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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NYR in 5
other predictions
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Tkachuk call him trash, dirty and a POS
Rangers fans complain incessantly about the refs
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Trouba, lol
Rangers fans complain about Lavy after 1 bad shift or period
My prediction: Habs fan trolls Ranger fans who behave pretty similarly to every fan base in every sport around the country.
prediction: accurate. lol
but hopefully you can admit after last nights debacle of a game thread, some of those fans deserve it.
Quote:
In comment 16518658 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
NYR in 5
other predictions
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Tkachuk call him trash, dirty and a POS
Rangers fans complain incessantly about the refs
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Trouba, lol
Rangers fans complain about Lavy after 1 bad shift or period
My prediction: Habs fan trolls Ranger fans who behave pretty similarly to every fan base in every sport around the country.
prediction: accurate. lol
but hopefully you can admit after last nights debacle of a game thread, some of those fans deserve it.
Correct: I purposefully didn't post the thoughts I was having entering the 3rd period because I knew I was not in a sound mind. I was mentally rebuilding the team for next year after a 3rd straight playoff collapse.
Good career, probably has a shot at US Hockey Hall of Fame.
Tanev was a great pickup at trade line.
I think they are the favorites to make the finals out of the West.
EDM vs VAN @ 8:00 VAN leads 3-2
I don't think McDavid is why his team loses, obviously, but I also think at some point the longer he maintains "best player in the game" title he will get some blame (and probably should). I have said before it's "criminal" the way his GM's (multiple) have treated goalie in his tenure.
Is there any scenario McDavid is traded? Gretzky was the same age as McDavid is now (27) when he was traded from EDM to LAK.
I was expecting/hoping he or Lavy would be the USA coach.
EDM vs VAN @ 8:00 VAN leads 3-2
I don't think McDavid is why his team loses, obviously, but I also think at some point the longer he maintains "best player in the game" title he will get some blame (and probably should). I have said before it's "criminal" the way his GM's (multiple) have treated goalie in his tenure.
Is there any scenario McDavid is traded? Gretzky was the same age as McDavid is now (27) when he was traded from EDM to LAK.
Oilers have totally failed McDavid. It's pathetic. I thought he'd ask for a trade last season.
So, you know Hellebuyck is a good goalie and wonder what happened there, but this was expected from Skinner.
Skinner had -4.6 goals saved above expected.
Of all goalies in the playoffs to get more than 2 starts Skinner was 4th worst in save % on unblocked shots.
this was all predictable.
I wonder if McDavid is too proud to ask for a trade. Maybe he views it as a sign of personal failure, but it's clear for whatever reason no one in EDM wants to invest in a goalie.
Have there been good options for them to upgrade? Maybe Georgiev?
Have there been good options for them to upgrade? Maybe Georgiev?
Just this past deadline you had Ullmark. BOS was allegedly shopping him.
Swayman looks legit IMO so I could buy he was available.
Here is hoping Skinner can be the guy who has flashed occasionally and not the guy who has flopped more consistently and at least force a game 7. As fans we have earned this.
No clue how Crosby wasn't a finalist. His 200 foot game kept PIT afloat as long as they were afloat, but no issue with Barkov winning. He is incredible.
@KevinWeekes
**Breaking News** 🚨 📰
I’m told HC Brind’Amour and the coaching staff have agreed multiyear extensions with @Canes
#CauseChaos #HockeyX #HockeyTwitter
tonight is the first time in a month there are no NHL games.
but...USA vs Kazakhstan this morning at 10:20 ET.
through 5 or 6 games, Sweden is the only perfect team (5-0-0-0) for 15 points.
If USA beats Kazakhstan in regulation, as expected (though they are no pushover they have been close with everyone except Germany), they would leapfrog Germany into 2nd place in Group B (depending what Slovakia does).
Slovakia plays Latvia at 2:20 ET.
USA finishes group play with a game vs Latvia on Tues at 10:20 ET.
USA won 10-1.
Johnny Hockey passes Patrick Kane for the most World Championship points and assists for an American player (43 points and 30 assists)
Brock Nelson tied Bruce Mather and Buzz Johnson (who?) for most World Championship goals for an American player (19)
In the 10-1 game
Matt Boldy had 6 points (2G/4A)
Zach Werenski had 3 points (3A)
Gaudreau had 5 points (1G/4A)
Brady Tkachuk had 4 points (3G/1A)
Irfaan Gaffar
@irfgaffar
Brock Boeser will not be available for the Canucks in game seven on Monday. If they advance, his status moving forward is unclear.
6:44 PM · May 19, 2024
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Irfaan Gaffar
@irfgaffar
Brock Boeser will not be available for the Canucks in game seven on Monday. If they advance, his status moving forward is unclear.
6:44 PM · May 19, 2024
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6,741
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Sounds like blood clotting issues.
Canada would be but they have an OTW vs Austria (so 6 games, 17 points).
Canada, however, can be leapfrogged by Czechia tomorrow if
Czechia beats them in regulation. Czechia has quite a few NHLers (Gudas, Palat, Kase, Kubalik, recent adds: Pastrnak, Zacha and Necas, etc.) it's what is so great about this tournament. The team you end with may not be the one you begin with based on who gets knocked out of the NHL playoffs and when.
Only Great Britain has 0 points with one game left (today vs Austria).
USA needs two points vs Latvia tomorrow to secure 2nd place in Group B (so any type of win).
Game 7 tonight for the final spot in the conference finals.
VAN vs EDM @ 9:00, this is where heroes are made.
No Boeser for VAN, hope they can avoid the letdown that COL had when they lost Nichushkin
ECF starts Wednesday and WCF starts Thursday
no extra days off in either, so at least starting Wednesday - 8 days in a row we get hockey.
@FriedgeHNIC
For Game 7:
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet says Arturs Silovs starts...indicates Lafferty/Mikheyev replace Boeser/Podkolzin.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch expecting no changes. Said yesterday Adam Henrique would not play.
2:13 PM · May 20, 2024
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Agree.
I am pulling for EDM though. Seeing McDavid in a SCF is overdue. I think a Rangers vs Oilers cup finals would set records. A Canadian team, the best player in the league and an original 6 team from a major US market who hasn't won a cup in 30 years. I feel like the league wants that (or should).
Can't say I blame him. Last year Monty put a cold Swayman in for game 7 vs FLA after riding Ullmark all series and it didn't work out, but man Demko was so locked in earlier this year I think he would have won Vezina easily if he had stayed healthy.
this will be one of those things that gets second guessed all summer if VAN loses.
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I think DAL smokes whoever wins this series.
Agree.
I am pulling for EDM though. Seeing McDavid in a SCF is overdue. I think a Rangers vs Oilers cup finals would set records. A Canadian team, the best player in the league and an original 6 team from a major US market who hasn't won a cup in 30 years. I feel like the league wants that (or should).
I think NYR/FL beats EDM, so I'm rooting for it as well.
Hopefully the NHL rigs it in our favor like the Laf lottery.
this will be one of those things that gets second guessed all summer if VAN loses.
There's no way he's in his prior form. , Putting a compromised goalie into a game 7 after a multi-week layoff seems negligent.
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this will be one of those things that gets second guessed all summer if VAN loses.
There's no way he's in his prior form. , Putting a compromised goalie into a game 7 after a multi-week layoff seems negligent.
Would it? i don't know, maybe you're right, but he's been practicing.
I know it's not 100% apples to apples with Swayman last year and it didn't end well, but it's kind of a precedent IMO - Swayman went 17 days in between starts (and had 1 start in 21 says) and started game 7 last year vs FLA.
With Demko it's been 29 days so longer for sure. I just don't know.
Brett, I agree too... missed you boys last week and I missed some fun
With Demko it's been 29 days so longer for sure. I just don't know.
Yes he's been practicing, which is why I say he's compromised. They know Demko better than anyone. Every decision maker in the organization is studying every movement. If he looked like himself he'd be in.
Bouchard has that knack
looked like he may have tipped that.
No Boeser for VAN, hope they can avoid the letdown that COL had when they lost Nichushkin
Narrator: ".. they did not avoid the letdown"
Think it was DQ's last year, can't rec recall reason but K stepped in and team immediately went on a nice win streak
I have been amazed at how well Jamie Benn has played for Stars this season.
Tanev addition at trade deadline was a huge addition to blue line.