The 2017/2018 NHL Thread

[Hewey]

1 hour ago, million$$man said:

My GF moved from Pittsburgh to Tampa 3 years ago, and is a huge Pens fan.

She buys Center Ice just to watch all the Pens games.

Man, the local feed for Pittsburgh stayed through the first commercial break to show the Pens tribute video for Fleury. Awesome thing to be able to see.

Yeah, man, that was awesome. I always went after the guy when he sucked, but when he was on, dude was great, and the Pens wouldn't have gotten those three cups without him. (Less so 2016, but he did carry the team while they sucked, and while they were adjusting to a new coach)

[gunnar hendershow]

Rick Nash to Boston for Ryan Lindgren, the Bruins' 2018 first-round draft pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick. This sets the market for any other trades that might happen. Salary is working out by the Rangers paying something like 50% of Nash's salary. I expect a couple more dominos to fall, especially in the east since Boston might have established themselves as the team to beat with this trade.

[Gabriel]

The Leafs picked up Tomas Plekanec and prospect Kyle Baun from Montreal in exchange for Kerby Rychel, Rinat Valiev and a 2nd Round Pick. I like this one for both teams. Plekanec gives the Leafs more depth up the middle for their playoff run and he's been around for some deep runs himself. Rychel, Valiev and the 2nd will really help out the Habs in coming seasons.

Long term, it's a Habs win, but the Leafs needed to pull the trigger on something like this, and their prospect pool is deep enough that losing Rychel and Valiev isn't really damaging.

The Nash deal is going to affect the asking price of a lot of players, but it's important to remember that this is Boston going all-in to get an impact player. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Nash extension worked out with the price so high, but if it's purely a rental, that raises the prices for a lot of guys with just 24 hours to the deadline. I didn't think we would see any 1st's traded for rentals this year, but here we are. If there is an extension signed, the deal makes more sense for Boston, but the Rangers got a really good haul in a season where they have already thrown in the towel.

[gunnar hendershow]

The Habs making a decision that actually helps them in the future?

What a wild world we live in.

[Ruki]

Ehhh.... the players Montreal likely won't pan out to be more than a 3rd liner (Rychel) or bottom pairing D-man (Valiev) if they are lucky. But depending on how they draft, that 2nd could turn out good...or be nothing. 

[Gabriel]

9 hours ago, Ruki said:

Ehhh.... the players Montreal likely won't pan out to be more than a 3rd liner (Rychel) or bottom pairing D-man (Valiev) if they are lucky. But depending on how they draft, that 2nd could turn out good...or be nothing. 

To be fair, Mikael Backlund was highly touted after his junior career, but struggled really early on as a pro and was labelled as a third liner at best. He's now one of the top two way forwards in the league. Rychel has the ability to do a lot of good things. People also seem to undervalue the benefit of having guys who are solid bottom six forwards. Your top two lines can be great, but if when you put out your bottom six, you're getting thrashed, it won't matter. (See Flames, Calgary - 2017/18 Season)

[ThrillhouseMAX]

The set-up for the Stadium Series tonight looks pretty cool. I love these outdoor games, and I really wanted to be at the Winter Classic in New York this year. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Well just like the rest of the state has at some point this weekend, they of course lost power in Annapolis last night. It looked really cool to see the (relatively) small stadium all set up for an outdoor hockey game and they got chilly weather to do it which is a bonus. That wind was rough however, and not helped by the fact that Annapolis is surrounded by water on 3 sides.

I know it would "dilute" it, but I'd like every team to get an outdoor game or at least a stadium game every couple of years (Like Arizona could play in one of their domed stadiums). It's a neat thing for the fans. 

[Gabriel]

I absolutely hate the outdoor games. I think they compromise the integrity of the season by being played in severely different conditions than the rest of the games. Of course, I also hate 3 on 3 overtime, shootouts and that damn EDMonton music.

[Meacon Keaton]

3-on-3 overtime is great. It just needs to be 10 minutes, because 5 minutes is way too short. Give us 10 minutes to cut back on the shootouts, which aren't anywhere near as fun or satisfying as when you're a kid. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Yeah an 8 or 10 minute OT would be the way to go. Shootouts kinda suck so getting as few of them as possible would be a good thing.

[Draevyn]

On 04/03/2018 at 12:05, Gabriel said:

I absolutely hate the outdoor games. I think they compromise the integrity of the season by being played in severely different conditions than the rest of the games. Of course, I also hate 3 on 3 overtime, shootouts and that damn EDMonton music.

I'm with you on the outdoor games. I hate them. Mostly because I always feel like they're horribly lit, the ice is always horrible and it just feels like a much slower game. The rest however, I'm going to have to agree with Meacon.

On 04/03/2018 at 14:25, Meacon said:

3-on-3 overtime is great. It just needs to be 10 minutes, because 5 minutes is way too short. Give us 10 minutes to cut back on the shootouts, which aren't anywhere near as fun or satisfying as when you're a kid. 

This would be perfect. 5 Minute OT's just aren't enough. Shoot outs are only fun when someone tries to pull off something crazy and it works but those times are few and far between.

[gunnar hendershow]

The Panthers, with 3 games in hand, are 2 points out of the playoffs. They were not even in the playoff discussion at the All-Star break.

What happens with MVP if the Devils also miss the playoffs? It's Taylor Hall's trophy to lose but if NJ is sitting out of the playoffs does he win it? All the trendy guys sans Kucherov could be sitting at home in April.

[Ruki]

If the Devils don't make the playoffs? Hall doesn't win it, even with his 26 game point streak, which is just crazy. 

 

If Florida keeps up this pace, I may need to worry about the Leafs falling out of 3rd. I don't want that to happen, I want them to take on Boston in round 1 and get revenge for a few years ago. 

[Draevyn]

I think Florida is going to make a push but I believe they're going to fall short in the end. I'm really holding out hope that Colorado can hold onto the wild card spot in the West over LA and Calgary.

[Gabriel]

3 hours ago, Forever Forky said:

I think Florida is going to make a push but I believe they're going to fall short in the end. I'm really holding out hope that Colorado can hold onto the wild card spot in the West over LA and Calgary.

The Flames have been having a tough time getting pucks in the net lately. On the net? No problem. Past the goalie? It's like pulling teeth.

They made a big mistake by playing Mike Smith immediately after bringing him back from the DL tonight. David Rittich has been hot the past two games, was well rested and available to play in the middle of a huge push for playoff contention... so let's play the guy who hasn't played in a month. Sure enough, Smitty got lit up for four goals on the first eighteen shots. Would Rittich have fared better? Tough to tell, but they put a cold goalie in a big game, while the backup has been playing A-grade hockey. Boneheaded decision.

[Lowerdeck]

I doubt that Florida could pass Toronto for third in the division.  Could take a WC spot, but at this point they just seem really far back for anything better.

 

I doubt Toronto could take a best of seven against Boston.  Yeah I'm a Bruins fan, but the B's been playing great lately. I think I heard yesterday they been the league's best team since November, and they won 6 in a row before losing in Chicago yesterday.

[Ruki]

Yeah, but Boston is stupid.

[Schlitzbrille]

Good for him

[gunnar hendershow]

Emergency goalies are a really neat feature of the NHL.