✨🥅 2023-24 NHL GENERAL SEASON THREAD 🥅 ✨

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

With the All Star Break just under two weeks away, and teams past the mathematical halfway point of the season, I thought I would entertain myself with a little game of "Good Surprise, Bad Surprise", where I comment on a handful of teams based on whether they are performing above most pundits' expectations....or well below.....in alternating fashion!

I'll start in the Pacific Division and work my way East....

Good Surprise.
I HAVE to start with the Vancouver Canucks.
Amazing what a bit of jettisoning dead weight players, add in some grit, and having a no-nonsense hard nosed coach running things can do for a team that already had some very good offensive talent!
 

Over the last few years, I've always considered Vancouver to be a talented, but soft-as-single-ply-toilet-paper type of team.
No more.
They are still most at  home with fast paced transitional offense, but really, watching some of their games this year, they can pretty much play any way the other team wants to play!

You figured they'd be improved with the changes they made (is there a more significant 'low key' albatross than Oliver Ekman-Larsson??), but to be playing as well as they have and look to continue to play...most wins in the league (30, without the benefit of wins via shootout), most points accumulated (.711 points %), and best goal differential (+55, while yielding the 4th fewest overall goals in the entire league)....if Rick Tocchet doesn't win the Jack Adams (or at least a strong candidate for it), then something is VERY rotten in Denmark...and in the NHL as well...

 

Bad Surprise?
No real bad surprises in the Pacific.
Edmonton WOULD have been that, but they look to have turned things around (gee, 12 wins a row, I'd say that is a marked improvement, no?), so ultimately, they are now where they should have been all along: in contention not only for the playoffs, but to go far.

Everyone else in the Pacific, I think are where they should be....for better or worse.

Central Division Good Surprise:
Lo and behold...another Canadian based team, the Winnipeg Jets, who are just a hair in front of the expected dominant Colorado Avalanche, but the fact that Winnipeg IS on top of the Central (and second only to the Canucks in points, third overall behind VAN and BOS in the league), is quite the surprise.

Then again, like Vancouver, they did a bit of house cleaning via dropping players, making deals, and just getting a group that WANTS to be there, wants to compete, and playing with skill, nastiness, and pride.

Wasn't too long ago that the 'Peg was viewed as a slow burning disaster, but at this stage, backed by Connor Hellebuyck, it wouldn't surprise me to see them in the West Finals this year.

I have been saying for years that Edmonton will be the next Canadian based team to win the Stanley Cup, and I stand by that, but Winnipeg's play and future outlook is making it very difficult to be as resolute on that!

Central Division Bad Surprise:
Minnesota Wild.
I know, I know...some may say, "The Wild are where they should be"...and maybe they are, BUT, I feel, even with their deficiencies, they should be a lot more competitive than they have been this year.

They are a hard working bunch that are prone to lots of mental errors....and usually pay for those errors on the scoreboard.
Lots of regression by lots of players across the board, and the result is a team that is only better than Chicago in the Central with regards to points.
I certainly never thought they were championship ready (not even CLOSE!), but with the blue collar mentality and the higher end player or three they have in their lineup, it is a bad surprise to see them struggle as much as they have been...at least to me.

One more Good Surprise in the Central:
The Nashville Predators.
By all rights, and on paper, this team should be where, say, the Wild are now....near the bottom struggling to make the playoffs and having difficulties finding goals.
While their offense is not exactly on fire, they, like Winnipeg, do just enough, and back it up with good defense, and a world class netminder between the pipes

Throw in solid defensive stalwarts like Roman Josi, Ryan McDonagh, and Luke Schenn (yes, Luke Freakin Schenn....he is a GREAT add as a solid depth defender with lots of nasty!), some forwards who are very defensively responsible and good on draws, and you have a surprisingly competent team that could make the playoffs, and cause problems for some higher ups!

Everyone else in the Central, IMO...pretty much where they should be.

Be back with the East in a little bit!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Ok......my Schnauzers are now happy pups after taking a bit of a walk in this frigid weather and I am back.
Where was I?
Ohhhh right...the East.

Good Surprise, Metro Division:
Need I say it? The Philadelphia Flyers of course!
I think many expected John Tortorella to help 'fix' this team and get them all rowing in the same direction with his Iron Hand methods...but to be playing as well as they are, this quickly into Torts' tenure as Flyers' bench boss, AND, actually having a front office in Philly that helps the coach along by getting him what he wants in terms of style and personnel?

Nothing short of incredible, and the results clearly show on the ice.
One could argue that the Flyers are a talented team getting away with smoke n mirrors...that their youth will betray them, and the vets they have will sink back into old bad habits, but you know, I don't think so....

Not with Torts running the show.
His track record has shown that if he is allowed to do things "his way", then improvements will come. Sure, he will eventually grate on players, but like him or not, there is no denying the man always seems to get the most out of what he is given...and isn't afraid to ask for MORE out of his players and the front office who employs him.

The only place Torts was a true abject failure was in Vancouver years ago, when the front office there wouldn't budge on giving Torts free reign to do things his way, and he was saddled with a bunch of soft, set-in-their-ways vets who could always go crying to upper management if Torts hurt their feelings.

Other than that (TB, NYR, CBJ, and now PHI) he has been a big, big difference maker in how the team performs and has usually left the team in a much better position competitively, than how he found it.

I'd say Torts, like Tocchet, should be in the running for the Jack Adams (and he still might...a Flyer division win may put him over the top!), but overall, I think people expected Torts to improve the team, though maybe not this quickly, while I don't think many thought Tocchet could have the Canucks playing as well and as hard nosed as they have been all year, this quickly....so my nod still goes to Toch for the Jack!

Metro Bad Surprise?
New Jersey Devils, definitely.
They have way too good a roster to be a middle-of-the-pack Metro team (and not that long ago, they were closer to the bottom of the East than they were to the top!)...but they have had some big, big regression in goal especially, and some others who haven't performed up to their abilities, injuries of course have plagued them.

Just overall, they should be in the Stanley Cup conversation at this point and they would be lucky to even make the playoffs this year as things stand now.
Very disappointing, though, luckily for NJ fans, there is still time for them to right their ship!

Everyone else in the Metro? Probably where they should be....MAAAAYBE include the Penguins and Caps as mild bad surprises given their star playes on the rosters, although an equal case can be made for an aging core and lack of any real depth on both rosters as reasons why they are where they are.

Atlantic Division Good Surprise:

You know, no single team jumps out at me in the Atlantic as being a "good suprise". I think the teams playing well are where they should be, the teams playing just ok, also where they should be.
Maybe an argument can be made for the Florida Panthers as a 'Good Surprise'?
Mehhh, but not for me.

I never did think Florida was "lucky" to be in the Finals last year. People called it a Cinderella run last year, finishing the season as a low seed and getting to the SC Finals.
But, if anything, I feel they UNDERPERFORMED, and should have been higher in the standings, and their Finals appearance shouldn't have been viewed as an underdog run.

Well, there they are this year. Hanging with the "mighty" Bruins and Rangers at top of the East standings.
They are now doing this year, what they should have been doing last year, and what they were doing in the two prior seasons to that: Working their way to Stanley Cup contention, and possibly a SC win.

Although, they are currently struggling getting wins (4 game losing streak as of this posting), but still, no fanbase should want them in a 1st round match up in the post season. They could go and meet Carolina or the NY Rangers in the East Finals!

Perhaps another mild good surprise are the Montreal Canadiens.
Sure, they have trouble scoring goals, sure, they won't be making the playoffs, and yea, they still have lots of holes in that lineup...BUT, Marty St. Louis has those boys playing with lots of heart (ooooo, kinda like HE played, eh?), and they are NO 'gimme win' for any team who matches up across from them.
If a team doesn't show up to play the Habs, they will beat you. Simple as that.

Bad Surprise in the Atlantic?

Sigh...a couple of teams qualify for that here:
The Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres.
Those teams are filled with young, fast, very good talent, some solid vets, and up n coming goaltending...well, at least I THOUGHT they were.

But both the Sabres and especially the Senators, have looked so damned arse backwards many times this season, one has to wonder how the floor fell out so fast from under them this season.
They were touted as two teams who "had great offseasons" or "won the offseason", or whatever the H-E-double hockey sticks you want to call it....only to come out and play like they are gunning for their own version of a Connor Bedard in the freakin draft!

These two teams, along with the Red Wings, should have been pushing the ol standbys like the Leafs, Lightning, and even the Panthers for their playoff positions....but so far, only Detroit is playing the part correctly.

Buffalo and Ottawa are headed in the wrong direction...and to me, THAT is very disappointing and surprisingly....bad!
Maybe a step or two backwards before a full on catapult forward next year?
Errrrr, they better.....but that is one tough way to go about your business....

[NHL HHOF]

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Time to see what the 'second half' of the season has in store for teams....do the hot ones stay that way? Or do they get reset?
Is someone who has no business making the playoffs gonna go on some crazy run and get in?

Will the Leafs and Rangers fail yet again with expectations in both finishing position AND, if applicable, post season success?  

For the TB Lightning, and as a big, big fan of the club, I am SOOOO glad to see what appears to be a very healthy Erik Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev back with the team.
Cernak, in particular, has wasted no time in making his presence felt as he has mashed a few NY Ranger players in his first couple shifts.

Having Drago and Serge back in the lineup should mean defensemen who have been playing above their pay grades can be slotted back to their proper positions.
One area where the Bolts have been lacking all season, despite their good finish to the first half....defensive coverage and chances given up against.

As for the opponents of the Bolts tonight, the NY Rangers, man, what is the deal?
Igor Shesterkin sits for the second game in a row, as a HEALTHY backup to the ancient Jonathan Quick.
Maybe Shester's .899 season sv% has something to do with it? And is it all his fault? Maybe not....the Bolts have walked in on Rangers defensemen pretty easily in the game so far.....

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

In yesterday's action, the Vancouver Canucks continue to play well, defeating a Carolina Hurricane team that some figure could come out of the East or at least be in the East Finals.

I know there are people out there that say the Canucks can't possibly maintain what they are doing, and yea, they are NOT wrong, as history has shown that the numbers don't lie about teams regressing, or 'leveling off' after putting up certain otherwordly numbers.

But don't tell the Canucks that.
They looked just as fast, just as tough, and just as committed to driving the play, dictating the pace, and winning the game, as they have been all year.
And I didn't even think Thatcher Demko played his best game, as he looked a bit shaky (post ASG doldrums?), but still managed to stop 22 of 24 shots for the win.

Vancouver Canucks, people...I think they are for real, crazy as it sounds.
They've been shuffling their players, philosophies on the ice, and methods of attack and defense for the past few years, and they certainly have lots of high end talent on that team.

Their main weakness had always been they were also one of the 'softest' teams in the league.
That doesn't appear to be the case any longer!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Connor Bedard being interviewed by the TNT intermission crew.
At first, I was thinking, "oh boy...here we go...NHL shoving Bedard in our faces yet again..."

But listening to Bedard fielding the questions thrown at him, he handled himself pretty well, very humbly, and pretty composed for an 18 yr old who is being asked to carry much on his shoulders.

As a Wild fan, I should be despising all things Blackhawks, but, you know, I kinda liked Bedard's interview.
It wasn't the NHL promotional spiel I thought it was gonna be. He genuinely seemed like himself, and pretty likeable at that!

WTG, young man!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Rangers take a 2-0 into the 2nd intermission.
Two sharp goals beat Vasilevskiy while Jonathan Quick looks like he has turned back the clock at the other end.

Mikhail Sergachev, fresh from missing 17 games with injury, was helped off the ice after absorbing a hit, then falling very awkwardly on his left leg, and appearing to contort his knee...ouch.
Guy just can't seem to avoid injury this season!

Serious or not, don't know yet.

Bolts do have the firepower to get back into this one, and I am pretty sure Quick isn't impenetrable (though he sure looks the part tonight), but in order for TB to get back in this one, they are going to have to drive the net like they were doing in the 1st period, cause Ranger players to take penalties, and then let that deadly PP do its thing.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Measuring stick game for the Canucks....they are at Boston in a possible Stanley Cup Finals match up....sans Lucic and Burroughs....thank goodness  

Sadly, my Vancouver feed isn't working, so I am forced to listen to the ALWAYS inebriated sounding Jack Edwards over on the NESN Boston broadcast.
Already that broadcast booth is putting out scouting reports that sound like they are from 10 years ago "Boston better defensively, Vancouver top heavy...but otherwise even"...

Seriously guys....the Canucks are more of a 4 line team now...throw away that crap from 2010 will ya??

I just wonder what the booth shock will be like over in NESN when the Vancouver players start plastering Bruins players into the boards......

Anyways, should be a good game, regardless of me being prisoner to NESN...for now. I am holding out hope that my SN Vancouver broadcast will get sorted out and I will go to that!
Save me, John Shorthouse! Help!!! 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

JT Miller.
Nasty piece of work he turned out to be in his NHL career.
Does it all.
Sets up, scores, skates fast on transition, takes a ton of draws, drops back to play defense..... and doesn't mind getting ornery with players, giving them an extra shot or three....or even seeking out rats like Marchand on the ice to remind him what time it is....

Shame the Lightning couldn't find a spot for him when they had him.

Then again, JT's game has evolved quite a bit since his Ranger and Lightning days.

Those rumors of JT being traded by Canucks a year or two ago seem so ludicrous now.

Edited February 9 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Just wow.
Bruins with another short handed goal against Vancouver for a 2-0 score.

But the big picture is, as John Shorthouse just said (yes, I got my VAN feed back!) "What is GOING ON with this run of short handed goals given up??"
 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

4-0 Bruins now at the start of the 2nd.
This game is getting away from the Canucks, and the Bruins, their fans, and Jack Edwards, may have the last laugh after all in this 'showdown' game!

Frankly, Vancouver looks asleep out there defensively.
In fact, they are making those 2010-2011 scouting reports that Jack Edwards pulled out of his closet look true to form!

Edited February 9 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Some lines, off the top of my head, from games that have gone final already today as of this posting....

St. Louis 3, Buffalo 1
Blues-- Continuing their annual 'back from the dead' run they seem to do every year....but will it be enough THIS time?
Sabres-- Falling further down the spiral....

Detroit 4, Vancouver 3
Red Wings-- Continuing to stay competitive, right there with the Leafs and Lightning
Canucks-- Starting to prove the naysayers right....

Dallas 3, Montreal 2
Stars-- Trying to retake control of the Central Division!
Canadiens-- Still showing up for games...not good in the standings, but at least they show up, gotta give them that.

Calgary 5, NY Islanders 2
Flames-- Trying to pull an Oilers and go on a run to shoot them up the standings (and probably don't wanna be sellers!)
Islanders-- Got too 'high' after big wins against the Leafs and Lightning with nothing left for the Flames? Mayhaps...

Washington 3, Boston 0
Capitals-- Can't decide if they want the higher draft pick or not....
Bruins-- Minor hiccup in what looks like another strong regular season run.

Florida 4, Colorado 0
Panthers-- Still trying to catch Boston...still with Stanley Cup eyes....
Avalanche-- Rumblin, bumblin, stumblin....

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

And some more games that have gone final since my last post....

Hartford 1, New Jersey 0

Whalers-- With their throwback sweaters, they continue to scratch and claw towards the top of the Metro.
Devils-- Still just shy of the playoff line....and these win one, lose one games won't cut it

Tampa Bay 4, Columbus 2
Lightning-- Bolts continue to feed on the weak....
Blue Jackets-- With the exception of an angry Boone Jenner, looking to stay with the Hawks, Sharks, and Ducks for the lottery pick.

Ottawa 5, Toronto 3
Senators-- Trying to salvage some respect this season
Maple Leafs-- Still somewhat sleepy out of the break....

Philadelphia 3, Seattle 2
Flyers-- Determined to insert themselves in the playoff festivities....they don't want to go away.
Kraken-- Determined to insert themselves in the playoff festivities....they DO seem to be going away...

Winnipeg 2, Pittsburgh 1
Jets--- Oooo, look...a WIN...FINALLY! Can they resume plans for the SC parade in the streets of Winterpeg??
Penguins-- As per @notfondajane... "They just don't care!!"  

[notfondajane]

10 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

And some more games that have gone final since my last post....

Hartford 1, New Jersey 0

Whalers-- With their throwback sweaters, they continue to scratch and claw towards the top of the Metro.
Devils-- Still just shy of the playoff line....and these win one, lose one games won't cut it

Tampa Bay 4, Columbus 2
Lightning-- Bolts continue to feed on the weak....
Blue Jackets-- With the exception of an angry Boone Jenner, looking to stay with the Hawks, Sharks, and Ducks for the lottery pick.

Ottawa 5, Toronto 3
Senators-- Trying to salvage some respect this season
Maple Leafs-- Still somewhat sleepy out of the break....

Philadelphia 3, Seattle 2
Flyers-- Determined to insert themselves in the playoff festivities....they don't want to go away.
Kraken-- Determined to insert themselves in the playoff festivities....they DO seem to be going away...

Winnipeg 2, Pittsburgh 1
Jets--- Oooo, look...a WIN...FINALLY! Can they resume plans for the SC parade in the streets of Winterpeg??
Penguins-- As per @notfondajane... "They just don't care!!"  

Finally someone is hearing what

I'm seeing. The Penguins ARE PISSING ME OFF BIG TIME.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

VERY fast and skilled game going on between the Colorado Avalanche in town in Tampa against the Lightning.

Avs took the early 1-0, but since, the Bolts have added two to take the lead themselves.
Both teams looking real hot on offense that it wouldn't surprise me if this ended up being somewhat high scoring.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Ya want goals?
The Avs and Lightning will provide goals!

7 so far between them!

And it's not like no defense is being played, or that the goalies are not on.....it's just both teams have deadly attacks.

Defensemen on both sides are gonna need a chiropractor to work on their spines near their necks. "Heads on a swivel" doesn't begin to describe what the d-men are going through here..

Edited February 16 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Nathan MacKinnon.

Not sure there is anyone in the league who can go from a complete standstill to full speed, with the puck, and maneuver around traffic like he can.
MAYBE Connor McDavid....but for some reason, MacK seems a bit more explosive, and he's pretty good at stiff-arming defenders as he protects the puck, not missing a beat as he sets up a play or shoots the puck himself.

And he is tough too.
He took a puck square on the nose....bled like a stuck pig, went back for 'repairs', and was back out there doing what he was doing before he got smacked...torturing TB defenders...

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Anthony Cirelli ices the game for the Bolts with the EN goal to make it 5-3 Tampa Bay.
VERY entertaining game this was!

Lead kept going back n forth and really, there WAS defense and goaltending in this game, despite the score.
Without the goalies playing as well as they did, and without great defensive plays, the score would likely be much higher.

Another EN goal by the Bolts as the Avs pulled the goalie one last time... 6-3 Bolts.
Anyone looking at a stat sheet will think TB dominated, but that was NOT the case.
Evenly played game and Colorado could have just as easily  have won it....score is just ballooned by the pair of EN goals.

TB doing well in this "test stretch".
They played awful against the Rangers and Islanders in New York, but since those games, have won at Columbus (expected), at Boston (huge win!), and now at home against Colorado (nicely done!)....and now await the Florida Panthers who are currently tied with Boston for top spot overall in the East.

Ohhh, yea...and some guy  named Zach Parise was seen skating around in an Avalanche sweater tonight..  

[Math]

1 hour ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Ya want goals?

 

Sure! We potted nine against the poor Preds, one goal shy of the "stänggeli".

 

(but maybe it was against the "code" to score double-digit goals...)

[Buffalo Rick]

On 1/20/2024 at 2:17 PM, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Ok......my Schnauzers are now happy pups after taking a bit of a walk in this frigid weather and I am back.
Where was I?
Ohhhh right...the East.

Good Surprise, Metro Division:
Need I say it? The Philadelphia Flyers of course!
I think many expected John Tortorella to help 'fix' this team and get them all rowing in the same direction with his Iron Hand methods...but to be playing as well as they are, this quickly into Torts' tenure as Flyers' bench boss, AND, actually having a front office in Philly that helps the coach along by getting him what he wants in terms of style and personnel?

Nothing short of incredible, and the results clearly show on the ice.
One could argue that the Flyers are a talented team getting away with smoke n mirrors...that their youth will betray them, and the vets they have will sink back into old bad habits, but you know, I don't think so....

Not with Torts running the show.
His track record has shown that if he is allowed to do things "his way", then improvements will come. Sure, he will eventually grate on players, but like him or not, there is no denying the man always seems to get the most out of what he is given...and isn't afraid to ask for MORE out of his players and the front office who employs him.

The only place Torts was a true abject failure was in Vancouver years ago, when the front office there wouldn't budge on giving Torts free reign to do things his way, and he was saddled with a bunch of soft, set-in-their-ways vets who could always go crying to upper management if Torts hurt their feelings.

Other than that (TB, NYR, CBJ, and now PHI) he has been a big, big difference maker in how the team performs and has usually left the team in a much better position competitively, than how he found it.

I'd say Torts, like Tocchet, should be in the running for the Jack Adams (and he still might...a Flyer division win may put him over the top!), but overall, I think people expected Torts to improve the team, though maybe not this quickly, while I don't think many thought Tocchet could have the Canucks playing as well and as hard nosed as they have been all year, this quickly....so my nod still goes to Toch for the Jack!

Metro Bad Surprise?
New Jersey Devils, definitely.
They have way too good a roster to be a middle-of-the-pack Metro team (and not that long ago, they were closer to the bottom of the East than they were to the top!)...but they have had some big, big regression in goal especially, and some others who haven't performed up to their abilities, injuries of course have plagued them.

Just overall, they should be in the Stanley Cup conversation at this point and they would be lucky to even make the playoffs this year as things stand now.
Very disappointing, though, luckily for NJ fans, there is still time for them to right their ship!

Everyone else in the Metro? Probably where they should be....MAAAAYBE include the Penguins and Caps as mild bad surprises given their star playes on the rosters, although an equal case can be made for an aging core and lack of any real depth on both rosters as reasons why they are where they are.

Atlantic Division Good Surprise:

You know, no single team jumps out at me in the Atlantic as being a "good suprise". I think the teams playing well are where they should be, the teams playing just ok, also where they should be.
Maybe an argument can be made for the Florida Panthers as a 'Good Surprise'?
Mehhh, but not for me.

I never did think Florida was "lucky" to be in the Finals last year. People called it a Cinderella run last year, finishing the season as a low seed and getting to the SC Finals.
But, if anything, I feel they UNDERPERFORMED, and should have been higher in the standings, and their Finals appearance shouldn't have been viewed as an underdog run.

Well, there they are this year. Hanging with the "mighty" Bruins and Rangers at top of the East standings.
They are now doing this year, what they should have been doing last year, and what they were doing in the two prior seasons to that: Working their way to Stanley Cup contention, and possibly a SC win.

Although, they are currently struggling getting wins (4 game losing streak as of this posting), but still, no fanbase should want them in a 1st round match up in the post season. They could go and meet Carolina or the NY Rangers in the East Finals!

Perhaps another mild good surprise are the Montreal Canadiens.
Sure, they have trouble scoring goals, sure, they won't be making the playoffs, and yea, they still have lots of holes in that lineup...BUT, Marty St. Louis has those boys playing with lots of heart (ooooo, kinda like HE played, eh?), and they are NO 'gimme win' for any team who matches up across from them.
If a team doesn't show up to play the Habs, they will beat you. Simple as that.

Bad Surprise in the Atlantic?

Sigh...a couple of teams qualify for that here:
The Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres.
Those teams are filled with young, fast, very good talent, some solid vets, and up n coming goaltending...well, at least I THOUGHT they were.

But both the Sabres and especially the Senators, have looked so damned arse backwards many times this season, one has to wonder how the floor fell out so fast from under them this season.
They were touted as two teams who "had great offseasons" or "won the offseason", or whatever the H-E-double hockey sticks you want to call it....only to come out and play like they are gunning for their own version of a Connor Bedard in the freakin draft!

These two teams, along with the Red Wings, should have been pushing the ol standbys like the Leafs, Lightning, and even the Panthers for their playoff positions....but so far, only Detroit is playing the part correctly.

Buffalo and Ottawa are headed in the wrong direction...and to me, THAT is very disappointing and surprisingly....bad!
Maybe a step or two backwards before a full on catapult forward next year?
Errrrr, they better.....but that is one tough way to go about your business....

Looking at your observations, pretty well done but I think a team that must get more praise are the Seattle Kracken.  It’s pretty impressive how good they are at home and after a tough loss to open an East coast swing they beat the Islanders and then go into Boston and take them out!  I hope they get in.  The Blues also are impressive. Look at last nights results vs Edmonton.  As for my Sabres. they showed what they are capable of with 7-0 win over Kings.  Florida is playing maybe as good as anyone.  I already. Said, losing Jack Quinn was an injury the Sabres did not need.  The bright spot has been Luukenen.  He is now their best goalie and has earned the position.  Now I’m not sure if they fire Granato ?  I’d keep him, fire Adams and make a trade now!  Trade Krebs if anyone would have him and maybe they should consider tracing Power?

I have to see just where the Blues and Kracken sit in position to get in?  

[IllaZilla]

11 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Ohhh, yea...and some guy  named Zach Parise was seen skating around in an Avalanche sweater tonight..  

 

Total bum...

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, IllaZilla said:

 

Total bum...

 

Well, yea, at this point in his career, he is a complete 'hanger-on', trying to get his championship, even if he is an unnecessary player on a given team.
He was done when the Wild bought him out, as I don't recall anything of note he did with the Islanders.

A far cry from when he was healthy and at his best with the Devils and Wild, that's for sure.

[IllaZilla]

1 minute ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Well, yea, at this point in his career, he is a complete 'hanger-on', trying to get his championship, even if he is an unnecessary player on a given team.
He was done when the Wild bought him out, as I don't recall anything of note he did with the Islanders.

A far cry from when he was healthy and at his best with the Devils and Wild, that's for sure.

 

My issue with him is his whole "I don't want to be part of a rebuild" attitude, bad mouthing team mates for doing fly-bys after scoring, and the "Woe is me, we can't win" when his big fat contract made it nearly impossible for the team to bring anyone of note in.

[JR Ewing]

18 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Nathan MacKinnon.

Not sure there is anyone in the league who can go from a complete standstill to full speed, with the puck, and maneuver around traffic like he can.
MAYBE Connor McDavid....but for some reason, MacK seems a bit more explosive, and he's pretty good at stiff-arming defenders as he protects the puck, not missing a beat as he sets up a play or shoots the puck himself.

 

I think a little bit of just the way it looks. McDavid is smooth and seemingly effortless, while MacKinnon looks like he and his skates are going to war against the ice.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

18 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

 

I think a little bit of just the way it looks. McDavid is smooth and seemingly effortless, while MacKinnon looks like he and his skates are going to war against the ice.

 

I would agree, yes, McDavid makes the skating look VERY easy....he does lots of things on the ice that look easy when he does'm in fact!