First of all, in case there was any question, McDavid is the best player on the planet and is really getting himself into the discussion of ATGs IMO. He just needs a ring.
Second, down to the final 20 games or so for almost every team, some less.
Playoff positioning is pretty solid other than some seeding and a couple WC races.
As of this morning:
EAST
Atlantic:
BOS (103 points, 20 games left)
TOR (84 points, 19 games left)
TBL (79 points, 19 games left)
In the WC hunt:
BUF (68 points, 20 games left)
OTT (68 points, 19 games left)
FLA (68 points, 18 games left)
Metro:
CAR (90 points, 21 games left)
NJD (88 points, 20 games left)
NYR (79 points, 19 games left)
In the WC hunt:
NYI (72 points, 17 games left)
PIT (71 points, 20 games left)
WAS (68 points, 17 games left)
WEST
Central
DAL (81 points, 18 games left)
MIN (78 points, 19 games left)
WIN (75 points, 18 games left)
In the WC hunt:
COL (74 points, 21 games left)
NSH (69 points, 21 games left)
Pacific
LVG (82 points, 19 games left)
LAK (81 points, 17 games left)
SEA (78 points, 19 games left)
In the WC hunt:
EDM (78 points, 17 games left)
@IneffectiveMath
·
3h
Boston will qualify for the playoffs today if any 3 of the following 4 things happen:
1 Boston gets as many points today as Buffalo does
2 They get as many points today as Florida does
3 They get two more points than Ottawa does
4 They get two more points than the Islanders do
@Capitals
·
4m
THREE-V-R
The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract extension. van Riemsdyk's contract will carry an average annual value of $3 million.
Video review mechanisms for high-sticking, mandatory protective equipment on table for further action
Such a pet peeve of mine where players give a clean hit and get punked and need to drop the gloves. Xhekaj, Trouba, McAvoy, Romanov, just to name a few, a lot of players doing what they've been taught to do since youth hockey need to deal with bitches.
It should be an instigator penalty
link - ( New Window )
Link - ( New Window )
would be a big blow to the Canes, sucks to see it happen this late, but not going to shed a tear for them. biggest douche bag franchise in the league.
COL looks like they are rounding in to form at the right time and MIN does too, but they are without Kaprizov the next few weeks.
EDM on the cusp of taking over PAC3 from Seattle.
If you're EDM would you rather play LAK or LVG?
What's weird are some reverse splits for H and A. LVG is better on the road, as is EDM. So in a series where Vegas has home ice, based on trends it could work against them.
Just looking at the West a little more closely.
I think the East has at least three teams better than anyone in the West, but we all know how that goes - they beat each other up through 3 rounds of the playoffs then the West team can win in the SCF.
EDM on the cusp of taking over PAC3 from Seattle.
If you're EDM would you rather play LAK or LVG?
Obviously you'd rather play the Kings, Vegas has more brand name talent. People are sleeping on the Kings though. They're deep, the youth are ascending and the old goats can still play. Goaltending isn't elite but you figure one of Korpisalo or Copley will be playing well enough to win.
Quote:
EDM on the cusp of taking over PAC3 from Seattle.
If you're EDM would you rather play LAK or LVG?
Obviously you'd rather play the Kings, Vegas has more brand name talent. People are sleeping on the Kings though. They're deep, the youth are ascending and the old goats can still play. Goaltending isn't elite but you figure one of Korpisalo or Copley will be playing well enough to win.
I agree on LA. Vegas is no slouch, but I'm telling you you don't want to play LA in the playoffs. Their skaters remind me a lot of the Kings cup teams. Big, physical and skilled. Obviously like you said the goaltending is not elite but they have been good. The NHL playoffs never disappoint, and this year they will great. Outside of Boston, you have a lot of really good teams but no real dominant one. The series should be intense. Interestingly enough it's not making for the best races right now, because there is definitely a line between the haves and have nots. There is a pretty good chance that the 16 teams in position right now are your playoff teams. Nashville has a shot in the west with games in hand, but I don't think they beat out Winnipeg. In the East Florida could catch the Islanders but I don't see Detroit, Washington or Ottawa catching them.
Agree Stu, when I opened this thread last week I said the same thing, most of the playoff teams are set just some seed jockeying with 1 or 2 races.
Maybe not what the league wants from a playoff chase, but the playoff matchups stand to be incredible right now.
After 2 goals and an assist.
Out 4-6 weeks.
Seems like a lot for a broken finger. For a hockey player.
big loss. Lehkonen was on PP1 I think and PK1.
Interstate that they have been playing Byfield on the 1st line with Kopitar and Kempe. He could easily give them a 3rd/4th line beast of a C as well
But I agree Byfield is going to be awesome in a couple years.
CBJ, SJS and CHI are the front runners.
Bedard is really the crown jewel and he's called the best prospect since Crosby, but the top 3 in this draft are all the best prospect since Crosby (assuming you get that Crosby was a better prospect than McDavid, even though McDavid is a better player).
Last place now has a 26% chance of landing the top pick.
Up from 18% in prior years (since the lottery)
Last place now has a 26% chance of landing the top pick.
Up from 18% in prior years (since the lottery)
Crazy thing is Anaheim suddenly has gotten red hot after being absolutely awful all year. They may cost themselves Bedard because of it.
Quote:
in a long time finishing dead last is worth it.
Last place now has a 26% chance of landing the top pick.
Up from 18% in prior years (since the lottery)
Crazy thing is Anaheim suddenly has gotten red hot after being absolutely awful all year. They may cost themselves Bedard because of it.
they still have the fewest RW in all of hockey at 12. lol. 12.
I think Matthew Knies wins it, but who knows. I like that two Habs are nominated (Hutson and Farrell).
Perets should win the Richter award or whatever the college Vezina is called.
Absolutely agree - Cooley can become the best player from that draft and it would surprise no one.
The 2022 draft, while lacking a McDavid, IMO will be proven as very deep in talent, even if not the same high end talent people like for the top of the draft.
Will see a lot of this between now and the draft - will even see FA's signed - a few interesting college FA's out there, plus teams get desperate as draft rights expire.
Elite Prospects
@eliteprospects
·
2h
Jayden Struble has signed with the #GoHabsGo , so you should definitely check out @DavidSt_Louis
’s Film Room to learn more about the defenceman 👀🔥
7 - 3 Panthers, 4 min left in the 1st.
It's not even fun to watch, it basically looks like beer league.
Except tonight…..
Sportsnet Stats
@SNstats
·
15h
Clayton Keller's 30 points since the All-Star break rank 2nd in the #NHL, trailing only Connor McDavid (37).
Keller's 22 even-strength points since the All-Star break rank 1st in the NHL.
BU and Providence in OT in Hockey East Semis game 1.
both scores 1 - 1.
the other semis are:
Harvard and Cornell (ECAC)
UMass Lowell and Merrimack (Hockey East)
If Harvard wins, no big deal for the Frozen Four because Harvard probably would have gotten an at-large big anyway (they are ranked #6 in the country), but if Colgate does someone gets bumped.
Should be Quinnipiac - they, and Rand Pecknold, are proving to be a regular season team. They haven't won the conference tournament in ages (but won the regular season 3 years in a row (at least) and have lost two national championships. twice get knocked out of the Frozen Four in their first game as a 1 seed. Playing an easy ECAC schedule comes back to bite. Also though with Pecknold, he's coached some USA U18/WJC teams that have been favored, but come up short. Until he wins a big game his teams can't win a big game.
In Hockey East - BU plays Merrimack. I'll watch that just to see Lane Hutson.
This isn't even a great AHL team besides Suzuki and Anderson and the 3 D.
Harvey-Pinard Suzuki Ylonen
Gurianov Tierney Anderson
Pitlick Belzile Hoffman
Drouin Richard Pezzetta
3 of 6 D on NHL roster
Matheson Savard
Edmundson Baron
Kovacevic Wideman
bob and jarry have struggled lately so hopefully that continues. today is a great day for meier and kane to get their first hat tricks with their new teams.
This isn't even a great AHL team besides Suzuki and Anderson and the 3 D.
Harvey-Pinard Suzuki Ylonen
Gurianov Tierney Anderson
Pitlick Belzile Hoffman
Drouin Richard Pezzetta
3 of 6 D on NHL roster
Matheson Savard
Edmundson Baron
Kovacevic Wideman
good year for it at least. anaheim may be within reach and that's a +10% on the chances at bedard. the big prize would be catching chicago to get to 11.5% overall (+25%).
bob and jarry have struggled lately so hopefully that continues. today is a great day for meier and kane to get their first hat tricks with their new teams.
Anyone but FLA is my hope. MTL owns FLA's 1st round pick, unprotected.
Quote:
east wc is a 3 horse race and money puck has it 77% pitt, 58% fl, 57% isles.
bob and jarry have struggled lately so hopefully that continues. today is a great day for meier and kane to get their first hat tricks with their new teams.
Anyone but FLA is my hope. MTL owns FLA's 1st round pick, unprotected.
im not sure if im being a homer, but bob's numbers are trending in the wrong direction so im hoping he's wearing down having to play as much as he is now. jarry hasnt been great but pitt has a pretty good lead and nyi have a small lead + sorokin. they need to get barzal back though. the initial offensive sugar high without him has worn off.
If Harvard wins, no big deal for the Frozen Four because Harvard probably would have gotten an at-large big anyway (they are ranked #6 in the country), but if Colgate does someone gets bumped.
Should be Quinnipiac - they, and Rand Pecknold, are proving to be a regular season team. They haven't won the conference tournament in ages (but won the regular season 3 years in a row (at least) and have lost two national championships. twice get knocked out of the Frozen Four in their first game as a 1 seed. Playing an easy ECAC schedule comes back to bite. Also though with Pecknold, he's coached some USA U18/WJC teams that have been favored, but come up short. Until he wins a big game his teams can't win a big game.
In Hockey East - BU plays Merrimack. I'll watch that just to see Lane Hutson.
Michigan plays Minnesota for the B1G championship 8pm tonight on BTN.
already drafted players plus some draft eligible
Colgate upset Harvard
Michigan beat Minnesota
Quinnipiac #2
Michigan #3
Denver #4
Brackets linked...
link - ( New Window )
They were still going to make the frozen four even if they lost to MIN.
Most teams have between 11 and 14 games left.
Not much unexpected has changed - BOS clinched. Current standings:
EAST
Atlantic:
BOS 111 points 13 games left
TOR 93 points 13 games left
TBL 90 points 11 games left
Metro:
CAR 98 points 14 games left
NJD 97 points 12 games left
NYR 92 points 12 games left
Wild card:
NYI 80 points 11 games left
PIT 78 points 13 games left
FLA 77 points 13 games left
WAS, BUF, OTT in the hunt
WEST
Central
DAL 89 points 12 games left
MIN 88 points 12 games left
COL 86 points 14 games left
Pacific
LVG 92 points 12 games left
LAK 90 points 12 games left
EDM 86 points 12 games left
Wild card
SEA 83 points 13 games left
WIN 81 points 11 games left
CAL 77 points 12 games left
In the Bedard race
it's really a 4-way race between:
CBJ
SJS
CHI
ANA
MTL and PHI are both a longshot at this point
In the Bedard race
it's really a 4-way race between:
CBJ
SJS
CHI
ANA
MTL and PHI are both a longshot at this point
Any of the other teams in the mix I can live with but I really hope Bedard doesn't go to hockey Siberia in Columbus.
I like their youth core too with
Kent Johnson
Cole Sillinger
Kirill Marchenko
Bemstrom
Jiricek
Mateychuk
anyway, I hope he doesn't go there only because I want him in MTL, and if he doesn't end up in MTL I only hope he doesn't wind up in TOR or BOS (or other Atlantic team) which seems impossible at this point.
In other news....Fanatics becoming the Amazon of the sports world.
Greg Wyshynski
@wyshynski
·
1h
Fanatics will replace Adidas as the NHL's outfitter of on-ice uniforms and authentic jerseys, beginning with the 2024-25 season on a 10-year deal.
This marks the 1st time @Fanatics
branding will be directly on an official player uniform for a pro sports property. @NHL
*if* revenues surpass expectations (by 100M) and the NHLPA can repay escrow this year and the cap could increase $4.5M next year. if not, just a $1M increase - unless they come to agreement to raise the cap "artificially" which basically means the NHLPA pays more in escrow.
NHLPA is the worst.
Any team can lose to any team in the NHL but that one surprised me.