NHL 2018 - 2019

[ElysianGuitars]

Stars make a splash, trade for Zuccarello...

He goes 1-1-2 in his first game, then is injured blocking a shot, out 4 weeks. Great.

 

[technomancer]

Stars make a splash, trade for Zuccarello...

He goes 1-1-2 in his first game, then is injured blocking a shot, out 4 weeks. Great.

Good to see the Pens aren't the only ones with shitty luck

But hey we traded Pearson for Gudbranson who is whopping -27... yeah he's going to help the D while Letang and Dumoulin are out

EDIT: Oh FFS and not only is he a -27 he's under contract for $4 million for 2 more seasons WTF

 

[AdamMaz]

To paraphrase the best thing I've read all day: "I wonder if after today, Dorion could still get away with saying 'we are a team'"

Poor Ottawa, but all jokes aside, they did alright with a terrible hand. Somewhere I read that only 4 of 20 players that were on the Conference Finals team a couple years back are still on the roster.

Lundqvist on Zucharello

 

[AdamMaz]

Somewhere I read that only 4 of 20 players that were on the Conference Finals team a couple years back are still on the roster.

Those numbers might not be correct, but this really puts it into perspective:

 

[technomancer]

Tampa and LA are tied in 3-3 overtime? WTF is going on there

 

[JSanta]

Tampa and LA are tied in 3-3 overtime? WTF is going on there

The Sabre's took TB to a shootout on Thursday night. Even though they are easily the best team in the league, physical play against them seems to open up scoring opportunities pretty well.

 

[AxeHappy]

Haven't been following trade stuff at all. Had some food poisoning at the end of some vacation, but the Leafs had another super sloppy 5-3 win against the Sabres.

I get the crazy offensive power, but that kind of play is why we aren't making it past the first round. Defensive zone turn overs lose games.

 

[AdamMaz]

I get the crazy offensive power, but that kind of play is why we aren't making it past the first round. Defensive zone turn overs lose games.

Part of me really wants Dubas to commit 99.99% of his longterm cap into those handful of forwards for precisely that reason.

 

[AdamMaz]

Tortorella, please never change

Backstory: reporter's phone is on the podium (assumedly recording press conference), Torts notices someone's mom try to call them 3 times then decides to pick it up...

 

[technomancer]

Good to see the Pens aren't the only ones with shitty luck

But hey we traded Pearson for Gudbranson who is whopping -27... yeah he's going to help the D while Letang and Dumoulin are out

EDIT: Oh FFS and not only is he a -27 he's under contract for $4 million for 2 more seasons WTF

All right, I have to say I may have been wrong. We'll see how it works out longer term, but Gudbranson has actually been very solid so far and is a +5 since coming to the Pens.

The deal with Florida has also worked out very well for the Pens.

 

[AdamMaz]

They could still even take the division. Crazy when you consider they were at the bottom of the conference standings at one point this season.

The Habs playoff fate will likely be decided by the upcoming games against Carolina and Columbus in the next week. Really need to win specifically those two games to not only stay in a playoff spot, but to avoid Tampa in the first round. Come to think of it... how much fun would a Habs/Pens 1st round matchup be?

 

[technomancer]

They could still even take the division. Crazy when you consider they were at the bottom of the conference standings at one point this season.

The Habs playoff fate will likely be decided by the upcoming games against Carolina and Columbus in the next week. Really need to win specifically those two games to not only stay in a playoff spot, but to avoid Tampa in the first round. Come to think of it... how much fun would a Habs/Pens 1st round matchup be?

Yeah the standings in the Metro are insane this year, 10 points between first and out of the playoffs. Pens are only 3 points behind the Caps for first as of today. Pens are really missing Malkin right now though... they went from 5 goals a game to 2 when he got hurt. They are missing him in a big way on the powerplay. Still a bit pissed he got crosscheked hard enough to basically either crack a rib or bruise a lung with no call (basically the two possibilities to keep him out this long based on where he was hit).

A Habs / Pens first round would be awesome... and I don't think anybody wants to play Tampa It's going to be interesting seeing how Tampa do in the playoffs given the insane season they've had.

 

[JD27]

Yeah the standings in the Metro are insane this year, 10 points between first and out of the playoffs. Pens are only 3 points behind the Caps for first as of today. Pens are really missing Malkin right now though... they went from 5 goals a game to 2 when he got hurt. They are missing him in a big way on the powerplay. Still a bit pissed he got crosscheked hard enough to basically either crack a rib or bruise a lung with no call (basically the two possibilities to keep him out this long based on where he was hit).

A Habs / Pens first round would be awesome... and I don't think anybody wants to play Tampa It's going to be interesting seeing how Tampa do in the playoffs given the insane season they've had.

Caps outplayed them 5v5 in the games last week. They were done in by some shaky goaltending and bad special teams. TB was 3 for 3 on the PP last game after going 0-5 in the first. However the Caps went 1 for 6 in the first game. They remind me of the Presidents trophy winning Caps teams. They win games they probably shouldn’t. I predict after cruising through the season someone knocks them off because the playoffs are a different beast.

 

[AdamMaz]

I still remember against the Caps last year in the playoffs how dependent the Lightning were on getting their goals on the powerplay. They were average 5v5 and the powerplay didn't bail them out like it did most games... they got snuffed.

I haven't seen much of them this year, not sure what has changed to take them to that extra level. Brayden Point breakout season?

 

[AdamMaz]

Looking at the Bill Masterton nominee list, if Cory Schneider is not the best embodiment of perseverance after going a whole calendar year without a win, I don't know who is.

Tonight's Habs game vs Columbus is by far the most important game of the year, should be extremely tight and intense. If we let Columbus win and get the wildcard edge on us, there is no way we make the playoffs, as our final games are against Washington, Tampa, Washington and Toronto

 

[technomancer]

I'm hoping the Habs win just for the comedy of Columbus not making the playoffs after going all in like that when they already knew the 2 best players on the team weren't re-signing.

EDIT:

 

[AdamMaz]

I'm hoping the Habs win just for the comedy of Columbus not making the playoffs after going all in like that when they already knew the 2 best players on the team weren't re-signing.

EDIT:

 

[technomancer]

Seriously was Price high? He looked terrible...

 

[AdamMaz]

Price was good most of that game. As it progressed, CBJ fed increasingly off the hometown crowd and the Habs play deteriorated equally.

 

[technomancer]

Price was good most of that game. As it progressed, CBJ fed increasingly off the hometown crowd and the Habs play deteriorated equally.

I only saw the third

And of course the Caps and Islanders both won