Welcome to the most exciting event in sports and the hardest trophy to win. The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. I am sure NYR fans and NYI fans probably have game threads, but this thread for all hockey discussion. Including the playoffs, the U18s, World Championships, awards, predictions and draft lottery. Playoffs start Saturday with all series beginning either Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Most series are every other day with an occasional 2nd day for travel or other reasons. Schedule in link.
The playoff match ups are finally set with LAK win (and LVG loss).
Here they are:
East
NYR* (1M) vs WAS (WC2) (Starts Sunday)
CAR (2M) vs NYI (3M) (Starts Saturday)
FLA (1A) vs TBL (WC1) (Starts Sunday)
BOS (2A) vs TOR (3A) (Starts Saturday)
West
DAL (1C) vs LVG (WC2) (Starts Monday)
WIN (2C) vs COL (3C) (Starts Sunday)
VAN (1P) vs NSH (WC1) (Starts Sunday)
EDM (2P) vs LAK (3P) (Starts Monday)
* President's Trophy Winner
My Predictions:
NYR in 5
CAR in 6
FLA in 6
BOS in 7
DAL in 6
COL in 7
VAN in 5
EDM in 7
What am I rooting for? Game 7's and OT's.
On the other end? The lottery teams will be (order determined at draft lottery which is usually during the playoffs):
32. SJS
31. CHI
30. ANA
29. CBJ
28. MTL
27. ARI/UTA
26. OTT
25. SEA
24. CAL
23. NJD
22. BUF
21. PHI
20. MIN
19. PIT
18. DET
17. STL
Playoff Schedule - (
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Good luck, RP. No Canadian team has won a cup since the Habs in 1993 (as I am sure you know). I think McDavid needs a title to solidify his legacy. But in the end I'm hoping it goes 7 and every game is OT.
Skinner, who I've constantly shit on, was phenomenal tonight.
I'm surprised, this EDM team is so flawed, lol.
Rangers are a joke. Thanks to this clown team, I actually glanced at the Giants schedule for the first time.
By the time the Giants are 0-10, we'll be ready for Rangers hockey.
Skinner, who I've constantly shit on, was phenomenal tonight.
I'm surprised, this EDM team is so flawed, lol.
That's not NYR identity IMO. I viewed FLA as VERY similar to DAL. Look at those forward groups. DAL has more mobile D, but neither team has great defensive D.
I viewed the Rangers similar to the Oilers in that they'd need to capitalize on the PP to win their series. the Oilers did, the Rangers didn't. I didn't think the Rangers would beat the Panthers playing the Panthers (or Stars) style - and the two styles are different - the Stars don't play as heavy a game as the Panthers, but they still come at you in waves with a very deep forward group.
Edmonton had 10 freaking shots on net - the whole team. Jason Robertson had 9.
I don't think DAL had a ton of HDSC, but even with the volume they had I did not expect Stuart Skinner to pull this out.
EDM best shot vs FLA IMO is to do the same thing they did this series. Move their feet, force FLA to take penalties and capitalize on the PP. I am very much looking forward to see if EDM can expose the FLA D like BOS did, but NYR failed to do. If McDavid and co can use their speed it could be a difference maker.
1. I'd argue the 'Rangers thesis' of goaltending and powerplay was really close to working. 1/15 according to StatMuse this series (I didn't double check the numbers)! You only need to be 3/15, below season average, to win the series. 4/15 would have almost certainly had them in the SCF.
2. Why isn't the Rangers style more like that and should they try to get there? My view is yes, which is why I want them to keep Kakko. They need another PMD back there, but there's no reason they can't be a superior puck possession team.
The Rangers scored 12 goals in a 6-game series. That included a 5-goal game 3. So, 7 goals in the other 5 games. Their forwards don't match up well vs other teams top lines (or other good teams top lines).
They're the same as Gaborik, Nash, St Louis, Stepan, Callahan, McDonough, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Colton Orr, Ryan Hollweg. Ertc. All the same.
Different players, same result.
They're not the 1994 squad, none of them will ever be the 1994 squad. I was right ... again.
Just make me the president of the world and I'll float down from my desk and tell you what's what and who is who.
EDmonton in 7. Canadian curse is over.
I remember thinking that Florida looked like a cup winner but had a "Rangers like run" and then Vegas just steamrolled them mostly in that series. I remember thinking that one would go seven.
Vegas just looked like a complete hockey team that played "real hockey" (what that is, I'll let you know) without the flash and big names.
4 D in the top 6.
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I wouldn't either, I'm superstitious like that.
No surprise, article out today the Devils are willing to trade #10 for a goalie.
Doesn't mention which goalies, but I have to believe it's Ullmark, Saros/Askarov, even Gibson. I would say Hart, but not sure how/when that gets resolved. Maybe even Spencer Knight if he gets straightened out. I also wonder if they're looking at lesser options like Charlie Lindgren (last year of his deal) or Arturs Silovs (RFA) or even Tristan Jarry - how did he get so bad so fast?.
Link below.
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No surprise, article out today the Devils are willing to trade #10 for a goalie.
Doesn't mention which goalies, but I have to believe it's Ullmark, Saros/Askarov, even Gibson. I would say Hart, but not sure how/when that gets resolved. Maybe even Spencer Knight if he gets straightened out. I also wonder if they're looking at lesser options like Charlie Lindgren (last year of his deal) or Arturs Silovs (RFA) or even Tristan Jarry - how did he get so bad so fast?.
Link below. link - ( New Window )
Allegedly the Devils tried Ullmark during the season but he wanted to try and win a ring with Boston.
I suspect he is the Devils top choice.
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weeks until the draft.
No surprise, article out today the Devils are willing to trade #10 for a goalie.
Doesn't mention which goalies, but I have to believe it's Ullmark, Saros/Askarov, even Gibson. I would say Hart, but not sure how/when that gets resolved. Maybe even Spencer Knight if he gets straightened out. I also wonder if they're looking at lesser options like Charlie Lindgren (last year of his deal) or Arturs Silovs (RFA) or even Tristan Jarry - how did he get so bad so fast?.
Link below. link - ( New Window )
Allegedly the Devils tried Ullmark during the season but he wanted to try and win a ring with Boston.
I suspect he is the Devils top choice.
Yeah I read that too a week or so ago about Ullmark. If I were a betting man I'd say he is the most likely to be a Devil next year. Saros would be great but at some point you have to move on with Nashville heeming and hawing over trading him forever. I think its pretty much a sure thing Ullmark is moved this summer with his age and contract situation. NHL GM's are more interesting in that they are pretty open and hnes about what they offer, especially Fitz. He has been upfront about the trade talks he had all this past season.
Also, Ullmark has said he is fine to ride out one more year in BOS, even backing up Swayman, until he's a UFA. Side note..those two have become really close. I think Swayman is the godfather to one of Ullmark's kids and he (Swayman) dressed up as Santa Claus and visited the Ullmark kids on Christmas Eve the past couple years.
I can't imagine he wouldn't jump at a chance to start for a competitive team like the Devils though.
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competitive team
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the Devils
lol, they should be competitive. they did suffer a lot of injuries last year and had a goalie worse than my sister in net. Tied for 5th most goals against in the whole league.
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In comment 16530421 pjcas18 said:
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competitive team
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the Devils
lol, they should be competitive. they did suffer a lot of injuries last year and had a goalie worse than my sister in net. Tied for 5th most goals against in the whole league.
Ha ha even as a diehard Devs fan it seems a lot of stars have to be dragged kicking and screaming to NJ. I thought with this newer crew it got better but it seems with the difficulty Fitz had getting a goalie to agree to come here this past season it may still be tough.
another member of the no rings club.
interesting case for the USA hockey hall of fame.
Yeah I read that too a week or so ago about Ullmark. If I were a betting man I'd say he is the most likely to be a Devil next year. Saros would be great but at some point you have to move on with Nashville heeming and hawing over trading him forever. I think its pretty much a sure thing Ullmark is moved this summer with his age and contract situation. NHL GM's are more interesting in that they are pretty open and hnes about what they offer, especially Fitz. He has been upfront about the trade talks he had all this past season.
I think Nashville will just end up replacing Lankinen with Askarov as Saros' backup. Then they will roll with Saros and Askarov for years like they did with Rinne and Saros.
probably was deleted because Anakim was cyber bullying Jacob Trouba. lol.
He pulled off a rare triple (U18, U20 and Worlds) in the same year.
Slafkovsky had a unique quadruple his draft year (12 month period before the draft), U18 Hlinka, juniors (U20), worlds and Olympics.
Helenius is a typical fin, solid in all facets, including defense.
We are done crying and moving on to planning the 2025 parade.
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Yeah I read that too a week or so ago about Ullmark. If I were a betting man I'd say he is the most likely to be a Devil next year. Saros would be great but at some point you have to move on with Nashville heeming and hawing over trading him forever. I think its pretty much a sure thing Ullmark is moved this summer with his age and contract situation. NHL GM's are more interesting in that they are pretty open and hnes about what they offer, especially Fitz. He has been upfront about the trade talks he had all this past season.
I think Nashville will just end up replacing Lankinen with Askarov as Saros' backup. Then they will roll with Saros and Askarov for years like they did with Rinne and Saros.
Yeah Jay I think that's realistic. They have a great cap situation with only Josi & Forsberg making real money. They can afford to extend Saros and keep that tandem together. Ullmark is more interesting. If PJ is right I guess he could stay in Boston if he's content to play 2nd fiddle to Swayman. That having been said I think Boston could be eager to make improvements and at age 30 might not want to extend him. In which case it boils down to getting him to agree to go if they look to deal him. We'll see but if neither him nor Saros are available it could be a nightmare scenario for NJ. I don't see another legit #1 goalie out there likely to be available and worth trading #10 for. Markstrom could be a 1-2 year solution but I would not trade #10 for him.
You think Carolina would trade him? They don't love to shell out for free agents so I could see Ullmark being a 1 year rental for them if they make a trade like that.
If they trade for Ullmark as a rental then I guess they view it as a one-year thing and Kochetkov is their guy, but not sure I see them giving up Necas for a rental and you don't need Ullmark long-term and Kochetkov long-term.
Goalies often aren't like position players, they can still be good through their 30's. Ullmark is just 30 now.
Same thing that happened the 19 other times they bombed out in the playoffs with a series lead
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You're not going to win a cup even with Igor or Lundqvist or whoever as your goalie scoring 1.6 goals in a series deep into the playoffs.
You're not going to win a cup even with Igor or Lundqvist or whoever as your goalie scoring 1.6 goals in a series deep into the playoffs.
they lost three one-goal games (games 4, 5, and 6). Disappointing for sure, and the late scores skew it slightly, but the PP was more a function of why they lost than anything else IMO.
Is that the same with OT in NHL?
Is that the same with OT in NHL?
OT in the playoffs I think is probably more of a coin flip, OT in the regular season not so much because OT in the regular season is 3v3 so skill really shines. but...it's just 5 min and then a shootout.
It's not a disappointment when I basically called it by saying this team wasn't battle tested for the playoffs, yet people seem to not like the truth.
I'm gonna go with EDmonton in 7 games.
Yeah Jay I think that's realistic. They have a great cap situation with only Josi & Forsberg making real money. They can afford to extend Saros and keep that tandem together. Ullmark is more interesting. If PJ is right I guess he could stay in Boston if he's content to play 2nd fiddle to Swayman. That having been said I think Boston could be eager to make improvements and at age 30 might not want to extend him. In which case it boils down to getting him to agree to go if they look to deal him. We'll see but if neither him nor Saros are available it could be a nightmare scenario for NJ. I don't see another legit #1 goalie out there likely to be available and worth trading #10 for. Markstrom could be a 1-2 year solution but I would not trade #10 for him.
I want the Devils to land either Saros, Ullmark, or Askarov if possible. If those three are off the table then I would rather see the Devils go for Spencer Knight in hopes that a change of scenery does him well. I am not a fan of trading for Markstrom due to his age. If Fitzgerald trades the 10th overall pick for Markstrom then he should be fired unless the Flames take back Palat and his contract in the deal.
On the plus side he has 3 top 10 Vezina finishes the past 6 years, the down side is the other three years he wasn't very good.
Players like Holtz (players who have their shot as their carrying tool) are getting bumped down the draft lately, so I would think it means they have seen enough - but I hate giving up on young talent a year too soon instead of a year too late, but if he's not going to get a shot may as well roll the dice. but he would be my centerpiece, not #10 too.
Also, with Markstrom signed *just* through next year (2025-2026) it doesn't prevent the Devils from a: making a deadline move in March for a goalie if he's not the guy or b: signing someone after the season like Ullmark or Saros should they make it to FA.
and who knows what happens with Carter Hart by then.
Meh listen it's an upgrade over what the Devs had in net this past year. Not exactly the upgrade that will get me hopping excited for next season. I agree if the package is headed by Holtz it's fine. If #10 is involved that would be nuts.