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

[KevShmev]

And dammit Minnesota, stop winning games!

Wild are 17-1-3 in their last 21 games.

Blues are 14-0-2 in their last 16 games.  Blues have 80 goals scored in those 16 games. 

Should be an epic 1st round matchup, which means one of them will win it in 4 or 5. 

[gmillerdrake]

And dammit Minnesota, stop winning games!

Wild are 17-1-3 in their last 21 games.

Blues are 14-0-2 in their last 16 games.  Blues have 80 goals scored in those 16 games. 

Should be an epic 1st round matchup, which means one of them will win it in 4 or 5. 

It's a shame one of them will be out after Rd. 1.

[TAC]

And dammit Minnesota, stop winning games!

Wild are 17-1-3 in their last 21 games.

Blues are 14-0-2 in their last 16 games.  Blues have 80 goals scored in those 16 games. 

Should be an epic 1st round matchup, which means one of them will win it in 4 or 5. 

It's a shame one of them will be out after Rd. 1.

If the Blues move on, it'll because of their fine play.
If the Wild moves on, it'll be because of the officiating.

[jingle.boy]

It's a shame one of them will be out after Rd. 1.

Same for Tampa/Toronto.

First time ever, all 8 playoff teams in a Conference are north of 100 points.  The East is clearly a conference of the haves, and have nots.  It's seriously a shame that 4 of those teams aren't getting out of round 1.  8 out of the Top 12 in the league are from the East.   

[gmillerdrake]

It's a shame one of them will be out after Rd. 1.

Same for Tampa/Toronto

Dang....that's brutal as well.

[King Postwhore]

Looks like Boston will get either the Leafs or Hurricanes in the 1st round.

[pg1067]

Eastern Conference

A1:  Florida (will play WC2)
A2:  Toronto or Tampa Bay (Toronto's magic number is 1 point)
A3:  Tampa Bay or Toronto or Boston (TB's magic number is 4 points)

M1:  Carolina or NY Rangers (Carolina's magic number is 3 points) (will play WC1)
M2:  NY Rangers or Carolina
M3:  Pittsburgh or Washington (Pittsburgh's magic number is 6 points)

WC1:  Boston or Tampa Bay or Pittsburgh or Washington
WC2:  same


Western Conference

C1:  Colorado (will play WC2)
C2:  Minnesota or St. Louis (Minnesota's magic number is 5 points)
C3:  St. Louis or Minnesota

P1:  Calgary (will play WC1)
P2:  Edmonton or Los Angeles (Edmonton's magic number is 3 points)
P3:  Los Angeles or Las Vegas (Los Angeles's magic number is 1 point)

WC1:  Nashville or Dallas or Los Angeles or Las Vegas
WC2:  Nashville or Dallas or Los Angeles or Las Vegas or Vancouver (Vancouver can catch and pass Vegas and can catch Dallas in points and pass Dallas by tiebreaker)

[jingle.boy]

I don't see Boston catching Tampa.  The latter has CBJ (2x) and the Isles.  Boston has Fla/Buff/Tor - with the latter two being a travel B2B.

[SchecterShredder]

And Edmonton only needs 2 points to clinch 2nd in the pacific. Their ROW gives them the tie breaker against LA. I like the match up against the Kings for the first round. I wouldn't say the Oil are a lock to win that series, or even a favorite, but it's a better match than any other team they might play in the first round.

[TAC]

I don't see Boston catching Tampa.  The latter has CBJ (2x) and the Isles.  Boston has Fla/Buff/Tor - with the latter two being a travel B2B.

Boston will be playing out of the Metro...and I'm OK with that. Not sure why, but Carolina doesn't really scare me, this year's 16-1 goal differential notwithstanding.

[SchecterShredder]

I don't see Boston catching Tampa.  The latter has CBJ (2x) and the Isles.  Boston has Fla/Buff/Tor - with the latter two being a travel B2B.

Boston will be playing out of the Metro...and I'm OK with that. Not sure why, but Carolina doesn't really scare me, this year's 16-1 goal differential notwithstanding.

I remember saying the same thing about them in 2006....

[TAC]

I don't see Boston catching Tampa.  The latter has CBJ (2x) and the Isles.  Boston has Fla/Buff/Tor - with the latter two being a travel B2B.

Boston will be playing out of the Metro...and I'm OK with that. Not sure why, but Carolina doesn't really scare me, this year's 16-1 goal differential notwithstanding.

I remember saying the same thing about them in 2006....

I don't think the Bruins are making it out of the first round either way, but I'd rather play the Canes than the Leafs.

[pg1067]

And Edmonton only needs 2 points to clinch 2nd in the pacific. Their ROW gives them the tie breaker against LA. I like the match up against the Kings for the first round. I wouldn't say the Oil are a lock to win that series, or even a favorite, but it's a better match than any other team they might play in the first round.

You're right.  The Kings can't catch the Oilers in the RW column.  I think it's academic at this point, though.

If Dallas wins tonight, then the Kings' last two games against Seattle and Vancouver become important only from the standpoint of avoiding injury.  Since Edmonton has three games remaining, I can't imagine them only picking up one of the six available points.  Historically, the Kings have done much better in the playoffs as a lower seed (although the sample size is really small:  only two series in the last 30 years).

[Anguyen92]

So, what have I learned from watching Stars/Golden Knights today?  Well, the Stars are mainly one really good line, one good defenseman, and one good goalie.  The rest was pretty excruciating hockey to watch.  Also, a shootout that went seven rounds before someone scored.  Those goalies were tremendous.

Anywho, Kings are in.  They face the Oilers.  Gl SchecterShredder.  I say that out loud, but I'm saying GL to me and PG more.

[gmillerdrake]

Binnington surrendered any hopes he had to start in the playoffs by playing horrific in Colorado tonight. Despite allowing three softies the Blues nearly coated back it tie it in the third......hit the post with a minute to go that would have made it 4-4 but Colorado got the empty net and iced it after that.

16 game point streak (14-0-2) comes to an end.....oh well....better to get that out of the way now.

[KevShmev]

Kinda funny too that the Wild had just lost and we saw the "Blues now control their own destiny to get home ice in the first round" message when the Avs scored three goals just like that.  Again though, we don't really need home ice, but I wouldn't turn it down.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Welp second is fine I guess. Just rest our key guys these final two games to make sure they're fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

[pg1067]

So, what have I learned from watching Stars/Golden Knights today?  Well, the Stars are mainly one really good line, one good defenseman, and one good goalie.  The rest was pretty excruciating hockey to watch.  Also, a shootout that went seven rounds before someone scored.  Those goalies were tremendous.

Anywho, Kings are in.  They face the Oilers.  Gl SchecterShredder.  I say that out loud, but I'm saying GL to me and PG more.

That shootout was so hard to watch -- especially once they got into the third round where Vegas could walk it off with a goal after Dallas kept missing.  Everyone kept trying to get the goal with quick wristers and NO ONE was making moves to get the goalies to open up.


Anyway...last night obviously cleared up lots of things.

Eastern Conference

A1:  Florida (will play WC2)
A2:  Toronto
A3:  Tampa Bay or Boston (TB's magic number is 2 points)

M1:  Carolina (will play WC1)
M2:  NY Rangers
M3:  Pittsburgh or Washington (WAS is one point back but has a game in hand; PIT is one RW and three ROW up on WAS)

WC1:  Boston or Tampa Bay
WC2:  Washington or Pittsburgh


Western Conference

C1:  Colorado (will play WC2)
C2:  Minnesota or St. Louis (currently tied in points, but STL has a game in hand and owns the first tiebreaker)
C3:  St. Louis or Minnesota

P1:  Calgary (will play WC1)
P2:  Edmonton
P3:  Los Angeles

WC1:  Nashville or Dallas (tied in points, and both have two GR, but NSH owns tiebreaker)
WC2:  Dallas or Nashville or Las Vegas (VGK has to hope that it wins both remaining games and DAL loses both remaining games; NSH owns tiebreaker against both; VGK owns tiebreaker against DAL)

[jingle.boy]

Random thoughts since I'm typing from my iPad

DeBoer has to be one of the worst coaches in the NHL. Despite all their injuries, there's no way that team should have missed the playoffs. 0-for-14 in back to back shootout losses?!?!?!  Eichel's eyeroll the other night was as he was saying "Jesus everyone, I've been losing for 6 years, get used to it". One has to wonder if he actually was the problem in Buffalo. Maybe he's just a top shelf douche?

Matthews has to be the favourite for the Hart. No disrespect to McJesus, or Gaudreau, but no one in a decade has scored 60, and Matthews did it in 73 games - faster than anyone since Mario did it in 62 games in '95/'96

I hope the Leafs can get Mariner to 100 points tomorrow. That'd be pretty sweet.

Stamkos has never scored 100 before. 

The Stars are gonna get slaughtered.

Carolina's goaltending scenario could be their undoing. I'd dare say Boston fans would want them over Toronto in the first round.

Panthers situation feels oddly similarly to Tampa 3 years ago. I just don't think they're legit. Thus, i fully expect them to dominate in the playoffs. 

Looks like Montreal will go from finalists, to dead last. I want to feel bad for them, but I just can't. 

I'm really hoping for a Rd 2 battle of Alberta.

[gmillerdrake]

DeBoer has to be one of the worst coaches in the NHL.

Not only that he's a crybaby. He's always been a major D Bag. IMO Vegas is reaping what they sowed. Fleeced the league in the expansion draft (in their defense they were allowed to) and then attempted the Yankees approach to building a team. Dicked over a future HOF goalie for a flavor of the week net minder......Shafted a loved and respected HC in Gerard Gallant (how are those Rangers doing anyway  ) and then to top it all off they attempted their version of salary cap manipulation with the Eichel deal. I personally LOVE seeing what they're going through because it's all self inflicted.

Matthews has to be the favourite for the Hart.

It'd be a crime if he didn't get it. Seriously. Some other folks as you mentioned are in that conversation but if Matthews doesn't come away with that then it's a travesty.

Panthers situation feels oddly similarly to Tampa 3 years ago. I just don't think they're legit.

I don't either. And, I'll continue the same train of thought with the AV's. Not that they're not a great regular season team but until they actually do something in the playoffs the hysteria behind the AV's being the best thing since sliced bread makes me want to vomit.



Couple thoughts from me.

Blues have the most 50pt players in the NHL at the moment.

The team is playing great defensively and are in the top of most all categories when it comes to PK, PP....goal differential etc etc. I love the fact everyone's sleeping on them. Going to be a tough first round matchup though but I think they take the series in (6) games. They're deeper than Minnesota and have had their number for a while now.

If O'Reily scores one more goal in the next two games that'll give the Blues (9) 20 Goal scorers! (Faulk has 16...not going to get there but pretty dang close to 10)

Nashville may be the 'sleeper' team that makes a deep run. They're good and I'd be more scared to play them than Colorado.

Colorado gets a cakewalk in playing Dallas. Zero chance Dallas does anything in that series...but, Colorado has earned that right by throttling everyone in the regular season.

Western conference representative in the SC comes out of the second round Colorado vs Blues/Wild. One of those three teams is going to the Cup.

[pg1067]

Western conference representative in the SC comes out of the second round Colorado vs Blues/Wild. One of those three teams is going to the Cup.

Someone bookmark this for reference in about six weeks.

[gmillerdrake]

Western conference representative in the SC comes out of the second round Colorado vs Blues/Wild. One of those three teams is going to the Cup.

Someone bookmark this for reference in about six weeks.

It'll either be incredibly prophetic or show how little I know.   

Either way it's a win win.

[SchecterShredder]

Matthews has to be the favourite for the Hart.

It'd be a crime if he didn't get it. Seriously. Some other folks as you mentioned are in that conversation but if Matthews doesn't come away with that then it's a travesty.

I'd say that since most of the PHWA is based in the East, Matthews is already a lock for the Hart. What will be a real travesty is if he takes home the Ted Lindsay, as well. You can easily make the case that Matthews is the "most valuable player to their team". But he's still far from being the best player in the league.

And on the subject of the Hart, what happens if McDavid plays both the remaining games for the Oil and manages to hit 130pts (not unthinkable given he's easily capable of putting up 4 points per game)? That would be the most points in a season since Gretzky's 130 in '93-94. Does that change the conversation, or is it still a bigger feat to hit 60 goals in 73 games (which, as I type this, does sound pretty ridiculous a feat)?

[pg1067]

The daily update:

Eastern Conference
No changes


Western Conference

Only change is that Vegas is eliminated.  Dallas is currently WC1 by one point; Nashville has a game in hand and owns the first tiebreaker.


On another subject, the Presidents' Trophy remains up for grabs.  Florida has 120 points and Colorado has 118.  Both teams have two games remaining.  Colorado owns the first tiebreaker.  The Panthers play in Ottawa tonight and in Montreal tomorrow, while the Avs will host Nashville tonight and visit Minnesota tomorrow.

Here's a little Presidents' Trophy trivia:  The PT was first awarded at the conclusion of the 1985-86 season.  It has been awarded 35 times to 17 different teams.  Detroit has won it six times, which is twice as much as any other team, and Detroit won the Cup in two of those six seasons.  The PT winner won the Cup eight times, with no team other than Detroit winning the Cup more than once in a season when it won the PT.  Conversely, the PT winner was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs on seven occasions.  This fate befell the PT winner four times in seven seasons between 2005-06 and 2011-12.  In the post-expansion, pre-PT era (1967-68 through 1984-85), the team with the league's best record won the Cup in 11 of 18 seasons.  The fact that the percentage of PT winners who won the Cup went WAY down (with only 3 of the first 13 PT winners winning the Cup) is probably what gave rise to the myth of a PT "curse."


Anyone else wonder why they're bothering with the Seattle v. Winnipeg game on Sunday?

[SchecterShredder]

Anyone else wonder why they're bothering with the Seattle v. Winnipeg game on Sunday?

Not at all. There's several obvious reasons:

• TV revenue
• Ticket revenue
• Individual player stats
• Team stats
• Draft lottery odds (i haven't checked if that's actually the case for those 2 teams)

[gmillerdrake]

Dallas is currently WC1 by one point; Nashville has a game in hand and owns the first tiebreaker.

Would LOVE to see a Colorado/Nashville series as that would be a bloodbath and honestly.....Nashville has the ability to win that series. Assuming Sarros plays and is healthy.

[pg1067]

Not at all. There's several obvious reasons:
...

• Draft lottery odds (i haven't checked if that's actually the case for those 2 teams)

I suppose.  I assume this is a COVID makeup game, and I'm used to baseball where postponed games are often not made up at the end of the season if they won't affect the playoff standings.  In this case, Seattle could finish with either the 3rd or 4th worst record (whether that will still be in play will depend on how they do in their penultimate game and PHI does in its final game), and Winnipeg could finish anywhere from 13th to 15th worst.

Dallas is currently WC1 by one point; Nashville has a game in hand and owns the first tiebreaker.

Would LOVE to see a Colorado/Nashville series as that would be a bloodbath and honestly.....Nashville has the ability to win that series. Assuming Sarros plays and is healthy.

Dallas is the only playoff team with a negative goal differential (assuming Vancouver doesn't beat the Kings by 5 or more goals tonight).  Interestingly, both Dallas and Nashville currently have winning records against Colorado this season (both won 2 of 3 games against Colorado, and Colorado and Nashville play once more tonight).

[pg1067]

Surprising timing of a completely unsurprising announcement:  https://www.nhl.com/kings/news/dustin-brown-set-to-retire-following-2022-nhl-stanley-cup-playoffs/c-333521246

[KevShmev]

Except for the Leafs winning a round, I have come to expect that just about anything can happen in the NHL playoffs.  I mean, who thought the Lightning would get swept by Columbus in the 1st round back in '19?  I am ready for some double overtime games...just not ones involving the Blues. 

[Anguyen92]

Well, I knew this day would come.  Although, part of me hoped Brown would played well enough and be effective to get one more year like Joe Pavelski and Jeff Carter has gotten with their teams.  Dustin Brown and Ryan Getzlaf retiring.  An end of an era.  Both guys drafted in the 2003 year and both played all of their games with one team and led their teams in the Kings/Ducks rivalry.  I hope the next guys that's coming along (Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, etc. for the Ducks.  Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev, etc. for the Kings) can continue that next chapter.  I think that's already taking place given what happened in the last Kings/Ducks game.

[Anguyen92]

On another note, the battle of who wants the Leafs is going to come down to the final game.  Bruins/Leafs and Bolts/Islanders tomorrow.  Jingle, how are you feeling?

[TAC]

On another note, the battle of who wants the Leafs is going to come down to the final game.  Bruins/Leafs and Bolts/Islanders tomorrow.  Jingle, how are you feeling?

It'll be interesting how the teams play it. I would think all teams involved will rest their top guys. Bruins play in Toronto tomorrow night, and apparently everyone is already ruled out for the Leafs. Pretty sure the B's will rest guys as well.

B's one point behind the Bolts but own the tiebreaker.

[TAC]

DeBoer has to be one of the worst coaches in the NHL.

Not only that he's a crybaby. He's always been a major D Bag. IMO Vegas is reaping what they sowed. Fleeced the league in the expansion draft (in their defense they were allowed to) and then attempted the Yankees approach to building a team. Dicked over a future HOF goalie for a flavor of the week net minder......Shafted a loved and respected HC in Gerard Gallant (how are those Rangers doing anyway  ) and then to top it all off they attempted their version of salary cap manipulation with the Eichel deal. I personally LOVE seeing what they're going through because it's all self inflicted.

I meant to come back to this. I read this this morning at work. I agree, Gary. How do you bail on Fluery for that psycho Lehner? I never understood that.

They also bailed on Gallant kind of quickly as well. He's a good coach.

[pg1067]

Well, I knew this day would come.  Although, part of me hoped Brown would played well enough and be effective to get one more year like Joe Pavelski and Jeff Carter has gotten with their teams.  Dustin Brown and Ryan Getzlaf retiring.  An end of an era.  Both guys drafted in the 2003 year and both played all of their games with one team and led their teams in the Kings/Ducks rivalry.  I hope the next guys that's coming along (Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, etc. for the Ducks.  Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev, etc. for the Kings) can continue that next chapter.  I think that's already taking place given what happened in the last Kings/Ducks game.

I think Brown could be functional for another year, but I don't think it would be a good idea, and I don't think it would have been right for the Kings.  Props to the Canucks and their fans for showing him a huge amount of respect last night.  Hopefully the Kings can get some big time playoff motivation from this.

Leafs v. Bruins game tonight should be fun.  One of several that matter:

- Boston @ Toronto
- Washington @ NYR
- Columbus @ Pittsburgh
- Tampa Bay @ NYI
- Vegas @ St. Louis
- Colorado @ Minnesota
- Anaheim @ Dallas
- Nashville @ Arizona

[jingle.boy]

RE: Vegas... Yeah, me too Gary.  I love that this misfortune has befallen them.  They're one of my most hated franchises in the league - certainly most hated in the West.

As for how I feel... nervous, as every Leaf fan should be.  Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Campbell are sitting tonight.  And until this team wins a series, everyone will be on edge.  I mean, if they can blow 3-1 vs last year's Habs, as well as a 3rd period game-7 lead over Boston 3 years ago, nothing can be taken for granted.  I'm not keen to go against the defending 2-time cup champs, and while it would be great to spank Boston, it'd be beyond demoralizing to see them go 0-4 in the post-season against them over the last 10 years.  I should think that the Bs might be more interested to play the Canes vs the Leafs though.  Without Freddie, and Raanta's health questionable, the goaltending looks to be pretty shaky there.