most teams have just 1 or 2 more pre-season games then the regular season starts.
thought I'd start a discussion thread.
Found this USA today record prediction and I think it's way off. I mean, way off.
but I'll share this and then add my commentary.
can't wait for the season to start.
Actually I thought Dangelo was good last night, including in his own end. I also think Fox will eventually be a top 4 D.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs, unless NY moves somewhere to the west.
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I still think the defense will suck. Skjei was bad last year. I like Trouba a lot, and DeAngelo is obviously the best defenseman this world's ever seen, but Fox will struggle. Staal's still Staal.
Actually I thought Dangelo was good last night, including in his own end. I also think Fox will eventually be a top 4 D.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs, unless NY moves somewhere to the west.
I'm a huge D'Angelo fan (seriously). I think he can be a quality top four guy.
I haven't seen more than a few games of Fox. I'm thrilled to see him play. I'm just pessimistic that he'll be great year one.
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In comment 14602082
I'm a huge D'Angelo fan (seriously). I think he can be a quality top four guy.
I haven't seen more than a few games of Fox. I'm thrilled to see him play. I'm just pessimistic that he'll be great year one.
I dont think you're being pessimistic, more realistic.
Want to do another bet this year?
I doubt that the Habs are going to end up that high. Yes it is possible but they have to have a career season from Drouin and a couple of others and their terrible power play will suddenly have to be come a league top 5 which is highly unlikely. All will end up falling on Price like always.
The Leafs will find a way to choke and screw it up like always.
I doubt that the Habs are going to end up that high. Yes it is possible but they have to have a career season from Drouin and a couple of others and their terrible power play will suddenly have to be come a league top 5 which is highly unlikely. All will end up falling on Price like always.
The Leafs will find a way to choke and screw it up like always.
That is the exact same record MTL had last year. Same points, ROW, ties, etc. exact same as last year.
I don't think MTL improved a lot necessarily, but they didn't get worse either - if healthy.
I think they'll be right around 96 pts again, and no idea if that's playoffs or not but plus or minus 3 or 4 pts that's where I think they'll be.
Their PP should be better with Suzuki. I never watched him much before, but man, what a cerebral player. Suzuki is what many people felt Drouin would be, but so far Suzuki hasn't done it in the NHL so we'll see if he even becomes that outside of pre-season.
He's not assigned to the minors yet as far as I know (though I am not a Rangers fan).
If he's not, his cap hit remains at $4.35M.
If he's sent to the minors the most the Rangers can save is $1.075M. That's the most any team can save on any player regardless of their contract by "burying" their contract.
So if he's buried in the minors, his cap hit would be $3,275,000
the most you can save on any player is the NHL minimum contract plus $375,000 (or $700,000 + $375,000 = $1,075,000)
I'd play Smith on the 4th line. Unless he somehow decides he wants to play hockey like he's flashed before (ancient history), he was just as bad a F as he was at D, only at F he can generally do less damage with a goalie like Hank).
I’d prefer to keep him as a 7th defenseman and a spare forward.
My TAVERAS should be in the top 10 (small point though).
I've heard attitude questions too, but won't claim them as true or false, since I have no idea.
His defensive game is leaps and bounds better than it was, especially his hustle on the back check. Ultimately, he loses too many puck battles and makes too many unsafe decisions with the puck. It just won't be tolerated by the cabal of grinder defensive minded coaches that permeate the league.
I think the "drama" concerns are largely overblown. He was immature and outspoken, but seems to have toed the line of he last two years. It's more a story because he doesn't fit the mold of good guy vanilla quotes you see from 95% of players.
The isles really like holmstrom and Wahlstrom, so rw is really crowded now and in the future.
I hope he gets top 6 time somewhere. He's really fun to watch.
I would not be surprised to see some salary dumps or bottom 6 veteran movement.
No idea what to think of this? Maybe an NHL song by Green Day like Hank Williams for the NFL? They will perform "opening theme" for Wednesday night hockey.
Either way, I like Green Day (a little) and I like hockey, so this can't be bad, right?
@NHL
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2m
ICYMI: @GreenDay
is set to rock Wednesday Night Hockey.
🎸
#WNH
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My TAVERAS should be in the top 10 (small point though).
I love Gallagher, but not sure he's top 50, nor am I sure Tavares should be top 10 but lists are good discussion points.
FYI...Poehling sent to Laval. I think he should have stayed, but Julien is not the coach to start a season with 3 centers under 23 years old. Poehling SIGNIFICANTLY outplayed Kotkaniemi, but I guess it would be worse for KK to be sent down after sticking all last year than Poehling.
I don't expect him to be down long. Like Chytil or Kravtsov.
There are 3 in the West (LVG, SJS, STL). Heck, Calgary has a better chance at making the playoff than the Bruins.
and then winning the cup, they have teams like LVG, CAL, SJS STL, with better odds to win the cup than the Bruins.
The Bruins lost the cup in game 7 on home ice.
the Canes have better odds of winning the SC than the Bruins (probably b/c of the stupid playoff format where BOS if they come in 2nd in the Atlantic have to probably play Toronto (again).
Anyway, just one graphic, but it's great to debate.
I agree NJD, CHI, and probably NYR are all low, and some teams too high.
Gallagher would be a top 50 player if he played on a different team in a market that the press did not badger their players every minute of every day. Montreal tends to suck the life out of players. Then they leave and seem to get a second wind.
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I love Gallagher, but not sure he's top 50,
Gallagher would be a top 50 player if he played on a different team in a market that the press did not badger their players every minute of every day. Montreal tends to suck the life out of players. Then they leave and seem to get a second wind.
I don't know about that (second wind)
I'd rather have Weber than Subban - who is on his 2nd team since the trade.
Sergachev is falling out of favor in TB.
Galchenyuk is on his 2nd team since leaving MTL, and Domi is a budding star.
Petry became a solid top pair D.
Pacioretty had one of his worst seasons as a pro. I'd much rather have Tatar, Suzuki and the draft pick.
I can't think of many recent players who have done better when they left MTL and there has been enough of them.
And this doesn't even consider players like Byron, that MTL salvaged off the NHL scrap heap into a solid 2-way 3rd line player and PK demon.
I do agree the media in MTL is overbearing, but no different than NY or BOS for baseball (for example).
I do agree the media in MTL is overbearing, but no different than NY or BOS for baseball (for example).
Subban is an over the top kind of guy that can wear thin fast. It has nothing to do with talent or production. Weber has been more or less invisible since he got here. Also hurt or playing hurt quite a bit
Pacioretty did have a lower than usually season but it still was better (not by much) than his last year with the Habs.
You may be right. I just always see how the press here is bitching how the players are doing after they leave. The Journal de Montreal has 8-10 pages of hockey news every single day during the season and more during the playoffs. They cover everything. It is crazy
Another story about the press here. I remember back years ago. I cannot remember which player it was. I think it was a goalie. Something had happened. So one of the French news stations camped out in front of his house and was using an infrared camera to try and follow him around his house waiting to see when he was leaving. So they could get some questions in.
An all time low in Montreal hockey coverage.
and players either love the franchise and would do anything to play there or they simply won't go there, but I don't hear many players who have left the organization bad mouth it.
the press is another story.
And I love Subban, maybe my favorite player as a Hab, but it was not his off ice persona why he was traded, it was his on ice play.
And I disagree on Weber, he had one injury filled season, but otherwise has been a rock; definitely not invisible.
I guarantee if you go back in time knowing what you know now, MTL makes that trade 10 times out of 10, but NSH balks at it.
And I was one of the people who thought Bergevin should be fired for incompetence the day he made the trade.
but you live there (?) and maybe hear more than I can get from social media and news sources, but this is my perception.
@PR_NHL
113 days after the #StanleyCup was awarded, hockey is back.
http://NHL.com/schedule
#NHLFaceOff #NHLStats
I guarantee if you go back in time knowing what you know now, MTL makes that trade 10 times out of 10, but NSH balks at it.
I don't think this is true. Weber has played 84 out of 164 possible games the last two seasons and is on the books through 2026 at nearly 8 million. Nashville traded Subban because of that cap crunch
It's very disappointing. Going into camp I thought there was an excellent chance that he would be on the second pairing. I would also have kept him up for at least a 9 game trial over Mueller. Mueller better improve this season even if he's just a solid bottom pairing defender.
@JoshYohe_PGH
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6m
Geno Malkin was just asked how he asks Galchenyuk for the puck in Russian: “Give me puck.”
Instead name Tavares captain.
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Your boy BRENDEN GALLAGHER should be in that list. He is a pain in the arse and plays hard every game.
My TAVERAS should be in the top 10 (small point though).
I love Gallagher, but not sure he's top 50, nor am I sure Tavares should be top 10 but lists are good discussion points.
FYI...Poehling sent to Laval. I think he should have stayed, but Julien is not the coach to start a season with 3 centers under 23 years old. Poehling SIGNIFICANTLY outplayed Kotkaniemi, but I guess it would be worse for KK to be sent down after sticking all last year than Poehling.
I don't expect him to be down long. Like Chytil or Kravtsov.
I agree.....Poehling missed a few weeks of practice time and is probably not at 100% coming back from that concussion. Maybe Habs don’t want to play him on line 4....I don’t know. Your 4th line would should be interesting if he is centering Byron and Armia.
Sens up on Leafs 1 - 0. Under 5 left in the first.
Many providers have a free preview of NHL Center Ice for those who may not subscribe to it - the psychopaths who don't already have NHL Center Ice.
I also hope that if the Rangers don't make the playoffs, as long as there is steady development, people lay off. Gotta play the long game here. They have the makings of a long-term foundation.
On a team with Hall, Subban, former #1 overall (Hischier), current #1 Hughes, KHL leading scorer Gusev, sand paper extraordinaire in Simmonds
solid D (if unspectacular)
I expect playoffs.
but so many people just highlight that "the Devils have a lot of questions" but they never say what they are.
I do agree their bottom 6 is uninspiring, but should be able to hold their own. Goalie is the main question IMO.
3 - 2 Leafs not quite midway through the 2nd. Leafs already have 25 shots.
today is the bigger day though (for most BBI hockey fans).
8 games incuding.
MTL @ CAR (who have suddenly become bitter rivals)
BOS @ DAL
WIN @ NYR - debut of Kakko
3 - 2 Leafs not quite midway through the 2nd. Leafs already have 25 shots.
This disturbs me...because I was hoping we would tighten things up in front of our goalie. I hope we play better defense on the road. Maybe we like to treat our home fans to wide open entertaining hockey figuring we will win 5-4 with our superior number one line.
I also hope that if the Rangers don't make the playoffs, as long as there is steady development, people lay off. Gotta play the long game here. They have the makings of a long-term foundation.
I’m surprised as well. I was expecting them to be overrated by the mainstream media. My only concern is goaltending but they have two potential solid options there. Their forward depth is among the best in hockey. It’s not just the additions of Hughes, Subban, Gusev, Simmonds, and Boqvist but also the return of Hall who only played 33 games a season ago and is entering a contract year. Two years ago he carried the team on his back to the playoffs.
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are getting so little respect.
I also hope that if the Rangers don't make the playoffs, as long as there is steady development, people lay off. Gotta play the long game here. They have the makings of a long-term foundation.
I’m surprised as well. I was expecting them to be overrated by the mainstream media. My only concern is goaltending but they have two potential solid options there. Their forward depth is among the best in hockey. It’s not just the additions of Hughes, Subban, Gusev, Simmonds, and Boqvist but also the return of Hall who only played 33 games a season ago and is entering a contract year. Two years ago he carried the team on his back to the playoffs.
well I listen to Sirius NHL radio a lot. All the hosts there are Canadian and I can say this. This is the first time sine I started listening 10 years ago that they talked a ton of Devils pre-season. That having been said most are not picking them as top 8 in the East. I agree Jay I'm not nearly as worried as most around the league are about their goaltending. One of the hosts was saying he recently talked to Roberto Luongo who had the same surgery Schneider had almost 2 years ago and it took him a solid 2 years to get back to top form. He looked much better the 2nd half of last year and at the worlds. The pre-season was very promising for Schneider as he looked like 2016 Schneider.
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In comment 14610099 Jay in Toronto said:
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are getting so little respect.
I also hope that if the Rangers don't make the playoffs, as long as there is steady development, people lay off. Gotta play the long game here. They have the makings of a long-term foundation.
I’m surprised as well. I was expecting them to be overrated by the mainstream media. My only concern is goaltending but they have two potential solid options there. Their forward depth is among the best in hockey. It’s not just the additions of Hughes, Subban, Gusev, Simmonds, and Boqvist but also the return of Hall who only played 33 games a season ago and is entering a contract year. Two years ago he carried the team on his back to the playoffs.
well I listen to Sirius NHL radio a lot. All the hosts there are Canadian and I can say this. This is the first time sine I started listening 10 years ago that they talked a ton of Devils pre-season. That having been said most are not picking them as top 8 in the East. I agree Jay I'm not nearly as worried as most around the league are about their goaltending. One of the hosts was saying he recently talked to Roberto Luongo who had the same surgery Schneider had almost 2 years ago and it took him a solid 2 years to get back to top form. He looked much better the 2nd half of last year and at the worlds. The pre-season was very promising for Schneider as he looked like 2016 Schneider.
The assumption is that the Devils will split time in net 50/50 with Schneider and Blackwood which is what I was hoping they would do.
Hynes will ride the hot hand obviously but I think this is the best plan. Schneider can use the frequent rests and Blackwood hasn't played a full season as the starter yet so it will also keep him fresh.
Sounded ugly. Didn't see it. Was watching the Habs vs Canes.
What an entertaining game. Back and forth action with solid goalie play, tight checking, and tons of skill.
two fun teams to watch.
Apparently Bruins resident jackass Jack Edwards allegedly called it "karma" - douche bag if he did say that. actually douche bag either way, but WTF if he did say that.
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Sean Shapiro
@seanshapiro
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10m
Polak has full use of his extremities and is feeling better at hospital. Dickinson is out for at least a week. Comeau will be out multiple weeks