ago, but he wouldn't be the first hockey coach to win a Cup and be the fall guy when struggles happen shortly thereafter, so anything is possible, I suppose.

[gmillerdrake]

If this downward spiral continues and the Blues do end up missing the playoffs, I can't help but wonder if Berube will be the fall guy for it.  That would be a kick in the nuts, given that he led the team to their first (and long awaited) Cup victory two years ago, but he wouldn't be the first hockey coach to win a Cup and be the fall guy when struggles happen shortly thereafter, so anything is possible, I suppose.

He’s got one year left on his contract. They’ll keep him around. There are several players who just aren’t playing good with binnington. Two more soft ass goals last night.....it’s one or two a game from him. Sure, he will make a handful of dazzling saves as well but these softies he’s letting in are killing the blues. Both of MaCinnons goals last night were extremely savable. He’s talented and capable but we know hockey is a game of confidence as well and right now he has none.

[Anguyen92]

If this downward spiral continues and the Blues do end up missing the playoffs, I can't help but wonder if Berube will be the fall guy for it.  That would be a kick in the nuts, given that he led the team to their first (and long awaited) Cup victory two years ago, but he wouldn't be the first hockey coach to win a Cup and be the fall guy when struggles happen shortly thereafter, so anything is possible, I suppose.

I mean coaches has a certain shelf life on a team due to various reasons.  Darryl Sutter coached the Kings to two cups, but there came a point where it's time to move on and missing the postseason 2 times in 3 years was not going to cut it so that led to him and GM Dean Lombardi being cut.  The coach after, John Stevens, coached them to the playoffs in 2018, but after like 12 games in the next season and being below .500 with not much hope, he got cut.  Around the same time, Joel Quenneville coached the Blackhawks to 3 cups and he got fired from them despite being exactly .500 after 15 games.

Things have never been the same since.  Although, I think Todd McLellan has some rope although that may not be the case if he doesn't lead this team to make it this season (which probably won't can him this season, since I think we are where we should be at this point this season after everything happened albeit it's a frustrating path to go through at times) or next season.

If the Blues don't make it, at least, the injury excuses can help not put Berube as the fall guy for now and maybe the next season can be a turnaround when things start becoming more stabilized when bringing more fans back to games.

[KevShmev]

If this downward spiral continues and the Blues do end up missing the playoffs, I can't help but wonder if Berube will be the fall guy for it.  That would be a kick in the nuts, given that he led the team to their first (and long awaited) Cup victory two years ago, but he wouldn't be the first hockey coach to win a Cup and be the fall guy when struggles happen shortly thereafter, so anything is possible, I suppose.

He’s got one year left on his contract. They’ll keep him around. There are several players who just aren’t playing good with binnington. Two more soft ass goals last night.....it’s one or two a game from him. Sure, he will make a handful of dazzling saves as well but these softies he’s letting in are killing the blues. Both of MaCinnons goals last night were extremely savable. He’s talented and capable but we know hockey is a game of confidence as well and right now he has none.

Seems like Binnington has always been like that.  Heck, even in the Cup run, he had games where it was like the flood gates opened and he'd let in a bunch including some soft ones, but he almost always bounced back and was money the next game.  Outside of that stretch when he first start playing, he just isn't one of those goalies you can count on to be money almost every game.

I mean coaches has a certain shelf life on a team due to various reasons.  Darryl Sutter coached the Kings to two cups, but there came a point where it's time to move on and missing the postseason 2 times in 3 years was not going to cut it so that led to him and GM Dean Lombardi being cut.  The coach after, John Stevens, coached them to the playoffs in 2018, but after like 12 games in the next season and being below .500 with not much hope, he got cut.  Around the same time, Joel Quenneville coached the Blackhawks to 3 cups and he got fired from them despite being exactly .500 after 15 games.

Things have never been the same since.  Although, I think Todd McLellan has some rope although that may not be the case if he doesn't lead this team to make it this season (which probably won't can him this season, since I think we are where we should be at this point this season after everything happened albeit it's a frustrating path to go through at times) or next season.

If the Blues don't make it, at least, the injury excuses can help not put Berube as the fall guy for now and maybe the next season can be a turnaround when things start becoming more stabilized when bringing more fans back to games.

Fair points.

[KevShmev]

The Blues deserved a better fate than a regulation loss tonight, but the Avs get a weird bounce go in with 40+ seconds left and that's the game.  Just the way things are going this season for our squad. 

[Anguyen92]

So for those keeping track of the West Division, trends for that fight for the 4th spot is as follows:  Kings and Blues, trending down.  Sharks and Coyotes, trending up.  I liked it better when it was the other way around.

[SchecterShredder]

Since you brought it up, how often is everyone checking the other divisions? I honestly barely check since it's all intra-division play. I check the individual leaders often, but i haven't been following the standings outside the North.

The first time in weeks i checked was a few days ago after Jingle brought up the top 4 similarities in each division.

[jingle.boy]

I look at all the scores, watch a bunch of the 5-minute game recaps, and pay attention to the standings a couple times per week.

This situation in Vancouver is somewhat alarming.  I'll be shocked if they can get back on the ice this week.  I think it's going to be at least one more week, and going to extend the season (at least for the North) by another week.  My bet is that the playoffs in the US start before the North, and things will end up getting staggered until the semi-finals.

[KevShmev]

Since you brought it up, how often is everyone checking the other divisions? I honestly barely check since it's all intra-division play. I check the individual leaders often, but i haven't been following the standings outside the North.

The first time in weeks i checked was a few days ago after Jingle brought up the top 4 similarities in each division.

I scan them every time I look and see where the Blues are, but I am checking the standings less and less with each Blues loss. 

[gmillerdrake]

The Blues deserved a better fate than a regulation loss tonight, but the Avs get a weird bounce go in with 40+ seconds left and that's the game.  Just the way things are going this season for our squad. 

The Blues deserved nothing Kev and they got what they deserved. They had plenty of chance to win that game. They’re just not a good team. Our top players are not performing......they’re all too streaky and inconsistent. Early on I gave the team a pass due to being wrecked by injuries but that’s part of the game. Binnington let’s two soft goals a game in.....our top players miss prime scoring chances time after time.....the head coach praises lackluster efforts.....it’s just a cluster F.

So while yes....they played a competitive  game......that’s how they SHOULD be playing. But they’ve played so horrible over the past month and half that when they play a good, hard fought game and lose we the fans think they deserve better. They don’t. Good teams win games like the AVs did last night. Bad teams lose them like the Blues did.

[Anguyen92]

^^ Sums up the Kings this season as well, minus the big injuries (although there are times where this team keeps losing depth defensemen to COVID protocol and opponents taking shots at them that puts them on the shelf).