TheAssassinMercenary Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 This is just a general discussion about the NHL. BTW, my teams are the Devils and the Bruins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anacybele Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Yeah, I watch it a little. I just don't find it quite as exciting as NFL football. But Penguins fan here, since I'm from Pittsburgh and I love Pittsburgh. :3 (it does have some issues these days though) My late brother loved the Penguins too, though really only because penguins were his favorite animals. lol Edited August 26, 2015 by Anacybele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBM Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 an SF NHL thread is this happening??? I cheer for the Leafs so uh... cough. I'm not sure which was worst- being flat-out terrible this last season, losing 12/14 of our last games to miss the playoffs the season before that, or the Game 7 collapse against the Bruins the year before that. sigh. We got Babcock though? I was pretty surprised, but we're now officially in a rebuild so it's a few more years of being bad. Hopefully we can get a #1 in the next two years...? But in the last 10 years of the Leafs being disappointments, I've had to cheer for other teams to make the playoffs more enjoyable, mostly dark horse candidates. The Red Wings used to be my #2 team (since their 01 cup win) but I'm not really a fan of their younger players, only Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Hasn't been quite the same since Lidstrom retired. I cheer for the Rangers just because Lundqvist is my favourite goalie and I like Nash, but I'm not really a fan of many other players there either, and they were too good last year to be a compelling dark horse candidate (they were great two years ago though). I like the Hawks (since before their first win even!) but a lot of their cool players have been shedded for salary cap relief- Byfuglien and Ladd a few years ago and now Sharp and Saad. I don't active cheer for them anymore (too good) but I think people are overblowing how much their team has been hurt by the salary cap. Their top 3 players of Toews/Kane/Keith is still the best trio in the league (over Pittsburgh and Tampa I think). I think an Eastern team will win this year. Chicago's not that bad off but I think in the short term they won't be able to repeat. LA got unlucky last year (I think they'll be back in the playoffs this year) but I don't see them quite as good anymore. Their cup wins have come from elite defence and goaltending and an average offence that's been able to turn on the switch in the playoffs. But their defence isn't as good (no Voynov) and the depth that let them turn that switch on is gone. Anaheim is still a stud defenceman away from winning and I'm not sure where they get one either. Vatanen and Lindholm aren't there and I'm not sure they'll make the leap from very good to elite. St. Louis theoretically could but I don't think they trust themselves, particularly their goaltending. I think it's going to be Tampa or Washington. I hope it's Washington because it sucks that Ovi doesn't have a Cup and if Tampa wins then Stamkos will never leave to sign with Toronto (yes yes I know he's going to sign an extension two weeks into the season). Pittsburgh is still too top-heavy and unlike Chicago their stars have disappeared at key moments, although maybe Kessel will help- he's a ppg playoffs player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAssassinMercenary Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Yeah, LA has been dominating until recently. I agree that it will probably be an eastern team this year. I'm thinking either the Bruins or Rangers. I don't think it will be Tampa... Washington maybe. Bruins are my number one. My number two and three teams (Devils and Hurricanes, respectively) have never done very well, unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Silver Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 what's a hockey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Horace Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I cheer for the Leafs so uh... cough. I'm not sure which was worst- being flat-out terrible this last season, losing 12/14 of our last games to miss the playoffs the season before that, or the Game 7 collapse against the Bruins the year before that. sigh. the game 7 collapse no question also unfourtunately a Leafs fan here. It's going to be a rough few years but I liked our draft a lot this year and I think we're finally heading in the right direction. I honestly liked Kessel, but it's probably for the best for his career that he's gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBM Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) at least with the Game 7 collapse I could say that if anybody had told me the Leafs were going to take the Bruins to Game 7 OT at the start of the series, I would have been happy. Bruins are going to be fighting just to make the playoffs. They're nowhere near as good as they were two years ago. Their offseason moves have been pretty bizarre, honestly. I thought that the Lucic deal was great, but the Dougie Hamilton deal was terrible. Their draft picks were kind of questionable- I remember they had 3 first-rounders in a row and passed over some good guys, but it's difficult to judge those picks at this time. Then they got Zac Rinaldo even though enforcers are a dying breed and it's not like the Bruins have "squishy" players that need protecting. Getting rid of the Savard contract was good though? The Devils and Hurricanes both have semi-recent cups; as a Leafs fan I can tell you that you are extremely blessed to have had all 3 of your top teams win a cup in the last 15 years. I also liked Kessel but he wasn't good enough to drag the Leafs to being decent by himself. I don't think we got full value (especially since we retained part of the salary...) but meh. Edited August 26, 2015 by BBM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrhesia Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I know nothing about hockey but occasionally watch it, mostly around the time of the playoffs. It's a great sport, though. Been considering going to see my local team a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAssassinMercenary Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) The Devils and Hurricanes both have semi-recent cups; as a Leafs fan I can tell you that you are extremely blessed to have had all 3 of your top teams win a cup in the last 15 years. I also liked Kessel but he wasn't good enough to drag the Leafs to being decent by himself. I don't think we got full value (especially since we retained part of the salary...) but meh. The Devils and Hurricanes are different than they were fifteen years ago... I'm probably wrong, but I could have sworn the Leafs won a cup within the last fifteen years.Edit: Never mind. I googled it, and the Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup since '67. As for Kessel, one player can't make or break a team, no matter how good they may be. It takes balance amongst players. Edited August 26, 2015 by TheAssassinMercenary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) i keep wanting to get into hockey, maybe i'll try to contribute to this thread EDIT: from my limited experience, i was a fan of the canadiens Edited August 26, 2015 by Integrity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterIceTeaPeach Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Yeah... but that's been a while. I watched it in an era, when "big" players like Peter Forsberg, Dominik Hasek, Eric Lindros, Jagomir Jagr and Mike Modano were active. Tbh I know them only by playing the NHL games. It's the only team sports besides basketball I watched (still watch bb). The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim were my favorite team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullwine85 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 (edited) I watch it whenever I can. Of course, it's tough rooting for both Dallas and St. Louis, as I'm torn on who to root for whenever they play each other. Also have a soft spot for Nashville and any Canadian team that isn't Vancouver. Also San Jose as they have Pavelski And of course, whenever the Blackhawks and Wild play each other, I root for the earth to swallow them whole. Edited August 29, 2015 by Bullwine85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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