The NHL Discussion Thread

[Tangram]

Sorry my Islander buds...sincerely. You know how I feel, but I don't enjoy knowing how shitty you guys feel. Flashbacks of Adam Henrique's goal in OT to knock us out and of course Alec Martinez in OT for the cup winner...sucks.

But also big congrats to my Montreal buds and Teddy Vengeance's Bolts. Good luck dudes! Hope it's a great series. I really don't know who's bandwagon I'm jumping on yet. Had the Isles won that would've been an easy call, but I'm torn here

Not Happy the Isles made your Cup choice much harder! . My daughter has become a real hockey nut the last couple of years, was real upset. She’s heard all the stories about the glory days but has never seen anything like it. She got a taste of the old saying, “Wait til Next Year”.

I’m pulling for the Bolts but really I want to see a great series regardless of the winner.

[Tangram]

The Bolts put a hurting on the Habs tonight. I know it’s only Game 1 but it could get late very early in this series.

[mozo-pg]

The Bolts put a hurting on the Habs tonight. I know it’s only Game 1 but it could get late very early in this series.

I'd wait unti the fat lady sings. It's only 1 game.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

^ Gut reaction says it depends how dirty...err...i mean gritty the habs play. If they can manage to hurt someone important on the bolts (they certainly seemed to be trying tonight) than I think that's how they snag a victory. But they have certainly been underestimated before (although it seems like TB isn't doing that).

[Klonk]

Tampa is impressive in that they can match any style of play. Such a solid team. Montreal knew they were done so wanted to make a point physically...that's hockey! I hope the Habs bounce back because I want 7. Not ready for hockey to be over so soon.

[MudShark22]

When the Isles took game 1 from the Bolts - that was their (TB) alarm bell - and now they come to set the tone immediately.

There was NO WAY that TB would repeat that error.

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[Tangram]

I'd wait unti the fat lady sings. It's only 1 game.

She ain’t singing but she is definitely warming up. Let’s hope the Habs can still make a series of it.

[NogbadTheBad]

It's over, they are over matched.

[Klonk]

...and Price has been subpar. The dude was killin' it up until this series. I'd love to see Montreal make an amazing comeback, but what are those odds? Bummer...after all the awesome previous match-ups, this one is turning out to be a real stinker. Like a great movie with a shit ending.

[mozo-pg]

She ain’t singing but she is definitely warming up. Let’s hope the Habs can still make a series of it.

It's safe to say she did sing.

[Teddy Vengeance]

...and Price has been subpar. The dude was killin' it up until this series. I'd love to see Montreal make an amazing comeback, but what are those odds? Bummer...after all the awesome previous match-ups, this one is turning out to be a real stinker. Like a great movie with a shit ending.

Happy ending for some!

[Trane]

...and Price has been subpar. The dude was killin' it up until this series. I'd love to see Montreal make an amazing comeback, but what are those odds? Bummer...after all the awesome previous match-ups, this one is turning out to be a real stinker. Like a great movie with a shit ending.

TBH, this was my main fear at the start of the season...
Blow outs or mismatches like this one.
The four divisions teams have never met before the semi finals, so there was no comparisons possible or possibility to adapt their game to an unknown entity until the series s almost over.

No matter what, this Stanley Cup will not be worth as much as the others - something I'd keep saying, even if the Habs would do a fantastic remontada.

[oilersfan]

No matter what, this Stanley Cup will not be worth as much as the others - something I'd keep saying, even if the Habs would do a fantastic remontada.

Bullshit. Sorry, but winning a championship in this sport takes SO much, under any circumstances and in any situation, that to claim hoisting a Stanley Cup 'will not be worth as much as the others' is just silly to me, simple as that.

[MudShark22]

I agree ^^

If that were true - by my personal standards, every cup post 79-80 season is super fucking weak because you cannot have an Isles-Rangers finals or Habs-Bruins.

Any playoff format that prevents regional rivalrys from being Finals games is weak.

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[ForeverAutumn]

No matter what, this Stanley Cup will not be worth as much as the others - something I'd keep saying, even if the Habs would do a fantastic remontada.

I see both sides of this. Yes, you still have to get through four playoff rounds and beat other great teams to win. But, as a Canadian, I always felt like people would minimize the win this year if a Canadian team won the cup because a CDN team was guaranteed a semi-final spot. In a normal year, no team is guaranteed a playoff spot. Montreal certainly earned their spot in the finals. But would they have got there if the league was playing the regular divisions?

I think that this season will always have an * next to it.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Yeah. Definite asterisk with this season. Way less games, and every team only played 7 other teams (six if you are in Canada) for the vast majority of the season. No way comparable to a normal modern season.

[Trane]

Yeah. Definite asterisk with this season. Way less games, and every team only played 7 other teams (six if you are in Canada) for the vast majority of the season. No way comparable to a normal modern season.

I don'ty think it is less games that will not make it a full season, IMHO.

But not playing every team in the league certainly does.

The habs will have played 8 teams and the bolts will have played 9 throughout the full thing.

Also, an asterisk is a good if-dea, like I suppose there are some on years that were not complete because of strikes & lock-outs.
Though in that later case, the SC winners will have played every team.

If that were true - by my personal standards, every cup post 79-80 season is super fucking weak because you cannot have an Isles-Rangers finals or Habs-Bruins.

Any playoff format that prevents regional rivalrys from being Finals games is weak.

I for one, miss the balanced schedule when the league was 21 teams and one team played all the other teams 4 times during the seaqson for a total of 80 games (82 is a bit silly)

[Teddy Vengeance]

I don'ty think it is less games that will not make it a full season, IMHO.

But not playing every team in the league certainly does.

The habs will have played 8 teams and the bolts will have played 9 throughout the full thing.

Also, an asterisk is a good if-dea, like I suppose there are some on years that were not complete because of strikes & lock-outs.
Though in that later case, the SC winners will have played every team.




I for one, miss the balanced schedule when the league was 21 teams and one team played all the other teams 4 times during the seaqson for a total of 80 games (82 is a bit silly)

If it had been a normal 82 game season with every team playing everybody it would have affected only about 2 or 3 of the eventual playoff teams. The vast majority would have held the same ground under a normal schedule regardless of opponent.

And the playoffs would have followed a similar format with the possible exception of the north.

Asterisk on the season would also mean asterisk on Mtls Clarence Campbell win, McDavid’s Art Ross and Hart etc. Bottom line is every team played to win the Cup and had the same opportunities to do so.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

^ I would hope Montreal's Campbell win is asterisked, as eastern conference teams don't generally win that. :P

I don'ty think it is less games that will not make it a full season, IMHO.

But not playing every team in the league certainly does.

The habs will have played 8 teams and the bolts will have played 9 throughout the full thing.

Also, an asterisk is a good if-dea, like I suppose there are some on years that were not complete because of strikes & lock-outs.
Though in that later case, the SC winners will have played every team.




I for one, miss the balanced schedule when the league was 21 teams and one team played all the other teams 4 times during the seaqson for a total of 80 games (82 is a bit silly)

It's pretty significantly less. Alot can happen in 26 games. And I would agree with the lockout seasons, although just how big would be determined by how big a lockout. But you are correct...a shortened season where everyone plays everyone wouldn't be as big of a disruption.

[Tangram]

It's safe to say she did sing.

Come on now. She is in full costume, makeup on, warming up for the big finale. There have been a handful of times where the 0-3 has come back to win...

Sorry, but this ain't gonna be one of them. TB is too much

[moecurlythanu]

^ As long as she doesn't wear Spandex.

[Brad 2 the Bone]

I for one, miss the balanced schedule when the league was 21 teams and one team played all the other teams 4 times during the seaqson for a total of 80 games (82 is a bit silly)

But that's not how the schedule worked in the 21-team era. Teams in the Adams, Norris, and Smythe divisions played division rivals 8 times each (32 games) and the other 16 teams 3 times each (48 games). Teams in the larger Patrick division played division rivals 7 times each (35 games) and the other 15 teams 3 times each (45 games). It was never balanced.

[headcrash]

I'm just glad we had a season at all, and that there were at least some fans at many arenas.

[Trane]

But that's not how the schedule worked in the 21-team era. Teams in the Adams, Norris, and Smythe divisions played division rivals 8 times each (32 games) and the other 16 teams 3 times each (48 games). Teams in the larger Patrick division played division rivals 7 times each (35 games) and the other 15 teams 3 times each (45 games). It was never balanced.

From memory, the unbalanced formula you cite was the one that replaced the balanced one I am moaning about, when they decided to reinforce intra-division rivalries, but had managed it keep to 80 games

I can't remember when this change came into force, but my guess it was in the mid-80's.

[Brad 2 the Bone]

From memory, the unbalanced formula you cite was the one that replaced the balanced one I am moaning about, when they decided to reinforce intra-division rivalries, but had managed it keep to 80 games

I can't remember when this change came into force, but my guess it was in the mid-80's.

The formula I quoted previously began in the 1981-82 season.