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TropicalFruitGirl26

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TropicalFruitGirl26 last won the day on February 14

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About TropicalFruitGirl26

  • Birthday 07/14/1984

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  • Location
    Minnesota
  • Specific Location
    Latitude: 44°56′39″ N, Longitude: 93°05′35″ W -- heh!
  • Favorite Team
    Lightning
  • 2nd Favorite Team
    Wild

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  1. Alright now...so, what is going on with regards to playoff races around the NHL? Well for starters, in the East, what looked like would only be one team or the other (one from the Atlantic, one from the Metro) that takes the top spot has now turned into a legit 4 team race for that. The NY Rangers, the surging Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers, and the Boston Bruins can all make a run at grabbing the top spot in the East and having home ice throughout. If ya snooze, ya lose.....so we will see which three teams snooze while the 4th grabs home ice! Staying in the East, the Leafs looked sorta locked into their third spot position in the Atlantic, meaning, they will visit the loser of the Atlantic division in Round 1 of the playoffs.....so Leafs at Panthers, or Leafs at Bruins is looking likely. The Flyers in the Metro, meanwhile, aren't as locked in as Toronto and must play their arses off if they want to hold onto the third spot they currently hold. Teams chasing them, the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, and especially, the NY Islanders, have all hit some skids however. Doesn't mean The Fly can relax, but it does mean the pressure isn't as great as it was about a week or so ago. The Lightning seem to have a pretty good hold on the first wild card....they have an outside chance of possibly catching the Leafs, but not likely. The Detroit Red Wings are trying to hang onto that last WC spot, but they must fend off whatever Metro teams don't catch Philadelphia, but are good enough to catch THEM! Crazy stuff! Out West, there is a FANTASTIC three team tumble for the Central Division between Winnipeg, Colorado, and Dallas. Any one of those three can end up with the division lead and host a wild card team, and any three could be second or third and play each other in a perfect display of why the current playoff format is so flawed: Any meetings between any of the Jets, Stars, or Avs should be reserved for LATER rounds in the playoffs...not Round 1...as a good, deserving team will not make it past the opening stanza and people will say, "Meh...they sucked, they couldn't get past the first round". Bullshockey! The Pacific Division sees Vancouver continue to lead and not likely to be caught by Edmonton for the division....and VAN also leads the aforementioned Central teams for the top overall Western slot. Edmonton likely ends up in 2nd, hosting either the Kings or Knights in Round 1. The Nashville Predators, meanwhile, have a seeming iron grip on that first wild card with no signs of slowing down. All WC teams are being pursued by St. Louis, Minnesota, and Calgary as the outside dark horse (VERY dark horse!), but honestly, it doesn't look like any of those three are gonna catch Vegas, LA...and certainly not Nashville. In that regard, the West teams look like they are set as to who will make it in, only changes being, what positions they finish in, while the East still has teams that need to be decided on who is actually in or out! Exciting stuff down the stretch!
  2. @IllaZilla I love canines! She is a cutie there! Very sorry for your loss. I know that awful feeling all too well.
  3. Didn't get to watch this game live as I was busy with other things, but did record it and watched it as I am up late tonight: -- Minnesota had some really, really bad bounces work against them....both in the manner the Kings score at least 4 of their goals, and in the manner in which the puck just would NOT bounce in favor of the Wild when they got their chances. I mean, those weird bounces, redirect friendly fire, and tips that altered the puck just enough to where Fleury had no shot to make a save seemed the order of the day! -- Having said that, the Wild also were to blame for this poor performance as they simply allowed too many rushes into their zone, didn't cover properly once the Kings established the offensive zone (seriously...leaving the likes of a Kevin Fiala all alone between the circles is downright bungling at its worst!), and did a terrible job on simple basic clears. You think the Wild missed the stabilizing presence of one Mr. Jonas Brodin? You bet they did! Maybe the Kings still win the game with Brodin playing for the Wild, but I bet the game would NOT be a 6-0 blowout. Minnesota looked completely defeated by the second period even though they showed a modicum of pride and fight in the 3rd, but by then of course, things were academic and the Kings simply were happy to keep Minnesota at bay while they collected the 2 pts and the win. Do the Wild "burn the tape" so to speak of this game, as it is sometimes suggested teams do when they crap the bed in a game? Well, yes and no. I mean, there are portions of the game where I think if the Wild players see it on video, they could see just how disjointed they were and what happens when you leave snipers unmolested......if they can see that, be embarrassed by that, and work to not let that happen again, then something could be gained from this horrid loss. The rest? A collection of good bounces for the Kings, bad bounces for the Wild.....enabled by the aforementioned poor play by Minnesota.....yea, just trash the rest. Back to St. Paul, start prep for the St. Louis Blues, FFS....
  4. I haven't seen any hard evidence that teams are particularly going after those players with intent to injure, although I can see how it can be viewed that way. I think we all know Jared was a sponge for punishment, given his size and the position he plays on the team. As you know, most D-men expect to get smashed in corners, they brace for it, try to avoid it of course, if possible, but it is usually inevitable. Spurge isn't particularly big, so throughout his career just more susceptible, IMO, to the grueling position he plays. Brodin? Hmm...for years he was always that 'quiet guy' no one really noticed. But now he has come more to the forefront as the Wild's BEST defensive defenseman, and maybe, just maybe, because of that, teams go at him a bit harder, like they would, say...ohhh, I dunno...a Drew Doughty in LA, an Mikhail Sergachev in TB, or an Esa Lindell in Dallas....guys that teams know, if you slow them down, you slow down that team's ability to defend at their best. Still don't think teams are intentionally trying to injure Brodin, but he definitely is on more teams' radars in recent seasons, and he suffers the side effects more now of being higher profile in the Wild's defensive scheme. That fall and leg bend he took against Anaheim after that hit was just plain nasty though.....
  5. We see this time and time again with these former enforcer types....doesn't bode well for a young guy like the current 'hockey monster', Matt Rempe. I feel bad for that young man because it seems all people care about him is his ability to do what guys like Simon and others did beforehand...not seemingly giving a damned about his hockey ability....and, to keep his place in the NHL, Rempe now has to continue to take the punishment until he no longer can...in which case, no one will give a crap about him after that. Chris Simon is a good example of an old school type of player who could possibly make it in today's NHL (minus some of the 'too much' stuff he pulled on and off the ice and between whistles), because he could actually play the game a bit and would be a perfect fit for some team's bottom six, or maybe even as a space maker on a top six role, in 2024. Those close to Rempe should take heed, counsel him properly, and encourage him to try to play more, fight less, although I understand that is part of his NHL DNA. Otherwise, he could be yet another Boogaard, Rypien, or Simon in the making.
  6. Jonas Brodin down with injury....means the main component of stability on that blue line will not be available, possibly, for the remainder of the season, pending what is found. Jonas Brodin To Have MRI, Avoided ACL Injury (prohockeyrumors.com) I suppose the good news is, according to that link, is he doesn't have an ACL tear which could have repercussions beyond this season, but still, it isn't sounding very good for him to finish out this season. And frankly, given the state the Wild are in and their less than likely chance to make the post season, I would actually be on board to 'shut him down' for the rest of the season, get him patched up, rehabbed, whatever needs to be done, so he is fresh and strong for next season and not have whatever lingering injury nagging him for the next few years. Likely means Goligoski will once again have to lace them up (put down that popcorn tray, Gogs, you are needed now), but perhaps if the Wild really do look like they are slipping away from the wild card spot, with the few remaining games, we may see callups en masse to see what they can do. Big loss in Brodin, but at this point, I care more about his health than the Wild's playoff chances as he should continue to be a big part of this team moving onward.
  7. Wild looked around the league....saw lots of teams had a 'Rasmus'....went out and got their own.
  8. Well well now... Big win indeed! Don't look now, but these Sabres are just 3 pts out of the final wild card spot....with the Islanders, Captials, and Wings ahead of them...and NEITHER of those teams being a lock for anything! Definitely could be an interesting stretch of games for Buffalo as the season winds down!
  9. Very possible the Panthers could be in the Finals again. I've always maintained that last year's run shouldn't have been viewed as 'lucky', or that the team had a Cinderella run, as most people tend to think. Panthers underachieved last season, then finally got their act together for the playoffs and it took them to the Finals. This season's team, IMO, is even better than last year's, and they have been playing during the regular season like they should. Of course, that doesn't guarantee success in the playoffs, but right now, hard to bet against them going far or even winning it all. As for Bettman's "nightmare"...yea, yea...I get it...ratings, non traditional market, and the attendance at Panther games is very, very underwhelming, but the team making it to the Finals should never, ever be viewed as a worst case scenario. Bettman wanted a team in Broward County, he gets a team in Broward County....same with the desert in Arizona, Music City, TN, and the Carolinas, and anywhere else some people think a team shouldn't be due to being non traditional markets. Since the teams ARE there....why would the commissioner's office not want success for them? Why continue the arse backwards, archaic thinking of the old ways of just northern cities or popular cities, or original six cities and other such similar nonsense? I could care less if the Panthers get disappointed again and lose in the playoffs.....because, of course, they are a division rival of my team. And I could say the same about the Bruins and Leafs in the East....and the Avalanche, Stars, and Blues in the West. But even if I don't care for the team, if they are good enough to get to the Finals, then they deserve respect, promotion, and acknowledgement for doing so, just as much as if it were the Blackhawks, Red Wings, Penguins, or Leafs doing the same. All teams in every city currently should be counted on to be just as important as the other. And if they aren't (like some mentioned), then the commish needs to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Other than that, tough chit for the media and fans who think certain teams shouldn't be in the Finals due to some outdated reason. Some complain about the league as a whole not getting the same amount of respect as some other leagues like the MLB and especially the NFL. Well, it is backwards thinking that keeps the NHL as the infamous 'red headed stepchild'....and that will only change when the league treats, pushes, and promotes all their teams the same...regardless of how the team actually performs, or how well their merch sells.... ala the NFL, who, in the interest of business, will have you believe that the NY Jets at the Arizona Cardinals is MUST SEE TV....even if both teams are terribly unexciting and have long histories of crappy seasons. And people eat it up. NHL should take notes....... just sayin....
  10. The Canucks may have had some puck luck this season...hell, they are having some in this game against WPG...but they are also pretty damned good too! Some in the media questioned why they "stood pat" on deadline day....well, why mess with a winning formula? Besides....they already got their guys (Lindholm and Monahan) well before the deadline, and even signed Pettersson to a new contract to keep him happy and on board. They really didn't need to do much at the deadline. If the 'Nucks fail in the postseason, then the front office can examine what needs to be fixed then....but right now, they are doing pretty well. And leading the J-e-t-s, Jets, Jets, Jets 3-0 at the end of 1.
  11. Also in this Phi-TB game...Mat Dumba. Looking pretty good in his debut. He won't have to be anything more than a depth guy with the Bolts, don't do anything stupid (yes, I know...a problem for him in the past), and make the safe and hard hitting plays...let the TB stars do their thing while he makes sure no odd man rushes go the other way. Again...so far, so good. If it works out for him in TB, maybe some reasonable contract could be worked out to stay beyond this season. If TB can bring out the best in defensively challenged players like Kevin Shattenkirk, then they might be able to do the same for Dumba.
  12. I settled in to watch this late in the 1st, so not sure what happened with Torts, but apparently, he isn't a fan of the officiating tonight. Also, if Torts getting his arse thrown out for verballing assaulting officials doesn't tell ya he doesn't care about pomp n ceremony, I don't know what will. Classic Torts simply focused on HIS OWN team's success....even though revered in Tampa Bay....and not giving a rat's arse about anything but Flyer hockey right now. Gotta respect that.
  13. So far, many of these predictions ARE wrong (as per your title...hehe), but I gotta tell ya, Yave...I admire the sheer testicular fortitude it takes to put something out there like this! I can always count on 'true to feelings' stuff from you. No regurgitated 'insider' crap, or processed podcast canned meat from you....no sir! Only authentic, organic, vitamins n minerals postings from you! As always, thank you for your voicing of opinions!
  14. Since the Sabres don't look like they will be making the playoffs, I think they did absolutely wonderfully in that trade. Sure, Mittelstadt is having a career year (or close to it....would have to look more closely at the numbers), but how many times have the Sabres given "the ball" to Mittel, and he hasn't lived up to it yet? Your team did what most GM's SHOULD do.... trade away a still good player when he is on a 'high', like Mittelstadt is, if he has shown in the past that he is inconsistent at best. And when the return is a potential steal in Bown Byram, well now....like I said...Sabres did wonderfully. Dahlin, Power, Byram. Those are three very, very dynamic type defenseman who are still very young, and while Dahlin is obviously the most NHL established of the three, once the other two learn to be true NHL'ers, the Sabres will have a very dangerous potential for offense comeing from that blue line to support the forward lines. If those three young players can do well as part of the Buffalo defensive core, then all the Sabres would need to do is find established stay at home type defensemen (easier to acquire than dynamic puck movers like those guys), to compliment those young players. But I even think those three young players can be more than just offensive types. All three can turn out to be very good two way players. If that happens, then this is a landslide win of a trade for the Sabres.....and Atlantic division rivals will have nightmares trying to contain the Buffalo top six AND attacks from the blue line, while having trouble getting through the neutral zone past those guys as well. Not making the playoffs sucks for your team, I get it, and the regression is disappointing, but I think the team has done very well in trying to reset things moving forward again for next season, and having Byram in there with the two young blueliners you already have helps give optimism.
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