NHL (2021-2022) v. Congrats Avs. Jack Johnson is a Stanley Cup Champion.

[pg1067]

I just trying to be nice and hopeful for the area.  I know that it's been pretty garbage there.  But if areas like Vegas, Nashville, two Florida cities, Dallas, Carolina, etc. works.  I mean there should be no reason that it shouldn't work with stable management, but it hasn't and Bettman is a moron for pursuing it at a sunk cost.

I mean, in 16 years as the Jets, the franchise won 2 playoff series - but they had the bad fortune of being in the Smythe in the 80s.

In 24 years as the Coyotes, they've won 2 playoff series - both in the same year, making it to the conference finals when Mike Smith was actually a good goalie (sorry, Rich).

And a very good year it was.*




* - They've won 3 series.  The third was a "qualifying round" series in 2020, which was their only playoff appearance since 2012.

[Anguyen92]

Speaking of the Coyotes, I don't know what the heck is going on, but they have some pep in their step in the last few games.  Scored 17 goals in two games against the Senators and Red Wings and have won three in a row (including a regulation win against the Avs).

[pg1067]

Speaking of the Coyotes, I don't know what the heck is going on, but they have some pep in their step in the last few games.  Scored 17 goals in two games against the Senators and Red Wings and have won three in a row (including a regulation win against the Avs).

There was something in the water everywhere last night:

Leafs - 6 goals
Coyotes - 9 goals
Jets - 7 goals
Hawks - 8 goals
Devils/Wild/Caps - 5 goals each  (and thank you very much to the Caps for beating the Flames).

In eleven games last night, there was an average of 7.73 goals per game, and only three of the eleven games had fewer than 7 goals scored.

[pg1067]

On another note...42 years ago today:



Although both Mark and Marty were defensemen (per hockey-reference.com), so did they just play wing for that one game (or one shift)?

[TAC]

For Kev...

https://www.si.com/nhl/2022/03/09/power-rankings-taylor-swift-avalanche-panthers-leafs-hurricanes

[Anguyen92]

I appreciate the creativity in that power ranking article.  I read the power rankings in The Athletic, every Friday, and its a bunch of analytics writers trying to think they are cool, but it doesn't come off that way at times.

[KevShmev]

For Kev...

https://www.si.com/nhl/2022/03/09/power-rankings-taylor-swift-avalanche-panthers-leafs-hurricanes

 

[jingle.boy]

I appreciate the creativity in that power ranking article.  I read the power rankings in The Athletic, every Friday, and its a bunch of analytics writers trying to think they are cool, but it doesn't come off that way at times.

I like the nhl.com rankings. They are quick and to the point, and not quippy.

With regards to the Leafs, this is the team that everyone expects them to be, no?  6-4 over the Kracken; 10-7 over the Wings.  Not 4-1 over the Penguins.  Jeff O'Neill from the TSN panel had the best comment the other night ... "Let's just out score our mistakes".

Sadly, that won't work come May.  They gotta get back to how they were playing in the 1st half of the season.  But otherwise, the Matthews/Marner pairing has been god-tier, and Bunting is playing his role perfectly.  60-goals is in reach for Matthews.

[Nick]

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck the Flyers.

So enraged right now.

So last offseason they free up cap by paying to send Ghost to the Coyotes. They then use that extra cap space to trade for Rasmus Ristolainen. All in all they send Ghost, a first, a second, a second, and Robert Haag for this average at best defensemen.

Then they see all season that it wasn't just Buffalo, he really is average.

Then to save face after giving up a ridiculous amount they sign him at 5x5.1 instead of getting a bag of pucks at the trade deadline.

THEN I have to fucking listen to every Flyers commentator talk about his "intangibles", as they always do after our awful signings.

FUCKING THEN in the first period later that day Risto takes TWO penalties that immediate turn into goals against.

AND FUCKING THEN I remember that we made a big stink like a month ago to announce additions the the analytics department ONLY TO THEN SIGN A GUY ANALYTICS HATES.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

[jingle.boy]

Ok, but how do you *really* feel?

[TAC]

[King Postwhore]

Yeah, but Zac Rinaldo....

[KevShmev]

Damn, my cousin and I had been talking about going to tonight's game, but ultimately did not go. 

[jingle.boy]

Another terrible missed call by the refs (Ovi hooking Hyman last night was awful ... though the hockey gods corrected the missed call). Tonight, not so much for the Leafs ... AZ player holding the stick on Matthews directly leading to the overtime winner.

[Anguyen92]

So the last two games against the Sharks reminds me why I hate the Sharks more than the Ducks.  Gosh, playing that team is so damn infuriating.  They keep losing to the teams I need them to beat and win against the Kings when I need them to obviously lose.  Doesn't help that the injury list is starting to pile up now.

[TheCountOfNYC]

While it was nice to see the Rangers win because of their offense (holy shit Panarin), Igor’s lackluster play tonight was concerning. Every great goalie has a bad game here and there, but I hope it was just a bad game and not him being exhausted, as I don’t trust Georgiev down the stretch, but we need Shestyorkin to be at his best for the playoffs.

[jingle.boy]

So the last two games against the Sharks reminds me why I hate the Sharks more than the Ducks.  Gosh, playing that team is so damn infuriating.  They keep losing to the teams I need them to beat and win against the Kings when I need them to obviously lose.  Doesn't help that the injury list is starting to pile up now.

Dude... the Leafs have outright lost in regulation to Montreal, Buffalo and Arizona (who they also lost to in OT earlier this week). I'm fully expecting a loss this afternoon (Buffalo) in the Heritage Classic.  there's 7 points they just kissed away.  Boston is now 2 just points behind them.

[TAC]

The Leafs were rocking some bad ass construction worker outfits to the game! 

[Anguyen92]

I don't know how this Kings team keeps doing it against the good teams.  Like half the roster is mainly regulars from the AHL Ontario Reign.  They've been playing garbage D against the Sharks in the last two games.  Their defense has been horribly gutted by recent injuries where only 2 out of the 7 guys from the opening night roster was playing today (and one of them may end up joining that IR list).  The Panthers, for all of their "prowls".... in scoring a lot this season did a fine job in suffocating the team in the 3rd and somehow, Martin Frk (who was one of the call up) just ripped it hard on a PP goal to tie it with 31 seconds remaining and the Kings won in the shootout.

I hope Doughty comes back on Tuesday.  Don't think we can have this kind of fortunate game against the Avs.

[jingle.boy]

2 Games for Matthews.  I'm not entirely bent out of shape over it - it was a pretty vicious cross check.  My only beef is that MacKinnon slashes a ref, and gets nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Jack squat.  Matthews has 10 minutes in penalties, and never had a review in 6 years... and gets 2 for a first offense?  He deserved one for sure; 2 is a *tad* harsh.

Either way, the Leafs need to hire a proctologist to get their collective heads out of their collective asses.  2-4-1 against Montreal, Buffalo, Arizona, and Seattle in 2022 so far.  FFS.

Boston is gonna pass them in the standings by the weekend otherwise.

[romdrums]

Either way, the Leafs need to hire a proctologist to get their collective heads out of their collective asses.  2-4-1 against Montreal, Buffalo, Arizona, and Seattle in 2022 so far.  FFS.

My Dad used to tell me the correct medical term for the procedure is a Cranial-Rectalectomy.   

[jingle.boy]

Either way, the Leafs need to hire a proctologist to get their collective heads out of their collective asses.  2-4-1 against Montreal, Buffalo, Arizona, and Seattle in 2022 so far.  FFS.

My Dad used to tell me the correct medical term for the procedure is a Cranial-Rectalectomy.   

I'm using that one!   

[TAC]

I have no idea what his G-A-Pts are over the last couple of weeks are, but I've never seen Taylor Hall be more engaged as he has been in his entire career.

[jingle.boy]

That disallowed goal by Coyle was horseshit.  The hockey gods made up for it.  Man I was hoping Flower was gonna steal at least 1 point away from the Bruins.  Damn.

At least the Leafs remembered how to execute a defensive style of play last night.  Really great team effort to give the kid his first shutout and win in his first NHL start.  Carolina tomorrow shall be interesting - I have no idea who Keefe should put between the pipes.  If he goes with Kallgren, it's a clear message to Mrazek that there is no faith or confidence in him.  And to put a rookie in against the best team in the league could be disaster for *his* confidence.  Might be better to chance it with Mrazek, and hope the entire team rallies around him to get him a W against his old team.

[romdrums]

Mrazek's a head case.  He has the tools to be a total stud, but his mental game is fragile.  When he was coming up in Detroit, there were moments when he looked like the second coming of Hasek, but then he flamed out.  He appeared to right the ship somewhat in Carolina, but even they soured on him after a while.  Million dollar skills with a 10 cent brain.

[jingle.boy]

Mrazek's a head case.  He has the tools to be a total stud, but his mental game is fragile.  When he was coming up in Detroit, there were moments when he looked like the second coming of Hasek, but then he flamed out.  He appeared to right the ship somewhat in Carolina, but even they soured on him after a while.  Million dollar skills with a 10 cent brain.

Yeah, he's looked absolutely lost in some situations lately.  That AZ game was a trainwreck - King's nephew could've made better decisions.  He also made some spectacular saves in the Heritage game on Sunday, but then then a couple of absolute fucking duds that simply had no right getting past an NHL goaltender, and tanked the team.

[TAC]

That disallowed goal by Coyle was horseshit.  The hockey gods made up for it.  Man I was hoping Flower was gonna steal at least 1 point away from the Bruins.  Damn.

Oh and if they gave up a GWG to the Hawks on the ensuing PP, I had a post all lined up about how the St. Louis Bruins or the Boston Blues got screwed.

But holy shit...they got screwed on that call.

[jingle.boy]

That disallowed goal by Coyle was horseshit.  The hockey gods made up for it.  Man I was hoping Flower was gonna steal at least 1 point away from the Bruins.  Damn.

Oh and if they gave up a GWG to the Hawks on the ensuing PP, I had a post all lined up about how the St. Louis Bruins or the Boston Blues got screwed.

Naturally, I would've been completely fine with if this had been the outcome. 

[jingle.boy]

That was a solid - SOLID - effort by the Leafs to hold off the Canes.  The goal with 3.6 seconds left notwithstanding, that was a great game and as good an outcome as could have been hoped for.  Here's hoping this Kallgren kid is going to pull a Binnington '19 - shit, he even wears #50.

[SchecterShredder]

That was a solid - SOLID - effort by the Leafs to hold off the Canes.  The goal with 3.6 seconds left notwithstanding, that was a great game and as good an outcome as could have been hoped for.  Here's hoping this Kallgren kid is going to pull a Binnington '19 - shit, he even wears #50.

I think you mean "Solid effort, ugly St Patty's jerseys not withstanding"

[jingle.boy]

That was a solid - SOLID - effort by the Leafs to hold off the Canes.  The goal with 3.6 seconds left notwithstanding, that was a great game and as good an outcome as could have been hoped for.  Here's hoping this Kallgren kid is going to pull a Binnington '19 - shit, he even wears #50.

I think you mean "Solid effort, ugly St Patty's jerseys not withstanding"

I've always hated those St. Pats jerseys.  Thankfully, it's just once a year.

Oil seem to have turned a corner??  What are your trade deadline expectations (or hopes)?

[SchecterShredder]

That was a solid - SOLID - effort by the Leafs to hold off the Canes.  The goal with 3.6 seconds left notwithstanding, that was a great game and as good an outcome as could have been hoped for.  Here's hoping this Kallgren kid is going to pull a Binnington '19 - shit, he even wears #50.

I think you mean "Solid effort, ugly St Patty's jerseys not withstanding"

I've always hated those St. Pats jerseys.  Thankfully, it's just once a year.

Oil seem to have turned a corner??  What are your trade deadline expectations (or hopes)?

Yeah, they've been on a streak lately. It helps that McD and Draisaitl have found their game again. Just goes to show how weak this team is when the big guns have slumps. There's been some depth scoring lately, but that hasn't been there all year (see December - February).

Hopes: they somehow acquire a solid goalie to backup Koskinen
Expectations: absolutely no trades whatsoever

[gmillerdrake]

Couple 'sources' saying there could be a three team deal between Arizona, Blues, Toronto. Toronto gets Binnington, Blues get Chychrun and Arizona gets picks/minor players from Toronto.

I'd sign off on that in heartbeat but it's doubtful. I don't think Toronto can free the cap space.

[Anguyen92]

I really don't think the Leafs can support that cap hit without moving one of their top guns.  Imagine all of the picks/prospects that Arizona could get, but I don't think the Leafs have that kind of draft capital in comparison to other teams possibly in the mix for Chychrun (nowadays, I've been hearing Kings or Bruins, but that's probably an offseason thing to look at, not at the deadline).

[jingle.boy]

I really don't think the Leafs can support that cap hit without moving one of their top guns.  Imagine all of the picks/prospects that Arizona could get, but I don't think the Leafs have that kind of draft capital in comparison to other teams possibly in the mix for Chychrun (nowadays, I've been hearing Kings or Bruins, but that's probably an offseason thing to look at, not at the deadline).

Why the hell would the Leafs want Binnington @ $6M AAV for the next 5 years?  Even if it's only at 50% or 25% of his cap, Mrazek is already signed for 2 more years, and I don't see how the Leafs are going to walk away from Campbell - he loves it here, the team/fans love him.  Though personally, I'd love it if they could unload Mrazek - that's one signing that did not work out as planned.

All of the *real* insiders (Friedge, Dreger, Lebrun, Johnston) ... none of them have uttered Binnington's name in the last 2 weeks, and they're all still under the belief that Dubas is more likely to go after defence, not goaltending.

As for their cap space ... if they keep Muzzin on LTIR until the playoffs (concussion issues), they've got room to manoeuvre.