NHL 2023-2024: Playoff Time. Hello Darkness.....

[jingle.boy]

 

[Stadler]

Maroon to the Bruins

Hmm... He is exactly what they need, but he is literally my least favorite player in the NHL.

Oh, and he just had back surgery and is at least a month away.

Rumor is Ullmark nixed a deal and speculation it was to the Kings. I'm glad; I would have moved Ullmark if the deal was right, but it had to be an unequivocal top six center.

I'm not sure who he is, but I'd definitely have given up our #6 center for Ullmark!   

(Well, by "top six center" I mean someone to be a center on the first or second line.)

[TAC]

He's now nixed two deals. You'd think by now, the Bruins would try and trade him to teams NOT on his No Trade list.

[pg1067]

I learned something new today.

Yesterday, Minnesota and Nashville were tied 3-3 at the end of regulation.  Minnesota is (as of right now) 6 points out of the second wild card spot in the west, so they pulled their goalie in OT.  They scored and won.  However, had Nashville scored with the Minnesota net empty, not only would Nashville have earned 2 points, Minnesota would have lost the 1 point they earned for getting to OT.  I had no idea that was a rule.  Ballsy move by the coach!

[jingle.boy]

I remember hearing that rule a few years back.  Ballsy indeed.

[axeman90210]

I think I saw a quote from the coach after the game where the reporter asked him about that rule and he wasn't aware of it He figured they were playing with house money with the one point already locked in.

[jingle.boy]

I think I saw a quote from the coach after the game where the reporter asked him about that rule and he wasn't aware of it He figured they were playing with house money with the one point already locked in.

I'd be surprised if the coach wasn't aware.  I saw that at least one of the players wasn't (I think Boldy... the guy who scored).

[Anguyen92]

Maroon to the Bruins

Hmm... He is exactly what they need, but he is literally my least favorite player in the NHL.

Oh, and he just had back surgery and is at least a month away.

Rumor is Ullmark nixed a deal and speculation it was to the Kings. I'm glad; I would have moved Ullmark if the deal was right, but it had to be an unequivocal top six center.

I'm not sure who he is, but I'd definitely have given up our #6 center for Ullmark!   

(Well, by "top six center" I mean someone to be a center on the first or second line.)

I think that's a little throwing shade at a player like Pierre-Luc Dubois whose not living up to the cost the Kings pay to get him in the trade or the cost of the contract.  I mean if you take a small look at the Kings center depth chart below.  Yeah, you could feasibly say he's the Kings' 6th center as of now when it comes making impacts.  Some fans are at the point where if the Kings can find a way to move him without any pain that would be great.  That's not happening though. 

Like I'm not going to believe the Bruins are going to think PLD is going to be their answer for a Top-line Center to replace Bergeron and Krejci and that they are going to trade Ullmark to get there.  That's not happening at all.  No reality in that happening.

1. Kopitar
2. Danault
3. Lizotte
4. Turcotte (maybe?)
5. Byfield (currently playing wing, but hopefully in a few years after a few more growth in his game after Kopitar retires, he can slot back to C and hopefully be really good at it).
6. PLD

[pg1067]

1. Kopitar
2. Danault
3. Lizotte
4. Turcotte (maybe?)
5. Byfield (currently playing wing, but hopefully in a few years after a few more growth in his game after Kopitar retires, he can slot back to C and hopefully be really good at it).
6. PLD

You forgot Lewis, and I'd have given up him or anyone on that list not named Kopitar or Byfield for a guy like Ullmark (as much as losing Danault would have hurt).  Of course, it's a moo point now.

[jingle.boy]

[TAC]

Interesting story on Cody Hodgson...


https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/ex-nhler-cody-hodgson-on-comeback-trail-after-eight-years-1.2088753

[pg1067]

Glad you caught that, Chad!   

[jingle.boy]

This sequence was bonkers last night.  Leafs have a PP, and as it's ending 2 Flyers lose their stick, then one more breaks his stick blocking a shot.  The Leafs end up 5-on-4 and only 1 Flyer has a stick!  Easy pickins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekrfp0o10C0

[TAC]

Awful story. Just 52..

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/simon-s-family-says-ex-enforcer-died-by-suicide-strongly-believes-cte-played-role-1.2092785

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, they talked about it in the broadcast, and then I saw to dead it was suicide and likely due to CTE.  Terrible.

[pg1067]

Kind of a funny incident in last nights Kings blowout win over Minnesota.

The Kings were up 6-0 after two periods.  Most of the first half of the third period was uneventful.  Around the 9:00 marks, Pierre-Luc Dubois got into a scuffle with Ryan Harman.  They each got a roughing minor and a misconduct and went to the dressing rooms.  Another wild player also got a roughing call.  About 5 minutes later, another fracas broke out on the ice.  Nothing major.  However, according to the postgame interview with Kings captain, Anze Kopitar (who scored his 1,200th career NHL point during the game), referee Francois St. Laurent ("Frankie," as Kopitar called him) skated over and said, "ok...everyone on the ice hit the shower."  It didn't really register with me until this morning when I looked at the box score and saw misconduct penalties assessed at 14:16 to all five Kings skaters and all five Wild skaters.  Kopitar said (jokingly) that he was worried it might cost him the Lady Byng.     Don't mess with this guy!

[Anguyen92]

It didn't look like much in comparison to that Senators/Panthers game where you can justify booting everyone out during that blowout.  I will say, if this was a closer game like a two-goal difference with 6 minutes left on the clock, this would be a horrible trade-off for the Kings.



Also, for fun, here is that video of every skater on ice in that Senators/Panthers game getting ejected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOhAkdr_QdQ

[jingle.boy]

Leafs really deserved a better fate than a 4-3 loss against the Flyers.  They hit 5 posts, and the Flyers blocked 35 shots.

They made up for it last night.

Leafs-Oilers for Saturday.  It's go-time Rich.

[SchecterShredder]

Leafs really deserved a better fate than a 4-3 loss against the Flyers.  They hit 5 posts, and the Flyers blocked 35 shots.

They made up for it last night.

Leafs-Oilers for Saturday.  It's go-time Rich.

Need to take care of the Sabres first. Don't worry, though, Chad. Leafs will get their turn.

[pg1067]

Kind of a funny incident in last nights Kings blowout win over Minnesota.

The Kings were up 6-0 after two periods.  Most of the first half of the third period was uneventful.  Around the 9:00 marks, Pierre-Luc Dubois got into a scuffle with Ryan Harman.  They each got a roughing minor and a misconduct and went to the dressing rooms.  Another wild player also got a roughing call.  About 5 minutes later, another fracas broke out on the ice.  Nothing major.  However, according to the postgame interview with Kings captain, Anze Kopitar (who scored his 1,200th career NHL point during the game), referee Francois St. Laurent ("Frankie," as Kopitar called him) skated over and said, "ok...everyone on the ice hit the shower."  It didn't really register with me until this morning when I looked at the box score and saw misconduct penalties assessed at 14:16 to all five Kings skaters and all five Wild skaters.  Kopitar said (jokingly) that he was worried it might cost him the Lady Byng.     Don't mess with this guy!

The other thing I forgot to mention was that, during the postgame interview, Anson Carter (I think) asked Kopitar if he'd ever previously had a misconduct penalty.  Kopitar responded that, during his third season, he wasn't scoring, and they "had a shitty power play," and he swung his stick against a pane of glass and broke it (in fact, this incident happened during the second game of the 2008-09 season, a 1-0 loss to the Sharks).  I'm always surprised when stuff like this slips through and doesn't get bleeped.


On another note, Wayne Simmonds announced his retirement from the NHL a couple days ago.  Of all the guys the Kings traded in the process of building the 2012 and 2014 Cup winners, he was the one guy I really hated to see leave.

[Anguyen92]

The Predators have went 15 games without losing in regulation, including winning 13 games in this stretch.  Apparently, the funny part was that after they lost to the Stars 9-2 at home, the Predators organization cancelled plans for the team and staff to see U2 in the Sphere in Vegas and since then, there is no slowing them down at all in collecting points that should lock the 1st Wild Card spot in the West.

[jingle.boy]

The Predators have went 15 games without losing in regulation, including winning 13 games in this stretch.  Apparently, the funny part was that after they lost to the Stars 9-2 at home, the Predators organization cancelled plans for the team and staff to see U2 in the Sphere in Vegas and since then, there is no slowing them down at all in collecting points that should lock the 1st Wild Card spot in the West.

And now a 3-0 win over the Panthers.  Most impressive.

[jingle.boy]

Leafs really deserved a better fate than a 4-3 loss against the Flyers.  They hit 5 posts, and the Flyers blocked 35 shots.

They made up for it last night.

Leafs-Oilers for Saturday.  It's go-time Rich.

Need to take care of the Sabres first.

Apparently the first two periods were competitive.  Did the Sabres crack a keg open in the 2nd intermission.  Yowzer!

[SchecterShredder]

...sigh.....

[jingle.boy]

Were the Oil bad, or did the Leafs just get very fortunate?  I'm leaning towards more of the former, but a bit of the latter.  I mean, the 1st goal, broken coverage.  The third goal... What the hell was Bouch thinking - he just let Matthews take the puck, end then played as effectively as a pylon as Holmberg went to the net.  The 4th goal was just a dumb decision to try and avoid the off-side.

And the Leafs were without Marner, Jarnkrok, and Bertuzzi.  I could care less about Bertuzzi, cuz he's been about as useful as a bag of pucks for 85% of the season.  Jarnkrok is a shut-down kinda player, and a big asset defensively.  Marner is Marner.

Nice to get 2 points out of that game, and fortunately Samsonov's injury isn't anything serious.  Now Carolina at 6ET today.  Tough game to have to travel and play in less than 24 hours - though, they had the exact situation against Carolina last year, and pulled out a W somehow.  Doubt that's gonna happen tonight.

[SchecterShredder]

Oil were bad for 2 periods.  Tough to dig out of the 5 goal lead they handed the Leafs. Bouch has been making silly plays at the blueline all season.  Terrifies me heading towards the playoffs.

Oil also have a 23hr turnaround between game starts. Thankfully it's just the Sens *furiously knocking on wood*

[jingle.boy]

Oil were bad for 2 periods.  Tough to dig out of the 5 goal lead they handed the Leafs. Bouch has been making silly plays at the blueline all season.  Terrifies me heading towards the playoffs.

Oil also have a 23hr turnaround between game starts. Thankfully it's just the Sens *furiously knocking on wood*

I think that early PK the Leafs completed changed things.  For the first 90 seconds or so, the Oil dominated them.  I was 100% certain they were going to get a PP goal.  Killing it off was big, and then that first goal really seemed to put Edmonton in a funk for the next 36 minutes of gametime.

[Anguyen92]

Wow.  Zach Hyman with 50 goals for the season.  I know people are going to downplay it saying, "But he plays with McDavid all the time and gets all the PP time and 80% of his goals is from up close to the net."  My counterpoint will be that prior to Hyman signing with the Oilers, there were guys playing with McDavid that could not get this level of production, let alone getting like 20-30 goals if it was that easy getting a lot of goals being stapled to McDavid.

Oilers' Zach Hyman Mobbed By Teammates After Netting 50th Of Season

[jingle.boy]

It’s a bit of both. Hyman is an ideal fit for McJesus, but he’d never have scored 50 in Toronto.

Guess you didn’t point that wood hard enough, Rich.

Tough loss for the Leafs. Unlucky bounce for the 2nd Canes goal. Woll was rock solid with 41 saves. Carolina’s defence was suffocating, and man do the Leafs special teams suck ass right now. Marner can’t come back soon enough.

[billboy73]

Canes are 6-0-1 over the last 7 and playing really well.  Guentzel and Kuznetsov are fitting in nicely.  If they can get Svech going, they have a good shot a making a run at the Cup.

The game on Friday against the Caps that they lost in the shootout was wild!

Also, Ovi is scoring goals now, and the Caps are in the wild card hunt. 

[gmillerdrake]

Also, Ovi is scoring goals now

 

Firmly mark me down in the category of 'boo' when it comes to this. I get that he's a true goal scorer and one of the best to ever do it....but....just not a fan of him seemingly going to break the record. I can't sit and give great examples as to 'why'....other than I just feel like this push to do it is disingenuous and manufactured

[Stadler]

Firmly mark me down in the category of 'boo' when it comes to this. I get that he's a true goal scorer and one of the best to ever do it....but....just not a fan of him seemingly going to break the record. I can't sit and give great examples as to 'why'....other than I just feel like this push to do it is disingenuous and manufactured

Gary, with you 1000000%.

[pg1067]

Also, Ovi is scoring goals now, and the Caps are in the wild card hunt.

I hadn't paid too much attention to Ovechkin this year.  He's had 26 goals in 67 games, which is .388 goals per game.  Over the prior five seasons, he scored .625 goals per game and over the prior 10 seasons (the first post-lockout season through last season), he scored .605 goals per game.  Remarkable consistency.  Is it just age that caused the drop-off this year?

He needs 46 to catch Gretzky (who turned 38 in his final season, while Ovechkin will turn 39 shortly before the start of next season).  If he can get a few more this season and get back to his more normal pace, he might be able to get the record toward the end of next season.  He will, however, need about 40 more seasons to catch Gretzky's career assists record (assuming he maintains his career pace of .492 assists per game).   

[jingle.boy]

First... Guentzel looks great on the line with Jarvis and Aho.  The Canes are my pick to make the Final out of the East at this point.

Second, I'm in the Team-Gretzky camp, but can't deny the consistency (1st half of this season notwithstanding) Ovi has put forth - which includes his lack of significant injury.  Plus, there's the 46 WHA goals that don't count.  And Ovi has 26 OT (regular season) goals in his career (which he's always played at 4-on-4 or 3-on-3); Gretz had 2 (all at 5-on-5).

Fair or not, in my mind there's a bit of an asterisk behind this - Ovi's got a 20+ lift in his goal total that Gretz never had the opportunity for; and Gretz has a 40+ goal reduction that is part of his "pro" (but not NHL) total.

I get it ... different eras and all, but Gretz will always be the greatest goal-scorer in history for me, unless Ovi hits 950ish.

[Anguyen92]

People say there is asterisks if Ovi breaks the record, you got to remember.  Gretzky had like one shortened season (due to lockout) in his NHL career (and the seasons where he had his fair shares of injuries) while Ovi missed his rookie season (04-05), the 2013 season had only 48 games in the season, and the 2021 season had 56 games, and the 2020 season was missing 10 games due to the pandemic.  Missing around 150 games in that span due to circumstances non-health related that's out of his hands.  He could have broken that record like last year if he had a chance to play those games.