The Flyers basically paid Arizona to take Shane Gosthisbehere, trading him and two picks for......nothing.
Gotta love that cap space, I guess.
The Flyers basically paid Arizona to take Shane Gosthisbehere, trading him and two picks for......nothing.
Gotta love that cap space, I guess.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
"And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision."
Occasional musical musings on https://darkelffile.blogspot.com/
NHL has gone to crap. The cap is just insanity. Owners demanding caps, then paying top dollars to top accounting minds so they can circumvent the rules they demanded. lol
The playoffs have become a joke...a caricature of what Canadians think the play offs should be. Call it sour grapes about my leafs, i really don't care. i know I'm right, and so does everybody else. The league promotes young stars like McDavid, McKinnon, Matthews etc...they sell all the tickets for all the regular season, and then watch them exit every year because they aren't man enough, not tough enough, chokers etc. Yeah, if a guy cross checks you in the head, you are bad for responding...YOU are undisciplined, not the guy who cross checked you in the head. Only in the NHL. So the Leafs get lambasted for being chokers, failures, etc. But just because Colorado won a round before falling to the tougher Knights, doesn't make it any different than it was for Toronto or Edmonton for that matter. People stick up for it, but every year McKinnon and Mcdavid are on the coffee cups and cereal boxes. They pump up skill players, and are happy to watch them depart at the most important time of the year, when you want to be showcasing skill. And then we're happy to call them chickens, not man enough, no killer instinct, no guts. lol (at least thats what you hear around here about the Leafs) If you guys liked watching the New jersey Islanders, the habs, vegas that's cool. If you preferred watching Columbus that year they beat the high flying bolts, thats cool. Me, I would rather watch skill players doing their thing with out being in 50 scrums per game and being cross checked in the back 75 times a game. Unfortunately it doesn't work in NHL, the missed calls against the Leafs alone make me want to give up the game completely. Hey, gimme a hot goalie, and refs that don't call anything, and we can beat anybody. If we have to play hockey, we can't.
Think about this: name me one other league or professional sport, where the adage is that skilled players aren't what you need come playoffs? Ever heard the phrase "it's not the ronaldos, and Messis who win you cups, it's the grinders" "It's not the tom bradys and drew brees that wins super bowls, it's the guys on the punt cover team" In what other league does a team break records in regular season, then lose 4 straight to the 8th place team, and turn around and say "we're too skillful, we have to change". I mean really think about it, it's madness. Did you like the hockey in the olympics? The 87 canada cup? WHY don't hockey fans demand to see the same thing in play offs? why does it have to be about physically out lasting your opponent in a lawless environment?
Until they change, the regular season is 82 games of absolutely meaningless hockey, other than making it to the play offs. But how do you get points in regular season, and yet still be "built for playoffs" Yes Tampa Bay and Vegas have it figured out. Congrats. One got given a stacked team, and the other circumvented cap. LOL Success!
That's a lotta drama there, Lino
I love watching the skilled players, but I also love the scrums. Both get the buildings jumpin' and juices flowin'! I do agree that the crosschecks were definitely as brutal as I've seen in a long time...and often uncalled.
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
I'd also like to add that I already miss Kathryn Tappen
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
Two things -
re: Lino 3:16 above
While I cannot disagree logically, especially with the manner in which it was laid out, especially the non call refereeing - I must confess to emotionally liking the NHL playoffs for the sameo reasons cited as detrimental.
I would also add that 82 games is too much and would be happy with 66 or so and slightly more playoffs
re: KTappen
best part of NBC hockey
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Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit
There is a lot to unpack here, but this is just my two cents. The NHL has always been like this. It’s better now then it used to be. Just check out the 2 time cup winning Broad Street Bullies of the ‘70’s. Beat the crap out of everyone. Scrums after every whistle. Bench clearing brawls every other game. Or the 1993 playoffs when Dale Hunter took out Pierre Turgeon while he was celebrating a goal. There are tons of examples. These just stick out in the early morning hours. Fights too are way down compared to what they used to be. It’s way cleaner now.
The nonsense in front of the net after the whistle grinds my gears. Again, much less than it used to be. The crosschecking too has got to called more. Too many players have had their careers cut short because of it.
On the other end it drives me crazy when a team gets scored on repeatedly because they are out of position. The Islanders under Capuano and Weight are a way different team then the Isles under Trotz. Some people like the wide open but defensively suspect hockey but I don’t. Barzal went from an 80 point scorer per season to a 60 point scorer. But Isles gave up 100 less goals in Trotz first season and they were a better team with the same players and the loss of their best player, John Tavares.
Anyway, the cap rules that they play with during the season should apply to the playoffs. The calls that aren’t made in the 3rd period has gotten better but still has a ways to go. A penalty in the 1st should be a penalty in the 3rd.
And why didn’t Vegas have to lose a player in the Expansion draft?
[QUOTE=Tangram;1059043.
On the other end it drives me crazy when a team gets scored on repeatedly because they are out of position. The Islanders under Capuano and Weight are a way different team then the Isles under Trotz. Some people like the wide open but defensively suspect hockey but I don’t. Barzal went from an 80 point scorer per season to a 60 point scorer. But Isles gave up 100 less goals in Trotz first season and they were a better team with the same players and the loss of their best player, John Tavares.
[/QUOTE]
I have always been the same too. Right now in many aspects, its better than both the 70s and the 90s.
I hate defensive stoopidity and while I cheered the Lavoilette Isles and the Capezio Jack Isles - the manner in which the current Isles play appeals more to me.
I am not interested in 5-3 or 6-4 games where it Matador Defense
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Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Fleury to the Blackhawks. Totally did not see that one coming, especially with the season he had for Vegas.
Still pissed VGK didn't get to the Final. Damned power play killed us all season long and as Fleury got the trophy it sure as hell wasn't his fault. The last two seasons VGK went on scoring droughts that ruined them and for the life of me, fix the damned power play. Pacioretty is a sniper but it seems he's the only one with a consistent shot on the PP. He's also prone to pipes, not good.
The cap hit us hard last season with both goalies and less defensemen so I guess he had to go. Not sure what I think of Lehner, he better step up his game as the expectations here are to win it all. We signed Martinez to a deal so that's a good thing as most of our guys are locked up for a few years.
See what happens but I'd so love a parade here.
Carry On My Blood-Ejaculating Son - JKL2000
I got so seriously fed up with the PP by the end of the season that I figured it would bite us in the ass in the playoffs and yeah, I was right but so were many others who noticed the same thing. It doesn't need to get much better, give me middle of the pack or better, but it doesn't matter how good a team, with that crappy a PP, just ain't a gonna win it all.
As far as the secret, I think it's score more goals when you are on the bloody advantage! So, so frustrating to watch.
Carry On My Blood-Ejaculating Son - JKL2000
re: PP secret
The issue as I view it:. Players need to stop passing up a "better than avg" shot opportunity (e.g. Barzal) to instead attempt a "significantly worse %" pass that only if successful (low% again) would lead to an "A Grade" shot opp (which is still not 100% surety) (e.g. Vasilevskiy)
More shots, more rebounds, more panic for the D.
Yes blocking shots is more prevalent now which may have led to this general league wide PP malaise of looking for the perfect pass; but still....
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Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit
Rangers acquire Ryan Reaves from VGK. Apparently, Chris Drury didn't consider watching Tom Wilson ragdoll Artemi Panarin one of last season's highlights.
I love it. Only gave up a 3rd so basically this is Howden for Reaves. The 'soft' issue has definitely addressed . Not to mention that now, on paper, we finally have a 4th line that can wreak havoc like the Isles.
So many moves!! Philly comes to mind with a completely revamped defense...
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
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