Ongoing NHL thread - Part III

[dash]

And the draft order will wind up as Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto lol

fixed

/Oilers have this draft lottery stuff down to a science.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

The fact that one ping pong ball that just didn't want to drop in a hole cost the Leafs McDavid and gave him to Edmonton is my proof that there is no god.

 

[dash]

That was a strange tanking performance by the Flames last night, I mean they did outshoot the Sharks 48-23.

 

[BGDave]

And the draft order will wind up as Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto lol

I am sure you meant

Edmonton
Winnipeg
Calgary
Toronto

EDM will always get the #1.

 

[dash]

lol - BGDave is picking up what I'm putting down.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

That was a strange tanking performance by the Flames last night, I mean they did outshoot the Sharks 48-23.

It's time to put to rest the theory that anybody is tanking. Really don't think any team is trying to be last year's Buffalo. The Leafs, for the most part, outplayed the Sabres just like they did the Sens and Wild last week. The kids are actually already making a huge difference, they just can't compensate for the lack of defence on the team right now.

Ditto with the Flames, they have the capability to outplay almost any opponent with those forwards but for whatever reason it hasn't shown up much lately.

I think teams by-and-large are more concerned about getting what they can out of their current talent than they are about standing. I thought the Leafs were a bottom-feeder pre-season but things over the course of the year convinced me otherwise and I think were it not for injuries galore they would be closer to 20th than 30th.

 

[dash]

Man, Dean Lombardi sent Martin Jones to Boston hoping he would stay in the Eastern Conference only for the Bruins to turn around and send him to San Jose. That was quite the goaltending display he put on last night.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Man, Dean Lombardi sent Martin Jones to Boston hoping he would stay in the Eastern Conference only for the Bruins to turn around and send him to San Jose. That was quite the goaltending display he put on last night.

Well, good to see a former Quick backup working out.

Meanwhile in Toronto...

 

[KennyBanyeah]

It's time to put to rest the theory that anybody is tanking. Really don't think any team is trying to be last year's Buffalo. The Leafs, for the most part, outplayed the Sabres just like they did the Sens and Wild last week. The kids are actually already making a huge difference, they just can't compensate for the lack of defence on the team right now.

Ditto with the Flames, they have the capability to outplay almost any opponent with those forwards but for whatever reason it hasn't shown up much lately.

I think teams by-and-large are more concerned about getting what they can out of their current talent than they are about standing. I thought the Leafs were a bottom-feeder pre-season but things over the course of the year convinced me otherwise and I think were it not for injuries galore they would be closer to 20th than 30th.

Agreed. The Leafs are doing all the right things right now.

Tanking this year is really non-existent, particularly when compared to last year when several teams just flat out sucked on purpose.

 

[dash]

Agreed. The Leafs are doing all the right things right now.

Tanking this year is really non-existent, particularly when compared to last year when several teams just flat out sucked on purpose.

A clear sign that the Flames are tanking would be giving Hiller starts between the pipes. Obviously, you can't play Ortio every game, but barring injury to Ortio, if Hiller even gets 5 starts in the remaining 16 games, that should raise some eyebrows.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Agreed. The Leafs are doing all the right things right now.

Tanking this year is really non-existent, particularly when compared to last year when several teams just flat out sucked on purpose.

Maybe some teams realized how embarrassing it was. A lot of the same clubs that were actively losing (AZ, Buf, Edm) this time last year could quite easily be doing the exact same thing down the stretch but seem content to let things play out.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

A clear sign that the Flames are tanking would be giving Hiller starts between the pipes. Obviously, you can't play Ortio every game, but barring injury to Ortio, if Hiller even gets 5 starts in the remaining 16 games, that should raise some eyebrows.

What the hell happened to Hiller? His numbers have been so consistent over his career and then just plummeted this year. Ugly, ugly stuff.

Maybe some teams realized how embarrassing it was. A lot of the same clubs that were actively losing (AZ, Buf, Edm) this time last year could quite easily be doing the exact same thing down the stretch but seem content to let things play out.

Well, nobody has hired Peter Horachek so that's a step in the right direction.

 

[dash]

What the hell happened to Hiller? His numbers have been so consistent over his career and then just plummeted this year. Ugly, ugly stuff.

It's a good question - He got hurt early in the season and lost some confidence, but he's always on his knees these days and just looks small between the pipes. I would be very surprised if he gets another NHL contract after this season.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I am sure you meant

Edmonton
Winnipeg
Calgary
Toronto

EDM will always get the #1.

DO NOT SLEEP ON THE CANUCKS!!!

 

[jstewismybastardson]

It's a good question - He got hurt early in the season and lost some confidence, but he's always on his knees these days and just looks small between the pipes. I would be very surprised if he gets another NHL contract after this season.

I have to think its concussion/vertigo related that he struggled with in the past ... he was damn lucky (and the canucks had no finish) last playoffs ... he couldnt track the puck at all when it got in his skates

 

[dash]

I have to think its concussion/vertigo related that he struggled with in the past ... he was damn lucky (and the canucks had no finish) last playoffs ... he couldnt track the puck at all when it got in his skates

Yeah, that's a good point jstew, that could certainly be a factor as well.

 

[BGDave]

DO NOT SLEEP ON THE CANUCKS!!!

You all follow the team much more closely, but based on earlier posts on the quality of the front office, I rather expect Vancouver to trade their #1 for a 30+ year old defenseman or Kesler, or maybe Lucic.

So Vancouver does not need to be on the list...

 

[jstewismybastardson]

You all follow the team much more closely, but based on earlier posts on the quality of the front office, I rather expect Vancouver to trade their #1 for a 30+ year old defenseman or Kesler, or maybe Lucic.

So Vancouver does not need to be on the list...

Lucic is a UFA ... but yes this will probably happen

 

[BGDave]

Lucic is a UFA ... but yes this will probably happen

View attachment 95727

Surprisingly, I knew Lucic is UFA on July 1. I was thinking the VCR braintrust might say: "hey, why not get the negotiating rights before July 1, that way we can sign him before he hits the market !!".

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Surprisingly, I knew Lucic is UFA on July 1. I was thinking the VCR braintrust might say: "hey, why not get the negotiating rights before July 1, that way we can sign him before he hits the market !!".

I wasnt inferring you didnt know he was ufa lol

I wouldnt be surprised if benning is calling the Kings right now trying to see if he can acquire Lucic ... like today ... derp Benning derp lol