Top 8 pretty much locked up in the East. Habs and Flyers on fumes, but odds are stacked against them in the East - they play each other tonight and other than this game MTL only has 2 remaining games vs non-playoff teams.
Maybe a little more drama in the West since MIN just one point back, but not much IMO since of their final 9 games, 8 are against playoff teams. Arizona with a good 2nd half, I'd like to see them get in, fun team to watch.
TB has clinched the President's cup and probably a lot of post-season awards for it's players.
Playoff matchups as of today:
East:
1 vs WC2: TB vs CBJ
ATL2 vs ATL3 BOS vs TOR (hope this happens)
2 vs WC1: NYI vs CAR
MET2 vs MET3: PIT vs WAS (hope this happens)
West:
1 vs WC2: CAL vs ARI
PAC2 vs PAC3: SJS vs LVG
2 vs WC1: WIN vs DAL
CEN2 vs CEN3 NSH vs STL
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to seeding 1-8. Doesn't seem right that only one of Tampa/Toronto/Boston will be in the conference final
I get the playoff approach and why they do it but I hate it.
Agree it should be 1 - 8.
I'm also starting to come around on a international tournament point approach, if they're not going to get rid of the point for an OT/SO loss, make it 3 pts for a regulation win, 2 pts for an OT/SO win, and 1 pt for an OT/SO loss. I wonder in a simulation if that changes playoff teams over the years.
They've done studies - doesnt impact playoff teams as much as would think. I think one year Edmonton got in on shootouts.
What it does impact is seedings and home ice. Rangers would have hosted the Kings in Finals in 2014...
Love the 80s, good times.
Actually I was referring to when Rags lost to Kings. Forgot about 94. Did Rags win it then?
When Fox wouldn't sign in CAL it was rumored to be because he wanted to graduate from Harvard and then sign with the Rangers (he's a native NYer). If he heads to Harvard for his senior year he's almost certain to become a free agent.
Not sure if true though. Harvard is in the NCAA Hockey Tournament so not sure why anyone would say anything yet.
Costa Rontzocos
@Rontzeeez
34m34 minutes ago
It seems Adam Fox is returning to Harvard for his senior year. Cue all the Canes fans who tripped when I said he may not sign in Carolina
Sara Civ
Verified account @SaraCivian
4m4 minutes ago
I'm hearing that if Adam Fox has decided not to sign with the Hurricanes, he hasn't told them yet. The Canes haven't heard anything and they think he is still undecided.
absurd. #LGR - love stealing others prospects. Can't get enough of it.
Thursday night habs and BJ's looms large. Given that MTL finishes @WIN, vs TBL, @WAS, and vs TOR a loss Thursday likely seals their fate. CBJ last two on the road but @NYR and @OTT. No win is guaranteed in the NHL, but I would consider betting those games.
COL vs ARI on Friday also a big game. West race for the WC2, also a 3-team battle shaping up for a good finish too. CHI still alive as well.
Latest charts:
East:
West:
Twitter use who puts these together linked below.
Link - ( New Window )
If Carey keeps playing like Carey you are always in it, but your chances would be a lot better if DROUIN were a complete player. He is a turnover waiting to happen.
If Carey keeps playing like Carey you are always in it, but your chances would be a lot better if DROUIN were a complete player. He is a turnover waiting to happen.
MTL won't be given any breaks and no one IMO is on cruise control, even TBL who has nothing to play for and came back to beat the Bruins in one of the best games I've seen in a long time.
Drouin is on the 4th line, he's not a good player right now, but he's also not what's wrong with MTL.
They have one two-way D. Weber. And one D who is a really good skater, Mete. After that it's JAG's at best, their D is the problem.
Also, I don't see Toronto getting out of the 1st round. I think Boston wins that series handily.
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I agree, your season is probably over if you lose, but still not a sure thing should you win. Im not sure how much motivation or urgency teams like Tampa and Winnipeg will hsve. I think Caps still hsve a lot left and of course the Toronto-Habs rivalry is a given.
If Carey keeps playing like Carey you are always in it, but your chances would be a lot better if DROUIN were a complete player. He is a turnover waiting to happen.
MTL won't be given any breaks and no one IMO is on cruise control, even TBL who has nothing to play for and came back to beat the Bruins in one of the best games I've seen in a long time.
Drouin is on the 4th line, he's not a good player right now, but he's also not what's wrong with MTL.
They have one two-way D. Weber. And one D who is a really good skater, Mete. After that it's JAG's at best, their D is the problem.
Also, I don't see Toronto getting out of the 1st round. I think Boston wins that series handily.
I dont watch any Hab games except v Leads, but I do like to read the stats of other teams players and Im surprised you call these guys Jags:
Petry....43 points, I think 12 goals
Benn....5goals, leads your team with a +17 (tied with Weber)
Kulak....5 goals in 52 games isnt great, but a +10 isnt too shabby
Add these with Mete (+22) and Weber....that is 5 pretty decent Dmen.
I dont know your definition of a Jag is so why dont you tell me.
a JAG is "just a guy", he's someone who if waived maybe gets claimed, maybe doesn't, generally not a top 4 D, but could be a bottom pair/bottom 4 D for many teams.
Weber and Mete are the only Habs D who would be top 4 D on other teams. Petry has value, but he's very inconsistent, as a 3rd pair D I love him, top 4 not so much. The rest the Canadiens got off the NHL scrap heap.
Losing Juulsen really hurt because it made everyone else play up a level from where they should be playing (like last year when Weber was out).
the rest are jags. and using plus minus to cite D proficiency is very old school, much better measures these days like for example high quality scoring chances allowed.
The reason this is better than plus minus is because a) if your goalie bails you out with a ridiculous save (like Price is prone to do) why should you get "credit" for that, and conversely if your goalie lets in a softie why should you be "penalized".
Even Weber struggles with allowing high quality scoring chances, but he's the best of the bunch in MTL.
Leafs D is their Achilles heel too and the Bruins will expose them in the playoffs.
As for Leafs, Defense is not good although Hainsey,Ridley, and Gardiner all have higher pluses than any Hab player. (I know this is old school.) Muzzin has helped. Too bad we didnt pick up one more d at deadline.
I dont know who we will play first round but you are right, Boston and Tampa probably dont lose to us.
As for Leafs, Defense is not good although Hainsey,Ridley, and Gardiner all have higher pluses than any Hab player. (I know this is old school.) Muzzin has helped. Too bad we didnt pick up one more d at deadline.
I dont know who we will play first round but you are right, Boston and Tampa probably dont lose to us.
It is already 99% determined, Leafs play Bruins 1st round. No other realistic outcome with the current format.
TB clinched the #1 seed and play the WC2.
Then 2 and 3 in the Atlantic play each other. That is Boston and Toronto - technically MTL can surpass TOR, but that would require practically require MTL winning out and the Leafs losing out.
You can count on Bruins vs Leafs 1st round with the winner likely facing TB, barring an upset of TB.
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Here I thought it was a derogatory term. Thanks for clearing that up.
As for Leafs, Defense is not good although Hainsey,Ridley, and Gardiner all have higher pluses than any Hab player. (I know this is old school.) Muzzin has helped. Too bad we didnt pick up one more d at deadline.
I dont know who we will play first round but you are right, Boston and Tampa probably dont lose to us.
It is already 99% determined, Leafs play Bruins 1st round. No other realistic outcome with the current format.
TB clinched the #1 seed and play the WC2.
Then 2 and 3 in the Atlantic play each other. That is Boston and Toronto - technically MTL can surpass TOR, but that would require practically require MTL winning out and the Leafs losing out.
You can count on Bruins vs Leafs 1st round with the winner likely facing TB, barring an upset of TB.
Who is the idiot who thought of those pairings? Sheesh. Boston and then Tampa if we manage to win......sheesh....
In the W, COL and DAL put some distance between them and ARI and the Wild hopes fading....
tonight is huge, MTL @CBJ obviously, but CAR vs WAS too. A Habs loss could seal their fate with their final 4 being so difficult.
East:
West:
Columbus looks to be gaining some momentum and do have several easy teams but still have to win on the road is no given.
Carolina also is no given.
Holding out hope Detroit can finish with more points too, though its a long shot.
Ottawa tore it to the ground, giving some stuff away for free...
Standings be damned, Ottawa is better right now than Buffalo. Yes, they still suck (a lot), but Buffalo is a disgrace. Watch them lose Skinner for nothing too.
An excerpt:
This is no newsflash, but the bottom line is that Terry and Kim Pegula don't know what they're doing in running a professional sports franchise and have proven that over and over.
They're business people, and pretty good ones in multiple ventures. But as for running the Sabres and the Buffalo Bills, they're fish out of water.
------
The Pegulas should have had a president of hockey a long time ago. Enough of the Ted Blacks and Russ Brandons of the world. But they got spooked when Terry Pegula hired Pat LaFontaine in November 2013, and Kim Pegula ran him out before Easter the following spring in some sort of warped power struggle that's never been fully explained.
Of course, there's never much of an explanation from Kim Pegula for the litany of people she's fired with her two teams or at Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which has long reeked of a frat house/soap opera mentality while the bosses live mostly in Boca Raton, Fla., and try to run things via Skype and video conferencing.
Yet another sign of how backwards the Pegulas have things. They should be running the business and staying away from the teams.
In the last five years, they've clearly grown to love the notoriety and celebrity status of being NFL owners, freely cavorting on sidelines before games and visiting the locker room afterward, while continuing to allow the hockey team to get run into the ground.
And referencing timintey's post above, that was a massive comeback by the Isles last night. Despite a storied history, it was the first game in Islander history that they trailed with two minutes to play and rallied to win in regulation. Overcame 3 2-goal deficits along the way. Great response in a critical game.
It should be obvious to Pegulas what to do with Sabres - ( New Window )
An excerpt:
Quote:
Like the other derailed campaigns of the recent past, it starts at the top. The very top.
This is no newsflash, but the bottom line is that Terry and Kim Pegula don't know what they're doing in running a professional sports franchise and have proven that over and over.
They're business people, and pretty good ones in multiple ventures. But as for running the Sabres and the Buffalo Bills, they're fish out of water.
------
The Pegulas should have had a president of hockey a long time ago. Enough of the Ted Blacks and Russ Brandons of the world. But they got spooked when Terry Pegula hired Pat LaFontaine in November 2013, and Kim Pegula ran him out before Easter the following spring in some sort of warped power struggle that's never been fully explained.
Of course, there's never much of an explanation from Kim Pegula for the litany of people she's fired with her two teams or at Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which has long reeked of a frat house/soap opera mentality while the bosses live mostly in Boca Raton, Fla., and try to run things via Skype and video conferencing.
Yet another sign of how backwards the Pegulas have things. They should be running the business and staying away from the teams.
In the last five years, they've clearly grown to love the notoriety and celebrity status of being NFL owners, freely cavorting on sidelines before games and visiting the locker room afterward, while continuing to allow the hockey team to get run into the ground.
And referencing timintey's post above, that was a massive comeback by the Isles last night. Despite a storied history, it was the first game in Islander history that they trailed with two minutes to play and rallied to win in regulation. Overcame 3 2-goal deficits along the way. Great response in a critical game. It should be obvious to Pegulas what to do with Sabres - ( New Window )
That game last night is a game I have waiting a month for from this team. They showed fight, they competed and dominated the 2nd period. They never gave up after a fluke goal put them behind 13 seconds into the game. Last night just might be what the doctor ordered. They have been playing so tight. Seeing Casey getting his 20th to tie the game really put the exclamation point on it for me. He is by far the heart and soul of this team. When he tied it I knew we were winning. Go Isles!!!
Dahlin is the real deal, and Eichel is a notch below McDavid, Mattthews, in the elite young crop of players.
But that team is not making progress and I don't think it's intentional in any way.
Habs on life support and a brutal final 4 (@WIN, vs TBL, @WAS, vs TOR)
East:
West:
CBJ cake schedule with 3 of their remaining 4 vs BUF, OTT, and NYR.
The winner of ARI vs MIN will still have some life in the West.
East:
West:
Linking the twitter author who creates these charts again below.
Link - ( New Window )
LOL, if that final game of the season between MTL and TOR means one gets in the other goes home, it would be the most watched show on television in Canadian history.
I was worried both could return to school for their senior seasons.
I think Poehling could play the final 3 games.
MTL has the toughest road: vs TBL, @WAS, vs TOR.
CAR probably second hardest, but only one game vs a playoff team. CBJ the easiest.
AZ and COL the battle for final WC in the West. Similar schedules, but COL has a game in hand.
Charts below.
East:
West:
Still an uphill battle with 2 G left.
West all over but the crying.
Latest charts:
East:
West:
Still an uphill battle with 2 G left.
West all over but the crying.
Latest charts:
East:
West:
Pj, I thought about not showing up here because my boys let your boys down last night. I knew we would lose after we clinched the night before. We played the back up goalie and basically had nothing to play for. Sorry mate.
As for your boys....to beat Winnipeg and Tampa pretty convincingly too is most impressive. Ever since you picked up a few bottom 6 guys, you have been able to play 4 lines which is what Claude wants. Moving Lehk to the second line and dropping enegmatic Drouin to the 3rd line was brilliant. Lehk is a very hard worker even though he is not a big goal scorer.
Looking at the remaining games, this Capitals game in Washington looks ominous but your boys have done it before. Im sure you will beat my boys if you need to. I hope you get some help but all four of those teams Carolina and Columbus are playing are sorry teams. You may have to have some luck (a goalie playing out of his mind) for them to lose. Best wishes....your boys deserve to be in the dance.
How do you think they tanked on purpose? I expected them to be better and their roster while not deep isn't awful.
I'm just not sure how you get hockey players to lose intentionally. And then so many years the worst team doesn't even get the #1 pick. Doesn't make sense to try and lose on purpose.
Buffalo even started out well.
I like their young forwards and their young D. Hate their goalie and depth, not sure about Housley as a coach.
It's an absolute disgrace and should result in losses of draft picks. You can say how do you just lose all you like - well they've done it. A perfectly talented team is 3-21.
Anyway, in a shitty season - the Steven A McDonald award is still very well done by family and by the Rangers organization. All Class. Congratulations to M Zibanejad. He didn't have much competition this year, but it was the correct decision.
I think the Rangers need to scrap the 'everyone gets an 'A'' participation trophies next year and make #93 the official team captain. He's earned it.
anyway, I don't think they lost on purpose, I think they just lost.
My only pause on pushing for things like a league investigation is how to lose on purpose. I can't imagine players, who are playing for contracts or other things not trying to win.
3-21 beyond that
Doesn't happen by chance at end of year. Especially to a somewhat talented team that held their own for 50 games. They saw Tampa, Boston and Toronto and decided to do this.
I will take cold hard facts over 'hockey players would never do this'
I don't know which of their individual players is hitting free agency this summer .....
The actual C is overrated, but he's a leader all over this team.
If you have proof I'd love to see it. otherwise, it's an opinion.
But but ... they're hockey players or something - what??
Anyway -- as Davisian said, happy for Mika. Great season in the midst of a pile of shit rebuild. I do think he's earned the right to lead this team moving forward.
Hank just said Georgiev starts Friday. Tough end of year for Hank. Really think he should consider Toronto to end his career. Makes so much sense for everyone and not a tough commute if he wants his wife and kids to have stability.
Housely to Skinner and co:
"Jeff, I know you will be a UFA after the season, but dial it back a little bit, we want to lose as much as possible to give the team next year, which you very likely won't be on, a chance at drafting Jack Hughes..."
"You too Pominville. I don't care if you're 36 years old and this may be the end of the road for you since you're a UFA after the season, stop f-ing trying so hard."
If Buffalo fires Housley or Botterill (the GM) does that tell you this wasn't orchestrated?
If they traded away players at the deadline then maybe you could say the team was pared down and the FO tanked.
but I just can't fathom a coach and players losing intentionally to get a better draft pick. GM/FO I can see trading away players in a rebuild resulting in a worse team that passively tanks, but teams actually losing on the ice intentionally is a concept I can't wrap my head around.
None of these people are guaranteed futures with that franchise.
Buffalo could actually be considered deadline buyers. Montour is a quality D.
It's an old expression, but you really can't make this shit up.
It's an old expression, but you really can't make this shit up.
I'm sure the Buffalo players, many of whom have their future career earnings to some extent depending on their performance, are going out there and losing games on purpose to increase the teams chances of getting a top pick by 2-5%.
There is a decent surge of teams saying they'd prefer Kakko to Hughes.
Or at least the gap is closer than it was 6 months ago. Kakko eclipised Aleksander Barkov's U18 Finland scoring record and has more desirable size.
Not getting the #1 pick this year might be the year to do it so you don't have to make the choice of Hughes or Kakko.
I think Hughes will absolutely be a legit NHL player, but he got pushed around in the World Juniors and he will in the NHL initially.
a win of any type by CBJ tomorrow eliminates the Canadiens.