If Tampa Bay woke up on December 15 and decided not to score any more goals on their remaining 142 PP opportunities over their final 51 games, they'd still have a higher percentage than the Flyers
Absolutely furious at the Bruins. Two of the worst efforts of the season to choke away the division, leading to playing the Leafs in the first round again, which one of these years may kill me.
It's really impressive how deep Dallas is. They have nine skaters with over 50 points. (And one more with 47)
https://theathletic.com/5417359/2024/04/17/nhl-draft-2024-top-prospects-celebrini-levshunov/ It kind of feels like there's some fatigue post Bedard, and as a result Celebrini is almost getting less hype than he deserves. 32 goals, 64 points, almost doubling up the next highest scoring BU forward, as a kid that still hasn't even turned 18- is a ridiculous season. I think he might be closer to Bedard than a lot of people believe.
Great choke by the Leafs being up 2-0. Now we play Boston which means I don’t even have to watch the playoffs this year because we know what happens
Yeah, I think the two teams I'd most want to avoid in the playoffs this year are Dallas or Florida. Both those teams look built for the postseason in addition to being really good.
Boston has a pretty bad group of forwards honestly. It’s a miracle they won as many games as they did
We at least beat the Panthers during the year. And the history we have with Boston. But it doesn’t matter, this team isn’t built for playoffs and will wilter away like every year
I don't think you're wrong (particularly because of his size- Carlsson and Fantilli both project as big 2-way 1C's) more so saying I think he'll end up being one of the best 2-3 players in the league eventually.
Same. Set my weekend schedule to carve out Saturday night. Now I got to change everything for a likely 5 pm puck drop on sunday
It would have been, but it's time to call a spade a spade. That team was unbelievably fraudulent. All the teams gunning for those last two spots are. The best of the 5 was the Penguins.
All things considered, assuming Vegas wins, idk if I’d rather Dallas lose and play Nashville or win and play LA.
now that the flyers are eliminated I feel like I can finally say without being called a homer that bad teams make the playoffs every year. sometimes they even wind up making unexpected cup runs. acting like there are going to be 16 good teams every year is so dumb and people need to get over it. it's the worst kind of discourse in sports. we have a clear system for awarding playoff spots. it's not arbitrary. there's no point in debating who deserves it.
I think the leafs are out in 5 no matter who they play. Just doesn’t look like a playoff ready team. uncertain goaltending doesn’t help. Florida Boston Rangers Canes gonna be a hell of a final 4 in the east. Think we get Canes Florida ECF again.
I think we get a rematch in the conference finals as well, but Vasi is absolutely capable of stealing the series with the Panthers. I also don't think Boston is that good and they are a better matchup for the leafs than the Panthers would have been. Of course bad teams make the playoffs every year. This year we had 5 mediocre teams battling for the final two spots in the east. I don't see anyone saying there must be 16 good teams in the playoffs. As for saying sometimes those teams make cup runs. For every Covid Habs that fluke their way to the Cup final, there are a dozen mid teams that are out in 5 or less. I think you are arguing a point that nobody is really making. Nobody has a problem with The Caps and Islanders making it. I think the general expectation is that both teams will be gone from the playoffs quickly.
Eh, I’d easily take him over Fantilli. Probably Carlsson too. Him vs Bedard is a good long term convo, imo.
The 25 year old analytics dweebs - who mostly still count every shot attempt equally because they’re too invested in their existing models - are very professional!
it's fine if they're gone quickly. Rangers deserve to play a team who isn't that great based on their regular season. people every night pointing out that there are mediocre teams going to make the playoffs is so boring.
I mean, its factual. It's also been wildly entertaining. The fact that we had a 5 way mid off come down to the flyers pulling their goalie in a 1-1 game even though they had been eliminated like 2 minutes real time prior was awesome television.
Tbf out of the 4 teams that were in position I think the Caps are by far the worst and it would’ve been more fun to see Detroit or Pittsburgh as a neutral observer to those teams.
This doesn’t make sense since we would’ve had more wins if some of those overtime/shootout losses were wins rather than losses. Not to mention the amount of late third period leads we blew, especially early in the season.
The goaltending is 1000% spot on. If it wasn’t for elite goaltending they’re probably 3rd in their division or a WC team.
The two worst games of the Bruins’ season were against the Caps so I’ve been foolishly talking myself into them making a cinderella run.
I think there's so much discourse on it this year because the teams vying for the last spot were worse than usual. Washington is 28th in GF and below average in GA. Statistically, they're one of the worst/most fortunate teams to get in, ever.
It is obvious that the Penguins were the best bet to put a scare into whoever had to play them in the event they made it.
Yeah that’s what I was hoping for with the Lightning. Felt like it was a decent matchup with Boston but Florida isn’t a good matchup at all. Vasy getting in a zone and the PP is hot is probably the only chance the Lightning have. Regular season and playoffs are different but the Panthers just dominated the last two matchups even when the Lightning were in the middle of playing their best hockey all year in March so it’s hard to be confident.
I do think the Lightning have a mental advantage over the Panthers. Sweeping the president's trophy team 2 years ago absolutely sticks in your head. While the coach and some of the roster has changed since, a lot of the main guys are still there. Panthers also will have Ekblad playing injured and Verhaeghe coming off an injury. In my eyes, the Ligthing were the less preferred matchup, but will bring the drama and entertainment.
I disagree because you can see the mental advantage the Panthers have over the Leafs on the ice. Now I'd agree that the Panthers seem mentally tougher than the Leafs and are less likely to let it creep into their mind that Vasi could do it to them a 3rd time, but it still exists imo.
Eh I think that’s just the leafs being the leafs. Lightning effect used to show up in the regular season but this season absolutely did not. They teed off and didn’t overthink shots. If they come out shooting volume shots in game 1 then it should confirm they aren’t concerned mentally.
Look I love the panthers and all but that’s a pretty niche thread title. At least go with “ENTER NOW FOR ANNUAL LEAFS MELTDOWN”