NHL 2023-2024: Stanley Cup Finals. Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers

[Dittomist]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

That was bonkers.

I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty shot for Josi's "save"?? (is the rule "covering" the puck in the crease maybe?).  Or at least a penalty.  He clearly closed his hand on the puck and then threw it.  It was a great play to save a goal (literally), but c'mon... that's should be a penalty all day long.

[billboy73]

Yeah, that Bedard Michigan goal (aka Svech) was nasty!  Also 2 in one night with Zegras scoring one too.  How do y'all feel about that type of goal?  Some people saying it should be outlawed, and it's like traveling in basketball.  Obviously, they are still not super common at this point, and the skill required to pull it off in a game is super impressive.  Personally, I think it's an awesome way to score a goal and should be a legal play.

[TAC]

Yeah, that Bedard Michigan goal (aka Svech) was nasty!  Also 2 in one night with Zegras scoring one too.  How do y'all feel about that type of goal?  Some people saying it should be outlawed, and it's like traveling in basketball.  Obviously, they are still not super common at this point, and the skill required to pull it off in a game is super impressive.  Personally, I think it's an awesome way to score a goal and should be a legal play.

As long as the stick doesn't go over the shoulders it should be good.

[Stadler]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

That was bonkers.

I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty shot for Josi's "save"?? (is the rule "covering" the puck in the crease maybe?).  Or at least a penalty.  He clearly closed his hand on the puck and then threw it.  It was a great play to save a goal (literally), but c'mon... that's should be a penalty all day long.

I didn't see the play, but as you describe it, Wotherspoon for Boston was called for the same thing and it WAS a penalty shot.

(Not for nothing, but Swayman saves the penalty shot, then the Bruins give up an even strength goal about 12 seconds later. Frustrating.)

[Stadler]

Yeah, that Bedard Michigan goal (aka Svech) was nasty!  Also 2 in one night with Zegras scoring one too.  How do y'all feel about that type of goal?  Some people saying it should be outlawed, and it's like traveling in basketball.  Obviously, they are still not super common at this point, and the skill required to pull it off in a game is super impressive.  Personally, I think it's an awesome way to score a goal and should be a legal play.

I don't know; I think the rules are getting ridiculous.  The puck touches the glove incidentally and it nullifies a goal; I think they should allow everything short of sticking the puck down your pants and sliding skate first into the net.  It's good for hockey.  If you want to try to skate down the ice with the puck on your stick go for it.  Someone like Marchand is going to hand you your stick blade, but go for it! 

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

That was bonkers.

I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty shot for Josi's "save"?? (is the rule "covering" the puck in the crease maybe?).  Or at least a penalty.  He clearly closed his hand on the puck and then threw it.  It was a great play to save a goal (literally), but c'mon... that's should be a penalty all day long.

I didn't see the play, but as you describe it, Wotherspoon for Boston was called for the same thing and it WAS a penalty shot.

(Not for nothing, but Swayman saves the penalty shot, then the Bruins give up an even strength goal about 12 seconds later. Frustrating.)

Here you go.  https://youtu.be/NC9dNXcCws8?t=12

[Stadler]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

That was bonkers.

I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty shot for Josi's "save"?? (is the rule "covering" the puck in the crease maybe?).  Or at least a penalty.  He clearly closed his hand on the puck and then threw it.  It was a great play to save a goal (literally), but c'mon... that's should be a penalty all day long.

I didn't see the play, but as you describe it, Wotherspoon for Boston was called for the same thing and it WAS a penalty shot.

(Not for nothing, but Swayman saves the penalty shot, then the Bruins give up an even strength goal about 12 seconds later. Frustrating.)

Here you go.  https://youtu.be/NC9dNXcCws8?t=12

First off, those announcers are blowing Josi like he's Patrick Mahomes. 
Second, that's exactly what Wotherspoon did, and the call was, hand pass in the blue crease and thus a penalty shot.  That should have been a penalty shot by that standard.

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, that Bedard goal was insane. But even crazier was the ending of the Stars-Predators game today! I had never seen a team lose in regulation when they were ahead with only 13 seconds to go in the 3rd period!

That was bonkers.

I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty shot for Josi's "save"?? (is the rule "covering" the puck in the crease maybe?).  Or at least a penalty.  He clearly closed his hand on the puck and then threw it.  It was a great play to save a goal (literally), but c'mon... that's should be a penalty all day long.

I didn't see the play, but as you describe it, Wotherspoon for Boston was called for the same thing and it WAS a penalty shot.

(Not for nothing, but Swayman saves the penalty shot, then the Bruins give up an even strength goal about 12 seconds later. Frustrating.)

Here you go.  https://youtu.be/NC9dNXcCws8?t=12

First off, those announcers are blowing Josi like he's Patrick Mahomes. 
Second, that's exactly what Wotherspoon did, and the call was, hand pass in the blue crease and thus a penalty shot.  That should have been a penalty shot by that standard.

That's what I thought.  Well, the Hockey Gods made up for the blown call with that ending, so all is fair in love-and-war.

[jammindude]

Pretty good game so far. Anyone else watching?

[TAC]

Pretty good game so far. Anyone else watching?

[jammindude]

We started off the year so lame that I was about ready to give up on this season. But the first shut out in winter classic history up against the reigning Stanley Cup champions and a 10 point streak is looking pretty good right now!

[Anguyen92]

That was a pretty well-played game by the Kraken.  They seemed to gotten a good pep in their step since last month.  Grubauer got injured last month or so, but that's a blessing in disguise as Joey Daccord has seemed to step up for them.  Gave the Kings a lot of issues making good saves in the two games against the Kings I've seen from him.

[billboy73]

Speaking of the Kings, that Kings Oilers game from a couple of nights ago was a really good watch.

I couldn't watch the Winter Classic.  I was over at the relatives, and could not change the tv from whatever pre-CFP bowl game was on.  Caught the highlights last night though.  Both teams had nice  uniforms, but I especially liked the Kraken ones.

[jammindude]

Sorry guys. This is the final year of the NHL…

[jingle.boy]

The Leafs played about as perfect a game as they've had all year, shutting out the Kings (their first loos by shutout this season).  The Kings looked flat for the first 1/2 of the game, and then just couldn't get it going strong enough to bust anything through the Leafs D and Jones.  There didn't appear to be a lot of high danger chances, but Jones was always in the position to make the save.  The PP in the 2nd was particularly strong - 6 shots by the Kings, but nothing look terribly dangerous.

I've got a c-note that says the Leafs lose one or both of the next two games in California. #laugh-cry

[TAC]

The Leafs played about as perfect a game as they've had all year, shutting out the Kings (their first loos by shutout this season).  The Kings looked flat for the first 1/2 of the game, and then just couldn't get it going strong enough to bust anything through the Leafs D and Jones.  There didn't appear to be a lot of high danger chances, but Jones was always in the position to make the save.  The PP in the 2nd was particularly strong - 6 shots by the Kings, but nothing look terribly dangerous.

I've got a c-note that says the Leafs lose one or both of the next two games in California. #laugh-cry

Anaheim and San Jose? Puleeze.

[jingle.boy]

The Leafs played about as perfect a game as they've had all year, shutting out the Kings (their first loos by shutout this season).  The Kings looked flat for the first 1/2 of the game, and then just couldn't get it going strong enough to bust anything through the Leafs D and Jones.  There didn't appear to be a lot of high danger chances, but Jones was always in the position to make the save.  The PP in the 2nd was particularly strong - 6 shots by the Kings, but nothing look terribly dangerous.

I've got a c-note that says the Leafs lose one or both of the next two games in California. #laugh-cry

Anaheim and San Jose? Puleeze.

The Leafs record against the bottom 6 teams is 31st in the league (as of last week).  They have lost twice to each of CBJ, Ott, Chi, and Buf (getting ass-raped 9-3 to the latter just before Christmas; and both CBJ losses were 6-5 in OT).  All told, their record against those 4 teams is 2-5-3.  Now they get their chance to pad that shit-ass record playing the other 2 teams in the bottom-6 for the first time.

The Leafs have for years, played to the level of their competition, frequently shitting themselves against the bottom dwellers.  Against the bottom-5 last year, they were 5-4-2.

[SchecterShredder]

I feel like I deserve most, if not all, the credit for the Oilers' run during the last 20 or so games. After that ugly loss to SJ back in November, I made a wager with one of my former season seat comrades. I gave him 2:1 odds on a $100 wager that the Oil miss the playoffs. For me, that represented a win-win. I either win my $100 or get to see my beloved Oilers in the playoffs. My betting against them clearly gave them all the motivation they needed to turn the corner.

There's no other logical explanation for their recent success 

[Stadler]

I feel like I deserve most, if not all, the credit for the Oilers' run during the last 20 or so games. After that ugly loss to SJ back in November, I made a wager with one of my former season seat comrades. I gave him 2:1 odds on a $100 wager that the Oil miss the playoffs. For me, that represented a win-win. I either win my $100 or get to see my beloved Oilers in the playoffs. My betting against them clearly gave them all the motivation they needed to turn the corner.

There's no other logical explanation for their recent success 

HAHA, I can get behind that logic.

[pg1067]

The Kings looked flat like shit for the first 1/2 most of the game

ftfy

To the Leafs' credit, to my eye, the Kings looked like shit BECAUSE the Leafs were faster and more aggressive.

[jingle.boy]

The Kings looked flat like shit for the first 1/2 most of the game

ftfy

To the Leafs' credit, to my eye, the Kings looked like shit BECAUSE the Leafs were faster and more aggressive.

Especially in the first 10 minutes of the game, they took it to the Kings.  I'd say after that PP where they got 6 shots, they slightly out-played the Leafs - the SOG would tell that story for sure... SOG were 20-9 at the start of that PP, and ended up 31-29 in favor of the Kings.  They just weren't difficult shots.  Only once was I wow'd with a save that Jones made (in the 1st, against Moore).

[Anguyen92]

In the 3 rough losses in the last games the Kings had, goaltending held up ok enough, but the Kings. at this point, aren't able to dictate their pace they like and force the other good teams to play their game, and not the other way around.  The best they looked in that sense was against the Oilers in the 1st period of that game, but it's the Oilers, you ain't telling McDavid and Draisaitl to play the game they don't want to do, which is how the Oilers were able to even things out in the 2nd.

I think the game was going to be lost against the Leafs was when Matthews came in during the 1st and had quality shots and chances.  Even though, he wasn't on the scoresheet, he helped set the tone on how this game was going to go.  This leads to the Kings playing from behind mentally in that sense which is going to harder to dig deep, get the quality shots and rebounds and 2nd shots needed to get goals.  Plus, Martin Jones is in net.  The Kings have had their struggles against him, no matter how well Jones has played good or bad in his career, since they traded him.  PK was fine, which is a plus compared to last year, but everything else right now seems very sluggish.

Also, I'm sorry Jingle, but Nylander playing at a pace where he's going to want Pastrnak money.  The only sell the Leafs have to Nylander taking a discount is that no great team has the cap space to sign a guy like him since those slots he would fill are already filled.  Unless he likes winning, he could go to a team like the Ducks.  They got a lot of space and could use a big FA signing.  Play wing with fellow Swede, Leo Carlsson, and be a mentor for him?

[jingle.boy]

Also, I'm sorry Jingle, but Nylander playing at a pace where he's going to want Pastrnak money.  The only sell the Leafs have to Nylander taking a discount is that no great team has the cap space to sign a guy like him since those slots he would fill are already filled.  Unless he likes winning, he could go to a team like the Ducks.  They got a lot of space and could use a big FA signing.  Play wing with fellow Swede, Leo Carlsson, and be a mentor for him?

Word is that contract negotiations have been going on for about 2-3 weeks now, and they're close to coming to terms.  Friedge suggested on the broadcast last night that it could be done before they return home next week.  Word is it'll be 8 years, $88M-$90M

So yeah, that'll put his AAV 3rd amongst wingers, behind Panarin and Pasta, and ahead of Marner (for the time being).  The Leafs have a few big selling points - A) They can afford to front-load it and pay most of that contract as signing bonuses over the first few years.  Also... 8 years.  Any other team would have to put his AAV close to $13M for him to get that total contract value, since they can only go 7 years... and no team is going to make him the highest (or Top 3) paid player in the league.

[Anguyen92]

Well, the Kings needs something to give people a jolt after some sluggish play in the last few weeks.  They've tried changing up the line combinations in the 3rd against the Leafs and today, they have brought up Brandt Clarke to the main roster.  Been a point a game player with the Reign thus far.  He should be hungry enough and give the team something to get excited about and feed off of that enthusiasm.  Where he will play in the defense pairings with 4 right-handed shot defensemen now?  No idea.

[Anguyen92]

So the Kings waived Tobias Bjornfot yesterday and now the Golden Knights claimed him.  I have seen this movie too many times in recent memory when it comes to the Golden Knights ending up getting players that recently played for the Kings.  Vegas would end up turning them into pretty good players having purpose that they did not have on the Kings.

[jingle.boy]

The Leafs absolutely dominated the Ducks last night, but were nearly goalie'd by Lukas Dostal.  Yes, that Lukas Dostal ... As in "who the fuck is that"?  The same goalie that got pumped for an 8-pack by the Avs earlier in the season.  He of a 1-7 record in his last 8 starts.  Leafs finally beat him on their 50th SOG with about 6 mins to go in the game - a PP marker by Tavares on their 5th PP of the game.  Matthews had 12 SOG, and they weren't inconsequential shots ... they were damned good scoring opportunities.  This kid set the Ducks regular-time franchise record in saves.  And the kid almost made the stop on Matthews GWG.  I dunno what his Goals-saved-above-expectation stat would've been, but the score could've easily been 6-1 or more.

They eeked that one out.

[King Postwhore]

This B's/Pens game is nuts.

[Anguyen92]

So how are all of you feeling about this idea that's been floating around in the league of a four-team (USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland) best on best mini-tournament in 2025 which is a small launchpad to, hopefully, having NHL players in the 2026 Olympic games?

On the one hand, it's been since 2016 since there was anything close to a Best on Best competition.  On the other hand, this mini-tournament is going to clearly exclude legit top players from playing since they don't rep those countries that's floating around.  The league has been kicking and screaming of being against this kind of format involving top NHL players due to various reasons, but they seemed to be willing to want to make it work if this small tournament happens to get people excited about Best on Best hockey.

[jingle.boy]

I'd like to say something is better than nothing, but there's going to be a lot of "best" players not eligible - all the Russians, Draisaitl, Pasta, Kopitar, Stutzle, Hischier are some that immediately come to mind.

Maybe the league is announcing it with enough time for some of these players to get dual citizenship somewhere??   

[Stadler]

What is "best on best" hockey?

[Anguyen92]

International hockey with NHL players being allowed to play on a roster based on their nationality.

https://icehockey.fandom.com/wiki/Best-on-best

Like for instance on Team Canada, you would have Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, Bedard, etc. all on one team.

For USA, you would have Matthews, Eichel, all 3 Hughes Brothers, both Tkachuk brothers, Adam Fox, Thatcher Demko, etc. on one team.

There hasn't been a top-end event where it is country vs country that involves NHL players since 2016 going back to the World Cup of hockey.

As a Kings fan, I'm not too heavily invested in it since probably the only guy that's a lock to make one of these teams is Adrian Kempe for Team Sweden, but if you have events like best on best international hockey every two years or so through Olympics or other means, people tend to be more invested in those events than a regular NHL season.

[SchecterShredder]

I'm with Chad: it's better than nothing. I just want them to allow the players to play in the Olympics, dammit! I'm an Olympic fan as it is, and having my favorite sport in there is all the better.

I'd rather them do another world cup style tournament than this 4 team proposal, but I understand the sensitivities with including Russia at the moment. And I would rather it be 6 teams instead of 8. The 4 in the current proposal plus Russia and an All-Europe team. That would cover pretty much all the top players outside maybe a few who may not be good enough to make team Canada or even USA, but would possibly crack one of the European rosters.

[Kwyjibo]

Why invent a new format when there's already a worldcup where supossedly the best nations compete for a title?

Yeah, the timing isn't right, it starts around the time when the playoffs start but a lot of NHL players that play for teams that didn't make the playoffs join their respective home countries, so there's definitely an urge for foreign players to play for their national team. And for me the tournament doesn't have to be every year. I would prefer a four year rhythm alternating every two years with the olympics.

But I'm sure if the NHL says, that all of their players are allowed to join, the organizers will find a suitable time for that tourney. And then the winning team would really be a deserving world champion.

[SchecterShredder]

Why invent a new format when there's already a worldcup where supossedly the best nations compete for a title?

Yeah, the timing isn't right, it starts around the time when the playoffs start but a lot of NHL players that play for teams that didn't make the playoffs join their respective home countries, so there's definitely an urge for foreign players to play for their national team. And for me the tournament doesn't have to be every year. I would prefer a four year rhythm alternating every two years with the olympics.

But I'm sure if the NHL says, that all of their players are allowed to join, the organizers will find a suitable time for that tourney. And then the winning team would really be a deserving world champion.

The world cup format wasn't great though. Lots of the fringe teams from Europe have no business being there with the top 4 or 5 teams. You can throw Czechia in there if you want to round out the top 6, but the caliber drops off considerably from there. Normay, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia...these countries can't even come close to filling their roster with NHL caliber players, let alone quality players to match those other countries.

The idea behind the under 24 North American team and the Team Europe from the last go around was to provide a more competitive tournament. The Olympics and World Championships suffer from too many teams and not enough quality until the medal rounds.