2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[krsmith17 7,191]

7 hours ago, kylee said:

Brad Marchand can't stop licking people, and I thought I Couldn't like him any less.

That guy truly is the definition of a piece of s***. F*** Brad Marchand!

[Dabura 12,228]

20 hours ago, chaps80 said:

This is true. Edmonton could have done something had they loaded up right while McDavid was still on an ELC. They tried, sort of, but it didn't work. Bad signings, bad trades like the Hall one. Missed the playoffs after making it to the semis last season. McDavid's $12 million a year deal kicks in now, wasted opportunity. 

Yep. I give Chiarelli some credit for making some big changes and trying to "go for it" straight out of the gate. Unfortunately, he made bad decisions that have probably set the Oilers back more than they've pushed them forward.

[Dabura 12,228]

So. If the Knights win the Cup this season, do we see a copycat effect around the league? Do organizations re-evaluate, re-prioritize, re-orient? Or are the Knights simply a one-off lightning-in-a-bottle situation powered by elite goaltending and a few forwards having career years? We all know the team is overachieving, but is it all just "beginner's luck"?

[chaps80 1,591]

4 hours ago, Dabura said:

Yep. I give Chiarelli some credit for making some big changes and trying to "go for it" straight out of the gate. Unfortunately, he made bad decisions that have probably set the Oilers back more than they've pushed them forward.

Yeah, gotta give him credit for trying, but he signed the wrong players to the wrong contracts (although free agency is what it is depending on the year, so it's either sign who you can or hold off) and made that horrible Hall trade. Hall really helped Jersey turn things around. Talbot gave them great goaltending last season, looked like a  fairly cheap, smart pickup. But he regressed this season, as most Oilers did.

Makes me laugh to see what some of those four first overalls they inexplicably won turned out to be, besides McDavid of course, but he was a no brainer, and Hall, who they wasted so he doesn't factor in anymore. Yak was a joke, huge bust. Nuge, while not a bust, and is definitely chipping in, hasn't lived up to his first overall hype. So out of the four, they only got one elite player in the end. But he's a hell of a player that's for sure. Interested to see how they try to build around him going forward.

[chaps80 1,591]

4 hours ago, Dabura said:

So. If the Knights win the Cup this season, do we see a copycat effect around the league? Do organizations re-evaluate, re-prioritize, re-orient? Or are the Knights simply a one-off lightning-in-a-bottle situation powered by elite goaltending and a few forwards having career years? We all know the team is overachieving, but is it all just "beginner's luck"?

What do you mean? Everyone knows the Cup belongs to Pittsburgh. Now and forever. lol

I hope the Sharks can rebound and win the next two. If they can win in Vegas tomorrow, they have a good shot to end it at home. If not, The Jets or Preds will be a tougher opponent. The Jets especially, they can wear a team down physically and have the scoring. And Burger Buff. Guy can control a game himself if he wants to.

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

 Vegas even being in the playoffs is a huge joke let alone winning the Cup. That would be like John Scott making the All Star Game and then getting MVP.

[chaps80 1,591]

2 hours ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

 Vegas even being in the playoffs is a huge joke let alone winning the Cup. That would be like John Scott making the All Star Game and then getting MVP.

Agreed. Part of what makes the cap era parity so ridiculous at times. Where you can make an instantly competitive roster out of an expansion draft. Teams had to scramble in this draft to make side deals for assets to protect players and were forced to expose players they really would have wanted to hang onto. Vegas was gifted a hell of a roster backstopped by a three time Cup winning goalie. Almost in the West Finals in their first season. Expansion teams are supposed to be made up of other teams castoffs that aren't really losses and suck for a few years at least, build up and earn the right to make the playoffs.

At least Washington won tonight. 

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

3 hours ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

 Vegas even being in the playoffs is a huge joke let alone winning the Cup. That would be like John Scott making the All Star Game and then getting MVP.

I disagree somewhat.  It's hard to build chemistry with 20 players who've never played together before.  Salary cap or not, that's just not supposed to happen so easily.  Their ability to come together as a team has been impressive.

[LeftWinger 5,065]

Answer: Coaching Staff.

[Dabura 12,228]

10 hours ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

 Vegas even being in the playoffs is a huge joke let alone winning the Cup. That would be like John Scott making the All Star Game and then getting MVP.

Not really, no.

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

3 hours ago, Dabura said:

Not really, no.

LOL I always know when ur around. The DBZ ads give you away.

[kylee 727]

13 hours ago, GMRwings1983 said:

I disagree somewhat.  It's hard to build chemistry with 20 players who've never played together before.  Salary cap or not, that's just not supposed to happen so easily.  Their ability to come together as a team has been impressive.

I still don’t love Vegas having a hockey team but the work of Gallant and the coaching stuff and the team meshing so well is undeniable. 

[Dabura 12,228]

Rest in pieces, Bruins.

[kylee 727]

2 hours ago, Dabura said:

Rest in pieces, Bruins.

May your dreams of another Stanley Cup lick on to next season. I mean, live on to next season. 

[greenrebellion 415]

Tonight is the night!!  Washington will escape the 2nd round.

[xtrememachine1 795]

1 hour ago, greenrebellion said:

Tonight is the night!!  Washington will escape the 2nd round.

Sure hope so, but knocking out the defending champs on their home ice... I have a feeling this will go 7.  I hope I'm wrong.  On the plus side, I don't think it'll matter who wins this series, TB is rolling and they'll beat either of these teams.

[13dangledangle 968]

On ‎2018‎-‎05‎-‎06 at 12:50 AM, GMRwings1983 said:

I disagree somewhat.  It's hard to build chemistry with 20 players who've never played together before.  Salary cap or not, that's just not supposed to happen so easily.  Their ability to come together as a team has been impressive.

My thoughts exactly.  The chemistry they have is undeniable, it's their complete game that has impressed me the most.  These guys forecheck together then hustle and backcheck together, everyone on the team is always skating at 110% to be where they need to be on every single shift.  Let alone Fleury whos been amazing too, though last night his post's were the unsung hero of the game.

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

3 hours ago, greenrebellion said:

Tonight is the night!!  Washington will escape the 2nd round.

Should have done it last year or the year before.  I don't see them beating Tampa or whoever comes out of the West if they get to the SCF.  Would be bittersweet for them if they could finally beat Pittsburgh and blow it in the next round, but it's all about timing.  I don't think this is Washington's year to win the Cup.  As we all know, the playoffs only get tougher once you get to the final four.  

1 hour ago, 13dangledangle said:

My thoughts exactly.  The chemistry they have is undeniable, it's their complete game that has impressed me the most.  These guys forecheck together then hustle and backcheck together, everyone on the team is always skating at 110% to be where they need to be on every single shift.  Let alone Fleury whos been amazing too, though last night his post's were the unsung hero of the game.

How many teams do you think would like to rewind the expansion draft and have a do-over?  I say lots. 

Nobody could have foreseen the impact some of these players made, especially a guy like William Karlsson, Riley Smith, Eric Haula, etc.  They chose all the right players, many of whom have never played this well in their lives.  It's the greatest draft in sports history. I'm thinking their management did some kind of time travel to pick these players.    

[kylee 727]

Washington wins tonight 8-0 , Ovechkin 8 goals 

[kylee 727]

Pierre already setting up the pre-text for the Penguins loss 

[amato 3,210]

I wish kessel were ever on a team I liked.... drafted by Boston, traded to Toronto, then to Pittsburgh. He’s going to end his career in Chicago, guaranteed. 

[krsmith17 7,191]

I've never wanted a Washington goal so bad in my life...

[amato 3,210]

3 minutes ago, krsmith17 said:

I've never wanted a Washington goal so bad in my life...

SO close at the end there. 

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

Bye bye S**tsburgh.  

Edited May 8, 2018 by GMRwings1983

[amato 3,210]

WOOOO! Send Crosby and Malkin straight to the razor for the sake of beards everywhere!