The NHL Thread

[Bron Yr Aur]

So many of the same things could have been said about Patrick Kane at that age.

And at a cap hit of less than $6m for the next 6 years....ugh, what a damn steal by the Stars. Upsets me because the Hawks will have to deal with him in the Central for a long time.

[Bron Yr Aur]

Originally Posted by lockman21

No, Saad needs to stay up top. He's cemented himself as a top 6 forward.

If lines become stale we may see something like that for short periods of time, but Saad is a top 6, not a 3rd line forward on this team.

Saad/Toews/Hossa
Sharp/Pirri/Kane
Bickell/Shaw/Versteeg
Bollig/Kruger/Smith

I think that's what we're basically going to see for the rest of the year. Some guys will shuffle, as is normal with a Q system, but that will probably be the "base" that Q roles with most of the time.

Yeah I must have been high. Saad was on 3rd line to start the year but has been on the 2nd line with Pirri/Kane since Zus went down. I don't see them going away from the 10/19/81 line anytime soon, though.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by fonzz41

Hey guys, just wanted to point out how the Versteeg trade brought Chris and Bron together, if only for a moment. Really sweet, guys.

The problem with Seguin in Boston was exactly what everyone has been saying, he just didn't fit. Guys like Marchand, Bergeron, and Krejci are who belong on that squad, not guys like Seguin.

I'm really happy for him that he's found a fit in Dallas. Playing with someone like Jamie Benn is a HUGE difference for him. He didn't have anyone like that in Boston. Boston doesn't really have any true pure skill guys like Benn.

While we're on the topic of Benn, I honestly believe he's in the running for most underrated player in the NHL. Him and Patrick Sharp are my two votes. Guy is a hockey player's hockey player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuZy1PQIgrA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Twwtn4BhM (my favorite goal from this year)

Anyway, I'm happy for him.

And let's not underrate Loui Eriksson. He's an incredibly talented guy that isn't even 30 yet. He has a lot of REALLY good hockey in front of him. He's basically just entering his prime. Great 2-way guy that anyone would love to have on their team. He'll find his stride in Boston, I'm sure of it. I don't think that John Scott hit helped him any.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

Yeah I must have been high. Saad was on 3rd line to start the year but has been on the 2nd line with Pirri/Kane since Zus went down. I don't see them going away from the 10/19/81 line anytime soon, though.

Yeah, and now I'm high. Swap Sharp and Saad.

[fonzz41]

I really came on to Jamie Benn last year after watching a couple games with him. Such a force out there. I wondered if his game would suffer after losing Eriksson - they had some good chemistry - but there's no lack of that between him and Seguin.

[bonzo48280]

Tyler Seguin is absolutely a stud. Dallas won that trade immediately. They even got Peverley out of it.

[Bron Yr Aur]

But Tyler Seguin doesn't score in the playoffs! Ya know who else didn't score a lot in the playoffs last year? Jonathan Toews. Hate that bullshit argument that somehow the playoffs are some entirely different game where the real hardcore hockey players who give up their bodies for the team have success. It's the same game. I would rather have the good players than the mediocre ones who "try hard." Hey Bryan Bickell scored a few goals in the playoffs after being Mr. Invisible all year and guess what....he went back to being a ghost!

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by Rebecca De Mornay

chris still hoping bolland comes back

It's going to happen.

[Rebecca De Mornay]

The metropolitan division is so amazingly bad

not one team in that divison would be a playoff team pointwise in any other division right now.

[Bron Yr Aur]

Somehow the East gets as many playoff teams in the West. Dumb.

[Rebecca De Mornay]

I mean obviously they weren't going to create a system that allowed more teams from one conference than the other.

The division system looks slightly questionable right now though, although it will be a good way to keep some of these markets interested longer.

[HallowBillies7]

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

But Tyler Seguin doesn't score in the playoffs! Ya know who else didn't score a lot in the playoffs last year? Jonathan Toews. Hate that bullshit argument that somehow the playoffs are some entirely different game where the real hardcore hockey players who give up their bodies for the team have success. It's the same game. I would rather have the good players than the mediocre ones who "try hard." Hey Bryan Bickell scored a few goals in the playoffs after being Mr. Invisible all year and guess what....he went back to being a ghost!

Wow. 1 goal in the playoffs isn't a concern when he is suppose to have so much talent? And it wasn't even just the fact that he didn't score but for most of last year and of course during the playoffs he looked AWFUL. Like I said, he'd try and dangle his way through 3 players and it would just get taken away, he had no other move. It was so frustrating to watch this guy who led us in points the year before. At times he looked great, but other times he was very bad. Plus he won't go to the dirty areas, won't fight on the boards, and seems to be afraid of getting hit. Those last 3 reasons don't fly for Claude, something was wrong here and I don't think anyone knows the full truth besides the organization and Seguin. Glad he's doing good though, I knew he would in a more free team.

[~Crashintome89~]

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

Somehow the East gets as many playoff teams in the West. Dumb.

The west has 13 teams in their conference. Don't even...

[Bron Yr Aur]

Originally Posted by ~Crashintome89~

The west has 13 teams in their conference. Don't even...

But there are about 10 legit western conference teams this year.

Maybe 5 or 6 teams in the East can keep up with any of those 10 WC teams.

Yes obviously in general the West has it a bit better in that they have 2 fewer teams.

And eventually down the road the East could be the much better conference. I'm just saying that it was stupid to compartmentalize the playoffs even further. Does the Metro division even deserve a guaranteed 3 teams in the playoffs? We will see once the season ends, but it's borderline.

[dduncan6er]

They should just not let any Metro teams in the playoffs and let the other 3 divisions play it out.

[bonzo48280]

Originally Posted by dduncan6er

They should just not let any Metro teams in the playoffs and let the other 3 divisions play it out.

this is exactly what should happen. The metropooplitan division sucks so much suckiness.

[bonzo48280]

best team in the Metropolitan division wouldn't be in the playoffs in the West. Worst team in the Central division would be third in the Metropolitan

[lockman21]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCOinbvEsuU

[HallowBillies7]

Originally Posted by lockman21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCOinbvEsuU

Why post this? So upsetting. What a great series that was though

[bonzo48280]

whats so upsetting?

[HallowBillies7]

The loss lol

[JRS1386]

Surprised the Flyers bounced back like they did in OT after looking so flat in the 3rd. Hope they can win the SO and keep the streak going. Mason has been a beast all game.

[lockman21]

Classic Oilers.

http://i.imgur.com/85WpRht.gif

[DynastyDrummer1]

Pat LaFontaine!

Ted Nolan!

Sabres!

[aeroshady]

Originally Posted by dduncan6er

They should just not let any Metro teams in the playoffs and let the other 3 divisions play it out.

Metro will now win the cup because you said this.

[bradshaw06]

Originally Posted by Rebecca De Mornay

The metropolitan division is so amazingly bad

not one team in that divison would be a playoff team pointwise in any other division right now.

Only one team in the east, Tampa, has enough points to be in the playoffs in the west.

[efraser77]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Classic Oilers.

http://i.imgur.com/85WpRht.gif

At that moment I actually felt sorry for them.

Was still disappointed a few minutes later when they got a PP goal to break their insane home scoring drought though.

[JRS1386]

This East vs West or conference vs conference argument in sports is so dumb. Things go up and down on, you can't change what conference you are in so no use bitching about it

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by JRS1386

This East vs West or conference vs conference argument in sports is so dumb. Things go up and down on, you can't change what conference you are in so no use bitching about it

I don't think anyone is bitching, just observing how there is much better hockey being played in the Western Conference.

[bonzo48280]

Whatever conference the Hawks are in is going to be the better conference. so there's that.