so most of the hockey fans on BBI have their teams eliminated or close to it. See if anyone wants to discuss the tank-a-thon or playoffs.
Pretty much eliminated (of the BBI fan teams):
Rangers
Canadiens
Islanders
Senators
Hurricanes
Some fans still have teams alive
Bruins
Capitals
I've seen a Flyers fan on here
and of course our Penguins fan, plus the lone Vegas Knights fan.
Anyway more of us probably interested in Rasmus Dahlin than playoff seeding, but still some good races left.
Most teams have between 12 and 15 games left.
The Lightning and Predators, the two conference leaders, are on absolute fire. Both 9 - 0 - 1 in their last 10.
The Jets (my darkhorse) are also pretty hot.
And Patrik Laine is now in elite company, he's tied Gretzky for 3rd most goals as a teen. Interestingly that's not the 1st most, Jimmy Carson (92) and Dale Hawerchuck (85) both have more than Laine who currently has 76, but what Laine is doing is impressive since it's being done in a lower scoring era.
If the season ended today draft order (subject to lottery of course) would be:
Arizona
Buffalo
Ottawa
Vancouver
Montreal
Detroit
Edmonton
Rangers
Chicago
Islanders
Carolina
Islanders (from Calgary)
Columbus
Philly (from St Louis)
Anaheim
A lot of movement will take place in that group, plus the lottery will shuffle things, but just my view it's a strong top of the draft.
Current playoff matchups would be:
East
TAM vs CBJ
BOS vs TOR
PIT vs NJD
WAS vs PHI
still alive: FLA, CAR
West
LVG vs DAL
SJS vs ANA
NSH vs COL
WIN vs MIN
Still alive: LAK, CAL, STL
some good matchups
For most teams, that will equate to a nice long losing streak that has you drafting in the top 5. But no Sir, not your 2017-2018 New York Rangers... these assholes keep pulling horseshoes out their ass to win meaningless hockey and end up picking 10th.
Since the Western Canada trip and excluding Tampa and Washington, since they're elite teams - i'm talking the 12 other games played against good/mediocre competition:
7-3-2 record
42% shots for/against (343 shots for, 481 shots against)
40 shots against/night on average against these teams
Ridiculous 92.5% save percentage
Very high 12% shot percentage
Consider this year's Carolina series. The Rangers went 4-0 in these games, winning all 4 in regulation. This despite over 4 games, Carolina posted 151 shots to the Rangers 93!
So, Carolina's shot percentage was 4%... the Rangers was 20% (adjusting for 3 empty net goals, NYR shot percentage was 18%)
The Rangers, the numbers show above, have been one of the worst statistical teams in hockey - even against bad teams like Buffalo, Carolina, Vancouver - they are badly outplayed.... yet they keep fucking winning. Hate this team.
goaltending? Has Hank or whoever plays goalie, just been great and opposing goalies bad?
goalie play is the big equalizer in PDO.
Canadiens all year had a very low PDO (98.2%) - they are 3rd worst, BUF and CAR a ridiculous sub 98% to be top 2.
but...MTL has by far the league's lowest shooting % at 6.6%. I believe 9% is considered typical (for a team).
I don't know if there is a way to see it for games since the deadline.
But the Rangers today are bottom half in both PDO and shooting %. I imagine higher since the deadline which you wouldn't expect - and to your point they've played some unlucky teams.
They were selected #2 and #3 in the 1999 NHL draft, after Patrik Stefan (ATL) and just ahead of Pavl Brendl (NYR).
Maybe worst draft ever?
Funny thing was in reading whatever pre-draft materials you can find on the 1999 draft it was regarded as one of the deepest drafts of that time.
So much for projecting the jump to the NHL.
I don't even think they dominated the 3rd other than I guess the only place that matters, the scoreboard.
1st goal was good, and Price made a couple ridiculous pp saves, but MTL had the better scoring chances for the period. The SH goal was the difference and it worked out perfectly. for both teams.
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Even if you get the generational star, it doesn't always translate to success. This isn't basketball.
Wonder how long Eichel puts up with this losing.
No, but without that kind of player you're not going to win a Cup. The best you're likely to do is play at the level of the 2012-16 Rangers - very good team, win a bunch of playoff series, never really come close to a championship.
They came within a couple of bounces of winning 2-3 games in the finals. That's the very definition of close.
Just checking the standings for the first time in a month.. wasn't TBL up like 8-10 points on Boston?
Just checking the standings for the first time in a month.. wasn't TBL up like 8-10 points on Boston?
agree on playoff format, but for a different reason, it's less rewarding to the division winners with the current format. There should be no 2nd and 3rd place slots for each division.
It should be more like the NFL, division winners and then everyone else gets ranked in 3 - 8 by points (with tiebreakers). Division winner 1 plays team 8, division winner 2 plays team 7, then team ranked 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5. And they should be re-seeded for the next round.
So far, Bettman has even been resistant to avoid expanding the playoffs even as they expand to 32 teams, though I think eventually if the $$$ show a case to be made for playoff expansion they will.
I don't hate the current format, just think division winners need more of a reward, though in hockey I'm not sure it's a huge reward, any of these teams can beat each other. but you'd hope the 7 games series offsets the any given game angle.
everything else remains the same.
Tonight is big.
a lot of teams active, though the East is almost set, only FLA still alive, trailing NJD by 5 with 4 to play.
Most teams have 2 or 3 games left, only ones with 4 left are BOS and FLA.
Indication he's done in Ottawa?
TSN announcers suggesting Edmonton wins lottery, of course they have no way of knowing they were just suggesting it as an opinion or conjecture, but Buffalo has lost two lotteries where they were last (Ekblad and McDavid, losing Dahlin to Edmonton would be classic Buffalo).
And seeing Dahlin and McDavid on a power play together would be insane. Imagine that team with Taylor Hall and Barzal.
Surprised Chiarelli hasn't been fired.
He's traded away, Seguin, Kessel, Hall, Barzal (pick), and more and the returns have been pretty bad.
just among all-stars.
He did manage a few decent trades, but holy shit this guy is not who I want negotiating with other teams and I'm amazed he still has a job.
Indication he's done in Ottawa?
TSN announcers suggesting Edmonton wins lottery, of course they have no way of knowing they were just suggesting it as an opinion or conjecture, but Buffalo has lost two lotteries where they were last (Ekblad and McDavid, losing Dahlin to Edmonton would be classic Buffalo).
And seeing Dahlin and McDavid on a power play together would be insane. Imagine that team with Taylor Hall and Barzal.
Surprised Chiarelli hasn't been fired.
He's traded away, Seguin, Kessel, Hall, Barzal (pick), and more and the returns have been pretty bad.
The Barzal pick was for who?
And yet they're still terrible
In the end it was pretty much:
Matthew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier to the Islanders for Griffin Reinhart (a busted #4 overall pick).
Of course you can 2nd guess it a little, Edmonton may not have taken Barzal, but Barzal dropped 7 or 8 slots from his projected draft spot.
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Anthony Beauvillier and Mat Barzal for Reinhart.
And yet they're still terrible
I do wonder if we see Tavares and Karlsson move this off-season.
Karlsson I'm pretty sure is going to be dealt. he has a modified NTC, but I bet he'd waive it completely.
Tavares I think is 60/40 he stays, but who knows.
I do wonder if we see Tavares and Karlsson move this off-season.
Karlsson I'm pretty sure is going to be dealt. he has a modified NTC, but I bet he'd waive it completely.
Tavares I think is 60/40 he stays, but who knows.
The biggest thing was Tavares-there is no obvious great landing spot.
He isn't likely to sign elsewhere just to be on another medoicre team.
There just doesn't seem to be any good team, with cap space, to sign him unless I am mistaken.
And a top 10 player like Tavares helps that status swing to positive pretty easily with the right group of players. I mean it's not like the Islanders are serious contenders with Tavares today.
Rangers, Canadiens, Vegas, Devils, Jets, etc. all have room to sign Tavares - depending on their own players they need to re-sign.
plus many more teams. even the Bruins, Lightning or Oilers.
RD/LD pairing of some of Sweden's best.
Erik is 10 years Rasmus senior, but it would be cool (IMO) to see then play together.
Unlikely to happen with Karlsson having a limited NTC, but maybe if someone like EDM wins the lottery and gets Dahlin they could trade some youth/picks for Karlsson.
Would be ridiculous seeing McDavid, Karlsson and Dahlin together.
And a top 10 player like Tavares helps that status swing to positive pretty easily with the right group of players. I mean it's not like the Islanders are serious contenders with Tavares today.
Rangers, Canadiens, Vegas, Devils, Jets, etc. all have room to sign Tavares - depending on their own players they need to re-sign.
plus many more teams. even the Bruins, Lightning or Oilers.
He's not going to leave to go another medoicre/middling or re-building team.
That pretty much leaves nobody (Tampa doesn't have the cap space).
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status IMO.
And a top 10 player like Tavares helps that status swing to positive pretty easily with the right group of players. I mean it's not like the Islanders are serious contenders with Tavares today.
Rangers, Canadiens, Vegas, Devils, Jets, etc. all have room to sign Tavares - depending on their own players they need to re-sign.
plus many more teams. even the Bruins, Lightning or Oilers.
He's not going to leave to go another medoicre/middling or re-building team.
That pretty much leaves nobody (Tampa doesn't have the cap space).
First of all you have no idea what Tavares will or won't do. None of us, to the best of my knowledge, does.
But your declaration of fact is that he'll stay with Islanders, who are by all accounts mediocre, instead of going to another mediocre team where he may prefer to play and really may not be mediocre.
That makes no sense.
I agree the Islanders are the favorite because he's there now, but they have exclusive negotiating opportunities with him (and have had for the past n years) and he hasn't signed an extension with them. That says something.
And right now TB is projected to have between 8 and 12M in space for 2018-2019.
They can sign Tavares without doing anything or can move/buyout players.
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In comment 13898459 pjcas18 said:
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status IMO.
And a top 10 player like Tavares helps that status swing to positive pretty easily with the right group of players. I mean it's not like the Islanders are serious contenders with Tavares today.
Rangers, Canadiens, Vegas, Devils, Jets, etc. all have room to sign Tavares - depending on their own players they need to re-sign.
plus many more teams. even the Bruins, Lightning or Oilers.
He's not going to leave to go another medoicre/middling or re-building team.
That pretty much leaves nobody (Tampa doesn't have the cap space).
First of all you have no idea what Tavares will or won't do. None of us, to the best of my knowledge, does.
But your declaration of fact is that he'll stay with Islanders, who are by all accounts mediocre, instead of going to another mediocre team where he may prefer to play and really may not be mediocre.
That makes no sense.
I agree the Islanders are the favorite because he's there now, but they have exclusive negotiating opportunities with him (and have had for the past n years) and he hasn't signed an extension with them. That says something.
And right now TB is projected to have between 8 and 12M in space for 2018-2019.
They can sign Tavares without doing anything or can move/buyout players.
It's been widely acknowledged Tavares is pretty loyal with the idea he isn't going to leave just to go another mediocre team.
Second, Tampa does not have the cap space to sign him unless they plan on not re-signing some other key players in a year or two. Long term it does not work out.
Well, at least the MLB trade deadline has some excitement to it.
Second, you have no idea how much the cap will go up.
Third, the CBA expires in 2020, so most teams are taking the approach of who cars what happens after that from a contract standpoint in anticipation of a work stoppage/reset.
Plus, I don't agree it's been widely "acknowledged", but I prefer to say it's been widely "speculated" that Tavares is loyal. he hasn't had options yet.
Until then no one knows.
Lastly, in the NHL teams the line between mediocrity and contender is very thin, and you fail to acknowledge that.
The Senators were a game 7 2OT game away from going to the cup last year, they lost no one (until trading Turris for Duchene and that was supposed to be an upgrade), and are closer to the bottom than the top this year.
Winnipeg is one of the best teams in the league this year, so is Tampa after missing the playoffs last year.
Tavares will have a lot of options as good or better than the Islanders (as well as some worse)
And mediocrity of the team is not something I think that would sway him, more the talent on the roster, the location, the coach/front office, etc....and of course the money.
I just don't see any real viable front runner.
Winnipeg?
He is not signing there, and they have issues with Laine needing a new deal.
Toronto would have been the obvious choice, but they have cap issues (Nylander and JVR).
If...the Rangers decide they can contend with the youth movement.
If he finishes this hot, maybe.
at this point he's not the Hart winner - with my vote - if I had one.
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4 points already tonight, the game winner Sunday, another 9 game scoring streak and 93 points
If he finishes this hot, maybe.
at this point he's not the Hart winner - with my vote - if I had one.
Curious PJ who gets your vote?
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In comment 13899117 Stu11 said:
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4 points already tonight, the game winner Sunday, another 9 game scoring streak and 93 points
If he finishes this hot, maybe.
at this point he's not the Hart winner - with my vote - if I had one.
Curious PJ who gets your vote?
McDavid.
Hall has 14 fewer points and Hall has 34 of his points on the PP.
that's insane. McDavid has only 18, the rest 5v5 or SH.
MacKinnon would be 2nd for me and Kopitar 3rd. He won't get the votes, but Kopitar's 2-way game is among the best, if not the best in the league.
MacKinnon has a 1.31 PPG, the last time anyone was anywhere near that on the leader board in pts was Crosby 5 years ago in a strike shortened season.
two of Hall, Malkin, or Kucherov round out my top 5.
and if I wasn't a purist who felt goalies can't win Hart even though many have, I'd put Rinne in my top 5 and knock out one of those three.
McDavid.
Hall has 14 fewer points and Hall has 34 of his points on the PP.
that's insane. McDavid has only 18, the rest 5v5 or SH.
MacKinnon would be 2nd for me and Kopitar 3rd. He won't get the votes, but Kopitar's 2-way game is among the best, if not the best in the league.
MacKinnon has a 1.31 PPG, the last time anyone was anywhere near that on the leader board in pts was Crosby 5 years ago in a strike shortened season.
two of Hall, Malkin, or Kucherov round out my top 5.
and if I wasn't a purist who felt goalies can't win Hart even though many have, I'd put Rinne in my top 5 and knock out one of those three.
Mckinnon is very fair, and I've said before he'd probably be my choice if they make the playoffs. Kopitar is very fair too as he has quietly had his best season for the Kings, and I agree on the 2-way thing it will be interesting to see if he gets the Selke (though I think they'll give it to Bergeron). Its very fair to Have Hall #3. McDavid no way. Can't agree with you there. He may be the best player in the game, but no way I can give the league MVP to a guy who's team hasn't sniffed a playoff chance in 3 months.
So, with McDavid being the best player on a team without much going for it, I have no problem giving him Hart.
Right now, in an era with tighter scoring (goals per game is almost half now what it was then) McDavid has a 15 pt lead on 2nd place.
I admit though, I love watching him play. I used to believe that if Gretzky played today he'd still be the great one, but now, I am having doubts.
McDavid is the first player I have seen that I feel like wow, Gretzky is outclassed by this guy. And it made me think and the more I thought about it given all the changes in goalie equipment, talent, size, speed, etc. what Ovechkin and Crosby and Laine and a handful of others are doing, Gretzky probably wouldn't do better than them today with his size and skill set.
anyway that's digressing.
I have no problem voting for McDavid even with his team out of the playoff race most of the season. It's close though. If Hall wins it, I'm not going to feel like he didn't deserve it or that anyone was robbed, he just doesn't get my vote and as I mentioned it's partly because of the percent of his points on the PP vs McDavid - and the point disparity.
I'm not sure I buy that about Kucherov. I don't think he should win Hart, but TB wasn't great last year with him, so why penalize him b/c they are good this year. If that talent was so great, why weren't they in the playoffs last year.
they had pretty much the same team all year until the deadline minus Drouin for Sergachev. and Kunitz I guess if you want to get technical.
One guy overlooked and I don't think he should necessarily be in the discussion for Hart is Ovechkin. If they could somehow normalize eras I wonder how his goal-scoring would hold up in the mid-80's.
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They haven't been close in months. Hall, Mackinnon, and even Giroux are good choices. TB would still be great without Kucherov, so I don't think I'd give it to him.
I'm not sure I buy that about Kucherov. I don't think he should win Hart, but TB wasn't great last year with him, so why penalize him b/c they are good this year. If that talent was so great, why weren't they in the playoffs last year.
they had pretty much the same team all year until the deadline minus Drouin for Sergachev. and Kunitz I guess if you want to get technical.
One guy overlooked and I don't think he should necessarily be in the discussion for Hart is Ovechkin. If they could somehow normalize eras I wonder how his goal-scoring would hold up in the mid-80's.
Umm Stamkos missed almost the whole year. And some of these other kids hadn't exploded onto the scene yet. They are phenomenal at building within
And absolutely no reason to make the deal either - its not like in year 2 of McDavid they had to go all-in and shore up their need at defense. It'd be like the Giants drafting Fitzpatrick #2 overall because they want to shore up their need at Cornerback. Insane and cannot believe he hasnt been fired yet.
And absolutely no reason to make the deal either - its not like in year 2 of McDavid they had to go all-in and shore up their need at defense. It'd be like the Giants drafting Fitzpatrick #2 overall because they want to shore up their need at Cornerback. Insane and cannot believe he hasnt been fired yet.
I was hoping the Canadiens could get Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from the Oilers before Chiarelli is fired, but it's not like Bergevin has the best trade history either.
So I'd be a little nervous if they did as to what MTL would have to give up.
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There are seven rookies with at least 20 goals apiece this season. Only two campaigns since 1990-91 have featured more than seven 20-goal rookies: 1992-93 (12) and 2005-06 (11). #NHLStats
2005-2006 was Crosby and Ovechkin, etc. 1992-1993 was Selanne, Lindros, etc.
I haven't been pushing the tank as hard as others. I've appreciated the effort the young kids and the holdovers have been putting in, while knowing that it's probably not for the best.
But they must lose these two games.
That stupid western Canada road trip is going to annoy me for a long time unless they hit the lottery jackpot.