TropicalFruitGirl26

Not to derail this particular thread, but I was ok with just calling it and have teams finish the way they did for the regular season. In fact, I thought this was settled already. But if not, I would be ok with leaving the standings as the "finals", so whomever is in first, won in each league. I kid you not, guys, when I say that this whole mess has taken away much of the passion and love I have for hockey, and a few other things. Especially when there are about a thousand other things being impacted that require top priority.

Just ridiculous. As hardcore a hockey fan as I am, I can honestly say that I have no interest in watching a makeshift, rag tag, sideshow format slapped together.....and then have them play "competitive" hockey to find out who the pseudo best of the best is this season. Any momentum, positive mindsets, and gearing up for the post season that was built up by the top teams is gone. Just gone. And those teams who were already planning for the draft and looking to better themselves over the summer, now would have a golden opportunity to win, with no fear of failure because, by all rights, they shouldn't even BE there. So right there, to me, that penalizes the teams that busted their arses to get to where they got, who played through injuries because their team IS in the playoff picture (face it, teams that are eliminated have more players going to IR due to having nothing to play for), and rewards teams that weren't doing anything but playing out the string. With a format like this, and given the circumstances, you could put a sorry team like the Red Wings, Senators, or Kings in there, and they'd have just as equal a shot to win it all than a team like Boston, St. Louis, Washington or Tampa Bay. Of course, the Wings, Sens, or Kings WON'T be in there, but we will get worse...much worse. We will have the professional medicores like Minnesota, Montreal, and Arizona getting in with a chance to win. "Ladies and gentlemen, your NEW 2019-20 Mediocre Champions....the MINNESOTA WILD! And their Conn Smythe winner....Aleeeexxxx Staaaaaloooccckkkkkk". Yea, exactly. And hey, it COULD happen. This proposed restart and format is just begging for it to happen. If the NHL wants to finish out this season and do a playoffs, fine...then they should do what the rest of us who are working or home schooling our kids are doing: Go on Zoom, WebEx, or whatever other business/social virtual platform is out there, and have players scream out what plays they would be making, while others scream out how they would defend it. Then, have us fans invited to the Zoom/WebEx meeting, so we could cheer everyone on..... in virtual safety, naturally. Because at least this way, I would actually participate, because it would give the absurdity of it all some meaning, and would also entertain me. Also, this would be about as fair and competitive as anything I would be seeing in a haphazard format. I will renew my interest in the NHL when things (if they do) return to normal in October. In the meantime, if the NHL insists on doing what they are proposing, I won't be giving a damned about who wins, who loses, or even "peek in" on games, as to me, it is all a farce and any winner, ANY WINNER, whether it be a bottom feeder like the Rangers or Coyotes...or a top level team like the Bruins or Lightning (yea...really won't even care if my beloved Bolts win or lose here)...they will and SHOULD have an asterisk the size of Alaska emblazoned on any banner they raised: You didn't really win the playoffs....you won the lottery. This will all be one giant "exhibition season" from here on out.....and as anyone who knows me knows...I don't pay much attention to exhibition games. When the NHL is ready to play real games, I will come back to them. For now, many of us fans have other pressing matters that need attending to.......and hopefully, we can achieve things with more common sense than the NHL is showing...

Wow...just wow. I remember seeing him in a handful of Oilers games when he got called up last year and this. Not much of a goal scorer, but seemed to really leave it all out there on the ice with regards to being fully engaged in games. He was a bit physical in his style....something the Oilers could ALWAYS use, smart physicality....and likely, had he stayed in the NHL, been a career 3rd or 4th liner. Beyond hockey though, just sad that a 25 yr old athlete is just gone. Just like that. I have 3 brothers...two are older than I am, one is younger, and I always considered the younger one a "baby" (in the affectionate sense).... but he is older than 25. Can't imagine the pain this "baby's" family is in....especially his mother.

Late to the party here, but voted cancel everything. Logistical nightmares, greater chance of injury now that players have "cooled down", and the paranoia that will still be prevalent not only in the sports world, but amongst fans, even when we are "officially clear" of Covid-19..... All that will conspire to make this season is just done. An asterisk should just go next to the 2019-20 season....stats count, of course, standings...but ultimately, its a big nothing because no Division, Conference, or Cup champions will be crowned. The NHL is better served just trying to get ahead of things by concentrating on trying to have the best possible 2020-21 season (and some indications are THAT might be affected in some way too!), and focus on how to get a proper draft, and new Seattle team, integrated into the infrastructure. Forget this season. Everyone's focus is on health and safety...players are scattered all over the world....fans are on lockdown....just let everyone be and cut the losses this year. Look ahead to next season and perhaps trying to start the season with everyone healthy and things going back to normal and on time.

You know, your version of playoff events actually sounds like it would be VERY exciting! Sure, it DOES help you get my vote that you have the Lightning winning it all....and if that sounds homerish to some, well, I don't care. I could certainly go for this alternate reality!

Alright, see, you people are just being unrealistic. Everyone knows, especially those diehards in West New York, that the Buffalo Sabres would have come ROARING back, sneak into the playoffs as the 2nd Wild Card, run the table, and meet St. Louis in the Finals where the Blues take a 5-4 Game 7 in double OT to edge Buffalo in a series for the ages....

This is a tough situation...whole lotta what ifs or what could have beens... Safest, fairest way, given what we have to work with, would be go by regular season standings. Whatever decision is made, I won't be upset with because I know there IS NO easy solution, but if I am being asked, I'd say just go with regular season standings and move on with life.

Another year, another Pens' run..... I grudgingly wish Jason Zucker luck because he was one of the Wild players I really liked and he should absolutely thrive playing with players like Sid or Evgeni, but under the Penguins' system in general. An ECF between the Pens and Lightning would be very exciting!

Errrr, because the Bolts are trying to win a Cup, realize they need sandpaper and grit to get it done along with their talent, and most, importantly, have an embarrassment of riches in their organization that they can afford to part with high picks to get just the players they deem necessary to win a title this year, possibly next. Hey, I agree TB is paying some pretty high prices for grinder types (see: Coleman), but at this stage, it is the one thing that seems to be lacking......that type of personnel and the mindset to 'get down n dirty' in a 7-game set if need be. Coleman, Goodrow, Maroon, hell, even Bogosian, provided he leaves his stupids in Buffalo, in addition to guys TB developed themselves like Ceddy Paquette, Alex Killorn, and agitators like Yanni Gourde all contribute to that cause.

Thompson, at 35, is far from the beast he used to be in his younger days, but he still plays a pretty good brand of physical hockey. I kept seeing many Flyers fans complain that the team was "too soft", and they they don't get "dirty enough" in the trenches, etc, etc... Well....here ya go. Thompson, along with Grant, will go a ways to address some of that, without being big liabilities on the ice. More importantly for Flyers fans, Thompson comes with a very reasonable price tag for the remainder of the season, Philly doesn't have to keep him beyond that if they don't want to, he does a good job of not only winning faceoffs (still a 55% guy...give or take), but taking care of the puck with minimal turnovers, adds leadership from the perspective of a guy who really has seen it all (even off the ice demons he dealt with), and serves as the PERFECT rental, if that is to be the case, for a Flyers team that really shouldn't be getting into the playoffs, but just may well do that, and he will be helpful in keeping Philly from being an easy toss out once there. All this for a 5th rounder for 2021's draft. What's not to like here? Flyers aren't quite ready to make any sort of trading "splashes", and moves such as this and Grant are perfect for where this team is on the development curve.

Tampa Bay has picked things up in the win-loss department that last month and a half. Seems like they have figured out their game, added some more grit to their lineup along the way, and have been winning games in various ways, as opposed to just outscoring everyone and look good doing it like they did last season. At this point, it really doesn't even matter if they can catch Boston for the Atlantic or not. Bolts seem to be in their own little bubble where they are just concerned how well, how tough, and how committed THEY are to winning games, night in, night out...and come playoff time, THAT will serve them best regardless whether they finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the Conference. Barclay Goodrow, Blake Coleman, Zach Bogosian....all added at or around the trade deadline. All have varying degrees of usefulness (though I am leary of Bogosian) in terms of being nasty and tough to play against. Coleman in particular seems to be the most useful...the Swiss Army knife of top 9 players if you will, but I can see Goodrow taking a role of lock down center or wing, particularly in the defensive zone, sharing that workload with guys like Carter Verhaeghe and/or Cedric Paquette who already do that sort of thing on the team. TB needs the return of Ryan McDonagh however. His injury, as well as that of Erik Cernak is forcing the Bolts to play Luke Schenn more than they likely want to, as well as having to move other guys like Shattenkirk and Coburn up the defensive depth chart....and of course, probably necessitated the signing of a guy like Zach Bogosian in the first place. McDonagh, like the rest of the team earlier on, has had a slow start......looking more n more to me like he must have had some nagging injury holding him back. Hopefully this time off for him is a good thing, and he can return in much better physical game condition for TB down the stretch and into the playoffs. If the Bolts are going to win this year, even with the talent up n down their lineup, McDonagh will HAVE to be a big part of that as well. As for other players, Captain Steven Stamkos continues to lead by example....far removed it seems, from the guy who just looked like he was putting up personal stats....he truly has taken his role as captain to heart, and does anything and everything on the ice, needed to get his team a win. No more grumbling about "I want to just play center"....no more talk or concerns by the media, or anyone else really, about "b-b-but Stamkos won't score 50 or 60 goals anymore!"..... No, he won't...but I will take 35-40 annually from him, along with maybe 70-80 points if he continues to hit, take faceoffs, play defnense, and move around the lineup (successfully too!), as he has been doing. I think it is safe to say he is over the personal stats and awards thing, and now is focused on a Stanley Cup, and during interviews, it is clear to see and hear, he expects the same of his teammates. Kucherov, Point, Hedman....as expected, they got their games going. Palat, Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli, and yes, even Kevin Shattenkirk have all seemingly upped their games and are doing what they need to do to keep their team winning. Vasilevskiy is being Vasilevskiy...and Curtis McBackup is doing a decent job spelling Vasy when he needs it. Bolts next game will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh boy. Trap game? A Leafs team that was beaten by a retired minor league, current Zamboni driver? Hopefully TB just sees another contender for their spot in the playoffs and not a team that was on the wrong side of history against Carolina. Boots to throats should be the mantra for TB against Tor...take NOTHING for granted. Stamkos....let your leadership shine here and practice what you preach! Go Bolts!

As much as I liked the Nick Ritchie to Boston for the Bruins, I think the Ducks got a pretty sweet player in Danton Heinen going their way. Not as defensively responsible as the B's usually like their players, he likely fits Anaheim's more wide open style better...and he did put up some decent seasons under a mostly defensive Bruins system, and should do well playing with the likes of a Rakell, Silfverberg, Troy Terry, or Sam Steel. Ducks even picked up Sonny Milano as well, so while their defense still could use work...LOTS of work....and some vets likely need to be phased out still, their young forwards group, with Heinen in it, look like they may have some good potential. More offensive upside with Heinen vs Ritchie....although Ritchie could turn out to be a vicious 25-30 point beast that the Bruins LOVE to have on their squads.

Bottom line here is, the Wild now don't have to play hot potatoe against the clock and use the summer to really sort things out. Rest of the season, they can use to see who really belongs out there, and if some vets really are done, they can further "hang themselves", so to speak, by continuing lackluster play. I can think of a few teams who could use the services of some of the Wild defensemen, and while interest in Minnesota players may not be at a feverish pace (at least not that GMs are letting on), I think we all know this is a game where execs always try to downplay players and situations, while secretly plotting to try fleecing the other guy. Pittsburgh GMs in the past have shown themselves to be a master at this, and I'd like to see if Guerin has picked any of that up while he was over there and use it in St. Paul. A good GM not only overvalues his guys, but makes the OTHER guy think he is getting a great deal in potential with the guy he wants to trade. A down season for Dumba shouldn't completely destroy his value and I think other GMs do see value in adding him to their blueline if they can....and as for Brodin, he had an up year, and frankly, I think this is about as good as Brodin gets, so if Guerin can find a taker for a decent return this summer for him based on what he's done this year, I'd say take the picks/prospects and run as Brodin may revert to just average once again next season. A couple guys with UFA status and some others with just one year left, so Guerin has other decisions to make. Seems to me he has, at least somewhat, convinced Leipold to start a teardown of the current team in order to make things better sooner. Hopefully that continues....and eventually, that should force even the most stubborn vet to either want out, or get with the program.

Ok, Vancouver Canucks update time. It's been awhile. Good news / bad news. Good news. The Canucks have NOT fallen out of the race like they have the past couple seasons, still within a very real shot at the top seeing as how the Pacific seems wide open this season. Also good news, they got themselves a good player in Tyler Toffoli, who should help the young Canucks stablize their lines. Toffoli has always been a good, do a bit of everything player who mostly played checking roles with the Kings (what Kings DIDN'T play checking roles, eh?), has seemingly been a 30-35'ish type producer on a mostly defensive team, and even though he is a rental for now, he could like the direction the Canucks are going enough to sign a new contract in the off season. Players throughout the team seem to be developing quite well (Quinn Hughes and Bo Horvat for instance), while other acquired vets have been off the charts in terms of leadership and production (JT Miller anyone?). Bad news. Injuries. It is what is currently keeping Vancouver from probably taking over the Pacific....well, that and a now renewed Edmonton team, though that still remains to be seen. Brock Boeser, Josh Leivo, Michael Ferland, and the biggest blow just yesterday, Jacob Markstrom. Antoine Roussel and Alex Edler have missed time this season at various points as well. More bad news....like I said, a renewed Edmonton (and possibly Calgary and Vegas teams) team look to challenge and maybe supersede what the Canucks are doing with the acquisitions they made to add to the talent they had already. The Cali teams may be down n out, but those teams mentioned still have teeth, and yea, even the Yotes may have something to say about what playoff spot, if any, the Canucks will get. Still a process in Vancouver, and I believe they are a bit ahead of where most people thought they'd be at this point. Thatcher Demko, as long as Markstrom is out, will likely see the lion's share of starts moving onward. The Canucks have traded for backup Louis Domingue from the Devils in the event that Markstrom is out longer than they believe. Looking at that situation, one can clearly see that the crease is now Demko's to lose. Canucks have 20-yr old Mike DiPietro in the minors, but apparently have refused to call him up as he is doing well down there and would like him to continue to get regular starts instead of being a backup at the NHL level before he is ready for the big time.

Looks like a NAHANA draft board...haha