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
Link - ( New Window )
Canes have a tough schedule, but should make it.
Talk about some good old fashion loss aversion from the Habs fan to start off the OP. They're definitely in trouble, but Columbus being 3 points up on you guys with 10 to go is hardly "locked up" :)
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Top 8 pretty much locked up in the East.
Talk about some good old fashion loss aversion from the Habs fan to start off the OP. They're definitely in trouble, but Columbus being 3 points up on you guys with 10 to go is hardly "locked up" :)
It's not reverse psychology, the Canadiens have a 20% mathematical chance at the playoffs based on 100 simulations of possibilities. I wish it were more and I hope they make it, but it is what it is. They had the 3rd pick in the draft 9 months ago, I think to be competitive today is a feat, still a failure since I don't believe in moral victories, but surpassed expectations.
I'd say that qualifies as pretty much locked up.
NHL Playoff Probabalities - ( New Window )
I'd be surprised if the Stars win a series. The Rangers should have had a conditional 2020 1st with the Jets in addition to the 1st they got in 2019.
I can see a Jets vs Lightning cup.
though the way they've been coasting I wouldn't be shocked to see TB knocked off. Prob by Boston the way my sports luck has been lately. I have no love for TB, but I hate Boston.
I think the West is wide open.
I think the West is wide open.
Halak has been better than Rask. My kids hate when Tuuka starts, though lately Tuuka has been fine.
Agree on the West.
Like last year I think the SC Champ is whoever wins the East.
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...he needs to play like a top tier goalie for them to do anything. Can he do it?
I think the West is wide open.
Halak has been better than Rask. My kids hate when Tuuka starts, though lately Tuuka has been fine.
Agree on the West.
Like last year I think the SC Champ is whoever wins the East.
He's been terrific in the regular season last two years....but he just doesn't seem to have that edge you need in the playoffs lately.
Like last year.....Game 7 v. TOR he was giving up to what seemed to be saves you make in the playoffs when you at his supposed level.
He's soft in a game this year, there's little doubt Cassidy turns to Halak for a chance.
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...he needs to play like a top tier goalie for them to do anything. Can he do it?
I think the West is wide open.
Halak has been better than Rask. My kids hate when Tuuka starts, though lately Tuuka has been fine.
Agree on the West.
Like last year I think the SC Champ is whoever wins the East.
Isn't it / hasn't it been obvious the last 3 years? At least this year it doesn't seem like a Pens/caps series will necessarily be hoisting a Cup
Otherwise pretty much agree.
not much movement last night other than the Islanders making things harder for themselves by laying an egg. As it stands now (which is likely to change) Isles play PIT round 1 instead of the WC1.
Habs pick up a little ground on CBJ, but very little on CAR - who IMO is out of reach.
I think they need Byfuglien though to compete for a title.
Wheeler, Schiefele, and Laine is a top 2 or 3 line in the league.
Best forward: McDavid (Crosby 2nd)
Best defenseman: Hedman (Doughty 2nd)
Best goalie: Price (Rinne 2nd)
Best shot: Ovie in a landslide (Weber 2nd)
Most underrated: Barkov - I agree (Backstrom 2nd)
Difficult to play against: McDavid (Crosby 2nd)
Who would you start your franchise with: McCavid in a landslide (Crosby 2nd)
Games best trash talker: Marchand (Doughty 2nd)
Games worst trash talker: Marchand (Roussel 2nd) - new Ranger Lemieux made the list
Who would be the best TV analyst when they retire: PK Subbam (Keith Yandle 2nd)
Best GM when they retire: Crosby (Spezza 2nd)
Funniest Player: Yandle (Doughty 2nd)
Best female hockey player: Hilary Knight (Marie-Philip Poulin 2nd) - - Amanda Kessel 3rd. My daughter is going to a camp where Amanda is an instructor this summer - she is very excited
would you be in favor of nickname day, yes or no: yes
Arenas/Teams:
Best atmosphere: Vegas (Montreal 2nd)
Best ice: Montreal (Edmonton 2nd)
Best mascot: Gritty in a landslide (leafs bear 2nd)
Off ice
Best dressed player: Henrik Lundqvist (PK Subban 2nd)
Best hair: Erik Karlsson (Henrik Lundqvist 2nd)
Best nickname: Tuna Tatar (Bread man 2nd)
Favorite sport outside of hockey: Golf (football 2nd)
Favorite athlete outside of hockey: Tiger (Federer 2nd)
East:
West:
I'm talking, they kept:
-Stephan, McD, Hayes, etc
Islanders vs Habs rematch. Last game Isles rolled the Habs. No effort. Unfortunately for the Habs the Islanders may be coming off their worst game in two years Monday vs Boston. Teams usually follow up games like that with solid efforts.
Both teams need points.
CBJ in Edmonton. This one of the BJ's many remaining games vs non-playoff teams (they have a cake schedule), hopefully EDM playing for pride shows up.
a lot of other teams in action tonight too.
Islanders vs Habs rematch. Last game Isles rolled the Habs. No effort. Unfortunately for the Habs the Islanders may be coming off their worst game in two years Monday vs Boston. Teams usually follow up games like that with solid efforts.
Both teams need points.
CBJ in Edmonton. This one of the BJ's many remaining games vs non-playoff teams (they have a cake schedule), hopefully EDM playing for pride shows up.
a lot of other teams in action tonight too.
Sorry, Tuesday in Boston.
Calgary Flames: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.478
Buffalo Sabres: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.490
San Jose Sharks: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.508
Pittsburgh Penguins: 8 games left; 4 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.520
Vegas Golden Knights: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.526
Arizona Coyotes: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.528
St. Louis Blues: 9 games left; 6 home, 3 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.532
Columbus Blue Jackets: 9 games left; 3 home, 6 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.532
Edmonton Oilers: 9 games left; 6 home, 3 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.534
New Jersey Devils: 8 games left; 5 home, 3 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.535
Anaheim Ducks: 7 games left; 3 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.538
Los Angeles Kings: 10 games left; 5 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.552
Chicago Blackhawks: 10 games left; 5 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.552
Dallas Stars: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.552
Nashville Predators: 8 games left; 4 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.554
New York Rangers: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.554
Winnipeg Jets: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.560
Vancouver Canucks: 8 games left; 6 home, 2 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.561
Boston Bruins: 9 games left; 3 home, 6 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.562
Colorado Avalanche: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.562
Toronto Maple Leafs: 8 games left; 4 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.563
Detroit Red Wings: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.565
New York Islanders: 9 games left; 3 home, 6 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.568
Ottawa Senators: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.569
Florida Panthers: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.570
Philadelphia Flyers: 9 games left; 4 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.580
Carolina Hurricanes: 10 games left; 6 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.588
Tampa Bay Lightning: 8 games left; 2 home, 6 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.590
Washington Capitals: 8 games left; 5 home, 3 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.597
Minnesota Wild: 8 games left; 3 home, 5 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.603
Montréal Canadiens: 9 games left; 5 home, 4 road; Opp. Pts. %: 0.611
The Canadiens have blown a 4 goal lead this year.
Go Oilers.
Some teams may have nothing to play for at the end so those very good teams Habs play may not be as motivated to get hurt.
Plus, Columbus is on the road for 6 of 9.
Some teams may have nothing to play for at the end so those very good teams Habs play may not be as motivated to get hurt.
Plus, Columbus is on the road for 6 of 9.
Thanks for your good news. Unfortunately some of those teams with nothing to play for play the BJ's like the NYR and Senators who they end the season with. On the road. so 2 of those 6 road games are against awful teams. In fact 5 of their 6 road games are against non-playoff teams. the lone playoff team they play on the road is @NSH who falls into the category of nothing to play for.
March 28, MTL @CBJ is (obviously?) the biggest game the Canadiens have had in years (if they continue to win until then).
@CAR is big too, but I think CAR is out of reach. who knows though.
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I think I have good news for you.
Some teams may have nothing to play for at the end so those very good teams Habs play may not be as motivated to get hurt.
Plus, Columbus is on the road for 6 of 9.
Thanks for your good news. Unfortunately some of those teams with nothing to play for play the BJ's like the NYR and Senators who they end the season with. On the road. so 2 of those 6 road games are against awful teams. In fact 5 of their 6 road games are against non-playoff teams. the lone playoff team they play on the road is @NSH who falls into the category of nothing to play for.
March 28, MTL @CBJ is (obviously?) the biggest game the Canadiens have had in years (if they continue to win until then).
@CAR is big too, but I think CAR is out of reach. who knows though.
Well Edmonton isn’t that good and they beat the living crap out of Columbus tonight. Even bad teams play better at home...they don’t want to lose before the home folks either.
anyway, the Leafs keep playing like they are and Boston will roll them again (like last year) and they'll be one and done pretty quickly.
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Top 8 pretty much locked up in the East.
Talk about some good old fashion loss aversion from the Habs fan to start off the OP. They're definitely in trouble, but Columbus being 3 points up on you guys with 10 to go is hardly "locked up" :)
It's not reverse psychology, the Canadiens have a 20% mathematical chance at the playoffs based on 100 simulations of possibilities. I wish it were more and I hope they make it, but it is what it is. They had the 3rd pick in the draft 9 months ago, I think to be competitive today is a feat, still a failure since I don't believe in moral victories, but surpassed expectations.
I'd say that qualifies as pretty much locked up.
NHL Playoff Probabalities - ( New Window )
Go on...
anyway, the Leafs keep playing like they are and Boston will roll them again (like last year) and they'll be one and done pretty quickly.
Lol, my how things have changed in a week. My Leafs won’t do much in the playoffs, you are right. They don’t have enough GRITTY guys and a goalie you need in the playoffs.
Whereby your boys deserve it over Columbus. I really hate that team...Duchene is an overrated one dimensional guy who everyone drools over. Huge underachiever. Plus, your boys have the best goalie in the NHL now that he is back to being the Carey of old.
Besides, I like you so I wanted to encourage you with my perspective.
Even more amazing is the 1976-1977 Canadiens had a NHL record +216 goal differential. Staggering domination.
in the East
MTL vs BUF tonight
tomorrow MTL @CAR
CAR plays today vs MIN.
Huge two days for those two teams. CAR schedule can be tough down the stretch if WAS has anything to play for (they play twice in the final 9) and their (WAS) L last night makes it interesting. PIT and NYI just 3 pts behind WAS and NYI have a game in hand.
Canes win too though.
MTL vs CAR, winner is in (for now).
CAR is 10 - 4 -1 in their last 15 (coinciding with the Don Cherry "bunch of jerks" comment). by the way, I do enjoy their post-game home win cellies. but I hope we don't get one tonight.
MTL is 8 - 7 in their last 15, but have won 3 in a row.
West:
Canes win too though.
MTL vs CAR, winner is in (for now).
CAR is 10 - 4 -1 in their last 15 (coinciding with the Don Cherry "bunch of jerks" comment). by the way, I do enjoy their post-game home win cellies. but I hope we don't get one tonight.
MTL is 8 - 7 in their last 15, but have won 3 in a row.
Nice win ag a reeling Sabres team despite a mediocre Carey Price.
I would be surprised if your boys win tonight ag a very good and very hot team in Carolina. But, I think Vancouver could easily beat Columbus for you tonight as well. Your 3/28 showdown should be fun to watch.
I told this to fellow Hab fans on this message board and they agreed. Tell me if you agree...Drouin and Kotkaniemi are fading and big concerns. The latter is probably tired being only 18 and playing all these games.
Flames isn't unexpected IMO. Johnny Gaudreau aka Johnny hockey is one of the best players in the league and the trade with CAR is one that really helped both teams.
Plus their goalies Rittich and Smith are playing well.
CAL is a well rounded team. Not really playoff tested though, so it will be interesting to see how they do.
A lot of good young players besides Gaudrea. Lindholm, Tkachuk, Monahan, Hanifin, Bennett, etc. and good veterans/role players like Giordano, Backlund, Neal.
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win a game where they don't get a great Carey Price and a worse defensive effort. Unusual this year.
Canes win too though.
MTL vs CAR, winner is in (for now).
CAR is 10 - 4 -1 in their last 15 (coinciding with the Don Cherry "bunch of jerks" comment). by the way, I do enjoy their post-game home win cellies. but I hope we don't get one tonight.
MTL is 8 - 7 in their last 15, but have won 3 in a row.
Nice win ag a reeling Sabres team despite a mediocre Carey Price.
I would be surprised if your boys win tonight ag a very good and very hot team in Carolina. But, I think Vancouver could easily beat Columbus for you tonight as well. Your 3/28 showdown should be fun to watch.
I told this to fellow Hab fans on this message board and they agreed. Tell me if you agree...Drouin and Kotkaniemi are fading and big concerns. The latter is probably tired being only 18 and playing all these games.
Zero concerns with Kotkaniemi. Every game I see him make plays where I feel like once his frame fills out those will be goals. And he's getting more physical. A good sign he's getting acclimated to the NHL pace and strength.
Drouin is a maddening hockey player. he's got speed, stick handling, a decent shot, but he's not a good hockey player at the NHL level. He is a guy who can score 80+ goals in juniors, but can't put it all together at the NHL level. So often, he just skates as fast as he can and loses the puck, no plan, no idea where anyone is or should be, just one guy trying to beat 3 or 4. He's the kind of player you watch and say if Brendan Gallagher had that kind of skill he'd be a 50 goal scorer, and if Drouin had Gallagher's heart/hockey sense he'd be a 50-goal scorer. but they don't. So Gallagher gets 30+ goals a year on pure guts/hockey sense and Drouin gets 20 on skill.
Not the first player like this, won't be the last, but the Drouin extension is one of the rare recent Bergevin mistakes.
I think you can win with him, he seems like a solid character guy, but he's probably best on the 4th line, and that's too much $$ to pay a 4th liner.
but to reiterate, zero concerns with Kotkaniemi in fact it was a ballsy pick by Bergevin and I think he nailed it.
unfortunately, Buffalo should be investigated at this point for taking tanking too far. Losers of 16 of 19, and they are 14-29-7 in their last 50 games. Too much talent on that team for that. NHL should forfeit their draft pick... or at least mandate they pick behind us because I want to be in the top 5. Thanks.
Still stand by my initial comment that the standings were pretty much locked up, MTL finishes up after FL at home:
@CBJ
@WIN
vs TBL
@WAS
vs TOR
that is a ridiculously hard schedule and it would be the worst if MTL needs to beat TOR to get in. It would almost be like Yankees vs Red Sox and one of those teams needing a win to make it in to the playoffs and the other even having not much to play for, still going out 100% to stop them.
I doubt it comes down to that though. CBJ has a pretty easy final schedule.
East:
West:
unfortunately, Buffalo should be investigated at this point for taking tanking too far. Losers of 16 of 19, and they are 14-29-7 in their last 50 games. Too much talent on that team for that. NHL should forfeit their draft pick... or at least mandate they pick behind us because I want to be in the top 5. Thanks.
I was at the game last night, even 2-0 I thought it would end that way.
I asked before, curious, if the Rangers kept the 2017 team as much as they could (Stepan, Zucc, Hayes, Nash, McD, Miller), where would they be this season, and would they have been a playoff team last season?
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Worried me there up 2-0, but Georgiev finally came back to earth after stealing one in Toronto on Saturday.
unfortunately, Buffalo should be investigated at this point for taking tanking too far. Losers of 16 of 19, and they are 14-29-7 in their last 50 games. Too much talent on that team for that. NHL should forfeit their draft pick... or at least mandate they pick behind us because I want to be in the top 5. Thanks.
I was at the game last night, even 2-0 I thought it would end that way.
I asked before, curious, if the Rangers kept the 2017 team as much as they could (Stepan, Zucc, Hayes, Nash, McD, Miller), where would they be this season, and would they have been a playoff team last season?
They had all those guys last season except Stepan and they weren't a playoff team.
And Nash is retired so he wouldn't help and Zucc and Hayes were traded this deadline.
basically you're asking if they added Stepan, Miller and McDonagh if they'd be a playoff team.
No, IMO. Marginally better, but not much.
Rangers were a few points out of a playoff spot when they announced the sell last season. They probably could have bought and snuck in as the last seed. But that core had been to the playoffs plenty. It's about contending for the Cup and the chance for that group had passed.
It's sad because it was a really likable group that gave us some fun memories. And this season has just been awful. Part of me does miss just getting in the tournament and seeing what happens because playoff hockey is a blast. They could have kept stringing it along. But I give management credit for at least recognizing it was over.
Rangers were a few points out of a playoff spot when they announced the sell last season. They probably could have bought and snuck in as the last seed. But that core had been to the playoffs plenty. It's about contending for the Cup and the chance for that group had passed.
It's sad because it was a really likable group that gave us some fun memories. And this season has just been awful. Part of me does miss just getting in the tournament and seeing what happens because playoff hockey is a blast. They could have kept stringing it along. But I give management credit for at least recognizing it was over.
And here I thought it was about winning the cup, not coming close